Ages ago, somewhere within the universe, lived a decent and devoted child. He lived his entire life in service to duty, unconcerned with the toll it exacted from him or others.
He lived by the principles of his world to its core. Too respectful. Too obedient.
It consumed him from within. Every command, every rule, he obeyed without question, his own freedom a forgotten concept. He'd become so broken he would stop breathing on command. Just… stop. If told.
Now this boy lived each day of his life drowning in the echoes of his duty.
***
"Stop right there! Who are you, and what do you want?"
The voice was deep and daunting, each word trailing off in echoes that lent it an unsettling, ghostly quality.
Halo paused and gulped.
He locked eyes with the man clothed in black armor, feeling that piercing stare cut straight through him. It made Halo hesitant with his response.
There was a catch.
Before the enormous gate the man guarded, Halo was certain there were brick roofs peeping above its walls. This was a safe land. So why must he identify himself?
"You can't speak?" His echoey voice left him once more.
Halo remained silent, watching as the guard somehow grew weary.
True, Halo wasn't anyone significant. But even with his unreadable expression, his internal hesitation should have given the guard some clue. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to get through facial features.
Giving his name was useless here. The guard clearly needed something more to trust him, but Halo couldn't just admit he was transmigrated into this world and couldn't speak of his Purpose either.
He lacked the norms of this world.
What if being an Awakened this early wasn't normal? It might force him to reveal something he had to keep hidden. There were higher ranks like Knights, and those were more common.
The guard stepped forward, his armor creaking as he attempted to draw his sword.
Halo sighed and spoke before the man could do so.
"Name's Halo. I'm an Awakened."
He clenched his fist, hoping this wouldn't have to escalate further. But the man's eyes narrowed beneath the helmet.
"You mean… you just finished your time at the academy?" His voice was calm, though it sounded confused, it lacked the daunting touch from moments ago.
Halo was caught off guard by the sudden shift in his voice but managed to force a positive response.
"Should've guessed. Your uniform gives it away."
The man said and resumed his previous posture, firm and confident, with the tip of his sword resting in the ground and his hands propped on the hilt.
Halo remained motionless for a moment, confused. Was he allowed to enter now? He didn't really see the need to. Unless entering would get him to Silent Hill, he preferred having his questions answered instead.
"What should I do now?" Halo asked while still keeping his distance.
The man remained silent while maintaining intense eye contact with Halo. It was as though he wanted to read Halo's mind.
"Students run from the academy all the time, nothing new. But you might want to go back… wait, did you just say you're an Awakened?"
Before Halo could respond, the man spoke again.
"Aren't you supposed to go home?"
The moment he spoke, a chill ran through Halo. This was what he feared, but at the same time, he felt more confident than he ever had. He could turn this to his advantage.
"Yes… but I barely had three days before I was forced to return to my Purpose."
Despite the helmet, Halo heard the disappointed sigh of the man clearly as he shook his head.
"When they want to, the gods can be truly menacing."
Halo smiled. It worked.
"I'm sure you don't know much about the lands. The academy never really teaches that stuff."
Halo thought of wearing a sarcastic sneer, but even he felt how rigid his body had become.
Lately, it was as though his body was on a rollercoaster: one moment, his appearance mirrored his thoughts vividly, the next, he was pale and emotionless.
"I am Noah, and I am a Knight."
The instant he spoke, the gate behind Noah began to open, prompting Halo to take a step backward. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he didn't trust Noah. Not yet. But in that moment, his mistrust wasn't what scared him into stepping back.
There was another person dressed in full black armor like Noah, and despite how gigantic the gate looked, he pushed it open with practiced ease.
Halo swallowed nervously. How could he be so strong?
The man held the gates wide open, the sun behind them shining in their direction as Noah began taking off his helmet.
He was a masculine man with a clean-shaven face and neatly styled dark hair, his mustache gently groomed in the British style.
"Come on, Halo. I'll show you around." Noah said and began heading toward the estate while the other guard took his position.
Halo hesitated for a moment. He was starving, sleepy, and desperately in need of answers before it was too late.
He couldn't help but come to one conclusion: 'Follow him, but flee if things go south.'
He didn't waste a moment to reconsider as he began to follow behind.
Past the towering walls were about fifteen brick houses with modest windows and simple structures. Very few people, some dressed in medieval clothes and others in combat uniforms, roamed the streets.
Though Halo could see a few tables set before some buildings, obviously for merchandise, it was too early for people to actually attend to them.
"Don't worry, Halo," Noah said and paused for Halo to close in the distance.
"My Flaw is duty. Looking back, I see how much my choices cut into the people I loved. Funny, isn't it?"
The moment Halo closed in, Noah began to walk. "I want you to know…it's not enough to make me hurt you."
Though Noah's words reached him, Halo was caught in his own daze. He knew Flaws were supposed to be sins that harmed themselves or their loved ones. But duty? He never would have guessed it.
But now, thinking about it, it made sense. Being overly dedicated to duty was no different from his Flaw of coldness. It cut others as deeply as any Flaw would.
***
Before long, they arrived at a building with windows on both sides of the door and above it. It wasn't any different from the ones around it, except this was the only building with a staircase wrapping around it, leading to a balcony on top.
Noah turned to Halo's wandering eyes and smiled, gesturing for him to come in. Halo followed without hesitation, and the inside was lit with lanterns on the walls and some resting on three tables adorned with benches.
Halo scowled, glancing around in confusion. There weren't any rooms with beds. It was as though they slept on the tables, or perhaps didn't sleep at all.
Noah turned to him. "Go on, sit. Me? I'm a Knight. Sleep and I broke up a long time ago."
"What do you mean? You're saying it's actually your purpose to defend this land?" Halo took his seat.
"Yes… until it's no more. You already know how tiresome being a Knight is. I'm sure they taught you."
Halo nodded awkwardly.
Of course, he knew nothing about becoming a Knight. He'd barely survived as an Awakened, while his best friend had reached Lost Saint rank. Ten kills weren't easy with his limitations.
But no matter how much he wanted to think this through, he needed to eat first.
"Can I get something to eat? And, uh… could you help me find a hill?"