"A kid?!" Confusion washed over him, even through the helmet. He dodged the magic attacks hurled by the magician, each projectile whistling past his face as he moved effortlessly. Hundreds of glowing bolts streaked toward him; he deflected a few with precise swipes, sending them hurtling back at his opponent.
The magician cried out as the reflected shots struck him, the force launching him backward into a flaming building.
Within a second he vanished into the flames with one sweep FWOOOSH!
The knight turned to Theo. "Are you alright, kid?"
His gaze fell on the boy, bruised, battered, his frail, malnourished body trembling. A pang of guilt pierced the knight's heart as he knelt on one knee and gently grabbed Theo by the arms.
Looking closer, he noticed a slicing wound across the boy's neck. Not deep enough to kill, but still dangerous. The knight exhaled sharply, disappointment in himself clear in the sound.
Gripping Theo more firmly, he said, "…Kid, I'll get you to safety."
"Hold still," the knight murmured, lifting Theo onto his shoulder with care.
"It'll be fast, so hang on tight."
Theo clung harder to the knight's neck, bracing himself.
At that moment, a massive sharp orb tore through the flames, scattering the fire in a ring around it. Three times the size of a human head, it split the air with an irritating whistle.
The knight immediately turned, his voice cold. "Enough with the games…"
With a swift strike, he sliced the projectile in half. It dispersed into the air like ashes swept away by the wind.
In a flash, he surged forward like lightning, appearing before the man who was engulfed in flames. The magician's face twisted in unnatural agony, the upper half of his skull melted down to bone.
Effortlessly, the knight cleaved him in two, then leapt backward to avoid the searing heat.
"Everything alright?" The knight's voice carried a tinge of regret and concern.
Theo nodded weakly, tightening his grip around the knight's neck.
"Oh, right… I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Reed. And you?"
"…Theo," the boy whispered, his voice faint, his eyes drooping as exhaustion overtook him.
"Nice to meet you, Theo. I see… I'll take you to a better place."
Through his helmet, Reed's smile softened. He let out a low chuckle at the thought.
Those were the last words Theo remembered before sleep claimed him.
…
For what felt like a week, Theo slept.
When he finally awoke in the middle of the day, he found himself in a warm, timeless room, a beautiful one.
To the right stood rows of dressers, their polished wood gleaming in the dim light. At the far end, a door opened into an empty adjoining room.
Nearer to him were two sofas facing each other, with a table placed neatly between them. Off to the side stood an unlit fireplace, its mantle adorned with delicate carvings.
Behind the sofas, a door marked the exit, and beside it, an old clock hummed faintly, its hands moving over a face lit by softly glowing magic stones.
Theo's gaze drifted forward.
There, beyond open glass doors, a balcony overlooked a breathtaking garden. At its center stood a magnificent oak, surrounded by carefully tended vines and trimmed hedges.
But what truly caught his attention was the vanity table near the balcony.
It was pinkish in hue, with unlit candles perched at each corner. The table seemed delicate and ornate, almost out of place in the room's otherwise stately decor.
To Theo, it was astonishing. He had never seen such a thing in his life. And yet, for some reason he couldn't explain, it felt strangely wrong.
Pushing himself up, Theo stood from the old bed, still far better than what he had known in the slums. He placed his feet on the wooden floor and walked toward the balcony to take in its full beauty. The garden could only be described by those simple words.
The garden surrounded the mansion, with a tall oak wrapped in neat vines at its center. White gravel paths led to a calm lake nearby, where a wooden arbor stood quietly. Flowers bloomed along the paths, and the grass shimmered softly like gold in the light.
As Theo stepped onto the balcony, gripping the railing covered in pinkish flowers, he noticed a beautiful lady gently plucking leaves from a flower. A servant stood nearby, watching silently. Theo was mesmerized by her beauty, though from this distance he couldn't see her face clearly. Still, something about her reached him deep inside.
The servant noticed Theo on the balcony. She whispered something to the lady, then bowed and hurried back into the mansion.
The lady remained, placing the flower gently on her lap. She turned toward Theo, a graceful smile forming on her lips. Though the distance blurred her features, Theo felt her warmth as if it were meant for him.
She waved softly from side to side, a gentle greeting carried on the breeze.
Theo gripped the railing tighter, his eyes shining, not just from the view of the garden, but from the lady who stood like a beacon in its center.
A gentle smile spread across his face as a quiet realization settled within him: his life was changing.