The Heavy Farewell

The sun cast its golden light over Lindholm, the morning haze slowly lifting to reveal a village preparing for a significant moment. Kael tightened the strap of his satchel as he walked through the familiar dirt paths, each step carrying a mix of anticipation and sadness. Today was the day he would leave. The villagers had made their quiet gestures of support over the past few days, but this morning felt different. There was an air of finality, of shared hope and unspoken goodbyes.

His first stop was the forge. The blacksmith, a burly man named Toren, was hammering away at a piece of metal, the rhythmic clang echoing through the open workshop. Toren looked up as Kael approached, a smile breaking through his soot-covered face.