The night air was heavy with the sounds of the forest, but Solene only heard the beating of her heart. She stayed crouched against the tree, feeling pain in her body and restlessness in her mind. But she couldn't stay there forever. She had to move before the kingdom's soldiers found her.
Back in the kingdom, people were talking about the mysterious hollow girl who had done the impossible. Nobles who had seen the arena battle spread the story everywhere. The king's soldiers were already looking for her.
Solene had no choice. She decided to go back to the one place she had promised never to return to the Commons. It was where she grew up before she escaped and found a new life.
After a long day of painful travel, she finally reached the edge of the Commons. The sight before her was just like she remembered, but worse. The town was falling apart. People had made homes out of scrap materials, barely holding together. The air smelled bad, and the people , thin, tired, and hopeless, moved around like they didn't care. Some sat against broken walls, staring blankly, while children, barely dressed, searched for food in the dirt. The kingdom had forgotten this place, leaving it to rot while the nobles lived in luxury.
As Solene walked through the town, she felt the weight of many eyes on her. People whispered and stared, filled with curiosity and suspicion. They didn't know her by name, but there was something strange about her presence.
Her vision blurred, and dizziness hit her hard. She stumbled, her legs gave out, and she was about to fall when a strong hand caught her.
"Hey..." a voice said, but before she could understand anything more, she blacked out.
When Solene woke up, she felt the weight of exhaustion in her body. The ceiling above her was rough but strong, unlike the weak wooden walls of the Commons. The bed she was on was soft compared to the hard, worn-out cots she used to sleep on.
She slowly sat up, her body hurting with every movement. Pain shot through her limbs, reminding her of everything she had been through. She tried to remember where she was and how she ended up here. The last thing she remembered was stumbling through the Commons, her body too weak to keep going, and then falling unconscious.
She looked around. It was a small room, but better than most houses in the Commons. The walls were patched up, and the air inside was warm. There was a chair next to the bed, and a thin curtain covered the only window, blowing gently with the wind that came through cracks. It wasn't much, but to Solene, it was the most comfortable place she had been in a long time.
Before she could think more, the door opened, and someone stepped in.
The man who entered was tall and strong. His dark hair was messy, and his tired eyes showed the struggles he had been through. His face had a few scars, but even though he looked rough, there was something calm and steady about him.
He held a small wooden tray with a bowl of food. He looked at Solene and placed the tray on the chair next to her.
"You're awake," he said in a deep voice, though not unkindly. "Took you long enough."
Solene swallowed, her throat dry. She watched him carefully, unsure if she should speak. The man leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"I'm Kain," he said. "I found you passed out in the street. You're lucky I got to you before someone else did."
He didn't say more, but Solene could guess what he meant. Life in the Commons was harsh. People only cared about themselves. She shifted slightly, still unsure if she could trust him.
"Who… who are you?" she asked, her voice weak.
Kain sighed, like he was deciding how much to say. "Just someone trying to survive, like everyone else here." He looked at the bowl on the tray. "Eat. You look like you haven't had a proper meal in days."
Solene hesitated but reached for the bowl. The warmth of the food felt good against her hands. She didn't trust him, didn't trust anyone, but right now, she had no choice.
She grabbed the bowl and started eating quickly, too hungry to care about the taste. It was warm and a little bland, but it was the best thing she had had in days. She didn't mind.
Kain chuckled and shook his head. "Damn. Slow down before you choke."
Solene barely looked at him, too focused on finishing the food. Once the bowl was empty, she leaned back, breathing heavily. She felt a little better, but the exhaustion still weighed her down.
Kain leaned against the wall again, arms crossed. "You looked awful when I found you. I'd ask what happened, but I'm guessing you're not in the mood to talk."
Solene tensed. She didn't trust this man. She didn't even know why he had helped her.
When she didn't answer, Kain shrugged. "Alright. You don't have to tell me anything. I'll talk instead."
He looked at the window, his eyes distant, as if remembering something from the past. "I wasn't born here in the Commons. I lived in the High Ring. I was a warrior."
Solene glanced at him. The High Ring? That meant he had lived among the elites, the ones who ruled with power and magic. But now, he was here, in the poor, ruined Commons.
Kain kept talking, his voice calm but with a hint of bitterness. "I wasn't a Hollow, but I had power once. Magic of my own. Then one day, it was taken from me."
Solene's grip on the bowl tightened. "Taken? Powers can be taken from people?"
Kain's jaw clenched. "Yes. The king himself took it from me. I was one of his most loyal warriors."
The room went quiet. Solene didn't need to ask why. She already knew the kind of ruler King Malrik was. Seeing what had happened to her people and the way he ruled, she wasn't surprised.
"I was exiled," Kain said simply. "Thrown out like I was nothing. And now, I'm just another ghost in the Commons, trying to survive."
He looked at her again, his sharp eyes studying her closely. "So... whatever trouble you're in, I think we're not so different."
Solene didn't know what to say. For the first time, she wondered if she had found someone who might actually understand.