The sun scorched brightly over the horizon with terrifying heat. The sky looked endless, burning in shades of white and gold. On the long dusty path walked Lilith, carrying the items on his shoulder, trying to reach the village. The man had told him he would reach it by sunset… but right now, he saw nothing ahead. No houses. No trees. Only heat waves rising from the ground.
Sweat rolled down his neck. His clothes clung slightly to his skin.
He stopped and sat on a rock, breathing deeply. He reached for the bag, pulled out the water, and drank slowly. The cold liquid refreshed him instantly. He closed his eyes for a second, letting the wind brush against his face. Then he stood up again and continued walking.
Step by step.
After a long stretch of silence, he finally started to see land forming ahead… shapes of houses… smoke rising lightly in the air.
Lilith felt relentless. His tiredness faded behind anticipation. He walked down toward the village.
As he entered, he saw kids playing freely. Children laughing loudly. Villagers watering the fields. The sound of buckets, chatter, and simple life filled the air. He paused for a second.
How does this kind of place exist…?
It was peaceful. Too peaceful. The wind started to get slightly cooler, as if a blessing spirit was welcoming him after his long journey.
There, near the center, he saw a lady drawing water from a well. She had pale white skin, brown hair with white strands at the ends. For a moment, Lilith hesitated. But he gathered himself and walked forward.
"Hello, sister. I am looking for a man named Wood. I heard he is quite famous here."
The girl looked at him carefully, then nodded softly. "Yes, I know him. Come with me. I will take you there."
They both walked through the village path. Small houses, wooden fences, calm smiles from strangers. Lilith felt something unfamiliar inside his chest.
They reached a house at the edge of the village.
Two men were sitting on chairs outside.
Wood's face was visible. The other man had his back turned toward Lilith, so it was hard to see him clearly.
They stopped in front of them.
The master turned his face slowly, confusion on his expression. He looked at Lily.
"Who is this gentleman, Lily?"
Lilith froze for a moment.
Lily looked at him. "What happened?"
Lilith swallowed slightly. "Oh… it's nothing. My sister's name was Lily too."
He did not know that his sister was standing in front of him.
Lily tilted her head. "What is your name? You didn't tell me."
Lilith straightened his posture.
"My name is Lilith Yade. Son of Yade."
Time stopped.
The wind seemed to pause.
Lily's eyes widened. Tears formed instantly. She stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
Lilith stood confused at first, arms slightly lifted in hesitation. The master stood up quickly, shock and joy on his face.
Lilith had finally arrived.
Tears slowly fell from Lilith's eyes too. He hugged her back and gently patted her hair.
The master stepped forward and embraced him as well. "I can't believe it…"
He pulled back slightly, looking at Lilith carefully. He had changed completely. Brown hair down his neck, sharp yet calm eyes, matured posture. He was no longer the young boy they remembered.
Lilith smiled faintly. He had so many questions. So many things to say. But at that moment, he was simply thankful he had found his loved ones.
"Where is Aron?"
The air changed instantly.
The emotions on their faces shifted from joy… to regret… to quiet despair.
The master spoke slowly. "We will talk about it later. Right now, you are tired. I can see it. Let's go inside."
Without another word, they all entered the house.
...…
In a land stretched endlessly far away, the army of death rumbled forward. Thousands of footsteps. Armor clashing. Dark banners waving in the air. They were getting closer and closer. Soon, destruction would erase everything in its path.
But somewhere else—
Aron's eyes were open.
He was pounding the hammer against the sword repeatedly. The room was filled with metal, coal, and finished blades stacked against the wall. His hands were burned from the increased flame of coal. His body was blackened with soot. Sweat shined across his face from the heat and anguish of the furnace.
He was exhausted.
But there was still work left.
Balrad stepped inside.
He saw Aron still hammering.
At least a hundred swords had been completed by Aron alone. When Balrad noticed the bandages wrapped around Aron's hands, he rushed forward.
"Aron, stop!"
He grabbed his wrists gently and looked at them. The white bandages were tight… and inside, they were probably stained red.
Balrad stared at him with pain in his eyes. "Why do you always push yourself so hard? It's been two days since the order. You've almost completed it. But look at your condition…"
He quickly brought a bucket of cold water and placed both of Aron's hands inside it.
The water moved.
But Aron's face did not react. He remained silent.
"Now go rest," Balrad said firmly. "Don't work for at least three or four days. I will complete the rest easily in that time."
Aron looked down at the ground.
There was a small ant moving, holding a piece of food. It was searching for a path, but small puddles of water blocked its way.
Without saying anything, Aron gently used one of his toes to erase the thin line of water, clearing a path.
The ant continued moving forward.
Aron spoke quietly.
"What do you think, Balrad… did I do a great job?"
The silence in the room was heavy.
Balrad looked at the completed swords… at the burned hands… at the quiet strength of the boy.
"You did, son."
The silence grew even heavier.
The room was surrounded by metal scraps and a burning furnace, the air thick and hot, pressing heavily against the skin.