"In the depths of the forest,

the wolf who bathed in darkness howled alone

for it could not find the light of the moon

like many of the others have;

until a young man came and embraced it

telling it that it was not alone anymore."

—a page from an unknown children's book

In the middle of nowhere...

The bar was full of patrons. The smell of alcohol and meat wafted through the air and the floor was wet with spilled drinks and moisture from the water vapor from the food. Patrons were shouting and singing songs with each other, linking arms as though they were all blood brothers. The lutes shouted in broken harmony as even the bards were getting intoxicated by the minute. It was not a pleasant sound, but it was clear that they were having fun.

It was a normal night for the people, but there are two patrons in the room whose visits are their firsts. One is a gentleman and the other, a lady. The two sat side-by-side, even though they were strangers to each other. Perhaps they were seeking a similarity— that they were both out-of-place inside the bar. Even though they were in a bar filled with alcoholics, both of them had something different in their hands; the man held a glass containing some harmless grape juice, while the girl had fruit wine on hers.

"It's pretty rough around here, huh..." said the male stranger.

He dressed himself in a brown fur coat and a weathered white tunic which tears looked a few months old— only, it looked cleaner than the rest of his attire. It was an outlandish combination that weren't usually seen in the land. There were lots of things that distinguished him from the rest: he wore round glasses with thick frames that looked like it was heavier than it seemed; he was also armed with a crude revolver which rested on his side holster and a nicely-crafted knife situated on a horizontal belt's sheath.

The lady smiled in response. "...It beats being outside, that's for sure."

She looked just as out of place as him, however, with her scarlet eyes and her pale violet hair tied in a ponytail. Natural violet hair was rarer than discovering precious gemstones in a coal mine— yet there she was. She was dressed in a basic combination of a long-sleeved tunic and paired with breeches and boots that looked newly purchased and mostly fit her, but the way she conducted herself in the bar showed that she didn't belong there.

"Sky." The man reciprocated her smile with his own, extending his hand.

"Sky?" She asked, but also extending her hand to meet his.

The man beamed at her and nodded. "That's my name. Sky de Niveus-Anima."

Anyone could see that Sky was not from the area, especially for his pale skin and crimson eyes matched with his ashen hair that gleamed as it swayed from side to side with the wind. Alas, he was worthy of his name: de Niveus-Anima, "of a snowy soul".

He was one of those who they call "drifters". They are those who have no permanent homes and choose to wander over various places, never staying anywhere for more than a week.

"L... Aveline..." She paused for a while and took a gulp of the wine in front of her. "...Aveline is my name."

The girl tried her best to blend in with her environment, and if not for her grandiose aura, she would have succeeded. Although the other patrons in the bar were busy getting inebriated and some even fainting, some had their sharp eyes on her. It was clear she had somewhat of a sheltered life, based on how she portrayed herself in the bar.

A large gentleman from the other side of the bar rose from his seat and went closer to the girl. "Hey, lady... didn't ya come from that there kingdom?" He spoke in a heavy countryside accent, but with more slurring and hiccuping.

He reeked of the stench of alcohol and sweat mixed together, enough to make Sky's face contort in disgust. The drunkard grabbed her arm, making her flinch in response. Nevertheless, she looked at him with piercing eyes, as though she was ready to fight him. There was a hint of fear in her stature which she tried to keep to herself, but the shivering of her arms told the drifter otherwise.

"I'm afraid that's enough," Sky stood up from his seat to take off the hands of the man from her arm. "You're making the lady lose her appetite."

"What's it to ya?" The man pushed his hand away and stomped in anger.

He attempted to grab Sky by his collar, but the drifter stepped backwards to dodge the man's hand. The drunkard did this many times— all ending in failure. Sky pushed him lightly as he tried to catch his breath, leaving him to the influence of gravity and making him fall down splendidly.

"Sorry, but I don't want to cause any more trouble around these parts." He said.

The large man once again stood up and tackled him to the ground, leaving him defenseless to a single heavy punch to the cheek. A sharp, echoing pain ran through the left side of Sky's face, causing him to clench his teeth. He countered the next incoming punch with his own and threw the man to his side to regain control.

"Well—" He lightly touched his bruise. "If you want a fight that bad, then..."

Sky quickly got up on his feet and decked the man in the torso, making him crouch in agony, following up with a fast horizontal swing of his foot in his enemy's jaw. The aggressor fell flat on the ground struggling in the blink of an eye.

"...look for someone else to fight." Sky remarked.

The people around him froze in shock due to the rapid transpiration of the events in the bar, leaving all of them speechless. Those who sang celebratory songs now grimaced at the drifter, and those who were playing around with their lutes stopped in the corner. Everything was silent; at least, until the injured man grunted and shouted.

"Ya will regret this"—he spat out blood from his mouth and slammed his hand at the floor—"Farheart will come for ya all!"

Sky stared at the man in shock. He felt his heart trembling; it was a familiar name to him. It reminded him of a certain incident a few weeks before he found himself sitting in the bar where he was right now. He took a deep breath and composed himself before he spoke.

"Where did you hear that name?" He asked.

The drunkard laughed victoriously, as though he knew that he inspired fear in the drifter's heart. Slowly but surely, he stood up and chuckled at the wanderer. He wriggled around, trying to keep his balance.

"Ya're pretty scared, ain't ya... he'll burn yer house to the ground, take yer family, and kill everyone ya know. He won't stop until he breaks ya and leaves ya wantin' the presence of death."

Although he was still under the influence of alcohol, everything he muttered seemed to be the truth. Aveline's eyes darted around in panic, as though she's also heard of that name. She held herself, the shivers reaching her whole body.

"I was asking where you've heard about him"—Sky dashed towards the man in front of him aggressively and grabbed his collar—"not what he can do nor what he will do. Now, answer my question."

With another burst of laughter, the man looked at Aveline, who seemed like she was about to break. There was terror written all over her face, and all she could do was listen to the two men talking about a certain person whose name brings forth those emotions to her.

"Come to think of it, now I rem'mber. Ya was with them nobles as we stormed and chopped up everyone in that kingdom... Sol-something. The name of that place, I forget... but ye-"

"Stop!" she shouted, covering her ears.

Sky saw the grief in her eyes and acted on his instincts; jabbing the man in the face and knocking him out. The man's weight became heavier as he lost control of his feet, making Sky drop him immediately with a huge thud on the floor.

"...The Siege of Sollise," Sky mumbled. "I've heard about it. Let's talk about this outside."

The Siege of Sollise was a major event that destroyed one of the well-known kingdoms of the continent. The most famous story about it was that a huge pack of trained mercenaries came and attacked the nation without any warnings, killing anyone who stood in their way. It was rumored that the leader was a man wearing a blank-faced black mask who could set fire to people by manifesting fiery wing-like appendages from his back and wrapping his victims with it.

Sky took off his fur coat and covered Aveline with it to help her calm down. The entire bar was quiet; quiet enough that every step they both made created a noisy creak in the wooden flooring. People around them scurried away when they passed through, thinking they might get involved if they do not move out of the way.

With a small squeak of the door, they found their way outside. It was a small outpost in the middle of nowhere filled with nothing but dry grasslands and small houses nearby, with mountains looming over the horizon. The night sky was bright, filled with stars that shone across the entire heavens. It wasn't very cold, but nights outside often led to drops in temperature. Sky sat her down on the small steps leading towards the bar and he himself took a seat beside the lady.

"...It's dangerous around here. If Farheart's people are in this place, then I'm afraid we have to go. I think you've already seen his handiwork firsthand, based on what happened earlier. You seemed... really afraid."

She nodded, "Yes... Farheart... He destroyed my home, took everything away from me. It all happened instantly. Now, I'm on the run from his wrath..."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Listen... have you got another place, far away from here? Do you have people who can help you?" he asked.

Aveline nodded once more and held the coat close to her. "I'm headed towards the capital where I could stay safely. I have people with me, people I can trust. They said they had to get our carriage for the remaining part of the journey and send word to our friends in the capital that we are almost there, but I'm sure they'd be back anytime soon. That's why I'm here alone."

"That's a relief." He sighed, as though a weight was lifted from his heart. "But, of all the places to leave you... they just had to leave you there."

She finally laughed, albeit weakly. "I know. I figured I'd be able to get a drink or two while I waited for them; and so I sent them together to make their journey quicker. There would also be a lot of people inside so anyone aiming for me would not be able to act."

"But then, people like the man earlier... they have the guts to do that in front of people. You have to be extra careful," Sky stated.

"That's true... it's become very dangerous for us as of late." Aveline held her knees with her arms, visibly losing hope as the seconds pass. "It's... difficult."

Sky stood up and stretched his arms upwards. It was a feeling that he was well aware of- the feeling of loneliness and despair. After years of being alone, he knew for a fact that it was not easy. Guilt ate away at him as he looked at her despondent face. He tapped her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Hey, Aveline. Could we stick together?" He kindly asked. "I survived meeting Farheart. I want to see that you do, too. Well, either way, I'm headed towards the capital too."

Aveline didn't feel any animosity or any dangerous auras surrounding Sky. He gave off an honest smile, an aura of kindness. She just knew in herself that Sky was worth trusting. She nodded at him and reciprocated his smile. Weirdly enough, it was a familiar feeling to her.

"...Alright. I'm counting on you, Sky."

The two shook hands and waited for her friends to come back. The noise from the tavern slowly returned, and the people once again began to sing songs about tales of brotherhood and toiling. Sky stood guard as he watched her fall asleep on the steps.

"I guess the whole situation was too much for her to bear... poor lady."

After a while, two people aboard a carriage stopped in front of the bar. The carriage gleamed amidst the dark night with its shiny black polish. It looked like it could carry six people: two on the front, and four on the inside. It had tinted yet rusty windows which appeared to have been cleaned at least a few times.

The two people were a pair of a boy and a girl who were carrying weapons; the boy was a bit taller than the girl and sported an unkempt appearance, his messy orange hair in full view. He was carrying a sword in his side, enclosed in a scabbard. The girl, on the other hand, seemed to be his opposite, sporting well-groomed attire which looked like a maid's, paired with neatly tied jet black hair. She carried a longbow behind her, with the ammunition fixed on a quiver. They ran towards Aveline, thinking she was in danger.

"What did you do to her?!" the boy shouted, drawing the sword from his scabbard.

Sky did the same in self-defense, drawing the knife from his belt; the boy looked as though he was about to charge at him anytime. The boy's midnight-colored eyes glared at his enemy as he held a defensive stance, stepping closer to Sky and clutching his sword tightly as though he was about to hit hard. They were facing each other two on one, but the boy motioned the girl not to interfere.

"Let me handle this, Charlotte. Stay with... Aveline. Check up on her," he ordered.

She intervened, "Now's not the time to show off, Carrot!"

"Don't argue with me! Somebody needs to keep her safe." The boy named Carrot slowly went closer to the drifter. "We can't allow this man to be out of our sight."

The girl nodded and headed to Aveline's side, checking if she's safe— looking for any signs of wounds. Sky tried to put his knife down in the ground in an attempt to show that he was not willing to fight, but the boy inched closer to him without taking heed in his efforts.

"Listen— she's safe." Sky crouched to the ground, putting his hand up and slowly putting the knife down.

The boy didn't give in and attempted to cut him down with a single vertical swipe; leaving him no choice but to grab his knife again and parry the strike. He put some distance between him and the boy by quickly stepping away and maintaining his balance.

"Are we supposed to believe everything that a stranger says?" Carrot exclaimed.

Sky went closer to him, his knife pointing forward to easily be able to counter each of the boy's strikes. "No, but if I was one of Farheart's men, do you think I'll just leave her unscathed like that?"

The boy tried to strike him once again with his blade, but ended up only hitting the wind. Sky sought to wear him out by going on his own assault, dealing hits that he knew the boy can dodge— but at the same time slowly making Carrot sacrifice his stamina in the process. Carrot, however, performed a feint, hitting Sky in the left arm and slashing his tunic with a clean cut. Blood steadily flowed from his hand as he winced in pain.

Sky retorted by dashing forward without any forewarning and getting enough momentum to strike Carrot's sword arm and hitting it with the handle of the knife, effectively disarming the boy. He threw his knife down and put his hands up, showing no more intention to fight.

Carrot went for his sword again and attempted to pierce Sky with his blade, running forward with great strength.

"Carrot! Don't!"

It was the voice of the person they were supposed to protect. Carrot stopped all of a sudden and looked for the origin of the sound.

"A... Aveline! You're fine!"

Carrot slowly put his sword in its sheath, keeping a close eye on Sky. The boy ran towards Aveline, who was woken up from her slumber by the fighting. She stood up with the help of Charlotte—the girl alongside Carrot—and bowed her head deeply at Sky.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Sky." She looked at the drifter's bleeding hand, which the drifter tried his best to keep hidden. "They are the companions that I talked about earlier."

Aveline wanted to take care of Sky's wound since it was the fault of her companions, but the drifter waved her off with a grin. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"You... know each other?" Carrot asked.

She nodded in response. "Yes, he saved me from one of Farheart's people in the bar."

The drifter ripped the torn area of the tunic from the fight earlier and dressed his wound with the cloth. He sighed in relief, giving a small smile to the two. The duo hid their faces in shame as Sky walked closer to them.

The drifter shook his head. "It's fine, you two."

"It's because you wanted to show off, Carrot." Charlotte spoke softly.

"S-Shut up, I thought the princess was in danger."

Sky noticed the last word that came from Carrot's mouth. "Princess?"

Carrot held his mouth to keep it shut, but it was already too late. "Crap..."

"It's true," Aveline remarked and looked down, as though she was trying to remember a couple of bitter memories. "I was a princess."

A heavy mood suddenly filled the area, bringing nothing but frowns to each of them; nothing but bad memories filled their heads as they each recounted how their homes were destroyed by a man named Farheart. Sky tried his best to understand the whole situation and with a single deep breath, he clapped his hands once and got their attention.

"...I know Farheart screwed up your lives, but in this situation, we have to keep looking forward and get to someplace safe. What's important is that we are all still alive. I know it's difficult, but we have to move."

"He's right..." Aveline declared faintly.

Sky smiled at the two once more and spoke, "I hope you two won't mind, but I'll be coming with you all."

The two looked at him in shock, then at Aveline, then back at him.

"Is he... serious, Aveline?" Carrot responded.

Aveline nodded in response, getting on the carriage with the assistance of Sky. "I know you may disagree for now, but so far, I think we can trust him."

"I know that feeling. I felt a serene aura surrounding him— as though he meant no ill intentions. It's weird, but after he tried to make peace with Carrot, I knew he wasn't part of Farheart's mercenaries." Charlotte added to Aveline's words.

Carrot intervened as he climbed towards the driver seat, "But... we don't know him. Maybe he's actually a spy— or, or some kind of informant for Farheart."

Aveline shook her head. "...We'll see. But, I don't think he is."

She glanced at Sky, who got on the carriage the last after assisting Charlotte on getting on the front with Carrot. Along with that peaceful aura within him, there was also a hint of loneliness accompanying it, which was apparent in the glint of his eyes. The look in his eyes made it seem like he was alone for god knows how long.

"What's the matter, Aveline?" he asked.

Aveline looked outside the window, smiling.

"Nothing... I guess I'm just glad we have a new traveling companion to share our loneliness with."

Deep inside, she was happy that all of them didn't have to bear everything on their own; at least for now.