Chapter 1 - Episode 5 - The Guardians of Light

“Who are you?”
Finde asked the stranger.

“My name is Gladyo…
And yours?”

“Finde.”

They began walking back toward the garden of Finde's home,
where his life had changed forever just a few hours earlier.

A symbol caught the boy's eye, drawn in blood on the wall of his house.
An angular shape that resembled an unfamiliar letter.

“What's that?”
Finde asked curiously.

“The Black Language of Morvian.
It doesn't belong to this universe.
Only a few know how to read it.”

Finde sighed, disheartened.
“I don't understand any of this…”

He had no time for further questions.
Voices came from Meridia Street.
Two figures were approaching.

Gladyo smiled, gesturing toward them with his chin.
“Those are my comrades.”

Finde watched them.
“Who are you people?”

“It's complicated…
We come from a planet very far away.”
A pause.
“We knew the Gozhul would appear here, but we arrived too late.”
Gladyo lowered his gaze.
“I'm sorry, Finde.”

The boy couldn't find the words to reply.

Gladyo placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Take care of yourself.”
He turned to leave.

Finde grabbed him.
“Please, wait! Take me with you.”

Gladyo stared at him for a long moment.
He sighed.
“I understand your pain.
But the place we come from isn't for you.”

“Worse than this?” Finde's voice trembled.
“I have nothing left here!” He took a step toward him.
“I have to become stronger! I don't want this to happen again.”

Gladyo lowered his gaze.
“It wasn't up to you. You shouldn't blame yourself.”

“Then you shouldn't have felt obligated to help me, either.”

Those words struck Gladyo.
Silence fell.
Then Gladyo gave a bitter smile.
“You remind me of myself.
But the path we walk is one of suffering.
No glory. No peace.
Only war and the blood of our comrades.”

“Then I'll make sure no one else dies.”
The light in Finde's eyes shone brightly.
“I'll kill them all.”

Gladyo shook his head, chuckling softly.

A voice interrupted them.
“Hey, squad leader! Get moving, or Beatrix will have us cleaning toilets for a month!”

Gladyo sighed.
“Come on, I'll introduce you to those two louts.”

Gladyo and Finde joined them along the road.
One was extremely tall and thin, with red hair and green eyes. He was sitting on a gigantic axe.
The other was shorter and muscular, with dark skin and white hair. He carried an enormous spiked mace over his shoulder.

“Hey, guys, this is Finde…
Finde, the tall one is Marcise, and the little guy is Guyo.”

“Stop calling me little!”
Guyo huffed.

Gladyo looked at Finde with a smile.
“The three of us are Castorian warriors.
We're part of the First Company, Ferus, under the command of Beatrix Aurevian.”

Finde watched them, captivated.
“Were you the ones who killed the monsters?”

Marcise let out a mocking whistle.
“Where did you find this one, Gladyo?”

“He's a recruit!”
Gladyo replied with a smile.

“That's a good one!!”
Guyo said, laughing and slapping his thigh.
“Oku will never train him.”

Marcise glanced worriedly at the bracelet on his wrist.
“Do whatever you want, but we have to get back. It's late!”

Gladyo raised his own bracelet in front of his eyes.
“All right. Let's synchronize.”

The three touched the screens of their bracelets.

A humming sound filled the air.
The light around them distorted, as though bent by an invisible force.

Gladyo turned toward Finde.
He placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Five seconds.”

Finde stared at him, confused and worried.
“Five seconds until what?”

Gladyo smiled.
“Welcome to Castore, kid.”

The light went out.