Love at first sight

The sharp pain in his back woke Robert from his short rest.

As his eyes opened what welcomed him was the scene of people drinking, raising their glasses full of alcohol to the singers on a small wooden platform, and the girls wearing revealing clothes that serve those guess

The girls approach the guest with a tray at hand and with a fake smile.

The smell of alcohol lingers in the air and the loud booming of the music almost made Robert deaf.

Holding a tray and wearing only a bra and shorts is a girl with dark-colored skin and hair, she approaches Robert kneeling on the ground so their eyes could meet.

"Are you okay?" She asked as her hand approached Robert's bruised arm "It's not broken is it?"

Seeing the girl's large chest, Robert's face turned red as he backed away before answering

"I...I'm fine Miss"

His nose twitched, the scent of rose came from the lady in front of him

'Why are the girls at this place so daring' Robert asked himself not knowing where to look while conversing with the kind lady.

"Are you sure you're fine?" She looked up to the roof where a large hole was made, dust from above the roof covered Robert's mess-up hair, His shirt was blackened like it was lighted aflame and his body was full of bruises.

"Your a pretty strong guy then" She compliment him, Hearing her words Robert paused, his head going wild from receiving the compliment

What's this?, My chest hurt?, is it gonna explode?, am I gonna die, is she trying to kill me?,

A blush on his face he looked at the lady with bewilderment.

"Miya!, I'm stronger than him so leave that brat alone!" A man wearing a full set of Armour roared raising his cup.

"I need a refill!" The man burped his face beet red.

"Okay, sir!" The girl answered going towards the man.

"Where am I?" Robert asked, his whole body aching from pain, he couldn't even move his arm without feeling something like needles stabbing him with each move.

He lay down and the rubble below him act as a cushion to his broken back.

Waiting for his body to heal, and his foggy mind to be clear.

Waiters pass by him with no care and the customers of the place didn't even notice his presence

They didn't even care about the destruction he caused, only the kind lady named Miya glanced at the boy with concerned eyes.

"What happened to them?" Robert asked himself remembering the thunder that strike down their wagon.

Laster shielded him from the blast but the impact of the explosion was still so powerful that his body flew without any respect to gravity.

His rag body falls towards a clear roof and he could already imagine his death the moment he lands.

The only reason he survived is because of his tenacity, he pull his arm up to guard his head as he came rolling down the roof like a meteorite.

The bone on his arm cracked at impact and the ceiling couldn't support his weight it begin to show signs of breaking

The last thing Robert remembered is the roof giving in to his weight and him falling toward the hard ground

"I need to find them" He muttered trying to stand up but his whole body shake at the thought of moving.

"Maybe later"

Robert glanced at Miya serving a guest with alcohol before taking a look at the guest that was chugging down a whole barrel of some drink and the ladies next to him cheering.

"Am I even allowed here?" Robert muttered.

"This place seemed illegal"

Minutes pass and the customers only keep on increasing

"Who is this guy?" A drunk man asked his buddy.

"Some idiot" He answered kicking Robert in the side before heading to the door with his buddy and disappearing.

"Ouch" Robert stood up, he walk towards the door at a slow pace with every step taking a toll on his current body

Pain still haunts him but it became bearable enough for him to move, the kick act as a reminder for him that it is time to go.

As he exit the establishment the colorful sign above attracted his attention.

"Oasis Bar"

"That's a good nam-

He yelps surprised by the sudden pain, his legs felt heavy like a large stone he has to carry.

Excruciating pain envelops his leg making Robert tear up.

He knelt on the ground unable to lift his body back up.

He then lost control over his legs,

He smacked the ground face first, feeling the energy in his body leave instantly

"I didn't recover?" He said aloud confused by what was happening.

The mere thought of not being able to stand made him shiver.

Time is gold.

The guardians could find him if he stay here, moving and finding his parents is the only safe thing he could think of.

And with his current condition, the only thing waiting for him is death at the hands of the guardians.

"Move"

He try to push his body but his arm felt sluggish so he couldn't move even an inch out of the ground.

His eyelids become heavy and the tiredness overwhelmed him, he could not fight back the urge to sleep.

"I'm tired, shouldn't have forced myself" Robert murmured before losing consciousness

...

"I'll take my leave" " Miya the Waiter bid her Farewell to her acquaintances as she heads to the door.

With the cheers of drunk men the forced laughter of the girls and the unbearable stench of alcohol, she could finally leave the place that she hates.

As the door opened, a ray of light entered the bar and the first thing Miya saw upon leaving her work was the man she was worried about.

She saw him leave but never thought he would pass out at the door like the other drunkards.

Her eyes gleam remembering the man's arrival at the bar.

It was exactly the time for her shift and she started cleaning up the floor when a loud sound came from the roof what comes after was a young man bursting through and hitting the hard floor.

Her boss see the young man unconscious and the hole in the roof of her shop and started to panic running to the door and yelling "I'll Call the guild!, don't let that man leave"

"....."

"Not like he could leave" Miya muttered poking the man in the face "Not while looking like this"

"Dad stop" Robert muttered while half asleep, He grab Miya's hand that was playing with his face "It tickles"

Miya's eyes grew wild with her finger tightly grabbed by the man.

"He's not awake is he!?" She asked herself before Robert's hold on her loosen and he snored loudly telling Miya the answer she was looking for.

.....

"Sorry for taking your time!" Robert apologized on all four his head facing the ground.

"Then leave mister" A kid of maybe ten years old said to Robert grabbing him by the hair and trying to pull him towards the crooked door.

She looked like a kid version of Miya with her tan skin and black hair.

"Stop, Grace!" Miya grabbed the child by the arm immediately separating her from Robert.

"Sorry for this child" Miya apologized to Robert before giving Grace a wooden spoon.

"Just play to the corner or something" Miya embarrassingly whispered to Grace.

"I don't approve of you!" Grace yelled to Robert before heading to the corner of the run-down house.

It smelled like pig excrement, the strong odor of the room can barely be called a house.

The walls are made of thin wood that could collapse with a touch.

The old wooden flooring is full of holes, black stain taints the broken windows.

The small place they have as a house is occupied by a drawer and a single large carpet that looked like scrap toilet paper rolled to the floor.

"Thank you for letting me stay here" Robert said raising his head to take a glance at Miya.

She's not wearing the expensive clothes or maybe underwear she wore at her job but a white oversize shirt full of holes and scratches, her hair was messy and all over the place but despite that

Seeing her Robert's heart skip a beat, his face as red as a tomato.

"Did something hurt?" Miya asked and Robert answered flustered

"Nothing hurt, I'm in top shape!" He smiled at her but his smile fades quickly as he slowly stood up face to face with Miya.

He thought they were the same height but she was a little bit taller than him but it didn't discourage Robert.

With his heart beating so loud he yelled to Miya his voice stuttering.

"Le...Let's get married!"

"But why?" Miya answered not even the least surprised by Robert's words, as if she was used to it.

"I...I like you"

Miya chuckled hearing Robert's response.

"You're too young to say those words"

"I'm sixteen, I'm old enough...I...I can get married" Robert said flustered, his eyes wandering towards the kid at the corner of the room singing, wondering to himself why he said those words.

"Well, I'm twenty nine" She walks close to Robert.

"And, you only like my face, not me-we're strangers right?"

"...." Robert couldn't say a word and could only look at her beautiful appearance.

"Then let me repay my intrusion"

Zip

His pants fall to the floor, showing his thin legs and white stained underwear.

Miya's eyes widened with shock while the child that was singing in the corner who seemed to be trapped in her world rushed towards Robert raising the wooden spoon she has.

"I knew your bad!" The little girl yelled.

A clean hit on the head as the girl jumps hitting Robert with her spoon.

"Ouch!, did you hate me or something!" Robert yelled surprised rubbing the back of his head before feeling a push.

Miya her arm extended towards Robert as his body fall to the ground

Thud.

"Get out" She said her voice trembling.

"...Why!?" He asked down the carpet, he took a deep breath and the smell of fish and cheese come from below his feet, the carpet that holds him had an extremely irritating stench.

"Is it because the kid doesn't like m-

Robert stop what he was about to say when he felt disgust stabbing his body, the look Miya has felt like a cold rejection of his love confession.

"I thought your a good man" She looked to Robert's crotch and continue

"Clearly your not, so please leave."

"..." It didn't take long for Robert to accept her words.

He walks towards the door slowly removing his shirt.

"It's because of the guardians." Robert whispered under his breath.

He took his pants and shirt, it's already in tatters cause of the lightning that hit him and the others.

"Guardians, they're chasing me" He looked at Miya's eyes that are full of disgust, the care they showed him is no more, he extended his hand that holds his shirt and pants to her

'It means I'm no good man for her' He thought as he said to Miya.

"Take this, it's not something that valuable but it's all I have"

Showing no response taking the things in his hand Robert drops them on the carpet before leaving the two girls and going onto the street with nothing but his underwear.

"Mom said love is beautiful, can't say I agree"

Robert mumbled tears in the corner of his eye.

He's walking aimlessly in the long alley between the old and run down houses of the desert city, no soul in sight and the smell of corpse penetrates his nose.

The sand below him has records of terrifying events, there are human remains buried in the sand. flashing yellow teeth and broken weapons.

Like a battle happened right where he is standing.

"Am I still in the desert city?" He mumbled looking back to Miya's small house that is built in a place where no light seemed to exist. it's dark, darker than night itself and the silence is eating at him telling him that something is wrong at this place, this is not the desert city he was familiar with.

He sneezed while looking back at Miya's house.

"It's cold"

Robert musters up his courage to walk towards the ray of light at the very end of the alley.

As he got closer The eerie silence started to disappear replaced by the yelling of vendors and the sound of people bartering the price.

With the warm sunshine and the voice of the crowd, Robert couldn't contain his excitement.

"I'm back at the desert city!"

He ran around the stalls with a large smile plastered on his face.

He stopped at one of the stalls his smile already faded.

Robert took a deep breath and ask the vendor.

"Sir, have you seen a couple here"

The vendor stared at him with no answer so he tried to describe them

"Um, One is a thin feminine looking man and the other is a woman with a giant build that you might mistake for a man?"

"What!?" The vendor asked confused so Robert decided to describe his parents once more.

"A thin feminine man and a woma-

"I don't see any weird folks here" The vendor interrupted him.

'Weird?' He thought

"You sure?" Robert asked " At least try to remember"

"Listen, kid, if some weird people pass by here I wouldn't forget them, like how bold you are going out the city.....

The vendor eyed Robert before continuing

"Buck naked, this I will remember seeing. not sure about the couple"

"Oh" Robert looked at his underwear and back to the vendor.

"Thanks, here" He grabs something from his underwear and drops it at the stall.

"Wait kid!" The vendor called when Robert is about to leave

the vendor sighed and give Robert one of the fruit he is selling

"Here take this it might help your head"

The vendor grab what Robert dropped at his stall, it was a silver coin enough to buy a hundred of what he is selling.

The vendor's hand trembles as he looks at Robert, while Robert bowed to the man and walked away.

He took a bite out of the fruit he was given as he roam the market.

"It's sour"

He didn't feel it back at Miya's place but

"My body still hurts" Robert said his back and arm sore from pain.

"Where are they?, when can I rest?" He groaned roaming around the market place his eyes wandering every inch and corner of the market.

His pacing got faster as time went on, the panic could be seen in his eyes as he walk around the

market place.

Focus on his surrounding the moment Robert's eyes saw what was ahead of him it was already too late.

Thud

He crashed against someone's back, Muscular and like a sturdy wall. Robert falls from impact.

His head is unable to analyze what just happened.

"Sorry about that" The deep voice of the man made Robert aware of his situation, he look up and saw the man's hand reaching for him.

With no hesitation, Robert took the helping hand and stood up off the sand.

Robert said his gratitude to the man before trying to walk away but his hand was squeezed tight.

The man was so big that Robert wasn't able to release himself from the man's grasp.

"Can I go?" Robert ask.

The man wears a mask to cover his face and a white robe reaching the ground, Robert's body trembles as he saw the broad sword that is strapped on a wooden scabbard at the man's back.

"Wait, let me get a close look at you" The man spoke gently

Robert hesitate to turn around sensing his hesitation the man's grasp on his hand got tighter making Robert kneel on the ground groaning in pain.

"Let go, let go, it hurts!, I'll do whatever just let go!"

Robert turns to the man's direction a tear in his eye.

"I never knew your sissy" The man muttered, grabbing Robert by the face.

"Now, I don't know if you're connected to her at all"

The man wince his eyes as if trying to get a closer look at Robert, he then put a painting next to Robert's face.

The drawing is completely identical to Robert what's written below the drawing was the writing 'Accomplice Of The Traitor'

"So you are her child" The man grabs Robert by the neck and drags him along to where he is going

"Don't resist, you can do nothing" The man said but Robert tried to scratch the hand holding him air escaping out of his mouth.

The hand on his neck was drawing away his breath

"Can't....breath"

Robert lost his breath.

"Wake up"

"Wake up!"

Robert jolts awake, his eyes fixated on the beauty at the corner of the cell.

With her familiar long black hair and smooth dark skin.

His eyes then wander around to see the prison he was now put inside.

A question pops into Robert's head as he yelled with concern

"Why are you here!?"