The following day, Zan and Jiehong got on bright and early.

Leaving the command center through the war room, however, the Wardens told them to “Continue to stay in the area; but explore for lodestones. Both of you should have uncovered a couple by now. Please do so before we conclude our investigation.”

Zan apologized for not uncovering local lodestones. He explained how he and Jiehong had been busy helping the locals. The Wardens understood their desire to help, but said the order should always come first, though balancing the needs of the locals and the needs of the order is a balancing act for every order incarnation.

Saying both he and Jiehong would be ‘on it,’ they left the command center.

“Since we need to make up for lost time, how about we split up?” Jiehong suggested, already helping Zan take the lead.

“I love it!” Zan said, happy his friend seemed to turning over a new leaf.

Jiehong took the way closer to Thundervale while Zan ended up investigating the route back toward their old village. Zan knew Jiehong only wanted to head up to Thundervale to check out the two ladies… the hope, vain as it was, being one of them might be outside town or at the tavern. That was fine. Jiehong could take a break in town if that was what he wanted, but his first priority had to be finding the stones.

Suddenly Zan remembered: had Jiehong stocked up on magic? He would need some to activate the lodestones he found. He was about to ping Jiehong on his headset to ask, but thought better at the last second. Jiehong could take care of himself, Zan knew.

Walking along the old trails, knowing with every step he would be soon back where he grew up, Zan was excited. Though he knew it made little sense to be excited. He had only left a few days ago!

It’s the sense of wonder, Zan concluded, thinking over his excitement.

Coming upon his village, though, Zan saw nothing to be excited over.

The enemy had destroyed everything.

Huts, simple buildings, and the primitive, yet functional, village layout which Zan had known all his life no longer existed. Instead, piles of rubble where peoples’ homes once were, and overturned stones, marked the conquest.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Gazing out over the field which used to be his home, Zan let his tears flow freely.

I…I…

Zan tried to speak, but emotion overpowered him.

Zan had expected something to remain of his past life. Or, failing such a simple expectation, he had thought there would be some enemies for him to smash.

There weren’t even any enemies, though. Everything was flattened. Or burned husks. Where once families stood, only a clear line of sight to the lumberyard beyond what was used to be the village’s outskirts.

Walking aimlessly, Zan had too many powerful thoughts and feelings coursing through him. He felt like a rag-doll. Falling to his knees, Zan wept until he felt no more pain.

Above, the sky cried alongside him.

Feeling not exactly ‘better,’ but at least able to move, Zan rose from his knees and stopped his sobbing.

Enough. I’ve had my emotional moment. Time to get back to it… he chided himself.

As he chided, he knew he was being unfair to himself. If he wasn’t his own most demanding coach, though, how would he improve?

Wanting to have one last sentimental moment with his hometown, Zan wandered the edge of town. That was when he heard a sound in his ear.

A ping from the Wardens? What? Zan answered their call.

“Heya, did you finish your investigation?” Zan asked.

But there was no typical voice. It was the Wardens who spoke but flatly. Like they somehow recorded their voices for playback. The message simply said, “Alert: nearby is a lodestone.” Once the message ended, the call automatically ended.

Figuring ‘taking note’ of their own voices was technology well within the order’s grasp, Zan contented himself with saying to himself, ‘Man, what technology the order has!’ as he went about trying to locate the lodestone. Zan had to remember to thank the Wardens for remembering to give him notice of when he encountered a lodestone.

‘Guess I should probe the area… or something,’ Zan said.

Remembering what a lodestone looked like, Zan became surprised at how hard it was to locate the stone, although it only was about the size of a large rock.

Tripping over the stone, Zan cocked an eyebrow when he saw the stone had been in the middle of the town square. Had the automotrons inadvertently kicked the stone up when they were destroying the town? Zan sure as heck did not remember a chunk of rock ever clogging up the town square, so it had to be the golems.

Bending down, Zan held his hand to the stone. Focusing, slowing his breathing, then breathing in as deeply as he could before gently exhaling, Zan felt a tingling sensation as magical energy flowed from his body and into the stone.

Zan saw how the stone momentarily glowed. Like a firefly. Before long, the stone fell dormant once more.

Bringing the lodestone to a part of the (former) village grounds, Zan placed the stone into an unassuming part of the open field he used to play in all the time as a kid. Here, he thought, no one will disturb it.