Rael rubbed his head where Lif's stick had landed, wincing with a half-laugh. "Alright, alright—guess all that training with your dad's paying off."
Lif gave a sheepish grin. "Guess so."
"You really got better, man," Rael said, tossing his stick aside. "Honestly? I thought I had you after the second blast. But the way you dodged that last one—crazy. You move like a blade."
Lif shrugged. "It's not like I've got a lot of options."
Rael snorted. "Still, you'll be like your dad in no time."
Lif blinked, a little warmth blooming in his chest. "Thanks."
The crowd started to break up, but not before the usual comments floated through.
"Rael's gotten strong. He's sharper now."
"Yeah but losing to a Hollowborn? That's rough…"
"I mean, Lif's quick, but still. No magic? That's just embarrassing."
The words trailed after them like smoke. Rael didn't say anything at first. Neither did Lif.
They just walked.
The village paths were warm with golden light, the sun low and soft over the thatched rooftops. Chickens clucked lazily in the distance. People were finishing up their day's work—some waved as the boys passed.
"Afternoon, Lif!" called old Mira, hauling baskets of herbs. "You're growing taller every time I see you!"
"Hi Mira!" Lif waved back, jogging over. He took one of her baskets without asking and balanced it on his shoulder.
"Bless you," she chuckled. "Strong like your dad."
Rael grabbed the other basket with a grin. "And charming like your mom."
Mira laughed and shooed them off. The boys dropped the baskets off near her porch, then kept walking, weaving between stalls and homes.
"lif, small question" Rael said.
"go on" lif answered
Rael looked over at him. "Does it bother you? The Hollowborn stuff?"
Lif hesitated. He kicked a pebble down the path. "Yeah… it does. But it's not like I can do anything about it."
Rael didn't speak right away. Then, "You're a great fighter, Lif. And a better friend. Who needs magic when you're that good?"
Lif smirked faintly. "You just saying that 'cause I bonked you."
"Maybe."
They both laughed.
---
By the time the sun had dipped lower, they'd passed the blacksmith, helped an elder fix a squeaky gate, and chased a chicken back into its coop.
they ran into two more friends—Ren and Sela.
Ren, with his messy hair and a grin that never seemed to leave his face, waved excitedly as they approached. "You got smoked, dude!" he said to Rael, his voice laced with amusement.
Rael shot him a look. "It was close. Don't even—"
Sela, standing next to Ren, crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes flicked to the fresh bump on Rael's forehead. "Not even close," she said flatly.
Rael raised an eyebrow. "How would you two know?"
Sela smirked just a little. "Because of that red spot on your forehead."
Rael paused, his hand freezing in midair. "Oh."
Lif couldn't help but laugh at the playful jab. "Looks like you really did get smoked, Rael."
Ren chuckled, giving Rael a slap on the back. "Don't feel bad, man. You're still a solid fighter. Just... not as solid as Lif here."
Lif shrugged, keeping his smile light. "I just got lucky."
Sela glanced at Lif, her usual cool demeanor softening slightly when her gaze lingered on him. "You don't need luck. You're faster than anyone."
"Thanks, Sela," Lif said, smiling warmly.
The moment of quiet camaraderie lingered, and for a moment, it felt like nothing could interrupt their simple, carefree day.
Ren bounced on his feet. "So, what now? We're gonna go help more people or just keep wandering?"
Lif thought for a moment, then nodded toward the forest that lay just beyond the village. "How about we head into the woods for a bit? I've been meaning to catch the sunset from that old tree at the east side."
Ren's face lit up. "That sounds perfect! I bet I could beat you all up that tree."
Sela raised an eyebrow. "You mean, try to climb the tree, right?"
Ren shot her a grin. "Same thing."
Lif chuckled. "You'd be lucky if you don't end up flat on your back by the time we reach the top."
Rael looked from Ren to Sela, smirking. "Think they're up for it?"
Sela tilted her head, her usual calm smile on her face. "If we get there and you can't even climb, I'm not carrying you back."
Ren didn't flinch. "I'll carry you back!."
Lif rolled his eyes but was already heading toward the forest, beckoning the group along. "Let's just go. I bet we'll get a great view if we can actually get to the top."
The group trekked into the woods, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth. The path twisted and turned, the sun casting long, soft shadows on the ground. As they reached the base of the towering tree, the boys all paused to look up.
"See? I told you," Ren grinned, eyeing the high branches. "Piece of cake."
"You can't even reach the first branch," Sela quipped dryly.
"Shut up, Sela," Ren muttered, trying to climb anyway.
Lif chuckled, then stretched, looking up at the massive tree. "I'll go first."
Without hesitation, he grabbed the trunk and started to scale it, his body fluid and precise. The others watched in awe as Lif made it look easy, moving with effortless grace and landing on a branch high up in the tree.
Ren grinned. "Alright, alright. Showoff."
"Come on, guys," Lif called down. "We don't have all day."
The others tried their best to follow, though not with the same ease. Ren struggled to pull himself up and made it to a lower branch, grumbling, while Rael gave it a solid shot before slipping and catching himself on a nearby tree. Sela, meanwhile, took a more methodical approach, climbing up slowly, but with steady precision.
When everyone finally made it up, they settled onto the wide branches and turned their attention to the horizon. The sun was low, painting the sky in rich oranges and pinks, casting everything in a warm glow.
"This is perfect," Ren said, grinning as he rested against the trunk. "Totally worth the climb."
"Yeah," Lif agreed quietly, his gaze fixed on the sunset. "It's beautiful up here." but his gaze spotted Something else in the distance, people? But he didnt mind anything of it
The others fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their thoughts as they watched the last slivers of sunlight dip beneath the horizon. The forest was peaceful, the only sounds being the rustle of leaves in the evening breeze.
Eventually, it was time to head down. One by one, they clambered down the tree, the air cooler now as dusk settled in.
"Well," Lif said, looking at the group, "this was fun."
Ren slapped him on the back. "You're lucky you're fast, Lif. Otherwise, I'd have beaten you up that tree."
Sela gave a small, amused smile. "Sure you would have."
Rael clapped his hands together. "Alright, alright. Let's get home before it's too late."
They waved each other off, heading their separate ways. As the night air settled around them, Lif couldn't help but feel that, despite everything, this was one of the best days he'd had in a long time.