"Walk...your...path."

It was faint but powerful, reverberating in the deepest parts of his mind. The weight of it sent a shiver down his spine. Who—or what—had spoken? He looked around, desperate for a sign of life, but there was no one. Only the wind howling across the empty landscape, sweeping over the dead like a cruel reminder of their fate.

Kael's heart hammered in his chest. He was alone. The ruins of his village stretched out around him, a graveyard of shattered homes and lives that had been reduced to ash. He looked down at his hands, hands that had failed to protect anyone, hands that had stood powerless as his world crumbled.

Why me? The question clawed at him, raw and burning. Why had he been spared? Why was he the one left to bear this terrible weight? The village had been his home—his people, his family. Now, all that remained was the suffocating silence of their absence, a silence that swallowed him whole. Guilt gnawed at him, a relentless beast that wouldn't let go. He was supposed to have been stronger. He should have done something, anything.

But he hadn't.

A surge of anger welled up inside him, bitter and fierce, mixing with the helplessness that twisted in his chest. The voice, that haunting whisper—Walk your path—was that supposed to mean something? He wanted to scream at it, demand answers, but there was no one to hear him. Just the wind, carrying the scent of smoke and death.

His thoughts were a storm, spiraling out of control as the memories rushed back, unbidden and relentless. The flames licking at the sky, the screams that had turned to silence, the faces of the people he had known his entire life, now gone forever. And his uncle—Jiro—lying motionless in the wreckage. The weight of that image crushed him, like a stone on his chest.

Kael swallowed hard, his throat dry. He could still feel the heat of the fire, the suffocating smoke that had choked the life out of everything he knew. His knees felt weak, threatening to buckle beneath him. He had to leave—he had to escape the haunting ruins, but how could he outrun something that was inside him?

The path ahead, the one leading to the academy, felt impossibly distant. The academy was supposed to be his chance—a way to grow stronger, to fulfill his dreams. But as he stood there, surrounded by the ruins of his past, the weight of that journey seemed unbearable. Could he even make it? Could he ever be strong enough to face what had happened here?

The voice echoed in his mind again, softer now, almost a whisper. "Walk your path."

Kael exhaled slowly, his breath shaky, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He didn’t know if he was ready, if he ever would be. The pain, the guilt—it was like a shadow that followed him, lurking behind every thought, every step. But standing here, amidst the ashes of everything he had lost, he knew one thing: he couldn’t stay here.

If he stayed, he would be consumed. The ghosts of his past would drag him down, drown him in despair. The academy was his only hope, the only place that might offer him a way forward—a way to become stronger, a way to find some semblance of peace. Or maybe it was just an escape from the unbearable weight of his failure.

Kael adjusted the strap of his satchel, the familiar weight of it grounding him in the present. He had to move forward. The path stretched ahead of him, winding through the forest and beyond, far from the ashes of his village. He didn’t know what awaited him at the academy, but he knew he couldn’t turn back.

With one last look at the ruins behind him, Kael took a breath and began to walk. His steps were heavy, but he kept moving, driven by the faint hope that somewhere, down this path, he might find the strength to face what lay ahead.

And maybe—just maybe—find a way to live with what he had left behind.

Kael walked, his steps slow and deliberate, heading toward the port where he had been told he could find passage to the academy. In truth, he didn’t know where it was or how long it would take to get there. The directions were vague at best, and the landscape seemed to shift endlessly around him, from dense forests to open plains. The journey felt like it was dragging on forever, but it didn’t matter. He had to keep moving.

Days turned into nights, and Kael found himself camping under the stars, alone with his thoughts and the memories that haunted him. The distant howls of wild creatures echoed through the woods, but Kael barely noticed. His mind was consumed with the weight of what he had left behind.

On one such night, the fire crackled softly as Kael sat by the flickering flames, lost in his thoughts. He had traveled far but felt no closer to finding answers. The weight of his sword hung at his side, a constant reminder of the battles he had fought—and the ones yet to come. Sleep didn’t come easy these days, haunted by memories of his village in ruins, the faces of those he had failed to protect.

But tonight, the silence was broken.

Kael awoke abruptly to a commotion in the trees. His hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword as he peered into the darkness. A shadow darted between the trunks, moving fast and erratically. Moments later, a figure stumbled into the clearing, panting heavily as if fleeing from something.

The young man who emerged had wild, white hair, disheveled and gleaming in the moonlight. In his hands, he gripped a long spear, its sharp tip catching the light as he moved. His wide, fearful eyes darted behind him, as if expecting an unseen enemy to burst through the trees at any moment. His clothes were torn and dirt-streaked, and he looked like he had been running for hours.

Kael tensed, his sword ready, unsure of whether this newcomer was friend or foe. The young man’s gaze met Kael’s, desperation flickering in his eyes. For a moment, neither spoke, the tension between them thick, as if the world had paused to see what would happen next.

"Help! They're after me!" He gasped, stumbling forward, his white hair glinting under the moonlight. He looked over his shoulder, panic etched across his face. The wiry young man held a spear tightly, its tip gleaming ominously.

Kael stood rooted, torn between wariness and curiosity. He sized up him, assessing the wild look in his eyes.

"Why should I help you? Who are you?" Kael demanded, his voice steady but laced with suspicion.

Jin, catching his breath, straightened up despite the urgency of the moment. A sly grin broke through his panic. "Hehe, well, since you've asked, I shall honor you with the truth. I am Jin, the person who is going to be the strongest in the future!"

Kael raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Right. And why are you running if you're so powerful?"

"Ah, well, you see, a smart person knows when to fight and when to run," Jin quipped, clearly improvising as he nervously glanced over his shoulder. "And right now, running seems like the wiser option. Plus," he added, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, "those villagers are chasing me over a complete misunderstanding."

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"Misunderstanding?" Kael asked, folding his arms, still not convinced.

"I may have, uh, accidentally slipped into the chief's daughter's bath...room," Jin said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "But it wasn't on purpose! I was trying to jump over a building and, well, slipped. You know how it goes, right?"

Kael's expression remained flat. "No. I don't."

Jin sighed dramatically. "Look, I didn't steal anything, I swear! But they don't believe me. Now, I really need to get out of here. How about you help me out, and in return, I'll owe you one?"

Kael shook his head in disbelief. "So, you're telling me you're in this mess because of some embarrassing accident?"

"Exactly!" Jin nodded enthusiastically. "Now, can you please help me?"

Before Kael could respond, the angry voices of the villagers grew louder, and a mob appeared at the edge of the clearing. Without thinking, Jin darted closer to Kael, making it look like they were partners in crime.

"There he is! And he's got an accomplice!" one of the villagers shouted, pointing at Kael.

Kael blinked, his frustration rising. "Wait, I'm not with him—"

"Too late," Jin muttered under his breath and put his hand over Kael's shoulder, making it seem like Kael is his accomplice. "They think you are now."

Jin began, but before he could finish, a group of villagers emerged, anger blazing in their eyes.

"There he is!" one of them shouted, pointing a finger at Jin. Kael glanced at Jin, who looked more desperate by the moment. Jin explained through hurried breaths, "I was trying to escape, and I accidentally bumped into her! I didn't mean to—I swear!"

As the villagers advanced, Kael felt an unusual pull towards Jin. In a split-second decision, he stepped forward.

"I'm not with him!" he shouted, but the words were lost in the rising tide of anger from the crowd. They zeroed in on Jin, and upon seeing Kael standing beside him, they assumed he was complicit.

The villagers closed in, anger burning in their eyes as they moved toward Jin and Kael. The chief stood at the front, watching with a stern, calculating gaze. He knew Jin's reputation as a trickster well enough, but it was Kael who held his attention now.

Kael, however, looked unfamiliar at first glance—just another traveler caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. But as the chief examined him more closely, something stirred in his memory. A flicker of recognition tugged at the back of his mind, and then it hit him: this was the son of that man.

The realization soured his expression. He remembered Kael's father well. They had never been on good terms. As chiefs of neighboring villages, they had often clashed over territory disputes and trade agreements. The respect they had for one another was born from the understanding of how difficult it was to lead, but it never became friendship. Even so, hearing of the man's death and the destruction of his village had unsettled him.

The chief's jaw tightened. No one truly knew what had happened to Kael's village. It had been reduced to ashes almost overnight, with only whispers of an unknown force causing the devastation. And this boy... was said to be the only survivor.

The chief raised his hand, silencing the mob before they could reach Kael. The crowd, bewildered, came to a halt.

"Enough," the chief said, his voice firm. "I will not pursue this matter further."

"But Chief—" one of the villagers protested.

"No," the chief interrupted, his eyes fixed on Kael. "This one is not our enemy. I know who he is, and I will not pass judgment on him today." He stepped forward, towering over Kael, and his gaze darkened. "Your father and I didn't see eye to eye, boy. But I respected him. No one knows what happened to your village, but I heard the stories. I won't lay the blame for Jin's antics at your feet."

Kael remained silent, unsure how to respond. The chief's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, then he turned to Jin. "Leave this village and don't come back. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Jin, never one to miss an opportunity, threw up his hands in mock surrender. "You've got it, Chief. I'll be out of here."

Without another word, the villagers dispersed, grumbling among themselves as they returned to their homes. The chief gave Kael one last hard look before following suit, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the village.

Jin watched the villagers disappear into the distance, then turned back to Kael with a grin. "Well, guess I'll be out of here." He stretched lazily, as if the whole confrontation had been a minor inconvenience. "No point in sticking around any longer."

Kael remained silent, unsure what to make of Jin's casual attitude. He wasn't exactly feeling chatty after everything that had just happened.

Jin took a few steps before pausing, turning back with a curious look. "Hey," he called, "where are you going? You don't exactly look like a local."

Kael glanced at him, still guarded. "I'm heading to the mainland. The academy."

Jin's grin widened, his eyes flashing with interest. "The academy, huh? Same here. "

Kael shot him a sideways glance. "You don't seem like the academy type."

Jin chuckled nervously, glancing over his shoulder. "Yeah, I get that a lot. But right now, I’m running from some people who want to capture me. The academy is my only shot at escaping this mess and starting fresh."

Kael raised an eyebrow, a slight grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "So, another misunderstanding? Seems like you have a knack for those."

Jin shrugged. " Or maybe I'm just chasing something more. What about you? What's drawing you to the academy?"

Kael hesitated, his gaze drifting toward the horizon, where the remnants of his village lay buried in memory. “I want to make companions and explore the universe,” he said, a hint of determination in his voice. Inwardly, he thought about the ashes of his village and the faces of those he'd lost, vowing to grow stronger for their sake.

Jin studied Kael for a moment, a glimmer of determination in his eyes. “Hey, let me help you with that. The academy is a great place to gain strength, but the journey can be dangerous.

He extended his hand for a handshake, a playful grin on his face. “What do you say? Won’t you welcome your first companion?”

Kael smiled, the tension easing slightly as he took Jin's hand, shaking it firmly. “I’m Kael,” he said, a hint of warmth in his voice. It felt good to make a connection, even if it was born out of chaos. With their hands clasped, he felt a flicker of hope—a sense that perhaps this journey wouldn’t be so lonely after all.

Jin grinned, his energy infectious. “Well, since the introductions are done, we should probably get moving before those villagers come back. I’ve got another friend who got selected by the academy, and I think you’ll really like her. She lives for adventure! Let’s go meet up with her—it’ll be a good chance to team up and tackle whatever’s ahead.”

With that, he started down the path, gesturing for Kael to follow. The prospect of companionship filled Kael with renewed determination, and he hurried to keep pace with Jin, eager for whatever awaited them.

As they began their journey, a sudden rustling overhead caught their attention. Glancing up, they saw a magnificent creature soaring through the sky, its feathers shimmering like starlight. It resembled a bird, but its form was too majestic, too divine. The air crackled with energy as the creature let out a haunting call that echoed through the valley.

Two shadowy figures perched upon its back were barely visible, their features obscured by a halo of light that surrounded them. Before they could comprehend the spectacle, the creature veered away, disappearing into the horizon, leaving the group in awestruck silence, a lingering sense of wonder and mystery hanging in the air.

Just when they thought the spectacle couldn't become more surreal, the creature veered sharply, its wings catching the wind in a breathtaking display of power. In an instant, it was gone, swallowed by the horizon, leaving behind only the echo of its call and a lingering sense of unease. They stood in awestruck silence, the weight of the encounter pressing upon them.

“What was that?” Jin finally whispered, breaking the spell.

“I don’t know,” Kael replied, his voice barely audible, “but I have a feeling this isn’t the last we’ll see of it.”

As they resumed their journey, the memory of the celestial bird and its mysterious riders hung in the air like a promise, a portent of the adventures yet to come.

Perched atop the creature were two shadowy figures, their forms indistinct against the brilliance of the bird. One leaned closer to the other, a hint of anxiety in their voice. “Are you sure it’s okay to leave like this? If your wife finds out, we’ll be in trouble.”

The other figure waved a hand dismissively, a sinister grin stretching across his face. “Don’t worry; she won’t do anything.” He laughed maniacally, the sound sending a chill down the spine of his companion. “Not until our children are strong enough to protect themselves.” His voice dripped with chilling confidence, as if the fate of his wife and their children was nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game.