𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖔𝖙𝖚𝖘 𝕶𝖊𝖊𝖕𝖊𝖗 | 𝔇𝔞𝔦𝔫𝔰𝔩𝔢𝔦𝔣 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯 (EDITING, DO NOT READ YET)

He wandered through the courts of Fontaine, surrounded by lovers strolling hand in hand, blissful and unaware of the world around them. They paused to gaze at him, a man in strange attire with his face hidden behind his messy blonde hair. Love and affection hung in the air, but he stuck out like an aching, lonely soul in the midst of it all.

He couldn't stand it any longer. His chest heavy with despair, he pushed through the crowd, seeking solace in the distant hills, where no one else dared to go. There, behind the shade of a large tree, he collapsed, hugging his legs to his chest and hiding his face in the darkness of his knees.

Everyone had their place. Even the survivors of Khaenri'ah had found some kind of refuge, even in the cold embrace of the Abyss. But who would be there if you were against gods and the Abyss? Who could you turn to when those you swore to protect swore to kill you? What would you do when everyone you loved disappeared or betrayed you? Would you have the audacity to force a smile on?

The people around him saw only a dangerous warrior, someone to fear. But beneath the heavy armor was just a lost child, longing to find those who cared. He believed no one could ever love him again, and he could never love anyone else. The beautiful woman he had once known was gone, and it was his fault. Against the pull of tears, he wished for nothing more than to rest forever beneath the shade of the tree.

But the world, it seemed, never stopped moving. The traveler and her little fairy companion, fresh from slaying gods and beasts, approached him with an invitation to join the Adventurers Guild. He glanced at the flower in her blonde hair and, for a moment, he could have sworn he knew her. She felt so... familiar. So close.

❀Start: Jan 16, 2025

❀This book is not yet completed, but feel free to read it after reading the A/N. ♡