1218-08-04
Loret:
The horizon.
Kell sat next to me. We stared up at the horizon. The sky was painted in shades of red and orange. The sun was dipping low. It casts a warm glow over everything. .
"I didn't do enough," Kell said quietly, looking away. "I should've been faster, more…"
"You did what you could," I said firmly.
Kell sighed. "I'm not as strong as you."
"We each have our role. You did your part. That's all that matters."
He didn't seem convinced. He let out a soft laugh. "It's just hard. I'm always following your lead. It's like I'm never enough."
"Kell, if it weren't for you and Miso, we wouldn't be alive right now."
"I …" Kell replied.
"I'm not perfect, Kell," I interjected.
He just gave a tired smile.
"Alright," he said.
Kell stood up, brushing off the dirt from my taji. "I'm heading out. Got things to do."
I stood too, watching him. "Don't leave me behind, Loret. You've got the attention now."
I smirked, starting to walk away. "I'm not leaving you behind. Just making sure everything's in hand."
He called after me, his voice serious. "Don't forget, with fame comes challenges."
I turned back, nodding. "I know. People always want to see you fall when you're at the top."
Kell chuckled, though it was a bit hollow. "Just don't think you can handle it all on your own."
I didn't answer him. I just nodded again, then left. I could hear Kell's quiet laughter—soft, but still there.
I stand alone. I watched the sun dip below the horizon. It casts a soft glow over the battlefield. The dragon is gone now, its body nothing but blackened remains. The ground is scorched, still warm underfoot. I fought hard, yes, but victory feels different now.
"Would you be proud of me, brother?"
They called me a hero for killing the beast. But that fame? It's heavier than any sword, harder to carry. I feel the weight of it pressing down on me. And Kell's words echo in my mind: With fame comes challenge.
Challenge?
Who would be foolish enough to challenge a dragon-slayer? I laugh to myself.
It feels hollow.
I know better than to dismiss such warnings. People always rise up, thinking they can take down the powerful. I've seen it before. But this time, it feels… personal.
"Isn't it beautiful?" a voice pulls me from my thoughts.
I turn to see Zahra and Zara walking toward me. Zahra's smile is soft, her eyes tired but kind. Zara skips along behind her, laughing, her small feet kicking up the dust.
I nod, offering a small smile. "Beautiful, yes. Chaotic, too."
Zahra chuckles. She knows me too well. "You've seen enough to know the difference."
I can't help but sigh. She's right. Zara tugs on my sleeve, her bright eyes wide with excitement.
"Can I play with A, Loret? Please?"
"You don't have to ask," Loret said, his voice gentle but firm.
"Respect your father," Zahra added with a laugh.
Zara didn't seem to notice that Ada wasn't there. It was common for children in Ghar to assume that a sibling had died if they weren't around, especially when they were so young. But what surprised me was how little it bothered Zara. It seemed as if she didn't think much of Ada's absence.
Still, A couldn't let it go. I had never seen them talk much—neither of them spoke with me either—but I could feel the tension. Ada was gone, and yet the pain was still raw for A. He refused to call me his father. That hurt more than I liked to admit.
I kneel down to her level. "Of course you can. Go ahead."
She grins and takes off running. Her laughter filled the air. I watched her for a moment. A small pang of something in my chest.
It's fleeting, though, and I stand up again, turning back to Zahra.
"How's Krain?" I ask. My voice is quieter.
Zahra glances at me, a flicker of something crossing her face before it disappears.
" Busy, like always. You know how he is."
I nod. Kran is always busy. Always planning. But sometimes I wonder if he's ever truly present.We both fall silent for a moment, watching Zara as she plays with A, chasing her across the field.
"That dragon," Zahra says after a while. "It was something else, wasn't it?"
I nod slowly. "It was weak. Too weak."
She turns to look at me, her eyes searching. "Do you think we'll face more? Stronger ones ?"
I don't answer right away.But the answer is obvious. There's always another fight. Always another beast to kill.
"Probably," I say finally.
Zahra goes quiet then. Her gaze turned toward the horizon. "You know, sometimes the greatest danger doesn't come from dragons."
I look at her.
"It comes from friends," she says softly.
I don't have time to respond.
Zara comes running back "A says I'm the fastest! Can I race him again?"
I smile, even though something in me twinges at Zahra's words. "Go ahead, Zara. But be careful."
She races off again, and I feel Zahra's eyes on me. There's a quiet understanding between us.
"How is she?" I ask, my voice soft.
Zahra follows my gaze to Zara, watching her play. "She's fine. She's just a child. But she'll learn, like the rest of us. Life doesn't give you a choice."
I wonder if she's talking about Zara… or about herself. But I don't ask.
The breeze picks up again. I turn my eyes back to the horizon. The light now fading into dusk. Something is shifting. The world is holding its breath.
I can feel it.
It's not just the dragon. There's more coming. There's always more.
And no one is safe from the storm that's coming. Not even the…
A and Zara came running over to me, their laughter echoing through the air.
A called out my name, "Loret!"
Zara giggled as she tugged at A's sleeve. Grinning like they'd won some great prize.
"You're so fast!" Zara said, her eyes shining with excitement.
I smiled, brushing a hand through my hair. "You two are quick."
A looked up at me. His purple eyes wide with curiosity. I wondered what he was thinking.
"Loret... why did you name me 'A'?"
I started slowly. "Your mother… she died when you were born."
A's brow furrowed, his small hands gripping his tunic. "What would she have named me?"
I wanted to tell him that she would've picked a name, something beautiful. But that wouldn't help him. He was better off learning the truth, even if it hurt.
She would have given you a name, I thought.
"You'll get a name when you're older."
My voice hardened. The weight of the words settling on my shoulders.
"Only then will you get a real name. A name that matters."