The light of the setting sun painted the room in fading amber as the moon began its silent ascent. Within the humble Tier-1 house, the air was thick with tension, Claymond's offer still lingering like a sacred vow unspoken. Kairo sat quietly, his thoughts racing—visions of gods, giantd, dragons, and collapsing continents flashing in his mind.
Then, he lifted his head, his blue eyes gleaming with resolve.
"If joining you will help me survive… conquer this world… and uncover the truths kept hidden from everyone," Kairo said, his voice steady but fierce, "then I'll join you."
Claymond's eyes softened. Slowly, he clasped his right hand into a tight fist—the same deliberate gesture that carried the weight of conviction—and smiled. "Then it's decided."
Varen broke into a grin, throwing his hands behind his head. "Hah! Welcome to the family, Kairo. It's gonna be one hell of an adventure with you."
Lyra, ever composed, remained seated with her arms crossed. Yet a faint smile tugged at her lips. (So my intuition was right,) she thought. (He truly lives up to my expectations.)
Then Claymond stood, his voice echoing like a vow carved in stone.
"Kairo, we humbly welcome you as one of the Founding Members of the Ruin Lord Alliance."
Kairo blinked in shock. "W-wait… founding member?!"
Kairo blinked, still trying to process Claymond's declaration. "Wait—what do you mean, a founding member?" he asked, clearly startled.
Varen grinned, scratching the back of his head. "Oh yeah, we probably should've told you that sooner."
Claymond gave an awkward smile, adjusting his glasses. "You see… our alliance is still rather young. We don't really have that many members yet."
Lyra looked away, a hint of red on her cheeks, before crossing her arms. "But that doesn't mean we're weak," she added quickly, though her voice faltered for a moment. "We just… started a little late, that's all."
Kairo sighed, rubbing his face. (So I was scared of nothing… they're just a bunch of newbies like me.)
The atmosphere grew slightly tense until Varen let out a short laugh. "Sorry we didn't mention it earlier, haha."
Kairo exhaled, shaking his head. "So, this is everyone in the alliance?"
Claymond shook his head. "No. We have one more member, but he's away on his own mission right now."
Varen leaned back in his chair, smirking. "The old man's really strong. Tier five—can you believe that? A mid-tier lord!"
Kairo's eyes widened. (Tier five… if that's true, he'd be the strongest person I've met in this world.)
Claymond nodded. "It's been a long time since we've seen him, but we'll inform you when he returns."
Lyra stood up, resting a hand on her hip. "It's getting late. We should head back."
Varen groaned. "Aww, come on, can't we stay a bit longer?"
"No," Claymond replied firmly. "She's right. And I'm sure Kairo needs rest as well."
Kairo smiled. "You're welcome here anytime."
Varen brightened. "Then, Lyra, give him that."
With a sigh, Lyra placed a small orb on the table—its surface shimmering blue with streaks of faint pink.
Kairo tilted his head. "What's this?"
"A communication orb," Lyra explained coolly. "A low-tier artifact. It allows you to communicate with us."
Kairo inspected it through the Command Nexus—
[Communication Orb – Low Tier Artifact]
Effect: Enables long-distance communication with linked orbs.
Description: A crystal sphere that connects the voices of allied individuals.
Claymond smiled faintly. "If any conflict arises, you can contact us immediately."
Varen grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah! You can count on us."
Kairo escorted Claymond, Lyra, and Varen toward the towering gates of his terratory. Behind them, Renn the bard, the ork with the massive axe, and the maid with the eyepatch silently followed, keeping pace with the lords. As they reached the gates, Kairo paused, watching the fading sunset paint the sky in streaks of orange and crimson.
Varen leaned casually against the gatepost, a faint smirk on his face. "This is goodbye for now," he said, voice brimming with playful confidence. "But don't worry—we'll be back. And next time, it'll be even more fun."
Claymond adjusted his glasses, his serious gaze locking with Kairo's. "Good luck repairing the damages from the raid," he said with genuine warmth. "May your leadership strengthen the Western Ruins."
Lyra said nothing, her expression calm, but Kairo nodded toward her anyway. "Goodbye, Lyra," he said. She inclined her head subtly in acknowledgment.
With that, the three lords turned, their retainers falling in behind them as they merged with the army waiting outside. Slowly, they disappeared into the distance, leaving Kairo standing at the gates, his gaze lingering on the retreating figures.
He turned toward the battlefield before him. The ground was littered with the bodies of the bandits: Zeven, Raghul, and Ardan lay strewn across the blood-dried earth, their faces frozen in expressions of defiance and pain. Kairo's heart clenched at the sight. Memories of their last words, their past betrayals, and the consequences of his choices flashed vividly in his mind.
He stepped forward, eyes brimming with tears, whispering, This… this is my fault. They were just broken people, and I… I took their lives.
A firm hand landed on his shoulder. Kairo turned to see Shiri standing there, Onyx by his side. Shiri's gaze was sharp yet gentle. "Look, boy," he said. "This isn't your fault. You did this to protect your people. If you hadn't, none of us would be alive today."
"But—" Kairo began, voice trembling.
Shiri cut him off. "But you took a life, yes. So what? You saved Theo, your terratory, and me. Be proud. This didn't take away your humanity—it ignited it. And now it's up to you to keep that flame burning."
Kairo stopped crying. Without thinking, he embraced Shiri. Hesitant at first, Shiri returned the hug, firm but comforting.
From the barracks, Theo dashed out, shouting, "Big bro Kairo!" Flint followed closely, tail swishing nervously. Theo flung himself into Kairo's arms, laughing, "How did I do?!"
Kairo chuckled, glancing at Shiri before patting Theo's head. "You did great," he said. "And Flint—today, you became more than my soldier. You're officially Theo's partner now."
Flint wagged his tail excitedly as Theo grinned, both of them beaming. Kairo looked at his companions, the golden glow of camaraderie filling the air. (This is just the beginning. Many more challenges await, but I'm ready,) he thought.
Shiri's gaze drifted to the bodies. "What do we do with them?" he asked. "We can't just leave them here."
Kairo looked over the battlefield, taking in the fallen bandits. A determined smile spread across his face. "We'll give them the respect every human deserves," he said. "But first, we need to move them away from here."
The Western Ruins lay in silence, and for the first time, Kairo felt the weight of responsibility settle firmly on his shoulders—not as a boy, not as a survivor, but as a lord prepared to shape his world.
But unknown to all, far beyond the ruins, the wind howled, kicking dust into the air as a pack of wolf-like beasts thundered forward. Their necks were shackled with chains, red rubies glowing ominously, driving them toward their prey.
A girl with wide, violet eyes stumbled and ran clumsily, her oversized witch hat wobbling with every step. "Why does this keep happening to me?!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face, bouncing her broom in panic.
One beast lunged, teeth bared, but she squealed and leapt aside, flailing wildly. "Someone! Help meee!"
she cried, completely oblivious she was heading straight for Kairo's terratory. Chaos, laughter, and danger collided—something big was coming.
To be continued.....