The night after their handshake, Kael and Renz sat on the side of the street. The lamps above were weak, but the moon still shined clearly in the sky.
Renz touched the bruises on his arm. "I still don't understand. Why did you help me? You don't even know me."
Kael looked straight ahead. "Because I saw myself in you. Alone. Cornered. Treated as weak."
Renz stayed quiet.
"But weakness," Kael said, "doesn't last forever. If you decide to rise, you can change everything. That's why I saved you. Not because you're strong—but because you can be."
Renz clenched his fists. The words hit him hard, but they gave him hope. "Then… if you believe I can change, I won't waste it. I'll follow you, Kael. Wherever this leads."
Kael looked at him, a small smile on his face. "Then this is your first step."
He picked up a small stone and placed it in Renz's hand.
Renz blinked. "A stone?"
"A reminder," Kael said. "When you feel like giving up, hold it. Remember this night. Remember your promise."
Renz stared at the stone. It was simple, nothing special. But in his hand, it felt important.
For the first time in years, he didn't feel like just a weak kid trying to survive.
Kael stood up, the moonlight behind him. "Come on. Tomorrow, we move forward. Alone, we're nothing. Together… we can change this world."
Renz followed, holding the stone tightly.
That night, their trust began.