"Hey, big bro," Izuna said, leaning back against the rough bark of a massive oak tree. "Do you think they’ll come after us again?"

  "No," Kale replied, watching the river flow in the distance. "Their boat is destroyed. And besides, I suspect that tattooed man can only use his power during the day when the sunlight is at its strongest."

  "Oh, I see," Izuna muttered, looking up at the canopy. "I guess there really are some Mantras that are cursed in this world."

  The forest was silent, the air still and cool. The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, and the only sound was the distant call of birds echoing through the green leaves. Kale and Izuna sat together in the shade, recovering their strength while they waited for the woman to wake up.

  "Hey, Izuna," Kale started, turning his gaze to his friend. "What exactly is a 'Mantra'? I don't seem to have much knowledge about it."

  "Oh! You don't know?" Izuna looked surprised. "A Mantra is basically a spiritual technique. It combines your own internal energy with the energy of nature to boost your strength. Think of it as a shortcut; a Mantra is like a spell that allows you to tap into nature without draining your own spiritual reserves too quickly."

  Kale nodded, absorbing the information. "And what about magic weapons?"

  "Totally different," Izuna explained. "A magic weapon is powerful on its own, but it’s demanding. To use one, you usually have to give it an offering—like a portion of your own life force or blood. It’s a trade."

  "I never knew that," Kale responded softly.

  "But you know, big bro," Izuna’s voice dropped an octave, becoming serious. "There are some rare people who can use spiritual energy directly. It's a divine energy that only a few can achieve without needing a Mantra or a weapon. They are absolute beasts on the battlefield, standing alone just by releasing their pure spirit. People call it Diamond Energy."

  "Could I use a Mantra like yours?" Kale asked.

  "Not exactly like mine," Izuna shook his head. "It depends on your nature. Everyone has a different 'Mantra Nature.' Once you find out what yours is, then yes, you can definitely use one. Some people even use a Mantra alongside a magic weapon to become even more dangerous. I only rely on my Mantra because I haven't found a weapon that fits me yet."

  "I see," Kale mused. "Which one is stronger?"

  "It depends," Izuna shrugged. "Mantras use your spirit, but magic is complete on its own without costing you energy. That’s all I really know for now, honestly. I don't have much experience myself."

  Suddenly, a ragged cough broke the silence.

  Both Izuna and Kale rushed to the woman’s side. She was shivering on the grass, her eyes fluttering.

  "Hey, are you okay, ma'am?" Kale asked gently, kneeling beside her.

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  The woman slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, she was dazed, but as soon as she saw Izuna’s scarred, blood-streaked face so close to hers, she panicked.

  "Get away from me!" she screamed, scrambling backward in the dirt. "Where is my child? Please, don't hurt him!"

  She looked at them with wide, terrified eyes, her entire body shaking with fear.

  Kale immediately held up his hands, palms open, and moved back a step to give her space. He kept his movements slow and his voice low, the way one might approach a wounded animal.

  "Wait, please—it’s okay," Kale said softly. "We aren't the ones who took you. We’re the ones who got you out of that boat."

  The woman continued to pant, her back pressed against the trunk of the tree. Her eyes darted from Kale’s calm face to Izuna, who looked sheepish and quickly wiped some of the dried blood from his forehead.

  "The boat..." she whispered, the memory hitting her like a physical blow. "The men with the tattoos... the giant..."

  "They're gone," Kale assured her, his voice steady and grounded. "The boat is at the bottom of the river, and we managed to pull you to the shore before the current took you. You’re safe now. My name is Kale, and this is Izuna."

  Izuna gave a small, awkward wave. "Sorry if I scared you, ma'am. I know I look a bit like a mess right now, but we're friends with Kevin. He’s the one who told us you were missing."

  At the mention of her son’s name, the woman’s terror shifted into desperate hope. "Kevin? You know my Kevin? Is he... is he alright? Did they hurt him?"

  "He's safe," Kale said, offering a small, reassuring smile. "He’s waiting for you. He was the one who led us to the valley. He never gave up on finding you."

  The woman’s strength seemed to leave her all at once. She slumped against the tree, tears finally spilling over as the adrenaline faded. She wasn't screaming anymore; she was sobbing with relief. "Thank the gods... oh, thank the gods."

  Kale reached into his pack and pulled out a small flask of water, holding it out to her. "Drink this. You’ve been through a lot. Once you’ve caught your breath and Izuna can walk a bit better, we’ll get you back to the village."

  She took the flask with trembling hands, taking a small sip. She looked at the two young men—one a calm strategist and the other a battered warrior—and realized the impossible risk they had taken to save someone they didn't even know.

  "Thank you," she choked out through her tears. "I don't know how I can ever repay you."

  Kale looked at Izuna, and Izuna looked at Kale. They both knew the "repayment" was simply seeing the look on Kevin's face when they returned.

  "Just getting you home is enough," Kale said. "Rest for a moment. We still have a long walk ahead of us."

  "We should keep moving," Kale said, adjusting the strap of his pack.

  "Yeah," Izuna agreed, though his footsteps were heavy.

  "I think we should walk directly to the gate," Kale suggested, looking toward the horizon. "We can't go back the way we came. The gang might still be searching for us, trying to cut us off before we reach the valley. Our best option is to approach the main gate and tell the Royal Guards everything."

  With a plan in place, the three of them began the long trek toward the first entrance of Indevena Valley.

  The minutes stretched into an hour, and the adrenaline that had fueled them during the rescue was beginning to fade, replaced by a gnawing emptiness. Kale and Izuna were starving. Every step felt heavier than the last.

  "Hey, Big Bro?" Izuna groaned, clutching his stomach.

  "What is it, Izuna?"

  "Don't you think this is the hardest part? My stomach is demanding a tribute," Izuna said with a weak grin. "We don't even have any money. Last time we were lucky we ran into Kevin and he shared his food, but what about now?"

  "I know," Kale sighed, his own stomach churning. "We’ll figure something out once we reach the town. We just have to get there first."

  Kale turned his attention to the woman walking beside them. She was moving better now, though her face was still pale. "By the way, ma'am, I realized we haven't properly introduced ourselves. What is your name?"

  "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, brushing a stray hair from her face. "My name is Reyu."

  "Reyu," Kale repeated. He hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had been bothering him since the boat. "Why were those men trying to kidnap you and your son? They seemed... desperate."

  Reyu looked down at the dusty path, her expression darkening. "The truth is... those men belong to a gang. They work for my ex-husband."

  Izuna’s eyes widened. "His own father sent them?"

  "We divorced eight years ago," Reyu explained, her voice trembling. "I never told Kevin the truth. I always told him his father was just too busy to come home. I didn't want to put him in danger, and I didn't want him to know the cruel reality of the world at such a young age."

  "I understand protecting him," Kale said gently. "But back on the boat, the leader mentioned something horrifying. He said he wanted the 'blood of the child.' Why?"

  Reyu stopped walking for a second, her breath hitching in her throat. She looked at Kale with eyes full of sorrow.

  "Because he wants to make his Magic Weapon more powerful," she whispered. "He intends to offer his own child’s blood as the sacrifice. He wasn't always that type of man... I don't know what darkness changed him. I spent eight years hiding from his eyes, but somehow, they finally caught up to us."

  As she spoke, the tears she had been holding back finally began to flow, stain

  ing her cheeks as she thought of how close she had come to losing her son to his own father’s ambition.