"Are you really going to let her go on her own?" Runar asked, his voice carrying both disbelief and concern as they returned to Sera's house.
Rin did not answer.
His silence was heavy—his thoughts too tangled, too consumed by worry for both Sera and Arelus to give Runar anything in return. Every second that passed felt like time slipping further beyond his reach. He walked straight to the stables, his steps quick and purposeful, and began removing Pearl's lead rope with steady, practiced hands.
"Ru, she cannot go there alone!" Runar grabbed Rin's arm, stopping him mid-motion.
Rin looked at him.
There was tension in his gaze—something restrained, something burning beneath the surface.
"I need to do what she told me."
"Aren't you worried for her?"
"I am!" Rin snapped, his voice sharper than he intended. The words broke out of him like something forced past restraint. "But I trust her." His grip tightened slightly on the rope as he steadied himself. "You've seen what she is… her skills… she's even better than me." His voice lowered, quieter now, but no less certain. "She'll be fine."
There was conviction in his words—but beneath it, something fragile lingered. A hope he was choosing to believe in.
Rin turned away and held Pearl, grounding himself in the task.
"Are you really going to the Lord of Mort? Is he going to help?" Runar asked, his tone shifting, uncertainty creeping in.
"I don't know…" Rin admitted, not looking back. "But her instructions were clear."
"Ru…" Runar hesitated, then spoke more seriously. "Lord Azron is known to be ruthless. Merciless. How is he going to help us?"
Rin didn't answer.
Instead, he reached for his sword and secured it to his waist, his movements firm, as if action was the only way to silence doubt.
"I'll go with you," Runar said after a moment, already turning his back to look for a horse.
"What about the village?"
"I've already instructed the remaining guards what to do." Runar's voice was steady, but there was weight behind his decision. "We don't know if Lord Mort will help us. I can't let you go there alone."
Runar stepped outside to prepare for their departure, leaving Rin alone in the stable.
Rin looked at Pearl, his expression shifting into something uncertain.
"I don't know how to do this…" he murmured as he bent down, lowering himself to meet the mule's eyes. "I don't know if you can understand me… but I need you to take me to Lord Azron."
Pearl remained still.
No sound. No reaction.
Rin exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair as frustration crept in. Time was slipping. Every moment felt like a risk he couldn't afford.
Then something surfaced in his memory.
Sera.
The way she spoke to Pearl every morning… the quiet routine… the cloth she would always show him.
Rin's eyes widened slightly.
Without wasting another second, he rushed into Sera's room, his movements urgent as he searched through her things. His hands moved quickly until he found it—the cloth.
He didn't stop to think.
He ran back to the stable.
"Take me to Lord Azron," Rin said firmly as he held the cloth in front of Pearl.
For a moment—nothing.
Then the mule let out a loud bray, his hooves stomping against the ground with sudden energy.
Rin blinked in surprise.
He didn't know.
He didn't know that Sera had been preparing for this moment long before it came.
That every morning, she had shown Pearl that very cloth—a piece of Azron's clothing she had carefully kept hidden all these years. That she had whispered the same instruction again and again: to go to Lord Azron when this cloth was shown by Rin.
She knew Pearl would never obey just anyone.
But he would obey her.
And Azron.
So she built a bridge between them… quietly, patiently… hoping the day would never come when it would be needed.
Rin smiled faintly, relief easing the tightness in his chest.
He led Pearl outside and mounted him, his grip steady now, purpose replacing hesitation.
Runar joined him moments later, already astride his horse, his presence firm and unwavering beside him.
They exchanged no more words.
There was nothing left to say.
Together, they rode out of Orchid Village—leaving behind smoke, loss, and uncertainty.
Ahead of them lay only one path.
The road to Mort.
And the man who could change everything.
EAGLE FORTRESS
The three generals were in the Officer's Quarters when a warrior suddenly barged inside. His chest heaved violently, his breathing uneven as if he had run without stopping. His eyes were wide—too wide—like he had just witnessed something impossible.
The three generals looked at him, their eyebrows slowly furrowing as they waited for him to speak, but the man stood there frozen, his lips trembling, unable to form a single word.
General Jidu crossed his arms, impatience creeping into his voice. "What?!"
The warrior flinched at the sharpness of his tone, blinking rapidly as if the sound had pulled him back from whatever shock had taken hold of him.
"The…the…the Ghosthoof…" the warrior stuttered, his voice shaking as he raised a trembling hand and pointed outside, as if even saying the name was not enough to capture what he had seen.
Ghosthoof.
The word alone struck something deep within the three generals.
Without another question, they rushed out of the room and toward the gates. Their movements were fast, almost urgent, as if their bodies reacted before their minds could catch up.
Warriors were already gathered at the watchtowers, standing still, their gazes locked on something in the distance. Their silence was heavy, their expressions mirroring the same shock—eyes widened, mouths slightly parted.
The generals climbed up the watchtower, their breaths steady but their hearts pounding harder with each step. When they reached the top and followed the direction of the warriors' gaze, they saw them.
Two men.
Riding in the distance.
And one of them… was riding the Ghosthoof.
They narrowed their eyes, straining to see the rider's face. The distance blurred the details, but something about his posture… his presence… felt familiar in a way that made their chests tighten.
Then the recognition came.
"Rin?" General Dan whispered, his voice barely holding together.
The word felt unreal even as it left his lips.
Without waiting for confirmation, Dan jumped down from the tower, his landing heavy but controlled.
"Open the gates!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the fortress with urgency that could not be mistaken.
General Wang and Jidu followed him immediately, their steps quick, their expressions no longer guarded but shaken.
"Go to Lord Azron! Tell him Rin is back!" General Wang ordered sharply.
A warrior didn't hesitate. He turned and ran, as if carrying news that could shake the very foundation of the fortress.
Outside the gates, Runar and Rin gripped their swords firmly as they watched the massive gates slowly creak open. The towering walls of Eagle Fortress loomed over them, casting long shadows that made the place feel even more imposing. Runar lifted his head, awe evident in his expression as he took in the sheer size of it.
It was nothing like the Stone Bandits' stronghold.
This place was built for war.
Mort warriors marched out from the gates, their steps synchronized, their armor gleaming faintly under the light. Their numbers were overwhelming—rows upon rows of trained soldiers, each one carrying an air of discipline and strength that pressed heavily against the air.
Rin felt his heartbeat quicken.
If they attack… we will never stand a chance.
His face hardened, his posture straightening as he steadied himself, ready to face whatever might come—even if it meant certain death.
"General!!!"
The shout rang out in unison, loud and powerful, cutting through the tension like a blade.
The warriors bowed their heads deeply toward Rin.
The force of their voices alone made both Rin and Runar freeze for a moment.
Rin looked at them, confusion spreading across his face.
"General? Why are these men kept on calling me general?" he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.
The two men slowly unmounted their horses, their movements cautious, uncertain of what awaited them.
The three generals approached them, their steps slower now, as if afraid that moving too quickly might shatter whatever fragile reality had brought Rin back to them. Their gazes locked onto him, filled with disbelief and relief.
Rin shifted slightly under their stare, discomfort creeping into his expression.
"Uhmm…hello?" he said, his voice unsure, as though he wasn't certain how he was supposed to respond.
Before he could say anything more, General Dan suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace.
Rin's body stiffened instantly, his hands lifting in surprise, unsure where to place them. His eyes darted to Runar, who stood there equally stunned, unable to process what he was witnessing.
Rin awkwardly tapped Dan's shoulder, trying to signal his discomfort.
"I'm sorry," Dan said as he quickly pulled away, his voice thick with emotion. He wiped a tear from his cheek, not even trying to hide it. "I know you don't like being touched…I'm just…" His voice faltered. "…happy to see you."
Then General Wang struck Rin's shoulder—not harshly, but firmly enough to make him turn his head in confusion.
"Where have you been all these years?" Wang asked, forcing his expression into something serious, though the emotion beneath it threatened to surface.
Rin looked down at his shoulder, then back at Wang, his confusion deepening.
"We looked everywhere for you, Rin," General Jidu added, his voice quieter but no less intense. "Why didn't you show yourself sooner?"
"Rin?" Rin repeated, his brows furrowing tighter as he tried to make sense of their words. "Who do you think I am?"
The three generals exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from relief to confusion in an instant.
Something wasn't right.
"Rin…" General Dan began, his voice slower now, cautious.
"Rin? Who is Rin?" Rin asked again, his tone more firm, frustration beginning to edge into his voice.
"You," Wang answered simply. "General Rin."
The words struck him harder than he expected.
Rin took a step back.
"Why does everyone keep on calling me a general?"
Silence settled between them, thick and uncertain.
Then Runar stepped closer, his voice steady but careful. "He lost his memories…" He glanced at Rin. "…You just didn't remember who you truly are."
"Lost your memories?"
"You don't remember us?"
Generals Wang and Dan asked almost at the same time, their voices laced with disbelief.
But Rin stood there, frozen, his mind racing, unable to grasp the weight of what he was hearing. Everything felt distant, like fragments of a life that belonged to someone else.
Then the sound of hooves broke through the tension.
Lord Azron arrived.
The moment he entered, every warrior bowed their heads in unison.
"Lord Azron."
Only two remained standing.
Rin and Runar.
They did not bow—not out of defiance, but because they did not know him.
Rin lifted his gaze, finally seeing the man Sera had told him to find.
Azron dismounted his horse quickly, his usual composed demeanor slipping as he walked toward Rin with urgency. Each step carried something heavier than authority—something deeply personal.
Rin watched him approach.
And for the first time, he noticed something unexpected.
Azron's eyes were not cold.
They were filled with emotion—raw, unguarded, almost fragile.
Tears.
Concern.
Relief.
"Rin…you're back…you're alive."
Azron's voice trembled as he pulled Rin into an embrace.
A quiet wave of shock spread through the crowd.
Runar stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing.
The Lord of Mort… embracing someone like that?
It was unimaginable.
"What happened? Why did you show yourself just now?" Azron asked as he held Rin, his grip firm.
But Rin could not answer.
Everything around him felt overwhelming, unfamiliar, too much to take in all at once.
Azron's gaze shifted then, drawn to something else.
Pearl.
He walked toward the mule and gently placed his hand against its face, his touch unexpectedly soft.
"I knew you were alive," he murmured, almost to himself.
Then he lifted his head, his eyes searching the surroundings, scanning each face, each shadow.
Looking for someone.
"Where's Sera?"
He turned back to Rin, expectation in his gaze.
But Rin only looked at him, confusion unchanging.
"Who's Sera?" he asked.
Azron stilled.
"What?"
General Jidu stepped closer to him, lowering his voice. "Lord Azron, he doesn't remember a thing."
Azron's gaze sharpened, disbelief flashing across his face.
"What do you mean?"
"He lost his memories…" General Dan added quietly as he stepped forward. "He doesn't know who he truly is."
Silence fell once more.
But this time, it was heavier.
Because the man they had been waiting for… had returned—
Only without the life he once carried.