Promise Between Friends

Two days had passed since the incident. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden hue over the calm lake. It was a rare sight in Pyronis, a land of brutal heat and unpredictable storms, but thanks to the advanced terraforming technology of Mechavaris, this oasis of serenity existed. A place where nature thrived amidst the harsh environment.

Denwen lay on the soft green grass, his arms folded behind his head, staring at the swans and ducks gliding effortlessly across the lake's surface. The gentle rustling of leaves in the cool breeze, the soft quacking of the ducks, and the occasional laughter of families around them painted a picture of absolute tranquility. It was peaceful.

At least, it was—until Roy disrupted it.

Plop. Plop. Plop.

Denwen's left eye twitched as small ripples scattered across the water. Roy stood by the edge, casually skipping rocks across the surface with a boyish grin, completely disregarding the calmness Denwen cherished.

"Come on, bro, are you a kid?" Denwen groaned, rolling onto his side.

Roy, ignoring the complaint, hurled another rock. "I still don't get why you love coming here. It's just some water and birds. No action. No excitement. This place is boring as hell."

Denwen sighed, rubbing his forehead as though speaking to a hopeless case. "If only that muscle-brain of yours could calm down and appreciate tranquility, the world would be a better place."

He sat up, observing a mother duck shielding her ducklings from Roy's disturbances, gently guiding them away. Meanwhile, a particular swan had stopped its graceful drifting and turned its head toward Roy, its beady black eyes narrowing in on the source of the disruption.

A smirk crept onto Denwen's lips as he leaned back. "You know, when a system is in perfect order and an element of chaos disrupts it… the system fights back."

Roy gave him a weird look. "Huh? And what's that got to do with—"

He didn't get to finish.

With a loud screech, the swan flapped its wings aggressively and shot toward him like a vengeful guardian of the lake.

"OH SHIT!"

Roy barely had time to react before the swan, followed by two equally furious ducks, launched a relentless assault. The once peaceful lakeside turned into absolute chaos as he flailed, ducked, and dodged their pecking strikes.

Children laughed hysterically, their parents chuckling at the spectacle of a grown boy getting chased by birds.

"Denwen, help me!" Roy screamed as he sprinted in wild circles, waving his arms like a madman.

Denwen simply watched with mild amusement. "This is the price of ignorance, my dear friend," he mused as if narrating a tragic tale.

Realizing he wouldn't get help, Roy made a desperate decision—he ran full speed toward the nearest tree and leaped onto a low-hanging branch, scrambling up with surprising agility.

The birds hopped and flapped below, squawking in frustration, but their vengeance had limits. Now safely perched, Roy peeked down, his chest heaving.

"Ha! Try and get me now, you damn pigeons!" he taunted.

Denwen sighed and facepalmed. "You just had to provoke them more."

After a few minutes, Denwen approached the agitated birds, kneeling as he extended his hand. He murmured something softly while sprinkling some seeds from his pocket. The birds hesitated before slowly calming down, their aggressive posture easing as they returned to the lake.

Roy cautiously climbed down, dusting himself off. "I swear, birds have it out for me."

"Or maybe," Denwen smirked, "you're just an idiot."

They both chuckled.

—---

Beneath the Setting Sun.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting a brilliant orange and purple glow across the sky, Denwen sat under a large tree, his gaze locked onto the lake's rippling surface.

"I was really out for three whole days, huh?" His voice was quiet, almost lost in the breeze.

Roy, reclining against the same tree with his hands behind his head, turned to him. "You really don't have to talk about it, Den."

Denwen exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But after everything, I still got a D grade. A fucking D. And I don't even understand how. One moment I was A-grade… then suddenly, I wasn't. Just like that."

His hands clenched into fists, pulling at the grass beneath him.

Roy sighed and moved closer, resting a firm hand on his shoulder. "Bro, I know how much it meant to you. Everyone thought you'd awaken as an A-grade. We all did. But fate has a cruel sense of humor. Some things are just out of our control."

Denwen shut his eyes, his fingers trembling. "Control…"

His voice carried a weight that made Roy pause.

"I swore to myself that I would never feel this way again. That I wouldn't be powerless. That I wouldn't let my past haunt me. But here I am. A failure." His voice cracked, his breath uneven. "How am I supposed to keep moving forward when I already lost before I even began?"

Silence.

Roy clenched his jaw, his usual carefree demeanor faltering. He had never seen Denwen this vulnerable. He wasn't sure what to say—comforting words weren't really his thing. But if there was one thing he knew, it was that Denwen wasn't alone.

"I won't pretend to understand how you feel," Roy admitted, his voice steady. "But listen to me, Den. I'm here. I'll be your sword. If you ever need me to strike down your enemies, I'll be there. No matter what. Even if it means traveling across continents, I'll be right beside you."

Denwen turned to him, eyes wide.

There was no teasing in Roy's expression. No arrogance. No playful smirk. Just pure, unwavering loyalty.

Denwen stared at him for a long moment before letting out a soft chuckle. "Look at you. Sounding all high and mighty like a prince rescuing the poor damsel in distress."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

Denwen shook his head, his lips curving into a smirk before he stood up. He stared at his hands, slowly clenching them. "I appreciate what you said, really. But I won't need a sword to fight for me. I'll carve my own path. With my own hands."

His eyes burned with determination, the raw pain in them hardening into something stronger.

"Whether I'm A-grade or D-grade, I'll work harder than anyone. If I can't catch up in rank, then I'll make my body evolve beyond its limits. I refuse to be left behind." His voice rang with finality, a vow etched into his soul.

Roy smirked and stretched out his right fist toward him. "Then don't disappoint me. I'll keep moving forward. If you fall behind, that's on you."

Denwen stared at the outstretched fist for a moment before returning it with his own. Their fists met with a solid thump, sealing their promise.

"We'll stand at the pinnacle together," Denwen declared.

Roy grinned. "Damn right we will."

As the last rays of sunlight faded beyond the horizon, the two boys stood side by side. Their paths uncertain, their challenges far from over.

But in this moment, they had each other.

And that was enough.