The soft rays of noon sunlight filtered through the curtains, bathing Aiden's room in a gentle glow. His eyelids fluttered as he stirred, his body aching with exhaustion. When he finally opened his eyes, the familiar ceiling of his room came into view, and for a brief moment, he felt a flicker of relief.
But then his gaze fell upon Ciara, who was curled up near his pillow, her sleek black fur rising and falling with each slow, steady breath. As he stared at her, the events of the previous day came crashing back into his mind. The battle, the beasts, the villagers' screams, and the sight of Rodrick and Lily grieving over their parents—it all replayed in vivid detail.
"It wasn't a nightmare," Aiden murmured to himself, his voice hollow. The weight of the truth settled heavily on his chest.
Ciara stirred slightly, letting out a soft purr before rolling over, her golden eyes flickering open briefly to glance at him. She gave a small meow before settling back into her nap, seemingly unbothered by the turmoil raging inside her young master.
The door creaked open, and Ayleen stepped into the room carrying a tray of food. Her eyes softened as she saw Aiden awake, but the lines of worry on her face were unmistakable.
"You're awake," she said, setting the tray down on the bedside table. "How are you feeling?"
Aiden sat up slowly, wincing as his sore muscles protested. "I'm fine," he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.
Ayleen pulled up a chair and sat beside him, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "Aiden, what you did yesterday… your warning saved so many lives. Without it, the casualties would have been far worse."
Her words offered some comfort, but the weight of the villagers' losses still bore down on him. He lowered his gaze, unable to meet her eyes.
"Mom," he began hesitantly, "those two merchants… the ones from the forest… I need to tell you something."
Ayleen tilted her head, her expression curious but cautious. "What happened, Aiden? Who were they?"
Taking a deep breath, Aiden recounted the events in the forest—the confrontation with the merchants, their true identities, and how he had used Ciara's strange power to control them. He explained how he now had a vague connection with them, allowing him to communicate over long distances, and how he planned to use them to gather more information about their organization.
When he finished, Ayleen's eyes widened in astonishment. "You… controlled them? And you fought them all by yourself?"
Aiden nodded hesitantly, his voice quiet. "I didn't want them to hurt anyone else, so I did what I had to."
For a moment, Ayleen's expression softened, pride flickering in her eyes. "You're brave, Aiden," she said, her voice gentle. But then her expression darkened, and her tone grew stern. "But you're also reckless. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? You could have been killed! Or worse, captured by their organization!"
Aiden flinched under her sharp words, guilt bubbling to the surface.
"You have a family who loves you," Ayleen continued, her voice trembling slightly. "What would we have done if something had happened to you? Orin and I would have been devastated. You're not alone in this world, Aiden. Don't forget that."
"I'm sorry," Aiden said quietly, his hands clenching the blanket. "I thought… I thought I could handle it."
Ayleen let out a heavy sigh, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Promise me, Aiden. Promise me you won't take risks like that again without telling us."
"I promise," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Once the tension between them eased, Ayleen leaned back in her chair. "Tell me more about what you learned," she said. "What did those merchants want, and what caused the beast tide?"
Aiden explained everything he knew—the artifact that triggered the tide, the mysterious organization the merchants belonged to, and their sinister plotting in Dermon City.
At the mention of Dermon city, Ayleen's face darkened with concern. "Fiona…" she murmured, her thoughts turning to her childhood friend. For a moment, worry flickered in her eyes, but then she shook her head.
"Fiona is strong," Ayleen said, more to herself than to Aiden. "She's probably even stronger than I am, and she has her knights with her. But still…"
Aiden could see the unease in her expression and felt a pang of guilt. "I didn't mean to make you worry," he said.
Ayleen forced a small smile, patting his hand. "It's not your fault. You did the right thing by telling me."
Later that day, Orin entered Aiden's room, his broad shoulders tense and his face stern. He had already been briefed by Ayleen about what had happened, and his expression reflected a mixture of pride and frustration.
"So," Orin began, crossing his arms, "you took on three enemies by yourself, huh?"
Aiden nodded hesitantly.
Orin sighed, shaking his head. "Aiden, there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. What you did took guts, but it also put you in danger unnecessarily."
"I just wanted to stop them," Aiden said, his voice small.
"I know," Orin said, his tone softening. "But listen to me. Courage is about standing up when it's necessary. Stupidity is throwing yourself into danger without thinking about the consequences. You have to know the difference."
Aiden nodded, his gaze downcast.
"And one more thing," Orin continued. "That artifact they carried… it would've triggered the beast tide no matter who dealt with them. Whether it was you, me, or anyone else, the outcome would've been the same. Don't shoulder all the blame for what happened. It's not all on you."
Aiden looked up at his father, his eyes searching for reassurance. Orin placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"You're strong, Aiden," Orin said. "But you're still young. That's why we want you to go to the academy when you are ready. Focus on your studies, learn everything you can, and grow stronger. Then you'll be ready to face whatever comes next."
Later that afternoon, Aiden ventured outside to clear his head. As he walked through the village, he noticed the way the villagers looked at him. Their eyes were filled with admiration and reverence, and some even bowed slightly as he passed.
At first, Aiden was confused. He had never been treated this way before. Then he saw Rodrick and Lily approaching him, their expressions a mixture of gratitude and sorrow.
Rodrick stopped in front of Aiden and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Aiden," he said, his voice steady despite the grief in his eyes. "If you hadn't warned us, none of us would've survived. You saved the entire village."
Lily, standing beside him, bowed as well, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Aiden," she whispered.
Behind them, other villagers began to gather, many of them bowing and expressing their gratitude. Aiden felt his cheeks flush, and a deep sense of awkwardness settled over him.
"I… I was just doing my duty," Aiden said, his voice faltering. "I live here too. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."
The villagers exchanged glances, their admiration for him only growing.
"You're brave, Aiden," one of them said. "We owe you our lives."
As the villagers dispersed, Aiden turned his attention to Rodrick and Lily. He could see the pain in their eyes, and it cut him deeply.
"I'm so sorry," Aiden said quietly. "About your dad, Rodrick. And your mom, Lily."
Rodrick clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he fought back tears. "It's not your fault," he said, though his voice wavered.
Lily remained silent, staring at the ground as tears continued to fall.
Aiden swallowed the lump in his throat. "We have to get stronger," he said firmly. "So nothing like this never happens again. So you don't have to lose anyone else."
Rodrick and Lily both looked up at him, their eyes filled with determination.
"We will," Rodrick said, his voice steady despite the sorrow. "We won't let this happen again."
Lily nodded vehemently, her tears replaced by a flicker of resolve.
As Aiden returned home that evening, the weight of the villagers' gratitude and his friends' losses weighed heavily on his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling that things could have been different—if only he had acted sooner, if only he hadn't tried to handle everything on his own.
But as he sat in his room with Ciara by his side, he reminded himself of his promise to his parents, his friends, and the villagers. He would grow stronger. He would protect them.
The battle was over, but Aiden knew his journey was only just beginning.