The camp was bathed in the orange light of the evening.
The roar of battle had long subsided, leaving behind silence.
Only a gentle breeze passed through the stone streets, and this coolness wandering among the ruins made the crimson spreading across the sky even more vivid.
The Orven Guild had secured control of the village.
A temporary sense of safety spread around, giving everyone enough peace to breathe for at least one night.
Aryel was sitting at the base of a ruined wall, pulling her knees to her chest.
The last rays of light falling on her face created a pale glow on her fair skin. Her blue eyes were lost in the void; in her gaze lay a chain of thoughts with no clear beginning or end.
Kael was beside her.
His flame-colored hair swayed slightly in the wind, his eyes fixed on the setting sun. A few times, it seemed as if he was about to turn his head toward Aryel, but each time he remained silent.
At last, he broke the silence.
"I… never imagined it like this," he said.
His voice was tired, sincere, and unusually low.
"The first mission… was so hard. I guess I was too arrogant."
He reached down and picked up a small, smooth stone. As he rolled it between his fingers, the sharp edges pressed lightly into his skin.
His gaze shifted to Aryel.
Aryel also turned her head to look at him. Her eyes lingered first on the stone, then on Kael's eyes.
After a brief silence, she slowly nodded.
"I didn't imagine it like this either," she said.
"Saving lives… had nothing to do with the theoretical lessons we learned at school."
"Watching people die right in front of us… the corpses, the blood, and… people turning into those savage creatures."
As the lump in her throat grew, she averted her eyes.
"I never thought I would experience something like this. I was being childish. We all were."
She let out a deep sigh, pulling her knees closer to her chest as if trying to suppress the weight on her chest.
"Ah… it feels like I aged ten years in a single day."
Then, her tone softened, but carried a note of determination.
"Will you… keep fighting, Kael? Keep saving people?"
Kael lifted his eyes to the sky. The sun had fully set by now; the moon had appeared among the clouds, faint yet dignified in its light.
"For a moment… I truly thought Vega was dead," he said.
"It felt like something inside me was torn apart. In that moment, it wasn't fear I felt… but helplessness."
He paused. He wetted his dry lips with the tip of his tongue before continuing:
"Our friends, our families dying… The people who died in this village also had their own stories. They left behind so many broken hearts."
"If we have the power to help people… then we must use it."
His flame-colored eyes were glowing, but this time not with anger.
They were filled with tears. His voice cracked as he spoke.
"The only thing we need to do… is more training, right?"
A tired yet genuine smile appeared on Aryel's face.
"That's exactly what I think too," she said.
"Yes, I was afraid… but I don't want our lives to be ruled by fear."
After a short pause, her voice lowered slightly.
"I hope Vega feels the same way. That he hasn't given up."
She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath.
"After we graduate… shall we stay together?"
"Let's help people. Especially do something for those kidnapped children. I can't get them out of my head."
Kael kept looking at the sky, a faint smile forming on his face.
"I'll have to visit my family for a while… but after that, I'm at your service, captain."
With those words, both of them laughed softly.
Their laughter was tired, yet genuine.
The marks of battle still burned inside them, but so did hope—small, stubborn, like a spark refusing to die.
That night, everyone tried to curl up somewhere and sleep.
But laying their heads down and closing their eyes was no solution.
Everything they had lived through flashed before their eyes like a reel of film.
Corpses. Screams. Cracking bones.
It was less sleep, more a silent vigil.
It felt as if dawn would never come.
Kael spent that night beside Vega's cot in the infirmary.
Vega's condition was stable, his consciousness clear, but his body was exhausted.
Especially because of the wound on his abdomen, walking back to the academy was out of the question.
He would need at least a few days of rest.
When the first light of morning touched Aryel's face, her eyelids slowly parted.
After only a few hours of sleep, she had regained a little energy.
Her first task was to check on Kael and Vega.
When hse arrived at the infirmary tent, he found a familiar scene—
Both were awake, and as usual, bickering.
Aryel smiled as he saw them.
"Vega, how are you? How are you feeling?"
Vega rolled his eyes at Kael, then turned to Aryel.
His green eyes sparkled, and his voice rang out, loud and full of childish energy:
"Aryel!" he shouted with delight.
"Save me, please! This guy is trying to force-feed me! Why do I have to eat food from Kael's hands, huh?! I don't want to!"
Kael's face instantly turned bright red.
His brow twitched slightly, and his voice carried clear offense.
"I don't enjoy feeding you either! The nurse gave me this soup, what else could I do?!"
Aryel chuckled as he approached, her eyes warm.
"If you'd like, I can feed you," she said with a smile.
That sentence caused a brief silence.
Kael suddenly didn't know what to say. He couldn't understand the strange tightness blooming inside him.
But his face grew even redder.
He shoved the tray into Aryel's hands.
"I'm leaving," he muttered, striding out of the tent.
Aryel shook her head slightly, then quietly sat down beside Vega.
Vega turned his head, his eyes still following Kael's retreating figure.
Then he looked back at Aryel.
His voice was softer this time. A little raspy, but honest.
"Having him feed me soup… I think it embarrassed me," he said.
"It made me feel like a helpless little sibling in need of protection. That's not who I am."
He paused for a moment. Took a deep breath.
"My arm and abdomen are wounded… I almost died. Because of me, not because of you, you can't return yet. I… I don't want to be a burden anymore."
His eyes welled up.
But he clenched his teeth, refusing to cry, turning his head slightly to look away.
Aryel set the soup tray aside.
Quietly, she moved closer and knelt beside Vega.
On Vega's face was the bitterness of a warrior stripped of his pride. But Aryel embraced him with warmth, just as he was.
Slowly, taking care not to hurt his wounds, she wrapped him in a gentle hug.
"It was the first battle for all of us," she whispered.
"We panicked. We were afraid. But… we should be grateful we survived at all."
Vega held his breath, his eyes brimming though no tears had fallen yet.
Aryel leaned back slightly, placing her hands gently on Vega's cheeks.
SHe looked straight into his green eyes.
This time her voice was clearer, calmer, yet filled with warm determination:
"You're our friend, Vega. Stop thinking such nonsense."
"If we had been wounded, wouldn't you have done the same?"
She raised his brows slightly and continued with a small smirk:
"Or… would you have just abandoned us and run away, huh?"
Vega rolled his eyes at that moment, his lips curving upward despite himself.
A smile touched with sorrow… but genuine.
Aryel sat back down, picking up the soup tray again.
"If I'd been able to stop that attack in time… you wouldn't be in bed right now. We all have regrets. But from here on… we'll treat them as lessons."
He stirred the soup with the spoon, blew on it lightly, then held it out.
"Now… recover. Cheer up. This is only the beginning."
Vega lowered his head slightly and drank the soup.
Aryel continued, his tone now more cheerful:
"By the way… do you know how panicked Kael was while you were unconscious?"
"I literally slapped him. Just to bring him back to his senses."
Vega's brow arched slightly, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Aryel chuckled.
"He even carried you in his arms like a princess. Like some kind of 'white knight Kael.' He was so embarrassed he kept turning his face away."
"So… I think you could tease him about it a little. Just don't overdo it, of course."
Vega slowly set the spoon down.
His eyes were still watery, but this time with another emotion.
It was as if the block of ice inside him had begun to melt.
"Thank you, Aryel," he said quietly.
In his voice was gratitude, fragility, and a newly budding hope.
He smiled.
This time, it was a real smile.
Aryel placed her hand on Vega's head, gently ruffling his hair with her fingers.
"Keep resting," she said softly.
Vega nodded. His eyes still held a mix of emotions, but he felt better now.
Aryel smiled and quietly left the tent.
The sun had risen a little higher. The morning chill was slowly giving way to the pale warmth of day.
The camp was still quiet. Some of the students were still asleep, others sat leaning against stones, staring blankly into the distance.
Aryel spotted two familiar figures in the distance.
One was Kael, the other was Alex, the deputy captain of the Orven Guild.
The two were talking. When they noticed Aryel, Alex raised his hand to beckon her over.
Aryel quickened her steps and reached them.
"How are you, Aryel?" Alex asked warmly.
"Have you managed to pull yourself together a bit?"
Aryel lowered her head slightly.
"I'm better. If there's anything I can do to help, I'm ready."
Alex cast a brief glance at Kael, then turned back to Aryel.
"That's exactly what we were discussing," he said.
"Kael and I will be preparing tomorrow morning's funeral ceremony."
"We need to gather the corpses in the village and carry them to the ceremony grounds. It won't be easy, but it has to be done. Can you help?"
Aryel's gaze dropped to the ground for a moment.
The shadows falling across the earth seemed to whisper the weight on her shoulders.
But then she lifted her eyes again.
This time, they were resolute. Her blue eyes were steady, her voice clear:
"Of course."
She drew a short breath and straightened her shoulders.
"I'm gathering the whole team."
Alex smiled.
"Thank you, Captain Aryel."
Then he slowly stepped back, leaving them alone.
Kael turned to Aryel. His eyes held exhaustion, but also a faint trace of admiration.
"Come on," he said with a short nod.
"This won't be easy."
Aryel nodded and set off.
As she walked along the stone-paved camp paths, the first person he came across was Lorin. Lorin was sitting in the shade of a tree, looking as if he were meditating. Aryel gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"We're gathering. We need your help."
Lorin nodded and stood up.
A little further ahead, Serin was tending to a wounded villager with healing magic. When Aryel approached, Serin gave him a faint smile.
"Whatever it takes," he said, before Aryel could even speak.
One after another—Nira, Taris, Joran… each of them answered Aryel's call.
Some were still drowsy, some had bruised eyes, but in all of their gazes there was the same thing: tired, but an unextinguished light.
Within minutes, the entire team had gathered in the center of the camp.
Aryel faced them in a circle.
Her expression was serious but gentle. Before speaking, she looked into each of their eyes one by one.
"Tomorrow morning, a ceremony will be held for the losses in the village," she said.
"The Orven Guild is making the necessary preparations, but they need our help. Gathering the corpses is no easy task, but… it is our last duty to them. We must show our respect."
A short silence followed.
"In our first battle, we went through so much. Now it's time to put this battle behind us. And we will do it together."
Kael folded his arms and lowered his head.
From a distance, Vega had pushed himself up on his cot and was watching them.
Aryel took a deep breath.
"Let's begin."
***
As the sun's first light illuminated the ruined streets of the village, a quiet movement had begun at the ceremony grounds.
Graves dug into the earth stood in rows, each marked with a simple stone.
The air was still. Even the wind seemed hesitant to speak.
Aryel walked at the head of the task group.
Behind him were Nira, Taris, Joran, Elrik, Serin, Lorin, Danny…
And a little further back, moving with slow but stubborn steps, was one more.
Vega...His bandages were still in place. His left arm was wrapped, his breathing deep but uneven.
Even so, his posture was upright. He had insisted on attending the ceremony.
"As long as I can stand, I'll be there," he had told the healers.
But each step was still a struggle.
And just then, he felt a warmth at his right side.
Kael had silently walked up beside him. He didn't say anything.
He simply brushed his shoulder lightly against Vega's as they walked.
For a brief moment, Vega turned his gaze toward him.
Kael didn't look away, and whispered very softly:
"Take it slow. If you fall, I'm not carrying you in my arms again."
Vega pursed his lips, swallowing hard.
But in his eyes there was the faintest trace of a smile.
"Really?" he said in a tone half teasing.
Kael turned his head to the side.
"Shut up."
But his face had flushed slightly.
As the grounds began to fill, the members of the Orven Guild and the teachers took their places in the front rows.
The team lined up behind them.
Alex stepped forward.
His back was straight, his voice deep but calm.
"Today, we gather for those we have lost," he said.
"They were not only the people of this village; they were a part of our conscience."
"The scars of this war will remain on our bodies, yes… But the true scars will be what we carry in our hearts."
He paused for a moment.
His gaze shifted to Aryel, then to the team.
"Our young warriors… faced death on their very first mission. And they did not back down."
"Today we honor not only our fallen, but also their courage."
"And we make a vow to ourselves:
To become stronger, to live, and to protect life…"
The entire ground fell silent.
Then Aryel walked toward the graves. She pulled a blue flower from his pocket. A flower without roots, yet still unwithering. She placed it upon the soil.
Then the others followed.
Each left something in silence—a charm, a handkerchief, a necklace, a stone…
Each one, a farewell.
***
The next day, as the first light of morning painted the sky gray-blue, the team began to gather themselves.
Everything that could be done in the village had been done.
But for life to return here… it would take time.
The earth was still damp.
The air still resentful.
And in everyone's heart lingered a sorrow that could not be named.
As Aryel quietly took the lead, the others fell in line behind her.
Serin, Nira, Lorin, Joran, Danny… and Vega.
Vega's condition had visibly improved, but his body was still weak. Every ten or fifteen steps, he had to stop and catch his breath.
No one said anything. But he let the silence grow inside him. His gaze sank to the ground.
"Because of me we're slowing down," he thought to himself.
"I'm a burden…"
Kael looked back at Vega, who lagged a few steps behind.
The morning sunlight struck his pale face, making the skin beneath his bandages look even more fragile.
The unrest in Kael's chest was too much for his steps to contain.
At that moment, Kael walked up to him.
He flicked his cloak slightly back over his shoulder, lowered his voice.
"If you want… I can carry you on my back," he said.
Vega slowly lifted his head, his eyes freezing for a moment.
Just as he was about to respond, another voice cut in from behind:
"I can carry you too!" Danny exclaimed, his voice brimming with eagerness.
At that moment Vega rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips.
"Being carried isn't the problem… but please, just don't carry me like a princess."
There was a brief silence.
Then laughter erupted.
"But I really was going to carry you like a princess…" Danny said teasingly.
"In that case, it's my turn," Serin said, turning to Kael.
"You can carry me like a princess, Kael. I won't say no."
The atmosphere froze instantly. Serin's tone had been a shade too familiar.
Kael froze involuntarily. Then, very slightly, he turned his head… and looked at Vega.
Vega's brows had furrowed just a little. But he said nothing.
At that moment Serin raised his hands.
"I'm joking, come on, don't get so tense!" he said with a laugh.
But for a brief moment, something had trembled in Kael's heart. In the eyes that looked at Vega's face, there was something hard to define.
The road continued.
But now, it wasn't only footsteps echoing—something else resonated within them as well.
Taking turns carrying Vega, they finally completed the hours-long journey.
As they passed through the forest paths, with every step the fatigue grew heavier.
But at last… The north gate of the Academy had come into view. The stone walls, the tall towers, and that familiar silhouette shining under the morning sun.
They had returned home.
Someone was waiting right in front of the gate. Maia.
Her eyes were anxious, her gaze fixed on the gate.
The moment she saw them, her face lit up.
"Aryel! Vega! Kael!" she shouted, running toward them.
She reached them at a sprint and suddenly opened her arms to hug all three at once.
Vega stepped in between with a laugh, warning her:
"Ah, wait! I'm injured! Please, don't squeeze too hard."
Maia froze. Her green eyes drifted to Vega's bandages.
"You're hurt? Wh–how?"
Vega took a deep breath. His eyes carried that familiar, weary but patient look.
"I'll explain. But first… may I rest a little? I really feel drained."
Maia nodded, her eyes moist, though she held herself together.
"Alright… alright. I'm just so glad you all came back safe."
Then she hugged Aryel.
A brief but meaningful embrace.
No words were necessary.
Just then, Lorin stepped forward.
"Maia…" he said, his voice gentle yet uncertain.
"Could we talk for a moment?"
Maia hesitated at first.
Then she nodded slightly in agreement.
They walked a few steps away from the others.
Lorin's robe was torn. It fluttered in the wind, yet he himself stood still.
His eyes were on the ground.
His hands clenched together, fingers intertwining over and over, unable to keep still.
As though the words stuck in his throat, he swallowed again and again before speaking.
His voice sounded like someone speaking from behind a wall.
"I wronged you," he said.
"I shouldn't have left you like that.
And… I shouldn't have been with someone else before ending things with you."
He swallowed again. His voice cracked.
"While fighting… every time I faced death, it was you in my mind.
I'm sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me.
I guess… I just want to ease my own conscience."
His eyes were brimming, but he didn't cry.
He only stood there, like a shadow swaying gently in the wind.
Maia stayed silent for a long while. Her gaze was calmer. But inside, waves were crashing.
Still, her voice was steady.
"I'm sorry too. I could have given you more time. But… I can't forgive you for cheating on me.
I won't let myself be devalued anymore."
She took a step back.
"If that's all… I should return to Aryel." she said.
Then she turned her back and began to walk away.
Behind her, Lorin was left with nothing but a what if drifting away with the wind.
In front of the Academy gate, everyone was still gathered.
Backpacks on their shoulders, exhaustion in their hands, yet a familiar light in their eyes.
None of them had dispersed yet.
As though they needed… to complete this moment inwardly.
It was then Aryel stepped forward.
There was both exhaustion and gratitude in her eyes.
She raised her voice—soft but clear:
"Thank you for accepting me as your captain."
Her gaze lingered on each of them.
Kael… Vega… Serin, Taris, Lorin, Nira…
And a little farther back, Maia, watching everything silently.
"I tried to do my best.
But there were many times I fell short.
Still… we made a good team.
Even if our first experience was so harsh… even if it broke us mentally… none of you gave up."
A short pause.
"We are all still here.
And I am grateful that we were able to return safe."
The sun was setting behind the Academy towers.
Shadows grew long, but Aryel's voice remained clear.
From the edge of the crowd, Maia was watching them.
She didn't fully understand it, but the meaning carried by Aryel's words reached her as well.
The day slowly gave way to the coolness of evening.
The sky painted in hues of orange and purple, the fatigue of camp replaced by the freshness of salty sweat and warm soap.
After the hot meal in the cafeteria, the team had come out into the garden.
In the corner of the stone-paved courtyard, under the shade of a broad tree, they had gathered.
Maia was there too.
As she listened, her eyes widened with excitement, her expressions betraying fear, sorrow, and pride at the same time.
She listened, while silently thinking to herself, "I'm glad I didn't leave."
But she didn't show it to anyone.
As the conversation deepened, Aryel straightened slightly.
Her voice was calm, yet the responsibility it carried was unmistakable.
"We need to train more," she said.
"After graduation, we should search for the missing children together, and help the villages under attack."
Her eyes lowered slowly toward the ground.
"When I think of those children… the fear people lived through… every time we couldn't act, I blame myself."
Then she lifted his head, turning to Maia.
"Maia…" she said.
"It's time for you to use your time powers.
I know you've held yourself back because of your brother, and that you've feared your power.
But he left long ago. Don't let him chain you to the past anymore."
"Your time powers… can help us prevent many things."
Maia lowered her head slightly, her eyes misty.
Aryel continued.
"I'll work on my light power. Vega will increase his speed. Kael will strengthen his flames.
We all have weaknesses.
But if we want to save people… we must grow stronger."
Everyone paused for a moment. Then, all at once, they nodded. No words were needed. The meaning had reached them.
Maia could no longer hold back her tears.
"If I had been able to use my time powers… maybe I could have prevented Vega from getting hurt.
While you were gone, I thought about it a lot. Never again… never again will I stay behind."
Her words spread like waves.
Vega tilted his head slightly, smiling. And then… he dropped the line that shifted the tone of the evening.
"You know what?" he said with a sly grin.
"When I was injured… Kael carried me like a princess. Can you believe that? Kael, of all people!"
Maia's eyes widened. Then she burst out laughing.
"Our prideful Kael?! Princess-carrying?!"
Kael turned bright red.
"What was I supposed to do?! I thought you were about to die! How else was I supposed to carry you?!"
Aryel stepped in with a smile.
Her voice sparkled with mischievous cheer.
"Ahhh Kael… you were like a white knight on a horse. Everyone's eyes were on you."
The whole team started laughing.
Light chuckles, genuine laughter…
And under the starlight that fell upon them, that evening… for the first time, they truly felt at peace.
***
The next morning, the Academy campus was trying to return to its usual silence.
After what had happened in the village… everyone was struggling to adapt to daily life again.
Classes had resumed.
But the air was different that morning.
Aryel was walking along the stone path with Maia.
She adjusted the backpack on his shoulder, frowning.
"Do you think the exams will be postponed?" dhe asked.
"After all, we just survived a war. We couldn't study at all!"
Maia raised her eyebrows, giving her a side glance.
Her voice was serious, but with her usual mocking tone inside it.
"If you had studied on time, this wouldn't be a problem."
Aryel let out an exaggerated, dramatic sigh.
"Ahh! Maia! You're so cruel!"
They kept walking with laughter. Just then… they noticed someone standing in front of a tree.
Vega. His blond hair swayed in the wind, his maroon robe fluttering lightly. He stood frozen, staring at something.
Aryel frowned. Maia tilted her head slightly.
"What is it, Vega? What are you looking at?"
Vega narrowed his eyes, without turning his head, only whispering:
"Be quiet… Look."
They followed the direction he pointed. Serin was calling Kael over to the garden's walkway just ahead.
"Kael!" he said. "Can we talk for a moment?"
Kael shrugged.
"Huh? What's there to talk about?"
Maia snickered, her voice mischievous.
"Don't tell me… a confession of love?"
Aryel smiled faintly.
"I don't know, but… on the way back he was saying 'carry me too, Kael.'
I've seen them alone together a few times."
The three of them hid behind the tree. Quietly, their eyes wide, they began watching.
Serin stood directly across from Kael. He stepped closer.
Then… without hesitation, he held Kael's hand. Looked straight into his eyes.
Serin's voice almost trembled.
In his eyes, he seemed to be searching for something in Kael's gaze; an answer, a sign, or just an escape.
"I've liked you for a long time, Kael."
From behind the tree, Vega froze. His eyes widened.
Aryel couldn't say a word.She only looked at Vega.
All three held their breath.
The silence grew heavy, time itself seemed to slow.
Kael's answer had not yet come.
Nothing had been spoken—yet what remained unsaid had already shattered them all.