Koran walked out into the completely destroyed street. He didn't care if the soldiers saw him. He didn't care if he got shot on the way. He just walked without any aim.
"Hey, do you want to die?"
Koran quickly looked up. That voice was familiar to him, the voice of someone precious to him. It was Timo.
"Where were you? I was looking for you," Koran said with teary eyes.
"I ran away, just like you did," Timo replied, smiling and covered in dust.
"My mom died. She's gone forever," Koran said, as if blaming Timo, or rather, blaming himself.
"I know this," Timo's voice turned serious.
"But does that mean you should die too?" Timo continued.
Koran lowered his head and answered.
"No one is left for me. I have no reason to live."
"That's not true. You still have me. And if that's not enough, make it your reason to live."
Koran looked up at Timo, surprised.
"What do you mean?"
From the rubble around him, Timo picked up a coin that was lying there and looked at it as if inspecting it, then added.
"Live to achieve what Lady Diva wanted for you. Live to reach the moment she promised you would reach."
Koran remembered his moments with his mother. Every laugh they shared, the day she cried until she fell asleep in his arms, the cake they shared, and finally, her last words to him: 'Be happy.'
Koran wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Timo with a small smile.
"I will do it. Thank you, my friend."
Timo pointed his hand towards the west and spoke.
"Go in this direction. You will find your mother's boat. Head towards the Western Continent."
"Wait, aren't you coming with me?"
Timo replied in a calm voice.
"My family and I will catch up with you. You go first."
Koran replied quickly.
"I'll go with you."
"No, we will meet in the Western Continent at the western police station."
Koran tried to refuse, but he couldn't convince Timo, so he decided to go alone. The two friends hugged each other and parted.
Koran headed towards Bianto Port where his mother's boat was. Diva had been giving her son the boat's steering wheel since he was young, so Koran had already learned how to drive it.
He avoided all the soldiers in front of him with difficulty until he reached the square of Safa Temple. Koran hid behind a large rock after hearing many soldiers' voices there.
Koran thought of a way to move forward. It was impossible to pass by the side of the temple. It was like a full line of soldiers.
"Why are they all gathered here?" Koran thought to himself while searching for a way to pass.
It was not normal for a whole army to be in one area without a leader. Did this mean the leader of this campaign was here? All these thoughts passed through Koran's mind as he kept looking around.
"Hah, I found it," Koran thought to himself while looking at a forest path.
The path led to the Sunset Forest. But Koran didn't want to go there because the forest was large and he could get lost. Also, he didn't know if there were soldiers inside the forest or not. So, he had to head towards Sun Hill.
The landscape of Sun Hill was helpful to Koran because it was high and easy to climb due to the path built for it. Not to forget its most important feature: the ability to see the port and the city from there, which made it easier to move forward without missing any incoming danger.
Koran hurried towards the forest path, hiding behind every rock he found so he wouldn't get caught. At the intersection leading either to the forest or the hill, Koran wouldn't have been able to tell the two paths apart if it weren't for two large signs pointing the way.
"Long live progress," Koran thought as he took the path to the hill.
Sun Hill stood out with its calm shape above the plain, covered in green grass that looked golden in the light. Its slopes were smooth and its summit was exposed like a natural platform, allowing you to look far in every direction, as if the sky had chosen it as a resting place. On its right side, an old stone staircase was carved, made of uneven but solid stones, as if shaped by a hand that wanted to give travelers an easy way to climb to the top and see the wide horizon from above.
"Long live progress, again," Koran thought as he climbed the stairs.
Even with the stairs, the hill was high, standing at 146 meters. Koran needed to climb 973 steps.
For the first 50 steps, Koran was at his peak energy.
"I'll be there in 5 minutes.I must arrive before Timo."
After 350 steps:
"Why didn't they build an elevator here instead of this?"Koran said, panting.
At step 869, Koran was now crawling.
"Not much left..."
Step 912:
"Damn this,I need to rest a little."
Koran looked at the sky. His talk with Timo had lessened his pain a little, but just looking at the sky made him remember his reality again. Koran's expression turned sad for a moment; he bit his lip to keep from crying.
"O soldiers of the First Kingdom! Today we defend our kingdom, and our swords will be filled with the blood of our enemies!"
The voice was loud and firm, like thunder, demanding obedience without hesitation.
"What is that?" Koran thought.
Koran dragged himself with great effort and finished the last steps until he reached the top of the hill. When he looked down from there towards the temple square, he saw the army of the First Kingdom gathered and heading towards the temple square, towards the soldiers of the Fifth Kingdom.
Koran scanned his eyes over the soldiers until he saw the owner of the voice. His hair was long and dark, streaked with gray strands, tied in a back knot with a side braid that added to his toughness. His body was broad-shouldered and strong, like a warrior refined by battle. He was very tall, taller than most men, giving him a powerful presence that couldn't be ignored. All the soldiers were wearing armor except him; he left his chest bare, as if he himself was the armor.
"That's the leader, Vallhim Fawdr, the strongest man on the continent!" Koran said in amazement.
On the other side, Vallhim spoke in a fierce, stern voice:
"Show yourself,Orphin!"