Loss

TW// Blood, murder, violence

TW// Blood, murder, violence

Elias ran faster than he had ever in his life. He was clutching the silver dagger, fastened at his waist, close to him, hoping that he wouldn't trip over his feet. His mind was racing.

Pirates were attacking Parahill. Pirates were attacking his home.

He didn't even hear them - the attack, the setting of the fire. How could he sleep through it? How could he not hear his mother calling for him?

Ma and pa…

His mother and father were in the town. He needed to hurry. Elias clutched the dagger even closer, running faster, his lungs stinging. He felt tears in his eyes as he got closer to the burning town, the heat of the fire increasing.

The first houses were almost completely burnt down, the fire spreading further up the street. Elias could hear the screams of the people, either from the burns of the fire or the pirates, impaling swords into their bodies.

Elias didn't dare stop, he was certain they would catch him if he did. He needed to get to his father and mother. He would be safe with them.

He barely avoided a wall of a house falling down on him. Elias toppled to the floor and scraped his chin. He bit down on his tongue at the pain spreading through his body.

Get up Elias.

Elias looked to his right and his body froze. The old man who would always sit outside his house had his eyes wide open looking straight at Elias. His mouth was open and there was blood running down his face, from the hole in the middle of his forehead.

Elias, move. You need to move.

He quickly forced himself to look away from the man, but he could still see his dead wide eyes ever so clearly. Elias forced himself to his feet. He made sure his dagger was still fastened to his belt, and then he hurried towards the forge.

The further in town he got, the more bodies lay on the ground, the cruel reality of the situation settling within him. He didn't dare look at them. He didn't want to recognise them – his people.

Elias ran through the market, only glancing at the lifeless hand stretching from behind the fruit stall. He closed his eyes, forcing the tears away, panic seizing him.

I need to get to pa.

As he ran further, he managed to outrun the fire, which was still spreading fast right at his feet. His lungs were burning from the constant running and the thick smoke. Just a little more. Elias could already see the forge, its hefty doors closed. Just a little more.

When he came to it, he struggled to open the door. He hoped, as he opened it, that he would see his father, but the workplace was empty.

"Pa?"

The only sound he could hear was the distant screaming and the fire crackling, getting ever closer to him.

"P-pa?"

Elias didn't want his voice to sound so weak and afraid. He didn't want to be afraid.

Suddenly, someone busted in through the back room, breathing heavily. It was his father's friend. He locked his panicked eyes on Elias.

"Elias?" He quickly ran to him, seizing his shoulders. "W-what are you doing here?"

Elias clutched the hilt of his dagger. "W-where is my father?"

"Elias your father is-"

He didn't manage to finish his sentence as a bullet went through his head. Elias shrieked, covering his mouth with his hand. The man fell down in front of him.

"Finally," Elias looked up at the pirate who was still holding up his pistol. "Somethin' for the Captain."

He smiled, exposing a gold tooth. Elias took a shaky step back. The pirate lowered his pistol and approached him. "Oh, don't be afraid lil one."

I need to get away from here, or he'll kill me.

"We promise we'll take care of ya."

Run Elias.

Without another second of hesitation, Elias turned around and ran straight through the door. The pirate started shouting as he ran after him. Elias slammed the heavy door behind, not stopping to see if the pirate managed to open it.

If father wasn't at the forge, he must be with ma.

Elias ran towards his house in hopes of his parents being there. He came to a stop when he saw the front doors wide open, no sound coming from the house.

"Ma? Pa?" His voice cracked.

He ran through the door, stopping again at the sight of things rummaged and scattered around the house. There was an uncarved piece of wood on the table that his father had been working on the previous night and an unfinished embroidery on the chair by the window. The back door was open.

Elias could see them now, through the open door, down at the shore. Pirates were dragging them away from him.

"Ma! Pa!" Screamed Elias as he rushed through the door, down the shore.

Nyala and Arvel turned around, still struggling to free themselves.

"Eli?" Her eyes widened. "Elias don't!"

Elias stopped, confused as to why he shouldn't help them. He could help them.

"Elias run!" Shouted Arvel as the man pulled him away cursing at him. He pressed a gun to his temples, the one holding Nyala pressing a knife to her throat.

"M-mom, dad?" Elias stepped forward.

"RUN ELIAS!"

As soon as she shouted at him, Elias wanted to turn around and flee, but two strong hands held him. Shocked, Elias turned around to see the pirate with a gold tooth.

"Yer quick, lil one."

"No! Let him go!" Screamed Nyala.

A pirate with a bandana pressed the pistol closer. "Shut up, whore!"

"Let them go." Said Arvel. "You can have me if you let them go."

"Arvel don't."

Elias started pushing and thrashing in the pirates arms. "L-let me go."

The man pressed his hand over Elias' mouth. "Shut up brat!"

Fear and anger rose in Elias as he bit down on his captor's hand, drawing blood. He kicked him with all he had and pushed his arms away, letting himself free. Without hesitation he started running to his parents. And that was when the pirate slashed the knife across Nyala's neck. Elias only saw her eyes full of fear as she dropped to the ground. Elias came to a sudden halt, his eyes fixed on his dead mother.

"Y-you fernities!" Shouted Arvel, tears already falling down his face.

"M-ma?" Elias could barely hear his own voice. He couldn't take his eyes off her – her still twitching body, the thick crimson gushing out of the gaping wound.

Arvel turned to Elias. "ELIAS GO! GET AWAY FROM HERE!"

But there was no use as the pirate sized Elias again. Elias' scared eyes finally met father's.

"LET HIM GO!" Arvel pushed forward despite the gun that was still pointed to his temple. "The dagger Elias!"

The dagger.

He still had the dagger.

Arvel used enough force to pull himself away from the man holding him. He ran towards his son as the trigger of the pistol went off.

Their eyes met for a split second and Elias thought he only imagined it – the briefest, kindest smile before his father fell down lifelessly.

Time went still. Elias couldn't hear the screams, or the cracking of the fire still rushing through the town. His eyes were fixed on his dead parents. His everything.

Elias couldn't even scream. He couldn't even think.

"Come one, we need to get ya to the Captain."

No. This couldn't have been happening. It was only yesterday that he was sitting with them by the table. Laughing with them.

The pirate started moving away from them, towards the black ship. He was getting him away from his parents.

No.

Elias wouldn't allow that. He wasn't afraid of him. He wasn't afraid of them.

He started thrashing and kicking again. "Stop you brat! Do ya want to join yer parents?"

Elias didn't pay him any mind. He kicked even harder, loosening the grip of the man enough to get a hold of his dagger. Elias gripped the handle and slashed the pirate's hand. The pirate let go of him with a loud howl of a scream.

Elias ran towards the forest. It pained him to leave his parents lying there, but if he got to the forest he could hide for long enough for the pirates to leave. Then he could get back to his parents.

And do what?

They are gone, Elias. Gone.

Elias didn't know what to do. He was only glad his legs weren't listening to his mind, as he was still running.

He was almost by the forest, when someone from behind the tree pointed a golden pistol at his head. Elias immediately froze.

What are you doing Elias? Move!

He couldn't see the man standing in the dark shadows of the trees. Elias' heart was beating against his temples. He needed to move, but looking at the pistol, he didn't dare. The man didn't lower his pistol as he stepped forward.

Now Elias could see him in the light of the fire that was still raging in the town. From the shadows rose a tall figure. He was wearing a bordo-red coat with a belt and a sword fastened to it. His dark brown hair was short as was his beard. His head was covered with a large hat with green and purple feathers. His ears were pierced with black earrings and one of the ears was chipped at the top. His face was covered in scars.

As he started slowly moving towards him, Elias was petrified in place. The pirate's movements were slow and it was only then that Elias noticed that one of his foot was replaced with a metal lone. His eyes red from the fire raging in the village were fixed on Elias, holding him still with his gaze.

"What's your name, boy?" He asked in a deep ancient voice.

Even if Elias wanted to answer him, he couldn't. His body was paralyzed, but his mind was rushing, screaming at him to run away from this man. At once he was convinced the man was going to shoot him and already braced for the pain, when the pistol was lowered. The pirate who was previously holding him finally caught up with them.

He was just about to grab Elias. "Captain, we're sorry. He's quite a fighter-"

The one he called Captain raised his hand and the pirate stopped.

He crouched down to Elias, who still didn't dare move. "I'm going to ask you again. What's your name?"

Elias stifled his tears and swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn't going to let this man see that he was afraid. He opened his mouth and said with a shaky voice. "E-Elias."

"Elias." He paused and considered the dagger in Elias' hand, fresh blood still on it. "I'm going to make you a proposal Elias." The Captain looked up at his eyes. "Come with us and I'll let you live. Refuse me and you join them." He nodded at the shore.

Elias didn't have to look, to know who he was pointing at. He understood he was being offered. The man was offering him life at the cost of giving up himself, his freedom. He would have to leave his home, his parents, everything he has ever known to go somewhere unknown, obeying the whims of his captors.

The Captain gripped his pistol. "Make up your mind quickly."

Elias' struggled to think straight. He didn't want to leave his home. He didn't want to leave his parents.

They are dead Elias. And if you don't think fast you'll be dead too.

"As you wish." Said the man and moved his pistol to his head.

"I'll go!" Shouted Elias. "I-I'll go… with you."

He only saw a brief smirk before the man beckoned to the pirate behind Elias. The pirate grabbed Elias, this time holding him firmer than ever. He started walking towards the boat, waiting by the shore. Elias turned to where his parents were lying. Two pirates were dragging them towards the water.

"Wait! Pa, ma! I want to say goodbye to them!"

"They're dead, kid."

"N-no." He started squirming in his arms. "I need to say- I need to-!"

He felt his tears coming back, he felt the shudder of a sob coming. He locked his eyes with the Captain who was still standing in the same spot observing him carefully. Elias swallowed hard, he still wouldn't show him, he was afraid.

The pirate pushed him in a boat and firmly tied him down. Elias didn't resist and he didn't cry.

When they set the boat towards the black ship, he didn't whimper or scream. Elias looked towards the town, his home, the fire now dying out. He didn't cry. He wanted to. Oh, how much he wanted to – to shout and scream and cry.

He wanted to turn back time. If he hadn't gone out that morning he could've run away with his parents. They would be alive.

They would be alive.

Elias was terrified. He had no idea what was awaiting him. He wanted to crumble down and cry. But he didn't.

He wouldn't show them, he was afraid.