Tale of Vanguard

In the fading light of the evening air, Kaelen sat quietly in the empty stands of the abandoned coliseum, the place where he had his usual sword training with Serephira. Three days have passed since the capital invasion, and with the capital itself still recovering from the attack, the academy remains closed for the time being. Master Cronos had also mention that the headmaster was tied up with the tedious but necessary aftermath of the attack—paperwork, restoration, and political affairs that would take time to settle. Kaelen's thought drifted through the chaos of the past days.

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft crinkle of a bag next to him.

"Want some?"

Kaelen looked up, finding Thane sitting beside him, offering a bag of chips. There was something easy about Thane's demeanor, casual as ever despite everything that had happened.

"I'm good"

Thane plopped down beside him, munching away without a care. During their shared time in the infirmary, Kaelen had opened up to him—about his life in the dark forest with Master Cronos, his daily routines, his training with Serephira. And about his origin. He had feared that Thane would look at him differently after learning that he wasn't from this world—a starborne, but to his surprise, Thane had brushed it off as if it were nothing. He was thankful for that, he was also grateful to Thane upon hearing that he managed to save Serephira's life during the invasion.

As Kaelen watched Thane crunching through his chips without the slightest hint of delicacy, he couldn't help but wondered. It was almost comical how focused Thane seemed on the snack, as if the world outside didn't matter in that moment.

"What is it with you and chips?"

Thane paused mid-bite while glancing at Kaelen. He took a moment to gulp down the chips before responding.

"I've just gotten back from training you know, and my master doesn't allow any junk food in his sight"

His tone carried that usual carefree edge, but there was an undertone of frustration in his words.

"Speaking of your master... who is he, anyway?"

Thane smirked, wiping his hands off on his pants.

"His name is Drathen Valorn, the Keeper of Emberheart bastion."

Kaelen sat quietly for a moment as his thoughts were circling the name Thane had just mentioned.

'Emberheart Bastion'

His eyes shifted back to Thane.

"Emberheart Bastion... as in one of the four sanctuaries that the kingdom has?"

Thane nodded to him whilst crunching on another chip.

"Yeah, that's the one."

"So your master survived the attack, huh? I heard about the other two Keepers who were killed."

Thane paused for a moment. He stared out at the empty arena floor for a beat before replying to Kaelen.

"That man's not one to kick the bucket so easily."

There was a mix of pride and tension in his voice, a rare seriousness for someone as laid-back as Thane. Kaelen thought it was clear that Thane's master was more than just a strict teacher to him—he was someone Thane believed in.

'Tch! Can i say the same thing about that old man?'

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from the coliseum floor below. Both of them looked down to see Serephira standing in the center of the arena.

"i knew you'd be here, come down for a sec, Kaelen! I've got something I want to say."

Kaelen exchanged a quick glance with Thane, who simply raised his eyebrow and shrugged. With a sigh, Kaelen stood up and dusted himself off as he was making his way down the steps toward the arena floor.

He descended the steps and approached Serephira in the arena's dimly lit center.

"What is it?"

Serephira glanced at him with a solemn look.

"My father has issued a royal decree. My siblings have all returned home, and tomorrow, we're set to have a meeting with the king himself."

Kaelen blinked as his mind landed on a single possibility.

"The ascension?"

Serephira shook her head slightly, though a small sigh escaped her.

"No, its too early for that. It's probably something else—something to do with the recent invasion and the kingdom's plan going forward."

"I see..."

Kaelen muttered, and he was about to ask something else when Serephira interrupted his thoughts.

"I want you to attend as well, as my vanguard."

Kaelen eyes widened slightly.

"Wait—me? Are you sure about this?"

Serephira nodded to him.

"Yes. I think it would be good for you to see the rest of my siblings up close—get a sense of their motives and where they stand in all of this. It'll be important for what's coming."

Serephira's gaze softened slightly as she saw Kaelen still processing her request. She took a small step closer to him.

"In the meantime, I'll explain what you need to know about my siblings—their goals, and how they might play into everything moving forward."

Hearing Serephira's remark, Kaelen straightened himself up as his curiosity piqued. He had heard whispers about her family, but this would be the first time he would get a direct understanding from Serephira herself.

***

After his long conversation with Serephira, Kaelen made his way back home, his thoughts were swirling with everything she had told him. The quiet night of the forest air did little to settle his mind.

As he approached the entrance to the laboratory, he saw an unusual sight before him when he opened the door.

Inside, Master Cronos was bustling around, packing parchments, potions, and various tools into a large travel satchel.

"Going somewhere?" Kaelen asked him as he was stepping inside.

Master Cronos glanced up from his packing, giving him a half-nod in acknowledgment.

"It's the Imperial Venture."

Kaelen froze in an instant as a surprise flashing across his face.

"The Imperial Venture? You mean... you're talking about the venture to the unknown world? To find out the truth about my mother's sickness?"

Master Cronos paused for a moment.

"Don't get your hopes up just yet, boy."

His tone was as gruff as ever.

"But I did promise I'd do everything in my power to help your mother. This venture might give us some answers."

Kaelen felt a mixture of hope and apprehension stirring in his chest. This wasn't the first time they'd talked about this topic, but now it was happening.

"How long will you be gone?"

"A couple of months, at least, take care of yourself while I'm gone."

As Master Cronos moved toward the door, Kaelen simply watched him. Just before his master stepped outside, he called after him.

"Stay safe, old man."

Master Cronos turned his head slightly, he gives Kaelen an amused glance.

"Keep the laboratory clean for me."

He replied to him, before his figure disappeared into the night.