"Hey, Alex! Come out of your turtle shell! Till when you have decided to hide in it?"
A familiar voice echoed outside the house, playful yet demanding.
Inside, a young boy groaned under a blanket, his messy hair sticking out from one side. "Elara, why are you shouting so early in the morning?" Alex's muffled voice came from within, rough from sleep.
"Morning?" Elara's teasing tone carried through the door. "Has the time in Brighthollow village changed?"
He blinked and stepped outside, rubbing his eyes, his hair a wild mess. The sunlight made him squint.
"It's already afternoon, you sleepyhead Alex!" Elara laughed, her bright eyes gleaming under the sun.
Alex froze, his sleepy brain catching up to her words. "It's afternoon already? Why didn't Reylan wake me up?"
His confusion only made Elara laugh harder. "That old man already went to hunt for food, you idiot. You even make him work when his health's worsening!"
Alex's expression turned guilty. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah… I didn't mean to-"
Before she could tease him again, he turned on his heel and hurried back inside, washing his face and grabbing his weapon. When he came out, determination filled his face.
Seeing this, Elara crossed her arms and snickered. "You're going now? That old man should be on his way back already."
Alex froze mid-step. He knew she was right. He sighed, hanging his head a little before setting the weapon back against the wall.
"Then I won't go hunting," he said, his grin returning. "Let's go near the shore. We can cultivate and… maybe fish a little."
Elara shook her head, half amused, half exasperated. "Alex, you should really grow up. Always thinking about playing."
Alex puffed out his chest, his voice suddenly full of mock seriousness. "Elara, I have grown up. I'm thirteen already-and I've even reached the peak stage of the Qi Gathering Realm!" He spun around dramatically to show off.
Elara raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Looks like someone's getting cocky about his cultivation level. Did someone forget how he lost last time?"
The grin on Alex's face faltered. "That was a mistake!" he protested quickly, looking away to hide his embarrassment. "I'll defeat you someday."
Elara only smiled, eyes soft but full of mischief. "I'll be waiting then, mighty cultivator."
The two shared a small laugh, their friendly banter echoing through the quiet village.
While they bickered, footsteps approached from behind - steady and heavy. A familiar, weathered voice called out, "What are you two talking about now?"
Both Alex and Elara jumped. Elara's hand instinctively reached for her dagger before she noticed who it was. "Don't scare us like that, old man!" she said, pressing her hand to her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Reylan chuckled, his deep laugh carrying warmth. His arms were full of freshly hunted meat, the faint scent of beast blood clinging to him. Despite his aging body and the cough that sometimes wracked his chest, he still looked strong - his presence alone enough to make any wild beast hesitate.
Before he could respond, Alex spoke quickly, guilt lacing his voice. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
Reylan glanced at him with a faint smirk. "I decided to give you a day off, boy. You reached the peak of the Qi Gathering Realm. That deserves some rest."
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. His face clearly said, That doesn't sound like you.
"It sounds unbelievable coming from your mouth," he muttered under his breath.
Reylan's eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you say, lad?" His tone turned mock-threatening, the kind that always made Alex nervous.
"Nothing!" Alex raised both hands defensively. "I was saying that me and Elara are going near the shore!" he blurted, already taking a few steps back.
Elara was trying not to laugh as Alex continued waving his hands nervously before sprinting off down the dirt path. "Let's go, Elara!"
"Wait-" she started, but burst into laughter as she ran after him. "You really are scared of him, aren't you?"
Reylan watched them go, shaking his head with a small smile tugging at his weathered face.
He muttered quietly, almost to himself, "Kids… even in this world, they find a way to laugh."
With a heavy sigh, he turned and carried the meat inside the cabin. His steps were slower than before - the kind of slowness that came not from age alone, but from the weight of secrets and memories.
Outside, Alex's laughter echoed faintly in the distance.
For now, life in Brighthollow remained peaceful - a fragile calm resting above the slumbering flames of a forgotten past.