When the battle ended, the sun was high overhead. The monsters had vanished, leaving nothing on the battlefield but the weary breaths of the people. Elira moved among her companions with a smile, helping them. After making sure everyone was safe, she went looking for Kaela. She found her sitting at the base of a tree, her face buried in her hands.

“Kaela?” Elira whispered. “Are you okay?”

Kaela lifted her head; her eyes were wet. After a moment of silence, she answered in a trembling voice:

“I step into this battle every morning, but I don’t know why I’m still fighting. What is going to change?”

Elira knelt down and took Kaela’s hand.

“We’re not waiting for things to change. But you must not forget that you have the power to change something in this world. As long as you keep fighting, maybe one day this war will end. Maybe this morning, you became someone’s hope.”

For a brief moment, a light appeared in Kaela’s eyes—then it faded.

“I can’t be hope,” she murmured. “I can’t even be that for myself.”

The sunset painted the sky in shades of orange and purple. After the battle, everyone had returned to their daily routines; some repaired their weapons, others sat silently by the fire. As Elira carefully wiped down her staff, Kaela watched her from a distance.