Sanctuary: Safe Haven

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Canna stepped inside the adventurer's guild, the soft chime of the door alerting the few people inside to his presence. Just like before, eyes turned to him, curiosity and surprise evident in their gazes. His pristine white robes, adorned with gold and silver details, immediately made him stand out. Ignoring the looks, Canna made his way toward the adventurer's board, scanning the available quests.

His eyes drifted across the missions, most of which were relatively simple tasks—monster subjugation, escort duties, and a few gathering quests. The highest-ranked mission he could find involved subjugating a low-calamity monster, which wasn't much of a challenge for someone of Canna's capabilities.

As he considered his options, a guild attendant approached him, a friendly smile on her face. "Hello, adventurer. Has any mission caught your eye?"

Without taking his eyes off the board, Canna asked, "Is there any other high-ranking mission here? Other than this one?" He pointed at the low-calamity monster subjugation request.

The attendant shook her head. "Not really, sir. There aren't any stronger monsters around this area. If there were any more difficult missions, they would automatically be assigned to the Silver Wolf Clan, the clan that presides in this village."

"The Silver Wolf Clan? So, they take on all the difficult missions?" Canna asked, intrigued.

The attendant nodded. "Yes and no. Usually, the guild posts the missions on the bulletin board, but if no one takes them within six days, they're given to the Silver Wolf Clan by default. It's part of their responsibility to protect the village. But you could try speaking with them directly if you're looking for something more challenging."

Canna thanked her and left the guild, murmurs of the adventurers following him as he exited. It seemed his appearance and interest in difficult missions had piqued their curiosity.

____________

After asking a few villagers for directions, Canna made his way to the base of the Silver Wolf Clan. As he approached, he noticed a small crowd gathering outside. Curious, he moved closer and spotted the boy he had met earlier—Gil. The child was locked in a duel with a much older man. Gil wielded a sword far too large for his small frame, and though he could swing it, it was clear that the older man was toying with him.

"You finally got a weapon, and instead of training, you came here asking for a duel, thinking you could win," the man sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

Gil gritted his teeth, determination burning in his eyes, but it was obvious he was outmatched. His opponent barely broke a sweat, while Gil was struggling to even hold his sword upright. Canna watched for a moment, sensing the imbalance in the fight. He turned to a bystander nearby and asked, "What's going on here?"

The man, grinning as he watched the duel, laughed. "That kid? He's always wanted to join the clan, but he's too weak. He thinks he's a warrior, but the truth is, he's just a dumb kid with dreams too big for his own good."

Canna frowned, his gaze shifting back to the fight. Gil was putting up a brave effort, but it was clear the boy was nearing his limit. The older man easily knocked Gil's sword aside with a swift flick of his wrist. The blade flew from Gil's hands, clattering to the ground several feet away. The man pressed his sword to Gil's throat, his voice cold. "Don't ever bother me again," he growled, before withdrawing his blade and walking away, leaving Gil standing there, trembling with frustration and tears welling up in his eyes.

As the crowd dispersed, Canna walked over to Gil, who had fallen to his knees, his small body shaking with silent sobs. Canna was about to place a hand on the boy's shoulder when he saw it—the fire in Gil's eyes.

"That's a good look, Gil," Canna said softly. "Now tell me. Earlier, you said you needed to buy a weapon to protect your family. Yet here you are, challenging that man. Why?"

Gil wiped his eyes and sniffed, trying to steady his voice. "M-my sister," he stammered between sobs. "She's in the clan. She's the only family I have left. They sent her on a dangerous mission, and I haven't heard from her since. I thought... if I could beat one of them, they'd let her come back home. I just want to save enough money for us to start our own clan, away from all of this."

Canna knelt beside the boy, his expression softening. "I see," he said quietly. "It's alright, Gil. You've got a brave heart. But you can't do this alone. You need to be stronger. But first, you should rest."

Canna gave Gil's shoulder a reassuring pat, and the boy shakily stood up, wiping the last of his tears away. Just then, a new figure appeared beside Canna—a girl, not much older than Gil, with jet-black hair and dressed in the sanctuary's pristine white robes.

"Gil," Canna said, gesturing to the girl, "this is Fina. She's one of my youngest warriors, and she's about your age—seven, to be exact."

Gil blinked in surprise, his eyes widening as he looked at Fina. There was something about her—something calm and collected that made her seem older than she appeared. Fina stepped forward, offering Gil a gentle smile.

"Don't worry, Gil," she said, her voice soft yet firm. "You can grow stronger. And when you do, you'll be able to protect the people you care about. But it's not something that happens overnight. You have to work for it, just like the rest of us."

Gil looked at Fina, then back at Canna, a spark of hope lighting in his eyes. "You really think I can become strong enough to protect my sister?"

Canna nodded. "I do. But you'll need patience and a lot of hard work. If you're willing to put in the effort, we can help you. But first, get some rest. The path ahead won't be easy."

Gil took a deep breath, nodding as he clutched his sword tighter. He was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, and for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel so alone.