Broken Star!

Kingdom of Velnar, Noburn City

The quaint town of Noburn basked in the golden embrace of morning light. The sun pierced through a thin veil of mist, casting the cobblestone streets in warm hues of amber and gold. Trees swayed gently in the breeze, their rustling leaves harmonizing with the cheerful trill of birds. The tranquil rhythm of the town spoke of peace and simplicity—a haven untouched by the chaos of the wider world.

Yet, the town was far from still. It was harvest season, and Noburn thrummed with energy. Farmers displayed their bounty with pride—crates of plump apples, bushels of golden wheat, and bundles of fragrant herbs. Merchants shouted over one another, vying for customers with exaggerated gestures and boisterous enthusiasm. Children darted through the streets, their laughter a melody above the bustling chatter of townsfolk.

In the heart of it all stood two boys, their presence as lively as the town itself.

"Hey, Bell! Over here!" Lloyd called, waving from the edge of the stone fountain.

Lloyd's silver hair caught the sunlight, shimmering like moonlight against his pale complexion. His bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he leaned against the fountain's edge, holding something small and glimmering in his palm.

Bell, his unruly brown hair tousled by the breeze, jogged over. His sharp green eyes narrowed with curiosity as he asked, "What is it?"

Lloyd grinned, holding up the object—a shimmering, translucent stone that refracted tiny rainbows in the sunlight. "I found it by the old well! Do you think it's a diamond?"

"A diamond?" Bell's brow furrowed. "In Noburn? That seems… unlikely."

"Well, look at it! It's gotta be something valuable!" Lloyd said, his grin widening as he turned the stone over in his hand.

"Even if it is," Bell said cautiously, "it probably belongs to someone. Maybe one of the nobles dropped it."

At the mention of nobles, Lloyd's expression darkened. "Why should we care if it belongs to them?" he snapped, his grip on the stone tightening. "Do you think they care if we go hungry or freeze in the winter?"

Bell hesitated, startled by the bitterness in Lloyd's voice. "Lloyd… I didn't mean—"

"I mean it, Bell," Lloyd interrupted, his voice growing more forceful. "Why do they get to have everything while we scrape by? Don't you think we deserve something good for once?"

Bell shifted uncomfortably. He knew Lloyd's family struggled, living on the edge of poverty like so many others in Noburn. But something about Lloyd's anger unnerved him.

"I get it," Bell said softly. "But selling that stone could bring more trouble than it's worth. What if someone dangerous sees us? What if they think we stole it?"

Lloyd's grip on the stone slackened, the fire in his eyes dimming. "Yeah… you're probably right," he muttered, his voice tinged with reluctance.

Bell stepped closer, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Let's just hold onto it for now. Maybe we'll figure out what to do with it later."

Lloyd sighed, but his usual grin returned. "Alright. But when I'm rich and famous, I'm buying you the fanciest sword in Velnar!"

Bell chuckled. "Deal."

The boys wandered into the town square, their laughter blending with the hum of life around them. At the square's center stood a towering statue of the Great Hero Haruto. Though carved from simple stone, the statue exuded strength and honor, a symbol of hope for the townsfolk. Its weathered surface bore the marks of time, yet it stood tall, unwavering.

"One day," Lloyd said, his voice filled with awe, "I'm gonna be just like him. I'll slay monsters, save people, and maybe they'll even make a statue of me!"

Bell smirked. "You'd better work on not tripping over your own feet first."

"Hey!" Lloyd protested, puffing out his chest. "I've been practicing! Look at this!" He flexed his arm, his scrawny muscles barely visible. "Pure strength, right?"

Bell shook his head, laughing. "Sure, Lloyd. You're unstoppable."

As their laughter subsided, Bell's gaze lingered on the statue. His expression grew serious. "Hey, Lloyd. Don't you think it's strange? The Great Heroes were supposed to be wise and kind, but… why does it feel like they built a world where people like us don't matter?"

Lloyd tilted his head, his grin fading. "What are you talking about?"

Bell gestured toward the statue. "I mean, look at us. We work hard, but we'll never have what the nobles have. Doesn't that bother you?"

Lloyd frowned, his usual cheer replaced by quiet contemplation. "Maybe that's why people like us need to change things," he said finally.

Bell stared at him, surprised by the weight in his voice. For all his teasing and bravado, Lloyd carried a depth that few noticed. "Yeah," Bell murmured. "Maybe."

The sun climbed higher, its light glinting off the rippling surface of the town's lake. The boys sat by the water's edge, sharing what little food they had. Bell tore into a crusty roll, savoring the warmth of the sun on his face. Lloyd leaned back, staring at the sky.

"You know what I want, Bell?" Lloyd said suddenly, his voice soft.

"What?" Bell asked, glancing at him.

"To leave this place. To see what's out there. The mountains, the oceans… I want to know what it feels like to be free."

Bell didn't respond immediately. He stared at the lake, its surface mirroring the endless sky. "Me too," he admitted finally. "But it's not that simple, Lloyd. Out there… it's dangerous."

"Yeah," Lloyd said with a grin. "But we've got each other, right? You're the brains, and I'm the brawn. We'd make a great team!"

Bell laughed softly, shaking his head. "You're impossible."

For a while, they sat in companionable silence, the weight of their dreams pressing against the limits of their reality. Above them, a single cloud drifted across the sky, its shape strange and unfamiliar.

"Bell," Lloyd said, his voice suddenly tense. "What's that?"

Bell followed his gaze, his heart skipping a beat. The cloud wasn't just a cloud—it was moving too fast, and within it, a massive shape seemed to shift and writhe.

A deep growl rumbled through the air, sending a shiver down Bell's spine.

"Lloyd," Bell said, his voice trembling. "We need to go."

Before Lloyd could respond, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking the ground with a deafening crack.

The first clap of thunder shattered the serenity, a deafening roar that sent birds fleeing from the treetops. Dark clouds rolled in, casting an ominous shadow over Noburn. The vibrant warmth of the day vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness that set Bell's nerves on edge.

"Lloyd… look!" Bell pointed to the sky, his voice trembling.

A massive shape stirred within the swirling storm clouds. Its form was obscured, but the sheer size of the silhouette was enough to paralyze Bell with dread. Then came the growl—a deep, guttural sound that seemed to reverberate through their very bones. It wasn't just a sound; it was a presence, heavy and suffocating.

A blinding bolt of lightning struck mere feet from them. The ground shook violently, throwing both boys to the ground. The metallic scent of ozone filled the air, and smoke curled from the scorched earth.

"Lloyd!" Bell scrambled to his feet, his ears ringing. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on his friend. Lloyd lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his stomach. Blood seeped through his fingers, staining the earth beneath him a deep crimson.

"Lloyd!" Bell cried, dropping to his knees beside him. His hands hovered helplessly, unsure of what to do. "Hang on! I'll get help!"

Lloyd's pale hand shot out, grabbing Bell's wrist with surprising strength. "N-no… Bell…" His voice was weak, his breath ragged. "It's… not safe… for you."

"Stop talking like that!" Bell shouted, tears streaming down his face. "You're going to be fine! Just hold on, okay? I'll find someone—"

"It's… too late…" Lloyd's lips curled into a faint smile, but it was tinged with sorrow. His grip on Bell's wrist weakened. "I'm… sorry… I couldn't… help you… with your dream…"

"Don't say that!" Bell's voice cracked. He pressed his hands against Lloyd's wound, desperate to stop the bleeding. "You're not going anywhere, Lloyd! Do you hear me? You're staying right here with me!"

But Lloyd's eyes were already glazing over, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. Blood bubbled from his lips as he tried to speak one last time. "Bell… be free…"

"Lloyd!" Bell screamed as his friend's body went limp in his arms. The world seemed to tilt, the storm's roar fading into a hollow silence. He shook Lloyd gently, then more frantically. "Wake up! Please, wake up!"

There was no response.

"No… no, no, no!" Bell clutched Lloyd's lifeless body to his chest, his sobs wracking his small frame. The boy who had been his partner in every childhood dream, who had vowed to explore the world with him, was gone.

Clutching Lloyd's body, Bell staggered back toward the town, his vision blurred by tears. Each step felt like wading through molasses, his limbs heavy with grief. The vibrant Noburn he had left behind was unrecognizable.

Smoke billowed from shattered buildings, flames licking at what remained. The cries of the wounded and dying echoed through the chaos, a symphony of despair that twisted Bell's stomach. People ran in every direction, their faces etched with terror.

"The healer's gone!" a desperate man shouted, cradling a child in his arms. "They abandoned us!"

"Damn the nobles!" another screamed, his voice hoarse with fury. "They don't care about us! They never did!"

Bell's mind was a haze of grief and fury. He barely registered the voices around him, his focus fixed solely on reaching home. Lloyd's blood soaked into his shirt, the warmth a stark reminder of the life that had just slipped through his fingers.

When he turned the final corner, his legs buckled.

The street where his house had once stood was nothing but rubble. Smoke curled from the charred remains, the acrid stench of burned wood and flesh clawing at Bell's throat. His knees hit the ground as his body gave out, the weight of his grief too much to bear.

"Mom…" he whispered, his voice barely audible. "No… no, no, no!"

He crawled toward the wreckage, his hands trembling as they sifted through the ashes. His fingers found fragments of his mother's favorite pottery, blackened by fire. His chest heaved as sobs overtook him, his cries raw and unrestrained.

"Why?" Bell screamed, his voice breaking. He slammed his fists against the ground, the pain a fleeting distraction from the agony inside. "Why did this happen?"

"Just.."

"..Why?"

The sky offered no answer, only the relentless growl of thunder.

***

Bell jolted awake, his breath ragged and his body drenched in sweat. He clutched his head, his fingers digging into his scalp as the remnants of the nightmare clung to him like a shadow.

"Why…!" he cried out, his voice trembling in the quiet of the room. For a moment, he sat frozen, his chest heaving, before whispering to himself, "It was that dream again…"

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat there, his head in his hands, trying to ground himself. After a few moments, Bell stood, the cold wooden floorboards creaking beneath his weight as he made his way toward the small bathroom adjacent to his room.

The space was modest—a rough-hewn wooden sink stood against the wall, with a small oval mirror framed by weathered oak. Shelves holding various grooming items and a potted fern brought a touch of life to the otherwise simple setting. The faint smell of lavender from a drying herb bundle hung in the air, mingling with the earthy scent of the wood.

Bell stood before the mirror, his reflection staring back at him. Dark circles lingered under his sharp green eyes, and his silver hair was tousled from restless sleep. He raised his hand and murmured, "Water magic."

A small orb of water manifested above his right hand, shimmering with an otherworldly light. The sphere hovered for a moment before Bell directed it toward the sink. With practiced ease, he splashed the water onto his face, its coolness jolting him awake.

Droplets trailed down his cheeks and chin as he straightened, gripping the edges of the sink. His reflection stared back at him, determined yet weighed down by invisible burdens.

"I'll make sure to get strong during the training camp," he said, his voice low but resolute.

Bell clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening. Water dripped from his chin onto the sink as he whispered, his teeth gritted, "Watch over me, Lloyd."