The storm had passed.
The trees, bent and broken by the Skivven's fury, now stood in stunned silence. The air was thick with the scent of churned earth and blood. A gentle breeze carried the last echoes of battle, brushing softly against Ren's bruised cheek as he crouched beside Zylus' limp body.
Zylus was unconscious, his chest rising slowly. Barely alive... But alive.
Medrus stood a few feet away, arms crossed, his dark cloak flapping in the soft breeze. The usual smirk on his face was gone, replaced by a rare stillness, almost reverent.
Ren turned his gaze to Medrus, eyes narrowing. "You didn't even hesitate. The moment that thing appeared, you moved faster than I could even blink," says Ren in a voice thick with awe.
Medrus didn't look at him. "Of course I did," says Medrus in a cold, unwavering tone.
Ren furrowed his brow. "Why?" asks Ren quietly, with suspicion.
Finally, Medrus looked over, expression unreadable. "I'm his Sensei. That's not a title you toss around like it means nothing. If I didn't save him, I'd be killing him," says Medrus, his voice grounded in firm resolve.
"Is it that serious...?" asks Ren, uncertain.
Medrus walked over to Zylus and gently pulled back the collar of the boy's shirt, checking for bruising beneath. "Taking someone under your wing means taking on their fate. If he dies under my watch without learning a damn thing... That's on me. That's my failure. So yeah... It's serious," says Medrus, his tone hardening.
Ren hesitated. Then, finally. "Okay, but seriously... who even are you?" asks Ren, eyes searching.
Medrus paused. Then turned fully to face him. For the first time, Ren noticed the scars on his hands. The faint crackle of restrained energy in his shoulders. His eyes, not cruel, but burdened.
"I'm Medrus," he said calmly. "A failure with blood on his hands. A man trying to give one kid a better chance than he ever had," says Medrus in a low, reflective voice.
Ren blinked. "That's... vague as hell," says Ren, cracking a dry smile.
Medrus smirked. "Good. You're catching on," says Medrus, amused.
Ren gave a short, tired laugh. "Right. Mysterious guy in a cloak with a heart under ten layers of sarcasm. Got it," says Ren with a grin.
Medrus tilted his head. "You done?" asks Medrus with an arched brow.
Ren held up a hand. "Just asking the basics," says Ren, surrendering.
Medrus crouched again beside Zylus. He checked the bandages, listened to the faint heartbeat, then let out a breath. "He's lucky to be alive. But the real work starts now," says Medrus gravely.
There was a pause.
Ren looked down at the cracked earth. "So... what now? He's hurt bad," says Ren, concerned.
Medrus nodded. "I'll take him somewhere quiet. Isolated. He needs rest. Time to heal. After that..."
He stood, the shadow cast over both of them. "There's something that's been out too long. Something dark. Underground. Not for rookies. But it forges something real," says Medrus, voice low.
Ren frowned. "You're taking him into that?" Asks Ren sharply.
"If he's ready," says Medrus firmly.
Ren glanced at Zylus. "You think he will be?" Asks Ren, uncertain.
Medrus gave a faint smirk. "If he survives the cabin, yeah," says Medrus with quiet confidence.
Ren exhaled. "Why tell me all this?" Asks Ren.
"Because you didn't run," says Medrus flatly. "You stayed. You bled. You have something, maybe not raw strength, but loyalty. Fire. He'll need that."
"...So what are you saying?" Ren questioned, voice subdued.
"I'm saying," Medrus replied, "when the time comes, I want you with him," says Medrus with certainty.
Ren's eyes widened. "What?" Ren confusingly murmured in disbelief.
Medrus shrugged. "You've seen the way he fights. He's a mess. But he's got potential. I can train him in technique. But I can't teach him friendship," says Medrus, voice sincere.
Ren scratched the back of his neck. "Okay, but... how do I find you again? You gonna send a pigeon?" asks Ren, joking.
Medrus laughed. "You think I'd rely on a bird?" says Medrus with a grin.
Ren smirked. "So how then?" asks Ren curiously.
"How old are you?" Medrus tilted his head amusingly.
"Twelve right now. Why are you asking?" Ren murmured.
Medrus extended a hand. "I'm sure you're attending the academy at sixteen. You know, Amora Academy. Second term. That's when the real adventure starts," says Medrus confidently.
Ren took his hand. "What if I don't make it... or Zylus doesn't?" asks Ren solemnly.
"He will," says Medrus, voice iron. "It will happen."
Ren held his gaze. "Then I'll be there," says Ren with firm resolve.
Medrus nodded. "Good," says Medrus shortly.
He turned back to Zylus and lifted him gently into his arms. The boy groaned faintly. Ren watched, chest tight.
"Hey," Ren called. "Where are you taking him?" asks Ren, worried.
Medrus looked back, grinning beneath his hood. "Just a cabin. Middle of nowhere," says Medrus with a mysterious smile.
Then he vanished into the trees, his cloak a whisper before dawn.
One Month Later
Snow blanketed the earth outside, muffling the wind that rattled the pine branches. Thick white flakes drifted lazily, painting the forest in silent purity. The cold pressed against the windows of a lonely cabin, but inside, it was warm.
The fire crackled, wood popping as flames licked upward. The soft bubbling of a ceramic pot and the rhythmic scraping of a pestle grinding herbs filled the cozy air. The scent of thyme, sage, and bloodroot wrapped the room in a healing haze.
Zylus lay still on a fur-draped mattress, the faint rise and fall of his chest the only sign of life. The room creaked gently with the wind, and somewhere above, snow thudded lightly off the roof.
Medrus sat nearby, stirring a thick paste of crushed basil, bloodleaf, and winter root in a heated stone bowl. The herbs hissed slightly, reacting to the heat.
"What am I seriously going to do with you? Just... wake up," says Medrus in a tired voice, laced with frustration.
(Zylus's dream)
Zylus stood in a frozen field, moonlight casting silver over endless snow. Wind howled softly, carrying whispers that had no source. Frost coated his lashes, and the world felt still… Too still.
In the distance, Glemt stood barefoot on the ice, her dress billowing in the wind, hair tangled with frost.
"Glemt?" Zylus called, his voice lost in the snow.
She turned slowly. Her eyes glowed pale white. Not blind, but burdened. She didn't smile.
"They're coming, Zylus," she said in a voice laced with echo. "You'll have to choose… Before it's too late."
Then the ice cracked beneath her.
She fell-
A moment passed. Then a faint, raspy inhale.
Zylus jolted awake, sweat cold on his skin.
"Zylus?" asks Medrus, standing quickly.
"Where... where am I?" says Zylus in a breathtaking voice, his eyes fluttering open as he stretched his aching back.
(Zylus's Thoughts) Phew, it was just a dream. Nothing I should think about too much.
"Finally!" shouts Medrus, relief washing over him. "Welcome to my home. Small, but useful. You're inside a secure barrier. Perfect for recovery and training," says Medrus with restrained excitement.
Zylus blinked and glanced through the frost-glazed window. "Snow? There wasn't snow when I fought that beast... right?" asks Zylus in confusion.
"You won't believe it, but you've been out for a month," says Medrus, sighing.
"A month?!" Screams Zylus in shock.
"Yeah. I fed you crushed roots, rare herbs, some of it worth more than your life. You've cost me a fortune!" says Medrus, scowling as he slammed the pestle down.
Zylus jolted upright. "My parents... Lucky... who's with Glemt?!" cries Zylus, panic rising in his voice.
"Don't you worry about them for now. We'll figure it out. But there are more important matters to discuss. So, for now, let's talk about you," says Medrus, his tone sharp but concerned.
Zylus tilted his head. "About me? What?" asks Zylus, confused.
"You don't give off any Amora. None. That's deeply unusual," says Medrus, watching him closely.
"Are you calling me lame?" says Zylus in rising anger.
"I'm calling you... different. Concerningly different. How were you treated at home?" asks Medrus, quietly.
Zylus' gaze dropped. "Like I don't belong. Beaten for mistakes. Yelled at. Ignored. It's like I'm not their kid," says Zylus in a trembling voice.
"And this Glemt you mentioned earlier?" asks Medrus.
"She's my sister," says Zylus, voice cracking as he looks toward the flickering fire. "She gets it worse. Just for being a girl. They'd call her weak. Useless. She learned not to cry, even when they hit her. But when it's just the two of us..." He paused, eyes glassy. "We find joy in small things. Drawing on the floor with charcoal. Hiding scraps of food for later. Her smile when we play… It's the only thing that kept me from disappearing."
The silence that followed was heavy. Snow tapped gently at the window, soft as breath.
Medrus didn't speak right away. He looked into the hearth, jaw tight, hands resting on his knees.
"You love her deeply," he finally said, voice low. "Even when you're surrounded by darkness, you protect that light. That means something."
Zylus swallowed hard. "But... if I were gone for a month... and no one came looking..." His voice thinned. "Does that mean they never cared? My parents... did they just forget about me?"
His breath caught. The firelight danced across his face, catching the tears that finally slipped free.
"I want to believe they loved me. I really do. But what if... what if they never did?"
Medrus looked over at him, eyes sharp but not unkind. "Zylus. You are special. You give love, even when it's never been handed to you. That's rare. That's power most people can't begin to understand. Not magic. Not force. Something deeper."
Zylus sniffed, pulling his knees close. "Then why does it hurt so much?"
"Because you're not broken," Medrus said softly. "You feel things fully. That's not weakness. That's being alive."
"You're still bonded to Lucky. That's what's keeping you anchored," says Medrus, reassuringly.
"But... what if they died?! What if the reason my essence isn't showing is because they're gone?!" screams Zylus.
"Then that bond would still live in you. Life and death... they echo," says Medrus with solemn wisdom.
"So... they just forgot me?" whispers Zylus.
Medrus walked closer. "We'll figure it out. Have you anyone else you're in relation to that you know?" asks Medrus.
"Oye. He's my eldest brother. My father compares me to him constantly. Says I should fight like Oye, be like Oye... I don't even remember him well. He left for some job... something involving fighting," says Zylus bitterly.
"Interesting. I might know him," says Medrus with a slight smirk. "Oye Hiashi. A master martial artist. Famous for not using Amora, even near death. Why that is… No one knows," says Medrus thoughtfully.
Zylus stared, stunned. "How did he... know about Amora? We were isolated. What happened when we were young?" asks Zylus.
(Zylus's thoughts) Oye never used Amora…? Even when it's the only thing glowing in my eyes. Why? What happened to him? He used to be the only person I looked up to for his physical capabilities. What happened to him when he left?
Medrus shifted. "Who knows-? It's something you might just have to figure out on your own. But, that's enough sobbing for now," says Medrus.
(Zylus's thoughts) I need to figure out what's happening with my family and brother. Before it's too late.
"Zylus… Also, back there. On Mount Carmel. You did well against the Skivven. I'll train you to defeat millions of them at once. Trust me.
Zylus teared up again—praise felt foreign. "Thank you..." whispers Zylus in a choked voice.
Medrus turned to the window, watching the snow fall. "Three weeks. Then, we start training. First: bones. Then the cold. After that... The real challenge begins," says Medrus, his voice like the coming storm.
To be continued...