In Glimrfen—
The sun dipped low, painting the alleys in rust-red shadows.
Derimiel, Daiki, and Ahrie prowled through every corner that reeked of trouble.
Abandoned houses.
Dust. Silence. Nothing.
"Nope. Not even a shady shadow here," Daiki muttered.
Sewers.
Ahrie gagged. "Uoookkk... Goddamn it, nothing! Total waste of ti."
Run-down stables.
"Bud," Daiki sighed, rubbing his temples, "stop asking jacked horses to fight you."
"They look strong though," Ahrie argued.
Graveyard.
Daiki shivered. "There aren’t any ghosts here, right?"
"Boo."
"AHHH—fuck you!"
Back rooms of shops.
Ahrie slamd the door open. "I know you’re hiding soone—hand over the money or els—"
"No. No. No. We’re looking for people," Derimiel cut him off, dragging him back.
"...Ohhh. My bad," Ahrie shrugged.
Hours passed.
Alleys, basents, rooftops—
Not a single lead.
Nothing.
In Floriae village...
The boss exhaled slowly, smoke and fla reflecting in his eyes.
His massive hand clamped around Amariel’s neck, lifting her limp body with ease.
A faint glow pulsed from the ring on his finger.
A voice leaked through—low, commanding.
"Did you finish the job?"
"Pfft. Didn’t even break a sweat," the boss muttered.
"Then proceed to the next plan," the voice replied.
"Got it..." his smirk widened, dripping with cruel satisfaction.
"Your Highness."
The words cut sharper than the fire’s crackle, hanging heavy over the burning ruins.
He looked around—houses falling apart, bodies on the ground, the whole village burning. Flas crawled into the forest.
The boss let Amariel’s body drop.
He let the axe tip scrape the ground as he walked out of the burning village.
Back in Glimrfen...
Derimiel sat slumped in the corner.
Daiki patted his back. "You’ll see them soon... I know it." He smiled, trying to lift him up.
"Thanks..." Derimiel looked up at the sky, glowing orange in the sunset.
"Or maybe they’re dead," Ahrie muttered.
Daiki shot him a look that scread to read the room.
"Oii..." he warned.
"What? Balance, bud. You gotta lay out all the possibilities so the crash doesn’t hurt as much."
"...That does sound like a good point, though," Derimiel admitted.
They all chuckled, watching a flock of birds cut across the fading sky.
"Welp, we should head back," Daiki said.
"Yeah. How about we buy stuff for them?" Ahrie suggested.
"We don’t have a lot of money..." Derimiel frowned.
"Ho~ Ho~ Ho~" Ahrie laughed like a noblewoman and dropped a fat pouch of bronze coins.
THUNK.
"What the fuck? Since when were you so damn rich, bud?" Daiki muttered.
Ahrie waggled his eyebrows, smug.
They shopped until their arms ached—delicacies, toys, tools, equipnt, everything Floriae village might need. The haul was so big they went to the elder for a carriage.
The elder agreed, even telling them they didn’t need to bring it back.
While Ahrie and Daiki loaded the mountain of supplies, Derimiel stayed behind, bowing in thanks to the old man.
"Yooo, bud. All set," Ahrie called, already climbing on top of the pile, sprawled out like he owned it.
Derimiel took the reins and clicked the horse forward. Inside, Daiki fussed over the gift he’d bought for Amariel.
As they rolled past the edge of Glimrfen, Derimiel whistled loud. His silver wolf erged from the shadows and padded after the carriage.
Together, they headed straight for Floriae village.
After a long hour on the road...
They were close to Floriae when sothing felt off.
A haze drifted into view—smoke, thick and gray.
"Cough—cough—what the fuck? A fire?" Ahrie muttered, dragging himself upright after hours of lying flat.
Through the smoke, the outline of burning trees crackled into sight.
"Ain’t no way..." Daiki’s voice faltered. He glanced at Derimiel.
Derimiel didn’t hesitate. He leapt off the carriage, whistled for his wolf, and vaulted onto its back.
"Co on!" he barked, charging forward.
"Oiii!" Ahrie hissed. He yanked his rapier free and sliced through the carriage ropes. The horse reared—Ahrie landed on its back with a cocky grin.
Daiki scrambled up after him.
Both of them titled their heads looking at each other.
"... now what?." Ahrie snapped.
Daiki blinked. "...You don’t actually know how to ride a horse, do you?"
Ahrie glared. "Do you?"
"...No." Daiki laughed nervously.
Ahrie smacked the back of his head. "Then shut it!"
"Argh, screw this!" Daiki bailed, sliding off the horse.
They both ditched the animal and sprinted on foot, lungs burning, legs pumping.
Minutes later, they crested the ridge—
and froze.
The once-beautiful village below... was gone. Just fire and ruin. A burning wasteland.
They tore downhill.
Bodies lay everywhere, twisted in the smoke.
Derimiel and his wolf ripped through the wreckage, desperate, calling for his siblings—but no answer.
Ahrie and Daiki scattered through the wreck, praying for survivors.
"Elder..."
Daiki stumbled through the wreckage, only to freeze.
The elder’s head lay separated from his body.
His stomach dropped. And then—
He saw sothing worse.
Amariel.
Lying still. Lifeless.
"N—no... no, no, no..." Daiki muttered, staggering toward her. Each step heavier than the last.
Ahrie noticed the way Daiki moved, almost dragging himself forward. He followed his line of sight—
and saw her too.
He shut his eyes, face tightening. Then cursed.
"Fuckkkkk! My five hundred bronze coins... and the damn bonuses..."
Daiki collapsed to his knees beside her.
His trembling hand reached out, clasping hers—still warm, but fading fast.
mories bled into his mind.
Her smile by the river when he first saw her.
Her laugh echoing through their chaotic days.
The nights they shared plans, dreams.
"I plan on reuniting my people... restoring our kingdom," she had said.
Daiki had smiled back.
"That’s a tough one."
"Yeah..." she whispered.
He rembered reaching for her hand, swearing softly,
"I’ll help you... as best as I can."
Now, he squeezed her hand like if he held tight enough, she’d co back.
Ahrie appeared from the corner, searching for his rapier, grinning as he mocked him.
"Argh... why’s that bastard always here—even now..." Daiki muttered under his breath, glaring through his tears.
Ahrie tapped Daiki’s shoulder.
He heard the quiet sniff—then the heavier sobs—but didn’t look away. Good friend, numb as hell.
Then Daiki’s nose started running. Ahrie almost snorted. He giggled once, fought it down. Didn’t want to be that guy.
After the crying stopped, the three of them did the only thing left to do.
They pulled bodies from the ash, stomped out what fire they could, and buried the dead
through the night. Cold soil, clumsy graves, whispers. A campfire burned low while they sat like ghosts.
By dawn the sky was the sa ugly orange. The fire near-dead.
Daiki sat staring at Amariel’s makeshift tomb.
Derimiel lay flat on his back, eyes open but empty—no energy to move.
Ahrie paced, annoyed and useless and furious all at once.
"Are you even gonna get up?" Ahrie muttered, irritation rubbing at the grief. "Soone did this. You serious gonna sit and rot?"
Daiki didn’t move. Derimiel barely shifted. Silence pressed in.
Ahrie’s hand doubled into a fist. "No. Fuck that. We take revenge." His voice snapped like a whip. He slamd his fist into the air. "We hunt them. We’ll burn them. We make them wish they were never born."
Sothing in both n snapped back. Faces set. Old fire returning.
"We go at them head-on," Derimiel said, rising, voice low and steady.
"We make them pay," Daiki added, voice breaking but fierce.
"Pay ," Ahrie cut in, deadpan.
They laughed—small and raw—because laughter was easier than collapsing again.
"Wut, I’m serious," Ahrie said, eyes hard.
And just like that, the hollow turned into purpose. The three of them stood, dusted-off, and started planning.
Daiki tapped Ahrie on the shoulder.
"I thought about it all night," he said, voice small. "I promised her I’d do everything I can to help rebuild—so I’m going. I’ll go with Derimiel."
Ahrie blinked.
"Would you—" Daiki started, then Ahrie cut him off with a grin.
"Heh—nope."
Daiki smiled anyway and offered a fist bump.
"Thanks for everything," he muttered.
Ahrie slamd his fist into Daiki’s like he ant it. "Smash!" Daiki yelped. "Ouch—"
Derimiel stepped forward and pressed a small pouch of bronze coins into Ahrie’s hand.
"It’s not much, but... thank you."
Ahrie’s grin flickered. For a beat his eyes shone wet. He shut his mouth hard, swallowed it down.
Daiki nudged him. "Co on, bud. I’ll pay you back. I promised."
Ahrie waved them off, tried to puff up tough. "Go. Bring the whole damn village back."
Ahrie waved goodbye to Derimiel and Daiki, then set off on his own. A new beginning awaited him.
He sighed, then realized: "Oi—this fucking horse is still here!"
He stalked the animal. "Let take out my frustrations on you, you fucking Jacked bastard."
The horse just shook its head—and bolted.
Ahrie whooped and took off after it, laughing like a lunatic. "Co on! HEHEHE!"
Up in a branch, the crow tilted its head and cackled:
"CAW! Premium starts now. Don’t make peck your eyes if you drop it!"
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