As the sun bid a blood-soaked farewell to the Kingdom of Aethelgrad, darkness quickly swallowed the sky. Yet the raging fires rising from the village and the river's horrifying crimson hue overpowered even the night itself. The only reason Hyoga and Naomi had survived this hell was the unwavering sacrifice of Head Mage Lola and Emily. After hours of breathless pursuit, the two children had reached the very limits of their strength.
"Hyoga… I can't go on anymore…" Naomi's voice was drowned in sobs. "I'm so scared for my mother and Aunt Emily. My heart feels like it's going to burst, and I'm exhausted."
The tears streaming from her eyes shattered Hyoga's heart. The Naomi who once radiated joy was now a child crushed by grief. Suppressing his own fear, Hyoga took her hands firmly.
"Hey… please don't cry. We'll find a way. Remember—Lola and Aunt Emily said everything would be okay. They're very strong."
Those words carried a faint glimmer of hope into Naomi's darkened soul.
"I guess you're right… Thank you for staying with me, Hyoga."
She clung to him tightly through her tears. Hyoga returned the embrace just as gently, hiding his relentless anxiety.
"Come on, we have to keep moving," he said, and they continued forward with slow, weary steps.
The night forest was a deadly labyrinth for two small children. The howls of wolves and the low growls slipping through the branches were unmistakable signs of dangerous creatures lurking nearby. After a while, they noticed a flickering light through the dense trees.
"Look, Hyoga! There's a fire—there are people!" Naomi rushed forward with renewed hope.
Hyoga felt a bad feeling stir inside him, but he couldn't think of a better option. Around the campfire sat a group of four or five people. Overwhelmed by relief and exhaustion, Naomi suddenly collapsed to the ground.
Hyoga panicked and dropped to his knees beside her, shaking her gently.
"Naomi! Wake up—please wake up!"
At that moment, a woman from the group hurried over and knelt beside them. She examined Naomi's frail body and smiled softly.
"Calm down, little one. Your friend has only fainted from hunger and exhaustion."
Though her voice was soothing, Hyoga's tension did not fade. All he wanted was to see Naomi's innocent smile again and for this nightmare to end.
Behind the woman appeared a stern-looking man, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. He glared at Hyoga as if he were an enemy.
"Who are you? What are you doing in the forest at this hour?"
Hyoga felt crushed under the man's deadly stare. Fear engulfed his body, yet he had to prove he meant no harm. Gathering his trembling voice, he replied,
"We… we were running away. Strangers attacked our village—everything was burning! My aunt and the Head Mage stayed behind to save us… they sacrificed themselves…"
As he spoke, tears spilled uncontrollably down his cheeks.
Suddenly, another woman by the campfire stood up and wrapped Hyoga in a gentle embrace.
"It's alright, little man. Please calm down," she said softly. Then she turned to the large man with a frown.
"Hey, Bram! Stop staring at the poor child like that—you're scaring him. Can't you see he's telling the truth?"
The man called Bram said nothing. He turned away and returned to the fire. Hyoga clutched the unconscious Naomi more tightly.
The woman who had hugged him spoke again in a warm voice.
"I'm truly sorry for what you've been through, little one. My name is Sofia, and this is my friend Shizuka."
Sofia and Shizuka gently lifted Naomi and carried her to a tent so she could rest. Hyoga sat by the fire between the two women. Shizuka studied him with curious eyes.
"Tell me, Hyoga—weren't you afraid in the middle of all that chaos? Not everyone can make the right decision in such moments. You did well."
She gently patted his head.
Sofia quickly added,
"Yes, you were amazing! By the way, how old are you?"
Hyoga could tell they were trying to lift his spirits. Needing their kindness, he answered politely.
"I'm six… but I'll be seven in a few months."
The women smiled.
"That's wonderful! Where are your mother and father? If you'd like, we can take you and your sister to them."
The question pierced Hyoga's heart like a dagger. His throat tightened as he whispered,
"I don't have a mother or father… They died a few months after I was born."
A heavy silence fell over the campfire. Sofia and Shizuka regretted asking. Just then, the fourth member of the group—a young man—approached.
"Truly impressive… I sense a light within you, child," he said warmly.
"My name is Noah. I'm the leader of this group."
He smiled sincerely and handed Hyoga a bowl of warm rice.
"Eat. You'll need it."
Hyoga devoured the rice eagerly. The entire group watched the small, mysterious child in silence. After finishing, Hyoga looked curiously at Noah.
"So who are you? Why are you camping in such a dangerous forest?"
Shizuka and Sofia hugged him playfully, giggling as if to lighten the mood.
"Looks like someone's very curious."
Noah smiled and replied calmly,
"We're adventurers, little friend. We heard rumors of an ancient, mysterious artifact hidden in this forest. We're here to find it."
Across the fire, Bram frowned.
"Noah! Why are you telling a child something like that? We swore to keep it secret."
Noah's smile didn't fade.
"Relax, Bram. He's not a bad kid… right, little one?"
Feeling the tension between them, Hyoga answered timidly,
"No… I'm not."
As the atmosphere between Bram and Noah grew heavier, Shizuka and Sofia noticed and took Hyoga with them. Carrying a bowl of rice in case Naomi woke up, they led the children into the tent.
Sofia bent down gently.
"We argue like that sometimes—don't be scared."
Shizuka added with a smile,
"If you want, we can tell you a bedtime story to help you sleep."
Hyoga was moved by their kindness.
"No, that's okay. You've already been very good to us—we owe you."
He stepped closer and placed an innocent kiss on each of their cheeks.
"It's just a goodnight kiss. I don't mean anything bad."
The two women were delighted by the unexpected affection. Laughing happily, they kissed Hyoga back a few times.
"You already know how to steal a girl's heart, Hyoga," they teased as they left the tent.
Minutes later, the outside noises faded. Naomi slowly opened her eyes and saw Hyoga in front of her.
"Hyoga… where are we?"
Hyoga let out a relieved breath and hugged her tightly.
"Naomi! You finally woke up—I was so worried."
She chuckled weakly.
"Oh, you're such a big baby."
Hyoga quickly held out the bowl of rice.
"Open your mouth—no arguments."
Naomi blushed slightly and obeyed as Hyoga fed her.
"You call me a baby, but I'm feeding you with my own hands," he said jokingly.
Despite everything, they laughed—if only for a moment.
"We're at the camp of a four-person adventurer group," Hyoga said seriously.
"I don't know if they're good or bad yet, but they're searching for a hidden artifact in the forest."
As midnight approached, Naomi grew sleepy again.
"I think we should sleep."
Hyoga lay beside her.
"Do you remember? Head Mage Lola used to say we always slept together when we were little."
Naomi smiled sadly.
"Yes… I'm glad you're with me. I'm sure we'll find my mother and Emily."
Hyoga had already fallen into a deep sleep from exhaustion. Naomi held him tightly and closed her eyes.
A few hours later, Hyoga woke with an indescribable sense of unease. Naomi wasn't beside him. When he lifted his head, he saw her lying face down a short distance away.
"I can't believe it… why does she sleep like that?" he muttered.
He slowly approached to turn her over and bring her back—but the sight before him made his stomach lurch and his breath catch in his throat.
Naomi was covered in blood. She had been stabbed repeatedly, and dark purple handprints marked her throat. She had been strangled… and brutally murdered.
"No… no… NO!"
Hyoga began vomiting in horror. At that moment, a dark figure appeared behind him and slammed the blunt side of a blood-soaked axe into his stomach. Hyoga screamed as pain tore through his lungs. Before he could cry out again, the figure raised the axe and brought it down like a guillotine upon his head.
Deep within the dark forest, the lifeless bodies of Hyoga and Naomi lay side by side, buried in the cold silence of the night.