The attack did not come at night.
It came at dawn.
Frank was on the rooftop when the first scream tore through the morning air. Not sharp like fear—raw like loss. His heart dropped before his feet even moved.
"Leo!" Frank shouted, already running.
Smoke rose from the western gate. Not thick, not wild—controlled. Intentional.
By the time Frank reached the edge of the district, flames licked at the wooden guard post. Townsfolk were shouting, running, pointing. And in the chaos, Frank saw something that froze his blood.
The man in the coat lay on the ground.
"No—"
Frank dropped to his knees beside him. The man's breathing was shallow, his coat torn, darkened with ash. His eyes fluttered open slowly.
"You were supposed… to stay ahead of them," Frank whispered, voice breaking.
The man smiled faintly. "You did."
Frank clenched his fists. "Then why are you—"
"Because some lessons," the man said weakly, "can only be taught… by loss."
Frank shook his head, tears blurring his vision. "I wasn't ready."
"You were," the man replied. "That's why he came himself."
Frank stiffened. "He?"
The man's grip tightened suddenly. "The leader… his name is Caelum Vire. Former guardian of the outer cities. He believes order is born from fear. Towns like this… he calls them weak."
Frank's breath hitched. "You knew him."
"I trained beside him," the man said. "Until he chose control over protection."
The man coughed, then whispered, "Listen to me, Spenser. This town is only the beginning. Beyond it… there are other cities. Bigger threats. If you stay here, he will burn everything you love."
Frank's voice cracked. "Then don't leave me."
The man smiled one last time. "You don't stand alone anymore."
His hand went still.
The world went silent.
Frank bowed his head, shoulders shaking—not loudly, not dramatically—but deeply, like something inside him had torn. This was the price. This was the cost of standing.
THE REVEAL
That night, Caelum Vire stood on a distant hill, watching the town through a lens of polished glass. Tall. Calm. Unmasked.
"So the mentor falls," he said softly. "Good. Pain sharpens heroes… or breaks them."
He turned to his followers. "Prepare the outer roads. Spenser will leave the town. They always do."
THE WORLD BEYOND
Two days later, Frank stood at the town's edge. The gate was repaired, but the scars remained. He carried the man's coat folded over his arm.
"You're really leaving," Leo said quietly.
Frank nodded. "If I stay, the town becomes a target. Caelum wants me to follow him."
"And you will?"
"Yes," Frank said. "Because if I don't, he'll never stop."
Beyond the gate stretched the wider world—cities, factions, unknown dangers. A world far bigger than the streets that raised him.
THE ROMANCE BEGINS
As Frank turned to leave, a girl stepped forward. Her name was Elara—a healer's apprentice, quiet, observant, someone who had helped the wounded during the attacks.
She held out a small cloth band, neatly stitched.
"For your hand," she said softly. "You always come back injured."
Frank hesitated, then accepted it. Their fingers brushed—brief, gentle, real.
"Thank you," he said.
Elara met his eyes. "You don't have to be fearless to be brave."
Something settled in Frank's chest—not distraction, not weakness—but grounding. A reason to return.
"I'll come back," he said.
She nodded. "I know."
Frank stepped onto the road beyond the town, grief heavy but resolve heavier.
He had lost his guide.
He had gained an enemy.
He had glimpsed a world far larger than himself.
And somewhere behind him… a reason to keep standing.
The wind carried one final whisper—not from shadows, not from enemies—
but from within him:
"There he stood… and now, he walks forward."