Acki layed in his bed, eyes filled with tears that refused to fall. He stared at the ceiling, his mind swirling with thoughts of the letter. Dad’s not coming back. So what? I’ll take care of Mom and me… we don’t need him. He clenched his fists, repeating the words to himself, trying to believe them.

His chest tightened, and he sat up, wiping away the unshed tears with trembling hands. “Dad was weak,” he muttered, anger rising within him. “He died out there with his party, leaving us behind… no man would do that. He’s nothing but a coward.” His voice shook, but his resolve hardened. “I have to be stronger. I’ll protect Mom… I’ll bring her happiness back.”

Acki swung his legs off the bed and stood up, the weight of his father’s absence replaced by a burning desire to prove himself. He dressed quickly, grabbed his book, and marched outside to the familiar field.

Since I’m not great at magic… maybe swordsmanship is the way. He picked up a branch and swung it through the air, feeling its weight in his hands. It felt natural—more right than magic ever had. A small smile tugged at his lips, confidence filling him. “This… feels good. Better than magic.”

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. He held the branch in his hands, running his fingers along its length. His heart raced as he focused, drawing on the magic he had been trying so hard to master.

“I call upon the sun god’s flames,” he whispered, voice steady. “Bless my weapon with your divine… black flames!”

For a moment, nothing happened. But then, to his astonishment, the branch flickered to life, engulfed in swirling, dark flames that danced along its surface. Acki’s eyes widened in awe, his voice bursting with excitement.

“No way… I did it! I really did it!” He grinned, shouting into the empty field. “I invented a new spell! This is totally not lame!”

He spun around, swinging the branch like a sword, the black flames trailing in its wake, slicing through the air as if it were butter. The sheer power of it left him breathless.

“This… this could be revolutionary!” Acki’s mind raced, thinking of the possibilities. “If I can do this with a branch, imagine what I could do with a real blade!”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

With newfound confidence, he ran toward a nearby tree, his branch still ablaze with magic. “Alright… time to see what this can really do.” He stretched out his arm, preparing for the strike.

He swung.

Nothing.

His shoulders slumped. “What? That was so lame. It can cut through air, but not a simple tree?” Frustration welled up inside him, and he kicked the base of the tree in anger.

Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the field. The tree swayed, and before Acki could react, it came crashing down where he had kicked it.

His eyes went wide with disbelief. “Wait… I actually did it?” He stood frozen, half in shock, half in excitement. “I cut down a tree with a single strike?! Huh?!”

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowed figure watched from a distance, hidden among the trees, observing his every move.

“I’ve got to tell Mom!” Acki shouted, his voice filled with joy as he sprinted back home. “I’m going to be the strongest—stronger than anyone!”

Acki burst through the door, panting from the run. “Mom! Mom! You won’t believe what I just—”

Silence.

The house was eerily quiet. His smile faded as he wandered through the small cottage. “Mom?” He called out again, but there was no response.

His heart began to race as he searched, his footsteps quickening. Then, in the kitchen, he froze.

There she was. His mother. Slumped over the table where they had shared countless meals. Blood pooled beneath her, a knife lying just out of reach.

Acki’s world shattered in an instant.

“Mom…” His voice came out as a whisper, trembling as he stepped closer. His hands shook violently as he reached for her, his vision blurred by tears. “No, no, no…”

A note lay beside her, stained with tears. He picked it up with trembling fingers, his heart pounding in his ears as he read:

“Dear Acki,

I’m so sorry. After your father left, my heart broke more and more each day. I couldn’t bear it. He saved me once, and then he left us—he left me to face this pain alone. I know I’ve been a terrible mother, and I regret the men, the silence, the distance. I couldn’t hold on anymore. Please, don’t hate me. I love you so much.”

The note fell from Acki’s hands as he collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. His cries filled the empty house, his voice cracking with every word. “Why…? Why did you leave me, too? I have nothing… no one…”

He caught sight of the knife, still lying on the floor. Its metal gleamed in the dim light.

With hollow eyes, Acki reached for it, his hand trembling as he lifted it to his throat. “If no one is here for me… then I don’t need to be here, either…”

He closed his eyes, preparing for the final act.

But before the blade could reach his skin, a force knocked him to the ground. A figure had leapt on him, tackling him to the floor.

Acki gasped, struggling to understand what had just happened.

“Stop!”