They weren’t planning to look for anyone.
The night fell over the forest quickly. Too quickly. The trees closed in a dense wall, and even the moon barely pierced through the branches. The ground beneath their feet was damp, cold.
“Let’s stop here,” said Elf. “It’s dangerous to go further.”
Rin nodded silently and began collecting dry branches. Nika sat on a fallen tree, hugging her knees.
Kael stood a little aside.
He looked into the darkness between the trees and felt a strange unease. Not fear — as ifsomeone was watching. Not threatening. Just… attentive.
They lit a small fire.
The fire was weak, uneven. The wind flickered the flames as if trying to extinguish it.
“Tomorrow we’ll decide where to go next,” Rin said quietly. “For now… just survive the night.”
Kael sat down on the ground. His body ached, fatigue pressed heavier than pain. He closed his eyes.
And then a voice spoke.
“In the forest, no one sleeps like this at night,” said someone from the darkness.
Everyone flinched.
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Rin jumped up first.
Nika turned sharply.
Elf already had her hand on her waist.
From the trees came an old man.
He moved slowly, leaning on a staff. His face was wrinkled, but his eyes were clear. He looked at them calmly — without hostility, without surprise.
“You’re lost,” he said, more stating than asking.
Silence.
The old man looked at Kael.
“And you are weak on your feet.”
Kael didn’t deny it.
The old man sighed.
“My home is not far,” he said, nodding toward the darkness. “Warm, with a roof. If you want — you can spend the night.”
Nika squinted cautiously:
“And if we don’t want to?”
The old man smiled.
“Your choice.”
He turned, as if he already knew the answer.
After a short pause, Elf nodded.
“We’ll go.”
The house turned out to be old, but sturdy. The fire in the hearth was already burning, as if the owner had been waiting for their return. The warmth hit immediately, a sharp contrast to the dampness of the forest.
“Sit down,” said the old man. “We’ll talk in the morning. At night, conversations only make things worse.”
A girl came out of the neighboring room. Young, quiet. She quickly glanced at the guests and held her gaze on Kael longer than on the others.
She said nothing.
Kael didn’t sleep that night.
The fire in the hearth crackled quietly. The old man sat opposite him, as if he knew Kael would not sleep.
“You think everything will work on the first try?”
Kael remained silent.
“Diligence and effort — that’s what will make you the person you want to become.”
“I thought I was chosen…” Kael said quietly.
The old man nodded.
“Who said you’re not chosen? It’s just that not everything happens at once, slowly.”
He tossed a log into the fire.
“Patience. Not everything goes the way you want. Fate always has other plans.”
Kael looked up.
“What should I do?”
The old man looked at him intently.
“You know the answer.”
After that, the old man went into another room, and Kael fell asleep.
Morning was gray. Rin, Elf, and Nika sat at the wooden table, quietly discussing what to do next.
“Kael is in this condition…” Rin began quietly, “maybe something will awaken him? His power…”
“I don’t know,” said Elf. “We need to understand how to help him. But he doesn’t respond.”
Nika, playing with her fingers on the table, sighed:
“Maybe we should give him time? Or try something new, something different?”
The conversation was interrupted by the old man, who had been silently observing them until then. He stood up, leaning on his staff, and said in a calm, confident voice:
“I will train him. I can.”
The girls looked at each other.
“Train him?” Rin asked again.
“Yes,” the old man continued. “In my youth, I was a squad commander. I was skilled in various weapons, swords, combat techniques. If he is ready, I will help develop his power and skills.”
Elf nodded, slightly surprised:
“So, he has a chance…”
“He has always had a chance,” said the old man. “He just needs to direct his power.”
Silence fell over the room again, but now it was not tense, but full of anticipation.
