The world was draped in a profound silence. A young boy lay in his bed, seemingly undisturbed. He eventually slipped out from under the covers and gazed out the window. The sun had not yet crested the horizon; only the deep crimson and burnt orange hues of the dawn bled across the sky.
Arthur moved quietly, sliding off the bed. As his feet met the floor, a sharp chill surged through him. He stood frozen for a few seconds, steadying himself, before slowly walking toward the door.
From the kitchen, his mother's voice drifted toward him—a sound that had become the very rhythm of his life. Bread and steaming drinks were already waiting on the table. Arthur sat down immediately, reaching for the bread. Since his feet couldn't yet reach the floor, he leaned his small body forward to eat. His mother smiled warmly, stroking his hair. "Eat up," she said. "Your father will be here soon". Arthur's face flushed slightly, a mix of excitement and joy. He lived for his father's return.
When his father finally opened the door, Arthur greeted him with a wide smile and a nod. His father walked over, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, "We're going somewhere," before leading him outside by the hand. Outside, the first rays of sunlight mingled with the crisp air, turning the world a pale gold. Arthur walked beside him, clutching his father's clothes occasionally to keep his balance.
They approached a cluster of old carts and discarded sacks by the roadside. His father told him to stay put. "Sit here. Don't move". Arthur obeyed, clutching a small piece of wood he had played with for years. He began to draw lines in the dirt, as time seemed to slow to a crawl.
The Encounter
Eventually, Arthur looked up and saw his father speaking with other men. He considered joining them but remained silent, unable to grasp the weight of their conversation. It was then that a girl caught his eye.
She had piercing, deep-violet eyes and long, snow-white hair. In a single glance, Arthur felt an inexplicable connection to her. Startled by his own reaction, he quickly looked away, trying to ignore her presence. Suddenly, someone nudged him.
"Hey, who are you?"
It was her. Arthur froze, lost for words. Finally, he managed a shaky smile. "I-I'm here with my father...". The girl giggled softly. "I see. What's your name?". Having never spoken to a girl before, Arthur's heart raced. "M-my name is Arthur!".
The girl leaned in, smiling brightly. "Nice to meet you, Arthur. I'm Emilia!".
Just then, Arthur's father approached with another man. "Oho! It looks like you two have become fast friends," his father laughed. Arthur gave him a look of mild protest. "This is Emilia," his father explained. "She's the daughter of my closest friend. He's going on a journey, so she'll be staying at our house for a while".
Arthur looked at Emilia. She was still beaming at him. "Fine..." he muttered, offering no resistance.
The Guardian and the Shadow
Later, back at the house, Arthur stood in the middle of the yard holding a long wooden stick. The stick was tall for him, but he didn't mind. He gripped it with both hands, feet planted shoulder-width apart, wearing a look of intense gravity.
"I am a guard now," he declared.
Emilia sat on a stone nearby, swinging her legs. "What does a guard do?".
Arthur thought for a moment, scanning the empty yard where only chickens roamed. "He watches".
"Over what?".
"Over everything," Arthur replied, raising his stick higher.
"But what if nothing happens?" Emilia asked. Arthur didn't answer; nothing was happening, but he knew being a guard meant being ready regardless. Suddenly, a chicken darted past. Arthur flinched, tightening his grip on the stick.
"See?" he said.
"It was just a chicken," Emilia countered.
"But it ran," Arthur insisted. Emilia fell silent, though Arthur refused to lower his guard.
Soon, Emilia stood up. "I'm going over there," she said, pointing to the edge of the yard. Arthur immediately followed her gaze. "It's dangerous there," he warned.
"What's there?".
Arthur glanced at the old, mysterious warehouse at the edge of the property. "I don't know. That's why it's dangerous". Emilia didn't laugh; she just kept walking. Arthur couldn't help himself; he ran to catch up. "I'll go first," he insisted. "Because I'm the guard".
They reached the warehouse. The door was ajar, revealing a pitch-black interior. Arthur took a deep breath and thrust his stick forward. "If something comes out, run".
"Where to?". Arthur didn't have an answer for that yet.
He stepped inside. The air was cold and the floor thick with dust. Suddenly, something fell from the ceiling. Arthur jumped, dropping his stick in fright.
"What happened?" Emilia asked.
Arthur looked down at a harmless piece of old cloth. "Nothing. I was just checking," he said quickly. They explored the rest of the warehouse but found nothing.
"No danger then," Emilia remarked.
"Because I checked it," Arthur replied.
A Harsh Reality
Suddenly, Arthur woke up. He was sitting in the shade of a tree in a field. I guess those were just old memories I had almost forgotten, he thought to himself. He stood up, his blond hair shimmering in the sunlight, which reflected in his golden eyes. "If I finish the field work quickly, maybe I'll have time to rest!".
When he finished his labor, he went to the overseer. "Sir, I'm done!". The overseer looked at him, threw three silver coins on the ground, and stepped on them with his boot. "If you lick my shoes until they shine, you can have your money," he sneered.
Arthur hesitated, looking from the man to the boots. "But... I need to buy food for my family. Please, just give me the money I earned," he said, his voice laced with disappointment.
"Not my problem," the overseer began, but his voice cut off abruptly. He flinched as a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Standing behind him was a large man, around 38 years old.
"M-Mr. Ron?! What are you doing here?" the overseer stammered.
It was Ron Yamada, a retired hero who was still the most respected figure in the land. He was famous for traveling through the villages to check on the workers. Though dressed simply, his eyes held a terrifying edge of experience and discipline.
"What do you hope to gain by mocking this boy?" Ron asked coldly. "Give him his money, or else...".
"Yes, sir! Right away!" the overseer scrambled to pick up the coins and handed them to Arthur. "Forgive me, boy! My apologies!".
Confused but grateful, Arthur looked at Ron. "Thank you, sir. If not for you, I might have...".
Ron placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. "I did nothing. Go home. They must be waiting for you". Arthur nodded and ran toward his home.
The Crimson Sky
On his way, he ran into his old friend, Emilia. "Oh, Arthur! It's been so long," she said playfully. "We were so small the last time we met. Look how much we've grown".
Arthur's face turned bright red as they shook hands. Seeing her smile made him look away in embarrassment. "Heh, Arthur... you're so shy," she teased, still holding his hand. "Remember when we used to bathe in the same tub as kids?".
"What?! That—that was when we were children! I barely remember that!" Arthur stammered, his heart hammering against his ribs. Inside, he wished the earth would swallow him whole.
Emilia, however, found his shyness adorable. She leaned in close—very close. As she pressed against him, Arthur instinctively stepped back, slipped, and they both tumbled into a roadside ditch. Emilia landed on top of him. When she realized their position, her own face turned crimson.
They scrambled out of the ditch, but Arthur couldn't pull his eyes away. Emilia's clothes were soaked, clinging to her skin. Noticing his gaze, she tried to cover herself. "D-don't look... you idiot!" she whispered.
Arthur snapped out of it, quickly pulled off his own shirt—even though it was also wet—and wrapped it around her. Emilia smiled, touched by the gesture. "Emilia... you might catch a cold. If you want, I can walk you home...".
"Thanks, but I can make it," she replied with a gentle smile. "Goodbye, Arthur. Until next time!".
As he watched her go, Arthur thought about how beautiful she had become, with her silver hair and blue eyes. But as he approached his village, his heart sank.
The village was screaming. It was on fire. People were being slaughtered; soldiers were committing unspeakable atrocities in broad daylight. Tears blurred Arthur's vision as he sprinted toward his house. An arrow pierced his shoulder, knocking him to the ground.
Three soldiers approached him, laughing. "Did you think this was a playground?". As one raised a spear to finish him, a sword suddenly erupted through the soldier's chest. The other two were shredded into pieces faster than the eye could see. A woman knelt to heal Arthur's wound, and he immediately took off running again. Ron stood behind, watching him with pity. "Poor boy...".
Arthur reached his house, and his world shattered.
His mother was pinned to the wall by swords through her hands. His father lay on the floor, decapitated. But the ultimate horror—the sight that broke him—was his 3-month-old sister. Her tiny body had been torn apart and thrown into the fire.
Arthur fell to his knees, choking back vomit. He looked toward the sky and screamed with every ounce of hatred in his soul.
"DAMN YOU ALL! DIE! I WILL KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!".
His voice echoed through the burning village. Soldiers entered the house, mocking his grief. "Why so loud, kid? Be grateful you're alive. We'll send you to join them soon".
Suddenly, Ron appeared, crushing one soldier's head with his bare hand. With a crescent-shaped blade, he split the second soldier in half. "I'm sorry, boy... I'm sorry I didn't get here in time".
Arthur ran outside, where other heroes had already finished off the invaders. He collapsed, trembling. "Why? Why wasn't I here? Why couldn't I protect them?".
Ron stood over him. "These were just ordinary soldiers. If they had been like us, we might not have won. There were hundreds of them".
Arthur stood up, his blond hair whipping in the wind, the moon reflecting in his golden eyes. "I will have my revenge," he vowed.
"Many kingdoms are capable of such cruelty," Ron said softly. "But I know this was the work of that demon".
"Demon? Who is he?" Arthur asked.
"He isn't even human," Ron replied. "Even monsters fear him. He is the most cursed being in history. No man has ever defeated him".
Arthur's eyes ignited with a new, dark hope. "Then I will be the first human to kill him".