Ashes of Forever

The courtyard buzzed with life. Students and professors gathered under the early morning sky, the sun barely rising past the spires of the academy. There was a quiet tension in the air—not one of fear, but of anticipation. The kind that came before something big. Something dangerous. Something inevitable.

Rein stood near the back of the group, shifting the strap of his satchel on his shoulder, his newly packed supplies clinking softly inside. The air was crisp, and the scent of dew-drenched stone filled his lungs. He felt… ready, sort of. Or maybe just bracing.

The Headmaster stood at the front, towering in his dark, ornate robes. Lucius's presence was always commanding, but today, there was a gravity to him that made even the chatter quiet down as he raised a hand.

"You embark today not as students," Lucius began, his voice echoing across the stone courtyard, "but as scholars of the unknown—adventurers, defenders, and, yes, dreamers. The road ahead will test you in ways I hope none of you ever imagined. But remember this—whatever you face, you do not face it alone."

The words hit Rein harder than he expected.

Lucius's eyes swept over the group—and landed on him. There was something almost gentle in that gaze, something that tugged at Rein's chest.

"Rein," the Headmaster called, motioning him forward.

Rein stepped up, the eyes of students and teachers trailing him. Lucius reached into his cloak and pulled out a folded black robe embroidered with faint silver runes. It shimmered faintly in the light, not gaudy, just quietly powerful.

"This robe is laced with protective enchantments," Lucius said. "Magical resistance. Physical defense. It won't make you invincible, but it might keep you standing when it counts."

Rein took it carefully. "Thank you, sir."

Lucius placed a hand on his shoulder. "And Rein... whatever storm you're in, remember—sometimes, not remembering is its own kind of protection. But when the time comes to face what's buried… face it with your head high."

Rein blinked. "Do you…?"

Lucius just smiled faintly and stepped back. "Walk your path. You'll find your answers."

A short while later, the party began assembling at the gate. Horses were being prepped, supplies checked, goodbyes exchanged. Diana tugged her cloak tighter, eyes on the horizon. Kael stood off to the side, arms crossed, sword strapped across his back, looking like he had a lot of thoughts and no intention of sharing any of them.

Professor Helena, one of the expedition leads, came to the front. "One last thing before you depart. You'll be making a stop at the town of Herven before reaching the forest. You're to pick up the last member of your party—our designated mage, Ciena. She traveled ahead a few days ago."

Kael's brow twitched. "She went alone?"

"There's a reason," Helena replied. "The town's been dealing with a… situation. Disappearances. Young boys vanishing without a trace. Ciena volunteered to investigate. She'll brief you when you arrive, but be cautious. It might be magical in nature."

Rein felt a chill crawl down his spine. Diana looked uneasy too.

Professor Helena gave them a nod. "Your journey begins now. Go with care."

With that, they set off.

The road curved out from the academy, winding through the vast hills that surrounded the region. Rein rode in silence, the robe folded neatly in front of him, Lucius's words echoing in his head. He tried not to think about Emilia, or what she'd done—or what she'd made him feel. But even now, he could still feel the faint imprint of her hand on his chest.

He didn't understand what she meant… or why she mattered so much. But something told him that whatever waited for him out there, in the towns and forests beyond, was just the beginning.

Absolutely, here's the expanded continuation of Chapter 8 with the Herven arrival and the encounter with the deranged mother—bringing us up to the word count you wanted while keeping the emotional and thematic tone in line:

Chapter 8: The Road Ahead (continued)

…

The road twisted gently through rolling hills, a peaceful contrast to the unease sitting in Rein's gut. For the most part, the group traveled in silence. Even Diana, usually upbeat, kept her thoughts to herself. Kael, as expected, rode at the rear, his sword bouncing lightly with each step of his horse, gaze constantly scanning the road behind.

Hours passed, the sun climbing, then drifting downward.

By late afternoon, the rooftops of a modest town peeked over a hill.

"Herven," Diana murmured, pointing ahead. "Looks quiet."

Too quiet.

As they rode into the village, the tension became more obvious. Doors were shut, windows curtained. A few vendors packed up their stalls despite the daylight. The people they did see avoided their eyes—especially Rein's. It was as if their very presence made the air heavier.

A distant cry echoed down the road.

At first, Rein thought it was the wind. But then it came again, louder, more desperate.

"Evan! Evan, baby, come back to Mama—please, I'm sorry!"

A woman came stumbling out of a narrow alley, barefoot and wild-eyed. Her hair was a mess of graying tangles, and her dress hung loose and torn like she hadn't changed it in days. She looked frantic—broken.

When her gaze fell on Rein, her breath caught. Her eyes widened.

"Evan?" she whispered.

Rein blinked. "I'm sorry—"

She rushed toward him before he could finish, arms flinging around his waist. "You came back! Oh, thank the stars, I thought I'd lost you forever!"

Rein stood frozen as the woman clung to him, sobbing into his shirt.

"I looked everywhere—I prayed, I offered what little I had—why did you leave me?"

"I-I think you're mistaking me for someone else," Rein said awkwardly, gently trying to loosen her grip.

But she didn't let go.

It took Diana stepping forward to carefully wedge herself between them. "Ma'am—he's not your son. I know it's hard, but he's not Milo."

The woman blinked at her, confusion battling grief in her eyes.

"Not…?" Her gaze flicked back to Rein, as if seeing him clearly for the first time. Then, suddenly, she collapsed to her knees, her voice breaking. "They took him… they took my boy… just like the others…"

Diana knelt beside her. "Who took him?"

The woman shivered. "She comes at night… always at night. A beautiful woman. Eyes like fire. Skin pale like the moon. The boys, she took the boys; she took my Evan!