We traveled far from the village and camped in a remote place to spend the night. Lyra slept deeply, oblivious to everything that had happened.

—Lucian. —

—What is it, kid? —

—Where will we go now? —

Lucian paused before answering, looking at me seriously.

—Hey, do you remember when I told you that Meliora was married and had a daughter? —

—Yes. —

—Well, that's where we're headed. —

At dawn, we got up quickly and resumed our journey. Lyra was already awake and full of questions. Being so young, it was clear she didn’t understand anything that was happening. She was barely three years old.

The journey felt endless. Several days had passed walking, yet it still seemed like we were far from reaching our destination.

—Lucian. —

—What is it? —

—How far is the place where Meliora’s husband and daughter live? —

—Hmm... let’s say it’s six months away by carriage. It’s on the other side of the supercontinent, but the good thing is that it’s out of the Kirche’s reach. —

—And will we take a carriage? —

—In the next town, we’ll try our luck and see if we can find someone to take us. —

I paused, reflecting before speaking again.

—Hey, one more thing. —

—What is it? —

—You’re pretty strong, right? —

—Why do you ask? —

—It’s just... I want to be stronger. It’s because of me and my ineptitude that they did that to Meliora. If I had been stronger... if I just hadn’t shown up in the village, none of this would have happened. —

Lucian stopped and leaned slightly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

—Look, you’re not to blame for any of this, just like Lyra isn’t. Don’t take responsibility for what’s happened or what’s going on. The only one to blame here is Enzo. He’s been scheming for a while, and now, with the hunt for a ‘demon’ and a possible victory, his power as the supreme leader is likely to grow even stronger. —

—Alright... —

—But the idea of wanting to get stronger? I don’t think that’s a bad idea. —

After walking a bit longer, we arrived at a village. Lucian went ahead to ensure it was safe, but he soon found out it wasn’t entirely so. There was a poster with my face on it: a wanted notice, dead or alive. They were searching for me throughout the Kirche’s sphere of influence.

Lucian came up with a plan: I would pretend to have a skin disease. I’d use his helmet to cover my head and wear robes to conceal my body. Only then could I stay in the village without attracting attention.

—We’d like a room with two beds, — Lucian told the tavern owner.

—That’ll be five gold coins. —

—Five gold coins?! Don’t you think that’s a bit much? —

—Too much? Come on, you’re a soldier of the Kirche. They pay you so well that five gold coins shouldn’t be a problem. —

Lucian swiftly drew his sword and pointed it at the tavern owner’s neck.

—Don’t think that just because I’m a Kirche soldier, I’ll let you scam me like that. —

—Alright, alright! I was just joking. It’ll be two silver coins. —

—That’s better. —

Fortunately, Lyra was already asleep. I didn’t want her to see what Lucian had just done.

The room was modest, but it would do. We’d probably spend several days there, waiting for the Kirche’s search efforts to die down.

During the following days, Lucian decided to teach me how to handle a sword. I learned how to defend myself, attack, and even some martial arts. He wanted me to be strong enough to protect both myself and Lyra.

Though Lucian was strict during training, he was also kind and attentive. He never forgot about us, and if anything happened to us, he’d be deeply concerned and take care of us. He was, without a doubt, a good person.

To be honest, I don’t exactly remember how long we spent in the village; I think it was maybe six months. A merchant caravan had just arrived a few days ago, and we decided to go with them to the next town, which was halfway to Ilmenor, the village where Thailon and Kiomi lived.

"I’m proud of you, Zein. In six months, you’ve made so much progress. Honestly, much more than I ever did during my days at the academy."

—Thanks, it’s because I have a great mentor. —

We smiled at each other, proud.

The caravan set off successfully. It would take us about three months to reach the next village, right on the border of the Kirche’s sphere of influence. We’d have to be very careful.

During the journey, I learned that we weren’t charged for anything because Lucian had volunteered as the caravan’s protector against potential dangers and bandits. And good thing he was with us because no one dared to attack the caravan during those three months. Maybe it was his imposing figure that kept anyone from trying anything.

When we arrived, we stopped before entering the village, which was heavily guarded by stationed soldiers.

—Zein, just to the west of here, there’s a beach. Take Lyra and start training without me. I’ll catch up with you in a bit; I need to buy some things. —

—Alright. —

I headed west to find the beach, and sure enough, there it was. There was even a small village nearby.

...

While Zein and Lyra headed toward the beach, I made my way to the village to buy supplies for our next journey and find someone who could take us further.

As I entered, I recognized too many familiar faces. I decided to keep a low profile since, by protecting Zein, I was probably also a wanted man.

I managed to buy everything we needed and headed toward the exit, but just before leaving the village, I came face to face with several soldiers.

—Well, well... Look who we have here. Long time no see, Lucian, don’t you think? —

—Yes, it's been a long time. —

I quickly stored the items in my backpack to keep them from getting damaged and adjusted my sword in its scabbard.

—Hey, why are you adjusting your sword? It's not like we're going to do anything to you. We just want to talk... unless you're a wanted man. —

Just then, the sound of a sword being drawn cut through the air. One of the soldiers lunged at me, his sword gleaming in the light. I reacted instantly, drawing my own weapon. The clash of steel rang out loudly, and with a quick twist of my wrist, I deflected the attack. Before the soldier could recover, I countered with a thrust that sent him flying toward the edge of the forest.

—That's him, the traitor! — one of the remaining soldiers yelled, pointing at me.

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Without wasting any time, four others unsheathed their weapons, while a fifth ran toward the village to seek reinforcements.

I sprinted into the thick of the forest, my boots crunching on the dry leaves beneath my feet. The voices of the soldiers echoed nearby, filled with determination. The first one appeared to my left, attempting to catch me off guard. I quickly spun my sword, deflecting the strike. The impact forced the soldier to step back, and I moved to the right.

Another attack came from that flank. The steel hissed through the air, forcing me to propel myself toward a nearby tree. With an agile jump, I landed on one of its branches and observed from above. The soldiers began to encircle me, one advancing from below while another prepared to strike me head-on.

I jumped again, landing on a branch of a nearby tree just before the leaves were sliced by an enemy’s strike. From my position, I watched as they tried to regroup to corner me.

—Don't think I'll make it easy for you, — I muttered, launching myself toward another tree to avoid a simultaneous attack from below.

As I spun around, I saw a frontal strike coming. This time, instead of dodging, I jumped to the ground. My sword collided forcefully with the attacker’s, knocking him onto his back.

I didn’t waste any time. Seeing the soldier on the ground, I drove my sword into his chest with cold precision, ending his life instantly. With a swift motion, I wiped my blade clean while eyeing the rest of the soldiers with a defiant smile.

—Is that all you’ve got? — I asked mockingly, raising my sword into the air. —I could do this all day. —

My provocation had the desired effect. More soldiers began to arrive, their shouts echoing through the forest. I quickly assessed the situation and decided not to wait. I charged at the first one who approached, slicing him in half with a clean arc from right to left.

The next one barely had time to react before my sword pierced him with an upward diagonal cut, from his right hip to his left shoulder. A third soldier tried to attack me from behind, but I spun around quickly, cutting his body in half from head to torso with a precise strike.

The corpses began to pile up around me, but the reinforcements kept coming. Swords, spears, and shouts blended into an unstoppable chaos. I moved back and forth, taking down everyone I could; my technique was notably superior to theirs. When I finally stopped for a moment to catch my breath, I counted at least thirty-five enemies slain.

However, the battle was starting to take its toll. My breathing grew heavy, and sweat streamed down my forehead. Suddenly, a soldier took advantage of my momentary lapse and managed to slash my arm with his sword. I staggered back with a growl, but had no time to cover myself. Another soldier attacked me, striking my leg.

The pain made me stumble. My movements slowed, and the remaining soldiers noticed. A third soldier moved quickly, and with a precise blow, wounded my other leg, leaving me immobilized.

I fell to my knees, still gripping my sword, but my body was beginning to give out. I looked at the soldiers surrounding me; their expressions reflected a mix of defiance and twisted satisfaction.

At that moment, the soldiers parted to create a gap. Through the makeshift opening, Enzo appeared, a mocking grin painted on his face. It was a completely different look from the one he had shown before. He approached slowly, savoring the moment.

—Well, well, look who we have here," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'll be blunt. Where’s the boy? If you tell me, maybe I'll let you live. —

—I’ll never tell you, bastard, — I spat on his clothes, my eyes burning with fury.

—Damned... —

Without changing his contemptuous expression, Enzo grabbed a nearby spear. Without hesitation, he gripped it with both hands and thrust it forcefully into my chest.

—This is what happens to you for betraying us all, — Enzo said, looking at me with disdain.

—And I’d do it again, — I responded, my eyes filled with defiance.

Without saying another word, Enzo shoved the spear in even harder, tearing a groan of pain from me.

—I’ll leave you here to bleed out and die slowly, traitor. See you never, Lucian. —

With those words, they all left. The sunset was starting to paint the sky with a warm orange hue. Despite the intense pain and the weakness beginning to take over my body, I stayed conscious. The spear hadn’t pierced any vital organs, but I was immobilized, and blood continued to slowly seep from the wound.

...

The sun was setting, and concern settled in my chest. Lucian was taking too long. I decided to pack everything up and go search for him.

Lyra, exhausted after the long day, had fallen asleep, so I carried her as I walked through the forest. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going, but something told me I had to keep moving. As I walked, I noticed bloodstains on the trees. My heart began to race, and I decided to go further in.

It didn’t take long before I stumbled upon a sight that took my breath away: bodies scattered on the ground, all wearing armor similar to Lucian’s. My chest tightened with an indescribable anguish. Among the corpses, I finally saw him.

Lucian was impaled on a tree, pierced by a spear. I gently laid Lyra down on the ground and ran to him as fast as I could, stumbling over the bodies that lay in my path.

—Lucian! Lucian! — I shouted desperately, trying to reach him.

He slowly lifted his gaze, his face pale and exhausted.

—Boy... what are you doing here? — His voice was barely a whisper.

—You were taking too long, so I decided to go look for you. —

—Don’t you see how dangerous it is? — He tried to scold me, but his tone lacked strength.

He could barely move, and I had no idea how long he’d been there. My mind blurred, but I remembered something. The healing technique Meliora had taught me. Quickly, I placed my hands over his wound, concentrating with all my might. I tried and tried, but it wasn’t working.

—Come on... come on! — I muttered desperately, sweat running down my forehead.

Lucian gently took my hand, stopping me.

—Enough, boy... there’s no point, — his words were full of resignation, but also peace.

—B-but... I need to heal you! I can't let you die! — I replied, tears streaming down my face.

—There’s nothing more we can do... —

—No, it can’t be... please, no, — I said, feeling the weight of despair crushing me.

I couldn’t let it happen again. I had to save him. But how? My control over energy wasn’t good enough to heal him, and going back to the village to find a doctor was out of the question. Being someone so sought after made that impossible.

—Come closer, Zein, — Lucian murmured with effort.

I quickly approached, and in that moment, with the little strength he had left, he wrapped me in a hug.

—Listen to me, Zein, — he said, with a warm smile on his face despite everything.

I nodded, unable to hold back the tears that were already running down my cheeks.

—Take care of Lyra... take care of her with all your strength. Look out for each other, and nothing bad will happen. —

—Y-yes... — I responded, my voice breaking.

—Eat well, Zein. Don’t skip any meals, and make sure Lyra eats too. —

—Yes. —

—Be kind to everyone. Treat others how you want to be treated. That’s how things will go well for you. —

—Y-yes. —

—Keep training. One day, you’ll be stronger than me, I assure you. —

—Yes... —

—Remember what Meliora and I taught you. Don’t stray from those values, Zein. Be a good person. —

—Yes. —

—And above all, take care of yourself. —

—Yes... —

Lucian took a breath with difficulty and continued, his voice weakening.

—When I die... leave my body here. Take my helmet and my sword with you. Go to the next town immediately. There are no Kirche soldiers there. Look for a caravan that will take you to Ilmenor. There are supplies in the backpack... don’t finish them in one day.—

I nodded again, unable to say a word.

—And, Zein... thank you. —

His voice faded with those words. The embrace loosened as the light of life left his body.

I collapsed beside him, crying uncontrollably, unable to accept reality. The night passed in a blur of tears, helplessness, and sorrow. I stayed next to his body all night, not eating, not moving.

The promise I made to Lucian echoed in my mind like a distant sound: protect Lyra, move forward.

At dawn, I stood shakily. With trembling hands, I took his helmet and sword, pressing them to my chest. It was time to move on, though the weight of his absence was nearly unbearable.