The heavy doors of the Indevena Valley Hospital swung shut behind them. Izuna stretched his arms over his head, letting out a long sigh of relief.

  "My brother looks pretty good! I guess I don’t need to worry about that old lion anymore," Izuna chirped, his usual grin returning to his face.

  "Yeah," Kale responded, glancing back at the building. "It sounds like he’s stable. He’ll be back on his feet before you know it."

  No sooner had the words left his mouth than a thunderous growl echoed between them. They both froze, looking down at their midsections.

  "I guess we’re both starving," Kale said with a dry chuckle.

  "Man, I totally forgot we haven't eaten a single bite since this morning!" Izuna’s eyes lit up as he looked toward the horizon. "This town looks huge. Let’s go find some real food!"

  Without warning, Izuna grabbed Kale’s hand and began hauling him toward the bustling market district.

  "Hey! Easy, man!" Kale winced, stumbling behind him. "My body hasn’t fully healed from Nymeria’s 'training' yesterday!"

  "Oh! Sorry, sorry! I forgot!" Izuna laughed, though he didn't slow down much. "But you’ll be fine, right? You're tough, Big Bro!"

  Kale muttered a curse under his breath. This guy is going to be the death of me.

  As they entered the heart of the valley, Kale took a moment to absorb the scale of the place. Indevena Valley was a geographic marvel. It was divided into three distinct levels: at the highest peaks sat the glittering Royal Palace and the high city; the middle tier was a sprawling, chaotic marketplace; and the lowest basin was packed with thousands of small, tightly-knit houses.

  "Hey, Izuna," Kale said as they navigated the crowded streets of the second tier. "Tell me something. Is it true that this place is still ruled by a monarchy? A King and Queen?"

  "You're right on the money," Izuna replied, dodging a merchant hauling a crate of fruit. "Indevena is one of the few territories where the crown still holds absolute power. I’ve only heard stories about the current ruler, Queen Eleza. People say she’s kind, but I don't know many details."

  "A Queen, huh..." Kale mused. But then, a terrifying thought struck him. "Wait. Izuna... how are we supposed to get back to the barracks? It’s 400 kilometers away. We don't even have money for a taxi!"

  Izuna stopped dead in his tracks. He turned slowly, his face blank. "I... I thought you had money. That's why I didn't bother asking Halare for a loan."

  "Where even is Halare?" Kale asked, feeling a headache forming.

  "I don't know!"

  "You know, for an elite soldier, you're pretty hopeless," Kale groaned.

  "Me?! We're going to have to walk back on our own two legs, so you're the hopeless one here!" Izuna barked back.

  "Fine. Let's find the others. Do you have a phone?"

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Nope. Special Forces rules—no personal tech allowed in the barracks."

  The two of them continued to wander the market, two hungry soldiers lost in a city they didn't know. Three hours passed. The sun began to dip toward the horizon, casting long, orange shadows over the valley. Exhausted and defeated, they slumped down onto a public bench.

  "So... we found nothing," Kale sighed. "Halare and the rest probably went back to base already."

  "Maybe we should go back to the hospital and ask for help?" Izuna suggested, standing up abruptly. "Yeah! That’s the plan! ...Wait. Which way was the hospital?"

  Kale stared at him in pure panic. "Are you telling me you forgot the way back?"

  "I... I guess I don't remember," Izuna said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

  "You are a special kind of idiot, Izuna!"

  "Hey! If I'm an idiot, you're the genius who followed me! You should have remembered the way!"

  They argued like children for a few minutes, drawing confused stares from the passing crowd. Finally, the exhaustion won out, and they sat back down in silence.

  Suddenly, Izuna’s ears perked up. He turned his head toward a dark alleyway near a stone wall. He heard a faint, rhythmic sobbing. Without a word, he walked toward the sound and found a small boy curled into a corner, his face buried in his knees.

  "Hey, kid," Izuna said loudly. "Why are you crying?"

  The boy looked up, his eyes wide with terror. He scrambled backward, pressing himself against the cold stone. "No! Don't come near me! I don't want to die yet!"

  Kale pushed Izuna aside, kneeling down to the boy's level. "Hey, it’s okay. We won't hurt you. I promise."

  The boy sniffled, looking at Kale’s calm expression. "Really? You promise, Mr. Brown-hair?"

  "I promise." Kale reached out his hand. "Come on. You don't need to be afraid."

  Slowly, the boy reached out and gripped Kale’s hand. The contact reminded Kale instantly of his sister, Celeya—the small, fragile weight of someone who needed protection.

  "What's your name?" Kale asked gently.

  "Kevin," the boy whispered.

  "Tell me, Kevin, where are your parents?"

  At the mention of his parents, Kevin’s face contorted with a fresh wave of trauma. He tried to speak, but the words seemed stuck in his throat.

  "It’s okay, kid," Izuna said, his voice surprisingly steady and calm. "You don't have to tell us now. Let's just walk for a bit. Maybe you're just lost."

  As they walked, Kale noticed Kevin’s clothes. They were made of expensive silk—far too nice for a commoner.

  "Hey, kid," Izuna whispered, leaning in. "Do you happen to have any money on you?"

  "How shameless can you be?!" Kale hissed at him. "He's a traumatized child!"

  "Chill out, Big Bro! Look at his clothes—he’s clearly a rich kid. Sometimes self-respect doesn't matter when your stomach is eating itself. We need every opportunity to survive!"

  "I have some..." Kevin reached into his pocket and pulled out a wallet shaped like a small rabbit. He handed it to Izuna. "Here."

  "Whoa, I didn't ask for the whole wallet, buddy! I just wanted to borrow a bit," Izuna said, looking a little guilty as he took 1,000 CD from the stash. "I'll make sure to pay you back, I promise."

  With money in hand, the trio headed to a small restaurant nearby. The sun had fully set now, and the warm glow of the shop's lanterns felt inviting. They took a seat in a quiet corner, and a waiter approached.

  "I'll have the fried rice and a piece of chicken!" Izuna ordered enthusiastically.

  "Just a bowl of soup for me," Kale added. He looked at Kevin, who was staring blankly at the table. "What about you, Kevin?"

  "I don't want anything," the boy whispered.

  "Hey, hey! Don't look so sad, little buddy," Izuna said, giving the boy a bright, energetic grin. "Eat first, then we’ll handle your problems. I’m a Special Forces soldier, you know? Solving problems for civilians is literally my job!"

  A spark of hope flickered in Kevin’s eyes. "Really? You’re going to help me, Mr. Red-hair?"

  "Yep! Me and my partner Kale here. Right, Kale?"

  "He's right," Kale said with a soft smile. "We’ve got your back."

  Kevin finally smiled, the fear vanishing from his face for the first time. "I... I’d like a chicken roll, please."

  As the boy spoke to the waiter, Kale watched Izuna. He really has a gift, Kale thought. No matter how bad the situation is, Izuna’s energy just makes people feel safe.

  But as they waited for the food, Kale looked out the window at the dark valley. He couldn't shake the feeling that whatever had happened to Kevin's parents was connected to mor of a deeper thread.