ELSEWHERE IN THE ARCNAE KINGDOM, THE NEXT MORNING.

Sleeping in his room, an older Kemen stirred uneasily, has been caught in the clutches of a haunting nightmare. Amidst ethereal mists, a spectral figure bathed in a shimmering ghastly white and light blue aura materialized, her voice a chilling echo in the dark blue darkness.

"HE IS COMING! HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE, YOU MUST HIDE!" the apparition pleaded urgently, her words fraught with desperation.Confusion clouded Kemen's features as he confronted the ghastly vision. "Who are you? Who’s coming after me?" he implored, his voice tinged with nothing but concern.

“ PLEASE HEED MY WARNING BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!” The apparition pleads. Kemen reaches his hand out to her. “I don’t understand. Please let me help you.” But before the specter could offer further explanation, a towering figure, crackling with electricity, seized her throat in a cruel grip,crushing it in an instant. With a primal state, the figure turned its attention towards Kemen, marking his intentions clear. The muscular figure lunges towards him. Before the figure can deliver the final blow, Kemen wakes up. Without hesitation, he falls out of bed.

With a start, Kemen jolted awake, the remnants of the nightmare fading into the recesses of his mind. Without hesitation, he tumbled out of bed, his heart racing with adrenaline-fueled urgency. As he surveyed his room, searching for any trace of the phantom assailant, his gaze fell upon the calendar. “WOOOOO WHOOOOOOO!” he shouts as he jumps up from the ground in celebration. Today is a special day.Today is the day his best friend comes back to town.

In a flurry of motion, Kemen put on a light blue shirt and dashed outside, inadvertently knocking over a few belongings in his haste. His uncle Cedric, busy sitting outside cutting carrots, hears the mess and becomes distraught with annoyance. “Boy you better not be in there breaking me things!!” With a sheepish grin, Kemen glanced at the wreckage strewn in his wake. "I’ll keep this to myself," he promised, before grabbing his satchel and running down the steps.

But before he could step out into the morning sunlight, Kemen's gaze lingered on a faded photograph hanging on the wall—a relic of his uncle's past adventures. Amongst a group of rugged, enigmatic individuals, a youthful Uncle Cedric grinned back at him, the inscription beneath the image a cryptic puzzle waiting to be solved.

"One of these days, I’m gonna figure out what the hell that means," Kemen vowed, a sense of determination burning bright within him as he embarked on the journey that lay ahead.As Kemen made his way towards the door, his uncle Cedric intercepted him with a firm grip on the back of his shirt, eliciting a yelp of protest. "OW! What the hell, old man?" Kemen exclaimed. Cedric leveled a stern gaze at his nephew. "Now where the hell are you off to in such a rush?"

"You know you could really kill me every time you do that, right?" Kemen retorted, his tone tinged with irritation. "Boy, I’ve killed chickens bigger than you," Cedric retorted gruffly. "Am I just poultry to you?" Kemen quipped sarcastically.

"DAMMIT BOY! YOU BETTER GIVE ME SOME ANSWERS BEFORE I MAKE YOU CLEAN THE STYES!" Cedric's voice rose with exasperation. Kemen relented under his uncle's stern stare. "Alright, alright! No need to twist my arm. I’m heading over to Grandma Gertrude’s."

Cedric released his hold on Kemen's shirt with a grunt of utter excitement "Well, why didn’t you say so, kid?! I’ve been craving some of that pie! I’ll come with."

"You know you don’t have to do that—" Kemen started to protest. "Is Mrs. Gertrude making her butterscotch pie?" Cedric interrupted eagerly with a stern face of desperation. "Probably," Kemen admitted reluctantly.

Cedric smacked Kemen upside the head playfully. "Then what the hell are we waiting for?" As Cedric rushed back inside to close the door, Kemen muttered under his breath, "One day I’m gonna—" Cedric shot him a glare. "What boy? What are you gonna do one day?" Kemen quickly backpedaled, realizing he’d been caught. "Nothing, nothing.” Together, they made their way towards Mrs. Gertrude's house, but Cedric couldn't help but notice the nervous energy emanating from his nephew. “So what’s so special about today?” He asks. Looking forward, Kemen is unable to contain his excitement. “Grandma Gertrude said that today the golden child was coming back.” Cedric chuckles to himself. “Hmmn, I guess it’s been 10 years already.”

Kemen, smiling as he walks, “Yeah it has. He’s been sending me letters for a while. Keeping me updated on some of the things he’s been doing. And now he’s gonna come back.” Kemen turns to the side and begins to flex his muscles. “I’m gonna let him see how jacked I’ve gotten. The boy won’t know what hit him! It’ll be just like old times!”Cedric stops dead in his tracks and pulls his nephew to the side. This is something he himself has witnessed. Something that his nephew has yet to experience for himself. “Hold on a second boy.” He says, with a concerning glare upon his face. “ Unc what’s up? Why did we stop? Grandma Gertrude’s basically right there!” Kemen exclaimed.

“Because I need to hear me when i say this. I know the two of you been sending letters back and forth, but- The last time you saw your friend was a long time ago ya hear? Many of the friends that I traveled with and battled with, all of them are strangers to me now. Do you understand what I am saying to you boy? That means that no matter what you may feel, your friend might not be exactly who you remember him to be. And that’s okay boy.” Cedric turns his head and looks over at his nephew.Kemen's attention wavered as he absently picked his nose, causing his uncle's very limited patience to wear thin.

“DAMMIT BOY! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?” Cedric screamed as his nephew flung a piece of random debris from his fingers. “ AGHH RELAX UNC! THERE WAS SOMETHING IN MY NOSE! IT WAS BUGGING ME, I HAD TO PICK IT OUT!” Kemen screams back towards his uncle. “YOU’RE GONNA PICK A GRAVE IN A MINUTE C’MERE!” Without hesitation, Cedric grabs his dim witted nephew and puts him into a headlock. Trying to push away from his uncle, Kemen tries to give him a noogie. Very close, watching from their porch is an elderly orc couple, sitting on a wooden bench. The husband chuckles, “Sounds like The Holdens are here.”

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The wife taps her husband on the shoulder, ever so lightly. “Oh that’s marvelous. I hope they brought over some carrots.” She says, in a sweet old voice. As Kemen and Cedric continued to wrestle, unaware that the couple watching them were exactly who they were coming to visit.

Mrs.Gertrude gestures towards the two of them to come to the house. As she laughs at the goofy pair, Cedric immediately stops wrestling his nephew as he awkwardly stares at her. “AH, Good Morning Mrs.Gertrude how are you this morning? And Mr. Vitol we’re still on for fishing this weekend right?” He chuckles nervously.

Kemen jesteredly snarls at his uncle. “Damn abuser.” Kemen mumbled.

Playing right along with Kemen’s shenanigans, Cedric turns his mouth to the side. “Say it louder.I dare you.” Vitol starts laughing softly as he holds onto his wife’s hand. “You Boys always know how to crack an old fella’s funny bone.”He says with a simple, that feels so genuine it makes everyone smile just a little. Having the pleasantries out of the way, Mrs. Gertrude decided to be direct with her neighbors. “Cedric, would you happen to have my order of Carrots?” She says in a more deep but still sweet voice. Well of course mrs.gertrude! Why Kemen has it right in his hands. Go on boy.

Kemen then walks up to Mrs.Gertrude and hands her the bag of carrots. In her long lived face, Gertrude smiles. “Oh thank the gods. I thought we were gonna have to wait all the way to registration to get these. Thank you so much.”

Kemen places his hand on his neck, embarrassingly. “ Ah it's no problem Grandma- I mean Mrs.Gertrude.” He had corrected himself. As she was the only woman that helped raise him, he knew to treat her with respect. Gertrude places her hand on Kemen’s shoulder. “Such a nice boy. You know what? We have a surprise for you two.” She says and she points towards dumbfounded Cedric and his nephew. She turns her head towards her husband. “Honey, would you be a dear and tell that boy to grab those pies from the kitchen?” As she speaks, Vitol pushes his glasses up to his eyes. He softly grabs his wife by the hand. “Of course, my applebear.”

With little effort, Vitol raises his arm and places his hand in front of his mouth. “KIRAN! COULD YOU BRING DOWN THAT PEACH PIE FROM THE KITCHEN? THE HOLDENS ARE HERE!” Vitol, a veteran, with his prime behind him, still managed to bellow his voice through the entire house. Everyone stares towards the door. It takes a second to register but once he realizes, Kemen’s jaw begins to drop.

“Wait Kiran is here? I thought he wasn’t gonna come in until later today” In his shock, Kemen began to slowly sweat. He thought he was ready to see his best friend. But unknown to everyone around him, Kiran had not returned many of his letters to him. ” What if Unc is right? What if this whole time I’ve been changing, he has as well? What if he’s a completely different person now?” He thought to himself.

“Oh no he came in last night. It was a huge surprise. Vitol almost took his head off.”

Mrs. Gertrude giggles as she pats her husband on the shoulder. Vitol chuckles. “It’s true. Son nearly scared the life out of me.”

Suddenly, a tall, broad-shouldered dark caramel skinned half orc half human walks out of the door with a whole fresh pie on a plate. Cedric and Kemen both look at each other and back at the door repeatedly. Kiran places his arm behind his neck and awkwardly tries to cut the tension. “Who’s ready for pie?” As he smiled, his two sharp teeth showing, Cedric laughs. “Look who’s gone and grown up on everybody! Cmere kid! How the hell are ya?” Cedric walks up the stairs and hugs Kiran. Kemen, still dumbfounded, staring at his uncle patting the back of his long lost friend.

Barely hanging onto the pie, Kiran steps back from Cedric. “Whoa! Careful! I’m still holding a pie here!”

Everyone but Kemen laughs. “Whoops my bad!” Cedric steps back awkwardly. Kiran hands his grandfather the pie. Looking him up and down, Cedric notices the facial hair on Kiran. “You look good kid! Specially with that lil bit of facial fuzz you got there.” Cedric lets out a big laugh as he smacks Kiran’s back.

Mrs.Gertrude grabs Kiran’s arm. “I keep telling him he looks just like his father.”

Cedric makes a face. “Oh right How is your old man these days?”

“Dad’s been better you know. He’s been kind of grumpy these past few months. I guess he’s not really taken to the whole wanting to be a magic knight thing yet. Every chance he gets he reminds me and mom of what I could be doing with my life instead of risking it.” Kiran holds his head down. “I’m hoping he can see that I just wanna help people.”

Cedric nods his head. He understands the feeling of that pressure that Kiran is facing. Much more, he understands that while a lot has physically changed between the two, his nephew and Kiran could not be more alike. “Sounds like someone we know.” Cedric speaks as everyone begins to stare at Kemen who is still paralyzed in awe. Kiran chuckles. He’s never known Kemen to be this quiet. Kiran walks down the steps towards him.

“What’s up Kem?“ He speaks with no answer from Kemen.“Hello?” Kiran waves his hand in front of Kemen’s blank stare. “Look I know it’s been a while but-“ Before Kiran can finish his sentence, Kemen shouts back at him. “OH COME ON! HOW ARE YOU SO TALL?! WE WERE THE SAME HEIGHT FOR SO LONG!!” Kemen pinches his friend’s arms as he admires their bigger size. “HOW ARE YOU BIGGER AND TALLER THAN ME?! THIS IS SOME BULL-“

Kemen looks over to his uncle and then back at Mrs. Gertrude. “Uh—nevermind.” Everyone begins laughing. “Same ol’ Kem.” Kiran laughed. To him, everything in his life was about to change. There was something nice about one of his best friends being the same energetic kid he once knew. Cedric looked towards the sky. “I hate to break up the reunion, but we have to get ready to head into town to set up shop for today.” Kemen and Kiran both look at Cedric with shocked disappointment.

“Are you kidding me uncle? We practically just got here. I haven’t even caught up with pinky over here.” Kiran turns his head in annoyance at Kemen. “HEY I thought I told you not to call me that!” The two of them jokingly bitter back and forth. Cedric clears his throat.

“Friends don’t mean that you forget your responsibilities boy.“ Cedric’s words hang in the air. As Kemen turns to leave with his uncle, he waves towards Kiran. With their reunion being cut short, Vitol stands up. Well hold on there Cedric, why don’t you take Kiran with you? You’re always talking about needing the extra help at the stand.” Cedric stops walking. “That’s not untrue.” Vitol continues. “Plus Kiran has to register for the games later so it gets him closer to the city. And it gives the boys a chance to catch up.”

Mrs. Gertrude gestures her finger towards the boys. “It has been a while for them boys.” She spoke with a endearing but impactful tone. Cedric took a moment to ponder. He DID need the extra help. But one thing could not escape his mind. He turns his head to see the pie in Vitol’s hand. “Alright throw in another pie and I’m on board.” Cedric spoke.

With his uncle on board, both Kemen and Kiran silently bellow yes to themselves. Taking off in the distance with pies in hand, they wave back towards Vitol and his wife. Vitol turns his head, remembering the times of old, towards his wife. “You think ol Cedric’s ready for what comes next?” He asked. Mrs.Gertrude shrugs. “Who really knows my dear. “

As the elderly couple sits upon their porch, they continue to reflect on their past and ponder on the future of the next generation of heroes.