IThe Golden Flower Cantina erupted into chaos as a small girl, about Tyr's size, stood atop the bar counter. Her long black hair was disheveled, her freckled face smudged with dirt, and her piercing blue eyes burned with defiance. She turned sharply, her gaze locking onto Tyr as he stood in the doorway, still calling out, "Raina!"To Tyr's surprise, the girl grabbed a mug of ale from the bar and yelled, "You creep!" With surprising strength, she hurled it straight at him. Time seemed to slow as the mug tumbled through the air, droplets of ale scattering in all directions. Tyr barely had time to register what was happening before it struck him square in the forehead."Thud." He landed flat on his back, the room spinning as laughter erupted around him.A younger bald man with a ginger beard sat at the bar nursing his drink. He chuckled, raising his mug. "That's Fern for ya. She's a crazy one."The girl—Fern—snapped her head in his direction, her brow twitching in annoyance. "You better shut up, or you're next, baldy!" she yelled, pointing aggressively at him.The man immediately clammed up, muttering something under his breath before taking another sip.Behind the bar, the barkeep—a stout man with a furrowed brow and calloused hands—shouted, "Fern! Get down from my bar! You're wrecking the place!"Fern smirked, mocking his tone. "I don't think so! One day, I'm gonna be the strongest Soul Arts user in all the realms. Then you'll be begging me to be here!"The barkeep scoffed, crossing his arms. "Oh, I'm sure. Now get down before I call the mayor."Fern let out an exaggerated huff. "Fine!" She hopped down from the bar with a flourish, sticking her tongue out at the man. As she made her way to the exit, she passed Tyr—who was still nursing his head on the floor—and made a silly face at him. "Loser."On her way out, she knocked over several chairs, leaving chaos in her wake. Hagar, who had been standing silently in the doorway, calmly stepped aside to let her pass.Hagar approached Tyr, who was still sprawled on the floor. Extending a hand, he said, "Get up, boy."Grumbling, Tyr grabbed Hagar's hand and pulled himself to his feet, wobbling slightly.Hagar shook his head as he made his way to the bar, picking up the fallen chairs along the way. He greeted the barkeep warmly. "I see Fern's still the same as always," he said with a chuckle.The barkeep, whose name was Gurtrand, scratched the back of his head. "Yep. I don't think she'll ever change. Just wish she'd stop causing so much trouble…" He sighed. "Thanks for picking up after her."Hagar waved a hand dismissively and took a seat at the bar, gesturing for Tyr to join him. The boy struggled to climb onto the tall stool, his small frame barely able to hoist itself up.Once settled, Hagar leaned back, setting his things at his feet. "So, Gurtrand, other than Fern, how've things been?"The barkeep poured a mug of ale, sliding it across the counter to Hagar. "Ah, you know—busy and slow, like always. Although…" He paused, his face thoughtful. "We've been getting a lot of folks from Edolas passing through recently. A few Holy Soul Knights came through just the other day, looking for a traitor."Hagar froze for a split second, his expression unreadable. "A traitor?"Gurtrand nodded. "Yep. Someone high-ranking in the Holy Soul Army, apparently. They wouldn't say much else. Just that it was someone close to the Grand Soul Bishop."Hagar shot Gurtrand a sharp look, and the barkeep quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, who's the little guy?" He nodded toward Tyr, who was now fiddling with his bow, pretending to aim it.Before Hagar could answer, Tyr piped up. "I'm Tyr! And Hagar is my friend. He even taught me how to use a bow—see?" He demonstrated, pulling an imaginary arrow and aiming at a random spot on the wall.Gurtrand chuckled. "So, you're taking students now, Hagar?""It's not like that," Hagar replied gruffly. "I'm just helping him out."Tyr interrupted again, his voice urgent. "Hey, who was that girl?"Gurtrand smirked. "That would be Fern. She's an orphan who was left at the town gates one night. The mayor kinda took her in, but she's been a pain in the ass ever since. Loves to cause trouble."Tyr's face fell slightly as he realized it wasn't Raina. But his expression quickly shifted to one of curiosity. Maybe she's like me and Raina. Maybe… we can be friends.Hagar nudged Tyr, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Weren't you hungry?"Tyr jumped down from the stool, clutching his bow. "I gotta go find Fern!" he declared, darting for the door."Wait! What about food?" Hagar called after him."I'll be back!" Tyr shouted over his shoulder as he disappeared into the sunlight.Hagar sighed, turning back to Gurtrand. "Kids."The two men shared a laugh before settling back into their drinks.IITyr wandered the cobblestone streets of Ferndale, now alone without Hagar by his side. He took in the sights, watching the townsfolk go about their daily routines, but his focus remained singular—he was searching for Fern. His feet carried him through the bustling streets as he scanned for any sign of her chaotic presence.Eventually, he came to a fork in the road. On the corner sat an older man, hunched over a newspaper, the ink-stained pages crinkling as he flipped them. Something in the headline caught Tyr's attention: Bright Light Appears in The Evergreen Forest. He lingered on the words for a moment but shook the thought away.Out of breath from running, Tyr approached the man. "Have you seen Fern?" he asked, panting.The old man peered up from his paper, his thick grey eyebrows narrowing. "She do somethin' to you?" he grumbled.Tyr shook his head. "No... well, she did hit me in the head," he admitted, rubbing the sore spot.The old man chuckled, going back to his reading. "Better if you just leave her alone. She's trouble, that one. But if you're so set on findin' her, check the market."Tyr nodded and turned down the right-hand path, but before he got far, the old man barked, "Other way!"Stopping mid-step, Tyr spun around and headed in the opposite direction. Remembering Hagar's insistence on manners, he called out, "Thanks, old man!" before continuing down the street.The market was a sprawling open space, brimming with colorful stalls and storefronts. The air was alive with the sounds of merchants haggling, children laughing, and the occasional bark of a dog weaving through the crowd. Tyr wandered through the sea of people, his eyes darting from face to face in search of Fern.His attention snagged on a bread stall, where rows of warm, golden loaves were arranged in neat piles. The smell triggered a harsh memory of that fateful day with Raina, and his fists clenched involuntarily. He shook off the thought and refocused, scanning the crowd—then he saw her.Fern was creeping toward the very same bread stall, her posture low and her eyes locked on her prize. Tyr's stomach twisted as he watched her movements, the memory of Raina being attacked flashing through his mind. His instincts flared, and without thinking, he charged at her."NO! Stop!" Tyr shouted, his voice echoing across the marketplace.Fern turned her head just in time to see him barreling toward her. Her eyes widened, but before she could react, Tyr tackled her with all his weight. The two tumbled down a narrow alley beside the stall, a flurry of limbs and dust as they rolled over the uneven cobblestones.When they finally stopped, Fern was perched on top of Tyr, her fists clenched. She glared down at him, her expression livid, and cocked back her fist.Tyr's eyes went wide as he stammered, "Wait, wait, wait!"Her fist connected with his jaw anyway, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his face. He winced, cradling his jaw, and muttered, "I just... wanted to be your friend..."Fern froze for a split second, her expression flickering with surprise before she masked it with her usual defiance. "Why would you wanna be my friend?" she snapped.Looking up at her, Tyr groaned. "We're the same," he said, his voice strained. "Also, you're crushing me."Realizing she was still sitting on his chest, Fern scrambled to her feet, muttering, "Whatever."Tyr gasped as the weight lifted off him, rubbing his ribs. "Thanks," he said weakly."Shut up," she shot back, crossing her arms. Her tone softened just a little. "We're nothing alike. I'm just an orphan nobody likes. At least you have a dad."Tyr's expression darkened, his voice quiet. "He's not my dad. I'm an orphan too. I know what it's like to be alone."Fern hesitated, her guarded expression faltering. "So what?" she said, her voice less biting. "Why should I care?"Tyr lowered his head, his hair falling over his eyes. "You remind me of someone," he said softly. "Someone I care about."Fern blinked, the pieces clicking together in her mind. Is that why he called me Raina? she wondered. She frowned, her tone still defensive but less harsh. "Well, I'm not whoever you think I am. But... I guess we've got somethin' in common."Tyr looked up at her, relief softening his features.Fern broke the silence with a sharp, commanding tone. "Now apologize."Tyr blinked, confused. "What for?""For being a creep and for tackling me," she said, hands on her hips.Tyr sighed, exasperated. "Fine. I'm sorry."Fern smirked. "Not good enough. I want you to kneel and beg for forgiveness.""Seriously?" Tyr asked, his annoyance plain on his face."Yes. And while you're at it, refer to me as 'Your Majesty.'"Tyr groaned, crossing his arms. "I don't think I want to be your friend anymore," he said, turning to leave.Fern panicked, her facade cracking. "Wait, no! Stop! I was just joking!"A sly grin crept across Tyr's face. "Checkmate," he muttered under his breath."What was that?" Fern asked, suspicious."Nothing," Tyr said innocently, extending a hand. "Wanna get something to eat? My treat."Fern hesitated, then let out a small, bashful smile. "Well, if you're paying..."Tyr grinned, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. Fern's cheeks flushed red as she followed him out of the alley.As they headed back toward the cantina, Tyr thought to himself, I hope Hagar doesn't mind paying.