Brilliance in Shadows

Chapter 1: A Common Day Off for Ikuto

Ikuto had watched the sun rise over the mountains, its rays reached up over the heavens, peeking out over and around clouds and enveloped everything it touched in a warm orange glow. A chill wind came from above the mountains and with it came a minor sense of dread. Ikuto felt that often, but less lately. Like a malicious spirit had a latch on him, reminding him that something was wrong. A cursed whisper in his mind that something was missing. 

This day was his day off so if he could sleep in, he would love to but he woke as the sun rose and struggled to sleep more often than not, despite it being a work day or not. Today, he was going to sit at home and stare up at the sky and watch it move on while he remained idle but he'd never be able to stay idle for long. Something about being idle made him restless. There were things he should be doing.

He knew there were several neighbors that needed help. He's been told over the week of the many, many minor inconveniences everyone were having and they'd like his help whenever he had the time. Well, he had the time today, unfortunately. Unfortunate, only because he doesn't know what to do on his time off besides more work and even then, the work never feels like he's done enough. An endless cycle of wishing to be idle, restlessness, overwork, idleness and more restlessness.

The stillness of early morning, at least, was a comfort to him. His thoughts were at rest and his body was relaxed despite the twitch in his fingers brought upon him by the malicious whispers of something lost. Although his comfort was a delicate thing, always had been, his ears, sensitive, perked up at every sudden tiny noise sounding off around him, he'd twitch more, his hands usually reaching to clutch at his thigh so stop them and the comfort is lost.

The noises give him awareness of unknown activities in shadow. His paranoia lurks behind every corner and it takes some time for him to reassure himself that those are just the noises of nature and nature is beautiful and calming. He actively seeks out stillness again with a heavy sigh, head turn heavenward as if praying for the comfort to come to him again before he begins to busy himself but the comfort doesn't come. He'd have to wait for the next morning.

Ikuto peeked up into his home. Two soft huffs could be heard from the room he had come out of. His heart felt full just hearing them and he struggled not to wake them both up so he could bask in their affection and feel like he would burst. Alone with his thoughts, he had to remind himself that there is nothing more he could possibly need but there it came anyways, the malicious spirit that whispered cruelty into his ears.

Something is missing. Something is lost.

He listened to their breathing some more, to the distant voices that was the village waking up and to the songs the birds made and that whisper vanished into nothing. The day began and he could no longer just stay there despite really wanting to.

He groaned and stretched and went limp before reluctantly rolling off the ground. Slipping on his shoes he headed out towards the village to begin his day off, with more work.

He greeted other early risers, with a small tight smile which most returned, some more pleasant than others. Some of those in this small village kept to themselves and liked to keep it that way. If Ikuto had been alone and not had his family, he could imagine he'd be much the same. It certainly seemed less of a bother to only care for oneself but it also seemed a pointless existence. He couldn't imagine it but he understood more or less and never pressed these individuals for their time and always made sure that if they reached out to him, he'd be there, whether he wanted to be or not.

He helped the elders with any sudden requests they might have had, as he walked down the dirt roads. Some ask for indoor assistance, moving a chair out, fixing a wobbling table leg, taking something down that they could no longer reach or simply cleaning up a store room that had been neglected for months. When he was done he continued on his way to Gran's. Gran, the head of the village, one could say, opened up her home for all the children to come to, whether it was to give them what little education, for she was the lady with the most to give, she had or to simply care for them while their parents were at work. There was no other possible education in this village. No academy or even a shed dedicated for education. It was a small, practically hidden location at the base of two mountains, hidden behind a large forest. So what little the children could learn beyond the day to day needs, such as working the fields, foraging and such, were deeply valued for every parent that had no such education growing up. To express his thankfulness for her care, he was on his way to fix the leak in her roof.