A few weeks after the adventure in the ruin cave, Andre sat with Ensei and Alice in the orphanage garden. That afternoon felt calm, but something was bothering Andre's mind. His face looked serious, as if contemplating a heavy decision.
"I've decided," Andre said suddenly, breaking the afternoon silence. "I'll settle at the orphanage and won't join adventures anymore."
Alice and Ensei were shocked hearing that statement. They didn't expect Andre would decide something like this.
"Why?" Ensei asked in a disbelieving tone. "We've already become a solid team. Your power is very helpful in battles."
Andre looked at the small children playing in the yard. Selena and Varesa were teaching the new children how to plant flowers, while other children ran around merrily.
"Someone has to guard this place," he answered calmly but firmly. "Miss Elina often leaves for kingdom affairs as a hero. Miss Novy can't handle all these children alone. They need protection from someone who can fight."
Alice understood Andre's concern, but her heart was sad losing one team member. "But you're also an important part of our team..."
"You two are strong enough now," Andre smiled thinly looking at his two friends. "Alice with your increasingly skilled healing abilities, and Ensei with your archery skills and sharp strategy. You don't need me anymore."
"But Andre—" Ensei protested.
"My decision is final," Andre cut him off while standing. He looked at them with serious eyes. "But there's one thing you must promise me."
Alice and Ensei waited attentively.
Andre stepped closer, his eyes staring sharply at Alice and Ensei. "If you decide to keep adventuring with Rudes... Take care of each other."
---
The next day, Andre deliberately came to Rudes's house. He found the red-haired youth practicing swordplay alone in his backyard, his movements precise and powerful.
"Rudes," Andre called while approaching. "We need to talk about something."
Rudes stopped his practice, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. "Andre? What's up?"
"I won't join adventures anymore after this," Andre said directly. "But Alice and Ensei might still go with you."
Rudes furrowed his brow, not understanding where this conversation was going. "What! Why?"
Andre looked at him seriously, but not with hostility. "Listen, Rudes. We've adventured together long enough. I know you're brave and strong, but..." He sighed. "Sometimes you're too reckless. Taking unnecessary risks."
Rudes fell silent, listening carefully.
"Alice and Ensei are family to me," Andre continued in a softer tone. "So are you. But since I won't be there for you all..."
Andre stepped closer, looking into Rudes's eyes seriously but caringly. "I need you to promise me. Take good care of them. Don't let your desire to protect put them in danger instead."
Rudes looked at him, slightly surprised by Andre's unusual tone.
"And take care of yourself too," Andre added while patting Rudes's shoulder. "If all three of you get hurt because of carelessness... I'll be very angry at you. But not because I hate you."
Rudes smiled slightly, feeling warm hearing Andre's words. "You worry too much, Andre. But I understand what you mean. I promise to be more careful and protect them."
"Good," Andre smiled thinly. "Then I trust you. You three are a solid team, don't lose that over small things."
They shook hands firmly, as a sign of friendship and mutual understanding.
---
Three years passed quickly. Alice, Ensei, and Rudes had become a solid and famous adventure trio in their area. Their reputation as an effective team spread from village to village.
They often did various missions together - from searching for rare medicinal plants in dangerous forests, clearing monsters from remote villages, to escorting merchants through bandit-filled territories.
Alice had developed into a very skilled healer, her abilities even rivaling some professional healers in big cities. Ensei became an extraordinary archer with sharp tactical instincts. Meanwhile Rudes, with his Divine Mark, became the team's backbone in heavy battles.
However, behind their success, there was a problem that was increasingly worrying.
---
One morning in early spring, Rudes sat beside his mother's bed with a face full of worry. The middle-aged woman's condition was worsening day by day. Her face was very pale, her breathing short and gasping, and most worryingly was the thin darkness aura enveloping her body like black fog.
"Mother... how are you feeling today?" Rudes asked with a gentle voice, trying to hide his worry.
"I... can still endure, Rudes," his mother answered in a hoarse voice barely audible. "But it seems... this strange illness is getting worse. I feel... a strange coldness creeping through my body."
Rudes clenched his fist in frustration. For weeks he had tried everything to cure his mother. He searched for various rare medicinal plants from the deepest forests, visited famous shamans from various regions, even asked for help from the best healers he had met in his adventures.
Nothing worked.
Even the money from the dangerous missions they did, almost all of it was spent on treatment costs that bore no results.
---
That afternoon, Alice and Ensei came to visit as usual. Alice immediately approached Rudes's mother and began examining her condition with her healing abilities.
Alice placed both her softly glowing blue hands on the woman's forehead and chest, concentrating fully to feel what was happening inside her body.
After several minutes, Alice furrowed her brow with a confused and worried expression.
"This isn't an ordinary illness, Rudes," Alice said while withdrawing her hands. "There's something... dark. Like a curse or evil magic deliberately planted."
"A curse?" Rudes looked at Alice with desperate eyes. "You mean someone deliberately did this to Mother?"
Alice nodded with a serious face. "My healing ability can't fight this. This dark power is too strong and keeps spreading slowly inside her body. This needs something far stronger than my ability."
Ensei sat beside Rudes, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder sympathetically. "We have to find another way. There must be a solution."
Rudes looked at his mother who slept with increasingly weak breath and unconscious. His heart broke seeing the person he loved most suffering like this.
---
That night, Rudes couldn't sleep at all. He sat outside the house, staring at the starry sky while thinking of various remaining possibilities. Desperation began controlling his heart.
Alice and Ensei, seeing their very devastated friend, came out and joined him on the porch.
"Rudes," Alice said in a soft and careful voice. "I once heard a legend from Miss Elina when I was little."
Rudes turned quickly with eyes that suddenly blazed with hope. "What legend?"
"About the Water of Life," Alice explained. "Legend says there's legendary water that can cure all diseases, even the darkest curses and magic. But..."
"But what?" Rudes urged impatiently.
Alice hesitated. "But it's just a legend, Rudes. Miss Elina said no one has ever really proven its existence."
"Where?" Rudes asked, eyes blazing with burning determination. "Where does the legend say the Water of Life is located?"
Ensei interjected in a doubtful tone. "Rudes, we need to be realistic. That might just be a fairy tale for children..."
"I DON'T CARE!" Rudes shouted while standing with overflowing emotion. "If there's even the slightest possibility to save Mother, no matter how small, I'll try it!"
Tears began flowing down Rudes's cheeks. "I can't lose her, you understand? After Father died, Mother is the only family I have. I'll do anything, face any danger, to save her."
Alice and Ensei saw the deep desperation in their friend's eyes. They understood Rudes's feelings, and their hearts were torn seeing his suffering.
"Alright," Alice finally said with a trembling voice. "If you're truly determined... we'll help you."
"Legend says the Water of Life is guarded by a legendary creature in the deepest forest," Alice added. "Miss Elina once mentioned about a guardian dragon named Istaroth."
"We'll search for that Water of Life together," Ensei patted Rudes's shoulder with determination. "Whatever the risk."
Rudes looked at his two friends with tearful eyes, his heart filled with infinite gratitude. "Thank you... you both are the best friends I've ever had."
---
The next day, they began preparing for what might be the most dangerous adventure of their lives. Rudes sold almost all his belongings to buy necessary equipment and medicines.
Alice asked permission and blessing from Elina, who reluctantly gave her approval while advising them to be very careful.
Ensei prepared special arrows and repaired his bow for optimal condition.
On the day of departure, Andre came to Rudes's house to give a final farewell.
"Remember what I once said," Andre looked at Rudes with serious eyes. "If something happens to them..."
"I know," Rudes cut him off. "And I promise, even if I must stake this life, I'll make sure they return safely."
Andre nodded, then turned to Alice and Ensei. "You two must also take care of each other. Don't trust Rudes too much when he's in reckless mode."
Alice and Ensei smiled, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere. "We'll be fine, Andre. This isn't our first adventure."
And with firm determination and thin hope in their hearts, the adventure trio began their journey to find the Water of Life—a legend that might be the only hope to save Rudes's mother from the mysterious curse slowly but surely eating away at her life.
A journey that would bring them to meet Han, Rina, and Tsubasa, and change all their fates forever.
TO BE CONTINUED...