Picking up the Pieces

Across the magical world of Vengaria, people awakened strength and speed beyond human limitations. Merlin's voice reverberated in their ears, giving them all the same message. Randomly chosen as candidates for the King Royale got many of them excited. With the majority being commoners, that would mean leading a better life if they succeeded.

Nobles who knew what it meant to be a candidate rallied their armies and made camps surrounding their domains. Whereas the less fortunate didn't even take a single step before being taken out of the competition.

The bloody, and mostly one-sided battle began less than a couple of days ago and the death toll raised to the hundreds, with collateral included. Elena's village is among those.

In the palace, at the Royal Capital, old man Tew knocked on the door of the dining room. Without waiting for a response, he walked in. The foul smell of death bombarded his nostrils. The nausea got the better of him, as he was balancing himself in every couple of steps.

He put his hand on his mouth to keep him from vomiting. He couldn't help but feel disgusted at the sight in front of him. His mind urged him to leave and never look back, but getting so close to the throne, just to give up, wasn't in his character.

The room had the windows shut, and the drapes pulled down. Absolute darkness prevailed and he could only see a pair of glistening blood-red eyes. The old man's eyes adjusted within a few seconds. He breathed in and out to calm his nerves before approaching. "N-Nephew, how are you feeling?"

"U-Uncle Tew… I-I can't stand it. I need more!"

The scrawny old man sat next to his nephew. He brushed his fingers through his hair and patted him for a while. He couldn't help but shiver every time his hands came into contact with the cold skin. Tew gritted his teeth and whispered. "Uncle will provide more. Useless bums from the slums should be enough!"

Old Tew got up and walked towards the door. He leaned on it and looked back. An uncontainable grin appeared on his face. "I always wanted to clean that place up, anyway!"

Meanwhile, in Lir's village, people remained on their knees after a stranger who, in fact, killed their oppressor stood in a stoic posture in front of them. The beauty didn't mean them any harm, but their frightened minds kept them from realizing that simple truth. Her holding a sword to Lir's throat didn't help, either.

Lir stood still. In front of him, a sharp blade came to a halt right before Elena drove it into his throat. His blue eyes stared into hers, unflinching.

After waiting for a few minutes, he sighed before looking at Charaka's body. He walked past her without uttering a word. Surprised, Elena turned her blade towards him. "W-Where are you going?"

"Weren't you listening? I'm looking for my pebble!"

"Wha…?!"

'What's with this person? I don't understand him.' Elena turned around and saw him kneeling in the dirt, searching every inch for his pebble. Annoyed by the fact he ignored her, Elena walked towards him and raised her sword.

On his knees, in a straight position, Lir looked up and met her eyes as she stood behind him, ready to cut him down. She flinched for a moment, but kept her composure.

Unfazed, Lir continued his search, which made Elena all the more irritated. She was about to bring her sword down when he spoke. "My friend Tilly gave it to me for my birthday. It's precious!"

The blade cut through the wind in a swift motion. Elena stopped it as soon as she heard Tilly's name. Her voice had a tone of surprise and warmth when she uttered her name in an almost whispering way. "Tilly…?!"

Lir's eyes went to the corner as he tried to get a glimpse of her. He stood up and turned towards her. His eyes glowed blue and his face turned grim. Lir's entire demeanor changed in a matter of seconds, which sent shivers down her spine. His voice came out cold and his gaze pierced through hers. "You know Tilly?"

Elena, for the first time in a while, felt unsafe. The person in front of her, if provoked, wouldn't hesitate to break her in half. That's the impression Lir gave off at that point. To her surprise, as she kept staring at him, her heart fluttered. At that moment, she didn't care what her eyes showed her. "We met in the woods a while ago. We went to the Royal Capital together."

Lir's eyes went back to normal, but he kept shooting daggers at the girl in front of him. Holding that sword didn't seem to bother him. He clenched his fists until veins bulged. He directed his gaze to the ground as a feeling of shame overwhelmed him. "How is she?"

Elena lowered her sword. She sighed and held her head as soon as memories of her time with Tilly flashed before her. "Carefree to the point it gave me headaches!"

The young man chuckled and raised his head. He looked at Elena, who smiled at him. Then turned his gaze to the worried parents of his friend. He walked in their direction, urging Elena to follow. "These are Tilly's parents."

"Uncle, Auntie! This girl here is Tilly's friend."

The woman with a more mature version of Tilly approached Elena and held her hands, filling her with a profound warmth. That mother's smile eased the girl's anxious heart. "You helped my daughter reach the Capital safe? Thank you!"

Lir jested. "You must have had your hands full!"

Elena sighed and swiftly shook her head. "You don't know...!"

Even though he tried to contain it, the chuckle still escaped his mouth. "I do actually..."

Then, as if she had an epiphany, she looked at him. "Lir...?!"

The young man nodded, somewhat confused.

Elena looked down and smiled. She put her hand on her chest as if she tried to stop her heart from jumping out. "So, you are Lir..."

The crimson-haired beauty had rose cheeks when she noticed his gaze. "I-I don't know you. It's just that Tilly wouldn't shut up about you... She was always going on with Lir this and Lir that..."

Lir blushed and turned the other way when he heard Elena's words. His reaction felt somewhat irritating and an ache she never felt before creeped in her heart.

Tilly's parents laughed at the sight of the two youngsters and her mother hugged Lir. Elena, who stood beside Lir, felt a slight irritation in her heart but didn't pay any attention.

A cool breeze blew by the residents of the burning village. The destroyed houses didn't stop them from putting out the fires. Sweaty and tired, the villagers worked as a single entity and cleared the area from burnt wood and rubble.

The chilly night approached with the gentle chirping of insects. Without a home to return to, people gathered in the center of the village and lit a fire to keep them warm. Elena, who had gone out earlier, returned with a couple of boars.

Lir wandered off and ended up on his knoll, under the massive tree. The stars painted in the night sky showered him with their silver light. "I hope you are safe!"