[WYNN]

I waited. The moment the door creaked shut, I could finally breathe again. The soft sound of Moms' footsteps echoing through the hall told me she was leaving off to work, like always. I couldn't afford to waste time now.

Not with what I had planned.

My heart picked up pace as I moved toward the bed, my eyes glancing nervously toward the door. The room was small, but I knew where to look. I slid my hand under the worn mattress, feeling the rough edges of the hidden wooden sword. It wasn't much—just a hunk of old wood I'd carved into shape, but it was mine. My only weapon. My secret.

I pulled it free, my fingers brushing the smooth surface. It felt light in my hands, almost too light, but it was a weight I could carry. For a moment, I just held it there, staring at the grain of the wood. In my mind, I wasn't just some boy from Grimhaven. I was something more. I was a fighter. I was strong. I was...

I took a deep breath and shook the thought from my head. I couldn't waste time daydreaming. This wasn't pretend.

I lifted the wooden sword, awkwardly swinging it in front of me. My stance felt wrong, too stiff, like I was trying too hard to make the moves look perfect instead of just letting them happen. I swung it again, trying to get the motion right, but it felt all wrong. My arms burned with the effort, my body unaccustomed to the strain, but I kept pushing.

It wasn't like the sword fights I saw on the TV. The sword saints there made it look easy, effortless. They swung their swords with grace, with purpose. I was nothing like them. I was just an amateur, trying to make my body do something it didn't know how to do. My hands trembled as I forced them to move, the wooden sword cutting through the air with none of the elegance I wanted.'

It was clumsy.

I was clumsy.

I took another swing, my breath ragged now, sweat starting to form on my brow. Every muscle in my body screamed at me, but I kept going. My mind wandered to Kai, the way he handled the spear so effortlessly. Kai was amazing with it. He could probably fight monsters in the Forgotten Realms if he wanted to. I wondered if maybe one day, we could do that together. Maybe I could get good enough, too. Maybe I could fight beside him, like the sword saints I'd seen on TV.

But then, my arms gave out. The wooden sword dropped to the floor with a soft thud, and I sank to my knees, panting heavily. My whole body felt like it was on fire.

I sat there for a moment, trying to catch my breath, trying to push away the exhaustion.

I picked up the sword and placed it back under the mattress,

I crawled into bed, pulling the warm quilt around me, Closing my eyes, , and letting sleep take me, the dreams of swords and monsters fading into the dark.

*********

The morning light filtered through the cracks in the curtains,

My eyelids fluttered open, heavy with sleep. I stretched out beneath the quilt, the warmth still clinging to me like a comforting weight, though it didn't last long. The world outside was already calling me.

I rubbed my eyes, still groggy, but I could hear the familiar sound of Maris moving about the house. The soft shuffle of her feet on the floor and the sound of pans, spatulas and plates clanking to on another. It didn't take long before I heard her voice, as she called out my name.

"Wynn?" she murmured, a little tiredness evident in her voice. I blinked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Yeah, Mom?" I mumbled, pushing the quilt off me and sitting up. I could hear her footsteps, and then the door to my room creaked open.

There she was, standing in the doorway, looking a bit more worn out than usual. Her hair was a bit messier than usual, and there were bags under her eyes, but she still smiled when she saw me awake.

"Morning," she said softly, though I could tell from her voice she hadn't had a restful night. Something about her drowsiness felt... different. Maybe it was just my imagination. I couldn't explain it, but it left a strange hollow feeling in my chest that I couldn't quite place.

"Morning," I replied, trying to push the feeling away, focusing on the little things instead. "Did you get some sleep?"

Maris sighed, rubbing her eyes before shaking her head lightly. "A bit," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Don't worry about me, Wynn. Just make sure you don't stay out too late again, alright?"

"I won't, Mom,"

She gave me a nod, though, as if she were convinced. "Alright. I'll be working later, so don't cause trouble, okay?"

"I'll be careful," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. She smiled back before turning to leave. As she stepped out of the room, I felt the weight of that quiet sadness again, but I pushed it away.

I quickly changed and tied my boots, making my way out the door, leaving the small, dim house behind.

***********

Later, In Phobos

The sun was higher now, and I could hear the noise of the marketplace. My feet carried me towards the square. The air smelled cleaner, more open. The cobblestones of Phobos were smoother, not pitted and cracked like in Grimhaven. It wasn't so bad here, but I knew how the people in Phobos looked at me. I wasn't supposed to be here. I didn't belong in their city, with my worn clothes and the dirt of Grimhaven still on me. I kept my head down, my coat drawn tight around me to shield myself from the world.

As I reached the square, I spotted them immediately.

"Hey, Wynn!" Liora called out, waving energetically. She was always full of energy, always making everyone else laugh, her bright red hair like a streak of fire in the daylight, her clothes rich and neat—an expensive, deep crimson dress with gold embroidery along the edges, showing off the wealth of her father's title. The merchant baron, Richard Darnall.

Kai gave me a quick nod, a smirk playing across his face. "You're not running off to be a sword saint again, are you?" he teased, his eyes sparkling. His golden surfer hair shone like the morning sun. He wore a fresh green high-neck sweater paired with a yellow Adidas jacket and black slacks, looking effortlessly cool. His clothes weren't fancy, but they were always well-kept, matching the easy confidence he carried.

I rolled my eyes, a grin creeping onto my face. "Nah, not today. Just figured I'd join the two of you." I walked over,

"You were practicing with your wooden sword again, weren't you?" Liora asked, her voice knowing. I could feel a small blush creep up my neck, and I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. She always knew.

"Maybe," I muttered, glancing around. The sight of my friends—-Kai and Liora made everything feel a little brighter, even if my practice had been a mess earlier.

"Hey, you're all here! What's the game?"

A few other kids from the square came over. There was Delia, a girl with short brown hair and Taran, the older boy with a scar across his cheek who always acted like he knew everything.

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Kai leaned back on the fountain's edge, grinning. "What's the plan, Wynn? You up for a little fun?"

I shrugged, trying to look cool. "Depends. What's 'a little fun' this time?"

Taran grinned, crossing his arms. "Well, last time we played hide and seek, you ended up hiding in a crate. Remember? You smelled like fish for days."

I groaned, rubbing my nose at the memory. "It wasn't my fault! Who puts fish crates right next to the town square?"

"Like the time you convinced us all to go up to the watchtower?" Kai raised an eyebrow, grinning. "We nearly got caught!"

Liora nudged me, "Or... we could check out the old manor near the edge of the city. I heard there's a ghost there."

I glanced over at her, trying not to laugh. "A ghost? Really? That sounds more like something a 'textbook mage' would make up."

She gasped dramatically, clutching her chest as if wounded. "Excuse me! You're one to talk, oh future sword saint!"

Kai and Taran burst into laughter, and even Delia cracked a smile.

Kai clapped me on the back, still grinning. "You keep talking about becoming a sword saint, Wynn, but all I see is the kid who hid in a fish crate."

I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms and yelled. "ONE DAY!"

Liora raised an eyebrow, feigning disbelief. "Oh, really? And where's your sword, 'Saint Wynn'? Left it in another crate somewhere?"

"SHUSH" I said, raising a hand for effect.

Taran leaned in, smirking. "Just don't trip over your wooden sword on the way, Wynn."

I puffed out my chest, trying to look serious. "Just you wait. One day, I'll have a real sword—mithril, not wood—and I'll be slicing through monsters while you all hide behind me."

"Hide behind you?" Delia snorted. "You can barely lift that wooden thing without tripping!"

"Exactly!" Liora joined in, wiping fake tears of laughter from her eyes. "Maybe your sword saint journey should start with not stabbing yourself in the foot."

"Or falling into another barrel," Kai added, barely keeping a straight face.

I crossed my arms, raising my chin with as much dignity as I could muster. "Laugh now my dear stupid Lambs! but I swear someday I'll be on the front lines, and you'll be cheering me on, bragging to your kids about me!"

Taran slung an arm around my shoulders, giving me an exaggerated, pitying look. "You're right, Wynn. We'll cheer... for the brave fish-crate knight."

Liora put on a grand voice, pretending to wipe away a tear. "All hail Wynn, the Fish-crate Sword Saint!"

The whole group burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but grin, rolling my eyes. "Fine, laugh it up. You'll all be jealous when I make it."

"Sure we will," Kai said, still chuckling.

******

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of laughter and playful bickering. Delia dragged us into a game of tag, and despite my best efforts, I ended up being "it." chasing them through the bustling market,

Liora darted ahead, her fiery red hair bouncing with each step, her laughter ringing through the air. Kai was always a few steps ahead of me, moving with ease through the crowd. His quick strides were almost effortless, he seemed to glide over the cobblestones, never stumbling, always just out of reach.

"You're slowing down, Wynn!" Kai called, glancing over his shoulder with a teasing smile.

"Give me a break!" I huffed, picking up the pace.

Liora laughed and shot forward. She skipped ahead to catch Kai, matching his speed. I barely had time to think before they were both climbing up to the stone ledges by the fountain. Kai reached the top with ease, his legs long enough to make it look almost too simple. Liora followed closely behind, her eyes bright with excitement.

I struggled to catch up, my feet slipping on the smooth stones. I wasn't used to climbing like this, and I cursed under my breath as I missed the ledge and nearly lost my balance. Before I could fall, a hand shot out to steady me.

"Careful there, Wynn," Kai said, his voice light as he helped me regain my balance.

"Thanks," I muttered, a little embarrassed.

He was already looking back ahead, but there was something casual in the way he helped me, like it was nothing.

Liora, still climbing higher, called down. "You alright, Wynn? You're not gonna fall and make us all laugh, are you?"

I smiled, shaking my head. "Nah, I'll be fine." I gave her a thumbs-up, trying to act like I wasn't the one struggling.

Liora gave me a grin, but her attention was already on Kai. "You're gonna win this round, aren't you?"

Kai grinned back, his smirk never leaving his face. "Only if you can catch me first," he teased, moving higher.

They both climbed further up, moving like they'd done this a thousand times. It was easy to see why they worked well together—like they could conquer anything with a little fun and laughter.

Delia, Taran, and I watched from below as Kai and Liora exchanged a few playful challenges. Their voices rang out, full of energy, and I couldn't help but grin, even if I felt like I was just standing in the background of something I couldn't quite keep up with.

Liora's smile, bright as ever, kept me distracted. I'd catch myself watching her sometimes, wondering what it would feel like to be the one she looked at like that,

What if it was me she was looking at and not Kai?

Eventually, they both reached the top at nearly the same time, laughing as they looked down at us. "That was close!" Liora called, her breath catching. "I almost had you, Kai!"

Kai shrugged, grinning. "Almost isn't good enough."

I felt a tug at my chest but quickly brushed it off. It was just their usual banter.

The light began to shift, the sun dipping lower in the sky. We all gathered near the fountain, tired but happy. Liora and Kai chatted back and forth, their easy smiles never faltering.

"Well, that was fun," Liora said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "What should we do next?"

Before anyone could answer, Delia piped up. "How about we just sit for a bit? It's getting late and Wynn would probably die if he ran another minute."

"Speak for yourself," I muttered whilst catching my breath, but I sat down anyway, leaning back against the fountain.

The conversation drifted between topics, Liora and Kai exchanged a few more words, their easy rapport still present. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but it didn't feel like anything worth thinking about.

They're just friends Wynn

As the sun started to set, Liora stood first, adjusting her dress. "I should be heading home soon," she said, brushing off the back of her skirt while twirling a loose strand behind her ear. "Father will be expecting me."

"I guess it's time to go then," Kai said, standing up with a stretch. "You'll be okay, Wynn?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, glancing at the two of them. They shared a brief glance, like they were having some quiet moment I wasn't privy to, but I didn't think too much of it.

"Alright then," Kai said with a grin. "Catch you later, Wynn. You've still got that sword to practice with."

I rolled my eyes. "One day, Kai. One day."

As they walked away, I couldn't help but watch Liora for a moment longer than I probably should have. She looked back at me, her eyes warm, but something in her expression softened when she caught me looking. I quickly looked away, feeling my heart race for no reason I could explain.

What's wrong with me dammit?

******

I headed back through the winding streets, Phobos was so different from Grimhaven—clean, open—but still, I didn't quite feel at home here, Grimhaven just had this odd charm that made me feel like I belonged there.

By the time I reached the small, modest shack at the edge of the city where Mom and I lived, the sun was just about to dip beneath the horizon.

I pushed open the door to find the scent of something warm cooking in the air.

"Mom, I'm home!" I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the quiet house.

From the back room, I heard a cheerful voice call back. "Welcome back, Wynn. You've had a long day, haven't you?"

I smiled, feeling a little lighter. "Yeah, it was good. We played games and—"

Before I could finish, I was interrupted by a familiar warm, comforting voice.

"Winnie, darling," the voice called from the living room. "You're late, but I'm glad you're finally back."

I turned to see Fiona standing in the doorway to the living room. She was one of Maris' closest friends, someone who'd been like an aunt to me ever since I was little. Her dark brown hair was neatly pulled back into a tight pony tail, and her brown eyes twinkled as she gave me a soft smile.

"Fiona!" I exclaimed, crossing the room to give her a quick hug. She was older, probably around Maris' age, with the kind of kindness that made you feel like everything would be alright, no matter how bad things were. I always liked talking to her.

She pulled back, laughing lightly. "How's my favorite troublemaker?"

"Can't complain," I said with a grin. "Though aren't you the one still making trouble for Mom?"

Fiona laughed again. "Someone has to keep her on her toes."

Maris entered from the kitchen then, wiping her hands on a towel. "You two are the worst," she teased, smiling softly.

I looked from Fiona to Maris, No matter how uneasy I felt about the world, about my place in it, I always had these two.

They were my family.

"Something smells good," I said, trying to change the subject and head towards the kitchen.

"Well, it's not going to eat itself," Fiona said, winking at me,

Maris chuckled,

**********

As I began to relax, Fiona leaned in, her voice soft but teasing. "So, Wynn, you've been spending a lot of time with Liora lately, haven't you?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my face heat up. "I—I don't know what you mean."

DAMN YOU! YOU OLD HAG WHO TOLD YOU?

She raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Oh, come on. You've been gone all afternoon, and she's the one who's always on your mind. Don't think I haven't noticed."

I could feel my face turning hotter by the second. "N-N-Nothing's going on Auntie!"

Fiona's smile widened. "Sure, sure. Just friends, huh?"

I groaned, feeling the embarrassment wash over me. "I'M NOT READY TO TALK ABOUT THIS."

Fiona the hag patted me on the back. "Don't worry, Winnie Darling. We'll leave you to figure it out in your own time. But just know, I'm watching you."

HEY I CAN SEE YOU SMIRKING YOU WITCH

Maris chuckled softly, "Let him be, Fiona. He'll come around when he's ready."

I sighed in relief, grateful that they weren't pushing too hard, but I could feel Fiona's playful gaze still lingering on me, and I knew this wouldn't be the last time she'd tease me about Liora.

I wasn't too mad about their teasing, after I'd been bottling up these feelings for years.