Ruins

As Kite followed Elian into the Forest of Whispers, the air was cool and filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant animal calls. It was a place that seemed both serene and alive with hidden secrets.

Kite's grip on his sheathed sword tightened, not out of fear, but from a surge of memories. He remembered his friends from his old world, the ones he had lost—the ones he couldn't save. The pain of those losses still lingered, an ache that time had softened but never fully erased.

To make matters worse, it was possible they didn't die. Which would be a good thing, but Kite couldn't help but wonder if maybe they ended up facing a fate worse than death. For all he knew, they could've been taken in as slaves or treated as test subjects...

Elian's laughter broke through Kite's reminiscing, pulling him back to the present. "Come on, Kite! You're falling behind!" Elian called out, his voice echoing among the trees.

Kite quickened his pace, catching up to Elian who was already practicing his swings against an imaginary foe. His new sword slicing through the air with a whoosh.

The enthusiasm and energy Elian displayed were infectious, and for a moment, Kite allowed himself to be swept up in the joy of the here and now. He offered Elian pointers and encouragement, his own sword resting by his side.

"You're getting better," Kite said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Remember to keep your balance and don't overextend."

Elian nodded, taking the advice to heart. "Like this?" he asked, adjusting his stance and executing a more controlled series of movements.

"Exactly," Kite replied, his pride in Elian's progress evident.

Elian grinned and sliced the air with his silver blade.

Kite gasped as he heard leaves getting stepped on. He turned and saw Sylvana and Liliana with trays of paper wrapped food. They seemed to be sandwiches of some kind.

"We brought a snack for us to enjoy!" Liliana said, grinning.

"Sweet, snacks!" Elian yelled.

Sylvana giggled. "Although, Liliana already ate several."

Liliana rubbed her tummy and raised her chin. "Well, a growing girl does have to eat."

Kite chuckled. "You sound like Elian!"

Elian crossed his arms and snickered. "Hey, you aren't very different in that regard, Kite."

Kite laughed, shaking his head. "I guess we're all in the same boat then."

The group settled down on a fallen log, unwrapping the sandwiches that Sylvana and Liliana had brought. The bread was fresh, the filling generous, and the laughter and conversation flowed as freely as the stream nearby.

As they ate, Kite's thoughts drifted back to his friends from his old world. He wondered where they were now, what they were doing. The possibility that they might be out there somewhere, perhaps even looking for him, was both comforting and saddening.

Elian noticed Kite's distant gaze and nudged him gently. "You okay, Kite?"

Kite snapped back to the present, offering Elian a small smile. "Yeah, just thinking about the past."

Liliana leaned in, her expression kind. "You miss your own world, don't you? It's okay to miss them but remember that you got us too. I know we can't replace your old buddies, but you can lean on us when you're down."

Sylvana nodded in agreement, her voice soft. "We're your family here, Kite. And we're here for you, always."

Kite felt warmth overtake the coldness in his chest that he hadn't realized he had. He looked at each of his friends, their faces lit by the soft glow of the afternoon sun pouring through the forest canopy. He knew that they were right. He wasn't alone.

After finishing their snacks, the group packed up and continued their practice. Kite felt a renewed sense of purpose as he helped Elian with his swordplay, the movements becoming more fluid and confident with each pass. 

Liliana, ever the hyperactive little girl, decided to join the boys. She swung her oversized staff and whacked the air as if she were bonking bandits over the head with it.

The Forest of Whispers seemed to watch over them, its ancient trees standing tall and silent. Kite couldn't shake the feeling that the forest was alive with memories, not just his own, but those of countless others who had passed underneath its verdant leaves.

Kite lowered his golden sword and gasped as it began to glow again. His sword rose slightly without him even meaning to. Its tip pointed to a part of the forest where the canopy was too thick for sunlight to pour through.

"Did the Blade of Lumina just move by itself?" Sylvana asked, eyes wide.

"You saw that too?" Kite asked, glancing at her.

She nodded.

Liliana, who had been playfully swinging her staff, stopped and looked over at Kite and Sylvana. "What's going on?" she asked, her curiosity piqued by the glowing sword.

Elian, too, turned his attention to Kite who was starting to struggle to keep his blade from flying away. "Whoa, that's not something you see every day," he remarked, his eyes wide with wonder.

Kite held the Blade of Lumina tightly as it tried to pull him toward the darker part of the forest. "It seems like… the sword wants us to go over there," he said, a mix of uncertainty and intrigue in his voice.

Liliana's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Maybe it's like a treasure hunt! The sword could be leading us to something amazing!"

Elian nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Maybe there's some kind of secret hidden in that part of the forest. We should check it out!"

Sylvana looked hesitant but intrigued. "It does seem like the sword has a will of its own. It might be important."

Kite considered their eager faces and the strange reaction of his sword. "Alright, let's go see what's there. But we need to be careful. We don't know what we might find."

The group agreed, and with Kite's blade leading the way, they ventured into the denser part of the Forest of Whispers. The light dimmed as they moved under the thick canopy, the atmosphere growing more solemn with each step.

As they walked, the Blade of Lumina's glow intensified, casting an ethereal light on the forest floor. The cool forest air grew slightly warmer, and the sounds of the forest seemed to hush as if in anticipation.

Finally, they reached a small clearing where the light from Kite's sword illuminated an ancient stone pedestal in the center. The pedestal was covered in moss and vines, but it was clear that it was of significant importance.

Kite approached the pedestal, the Blade of Lumina resonating with a hum that vibrated through the air.

Liliana gasped and used her plant powers to remove the vines from the pedestal, revealing what looked to be a slot of some kind.

The blond girl giggled as her sunrise-like eyes turned to Kite. "Kite, try putting it in! It might trigger something like in the books!"

"Liliana, those are books," Elian said, chuckling. He stared at the sword, his blue eyes shining with as much curiosity as her. "Although maybe it's worth trying."

Kite cautiously stepped closer to the pedestal and took a deep breath. Would it really activate something like in the roleplaying games Kite used to play? He gulped, what if it did and it turned out to be a trap door of some kind?

"Come on, don't be a wuss," Liliana said, nudging him as she giggled.

Kite sighed. Giving into her request, he carefully placed the sword into the perfectly shaped slot atop the pedestal. As he did, a soft, melodic chime echoed throughout the forest. Eh? Why did it sound like something from a roleplaying game? Had he been reborn into a game or something? No, he doubt that. There was no UI or anything like that. But then, what was the source of the sound?

The ground trembled slightly as the sound of chimes intensified, and the pedestal began to shift, revealing a hidden staircase leading down into darkness.

Kite's eyes widened. It worked? It actually worked! 

Liliana clutched her staff tightly and jumped up and down. "It's a secret passage! This is incredible!"

Elian grinned and he peered inside. "We've got to see where it leads!"

Sylvana gulped. "We should be cautious. There's no telling what's down there."

Kite nodded. "Let's go back home. It's late anyway. Also, I think Ludo would probably like to join us too."

Liliana and Elian sighed in unison. "Fine!"

Sylvana let out a sigh of relief.

The group retraced their steps through the Forest of Whispers, the Blade of Lumina's light dimming as they moved away from the secret passage. The forest seemed to sigh around them, its secrets tucked away once more deep-beneath its ancient trees.

This forest reminded Kite of a place his mom once told him about, the Shēnyuān zhī tǎ, a tower said to lead into the abyss itself. The tower was home to his clan's main branch.

According to her, in that tower, there was a hall of whispers filled with the voices of their ancestors. Had he not been reborn to this world, would his voice have been added into that hall?

As they emerged from the forest, the sky was painted with streaks of orange and purple, dusk settling over the land like a soft blanket. The air was cooler now, and the town of Ald Town could be seen in the distance, its lights beginning to twinkle as night approached.

"We'll come back tomorrow, first thing after breakfast," Kite promised, sensing the lingering disappointment in Liliana and Elian's expressions. "We'll bring Ludo along, and we'll explore the passage together."

Liliana's face brightened at the promise, and she nodded eagerly. "It's a plan! I'll make sure to pack some extra snacks!"

Elian's excitement returned, and he sheathed his new sword with care. "I can't wait to tell Dad about this. He loves a good mystery."

Sylvana walked beside Kite, her earlier apprehension replaced with a quiet curiosity. "Do you think it's safe?" she asked, her voice low.

Kite glanced at her, his confidence unwavering. "We'll make it safe. We'll take precautions and stick together. That's what friends do."

The group made their way back to Ald Town, their shadows long on the ground as the sun dipped below the horizon. Elian and Liliana speculated about what they might find beneath the stone ruins.

As they reached the edge of town, Kite paused, looking back at the forest one last time. Kite knew that the memories of his old friends would always be a part of him. They were irreplaceable, after all. But he also knew that new memories were waiting to be made, right here, with his new family and friends.