The moonlight bathed the cobblestone streets of Fein in a silver glow, but there was no peace in the city tonight. Twelve-year-old Dune clutched his younger brother Ned's hand tightly as they dashed through the narrow alleys, the shouts of guards echoing behind them.
"Keep running, Ned!" Dune hissed, his heart pounding.
Ned gasped for breath, his legs struggling to keep up. "Dune, I'm tired!"
"We can't stop!" Dune growled, dragging him forward.
The clatter of boots grew louder. Dune turned a sharp corner, searching for any escape route. That's when a voice called out from a nearby doorway.
"This way!"
A man stood in the shadows, beckoning them inside. Beside him were a woman and a teenage girl, their faces tense but kind.
"Come on, hurry!" the man urged.
Dune hesitated, his instincts screaming not to trust them. But Ned was wheezing, and the guards were getting closer.
"Please, Dune," Ned whispered, his voice trembling.
Dune gritted his teeth and nodded. They slipped inside, and the man bolted the door behind them.
"You'll be safe here," the man said. "I'm Elias. This is my wife, Marla, and our daughter, Marie."
"Thank you," Dune muttered, though he kept his distance, his eyes darting around the room.
Marie knelt beside Ned, handing him a cup of water. "You poor thing," she said gently. "You look exhausted."
Ned smiled weakly, his face lighting up. "Thanks for helping us. You're really nice."
Elias eyed Dune warily. "What did you two do to have the guards after you?"
Dune tensed but quickly spun a lie. "We stole bread," he said, his voice steady. "We were hungry, and we didn't have any money."
Marla's expression softened. "Poor boys, what about your parents?"
Dune shook his head.
she murmured. "You'll be safe here for the night."
Dune nodded, keeping his face neutral.
Later that evening, after they'd been given food and a place to rest, Dune stormed into the room, his face dark with fury. He grabbed Ned by the arm, dragging him to the far corner.
"What did you do?" Dune hissed, his voice low and dangerous.
"I was just talking!" Ned protested.
"You told her about the mark?" Dune's grip tightened. "Do you even understand what you've done? If she tells anyone—"
"Marie won't!" Ned interrupted. "She's nice, Dune. She won't tell."
"You don't know that!" Dune snapped. "You're so stupid, Ned! Do you want us to die?"
Tears welled in Ned's eyes, but he didn't respond.
Dune sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Stay here," he muttered.
That night, as the house fell silent, Dune crept to the door of Marie's room. His heart was pounding as he pushed it open, knife clutched tightly in his hand.
Marie was asleep, her breathing soft and steady. She looked peaceful, harmless.
Dune hesitated, his grip on the knife faltering. He'd never killed anyone before, let alone someone innocent. But the image of Ned's terrified face filled his mind, and he knew what would happen if anyone found out about the mark.
"I have to," Dune whispered to himself, his voice shaking.
He stepped closer, the blade trembling in his hand. But as he looked down at her, he couldn't do it. The thought of taking a life, especially one that hadn't wronged him, made his stomach churn.
"Damn it," he muttered, lowering the knife. "Damn it! I… I can't do it Daniel, i'm weak.
He turned and slipped out of the room, his chest heaving. At down Dune shook Ned awake. "We're leaving," he said, his voice cold.
Ned blinked up at him, confused. "What? Why?"
"Just get up," Dune snapped.
Before they could leave, there was a loud knock at the door.
"Open up!" a voice commanded.
Dune's blood ran cold as the door was kicked open, and guards stormed in. They grabbed Dune and Ned, dragging them outside.
"No! Let us go!" Ned screamed, struggling against their grip.
As they were forced into the street, Dune caught sight of Marie and her family standing by the guards. Marie's face was pale, her eyes filled with guilt. But when Ned looked at her, her expression changed. She stared at him with disgust, her lips curling in a sneer.
"You… you told them?" Ned whispered, his voice cracking. Marie looked away, refusing to meet his eyes.
The guards took them to an alley, far from the bustling streets. They threw the boys to the ground, laughing cruelly.
"Look at this," one of them said, pointing to Ned's mark. "A Zeten mark, huh? Do you know how much this is worth?"
Ned whimpered, clutching his shirt.
"Hold him down," the guard ordered.
"No!" Dune screamed, struggling against his captors as they pinned him down.
The guard drew a knife, kneeling over Ned. "Don't worry, kid. You won't need this where you're going."
He pressed the blade to Ned's chest and began to cut. Ned's screams echoed through the alley, raw and filled with pain. One of the guards covered his mouth quickly. Blood pooled beneath him as the guard tore at his skin, peeling away the mark.
Dune thrashed against his restraints, tears streaming down his face. "Stop it! Ned…he might die, damn it stop!"
"So then what? What if he dies?," the guard sneered.
A sudden whistle cut through the chaos. One by one, the guards fell, their throats slit before they could react. Daniel emerged from the shadows, his movements precise and deadly. He killed the final guard with a brutal stab, his expression cold and emotionless.
"Daniel!" Dune cried, his voice breaking.
Daniel ignored him, crouching beside Ned. He inspected the wound, his jaw tightening. "Mom will heal him," he said, pressing a cloth to the gaping injury.
Then he turned to Dune, his eyes like steel. "Who else knows?"
Dune hesitated, his voice barely a whisper. "The family…"
"Stay here," Daniel's gaze darkened. Without another word, he vanished into the night. When he returned, his blade was slick with blood.
"Next time you hesitate," Daniel said, his voice sharp and unforgiving, "Ned won't survive. You can't afford to be weak, Dune. Not in this world." Dune stared at the ground, his hands trembling. Weakness had nearly cost him his brother.
It wouldn't happen again.
Dune awoke drenched in s sweat. The warmth of the rising sun pressed against his skin, his eyes fluttered open, his vision blurred from exhaustion. His head throbbed. A dull, aching reminder of the long dream he had just woken from, though the details were already slipping away, leaving only an unsettling weight in his chest.
He sat there for a moment, unmoving, the damp earth beneath him cold from the night's rain. His clothes were still slightly wet, clinging uncomfortably to his skin.
His body felt heavy. Like the weight of everything that had happened refused to leave him, even after sleep.
With a slow breath, he pushed himself up, his legs stiff as he stood. The world around him was quiet. The storm had passed, leaving the forest washed clean in golden light. Mist clung to the trees, the scent of wet earth filling his lungs as he stepped out from under the rocky overhang.
Dune lifted his face to the sky, closing his eyes. He just breathed. For a moment, it was just him and the morning air. No fighting. No blood. No screams. Just silence.
But the road ahead was still waiting. So, without another word, he kept walking.
The scent of damp earth filled Dune's lungs as he walked through the quiet forest, his boots sinking slightly into the softened ground. Rain had passed through only hours ago. Droplets clung to the edges of leaves, slipping free with the slightest disturbance.
He exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
Then, from the shadows ahead, movement.
A figure emerged, stepping forward as if materializing from the darkness itself. The moment Dune's eyes met his, the world shrank to that single point of recognition.
Nate.
The air between them was thick with unspoken history, with scars left behind. For just a heartbeat, both men stood frozen. No words. No hesitation.
Then, chaos.
They lunged at each other, swords flashing in the moonlight. Steel met steel with a deafening ring, sparks bursting into the air.