An innocent, determined use of magic. It could be the kid… Cade, I believe their name was. But why would they know magic? Most humans from Olivine City would never take up adventuring or hold a spark of magic. 

 I started walking in the direction they were heading. It is so peaceful, so silent… Why the hell is Kael heading west? I don’t understand what the hell is happening anymore. The closer I get to Kael… the more I feel the warm nature of his aura in his magic. 

 There’s something in the realm… he spent his adult years defending this realm… how old are orcs when they reach adulthood. 

 I click my tongue, trying to remember the age. It is fourteen or sixteen at the least… I don’t remember exactly. Does that make me a bad friend? Probably, but it’s not as bad as what I’m doing right now.

 I can’t forget how excited Kael was to see his family. He reached thirty-seven years in his life and was ready to retire. He had told me Orcs don’t usually live longer than fifty years, so I guess that explains his wrinkles on his face, his aching bones, how he got tired faster than when I met him sixteen years earlier. 

 A tug on my heart hit me for the first time in days. A reminder that everyone I ever knew will one day die even though I will outlive them all… I thought I got over that pain years ago… 380 years alive on this mortal plane and I am not even halfway through my mortal life span.

 Sometimes I forget that Kael will one day die. He always felt immortal about how he escaped the most insane stuff. The dragons, the lichs, the vampire lords, the demon lords… survived multiple deadly traps, dungeons and wars. Guess he always gave off the aura of being unkillable. 

 I don’t wish to see his death, but he is committing so many crimes. The evils he has committed have to be brought to their end. He will pay for the deaths of his family… 

 As I walked through the meadow, the tranquility was shattered by a sudden rustling in the bushes. My senses heightened, and I quickly spun around to face the source of the noise. From the corner of my eye, I caught the glint of metal—an unmistakable sign of trouble. “Look what we’ve got here, boys,” a gruff voice sneered from the underbrush. “An elf wandering all alone. Must be our lucky day.”

Five men emerged from the foliage, each brandishing a weapon. Bandits. Their leader, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek, stepped forward. The rest fanned out, forming a semicircle around me. I noted their positions and the crude but effective coordination in their movements.

“Hand over your valuables, elf,” Scarface demanded. “And we might let you walk away.” I sighed, feeling a mix of irritation and pity. “You picked the wrong target, gentlemen.” One of the bandits chuckled. “Oh, did we know?”

Without further delay, I draw my violin, gently playing a melody, letting my magic flow. My voice, laced with the power of an elven spell, reverberated through the air. “Be still.” A wave of energy emanated from me, and the bandits froze in place, their eyes wide with fear and confusion. My magic held them immobile, their limbs locked in an invisible grip. 

“Now,” I said, stepping closer to Scarface, “I have a few questions. And I expect answers.” His eyes darted around, struggling against the enchantment but finding no release. “W-what do you want to know?”

“Have you seen an orc, around seven feet tall, traveling with a human? They would have been heading towards Violet City.” Scarface hesitated, his eyes flicking to his companions. “I might have,” he finally muttered. “But what’s it to you?

“That’s none of your concern,” I replied, my tone icy. “Tell me what you know.” my eyes began to glow brightly, the pink glow hitting his face. “Aye, we saw them,” one of the other bandits interjected, his voice trembling. “Just yesterday. They were moving fast, as… we… chased them.”

“And you didn’t catch them?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. Scarface snorted. “We’re not suicidal. I called my boys off when I got a good look at him before he left the forest. That orc looked like he could rip us apart with his bare hands. And the human didn’t seem like much, but the orc… he had this look in his eyes. We’re not stupid enough to pick a fight we can’t win.”

I nodded, absorbing the information. Kael was indeed headed to Violet City, and he was making haste. But why? What was he planning? “Thank you,” I said, releasing the spell. The bandits stumbled, regaining control of their bodies. “Now, I suggest you leave before you make another poor decision.”

The bandits exchanged glances, fear evident in their eyes, and without another word, they turned and fled into the forest. I continued my journey, the encounter weighing heavily on my mind. Kael’s trail was getting clearer, but so were the questions. Why was he heading west? What was his endgame? And how did humans fit into all of this?

As I neared the outskirts of Violet City, the feeling of Kael’s magic grew stronger. He was close, and so were the answers I sought. I just hoped that I was prepared for whatever I would find. The fate of my friend—and perhaps much more—depended on it.