Its light seemed as if it could be seen even from the moon. It flashed so brightly that the sun itself was swallowed by shadow for a few seconds, yielding to a brighter presence.
But it faded away just as quickly as it had flashed.
The boy felt a strange response in his soul. He intuitively understood what had happened but immediately began to deny it because if he believed...
"No..." He seemed to have gone mad, repeating the only word he knew so as not to hear his own thoughts.
"No... No... No..."
"No."
"No..."
"No."
"N-no..."
"No..."
"No... No... No... No... No..."
"No... No... No... No... No..."
"No!" He shouted in disbelief at the end.
"B-belle, she... She's strong. So she won't be defeated easily. And the light... Th-that's her power. R-right? If it's her power, then everything will be fine, r-right...?" He found a worthy excuse.
"No... I have... Have to help her somehow... Right, have to help.... If I help her, she'll definitely succeed... Yeah..." Elion could no longer just stand there and shout into the air.
He decided to do something.
"B-but how? I... I can't do anything... Even if I jump with all my might, I won't be able to knock it down. I need to call someone."
It was already nighttime outside, but many people, especially the neighbors who lived nearby, woke up from the sound of the explosion and the bright light. So, Elion decided to give it a try.
They didn't have a very good relationship with their neighbors. Elion sometimes said hello to them and visited some of them, though.
Even if we don't know each other, how can you refuse to help someone? But Elion was still too young.
*Knock, knock, knock*
"P-please help! We've been attacked by bandits! My sister needs help!"
There were noises behind the door, so Elion waited.
One second, two seconds, five seconds, ten seconds.
"..."
Elion's face fell as it always did. All he could say in utter disbelief was,
"No..."
It turned out that the world was not as welcoming as the boy had thought.
The tenth house.
"Please!!!"
The fifteenth house.
"I beg you!!!" Elion knelt and tore at his throat once again, choking back tears.
The twentieth house.
"Help her!!!"
Finally, the thirty-eighth house.
"P-please, open up... A-anyone..." Elion begged desperately, his voice hoarse.
Finally, the door opened.
"Y-you'll help..." But he didn't have time to finish.
A powerful kick to the chest knocked the wind out of him and threw him down the front steps.
"Gha..." With a painful exhalation, the boy fell backward.
The tall man who had kicked him said irritably,
"If you knock on someone's door or shout again, I'll beat you so badly that you'll never be able to do it again."
"Wha... B-but my sis... My sister needs he..." The boy begged desperately, breathing heavily like a beaten puppy.
"I don't give a shit about your whore of a sister. Is there one reason why I should care about her? Let her rest comfortably in her coffin. I'm not going to risk my life for someone I don't know. I'll kill you if you raise your voice on this street again."
It seemed as if the entire street of York had heard this conversation and silently agreed with the man.
Hearing this, Elion said nothing and did not argue.
He moved on silently, almost crawling.
He did not give up.
...
"Anyone..." The boy whispered hoarsely.
"Anyone please..."
"I beg you... Gods, please... Anyone..." Apparently, the gods heard him because...
Elion came to the circular square, looked up, and saw...
"N-no way... The hero!" Gardemarine Gelion was surrounded by girls.
He looked at the blood-red apple and raised it to the moonlight.
It seemed that luck had finally smiled on Elion. Before him appeared the one who could truly help him. He rushed toward the folk hero.
"Hero Gardemarine! P-please help! My sister needs help. Do you remember her? You invited her into the carriage!"
At the mention of his sister, the woman's face twisted, but the aquamarine-eyed hero paid no attention and asked seriously,
"What happened?"
"W-we were attacked! They were bandits, and my mom and dad... Please help! The boy desperately cried for help, deciding not to think about anything but saving his sister, and the hero responded to his call.
"Of course. Please forgive me, ladies. Duty calls," Gardemarine said as he stood up and followed the boy.
"Yes! Hurry, it's not far." Elion said, leading his last hope for help at a run.
In a minute, they ran to the house, and a terrible picture appeared before them.
The house was almost completely burned down, with flames still flickering here and there.
"White ashes..." The Gardemarine looked at the scene in silence, but his face remained unchanged.
"L-let's hurry! She must still be there!" The boy urged, already out of breath.
"Yes, of course... Oh, right. Remember I said I'd help you?" The hero said thoughtfully.
Elion turned and looked at him.
"Yes, what about it?"
"Well, here's the thing... It was a..."
The hero broke into a wide smile that seemed to reach all the way to his dark eyes.
"Joke!!!"
And then...
"Gha...!"
With a powerful kick to the chest that broke a couple of ribs, Elion flew into the wall of the house, hitting the back of his head.