Chapter 10 Spark of a Hero

Liora turned her full attention back to Rein and removed a small vial from her belt—a concentrated healing potion, dark red and thick as syrup. She uncorked it, lifted Rein’s head gently, and let a few drops past his lips, then spoke again, without looking up.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Aura was silent for a beat, then spoke, “Monsters attacked, came from the forest. Anyone who could fight tried to fend them off. His parents… they… they stood with him. They died trying to protect this place.”

“I see, so, they didn't make it. You were with him at the end?”

“Not soon enough,” Aura said, “If I’d been faster…”

Liora watched her for a long moment—this small, soot-stained girl. Her gaze lingered on the sword Aura had dropped at her side. Half-melted steel scorched down the middle. Not the kind of thing you carry unless you’d used it—used it hard.

“…You’re surprisingly calm, considering everything. What’s your name, little girl?”

“I'm Aura, just Aura.”

“You were here when it happened, Aura? When the monsters came?”

“Yes.”

“…Did you fight?”

“Yes.”

Liora nod toward the ruined, half-melted blade.

 “With that sword? Looks like it’s been through hell.”

Aura looked at the sword briefly.

“It was in bad shape when I picked it up.”

Liora glanced around at the monster corpses.

“There’s a lot of them. This wasn’t just some random attack. The damage… the casualties… and then that thing.”

She points with her chin to the massive, cooling body of the Colossus.

“You saw how it went down?”

“I saw everything.”

“And Rein? He fought too?”

“Yes. He… he didn’t run. Neither did his parents.”

“…I see. And the Colossus? Who landed the final blow?”

“I… don’t know if it was the final blow. I just… did what I had to.”

“You brought that thing down?”

“I stopped it. Just barely in time before he could harm anyone else.”

“…How?”

“I used everything I had. I don’t even know how the sword held up that long. But I was late. I should’ve been faster. Maybe… I could’ve done more.”

“You saved his life. That counts for more than you think.”

“I couldn’t save them all… the people of the village, Rein's parents, and many more got hurt.”

“No one could’ve, not against something like that. You did enough."

Keal, meanwhile, was commanding the knights, barking orders. In minutes, the remaining monsters were being pushed back, hunted down, and the village secured.

When it was done—when the sounds of battle finally died away—Keal approached the trio, sword sheathed.

He looked down at Aura, then at Rein, then gave a low whistle.

“Damn. What did this to prince? Looks like someone dropped a mountain on him.”

Aura didn’t answer.

“That big bastard. That’s where it fell, right?” One of the knights said, pointing at the smoldering crater.

Keal gave a low whistle.

“Wow, damn! And who did that to the colossus?! Who nailed the finishing blow? I’d like to shake their hand. Maybe buy them dinner—if they’re still alive. Any ideas, Liora?”

“This girl. Her name is Aura.”

He crouched beside Rein and gave Aura a look.

“This little thing brought down that beast? With that sword? …No kidding? Not bad, kid. You might’ve saved a prince tonight.”

“Prince? Is Rein really a prince?”

Liora stood behind them, brushing dirt from her robes.

“That boy is grandson of the king. Heir to the royal line.”

Aura blinked slowly, glancing back at Rein. She looked at him differently now—but not because of the title.

Liora turn toward the other knights behind her.

“Get a stretcher here, now. We’ve got wounded. And someone find a proper healer—we’re not losing anyone else today. We need to get him back to the capital. Him and the girl.”

Liora looked at Aura and wondered, "That girl… she killed colossus? She’s no older than Rein… It took half an army just to stall such a creature in the past, and even then, casualties were expected. And yet this… this child…

How many knights do we have that could face something like that alone and walk away still breathing? Not many. Maybe none. No way this was luck. That sword wasn’t enchanted. That body wasn’t built by years of elite training. Her raw strength. Talent that borders on impossible. And she stood there, protecting him, holding her ground like a... Hero."

She let a small smile slip on her usually calm face.

"The Hero’s blessing had gone dark. The last chosen one—the King’s shining sword—had fallen to the Demon Lord months ago. The court was still debating: Will the King choose again? Is there anyone even worthy left in this kingdom? And there she is. A girl from the orphanage. No noble blood. No training. Just… strength. Enough to bring down a Colossus."

Liora glanced at Rein again—unconscious, barely clinging to life. 

"Prince Rein, you were my pick to become the new Hero. I even convinced the King. But she might be a better option. If she were given training… support… a purpose… she could be molded into more than a knight. She could be the King’s answer to the Demon threat. A Hero. A new symbol to rally the people."

Her eyes narrowed just slightly.

"But will Arthur accept one with no name? No bloodline? He might execute her just from hearing her name. He won’t like it… unless I give him reason to."

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One Week Later

The great doors of the royal throne room creaked open. Rein stepped in first, walking on unsteady legs. He was clean, his clothes freshly changed… but nothing in his expression was whole. He wasn’t limping from injury anymore—at least not the physical kind. His body had mostly recovered after a few days of healing, but inside… something was hollow.

Aura walked beside him, silent as ever, her burned arms now wrapped in clean bandages. Her eyes flicked to Rein every so often, but she said nothing. 

Behind them came Keal, tall and upright as always, the commander of the royal knights, and Liora, calm as winter in her expression, though her gaze occasionally rested on Aura with a touch of thoughtfulness that didn’t fade.