Alfie and Elijah burst through the front door, their hurried footsteps echoing across the wooden floor.
"Big brother, where did you and Elijah go?"
Marcus stood near the doorway, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he slowly woke up.
"Go back inside, Marcus," Alfie said urgently. "You and Elijah need to stay here."
He turned to face his two younger brothers.
"Hide under the bed."
Reaching into his pocket, Alfie pulled out a small knife and handed it to Elijah.
"Take this."
Elijah stared at the weapon.
"Don't open the door for anyone unless it's Papa, Mama, or me. Got it?"
Marcus looked frightened, while Elijah tightened his grip around the knife and nodded.
"Got it."
He looked up at his older brother, worry creeping into his expression.
"What are you going to do, big brother?"
Alfie gripped the hilt of his sword.
"I'm going to find Mama."
His expression grew serious.
"I'm sure those Darkside Spirits took her. I can't just sit here and wait while she's in danger."
"Then I'm coming with you."
Elijah stepped forward, but Alfie immediately shook his head.
"No. I'm going alone."
"But—"
"I can't put either of you in danger."
Alfie glanced at both boys, his expression softening.
"Papa is already missing. Now Mama is missing too."
He paused, struggling to keep his voice steady.
"If something happens to me as well, you two need to survive."
Turning toward the door, he tightened his grip on his sword.
"I'll find Mama and bring her back."
He stepped outside, then looked over his shoulder one last time.
"Lock the door behind me, and stay hidden."
Elijah's eyes began to fill with tears.
"Promise you'll come back."
His voice trembled.
"Please… you and Mama. Both of you."
Alfie smiled at him.
"Don't cry, Eli."
He raised his thumb, putting on a confident smile.
"We'll come back. I promise."
Elijah slowly nodded before closing and locking the door.
Alfie turned away and broke into a run.
His feet carried him toward the distant cliffs, his heart pounding harder with every step.
This will be my first time crossing the cliff…
He glanced at the sword in his hand.
He had a sword, but he barely knew how to use it. He didn't know how to fight, and he had no idea how dangerous the Darkside Spirits really were.
Still, turning back wasn't an option.
Whatever is out there…
He swallowed nervously and tightened his grip on the hilt.
I have to bring Mama home.
As Alfie approached the rocky edge, a man suddenly came stumbling toward him from the opposite direction.
Blood stained his clothes, and panic filled his face.
"Kid."
Alfie stopped as the man hurried toward him.
"Where are you going? You have no idea what's waiting out there."
"I know exactly what's out there."
Alfie tried to sound certain, though his stomach twisted with unease.
"My mother."
He resumed running.
"And I'm going to save her."
The man stared at him in disbelief.
"You fool. Go die with her, then."
He quickly disappeared toward the town.
Alfie watched him go for a moment.
The man's words made his fear harder to ignore, but he forced himself to look ahead and continued across the narrow passage over the cliffs.
When he finally reached the other side, he stopped.
A massive forest stretched before him. The trees stood so densely packed that he couldn't see how far the forest extended.
"So this is it…"
He looked down at his sword, then back at the trees.
"The Cliffside Forest."
Alfie took a shaky breath and stepped beneath the trees.
Then he started running.
"Mama."
His voice echoed between the trees.
"Mama, where are you?"
He hurried deeper into the forest, calling out again and again.
"Mama."
No answer came.
Only the rustling of leaves.
Minutes passed. Then more.
As he continued searching, the trees began to look increasingly unfamiliar. He tried to remember the way he'd come, but every direction seemed to lead into more forest.
Eventually, he stopped and looked around.
"...Great."
His chest rose and fell heavily.
"I'm lost."
He turned, searching for the passage he'd crossed earlier, but couldn't tell which direction it lay in.
"I don't even know where I came from anymore."
He looked at his sword, gripping it with both hands for a moment before settling back into an awkward hold.
"I don't know where I am…"
His voice grew quieter.
"And I don't know how to find Mama."
He had thought finding her would be the hard part. Now, he wasn't even sure he could find his way back.
Then---
"AAAAAAAH."
A scream suddenly tore through the forest.
Alfie flinched, his heart leaping into his throat.
It was a young girl's voice.
Someone was running toward him.
What's a kid doing out here alone?
He hesitated for a fraction of a second, unsure whether running toward the scream was the right thing to do.
Then he remembered his mother.
He couldn't leave someone else alone in this forest.
Alfie hurried toward the sound, trying not to let his fear slow him down.
A few moments later, he reached a clearing.
A girl around his age stumbled into view. Her clothes were torn, her body covered in bruises, and tears streamed down her face.
"They're coming."
She glanced behind her, terror filling her eyes.
"The Darkside Spirits."
Her voice shook.
"They ate my papa and my brother."
She suddenly threw herself into Alfie's arms, clinging to him desperately.
"They're coming after me."
Alfie froze.
Then he heard the fear in her voice and forced himself to move.
"Easy kid."
He gently took her hand and looked toward the trees behind her.
"Come on. We need to hide."
"Follow me."
The two children hurried through the forest until Alfie spotted a small cave he had noticed earlier.
"Over there."
They rushed inside and collapsed onto the ground, desperately catching their breath.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Eventually, the girl wiped the tears from her face.
"Thanks for helping me."
She glanced at him.
"And stop calling me 'kid.' We're the same age."
Alfie looked at her, still breathing heavily.
"Did I call you that?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Sorry."
After a moment, he tried to lighten the mood with a small smile.
"Well, you could at least thank your savior a little more nicely."
The girl stared at him in disbelief.
"My father and brother were just eaten by Darkside Spirits."
Her voice rose, and her eyes filled with tears again.
"And you think I'm in the mood to joke?"
Alfie's smile vanished.
"My mother died to them too…"
She lowered her head.
"Now I'm all alone."
Alfie fell silent.
"I'm sorry."
He lowered his gaze to the sword resting beside him.
"I don't know what it's like to lose someone yet…"
His fingers curled around the hilt.
"That's why I'm here."
He slowly stood, though his legs still felt unsteady from the run.
"To make sure I don't."
He turned toward the cave entrance.
"Stay here."
The girl looked up at him.
"I'm going to find my mother."
Before he could take another step, she grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
Alfie turned back.
"I'm coming with you."
"Why?"
"Because you saved my life."
She wiped her eyes.
"I owe you."
Alfie hesitated, then asked the first question that came to mind.
"You can fight?"
"A little."
She nodded.
"I can use Renshi."
Alfie glanced down at his sword.
"Uh… well…"
He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed.
"I don't actually use Renshi."
The girl blinked.
"I only forged this sword yesterday."
He gave her an uneasy smile.
"And I don't really know how to fight."
She stared at him.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then her eyes widened.
"You mean…"
She pointed at him.
"You came into this forest…"
Her voice grew louder.
"Alone…"
She looked from his face to the sword in his hand.
"Against Darkside Spirits…"
Her expression turned utterly incredulous.
"Without even knowing how to fight?"
Alfie shifted uncomfortably.
"I know how to hold a sword."
He paused, then admitted the obvious.
"That's not the same as knowing how to use one, is it?"
The girl stared at him a moment longer before letting out a long sigh.
"You should stop playing the hero."
"I'm not playing the hero."
Alfie's expression became serious.
"I'm just trying to get my mother back."
He picked up his sword and headed toward the cave entrance, trying to look more confident than he felt.
"If you're not going to help, then just stay here."
The girl watched him, seemingly unable to decide whether he was brave or simply foolish.
"You're insane."
She shook her head.
Then, despite everything, a small smile appeared on her face.
"Insane…"
She rose to her feet and walked toward him.
"But kind of amazing."
She stopped beside him.
"Alright. I'm coming too."
Alfie looked at her, surprised by her decision.
"Keep up, then."
He stepped outside, trying to sound as confident as before.
"I'm not slowing down."
The two children left the cave and continued deeper into the forest.
Alfie kept his sword close, watching the trees around them and listening for anything that might signal danger. He didn't know what they would encounter, or whether he could protect either of them if a Darkside Spirit appeared.
But he kept moving.
Side by side, the two children disappeared between the enormous trees.
"Mama."
Alfie called out again.
"Mama, where are you?"
His voice echoed through the forest, and he continued searching.