The late morning sun kissed Whistlehollow's battered walls, painting the village's repairs in warm copper tones. Aleron, Corvin, and Eira sat beneath the old maple, idly flicking splinters from the worn bench while trying to pretend peach slices still tasted like celebration.
Sakura, small again and curled in Aleron's lap, let out soft, twitchy sighs each time a hammer struck wood nearby. She was all tails and warmth, her breathing even. God's Whisper pulsed behind Aleron's eyes.
[Battle Logged][Reward Unlocked — Foxfire Blink (Rank F)][Core Recovery Boost: +12%][New Quest: Forge Familiar Contract — 7 Days Remaining]
A flicker of the new dash-spell shimmered briefly over his fingertips before fading like breath on glass.
Then the gate creaked open.
Rina limped through, wrapped in dust and determination. Her armor was dulled, her bandages fresh, but even in her ragged state, Whistlehollow felt safer with her inside its borders. Sakura immediately perked up, letting out a soft yip as her tails glowed a hopeful pink.
Rina's stern gaze softened at the sight, though her eyes scanned the area, never fully dropping her guard. She knelt before them with a wince, her body betraying the exhaustion her mind refused to acknowledge.
"We need to talk, my foxling," she said, voice low.
Aleron stood slowly, his voice barely audible. "Mother?"
She reached out and cupped his cheek, her fingers trembling slightly. "Last night forced secrets into the light. Listen carefully, Aleron."
She took a slow, painful breath. "I once served Queen Lysaria of Velmora. The night the palace fell, assassins in masks of the Creator god swept through the halls. Smoke filled the air. Screams echoed. In the chaos, the King placed a swaddled infant—you—into my arms and said, 'This is the blessing I cannot protect.' He told me to run."
Aleron's knees nearly gave out. "But... why me?"
"I don't know," she admitted, eyes glistening. "But the cult hunts anything connected to the crown. If I stay here, they will come again. And they won't stop until they've bled this village dry."
Corvin stepped forward, grounding a hand on Aleron's shoulder. His calm rolled in like a tide, anchoring the boy with quiet strength. Eira's staff thudded into the earth beside them.
"So... you're leaving," Aleron whispered.
"At dawn." Rina's voice cracked. She handed him a worn leather-bound journal. "My field notes. Everything I know about summoner contracts. You have seven days to form a proper bond with Sakura."
"I'll come with you," Aleron blurted out, desperate.
Rina shook her head. "No. Onyx, Dusklight, and Emberfang are still recovering. I need to chase rumors—across mountain crests, inside ledgers written in code. If I draw the cult's attention, they'll chase me... not you."
Tears threatened to fall. "Then come back. Please. I'll be worth the risk."
She pulled him into a hug, pressing their foreheads together. "You already are."
Corvin coughed softly, breaking the moment. A pair of horses nosed at his hands, and even the grumpy hen wandered over to sit beside him.
"Animals hear me when I reach for them," he said shyly.
"It's not just hearing," Aleron replied. "You calm hearts... mine included."
Corvin flushed but smiled, a little proud and a little bashful.
Eira rolled her shoulder, gold briefly shimmering over her skin. "That barrier during the fight—it vanished."
Aleron's eyes narrowed. System runes flickered faintly near her wrist.
Dormant Blessing DetectedTrigger: Protection of Others
"You've been blessed," he said. "Power comes when it's needed. Train, and it'll come when you call."
Eira grinned wide. "Then I'll give it reasons to show up."
Sakura squirmed, slipped from Aleron's lap, and padded toward a nearby toddler. For a moment, her form shimmered larger—wiser, wilder—before Aleron called her gently back.
"Easy, elder sister," he murmured, scratching her ear as she returned with a huff.
Rina mounted her steed, Nyra's glyph-stone pulsing faintly at her belt. "Seven days, Aleron. Give Sakura everything—your mana, your trust, your care. And watch each other's backs."
Corvin straightened. "Yes, Mother Rina."
Eira raised her staff. "Find the Queen. We'll guard the village."
Rina's laugh cracked, but held steady. She saluted them with a weary grace and turned her horse toward the boundary stones. Streamers fluttered in her wake like silent prayers whispered to the wind.
Aleron sat down and cracked open the journal. Inside were notes, diagrams, spell circles—her life's work, now his burden and inheritance.
"Lesson one," he read aloud, "a familiar needs a name she accepts."
He glanced up. "Sakura?"
The cub yipped in approval, tails flicking.
Corvin chuckled. "Lesson two: master Foxfire Blink before the next cultist knocks."
Eira spun her staff with a smirk. "Lesson three: golden shields come in pairs. I want two."
Their laughter broke the grief, sunlight cutting through the cloud. Together—with fox, flame, and stubborn hope—they stepped onto the training green.
Behind them, villagers rebuilt. Around them, the world healed. And above, the gods—silent and watching—marked the boy who clutched his fox close and quietly vowed to be worthy of a kingdom he never asked to save.