The Student

John smiled warmly as he watched the other kids gather around Arcos, their curiosity evident. "Alright, kids," he said, clapping his hands to get their attention. "Who wants to show Arcos around the place?"

The group fell silent, exchanging hesitant glances. No one seemed eager to step forward right away. Time dragged, or at least it felt that way, as they waited for someone to volunteer. Just when John was about to prod them further, a hand shot up.

"I'll do it," Phoenix said, her voice clear and confident. She stood tall, her eyes alight with curiosity. She wanted to learn more about Arcos and where he came from.

John glanced at Arcos, then back at Phoenix, nodding with approval. "Well, that's settled then." He turned to the rest of the group with a mischievous grin. "And as for the rest of you, you'll be cleaning up the training ground."

Groans erupted from the kids, their faces scrunching with annoyance. They hated cleaning, and John knew it. Still, he chuckled quietly to himself. Every lesson had its chores, after all.

Phoenix walked past Arcos, her steps light but purposeful. As she moved ahead, she glanced back over her shoulder, noticing Arcos standing still, his gaze fixed on John and the children. There was something distant in his eyes, a quiet longing stirred by the sight before him. Watching John interact so easily with the kids reminded Arcos of what he had lost, his family, his friends. A pang of jealousy tightened in his chest, though he tried to suppress it.

"You coming?" Phoenix's voice broke the silence, gentle but firm. Her words snapped Arcos out of his thoughts. Embarrassed by his distraction, he quickly turned toward her, offering a shy nod before following in her footsteps toward the small village ahead.

John caught a brief glance of Arcos trailing after Phoenix, the boy's movements hesitant but calmer than when they first met. A faint smile touched John's lips. Seeing Arcos, a child who had endured the trauma of watching his entire village burn, start to feel safe again gave him a quiet sense of hope.

As Phoenix guided Arcos through the village, he took in the surroundings with quiet curiosity. The place was small, consisting of only seven houses, each one simple but well-kept. They all looked ordinary enough, until they reached the seventh house.

Something about it stopped Arcos in his tracks. Unlike the others, this house looked weathered by time, its wooden frame sagging as though the years had weighed it down. The windows were dark, lifeless, as if no one had lived there for a long time. A chill crept up Arcos's spine, a strange sense of emptiness radiating from the structure. There was something… off about it. Something that felt almost wrong.

"Phoenix?" Arcos called out, his voice hesitant, tinged with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Phoenix paused and turned back to him with a reassuring smile, her expression calm and confident. "Yes? What is it, Arcos?" she asked. But as she stepped closer, she caught the flicker of fear in his eyes. Her brow furrowed slightly. "Are you okay?" she added, her voice softening with concern.

Arcos didn't answer right away. He raised a trembling finger, pointing toward the old house. His body was tense, every instinct telling him something wasn't right. "What's with that house?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He couldn't take his eyes off it, as if it had cast some sort of spell over him. The longer he stared, the stronger the fear grew, gnawing at the edges of his mind.

Phoenix followed his gaze, but her expression didn't change. She seemed utterly unfazed, as though the house were invisible to her. After a brief silence, she shook her head lightly, dismissing the notion with ease. "Oh, that?" she said, almost casually. "It's nothing. Just an old place."

But to Arcos, it felt like more than just an old place. There was something about the way Phoenix had walked past it earlier, pretending it didn't exist, that made him uneasy. His heart pounded in his chest, and though he tried to steady his breathing, he couldn't shake the feeling that the house was watching him.

As Arcos took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, the house around him began to shift. The once eerie and warped walls now settled into the familiar form of an old, ordinary house. Its gentle, worn appearance eased something in him, washing away the tension in his chest. For a moment, he almost forgot the terrible things he had just witnessed.

Phoenix, noticing the fear vanish from Arcos's eyes, gently took his hand. Without a word, she led him to a nearby bench tucked beneath a tree. They sat in silence for a moment, the air calm but heavy with unspoken questions. Phoenix glanced at Arcos, her expression soft, curious yet careful.

"So, Arcos…" she began, her tone warm and inviting as she turned toward him. "Where did you come from?"

Arcos hesitated for a moment, his gaze lowering to the ground. When he finally spoke, his voice trembled slightly, as if each word carried a weight he wasn't sure he could bear. "I was born in a village… far north of here," he said quietly. His hands clenched in his lap as he continued, voice cracking with the memory. "A group of knights from a nearby kingdom came. They… they burned my village down. All I could do was run. Run and hope they wouldn't catch me."

Phoenix listened, her heart tightening in her chest. She couldn't fathom what it must have been like for someone so young to witness such horror. What could she say to something like that? No words felt right. "I'm… I'm so sorry," she said at last, though her voice barely rose above a whisper. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "How did John find you?" she asked gently, her voice tinged with both sadness and genuine curiosity.

Arcos paused, swallowing hard as he gathered the strength to answer. "The knights… they were about to kill me," he said, his voice barely above a murmur. "Then John appeared. He saved me." He glanced at Phoenix briefly before looking away again. "I took him to my village, hoping he could help… but…"

His voice faltered, and a deep, aching sorrow clouded his eyes. "I was too late," he whispered, the weight of those final words settling heavily between them.

Phoenix didn't know how to respond. All she could do was sit beside him, offering the quiet comfort of her presence, letting him know he wasn't alone anymore.

Phoenix thought for a moment before offering the only suggestion she could think of. "Arcos... you could ask John to train you, like he's been doing with me and the other kids," she said, her voice calm but encouraging.

Arcos's eyes widened with excitement, a flicker of hope shining in them. "Do you think he'd say yes?" he asked eagerly, the idea of training like a warrior lighting a spark in his mind.

Phoenix smiled warmly and gave a reassuring nod. "Yeah, you can ask him right now if you want." She lifted her hand, summoning a small orb of glowing energy. Its green aura shimmered softly, and on the other side, John's face appeared, looking at them curiously.

"Everything okay, Phoenix?" John asked, his tone steady but concerned as his image hovered within the orb.

Phoenix nodded. "Yes, Master, but... could you come here for a moment?" she asked politely.

Arcos stared at the orb, his eyes wide with wonder. He had always dreamed of learning magic, and seeing this kind of power up close left him in awe. When John gave a brief nod of acknowledgment and the orb vanished, Arcos turned to Phoenix, admiration plain on his face.

"What was that?" he asked, his voice tinged with both excitement and disbelief.

Phoenix chuckled softly at his reaction. "It's called a communication orb," she explained, her laughter fading into a gentle smile.

"Everything okay, kids?" John asked as he appeared in front of them, his voice steady and calm.

Both Phoenix and Arcos jumped slightly, startled by his sudden presence. Phoenix quickly composed herself, offering a nervous smile. "Yeah… Arcos just wanted to ask you something," she said, her tone soft as she glanced at her companion, silently encouraging him.

John's gaze shifted to Arcos, curiosity flickering across his face. He noticed the boy's hesitant expression but responded with a gentle smile. "What's on your mind, Arcos?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

Arcos hesitated, his eyes flicking toward Phoenix. She gave him a subtle nod, silently urging him to speak. He took a shaky breath, his fingers fidgeting slightly before he finally met John's gaze.

"John… could you…" Arcos began, his words faltering as he struggled to find the right ones. He looked down at the patch of green grass beneath his feet, summoning his courage. "Could you train me? I-I want to become strong, like you."

John studied the boy, understanding the weight behind his request. He knelt down so they were eye level and placed a reassuring hand on Arcos's shoulder. "You really want me to train you, huh?" he asked softly.

Arcos nodded, lifting his head to meet John's eyes, his expression earnest.

For a brief moment, John was silent, thinking it over carefully. Then he gave a small nod. "Okay, I'll train you," he said. "But there's one condition."

Arcos's eyes widened slightly, waiting for John to continue.

John's expression turned serious, his tone firm but compassionate. "As long as I'm alive, you won't go looking for revenge. Promise me that."

Arcos blinked in surprise, but after a moment's thought, he nodded firmly. "I promise."

Satisfied, John gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Alright then. Training starts tomorrow."

Phoenix watched the exchange in silence, a small smile playing at her lips as relief washed over her. Phoenix stands, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. Beside him, John rises as well, sharing a silent glance. Without a word, they begin walking toward the other kids gathered nearby. Arcos watches them for a moment, something shifting in his expression. Hesitating only briefly, he steps forward and follows, falling in line behind them. For the first time in a long while, he feels something unfamiliar, a quiet sense of belonging. He doesn't say it out loud, but in his heart, he knows. These people, these kids, they're more than just companions on this journey. They're his new family.