When I woke up, Kuro’s and Ryu's sleeping bags were empty. Sunlight poured through the windows, casting the living room in warm shades of orange and red. The place was a disaster, plates, cups and crumbs scattered everywhere. I groaned and stretched: my back aching from the floor before deciding someone had to clean this up. “Of course”, I muttered, stacking all the dishes into a basket. “Those two just vanish and leave me with the mess...”

Then I grabbed a clean cloth and wiped the table. It wasn’t much, but I tried my best to help. Kuro and Ryu were dirty pigs, waking up before me and leaving this mess without cleaning up even a little bit. Thinking of them, where even were they? I made my way through the house and looked for any trace of them. Ten Minutes, an awkward situation with Layla in the bathroom, and an almost neck-breaking fall down the stairs later, I finally found them.

They were outside, in front of the house. The windows on the front side of the house were high up, so I couldn’t see much of them. When I opened the front door to join them, the sound of their wooden training swords crashing into each other filled the air. I quickly closed the door behind me to keep the cold air outside. They were so lost in their training that they didn’t even notice me when I sat down on a rock right next to them. I had watched their training multiple times already, but this time they both seemed much more focused than ever before. Even though Kuro only practiced sword fighting when he helped Ryu train, his movements were fast and sharp, with only a few unnecessary movements.

He was pretty good, but Ryu was just so much better. I watched them swing their blades through the air, entangled in a fierce dance that would’ve ended in one of their deaths if their blades were real. Watching them train helped me calm my nerves somehow. Their sharp movements had a certain calmness in them that captured my attention and completely captivated me. I wasn’t able to move like that, so I needed to find a way to fight that suited me. A party usually consisted of five to seven adventurers, with each member fulfilling a specific role. These roles were called jobs by the adventurer guild. There were so many different kinds of jobs that it was hard to remember all of them. Kuro had been reading an adventure guide in the library, so maybe it would be a good idea to ask for his opinion. Just as I thought that, Ryu smacked Kuro’s sword away and poked his chest with the tip of his training blade.

“It seems that I have won again, Kuro.”, he said triumphantly.

When Kuro laughed at Ryu’s remark, I could see a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“We can permit the use of magic next time, let’s see if it’ll be this easy for you again.”

It had been a long time since I’d seen Kuro so carefree. I didn’t know what Ryu, Layla and Kiyara said to him after what happened in the forest, but it seemed to have helped him. Just as they shook hands, Ryu noticed me. He jumped a bit, as if he was startled by my presence.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you… You were gone when I woke up and I didn’t want to disturb your sparring.”

Ryu visibly relaxed.

“It’s fine, you didn’t surprise me at all actually.”

Before he could continue, Kuro butted into the conversation and cut Ryu off.

“Did you want to join our sparring session?”

That question caught me off guard. Did Kuro think wielding a sword would suit me? I was way too fragile to wield a sword or any other kind of melee weapon.

“Uhm, no. I actually wanted to ask you two for advice. I’ve been thinking about my role in the party. There’re so many jobs, and I can’t remember all of them. Do you guys have an idea what would suit me?”

They didn't even need to think about it. Ryu and Kuro exchanged a quick glance, the kind only best friends can pull off and answered at the same time, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Ranger or rogue”, they said, perfectly in sync. I blinked, taken aback.

“Why those?” I asked, curious.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“A ranger scouts and protects from a distance,” Kuro explained. “You have sharp senses and can navigate unknown territory easily.”

“And a rogue operates in the shadows, eliminating threats swiftly,” Ryu added. “You’re fast and can move quietly.”

I nodded, considering their words. “I see. I’ll think about it. Thanks for the advice.”

I could see where they were coming from, and I had a feeling that I would end up choosing one of those two jobs. I just had to decide which I should pick. It wasn’t like you couldn’t change your job if you didn’t like it, but the adventurer guide said that every service of the adventurer guild came with a fee. If I made a wrong decision, I would be stuck with a job I didn’t like for a while.

When I finally got out of my thoughts, I noticed that Ryu and Kuro were staring at me. Their awaiting gazes made me feel like I had been asked a question.

“Sorry, say that again.”

I could feel my cheeks blush, this was an awkward situation. Calm and slowly, Ryu repeated his question.

“I wanted to know if you already had something in mind and just wanted to hear our thoughts.”

I immediately shook my head.

“No, I didn’t have any idea yet, that’s why I wanted to hear your opinions. I think in the end I will pick one of the jobs you suggested. But I have yet to make up my mind which would be best for me, so please have patience.”

I threw them a grateful smile and felt warmth spread in my chest when they returned it. I Didn’t know what I’d do without them. I was so incredibly glad that those two were my friends.

We talked about our plans for the upcoming days and for our departure from the village. Apparently, Layla and Kiyara had offered Kuro to train us and prepare us for our journey. Layla even got a job for us to earn some money on our way. She had good ties with the travelling merchants, and made them hire us as junior bodyguards. The pay wasn’t very good, but we could gather some experiences and get to the capital pretty fast at least. Travelling with the merchants, we also had a fixed date for our departure.

The merchants would leave in nine days, so we effectively had seven or eight days to train and get ready. It wasn’t much, but better than nothing. After we talked about our plans, I said my goodbyes to them and started making my way home. I would gather my important stuff in my bag and tell my mother about my decision to join my friends on their adventures. I was a little scared of her reaction, but I didn’t think she would try to stop me. She was always supportive when she had the feeling that I was doing what I truly wanted. At this moment, I didn’t know that what would await me at home would be far worse than the disapproval of my mother.

The moment I stepped in front of my house, I knew something was wrong. The air felt heavy, like a dark shadow had seeped into the walls and stolen all the warmth from the place. The door hung open, its lock shattered and a clean slash cut deep into the frame. My chest tightened as I stepped inside, my voice trembling.

“M-Mom...?”

I quietly spoke into the darkness, looking for any sign of my mother. I found my way to the windows and opened the shutters to let some light inside. I wanted to cry at the sight in front of my eyes. My home, the house that my mother and I had lived in for many years had been devastated. The couch and the table had been destroyed and their remains were shattered across the floor. Cooking utensils had been ripped out from the drawers and shelves and scattered across the room. Pieces of the walls and the ceiling had broken off and completed the picture of my destroyed home.

I searched every room, but there was no trace of my mother. The only thing I found was a few drops of blood on the carpet in the living room and a picture of my mother and me.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I found myself on the floor with the picture clutched to my chest. I cried so much that I didn’t have any tears left. My eyes were burning, and the feeling of crying became painful, but I couldn’t stop.

“Mama… Please come back…”

My voice cracked and I felt a sharp pain in my throat. I remembered how I got attacked myself, and I felt guilt deep in my chest. My mother had been attacked, because they didn’t get me. It was my fault that she was gone. It was my fault that our home had been reduced to trash and rubble. It all just happened because I sat around for years, doing nothing and waiting for an opportunity to do something with my life. If I had been stronger, I could have protected my mother.

“Mama…”

It was just a word, but it made my throat tighten so much that I couldn’t breathe anymore. I needed her back. I needed to know she was safe. There were so many words unsaid between us, I had to make this right.

“I’ll find you Mom”, I whispered, my voice cracked and raw.

“I’ll get stronger… I promise. Just… wait for me. Please.”

The words felt empty in the wreckage around me, but I clung to them like a lifeline. I had to believe she was still out there. I had to. I just laid there on the floor for a few hours, tightly clutching my mother’s picture to my chest.