The last of his peers. A single light holding decades of dreams, there he stood, in the expanse of darkness. The aches in his arms reminded him of why he was still standing. Escaping his lips, the taste of blood testified the numerous enemies that now lay behind him in his path.
One girl. A single, beautiful soul… "I keep my promises too." Escaping his throat was a foreign sound. A voice even he did not recognize.
"Who are you?" Directly in front of him, the question pierced his soul, exposing the darkest parts of the man.
He answered honestly, "I don't know."
"And you still intend to kill me?"
"I do."
In an instant, a vibrant light washed away the darkness revealing the questioner. In front of him was an entity beyond man's understanding; It's body composed of black and white, a self-destructing endless cycle. The being's skin destroyed and rebuilt itself somehow maintaining a human-like shape. Three eyes resided on its head with blinding white light shining from each pupil, and all were fixated on him.
"A broken hero. I can see through you. Doing right without a reason. Drifting along aimlessly, clinging onto any semblance of a purpose, before having it taken away from you. The Wanderer… You continue to fight against this destiny. How?" These accusations, they were almost seductive. Invitations of weakness, slight temptations to give in to his darker thoughts. Melancholy would be relief, weakness would negate accountability, but…
"Some call you a God, some call you holy, but to me you are a thief. You steal free will, you steal experiences, but worse than all… you stole her. In a twisted way, the very same gods I vowed to turn away from, are the very reason I keep going." He recognized this voice of his. Life filled his proclamation with every passing second. I know you…It's been a while.
"Ready your weapon then…Wanderer."
Colors flashed within the black space. The grass beneath the wanderer's feet began to glow a tint of blue. Cyan hills, and pink tress spanning forever surrounded them. Reaching for his sheath, the reassuring texture of leather rubbed against his skin as he gripped the dagger's handle. Holding the blade in one hand, he cast an orb of magic in the other; A flame levitating inches above his fingers.
"I've never forgotten…" The wanderer spoke.
And the man attacked.
*15 Years Ago*
Some call it the town of illusions.
In its own corner of the world, the kingdom of Madrigal proudly reigned. This land was a quiet one, even more so, since the sun had long set. After all, one rule was clear: Night is not for wandering.
There were only two ways to leave this place. Through the dark forest where creatures and monsters were rumored to live, or a sole bridge that cut through the oceans like a blade.
The bridge was a beautiful sight. Not a single visible light shone within Madrigal, but the bridge sang a different tune. Even from far away, he could see it; Lanterns hanging overhead of the bridge's structure, torches warming the way forward, and the polished garnet of the walkway. Its melody held promises of freedom, love, and adventure; A life Madrigal would never allow.
"One day I'll leave this place too." Kaito spoke softly, a strange warmth flowing through his body. The wind picked up, gusting onto the second-floor balcony, but this did not faze the boy; His smile growing wider yet.
Hopping on the ledge, he let his feet dangle beneath him, taking in the scenery. This was as far as he dared to go. Even now, he knew being outside like this was pushing it.
"I wonder, do you sleep too?" Looking at the black sky, three moons gazed back warmly.
"Night is not for wandering." He let out a sigh, clambering off the ledge, and back onto the balcony. "I wonder if you know why. We worship you every day. Old man Kusa always talks about how wonderful of a God you are. I just wish…you'd say something back." He stood in silence for a moment, but no answer came.
"Tomorrow I start at Onsen's academy. Ol' man Kusa tells me it's the highest honor one can receive. That we'll train and set off to follow your will. Maybe at some point…we can finally meet."
He raised his arm, holding a cluster of stars within his fingers. "And I'll have so many questions for you! We'll talk all day and night!" Grinning, he let out a small laugh. "I have tons of things to tell you… Sanctus."
Night Recora chirped from the rooftops, hanging upside down from the rooftops, followed by a faint scratching behind him. "Pina, is that you?" He leaned into the window, but instead of seeing his bed and belongings, he was met with two glowing yellow pupils.
"Mrrreeough!" It tapped the glass, tilting its head.
Opening the window, the Parreton hopped into his arms with a churr. The soft sensation of fur grazed his neck as it rubbed its head against him.
"Did I wake you up girl? I'm sorry." But Pina didn't seem to mind. He felt the vibration of the Parreton purring against his chest. Chuckling he released Pina from his grasp.
He slid down the wall next to the window, before sprawling out on wooden surface. His lovable companion took the opportunity to nestle just beneath his arm. "To be honest Pina, lots of things here just don't make sense. Ya know?"
Churr.
"People can be so frustrating right?"
Churr.
"I may be a kid, but that doesn't give anyone the right to not take me serious!"
Churr.
"H-hey what's wrong?"
Pina stiffened, shooting out of his reach, and onto the ledge. Peeking her small midnight black head over, she called out to something…no someone in the distance.
The clattering of boots echoed loudly within the night, piercing the silence with each step. Following Pina's lead, he jumped to his feet and rushed to see the source. At first, he saw the hem of a dress, whiter than the moon itself, then a wave of cobalt blue strands following her as she ran.
He turned to Pina. "Do not follow me!" And with that, the boy took off in a sprint, bounded off of the side, keeping his hands firmly gripped on the railing. "Mikele's not the only one who can do this kind of- Whoa!"
Letting out a sigh, he managed to control his momentum. "Phew that was close." He dropped off the balcony, landing with a not so elegant THUD!
"When did the balcony get so dang tall?!" He exclaimed while wiping himself off. "Well, I'm fine I guess." He said with a fading voice. His eyes met the backside of this mysterious figure some distance down the road. Her magical figure encased in silver moonlight that reflected brilliantly off the cobalt hue her hair gave off.
His legs went numb like static. He lost control of them as they carried him down the road after the girl. Her white dress dancing in the moonlight as she trotted along with a rhythmic clacking.
Her pace didn't match her stride, she was so fast! Before he knew it, she'd turned the corner and he'd only gone a couple meters.
Shoot! I'll lose her! Wait... what am I even doing?
Sensing his panic, Pina skipped past him with a stride about as mighty as a house Parreton can be. He followed the feline as she guided him through Madrigal's streets for some time. Although not the brightest kid, Kaito made sure to keep quiet so not to alert the guards of his wanderings.
"Maybe she's in trouble?" He said aloud.
churr churr Pina replied with some hint of enthusiasm.
"Of course you followed me..."
The parrenton simply blinked in response.
Minutes passed, the moonlight being the only source of light forward. The streets consisted of endless turns and twists, so much so that the boy had no idea if he was even going the right way.
Churr.
"You see something girl?" With a sense of direction the boy couldn't comprehend, Pina took the lead. Over time, the area progressively shifted. Gone were the tight walls of the alleyways, as the path forward opened up. Maneuvering around a fallen trash bin, he heard the faint sound of laughter grew louder.
A sole lantern hung in front of him, swaying back and forth. The outer shell was cracked, and the light flickered, but it did its job.
"A… light? At nighttime? How in the world? There are still people awake?" Just beneath the lantern he saw a rustic wooden door. And behind that door, he heard the clinking of classes, unfiltered laughter, and the joyful noise of music. Accompanying the odd sight was a sort of sour smell.
He resisted the urge to gag, and turned away from the sorry building. This was the last place a kid like him would be welcomed.
Churr.
"I know I know. I'm coming." He whispered to the impatient Pina, making his away to the other side of the pub. "Where are ya taking me to anyway?"
Clunk! Clunk! His body stiffened, looking frantically around in all directions. "I thought nighttime was supposed to be quiet." He muttered, following the feline as she ran towards the sound. Following the Clunk he heard the creak of a wooden door.
The ground became dry and barren, laden in rocks and garbage. In front of him, he saw a small broken-down building as miserable as the area around it. Oddly enough, the structure leaned prominently to the left. It was a miracle that the buildings foundation hadn't separated from its roots.
Then he heard the door shut, and saw the buildings frame vibrate. It was obvious now. Just on the other side of this wall, someone was moving around. Why had Pina led him here? He had to know. Lowering his stance to a crouch, he placed his feet carefully on the ground.
His skin broke out into a sweat. He did his best to control his breathing. Eventually he made his way in front of the building. Just above the entrance he saw a pathetic excuse for a plaque. The design had long worn away, but it almost looked like a shield. To its left were what remained of the shop's windows, with jagged glass shards littering the ground around them. And inside of that window, he saw it.
Blue hair… Should I knock? His heart sped up, pounding against his chest.
Churr! It seemed Pina had different ideas.
The person snapped their attention towards him with a gasp.
"H-hey I…" He stammered but she was having none of it.
"Who are you?"
"No one! Er… well I'm not no one. The name's Kaito. I saw ya earlier running through the street."
"So you followed me? I have no idea what pervy desires led you to do such a thing, but I regret to inform you," she paused for a moment. "That I'm a white mage. You'd best be on your way." Her tone lowered, laced with something close to regret.
"A what…?"
"…" He heard the sound of pebbles hitting wood. She came closer and closer, not uttering a single world. Not even a sound. He heard the knob of the door twist, and with the familiar creak from before, it opened.
Dust burst off the hinges as their rusty joints wailed. She took a step outward, around Kaito's fidgety frame. Her eyes stayed zeroed where his couldn't stay focused at all. She took long, slow strides round him, analyzing him from his feet up to his eyes.
"What do you want?" She whispered, narrowing her gaze.
"I-" Kaito's voice cut short from her hand pressing his back. He fell forward into the door frame. Dust clouded around the two concealing them in a silver veil of particles. "Hey! Why'd you-" Desperately, he scanned around him, but he couldn't even catch a glimpse. Suddenly, her silhouette burst from the cloud, and she rested her hand on his mouth.
"!"
Before Kaito knew it she'd stepped between his legs, placing him horribly off balance. It took everything in him to remain on his feet. The girl stared him down, eye to eye they stood in silence for a second.
Why do your eyes look so cold?
"Kaito, huh? Sounds familiar. . ." Her leg retracted. "You're that brainless orphan boy that Kusa took in."
"How do you-?!"
"Quiet, those drunk brats'll hear you." She pointed off to the bar. Almost on queue, all the bar rats laughed obnoxiously, causing the girl to sneer. "Now tell me, quietly, why're you here?" She leaned in so close Kaito could feel her breath. It was. . .cold? Cold on a cool night.
Kaito froze. "I-I" he stuttered, but his sentences were far from coherent. The more her eyes peered at him, the foggier his thoughts were. Reasoning and rationale were long gone.
"Huh, Akusa didn't teach you how to speak properly? Fitting." She scoffed, backing away from him.
Finally! wait. . .she's still bad mouthing KUSA!
"Quit talking about him like that! He isn't-"
"Dang it! Why're you so loud? Is yelling really all you know how to do?" She gripped his collar firmly. He felt his feet leave the ground. "Shut up." She dragged him outside of the broken down shop. "Come with me." Cuffing her hand around his wrist, she took off at an unbelievable speed.
S-she's crazy! Pina! Why did you lead me here?!
Kaito stumbled repeatedly over every little divot and rock in the road, despite that, he never took his eyes off her. "Heeey! Slow it down!" Kaito commanded as they passed the last building in town. Before them was a wide, unused clearing with stone pavement covering it.
What's she doing?
"Here!" She blurted. The girl stopped, spun around, and dug her finger into his chest. "Now you can yell all you want!" She yelled.
"What? What are you-why are we here?"
. . .
"That's. . .what I was just asking you?"
"Uhhh, I don't know. You dragged me out here." He said, scratching his head.
"Y-you, you're so annoying!" She stomped her foot, causing Kaito to inch away.
"Er… she's seriously crazy." he mumbled, backing from her.
She sighed. "Tell me why you were following me."
"On one condition."
She hesitated, placing her palm on her chin. "Condition?"
"Yes, condition. I want you to tell me your name."
"My…name?" she raised a finger over her lips, casting her vision to the ground. Almost like a dream, she stood in front of the ocean. The moon caressed her body affectionately, complimenting her every feature. Her eyes were tireless in meeting no gaze, turquoise orbs bouncing back and forth between a slightly annoyed glaze and a deep-seated unrest, all the while never taking away from her beauty.
Gulping, he prepared to speak again, but-
"Sumire. My name is Sumire." She raised her head, meeting his gaze, but this time he didn't feel on edge. Her irises radiated turquoise, and they almost sang to him. Unlike the bridge, this was a song of melancholy. To someone like her, the world could only look desolate, dull, maybe even… hopeless.
"Sumire," the words felt strange coming from his mouth. "Sumire… that's a perfect name for you. Too bad you're a total witch."
"Says the absolute dunce." She turned away, keeping him just barely in her peripheral.
"Tch." He winced. "So rude, what a shame." Letting out a sigh, he gazes tiredly at Sumire. "We are taught not to wander at night, so I guess I was worried."
"I see…" Sumire replied, her voice trailing off.
Choo. Pina remarked, rubbing her body against Kaito's leg. The feline sat beside him with a content look to her little face.
Sumire's curious gaze met the vibrant golden eyes with which Pina keenly assessed the girl.
"She's neat, huh." Kaito remarked, kneeling down to pet Pina. The Parreton purred and chirped at his gesture. "Wanna pet her?"
"No. I have no interest in animals." She turned away once again.
"Well, I guess she doesn't care what you think!" He laughed.
"Huh? EEk!" Sumire flinched. Pina had snuck in and rubbed against her too. "Control your pets please." She huffed, crossing her arms in exasperation.
Pina hopped back over to Kaito while he snickered.
"Well, what a shame it is-" He knelt down, scooped Pina up with a graceful smile on his face. "-That she's so pretty. Right, Pina?"
Churr!
"I-I" Sumire shook her head violently. "Just mind your business idiot!" She yelled, her face turning a bright red.
Kicking gravel into the air, the White mage took off, soon to be swallowed by the night.
"How the heck can she run so fast?!"
Churr
He held Pina up at arms length. The parreton had never looked more innocent in her life.
"Hey Pina… I have no idea how to get home."
Upon a hill just outside the outskirts of Madrigal, there was a marble shrine shaped into a dragon. On one side, the humble kingdom of Madrigal stood, and on the other was an endless sea of water, gently caressing the sand with subtle waves of white foam.
This land was a quiet one, but the dragon's shrine seems to be even more so. Not a single creature dared set foot near the dragon, for fear of being burned.
Footsteps. Subtle at first; the sound of shifting soil, and the faint cracking of twigs reverberated off the shrine's walls. Then whispers.
"Onsen is the messenger my boy. He is who allows us to follow Sanctus' will. On this hill he watches over the kingdom, and flies to report our good doings to the heavens."
"I can totally see our house from here! And the magic academy! And old Glugnir's armor shop! So this is what Onsen sees all the time?"
"Indeed lad. This is why it is important to do right upon our God's wishes. If we fail to do so, it is Onsen's duty to inform Sanctus."
"So he's a tattle tale?"
"Nay, he holds us accountable to our vows. It is because of him