The sun hung pale above the scarred mountain, its light struggling to pierce the smoke that still lingered. Benjamin walked among the survivors — faces marked by both sorrow and disbelief. When he finally stopped before them, his voice came low, almost trembling.
- Benjamin: "Everyone... I'm... sorry."
A heavy silence fell. Then one of the children — a little girl with dusty cheeks and hopeful eyes — tugged at his arm.
- Child: "But... it's not your fault, is it, Mister Hero?"
The word hero struck him like a strange echo. Benjamin blinked, startled. He knelt, placing a gentle hand on the girl's head. Her small smile seemed to mend something inside him. The other children rushed forward, wrapping around him in a flurry of laughter and tears.
- Children: "Thank you, Ben!" / "Mister Hero, you're amazing! I wanna be like you when I grow up!"
Benjamin blushed faintly, rubbing the back of his neck before forcing a smile and standing again. Pain throbbed sharply through his ribs — a reminder of the monster's strike. One of the women, Cleiya, approached, her voice soft yet steady.
- Cleiya: "Benjamin... what will you do now?"
He turned toward the abyss where the mountain once stood. His reflection glimmered faintly in the molten cracks of the earth.
- Benjamin: "I'm going... to find my grandfather... and save the Four Crystals."
Cleiya hesitated, studying the resolve in his eyes.
- Cleiya: "I thought those Crystals were only myths... but if it's you saying this, maybe they're more than legends. Leave the rest to me — Lanny and I will care for the elders and children. We'll rebuild our village."
He nodded in gratitude, offering one last smile before turning toward the woods. His steps faded into the mist.
The forest awaited — silent, desolate, almost spectral. The trees stood dry and lifeless, their bark cracked like the skin of the dying earth.
- Benjamin (thinking): "This is... terrible."
Further ahead, a familiar voice broke the silence. Hovering again upon his cloud, the Elder faced the horizon.
- Benjamin: "There you are! What should I do first?"
- Elder: "Save the Earth Crystal! Farewell for now."
And with that, the old man soared skyward, vanishing in a gleam of light.
- Benjamin: "Oh, great... didn't even get to ask my question again."
He sighed and pressed forward, only to find his path blocked by towering trees — their trunks entwined like walls of bone. He frowned.
- Benjamin (thinking): "How the hell am I supposed to get through this? Maybe I can go around..."
Turning onto a narrow trail, he stumbled upon an elderly man straining to move a massive stone. The sound of cracking joints made Benjamin wince.
- Old Man: "Please, young man, help me move this rock... it's blocking the way to the city."
Without a word, Benjamin nodded and shoved the stone aside with ease. The old man gasped in awe.
- Old Man: "Thank you! Those monsters have been blocking the path ever since I came to gather medicinal herbs..."
The man rummaged in his bag and pulled out a withered branch.
- Old Man: "If you need to cross this forest, look for a young woman with red hair in Foresta. Show her this. She'll know what to do."
Benjamin accepted the Tree Wither, bowed slightly, and continued alongside the old man until they reached Foresta — a village that looked hollow, like a fading memory.
He found shelter in a small house at the far end of town. Inside, two young people awaited. The boy, Claus, looked at him curiously.
- Claus: "You... can save the Four Crystals?"
Benjamin froze. How could this stranger know?
- Claus: "Ah... it's just that an old man on a cloud showed up here. Said the Hero would come to free us."
The girl beside him, Cristy, noticed Benjamin clutching his side. The dented Steel Armor revealed a deep wound.
- Cristy: "Good heavens, how are you even standing? Lie down, now!"
He tried to refuse, but her glare was fierce. She pulled him to the bed, cleaned the wound, and replaced the bandages. The night burned with fever and pain — and the gentle rustle of Cristy's voice murmuring prayers he barely heard.
When morning broke, the light filtered through the window like gold. He rose — the pain gone, the wound... completely healed.
- Benjamin: "This is... impossible." - He turned to her, smiling and holding her hands. - "Thank you so much! You were amazing."
Cristy's cheeks flushed crimson.
- Cristy: "I-I'm glad you slept well..." - She stammered before collapsing from exhaustion.
Benjamin caught her before she fell, gently laying her on the bed.
From the doorway, Claus crossed his arms.
- Claus: "I think she didn't sleep all night. The world needs heroes who know how to say thank you. Take care."
Benjamin smiled faintly and stepped outside. The day greeted him — warm, alive, but heavy with whispers of despair.
He wandered through Foresta, speaking with the villagers. An old woman mentioned the Bone Dungeon to the north — the resting place of the Earth Crystal. Others spoke of trees growing unnaturally fast, and one man laughed bitterly about "turning old overnight."
- Benjamin (thinking): "Getting old... after a long time... that's normal, isn't it?"
A woman's voice halted him.
- Old woman: "I know what you're thinking... but that's the monster! It drains the energy from trees and people... I was a little girl only yesterday."
He swallowed hard and moved to the last house. Inside, two women sat talking. One muttered about someone named Mac forgetting his Capitain's Cap again, then rose to answer his knock. Her eyes widened when she saw him.
- Woman (thinking): "Those blue eyes... could it be..."
- Benjamin: "May I speak with Kaeli?"
The woman hesitated, then nodded, leading him in.
There she was — Kaeli, the red-haired girl. Her emerald eyes met his, and for a heartbeat the world seemed to pause.
- Benjamin: "You're the girl who speaks with the spirits of the trees?"
- Kaeli: "My name is Kaeli. Yes, there's a tree to the north blocking the passage. The monsters took everything. I can't reach it alone."
- Benjamin: "Then I'll go with you—"
- Joanna (Kaeli's Mother): "Don't even think of taking my daughter to such a dangerous place!"
Before Benjamin could reply, he produced the Tree Wither. The branch seemed to pulse faintly.
- Kaeli: "That branch... so dry... the trees must be in pain. All right, let's go!"
She grabbed the axe from the wall, met Benjamin at the door, and glanced back.
- Kaeli: "Don't worry, Mom."
Before leaving town, Benjamin stopped at the house of the old man who had helped him in the forest. They shared tea and talked of herbs. The elder opened a chest in the cellar.
Inside lay a book — glowing faintly. As Benjamin opened it, light surged forth and merged with his chest.
- Kaeli: "That's... the Cure white spellbook. It's precious — and now it's yours."
The old man smiled.
- Old Man: "Before you go, have lunch with me. A hero should never fight on an empty stomach."
Benjamin's stomach growled in agreement. They laughed, ate, and traded stories.
When they finally stood to leave, Benjamin bowed deeply.
- Benjamin: "Thank you... for everything."
The old man nodded.
- Old Man: "The forest awaits you, young ones. May the wind guide your steps."
Side by side, Benjamin and Kaeli stepped onto the forest trail. The air shimmered faintly — the first sign that magic, and danger, were awakening once more.