The breeze played among the leaves as the sun barely began to rise.Nine-year-old Elior walked beside his father along the dirt path leading to the village.He carried a small basket filled with bread baked by his mother, meant for the old woman at the mill.
"Dad…" Elior said, looking up at the trees. "Do you think angels really watch over us?"
Elian smiled, stopping for a moment to look at him.
"I believe there's more than we can imagine. Some say they even walk among us."
"Like Mr. Kael?" Elior asked with curiosity.
Elian laughed warmly.
"Why him?"
"Because he's very wise… and strong. And his voice sounds like he's speaking with the mountains."
Elian raised an eyebrow, amused.
"How long have you known Uncle Kael, son?"
"Huh? As long as I can remember."
The father smiled, but his gaze drifted for a moment toward the horizon.
"I met him ten years ago… on a cold night in the forest."
Ten Years Earlier…
Elian was carrying a basket of medicinal herbs when he saw him.A hooded figure was trying to start a fire using damp branches.
"It's rare to see someone out here at this hour," Elian said cautiously, though kindly."Even stranger to see someone trying to make fire with those."
The figure turned quickly, alert.
"I wasn't looking for company. Just a bit of warmth before moving on."
Elian set the basket down and smiled.
"Are you from the city? Your accent isn't from around here."
"Yes," the man replied with a sigh. "I walked for days. I needed to get away. The world out there is tired… and so am I."
Elian sat beside him without asking permission.
"Then maybe this forgotten corner is exactly what you need. What's your name?"
"Kael."
"Elian. I live in Velmira, south of the fields. If you want a roof and a warm meal, you're welcome."
Kael looked at him with suspicion.
"Why help a stranger?"
"Because once, someone helped me without asking for anything in return. And because no one deserves to face the cold alone."
Weeks later, Kael was already living in the village.He helped in the fields, taught the children how to breathe properly and defend themselves using wooden sticks.
"I thought I'd only stay a few days," he said, sitting beneath a tree beside Elian."And now it's been over a week."
Elian smiled.
"Velmira has that effect. It doesn't ask you to stay… but it doesn't let you leave so easily either."
Kael looked at him with a hint of nostalgia.
"Years ago, I believed war was the only path. And look at me now—teaching children how not to lose their balance."
"You're the strangest contradiction I've ever met, Kael," Elian laughed.
Kael lowered his gaze.
"Maybe this place found me before I lost myself completely."
"And we found you," Elian replied, leaning back on the grass."Velmira is a refuge for those who carry too much and haven't given up yet."
Kael nodded silently.
"You're right. I'll stay."
"Dad, are you okay?" Elior asked, noticing his father's silence.
"Yes, son. Sorry—I was remembering." Elian smiled."Come on, let's buy some fruit. Your sister wants apples."
"Can we go see Uncle Kael afterward?"
"Not today. He's probably busy with his students at the temple. But tomorrow we'll go."
"Okay, Dad!" Elior replied enthusiastically.
The Next Day…
Kael was training with several young people in the courtyard.His movements were smooth and precise, almost like a dance.When he saw Elior, he stopped the practice and lifted him into his arms.
"My little ray of sunshine! Are you here to learn how to break stones?"
"No!" Elior laughed. "I came to invite you to dinner. Mom's making her chard stew."
Kael lowered his voice like a conspirator.
"The one with potatoes?"
Elior nodded. They both laughed.
Elian approached and embraced his old friend.
"You're always welcome, brother."
Kael looked at him with gratitude.
"Thank you, brother. I'll see you tonight, then."
That night, the table was filled with food and laughter.Liora climbed onto the benches, trying to reach the bread, while Kael helped her and made funny faces.
"Uncle Kael, tell me the story about the walking tree!" the little girl shouted.
"Only if you promise to eat all your vegetables."
"Deal!"
Kael began his tale as Elior leaned against his mother's lap, playing with a small wooden figure his father had carved for him.
"They say that deep in the forest lives a tree that walks when no one is watching.It protects those who are lost… but only those with pure hearts, untouched by malice."
"And have you seen it?" Elior asked curiously.
Kael smiled gently.
"Maybe. Sometimes, you only see certain things when you stop looking for them."
By midnight, both Elior and Liora were asleep in their beds.It was the adults' turn to catch up on life.
Kael and Elian sat on the benches outside the house, a small fire crackling before them, talking about how quickly time passed.Soon, Elyra joined them, carrying a bottle of wine and three glasses.
"You know," Kael said with a laugh, "I've known you both for years, and I've never asked how you met."
"Now that you mention it, that's true," Elian replied with a soft chuckle.
"Should you tell it, or should I, dear?" Elyra said playfully.
"You tell it… dear," Elian replied, stammering slightly and looking down, his cheeks flushed.
"Alright, I'll tell it," she said with a smile.
"We met when we were still children. Back then, everyone in the village used to play together—on forest paths, in the streams, chasing fireflies at dusk.He was always quieter than the others, but his eyes spoke. There was something about him that made me feel safe, even without words.
My family had very little. My parents were often ill, and from a young age I had to carry responsibilities that weren't meant for a child.I went into the forest to gather firewood, learned how to harvest, how to start fires, how to cook without salt when there was nothing left…There were nights when I thought we wouldn't survive another winter.
But then, something strange began to happen.
From time to time, when I returned from work or school, I'd find firewood already chopped by the path, right at the edge of the clearing where I usually left my things.Other times, small baskets filled with fruit, eggs—even fish wrapped in fresh leaves. I never saw anyone.At first, I thought it was a kind neighbor. Later, I wanted to believe it was God's work.
But one day… I saw him.
He was there, standing in front of the tree where the offerings always appeared. He was breathing heavily, covered in sawdust, holding a basket in his hands. His clothes were dirty, and there was a wound on his arm, yet even so, he was leaving his help behind in silence, not expecting anyone to notice. I froze, unsure of what to say. All I could do was cry. But it was not sadness. It was the certainty that I was not alone.
From that moment on, he no longer hid his help. We went together to gather firewood, to harvest, to fish. We shared silences and small laughter, until one day, with nervous yet steady eyes, he asked me if we could be something more… if we could be "us."
I could not say no.
From that day forward, I knew I had found something stronger than hunger, cold, or fear: a companion. A man who believed in me when I could barely believe in myself. He taught me that love does not always shout; sometimes it is built with calloused hands, shared dawns, and silent promises.
Today, there is not a single day when I do not fall more deeply in love with the man beside me. Because if the world were to end tomorrow, he would still be there, cutting firewood for me… even if no one ever saw him.
"How could anyone not fall in love with those brown eyes and those wonderful dark curls?" Elyra said in a playful voice, her face completely flushed.
"It is a truly beautiful story," Kael said, his voice tinged with melancholy.
"What about you, Kael? Have you ever been in love?" Elian asked.
"Yes… but that was many, many years ago."
"It is not a story as beautiful as yours," he added, lifting a glass of wine.
"Like you, we met when we were just children. But unlike you, our families came from opposite worlds. Not separated by distance, but by ideas… by beliefs rooted like ancient trees that no one dares to pull out.
Loving each other was almost an offense to our households. But that did not stop it from happening.
She had hair as white as the first snowfall of the year, eyes that captured you and made you forget the chaos for a moment, and a smile that, if it were not real, I would swear was divine. We were together for years, in secret. We built a world of our own in the shadows, made of soft promises, hidden letters, and escapes into the forest where silence was our only witness.
Until one day we said, 'Enough of hiding.'
We decided to face our families. We believed our love would be enough to break old hatreds. How naïve I was. They looked at us like traitors, like fools. She resisted for a while, with the strength that only love can give… but then… then she changed.
Over time, she began to understand, or at least accept, her family's ideologies. What she once rejected, she now defended. I was no longer part of her world. And then, she left. She abandoned me.
By then, I was already worn down. The weight of where I came from, the war, the doubts, the silences, the secrets… added to that loss, it broke me. I could not stay. So I left. I swore I would never return.
I traveled through scorching deserts, humid jungles, and lands so cold that breathing hurt. I met incredible people, and others who… well, taught me that the world can be cruel, even when you are not. I learned about cultures, languages, ways of living, and ways of surviving. I lived many lives in one.
But I never met anyone like her.
Not because she was perfect, but because she marked my soul at an age when it was still being written. Over the years, the wound stopped bleeding. Love did not turn into hatred; it simply became a memory. Sometimes I think we both did the best we could. We were young… and perhaps, too human."
"I am sorry it did not work out, my dear friend," Elian said gently.
"Do not worry, it is all in the past now. It is time for me to leave, my friends. It is very late, and I have classes to teach early in the morning," Kael said with a light laugh.
"Would you like to stay the night with us?" Elyra asked.
"No, thank you very much. It is better if I return to the temple."
"I have a small question… what does Elior like? His birthday is coming up, and I would like to surprise him," Kael said.
"You could give him a book. He enjoys reading about almost anything," Elyra replied cheerfully.
"Thank you very much. I will keep that in mind. Have a wonderful night."
"Good night, my friend. Travel safely," Elian said.
In the morning, the sun was barely rising when Elior and his father were helping load sacks of grain onto the baker's cart.Sweat beaded on Elian's forehead, yet his smile remained unchanged.
"Your son will be stronger than you, Elian," the baker said with a laugh.
"And more handsome too!" María added with a mischievous giggle.
Laughter blended with the lively noise of the square.
A woman approached carrying a small, fragrant bouquet.
"For your mother, Elior. Please thank her for me. I still remember how she took care of me when I was ill," said Mrs. Agatha.
Elior accepted the flowers carefully.
"I'll tell her, Mrs. Agatha. Thank you!"
Just then, Liora came running, a crooked flower crown perched on her head.
"Look, Eli! I made it!"
The crown was falling apart, petals on the verge of slipping away. Elior crouched down and, with patient, skillful fingers, fixed it.
"There. That's better."
Liora tugged at his arm.
"Let's go to the fountain! I want to touch the water with my feet."
Elior laughed.
"Only if you promise not to jump in with your clothes on like last time."
"That was an accident!" the girl protested, puffing out her cheeks.
Elian watched them with tenderness.His eldest helped the little one take off her shoes, and together they sat on the edge of the stone fountain at the center of the village.
"I always look at them and think… how can something so simple be so perfect?" Elian murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.
"Elian!" Mrs. María called from a nearby stall. "Your son is a saint! The other day he helped a neighbor with a bad leg. He carried his fruit baskets without anyone even asking."
Elian straightened with pride.
"He has a good heart. Just like his mother."
Elior lifted a flower from the fountain.
"Dad! Is this flower jasmine?"
Elian stepped closer.
"Almost. It's honeysuckle. Your mother loves it."
That was when Kael appeared from the direction of the temple. He wore a simple robe, loosened by the summer heat, and carried a basket full of fruit.
"Good afternoon, my children. I brought mandarins. Fresh from the tree."
"Uncle Kael!" Liora shouted, leaping into his arms.
He laughed, lifting her effortlessly.
"My little spark! You're growing so fast that soon you'll be the one lifting me."
Elior looked at the fruit with curiosity.
"Do you really think mandarins have more magic when they're brought by someone special?"
Kael smiled with the calm that always surrounded him.
"The magic isn't in the fruit, Elior… it's in the intention of the one who gives it."
The boy tilted his head, not fully understanding.
Without warning, the weather changed. In the middle of summer, rain began to fall.Raindrops tapped softly against the roof while the fire crackled in the fireplace.
The whole family gathered in the living room.
Elior, a book in his hands, read aloud an old tale of angels and demons. Elyra embroidered in silence, Liora rested against her legs, and Kael drank tea with a serene expression.
"'And then the exiled angel decided to live among humans, learning their customs, their fears… and their capacity to love,'" Elior read.
"Do angels like that really exist, Mom?" Liora asked, her eyes wide.
Elyra gently stroked her hair.
"Maybe. Some are born with wings, and others build them through their actions."
Kael fixed his gaze on Elior.
"That angel… what do you think he felt when he saw humanity so broken?"
Elior closed the book for a moment.
"I think… compassion and anger. Because he couldn't protect everyone."
Kael nodded slowly.
"A very mature answer. Though sometimes compassion must learn whom to save first."
Elian smiled, shifting the mood.
"This house is like that angel. We don't save the world here, but we protect what we have."
"And that is enough," Elyra whispered, caressing Liora. "It will always be enough."
Kael stared into the fire, thoughtful. A flicker of doubt crossed his face. He already knew it: beyond the horizon, something was stirring.But he said nothing.He simply added more firewood to the hearth.
"Just a few more days…" he murmured under his breath. "Please… just a little longer."
Three nights earlier…
Kael was meditating in the temple when a sensation tore through him.An ancient premonition, far too familiar.The danger was here.
He sprang to his feet.
"Where did I leave the katana? Damn it! I don't have time…"
He searched through corners with an anxiety uncharacteristic of him. At last, he found it.With a swift motion, he fastened the belt and rushed toward the mountain.
His feet barely touched the ground. His black robe, hidden away for years, billowed as if it were part of the wind.
The smell came first. Thick. Rotten. Profane.
At the summit, he saw the wound: a dark fissure splitting the rocks open. From it, dozens of low-ranking demons slithered out.They resembled deformed humans with bestial limbs.
Kael did not hesitate.
He drew the katana. The clean, sharp sound tore through the night.In the blink of an eye, three demons fell, evaporating under the blade's purifying light.
It was no ordinary sword.It shone with a white radiance, a sacred flame that responded to the true nature of its wielder.
Kael's movements were no longer human. Each strike, each turn, was a precise dance. His blue eyes turned completely white, like full moons. Strands of his hair began to fade into silver with every release of power.
The demons were many, rabid and savage. But Kael was a tempest of light amid the shadows.With every slash, the blade purged centuries of hatred.
The battle lasted twenty minutes that felt eternal.
Finally, wounded and gasping, Kael saw an opening.
He clasped his hands around the blade, murmuring a prayer in an ancient tongue. The ground trembled.A seal of light descended like a divine spear, sealing the rift with a thunderous roar.
Silence.
Kael dropped to his knees, exhausted, the sword embedded beside him, his hands stained with blood.
Then he saw her.
A figure floated among the trees, followed by three others.White hair. Serene face. Radiant eyes.
His former love.
Kael rose with effort, never breaking his gaze.
"You arrived quite late," he said with a rough smile.
She replied gently.
"We arrived just in time. But you had already resolved it. I'm glad to see you're still just as skilled."
Her lips curved into a barely visible smile. Then, together with the others, she unfurled immaculate white wings and ascended silently into the sky.
Kael watched until they disappeared among the clouds.
Only then did he allow the trembling to overtake him.The echo of the battle and the ghost of the past pierced his chest like an invisible arrow.