The sun was shining. It was a brand new day. The wind beautifully shook the grass, like waves on a peaceful sea. Trees swayed gently. Birds sang their morning songs. The air was fresh, and the whole valley looked like a painting brought to life.
A cart slowly rolled forward, pulled by a sturdy horse. The wooden wheels creaked softly as it moved along the dirt path. The sky above was wide, blue, and cloudless. Everything felt calm.
Aron was sitting at the riverbank, quietly staring into the water. His reflection rippled softly. He didn't blink much — just sat there, thinking. His mind full of things to come, of memories behind, and of the strange book with the golden N carved on the cover.
Back near the house, an old man stepped out slowly. His beard was long, his back slightly bent, but his eyes still sharp. Near the entrance, Lilith stood, saying goodbye to his younger sister, Lily.
Lilith: "Sister… I'll be gone for a while, and I won't be here to protect you."
Lily: "It's okay. Just promise me you'll come back stronger and much more smarter."
Lilith nodded and smiled, his hand resting on her head.
Lilith: "I will. It might take months,but i will come again much stronger that's my promise."
Lily: "Then promise me… protect that boy too."
Lilith looked toward Aron from a distance and smirked.
Lilith: "I will. He is now like my brother."
He cut himself off with a small laugh.
Aron was packing his supplies — bread, fruit, rope, and an old flask. Then, carefully, he pulled out a long blade. His fingers touched the cold steel gently. He stared at it for a moment, then wrapped it in cloth and tied it to his back.
He walked toward the cart where the old man was waiting.
Aron: "Thank you, Master. Your sincerity and kindness… I will never forget it. And I promise, I'll come again — stronger, and probably more bulky too!" he said with a wide smile.
The old man chuckled, seeing the confidence in his student's eyes. He nodded, placing a hand on Aron's shoulder.
Old Man: "I will wait for you."
Lily waved both hands high.
Lily: "Come back again, brothers!"
Lilith turned, waved back at her, then climbed into the cart beside Aron. The horse neighed softly, and the cart began to move. The house behind them slowly disappeared from view.
The journey had now started--- toward the City of Training.
Lilith stretched his arms and leaned back.
Lilith: "Man… I'm so eager to see the warriors fight and train. I heard the training there is brutal — broken bones every day, people yelling, cruel instructors."
Aron listened, but his eyes drifted to the book again — the one with the golden N. He touched it softly. "What if this book… really holds the key to true swordsmanship?" he thought.
He was lost in his own head.
Aron… Aron… someone called.
He blinked, came back to reality. Lilith was staring at him.
He quickly shoved the book back into his bag.
Lilith: "What're you thinking about? Starving? Here, have some bread — still warm,i grabbed some it was so fresh."
Hans: "Oi! I asked for that bread first! Give it to me!"
The two boys began bickering like kids.
Lilith grabbed Hans' hair.
Hans yanked Lilith's shirt.
Aron stared at them and let out a laugh — a soft, genuine one.
Aron: "Stop it, guys. Lilith, give him half the bread. I'm not hungry."
Hans: "See? This guy's the real adult! A blessing from the sky!"
Aron: "Stop flattering me."
They kept laughing and teasing each other as the cart rolled through hills and forests. That night, they stopped at a clearing under tall trees. The moonlight filtered through the leaves.
With Aron's decent cooking skills, he prepared a smoked rabbit. The scent filled the air. The meat was tender and flavorful.
Hans: "Bro! This is better than my mom's cooking!"
Lilith: "If you cook like this every day, I might hire you as my personal chef!"
Aron: "You'll have to pay me in treasure then."
They laughed.
Later, all three of them lay down near the fire. Lilith and Hans snored lightly. But Aron was still awake, staring at the stars. The sky looked like a canvas of stories yet to be told.
He reached into his coat and pulled out a smooth marble rock — the one Ray had given him. He held it close.
Aron (softly): "Brother… just be safe."
Then suddenly, Lilith moved beside him.
Lilith: "Who are you talking to, Aron?"
Aron: "No one… just myself. Why're you awake?"
Lilith: "I don't know. Sometimes it just happens. You want to hear something cool?"
Aron: "Sure."
Lilith looked up at the sky too.
Lilith: "You ever heard about the Red Sword?"
Aron: "Red Sword? No… what is it?"
Lilith: "They say it's a blade that devours everything around it. It melts steel. Even humans. It once chose a king — Zack. But even he couldn't control it. The blade rejected him. Since then, no one knows where it is."
Aron: "That sounds like a cursed blade."
Lilith: "Maybe. But some say only a man with true spirit can control it. Not strength. Not bloodline. Just… spirit."
Aron: "Never heard of it from my father, though."
Lilith: "Yeah, not many have. But if I find it, it'll suit me. My hair is red, and my sword will be red too."
Aron: "You'd look terrifying."
Lilith: "Exactly. But promise me something."
Aron: "Hmm?"
Lilith: "Promise me… you'll help me find it."
Aron: "Of course I Promise I will help you find the Red sword."
Lilith smiled, content.
Lilith: "Alright then. We got a long journey ahead. Let's rest."
They both lay back on the grass. The fire crackled softly beside them. The stars above were brighter than before. A soft breeze passed through the trees.
And just like that, the night quietly turned into dawn.
The sun peeked over the hills. A new chapter had begun.