Kaiser, the group's teacher, was engaged in a one-on-one battle with a creature. Normally calm and precise in his movements, Kaiser was now on his knees, blood flowing from his shoulder. His shield magic had broken, and the energy around him was flickering.
The creature, larger than the others, had lead-colored skin, protruding ribs, and thin bony arms hanging from its back. The red points shining in its eyes had completely erased any trace of its former humanity.
Kaiser struggled to regain control of his magic, but he was exhausted.
"I… have to… bury you here…" His voice trembled.
Aryel saw the scene from a distance. His eyes locked on Kaiser.
For a moment, his mind went blank. When the creature lunged at Kaiser, Aryel acted without hesitation.
The ground beneath his feet rose, forming a wall in front of the creature. He twisted the air to guide it, condensing the moisture into spikes of ice.
The creature staggered but still resisted.
Aryel crouched beside Kaiser and pulled him back.
"I won't leave you," he said. "You can't fight, but I can."
Kaiser's eyes locked onto Aryel.
"This battle… it's changing you… making you grow."
But Aryel couldn't heed his words.
His gaze fell to his hands. He focused on the emptiness inside him. "This time I must… I must use my light power." He took a deep breath.
"Come on… now… light."
But nothing happened.
His throat tightened. This time, he exhaled with anger, clenching his fists.
"If there's no light… then the others are here. If I focus only on using my light power, I could die. I have to fight."
He stood up.
The creature before him was a mass over two meters tall, covered with horn-like protrusions.
But Aryel's eyes were no longer vacant—they were determined.
Water, ice, earth, and air… all began to swirl around him.
He opened his palms.
Columns of earth rose, wrapping around the creature's legs.
A current of wind rose from its back, merging with ice shards as it took the shape of a spear.
The creature leapt. Aryel stood his ground.
The spear shot forward at Aryel's command. Sharpened by water, accelerated by wind, and hardened by ice, it pierced directly into the creature's core. And the creature collapsed to the ground with a muffled scream. A brief tremor, then… it shattered.
Aryel was out of breath but still standing. His eyes followed the creature as it vanished into the ice. Then he closed his eyes.
"I did it."
Aryel supported Kaiser by the arm, dragging his steps forward.
His teacher's armor was soaked in blood from head to toe; with each step, he staggered, eyelids half-lidded as if heavy.
Every time his foot hit the ground, the damp soil made him slip, and Aryel had to use all his strength to maintain balance.
Aryel himself was in a pitiful state. The edges of his robe were torn, his knees caked in mud. Since using the spear magic, a layer of dried blood covered his fingers; the armor on his left arm was cracked, and the skin beneath had taken on a purplish hue.
His breathing was irregular, but he had no intention of stopping.
"Hold on," Aryel said. "You have to endure."
Kaiser managed a weak smile.
"You… are learning to lead quickly."
But there was no place left for a smile in Aryel. He watched the scene around him.
At the other end of the street, Teacher Elvaran was kneeling, his magic circle cracked.
Next to him, Teacher Seline was barely fending off a creature with her shield spell, but her eyes were vacant—not from exhaustion, but from utter depletion.
The third teacher, Radan, had subdued a creature on his own, but the effect of his magic was fading; the yellow light on his wrist was dimming.
The teachers…
They were protectors. They were walls. But those walls were cracking.
Aryel leaned Kaiser against a doorframe and took a deep breath.
The team was gathering around, but everyone's eyes were empty, their steps weary.
For a moment, he lifted his head to the sky.
The sun had risen. Yet the sky still seemed dark.
"The guild…"
"Where is the Orven Guild?"
When another creature emerged from the street, Kael responded immediately, and Elrik took his place on the defensive line. Together, they brought down the already wounded creature in a single strike.
But in Aryel's mind, only one sentence repeated:
"We will fall too. If we are left alone… the next ones will be us."
Aryel leaned Kaiser against the intact entrance of a ruined house. After surveying the area, he took a deep breath. His eyes turned to his scattered teammates across the battlefield.
Fatigue had settled on everyone's face. Nira was on her knees, gasping for breath. Serin's hands were still trembling. Joran's magic sparks were weakening. Vega and Taris were nearly spent.
Some had scratches on their arms, dried blood on their faces.
But the real wound was in their eyes—the war had touched their souls.
Aryel called out:
"Everyone… come to me."
The team slowly gathered. Aryel's eyes scanned each of them.
Their breathing was irregular.
"You need to rest a little. We'll take breaks gradually. If we continue like this… we will be the ones injured."
No one objected. They just nodded in silence. Fatigue had overtaken pride.
Aryel stepped back, his gaze shifting to the least worn among them: Kael and Danny. Though they were still standing, paleness had begun to show on their faces as well.
"Kael. Danny. Come with me. Let the others rest."
Kael nodded, wiping the sweat mixed with blood from his shoulder, while Danny kept his gaze to the ground but followed.
The three of them moved to the other side of the ruins.
A new street, a new murmur, a new shadow.
Kael's flame flickered more slowly. Danny's breaths were short and sharp.
Aryel stopped in front of them, but inside… he felt like he could no longer hold on.
The weight on his back wasn't just the responsibility of leadership—it was the fear of failing to protect his friends.
"This can't go on… if it continues like this, we will all fall."
Despair settled on his chest. Yet he still didn't stop. Because they were watching.
Aryel led Kael and Danny forward, but his steps were no longer as firm. His gaze was no longer on the streets, but turned inward, toward the darkness within.
Bodies scattered across the ground, ruined houses, exhausted teachers, and bloodied friends… all of it replayed in his mind.
Every voice, every scream echoed in his ears.
He stopped at the corner of a wall and leaned his shoulder against it. Seeing no immediate threat ahead, Kael and Danny took a step back.
At that moment… Aryel thought to himself:
"I wish… we were stronger."
His hands fell to his sides. His fingers trembled.
"I wish I could use my light power… Maybe it wouldn't have taken this long. Maybe fewer people would have been hurt. Maybe… the teachers wouldn't be this exhausted."
He swallowed hard. He lowered his gaze. There was dried blood at his feet.
"I am their leader… but I am not enough. Sometimes… being this much isn't enough."
He pushed himself away from the wall. He took a deep breath. His eyes returned to Kael and Danny.
They weren't looking at him, but they could feel it. Aryel suppressed the shadow in his eyes.
He just pressed his lips together.
"Not now. I can't break now." Then he gathered his voice and turned back.
"We move on. We can't stay here for long."
The storm inside him was drowned only by the sound of his own footsteps.
When the last creature that Kael and Danny had brought down together finally shattered, silence fell over the area.
The wind had stopped. The smell of blood still lingered in the air, but the screams had ceased.
The ground was still wet, but motionless.
Kael dropped the bloody dagger from his hand. His shoulders slumped.
"It's over…" Kael said.
"I guess… for now, it's over."
No one cheered, no one smiled. Only a deep breath was taken.
The three of them slowly returned to the rest of the team. Everyone had collapsed in corners, trying to recover.
Serin was leaning against a tree, Joran rubbing his hands. Nira's head rested on her knees. Taris quietly checked his arrows.
The teachers were there too. Some were sitting, others completely lying on the ground. Their magic had been drained. One of them—Radan—had his eyes closed, consciousness absent.
Aryel looked at the scene. Everything had stopped… but inside, he was still in turmoil.
He felt barely able to carry himself, but he was standing. Even if no one looked at him, he could feel that they needed him.
At that moment, Vega came over, carrying a canteen. She silently handed him the water.
"Come. Sit for a while. Rest, Aryel."
Aryel turned his gaze to her.
Normally, he would have said "no," but this time he didn't resist.
He sat down without question. He took the canteen but didn't drink, only held it.
His eyes stared into the void.
"If it comes again…"
"In this state… not even one of us might stay standing."
His gaze drifted to the injured teachers… his silent team… and the sky.
"What… could be the solution? Retreat? Stay here and make a stand?"
"I don't want to accept it. I don't want to make it feel like it's over…"
He held his breath for a moment. Every scenario passing through his mind led to a grim ending.
But he was still thinking. A solution.
Because Aryel would not give up. Even without light, he would seek a path.
The sun had risen higher. The blood soaked into the stones was now drying in its light.
A breeze stirred briefly through the broken window frames, and the sky opened, if only for a moment.
For half an hour, no scream, no wail had been heard.
The guardians and teachers had recovered as much as the silence allowed.
Kael sat in the shadow of a wall, knees drawn to his chest. His face was still serious, but his eyelids were growing heavier with each passing second.
Vega was sitting beside Aryel, her head slightly resting on his shoulder, but her eyes were open.
Lorin sat off to the side as if meditating. His eyes were closed, yet his spirit still seemed to be in the battle.
Joran quietly rearranged his magic circles. Serin was checking the teachers' pulse.
Just as everything seemed to calm slightly… a muffled vibration came from beneath the ground. Distant, yet steadily approaching… a new wave.
Aryel opened his eyes. He held his breath.
"No. It shouldn't be this soon…"
Kael immediately stood. There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his eyes.
"I'll continue. I'm still standing."
Vega straightened behind him. Her shoulder was still not fully healed, but her eyes were resolute.
"This time I'm with you too. I've rested."
Lorin opened his eyes. Sweat beaded his forehead, but he spoke without bowing his head.
"I'm still uneasy… but I can't stay sitting any longer."
Aryel stood and looked at them. His eyes held both pride and worry.
"Kael, I understand you. But we won't act alone."
Kael shrugged, yet nodded without hesitation.
"I'll still go to the front line."
Aryel smiled faintly.
"Alright. But this time, we're behind you too."
As new creatures began emerging from the piles of rubble, Kael was the first to act. He opened his hands, sparks flying from his fingertips.
He drew back his left shoulder and tensed his bow. The arrow ignited with fire.
"Guide it, Vega!" he shouted.
Vega immediately bent the wind, clearing a path. The arrow shot toward the creature like a beam of light.
The first target was hit. But then a second creature lunged—much faster. Kael reached for a second arrow. But there was nothing in his hand.
His fingers trembled. Fire… did not come. His eyes glazed. His palms were empty.
"No… now?"
At that moment, a creature charged directly at him.
Kael was about to step back when he spotted a sword on the ground—dropped by an injured teacher, covered in blood.
Without hesitation, he bent and grasped the sword.
The cold metal fit into his hand, and a memory echoed in his mind:
Sword lessons from his childhood, reflexes he thought he had forgotten.
As the creature lunged at him, Kael placed his left hand on the hilt—
And at that instant, the fire was reborn.
A bright red glow appeared around the sword.
"Envelop it in flames…"
The sword seemed to turn into liquid fire for a moment. Kael swung it from his shoulder.
The creature, arriving right in front of him, was struck by the flaming blade, its core shattered.
Kael took a few steps back, panting. He lowered the sword, his palms still burning.
After the creature Kael had felled with fire, Vega soared with the wind and delivered the final blow. The creature was obliterated, and a deadly silence fell over the area. Everyone paused, listening. It seemed no creature remained.
"It's over," Kael said, retreating with heavy steps. His gloves were torn, and burn marks had appeared on the fingers gripping his sword.
Aryel scanned the narrow street before turning his gaze to the horizon.
"For now… yes, I think it's over."
When they reunited with the rest of the team, the scene was still grim.
Aryel's heart tightened. His eyes swept over the team. Every member was physically and mentally exhausted. But every piece of their clothing bore witness to the battle.
After a while, the scent of the wind-shifted earth changed. It was as if… something was approaching again. Aryel was about to stand when movement appeared on the horizon.
And then everything happened very fast. A creature lunged suddenly toward Vega.
Vega hadn't fully recovered. Aryel shouted, but it was too late.
As the wind tried to form a shield, another attacked from the right.
Aryel instantly directed the water, softening the blow—but the creature's claw grazed Vega's abdomen.
Vega collapsed to the ground.
"Vega!" Kael shouted, but he was too late.
The creatures had surrounded them. Kael lunged forward, but at that moment, everything around him fell silent.
The smell of blood filled his nose. Seeing Vega on the ground made his vision blur.
Kael froze. He couldn't move. Aryel yelled:
"Kael! Snap out of it! HOLD VEGA!"
But Kael remained motionless. His breath was shallow. His hands clenched, eyes averted.
Lorin appeared beside Vega. He formed a protective plant shield around her, but his eyes held fear.
After fending off the creatures, Aryel ran to them. Kael still hadn't moved.
"I think our work is done," Aryel thought. It felt like the end.
But then…
A strange magical light tore through the sky.
A powerful wave of energy shook the surroundings.
A tall, blond, broad-shouldered man approached them down the street. His robe fluttered, and his eyes glowed not with fire, but with calm.
"Children. You may now retreat. The rest is on us."
Behind him, warriors of the Orven Guild appeared.
All were calm, prepared. But only one walked toward Kael.
Kael was still in shock. His hands empty, breath shallow. He stared at the blood pooled around Vega.
He couldn't react.
Aryel approached with a commanding roar:
"Kael! Snap out of it!"
No response. Aryel narrowed his eyes, took a step forward… and slapped him.
Kael turned his head, stunned. "What—?"
Aryel looked into his eyes. Her voice was unwaveringly firm:
"Vega is fine. Not life-threatening. But if you continue like this, next time someone will really die."
Kael held his breath. His fists clenched. His eyes glistened, but he hid it.
Aryel added slowly: "Help has arrived. We can take Vega from here now."
As the Orven Guild members drove away the creatures, Aryel nodded toward Kael. He said nothing. He simply knelt.
Vega was still conscious but her eyes were vacant, her breathing uneven. Kael slid his arms under her body. Her armor was heavy, but Kael's arms didn't shake. He lifted her into his embrace.
When they reunited with the rest of the team, the scene was still grim.
Aryel's heart tightened. His eyes swept over the team. Every member was physically and mentally exhausted. But every piece of their clothing bore witness to the battle.
After a while, the scent of the wind-shifted earth changed. It was as if… something was approaching again. Aryel was about to stand when movement appeared on the horizon.
And then everything happened very fast. A creature lunged suddenly toward Vega.
Vega hadn't fully recovered. Aryel shouted, but it was too late.
As the wind tried to form a shield, another attacked from the right.
Aryel instantly directed the water, softening the blow—but the creature's claw grazed Vega's abdomen.
Vega collapsed to the ground.
"Vega!" Kael shouted, but he was too late.
The creatures had surrounded them. Kael lunged forward, but at that moment, everything around him fell silent.
The smell of blood filled his nose. Seeing Vega on the ground made his vision blur.
Kael froze. He couldn't move. Aryel yelled:
"Kael! Snap out of it! HOLD VEGA!"
But Kael remained motionless. His breath was shallow. His hands clenched, eyes averted.
Lorin appeared beside Vega. He formed a protective plant shield around her, but his eyes held fear.
After fending off the creatures, Aryel ran to them. Kael still hadn't moved.
"I think our work is done," Aryel thought. It felt like the end.
But then…
A strange magical light tore through the sky.
A powerful wave of energy shook the surroundings.
A tall, blond, broad-shouldered man approached them down the street. His robe fluttered, and his eyes glowed not with fire, but with calm.
"Children. You may now retreat. The rest is on us."
Behind him, warriors of the Orven Guild appeared.
All were calm, prepared. But only one walked toward Kael.
Kael was still in shock. His hands empty, breath shallow. He stared at the blood pooled around Vega.
He couldn't react.
Aryel approached with a commanding roar:
"Kael! Snap out of it!"
No response. Aryel narrowed his eyes, took a step forward… and slapped him.
Kael turned his head, stunned. "What—?"
Aryel looked into his eyes. Her voice was unwaveringly firm:
"Vega is fine. Not life-threatening. But if you continue like this, next time someone will really die."
Kael held his breath. His fists clenched. His eyes glistened, but he hid it.
Aryel added slowly: "Help has arrived. We can take Vega from here now."
As the Orven Guild members drove away the creatures, Aryel nodded toward Kael. He said nothing. He simply knelt.
Vega was still conscious but her eyes were vacant, her breathing uneven. Kael slid his arms under her body. Her armor was heavy, but Kael's arms didn't shake. He lifted her into his embrace.
He began walking toward the camp with slow but determined steps.
Every time his feet touched the ground, it felt as if something inside him was breaking.
His eyes focused on nothing, only locked on Vega's face.
As they neared the camp, healers could be seen in the distance, tending to stretchers and bandages.
A few were still trying to help the villagers. The surroundings were tired and quiet.
Kael shouted. His voice was muffled, cracked, yet deep:
"HELP!"
One of the healers immediately turned. Two more ran to Kael's side.
Kael continued walking without stopping.
Joran, Serin, Taris, and Elrik, who had arrived at the camp before the others, jumped to their feet when they saw him.
Seeing Vega in Kael's arms, covered in blood… everyone's face froze.
Nira covered her mouth with her hand. Lorin closed his eyes and stepped back. Serin's eyes welled up.
When Kael reached the stretcher, he knelt. The teachers carefully took Vega from his arms, but Kael wouldn't let go. Vega's bloody hands were still in his. Kael bent down, bringing his head close to her hands.
And in that moment… tears slipped from his eyes. He made no sound. He didn't cry.
He simply let them fall… silently, onto Vega's palms. Kael still held her hands.
The tears flowing from his eyes weren't by choice—they were the suppressed weight of his own heart. The camp had fallen silent. No one spoke. Only the faint smell of ash carried by the wind filled the air.
At that moment… Vega's fingers twitched slightly. Kael's eyes widened. His heart felt like it might leap out of his chest.
Vega opened her eyes. She looked at Kael slowly. Weak, but with that unmistakable gaze of hers.
Hazy, yet familiar.
"Whoa… am I really seeing the arrogant Kael's tears?"
"Finally, Kael? Did I have to almost die to see a scene like this?"
Kael held his breath. The fiery color of his eyes showed not pain, but surprise.
His eyes were still wet, but frozen. He looked at Vega, slightly bowing his head.
"Stop joking…" he said in a low voice.
Vega managed a small smile, still holding Kael's hands, and added:
"Enough with the dramatics. I might actually think I died. I'm fine… just a little bruised, maybe."
Kael tilted his head slightly from side to side. He wiped his arm with the tip of his nose. His voice was still husky, but the corners of his lips twitched.
"You… are really resilient. Infuriatingly so."
Vega closed her eyes, yet that mischievous smile remained.
"You're surprisingly emotional too. But I swear… I won't tell anyone you cried again."
As Vega opened her eyes and the knot in Kael's throat loosened, Aryel, watching from a distance, felt a wave of emotion quietly settle into his knees.
He slowly sank to the ground, hugging his legs and burying his head in his hands.
His eyes weren't wet, but they were full. He wasn't crying, but he trembled.
"This time… no one died. But what about the next?"
The camp's murmur faded into the background. Kael's whispers, the healers' footsteps, Joran's prayers… all were blurred.
"Minor injuries… yes. But we can't keep being this lucky."
"Everything barely surviving… it won't always be like this."
At that moment, a shadow fell to the side.
Aryel didn't lift his head but felt its presence. A soft yet determined hand rested on his right shoulder.
A deep, strong yet gentle voice spoke:
"Good work. For a student… you handled the situation well. Don't be so hard on yourself."
Aryel turned his head slightly.
His eyes settled on a silhouette slowly coming into focus in the warm camp light. He was blonde, tall, and broad-shouldered. His slightly wavy hair fell to shoulder level, shining like gold in the daylight. His facial features were sharp; the faint wrinkles between his brows reflected the weight of past decisions, while the lines around his eyes revealed both fatigue and years of battlefield experience. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, yet his eyes carried the gaze of someone who had left their youth on the battlefield.
On his shoulder, the lion's paw emblem of the Orven Guild, embroidered in gold, stood out. His robe blended yellow and brown tones—earthy colors that symbolized harmony with nature and humble endurance on the battlefield. Portions of the armor running from his chest to his waist bore sword marks, dried bloodstains, and soot. This man had not merely observed the battle—he had actively served as a shield.
He smiled slightly; the smile was calm, but the determination beneath it was almost tangible.
"I'm Alex," he said.
"I'm the deputy captain of the Orven Guild."
Aryel was sitting, leaning on his knees. His heart was still tense. The questions, doubts, and fears in his mind tangled together. His gaze lingered on the marks on Alex's face—this man seemed strong enough to carry another's burden even while bearing the weight of his own past.
He tried to steady his breathing and slowly began to rise.
At that moment, Alex's hand was still on his shoulder.
Alex knelt beside him and spoke in an unusually soft voice:
"I think you handled it well. This is your first experience. When we first faced those who transformed from humans… we faltered. We were shaken."
Aryel met his gaze without looking away. His eyes still held a faint haze, but his focus remained.
"You handled it well. Leadership isn't easy. Especially when you must remain standing while everything else is falling apart."
Alex lightly touched his shoulder.
"Don't overburden yourself. You'll grow through this—through experience, reflexes, awareness. Every step will shape you further."
For the first time, Aryel took a deep breath.
He squinted slightly, silently grateful, and looked at Alex.
"...So this… wasn't the first place they attacked?"
Alex shook his head. His eyes were serious.
"No. Similar events are happening in many parts of the country. And in some places… far more advanced types have appeared."
Aryel's eyes widened. His heart raced again, but this time not with panic—rather, with the weight of responsibility.
Alex continued:
"We were lucky here. No cases of advanced transformation have occurred yet."
"For now, it seems calm. But we still need to be careful. We have to identify those with the potential to transform and eliminate them before they do."
After hearing this, Aryel's gaze drifted into the distance.
The burden he carried felt heavier again—but this time he wasn't carrying it alone. Alex's eyes scanned the young people slowly regrouping in the camp.
His tone remained calm, yet the weight of responsibility beneath it was clear:
"Once your friends have recovered, you can leave. If necessary, a team from our guild will escort you to the academy. We'll visit you later."
Aryel nodded slightly, his eyes reflecting both gratitude and questioning curiosity. Alex smiled, briefly touching the Orven emblem on his shoulder.
"I'm glad to have met you, Aryel. Perhaps one day… you'll work with us in the guild. We'd gladly welcome you."
With that, he rose. Before blending back into the crowd of the camp, he turned once more, then quietly walked away.
Aryel remained sitting right there.
His eyes were fixed on a crumbled wall, yet he wasn't seeing it.
More than seeing, he was thinking.
"Could the Light… really have worked?"
"This transformation… how can it be stopped?"
"And am I… truly ready?"
Thoughts swirled through his mind like a wind. But this time… it wasn't suffocating.
Talking to Alex had been good. For the first time, someone had recognized his leadership not merely as a duty, but as something of value.
Then, a shadow settled beside him.
Kael arrived silently. Without saying a word, he sat next to Aryel.
There was a small space between them, yet the weight they carried was shared.
For a while, there was silence. They were no longer alone, yet no words were needed.
Aryel closed his eyes. For a moment… just existing was enough.