Chapter 4: Ren and Hikari
1951 Words
Five years ago, On the far eastern side of the continent of Arsland, there is a town with no name. The town was surrounded by mountains and the town is lead by a man they called the chief.
The people in this town are normally slaves and this slave is ordered to work from morning to night.
The main occupation in this town is mining, we who are in the right age was ordered to work. As children, we are only tasked to dig a little and push the carts toward the exit point. In exchange, the chief gives us food, shelter, and allowance.
Compare to an evil man, our chief is a bit composed and has dignity. He even promised that anyone can just buy themselves to be free in the town of miners.
And that is the main goal of my childhood friend Hikari.
Hikari is a girl with blonde hair and she is super optimistic in very thing, She works hard every day to earn money and buy herself someday.
“Let’s work work work, Ren, the world will be looking down on you if you die as a slave. Here this is your drink.”
Hikari handed over the bottle of water. I received it and take a sip. After that, I take a glance at Hikari.
“You really work harder than anyone, you take things seriously. The chief also says that children got to have more rest than adults because they are young. Instead of having 8 hours of work. We only got 5 hours of work every day until we reach the age of 16.”
“Well, this is just a practice. Look this is a skill I learned when I saw the adults last time.”
With the shovel in her hand, Hikari focused her energy and the shovel started to lit up in light blue color. After that, as she trusts the shovel to the ground. The soil easily dug down like mud.
“See? This is called skill. With the right usage and motion. The skill will be activated. Why don’t you try doing it, Ren?”
“Me? I’m not talented in those kinds of stuff.”
“That’s why you’re not popular with girls you give up easily without trying it. If you are that wimpy how are you going to protect the one you love the most in the future.”
Hikari said.
As I heard those words coming out of her mouth. Only one face appeared in my head.
It was her.
Unlike me who is working just to have dinner and sleep. Hikari works hard because she has a dream. As she looks up in the stars in the night sky. She is just thinking about the wonderful place that she can go to when she became free.
With the book in her hands, she turned her glance to me and said:
“I will become a traveler and travel around this vast world. Ren, what do you want to do in your life?”
Hikari asked.
“What I’m going to do in my life?”
That’s a simple question. I paused a bit and blushed. Pulling my courage as I release my next words.
“I want to support you… In your dreams and everything. I want to be with you. Hikari! I may be weak today but I promise you that I will work hard. To become a person rightful to walk beside you in those wonderful places you are always talking about. Hikari, I want to be with you forever and ever.”
Hikari blushed a bit and my emotions seem to reach her.
She makes a smile.
“I’m happy, very very happy. Thank you, Ren.”
Said Hikari.
In Hikari’s saving jar. I also put my earning to support her. Months passed and I change for the better. I started training every morning to strengthen my body. Some officials with chief teach us, children, how to use a sword.
…
The chief then asked me to deliver a gift. A gift to her daughter that is about to study in the capital city named Grandbell city.
“Where are you going, Ren?”
Hikari asked.
“I’m asked to deliver something to the heiress of this town. You can go now I will be back before the sunset.”
“Umm… You look excited. Are you excited seeing the pretty daughter of the chief?”
Hikari said like she was teasing me.
“What are you talking about? In my eye’s you are cuter than her.”
Hikari blushed more.
And Ren noticed.
“Umm… Well, you are cute that’s what I mean! Besides that why are you blushing so hard! It’s making me feel a bit embarrassed.”
“Me?! You are the one that looks like a tomato right now!”
We argue about this small stuff and paused followed by a smile.
“Anyway take care of your journey. The harbor is a bit far away from the town please be cautious.”
“Right, I’m your knight and I will protect you.”
I get the sword just in case of an emergency and left the town.
Hikari meanwhile, gets her materials and off to work.
It’s 3 p.m. when I reached the harbor and deliver the gift of his father to the heiress.
“Dad sure worry so much. He even let me have this stuffed toy. Say to him that I’m not a kid anymore!”
“Well, your dad really loves you and always treats you as a kid.”
“Thank you for going all the way here to deliver this thing. I really appreciate it. Here is a token of gratitude.”
The heiress takes my hand and puts a gold coin in my palm.
I was surprised and attempted to give it back.
“Sorry, but I can’t receive such an expensive amount from you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I always look at both of you. Hikari and you. Unlike the other kids in the town, you both have dreams, and hearing those words muttered almost every time every night makes me want to help both of you.”
Are we that noisy every night?
The room we used is near the mansion of the chief.
“… Just take it and buy your freedom.”
Heiress said and ride the ship.
“She is so pretty and kind. With this gold, we can buy freedom and set off on an adventure.”
I said with a smile and leave the harbor.
That is what I thought.
The sunsets and the night comes. But instead of the night with a starry sky. I saw a red sky.
“What was that? That is the direction of the town. What’s happening?!”
Worried about this happening in the town I rushed back.
Then.
“Waaaahhhh!”
“Flame execution!”
Knights from the capital are attacking the town and killing the people living in the town.
Even the chief that is lively this morning got his head cut down and put in the pole. Chaos and violence are all over the place. The horror scream and spells cast.
Then in my head, Hikari’s face appeared.
“Hikari? That’s right! I have to find Hikari!”
I promised her that I will protect her. That’s why I change and train hard. Became the person able to walk with her under the beautiful blue sky.
“Hikari! Hikari! Hikari!”
I was on the path toward the hill near the mining place. I don’t know why but my instinct is telling me that Hikari is there or I sensed Hikari's presence there.
I run fast as I could.
There I saw her long blonde hair sway as the gust of wind blows.
“Hikari!”
“Ren!”
“Thank goodness that you are safe. It’s dangerous here let’s go away in this town.”
Hikari looks to our room near the chief mansion.
“Our room is still not burning, we might be able to get our savings before leaving. Also, the book my mother gave me is very important to me. I don’t want to lose it.”
“Are you insane?!”
“I don’t care!”
Hikari runs toward her room and desperately gets her book and savings. I followed her to assist her.
The flames crawled the room got caught it. Debris and wood fall toward my head. I didn’t notice it because me being overly worried about Hikari.
“Sword skill: Lite s***h!”
Hikari used a sword skill to cut down the debris and saved my life.
“Stop, dazing around. Let’s go I got the money and the book.”
Hikari grabbed my hand and run away.
In my head.
What Am I doing? I’m the one that needs to protect Hikari. Why I’m so wimpy and useless in this kind of event. Hikari always protects me, Am I just a little brother figure to her.
I pulled mine had in frustration.
“What’s wrong with you, I nearly lost my balance.”
“Stop looking at me like a little brother, I’m a man, I will protect you the one that I love the most.”
“Then I’m counting on you”
Said Hikari and make a smile of relief.
I reply with a smile and when I’m about to run beside her. Suddenly, someone stabbed her from the back. The sword started to released flames and burn Hikari’s insides.
“Arrrrggggghhhhhhh--!”
Hikari screamed in pain.
“Hikari!”
A man wearing blood-red armor and has a flaming sword stabbed Hikari from behind.
As Hikari falls to the ground, Hikari muttered her last words.
“Thank you, Ren, Live.”
I broke down at the moment, I just stared at her dead body.
The red-robed knight then stabbed my heart and released the same flames. To burn my body.
“All people in the town are killed. This will be the last mission I will do for that King.”
He said.
With that, he left his flaming sword in my body, with eyes full of regrets.
While I was burning my mind overflow with thoughts.
Just what is the reason they did this horrible thing?
Even, Hikari is killed.
That’s right, when I got killed we will be sent to heaven and live together. There we can live a happy life, eat tasty meals and then maybe live together forever.
“Live.”
Her last words echo, and tears in my eyes flow.
While stabbed with the sword. I pull all my courage and grabbed the flaming sword. With my will of flames, I wanted to live.
“Ahhhhhhhhhh-!”
I pulled the sword and my body got a sense of getting healed with these flames.
A flaming dragon suddenly appeared in my vision and look into my eyes. My anger and flames.
“I will find him and reduce him to ash.”
I said.
I can’t protect her anymore, but I can avenge her death. As I kill that knight most brutally.
The start of my revenge.
- Writer
