Year: 1575 A.W (present time)
The plastered walls loomed, bathed in the moonâs silver light that spilt through the glass panels above. Ritzo glared at the bright stars outside the glass panels as he lay on his bed. Itâs finally dark. Alright. He leapt from his bed and landed on the soft tatami below, then turned toward his room door and vanished into the dark corridor beyond it.
Outside, a small white rabbit hopped across several patches of grass in search of food. It raised its head and scanned the scene before it. Trees, statues, plants, and fruits⦠The rabbit stared at the distant fruits for a second, then began leaping toward them. However, after a single hop, it paused again. This time, its ears perked up; something else was near, something large. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the door to its left and began sprinting toward it. The rabbit spun around and hopped away as Ritzo dashed toward the main gate. If I can get out, then I will be free!
He had never been this determined to leave his father behind, or this close to freedom, but as long as he did not give up, he was confident that he would finally be free of the Tenshiro name and the burden that came with it. And so, he ran like a white ghost in the moonlight, across the stone paving and toward the large black gate ahead. Then, in the corner of his eye, the flicker of a silver object appeared behind a wooden door. He gasped, but it was already too late. A small blade pierced through the darkness behind the wooden door and came within inches of Ritzoâs face. Oh crap. He instinctively lowered his head, narrowly missing the blade as it soared past him. Ritzo looked back up as he regained his composure. There was someone behind that door, and whoever it was wanted him dead.
A moment passed as he stood still, his eyes fixed on the veil of darkness behind the wooden door. Then, a small figure slowly emerged from the darkness, covered in black robes. The only thing visible was his silver sword. Ritzo remained still as stone; the last time he had seen someone so frightening was when his father summoned the void walkers, but this was different. This one was not trying to hide his murderous intent. What should I do? He looks scary!
It became painfully obvious in that moment that he was going to die to the figure who stood several feet before him. They stood behind the wooden door, half of their body bathed in pale moonlight while the other half remained hidden behind the door. Their face was concealed beneath a black hood. The only thing visible in the moonlight was their faint, wide smile, half hidden behind the wooden door.
Who are they? What should I do? No, it doesn't matter. He clenched his teeth until they ached, then spun around. There was no point standing there, even if he called for help. Even if he begged for his life, all that awaited him were the agonising words of his father. You failure, you stain, you pathetic excuse of a Tenshiro. These were the words Ritzo had learned to embrace: a life of misery and rejection. And yet, he was only six.
He jumped atop a lone statue and onto a slanted roof tile. He leapt across several buildings, scaling walls and chimneys as the figure silently tailed behind; a shadow chasing a shadow. Ritzo did not turn to check if the figure was still there or if it had closed the gap between them. There was only one option: he would drop into the small forest within the estate in hopes of losing the cloaked figure or hiding within the bushes.
So, he leapt onto another rooftop and twisted his body as he landed on the ceramic tiles, then slid into the forest below. At the same time, bright moonlight spilt across the rooftops above like milk as the pursuer landed where Ritzo should have been. He paused for a moment, then pulled back his black hood, revealing his white hair and blue eyes. Unlike his right eye, his left was completely white, with a scar that stretched across his face.
âTch, they weren't lying. A powerless human being canât jump that high.â
He closed his eyes and listened for any disturbances within the forest below. There! He heard something crack, almost like a brick had fallen and shattered into hundreds of pieces. Wait, no. That sound wasnât from the forest. He opened his eyes, spun around, and raised his sword. Then, a faint vibration whispered through the still air, and he heard it.
âWhoâs there? Show yourself!â
The white-haired figure could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. This heavy feeling, what the fuck is going on?! He was panting now, frantically looking left and right, trying to understand why he felt this way and why he could hear that faint, eerie vibration.
That vibration⦠it can't be. I killed all the guards, and the rest of the Tenshiro should be asleep! Unlessâ¦
As the glowing moonlight swept across the rooftops, the reflection of something silver manifested several feet before him. A statue of sorts, its hands wrapped around a glowing silver blade. Wait, wait. A statue, on the roof? Before he could fully register the thought, a familiar voice pierced through the darkness before him.
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âHow dare you?â A voice whispered from the shadows, laced with venom.
The white-haired intruder jolted back, his eyes widening as the realisation hit him like a truck. The person before him did not hide their anger or their rage. After all, he had broken into House Tensei, murdered their guards, and was about to do the same to their youngest. He glanced back at the small forest behind him. I have to jump! I can't beat her!
He spun to face the figure within the dark veil, but she was no longer there. Instead, he was met with the sharp edge of a glowing blade, mere inches from his face.
Iâm⦠going to die.
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Part 2
Ritzo dove into the patch of trees below, landing on small branches as they snapped on his way down. Ouch, ouch, ouch. He looked up, beyond the broken branches, at the ledge he had dropped from. He half expected the cloaked figure to manifest on the rooftop, yet after several moments of pure silence, nobody appeared. Ritzo turned around in relief. Maybe they donât know I'm down here. He scanned the forest floor. Fallen leaves, small sticks, and puddles of water covered the ground. I have to be careful. He did not want to alert the cloaked figure, so he raised his feet slowly and placed them gently between the lone sticks and leaves. His breath slowed and his heart steadied; he had to be calm to escape, although that did not last long. A sudden feeling raced through Ritzo, a feeling he was too familiar with.
Fear
He spun around, and his eyes widened. Up above, beyond the broken branches that caught his descent, beyond the ledge he had fallen from, was the source of his sudden rush of fear. His lips trembled as a warm liquid ran down his forehead. What is that? He had never felt this much fear before, not even from his father. Ritzo did not know what to do; all he could do was stand in the coldness of the night as his entire body ached and goosebumps spread across his skin.
BANG.
A loud sound ripped through the air like thunder, and Ritzo jolted backwards, tripping over a lone branch on the forest floor. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted deeper into the forest. Whatever was up there, he had no intention of finding out. He was not sure where he would go if he escaped, or if an escape was even possible, but he was tired, beaten by lashes of wind and the branches that had caught him. His lungs screamed, his legs buckled, and his heart had almost given up. But he did not stop because he couldn't. His loathing for the Tenshiro bloodline had always kept him going, even when nobody else had loved him back, but now he was not so sure. Are they here because of father? Does he not want me to leave? Why? Why would he kill me just because I wanted to leave?!
There! A few feet away was a tall metal fence, the outer wall of the estate. He jumped over it and landed on a soft patch of grass. This would be the first time he had left the estate. He never let me go out, haha. Ritzoâs gaze bounced across the massive grass field before him, then to the tall fence behind.
âI think, I think I'm free.â
For the first time since his motherâs death, Ritzo smiled. A small, shaky smile filled with years of anger and resentment. He walked slowly into the open field before him; each step was a reminder of what he was leaving behind. No more loathing. No more reminders of how much of a failure he was. No more Aurora. He paused. He had been so eager to leave the Tenshiro behind, so happy to live on the streets if it meant freedom, that he had forgotten the only person who truly mattered to him. The only person who had sat beside him when he felt lonely, who would sew his clothes when everyone else refused to help him. The one person who would offer him snacks, buy him toys and offer her embrace when he needed it the most. His big sister, Aurora Tenshiro.
Ritzo knelt on the soft grass, beyond the tall fence of the estate. Memories of Aurora filled his aching mind. Her voice, her smile, the times she reached out when no one else would. I canât leave her here alone. He stared at the grass below. Then, faint footsteps pressed into the earth behind him. He could have turned to face them, but he did not move. He didnât even lift his head. Instead, he sat with his eyes closed, desperate for the pain to end. How did they find me? The footsteps drew closer. Leaves and blades of grass shifted under their weight. Ritzoâs eyes opened slowly. Aurora, Iâm sorry. I donât know what to do. His body sagged. He was tired, beaten, with no strength left to call for help.
âRitzo?â A gentle voice. His head snapped up, and his tears broke free, scattering into the air. A memory struck him, the sound of his sisterâs voice.
Ritzo, promise me one thing. No matter how bad things get, you will keep pushing. You will keep fighting. Yeah?
The words echoed, circling in his mind. A promise he could not break. Aurora⦠His eyes widened. His mission was clear now. Even if he could not beat the cloaked figure. Even if he would never see her again. He would fight for her. Thank you. For everything, Aurora. His hand tightened around the hilt at his waist. He closed his eyes and spun, a blind and reckless strike forward. He had never taken a life before, but he could not fail her now.
This was his final leap of faith. There was no way heâd beat the intruder, but he would die trying. There! He felt it; the sensation of a blade slicing through flesh, and he tore through something living. Wait, wait. I did it?! He was half excited and half scared to have taken someone's life. And so, he slowly opened his eyes and began to look up, but as his gaze wandered higher, he realised that the clothes of the person before him were different. They weren't wearing a black robe, but a long, brown cloak. The same type that Aurora always woreâ¦
He paused as the realisation had finally hit him. His eyes snapped wide as warm tears formed, like an endless river. The person before him stood perfectly still, then her hands slowly reached towards Ritzo, whose gaze was still fixed upwards.
âI-I'm sorry!â He struggled to get his words out. âI-I'm so-â
The person before him suddenly pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his small, shaking body. âItâs ok, Ritzo. Iâm here nowâ