As dawn broke, the sun cast a warm glow over the ndscape, painting the sky in soft pinks and oranges. The cheerful chirping of birds filled the air, bringing a sense of hope for the day ahead.

  Suddenly, I heard a woman shouting for help.I rushed toward her "Are you alright?" I asked.

  Her voice trembled. "They took my brother!"

  "Take a breath," I said. "Tell me—who took him? Where?"

  Her expression darkened. "The Cindersworn… preachers of Lucerion. They took him to the city hall for judgment. Please, you have to save him!"

  "Don’t worry," I assured her. "I will."

  "I ran to the city hall, where a crowd had gathered. The air was thick with the scent of smoke, mingling with the murmur of voices. Some faces were curious, others filled with shock, as they watched the tense confrontation unfolding before them."

  A man in white attire, holding a wooden staff adorned with a fire symbol, stood at the front. His voice carried authority, marking him as a high-ranking Divine Preacher.

  "This man has committed heresy. He has betrayed our faith," he decred. "He does not believe in Lucerion, our god of fire. For this, he will burn alive."

  The man spoke, his voice shaking but growing louder. "Our god is Ouraniel, the father of all gods. We must believe in Ouraniel."

  Then a Cindersworn soldier struck the man on the head with his club, and he colpsed to the ground.

  A murmur rippled through the crowd, with some shouting, "Burn him," while others pleaded, "Let him live."

  I spoke, "You can't burn him based on his faith. I stepped forward, my fists clenched. He has the right to choose whom to believe."

  Then Cinderfather spoke, his voice filled with anger. "As the father of the Cindersworn faith, we must cut off diseased flesh from society before it corrupts the whole. He paused, taking a breath. Heresy is a disease of the soul, and like a festering wound, it must be cleansed with fire."

  I said, my voice trembling slightly, "You can exile him, but this… this is not the solution. It's a monstrosity."

  The crowd erupts in shocked murmurs at my words.

  Cinderfather spoke his voice like a grinding stone. "Who are you to oppose our faith? He breathed deeply. For such defiance, you shall face judgement."

  I met his gaze, my voice clear as a bell despite the crowd. "I'm just human—I can't stand by and watch this cruelty."

  Then Cinderfather ordered his expressions to get furious. Take him as a prisoner. He opposes our faith.

  Another shockwave rippled through the crowd—some murmured in disbelief, "You can't do this to him," while others muttered, "Burn him alive with this heretic."

  They tied the man to the wooden pilr. I stepped forward to save him, but Cindersworn soldiers lunged at me, their heavy longswords gleaming.

  Fear coursed through me, but I couldn't let this man die gritting my teeth; I drew my bdes out, ready for the strike.

  The man lunged at me, his Longsword slicing through the air. I parried it with one bde and struck his leg with the other. He stumbled back, but Two More men closed in their weapons gleaming.

  I turned, only to feel a sharp pain as a bde sshed at my leg. I colpsed, gasping. Gritting my teeth, I tried to push myself up, but another soldier, cd in heavy armor, brought his sword down with full force. I blocked it, but the impact sent me crashing to the ground again.

  Through blurry vision, I saw another man charging at me Longsword raised. My heart pounded. I thought my day had come.

  But then.

  Don't kill him, Cinderfather's voice rang out, his expressions with cruel amusement; he must witness the heretic's fate.

  Two men seized me from behind. A pain exploded in my chest as a club struck me, and my bdes cttered to the ground.

  Then Cinderfather stepped forward, his expression dark with fury, burn this man alive.

  I struggled against my captors, my voice raw. I spoke, this is a monstrosity. You can't burn an innocent man. Please let him live.

  The crowd murmured, their faces darkening.

  My heartbeat rushed like a storm as they set the man abze. His voice trembled, filled with agony. 'My god, Ouraniel, forgive me... I failed to spread your name. Forgive my sins. I'm coming to Elythia, the nd of gods. I will be with you soon.

  As the man’s screams filled the air, the Cindersworns ughed, their faces twisted with joy. 'Look at this fool,' one sneered.

  Tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t bear to look at him. The cries of children and women rose from the crowd, a chorus of agony that echoed through the square.

  Take him to the dungeon, Cinderfather said, his expression calm.

  One man struck me from behind, his club crashing against my skull. A sharp pain fred, then everything faded into darkness.

  They locked me in the dungeon, the cold, crisp air making my body shiver. For a while, I was unconscious, but then I woke up. I felt broken—I had never seen someone burned alive before, their screams echoing as the Cindersworns watched in delight.

  And I couldn’t do anything—even with the powers bestowed upon me by the Goddess of Light, I was still weak.

  Then I heard footsteps—someone was coming. I looked up and saw Enor. Her hands trembled as she reached out, her face etched with quiet agony.

  "Anar, are you alright?" she asked.

  I nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

  She sighed. "Why did you fight the Cindersworns? They’re dangerous. They're not just beasts; they have more army power than any lord. We can’t fight them."

  I frowned. "But they were burning a man alive. I couldn’t just stand by and watch."

  She scowled. "I know they’re monsters, but they have the support of King Eredin. He funds them. They only answer to him."

  Then she unlocked the cell door with a key and stepped inside. Her lips curled into a genuine smile, warmth spreading through her heart. She hugged me tightly and said, "Never make that mistake again. If you ever need to fight, call me—I’ll be there."

  I beamed. "I promise I won’t do it again."

  She smiled. "Let's get out of here and find you a healing potion."

  I nodded. "Yeah, my leg hurts."

  "Enor wrapped an arm around my waist, supporting me as I limped forward. 'Easy now,' she murmured, her grip firm but gentle."

  We reached a small house. Enor pushed the door open and helped me onto a bed. My leg still ached, but at least I could rest.

  "Rest here," she said. "I’ll be back in a minute."

  My head was still a little dizzy from the knockout. Then Enor returned with healing potions, unsealed one, and said, "Here, drink up. You need to heal."

  I drank the potion as Enor sat beside me on the bed.

  "I feel ashamed," I admitted. "I tried to save him, but I couldn't."

  She pced a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You stood there when no one else even tried. You did your best."

  A small sense of relief washed over me. "Thank you for getting me out of that dungeon," I said.

  She gave me a soft smile. "Don't mention it. I'll always be there when you need help."

  I met her gaze and nodded. "And I'll do the same for you."

  For a moment, I gazed into her vivid emerald eyes, mesmerized by the warmth of her soft smile—enough to make anyone melt. Her red hair shimmered like a ruby in the moonlight, and her lips were soft, a deep shade of rose.

  She pced her hand on my cheek, a soft smile gracing her lips as she slowly leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against mine. Her scent, a delicate blend of jasmine and lilies, surrounded me.

  I leaned back slightly. "It was my first kiss," I admitted.

  She blushed and replied, "It was nice. You're good at this."

  With Enor, I felt like I could tell her anything. I had been hiding my truth for so long.

  My expression grew serious as I said, "Enor, do you remember when we first met at

  Elderwood? I wanted to tell you something."

  She nodded. "Yes, I told you my truth, and you were just about to tell yours when Velkynne attacked."

  I took a breath. "Yes… I want to tell you my truth now. Please, promise me you’ll believe me."

  She held my gaze and said, "I promise. I will believe you."

  I took a long breath, steadying myself. “I’m not from this world,” I said. “I came from a different world—one unlike yours. It’s so different you can’t even imagine."

  Enor’s emerald eyes widened, the moonlight catching the flicker of surprise in them. “A different world…” she murmured, her voice ced with wonder. “I’ve read ancient texts—tales of gods transporting people between worlds. But no one ever believed them.” She inhaled sharply, realization dawning on her face. “And it’s true, isn’t it?”

  I exhaled slowly, watching the way the night breeze pyed with her hair. “Yes. It’s true. And I’m gd you believe me.”

  Her expression filled with curiosity as she asked, "I want to know more—how did you get here?"

  I smiled. "I came through a portal. The Goddess of Light, Valeria herself, opened it for me and granted me the powers of a great warrior."

  Her eyes widened. "The Goddess of Light, Valeria? The forgotten goddess? People believed she was just a myth, that she never truly existed. But if she is real... and she chose you... then you must have a destiny in this world."

  I replied, "I'm not sure, but one day I will find out."

  "We spoke of my world, our words dissolving into the hush of the night, until only touch remained to write the rest of our story."