Lost memories
From above, the creature smiles, its golden eye glowing ever brighter, casting a sinister light over the chaotic scene below. "Do not falter," it intones with an ancient, resonant voice, each syllable dripping with otherworldly power. "You have only begun this lovely test of mine."
*Cough* *Cough* Kael gasps for breath, trembling on the floating floor. His legs give out and he collapses to his knees. "W-what..." He clutches his head, gritting his teeth. 'What was that second vision?'
BOOM!
The misty figure slams him down with such force that he crashes through multiple staircases, the sound reverberating like a thunderclap.
"UUuuUoOUoUggghhh," Ryua groans, gripping her head in pain. Already sitting, she hugs her knees and buries her face. "G-Get out of my head!" she screams, her voice muffled by her stuffy nose.
BOOM!
The misty crowbar strikes the back of her head, sending a shockwave that shifts the floating objects around them.
-
"What do you mean, Oda has to split from the group!?" The young woman, clad in her black military officer uniform, slams her fist onto the table, sending cracks spiderwebbing through its surface. "We don't split up! That's not how our squadron does things!" Her mismatched eyes—one a deep black, the other a striking blue—blaze with defiance as she glares at the person across from her.
The tent they are in is relatively large, its dark green canvas walls offering a muted, earthy ambiance. The air inside is redolent with the scents of cinnamon and pine, an unusual but comforting combination. To the left, a row of swords of all kinds is meticulously laid out, each blade gleaming in the dim light. On the right, an arsenal of weapons awaits: bows, shields, spears, maces, axes, and even whips, all organized with military precision.
Lifting himself from his seat, a man with broad shoulders and a cold, firm look in his dark brown eyes stares at her. His large, muscular frame is draped in a military uniform adorned with countless medals. He turns around, placing a cap on his bald head. "Officer Ryua, are you questioning my decision?" His deep, husky voice reverberates through the tent as he walks up to her, towering over her.
Gritting her teeth, Ryua glares back. "So what if I am!?" She waves her hand through the air. "For the past three years, I've been responsible for my team. You can't just come out of nowhere and tell me there are last-minute changes." She steps closer, poking his chest with her index finger, pushing him slightly back. "Who do you think would be responsible if something happens to them?"
"You've been given too much authority," the man replies, pushing her hand away and walking back to his desk. He takes a seat and retrieves a bottle of alcohol. "Oda is one of the strongest soldiers. Him splitting from the group won't place him in any danger." Chugging the entire bottle in one gulp, he wipes his mouth. "This is an order, not a request," he states firmly as they lock eyes in a fierce glare.
BANG!
She slams her hand on the desk, causing a large crack. "Who are you to tell me how safe my team is!? We're the ones fighting left and right while you sit on your ass and wait for the reports!" She grips her sheathed sword. "My team is under my command. Your attack plan is faulty. I'll reevaluate it and attack this evening."
"That won't do," the man mumbles, reaching into his desk and retrieving a cigar. "The security of this group returns every night after their raids. It's impossible for you all to beat them." He takes a huff, letting the smoke curl around his head.
"Then I'll attack tomorrow!" She exhales in frustration.
"They plan to move camps by tomorrow," he says, breathing out smoke as he stands. "Today is the only day you'll be able to end them. You already evaluated my plan and accepted it a day prior. Oda splitting up with your group won't cause any issues." Walking past her, he pats her shoulder. "I know you wish the best for your group. Oda will be responsible for attracting a large portion of the enemy targets, which will give you the chance to sneak past their surveillance and collect the information required. This increases the chances of the other soldiers living, no?" He mumbles, walking out.
Gritting her teeth, she clenches her fist and slams the desk again, leaving a large gaping hole in it. 'He's right, as much as I'd like to deny it... it's not a hard job. Just collect information from the revolutionaries and wipe them out. We've done it to countless groups time after time. I just don't like splitting up.' Taking a deep breath, she leans against a tall cabinet and slowly slides down until she's sitting on the ground. 'Oda will be fine. I just hate that old man for changing the plan at the last second... I should've slept yesterday.' She looks up. "Pfff, I've gotten to the point where missions don't faze me," she mumbles with a sigh.
"Hmhmhm, maybe you should've listened to Nio," a tall young man with short vista blue hair says, walking into the tent with a smile. His basic green military uniform hides his physique. "Come on, get up," he smirks, extending his hand out.
"Ugh..." Ryua groans, rolling her eyes before taking his arm and getting up. "Tsk, why didn't you tell me?" she sighs, playfully smacking the back of his head. "I know damn well he told you, Oda," she says with a light laugh.
Rubbing the back of his head, he replies, "Because I knew you would make a scene. As third in command, it would be wrong to let my team leader embarrass herself any more than she has to." With a smirk, he shoves her shoulder. "It's our last job. Let's just finish it quickly so we can become adventurers," he whispers.
-
"S-STOP IT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" She grunts as tears drip down her face. Lifting her arm, she tries to block the misty attack, but her unstable emotions cause her block to fail. She is slammed across the low-gravity room, breaking through multiple walls. 'What... why... What did I do to deserve this? How is he going through my memories?'
The creature tilts its head. "It seems you are still blind. You assume your experience and pain are unique to you," it intones, its voice ancient and laden with timeless wisdom. Turning to see Kael get punched in the gut, it smiles. "Let's see what he's hiding," it murmurs, its golden eyes glowing brighter, slowly turning to a whiter hue.
-
It's dark out, the city is quiet apart from the constant noise of insects running through the grass of the park. The flickering light illuminates two people. "J-Just stop!" the young lady yells, her voice cracking. "J-just... stop," she sobs, glaring at the man before her. "You don't understand, you NEVER will!" Her voice betrays her deepest thoughts. "Why don't you ignore me like you always do and go back to work!" she bursts out, tears falling as she trembles in the cold breeze that cuts through the holes in her ripped clothes.
The young man clenches his fist so tightly that he begins to bleed. "You know I work for us, right?" he mumbles, his voice breaking. He takes off his jacket and wraps it around her. "I-I'm... sorry... I'm just trying to keep you safe," he trembles, hugging her.
"I DON'T NEED IT!" she yells, pushing him away and wiping her tears. Her face is full of anger. "Keep me safe?" she asks, gritting her teeth. "From what? From hunger? From dropping out?" She turns around and punches the light post over and over until blood drips down her fist.
The young man reaches out and grabs her trembling, bleeding arm. She turns to him with tears streaming down her face. "You don't need to work for me. I-I can work! I can work for myself!" She grabs his shoulders tightly, twitching. "I-I d-don't need you to work for me. I-I can work for my own food, m-my own tuition." Her head falls on his chest, and she cries. "K-Kael, I-I... I just want... I-I just want my brother," she sobs, tightly holding onto him. "I-I'm scared. I-I... I just want you to be here for me," she slams her fist against his chest over and over.
Kael's eyes water. "I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry," he mumbles, holding her tightly. "J-just tell me who it is... please," he asks with a stuffy nose, hugging her tightly.
"N-No," she pushes him away, grabbing her head. "No No No No!" she paces around before punching a tree. "J-Just stop it, p-please." She makes eye contact, wiping her nose.
"P-Please," he exhales, hugging her. "I-I need to know."
"S-Stop!" she pushes him away. "Acting recklessly won't help! I-I... I-I'll see you tomorrow!" she cries out, running away.
Standing in place with his hand extended out, Kael trembles. He clenches his fist and grits his teeth as tears drip down. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out his old phone and dials a number. "Boss... I'll be late, and... I need that favor you owe me..."
Gritting his teeth, he runs, clenching his trembling hands. 'I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...' Reaching a house, he takes a deep breath, wipes his tears away, and looks up. It's a middle-class white house with a nice lawn, basic and painted in white.
Knock Knock
No response.
Knock Knock
No response.
Knock Knock
Clenching his fist, he exhales. "Open the fuck up!" he yells, throwing a stone through the window and jumping in.
"Get the fuck out of my house!" a middle-aged fat man yells, running at him with a bat.
"W-Wait, Dad!" a young lady with blond hair and green eyes yells, grabbing the arm with the bat. "I-I know him! He's my friend's brother!"
"I don't give a fuck, he broke into my house!" the dad yells, pushing his daughter away.
"Wait, Dad!" Grabbing his arm again, she turns to Kael. "W-why did you break in!?"
Kael clenches his fist, blood dripping on the carpet. "Don't play dumb. Who was it?" he mumbles coldly.
"W-what are you talking about? I need you—"
Interrupting her, Kael grabs a wine bottle from a nearby counter, breaks it, and points it at her. "Don't play dumb! WHO WAS IT!?"
Looking away from him, she trembles. "I-It was Alex... Listen, Kael, please don't do—"
"Shut UP! You're supposed to be her friend!" he yells, slamming open the door and leaving her unable to say a word.
After an hour of straight running, Kael stops, breathing heavily. "It's always the fucking rich," he grits his teeth, slamming the door. "Open up!" he continues restlessly, slamming the door. "Open the fuck up! If you don't open this fucking door, I'm going to break it down!"
"What the fuck do you want?" a voice yells from the other side of the door. After a second, it opens, revealing a confused face. "Who the hell are you? The fuck you banging on my door for?" The man has blond, wavy short hair and light blue eyes. He's muscular, built like a football player.
-
Kael grips his chest, hyperventilating. "S-stop... stop it," he gasps, gripping his head. "I don't know this memory, it's not mine—" Before he can continue, the misty figure uppercuts him, sending him flying and slamming into a set of staircases.
The creature tilts its head, its expression devoid of a smile. "This is a memory you managed to seal away deep in your subconscious," Standing up, it looks at Kael with interest. "You're impressive. Even I am unable to completely seal a memory to the point where I can't recognize its essence. You seem to remember the young girl crying but sealed away everything past that. Why is that?" it wonders aloud.