Lana let out a small, breathy laugh. "A dream?" She shook her head. "For people like us, just finding enough food for the next day is already a big thing. We don't have the luxury to dream."
"Lana…" Zed said softly, his voice almost hesitant. "If you could dream… what would it be?"
Zed listened intently as Lana fell into deep thought, her gaze fixed on the stars. The cool night air carried a quiet stillness between them as she searched for an answer she had never allowed herself to consider before.
Lana fell silent, her eyes drifting toward the distant city below. The broken streets, the half-ruined houses, it had been her entire world for as long as she could remember.
Zed waited patiently, watching her as she seemed to struggle with her thoughts. Finally, after a few moments, she took a deep breath and spoke.
"My dream… would be to see my brother grow up to be a fine knight," she said, her voice soft but steady. "And to see this half-ruined city turn into a beautiful trading center, full of life and opportunities."
Zed smiled. "Then I'll make it happen."
Lana turned to him, eyes wide with surprise. "You say that so easily…"
"Because I mean it." His blue eyes gleamed under the moonlight. "I'll make sure Rick gets the future he deserves. And I'll help rebuild Highvale into the city you dream of."
Lana stared at him for a moment before letting out a small chuckle. "You're strange, Zed."
Zed tilted his head. "How so?"
Lana's expression turned serious. She looked down at her hands, gripping the fabric of her dress. "You're not like the other nobles who spit on us whenever they see us. You came to our home, ate with us… and gave us something no one else ever did."
Zed's brow furrowed slightly. "And what's that?"
"Hope," Lana whispered. Her eyes softened, a fragile light flickering behind them. "Hope that I have a future. Hope that my brother and I will live a happy life. Hope that this city will return to what it once was. I lost all of it when my parents died. After that, I was just… surviving. Living only to protect Rick. I was nothing more than a hollow shell."
Her voice trembled as she took a shaky breath.
"But you changed that. You made me believe again,that our bad days are going to end."
Zed clenched his fists. His chest tightened painfully. He had grown up surrounded by privilege, never questioning where his next meal would come from, or whether the people guarding him were trustworthy. But Lana had lived her entire life in survival mode, carrying burdens no child should have to bear.
"Lana," she said, her voice quiet but filled with vulnerability. "Will you promise me something?"
Zed swallowed, his throat dry. "What is it?"
"Promise me that you won't break my hope." Her hands trembled slightly as she clasped them together. "Promise me that you'll keep your word… that you'll protect this city, protect Rick… protect me."
Zed looked at her, really looked at her. The girl who had lost everything yet still stood strong. The girl who had learned to protect others before she could even dream for herself.
His lips curled into a determined smile.
"I promise," he said, his voice firm and unwavering. "No matter what happens, I will never break my promise. I will protect you, Rick, and this city no matter what it takes."
Lana searched his eyes, as if trying to find any hint of doubt. But all she saw was sincerity.
A single tear escaped down her cheek as she smiled.
"Thank you, Zed."
They both continued to chat and laugh under the night sky, their worries momentarily forgotten.
Lana shared funny stories about Rick's mischief, like the time he tried to trade a wooden sword for a loaf of bread, convinced it would make him a knight instantly. Zed laughed so hard he nearly fell off the roof.
In return, he told her about the time he tried to sneak out of the Ravenhert estate and ended up getting caught in a tree for hours before Sir Jaeger found him.
Their laughter echoed softly in the quiet night, blending with the gentle rustling of the wind. For a moment, it felt as if the world wasn't so cruel, as if the ruined city below them wasn't struggling to survive.
Lana hugged her knees and looked up at the stars. "You know… I don't think I've ever talked this much to someone before," she admitted with a small chuckle.
Zed smirked. "Well, I guess that makes me special."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Yeah… maybe you are."
As the night deepened, their laughter faded into a comfortable silence. Zed leaned back, staring at the sky. He had come to Highvale expecting just another mission, but he was leaving with something far more valuable friends, purpose, and a promise he intended to keep.
"Goodnight, Lana," he said softly.
"Goodnight, Zed," she replied.
And under the endless stretch of stars, the two drifted into a peaceful quiet, knowing that after tonight, their paths would forever be intertwined.
next day
It was late afternoon, and their work in Highvale was finally done. As Zed and Sir Jaeger prepared to depart, Zed glanced through the crowd one last time. His sharp eyes spotted two small figures waving at him enthusiastically Lana and Rick.
A wide smile broke across his face as he lifted his hand and waved back.
Sir Jaeger, noticing the exchange, smirked and shot Zed a knowing look. "Do you know them, my lord ?"
Zed, still smiling, nodded. "Yeah… they're my new friends."
Sir Jaeger let out a hearty chuckle. "so you where with them yesterday ," he teased.
As they rode out of the city, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the road. The rhythmic sway of the carriage and the soft rustling of the jungle soon lulled Zed into a deep sleep.
Inside Zed's Dream…
He stood alone in a vast, desolate wasteland, flanked by two towering mountains. The sky above stretched endlessly, a dull sheet of gray that pressed down on the land. An eerie stillness hung in the air, broken only by the sound of his own shallow breathing. Confused, Zed spun in place, scanning the barren expanse for any sign of life. But before he could make sense of where he was, the ground beneath his feet trembled violently. A jagged crack split open beneath him, and with a sudden jolt, the earth swallowed him whole.
Darkness. Cold. A sinking sensation.
And then, he was somewhere else.
He landed inside a ruined underground hall, its air thick with dust and decay. The cracked stone walls loomed high, arching into a dome-shaped ceiling where a single ray of light streamed through, illuminating a grand, broken throne.
A figure rested against it.
His body was deathly pale, his skin stretched tightly over exposed bone in some places, making him look like a walking corpse. Two long, twisted horns protruded from his head, and tangled black hair concealed most of his face.
Yet, he was speaking no, chanting.
"Lukas… Lukas… Lukas…"
The whispery voice echoed in the empty hall, sending an unnatural chill down Zed's spine.
Zed's feet moved on their own, drawn toward the eerie figure. But just as he stepped closer, the man slowly lifted his head.
Through the strands of messy hair, their eyes met.
A sharp jolt of terror gripped Zed's chest.
The chanting stopped.
And then, in a voice laced with something ancient and sinister, the man rasped—
"So, you've finally arrived, Lukas."
A slow, unsettling laugh followed as he rose to his feet, his movements unnatural, as if his body had long forgotten how to function.
Zed felt frozen, his body refusing to obey.
The man extended his skeletal hand toward him. "Come here, Lukas. It's time for you to learn the truth."
His voice grew deeper, more commanding.
"Come. Come to the Golden Wave."
Reality
Zed woke with a violent gasp, his body drenched in cold sweat.
His sudden scream startled the caravan, bringing it to an abrupt stop.
The next moment, the door flung open, and Sir Jaeger stepped in, his sharp eyes scanning Zed with concern. "Young master! What happened?"
Zed sat there, panting, his heart hammering against his ribs. The lingering sensation of that place, that voice it all felt too real.
He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself. "How far… how far is Golden Wave from here?" he asked, his voice still shaky.
Sir Jaeger raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the question. But after a brief pause, he answered, "About half a day's journey from here. Why do you ask?"
Zed swallowed hard, the eerie whisper still echoing in his mind.
"Come. Come to me."
He threw off his cloak and stepped out of the caravan.
"Take me there."
Sir Jaeger narrowed his eyes. "Young master, what's going on?"
Zed inhaled deeply before answering.
"There's something I need to know… and the answer is in Golden Wave."
Sir Jaeger studied him for a long moment before sighing. He turned to the guards. "Return to Highvale. The young master and I will proceed ahead."
As the guards saluted and turned their horses back, Sir Jaeger adjusted his sword and faced Zed.
"Alright, young master," he said, his tone more serious than before.
"Let's see what awaits us in Golden Wave."
With that, the two rode off toward the unknown, toward the truth Zed had never dared to seek before.