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The forest was unnervingly silent.
Lilia moved with ease through the trees, his boots making no sound against the damp earth with his mask on his face.
The scent of blood still clung to his armor, sharp and metallic, a reminder of the fight that had just ended.
A failed ambush by human soldiers—an effort so pitiful it made him snicker.
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Did they truly believe they had a chance?
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Their swords had been dull. Their movements sluggish. Their resolve, already crumbling before the battle had even begun. And yet, they had fought. How foolish.
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How human.
Lilia rolled his shoulders, exhaustion creeping into his limbs—not from the fight itself, but from the monotony of it all.
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Another battle.
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Another victory.
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Another set of corpses left behind.
He exhaled, adjusting his grip on his sword.
' Time to return to camp. '
Then—
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Rustle.
His ears twitched.
The bushes nearby trembled, leaves shuddering as something moved within.
Lilia’s body tensed, his fingers curling around his hilt.
' Did one survive? '
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A foolish attempt at a second ambush, perhaps? He almost pitied them. Almost.
A branch snapped. A small figure stepped out—
Lilia’s breath hitched.
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A child.
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A human child..
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Not a soldier. Not a scout. Just a human boy, no older than six, standing before him as if he belonged in a war-ridden forest.
Silver hair gleamed under the moonlight, strands catching the soft glow in an almost ethereal manner. And his eyes—Lilia had seen many colors in his lifetime, but never ones like these.Gentle hues of aurora light, shifting as they met his gaze.
The child blinked up at him, head tilting slightly.
Then, as if this were nothing more than a casual meeting between two travelers, he spoke.
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"Hello."
Lilia raised a brow.
No fear. No hesitation. Just an easy, innocent greeting, as if he hadn’t just stumbled upon a fae warrior drenched in the scent of blood.
" Well now,"Lilia mused, shifting his stance. .
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"Aren’t you a bold little thing?"
The child just continued looking at him, waiting.
Lilia studied him, curiosity stirring beneath his exhaustion.
He sensed some magic from the boy nor the telltale presence of an armed escort nearby.
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He was alone.
" What are you doing here, human? "he asked, voice smooth but laced with amusement.
The boy blinked again before glancing down at his hands, where something small trembled against his chest.
A rabbit—its fur white as snow, ears twitching slightly as it nestled into the boy’s warmth.
" Looking for this "the child answered simply.
Lilia’s lips curled into a smirk. " You wandered into the woods, all alone, just to find a rabbit?"
The boy nodded.
" And tell me, little one.." Lilia leaned down slightly, letting his crimson eyes glint in the moonlight.
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"Aren’t you afraid?"
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"Of what?"
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Lilia let his magic hum faintly around him, the air growing colder, shadows curling at the edges of the trees.
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"Of me."
He watched, waiting for the inevitable reaction. The fear. The trembling. The wide, tear-filled eyes.
But the boy only tilted his head again, frowning slightly in thought.
" You don’t feel scary " he finally said.
Lilia faltered.
He had lived for centuries. Had been feared by kings and warriors alike. And yet, this tiny human—this fragile, foolish child—had the audacity to look him in the eye and say that?
A laugh bubbled up in Lilia’s throat, rich and genuine.
" Is that so?" he mused. " You must be very brave or very foolish, little human."
The boy didn’t answer, only tightening his hold on the rabbit.
Then, as if the conversation had come to a natural end, he turned, ready to leave.
Lilia watched, something unreadable flickering in his chest. There was no reason to stop him. And yet-
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" Wait "
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"Your name,"
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"What is it?"
For the first time, the boy hesitated. His lips parted slightly, as if weighing whether or not to answer. Then, finally—
A soft, faint smile.
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"Silver."
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And with that, he was gone.
Lilia remained standing in the clearing, staring at the empty space where the boy had been.
" Silver, huh?"he murmured to himself.
He wasn’t sure why, but the name lingered on his tongue longer than it should have.
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' Strange....'
__________________________________________________________________
Lilia had not expected to see the human child again.
Yet there he was, standing near the riverbank, watching as golden fireflies blinked in the darkness.
Lilia perched on a tree branch above, arms crossed.
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“You again.”
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The boy startled slightly, looking up. He blinked once before offering a small wave.
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"Hello."
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" Do you make it a habit of wandering into dangerous places, little human?"
Lilia teased as he leapt down gracefully, landing without a sound.
Silver only tilted his head. " I like the fireflies. "
Lilia hummed, glancing at the glowing insects lazily drifting through the air.
" Hmph. There are far better places to see than a battlefield's edge."
The boy didn’t respond, only extending his hand as a firefly landed on his fingertip. His eyes were filled with quiet wonder.
Lilia watched, a strange feeling curling in his chest.
" You truly aren’t afraid of the dark, are you?" he mused.
Silver shook his head. "The dark is quiet"
Lilia smirked.
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"I could make it terrifying, you know."
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"But you won’t."
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A pause.
Lilia scoffed, turning his gaze to the river.
" You’re an odd one, human. "
Silver just smiled faintly, letting the firefly go.
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' Truly an odd one....'
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_______________________________________________________________
The rain came suddenly, heavy and relentless. Lilia had retreated into the hollowed remains of an old shrine, shaking out his cloak.
Then—he heard footsteps.
A small, drenched figure ran toward the shrine, clutching a basket. His silver hair clung to his forehead, his clothes soaked through.
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"Tch. You again."
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Silver blinked up at him, shivering slightly but otherwise unfazed.
Lilia sighed dramatically. "Are you following me, little human?"
"No." Silver sat down, hugging his knees to his chest.
Lilia eyed him before clicking his tongue. He summoned a small flame in his palm, letting its warmth spread. Silver watched but did not move closer.
" What’s in the basket? "Lilia asked.
" Herbs"
Lilia raised a brow. " For?"
" A friend is sick. "
Lilia hummed. " Hmph. A selfless little fool, aren’t you? "
Silver only stared at the fire, eyes half-lidded. Lilia watched him for a long moment before sighing. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a warm breeze toward the boy, drying his clothes slightly.
Silver blinked in surprise.
Lilia smirked. " Consider it a reward for your bravery"
Silver simply closed his eyes, curling up beside the flickering flame.
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____________________________________________________________
Lilia observed from a distance as the boy struggled to pull a long, silver-bladed sword from the trunk of a tree.
It had been lodged there during a past battle, its hilt wrapped in ancient fae engravings.
" Giving up already? "Lilia called out after watching Silver struggle for several minutes.
Silver huffed, shaking his head.
" And what do you plan to do with it if you pull it free?"
Silver frowned.
" Return it "
" To whom? "
" Whoever it belongs to. "
Lilia chuckled, stepping forward.
How noble of you but that is no mere human sword, little one. " He tapped the hilt lightly, and the blade shimmered with dormant magic.
" It belongs to my kind. "
Silver frowned. " Then...should I give it to you? "
Lilia smirked. " How generous. But no, I have no need for such things."He tilted his head.
" Why try so hard for something that isn’t yours?"
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"Because someone might be missing it."
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Lilia fell silent.
For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to mock that answer.
Instead, he placed a hand on the sword and, with little effort, pulled it free. Silver stared in awe.
"Here." Lilia held it out.
Silver hesitated before taking it carefully, his small hands barely able to hold the hilt.
Lilia chuckled.
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" One day, little human, I wonder if you’ll wield a real sword."
Silver smiled faintly, running a finger over the shining blade.
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________________________________________________________________
Lilia nearly mistook the child for a corpse.
He lay motionless against a tree, silver hair fanned out like moonlight, his breathing soft. A small rabbit curled beside him, dozing peacefully.
" What a reckless little human, "Lilia muttered, crouching beside him.
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Humans were fragile.
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Had it been anyone else who found him first, he could’ve been killed, kidnapped, or worse.
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Lilia reached out, brushing silver strands away from the boy’s face.
" Sleeping so soundly in a place like this....." He clicked his tongue.
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"Foolish."
Yet, he did not wake him.
Instead, Lilia simply sat back, arms folded, and watched over him.
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Just for a while.
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______________________________________________________________
Lilia had barely noticed the boy until he heard a sharp gasp behind him.
He turned.
Silver stood frozen at the edge of the battlefield, his small hands clutching his shirt.
His aurora-colored eyes were wide as they took in the carnage—the fallen soldiers, the ruined armor, the blood staining the earth.
Lilia cursed under his breath and stepped in front of the child.
" Go home, "he ordered, his tone firm.
Silver didn’t move.
Lilia frowned. "I said—"
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"Did they have families?"
Lilia stopped.
The boy’s voice was quiet, but the weight of his words pressed heavy against the air.
Lilia exhaled slowly. " Yes "
Silver’s hands clenched. "Will they be okay? "
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"No."
Silence.
Silver looked down, his expression unreadable.
Lilia watched him, wondering why he even entertained this conversation.
Then, with a sigh, he placed a hand on the boy’s head.
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"Go home, little one. This is no place for you."
Silver hesitated before nodding, turning to leave.
Lilia stayed where he was, watching until the boy disappeared from sight.
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' Go home....'
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____________________________________________________________
Lilia hadn’t planned to return to the forest that evening.
And yet, he found himself there again, drawn by something unnamed.
The air smelled of damp earth, the remnants of past rain clinging to the leaves. Twilight was approaching, casting long shadows through the trees.
Then...
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he saw him.
Silver sat on a fallen log, staring at something in his hands.
An acorn.
Lilia tilted his head, amused.
" You look as if you’ve just discovered a great treasure."
Silver blinked, glancing up. " It’s warm."
Lilia raised a brow. "Hah...it's just an acorn, little one."
Silver shook his head. "It was in my pocket. I guess it soaked up the warmth."
Lilia chuckled, stepping closer. He plucked another acorn from a nearby branch, twirling it between his fingers.
"Would you like to learn something interesting, child?"
Silver nodded.
With nimble hands, Lilia pulled at a few sturdy blades of grass, threading them together with the acorns in a delicate pattern.
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" Fae children used to make these. A little bracelet of the forest."
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" Try it..."
Silver copied his movements, his small fingers working carefully to weave the strands.
Lilia found himself watching, feeling a strange warmth settle in his chest.
Time passed unnoticed.
The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in hues of violet and gold. Before they knew it, the forest was bathed in the quiet glow of sunset.
Silver held up the finished bracelet, admiring their handiwork. " It’s nice..."
Lilia smirked. " A fine creation."
The boy smiled, standing up. " I have to go "
Lilia exhaled softly. " Hmph, running of again? "
Silver nodded, clutching the bracelet. He hesitated for a moment, then—
—stepped forward and
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hugged him.
Lilia froze.
He had stood on countless battlefields. Faced warriors who tried to kill him. Seen blood spill like rain. And yet....he had never been disarmed like this.
Silver’s small arms wrapped around his middle, his head resting lightly against Lilia’s chest.
It was brief, fleeting—before the boy pulled away.
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"Goodbye."
Lilia didn’t move as Silver turned and walked away, his silver hair catching the last light of the setting sun.
It was only after he disappeared into the trees that Lilia finally exhaled, bringing a gloved hand to his chest.
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It was warm.
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Then, he looked down.
The acorn bracelet lay in his palm.
For the first time in years, something in his heart ached.
"Tch."
Lilia clicked his tongue, shoving the bracelet into his pocket before turning sharply on his heel.
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But then he stopped.
His hands clenched.
And before he could think, his legs were already moving—rushing forward, back through the trees, back toward the boy who was leaving.
Silver had reached the forest’s edge when a hand grabbed his wrist.
Startled, he turned—only to see the masked stranger standing before him, his chest rising and falling as if he had run the whole way.
Lilia reached for Silver’s hand, pressing something into his palm.
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"Keep it."
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Silver looked down.
It was the acorn bracelet.
His fingers curled around it instinctively, warmth spreading through his fingertips.
He looked up, lips parting—but Lilia had already turned away, walking back into the forest without another word.
And just like that, they parted.
One day, they would meet again.
But by then...
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they would no longer be strangers.
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" SILVER! WHERE HAD YOU'VE BEEN?!! WAKA-SAMA AND LILIA-SAMA IS WORRIED! "
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" Sorry, I got lost..."