Several long hours had already passed since Renji set out again, following the river's path. The sun was slowly sinking behind the hills, painting the sky in shades of red and gold. Exhaustion pressed down on him once more, but he didn't dare stop.
On the trail, an unexpected noise made him hold his breath. Voices. Harsh laughter, mixed with the thin sound of crying.
In a small clearing by the roadside, three armed men stood in a circle. In the middle, a child in tattered clothes was trying to squeeze his way past them. The bandits shoved him, laughed, and threatened him, one of them waving a rusty knife.
Renji froze. His hand instinctively went to the hilt of his broken sword.
—"I have to do something…" he told himself, though his heart pounded like mad. "But if I step in and they kill me? There are three of them… and I can barely stand as it is. What if… what if I can't save the kid?"
The boy's sobs cut into him like a knife. For a moment, it reminded him of himself—alone, lost, and defenseless.
Renji stepped forward. His legs trembled, but he couldn't turn his back.
—"If I run now, then I haven't learned anything. I'll never become stronger…"
He pulled back his hood and stepped out from the shadow of the trees. His heart screamed with fear, but his voice came out louder than expected:
—"Leave the kid alone!"
The three turned, surprised, their expressions quickly darkening. The laughter stopped, replaced by cruel smiles.
—"Well, well, a hero," one muttered, raising his knife. "Let's see how long he lasts…"
Renji tightened his grip on his so-called sword, knees nearly giving out—but his resolve finally outweighed his fear.
The knife-wielding bandit moved in first, swinging the blade lazily.
—"You've got guts, boy… but I doubt you've got brains."
Renji raised his broken sword, trying to look confident, though inside he was shaking. "If he notices how exhausted I am, I'm done for…" he thought.
Just as the bandit raised his arm to strike, Renji did something unexpected: he grabbed a rock from the ground and hurled it straight at the man's forehead.
—"ARGH!" the bandit yelled, clutching his head.
Renji blinked, startled.
—"It worked?! … I mean, that was my genius plan all along," he said, trying to sound serious—though the child let out a short giggle.
The second bandit rushed him with a club. Renji raised his sword, but the chipped blade nearly stuck in the wood. Desperate, Renji grabbed another rock and flung it at the man's chest.
The bandit staggered, then collapsed backward, muttering:
—"This guy… fights like a monkey!"
Renji rolled his eyes.
—"What can I say… I can't afford a trainer, but rocks are free!"
The third bandit, the biggest of them all, cracked his knuckles and stepped forward menacingly.
—"Kid, I'll break your bones with my bare hands."
Renji felt his knees go weak. His sword was too short and too battered, and strength wasn't on his side. He swallowed hard, then glanced at his backpack. An idea struck him.
He yanked out his unlit torch and threw it with all his strength straight at the giant's face. It hit his nose dead on.
—"AAARGH! Who throws wood?!" the man roared, staggering.
Renji took the chance and kicked him as hard as he could in… the sensitive area. The man let out a short grunt and dropped to his knees, groaning.
—"Sorry," Renji said with a shrug. "But nowhere does it say I have to fight fair."
The three bandits, dizzy and bruised, struggled to get up. The child stared at Renji with wide eyes, almost unable to believe it.
—"Mister… you beat them!"
Renji wiped the sweat from his forehead and grimaced.
—"Beat them? No, I just… played soccer with rocks."
The child burst into laughter, while the defeated bandits staggered off into the woods, muttering curses and promising never to forget the "rock-throwing brat."
Renji collapsed onto the grass, gasping.
—"Look at me… defeating bandits without even swinging my sword properly. If Sensei saw this, he'd die laughing."
The child stepped closer, shy but grateful.
—"Thank you… you saved me."
Renji raised an eyebrow, trying to look heroic.
—"Yeah, yeah… sure. Just don't tell anyone my secret is a rock collection."
Taking a deep breath, he tried to appear calmer than he was. He glanced at the boy, who still looked at him with awe and respect.
—"Hey… kid," Renji said as he stood slowly. "Do you know the road to Marvek?"
The boy nodded quickly.
—"Yes! My dad took me there a few times, to the market. You follow the main road, but it's dangerous at night. Bandits and beasts hide around. It's safer during the day."
Renji nodded.
"Then… can you guide me tomorrow? Since you know the way, I'd like to go with you. But for now… it's too late to travel."
The boy smiled timidly and replied:
—"Sure. I'll meet you here tomorrow morning."
Renji placed a hand gently on his shoulder.
—"Good. But now go home. Tell your parents you got lucky today. And… don't mention you saw me throwing rocks, alright? Doesn't sound very heroic."
The boy giggled and ran off, waving back once before disappearing down the road.
Renji sighed, left alone again. His gaze fell on the bandits still groaning among the leaves.
—"Hm… since I risked my skin for the kid, I may as well not leave empty-handed."
He approached slowly and rummaged through their pockets and packs. He found a few coins, an old lighter, a piece of moldy bread, and, to his surprise, a half-filled bottle of wine.
—"Well, boys… your investment in banditry paid off. Congratulations, you're now sponsoring a tired fugitive."
Keeping only what was useful, he packed up and moved on, looking for a safer place. Eventually, he spotted a large oak tree with thick branches and dense leaves. Perfect.
Climbing with difficulty, his muscles protesting, he finally settled on a sturdy branch. The wind rustled the leaves gently, concealing him from prying eyes.
He leaned his head against the trunk and looked at his "loot" with a tired smile.
"Rocks, a broken sword, and a stolen bottle of wine… the perfect arsenal for a legendary hero."
He chuckled to himself, short and weary, then closed his eyes. For the first time in hours, he felt he could sleep without shadows chasing him.
Tomorrow would bring the road to Marvek.
The night passed, and dawn found Renji still asleep, perched high on the oak's thick branch. Dew-damp leaves brushed against his hood as the morning wind whispered softly through the boughs.
But his rest was shattered by a heavy, rhythmic sound. Hooves.
He jolted awake, startled, nearly slipping from the tree. Clinging to the trunk, he held his breath and peered through the dense leaves.
Ten riders in black armor, carrying the Imperial standard, moved slowly along the road beneath him. Their horses pawed the earth, and their spears gleamed in the cold light of morning.
Renji's heart pounded, ready to burst through his chest.
—"Imperials…" he thought, swallowing hard. "Are they after me? Or just patrolling?… It doesn't matter. If they see me, I'm dead."
He pressed himself tighter against the branch, trying not to make a sound. The hoofbeats grew louder, then faded as the riders passed, leaving only dust in their wake.
Renji stayed frozen for long moments, drenched in cold sweat. Only when the echoes were completely gone did he dare to breathe again.
—"If patrols have reached this far… then I'm out of time. I have to get out of the kingdom before they catch me. I need to cover my tracks…" he whispered, clutching the cold pendant in his palm.
He climbed down carefully, still trembling. The ground felt unsteady beneath his feet, each step betraying his unease. He glanced back more than once, making sure he wasn't followed.
At last, he quickened his pace toward the meeting spot. The sun was barely rising over the fields, and at the roadside, just as promised, the boy was waiting—holding a small wooden staff.
When he saw him, the child waved cheerfully and shouted:
—"You came!"
Renji, still tense, tried to smile.
—"Yeah… I came. And I hope we hurry. We've got a long way to Marvek… and I don't think we're the only ones heading that way."
The road stretched on in silence, Renji walking mechanically, his eyes fixed on the ground. The boy walked a few steps ahead, talking now and then about the road, but Renji barely heard him.
Other faces rose in his mind. Miyu. Airi. Their images haunted him like shadows that refused to fade. Their smiles, their voices… and then the cold grip of death that had taken them away.
Renji clenched his fists.
—"What am I even doing? Walking, hiding, fighting bats and bandits… but for what? What's the point of living if I can't avenge them? If I can't bring them justice?…"
He felt hollow inside, as if each step wasn't taking him away from danger but away from who he once was. He feared he was starting to forget their voices—and that hurt more than any sword could.
The boy turned back, lifting his staff to point ahead.
—"Look, sir! Marvek is just beyond that hill. If you climb up, you'll see the stone towers."
Renji slowly raised his eyes. The hill stood like a barrier between him and the future. All he had to do was climb, and Marvek would reveal itself.
He took a deep breath, trying to clear at least some of the black clouds in his heart.
Turning to the boy, he placed a hand on his shoulder.
—"Thank you… without you, I probably would've wandered for days. From here, I can continue on my own. You should head home—you've been brave enough for today."
The boy looked at him for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but finally nodded with a timid smile.
—"Alright. Then… good luck."
—"Good luck, kid," Renji replied, forcing a tired grin.
The boy ran back down the road, while Renji remained alone, the hill looming before him and his thoughts weighing heavier than any imperial armor.
He pulled his hood tight over his head and murmured:
—"Miyu… Airi… if I can't avenge you, then at least let me reach the place where you dreamed we could live…"
With heavy steps, he started up the hill.
Renji climbed slowly, burdened by both his body and mind. When he finally neared the top, his gaze brightened for a moment. Marvek spread out before him—vast and bustling, with thick gray stone walls and tall towers rising like spears into the sky. From behind the massive gates rose smoke and steam, signs that the city was already awake and alive.
He took a step forward—then his heart froze. An instinct. He turned sharply.
Behind him, some distance down the empty road, a lone figure appeared. A thin man in a cloak that covered his whole body, leaning on a staff. His shadow stretched long across the morning-lit ground.
Renji's eyes widened. He recognized him instantly. It was the beggar from the village—the one he had given food to, the day the fisherman saved him.
—"No… impossible…" he whispered, feeling the blood in his veins turn cold. "How is he here? Did he follow me? Or… was he sent after me for the bounty?!"
His heart thundered in his ears. He didn't wait to see if the figure would approach. He bolted, racing down the far side of the hill. His pack bounced violently, and from it, the stolen wine bottle tumbled free, shattering with a sharp clink on the stones.
Renji didn't stop. His breath came in ragged gasps, each step threatening to topple him. Only when he reached a thicket of bushes did he collapse to his knees, pressing himself back into the undergrowth, desperate to regain his air.
He clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle his noisy breathing.
—"Think, Renji, think… If he was sent after me, then the Imperials already know where I am. But how? Unless… unless someone betrayed me."
His fist tightened until his knuckles cracked.
—"If that beggar's just a coincidence… or if he really is a hired hunter—damn it, what do I do now?"
He lay back against the damp earth, a leaf wet with dew brushing his cheek. Beyond the bushes, only the wind whispered softly. But in his mind, every rustle had become the footsteps of a pursuer.
Renji knew he couldn't stay hidden. If the beggar was truly after him, crouching in these bushes was the same as waiting for death.
He sprang to his feet and, without looking back, ran toward the city gates. Every step pounded in his skull like thunder. He knew the risk was enormous. Imperial soldiers often guarded the entrances, and his face could already be plastered on a bounty notice. But there was no other way.
—"If I can slip inside and cross the city unseen… maybe I'll escape. Maybe I can lose him."
The stone gates of Marvek loomed ahead, massive, guarded by a few bored watchmen. People flowed in and out constantly: merchants with loaded carts, peasants with livestock, barefoot children darting between legs.
Renji pulled his hood as low as it would go and blended into the crowd, holding his breath like a man plunging into cold water.
Passing under the arch of the gate felt endless. At any moment he expected to hear the shout: "Stop him! That's the fugitive!" But nothing came. Only the voices of the crowd and the echo of his footsteps.
When he finally slipped past the guards, his knees nearly buckled. Marvek swallowed him whole, with his narrow streets, towering walls, and the roar of the marketplace rising over the rooftops.
Renji leaned against a building, scanning his surroundings with wide eyes.
—"Alright… I'm in. Now I just have to weave through this maze and get out the other side. If luck's with me, maybe I'll even find the tavern Ubik mentioned."
He slipped into the throng, trying to vanish among them, just another faceless passerby.
With every street corner, every smell of fresh bread or clang of a blacksmith's hammer, he knew the risk was immense. But he also knew one thing: if he wanted to survive, he had to leave Marvek as quietly as he had entered.
The plan was simple. Get in. Stay unseen. Get out.
And somewhere, on the far side of the city, perhaps the mysterious tavern awaited.
Renji pulled his hood deeper over his face and pressed on, swallowed by the chaos of the city.