Shadows of a second life

A few days after Elara’s chaotic coming-of-age ceremony, Elias was helping maria do some laundry.

He carefully squeezed the moisture from the clothes before spreading them to dry.

The air was filled with the aroma of fried food which lira prepared for them that morning.

Elias only ate a little before rushing out to complete the laundry with Maria.

Maria however noticed how fast he was working, faster than normal,she then asked him: "is anything the matter, you seem to be rushing today, something on your mind,no he said, I'm fine, he responded continuing with the laundry."

"I just need a little fresh air. The house feels a little too warm, the memories of the ball is still lingering"

Maria then noticed his excessive use of grammar.

"And there you go again talking like a book she said, teasing him lightly while poking his face, you always do that whenever you want someone to believe you or whenever you try to lie."

Elias scratched the back of his head smilingly saying:"I guess you've figured me out then"

She answered:"of course I have,I know you inside and out and all around .

you are my step son afterall."

She then told him: "If you really want something you can come out and say it."

Elias breathes a sigh of relief,

"He then told her:stepmom I just want to go for a walk around the village and catch a little breather."

"She smiles and said: you little demon, don't call me that ever again, just call me mother okay and you could've told me about it long ago."

"I owe your mom for all my happiness in life ,so don't hesitate to take a day off from helping me with the chores."

Elias was glad,he nodded appreciatively to her.

With that he slipped out before anyone could offer to join him.

The village of Willowbrook was peaceful in the late afternoon. Sunlight filtered through the trees lining the dirt paths, and the distant sounds of blacksmith hammers and children playing created a gentle backdrop. Elias walked slowly, hands in his pockets, simply taking in the ordinary sights.

Near the edge of the village square, he noticed a girl sitting alone on a wooden bench under an old oak tree. She looked about his age — ten or so — with beautiful silver hair that shimmered softly in the sunlight and calm, almost distant violet eyes. Her posture was straight but somehow fragile, like she was trying very hard to appear unbothered. A few older village kids were laughing and pointing at her from a distance before running off.

Elias recognized that look immediately. The quiet hurt. The way someone tries to shrink into themselves while pretending they don’t care.

It reminded him painfully of himself.

It took me ten years to feel human again, he thought, a quiet sadness settling in his chest. Ten years of healing after everything fell apart. I don’t want anyone else to go through that alone.

He walked over and sat on the opposite end of the bench, leaving some space between them.

“Hi,” he said simply, keeping his voice gentle. “Mind if I sit here?”

The girl glanced at him, surprised. Most people either joined in the teasing or ignored her completely. “...No. It’s fine.”

They sat in silence for a while. Eventually, Elias spoke again.

The weather is so nice today,a pretty good day isn't it, he asked glancing at her

She nodded quickly.

“I’m Elias. Elias Voss. You live around here?”

She hesitated, then nodded. “I’m Elyra. I… just moved here with my grandfather a few months ago.”

Just a few months ago, you look like someone I know, about two people,my tutor's.

She immediately turned to him, surprise etched on her face.

Tutor?

You had a tutor?

Your family must be rich then,she said.

A tutor at such a young age.

You can read and write then she continues and he nodded.

Elias starts wondering:am I really something special,is it unusual for most people my age to read and write.

If that's the case maybe I can be more than average.

The conversation started slowly, but it flowed more naturally than Elias expected. Elias noted: she's got a really calm, quiet personality that matched the peaceful afternoon.

She spoke softly about liking to read and watch the clouds, but admitted that some of the village children found her “weird” because of her silver hair and elven-like features (her grandfather had distant elven blood).

Elias thought: elvish bloodline, that explains the silver hair color.

Elias listened without interrupting. He understood too well what it felt like to be singled out for being different — or simply for existing.

“You know,” he said after a pause, “if they bother you again, you can tell me. I’m not very strong with a sword yet, but I’m pretty good at magic.”

Elyra looked at him with wide eyes, then gave a small, genuine smile. “Thank you, Elias. That… means a lot.”

"But I prefer you teach me magic instead so I don't end up being a damsel in distress."

Elias laughed softly:Teach you?

Me?

She asked: and what's wrong with that?

Elias responded:I don't know about that, I'm a pretty awkward person socially so I might not be able to do that.

She just laughed it off.

By the time the sun began to dip lower, they had talked about favorite foods, silly village stories, and even traded a few jokes. For the first time in a long while, Elias felt like he had made a real friend on his own terms — not because of family connections or magical talent, but because he chose to sit down and stay.

As they stood up to head their separate ways, Elyra gave him a shy wave. “Will I see you again?”

Elias smiled back. “Definitely. Same bench tomorrow?”

She nodded, her calm expression brightening just a little.

As Elias walked home, a quiet warmth settled in his chest. Protecting his family was important. But maybe… making new friends and helping someone who needed it was part of healing too.

Anyways,he thought,I made my first unassisted friend today,I should be happy,I mean I literally threw my life away before,how many people get a second shot at life.

Just then a wild boar charged at him with incredible speed , it's tusks were poised to strike Elias.

He noticed it just in time.

Immediately he stretched his hand and gathered mana,the air shimmered as he did this before firing off an intermediate class fire spell, inferno,a roaring inferno raced forward and outward engulfing the whole area.

Flames billowed in the air after this and Elias was left wondering if he overdid it.