As Gweldig traced his fingers over the title "Agnipath Gaatha," a strange sensation spread through his palms—a creeping warmth, like fire awakening beneath his skin. His breath hitched, and he tried to shake off the odd feeling, but just then, a voice—soft, familiar, and filled with boundless warmth—whispered in his ears.

  "I am always with you, my son."

  His heart pounded. "Mom?" he called, spinning around. She stood there, her face serene, her eyes holding depths of love and sorrow. Before he could take a step toward her, something unimaginable happened—her form wavered, like a reflection on rippling water.

  "Mom?!" His voice cracked, fear creeping into his soul.

  She smiled—gentle, reassuring—yet her body was dissolving into thin air, like ashes scattering in the wind. Panic surged through him. "No! MOM!" He lunged forward to grab her, but just as his fingers stretched out—

  Darkness.

  The next moment, Gweldig's eyes snapped open. He gasped for breath, his body trembling. But something was wrong. The air was thick, suffocating—hot. A blinding orange glow flickered in his vision.

  His house—his home—was on fire.

  The crackling of flames roared in his ears, embers dancing wildly against the night sky. Smoke choked the air, stinging his lungs. He was outside, standing amidst the chaos, but how? How did he get here? Where was his mother?

  His eyes darted frantically. "Mom?! MAA?!"

  No answer.

  Terror gripped him. Without a second thought, he sprinted toward the inferno, the scorching heat licking at his skin. His heart pounded like a war drum as he burst through the entrance, swallowed whole by the blazing storm.

  As Gweldig dashed into the wreckage of his burning home, the suffocating heat and thick smoke clawed at his throat. His eyes burned, his vision blurred, but he forced himself forward, stumbling through the shattered remains of his world.

  His breath caught in his chest. Three bodies. Motionless. Charred beyond recognition.

  His stomach twisted violently. No... no, no, no! His hands trembled as he stepped closer, his mind screaming for him to look away—but he had to know. Was his mother among them?

  He forced himself to scan their lifeless forms. No.

  A flicker of desperate hope ignited in him. She wasn't here. She was alive—somewhere.

  Then he saw it. Bloodstained footprints. Leading away from the ruins, disappearing into the darkness beyond.

  Without hesitation, Gweldig sprinted after them, his heartbeat a wild drum against his ribs. His pulse roared in his ears, drowning out the crackling flames behind him. The trail led him deeper into the night, through the trees, through the whispering shadows—until he saw him.

  A towering figure, wrapped in darkness. A skeletal mask concealed his face, eerie in the moonlight. But Gweldig’s eyes weren’t on him.

  They were on her.

  His mother—unconscious, draped over the man’s shoulder like a lifeless doll.

  His breath hitched. His body froze for a fraction of a second before—

  "MOM!" he screamed, his voice cracking with sheer desperation.

  She didn’t stir. Didn’t move. Didn’t answer.

  The masked man didn’t stop. He walked forward, steady and unshaken, heading straight for Zephyros.

  No. No, she’s not going anywhere!

  Gweldig was about to charge forward when, without warning, the masked figure shifted slightly—then, in one swift motion, hurled a stone straight at him.

  A blur of motion—then searing pain exploded across Gweldig’s forehead.

  The impact sent him reeling, the world spinning violently. Warm blood trickled down his face, blinding his vision, staining his trembling fingers as he clutched his wound. His knees buckled.

  The last thing he saw was his mother disappearing into the distance.

  Then—darkness swallowed him whole.

  Yet, amidst the devastation, one pair of eyes remained wide open.

  The dog sat beside him, its crimson gaze locked onto the receding figure of the masked man. Unblinking. Unwavering. Watching. The flickering glow of the flames danced in its eerie red pupils, reflecting something beyond mere instinct—something knowing.

  A gust of wind swept through the ruins, lifting embers into the night sky like dying stars. The dog's ears twitched, but it didn’t move, didn’t whimper—only observed. It turned its gaze to Gweldig, tilting its head slightly, as if pondering something only it understood.

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  The world had collapsed around them. The house—gone. His mother—taken.

  And yet, in that hollow, burning night, the dog remained.

  Silent. Still. Waiting.

  The morning sun cast its golden glow over the ruins, but to Gweldig, the world had lost all its light. He stirred from unconsciousness, feeling something wet against his forehead. A soft, persistent warmth.

  The dog was licking him.

  As his eyes fluttered open, reality came crashing back in. The scent of burnt wood and ash choked the air. His house—his home—was nothing more than a pile of smoldering debris. His heart pounded as his trembling hands pressed against the cold, dirt-covered ground.

  He sat up abruptly, eyes darting around, desperate for something—someone.

  "Mom…?" His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

  No reply.

  His breathing grew heavy as he staggered to his feet, swaying from the pain in his head. He stumbled through the ruins, kicking aside broken beams and scorched remnants of his life. His hands clawed at the debris, searching, hoping—praying.

  But she was nowhere to be found.

  A sob tore from his throat as he collapsed onto a stone, his shoulders shaking violently. His tears fell, hot and endless, onto the ground. His lips quivered as he muttered, over and over again, "This can’t be real… This has to be a dream…"

  Desperation clawed at his chest. He pinched himself, once, twice, harder each time—but the nightmare didn’t end. His nails dug into his skin as he gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling.

  The reality was suffocating. He had lost everything in one night.

  The dog sat beside him, silent but present, watching over him with its unreadable crimson eyes.

  Then, footsteps.

  "Gweldig!"

  Arin and Kael ran toward him, their faces etched with confusion and worry. They came to a halt, their gazes scanning the devastation.

  "What the—?" Arin muttered, his breath hitching.

  Kael's eyes darkened as he stepped closer. "Gweldig, what happened?"

  But Gweldig didn’t answer. His lips parted, but the words never came. Only tears.

  "I need my Maa…" His voice cracked as he gripped Arin’s arm, his fingers digging in. His whole body was trembling violently. "Please… get my Maa… Bring her back…"

  Arin and Kael exchanged a panicked glance, both rendered speechless by their friend’s broken state.

  Kael, trying to make sense of the situation, turned toward the ruins. His gaze swept over the wreckage, taking in the burnt remains. Then, something caught his eye—something that sent a chill down his spine.

  A charred uniform.

  Kael stiffened. He knew that uniform. Everyone in Zephyros did.

  His hands clenched into fists. His breath hitched.

  "...No way."

  His heart pounded as the realization dawned on him. This wasn't just an accident.

  This was an attack.

  Arin placed a firm yet gentle hand on Gweldig’s shoulder, his voice soft but steady. “Gweldig… you need to calm down.”

  Gweldig barely registered the words. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, his hands curled into fists. His entire body shook, not just from the pain, but from the sheer helplessness gnawing at him. His mother—his Maa—was gone, and he had done nothing to stop it.

  Kael stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning the ruins once more before settling on Gweldig. “Did you see anything? Anyone?” he asked, his voice unusually firm.

  Through his sobs, Gweldig lifted his trembling hand and pointed toward the distant horizon—toward Zephyros. “He took my mom… that way…” his voice broke, raw with grief.

  Kael's expression darkened. The pieces were falling into place. His mind raced, piecing together the charred uniform, the calculated destruction—this wasn’t random. This was planned.

  “I understand now…” Kael muttered under his breath before looking directly at Gweldig. “They were Zephyros soldiers. They took your mother to their kingdom.”

  Gweldig’s swollen eyes widened. “W-what?” His voice barely escaped his lips. He searched Kael’s face for any hint of a lie, but found none.

  Kael inhaled deeply before continuing, “Think, Gweldig—why would they take your mother? Do you know why?”

  Gweldig’s mind was a haze of grief and confusion. His lips parted, but no words came. His face—tear-streaked and desperate—said everything. He had no idea.

  Kael sighed, his gaze turning toward the mountains in the distance. “We don’t have all the answers yet… but we will.” He looked back at Gweldig, his voice unwavering. “Come to my house. My father will return from his mission tonight. We’ll ask him what happened here.”

  Gweldig violently shook his head, stepping back. “No… no! I don’t want to wait! I don’t want to go anywhere else! I just want to go to Zephyros now!” His voice was filled with sheer desperation, his hands clutching at his chest as if trying to contain the unbearable weight crushing his heart.

  Arin and Kael shared a worried glance before Arin spoke up, his voice laced with concern. “Gweldig, look at yourself. You’re hurt. You’re covered in wounds. You can barely stand.”

  Kael stepped in, his tone turning firm. “And the path to Zephyros… it’s not just a road you can walk. It’s dangerous—far beyond anything we’ve faced before. It’s filled with storms, treacherous terrain, and creatures that would tear us apart. Even trained warriors struggle to make the journey.”

  Arin gripped Gweldig’s arm gently but firmly. “If you rush in like this… you’ll never make it. And if you get lost, who will find your mom then?”

  The words struck Gweldig like a blow to the chest. His breath hitched, his body swaying slightly. He bit his lip, fists trembling, but his feet stayed rooted in place.

  Kael's voice softened slightly, but remained resolute. “We will go, Gweldig. All of us. But not like this. We need to be prepared… we need to be strong. Only then can we take her back.”

  Arin gave a small nod. “Please… wait for the right time.”

  Tears streamed silently down Gweldig’s face, his body still shaking, but the fire in his eyes didn’t fade. He lowered his head, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths.

  His heart screamed to run. To chase. To fight.

  But for now, he stayed.