| Shishido Noboru |

Darkness is all that Shido could see. Endless. Was his eyes open or closed? Suddenly a voice echoed, "Give me back my baby!!" A woman's scream pierced the darkness, and Shido's senses gradually returned. Blinking, he found himself bathed in sunlight, the warmth soothing against his skin. As he sat up, he observed his hands, small and grimy, reminiscent of his childhood. Rising to his feet, he gazed at the familiar sight of his home. With cautious steps, he approached the door, its handle towering over him in height difference. He hesitantly pushed it open, revealing a woman chopping carrots at the table, accompanied by a man whose gaze bore into him with unsettling intensity. "Did I say you can come back inside!?" the man bellowed, causing Shido to recoil in fear. With a trembling hand, he slammed the door shut, stumbling backward onto the soft grass outside.

In a blink of an eye, the familiar house vanished, replaced by a sprawling field of towering grass. Laughter filled the air as children darted around, their joyful cries echoing in the breeze. Amidst them stood a girl, her outstretched hand extended towards Shido. "Do you wanna play with me?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement. Shido hesitated for a moment before taking her hand, rising to his feet. With a swift tug, she led him into the sea of grass, the blades brushing against their legs as they ran. As they raced forward, Shido's heart began to pound in his chest, a dull ache spreading through his body. He struggled to keep pace with the girl, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Gradually, he felt his grip on her hand slipping away until it was gone entirely. Alone amidst the swaying grass, Shido sank to his knees, clutching his chest in agony.

Gasping for air, he found himself on the verge of tears as he stared at the ground. Shoes came into his vision and as soon as he looked up at the individual, he was struck with a steel object to the side, forcing his small body to get flug agaisnt... a wall? As soon as he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the peaceful grass fields but instead in his home where a tall man, shadowed out by the fireplace behind him, stood staring at Shido, "What happened to Mr. Crow's daughter!? Answer me!" His father's voice echoed through the room, laden with anger and accusation as he held up a hand. Shido instinctively raised his arms to shield himself, bracing for the blow he anticipated.

Instead, a gentle hand moved his arm, Shido found himself back outside, the wind soothing against his skin that was laced in markings. Leaning against a sturdy tree, he looked at the boy crouched in front of him. This small, familiar figure with green eyes and red hair didn't speak, but Shido knew him well. The boy started patching up Shido's wounds with bandages from his little leather bag, a bag he always carried with him, along with a book in which he frequently wrote in.

Before Shido could express his gratitude to the boy, a man in armor approached, seizing him. "Shido!" The boy's scream pierced the air, the first time Shido had heard the boy speak so loudly. Rising to his feet, Shido reached out, but in an instant, he was gone, leaving Shido standing alone in the midst of a town. The moon hung high in the sky as chaos erupted around him. People ran past him, screaming and jostling him as they fled. Turning around, Shido beheld a group of men in armor, some on horseback, their swords stained with blood that mirrored the crimson on the streets. Bodies lay strewn on the ground, lifeless. Panic seized him, and sweat dripped down his face as he sprinted back to his home, desperation urging him forward.

Rushing into the house, Shido slammed the door shut behind him and leaned against it, but the metallic scent of blood assaulted his senses. A woman lay lifeless across the table, and the tall man lay motionless on the floor. His parents were... Shido's heart raced as footsteps descended the stairs, but relief flooded him as his older brother appeared. "Shido?!" His brother's eyes narrowed at the scene before him before he rushed to Shido's side, grasping his arm and pulling him outside. "We have to leave!" His brother's urgent tone propelled them through the now silent, desolate city.

"They're killing us!" His brother's words sent a chill down Shido's spine, confusion mingling with his fear. Tears streamed down Shido's face as his brother led him into a narrow alleyway. "Shido, look at me," his brother's voice was firm as he grasped Shido's face, wiping away his tears with his thumb. "Stop crying, it's okay. I'm here. I'll kill those bastards before they can lay a hand on you." Despite his brother's reassurance, Shido couldn't stop the tears from flowing. "They... They took Clario away," Shido managed to choke out through his cracked voice, the first words he was able to speak.

"It's okay, we'll get him back. We'll get revenge, you hear me?" his brother's voice was determined, but Shido could only manage a whimper in response. "Shido!?" his brother's yell jolted Shido, prompting him to nod quickly. If his brother wanted revenge, then so did he. "Good, Let's go find a place-" His brother's words were cut short as blood began to spill from his mouth, some of it splattering onto Shido's face. Frozen with fear, Shido watched in horror as his brother clung to him, collapsing to the ground. A figure in armor stood behind him, a bloodied sword in hand.

"Brother..." Shido fell to his knees, his heart sinking as he stared at the lifeless form before him. His brother's weak hand, stained with blood, grabbed onto his collar. "What... are you doing...? Run!!"

Terrified, Shido fumbled to stand, almost twisting his ankle as he tried to blanace himself back onto his feet. His heart pounded in his chest as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him. The clanking of metal footsteps echoed behind him, growing ominously closer with each passing moment. He took a sharp turn, his pursuer pushing in closer. Crawling through a small, broken gate, Shido felt a surge of panic as the footsteps seemed to close in on him, growing louder and louder, as if he was about to get caught.

Abruptly, the footsteps ceased. Out of breath and confused, Shido turned around to find himself faced with a dead end—a crumbling wall that offered no escape. With a trembling hand, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned to look forward again.

Before him stretched a bustling street, filled with people going about their daily lives, oblivious to the terror that had just unfolded. The sun cast its warm glow upon them, illuminating the scene with a sense of normalcy that felt utterly surreal to Shido, who stood there, covered in blood, amidst the bustling crowd.

Agony pierced Shido's gut like a dagger, causing him to clutch the wall for support. The pain of hunger was excruciating, overwhelming his senses. He leaned back against the wall, sliding down slowly as if his strength was draining away with each passing moment. Every part of him throbbed with pain, and he felt like he couldn't bear it any longer. He silently prayed for relief, wishing for death to come swiftly and end his suffering.

As dusk descended and the sky darkened, Shido's agony seemed to intensify, pushing him to the brink of despair. He lay there, ready to accept his fate, almost excited to have it all end, feeling the weight of exhaustion and pain bearing down on him. The footsteps of passersby grew fainter, the world around him fading into a blur of noise and motion.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the haze of his suffering—a woman's voice filled with concern. Shido blinked, his gaze focusing on the figure standing before him. The woman offered him an apple, a sweet delicious fruit. With a desperate hunger, Shido reached out and snatched the fruit from her hand, devouring it ravenously.

"Why don't you come live with me? You'll get along well with my daughter," the woman said softly, offering another apple after Shido finished the first one. His mind was still foggy, lost in the haze of pain and exhaustion, "Hey, Shido," she said, jolting Shido from his daze. He hadn't mentioned his name to her. So... How did she know?

"Wake up," she repeated, her words cutting through the haze. Shido stared at her, the apple slipping from his grasp as realization dawned upon him. "Wake up."

"Wake uppppppp!" Shido's body was being pushed back and forth.

Shido jolted upright in bed, his eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to focus on his surroundings. Glancing down at his hands, he sighed in relief to find them back to their normal size. Throwing the blanket off, he quickly checked the rest of his body, confirming that everything was as it should be. He's still an adult.

"What's wrong with you, bro?" the girl next to him, looked at him with a mix of annoyance and concern.

"Sorry, Bella. I just had a nightmare," Shido replied, running his fingers through his hair. His forehead was still damp with sweat. Calling it a nightmare felt like an understatement. Reliving his past like that... it felt more like being trapped in hell.

"I can tell," she sighed, straightening out his blanket before placing it back on his bed neatly. "Could you please visit the town for food? Mother and I are missing some ingredients." She handed a piece of paper to Shido. "Here, Mother wrote everything down for you. Be quick, okay? I'm really hungry!"

"Alright, alright," Shido replied, tousling her hair affectionately as he quickly got out of bed. Getting out of the house would be the perfect distraction after waking up from that painful nightmare.

--------------------

Approaching a merchant stand selling fruits and veggies, Shishido pulled a list out of his pocket, surprised it was still intact despite the holes created over time. Checking over the list. He glanced up at the rugged merchant, who appeared to have weathered many hardships shouted and chased a child away from his stand with a broom stick. He understood that earning money in the poorest village was no easy task, especailly as a food merchant in a village of hunger.

"Damn kids." The merchant looked to Shido, "Are you going to get something or what? I don't have all day and don't think about stealing." the man grumbled, leaning against the wooden pole beside him.

One had to get used to people like this in the village of Syllanlion. Most of the time, everyone was scared, grumpy, and on edge, as if the world was ending tomorrow. Children were used by their parents to steal food and grab anything they could get their little hands on. Vendors were always on alert to chase down anyone who stole from them. Everyone carried a weapon, boarded their windows, or stayed behind locked doors, afraid of being attacked by magic users who had escaped there for freedom.

"I would like to get one of everything," Shido replied.

The man's eyes widened with a grin that traced his lips. The man raced to grab a bag and put one of every fruit and vegetable from each stand inside, "That will be 30c." he said, keeping hold of the bag, waiting for payment. Then, the man's eyes met his. He stared at Shido momentarily before handing the bag over, "Actually, take it. Don't worry about paying." His face was blank, his eyes lost that happy glow they once had, and his words sounded meaningless, but Shido took the bag, thanking him before walking away. To most people, Shishido was lucky enough to get a free pass from a merchant who was feeling kind that day. But, in reality, he had stolen someone's freedom, choice, money, and food. That was his blessing and curse.

Walking past an empty alleyway, Shishido noticed the same child from earlier. The one covered in dirt and wearing torn clothing, with face and fingertips stained with grime. The same child whom the merchant had chased off with a broomstick moments ago. Approaching him, Shishido saw the boy pull his knees closer to his chest, as if trying to shield himself. Crouching down to his level, Shishido reached into his bag and pulled out an apple, offering it to the boy. "Here, eat up," Shido said with a smile. The boy hesitated before cautiously accepting the apple, examining it before swiftly getting to his feet and darting away.

Making his way back to the home, Shishido stopped in his tracks after hearing a loud commotion. Some people were running away while others whispered loudly to each other.

"The Silver Knight is here!" a man called out.

"There are so many knights at the gates," an old woman whispered.

"The Knights are having everyone meet in the middle of the village square!" a lady shouted.

"We're gonna die..." a child muttered.

Everyone's words were mixing and forming into grumbles of hard-to-comprehend sounds. He had to get out of there as soon as possible. So he took the backway, cutting through alleys, to get to the home that had kept him safe until now. Storming through the front door, he startled Amanda and Bella, who were chopping carrots and onions on a wooden table. He placed the food on the broken table that needed a book for one of its legs so it sat evenly, "I need to leave. The High Elf's knights are here. They are calling everyone to the center of the village."

Amanda's green eyes widened like the merchant's from before, filled with fear and worry. She approached Shido, placing her soft hands against his cheeks and cupping his face. Her thumbs rubbed against his skin, and her touch was gentle, like a mother's. She was shorter than him by many inches, with long blonde hair, just like Bella's. She looked at him as if she didn't want him to go. Her husband left for the same reasons, never returning. Shido could understand why she wouldn't want him to leave either.

"You've grown up so much," she whispered.

"That's thanks to you, of course," Shido smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He wasn't good at goodbyes.

"I got lucky the day I found you. You have helped us out so much, and I promise that I will always love you like a true son of mine," the woman said, striking a chord in Shido's heart. He sucked in a breath, doing whatever he could to hold back.

"Why are you acting as if I'll never see you again?" Shido furrowed his brows. "I'll be back to visit you again."

"Shido, that's—"

The sound of pounding on the door interrupted their time for goodbyes. Bella threw a bag of fruit at him. The same fruit he had just bought- well, stole for them. He was tempted to return it, but Amanda pushed his hand away, "Please take it. You'll need it when you get hungry. Now hurry... I don't want them to catch you." Her voice was low and quiet, so whoever was on the other side of the door couldn't hear it. He didn't want to leave, But Shido couldn't risk their safety because of his selfishness. He held the bag of fruit tightly in his grip and used his other hand to grab his cloak and throw it on. Placing the hood on his head, he grabbed his black mask, adding it to his face. It covered his mouth and nose, showing only his eyes. His eyes were his weapon; he needed them to escape without hurting anyone physically. He hugged Bella, who had become more of a little sister through his years of living there. Without more time to waste, he escaped through the back window before Amanda could answer the door.