RE:WRITE

6.0 Zero_Chapter 6: Starry Skies

"Kai? You have to tell that story again!" Clare proclaimed.

"Why?" I replied.

We were camping on a small hill with the campfire crackling between us as usual. Clare was sitting up in her sleeping bag while cuddling a tired Waon in her arms. We were a only few miles from Reneste so Clare knew that the journey was almost over and was particularly insistent on hearing a story tonight.

"Waon wants to hear it again! Don't you waon?" She said, picking up the yawning purple fur-ball and making it nod its head up and down.

"Wa~on!"

I sighed. Well, I guess it can't be helped.

I smiled and started the story again, "A little girl was dragged to the countryside by her friend..."

-

Memories of that last night outside Reneste floated around my head as I saw Clare's lifeless body lying crumpled on the ground.

I saw flashes of her smile. Then I saw its shadow on her pale, lifeless face.

We'd only known each other for a few days...

Yet, I kept thinking back to when she tried to wash Waon, only to fall into the river herself.

I thought back to the time she burnt her tongue on soup even though I'd told her to be careful.

To the time she brought a tiny Waon out from under a purple wall.

And to the nights spent staring at the stars...

Why? Why does it hurt so much...why do I feel so attached to her? Is it because she listened to my stories? Stories that nobody wanted to listen to for so long...

What does she mean to me?

I always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. For some reason, whenever I had the bittersweet dreams where my family was still alive, I always pictured a little sister swinging from my parents' arms.

What would having a little sister feel like? What would I even do with her?

Would I comfort her when she was sad?

Laugh with her when she was happy?

And would I...

Tell her stories?

I felt a terrifying pain in my chest and a flash of red in my head.

I didn't even use a code to help me focus.

I willed it.

And all of the bandits vanished.

-

May Skye was not an emotional woman. Her position as the village chief required her to keep her emotions at bay.

But when she had seen the child, she couldn't help but run over to hug her. Just the thought of the pain the little girl must be enduring had filled her with guilt and grief.

May's ability couldn't tell the future, nor was it perfectly accurate. It only allowed her to vaguely sense whether her loved ones were in danger at that very moment.

Back when she'd felt an overwhelming sense of danger for her brother and his family a couple of days ago, she had instantly regretted letting them leave on their own, even though she'd known that a small group was their best chance at evading the bandits and contacting the Fire Goddess' shrine for help.