Smoke choked the air, blood splattered across the stone floor, and a heavy dread hung over the town, once quiet and full of life. Amid the wreckage lay a pale face framed by orange hair, surrounded by sorrow, anger, regret—everything that gave shape to grief. Turning his head slightly, the boy saw his arm lying farther away than it should, the ground around it stained in red. A warm touch closed around his remaining hand, and he looked up, feeling the brush of snow-white hair, its strands damp with tears from the girl beside him.
"Liar," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You... you promised." Her grip tightened as tears spilled from her eyes, dripping onto his face. "You promised!" she cried out, her words breaking with pain.
"S..." The boy tried to speak, but something felt like it was gripping his throat, holding his voice hostage.
"Yuuki!?" The girl gasped, cradling his head with one hand and pulling him closer, resting her chin against his hair. "You're okay. Everything's going to be okay," she sobbed, gently running her fingers through his hair.
"S..." He tried again, but it only brought up a cough of blood. The girl lifted him slightly, her tear-filled eyes locked on his. His orange eyes dimmed, lids growing heavier as darkness crept in. With one final smile, he left the sobbing girl behind, his hand falling limp in hers.
"Yuuki?" She waited, but there was no reply. "Hey... Yuuki? Yuuki, wake up! Yuuki!"
***
Yuuki bolted upright from his bed, clutching his ragged white shirt, gasping for air. His heart pounded in his chest until a warm hand rested on his. He glanced to his right to see a woman with mesmerizing blue eyes and long raven-black hair tied into a ponytail, sitting beside him on a stool. She wore a loose black dress, hiding her figure save for her face.
"Are you alright?" she asked, worry in her voice.
"I'm fine," he replied.
"Did you have another nightmare?"
Yuuki wanted to lie to avoid her concern, but it was written all over him. He shook his head.
"Yuuki," she murmured, rising to her feet and gently wrapping him in a comforting embrace. "Just remember, you can always come to me or Sana if you ever need help."
"I'm fine, really," Yuuki lied, subtly shifting to free himself from her grasp, but she held on a moment longer.
"I hate to ask you this, especially after a bad night, but..." she hesitated.
"What do you need?" he offered.
"Could you travel to the capital to pick up supplies for the farm?"
"Sure. I'll be up in a minute."
"Thank you." She gave him one last squeeze before stepping toward the door. "And, Yuuki," she said, poking her head back in just before leaving, "please take better care of yourself." The door closed behind her, leaving Yuuki to get ready.
He climbed out of bed and grabbed a small satchel that could hardly hold more than a handful of apples. Beside it lay a worn sheath, containing a silver blade with a sapphire set in the pommel. He slung the satchel over his shoulder and fastened the sheath to his waist.
When he entered the main room of the house, it was simple—a counter next to a table surrounded by four mismatched chairs, one missing a leg. On the table sat a cloth pouch with a note.
YOU ARE READING
With Chaos Comes Grief: Tiana's Tournament
Fantasy"When I entered this life, my only desire was to protect my family. That desire had been tampered with and broken down to nothing but mere strings." Yuuki is a farmboy, living his teenage years isolated from the rest of the world while trying to kee...
