When the Horns Fall Silent

They hurried out into the courtyard; drawn by the murmur that rose like a tide from the outer gate. Lantern light painted anxious faces in gold as villagers, pale and tired, were shepherded toward the keep by a handful of mounted guards. The king's order to evacuate had been obeyed; families shuffled with bundles and bewildered children, looking at the castle as a safe haven.

Then something streaked across the dusk sky: a blur of motion that made the banners snap and the loose dust curl like steam. At first the guards raised halberds and readied crossbows, thinking it's a demon; Ardent held up a hand and their weapons froze in mid-raise. The shape drew closer—two figures riding a wake of wind, impossibly fast, their cloaks streaming like torn sails.

They were the Windrider twins.

One of them was slumped across the other's back, limp and bleeding. They were close enough now that the courtyard felt the gust they threw off as they struggled to slow.

They never made it gently. With a groan of stone and a spray of loose gravel the carrying twin slammed into the flagstones. The other rolled free and lay half-collapsed, eyes fluttering, fingers slick with red.

Guards surged forward but were stopped by Alvis's raised staff. He knelt beside the pair, hands already moving to probe for wounds and bleeding with a calm born of long practice.

The one still clinging to consciousness pushed herself up on an elbow and, with a voice gone thin from blood and strain, looked straight at Kazuki.

"Big brother—Kael," she muttered, then her head slumped. Exhaustion took her like a tide; she passed out with those two words on her lips.

Zephyr's hand flew to her mouth, a small, stunned sound escaping her throat. "Oh no… we didn't tell them," she breathed. "We didn't tell them about the summoning. They—"

Her words cut off as someone's boot scuffed against metal. A bloody haft lay in the puddled dust where the twins had fallen: Gornak's axe.

Alvis' fingers stilled on the wounded twin's pulse. He looked up quickly. "We find out when they wake." he said, voice low.

Around them the wind died to a whisper, and the courtyard filled with a new, cold kind of fear.

The twins awoke in the infirmary, pale and battered.

Alvis wasted no time — his questions came in a steady, unrelenting flow. Their lips moved quickly, eyes flashing with grief and anger, but their words were not for Kazuki's ears. He caught only fragments, the tone carrying more weight than the meaning.

Zephyr stood quietly beside the bed, waiting for the right moment. When the questioning paused, she stepped forward, her voice gentle but steady.

"There's something you both need to know…"

Her words carried a heaviness that settled into the air. The twins froze, eyes wide as she explained the truth of Kael's fate — the ritual, the soul exchange, and Kazuki.

At first, disbelief. Then the tears came — unrestrained, raw. The sisters clung to each other, their voices trembling in unison.

Vada & Verena in sync: "Big brother Kael…"

Zephyr's own eyes brimmed, her throat tight as she turned away, stepping outside where Kazuki waited.

He noticed her expression immediately. "They cared about Kael too, didn't they?"

Zephyr nodded. "He cared about them just as much… maybe more. They were… like his little sisters. Kael saved them from a slave caravan years ago. After that, they never left his side. Even when he joined the Council, they followed —because they wanted to stay with him."

They began walking through the torchlit corridor, their footsteps echoing softly.

Kazuki glanced at her. "I've heard what Kael meant to everyone… but not from you."

Zephyr hesitated, her gaze turning distant. "Kael was… the kind of man who carried the weight of others without complaint. Strong when he needed to be, gentle when he could be. He had a way of making you feel like you mattered. He didn't just protect us… he believed in us. Even when we didn't believe in ourselves."

A small smile tugged at Kazuki's lips. "He cared about you too."

Zephyr met his eyes, and for a moment, the silence between them felt like a shared truth neither needed to put into words.

The throne room was silent but tense, the air thick with the scent of oil from the braziers lining the walls. Council members, knights, and royal guards stood in readiness, the king seated in solemn expectation.

The great doors creaked open. All eyes turned as the Windrider twins stepped inside. One leaned heavily on the other, a bandage hastily wrapped around her side.

They walked toward the throne, stopping before King Alaric.

"Vada. Verena." The king's voice was firm, but the sorrow in his eyes was clear. "Tell us what happened."

Vada glanced at her sister before speaking, her voice low but unwavering.

"When we received your order to evacuate the western villages, we did so — but Gornak and we stayed to hold the enemy back. We wanted to make certain everyone escaped before we left."

She took a breath. "They came in a dozen ships… nearly eight hundred strong. Each one was a skilled fighter. Our affinities… they didn't strike as they should have. It was like fighting shadows with bare hands."

Verena continued, her voice trembling. "We fought for as long as we could… then their commander appeared. He spoke our tongue, clear as day, and demanded we surrender all the women. He said his 'new lord' required them. "In return, he promised us a quick death instead of… a slow one."

Anger flashed in the king's eyes, but he let them speak.

"Gornak charged him in fury," Vada said, her voice breaking for the first time. "He fought with all he had… but the commander struck him down. I tried to stop him, but he wounded me too. He… he said he would take me as well."

Verena's hands clenched. "Gornak rose again. Struck the commander hard enough to force him back. Then he put his axe into my hands and told us to give it to his son."

"He held the enemy off… created a fire barrier, and we used our wind magic to escape," Vada finished, her voice barely above a whisper. "He… he didn't look back."

Silence gripped the room.

"In three days," Verena said, "they will be here."

King Alaric rose, his voice heavy but resolute.

"Let the courage of Gornak Ironaxe be our rallying flame. He gave his life so others could live. Let his sacrifice be a symbol — that in these dark days, we stand for more than ourselves."

Every knight and council member brought their fist to their chest in unison, voices rising together:

"For Numeria!"

The sound echoed against the stone walls, carrying the weight of grief and resolve.

Later, in the quiet of his guest chamber, Kazuki sat by the window. The night stretched out before him.

A knock at the door broke his thoughts.

"Come in," he said.

Ardent stepped in. "How are you holding up?"

Kazuki stood up and gave a half-shrug. "Nervous… but not the kind that freezes you. More like… the kind that won't let you look away, master Ardent."

A faint smile tugged at Ardent's lips. "Good." He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I owe you an apology, Hasunuma. For going so hard on you in those first days."

Kazuki tilted his head. "Why?"

Ardent's gaze dropped for a moment. "I lost my sons because I was careless. I swore I'd never let that happen again… not to anyone I train."

Kazuki's voice softened. "I lost my dad when I was young. Don't remember much about him. It's just been me and my mom since."

Ardent nodded slowly. "I'm sure she cares for you, Hasunuma. But she needs you as a man, not a boy — even if she doesn't say it. And here…there are people who care for you more than just a hero to save the day. Be a man for them, too."

"Thanks, master Ardent… not just for teaching me how to fight, but for making me stronger where it matters the most," Kazuki said, hand over his heart.

"You're welcome, Kazuki."

Far to the west, beyond the rolling hills and blackened shorelines, the enemy marched. Rows upon rows of armored silhouettes advanced in grim unison. Above them, thick plumes of smoke coiled into the sky, staining the horizon with the scent of ash and iron.

High overhead, a lone raven cut through the twilight, its left eye burning red as the setting sun at dusk. It circled once over the advancing horde before vanishing into the smoke, as if heralding the doom that crept ever closer to capital's gates.