Legend says there once was a god, benevolent in her rule over the masses. Eternal life, resources, and all it as perpetual as the god who oversaw all. Still, keeping humanity complacent was difficult. One day, an individual by the name of Yuzan sought to be released from the god’s control, offering their immortality in exchange for freedom. The god’s fury echoed through the very land and, for his insolence, Yuzan was branded. Many scorned him for his decisions, but others shared in his desire for freedom. Years would pass as the seeds of rebellion were left to fester in the god’s paradise of ignorance.
At long last, the seeds bore fruit, and those who opposed the god raised their weapons in defiance. Those who shunned their cause joined the god, taking up arms in response. The bitter battles lasted for years until, finally, the rebellion had vanquished the loyalists. The god, defeated and broken, was slain, her remains scattered across the land and releasing the first traces of mana.
Though freedom had been achieved, there still remain tales of those who wish to revive the fell god and, once more, live forever.
Emet closed the storybook in his hands as the rays of sunlight peeked around his shoulder. A sigh escaped as he rose from his seat at the desk to place the book in its former spot. As he rose, he leaned to grab his bag, rising to readjust it around his back.
“I’m leaving!”
No response. Though that much was expected. He walked out of his room, his socks slipping on the cold wood. Beams peeked out from the front door’s glass, its orange eyes burning into Emet. He ignored them, fitting his shoes, and lightly tapping them once they were properly on. Grabbing the door handle, he swung it open to a lazy dawn and gray clouds bearing down on him.
“Rain again.”
He grabbed an umbrella and stepped out as the drizzle continued. As he lifted the umbrella and flicked the switch, nothing happened. He stood, his face expressionless as he tried once more to hear nothing but another click. After a few choice words, Emet managed to open it and stepped outside. He walked towards his usual path to the Hosri institution. The rain stained everything it touched, turning the brick-tiling burgundy.
“Oi stop!”
Emet turned his head to see a familiar face, framed with long, blond hair and emerald eyes. He stopped a few feet away from her as the rain poured down.
“Hey. What’re you still doing there?”
“I was just about to get going but…”
“But?”
She looked at Emet with pleading eyes, her hands clasped. “I don’t have my umbrella.”
Emet didn’t respond. They stared at each other for a silent minute, the drizzle intensifying. The droplets smacked his umbrella repeatedly, creating a steady rhythm in the gap.
“Iris.”
“Yes?”
“How fast can you run?”
Without a second thought, Emet bolted down the road. Water kicked up in his wake, and soon he was nothing but a speck down the road. Iris stood there, shock overcoming her as she processed what had just happened. Slowly, she clenched her fist, rage building up in her body.
“Emet…”
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Shaking his umbrella dry, he placed it next to his shoes in the locker, some droplets still remaining. He slammed it shut just as the bell went off, students all around him scurrying to their next classes. Emet joined them, the march of hundreds of students resonating against the walls.
Just as he broke away from the herd, a sudden arm looped around his shoulders and crushed him.
“Emet! There’s my favorite eye wonder man. Get some good sleep?”
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“Good morning, Rudy.”
Rudy grinned, his arm still around Emet’s shoulders. “Anyways, did you snatch the answers from the last quiz?”
“Rudy, you know just as well as me that cheating probably isn’t a good idea, right?” Despite his words, Emet reached into his bag and pulled out a sheet of paper, its contents full of scribbles and symbols. In response, Rudy laughed, grabbed the paper, and quietly slipped a drach coin into Emet’s bag.
“I can’t listen to Professor Lindbourgh talk about history any longer. Always standing there with that book in his hands.” He straightened up, mockingly posing as the professor.
“And today for this class, we’ll be going over the history of our institution.” Rudy pretended to fall asleep just as the last word left his mouth.
Emet let a smile through. “Might do you some good to actually remember some of it.”
“I’d rather get to combat training sooner than listen to another one of his words. I can’t wait to join another class of this prodigious institution.”
Rudy raised his arms, stretching. “Anyways, what class are you going to?”
Emet yawned. “Last I checked, combat training.”
Rudy nodded in response and they continued walking down the hallway in silence. Suddenly he walked to the right towards his classroom door. “No promises, by the way!”
Emet waved him goodbye just as the door slammed, and walked down the hall toward his own class. He gave a glance towards the coin inside of his bag and a tiny grin escaped the corners of his mouth.
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The bell rang out, signaling the end of classes. Everyone got up, as their talking filled the classroom. Emet rose from his seat, wrapping his bag around his shoulder. With the others standing all over the room, he quickly made his way out of the room and into the hallway.
A sudden weight on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks, its grip abnormally strong. He slowly turned around and was met with eyes boiling with murder.
“Emet. Always a pleasure to see you, isn’t it?” The grip got tighter and Emet let out a weak smile.
“It is. Anyways, I’ve gotta go so I’ll be heading out first.” He turned, but Iris’s grip didn’t relent.
“I think I’ll be the one to judge that today.” She forced Emet to face her once more, his smile frozen on his face. “Now we walk.”
The pair made their way to the lockers, putting on their shoes and pulling out their umbrellas. Just as Emet was tapping his shoes against the ground, Iris let out an exasperated sigh.
“It’s still raining?”
“Just my luck.” Emet pulled out his umbrella and flicked the switch. Nothing happened again, and the two of them observed the broken switch. Iris slowly looked up at Emet, as he flicked it once more to no avail. She burst out laughing, as Emet started beating the umbrella.
“That’s what you were working with? No wonder you started running.”
Emet let out a strained smile, the corner of his mouth twitching. “At least I had something to run under.” Immediately sobering up, Iris straightened. Just as she had stood, the umbrella abruptly opened, its navy canopy taking up the entire locker space.
“Alright well, that’s out of the way.” Emet turned, heading towards the door.
“Hah? Aren’t you going to share a little space?”
Emet spun his head, umbrella above him. “There’s no space.”
“There was enough space to take the entire space between the lockers.” Iris started balling her fist. “And last I remember, this wasn’t up for discussion.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The two of them stepped out of the institution, the rain now much lighter. Their mismatched steps made ripples against the puddles to the side of the street. Step after step, ripples were left in their path, their footsteps drowned out by the rain.
Iris stuck a piece of candy in her mouth. “You know, something had me wondering.”
Emet’s gaze was fixed on the street.
“Do you live with anyone? I’ve never seen anyone but you step out of that house.”
“Oh so now we’re observing each other now?” Iris raised a hand, prompting Emet to hastily continue. “But to answer your question, I live by myself. Far as I know, there’s no one who’s a distant relative, which means I’m free to do whatever I want.”
They walked onward. “Though it wouldn’t be completely bad for me to be asleep all the time.”
“You and your sleep. It’s strange how much you close your eyes, people might mistake you for a rock.” Iris dropped her hand, instead crossing her arms.
“Very funny. Maybe others would mistake you for-”
The wall lining the street suddenly exploded, debris flying everywhere. Stone and metal were flung, their bodies a mere byproduct. Shrapnel struck him, excruciating pain manifesting as a scream through his throat. He tried to open his eyes, and crimson flooded into his vision. Everything felt faint. Emet looked towards Iris, her limp form facing away from him. The umbrella was torn to shreds, never to be used again. Orange flames roared in the background as a nearby sign crackled as embers flew into the evening sky.
A black silhouette shot past Emet and into the sky. It reared its head back, its gold horns gleaming. Too weak to do anything, he fell limp against the wet ground, death soon approaching. And just before total darkness overwhelmed him, a harrowing roar pierced through the air and into his soul.