Morning arrived quietly.

Ashen hated it.

The birds still sang.

The trees still swayed gently beneath the breeze.

Sunlight slipped between the branches, painting the forest floor in warm patches of gold.

The scent of pine drifted through the clearing.

The world continued as though nothing had happened.

As though an entire village hadn’t burned to the ground.

As though children hadn’t died.

As though Granny Ana had never existed.

As though his sister hadn’t been taken.

The silence felt cruel.

⸻

Ashen hadn’t moved.

He remained exactly where he had collapsed the previous day, knees drawn tightly against his chest.

His gaze rested on the endless wall of trees surrounding the camp.

He wasn’t searching anymore.

His eyes had become hollow.

Empty.

His fingers clutched the pendant hanging around his neck.

The matching pendant Granny Ana had fastened around him years ago.

Without realizing it…

He squeezed it so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

It was one of the only things he still had that connected him to Virelia.

To home.

To everyone he had lost.

⸻

Beside the campfire…

The bowl of soup Lyric had left for him sat untouched.

The steam had vanished long ago.

Now it was cold.

Forgotten.

⸻

Lyric knelt beside the fire.

With practiced movements, she crushed fresh herbs inside a stone mortar.

The rhythmic grinding echoed softly through the clearing.

She glanced toward Ashen only once.

The soup remained exactly where she’d left it.

She said nothing.

Some grief…

Could not be interrupted.

⸻

Hours passed.

The sun climbed steadily overhead.

Shadows shifted across the clearing.

Ashen never spoke.

He barely blinked.

Only his fingers continued gripping the pendant against his chest.

Then…

His stomach growled.

Loud enough for even him to hear.

He ignored it.

⸻

“You should eat.”

Lyric’s calm voice finally broke the silence.

Ashen never looked at her.

“I said I’m not hungry.”

His voice was flat.

Empty.

Almost emotionless.

Lyric continued sorting the herbs in front of her.

“Hunger doesn’t disappear because you ignore it.”

Ashen didn’t answer.

The silence returned.

Long.

Heavy.

Neither of them seemed interested in filling it.

⸻

As evening settled over the forest, Lyric quietly stood.

She picked up a small hunting knife and disappeared between the trees.

Ashen never watched her leave.

Nearly an hour passed before she returned.

Two rabbits rested over one shoulder.

Fresh herbs hung from the other.

Without a word, she cleaned them.

Prepared a simple stew.

The rich aroma drifted through the clearing.

Far warmer than the soup from earlier.

When it finished cooking…

She walked over and placed another bowl beside him.

Steam curled into the cool evening air.

“…Eat.”

Ashen looked at the bowl.

Only for a heartbeat.

Then turned away.

“I don’t want it.”

Lyric gave a small nod.

“As you wish.”

She returned to the fire and quietly ate her own meal.

Neither of them spoke again.

⸻

That night…

Sleep never came.

Ashen lay beneath the shelter staring into darkness.

Every time he closed his eyes…

He saw flames.

He heard screaming.

He saw Virelia reaching toward him.

Her fingertips only inches away.

Then disappearing.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Each memory struck harder than the last.

Eventually…

He stopped trying to sleep.

He opened his eyes once more.

Outside…

The campfire crackled softly.

Lyric remained seated beside it.

Her sword rested across her lap.

Her sharp eyes scanned the surrounding forest without pause.

She hadn’t slept.

Not once.

She watched the darkness as though expecting it to strike again.

⸻

Morning returned.

Ashen slowly rose to his feet.

Every muscle protested.

Burns stung beneath fresh bandages.

Bruises ached with every movement.

He ignored them.

Quietly…

He walked toward the edge of the clearing.

The forest stretched endlessly before him.

Somewhere beyond those trees…

Virelia was alive.

She had to be.

He took one step.

Then another.

⸻

“Where are you going?”

Lyric asked calmly from behind him.

Ashen didn’t turn around.

“…To find my sister.”

“You don’t know where she is.”

“I’ll find her.”

“You don’t know which direction they went.”

“I don’t care.”

“You’ll die.”

Ashen’s fists tightened.

“…I don’t care.”

For the first time…

Lyric stopped what she was doing completely.

She looked directly at the young boy standing before the endless forest.

“You mean that.”

It wasn’t a question.

Ashen never answered.

⸻

His shoulders slowly began to shake.

“…I couldn’t protect her.”

His voice was barely louder than the wind.

“I couldn’t protect Granny Ana…”

“I couldn’t protect Leo…”

“Tanya…”

“Will…”

His breathing became uneven.

“I couldn’t protect anyone…”

Tears gathered once more.

“But maybe…”

He swallowed hard.

“If I keep walking…”

“…I’ll find her.”

He stepped forward again.

Before his foot touched the ground—

Lyric was standing in front of him.

So silently…

He hadn’t even seen her move.

She wasn’t threatening him.

Her sword remained sheathed.

She simply stood between him…

And the forest.

“If you leave in your condition…”

“…you won’t make it a mile.”

Ashen’s eyes burned with frustration.

“Move.”

“No.”

“I said move!”

He shoved her with both hands.

She didn’t move.

Not even slightly.

He pushed harder.

Nothing.

His frustration boiled over.

He struck her arm with both fists.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Every blow weaker than the one before.

Until…

His strength finally disappeared.

His arms fell limp.

His forehead rested against her sleeve.

The tears returned.

Not loud.

Not desperate.

Simply…

Broken.

He wasn’t asking for comfort.

He had nothing left inside him to fight with.

Lyric remained perfectly still.

She didn’t hug him.

She didn’t promise everything would be alright.

She wouldn’t offer false hope to a child who had already lost everything.

Instead…

She slowly lifted one hand.

And gently rested it on top of his head.

A small gesture.

Quiet.

Steady.

Grounding.

Ashen’s sobs gradually became softer.

His breathing slowly steadied.

After a long while…

Lyric finally spoke.

“You cannot save your sister…”

She let the words settle.

“…if you die trying to find her.”

Ashen didn’t answer.

But for the first time since waking…

He didn’t try to walk past her.

The wind drifted through the trees once more.

Somewhere beyond that endless forest…

Virelia was still alive.

For the first time since the village burned…

A painful truth settled inside Ashen’s heart.

Wanting to save her…

Would never be enough.

He would have to become someone capable of doing it.

Someone strong enough…

That no one could ever take away what mattered to him again.

But that day…

He wasn’t ready to accept that truth.

Not yet.

The forest remained silent.

And so did the two of them.