Morning sunlight filtered through the window like soft ribbons of gold.
Luna was already at the door, her hands clasped together with excitement.
"Caelus! Come on, you promised! The fireworks stall!"
I stretched, stifling a yawn.
"Yeah, yeah… I remember."
We went downstairs together and found Mother sitting in the living room, stitching a piece of cloth.
"Where are you two off to so early?"
She asked, her tone light but curious.
"To the fireworks stall!"
Luna said before I could answer, nearly bouncing on her toes.
Mother chuckled.
"Fireworks, hm? Well, I suppose I can join you. It's been a while since I've gone to the market."
Luna beamed.
"Yay! Let's go together!"
And so, the three of us left the house, stepping into the bright bustle of Eschatopolis.
Even though I'd walked these streets before, I couldn't help but marvel again.
For a border city, Eschatopolis was massive, more alive than many capitals I'd seen in history books.
The city was divided neatly into four sectors:
North: the housing district, where most citizens lived;
South: the noble quarter, quieter and gilded with fine stonework;
East: the barracks and training fields;
West: the sprawling marketplace that breathed life into it all.
That was where we were headed.
And at the heart of the city stood a vast plaza, crowned by a fountain and a marble statue, a warrior with a crown of laurels, sword raised toward the sky.
"Who's that?"
I asked absently.
Mother smiled.
"One of the Four Founders of the Empire. This city was the first bastion they built."
"Oh I see, thanks mother".
The closer we got, the thicker the air become, spice, smoke, and laughter mixed together in a symphony of scents and sounds.
Merchants called out from their stalls.
"Fresh bread! Just baked this morning! three Penn a loaf!"
"Steelwork from the forges of Varenhold!"
"Jewels from the southern dunes!"
We stopped first at a food stall. Rows of skewered meats, chicken, beef, squid, even deer, sizzled over open flame.
"Two skewers, please,"
I said, handing 4 Penn to the vendor.
Now that I mentioned it, this Empire has it's own monetary system. First is Penn, the smallest coin, made of copper. Then you have Mark, made of silver. And Crown, the golden ones.
A 100 Penn makes 1 Mark, and a 100 Marks make 1 Crown.
Take a bread for example, one bread is 3 Penn, it's cheap for a day's meal.
But if you buy flour, it's 15 Penn for a whole sack, enough to make food for a week. Most families live with about 30 Marks each month.
After the vendor handing me the Skewers, I took a bite. It taste… fine. No rich seasoning, no deep flavor, just honest food.
Still, there was something nostalgic about the simplicity of it.
Then, from somewhere nearby.
Sriiing~
A long, trembling note drifted through the noise.
Shiiiin~
A second, softer, followed, smooth, deliberate.
My breath caught.
A violin.
We followed the sound to the edge of the plaza.
A bard stood beneath the shade of an awning, a man dressed in a green coat, brown trousers, and a feathered hat that gave him the look of an adventurer.
His skin was tanned by travel, and his hands were calloused, but when he played, it was as if the world held its breath.
He wasn't playing for money, there was no hat on the ground.
He played because he had to.
The melody shimmered like sunlight on glass.
It struck something deep within me, a memory I hadn't felt since Earth.
I approached slowly.
"Excuse me, sir."
The bard lowered his bow mid-note and turned, his brown eyes kind.
"Well, hello there, little one."
"May I ask… could I try playing your violin?"
He blinked in surprise, then smiled.
"You can play a violin?"
I nodded.
"Hah, not something you hear every day from a boy your age."
He studied me for a moment, then gently handed me the instrument.
"Here. Be careful, she's an old friend."
The weight of it in my hands… it was perfect.
Familiar.
"Thank you,"
I murmured.
"What's your name, sir?"
"Arthur,"
he said, resting his bow hand on his hip.
"And yours?"
"Caelus Valen."
"Well then, young Caelus, let's hear your play."
I rested the violin against my shoulder. My hand trembled slightly.
It had been years, since I play a violin.
I drew a slow breath. The crowd quieted, sensing something.
Then, I played.
Sriiiing
The first note wavered, uncertain, but as the bow glided again, the tremor faded.
The melody that left the strings wasn't of this world.
Maybe No One Will Notice If I Disappear~
'Cause I'll~
Pray For You~
All The Time~
If I Could Be~
By Your Side~~
I'd Give You All My Life~
My Seasons~
The crowd stilled. Even the merchants turned.
The air seemed to vibrate, not with mana, but memory.
When I finished, silence held for a heartbeat, then applause thundered around me.
I blinked, startled. Luna was jumping up and down, clapping until her palms turned red.
"Caelus! That was amazing!"
Mother's eyes glistened faintly.
"Since when did you learn to play a violin, dear?"
I hesitated.
"Uh… I learned from books."
She smiled knowingly, as if she could see through the lie but chose not to.
Arthur stepped forward, eyes shining.
"You've got a rare touch, boy. That wasn't just music, that was resonance."
"Resonance?"
He nodded.
"The way mana reacts to your emotions. The violin sang because your soul did."
That made me freeze.
For a moment, I thought back to the Aether inside me, the tone of thought that hummed quietly whenever I focused.
Was that what he meant?
Arthur chuckled and rummaged through his bag.
"Here. A gift."
He handed me a small wooden case. Inside was an old but finely crafted violin, its varnish faintly dulled by age.
"This is too much,"
I protested.
"Think of it as a promise,"
he said with a grin.
"Next time we meet, we will play together."
I swallowed hard.
"Thank you, Mr. Arthur. I'll take care of it."
He nodded once.
"Good lad. The world needs more people who listen before they play."
Then he slung his pack over his shoulder and vanished into the crowd, his feathered hat bobbing until it disappeared completely.
We lingered a while longer. Luna clung to my arm, still giddy.
"Caelus, you were incredible! You could be a bard!"
I laughed.
"No, I just… love music. It's the only thing that ever made sense to me."
She tilted her head.
"You sound weird when you say that."
"Yeah,"
I smiled softly.
"I guess I do."
We made our way toward the fireworks stall on the main road.
Bright tubes of paper and colored powders lined the tables, sparks of celebration waiting to happen.
But before we could choose one.
The crowd's cheer changed.
Loud clattering echoed from the front gates.
I turned, a column of riders entered the city.
Knights and mercenaries marched side by side. Their armor bore scratches and dried blood.
Among them, I spotted several robed magicians carrying staffs wrapped in runes.
Behind them, dragged on chains, lay the corpse of a monster.
It was massive, its body twisted into a grotesque fusion of wolf, deer, and man. Its face still twisted in a silent scream.
The stench of mana corruption hit like rotting metal.
Luna gasped and hid behind Mother's dress, trembling.
Even I had to look away. The sight clawed at something deep in me, a reminder that this world wasn't fantasy. It was brutal, alive, and unforgiving.
The people cheered regardless. To them, the corpse was proof of safety.
Then I saw him, Father, waving from among the mercenaries.
"Dad!"
I called out instinctively.
He smiled and dismounted, walking toward us.
"Hey there, my brave adventurers,"
he said warmly, ruffling my hair and Luna's.
Mother ran to him, worry flashing in her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
He nodded.
"The beast was closer than we thought, but nothing we couldn't handle."
I glanced at the mercenaries behind him, rough men and women, each bearing the same insignia, an eagle grasping a sword.
"Is that… your group?"
I asked.
Father followed my gaze and smiled.
"Yes. The Band of the Eagle."
My curiosity burned.
"Can I… see where you gather? Your base, I mean."
He raised an eyebrow, amused.
"You want to see a bunch of tired mercenaries and broken swords?"
"I want to see what you guys do,"
I said earnestly.
He chuckled, ruffling my hair, his expression softening.
"Maybe tomorrow, I'll take you there. Promise."
Another knight joined us, his armor glinting under the light. Luna broke into a run and threw herself into his arms.
"Dad!"
she cried.
Alexander Lysandros,
tall, scarred, with kind green eyes, laughed softly.
"There, there, my little one."
I'd heard his name before, one of the Knight Guards, a Grade VII Knight. I don't know what that means. I need to ask this to my Father later.
Father clasped his shoulder.
"Good work out there."
Alexander nodded, then turned to me.
"And you must be Caelus. Heard quite a bit about you from Marcus."
I bowed slightly.
"It's an honor, sir."
He smiled.
"You've got manners, that's rare these days."
They both chuckled, the sound warm despite the grim background.
As they spoke, my gaze wandered back to the monster's corpse.
Its twisted flesh pulsed faintly, mana still leaking like smoke.
I could almost feel it, the things I can't explain in its body, chaotic and broken.
"Father…"
I said quietly.
"Was this what attacked near the northern wall?"
He nodded.
"Yes. This poor thing was half-human once. Corruption runs deep near the frontier."
Luna's grip tightened on her father's sleeve.
"Will it come back?"
Alexander knelt to her height.
"No, sweetheart. We took care of it. You're safe"
By the time we reached home, the sun was low, its light painting the wooden floor in hues of amber and rose.
I carried the violin case in my arms like something fragile.
Mother was humming softly in the kitchen, the sound mingling with the crackle of the fireplace.
Father sat beside the window, polishing his sword. His hands moved slow, almost thoughtful.
For a moment, the three of us were together, just a family under the fading light.
I looked at them quietly. The warmth, the laughter, the peace.
When night came, I lay in bed, staring at the violin by my desk.
Its strings caught the moonlight faintly, like silver threads binding the world together.
I smiled.