The night was quiet, and Cain had fallen into a deep sleep. Outside the tent, the wind whispered softly. His breathing gradually steadied, and his thoughts sank into a long dream amidst his exhaustion.
He stood in a golden field, the sky vast and boundless, with the sun warmly illuminating the earth. A gentle breeze brushed past his ears, carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass. He was just a little boy, holding tightly to his parents' hands. He couldn't see their faces, but the familiar scent and touch were deeply etched in his heart.
"Cain, always remember who you are," his father's deep voice echoed from the clouds.
"You are a child of the light," his mother's voice was soft as water. "No matter where you are, let your heart always face hope."
He turned back, but the hands holding his began to loosen. His parents' figures started to fade into the light. Cain tried to chase after them, but no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't catch up. His feet sank into the mud, trapping him in place.
Suddenly, the sky darkened. Shadows surged from all directions, and beastmen emerged from the black mist, their roars deafening. His eyes widened as he watched his parents' figures disappear into the horde of beasts, torn apart like a shattered dream.
"No—!"
He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The shout was stuck in his throat. He jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat, his breathing rapid. The tent was silent, save for the thunderous pounding of his heartbeat in his ears.
Sitting up, his chest heaved violently, his back soaked through with sweat. The tent was pitch black, and only his heavy breaths filled the void.
He stared at his trembling hands, the warmth and terror from the dream still lingering in his mind. In that moment, he had never been so certain of what he sought.
The blurred outlines in his dream remained warm, but the beasts that tore everything apart left him unable to turn back.
He clenched his fists, his chest heavy as if weighed down by a boulder—but he had never felt so resolute.
No matter what, he had to become stronger. To save his parents. To protect those he could not bear to lose again.
Parents. Freedom. Protection.
He carved these beliefs into his very being, turning them into his resolve.
In the days that followed, their training intensified.
Beyond the usual physical drills and combat practice, their instructor arranged special courses for the three of them, including weapon handling, battlefield judgment, and mental focus exercises.
Under the scorching sun, the trio trained until they were drenched in sweat, their muscles aching—a sensation they had long since grown accustomed to. Exhaustion made every night a collapse into sleep, yet each time they rose again, they felt more determined.
The grueling training continued as always, but a new rhythm began to emerge.
Cain, Roddy, and Thalio supported each other on the training grounds, pushing one another to improve. Their camaraderie deepened—not just because they had fought side by side, but because they all understood one thing:
Only by becoming stronger could they hope to change their fates.
"Hey, Cain, that dodge of yours was pretty slick," Thalio said, wiping sweat off his face with the back of his hand, grinning.
"You mean when I dodged your flying kick?" Cain chuckled. "That's because your move was so exaggerated, and you even shouted."
"That's called presence! Don't you know the importance of intimidation on the battlefield?" Thalio pounded his chest, brimming with confidence.
"Presence doesn't mean noise," Roddy interjected, unusually calm. "Your shout was so loud it knocked the instructor's cup off the table."
The three of them burst into laughter, the fatigue momentarily feeling lighter.
From a distance, the instructor watched them, his brows slightly raised, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.
Roddy's progress was the most noticeable.
During a lesson on "elemental sensing," Roddy finally displayed a clearer "elemental response." When he pressed his palm against the ground and focused his mind, the earth began to tremble faintly. A faint brown glow flickered between his fingers; when he stepped down, the ground cracked slightly under his foot. At first, it seemed accidental, but under the instructor's guidance, he gradually learned to gather strength beneath him, making the earth respond to his will.
"I can feel it… the earth is moving. It's like it's listening to me…" he panted, sweat dripping from his forehead.
The instructor nodded solemnly. "Well done. This is the first step of a response. Remember, you're not controlling the earth—you're asking it to assist you."
"It feels… like I can hear the land breathing," Roddy said between gasps, his face showing rare confidence.
After that, Roddy seemed to ignite with passion. No longer the quiet, head-down trainee, he actively sought out Cain and Thalio to discuss training methods, sometimes muttering to himself as he practiced.
Thalio, though yet to display any elemental response, became increasingly adept with his combat techniques. His once impulsive and flashy demeanor had been tempered through repeated failures, replaced by a more practical and ruthless efficiency in battle.
As for Cain, although he had yet to sense any elemental power, his movements grew more composed and precise. He began to anticipate attacks and learned to lead the others in coordinated maneuvers during training.
"You've changed a lot," the instructor remarked after one session. "From a reckless fighter charging into battle to a soldier who can lead others to break through."
Cain didn't respond, but the flicker of confidence burning within him overlapped with the firelight in his dream.
A few days later, the weather turned chilly, with clouds hanging low in the sky.
At the training grounds, the instructor brought out a black metal box from the storage room. Inside, nestled in layers of velvet, lay dozens of gray crystals.
They were dull, nearly lifeless minerals of varying shapes—some oval, others jagged.
"These are elemental resonance crystals, a specialty of Elamia," the instructor said, picking one up with his gloved hand. "They can resonate with a person's energy, revealing their potential elemental affinity."
He placed the crystal in his palm, and the once-dull stone emitted a faint blue glow, like the reflection of the sky on a tranquil lake.
"The color and intensity of the light represent your connection to a particular element. Some people align with a single element, others with two—"
"And then there are those who have no affinity at all," he paused, scanning the group with his gaze.
The air grew heavy for a moment. Everyone shared the same unspoken question:
"What if I have nothing?"
Placing the crystal back, the instructor turned to Cain and the others. "These crystals will be used for testing tomorrow. Today, you'll just observe."
"But remember, elemental affinity is not the sole measure of strength. A true warrior is someone who masters their own fate."
Roddy stared wide-eyed at the crystals, as if seeing the key to his future.
Thalio scoffed, "I'll make it shine so bright it blinds everyone."
Cain, however, looked down at his hands—hands that had yet to show any special power but had carried him through every battle.
"No matter the result, I won't stop moving forward."
It was a promise to himself and his answer to fate.
That evening, the campfires flickered, and the three of them sat outside their tent under a vast, starry sky.
Roddy, clutching his meal box, spoke between bites, "Did you guys see me today? That move—I made the ground shake! Even the instructor's eyes lit up!"
Thalio rolled his eyes. "Say it one more time, and I'll stuff you into your sleeping bag and toss you into the river."
"Come on, it's a historic moment!" Roddy laughed, his eyes twinkling with boyish pride. "I might just be the next Earth Lord!"
"Earth Lord? What about me?" Thalio raised an eyebrow. "Storm's Child? Or Thunder God in training?"
"Well, you'd better get the rocks to talk to you first," Cain said with a faint smile.
"Seriously, though," Thalio turned to Cain. "You really don't feel anything?"
Cain shook his head. After a moment's silence, he spoke softly, "No… but I believe my strength isn't defined by elements alone."
Roddy nodded, his tone more serious now. "Yeah, you're right. Even if none of us resonate, we can't stop. Right?"
"Right." Cain gazed at the faintly twinkling stars above, his voice firm. "I'll go all the way, no matter what it takes."
Thalio looked toward the distant, still-glowing campfires and let out a sigh. "Honestly, I'm not sure if I've got what it takes… but if we can get stronger together, that'll be enough."
The three exchanged glances, their silence filled with understanding.
That night, there was no wind, no dreams—only the quiet, growing hope and camaraderie taking root in the darkness.