Inlander

White Flower

The next day, the sun rose bright and clear, but the town of Byre remained cloaked in silence. The air carried the weight of sorrow, a stark contrast to the usual morning bustle. The scent of charred wood and blood still lingered, a grim reminder of the tragedy that had befallen them. Nearly half of Byre’s citizens had perished in the attack, and among them was Major Ard, who had led the town with unwavering resolve. Now, he lay in the ground alongside his fallen soldiers, their sacrifices etched into the soil of their homeland.

It was the day of mourning.

As was tradition in Regia, white flowers adorned the graves—symbols of purity and a final farewell. The townsfolk, dressed in dark, muted garments, gathered in solemn ranks. A hush fell over them as Captain Klax, now the highest authority in Byre, stepped forward to lead the funeral rites.

"To honour their souls and guide them to the heavens—last respects, begin!" Klax’s voice rang clear, though burdened with grief.

At his command, the soldiers drove their weapons into the ground, bowing their heads in unison. The gathered mourners followed suit, their hands clasped in silent reverence. Then, a single note rang out—a low, mournful hum that grew into a chorus. The Anthem of the Fallen echoed through the ruins of Byre, carried on the wind like a whisper to the departed.

The song ended, but the emotions lingered. Women wept into their hands, men stood with clenched jaws, and children clung to what little family they had left. Even the strongest among them could not hold back their grief. Klax let out a breath before stepping forward once more, addressing the broken but determined people before him.

"O people of Gatelian, remember this day! Half of our kin were slaughtered by the Neiter Nation! Will you stand idly by?"

A resounding "No!" erupted from the crowd, their sorrow turning into simmering rage.

Klax raised his fist. "Then fight with me! Drive out the Neiter invaders! Defend Byre, even if it costs us our lives!"

A thunderous roar of agreement spread through the mourners, their despair forging into resolve. The grief-stricken town transformed into one filled with the embers of vengeance.

As the funeral ended, the people of Byre turned to the task at hand—rebuilding what had been lost. Homes were in ruins, shops lay in tatters, and the very streets bore the scars of battle. But the survivors did not sit idle. With sleeves rolled up and soot-streaked faces, they worked tirelessly to clear the debris, patch walls, and tend to the wounded.

Among them, young men approached Captain Klax, their eyes alight with determination.

"Captain Klax, allow us to join your ranks!" one of them declared. "We want to fight for Byre, to drive the Neiter out for good!"

Klax studied them for a moment. These were not trained soldiers—just boys who had lost their families, their homes, and their futures in one cruel night. Yet, the fire in their eyes was unmistakable.

"You’re eager," Klax said, "but war isn’t won on spirit alone. Do you have your parents’ permission?"

The youths exchanged glances before one stepped forward. His voice wavered, but his resolve did not.

"Our parents are gone. The Neiter took them from us. That’s why we must fight—to make sure no one else suffers as we have."

Klax’s jaw tightened. He looked over the group once more, then gave a solemn nod.

"Very well. From this moment on, you are part of my squad. But understand this—training begins immediately. There will be no easy path from here."

"Understood, Captain!" they shouted in unison before rushing off to begin their training.

Nearby, Jim stood, watching the exchange with quiet contemplation.

"You’re pushing them hard, Klax," he noted.

Klax chuckled, crossing his arms. "Wasn’t that how we were trained?"

Jim let out a dry laugh. "Yeah... I remember."

The brief moment of nostalgia faded as Klax turned to Jim with a more serious expression.

"Jim, your home is gone. Your parents... they’re gone too. So tell me—what will you do now?"

Jim clenched his fists. "I will have my revenge against the Neiter."

Klax sighed. "If you stay in Byre, your talents will be wasted."

Jim frowned. "What do you mean?"

Klax met his gaze. "If you remain under my command here, you’ll be fighting skirmishes, defending a town that may already be lost. But if you go to Centrical City, you could make a real difference."

Jim hesitated. "Centrical City? Why there?"

"I want to recommend you to the United of Regia’s High Command as a strategist," Klax said simply.

Before Jim could respond, a notification window appeared in his vision.

[New Quest: Journey to Centrical City]

Category: Continuous

Difficulty: C

Duration: Immediate

Reward: 30 Ability Points, 7500 Gold

Failure Consequence: You will regret it.

Jim stared at the glowing text, his mind racing. The rewards were generous—far greater than what he had earned from slaying the flying beasts. But what unsettled him most was the warning: You will regret it.

"Jim?" Klax prompted.

Jim shook himself from his thoughts. "I’ll think about it."

Klax nodded. "Do so quickly. Tomorrow, I’m sending an envoy to report to the General in Centrical. If you accept, you’ll travel with them."

Jim turned away, his mind still weighing his options. The offer made sense. His skills, his knowledge—they could be put to greater use in Centrical. But there was something else to consider.

Jill.

Would he leave her here, alone? She had already lost everything. If he left, would she be able to endure it?

After a long moment, he exhaled and made his decision.

•••

Jim strode through the town, heading directly for the gate where Klax was overseeing the defences.

"Captain," Jim called out.

Klax turned, his expression unreadable. "Have you decided?"

Jim met his gaze without hesitation. "I’m going to Centrical City."

A slow smile spread across Klax’s face. "I thought you might."

"But," Jim continued, "I want to take Jill with me."

Klax raised a brow. "She’d be safe here."

"Maybe," Jim admitted. "But she’d also be trapped in her grief. I can’t leave her here to suffer."

Klax considered this before nodding. "Fair enough. I’ll have two horses prepared for your journey."

Jim extended his hand, and Klax grasped it firmly. "Thank you, Captain. I’ll prepare at once."

As Jim turned away, he felt a strange sense of relief settle over him. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear—his fight was far from over.

Tomorrow, he would leave Byre behind.

And his true journey would begin.