The pain from tumbling down the rocks numbed every part of his body. He staggered across the muddy field, held up by will alone. Eventually, he stopped, looking at work boots made two sizes too big. A single tear slipped down his face, followed by another. The background blurred. Soul clenched his fists.

The woman walking ahead of him stopped and looked back. Her red bun had been mangled and yanked out at parts. River water dampened her clothes and mud stained her face. He couldn’t see her expression but he could guess.

“Soul, Aren’t you supposed to be the strongest?” she asked.

Soul glanced at her for a second before turning back to his feet. He buried his face in his hands and took in a shaky breath, but it didn’t stop the tears from flowing. He replied to her with a few shaky sniffs. She sighed and closed the gap between them, getting onto one knee and rubbing his shoulder.

“Soul… the others spent the entire afternoon looking for you. You wouldn’t want to let them down, right?”

Soul froze.

"Right?"

The woman narrowed her eyes.

In one swift movement, he scrubbed his eyes red and slapped his cheeks. He spun round and looked up at her with eyes forced open wider than normal.

“You ready now?”

He nodded rapidly. She smiled and ruffled his hair.

“That’s my boy, c’mon.”

She strode onwards and Soul willed his legs to keep up. Despite flinching after every step, despite the red marks on his face stinging in the cold air, despite his ears ringing no matter how many times he rubbed them, Soul’s face remained blank and unchanged.

And that’s how it’s always been or will be-

“Ah!”

Soul jerked his body back, tripping over his feet and tumbling to the ground.

“What is it? Are you ok?”

The woman snapped her head round and raised her eyebrows.

“A bug!”

“A bug?”

A bug…

***

The stiff, old door had had enough. Soul nearly shoved it off its hinges in his tired stupor. Eventually, he wrestled it open. This was harder than he remembered. Well, it didn’t matter now; he was past it. He rubbed his eyes and took in the early morning landscape. Glowing wisps were mingling with the morning dew that trickled down yellowing blades of grass. Everyone else was still asleep. Since the sun had barely risen, they were better off that way.

He yanked on boots that were two sizes too small and stepped into the colder air.

With a long, drawn out yawn, Soul tramped over to the well.

He tossed in a bucket with a dismissive glance and scratched his chin. A few seconds after hearing the splash, he tugged it up with one hand. The fluid movement caught him off guard and he hesitated, inspecting the hand that brought the bucket. After a while, he took the water, shaking his head.

Soul whistled a tune, swinging the basket in time as he strolled back to his house. As he was about to struggle with the door again, a scream rang out. He paused, turning back and scanning the area.

“Somebody’s up?”

They didn't sound too keen to be awake. Damn it. If he wasn’t fast enough, the screams might multiply. The hairs on his thick arms stood on end. That's a bad omen if any. His intuition was never wrong.

Soul dropped his bucket and headed towards the source of the noise. He wasn’t the only one. Some girls clambered out of their cottages, grabbing their most threatening looking farming tools. A few spotted Soul and jogged up to follow behind him. This led to more and more joining the end of the line till everyone was following him with grave expressions.

One older woman didn’t bother making her way to the end of the line and strode directly to Soul. She stared at him for a moment before matching his stride. A few of the girls behind him stood straighter at her entrance, some even poised their “weapons”, holding their shovels and rakes, metal parts up.

“Aunt Wendy, Good morning.”

Soul tilted his head down. She didn’t return the gesture.

Soon, the main field came into view. Towards the entrance of the farm, two people could be seen talking if you squinted. However, Soul could see them better than the rest. One of the people in the distance leaned away while the other closed any gap that was made. This struggle repeated itself until the one trying to get away got grabbed by the hair. At that moment, the sun had risen enough to shine through their void black strands.

“... It’s Layla.”

“Oh, really?”

Aunt Wendy rubbed her chin.

“What’s the situation?”

Soul leaned forward, peering deeper.

“Not good.”

“Great Terra… Those of you who can run, run. If ya can’t, go back.”

After that order, most of the girls fell back. Some strolled over to the barn, properly storing their tools, while others tossed their tools aside and slouched off back to their homes. The sun was only beginning to squeeze into the landscape so it would be a few hours before anything had to be done, but a few hours meant everything with work as tiring as it could get on the farm.

Since because most of the people on the farm weren’t natural born fighters, Wendy’s words made only a handful of people stay. Hopefully, this would be enough.

“Soul, you go on ahead.”

Soul nodded and took off faster than anyone else could run. His long legs carried him over the bumpy terrain like it wasn’t there. He reached Layla faster than he thought he would and had to stab his heels into the soil to stop himself from overshooting. The two in front of him halted their strained conversation to stare at him.

“Soul?”

Layla clasped her hands together. Her long, dark hair only highlighted her pale skin and sickly atmosphere. Her big, silver eyes peered up at Soul like she was trying to communicate with him through her mind. She tried to take a step closer but the boy next to her grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

The person standing next to Layla was a boy Soul hadn’t seen before. The stranger’s most noticeable aspect was his obnoxiously blonde hair. His clothes were lavish with materials stitched in for no cause other than to raise the value of the outfit. His face, no, his whole body was scratchless like he was born a moment ago. That spotless face was now twisted into a horrid scowl.

“How dare you turn your back to me! Do not assume I will let you go because of a little company!”

His voice was shrill and complicated. He rolled his tongue on words that didn’t need to be rolled and added a flourish at the end of each sentence. Soul picked at his ear and shook the dust off his clothes.

“Let her go.”

The blond boy turned his back on Soul and kept chastising Layla. Soul took a step towards them. The blond boy still ignored him. It seemed like this stranger wasn’t in the mood to communicate. Regardless, Soul had to get in between them. Violence was a last resort though. Who knows what kind of higher place this guy was from. Soul sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Whatever she did-”

“Get your filthy palms off of me!”

He slapped Soul’s hand away and wiped his own hand on Layla’s dress. Layla’s shock folded into a glare. Before anything else could happen, Soul stuck his arm out between them. With how Layla was, he needed to stop them before a bigger problem occurred. The blond boy fumed at Soul like he had stepped on his shoe. Oh wait, he had stepped on his shoe.

He took a step back with Layla in tow and bowed his head.

“Sorry-”

And received a swift knock to the skull.

“I don’t need a dud’s apologies. If you are truly sorry then take your life this very second!”

Soul lifted his head. The stranger was foaming at the mouth. They folded their arms and raised their chin at him. Were they actually expecting him to take his own life? What would happen if he didn’t? He still had things he wanted to do. Dying right now would not be convenient.

“Soul!”

Aunt Wendy and her group had caught up. They gave Soul and the stranger a reasonable distance. A small breeze swirled through the landscape. It combed through Soul’s white hair, brushed past Layla’s dress and travelled down the hill to where everyone else was still sleeping. Soul’s eyes traced this breeze. He stared at Aunt Wendy’s gritted teeth, then at the furrowing eyebrows of the stranger in front of him. Soul clenched his fist.

“Layla, you should head to bed. If you hurry, you might get a few more hours in.”

She nodded and dashed off without hesitation. When the stranger tried to grab her again, Soul blocked their path.

“Sorry, I can’t die right now. There are a bunch of people who’d be mad if I suddenly disappeared.”

“Insolent fool!”

The stranger made an odd hand sign, and a golden aura rose from their skin. They exhaled a large amount of smoke. When it faded, two glowing eyes were glowering at him.

“Do I look like I could ever give a damn in Enin you dullard? I’ll erase both you and that ill-mannered porkin you tried to save.”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“A Shimmer!”

One girl from Wendy’s group cried out.

The stranger’s expression twisted into a sour smirk.

“You dud’s must have never left your hovels if this is how you treat Shimmers. Fear not, for in all my graciousness, I am willing to re-educate you simpletons.”

The girls shrunk back even further till their legs were brushing against the bushes nearby. Wendy stood in front of them with her arms spread out. A bead of sweat trickled down her cheek. With every movement the stranger made, she flinched.

Soul, however, had not moved an inch.

“Nice glowy stuff. Pretty colour too.”

The stranger raised his eyebrows.

“I’ve never seen someone embrace death quite so casually.”

Soul yawned.

“So that glowy stuff makes you a Shummer or whatever?”

Soul clenched his fists and assumed a basic fighting stance.

“Cause I’ve got some of my own. It keeps me up at night.”

A white aura emerged from Soul’s skin.

“An Awakened? All the way out here? Colour me astonished.”

The stranger chuckled.

“A clumsy particle or two won’t ever be enough to defeat me though.”

“I could do it.”

Soul shrugged. He had no choice.

“Haha, what?”

A vein popped out of the stranger’s forehead.

“You look pretty scrawny. Don't go boasting about the strength you don't have.”

Soul shook his head. The glowing particles had only ever been a hindrance to him and his daily life since they appeared. Soul glanced at Aunt Wendy and the others who were backing away.

"What's wrong?"

He tilted his head to the side.

"Don't turn your back on a fight!"

Aunt Wendy wrinkled her brows.

A fight? Weren't they just talking? When Soul turned back, the stranger was sending a punch his way. The stranger’s fist struck him square in the chest. Soul glanced at it then grabbed their wrist. The stranger's eyes widened, and they tried to wriggle out of Soul’s grasp.

This is a fight? It differed from what Cam described. A lot less flying and shooting laser cannons.

"Unhand me!"

Soul stared at the fist he was holding against his chest. The force that knocked into him had been far larger than he had assumed it would be. Plus, Soul had seen it, the moment the stranger’s fist sped up as if the surrounding air had given way. How did they do that? His thoughts made his grip loosen, allowing the stranger to break free.

"So you were a strength type?"

The stranger rubbed his wrist.

"But that's all you are! Some piercing attacks should get through that skin of yours."

"Hrm..."

Soul glanced at his own particles. That punch just now was like a burst of unreasonable strength. A burst of strength? Then, do particles have another use? To be honest, Soul didn’t know how to fight this guy but he couldn't back out at this point. He couldn’t accept dying either. Tussling with pigs was about as close as he ever got to fighting.

The stranger ran at him, leaping into the air. If their blood lust wasn’t so strong, they would look like they were dancing. Gold was spiralling around his arms. Soul dodged every attack, so the stranger landed and leaped again. This time, he sped up, becoming a blur of hands and feet to everyone else, but Soul could see it all.

It was like they had a second limb they used to propel themself through air. The complex movements and gestures made Soul's head spin. However, a punch was still a punch and if he could see it, he could dodge it.

A spinning kick aimed for his windpipe. Soul leaned to the side and pushed their foot away. The resistance that shoved against his arm was several magnitudes higher than a foot in air should ever have. Then, it clicked. The particles had their own force, one that was constantly applied when activated. Could he do that? Soul looked at the particles flowing out of his hand. Maybe they'd work if he asked them nicely?

By this point, Aunt Wendy and the others were well behind the bushes. The immediate area around Soul was clear. Good, he sighed, there’ll be no collateral damage. A few options flashed through Soul’s head. What would be the best movement? How fast would he be able to end this? Maybe he could create his own fancy movements? No, he needed something certain.

A foot skimmed by his cheek. Soul dodged it by tilting his head to the side.That one was a bit too close for comfort. The stranger’s eyes widened, and they twisted their body away from Soul. After landing, they lunged at Soul a third time, going in fists first.

The stranger hadn't noticed Soul’s complete lack of fighting experience. Maybe they were too angry to see anything... Maybe he could use that?

Soul stepped around their fists with minimal movement. The stranger was indicating his punches too much. To the point where someone like Soul could spot them before they even got the chance to approach him. With every missed punch, the stranger’s attacks became more reckless and sloppy. After dodging a few more times, Soul smacked their fist away, throwing the stranger’s guard open.

This was it! He needed to be quick. Soul's particles flowed with the moments in his body. Is this how they did it? This feeling was similar to the one he got when he pulled his water from the well this morning.

The sudden, forceful knock to the fist made the stranger stagger onto their back foot. Soul watched it all happen in slow motion. Was this what the stranger had been seeing the entire time? He narrowed his eyes. It didn't feel right.

Soul grabbed the stranger by the collar and forced him down. Already unbalanced, the stranger fell with minor struggle. The second the stranger hit the ground, Soul sat on him with a satisfying thump. The stranger let out a small wheeze and threw out a few weak punches. Soul shrugged them off and turned back to the girls.

"The intruder has been restrained."

Aunt Wendy stepped forward with her arms crossed. The other girls were unwilling to come any closer. The intruder stirred dizzily under him. Despite his lack of experience, Soul had made it to the end. He let out a small sigh.

“Someone get me a rope.”

Some girls snapped out of their dazed state and hurried off. The guy below Soul flailed about with sudden desperation. It seems the situation he was in had finally dawned on him.

“Release me!”

Soul looked away. It was going to be a nice day, aye? The sun had almost fully risen.

“I said release me!”

“You were the one who attacked me.”

Soul sighed. Their voice was as shrill as a seagull’s. With every word the stranger spoke, their tone got higher.

“But you dared to offend me!”

“Then you’re in the soil because of that.”

Soul scratched the back of his neck. It was early in the morning but the heat was already setting in. Soul glanced up. If he was smart, he would volunteer for barn duty today.

“Offending a Golden will get punished severely!”

“Is that your family name?”

Soul’s head snapped round in attention.

“Golden?.. Uh…”

He scratched his head.

“Sorry, I don’t know that one.”

Josie told him he needed to get out more. At the current moment, Soul only knew the names of the founding families. Though it could be a new one for all he knew. With how influential families had a tendency to pop up all over the place like weeds, he was never going to be able to keep track of them all. The guy below him struggled less after that last statement.

Amber came running with the same rope she used on the cows when they ran rampant. They were going to give this guy the VIP treatment. Though, since he was the initial attacker, Soul's sympathy was limited. Soul wrapped the rope around the stranger’s torso then tied their wrists together behind his back.

“Do we have a second rope?”

“Nope, sorry, that was the only free one in the barn.”

Amber rubbed her arm.

“BARN???”

The stranger let out a shriek and tried to wiggle out of the rope. Soul placed his knees on the stranger's back to restrict his movement. The stranger kicked his legs at him. Soul grabbed them and used the rest of the rope to tie the legs together. Taking a step back, Soul examined his work. The stranger looked like a prepped beast ready to be roasted over a fire. All he needed was a fruit lodged in his mouth.

The wild movements had also calmed down. The stranger was now mumbling into the dirt.

“This’ll do.”

Soul patted his hands together. He turned to Aunt Wendy and gestured towards the stranger. Aunt Wendy glanced at the sky, rubbing her chin.

“Take him to the old washhouse.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Soul grabbed the stranger by the ankle. He ignored the stranger’s protests and dragged him down the hill. As they left, the girls relaxed and let out little sighs. Aunt Wendy soothed her head. Her eyes drifted in thought till a particularly strong ray of sun caught her off guard.

“Tch, how’s the sun already that high? Alright girls, the bells will be ringing pretty soon. Since you’ve all lost precious sleep time, pick low energy tasks. Come on, I’ll let y'all in my cottage first.”

She gave one last glance to Soul who was already becoming a speck in the horizon and shook her head.

“Where does he get that energy from?”

*

Soul had a hard time tugging the stranger along. He would perk up every so often and flail about for a bit before getting tired and going limp. Every time it happened, Soul had to pause and hold him steady. If he didn't, the stranger would end up with injuries much worse than scratches. It didn't stop until the stranger passed out. One would think he was being dragged off to be executed.

Soul kicked open the steel doors of the washhouse. Unlike the timber cottages everyone else resided in, the old wash house was made of stone. It had been here much longer than he had. Aunt Wendy told people to steer clear of it so this was his first time seeing inside.

The floor was made of a dark, smooth stone. Some old, rotting logs were piled up in the corner. The entire room smelled of damp and the shadows seemed to shriek away from the light as he opened the door. Dust whirled about like a hurricane before settling on corners, counters and walls. Nothing was alive here, not even the smallest insect. It was secure though. Which was probably what Aunt Wendy was counting on. Soul dragged over an old mat and pulled the stranger on it. They flopped onto their side, mumbling something about their family.

Soul shut the door with a firm yank. When he heard a click, he let out a long exhale, followed by an even longer yawn. Sunlight peeked out from over the roof of the building. Soul rubbed his eyes. The sun was already this far up? That meant it should be past six by now. Though unnecessary, Soul stretched his limbs out. Time sure flies. Wait, past six? Soul cast his vision to the field far away. Girls were milking cows without a care in the world. No… The task selection!

Soul rushed to Aunt Wendy’s cottage. Its roof was a navy blue making it hard to miss. It was also the only bungalow in the village. She had turned the entire ground floor into an office of sorts while Aunt Wendy herself slept in the basement. She said it made her feel more secure. The entire building was arguably the second most secure in the village. Soul approached the large mahogany doors.

Did he miss the task selection? Damn it. Soul hoped the leftover ones were decent. It’s fire season, so the tasks shouldn’t be too demanding. He strolled up to Wendy, who was shuffling papers. She raised her head at the sound of his approach.

“Soul, you were gone for a while.”

“He struggled too much.”

“How much could a tied up man struggle?”

Soul glanced away. He opened his mouth for a second before closing it again. He winced, rubbing his neck.

“Sorry…”

Wendy stared at him for a second before brushing her ginger hair away from her face, revealing a faint scrunch on her forehead.

“Right, these are the leftover tasks. The girls were understanding enough to leave you with decent ones.”

She handed him a list with most of the tasks crossed out. Soul peered at the ones left.

-Demolish the old barn

-Fix the hole in the sheep pen's fence

-Collect herbs from the dark forest

-Fix the tractor

“... These are all the labour intensive jobs.”

Soul stared at the floor.

“Yep.”

She clicked her pen a few times.

“I’m not invincible.”

“Do you think the others could do them?”

Soul averted his eyes for a second, then put down the list.

“What would you girls do without me?”

He forced a smirk.

“Well, that’s not something we have to worry about, right?”

Soul took in a deep breath and clasped his hands together.

“I’ll do them all.”

“Right answer.”