The familiar hum of the village pub buzzed around them—muffled laughter, clinking mugs, the scent of warm ale drifting through the air. Aleksian, Delrick, and Mariya loitered outside, just as they had many times before, leaning against the weathered wall of the watering hole. Too young to drink, but too restless to stay away. It was Mariya who had brought them here, as usual, her mischievous grin daring them to follow her lead. But something about today felt different—heavier. The sun was sinking toward the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to mirror the weight they all carried.

Mariya stood with her arms crossed, one booted foot tapping against the dirt road as she watched the comings and goings of the pub. Her hair, cropped short in a bob that only emphasized her tomboyish appearance, framed her face in sharp angles. She was dressed, as always, in clothes better suited to the boys than any of the other village girls—loose-fitting trousers and a worn tunic that had seen more scrapes than any dress ever would. Her small frame was tough, built from years of climbing trees, brawling with the boys, and wandering the outskirts of the village like a wild thing. But despite her rough exterior, there was something about Mariya—something that ran deeper than the surface. Her eyes, a striking shade of hazel, always held a spark, a fierceness that never seemed to fade.

Aleksian leaned back against the wall beside her, his sword belt hanging loosely at his side. He threw a glance at Delrick, who stood just a little too close to Mariya, fidgeting awkwardly. They had all been friends for years, bound together by shared mischief and childhood scrapes. But now, there was a strange undercurrent between Mariya and Delrick that even Aleksian couldn’t quite put his finger on. He wasn’t sure if Delrick felt it too—he was too busy pretending he wasn’t nervous.

"You know," Mariya said, her voice cutting through the quiet, "if either of you had any guts, you’d sneak me a drink from inside."

Delrick smirked, trying to regain some of his usual bravado. "And if you had any brains, you’d know we’re not trying to get banned from the village before tomorrow."

Mariya scoffed, her eyes flicking to him with an exaggerated roll. "Please. If we get kicked out, you’d be the one crying to get back in. I’d be fine. Maybe even start my own Welltide."

Aleksian chuckled softly, joining in. "I bet you’d end up leading a pack of wolves or something. Far better than dealing with any of us ‘civilized folk,’ right?"

Her lips twitched upward, but only faintly. "You know it." Yet her usual spark didn’t flare up as it should. Her retorts felt half-hearted, lacking the sharp edge she always wielded so effortlessly.

The three of them had been inseparable since Delrick first arrived in the village. He had been smaller back then, shorter and more timid, constantly teased by the other children for being the “castle boy,” as they called him. Delrick’s father had served in the king’s army, and the other kids took every chance they could to remind him that he didn’t quite fit in. Until Mariya stepped in.

She had been fierce from the start, chasing off Delrick’s tormentors with a mix of fists and fearlessness that had earned her a reputation before Aleksian even knew her. She defended Delrick like a hawk guarding its nest, and Aleksian had soon followed, drawn in by her boldness and something else—something quieter. It was Mariya who had tied them together, who had made them a trio, and she’d been the one to keep them out of trouble—or more often, lead them right into it.

But now, as they stood outside the pub, the weight of what lay ahead was pressing down on all of them. Aleksian glanced at Mariya again. She was staring at the men going in and out of the pub, her hazel eyes distant. Her usual air of invincibility was missing, and something else had taken its place—a sense of loss, perhaps. Or fear.

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"You okay?" Aleksian asked softly, nudging her with his shoulder.

She hesitated before answering, her voice quieter than usual. "You’re leaving tomorrow," she said, her tone flat. "Both of you."

Aleksian frowned. "It’s not like we’re leaving forever. We’ll be back. It’s just the start of the ritual."

But Mariya shook her head, her expression hardening. "You think everything’s going to be the same after tomorrow? You’re both going to be seekers—off chasing your precious prestige, proving how big and strong you are." She scoffed, though there was no humor in it. "Meanwhile, I’m stuck here, waiting for my turn. You’ll be different when you come back, both of you."

Delrick shifted beside her, his usually quick tongue strangely silent. Aleksian noticed how his eyes lingered on Mariya a little longer than usual, concern etching his features. Delrick had always been protective of her, more than Aleksian sometimes realized. And now, as they stood on the precipice of the future, Aleksian could sense something deeper between them—something both of them were too young to fully understand, but it was there, nonetheless.

Mariya let out a frustrated breath, pushing herself off the wall and taking a few steps away from them. "I’m not stupid. I know things change. I just—I didn’t think it would feel like this. Like you’re both already gone."

Delrick stepped forward, his voice softer than usual. "Mariya, it’s not like that. We’re still here, and we’ll come back. We’re not abandoning you."

"You say that now," she muttered, her back to them, arms folded tight across her chest. "But it’s different for you. You get to do something. You get to prove yourselves. I’m just stuck here, waiting for something that might never even come."

Aleksian knew what she meant. The boys had always had a clear path: become seekers, find their prestige, challenge the world. But for Mariya, things were different. Her time would come, yes, but it wasn’t the same. Her journey was about nurturing, about the essence she would carry. And despite her tough exterior, Aleksian knew that scared her more than she’d ever admit. She wasn’t just afraid of being left behind—she was afraid of not living up to the person she believed she should be.

Delrick took another step closer to her, reaching out but stopping short. "Mariya," he began, his voice catching slightly, "you’ve always been stronger than both of us. You’re... well, you’re special."

Mariya froze for a moment, her posture tense. Aleksian saw the subtle shift in her—something flickering just beneath the surface, like she wanted to believe him but didn’t know how. There was something unspoken between her and Delrick, something that had always been there, but neither of them had the words for it. Not yet.

She turned to face them, her hazel eyes glassy with emotions she didn’t know how to express. "You don’t get it," she said, her voice cracking. "You both get to leave. To chase something bigger. And me? I’m stuck here, waiting. Waiting for you to come back, knowing that everything will change."

The weight of her words settled between them like stones. Delrick’s face fell, and Aleksian didn’t know what to say. They had been through everything together, but now, for the first time, they were moving toward a future that didn’t include her. And she knew it.

"Forget it," Mariya muttered, turning away again. "You two go be great seekers. Don’t worry about me."

"Mariya, wait—" Delrick started, stepping toward her.

But she didn’t stop. With a frustrated huff, she marched off, disappearing around the corner before either of them could say anything more. Delrick stood there, his hand half-raised, staring after her with a helpless look on his face.

Aleksian watched him, the tension clear in Delrick’s clenched jaw, the way he stood rooted to the spot. He could see the struggle on Delrick’s face—he cared about Mariya in ways even he didn’t fully understand yet.

"She’ll be okay," Aleksian said quietly, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it.

Delrick shook his head, still staring at the corner where she had disappeared. "I don’t know if we will be."

They stood there in silence, the sound of laughter and clinking mugs from the pub ringing hollow in the background. As they turned to leave, Aleksian couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted between them all—something they might never get back.