"Today, I fought like a hero, but deep inside, the weight of anxiety and doubt still lingers. My powers won’t let it show, yet I feel it. Still, I must move forward."

"The laughter of children filled the air as they ran between trees, playing hide-and-seek. I noticed Collen sitting on a stone bench, staring at them with a distant, sorrowful look. His hands were clasped together, his shoulders tense.

I approached casually. “Are you alright, man? You need a potion for the pain?”

He shook his head slowly. “No, I don’t need one… I’m okay.” But his voice lacked conviction.

“You don’t look alright. What’s wrong? You can talk to me.”

He let out a weary sigh. “These kids… they remind me of my little girl, Elowen.” His gaze softened as if lost in a memory. “Hearing her laugh every day made my world brighter. After a long day’s work, coming home to her running into my arms wiped away all my exhaustion.” His hands clenched into fists. “But one day… my wife left me for a lord. I wasn’t earning enough, so she took my little girl away and never let me see her again.”

A heavy silence settled between us. My chest tightened at his words—I could only imagine his pain.

"I’m not a father,” I said quietly, “but I can only imagine how much this hurts. We’ll find her, Collen I promise."

Collen exhaled sharply, as if he had been holding that hope inside for too long. “Today, Vesper, a magical pigeon, brought me a message… from my little girl.” His voice trembled. “She’s eighteen now. She apologized, said she was too young to understand how my wife manipulated her. And now… she’s begging for my help.” He swallowed hard. "Her mother is forcing her to marry an old lord for wealth and political gain. I have to save her. I couldn’t give her a rich life, but I promised I would always protect her. This is my chance to prove that I’m her father—that I was always there for her."

I straightened. “Then we’ll help her. We’ll get her out of there.”

He gave me a grateful, yet bitter smile. “I know you will. But it won’t be easy. The lord’s castle is crawling with guards. And if he sees me… he’ll have me killed.”

I gave a small smile. "Don't worry. Let's summon our friends, then we'll figure something out."

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Collen nodded. "Alright, let's go."

We headed to the council room, where our friends and Alwin were waiting.

Alwin looked at me. "You summoned us. Is there something we can do for you?"

With a clear voice, I said, "Collen is our friend. He has always been there for me in my worst moments, and in yours as well. Today, his daughter is being held captive in the castle of Chester. Her mother is forcing her to marry an old man. We must help him get her out."

Ballin immediately nodded. "Of course, we will help."

Alwin, however, frowned. "Chester is a well-protected city. We can't just launch a direct attack."

I met his gaze with confidence. "No, we’re not attacking. We need a plan to get inside without being noticed."

Elanor spoke up. "We can turn their own people against them."

Ballin raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do we do that?"

Elanor smirked. "The people of Chester are starving. Lord Henry Wayne keeps raising taxes, and they’re already on the verge of rebellion. We just need to push them over the edge."

I grinned, but the words caught in my throat. "But… it will take many innocent lives."

Elanor’s eyes filled with concern. "I know… and it weighs on me too. But if we don’t act, how many more will suffer?"

I swallowed hard, the weight of the decision settling on my shoulders. The faces of the people of Chester flashed through my mind—starving, desperate. "So… we have to do it. For the people of Chester."

Elanor’s gaze softened, but there was no easing the burden of the choice. She sighed, her eyes filled with an unspoken understanding. "If it’s for them… then we have to find a way to do this without needless bloodshed. I won’t let innocent people suffer more than they already have."

I looked at Elanor, determination in my eyes. "We need to convince the soldiers to stand with us. They won’t kill their own people—their families, their friends. We have to make them see that this isn’t their fight. We’re not asking them to take up arms against the people of Chester. We’re asking them to stand for what’s right."

Elanor nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "You’re right. They’re not monsters. We just need to show them what Lord Henry Wayne is doing to their own people. If we can reach them before the violence starts, we may be able to stop it before it’s too late."

"Their families are the only ones who can truly reach them," I said. "We’ll arrange secret meetings, spread rumors through the taverns, and use well-known philosophers to speak in the city halls. We need to plant the seeds of doubt and make them see that they have more to lose by fighting for Lord Henry Wayne."

Collen spoke up. "We can use the Lightkeepers. People trust them." He paused, his gaze heavy with the weight of the plan. "But it will take a few weeks to earn their trust."

"Alright," I said, a determined nod following my words. "We’ll have time to prepare."

Weeks passed, and with every secret meeting, the Lightkeepers grew more open to our cause. The rumors spread like wildfire, and soon, even the soldiers began to question their loyalty to Lord Henry Wayne. The time to act was near.