Trees became more frequent as they got closer to Asahi’s village. Each had thick trunks and layered canopies that thinned out the further up they reached. The leaves were dark green and looked like needles that had been pressed and flattened. Asahi kept running his fingers along the leather wrapping on his sword hilt. Every blade of grass and mark on the road caught his attention. Any sign could lead him to his brother.

With each step, he kept his torso stiff to avoid further damaging his wound. Hirow and Talia kept a few paces behind him. Hirow on the left and Talia on the right. He noticed the girl seemed more attentive than the boy. Asahi guessed that neither of them had the same tracking skills he did. They wouldn’t be much help, but they weren’t a hindrance either.

Hirow yawned and stepped a few paces closer, “What’s the name of your village?”

“Lumbuster.” Asahi kept his eyes focused on the environment ahead. “It's a lumber town. We cut trees for a living.”

“I can see that.” Hirow casually stared up at the tall trees. “Is that why your sword is. . .”

Asahi shushed him and crouched down. “We’re getting close. Listen carefully and be observant.”

Talia quickly did the same, and Hirow bent down after her. A few clouds drifted across the sky, casting shadows that seemed to crawl along the trees. Asahi had stopped rubbing his hilt and was now gripping it tightly. He motioned them forward, and they slowly made their way through the grass. Asahi kept them in the shadows cast by each tree or cloud. After a few minutes, Hirow saw a few wooden structures. They had slightly flatter roofs than the houses in Celestate, but the designs were largely the same.

Far to the right, a few houses were nothing but piles of charred beams and planks. It seems like they used the same strategy here, Hirow remarked to himself. Asahi sat down against a tree and began observing the village. Beside him, Talia was wide-eyed and cupping her hands to her ears.

They all tensed up once they saw a man approach one of the burned houses. He bent down and began picking through the rubble. Watching cautiously, they saw the man meticulously search through the entire structure. After his search was done, Talia flinched as he violently swung his leg at a beam sticking diagonally out of the debris. The scorched wood shattered into dozens of pieces that scattered across the ground like ants fleeing their colony.

“There’s nothing here. It’s all worthless. These blinding peasants.” The man snapped and then stomped out of sight.

Asahi glowered at the man as he pushed himself up using the tree. “The soldiers are gone now. They wouldn’t be here if they were.” The words slipped through his clenched teeth with a malice that belied their volume.

He pushed himself off the tree as he unsheathed his sword in one clean motion. His pace was steady, and his steps followed an aggressive rhythm. As he entered the village, he saw a group of men gathered in the center. They wore shabby clothing with mismatched leather armor. Each had a red armband wrapped around their right arm. Except one had two armbands. They all had a relaxed demeanor as they laughed and conversed with each other.

“You scum,” Asahi spat at them. “After all is said and done, you come crawling out to pick up the remains. I know your kind. You’re nothing but dirty vultures! Rats!”

Several turned to look at this unexpected intruder. Their relaxed faces quickly turned to disgust. The one with two red armbands flicked a dagger from his sleeve and spun it in his hand. The edges of his mouth curled into a boastful smile. “And so what? The dead do not need what belongs to the living.” Taking wide steps, he slowly approached Asahi. Mocking him to make a move. “You won’t need it either because soon. . .”

Asahi sped forth with a burst of energy that shocked the bandit. Taking the opening, he slid his blade across the man's throat. Gripping the wound, the man's hand turned scarlet as he stumbled back. Asahi kicked his chest, leaving the man fumbling on the ground.

There were eight more, he noted. He heard footsteps behind him and glanced in that direction. Hirow and Talia had entered the vicinity of the village. They were arguing, but he had no time to pay attention to their words. Daggers glinted in the flickering sunlight. Asahi didn’t wait for another man to make their move. He chose the closest target and struck. His target backed off. The shock of the moment had worn off. All the bandits were focused on killing their attacker.

He swung up, narrowly missing the other man's chest. Redirecting his swing, he struck the man's fingers. The dagger fell from his hands as another bandit swung for Asahi’s bandages. He retaliated by hitting the attacker's nose with the hilt of his blade. Carrying his momentum Asahi swung for the man's right shoulder. Lodging his blade deep into tendons, he stepped back and yanked it out. The sawtooth blade ripped through flesh as the man screamed in agony.

Returning to his previous target, he readjusted his stance. The wound on his side ached, but he pushed the pain out of his mind as the flame of rage consumed his thoughts. The bandit griped the bloodied stumps on his hand. Asahi gripped his sword with two hands and swung across the man's chest. A large gash soaked the man's shirt as he collapsed to the ground.

Two bandits ran past him. Asahi swung around and nicked one man’s ankle. He stumbled, falling face first. He raised his face, caked with dirt, only to be met with a sword in his back. The other bandit sprinted for Talia and Hirow. Asahi stepped forward to give chase but felt a sharp pain in his triceps. The culprit poised himself for another strike. Asahi spun around with an extended leg and swept the man off his feet. Only seconds later, the bandit coughed up blood as Asahi’s sword tore through his torso.

Asahi blinked as a heavy droplet landed on the bridge of his nose. Another hit his woven armor and wiggled its way through the cracks. He looked up to see gray clouds covering the sky. The cold water began to pour, and he could feel it soak his bandages. Water trickled down his sword, washing it clean of the bandit's blood. Through the rain, he saw Hirow anxiously engaged in battle.

Despite the pouring rain, Hirow focused on the man dashing towards him. He unsheathed his dagger as his hands shook. The attacker lunged at him, and Hirow backed off. Being this close made him incredibly uncomfortable. He swung back, only hitting air. The man pressed forward, and Hirow took another step away. His back hit the edge of a house, and he pressed his hands against the wall to stop his momentum. Readying his blade to strike, he raised his leg and stomped on the bandit's left foot. My faint worked, Hirow commended himself. Satisfaction spread across his face as he readied his dagger for a killing blow. The bandit gritted his teeth and overcame the pain. He swung down as Hirow’s pride turned to fear. Hirow slammed against the wall and shoved himself to the side. Searing pain exploded on his left thigh.

He felt his fingers loosen on his dagger but barely regained control. Tears began to well up in his eyes as the throbbing pain spread down his leg. Warm blood ran down his leg as the rain chilled everything else. I’m going to die, and for what? The thought flashed through his mind as he gazed up into his attacker's venomous eyes.

Crack! A wooden beam splintered against the back of the bandit's head. The top half of the beam whirled through the air until it lodged itself in the ground beside Hirow. The man stumbled. Talia stood behind him, breathing heavily and with a frenzied look on her face. She stepped back, wobbling, as the man began to regain his balance. The opportunity presented itself, and Hirow took it. He plunged his dagger into the back of the man's neck. Fingers gripped his shoulders as the man struggled for his life. They pulled at his shirt and scratched his skin. Looking for any point that could kill. Right as the man's hands found his neck, the life left them. Hirow forced the man off him and fell into the mud.

He felt air return to his lungs as he took in deep sporadic breaths. Blood still trickled down his leg; it was the only part of his body that was still warm. A terrible rose blossomed on the back of the corpse's neck only to be washed out by the rain and then reborn again until the circulation giving it life slowed. Talia turned away from the dead body and let the remaining wooden beam fall from her hands. She shivered and then stared towards the sky.

“It's raining,” she muttered, folding her arms and gripping the skin. She lowered her head and let her hair droop in front of her face.

The faint sounds of battle echoed, only to be drowned out by the rain. Metal rang against metal as Asahi pushed another bandit's dagger out of the way. His fury fueled a scream as he thrust his sword towards the target. It met its mark, and he switched his grip on the blade. Twisting it, he pushed it deeper and then pushed it down to the man’s pelvis. Viciously, he withdrew the sword as it scrapped against bone and tore through flesh. He turned to face another and was met with a fist against the cheek. A dagger came into his view, and he backed off.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Two more,” he pushed out with an exhausted grunt.

Shifting his feet, he widened his stance. As his feet pushed out, wet dirt curled around his boots. One on his right and one on his left. They both have a lot more energy than me. Asahi brushed the thought aside and loosened his body. My honor and my people’s honor. They are one. Our homes may fall, but we don’t. Air filled his lungs as he calmed his mind.

He sprung forward and met blades with the bandit on his right. The dagger was caught in the groves of his sword. He pushed down and pulled back, causing the weapon to be ripped from the man’s hands. Bringing his sword up again, he swung for the throat, but the bandit ducked. The man screamed in agony as Asahi brought his foot down on his hand. Each finger bent in odd directions as his hand left an alien imprint in the mud. As he stared at his hand, Asahi’s sword slid upwards through his skull. He wiggled his tongue to scream, but blood pooled into his throat.

Asahi whipped around like a wolf locking onto its prey. The last bandit stood frozen, unsure if he should run or finish what he started. Asahi touched his cheek and felt that it had begun to bruise. It had been this man that had punched him. The rain had become a torrential downpour. Its deafening roar consumed the man’s pleas. For mercy, for help, or just more insults, Asahi did not care. His blade was a blur. Before the man knew it, a wound appeared across his thigh. He stumbled to one knee and wildly scanned the area. All of his comrades lay covered in blood and dirt, the rain beading on their pale faces.

“That's the problem with you people.” Asahi’s low voice cut through the rain like a scythe. His eyes demanded the man’s death. “You have no respect for the dead. Everything is so trivial to you.” He glanced back at those he had slain. “I’m sure if given the chance, you would steal from them too.”

He squared his shoulders, widened his feet, and tightened his grip. With one perfect motion, he severed the man's head. It hit the ground. Mud marred the man’s lifeless eyes. The body sagged as Asahi let his blade wash in the rain. This encounter was over. His blade did not need to remember it. He scanned the village once more for any intruders. Everything stood still.

The mist of water cast a melancholy air over Lumbuster. It was a small village but a proud one. Half of the houses were nothing but piles of ash. Perhaps they would be good for kindling. My brother, Asahi remembered. I never told him where to go. He must of returned here.

He wiped his face to clear the water out of his eyes. Pulling his feet from the mud, he made his way to the first house on the untouched side of the village. He threw open the door and found an empty room. Possessions strewn about, but no people. A wooden statue sat on the hearth. A man and woman dancing with smiling faces. It was a wedding gift, Asahi recalled. He had only been six when they were married, and his father had made it. Maria and Luca were their names. Maybe they had made it out.

He exited the house and entered the next one. More memories. He wanted to let the pounding rain drown them out, but his mind was stronger. He hoped for the best as he recalled each one. Trudging to the next house, he passed Hirow and Talia. The escaped bandit lay between them. Hirow had begun wrapping another piece of cloth around his thigh.

Talia mustered a weak smile. “Can I help?”

“Search the houses; he has to be in one.”

She nodded and started for the house at the other end of the row.

Asahi opened the next door and found a burly man slumped against the back right corner. It was the village leader. Asahi knelt in reverence. The man’s stern face matched the one he had seen so many times. Studying the rest of the body, he noticed dozens of cuts along all his appendages.

“Roden, you truly were a brave leader.” Asahi gently whispered. “You must have protected them. Made sure they all got away. Your efforts were not in vain.”

He walked over to the bed on the opposite side of the room and pulled the covers from it. He flicked them up into the air and carefully laid them over Roden. The white sheets sunk over the man's body until his figure was covered. Asahi left the house and shut the door behind him.

His clothing was soaked, but that did not matter. Shuddering, he let out a cough and gripped his side in pain. That did not matter either. Talia exited a house and carefully closed the door behind her. She shook her head. The smile she had worn was gone, replaced by exhaustion. Asahi nodded in response, and she moved on to the next house.

He paused as he faced the next home. The intricate woodwork on the exterior made him recognize it immediately. It was the old man his father had learned his craft from. Jacob was his name, or perhaps he was remembering it wrong. He wasn’t sure since his father had insisted on calling him master. The man had been like a grandfather to him and his brother. If his brother was anywhere, it would be here. After all, his home had been caught in the fire. He couldn’t bear to look at the remains across the street.

He pushed open the heavy wooden door and trembled at what he saw. Dried blood defaced a quilted rug. A young boy was sprawled on the rug, holding a sword in his left hand. A wound disfigured his face, but Asahi still knew who it was. The short black hair and long arms. They were his brothers.

Asahi collapsed, his lips quivering. He squinted, trying to stop the tears, but he could hold it in no longer. Weeping, he cradled his brother's head in his arms.

“Why . . . why,” he sputtered. “You’re supposed to leave the fighting to me. Let me protect you.”

Lighting cracked in the sky. For just a second, he could see his brother's face in clear detail. The skin was ripped apart and jagged at the edges. His eyes were dyed red, and his jaw was exposed. He curled up, letting his cries consume his words.

Voices began to chatter outside. He heard footsteps squishing through the mud.

“I found two backpacks. It’ll be easier to carry our stuff with them.” Hirow called to another person.

His brother's skin was so cold.

“We’re not taking those,” Talia shouted back.

There was supposed to be life in these hands. Where was it now, Asahi wondered.

“Why not? We came all this way. We might as well get something out of it.”

Another splash in the mud. “Because we’ll be no better than those bandits. We’re not stealing from this village.”

The rug used to be so beautiful, Asahi lamented. His mother had made it. No one else in the village could replicate such beauty. It was a skill she had learned from her land of birth.

More scrambling in the sludge. “You don’t have to throw them into the mud. What's the problem with you? All I’ve been doing is trying to help.”

“Help?” Talia raised her voice in frustration. “You’ve been trying to avoid helping whenever you can.”

Asahi pulled his brother closer. You always looked up to me. Didn’t you? You wanted to be like me. You wanted to fight like I did. I should have never encouraged you. It’s my fault you’re dead.

“It’s because I’ve been trying to protect you.” Hirow retorted, straining his voice, trying to battle with the rain. “That's all I’ve been doing this entire time. I’m trying to help you, but you’re making it difficult.”

“Then leave. I want to help people, and you're not making that easy either. You have no idea what it means to be a Stellapuer. No idea what I have to bear. This village, just like Celestate, has shown me what my kind brings.” Her voice trembled. It sounded like she was crying.

The wounds on his brother were much too big to be the work of the bandit's daggers. He was killed by those foreign soldiers. Asahi knew it in his heart. He picked up his brother and gently supported him with his arms. I shall lay you to rest, he promised himself.

“It's not you. It's those people from Obsidius. When will you understand that? I’m trying to protect you from them, but you keep rushing into danger. You may feel helpful, but you’re just being stupid!”

“You would be dead if I wasn’t here!” Her shrill voice echoed into Jacob’s home.

“And I wouldn’t have been injured if you didn’t insist on coming here.”

“I will avenge you, brother,” Asahi muttered the quiet oath to himself. “You have . . .”

Their voices grated his ears. Disturbing, the solemn moment. He tensed up with every word that was spoken.

“Then why should I trust you to protect me!” Talia screeched. “You were kind to me. That’s why I trusted you. But now I don’t even know! So tell me! Why should I . . .”

“Shut up!” Asahi abruptly snapped. “Enough. You have no respect.”

Talia froze, her mouth agape and eyes wavering with tears. “I didn’t . . . I . . . I’m sorry.” She collapsed to the ground and began to sob. She peered up, hunched over as if the whole weight of her existence was crushing her.

Hirow stepped back as Asahi passed him. A frown hid whatever he was thinking. The rain hit every surface. It was rhythmic, unending, a chant that demanded penance. Asahi tenderly set his brother in the mud once he reached the house across the street. He searched the rubble until he found a plank about half his height and with a sharp edge.

Thrusting it into the ground, he started digging. Mud flew behind him as he tore it out of the ground. Hirow watched as the lone warrior continued digging. Every motion was like he was silently driving a stake into his enemies. Again and again, he ripped through the ground until he tosed the plank aside.

The rain had become barely a drizzle as Asahi cupped his hands underneath his brother's neck and knees. He laid the boy in his crude grave and bent down to his knees. He steadily began pushing dirt into the hole. Pushing and pulling until a mound covered the body.

He pulled himself up and stared at Hirow and Talia with empty eyes. Those eyes made Hirow shiver as Asahi approached.

“I’m going with both of you. At least the girl.”

The words stunned Hirow. “Why,” he asked.

“Because they’re looking for her. A Stellapuer brings misfortune. I say let it come.”

Fear filled Talia’s body as she looked up at the warrior. He was smeared with blood and dirt. He no longer looked like the helpless boy she had found on the road. The white hair hanging in front of her shoulders reminded her of who she truly was. A Stellapuer. A child of the stars cursed with lives she was forced to bear.