Abyssborn

Lukas slowly looked at Nait and Zein.

His gaze lingered on each of them as if he was trying to process everything that had just happened. Then he clasped his hands behind his back, his voice firm yet calm:

— You both surprised me greatly. Especially you, Zein. No wonder you managed to deal with the assassins who were after Nait. Strength like yours shouldn't go to waste. I believe you should head to the capital. That's where people as powerful as you can make a real difference.

He paused, then added:

— I'll put in a word for you. You have every chance of joining the Order of Guardians. War is on the horizon, and people like you might just be what's needed to stop it before it destroys everything.

Nait stared at him, stunned.

— The Order of Guardians?.. Us? But why?

Lukas continued calmly:

— We've been investigating a string of murders near here, in the ruins. It didn't take long to realize it was you, Zein, who wiped out the assassins, and you, Nait, who was their target. Considering these were dangerous bandits and a killer known as Kaiser, we owe you our thanks. They've been a major threat on our list for a long time, and you've saved us quite the headache.

Zein smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

— Well, Kaiser just didn't know how to fly. Happens to the best of us. Though that big guy, Conrad, gave me a decent workout.

Conrad, leaning heavily on his hammer, glared at Zein but said nothing.

Zein snorted, shaking his head slightly.

— And what about the fact that we were almost killed? But sure, no big deal. So, what do you think, Nait?

Still bewildered, Nait looked at Zein, then at Lukas.

— Well… why not?

Lukas gave a faint smile, his voice softening:

— That's a sensible decision.

He glanced at Conrad, then back at Nait and Zein.

— Apologies for the unnecessary fight earlier. My colleague… gets a little hot-headed when people lie to him. Don't worry; our team will restore all the damage to the city quickly.

Taking a step closer, his tone grew slightly warmer:

— For now, our healers will tend to your wounds. Tomorrow morning, I'll expect you at the city gates. Gather your belongings, say your goodbyes. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new chapter in your lives.

Nait and Zein exchanged glances.

For a moment, silence hung in the air.

Zein, smirking, exhaled:

— Well, if it's adventure, then so be it.

Farewell to His Father

Nait stood at the threshold of the forge, watching as the last hues of sunset painted the sky in blood-red tones. The furnace had long been extinguished, and the air carried the metallic tang of cooling steel. He had to say the words he feared more than any enemy he'd ever faced. But Zein was waiting for him at the city square, and Lukas had made it clear: tomorrow would mark the beginning of a new life.

Inside, Felix sat at his workbench, repairing something small—a knife, judging by the sounds. His movements were habitual, mechanical. Nait knew his father understood: if he was standing there for so long, something was wrong.

— Dad, — Nait finally managed, his voice trembling slightly. — I need to talk to you.

Felix looked up. His eyes, always filled with warmth, studied his son intently. He set the knife and tools down on the table, wiped his hands with a rag, and placed it aside.

— I'm listening, — he said calmly.

Nait shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his gaze falling to the stone floor.

— I've... been offered a chance to go to the capital, — he began slowly. — With Lukas. He said I could... be part of something important. The Order of Guardians.

Felix looked at his son for a long moment, silently. His expression remained unreadable, but Nait saw his hand slowly clench into a fist. Rising from his chair, Felix walked to the door, where he stopped and stared out into the twilight-covered street. Several seconds passed before he spoke.

— They don't make offers like that lightly, Nait. If they've extended this opportunity, it means they see something in you. Something dangerous. Something powerful.

— But isn't that a good thing? — Nait's voice wavered. — Doesn't that mean I can help... not just the town, but everyone? Isn't that what you've always talked about? Strength that can be used for good?

Felix turned sharply, his gaze stern.

— You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. The capital isn't like this place. There, strength isn't a gift. It's a burden. They'll use you. And if you're not careful, you'll lose everything you have.

— What do I have? — Nait looked at him defiantly. — Other than this forge and memories of Mom?

Silence filled the room. Felix frowned, but his shoulders sagged, and he exhaled deeply.

— You have me, Nait, — he finally said, his voice heavy with weariness. — And no matter what, I'll always be here. But if you've truly made up your mind to leave... I won't stop you.

He walked back to the workbench, opened one of the drawers, and pulled out a small dagger with a slender, leather-wrapped hilt. The guard bore an engraving of a name: "Elshtain."

— It's not a sword or a spear. But it's yours. I made it long ago, when you were born. Back then, I thought I could protect you. But now I understand that you'll have to protect yourself.

Felix held the dagger out to his son, and despite the trembling in his hands, Nait took it. The metal was cold but light, as if it had absorbed the strength of the smith who had forged it.

— Thank you, Dad, — Nait said softly.

Felix stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his son. Nait felt the strength in that embrace, as though his father was trying to hold onto him for just a moment longer.

— You'll always be my son, — Felix whispered. — Don't forget that. And don't forget that true strength lies in choosing how to use it.

Nait nodded, unable to speak. He stepped back, cast one last glance at his father, and, gripping the dagger tightly, stepped out the door.

The twilight had fully descended over the street, and ahead of him lay the unknown.

Zein's Farewell

Zein sat on the roof of the house, feeling the cool night breeze brush against his face. He was eight years old. Everything around him seemed so calm, so right. Below, his parents, Liam and Aria, were unpacking boxes of tools. Liam often joked that Zein always tried to stay "above it all," while Aria said it was just a habit of his to observe the world from a distance.

— Zein! Get down from there, or you'll step on a nail again and complain for a week like last time! — Aria called out, laughing.

— Nope. It's better up here! — he replied, swinging his legs carefree.

Liam, standing by the boxes, smiled but suddenly his expression darkened. He turned sharply, his posture tense, as if he'd sensed something.

— Aria, inside. Now, — he ordered curtly.

— What's wrong? — her tone became serious, but there was no panic.

— Someone's here. And it's not just anyone.

Zein frowned, listening intently. And then he heard it: a low, vibrating hum, like a distant whisper rolling through the air. The sound was getting closer.

From the shadows along the side of the house, something stirred. For a moment, Zein thought it was just a trick of the light, but then a figure emerged from the darkness. It seemed to flow through the air like smoke, coalescing into the shape of a human. Its silhouette shimmered, like a distorted reflection in a shattered mirror. Where its face should have been, two bright blue flames pulsed eerily in the darkness.

— Aria, take Zein! — Liam shouted, raising his hand in front of him.

Aria reached for the ladder, but Zein was still frozen on the roof, paralyzed by fear. The creature glided forward, its movements fluid and unnervingly deliberate. It moved straight toward Liam. His hand ignited with a red glow—Fractum activated, as if living fire raced across his palm.

— Come at me, you wretch, — Liam growled.

The creature paused, as if studying him. Then, without a sound, it lunged forward. Its translucent arms passed through Liam like water through fingers. For a moment, he froze. The light in his hand flickered out. His eyes widened. He collapsed to the ground, as if everything that made him alive had been drained away.

— No! — Aria screamed.

She ran toward him, but the creature turned abruptly, halting just a few steps away. Its "eyes" pulsed, as if analyzing her. Zein felt his body lock up completely. He couldn't scream or move. Every part of him screamed, "Do something!"

The creature reached for Aria. But at that moment, something happened. Zein felt a strange warmth envelop his body. The world around him shifted: space seemed to contract, and he was flung out of reality.

After the Teleportation

He woke up two blocks away from his house, lying on the cobblestone street. His heart was pounding wildly. His entire body was trembling. He stared into the darkness, trying to make sense of what had happened. Where was he? Where were his parents?

The creature didn't follow him. It realized it couldn't chase a target that disappeared from existence. He was of no interest to it. Perhaps it moved on to find another victim. But Zein didn't know this. He sat in the empty street, listening to the deafening silence.

The Present

Zein opened his eyes, exhaling heavily. That memory always came back, no matter how many years had passed. He stood up, walked over to the window, and looked out at the city.

— All of this... just details, — he muttered with a smirk. — You can't take me now.

And with a sharp slam, he shut the door behind him and stepped into the night.

At the City Gates

The early morning sun had just begun to rise, casting the city in a soft golden glow. The narrow path leading to the gates was nearly empty, save for a few people and a wagon parked nearby. The horses snorted quietly, lazily shifting their hooves, while the coachman, half-asleep, slouched on the driver's bench.

Lukas stood a short distance away, his posture as rigid and composed as a statue. Beside him, leaning heavily on his hammer, was Conrad. Off to the side, with a lazy smirk on his face, stood Zein. He looked completely at ease, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Nait appeared from around the corner, hastily adjusting the straps on his backpack. His steps slowed as he spotted the group gathered at the gates. He clearly wanted to look composed, but a faint nervousness betrayed itself in his movements.

— Finally, — Zein drawled, stretching his arms above his head. — I was starting to think you'd decided to stay in the forge forever, breathing coal dust.

— Shut up, Zein, — Nait rolled his eyes, brushing off the comment. — I'm not late. You just showed up too early.

— Too early? — Zein tilted his head, as if baffled by the very idea. — I've been standing here long enough to practice a few acrobatic tricks. Not that I need them, with my impeccable style.

— Quiet, — Lukas interjected, his voice steady and calm as always. — We have a long journey ahead. Enough chatter.

He surveyed the group, as though conducting a silent readiness check. His gaze landed on Nait.

— Did you say your goodbyes? — he asked.

Nait nodded, his expression softening slightly.

— Yes. My father... he understood. He said he supports me.

Lukas gave a small nod, as if that was exactly the answer he'd expected. Then his attention shifted to Zein.

— And you?

— Me? — Zein grinned, pushing off the wall and throwing his arms out dramatically. — I've already said everything that needed to be said. To no one in particular. Simplicity, you know, saves you from unnecessary attachments.

Conrad let out a heavy sigh, his irritation barely masked.

— Is this loudmouth seriously going to entertain us all the way to the capital? Because I'm not sure I can take it.

— Oh, come on, Conrad, — Zein clapped him on the shoulder with a wide grin. — Admit it, without me, this trip would be a dull march.

Conrad shot him a dark glare that made it abundantly clear one more word would result in the hammer being reclassified as a weapon. Lukas cleared his throat loudly, redirecting the group's focus.

— Enough. We're leaving.

Lukas moved toward the wagon first, gesturing for the others to follow. Conrad trailed behind him, his slow, deliberate movements exuding a massive, almost threatening strength. He climbed into the back of the wagon and sat down, placing his hammer beside him in a way that ensured it wouldn't accidentally crush someone.

Zein lingered for a moment, watching Nait, who stood near the wagon, nervously inspecting the horses.

— You coming? — Nait asked without looking back.

— Yeah, yeah, — Zein replied lazily, finally moving forward. He glanced back at the city, his gaze lingering on the rooftops, the windows, and the still-sleepy streets. For a fleeting moment, his face turned serious, almost pensive, but it lasted only a heartbeat. He quickly replaced it with a wide grin and turned to Nait.

— Well, onward to grand adventures? — he said, his usual cheerfulness back in full force. — I think we're officially heroes now. Or at least the kind who'll make life interesting for everyone else.

Nait shook his head and climbed into the wagon, doing his best to hide how much Zein's unrelenting optimism put him at ease. Zein followed, settling in as though it were his personal carriage.

Once everyone was in place, the coachman groggily straightened up, stretched, and snapped the reins. The horses began to move, and the wagon rolled forward through the gates. The creak of the wheels echoed through the quiet streets. The gates slowly closed behind them, leaving the city and all it held behind.

— So, who's starting the traveling songs? — Zein asked, breaking the silence.

Conrad let out a heavy sigh, and Nait buried his face in his hands. Lukas pretended not to hear.

The wagon continued on, and the road stretching toward the horizon grew longer with each passing moment.