Chapter Text
A Common Day — Until It Wasn’t
Wars as usual—over race, gold, power, or just the need to have more. Nothing new.
Except… something in the sky. The clouds trembled, as if they knew what was coming. A crack formed in the air—deep, loud—and from it came a scream.
“AaAaaAaAAaaa!!”
A boy, no more than fifteen, came crashing down to the ground with a painful thud as the crack sealed behind him. The figure slowly stood up.
“Damn it, Kearlin—not funny anymore, seriously,” he muttered, looking around.
A ghostly shape began to form beside him, floating in the air, with a faintly mischievous face.
"Bruno, what’d I miss?" Kearlin asked, a bit embarrassed.
“I dunno,” Bruno replied sarcastically. “One second I’m walking, the next I’m in another world. Not a single warning. No explanation.”
They stopped bickering for a moment, scanning the surroundings. In the distance—a tavern.
“Could be worse,” Kearlin offered.
“We don’t know that,” Bruno countered flatly.
---
Meanwhile, Elsewhere...
Heavy boots creaked over wood, rushing toward a half-human man inside a humble home.
“Chief! A house just appeared southeast of the village!” a young scout reported anxiously.
“How many people?” the chief asked, stern as always.
“Just one... so far.”
“Then why the panic?”
“Because it wasn’t there before. I passed that spot two days ago—it was empty. This thing showed up overnight.”
The chief, Gorham, thought a bit longer than usual.
“We’ll wait. If it’s trouble, we crush it like we always do.”
---
Back near the mysterious house, someone stepped outside—a man who looked around twenty-five, maybe older.
“Meeting the neighbors is important, right Bruno?” Kearlin said nervously. “But maybe let’s check the area first.”
Bruno wandered for a while, exploring the nearby hills and woods. After two hours, exhaustion crept in. He sat down on a stone, near a patch of wildflowers.
“Keep watch, will you?” he said, stifling a yawn.
“Obviously,” Kearlin replied with a mock salute, floating overhead.
Bruno dozed off right there.
---
About Twenty Minutes Later...
Something soft brushed against Bruno’s nose. Back and forth, tickling. He stirred.
“What the—”
“Shhh,” Kearlin whispered.
A girl was nearby. Her horns shimmered in the sun. Her long, slightly curled blonde hair bounced as she picked wildflowers, unaware of the man sitting behind her.
“She’s either blind or a total airhead,” Kearlin said with a smirk. “I’m betting airhead.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?!” Bruno whispered harshly, eyes still on the girl.
“Also, quit being rude. That’s... degrading.”
The girl, humming softly, kept gathering flowers.
“Hey! Girl?” Bruno called out.
She jumped, dropping the flowers—but with a smooth motion, Bruno caught them mid-air before they touched the ground.
“Ah! Sorry, sir! I didn’t see you there!” she said, embarrassed.
“‘Sir’...? Right. Just be more careful.” Bruno began to turn away.
“Wait! You’re an adventurer, aren’t you? I know everyone in the village—and I’ve never seen you before!”
“No. I live nearby,” he replied without making eye contact.
“Then why the rush? If it’s ‘cause you don’t know me, that’s fixable! I’m Tila, daughter of Gorham!”
She beamed so brightly it could’ve started a campfire. Bruno stared for a second—was it fear? Sadness? Worry? No… something else.
“Alright... I’m Bruno. Just Bruno,” he said with a faint smile.
“Nice to meet you!” She held out a hand.
“You too... I guess?” Bruno shook it awkwardly.
“Aww, my boy’s making a new friend,” Kearlin teased, pretending to wipe away a tear.
“Shut up.” Bruno muttered under his breath.
“You’re picking those for rest, right? Makes sense. Must be why I slept here,” he said, glancing at the flowers.
Tila’s cheeks flushed.
“You know about flowers too sir?!” her eyes lit up.
“‘Sir’ again... Why so shocked?”
“Because—sorry, but—you look like a warrior!”
---
As the sun dipped low, painting the sky orange and gold, the two sat near the wildflowers. Bruno rested on the stone again while Tila talked about places she dreamed of visiting. For the first time in ages, Bruno… didn’t seem in a hurry to leave.
“It’s getting late, Tila. You should head home,” he said, softly.
“But I was just getting started!”
They’d been there for four hours.
“Okay, but—” she spun toward him, poking his face with a finger. “We are coming back here, and you are telling me more about yourself.” She paused, realizing her boldness.
“Sorry... I mean, if you want.”
Bruno looked at her finger, then gently held it between his fingers.
“Alright... but only if you bring tea.”
Tila nodded, stunned.
---
The Walk Home
The walk back felt shorter than before. The flowers in her basket bounced with each step, but her thoughts raced endlessly.
“‘Just Bruno’...? Who even answers like that?” she thought with a goofy smile.
She kicked a few pebbles, trying to hide the bounce in her steps.
“He caught the flowers in the air! Like a hero from Mom’s stories!”
Her cheeks warmed again, remembering how he said he’d slept near the flowers. It was silly—but it made her feel seen. Really seen.
“Though... I did call him ‘sir’ three times… what a dummy.”
She ran her fingers through her messy curls, trying to tame the wind-tangled strands. The golden light made the village glow. Her body was tired, but her heart felt light—as if she’d just heard her favorite song.
“He said he’d come back… if I bring tea.”
A small flutter hit her stomach.
“I’ll bring the best tea in the village. Even if I have to steal the leaves from old Yelna! And I will find out who this ‘Just Bruno’ really is!”
She picked up her pace, determined.