Alive: Chapter II

I made my way around the market. The wind softly played with my long hair, sending tresses to fly on their own. I felt the warmth of the sun on my skin and relaxed to its motions. I stared down at my friend, who accompanied me on my way. His purple eyes stared into the distance, registering every little movement the townsfolk around him made. His friendly look turned to me and he smiled.

 

My mouth changed form into a laugh as I got caught in his gaze and stroked my bangs out of sight. I sent my attention to the citizens around me, busy carrying supplies from place to place. Some golden coins dropped to the ground as people opened their pockets to pay. A small child ran past me and picked up a coin. His bewildered hair danced as he ran away as fast as he could, hoping no man had noticed him. His appearance turned my smile to dust. The skinny legs that carried him, his worn-out face, clothes which couldn't last another day; an aweful sight. But no one has ever helped a kid like him, not in a town like this.

 

I quietly watched the child a little longer, until he was out of sight. I looked down to the tip of my boot. Distraction took over in the most unexpected way and threatened my cheerful mood to disappear. Silence caught up with me.

 

“Say, Yuuka,” the one next to me slowly said. His low voice brought calmness along with his words. He laid a hand on my shoulder to comfort me. “What do you think that's behind the clouds?”

 

I remained still. I stared up into the clear blue sky, the sunlight blinding me partly. I didn't see any of those white cushions marking the sky above me and looked back to my friend in a questioning way. Something knacked inside me and I understood him. “Bounderies you mean? I- I wonder,” I finally replied, starting to stare away for a moment. “How long do you think we'll live like this?”

 

“Who knows.” He walked a few steps in front of me, his attention slipping to the small stands around him. The brand-new weapons shone in the sun, expressing their beauty fairly. He stopped at a table a little girl stood behind. Her tired eyes gazed into his, almost pleading him. He rested a hand on her head and stroked through her hair.

 

I turned around and looked for once to the cloaked soldier watching the crowd attentively. His thick helmet withstood my gaze. Looking at his armored chest, I noticed the eagle-formed crest. For a moment a slow song played in my head and I closed my eyes to it. My head moved with the rhythm of the pure sound, forgetting everything and everyone around me. A safe and memorable melody spreading through my mind, I somehow remembered the order of the notes.

 

A sudden hand on my arm shocked me out of my thoughts. “You alright? You seemed to doze off there for a moment,” Ryuun exclaimed. Worry was to hear in his voice, but made room for excitement. “I'm going to check out some armor shops before I go. Do you want to come along?”

 

I smiled at his appearance. I nodded and folded my arms around his waist, allowing his movements to carry me along. Slow, patient steps. Like always he acted carefully when I was around. Sometimes, I saw him more as a bodyguard than as a friend. Always willing to protect me, that is his strongest ability.

 

A shock was sent through his veins, immediately reaching me too. I looked up from my comforted position and followed his eyes to see an enormous black cloud of both smoke and ashes coloring the sky dark grey. His limps reacted to his mind as he started to sprint away, me following closely behind.

 

The run seemed endless. The air became hotter and hotter as we approached the flaming source. Hopeless screams of women and children racing over the streets filled the air as they aimlessly sought help. The property of orphaned children slowly began to give away under the killing flames as a row of small children made their way outside in horror. A couple of men had made attempts to safe more of them, but to no avail. A man noticed the two of us ran past and he pulled at my arm, immediately calling out for me. “Mercenary, we need your help.”

 

Ryuun stopped and turned to the man. “We're listening.”

 

“There are still many children in there. They must be separated by flames on their way out. If you would help us-” the man pleaded, tears building up in his eyes. I recognised the man. He used to be our client, but he got enough of us and rejected us right into our face. We got money, but I never saw him again. He was the head of the orphanage, using the children for gaining money. But this time I saw a different expression when he explained about the kids' fate.

 

“Let's go, Yuuka,” Ryuun interrupted him and dashed off to the burning house. The wooden roof was already gone, leaving the smoke free to expose the already done damage.

 

“Yes.” I ran after him, jumping over the broken doorstep with a somersault. My hand slid over my waist belt and reached the hilt of my sword, waiting for the right moment to slide it out of the sheath that was attached to my belt. I followed Ryuun through the field of dancing flames like running through a maze. A red maze.

 

Smoke mixed with the fresh smell of blood entered my nose and made me a bit dizzy. Before I knew it, I found myself trotting at full speed through the main hall. Burning corpses of due to the thick smoke suffocated children were spread all across the room, pools of red liquid coloring the tiled floor. I didn't want to look at the horrifying scene and focused my vision on Ryuun. He dashed up to the stairs and followed the glaringly voices of children in panic. I wanted to call out for him, but I remained silent. I couldn't distract him, not at this point.

 

Fire blocked our path. “Damn,” Ryuun cursed as he halted his pace quickly. He held a hand in front of his mouth. “This smoke is killing me. Looks like we have to find another way up.”

 

“We can't use the foundation since it's burnt to pieces. What about that?” I noticed gapes in the wall leading to the second floor and pointed to them. “Hope you are good with your climbing.”

 

Ryuun turned his gaze towards me for a second as he noticed my suffocated voice. I had already inhaled a lot of smoke, but I was willing to go farther. I put a hand in front of my mouth to protect myself a bit. His gaze shifted to the wall I was still pointing at. He nodded once.

 

The climb was to be my death if it wasn't for Ryuun to find another set of stairs leading to the next floor. The same moment we raised our hands to grab the bricks to climb up, plates of the collapsing ceiling started to fall down upon us. Coughing and avoiding fire, we arrived at the sound's source. Ryuun kicked the blocking door away and helped himself through the splintered doorpost. “The men outside are trying to control the fire. We need to get you out of here before we all burn alive in this building. It's ready to fall apart.”

 

I waited for him in the corridor, which seemed to get smaller as the fire advanced. I heard Ryuun's voice call out for me and grabbed one of the two children he carried. The two small survivors, crying at the scene of destruction, barely moved in our arms. Once again, Ryuun sprinted in front of me, showing me the safest route to take. I stopped. This time, there was no safety.

 

“Yuuka?! Where are you?” Ryuun screamed aimlessly. He looked around in a bewildered motion, trying to get any glimpse of me.

 

Tears started to build up in my eyes. I was separated from him, my bodyguard, my friend. A block of burning wood blocked my movements forward. I narrowed my eyes. “Damnit,” I cursed to myself and turned around, only to find no floor in front of me. The floor under me began to give away and shook as I moved one step. “Ryuun, go! I'll catch up with you, do not worry!” I screamed, hoping that he could hear me. As a result, I heard his running steps fading away. He had heard me.

 

Space to move began to grow smaller as time passed. I looked down upon the young boy in my arms, his terrified expression burning in my sight. I slowly whispered to him, “I will get you out of here alive, I promise. Just hold on tight, okay?”

 

It seemed to sooth him a little as he gazed with his watered eyes into mine. A small nod came from him and I abruptly jumped, folding my body to protect the kid. I fell a level lower in a couple of somersaults. I dropped down to the ground with a loud thud, my vision turning half black in the process as I crawled up to my feet again. Weariness started to take over, but I was not ready to give up yet. I shot away from my position. It felt like I was staring right into the face of death and panic started to catch up with me. Smoke buried itself deeper into my lungs, sending me to cough perpetually. My legs almost gave away under my speed, but I bit the pain away. No one was stopping me from getting out of the mess behind me. “I hope you are there to help me, Ryuun, because I don't feel like holding on for much longer.”

 

“Don't worry, I'm right here,” I heard his calming voice. I found myself falling through the stanchions of the front door that separated me from him and waited in silence for the moment to collide with the ground, but that didn't come. Instead, soft arms were wrapped around me when I opened my eyes to understand. Ryuun appeared in sight. “Told you.”

 

“I'm glad to see you,” I softly said and rose my heavy body. I released the kid from my grip and watched him running away to his little brother. “I'm sorry to scare you like that. I-”

 

A finger on my mouth put me to silence. “Hush, it's alright. I'm already relieved that you made it out safely,” a relieved Ryuun said.

 

I stood up with a little help and rested my arm around Ryuun's neck for support. The housekeeper walked up to us and took my hand in his. He shook my hand a hundred times before releasing, thanking me and my partner until his voice cracked. He held a sack with golden coins in front of my eyes. “I want you to take this as a sign of our gratitude. Please accept this.”

 

Ryuun took the brown sack in his hand and bowed. “Yes, sir. It's a shame we only could save those two, but the rest was already-” He stopped.

 

He expected an answer, but instead he was turned his back to the man. He stepped back and walked away from the burning building. The fire had almost been extinguished, still there was smoke flying freely through the clear sky. The sky above us that once was blue had turned into a mighty dark grey color, showing the terror inside. Trying to forget, I turned my attention to my friend. I unintentionally leaned a little more. I got weaker with every step I took. The weariness had filled up my veins and slowly took down my limbs. I warned him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saera stroked my bangs out of my eyes and pressed a dripping towel against my warm forehead. He threw me a worried look and smiled awkwardly, before raising his head to Ryuun. He released grip and stood up, ticking Ryuun on the shoulder as he walked away. His sign was understood and Ryuun followed the captain without complaining.

 

I raised my head and held the soaked object steady with my own hand, hoping to get a glimpse of the two boys. I sighed, letting my head fall back on the cushion. I stretched my other hand, checking the weak rush of feeling that flowed through my body. My headache overpowered me, forcing me to stay put on the couch I was laid on to rest. Giving way to my boredom, I looked around to let the interior of the inn sink in once more. In my labyrinth-like head the same song I heard a few hours ago repeated. Slowly, I admitted to my fatigue and sunk away into a dreamless sleep.

 

“I think that she'll patch up surely, but for now she has to stay put. We can't have her on the mission tomorrow. Even if she is feeling alright, the smoke she inhaled can be her worst enemy if she overexerts herself.” Saera's loud voice sounded steady, still a little uncertain. Entering my head, the sound grabbed hold of me and yanked me out of my dowsed sleep. “And for her it's even more dangerous.”

 

“I understand your opinion, but we can't leave her here. What if something happens when we are away?” Ryuun's voice added, filled with detectable worry. He was far from agreement with his captain. “It's not your decision to make alone, Saera. We too have to agree with you, or let me stay here. I'll keep her safe until her illness is gone. I see her being safe as one of my duties.”

 

Saera stepped away from him. “Ryuun, be reasonable. I'll ask Jene to keep an eye on her.”

 

Ryuun waved his hand through the air, in front of Saera's face. “Yes, have the innkeeper to watch her. Whatever,” he said, turning away from the leader. His feet moved in the opposite direction and grabbed hold of a glass of water. A letter was stacked under the glass and handed it over, noticing the searching look of Saera. “What is this?”

 

Disordered, I rose my body and set myself right. Hearing the two fight about my safety, I remembered the song again. I hummed it softly, unconsciously moving my legs to stand up from the couch. I took my sword off the table and attached the belt, walking to the front door without thinking. Like I wasn't in control of my own movements, I let my legs carry me to the edge of the river flowing through the town. I settled down next to the bridge and leaned against the cold stone. The little starts painted in the night sky peacefully stayed on their places, greeting the moonlight. I smiled to the sight of fireflies dancing about in the air.

 

I looked to my right hand. The black glove made my hand partially invisible in the dark scenery I resided in. The lantern lighting the bridge gave soft light so I could see at least a bit of myself. Good enough to see the scar on the underside of my right arm, running just under my glove. I observed it closely and my feeling was right; it had grown. Every time I used that particular part of my power, the scar makes its way further up. It marks me as the user of the holy sword I was in possession of. A rush of pain ran through my arm. I clenched my teeth.

 

“I see.” Ryuun's voice sounded interested. “So this is the place you go to when you disappear.”

 

Shocked, I put a hand on the visible part of the scar. I watched the boy's every movement as he sat down next to me. His appearance made me curious since his face was darkened with sorrow. His behavior was way too calm.

 

“We've got a little issue. We have to leave this town immediately.”