BANDITS!!!!!!!!

As Kaelen opened his door, he was immediately engulfed by the chaos of fire, screams, and smoke. Acting without hesitation, he snatched a wooden axe from the counter and rushed outside. Despite the thick, choking smoke that clouded his vision, he pushed forward, until a shadowy figure loomed through the haze, advancing rapidly toward him.

Instinctively, Kaelen tightened his grip on the axe and reached out with his free hand, seizing the approaching figure. But instead of resistance, the hands of the figure shot up in surrender, revealing Lyra—trembling and terrified. Her face streaked with tears, she tried to speak, her voice broken. "Sok, they... killed..."

With urgency, Kaelen gave her a gentle shake. "Lyra! Not here! Go, save your daughter! I'll hold them off. Now GO!"

Lyra, still trembling, nodded and sprinted toward her house. As she disappeared into the smoke, Kaelen roared, "URIEN! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Suddenly, another figure charged at Kaelen from the mist. He instinctively reached out, his hand gripping the cold hardness of armour. It was a warrior, clad in iron, lunging at him with intent to strike. But Kaelen was faster. With one swift motion, he buried his axe in the bandit’s skull, blood spraying as the lifeless body crumpled to the ground.

He continued toward the gate, his mind racing. *So fast! How did this start? Why are these bastards attacking our village? We have nothing!*

As he neared the gate, Kaelen spotted another bandit—dressed similarly in iron armour—trying to set the gate aflame. Without hesitation, he swung his axe, landing a blow that the bandit barely deflected, leaving a deep gash across his shoulder.

The bandit grunted in pain but grabbed hold of Kaelen's axe-wielding arm, attempting to disarm him while reaching for his own sword. But Kaelen reacted with a brutal headbutt. Though the bandit maintained his grip, Kaelen’s free hand shot up, driving his fingers deep into the bandit's right eye.

Screams pierced the air as the bandit released his grip on Kaelen's arm. Seizing the moment, Kaelen wasted no time, slashing the bandit's throat. Blood splattered across the ground and onto Kaelen’s face as the man crumpled, clutching at his gaping neck in his final, desperate moments.

Kaelen glanced toward the village outskirts and saw the forest near the cave ablaze, flames licking at the treetops. He muttered to himself, "Where are the others?"

Meanwhile, outside Gostave’s house, Beatrice held Joe’s hand tightly as they emerged into a thick haze of smoke. Thinking quickly, she covered her mouth and nose with a damp cloth, motioning for Joe to do the same. The smoke was suffocating, and they had to move fast.

Coughing, Beatrice’s eyes darted to her neighbour Safle’s house, now engulfed in flames. Despite the overwhelming smoke, she managed to shout, "Joe, I need... (cough) to help Safle. You must go to Cox and assist whoever you can! If you meet anyone with swords—just run!"

Joe nodded, the smoke stifling his voice as well. He let go of her hand and took off into the distance. Just before he disappeared, he heard Beatrice’s final call, "SON, BE BRAVE!"

With urgency pressing on her, Beatrice hurried toward Safle’s burning house, finding the front door ajar. Stepping inside, she was hit by the oppressive heat and a thick wall of smoke. But she pressed on, moving toward the kitchen, where she knew Safle would be.

As Beatrice neared the kitchen, the roof above her groaned ominously. She barely had time to react before a section of the flaming roof came crashing down in front of her, sparking new flames across the floor. Heart pounding, she called out, "Safle! Where are you?!"

In her room, Safle clutched a letter tightly, her face streaked with tears. When she heard Beatrice’s voice cutting through the roaring flames, Safle stood, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Just go, Beatrice! Save yourself!"

Beatrice was taken aback by Safle's words, but her resolve only strengthened. She pushed through the growing heat, making her way toward Safle's room. Flames and debris from the collapsed roof blocked the doorway, but Beatrice grabbed a small table and began using it to shove aside the burning wreckage.

"Hold on, Safle! I’m coming!" Beatrice shouted.

Safle cried out, "Just go! Let me die!"

Beatrice, gasping for breath, pushed aside a large section of the burning roof. She paused for a moment, her voice firm but comforting. "I've opened the door and every window in your house, Safle. We can survive this! Don’t give up!"

Safle, clutching the letter tightly, finally let it fall from her trembling hands. "My son is dead, Beatrice. He fell in battle, and my husband... he's gone too. I'm all alone. My family was taken from me. Why not join them in death?"

A tear slipped down Beatrice's face as the small wooden table she was using to clear the debris caught fire. She tossed it aside and quickly looked around for something else. Meanwhile, Safle’s voice, heavy with grief, filled the room. "They took my family... for their wars. And for what? Castles grow larger while our villages burn. We're nothing to them."

Determined, Beatrice tore strips from her dress to wrap around her hands and resumed pulling away the remnants of the burning roof. As she worked, Safle's gaze drifted to the window, where flames devoured the walls. Memories of her husband WifOgilvy, her son Opi, and her parents flooded her mind.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Safle turned to see Beatrice standing there, her hands burned and tears staining her soot-covered face. With deep sincerity, Beatrice spoke, "Come on, Safle. You’re like a sister to me. You were there for me when Joe was born, and now I’m here for you. We have to go."

Safle glanced at Beatrice’s hands, then at her face, before turning to the wall of flames. Exhausted and afraid, she stood her ground, unsure of what to do.

Beatrice smiled as she approached Safle. There was no fire, no smoke—just two sisters facing each other. Beatrice gently took Safle’s trembling hands and said, "Not today, sister." Then, she pulled her close.

Tears welled up in Safle’s eyes, but she nodded. Together, they left the burning house. Once outside, Beatrice urged, "Safle, go to the southern part of the village. That’s where we keep the weapons and food. Stay there with the others."

As Safle made her way, Beatrice murmured to herself, "I need to find Lyra."

Before continuing her search, Beatrice returned briefly to Safle’s house and picked up a broken leg from the burning table she had used, nails still embedded in it. She recalled Jeffrey’s grim advice: *One to the head, and they won’t rise again.* Armed and determined, she headed towards Lyra’s house, praying her friend and her daughter were safe.

At the village gate, the air was thick with the sound of screams. Urien slowly opened his left eye, blinking against the smoke. Kaelen stood over him, shouting, "GET UP!"

With Kaelen’s help, Urien managed to stand, surveying the destruction around them. His gaze fell on the bandages covering the right side of his face. He turned to Kaelen, who held a bloodied arrow in his hand. Kaelen spoke gravely, "They almost killed you. The arrow hit bone, not much flesh, but you lost your right eye."

Urien, still dazed from the chaos, struggled to gather his senses. Kaelen approached, thrusting a bloodied sword into his hand. "Can you fight, Urien?" he asked.

Slapping his own face to shake off the dizziness, Urien paused for a moment before snarling, "They'll pay for this! No prisoners!" His rage was palpable.

Kaelen nodded in agreement, and together they headed towards the village centre. The smoke had begun to clear, giving them better visibility. "There are three in front of us," Kaelen noted.

Urien’s grip tightened around his sword, his fury seething. "One by one, none will remain."

Without hesitation, Kaelen charged forward, intercepting a bandit who was about to land a deadly blow on Cox, the blacksmith. Kaelen grabbed the bandit from behind and shoved him towards Urien, who swiftly delivered a fatal slash across the bandit’s neck. Blood sprayed, and the bandit stared at Urien in shock as he collapsed.

After ensuring Cox was unharmed, Kaelen helped him to his feet. "Cox, gather the others and head to the storage house! Then get out through the old gate!" Kaelen ordered.

Cox nodded and sprinted off, while Urien’s sharp eyes spotted another bandit attempting to sneak up on Kaelen. Urien reacted instantly, slashing at the bandit's knee. The man screamed as he fell, but Urien silenced him with a brutal strike to the head.

Just then, Kaelen felt a surge of magic. Acting on instinct, he shoved Urien aside. A split second later, a powerful wave of water crashed into Kaelen, sending him flying toward Gostave’s house, slamming into the door.

Urien didn't have time to check on Kaelen; he spun around, searching for the source of the magic. Emerging from the chaos were Zafa and Dan, their faces twisted with fury. Zafa’s hands were stained with blood, his expression a mask of rage.

"We should have razed the village and left by now!" Zafa bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise.

Dan, equally furious, retorted, "THOSE DAMN VILLAGERS HAVE KILLED SEVEN OF MY MEN! THEY WILL PAY WITH THEIR LIVES!"

Zafa’s patience snapped. "The knights will descend upon us if we delay any longer! We’ve paid you! Don’t forget that!"

In the heat of the argument, a sudden surge of fire erupted toward them. Dan barely managed to summon a water spell to deflect the flames, but not before they grazed his face, scorching his beard and skin.

Dan cried out in agony as Kaelen suddenly appeared, swinging his axe towards his face. Dan barely managed to dodge, but not before Kaelen’s strike grazed the left side of his face, leaving a minor wound. Stumbling back, Dan tried to regain his footing, but Zafa lunged toward Kaelen in retaliation. Urien intervened just in time, blocking Zafa’s assault and delivering a swift punch to his jaw.

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As the skirmish raged on, Kaelen began to chant a fire spell, his hand raised toward Zafa. But before he could release it, Dan struck his hand, severing two of Kaelen's fingers. Kaelen screamed in pain, blood pouring from his mangled hand.

Enraged, Dan charged at him again, but Urien intercepted with a quick thrust of his sword, stabbing Dan in the shoulder. Blood flowed freely, and Urien, with deadly precision, pulled out a dagger, aiming for Dan’s face.

Dan responded with a brutal headbutt followed by a punch, sending Urien reeling but not down. Meanwhile, Kaelen, seizing the moment, slashed at Dan’s already wounded shoulder, worsening the injury and spilling more blood.

Amid the chaos, Zafa rushed toward Kaelen with a speed Urien couldn’t match. "Kaelen!" Urien shouted, but Zafa was too fast. His blade found its mark, stabbing deep into Kaelen’s stomach.

Kaelen spat blood, but in a desperate move, summoned wind magic. A powerful gust knocked everyone nearby to the ground, giving him a brief reprieve. Dan fell hard, his wounded shoulder feeling as though it were being torn apart. "Zafa, help me!" he cried out in pain.

Zafa, bleeding from his head, touched the wound and glanced at a bloodstained rock behind him. The wind spell had thrown him into it, leaving him dazed. Struggling to maintain his balance, Zafa staggered toward Dan.

Urien rushed to Kaelen’s side. Seeing him clutching his stomach and struggling to breathe, Urien shouted, "Can you heal yourself? Can you use healing magic!?"

Kaelen looked at Urien, his face pale. Before he could respond, his eyes locked on a bandit in the distance, notching an arrow and aiming at Urien. With a surge of adrenaline, Kaelen pushed Urien aside just as the arrow flew. It pierced Kaelen’s right arm, leaving him even more wounded. Urien, undeterred, sprinted toward the bandit, fury in his eyes.

Kaelen, bleeding heavily from his stomach wound, felt panic rising within him. Healing magic required immense power and time—two things he didn’t have. As he fought to stay conscious, memories of his father flooded his mind. He remembered walking into the house one day, and seeing his father, Sen, engrossed in a book.

Kaelen, distracted, had nodded at his father and retreated to his room. But Sen had followed, rapping gently on the door.

"Come in," Kaelen said.

Sen stepped into the room, glancing at Kaelen. "You were at school today. Did you enjoy it?" he asked.

Kaelen nodded. "Yes, father."

Sen smiled faintly and continued, "Any questions? I know a thing or two about teaching."

"No, father. Everything’s clear," Kaelen replied.

With a nod, Sen left Kaelen to study. But Kaelen couldn’t focus. Something weighed on his mind, though he wasn’t sure how to bring it up with his father, and his mother wasn’t someone he could turn to for this.

An hour later, as Sen prepared to go to the market, Kaelen stepped out of his room. "Father, may I come with you?"

Sen nodded. "Of course. Let’s go."

They walked to the blacksmith in silence, picking up weapons and armour, and remained quiet as they made their way home. As they neared the house, Sen gestured toward the garden. "Let’s take a short break, Kaelen. It’s peaceful around this time."

Though they were close to home, Kaelen agreed and followed his father to the garden, sitting by the calm blue lake. They sat quietly for a while before Sen finally spoke.

"Something on your mind, son?"

Kaelen hesitated, then glanced at the water. "Father, why are we so cruel? I’ve known our traditions, but aren’t they too harsh?"

Sen paused, considering. "Our people, the dark elves, value strength above all, and our teachings push us to be merciless. But honestly, I’ve never fully understood why. So, I don’t have a satisfying answer."

Kaelen nodded thoughtfully before asking, "Is that why my mother is cruel too?"

Sen acknowledged with a sombre nod. "Yes, like many dark elves. But you and I are different. Don’t let that discourage you, Kaelen. Stay true to who you are, and maybe things will change. When I began my journey as an adventurer, the people I met and the places I visited brought me memories I treasure. And when you find your path—whether it’s in a craft, skill, or simply exploring the world—pursue it. Even if you end up preferring a quiet life in a village, chase after what makes you happy."

Kaelen turned to his father, surprised by the unexpected advice. He met Sen's gaze and saw a warm smile spread across his face. Sen patted Kaelen’s head affectionately. "You’re my greatest achievement, Kaelen. I’d give everything just to see you happy."

Back in the present, Kaelen, struggling to rise, managed to stop some of the bleeding with healing magic. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to keep him moving.

Meanwhile, near the blacksmith’s house, Joe was helping the elderly Sig towards the storage house. "Go on, Sig! I’ll be right behind you," Joe urged. Sig nodded gratefully and continued on his way. Joe scanned the area for his mother when his eyes fell on Kaelen, covered in blood, decapitating another bandit.

Their eyes met, and Kaelen, exhausted, shouted, "Joe, get out of here!"

Without hesitation, Joe ran toward Lyra's house, hoping to find his mother.

At Lyra’s house, Beatrice clutched Ebe, Lyra’s daughter, as she stepped outside. "Lyra! Where are you?" she called.

Meanwhile, Zafa was helping Dan to his feet. Wincing from the pain in his shoulder, Dan grunted, "Those two will hunt us down! We need a woman or a child for leverage if we're going to escape!"

Zafa, seething with rage, shouted, "This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! If you had just burned the damn village, none of this would have happened! Now my father’s all alone!"

Clutching his injured shoulder, Dan grimaced in agony as Zafa stood nearby, his mind racing. *Father’s all alone, and the knights might already be on their way. Think, Zafa, think!*

With a sneer, Zafa stared at Dan, who crumpled to the ground, still gripping his wound. Dan’s eyes widened in disbelief as Zafa spat out, "I’m leaving. You’re on your own, USELESS PUNK!"

Zafa turned and made his way toward the gate, leaving Dan struggling to his feet. Gritting his teeth, Dan limped towards the blacksmith’s house, his mind set on his next move. Along the way, he spotted Lyra helping elderly Grandma Tyg through the chaos. Without a second thought, Dan seized Lyra by the arm.

Joe, hidden nearby, watched in horror as Dan threatened her. His menacing voice pierced through the smoke and flames, "YOU, DARK ELF, AND YOUR COMPANION! DROP YOUR WEAPONS OR SHE DIES!"

Urien and his comrades were locked in fierce combat with other bandits when Dan’s chilling words reached their ears. "Come to where my voice is, or this woman meets her end!" Dan bellowed.

Before anyone could respond, Beatrice burst through the smoke, a table leg in her hands. With swift precision, she struck Dan across the face, the nails on her weapon tearing into his flesh, forcing him to release Lyra.

Fueled by fierce anger, Beatrice swung again, sending Dan sprawling to the ground. Her eyes found Joe in the midst of the chaos, and with urgency, she shouted, "Head to the storage house, now!"

Joe stood paralyzed, his heart pounding in terror. "MOTHER!" he cried out.

Beatrice turned in response to Joe’s shouting, realizing Dan was behind her. But before she could react, Dan had already sprung into action. His blade flashed through the smoke and pierced her chest. Blood poured from the wound as she collapsed to the ground, her eyes widening in shock.

Joe stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t move, couldn’t cry out—his entire body trembled as if he were facing his own death. He stumbled forward, reaching for her, but the world seemed to stop.

With Beatrice lying still, Dan turned his attention to the gate, where he spotted Zafa trying to make his escape. Without hesitation, Dan dashed after him, intent on cutting him off.

Joe knelt beside his mother, his heart breaking as he cradled her in his arms. He could barely comprehend the sight of her fading before him. In her last moments, Beatrice’s voice was faint, but her words were filled with love and purpose. "Son... save... our... loved ones," she whispered.

Her words shattered Joe, and as she took her final breath, his anguished cries echoed through the smoke-filled air. He held her tightly, his tears flowing freely. Nearby, Lyra clutched her daughter close, trembling as tears streamed down her face, she lost her dear friend and sister.

Meanwhile, at the gate, Zafa prepared to leave when Dan launched a sudden attack. Zafa quickly deflected the blow and countered, landing a solid punch to Dan’s face. Staggering backwards, Dan struggled to keep his balance as Zafa pressed forward, delivering a flurry of blows fueled by anger. Dan dropped to one knee, weakened and unable to fully defend himself. Zafa, seething with rage, unleashed a torrent of curses. "YOU FUCKING SHIT! YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING!"

At that moment, Kaelen appeared from behind, driving his blade into Zafa's side. Blood spilt as Zafa gasped in pain, but he retaliated by plunging his dagger into Kaelen’s stomach.

Simultaneously, Urien seized Dan, forcing him to the ground with his sword raised, ready to strike. Desperate, Dan cried out, "Fire!"

A ball of flame erupted from Dan’s hand, hurtling toward Urien. Reacting quickly, Urien rolled aside just in time, avoiding the fiery blast.

Dan scrambled to his feet, and as Urien recovered, he spotted another bandit charging at him with a sword. With swift precision, Urien parried the attack and hurled the bandit to the ground.

Kaelen, fighting through the pain, landed a powerful punch on Zafa’s face, sending him stumbling toward the village centre. Despite the intensity of the battle, Zafa’s eyes kept flicking between the gate behind Kaelen and the forest, where his father fought the knights alone.

Seizing the moment, Zafa lunged at Kaelen with his sword. Kaelen barely dodged the strike, but his concentration broke when a bandit’s arrow pierced his back from a distance.

As Kaelen kneeled on the ground, he glanced at Beatrice’s corpse, with Joe weeping beside her. He tried to force himself to stand, but two more arrows struck his back, making him stumble. Zafa seized the moment, slashing Kaelen across the chest. Blood sprayed as Kaelen collapsed to the ground.

Joe could only watch in horror, unable to speak as Kaelen fell. Zafa, exhausted and bloodied, sank to one knee, his breathing heavy.

As Lyra gripped Joe’s hand, preparing to flee with her daughter, Zafa’s voice cut through the chaos. "You run, and I’ll slaughter every soul in this village! I’ll unleash hounds if I have to!"

Lyra froze, her body trembling as she held onto Joe with one hand and clutched her daughter with the other. Her voice shook as she pleaded, "Please, let us leave..."

Zafa’s fury exploded. "YOU FUCKING WHORE! YOU DAMN VILLAGERS! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! THAT BASTARD RUINED EVERYTHING! IT WAS..."

**BLOOD MAGIC: Qaranlıq qılınc**

Blood sprayed everywhere as Zafa stared down at his chest, shock frozen on his face. A black sword had pierced him from behind, its tip protruding through his chest. He tried to speak, but blood filled his mouth as he collapsed, dead.

Joe’s eyes widened in disbelief as he saw the same dark sword lodged in Kaelen’s chest. Kneeling, Kaelen was soaked in blood, his breathing shallow, with blood trickling from his mouth. In an instant, the dark sword vanished, and Kaelen fell back. Joe rushed to his side, his voice breaking as he desperately tried to wake him.

Kaelen’s eyes found Joe’s, his voice faint but steady. "Help the villagers... leave this place," he whispered.

Joe trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face. Kaelen looked at him, managing a weak smile. Gathering his last bit of strength, he spoke softly, "There’s someone I must meet. Be strong, merciful, and honest—not just for others, but for yourself. The rest will follow."

Tears poured from Joe’s eyes as Kaelen gently patted his head. "Your debt is repaid, Joe. It’s time for me to go."

Unable to hold back his sobs, Joe watched as Kaelen’s eyes closed, his final breath slipping away.

Moments later, Urien arrived, his left hand missing three fingers, drenched in blood. His gaze moved from Kaelen to Beatrice and the bodies of the villagers who had died in this grim night.

Suddenly, Kaelen woke up. His vision was blurry at first, but slowly, the scene around him became clearer.

He found himself lying on the ground, surrounded by familiar faces. As his sight sharpened, he saw a figure he recognized standing next to him—Fur, the village founder. Behind him, Mody, Fur’s wife, smiled warmly at Kaelen.

With his usual cheer, Fur patted Kaelen’s shoulder. "Friend, it’s been too long."

Kaelen smiled through his tears and embraced Fur, who returned it warmly. Glancing around, Kaelen saw the villagers he had known and loved, all nodding in welcome, their faces bright with joy. Overwhelmed, Kaelen wept at the sight of his people.

After a moment to compose himself, Kaelen turned to Fur and asked, "Where can I find him?"

Fur nodded with a smile, gesturing toward the lake. Kaelen patted his shoulder in thanks and began walking in that direction.

Under the clear sky, surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the fields, Kaelen made his way to the water’s edge. There, he found his father, Sen, sitting on a fallen tree, gazing out over the lake. Kaelen approached and sat beside him.

They sat quietly for a while, watching the calm waters. Finally, Kaelen broke the silence. "It’s been a long time, father."

Sen smiled, his expression warm. "It has. I’ve missed you."

Sen glanced at his son, noticing the tears running down Kaelen’s face but keeping his gentle smile. He asked softly, "Why the tears, my son?"

Kaelen met his father’s gaze, his voice full of emotion. "Because I finally understand, father. I know why you sacrificed yourself, why you saved those adventurers. You were... a good man."

Tears welled in Sen’s eyes as he opened his arms, and Kaelen leaned into his embrace. They held each other tightly, their tears flowing freely. Kaelen whispered through his sobs, "Good people... they leave us with tears because their memories are the most precious."