The country of Shia, 1501. Spring.

“Shia is a relatively new country. 20 years ago, when your father and I got engaged, it was still quite a turbulent era, you see. Before it took the name Shia, it was a lawless and scary place, and monsters in human skin fought over who would rule the nation. But thanks to Irondawn and the efforts of our king, we are now able to enjoy our peaceful life. That’s why you have to be thankful for all that we have now, Itoro.”

Another day, another lecture from his mother. Although Itoro claimed to be ‘mature for his age’ like his peers did, the undeniable reality was that he was a grand troublemaker. Despite this, his mother continued to shower him with love. His father, on the other hand, was not a figure that Itoro had many memories of. Living on a farm was no easy task; the harvest was their sole source of income, so Itoro’s father provided for the family while his mother taught him. His mother and father were both in their late 40’s, although compared to his mother, Itoro’s father was far more wrinkled and showing signs of age. Perhaps due to the stress of protecting his family during the wars before Shia was formed, or the constant burden of managing the farm finally taking effect.

Itoro was merely 8 years-old. He had dark brown hair and eyes sporting that same colour, inherited from his mother. Luckily, he had not inherited his father’s rough features. That was something his mother always felt thankful for.

Itoro let out a deep yawn: “I already said I’m sorry. Can I go play outside already?”

“Since you asked politely, go ahead. But be back before it turns dark, understand? The monsters in human skin come out at night.”

Itoro nodded enthusiastically, and rapidly darted towards the bustling city, which had become a playground of sorts for him. His mother always warned of these ‘monsters’ coming out at night, but he had never understood what she meant. He simply assumed that it was an attempt to scare Itoro into returning home on time.

The smell of fresh pastries and bread struck Itoro’s nose as he entered the city. There was an unexplainable appeal to Itoro of the city, perhaps due to the sheer contrast of the liveliness in the city compared to the tranquil atmosphere on the farm. Crowds of people each absorbed in their own lives and heading to their own destinations. The market in the city was glamorous: the products sold were of quality that Itoro could only dream of. As he continued running through the city, he heard a voice filled with great distress.

“Somebody… help!”

Itoro hesitantly approached the direction that the voice came from. His excitement and energy dissipated as he cautiously walked forward. The origin of the voice was now fully clear. A girl trapped in a rusted cage, her fragile frame shrouded in tattered clothes and haunting signs of neglect. His childish curiosity drove him into action, as he placed his hands on the cold steel bars that imprisoned the girl and spoke out:

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you in there?”

But before an answer could surface, a harsh blow struck his hand, sending pain rippling through his body. The perpetrator: a tall man dressed in all black. It was difficult to make out his face, a straw hat casting a shadow on it. A coarse voice spoke to Itoro.

“Scram, boy. Property isn’t meant to be talked to.”

No other warning was needed other than that. Any thought of contact with the girl was quickly abandoned, and Itoro broke into a run back home. The sun was starting to set.

Only a woodland separated the farm from the city. Sometimes, people would get slightly lost in the forest and end up at the farm, in which case they'd be guided back in the opposite direction by Itoro's parents. Although for Itoro, the woodland was a familiar environment. Sometimes, instead of visiting the city, the woods would serve as sufficient entertainment. He often enjoyed swinging around the solid, mossy trees. It provided a liberating freedom. But the events in the city were all that concerned him as he ran home, a sense of urgency in his step. There was no time to stop to play around.

Who was that girl? Why is she locked up? Maybe I should tell my mother? Such thoughts flooded his mind.

Itoro's heart pounded in his chest as he hurried back home, the encounter in the city still replaying in his mind. He reached the farm just as the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky turning into a canvas of deep oranges and purples, and the cool wind battering his face. Even though he had just ran, a feeling of restlessness was ever-present. Something felt… off. The hearth was unlit, and an ominous aura surrounded his beloved home, stopping Itoro right in his tracks. He was already shaken up by the events in the city, and now his gut was screaming, pleading Itoro to run. Never had the constant reminders of the monsters in human skin echo through his mind more than now. Usually, the dark never served to be any issue for him, but on this day, he had noticed the lack of light like never before. Cautiously, Itoro stumbled towards the entrance to his home, with what little courage he had gathered. The door was wide open.

A squelch directly below Itoro’s feet. A piercing scream. Horror.

It was dark, but it was still clear what he had stepped on. There was no time to register what just happened, or rather his mind refused to accept the reality that his eyes attempted to force him to accept. Two motionless silhouettes lay in front of him as he fell back out of terror. He dug his fingers deep into the cold mud he had fell back on out of panic. A severe dryness in his throat. Uncontrollable breathing, as though his body finally realised it was tired from all the running.

What's... going on? Why are they just lying there? It can't be, right? Those monsters were just a lie, right?

“Mom? Dad? Wake up. WAKE UP!”

His cries were greeted by an unexpected voice from behind. There was nothing Itoro wouldn't do for that to have been the soothing voice of his mother, or the caring call of his father. But instead, a deep, emotionless voice reached him.

“Do you want revenge?”