Chapter 14 : Quiet Flames

The cold morning air seeped through the canopy of the trees as Kael, Dren, and Lyra made their way through the forest. The sounds of birds and rustling leaves were strangely quiet, overshadowed by a tension that hung between them. They had been on the move since the attack, and though the mercenaries had left the village for now, something about the whole situation felt off.

Kael's thoughts drifted back to the night of the attack—the flashes of fire as the mercenaries ravaged the village, the screams that still echoed in his mind. His mother, his father... all of it was gone. The village had been a sanctuary, a place of safety that had now turned into a battleground. And Kael hadn't been strong enough to protect it.

His grip on the sword at his side tightened. He had been there, had fought back, but it felt like nothing was ever enough. His siblings—still alive, for now—had been spared, but that didn't mean the threat was gone. The mercenaries would return. Kael knew that much.

"You think they'll come back to the village?" Dren's voice broke through Kael's thoughts.

"I don't know," Kael muttered, his voice heavy. "But I'm not going to let them get away with this." His eyes hardened as he looked ahead, toward the path that would lead them back to the village.

"Are you sure about this?" Lyra asked, her tone cautious. "We've already seen what they're capable of."

Kael nodded. "We have to check. We can't just leave it like this. We have to know what they're doing, what they want."

Dren let out a low sigh. "And what if they're still there? What then?"

Kael hesitated for a moment before answering. "Then we deal with it. We don't have a choice. If we don't confront them, we'll never be able to move on."

Lyra met his gaze, her expression thoughtful but determined. She had seen Kael like this before—distant, carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But this time, it was different. There was something darker in him, a coldness that hadn't been there before. She could see it in his eyes, the way the loss of his family, his home, had shaped him into someone he barely recognized.

Kael wasn't the same person he had been before the attack.

Without another word, the three of them began to move toward the village. It was quiet now, eerily so, and the stillness made Kael uneasy. As they approached the outskirts of the village, the ruins of what had once been a peaceful place came into view. The familiar stone walls were now cracked and broken, the buildings reduced to smoldering piles of wood and debris. The smoke still lingered in the air, a haunting reminder of what had happened.

Dren crouched low, his eyes scanning the area. "Looks like they're gone for now, but we can't be sure."

Kael motioned for them to move forward, staying close to the shadows of the trees. His heart pounded in his chest as he crept closer to the village, the memories of that night still fresh in his mind. Every step felt heavier than the last, the grief he had buried deep inside threatening to resurface.

When they reached the village's edge, Kael held up his hand, signaling for them to stop. From their vantage point, they could see the remnants of the mercenaries—several figures lingering near the village's gate. Their movements were slow, deliberate, as if they were searching for something. Kael's stomach twisted with anger. They had left the village in ruins, but they hadn't finished whatever they had come for.

"This isn't over," Kael whispered.

Lyra frowned. "No, it's not."

Dren adjusted his stance, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "We need to be careful. They're still here, and they're not alone."

Kael nodded grimly. "We need to find out what they're planning."

They moved back into the forest, staying just out of sight, trying to make sense of what they were witnessing. The village was not just under attack—it was being controlled. The mercenaries had set up some sort of temporary base, a place where they could regroup and plan. Whatever their next move was, Kael couldn't let it happen. He couldn't let them take any more from him.

They continued to observe from the forest for a while longer, but the weight of the situation hung heavily on Kael's mind. His thoughts kept drifting back to his parents. The memories of his mother, always so gentle and strong, and his father, who had fought so hard to protect their family… they were gone. And Kael felt a void growing in his chest. He didn't know how to carry on without them, without their guidance. His siblings were still here, but they were struggling too. He could feel their pain, but it wasn't the same. They didn't have the same burden he carried.

"I think it's time to leave," Dren muttered. "We've seen enough."

Kael stared at the village, his heart heavy. "Not yet. We need to figure out what they're after."

"How do you propose we do that?" Lyra asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "We're not exactly in the best position to take on a whole mercenary camp."

Kael clenched his jaw. "We'll find a way."

The weight of his words settled between them, and for a long moment, no one spoke. They had to act—before the mercenaries could do more damage. They had to know what they were after. And once they had that answer, they could decide what to do next.

But deep down, Kael knew it wouldn't be easy. The mercenaries weren't just invaders—they were a symbol of everything he had lost, a reminder that the world was no longer a safe place for him or his family. And that realization hurt more than any sword ever could.