Chaosbound: Elarith Chronicles

The Aftermath and the Reunion

Hans, ever the meticulous informant, moved like a shadow through the pre-dawn gloom, positioning himself on a rocky outcrop overlooking the valley. The air was bitingly cold and heavy, pregnant with an ominous silence. He watched as the Handal and Burda tribes, ancient rivals with a fresh wound in their truce—Burda leader Narog having shamelessly violated the pact by harming a direct descendant of the Handal founding family—began to array their forces. This wasn't just another skirmish; this was the culmination of years of simmering hatred, intensified by the Handals' depleted ranks after the Luminaries' recent brutal intervention in the south.

"Ahh, I knew it," Hans grumbled, his voice a low rumble, as the first clash of steel echoed across the valley. "Handals gotta have it. But I gotta give it to them, they have the teeth even when they've lost most of their canines." He squinted, assessing the chaotic dance of blades and shields. A grim set to his jaw, he spat onto the rocks below. "I give it two days, maybe less. Gotta send a message to My Lady, but I have to make sure it's safe for her to come here."

Just as Hans predicted, two days later, the Handals had been utterly crushed. The battlefield was a grim tableau of defeat. The victorious Burda warriors, led by the ruthless Narog, systematically moved through the fallen. Heads were chopped from those unwilling to join their ranks, or simply those deemed "unfit" for their brutal corps, their bodies left as grim warnings. Children and women, however, were spared, an unspoken, brutal rule in this part of the south where non-combatants were rarely harmed. It wasn't a complete takeover; the land technically remained Handal territory, but their spirit was broken, their numbers decimated.

A day later, under the pale light of dawn, a figure seemed to materialize from the mist – a Nomad Healer. He began to survey the place, his gaze taking in the sheer number of dead, the scattered wounded survivors too weak to move. A quiet resolve settled on his face; he had a duty. Without delay, Hans reported it to Luci.

As soon as Luci received the message through a small, glowing magical communication device, she grabbed Kirin, her urgency palpable. "He's here! A Nomad Healer is on-site, Kirin! We better hurry!"

Along the way, Kirin, panting to keep up, managed to ask, "Umm, so what do I do after meeting them?"

Luci, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon, replied, "I didn't think that far ahead, honestly. Just... do your thing. Speak to them, tell them you're a healer, or show them some healer stuff."

Kirin looked doubtful. "Okay, but I'm not sure it's gonna work, but I'll give it a try."

When they finally reached the outskirts of the devastated encampment, Hans was there, urgently waving them forward. "They are here, My Lady! They've already started!"

Luci pushed Kirin forward with a firm hand on his back. "Go, Kirin! Go! Talk to them. It's up to you now."

A group of Nomad Healers moved systematically through the grim scene, attending to the wounded, gently burying the dead. They worked with quiet efficiency, a beacon of calm amidst the carnage. Kirin's eyes scanned the figures, then suddenly widened. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, as if to clear a hallucination. "It's him? It really is him!" His heart pounded with disbelief and soaring hope. He squinted, trying to confirm the impossible, then rubbed his eyelids to make sure he wasn't dreaming. A shiver of recognition ran through him, profound and electric. "Lago…!" he shouted, his voice echoing across the quiet battlefield.

A tall man with a face too kind and caring, currently tending to a slumped figure, heard his name called. "What? Who?" He turned, his gaze searching. He saw a boy, familiar yet changed, sprinting towards him. It was a man now, big-statured, but undeniably the boy he had known and saved so long ago. How could he forget? It was Kirin!

Kirin, overcome with excitement, didn't give Lago time to speak. He launched himself forward, enveloping the healer in a crushing hug. "Lago! It's you! It's me, Kirin!"

Lago grunted, struggling to breathe. "Hmm… argh… too tight… too strong…"

Kirin quickly loosened his grip, a sheepish grin on his face. "Aw, sorry! I got too excited."

"Kirin? Is it really you? You became so… so big? So strong… and…" Lago's eyes narrowed, a different kind of intensity in them. He took a small step back, his surprise evident. "I can feel a divinity in you? You're a…"

Kirin, beaming, finished his sentence. "Yesss! I'm a healer! Just like you. I awakened not long after you left. And just as promised, I have become like you, I help people. But… but…"

"But what?" Lago prompted, still reeling from the unexpected reunion.

"Give me a moment. We'll speak later, but now I need to attend to the injured. Come help us."

Kirin, still radiating excitement, nodded vigorously. "Right, of course! Let me help!" He pointed to himself. "Ah, yes, you said you're a healer. Good, let's help them!" Then his face fell. "But… I can't heal," Kirin admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper. A flush of embarrassment colored his cheeks.

"What?" Lago exclaimed, genuinely surprised. "Didn't you say you are a healer like me?" Lago then seemed to deduce. "Ah, you must be a non-healing variant, huh?"

Kirin looked perplexed. "What? There are other variants?"

"I'll explain later," Lago said, already turning back to a wounded man. "But I need to attend to the injured. Come help us."

And so, like an eager assistant, Kirin helped, making sure to make full use of his immense strength—carrying supplies, moving rubble, or respectfully burying the dead. Meanwhile, Luci and Hans watched from a distance.

"Ah, it looks like he knows someone from that group," Luci observed, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "This would be easy then."

"My Lady," Hans said, his voice dropping, his eyes still on Kirin, a flicker of concern in their depths. "Why are you helping him with this? Are you sure he can handle what he might find?"

Luci sighed, watching Kirin. "At first, I wanted to use him to find Thyranthe, but the kid has a pure soul. I'm finding a way to make sure he doesn't get mixed up with the darkness around that guy. We have to rely on other means to find him now."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"So, we are going to the Royal Vanguard Base after this?" Hans asked, a hint of resignation in his tone. "I need to give them some information, and I believe they can help and make use of the information I can give."

"Well, we have to," Luci confirmed, a steely glint in her eyes. "There's no other choice."

"Okay," Hans conceded.

Later that night, after the immediate crisis had subsided and the injured were settled, Lago and Kirin finally had time to catch up. They found a quiet spot away from the bustling, makeshift healer's camp. Kirin eagerly recounted his adventures, his training as a warrior under his master Aurel, and his journey with the Vanguard. Lago listened, a gentle smile on his kind face, clearly enjoying Kirin's enthusiastic storytelling.

"You seem to have a good master," Lago said, once Kirin finished. "So you seek more strength by finding the healers, according to that friend of yours… what's her name again? Ah, Luci. Well, I'm not going to hide it, but it's supposed to be a secret. If she knew something about it, then she must be someone who has access to special information."

Kirin waved a dismissive hand. "Ah, she did say she's some kind of… anrari, agtli? Ambi? I forgot. She said she's some big shot or something."

Lago laughed, a casual, light sound, but his eyes held a knowing glint. "It's true, there is a place like that. And I'm telling you this because you are a Life Divinant too. Yours is special. We Life Divinants have been blessed with physical abilities, enhanced bodies, some enhanced eyesight, hearing—it depends, but most of us have the ability to heal others. Some awaken late; I, on the other hand, awoke when I was sixteen years old, and that was a long time ago. Some of us have a longer life span while others are not so lucky. Yours is special, but there are others like you too in the history among healers. Come with me, Kirin! I'll take you to the place where only healers can go."

Kirin's face lit up. "But my friends? Can I take them with us?"

Lago's smile softened. "Sorry, Kirin, it's not that I don't want to, but it's impossible for them. Only Life Divinants can enter it."

"Well, that was originally my purpose for finding your, I mean, our kind," Kirin said, a renewed determination in his eyes. "I need to have a second awakening."

Lago seemed amused. "A second awakening, huh? So you know about it? It is possible, but only the Steward of the Life God can make that possible. If you come with me, then you can meet her."

"Life God? Steward? Hmm, sure, let's go!" Kirin practically vibrated with excitement. "But I gotta tell my friends."

"Take your time then," Lago said, standing. "We will leave tomorrow morning."

The Parting Ways

That night, under a sky beginning to pepper with stars, Kirin bid farewell to Luci and Hans. "Luci, Lago has agreed to take me to that place. And I will go," Kirin announced, his voice brimming with a newfound purpose.

Luci, a subtle sense of relief washing over her that their plan had worked, simply nodded. "Good for you," she said. "I don't know what goes beyond there, but I'm sure this is for the best."

Kirin stepped closer, his expression earnest. "After this, I will find Master. And in case we won't meet again, I would like to thank you wholeheartedly. You have given me hope and have been a great help to my personal quest."

Luci offered a wry smile. "Well, I can't say the same for you," she jokingly said, her tone softening almost immediately. "But I enjoyed your company. Listen here, Kirin, the world is a dark place. I hope you continue to do good no matter what happens, the world needs more of you."

Hans chuckled, stepping forward and clapping Kirin heartily on the shoulder. "Aha! I agree, boy! I'm sure you'll make your master proud, and I wish you luck."

Somehow, Kirin felt a sudden surge of emotion, a lump forming in his throat. He wanted to hug them, and tears welled in his eyes. Luci hesitated for a moment, her arms briefly stiff before softening. A tenderness grew in her chest; Kirin had somehow, against all odds, become like the brother she never had. The hug was awkward at first, a large, strong embrace from Kirin, but settled into a comforting warmth for Luci. He may be dumb, Luci thought to herself, a faint smile playing on her lips, but Kirin is a good kind of dumb.

"Wait, what about you?" Kirin suddenly asked, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Where are you heading?"

Luci shrugged. "Well, I have my own mission, so I will be heading somewhere. Remember the monsters we fought, the chaos beings and chaos-corrupting animals? We are going to investigate that too, and we are heading to the Royal Vanguard."

"Really?" Kirin's eyes widened. "I would like to accompany you, but…"

Luci interrupted, her voice firm but kind. "No, you go on your way. We will part ways starting tomorrow. Here, take this." Luci reached into her tunic and pulled out a simple, silver pendant on a leather cord. "It's from my father. Keep it for good luck."

Hans's eyes widened, a shocked gasp almost escaping him as he recognized the pendant's significance. He discreetly signaled Luci, a disapproving frown on his face, but Luci merely met his gaze with a cold stare, and Hans, after a moment, conceded with a slight, almost imperceptible nod. Their eyes locked in a silent exchange that spoke volumes of shared history and current understanding.

That night, Hans offered a celebratory drink for their last night together. He, however, monopolized all the alcoholic beverages, bringing ciders and sweet drinks for the group. Kirin, meanwhile, grilled meat he had hunted, offering it generously to the other healers who had begun to gather. Laughter, quiet chatter, and the crackle of the grilling meat filled the air, creating a bittersweet atmosphere. That night, they ate and drank, sharing stories and quiet moments before finally saying their farewells.

The Path to Everhearth

The next morning, the group of healers chose to stay behind, finishing their urgent healing tasks for the remaining wounded. Lago, however, approached Kirin. "Alright, Kirin. They will join us later, but for now, we will go." Lago then informed the other healers that he would be taking Kirin to a special place—Everhearth—a domain accessible only to Life Divinants. The others, approving of Lago's decision, wished them luck.

"Please follow my lead," Lago said to Kirin, his voice calm. He then pointed to a large, ancient tree, its roots gnarled and deep. "That will be our access point."

Kirin looked at the tree, confused. "That tree?"

"Yes, that tree will be our access to Everhearth," Lago affirmed. "Just trust me and hold my hand to be safe."

"Okay," Kirin replied. He wasn't nervous, but he was more than a little confused; this was undoubtedly the weirdest thing he'd ever encountered.

A faint hum began to emanate from the ancient tree as Lago took Kirin's hand. Kirin felt a peculiar tingle, like static electricity dancing on his skin, then a sensation of being stretched thin, followed by an immediate sense of profound peace. As if phasing through a shimmering veil, Lago and Kirin stepped into the tree. Kirin gasped, finding himself in what looked like a vast network of glowing, ethereal pathways. He saw links and connections extending in every direction, like a celestial map spun from pure light. The pathways pulsed with a soft, green energy, warm and vibrant to the touch.

"Kirin, keep holding my hand," Lago instructed, his voice echoing softly within the strange portal-like space. "You will be able to do this too once you have a blessing from the Mother Steward."

"Uhh, okay," Kirin managed, his mind struggling to comprehend the magical sight. They seemed to be traveling through different pathways, a bewildering yet not entirely foreign experience. He saw faint, pulsating nodes of light along the connections, each a heartbeat of life, a tree, a soul, guiding their way. He could somehow perceive life divinity flowing through these arboreal connections, each point representing a tree, a life, a waypoint in this mystical journey.

Then, after a while, the light intensified, and they stepped out. Kirin found himself standing in a breathtaking magical domain, bathed in soft, ethereal light—Everhearth, a place where only beings blessed by the Life God are allowed to enter.

Kirin stood, his jaw slightly agape, utterly amazed and overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and power of it all. The air was sweet with the scent of blossoming flowers and damp earth, and a gentle breeze carried the rustling whispers of ancient trees. Every leaf, every blade of grass seemed to shimmer with an inner luminescence, and he felt a deep, resonant hum of life vibrating through the very ground beneath his feet.

"Welcome to Everhearth," Lago said, a gentle smile on his face.