Military Courtyard, Morning Before Departure to the North
The morning was cold, the air sharp and clean. On the courtyard, the clashing of blades and the muted commands of guards echoed between the walls.
Jered was already waiting by one of the training racks, leaning on his favorite crossbow with that half-smile of his—the one that meant he was about to say something smart.
"So, where's the king sending us this time? And don't tell me south again—I haven't even finished the wine from our last visit there."
"North," I replied curtly. "And not for a stroll. We're going to find out what's behind those disappearing villages."
Jered gave me that look only someone who's been through both hell and snow with you can give.
"So, just the two of us again," he stated.
"No," I shook my head. "This time, there will be four of us."
I turned to the two figures standing a short distance away. Lythara and Nyssira—training tunics, hands clasped behind their backs, eyes gleaming as always.
Years of training under my command had taught them to move like hunters and strike like lightning. But this was different—they had never joined us on one of the big missions before.
"You two," I began, "are coming with us to the North."
Nyssira smirked. "Finally, something real."
Lythara nodded, though her tone carried respect. "We've heard the stories… all those missions only the two of you returned from. The legend that began with your first battle in the North… and maybe will end where it began."
"The legend isn't ending yet," I cut in. "But this will be your first time where mistakes aren't forgiven. Jered and I survived only because we watched each other's backs. Now, you'll be watching them too."
Jered grinned, patted Lythara on the shoulder, and handed Nyssira a small flask. "Welcome to the club, then. The rules are simple—don't die, don't betray, and don't get humiliated."
Nyssira took a drink and handed it to me. "To surviving… and maybe telling our own legends one day."
"Maybe," I said, "but today, we're still playing in ours."
The Last Morning Before Departure
The night had been restless. I slept, but not fully—inside my dream, I was surrounded by a white void. It wasn't snow, nor fog, just emptiness, from which a voice emerged. Deep, ancient, without emotion, yet carrying a force that pierced straight to the bone.
"It is time," it said.
Only those two words. No explanation, no name. Just a cold that ran down my spine.
I opened my eyes. It was still early, the first light only beginning to slip through the curtains. For a moment, I lay still, focusing on my breathing. Then I turned my head. Thalina lay beside me, her hair spilling over the pillow, her face peaceful. Just looking at her was enough to loosen the tension in me.
She reached for me, still half-asleep, her hand finding mine.
"You didn't sleep again?" she whispered.
"Just… a strange dream," I replied, kissing her forehead.
Morning came quickly. As I packed my things, she stood by the table, holding a small object in her hands. A pendant—black metal with a faint blue sheen, within which a tiny flame seemed to flicker.
"I want you to take this," she said.
"What is it?"
"Protection. Not against blades or arrows… but against the things you can't see."
There was a tone in her voice I recognized—don't ask more.
She took my hand, placed the pendant in my palm, and fastened it to a leather cord around my neck herself. Her fingers brushed my skin as she did, lingering there for a moment.
"Come back," she murmured. It wasn't a command or a plea. It was a certainty she wanted to believe.
"I always come back," I answered, knowing it was only half a truth.
When I stepped out of our chambers, I glanced back one last time. She stood there, leaning against the doorframe, watching me until I vanished around the corner