Atem: The path of their lives
Chapter 2
The naive boy’s view
The sun rays pleasantly warmed up my belly as they shone through an open window in our house right onto me, unavoidably heating up it’s old wooden frame along the way.
I’m glad the weather cleared up recently, since it used to be much cloudier. I’ve been waiting for the cold to go away so that I can finally go play outside with the others, given that the city’s surroundings should be pretty safe right now… By all means, I should be happy that such a time has finally come, but I’m bound to a fate of endless, depressing and mind numbing…
…boredom.
In the midst of such thoughts, a voice drifted to me from the other room.
„It’s so cold here... Heeey, come heat up the fireplace like you always do! Quickly!“
I clicked my tongue as I got up from the comfortable woolen sofa I laid on and began walking towards the living room.
„Aaaaah, sure, sure! I’m coming already.“
Somehow, my little brother got sick just a few days ago and now I have to take care of him with my parents. Honestly, It’s such a pain. I have to stay home and not do anything but listen to his requests and do whatever mom tells me to. I hope I’ll be able to go out soon.
After seeing him all curled up in his bed, I kneeled down near the stone fireplace in the middle of the room before extending my hand out to the engraving carved upon one of the stones supporting it, all while my brother watched on with his breath held back and eyes full of anticipation. I could practically feel his excitement as I touched the cold rock and the marking began to grow blue.
I just need to run a little numen through this and…
„Whoa!“
A flame was born between the wooden logs. It burned majestically for as long as my hand remained in place and quickly died out when i noticed the wood catch on fire before stepping back.
„You did it again. So cool…“
„That was nothing, Lear. Someday you’ll be able to use runic tools too. Maybe even as well as me!“
„I know, but I always mess it up. It’s amazing that you can do it so easily.“
Upon hearing his words, I let out a proud laugh and straightened my back.
„I know, right? Don’t get disheartened at the sight of a genius, though.“
Even if it’s a pain taking care of him, I don’t mind listening to my brother’s praise every time I put such a tool to work, nevermind the fact that it’s so easy. We’re lucky to have a few of them at home, since our mom has a highly valued job.
Without me noticing, a fragrant aroma reminiscent of the scent of blooming white lilies spread over the room, but no footsteps could be heard accompanying it. I knew that smell very well.
„Don’t get so full of yourself, Jino. I’m glad that you’re helping your little brother, but you shouldn’t get so conceited by just using a prewritten rune. It would be much more impressive if you could do that manually, don’t you think?“
With a gentle but strong voice, my mother casually scolded me about the earlier conversation as her long dark blue hair flowed around me. I didn’t expect her to hear me.
Still, what’s so wrong about that?
„Alright, alright.“
I agreed rather timidly because of the natural aura of authority around her, but I don’t like this. I shouldn’t get reprimanded for being a role model for Lear. Someone has to show him what a great person looks like so that he can look up to them. That’s right! I’m doing this for him. Besides, it’s not my problem that I’m so good at what I do.
„You know–“
A loud cough cut me off. Mom immediately sat down on the edge of the bed upon which a small sick boy laid, resting with his head covered by a wet blanket.
„Relax, honey. You should feel much better after drinking this.“
Saying that, she handed him an awfully aromatic cup of smoking hot tea.
I’ve never smelled anything like that before. I wonder why she doesn’t brew it for us regularly.
„Jino, pay attention now.“
My body tensed up a little when I heard her adress me so directly. With her back turned towards her youngest son, she began speaking in a powerful tone, making it obvious that she was used to commanding people.
„I’ll have to go out into the city now. There’s a certain person I have to meet with. If things go well enough, then you’ll have a new private teacher. Since your dad is yet to return from the Merchant’s guild, it falls unto you to stay here and take care of your sibling.“
Standing up, she tied her hair up into a bun behind her head and put on a light blue colored cloak with a pattern of yellow and silver lines interlocked on it diagonally. I got one last good look at her soothing smile and well defined features as she parted her lips to speak for the last time.
„His condition won’t worsen anymore. Just help him with what he needs and wait for me to come back. Until then, bye.“
„Sure, see ya.“
The thick wooden door made little to no sound as it closed and I was left standing alone in the hallway before long. My exasperated breath was currently the only thing resonating throughout the house. That and the infrequent coughs coming from the living room.
I can’t believe I’m stuck here alone now. At least there’s a chance that kid will go to sleep and I’ll have some peace for once.
Thinking that, I approached him with a woolen blanket I had picked up along the way and covered him up in it, but Lear reacted indifferently.
Hey, don’t tell me – has he hit the sack already?
„Psst, are you–.“
„JINO! ARE YOU THERE, JINO?“
I got startled when my soft whispering was abruptly cut off by a childlike shout coming from beyond one of the windows.
What was that? Seriously? Which idiot comes screaming out your name outside of your house?
„Come on out, I’m waiting.“
Both feelings of irritation and relief showered over me as I slowly started recognizing the child’s voice before opening the door and having a good look at the person in front of me.
Ah, it’s an idiot I know.
The first thing I noticed on him was as always the black marking stretching out in a line from below his left eye up to the end of his forehead, where it was being covered up by some of his disorderly dark hair. Wearing a comfortably looking green linen shirt with a hood, he carried around a leather pouch strapped onto one or more of the few brown belts around his waist. The right side of his face wasn’t obstructed by any hair and created a clear contrast with the other one. His green eyes looked at me elatedly as his name rolled off of my tongue.
„Dean!“
„So you heard me, great.“
„What are you making such a racket for, huh? You’re gonna wake up my brother.“
„Why exactly would he be sleeping…in the middle of the day? Anyway, have you forgotten? It’s happening already.“
Hm? What does he mean? I hope I didn’t forget about something big and missed it.
„Just tell me already.“
„So you really did forget. Hah! I can’t believe it. Try guessing then.“
He suddenly started jumping up and down with excitement as he mentally tortured me.
„Is it a festival?“
„Nope.“
„Is the Crown guard passing through town?“
„Wrong again.“
I feel like I‘m starting to remember. I think it had something to do with a fight…
„Wait, has he finally arrived?“
A fire of excitement swelled up inside me when I saw his eyes light up before he even answered.
„That’s right! Some famous warrior is here to challenge Evinruth in a duel for his title. They should be starting right about now, but we can still make it if we hurry!“
So it’s today. How did I not realize that?! I really want to go, but I don’t know if I can leave Lear here alone. If he wakes up in need of something and realizes that he’s all alone, he’ll definitely freak out… I‘ll have to tell him that I’m going to stay home.
Before I could open my mouth, Dean had already closed the distance between us and was practically right beside me as his next words reached my ears.
„You don’t have anything important to do, right? This one should really be worth watching. Besides, we agreed upon going way back, remember?“
I paused for a second as his words resonated in my head.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
When you put it like that…
„Right, of course I don’t. I won’t let you have all the fun to yourself.“
For now, Lear will have to get through it alone. I’ll be right back anyway.
„That’s what I wanted to hear. Let’s run then!“
– –
After passing through a few districts of our city, we abruptly came to a stop when the joyful boy ahead of me saw and started coming closer to one of the alleys along the main road.
I wonder what’s going through his head when we’re nearly there.
„What’s the matter, Dean? Do you know a shortcut around here?“
„…“
No response. I should go check out what got his interest.
As I walked towards him, I began hearing multiple voices coming from the direction we were approaching. These voices. These sounds. The more clearly I could recognize them, the more I started to sweat. I soon caught up with Dean and got the full picture of what was happening. The hairs on my skin stood up as I did so.
„Filthy whore! You’re even worse than your mother!“
„You think you can just walk around here so nonchalantly and insult people, you little quarter breed?“
Three men were beating up a small long haired child in messy rags disguised as clothes. Aside from its hair color being split apart unevenly between grey, brown, and white as the most dominant one, a tail was sticking out from behind it’s back. If it wasn’t for the feminine grunts and shrieks of pain coming from it, I wouldn’t able to tell that she was a girl. Especially not with the well built phsyique she clearly had.
What now? Is helping her a good idea? We definitely can’t beat those guys in a fight and there’s no other way to make them stop. I don’t wanna get hurt. If something happens to me, I won’t be able to return to Lear and everyone will be scared for me.
Dean swallowed his saliva nervously and took a step forward, as if he couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
„We have to go save her.“
So he says, but his entire body is shaking. I can tell from a glance that he’s deathly afraid of going into that alley. I can’t let him go.
When I tried to stop him by placing a hand on his shoulder, I realized just how severe the situation was. It wasn‘t just him that was shaking.
„Stop defending yourself and die already you little shit!“
I looked at my fingers as more insults and moans of anguish traveled to us.
They’re all shaking like crazy. Not only the fingers, my legs are also at their limit. I’m even more petrified than Dean… We need to leave.
„F-Forget about it, we should go. Come on, move!“
„Huh? But…this isn’t right…“
„I don’t care! We have to go!“
He was trying to resist my attempts at dragging him away, but they were working. He kept losing his strength little by little as we continued getting further away from those voices. All the fear I felt just kept screaming one thing at me: Don’t interfere.
With those words pumping power into my arms, I kept on pulling my friend away. After a while, we got back to the main road and walked until we could only hear the loud chatter of the people gathered up in the town square.
„Jino, we left her there like idiots! Maybe we could have saved her. There was a chance of distracting them and letting her run away, but instead we were the ones who ran! That’s just messed up! Are we…bad people?“
No. We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sure of it. It has to be right.
„Don’t think about that anymore. There was nothing we could have done. Even if we had joined in, we would have just ended up as their playthings. Besides, she must have done something to deserve that beatin–“
Before I could finish that vile sentence, the not so distant loud clanging of metal completely deafened the both of us along with everyone around and my words were lost in the wind without anyone hearing them.
That must be it. The duel is happening right over there. We should go look closer.
„Hear that? We made it, so cheer up. Let’s get a better view on them, quickly!“
I tried to motivate Dean a little and then hurriedly passed through a crowd of all sorts of people. After what felt like a suffocating eternity, I could finally see them in front of me. The man renowned for his prowess with the sword as the „Zephyr“, greatest of the continent, and a man in an agile looking suit of silver plated armor with a spear were engaged in fierce combat. Many come to challenge him yearly but only a few can keep up after the first few seconds. Dad even said that the current generation Zephyr is the reason why our kingdom is thriving even in face of all of the recently growing countries. That’s precisely the extent of that man’s might – of Evinruth Velis.
He was crouching down with the center of his gravity lowered while his opponent fought with a stable straight posture. Blow after blow, he let loose barrages of slashes in rapid succession against the polearm user with such power that I could barely register the true shape of his sword. However, the challenger was not budging. Each strike the Zephyr unleashed was met with the same fierceness and strength while the air around their weapons swerved a little every time they clashed.
„Wow…“
„YEAH! DON’T LOSE, ICARIUS!“
„SHOW HIM HE’S NOT WELCOME HERE!“
Shouts of encouragement and gasps of amazement came out from the crowd in equal mesaure as their battle grew more and more intense. For some reason, the continent’s greatest was being pushed back.
It feels like that spearman isn’t just blocking, but also sneaking in counterattacks before having to defend again. With the spike on the other end of his weapon, he’s attacking in an irregular way whenever he isn’t being assaulted. It’s as if he were trying not to let his foe catch his breath for even a second.
Wounds and blood were starting to appear on Evinruth as I tried to keep up with what was going on.
Don’t tell me, has he finally met his equal against this odd fighting style?
„Arrogant fucking fly.“
What? Did he mutter something?
I already couldn’t follow their attacks before but now it seems like they’re both even faster… No, it’s not that. It’s Velis that’s getting faster. The competitor is just trying to catch up to his speed. He still manages to score a strike on him every now and then, but it doesn’t feel as if there is no way for the sword master to win anymore.
„AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!“
With a fierce shout drowning out all the other noise, the spear user’s body looked as if it was about to reach it’s limit as he continued upping the potency of his every attack.
Then the Zephyr stopped his blade and just barely dodged the incoming strike. Expecting to be intercepted by Evinruth’s sword, the spearhead cut off a few golden hairs from it’s feral enemy’s head and burrowed deep into the ground.
„Wha–“
An ominous figure appeared behind the confused man in silver armor afterwards and released an extremely bloodthirsty aura. I instinctively took a step back from the two of them.
The sound of flesh tearing echoed throughout the crowd as the unrivaled swordsman moved and an object flew high up into the sky. In that same instant, the challenger broke the ironlike shaft of his spear with a knee kick and nimbly jumped back. Before either of them could close the distance between each other, the spiked lower half of the contender’s weapon flew straight at Evinruth’s face and was effortlessly deflected just as quickly as it was thrown. The challenger’s face then grew pale as he reached behind his back for something and couldn’t grab it.
„What are you trying to reach with that arm, dumbass. I just cut it off.“
He’s right…that guy is missing an arm. Not only did I not realize it, but at their speed, even he wasn’t aware that it was severed long ago.
Now on the ground, the weaponless fighter began crawling away.
„S–Stop...Don’t come any closer!“
Ignoring his mumbling, the already victorious master drew closer to his prey and pulled back his sword as if to stab. Possibly as a last attempt at survival, the downed man laying on the cold stone pavement of the town square reached for a small crossbow strapped onto his waist and unleashed an iron bolt enveloped in a slight blue glow at his adversary from nearly point blank range.
Evinruth cocked his head back a little as the bolt hit him dead on and began sticking out of his mouth.
Did he really defeat him like this after all that?
„Hehehe“
Laughing, the Zephyr regained his usual posture and revealed that he had caught the projectile with his teeth alone and spit it out afterwards.
„Nice try, worm.“
„An engraved bolt…in that instant...“
The defeated man then let out a few final words before his cut off arm finally fell to the ground and he lost consciousness.
„What a letdown. Tend to his wounds, I ain’t finishing him off like this.“
Saying that, the monster hailed as „The undefeated genius of war“ walked away from the present onlookers and guards gathered all around him after expressing his displeasure.
I can’t believe what I just saw. So that’s the pinnacle of strength, huh? It’s hard to accept that he’s a human and not a beast in the skin of one. I…I want to achieve such a level as well. Where is Dean though? I need to hear what he has to say about that fight. I’m sure he’s as thrilled as me!
After looking around and calling for him without results, I waited for the crowd to disperse and soon found my friend. Except, I didn’t think he would end up like he did. Curbed up in one of the town square’s corners, he was staring straight into the ground while covering his forehead.
„Uh, buddy, is everything okay?“
I approached and tried to get an answer out of him, which came only after a while of silence.
„Too many people. I can’t be around so many people.“
Damn it, I forgot. I was so overwhelmed by the current events that I didn’t realize Dean had such a problem.
„What if they see my mark? They’ll loathe and despise me at best, rip me apart at worst. You just ran ahead and left me behind alone, Jino… just like with that girl.“
„I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…the fight was–“
„Forget about the fight, let’s go home.“
„R-Right.“
I feel sick.
Dean’s family, the Lucia clan. Everyone collectively shuns them and marks them as untrustworthy. I’m not sure about what’s the deal with them but they apparently acted against our nation in an act of betrayal once and from then the clan members have been getting marked with a special ink at birth. No matter the race, the people would become furious if they saw a Lucia walking around without supervision. I knew all that yet I ignored it completely. First that alley and now this. I’ve been doing nothing but making mistakes today and it makes my stomach turn.
Whatever, let’s just go already.
– –
After taking the same route back to our house, we arrived home without any more issues. Nothing like what we had seen before was happening on any of the side roads and nobody approached us. Slowly but surely, we made it to our destination while dragging our feet behind, both of us exhausted physically as well as mentally.
I couldn’t let Dean go home alone in the state he was in, so I accompanied him and then hurriedly returned to my house.
My house, that’s right. A few hours passed by since I was last here. Wasn’t I supposed to be doing something important here? I have an odd feeling about all this.
It only took me a second to realize what was wrong when I opened the front door and saw my dad crouched down near Lear’s sickbed. A cold sweat ran down my back as I understood another one of my mistakes. So much happened that day that I had completely forgotten I was supposed to be taking care of my little brother.
The door slammed shut behind me.
„Where have you been, young man?“
Jumping back a little from the shock, I turned around and saw a familiar blue haired woman with a muscular physique standing next to me. Even scarier than my mom was the presence of the tall hooded man behind her, who I only noticed after staring at him for a short while, as if he had completely blended in with his surroundings.
„I can explain. I only went out to–“
„Your excuses don’t matter. I only wanted one thing from you and yet you couldn’t listen to me. Charles, Jino has returned!“
My father turned around after hearing his name get called out and swiftly replied as carelessly as ever when he understood the situation.
„Finally! That means all is well, no? Just don’t give him too much of an earful, my dear.“
Hearing those words, I started slowly approaching a chair backwards as my mother drew closer and closer to me until I was eventually forced to sit down and have my back get pushed against the wall.
A firm slap then hit my cheek and a biting pain spread throughout it.
„How could you? He’s your one and only family! Once we aren’t around to protect the both of you, it will all fall down to none other than you, yet you prioritized something else over taking care of your sick brother who could have gotten hurt? Remember my words!“
I’m scared. I didn’t mean to cause all this.
Reflexively putting my hand on the hurt cheek made realize I had already started crying as tears ran between my fingers.
Another slap came flying at me. This time, I closed my eyes.
When instead of an impact shaking me up I felt the tender caress of my mom’s fingers sweeping through my hair, I looked up. There, I saw the face of a desperate woman with tears in her eyes.
„Protect him! Even if you forget everything, never forget about your own blood! Please, Jino, don’t worry me so much…“
I felt immense and irreplaceable warmth spread throughout my body as she hugged me.
I’m sorry, I won’t make that same mistake again.
„Mhm, I-I won’t forget! I promise so please, please stop crying!“
My mom then slowly pulled away from me and wiped down her face with a tissue. She stood still for a few moments afterwards before taking a step back, allowaing the hooded man to step forward.
„Your regret is genuine, child. Good.“
Just who is this person? What’s he even doing in our house? It’s so embarrasing that he heard all that. If he’s some hoodlum I’ll show him the way out right now.
With the usual stern but joyful face now not showing any hints of her sorrow just a few moments ago, my mom raised her head along with her voice and spoke in a strong tone.
„I’m not sure if you deserve it after today, but this is the person I talked about this morning.“
At those words, the man lowered his hood and pure white hair emerged from underneath it.
I don’t really get it, but he looks as if he could be both 60 and 20 years old at the same time. His body looks well trained too.
A pair of eyes that resembled the mystery and madness of a faraway night sky coated in grey and dark purple stared at me right after I had such thoughts. It felt like those eyes could understand my every emotion.
„My name is Arius Argenti. Based on Claire’s, your mother’s, reccomendation, I shall be teaching you about everything and anything that this world has to offer.“
He stretched his hand out to me.
„Now then, shall we begin?“