Fikre walks back to his house from the capital's schoolhouse. As he walks down the busy city street, various acquaintances and friends wave to him. He jumps when someone shakes his shoulders from behind, but turns to see it's only his best friend, Dawit.
"What the hell, Fikre! You left me back at that boring-ass math lecture with Mrs. Gatimo! I almost went crazy!" Fikre laughs as he walks home with Dawit.
"You know, Dawit, you might benefit from listening to one of those lectures every once and a while." Dawit slugs his shoulder.
"Easy for you to say. You know all that stuff already! You might be the smartest guy I've ever met. Sometimes I think you should be teaching the class!" The pair walks into the local pastry shop. "What's going on, Miss Dina!"
The shopkeeper smiles. "Not much, boys. It's been slow today. I've already prepared your usual orders." She places two glazed donuts on the counter.
"Thank you so much, miss Dina," says Fikre. "We know how much the Bright Republic is starting to charge for glazing."
"It's nothing, boys. Have yourselves a fantastic day." Fikre hands her a few copper coins and the pair leaves the pasty shop.
"Speaking of the Bright Republic," says Dawit, "are you going to enroll in the army? They're getting ready to ride out to Dulimbai to help defend against the Patrian invasion."
"I don't think so," Fikre replies. "My mother and sister are counting on me to provide for them. I think I'll probably get a job teaching or working at Miss Dina's pastry shop instead."
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"That's lame. It's really great, honestly. Everyone in my battalion is super friendly, regardless of how bad I am at wielding a sword, heh." Dawit says. Fikre chuckles.
"I should be headed home, now. I have to start dinner. Talk to you later, Dawit." They wave goodbye and head their separate ways.
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"How was school, Fikre?" His mother asks as he enters their small home nestled in between the capital wall and their neighbor's house. "Fine, mom. I'm going to start dinner, okay? I was thinking duck tonight."
"Ooooh, that sounds delicious!" His mother says. Fikre's little sister runs in from another room and hugs him tight.
"Hi big brother!" She spouts cheerily. Fikre pats her on the head and hugs her back.
"How was school, little sis?" He asks.
"Great! Rediet gave everyone biscuits for her birthday!" She exclaims. Fikre laughs and pats her on the head.
That night, the last normal night of Fikre's life, he had a cooked duck for dinner sitting at the table with the ones he loved most.
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Fikre is awoken in the night by a skull-piercing shattering sound. He jolts up out of bed and runs to wake up his mother and sister.
"What's going on?" His mother asks.
"I have no idea. Something happened outside. Let's go."
As the three run outside, they see that all their other neighbors have also ran outside to look for the source of the sound.
"What was that noise?"
"Did a bomb go off?"
"Are the Patrians invading?"
A bright flash of light appears in the sky above them; the night sky is ignited with a shower of gold. Fikre can't tell for sure, but he thinks he sees... falling stars? I think there are eleven of them... wait, two of them are headed right for the city!
"The ancient theurgies have failed!" Someone shouts. "Get in your homes! Take cover!" Screams ring throughout the streets as people rush back into their homes. Fikre, however, is mesmerized by the lightshow. He can feel something calling out to him. His sister tries to pull him inside, but she is too late. The construct of bright yellow energy hits Fikre dead-on, and his screams of pain ring throughout the streets of the Ancalian kingdom.