The Kingmaker

The Price of Freedom

 Embers hiss softly

Shadow grasps with bare hands, cold

Rain drowns out pleas  

Fire warms Daiki's face. He watches, captivated, as the fire consumes the black coals, reshaping them into bright embers. The blaze is so brilliant, so eerily beautiful, that it would have brought tears to his eyes if it hadn't been for the biting chill that envelops him, held back only by a ragged blanket slung over his shoulders. Even now, he can see flames dancing on the edges of his vision, and his breath catches every few seconds.

The new brazier is one of the goods they acquired upon landing their ship for repair. This is bigger and newer, and it helps the fire burn faster. It is also safer, according to Maro.

Truth be told, if he were alone, he wouldn't mind if everything around him were reduced to ashes. It's normal to entertain morbid thoughts when there is nothing to do. He hopes.

They may have spent quite a lot with all the repairs the Golden Blue required, but as he can see now, it's all worth it. Besides, the teeth, eyes, tongues, toes, and fingers they had managed to cut off before the rest of the demons turned into ashes, were proven to be more valuable than gold coins. Apparently, some tiny islands believe that severed demon body parts can be used to cast away curses. Black magic against black magic. What a great jest it is.

The orange flame crackles with silent fury. Embers rise to the sky, flickering like fireflies. The wind is cold and icy, cutting through one's clothes as it blows by, and the night is still; the stars shine so brightly that they could be mistaken for daylight.

Daiki is at ease for the first time in many years. He does not feel the need to move constantly or think of how he should get more gold. Maybe because Tetsu is sitting beside him, admiring the fire as well. Or is he? Maybe he's trying to overcome his fear, or maybe he'd rather confront it than be alone in his cabin again. With the small lad, it's difficult to tell.

The others are quite far from them. Even though everyone knows Tetsu is the reason they all survived, some remain wary of him. Perhaps more than they had been ever since he boarded their ship. Deep inside, he also wonders how Tetsu survived such a big explosion. But, more importantly, he is relieved that the brave quasi-pirate is still alive, despite his peculiar circumstances.

Hours earlier, he had asked Tetsu if he knew how to hold a gun. "I do not. Guns are loud, and loud is not how I operate," he said.

"How about I teach you? Just in case you need it in the future. You'll begin by learning how to get used to its weight. Rifles are heavy. Only a fool would fire it on their first try." Daiki smiled to ease the tension. They may have shared their innermost secrets, but that doesn't mean they're friends.

Tetsu gave him a long stare. It was only a brief moment, but Daiki felt as if he were drowning in those sea-blue eyes. He had the sudden urge to ask what his parents looked like. Thankfully, he kept it to himself as he watched Tetsu's mouth open.

"All right, then. I shall do my best."

Despite having difficulty adjusting his grip and maintaining his composure, Tetsu was a good student. The weight of the rifle was new knowledge for him, as evident by the beads of sweat on his forehead.

Daiki's cabin was thankfully commodious that the dancer had enough room. His balance was great for a beginner, and oddly, Daiki's chest swelled with pride. It was warm. This was what Maro must have felt the first time he learnt how to use the weapon.

"It is quite hard to steady its weight on my hands and shoulder. I believe this is not good for my skin."

"The recoil would be far worse. It could leave you with bruises that would take weeks to fade." Daiki attempted a chuckle, but it died in his throat as Tetsu's eyes flashed with a subtle warning.