Several months had passed since Finn agreed to be his mentor. With each passing day, the training grew harder, but so did Kayn's skills. Over time, he managed to master nearly all the techniques of the Zenith Style and began to understand how the Aurora Style, characteristic of the elves, worked. Although he only knew two of its techniques and couldn't perform them perfectly.
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to clear his thoughts. A strange silence hung over the house, broken only by the gentle whisper of the wind through the trees. He frowned; it was unusual not to hear the usual sounds coming from the kitchen. Normally, Finn would already be preparing breakfast.
"Maybe he hasn't gotten up yet," he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I could surprise him and make breakfast for him this time."
He stood up, stretching his arms above his head until he felt the relaxing crack of his joints. He rotated his arm slightly to loosen it, grabbed some comfortable clothes, and left the room.
As he opened the door, he found the living room completely silent. He glanced at the sofa where Finn usually slept, but it was empty.
"How strange. Could he have gone out?"
Not finding Finn there, Kayn made himself a cup of coffee, pouring it into a ceramic mug. He sat at the table, gazing out the window as he drank. Normally, after breakfast, he would train with Finn, but since he wasn't there, Kayn decided to go on his own.
"I could go for a run. My arms are wrecked from yesterday's training," Kayn thought, rubbing his shoulders and stretching his arms a little.
He headed toward the door, but something caught his attention. A piece of paper was stuck to the wood, fluttering slightly in the breeze seeping through the cracks.
"What's this?" Kayn murmured, grabbing the sheet, curiosity sparking in his eyes. His gaze scanned the text written on the paper. That's when he realized why Finn wasn't there.
Hello, Kayn,
I apologize for not letting you know, but something important came up, and I had to leave the house quickly. I'll be away for quite some time. I won't lie to you; it's possible I won't return for years.
These past months I've spent with you have been a delight—I've loved being your teacher. You're someone with exceptional talent, I know that. So even if I'm not here, don't even think about slacking off in your training. You've managed to master the Zenith Style and the basics of the Aurora Style, which is no easy feat for a human.
I've left my notebook with all my notes on the sofa. You can take it if you want. You're free to stay in my house if you'd like, but I recommend venturing out into the world. There's nothing more I can teach you at this point. With your skills, I'm sure you'll find your own path. Didn't you mention completing one of the labyrinths? Well, go for it.
I hope that by the time we meet again, you'll have become a great binder.
Take care,
Finn
"This is…" Kayn's voice broke as he held the paper in his trembling hands. He clenched his teeth and gripped the note even tighter. "Is this some kind of joke?"
He crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it to the ground, his breathing erratic.
"What the hell is he saying? How have I 'mastered' the Zenith Style? I can barely use a few techniques! And I hardly know how to use the Aurora Style!"
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Slowly, he opened his eyelids, his gaze settling on the sofa. There, just as Finn had mentioned, was the notebook. He approached it cautiously and picked it up.
"At least he left this," he whispered, running his fingers over the handwritten lines. "It doesn't matter. He'll see—when he comes back, I'll have mastered every anima control technique."
The biting cold of January settled over the forest, covering the treetops with a thin layer of frost. Kayn swung his sword, slicing through the air with each strike. He exhaled, watching as his breath turned into a small cloud of vapor that vanished into the icy air.
For months, he had trained tirelessly. Thanks to his efforts, he had mastered one of the techniques of the Aurora Style, the Twilight Touch, a skill that allowed him to paralyze his opponent for a few seconds. But without Finn's guidance, it had been much harder.
Kayn focused his anima into the blade of his sword and delivered a powerful slash toward a nearby tree.
"Zenith Style: Ethereal Slash."
The attack split the tree in two. Kayn looked up at the sky, watching as snow began to fall. Time had flown by, and a new year had begun.
"It's incredible how time flies," he murmured as he sheathed his sword. "Well, I think it's time to head back. I'm hungry."
Kayn made his way back to the house, his boots leaving prints in the thin layer of snow covering the grass. As he pushed open the door, silence greeted him. The unlit fireplace and the stillness reminded him that Finn had yet to return.
He went to the kitchen and set some water to boil. He made coffee and poured the dark liquid into a ceramic mug, then sat by the window. He watched as snowflakes began to fall gently, blanketing the landscape in white.
"Normally, Finn and I would be training by now," he reflected, turning the mug in his hands to warm them. "But it's been months since he left. I wonder if he'll ever come back."
Kayn's thoughts turned to the contents of Finn's letter. In it, Finn had urged him to go out and find a purpose. Perhaps it was time to start looking for one of the labyrinths.
He sat on the edge of the sofa, lost in thought.
"I can't stay here. If Finn isn't coming back, I have to move forward on my own."
Kayn moved around the cabin, gathering his belongings. He packed provisions, secured his sword to his belt, and donned his sweatshirt. Before leaving, he cast one last look at the place that had been his home for months.
"Thank you for everything, Finn," he said softly, even though he knew no one would hear him. "We'll meet again."
He opened the door, and the cold air hit his face. The snow was falling harder now, covering the path that led into the forest. Even so, Kayn moved forward without hesitation.
The trees loomed around him, their branches forming natural arches. The crunch of snow underfoot was the only sound in the solitary landscape.
The forest stretched before Kayn like a labyrinth. He walked with steady steps, remembering the last time he had ventured alone into these woods. Back then, he had been fleeing desperately from the draconids that had destroyed his village. The memory made him clench his teeth and fists.
He had managed to defeat one of them, yes, but only thanks to Finn. He still didn't feel capable of defeating even one on his own, let alone the one who had defeated his father.
Brumavilla crossed his mind for a moment. He stopped, looking in the direction he had come from long ago.
"Maybe... I could go say goodbye."
Without further delay, he turned on his heels and ventured back into the forest, following paths he knew by heart. After some time, the trees began to thin, and he glimpsed an opening. Crossing the threshold, he was met with a desolate sight. In the distance, the charred remains of Brumavilla stood—a stark reminder of what had once been his home.
The smell of ash had long disappeared, and no flames remained. The rain had extinguished the fire completely, but it couldn't erase the scars left on the land.
Kayn walked slowly toward the village, remembering everything that had happened that day. The massive fireball that obliterated the wagons before his eyes, the terrified screams of the villagers, the draconids advancing mercilessly, destroying everything in their path... If not for his father, he would have died. That much was clear. But one doubt lingered in Kayn's mind.
"If I had the power I do now... could I have helped my father?"
It was useless to dwell on it, and Kayn knew it, but he couldn't help wondering. Step by step, Kayn approached the entrance where his father had given everything to save him. No human remains were left, only a skeletal hand clutching a rusted sword buried in the ground.
Kayn knelt beside it, tears threatening to spill. He reached out, brushing the bones gently. He knew exactly whose hand it was.
"Hi, Dad..." he whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm back."
The wind blew softly, stirring the strands of his hair. He could feel a presence, as if his father were there, listening to him.
"Thank you for saving me that day. If not for you, I wouldn't have met Finn or become as strong as I am now. I'll never be able to thank you enough..."
Tears began to stream from Kayn's eyes, overwhelming him with emotion.
"I'm so sorry..." he sobbed, clenching his fists against the ground. "If I hadn't been so weak that day... you wouldn't have had to protect me. If only I had been willing to learn anima control earlier, I could've helped you. I was such an idiot."
After a while, he wiped his tears with his sleeve. He knew crying wouldn't change anything.
"I... promise I'll become a great bonder. I'll become the best bonder. I'll complete a labyrinth and obtain one of the Sacred Guardians, and then... only then... you'll be proud to call me your son."
He stood slowly, looking around. He decided he had to do something more. He couldn't leave the place where his parents rested forgotten.
He searched among the ruins, gathering stones and wood that were still usable. With patience and care, he built two simple but dignified graves. For his father, he placed the rusted sword at the top as a mark of honor. For his mother, he found a wildflower growing among the ruins and placed it on the freshly turned earth.
The process took hours, but he didn't stop until he was satisfied. When he finished, he stood before the graves.
"Goodbye, Mom and Dad. I promise I'll change this world."
Without looking back, he set off, leaving the ruins of Brumavilla behind.