Sami let out a long, quiet sigh, his eyes sweeping across the vast, mostly empty library. It was a familiar scene, yet days like this always reminded him of the family he lost. Oh, how he longed to lose himself in the pages of a well-worn book, to escape into another world.
He wished to forget the day his entire life changed, to finally lose himself to a different vice. But the image of his boss's disapproving face flashed in his mind. The memory of the stern lecture about neglecting patrons can still be heard echoing in his head. Sami didn't want to sit through another three-hour lecture on proper etiquette for a librarian.
There was a book he'd been reading about how the Oryan Kingdom was founded. Honestly, if he were allowed to read it right now, he would've jumped right back into the book. It mentioned how the village he was from was founded by the person the people originally elected to be King but who instead chose land and to farm, not wanting to put up with the politics the crown would cause.
There were even more things he was beginning to learn, but sadly, he was forced to stop reading due to work. Oh, how Sami wished he could throw himself into some new reading material, or even have someone come in and annoy him. Sadly, he's stuck here by himself until the sun begins to set.
Slow days like this, though, really made Sami want to be more social, or try harder to have made some friends in his life. Truth be told, Sami, since moving to this city, preferred the company of silent words on a page compared to forcing human interaction. The library, while small, was his sanctuary, his refuge from the world.
He came from a family of humble farmers, their lives abruptly and violently extinguished during a past invasion. The first wave of attacks had mercilessly targeted his village, a small, yet rich community located east of the capital. It was near the ocean, known for its peaceful and warm weather. Despite its size, the village was a vital source of food for the kingdom, its fertile soil yielding great harvests.
He vividly remembered the day the invaders arrived. It had begun like any other, with him and his older brothers assisting their father in loading baskets of crops onto carts. Then, without warning, arrows rained down from the sky, and flames erupted, accompanied by the horrifying screams of his fellow villagers. His last memory of his brothers and father was their desperate command for him to run, to escape the carnage.
The invaders, relentless in their pursuit, soon caught up to him. He could still see their cruel grins, hear their taunts about joining his family in the afterlife. Just as despair threatened to consume him, their grip loosened, and he was yanked away. His grandfather, Mercer, a hardened veteran of the royal army, had arrived to rescue him from the massacre.
Mercer, a gruff and stoic man, became Sami's guardian after the devastating loss of his parents. He raised Sami in the vicinity of the capital, but kept him isolated from other children, choosing instead to impart the skills of reading, writing, and hunting.
Sami understood, or at least he thought he did now, why his grandfather had been so protective. Mercer had suffered the same devastating loss, and he was determined to shield Sami from further harm. He raised Sami in the safest way he knew, ensuring he was apprenticed to a librarian by the time he was twelve.
Years had passed since he last saw his grandfather. While a sense of contentment settled within him, a yearning for adventure and a burning desire for revenge still simmered beneath the surface.
Honestly, some of his issues with making friends stemmed from the fact that his grandfather hadn't really allowed him to interact with other kids his age. He couldn't play with them and was always forced to learn how to read and handle numbers since moving in with him. His grandfather never really explained why, simply stating it wasn't safe for him. So Sami believed him and kept to himself.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he glanced around the library again, realizing he should perhaps change things up. Maybe go for a walk after closing time. But first, he had to force himself to get through the workday. The afternoon soon gave way to evening as he began to shut down the library.
Not many people had come throughout the day, so all he had to do was wipe down a couple of tables. He had already returned the majority of the books that were either returned or left with him. So he didn't have much to do until he was locking the door and walking away.
A sense of adventure, dormant for years, flowed through him as he decided to explore the nearby woods. A place he had often visited as a child, knowing it was safe. A place where he could be himself and relax, free from the nagging feeling that something might happen. A place where he could finally let his guard down.
Since it was still during the hotter months of the year, even after sunset, the air was still slightly warm, though not the oppressive heat of the day. Despite his unsuitable attire for a short hike, he decided it was better to just head to the woods, knowing that if he stopped by his house first, he probably wouldn't have ventured back out.
Nature was beautiful to him as he looked around at the trees. The setting sun illuminated the background, creating a peaceful scene. Animals moved around, squirrels scampering and birds flitting through the branches. While Sami was slightly sweaty from his uniform, it was still a good choice to come to the woods.
As Sami ventured deeper into the woods, following a winding trail that seemed to beckon him forward, he stumbled upon a hidden clearing. He remembered the first time he had found this clearing. When he first arrived in this town after the invasion, he had woken up terrified.
The last thing Sami remembered was his father telling him to run, and that's what he did. Eventually, he ended up in this same clearing, a mile into the woods, off a path most people avoided. He cried against a tree, wishing to be saved.
His grandfather was furious when he finally found him. Sami could still remember the lecture he had been given about why he shouldn't have run like that. That was also the first and only time he had ever seen his grandfather cry.
Since then, his grandfather and he had built a small table and carved a seat into a fallen log. On days when it wasn't too hot or cold, he'd come here to read. Of course, only on days when he wasn't busy with work. Not only would he read, but sometimes he'd use this space to feed some animals, and other times, just to meditate and enjoy the fresh air.
A shiver ran down Sami's spine as the sudden sound of a stick breaking came from behind him. Quickly, he scrambled to his feet, moving away from the noise in case it was a wolf or bear. He could use the table as a distraction before making his way out of the clearing.
Though his plan was futile, as a girl, around his age, stumbled out of the bushes. Her messy, reddish curls stuck to her sweaty face. Her armor was beat-up, with scratches and dirt, and a tear in the leather showed her scraped skin. The sword in her hand was broken, just a jagged piece of metal, but she held it tight. A line of blood ran down her arm.
"Um, miss, are you alright?" Sami stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
"Do I look alright?" she hissed, her voice raw with pain and anger. "Do you have a weapon? Anything?"
"Funny thing is," Sami said, holding up his empty hands, palms out, "I'm more of a bookworm than a warrior. No weapons. Sorry." He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "Why? What's happening?"
"You're a bit useless, aren't you?" She taunted Sami, walking quickly past him as he stood there in shock. "Come on, bookworm, best follow before something happens to you."
"Oh, okay," Sami stumbled as he began to walk quickly to catch up to the armored girl.
The silence felt awkward to Sami as he trailed behind the girl, trying to figure out why she seemed in a hurry. He watched as she dropped the broken sword, noticing the sword just disappeared. Thinking that maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him, he decided to walk faster to keep pace with the warrior, afraid of being left behind if he lagged too much.
The warrior's armor had a cloak and was shaped like one of the many armors worn by the guards in the city. Yet she wasn't a guard that he had recognized from the city. The city itself is guarded by multiple members known as the city guard; it's there in case a random animal or bandit attack happens.
Despite the damage, it still possessed a certain flair, a testament to the skill of the blacksmith who crafted it. At times, it even seemed to possess a subtle inner glow, though the setting sun could easily have been playing tricks with the light. The quality of this warrior's armor stood in stark contrast to the crude craftsmanship of the city guards' armor, which appeared so fragile it might fall apart with a single blow.
"I suppose you can stop looking at my arse and introduce yourself, bookworm," She teased as she kept moving through the wooded path.
Sami blushed hard, lucky that she wasn't able to see his face. "I... I'm Sami, um, short for Samuel," he stammered out.
"Sigh, geez, bookworm, don't be scared. My name is Lyra. A trainee at the academy for warriors," Lyra introduced herself in a soft tone.
"The academy, that's so cool! I've always wanted to experience being a warrior, but my grandfather refused me after the loss of my father," Sami stated in excitement.
Lyra shook her head sadly. "It's not all it's meant to be lately. The kingdom... sigh, I won't speak on it, bookworm. Just sometimes adventures are not what they're cracked up to be."
"I'm sorry," Sami said, his voice low. "I always dreamed of defending the Kingdom and finding out who murdered my family." his hand clenching in anger.
"Revenge," Lyra began, her voice low and thick with a pain that seemed to rise from deep within her. "Revenge is something one should never strive for. I've seen so many trainees, some young and some old. All full of anger, die due to it." She paused for a moment. "They chase shortcuts for power, thinking it's strength, but it's just a cruel trick. A carrot dangled by the very people who might have caused their pain in the first place."
She looked straight ahead, her back tense as she walked ahead. "Revenge? It's just one tactic the kingdom uses to recruit members. They take that raw anger, that burning need for retribution, and they twist it, use it to recruit people, to turn their personal vendettas into their service. Don't let their bitterness become your own grave, bookworm. Focus on what you can control, not on settling scores that will only cost you more."
Sami, not knowing what to say, just stayed quiet as the weight of the words began to settle in his mind. Realizing that maybe his grandfather saved him from an early grave if Lyra's statement was to be factual. Seconds turned to minutes as sweat began to grow on Sami's face as he trailed behind the warrior.
A growing unease settled over Sami as he realized the warrior was heading in the wrong direction. Gathering his courage, he stammered out, "Um, d-d-do you know the way to the city?"
The warrior continued her steady pace, ignoring the question as she kept her eyes straight ahead. For a moment, Sami wondered if she had even heard him over the crunch of their boots on the uneven terrain. The air crackled with unspoken tension.