Kyren's unease gnawed at him as he and Hiro wandered deeper into the unfamiliar woods. The towering trees loomed ominously overhead, casting long shadows that danced in the dimming light of the day. The silence was unsettling, and Kyren's instincts screamed at him that something was wrong. He leaned in closer to Hiro and whispered softly, "Hiro, something doesn’t feel right about this place. I think we’ve taken a wrong turn or stumbled into a different part of the forest altogether."

Hiro glanced at him, his brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

Kyren’s gaze flicked to Carlos, who had been walking slightly ahead of them. The man’s once casual and friendly demeanor had shifted, and Kyren noticed him casting suspicious glances in their direction. “I think we’ve been set up. This feels like a trap.”

Hiro’s stomach dropped as he understood Kyren’s words. They had trusted Carlos to guide them to the academy’s administration office, but now it was clear they had been led somewhere else entirely. The caravan stopped abruptly, and as the silence thickened, shadows stirred from the trees around them. A figure emerged, taunting them with a sneer.

"Looks like you fell for it, kids," one of the strangers chuckled, stepping forward from the shadows. His voice dripped with malice. "Carlos promised us a handsome reward for delivering you.”

Hiro’s heart pounded in his chest. "What’s happening, Kyren? Why would Carlos betray us?"

Kyren clenched his fists, his eyes scanning the figures emerging from the forest. “Looks like we’ve been tricked by another ‘friendly guide.’”

The strangers closed in around the caravan, grinning menacingly. One of them, a tall man with a scar running down his face, sneered at them. "Carlos told us you boys had some coins and decent equipment on you. Hand it over, and maybe we’ll let you walk away."

Carlos, standing with his arms crossed, watched the scene unfold with a smug grin. “You were too easy to fool,” he said, his voice cold and mocking. “This is the real world, and in the real world, the strong take from the weak. Welcome to your first lesson.”

Hiro’s grip on his sword tightened, his anger bubbling to the surface. “We’re not easy targets.”

One of the bandits chuckled, pulling out his blade, which glinted dangerously in the fading light. “Brave, aren’t you? But bravery won’t save you.”

The tension thickened as the bandits closed in. Kyren’s instincts flared to life, and he whispered to Hiro, “Stay sharp. This isn’t just about coins—they want to break us.”

Suddenly, one of the bandits lunged toward Hiro, his sword flashing through the air. Hiro barely managed to block the strike, but the force of it knocked his weapon from his hands. His sword clattered to the ground, leaving him defenseless.

“Let me handle this!” Kyren shouted, stepping in front of Hiro. His heart pounded as he faced Carlos and the bandits, knowing he had to act quickly to save both of their lives. Swallowing his fear, he made a split-second decision. “Carlos, we’ll give you everything. Just let us go. We don’t want trouble.”

Kyren threw his sword to the ground, hoping the gesture would buy them time.

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Carlos raised an eyebrow, a sinister grin spreading across his face. “Oh, you’re the smart one, aren’t you? Good. That’s what I like to see—someone who knows how to survive.” He glanced at his men and nodded. “Take everything they have.”

The bandits swarmed them, stripping Hiro and Kyren of their coins, weapons, and equipment. Everything they had worked for—their hard-earned belongings, the items they had brought with them for their new lives at the academy—was ripped away in an instant. They were left with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Hiro’s fists trembled with anger, but he knew they were outmatched. “We agreed to your terms,” Kyren said, his voice barely concealing his rage. “You have what you wanted. Now let us go.”

Carlos grinned, no trace of remorse in his expression. “Consider this your first lesson in survival. The world isn’t fair, and sometimes, you’ve got to fight for what’s yours. If you want to make it out here, you’d better learn that fast.”

As the bandits began to retreat, Hiro’s frustration boiled over. “We thought you were a good person,” he shouted at Carlos, his voice trembling with fury. “How could you betray us like this?”

Carlos laughed darkly. “Good person? That’s a fairy tale. In this world, it’s every man for himself.”

Hiro moved to lunge at Carlos, but Kyren grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “Stop it, Hiro. It’s not worth it.”

With heavy hearts and empty hands, they watched as Carlos and his group disappeared into the forest. The silence that followed was deafening.

Hiro dropped to his knees, punching the ground in frustration. “Why did this happen to us? We haven’t even reached the academy yet, and we’ve already lost everything.”

Kyren knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Hiro. I know this is hard.”

“What are we supposed to do now?” Hiro’s voice cracked as he spoke, staring at the dirt beneath him. “We have no money, no weapons... nothing.”

Kyren sighed deeply, his own frustration simmering under the surface. “We can’t go back to Vermint Town. Everyone will ask what happened, I don’t want any of the town feel empathy to for, because we agreed to represent our town right? We have to find another way forward.”

“We don’t even have money to eat,” Hiro mumbled, his voice filled with despair.

Kyren sat back on his heels, thinking hard. “If we have to beg for food, then so be it. As long as we’re alive, we can rebuild. This is the first real test of our journey, Hiro. It’s not just about becoming warriors—it’s about surviving.”

Hiro looked at him, seeing the resolve in Kyren’s eyes. Slowly, he nodded, understanding that they had no choice but to move forward. “You’re right. We’ll figure it out.”

They stood up, dusting themselves off, and began walking back toward the city. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows over the forest. As the night grew deeper, they stumbled upon a small clearing and decided to rest. They gathered twigs and leaves, building a makeshift shelter to protect themselves from the cold. Huddled together for warmth, they talked quietly about their shared dreams and the challenges they had already faced.

“Kyren,” Hiro said softly, staring up at the stars, “what if I’m not strong enough for this? What if I can’t handle what’s ahead?”

Kyren glanced at him, his voice calm. “You’re stronger than you think, Hiro. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we? And we’ll keep going. I’ve thought about it before—it feels wrong that we can achieve our goal so easily. Maybe this is what normally happens when you pursue your dream.”

The quiet reassurance gave Hiro some comfort. They had each other, and as long as that was true, they could face whatever challenges came their way.

But Kyren’s mind was plagued with doubts of his own. As they rested, a dark thought gnawed at him. "What if my past is like Carlos’s? What if I’m destined to betray the people I care about?"

Before Hiro could respond, the sound of approaching hooves reached their ears. They sat up, eyes wide, as riders emerged from the trees. In the fading light, Hiro’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Alaine?” Hiro called out, hope filling his voice as one of the riders dismounted and approached.

The familiar figure of Alaine, His childhood friend from Vermint Town, stepped forward, her face full of concern as she rushed to meet him.

"Hiro, what happened?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.