A Restless Dream

[Lars Yassin's Home]

[Time: Early Morning]

Elio's world was cold and damp. A giant hand hovered above, not comforting, but rough and strangely detached.

He tried to cry out, to ask… something, anything, but all that emerged were pathetic squeaks and wet, gasping sobs. Fear pricked at him, sharper than the rain pricking his bare skin.

"Where am I?"

The name drifted through the darkness, a whisper, but insistent. "Elio." It sounded vaguely familiar, even in his desperate confusion. What is it?

Darkness swirled, punctuated by the echoing calls of his name.

"Elio!"

"Elio!"

The voice was closer, tinged with an urgency that pierced his dreamlike fog.

"Elio!"

The warmth of the blanket couldn't chase away the memory of his dream, His eyes opened to see his name called. Father. It was the right word, he supposed, but it never felt quite right in his mouth.

"We're hunting," Lars announced, his voice as rough and unyielding as always. "You won't starve, boy, but you must earn your keep."

Why did it always have to be like this? Elio bit back a whine. He hated hunting, the cold, and the way Lars never smiled at him, never said, "Well done, son." Just orders and expectations. It wasn't fair.

As he pulled on the ragged clothes, his fingers brushed the small sword at his hip. Why did he have to do this? Even with the lessons, he never liked what his father did.

He didn't look like his father, Elio had dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Strangers didn't believe them when the word 'family' was mentioned, and their mismatched appearances felt like a stone in his shoe.

Wordlessly, Elio followed Lars out of the manor. The pre-dawn silence mirrored the emptiness inside him. Would today be any different?

[Outer Exit Of The Kingdom Joceus]

Elio blinked as the heavy manor doors swung open, revealing a world of the night soon to be day, as the imposing outline of the stone gates was up ahead.

Two figures stood guard, their armour flashing in the faint early light. This was a sight Elio was used to, yet it never failed to make him shrink back slightly.

"Knight-Captain!" Both guards straightened, their voices filled with a respect Elio never experienced.

"Drop the formalities," Lars grumbled. "Not on duty today."

Elio tugged on his father's tunic, staying stubbornly half-hidden behind the man's legs. These knights were strangers, their helmeted faces impossible to read, adding to the unease already twisting in his belly at the thought of the hunt.

"Off to teach the young master the hunt, sir?" one guard asked, his tone jovial, but with an edge Elio couldn't understand.

"Just showing him the ropes," Lars replied curtly.

The other guard chuckled. "Give him time. Bet he'll be stronger than you one day, Sir Lars."

A frown flickered across Lars's face before he masked it. "Come on," he barked at Elio, "we'll see what the forest offers today."

The guards stepped aside, offering a parting nod as Lars strode forward, Elio trailing behind, feeling smaller and weaker with each step.

They walked for a time along the familiar path, the forest rising around them like a green-gray wall. Finally, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Elio tugged on Lars' sleeve.

"Father, what's… a knight-captain?"

The question seemed to catch Lars off-guard. "A stupid position," he muttered, his usual scowl deepening. "Bunch of puffed-up fools at the top of the order handing out titles they likely earned warming their backsides by the throne's hearth." The bitterness in his voice surprised Elio.

His childlike logic struggled to grasp this. "So…it's a stupid position…because of stupid... people?"

For the first time Elio could remember, his father's expression shifted.

It wasn't quite warmth, but there was a flicker of joy in his eyes.

"Yeah,"

Lars huffed, a reluctant chuckle escaping him, "You could say that." Then, with a playful shove and a quirk of his lips that might have almost been a smile, he added,

"Now come on, let's see how well you can hunt in the wild now."

The undergrowth rustled, and the boar emerged – a monstrous thing, twice the size of those Elio usually struggled with. It snorted, its beady eyes fixing on them with animalistic curiosity. Hunger stirred in Elio's belly – a different kind this time, mingled with a tremor of fear.

Lars crouched, his movements suddenly lithe and silent. There was a strange intensity in his brown eyes, a faint, almost bluish glow Elio only glimpsed as Lars surveyed the area.

"No others around," Lars rasped, startling Elio. "Now remember, son, this isn't some training exercise. I won't be saving your hide today. Put everything I taught you to use."

With a curt nod, Lars melted into the shadows, leaving Elio alone to face the beast. His father's words echoed in his ears as he gripped his small sword, feeling smaller than ever.

This was it – the ultimate test. Could he prove himself, or would he just be another disappointment in Lars' eyes?

Taking a shaky breath, Elio began to creep closer, the boar snorting as it sensed his presence.

A flicker of determination hardened Elio's face. Training sessions were one thing, but this... this was where he'd prove he wasn't just some weakling Lars was saddled with.

Scooping up a rock, he hurled it with surprising accuracy.

EEEK!

The boar, startled, snorted and twisted, giving Elio a crucial few moments to observe its movements. It was heavy, slow to turn, and its bulk had no guarantee of agility.

When its beady eyes settled back on him, Elio acted. He darted forward, not in a straight charge, but zigzagging to keep the beast off-balance.

EEEEEEK!!!!!

SLASH!, SLASH!, SLASH!

A roar echoed through the trees as he slashed at its back leg – a shallow cut, but enough to draw blood and a furious squeal.

The boar spun, swiping with its tusks, but Elio was already gone, circling to strike at the other hind leg. Pain and rage drove the creature into a frenzy of movement, its snorts now filled with the acrid stench of fire.

SHAWWW!

A blast of scorching air singed Elio as he dodged, the attack leaving a blackened trail where mere moments ago he'd stood.

Then, something changed. It wasn't a sound, or even a shift in the boar's movements, but something Elio felt – a surge of cold energy coursing through him. His sword glowed faintly with a blue light, and with an almost instinctive cry, he struck.

The final blow was a blur. The boar's cries of fury ended in a gurgling gasp as its massive head toppled.

haah... haah... haah...

Silence descended, broken only by Elio's ragged breathing. Then from the bushes, Lars emerged, a strange mix of approval and surprise on his face.

"Well done, son," he said, his voice rough yet carrying an unfamiliar warmth. "I'm proud of you."