After the tournament, Enzo tried to stir up trouble, insisting that action be taken regarding my situation. After all, I was a fugitive wanted by the Kirche. In the border towns, I still saw posters with my childhood face, accompanied by the word "Wanted."

Thailon, with his characteristic calm, managed to prevent Enzo from causing a bigger scene. With calm but firm words, he persuaded him to leave, albeit clearly upset. Afterwards, he congratulated both Kiomi and me, saying we had exceeded his expectations. His unusually happy expression was contagious.

Despite earning the title of “the strongest in Ilmenor,” I didn’t stop training. I had to become stronger. I couldn’t afford to stop. My duty was to protect those who mattered to me, and for that, I needed to overcome every limit.

The days passed peacefully. We were assigned protection or assistance tasks, missions far from the extreme dangers I was used to. I didn’t complain; I preferred these calm tasks over constantly putting my life at risk.

As “warriors” of Ilmenor, each of us was assigned to a team. The groups with lower numbers were the strongest of their generation. By chance, I ended up in the same team as Kiomi, something I didn’t mind at all. However, Gratius was also part of the team, having decided to stay in the village with the sole goal of defeating me one day. Sabina rounded out the team, and her presence made everything more bearable.

Our missions were fairly routine. We patrolled the Kirche’s border posts, waiting for any eventuality. Every month, we rotated positions with another team.

Life was peaceful and pleasant. In our team, we often laughed together, though Gratius was the exception. He always tried to annoy or sabotage me. By now, I wasn’t sure if he did it to irritate me or if it was some odd sense of humor.

One afternoon, while I was at home, Thailon called for me.

—Zein, can I talk to you for a moment? — he asked in his calm tone.

—What is it? — I replied, approaching him.

—Tomorrow is Kiomi's birthday, and we want to prepare a surprise for her here in the village. But we need someone to keep her occupied for a while, from tonight until tomorrow night. There's a lot of work to be done. Do you think you can handle it? —

—Of course, don't worry. Trust me. I'll keep her as busy as possible, — I replied confidently to Thailon.

Now, there was only one obstacle left: convincing Gratius not to pull any of his stunts on such a special day.

—Gratius. —

—What do you want, you pest? — he replied with that arrogant tone that irritated me so much.

—Could you stop calling me that for just a moment? —

—And why should I? — he asked with an annoyingly smug smile that was almost nauseating.

—Look, we've been assigned a mission, but it's just a cover. We need to keep Kiomi busy while they prepare something for her birthday back in the village. —

—And so what?"

—I'm just asking you, for one day, to not pull any of your nonsense and help me keep her distracted."

Gratius paused, something I didn’t expect. I had always assumed he was incapable of thinking before speaking.

—Fine, — he finally said, —but I’m not doing it for you! I’m doing it for Kiomi. I like her.—

—Thank you. —

That same afternoon, we set out on our “mission,” which involved gathering wild berries in a nearby forest. The trip there and back would take nearly an entire day. We set up a small camp near the area, and when night fell, the sky filled with stars.

Gratius and Sabina disappeared from the campsite, leaving Kiomi and me alone by the fire. The crackling flames filled the silence as Kiomi played with a stick, drawing shapes in the dirt.

—Do you remember when we were younger? — she asked, drawing a picture of the two of us. It was a bit rough, but it was clear what she wanted to depict.

—Of course. We always played together... with Lyra too. She always had so much energy. —

—Yeah... those were really fun days. —

—Thank you, — we said at the same time, looking into each other’s eyes before bursting into laughter.

—Thank you, Kiomi, — I said softly, lowering my voice as I gazed at her. The glow of the fire gently illuminated her face. —Since I arrived, my life has taken a new path. A really beautiful one. —

Kiomi looked up, her expression somewhere between curiosity and something else I couldn’t quite identify.

—I want to thank you too, Zein. For staying, for being part of this... of everything. —

The moment lingered in the air, the fire crackling between us as our eyes stayed locked a few seconds longer than usual.

She leaned her head on my shoulder, still drawing shapes in the dirt with the stick.

—I wish these moments could last forever, — she whispered, almost like a wish lost in the night.

—So do I, — I replied in the same tone.

We stayed like that, under the warmth of the fire, watching the flames dance and enjoying the calm. But the moment was interrupted when Gratius and Sabina returned. They were chatting quite animatedly... and holding hands. I couldn’t help but feel surprised.

—What are you staring at? — Gratius asked, his usual challenging tone present, but this time with a smile.

His explanation cleared everything up. After the tournament fight, Gratius had been impressed by Sabina’s strength, and his admiration had turned into something more. Since then, they had been spending more time together, and apparently, things had progressed between them.

At dawn, we gathered the berries we needed and got ready to head back to the village. The journey was long, so we left early, though I hoped we wouldn’t arrive too soon—I didn’t want to ruin the surprise Thailon and the others had prepared for Kiomi.

Luckily, time seemed to be on our side, as we arrived just as the sun began to set. However, as we approached the village from a nearby hill, something felt off.

The village was engulfed in green flames. My heart sank immediately.

—Not again... — I murmured before I started running toward the entrance, followed closely by the others.

The scene felt like a recurring nightmare. I couldn’t let what I had built over these last few years crumble once more.

As we crossed the entrance, an eerie silence blanketed everything. The lights in the houses were out, and the air reeked of burnt wood and ashes. With every step, we encountered charred remains—of structures and even bodies. The sight was horrifying, a grim reminder of how fleeting peace could be.

We continued toward the center of the village, where the largest building stood, hoping to find Thailon. Perhaps he could explain what was happening.

When we reached the entrance, two figures blocked our way. They weren’t the usual village guards, nor did they belong to the Kirche or Ilmenor. Their uniforms were dark, adorned with a symbol of a black sun engraved on their helmets.

—Who are they? — I asked quietly, not really expecting an answer.

Without a word, the soldiers stepped aside, allowing us to pass. The tension in the air was almost suffocating as we crossed the threshold and ventured inside.

Something was wrong. Something terrible had happened, and we were about to face it.

Outside the main hall stood two more guards. This time, I got a better look at their gear: they wore masks that completely covered their faces, with two circular lenses resembling eyes and a protruding tube where the mouth would be—a grotesque imitation of a machine.

They slowly opened the door for us. As we stepped inside, we were met with an unsettling sight. A legion of these soldiers stood in perfect rows, leaving a narrow aisle down the center. At the far end of the hall, someone was waiting for us: a soldier who, unlike the others, wore a cape and more elaborate armor. It was clear he was in command.

On the ground lay Thailon, motionless.

Seeing his body there, vulnerable and lifeless, unleashed an uncontrollable fury within me. Without a second thought, my hand gripped the hilt of my sword tightly, and I lunged at the man in the cape with all the speed and strength I could muster.

—Thailon! — I yelled, blinded by rage.

The general, seated calmly, barely flinched. With a swift and surprisingly casual motion, he raised his forearm and blocked my attacks as if swatting away a toy. The two swords clashed against something that, though it seemed like flesh, had the hardness of metal and the fluidity of an impenetrable liquid.

The sound of the impact echoed through the hall, but he didn’t even blink.

I leaped back, not lowering my guard. I watched him carefully, trying to understand what kind of monster I was facing. But I didn’t have much time to analyze him because the soldiers around us began to break formation, moving toward my friends.

Chaos erupted in the hall. Shouts of warning mingled with the clash of steel and the roars of battle.

—Zein, stay on him! We’ll handle the rest! — Sabina shouted as she deflected an attack from one of the soldiers.

I wanted to help them, but they stopped me. They insisted the general was my fight, and they would manage the others.

The man in the cape took a step forward. His gaze was cold, calculating, and a smug smile played on his lips.

—Tell me, boy, — he said with a firm, slightly mocking tone, —you grew up here, didn’t you? —

I didn’t respond. My jaw was clenched so tightly I could almost feel my teeth cracking.

Without waiting for an answer, he crouched and grabbed Thailon by the hair, lifting him just a few inches off the ground. Thailon was breathing laboriously, each gasp cutting into my chest like a knife.

—Look at him… the great Thailon Valandil, reduced to this — the general said with disdain, twisting Thailon’s head to face me.

—Let him go! — I roared, stepping forward with my sword at the ready.

The general’s smile widened.

—Are you going to do something about it, boy? Prove to me that you’re more than just empty words.

The challenge in his voice ignited my fury even more, but this time, I tried to stay calm. I couldn’t make another mistake, not when Thailon’s life was hanging by a thread.

—Let him go! — I shouted again, this time with a more threatening tone.

—Finally, you speak to me, — the general said, his grin only fueling my anger.

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With unsettling composure, he began descending the steps, dragging Thailon as if he were nothing more than a sack of sand. Each thud against the steps echoed in the hall, and each sound stabbed at my chest like a dagger.

I struggled to remain calm, but the rage was hard to contain.

The general lifted Thailon to face level, forcing him to look directly at him.

—Look, brat, I’m going to do you the favor of explaining why I’m here, — he said, now with a serious, almost solemn expression. He glanced at Thailon with disdain before continuing, —This decrepit old man could have prevented the death of your entire village… if only he had accepted the deal we offered him. —

—What deal?! — I roared, taking another step forward.

—I’ll explain. The Kirche is a small organization under my command. I’m a paid general serving under the rule of the great emperor. But you will call him Overlord. Leader of the largest empire in the universe, The Black Sun. —

—What the hell are you talking about? —

—I’m saying that if your beloved father—, he motioned to Thailon, still dangling like a broken puppet, —had agreed to join us, no one here would have died. And certainly not in such a pathetic way. —

The general’s words echoed in my mind. The Kirche is part of an empire? The largest in the universe? At last, the root of all our problems stood before me.

As I processed what he was saying, I felt an unrelenting gaze fixed on me. It was heavy, like someone was drilling into me with their eyes. I looked around, and there he was: Enzo, standing on a balcony, watching everything. That bastard was tied to this. I just knew it.

He didn’t look scared or worried, he simply watched with a mix of curiosity and satisfaction, as if he were enjoying a theatrical performance.

—Zein! — Kiomi’s voice cut through the chaos as she ran toward me. Her face was a blend of concern and urgency.

—What is it? — I asked, trying not to take my eyes off the general.

—That guy is dangerous, Zein. He manipulates acid and natural materials. But his real strength… is acid. —

—How do you know that? —

—Don’t ask! Just listen. If you take him out… all the soldiers will fall with him. —

Her words filled me with hope and determination.

—Got it, — I said firmly, gripping the hilt of my sword tightly.

The general must have noticed the shift in my demeanor because his grin widened even more.

—Do you think you can defeat me, boy? — he asked, a mixture of mockery and curiosity in his voice. —Go ahead, try. —

—If you want, I can help—

—No. Go to the others. This fight is mine. —

Kiomi looked at me, her face full of worry, but she reluctantly nodded.

—Don’t worry, I’ll be fine, — I said as confidently as I could, though I wasn’t entirely sure of that myself.

She ran off to join the others, leaving me alone with the general. My mind raced as I tried to analyze his movements and abilities. I had to figure out how to attack him without putting Thailon, still his captive, at risk.

The general, his mocking smile unrelenting, began moving Thailon as if he were a human shield, dragging him with disdain.

—Well, boy? Are you just going to stand there, or do you plan on doing something? — he taunted, his tone dripping with arrogance.

I took a deep breath, unsheathing both of my swords, and dashed toward him with quick, calculated steps. My movements were fluid as I sought an angle to strike without endangering Thailon.

But the general was unlike any enemy I had faced before. With unsettling calm, he extended his hand, and a stream of acid shot out, slicing through the air with a sharp hiss.

I barely managed to dodge, but a few drops hit my right shoulder plate, dissolving it instantly. The searing pain tore through my shoulder, but I gritted my teeth and kept moving.

—Is that all you’ve got? — the general mocked, stepping toward me as he let Thailon drop to the ground like a broken toy.

Seizing the moment, I closed the distance between us and launched a diagonal strike with both blades. But the general blocked my attack with his metallic arm, stopping me as if my weapons were made of wood.

—You’re quick, but not quick enough, — he said coldly, shoving me back with such force that I stumbled several steps.

I stopped, panting, and studied him. His arm wasn’t entirely metal—it was something stranger, like a solid liquid that could change shape. I needed a different strategy.

Meanwhile, the sounds of battle filled the room. Kiomi, Gratius, and Sabina were fighting the soldiers. Though they were holding their ground, I couldn’t tell how much longer they could last.

—What’s the matter, boy? Realizing you don’t stand a chance? — the general laughed, his voice echoing through the chamber. —Let me give you some advice: surrender now, and maybe I’ll let you live. —

I ignored him. Instead of responding, I adjusted my stance and rushed at him again, this time feigning a frontal attack. When he raised his arm to block, I twisted my body sharply, sliding toward his side and aiming to slash at his left leg, right where the armor seemed weakest.

The blade of my sword managed to make contact, but it barely left a scratch before he reacted with a blow that sent me crashing to the ground.

—Ingenious... but useless, — he said, advancing toward me with steady steps.

I quickly got back on my feet, wiping away the blood that started dripping from a cut on my cheek. I couldn’t give up, not here, not now. This guy was strong, but if I kept him occupied long enough, maybe Kiomi and the others could finish off the soldiers and come to help me.

I tightened my grip on the hilts of my swords, ready for the next round.

—So, what are you waiting for? — I snapped, trying to provoke him as a spark of determination flared in my chest. —Didn’t you say it was useless? Prove it. —

The general smirked, raising his hands again, and from them oozed more of that lethal acid, dripping to the floor with a menacing hiss.

—As you wish, brat. Let the real fun begin. —

We both stood still for a moment, our gazes locked in a silent duel of wills. The tension in the air was palpable, and neither of us was willing to back down. Suddenly, as if driven by an invisible signal, we both charged at each other once more.

I moved with fierce precision, and in a fluid, calculated motion, I struck the general with a clean cut, splitting his torso into two halves. At the same time, the general launched an acid attack that hit my abdomen, burning through the armor that protected it and reducing it to ashes.

The impact echoed like thunder through the hall. I staggered back a few steps, panting and clutching my side as I watched the general. He wavered, his body grotesquely split, with an expression of fear and pain etched across his face.

I let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like the battle was over. But just as that thought crossed my mind, my smile faded.

With disturbing slowness, the general began to move his severed halves. Some unnatural force kept him upright as he realigned his torso with the rest of his body. The mocking smile that spread across his face was more terrifying than any attack he could have launched.

Now, with my swords held in guard, I tightened my grip around the hilts, trying to calm my mind and think clearly. What could I do? The general seemed unstoppable.

—Is that all? — he said, his mocking tone fueling my frustration.

How was I supposed to defeat him if not even a slash could hurt him? If he could regenerate from an attack like the last one, how could I possibly damage him with smaller cuts? My mind was drowning in doubt. Every passing second felt like hope was slipping further away.

It was then that he seized the opportunity presented by my distraction. The blows came quickly and precisely, leaving me no time to react. One struck my knee, another my triceps, followed by a direct hit to my thigh and then my hip. Pain coursed through my body, and the wounds weakened me, but I refused to fall. I kept my guard up, my breathing ragged, my mind desperately searching for a solution.

In that moment of despair, an idea surfaced—a forgotten lesson. I remembered something I had learned in school, a teaching my instructor used to repeat incessantly:

—Remember, kids, any monster created from a liquid substance incapable of sustaining itself in a solid state must have a core. Destroy the core, and the monster will perish. —

The revelation hit me like a lightning bolt. The general, with a body made largely of acid, had to have some kind of core,a weak point. If so, I could defeat him.

I decided to take the risk. I quickly sheathed my swords, preparing to fight barehanded. I knew I had only one chance and that I needed to be faster than ever before, striking before the general could figure out my plan.

I bent my knees and started moving in a zigzag pattern, dodging his attacks. The general, surprised by my agility, began launching streams of acid, but none of them managed to hit me. My mind was focused, free of distractions. Every movement was calculated, every breath controlled.

I advanced faster, closing the distance dangerously. The general, realizing how close I was, raised his acid-covered fist and launched a direct attack at me. The strike seemed inevitable, but suddenly, my body vanished into thin air, like an illusion.

The general, bewildered, looked around, furious and confused, searching for the enemy that had seemingly disappeared.

At that precise moment, I slid behind him, taking advantage of his confusion. Without hesitation, I drove my strike through his back with devastating force. My hands pierced his liquid skin, and the impact echoed through the room. It was not just a precise attack, but a lethal one.

The general couldn't avoid the surprise and anger reflected on his face.

—What do you think you're doing? — he said, his voice filled with rage but also trembling.

—What do you think? — I responded, with cold and fierce determination.

—Don’t you dare. —

—Or what? —

—You’ll never live here again. —

—Hmmm, and how will you make that happen? —

—Like this. —

Without warning, he pressed a strange button, but I didn’t have time to pay much attention to it.

Instantly, the general’s core exploded from the inside, releasing a corrosive energy that consumed him completely. His body, unable to sustain itself without the core, began to disintegrate, leaving behind only a smoking stain on the ground.

The same happened to the soldiers surrounding the area. It seemed that all the energy keeping them alive came from the general, and with his disappearance, they too perished.

I stood in the battlefield, exhausted, with my hands badly burned from the acid. My breathing was heavy, but I had won, though at a very high cost.

In the distance, I saw Kiomi standing, gazing at the bodies of Gratius and Sabina. One of the soldiers disintegrated over Gratius’s body, while Sabina had been pierced multiple times by swords.

I approached and embraced her, trying to offer comfort, though the pain I felt also enveloped me. I held her tightly, seeking to convey some sense of calm amid it all.

Without wasting time, we ran toward Thailon, who lay on the ground. I lifted him in my arms; he was breathing with difficulty.

—Thailon! —

—Dad! —

—Kids…— he said with difficulty, his voice weak. —I’m glad you’re okay. —

—Don’t talk, we’ll heal you. —

—No, there’s nothing you can do for me. —

—Don’t say that! We can still…—

With his hand, he covered my mouth, preventing me from speaking.

—No, get out of here, there’s not much time left. —

—Why are you saying that? We can still save you. —

—Did you see what he pressed, didn’t you? — he said, pointing to the stain on the floor.

—Yes, but… what does that have to do with it? —

—We’re ants, Zein, ants in this big world. They’re giants, and we can’t do anything. They can erase us from the map, and that’s what they’ll do. You still have time to leave. —

—We’re not leaving without you. —

—Exactly, Zein’s right. —

—Look, Kio is with Lyra in her room, go get them. —

—We’re not leaving you here! Come on, try to get up, I can still carry you! —

—Let him go. —

—No, not yet! — I was desperate, I wasn’t going to leave him here.

—Zein… do you remember the place I used to take you to on vacations when you were kids? —

—Yes…—

—Go there. I have friends who will look after you. It’s a peaceful place. You’ll have comforts. Just promise me you’ll survive. Kio knows how to get there. —

—No, I won’t leave you here…—

He grabbed my cheek with his hand, and also Kiomi’s.

—My children, how much you’ve grown. Time passes quickly, doesn’t it? —

Tears began to form in my eyes, the same happened to Kiomi. This was a goodbye.

—If only… if only I had never come to this village, if I hadn’t existed, maybe, just maybe…—

—Don’t you dare! — he raised his voice unexpectedly. —Don’t you dare minimize all the people who have given everything so that you survived, and the ones who are still giving! —

—But I…—

—Because that’s what you’re doing—

I stayed silent, thinking a little about that. It was true. All those people had given everything for me, and I had simply minimized them.

—Live, live for me. You can look back, you can see the past and remember it. But never stay in it, move forward no matter what. Don’t look back in hatred, but look ahead to the future. —

—Thailon…—

—Dad…—

—When you go to that place, look for a café called ‘Canticle of the Tree.’ There you’ll find an old friend who will help you, — he smiled at us, still bleeding, with a smile as warm as the embrace of the sun. —Take care. —

He hugged us one last time, a hug so warm and beautiful. It was inexplicable.

Instantly, we left. We found Kio and Lyra hiding in a room. We took them to a room that Thailon had never let us enter. There was a lake, glowing beautifully. According to Kio, we would get to that place through there, and we had to be quick. There was a small hole through which the outside was visible. In the distance, I saw a mountain seeming to rise on the horizon, something quite worrying.

I carried Lyra on my back, and Kiomi grabbed Kio. We looked at each other before entering, worried but determined. And we jumped.