THE ONE WHO WE COULDN'T SAVE

Dylan leaned back on the wooden bench outside the small tavern, watching the quiet bustle of the village. The sun hung low, casting golden light on cobblestone streets. Farmers carried bundles of wheat, and children laughed as they ran past him. It felt peaceful, almost too peaceful.

He stretched, feeling the weight of his travels in his muscles. Temporal Dusk hadn't flared up in a while, but that didn't mean he wasn't alert. Something felt...off. His eyes scanned the street, noting the way shadows stretched unnaturally in certain corners.

Suddenly, a man in a dark cloak caught his eye, lingering near the market stalls. The man's gaze locked with Dylan's for a brief moment before he disappeared into the crowd.

Dylan narrowed his eyes.

Nothing ever stays peaceful for too long...

He stood, brushing the dust off his coat. "Guess it's time to take a walk," he muttered, heading toward the direction the cloaked figure had vanished.

Dylan slipped through the crowd, keeping his steps light and casual. His eyes scanned the market stalls until he caught a glimpse of the dark cloak weaving between a group of villagers. As soon as he turned the corner, he reached out and grabbed the person's wrist, stopping them in their tracks.

"Not so fast," he said, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. His eyes met the familiar face of the girl who had once tried to steal his stuff back at the inn in the Verdant Isles.

Her eyes widened in recognition, and she let out a small, frustrated groan. "Oh, great. Of all people..."

"Didn't expect to see me again, huh?" Dylan leaned casually against the wall, not letting go of her wrist. "Care to explain why you were watching me just now? Planning another heist?"

She huffed and crossed her arms well, tried to, but he was still holding one of them. "Relax, I wasn't watching you. I just... happened to be passing by."

"Uh-huh," Dylan said, raising an eyebrow. "Totally believable. You're not exactly the best at blending in, you know."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not here to cause trouble. But since you caught me, how about we call it even for the last time?"

Dylan chuckled. "Even? Not quite yet. How about you tell me why you're really here first?"

The girl crossed her arms, her expression shifting from surprise to something a bit more serious. "I was traveling to the port of Avaris. I wanted to visit that city, but I stopped here for supplies. Then I saw you, and, well… I couldn't even believe it. You're still alive."

Dylan blinked, tilting his head. "Huh? What do you mean still alive? Of course I am."

She frowned, glancing around as if to check for eavesdroppers. "I heard a rumor back at the Verdant Isles that you were gone. People said you vanished after some big battle with a demon, and no one ever saw you again. Everyone thought you were dead."

Dylan paused, the weight of her words settling in. "Gone after… the demon," he echoed softly. His mind flashed back to that moment the chaotic fight, the swirling darkness and how everything had gone blank afterward.

"I didn't just vanish," he said, mostly to himself. "I… ended up somewhere else. Guess word travels fast."

The girl gave him a curious look. "Well, you're definitely not a ghost. But if you're alive, someone should probably know. The people who cared about you… they think they lost you."

Dylan's expression hardened for a moment. "Yeah, I'm alive," he said, his voice steady but thoughtful. "And it sounds like it's time I reminded a few people of that."

The girl raised an eyebrow, her arms still crossed. Dylan's tone dropped into something colder, more commanding.

"Lemme come with you," he said, his eyes narrowing. "You're headed to the port of Avaris, right? I'm coming along."

Her confident smirk faltered for just a second. "Uh… is that supposed to be a request or a threat?"

Dylan leaned in slightly, his voice dropping lower. "Take it however you want. Either way, I'm going with you."

She sighed, muttering under her breath, "Why do I always get stuck with the complicated ones?" Then, louder, she added, "Fine. But if you slow me down, I'm leaving you behind. Got it?"

"Slow you down?" Dylan smirked. "You couldn't even escape from me when you tried to run off with my stuff."

Her face flushed slightly, and she shot him a sharp glare. "Ugh, don't remind me. I was… having an off day."

"Sure you were," Dylan teased, crossing his arms. "And today won't be any different. Face it you're stuck with me now."

The girl rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the slight grin on her face. "Yeah, yeah. Let's just get moving. The port's not exactly around the corner, and I'm not camping out on the road because you decide to take a nap halfway there."

"Lead the way," Dylan said with a chuckle. "I'll make sure you don't get lost this time."

Izzy crossed her arms, clearly annoyed but trying to stay composed. "I'm Izzy. Nice to meet you… Dylan."

Dylan raised an eyebrow. "Finally giving me a name, huh? Took you long enough."

Izzy shrugged, turning away as she started walking. "Figured it was about time since we're stuck traveling together. Don't get used to it."

Dylan chuckled, falling into step beside her. "Oh, I'm already used to it. Let's see if you can keep things interesting, Izzy."

As they walked along the dirt road leading out of the village, Dylan glanced at Izzy, a mischievous smirk tugging at his lips.

"So, Izzy, how many people have you 'borrowed' things from on your travels?" he asked casually. "Or am I the only one lucky enough to be on that list?"

Izzy shot him a sideways glance. "Borrowed is a strong word. I prefer creative acquisition. And no, you're not the only one. Just the only one who caught me."

Dylan chuckled. "Creative acquisition? Sounds like you're trying to justify being bad at stealing."

Izzy gasped in mock offense, pressing a hand to her chest. "Excuse me? I'm an excellent thief! You just got lucky."

"Uh-huh," Dylan said, raising an eyebrow. "If you were that good, you wouldn't be walking back empty-handed."

Izzy narrowed her eyes but couldn't help the grin creeping onto her face. "Careful, Dylan. Keep talking like that, and I might just prove how good I am by stealing something off you right now."

"Oh, please," Dylan said, patting his coat. "Everything I have is exactly where it should be."

Izzy laughed, twirling a small coin between her fingers that she had somehow snagged from his pocket. "You were saying?"

Dylan blinked, then burst out laughing. "Alright, you got me. Not bad, Izzy. Not bad at all."

"Told you," she said with a wink, tossing the coin back to him. "Now, let's see if you can keep up with me, ghost boy."

The playful banter continued as they made their way down the winding path, the sun slowly dipping toward the horizon. The landscape shifted from rolling hills to open plains, the distant sound of waves crashing hinting that the coast wasn't too far off.

"So, how long do you think it'll take us to reach Avaris?" Dylan asked, flipping the coin Izzy had returned.

"Depends," Izzy said, glancing ahead. "If you can keep up, maybe a day or two. But if you get tired and need a break, it might take longer."

Dylan smirked. "I'm not the one we need to worry about."

Izzy chuckled. "We'll see about that. Just don't get lost, ghost boy."

With that, they continued down the road, the port of Avaris waiting for them somewhere in the distance. The air grew cooler, carrying the scent of salt and adventure. Neither of them knew exactly what awaited them in the city ahead.