PART VII: Weakness
The road had worn thin. A month and three days of mud, wind, fleeting rest, and heavier thoughts had brought Nex to the edge of the Village of Lif—a name whispered among travelers like a myth of warmth in a world of frost. Known for welcoming the broken, the hunted, and the lost, Lif was the last breath of peace before the steep path into the Kingdom of Stella.
The carriage creaked to a final halt beside a narrow dirt path framed with wildflowers and tall grass.
"We are here, young boy," said the carriage driver at last, his voice low, familiar... almost too familiar. Nex had never seen his face—always hidden beneath that thick gray hood. They had spoken little the entire journey.
The man stepped down and extended a hand—not for coin, but to offer Nex a leather pouch filled with water.
"Follow that road for a hundred steps. You'll be inside Lif. From there, rent a horse, reach the Stella Passage." A pause. Then, darker:
"Good luck... You're gonna need it."
Nex stood still, the wind lifting the edge of his cloak. He looked down at the pouch, then to his round shield slung across his back, and the short sword at his side.
Memories clawed again at the edge of his mind: the voice in the wind, the garden of the emperors, Lucy's fading laugh, and the empty chambers.
What if they never made it?
What if they left me?
What if I'm truly—
Alone.
He gritted his teeth, trying to force the thoughts away. Tywin wouldn't leave. Sao wouldn't. Tazan... He paused, tightening his grip on the pouch.
Would they?
He lowered his hood slightly, white hair catching the light as he neared the edge of the trees. His heart pounded louder than his footsteps.
Then he saw it.
A massive figure in the distance, carrying what looked like an entire tree over one shoulder, walking into the village like it was nothing.
Tazan.
Nex froze. His breath caught in his throat.
He didn't think—he just ran.
"Tazan!" he shouted, voice rising with each step as he grew closer to the giant.
His voice rang across the open air. The giant man stopped mid-step, then turned around.
Tazan's eyes widened in shock, then joy, and he screamed back at the top of his lungs:
"Actaeon!! IT'S NEX! HE'S HERE!"
From a house nearby, Actaeon walked out slowly, hammer in hand, eyes scanning for the source of the shout. The moment he saw Nex, he handed the hammer to the child next to him and sprinted toward him.
The three met at the edge of the village. No hesitation, no questions—just a tight embrace between them.
After collecting themselves—from Tazan's happy tears and Actaeon's returning smile—it was Actaeon who broke the silence first.
"I'm happy to see you're safe. But we need you to meet the village chief before we head out anywhere," he said, then paused for a breath. "Before that, I want you to meet someone. Come... this way."
Nex followed Actaeon into a small wooden house. Inside, there was little more than a single blanket on the floor, and two others stitched together to form something resembling a bed. As Nex stepped closer to the room behind a set of wooden walls, a familiar sound reached his ears—soft laughter. A child's laughter.
Actaeon was already kneeling beside her, gently waking the infant. She giggled as her eyes fluttered open, immediately locking on Actaeon's green gaze. She squirmed with joy, arms reaching, unable to contain her excitement—and neither could Actaeon.
With a soft smile, he turned to Nex and slowly handed the child to him, lifting her tiny body until her face met Nex's. Their eyes met—his deep blue, and hers…
"Grey?" Nex thought, puzzled, staring into her irises. He looked back to Actaeon with concern.
"Her eyes are grey… Are you sure she's all right, Actaeon?"
Actaeon nodded, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"Yes. I had the village doctor examine her when they first started changing from her usual brown. He said it's normal—children's eyes often change color. We just don't know why they've turned grey… or why now."
Nex looked back at the infant in his arms, watching her small fingers reach for his face.
"Well… as long as she's healthy, that's all that matters to me."
Actaeon nodded with a quiet laugh.
"Yeah… I understand how you feel, my prince. I feel the same way."
Just then, a woman's voice came from behind Nex, soft yet marked with a distinct accent—the drawn-out vowels unmistakably from the western regions of Stella.
"Aaaand who is this young boy, Aactaaeon?" she asked playfully, stepping into the house.
She was tall, with sun-darkened skin and loosely braided auburn hair draped over her shoulder. Her clothes were simple but clean, her presence filling the small room like warmth from a hearth.
Actaeon turned toward her with a smile that was both familiar and respectful.
"He's my dearest friend," Actaeon said with a proud grin, glancing at Nex. "And the man I serve."
A soft chuckle followed from the doorway.
"Hello, young master. I'm Varya. I patch wounds, carry wood, and cook a mean rabbit stew when the pot allows it."
She stepped further inside, brushing off a few specks of sawdust from her tunic.
"Though lately, all the wood-carrying's been done by your giant of a friend… not that I'm complaining. But that's not why I'm here—" she added with a smirk, "the chief sent me to fetch you two. I wonder what you've done."
Nex turned slowly, pulling down his hood.
The flickering light from the nearby lantern caught his pale white hair, and the full glow of his piercing blue eyes met hers.
Varya's expression changed instantly.
Her body dropped to one knee without hesitation.
"I apologize, Your Majesty," she said quickly, bowing her head. "I did not know… Forgive my rudeness."
Actaeon sighed gently and stepped forward, offering her his hand.
"No need, Varya. My master is not someone bound by such customs—nor does he wish to be."
Nex stepped forward as well, his voice calm and sincere.
"What he says is true, Varya. I don't want you to kneel for me. I'm just grateful you've been looking after my friends… and the child. Truly—thank you."
Varya hesitated, then smiled and allowed herself to be lifted to her feet, her posture easing.
"Well… you're not like the stories say, that's for sure."
She looked at him with newfound respect, but not fear.
"Actaeon will take you to the chief's house now, Your Majesty. And… if I may, I'd suggest you keep that hair of yours covered until you're inside. The village is peaceful, but word travels fast—and your hair shouts your name."
Nex gave a faint smile and pulled his hood back up.
"Understood."
Actaeon nodded, motioning toward the door.
"Come, my prince."
As they stepped out into the sunlight, the warmth of their reunion still lingered in the air.
They walked through the village in comfortable silence, Nex taking in the faces of the refugees—hollow-eyed but hopeful. When they reached the chief's house, Actaeon paused at the door.
"He's been waiting for you," he said quietly.
The door creaked open to reveal Tazan already seated inside, his expression somber, arms crossed, his usual cheerful aura replaced with quiet intensity.
Inside, behind a sturdy desk and shelves of worn maps and relics, sat a man in a simple yet commanding posture—his large hands resting on the arms of a wooden wheelchair. Both of his legs were missing, severed clean at the knees. The scars were old, long since healed, but they told a story of violence that could not be erased.
"You're here, Actaeon," he said, voice deep and weathered. His gaze shifted to the white-haired boy beside him. "And you must be the young prince, Nex. I apologize for not kneeling to greet you properly, Your Majesty. But as you can see…"
Nex took in the sight of the man's missing legs and nodded
gently.
"There's no need, Chief," he replied softly.
"Oryin," the man corrected. "My name is Oryin, Your Majesty."
"It's an honor to meet you, Chief Oryin. But if I may ask—why did you call for us the moment I stepped foot into the village?"
Oryin exhaled slowly, leaning forward in his chair.
"Because we need your help, Your Majesty. Especially your friends. They're needed now more than ever… to defend this village from a man who should never have drawn breath."
Nex's eyes narrowed.
"And who are you referring to?"
Oryin's voice dropped into a growl.
"Andras."
Tazan's jaw clenched. Actaeon's hand moved instinctively to his weapon. Even Oryin seemed to shrink back in his chair.
Nex broke the silence. "And who is this Andras guy?"
"He's not a guy," Tazan muttered, his voice low and trembling with fury. "He's the devil himself."
"Whatever Alexander and Abigail did in the West is nothing—nothing compared to what this monster has done in the South."
"When we first arrived here, barely a week ago," he continued, "this village was full of people—refugees, farmers, children. But now… he's made sure our numbers are never too high to disobey him." His jaw tightened. "Now, we can barely protect those who remain, let alone the ones still arriving."
Oryin nodded grimly.
"They come every day, hoping to make it through the checkpoint into Stella. But Andras and his men have made it into sport to kill them. They've set up camps nearby—watching us. Waiting. We know what they've done to those who resist."
Nex leaned forward slightly, his voice steady but curious.
"How powerful is he? And how many follow him?"
Actaeon answered this time, his voice colder than usual.
"It doesn't matter. They outnumber us. They have better equipment, more supplies, and worse—hostages. Innocent people held to keep us in check."
He looked Nex in the eye.
"And they do unspeakable things to anyone who tries to stop them—or even speaks out."
"So what then?" Nex asked, his voice rising, hands trembling at his sides. "Do we just let him do whatever he wants and flee to Stella? Is that it?"
He looked between Actaeon, Tazan, and the Chief, his blue eyes burning with a mix of confusion and rising anger.
"Or do we stand up to him? Rally the villagers, fight back—better yet, send a letter to the southern front. To Commander Sao and his sister. They'd have him executed before he could blink."
Oryin sighed deeply, the lines on his face seeming to deepen with the weight of what he was about to say.
"Well, Your Majesty… you see…" He paused. "This village—Lif—it lies between the borders of Stella and the Empire. A grey zone. Neither side claims it officially within their domain."
Nex blinked, confused.
"So?"
"So," the Chief said with quiet bitterness, "there's no law here. No jurisdiction. No nation. No justice."
He leaned back in his chair, the wooden wheels creaking softly beneath him.
"That means… technically… whatever Andras and his men do here—they're not breaking any law."
Nex felt the blood drain from his face. His hands found the edge of the desk, gripping it. He stood still, his mind spinning with horror.
"Not even," Oryin continued, his voice cracking slightly with suppressed rage, "when they kill women and children in front of their families… not when they burn homes for entertainment… not even when they gut pregnant women to 'see what's inside'… or tie the elderly to horses and rip them apart like old cloth."
"Andras enjoys watching it all happen."
No one spoke. Tazan stared at his hands. Actaeon's breathing had grown shallow. The only sound was the creak of Oryin's wheelchair as he shifted uncomfortably.
"No one can punish them," Oryin whispered. "Because officially… there's no crime."
Nex stared at the floor for a long moment, his hands slowly forming fists, his head tilting. When he looked up, his voice was steady.
"What if... and I know this is going to sound foolish—but what if we give him hostages?" Nex asked, a plan already forming in his mind.
"You want me to hand over my people to the devil himself?" the Chief asked.
Actaeon stood up from his seat. He understood what Nex had meant.
"No, not your people—us. And other warriors who are willing to fight. Isn't that right, Nex?" he added, a proud grin on his face.
"I see… So we take them out from the inside while freeing the hostages. I guess it's our best option."
"But we cannot give too many hostages," the Chief continued, his voice measured but grave. "Otherwise, it will look too much like a trap—and they'll know. And if they suspect even a hint of betrayal…" His eyes darkened. "They'll slaughter everyone."
"I shall go with Actaeon on the inside," Nex said firmly.
"Absolutely not."
"No way."
Tazan and then Actaeon's voices thundered with immediate rejection.
"If I'm caught, I can try to make my way out with my swiftness, or with a bow and arrow—or a sword or something. But what happens if they don't like you, Your Highness? You're just a child... and I've seen what they did to some children when they returned to their families. They... they weren't the same anymore." Actaeon's gaze lowered, and Nex understood what he meant. Nex gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
"It is for the better that you remain in the village with the elderly and children, Your Highness. That way you can keep the infant safe while Tazan and the other big men set up an ambush around their camp, and I free the hostages and send the signal. That should be our plan—it should not involve you. You are too important to die here and now, Your Highness."
"I understand my weakness. But I am to lead these people one day. How am I to hide behind them and order them to fight for me while I sit in the village with women and children? I've been trained in sword and shield , spear, bow and arrow, by my aunt, one of the best swordmasters of our time. I can fight. I want to fight—for the sake of my people," Nex said with a commanding voice.
"And are you sure your hand won't tremble like it did back at the camp, Your Highness?" Tazan asked, guilt in his voice.
"That... No. I'm not sure, Tazan. But that's a risk I'm willing to take for my people."
"I killed the two guards that were cursing my family back at the camp… When I was escaping, they blocked my way. So I cut them in half with one swing of my axe… So tell me, Your Highness, do you know how that felt? Can you stomach the smell of their insides stuck to your sword and clothes? Can you stomach their final expression and the noise they made—the one that will appear in front of you every day and every evening?" Tazan asked, growing colder with each word.
Nex knew they were right—he was smart enough to understand. But his hand clenched around his sword handle as he thought to himself: How weak am I? If I can't even kill a man to defend my people? He needed to do something, but he understood being there would only spoil their plans and nothing more.
"Understood. I'll take care of the villagers while you're gone. We should proceed with this mission this evening. Gather as many volunteers as possible. I'll head to Varya and check on the baby."
Actaeon and Tazan said nothing as Nex stormed out of the room to go to the infant and remain by its side.