A Tamia's Tale

Chapter 5: Two years ago

This was a summer day like any other. The heat was suffocating, the cicadas kept chirping, and he was sweating. A lucid dream that he can't shake off nor wake up from, and once all's said and done, he won't remember.

No, he can't. He will never be able to remember that day.

Fresh grass brushes his fingers as he lays here, down on the ground. The trees around him were dancing like giants mocking him. The wind stopped as if ignoring him.

All that's left is his rage. Powerlessness, a disgusting feeling he is too familiar with.

This was an unfortunate encounter.

His beginning.

And his end.

Luka opened his eyes, his sheets drenched in sweat, a hazy fog filling his mind while his skin was scorching hot from the room temperature. Last night, he didn't even take the time to change into his pajamas and was still wearing his white t-shirt, his vest sitting on a chair next to the bed. His breath was ragged, searching to fill his lungs with air as much as possible, his mind went blank and his skin pale from the sheer amount of oxygen he inhaled. There was no reason for him to be this panicked, and yet he couldn't stop, his heart beating like a ping-pong ball.

"Hey, are you okay?" a familiar voice called out from above.

Luka looked up at the ceiling, spotting a familiar ninja hanging from some kind of concealed trapdoor. Her serene attitude and presence instantly made him feel better.

"Kanami..." he said weakly, his throat hoarse and dry.

They locked eyes for a while, just enough for Luka to get his thoughts together.

His eyes widened and he almost jumped off the bed. "Kana— Wait, w-w-w-what?"

"Speak clearly so I can understand you, sleepyhead," she sighed.

"What are you doing in my room? You even have your dagger with you!" Luka pointed out, shaking slightly.

"It's just my usual attire," Kanami sighed again. "I always have my dagger with me... And as for what I'm doing in your room..."

"Did Morgann finally decide to dispose of me?"

Kanami's expression turned horrified. "What? No! Why would you think that?"

"It's just... I saw my life flash before my eyes yesterday. So I feel like I'm a little bit justified in being worried."

Luka crossed his arms, feeling his heart rate slow down. Why did he wake up in such a panic? He had no idea, but somehow the scent of rose was stuck in his mind. Kanami jumped down near him and examined his face closely.

"You're very pale. You must've had a bad nightmare."

"Yeah, perhaps. I don't know much either," he turned to face her and gave her a reassuring smile. "So, what was that all about? A trapdoor?"

Kanami looked away, a bit embarrassed. "Yeah, you shouldn't know this but there is a series of tunnels in the ceiling where you can navigate through. It helps me to spy on people and report any useful information to Her Majesty."

"So... You were spying on me?"

Kanami scoffed. "Oh yeah, as if we would let you run free like that. We have a lot of problems but no, we won't spy on the guy that came out of nowhere and is potentially a threat."

"Oh man... I'm not a bad guy, I promise."

"Personally, I would love to trust you," she said, sighing. "But during the meeting yesterday, their mistrust was evident. Sir Edgar, in particular, was vehement about putting you into a cage," Kanami nearly chuckled at that last word.