"Hey.."
"Hey, Dreamer!!"
"You better wake up!"
"Helloooo, Earth to Etornam!"
The voice began to disrupt my day-dreaming and to me, it was quite rude. No, very rude. Who was the one interrupting anyway?
My eyes slowly lit up, bringing to view the green lights which streamed down through the broad leaves of the majestic oak tree.
"Finally, I was beginning to worry", a pretty girl blocked the light, staring straight at me with bright eyes. "Happy Birthday!!"
"Hmm?", it took me a while to think straight. "Ah, my birthday."
I didn't think much of birthdays since I never had anyone who took care of me and trivial stuff such as festivals and birthdays didn't find their way into my brain's archive. How old was I anyway? Heh, that didn't matter. My so-called 'parents' never saw me as human either.
"Hehe, It's my birthday too", she grinned. "Remember?"
"... Yes", I lied.
"Ha! I knew it! You liar!!", she burst into laughter. "My birthday's tomorrow! but that doesn't matter. I know you don't care about birthdays."
I sighed, sitting up and taking a look at her for a second before looking the other way. The village looked small from where we sat. There was a large hill where I'd spend most of my time day-dreaming under the Oaktree.
Unfortunately, it seemed like someone found my spot.
Of course, I didn't expect it to stay a secret for long.
"Mmm", she sat next to me. "So, you're ten now."
"I am?", I asked with no trace of emotion.
"Teehee, yes but I'm still way older than you", she giggled. "You still remember my age, right?"
I cocked an eyebrow, "Do I have to?"
"HMPH", she pouted.
I'd be a complete liar if I said that I couldn't remember her age. The girl who sat next to me was no ordinary person. She was the heir to the swordsman family in the village. Lady Yayra was what her superiors called her and she mostly had a completely different aura whenever she was called to attend important family meetings.
She was also my mistress.
The only one who took me in regardless of my tainted soul.
I never needed any of her help but, she was just too insistent.
"Lady Yayra"
"Yes?"
"How do you know about my birthday?"
"Pfft, it's the first day of the new year", she replied. "As long as you've managed to reach this far, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to get to a specific day before you gain a new year."
"Hmm", I looked down, thinking. "She's too strange."
"Alright then!!", Lady Yayra shot up on her feet. "Let's go waste ourselves in the city!!"
"H-Huh!?", her words snatched my attention.
We lived within the lands of the Blade Empire. It was an extremely powerful empire that had several connections with the surrounding states as well as other powerful empires. Its city was the largest since it served as some kind of centre for travellers that came from all over. Luckily, it wasn't too far from our village.
The only thing that worried me was that I had a potent curse in my soul. I had two curses. One, which made the spirit of death attached to me and the other which was inflicted on me by my own family. That curse made sure that I would never reincarnate at all and even if I did, I wouldn't gain a pleasant vessel for my new soul, this was to make sure that I didn't cause any misfortune in my next life.
That was completely stupid if I do say so myself
But, who could go against an entire empire alone?
Going to the city would only bring hateful stares and an aura of bloodlust.
No one wants a death-inviting soul in their presence after all.
"Etornam", Lady Yayra's voice turned stern. "I won't let anyone hurt you and if they try..."
She pulled out a hidden dagger, "I'll slit their throats."
...
...
...
Why was she like that? Why was she the only one who cared? I'd only bring harm to her so why?
"Don't think too hard", she giggled. "Your brain will explode."
I shook my head and stood up, there was no way I was going to be able to change her mind now.
"Good! Let's go now!", she began to march down the hill.
"Sixteen", I muttered.
"Huh?", she turned back, quite puzzled.
"You're sixteen"
Her confused expression shifted into a smile, "Heh, I knew you'd remember."
(Blade Empire City)
*Thud*
"Hey, watch where you're going!"
"Uh, pardon me", I bent my head, moving closer to lady Yayra's side.
"Pfft, you look like you've never been here before", she laughed.
"Umm, I haven't", I replied, properly shielding my appearance with my cloak.
The city was bigger than I expected, way bigger than a thousand villages combined! An enormous wall surrounded the entire settlement, keeping the animals that lived in the surrounding forest valley away.
Two great mountains stood on both sides of the city, serving as a natural barrier and observation area. In the heart of the city, stood the tall tower shrine that was dedicated to the Legendary moon sword.
Our empire followed the teachings of the Great moon god, lunae. No one was deemed worthy to wield the legendary blade for years though and people soon doubted its existence but, that was just doubt.
My lady and I visited the western sector of the city where most goods were sold and other shops like bars and pubs were located. People filled that part of the city most of the time in hopes of buying foreign goods.
She wanted to leave that city 'wasted' huh.
"Okay!", she suddenly halted. "Just found it!!"
"Huh?", I turned to the direction in which she was staring.
'Dark eye bar: Come! Waste yourself and forget your life!!'
"I-Isn't that way too literal?", the thought crossed my mind as I stared at the sign close to a large bar.
"Hehe, I did mean it when I said we were gonna get wasted!", she grinned, grabbing me by the hand.
"Lady Yayra, aren't you a bit too young to-"
"Again?", she sighed. "Just call me Yayra. Also, who cares!?"
Without a second passing by, she pulled me into the bar with her.
I was greeted by a completely different atmosphere the moment we got in. The smell of strong alcohol almost made me sneeze as lady Yayra pulled me to the counter.
"Okay bud!", she slammed her hand on the table. "Bring me one powerful palm wine!"
"W-Wine!?", I thought to myself.
The man behind the counter glared at his customer, looming over us with his insanely buff body.
"Oi, ya wasting ma time", lady Yayra snapped, returning a powerful glare.
"Hm", the man smirked, pouring out a white liquid from a barrel behind him into a calabash. "Here you go."
Lady Yayra grabbed the bowl-shaped cup and dropped two silver coins on the counter.
"Aren't you gonna get something?", she turned to me with a smile.
"Umm-"
"C'mon, it's your birthday"
"Oh, is it someone's birthday?", the man leaned on the counter with an unsettling smile.
"Haha yes!", Lady Yayra gleefully replied.
"Hoho, I have just the thing for you!", he grinned, pulling out a ball from beneath the counter. "We give out free silver coins to anyone who's celebrating his or her birthday."
"Oooo, really!?", Lady Yayra's eyes sparkled. "Etornam! Seems like you're lucky!"
"Uh", I paused, staring at the oddball.
There was something wrong, I could feel it.
"Thank you big buffed up man!", she moved to grab the ball.
"My lady, wait-"
"Too late"
*Boom*
The ball exploded, releasing greenish fumes from its interior and filling the entire bar in a matter of seconds.
*Cough Cough*
"What's this!?", my eyes teared up as I tried to cover my nose.
Just then, something constricted me.
"What's going on-"
"You'll have to keep silent for now", a cold voice spoke from behind me.
All of a sudden, my vision began to blur and my body's energy slowly depleted until I was met with a world of pure black.
.
.
.
.
.
'Ngh'
My eyes slowly opened to the stinging pain in my head.
'Where...'
The darkness soon left, revealing a poorly lit room of some sort. I didn't notice it but I was still bound by tight robes and couldn't move.
'This place...', I looked up.
It seemed like a very familiar place as symbols lined the edges of the circular ceiling.
"Cursed boy", the same cold voice from a while ago called out to me.
"You...", I looked towards the source of the voice.
In the shadows, a figure sat on a wooden crate. He hid beneath his cloak and didn't walk into the dim light.
"Capturing you wasn't as difficult as I thought", he laughed. "Now then, I might as well finish my job."
He pulled out a shining sword and pointed it at me, "I could've killed you while you were asleep, but that wouldn't be fun."
"Tch, damn it!", I twisted and turned, trying to escape but the ropes were way too tight.
"HAHAHAHAHA", the man burst into laughter, finally walking into the light.
Even though he seemed a bit clearer now, his crooked grin was the only thing visible beneath his hood.
"That's exactly what I want!", he placed the blade's cold edge on my chin. "For you to beg for mercy."
"Boss", the bartender walked up a flight of stairs at the far end of the room.
"What is it?", the man snapped, clearly pissed off at the fact that he was interrupted.
"T-The young m-mistress", sweat began to run down the bartender's face. "She-"
"Would you speak clearly!?", the mysterious man stomped.
"She-", he swallowed his saliva. "She pretended to be-"
*SLICE!*
A thin line swiftly cut through the bartender's neck, sending it rolling towards the mysterious man's feet.
"Tch, what in the-", he paused after he noticed a familiar figure walking from the shadows.
My eyes widened as the figure came into view, "Lady Yayra!!"
"Hmm?", the man cocked an eyebrow. "Pfft, what's with that expression?"
"Let him go", she growled. "Commander Seyram."
"Oh?", the man smirked, taking off his cloak. "There was no need to hide myself then."
"C-Commander of the Imperial army!?", I thought to myself.
The man wore a red uniform made from the highest grade materials and his sword's gleam increased in intensity.
"Who sent you?", Lady Yayra's sharp eyes pierced into the man's soul.
"You should know who it is", he slowly moved to the side. "Especially if it's been done in secret."
The young lady's eyes widened in shock.
"Yes, your own father", he grinned, lunging at her with his sword in the air.
*KLANG!*
Lady Yayra blocked his attack with her dagger, but the force he came with caused her to stagger back.
"You should know that your old man isn't pleased with his daughter taking a cursed boy under her wing", the Commander pushed against her weapon.
"He has no say in this! I choose who I want as my assistant!", she bit back, overwhelming him and pushing him away. "And of all places, you bring him to the sacred tower to do your dirty work!?"
"Ha! Sacred tower!? Don't make me laugh!!", Commander Seyram took a step back. "The Legendary moon sword is nothing but a myth now!"
"We're in the sacred tower?", I muttered. "I don't see the sword."
"Oh really", a look of pity appeared on her face.
"Heh, sadly. Even your own father wants me to bring you back, regardless of whatever means I use!"
The commander burst forward, swinging his sword with powerful motions that made it almost impossible to block.
"Tch!"
*Klang!*
Lady Yayra's dagger fell to the ground as Commander Seyram bruised her wrist with a gentle slice of his blade. He seemed to be holding back.
"Damn it", she fell on her knees, blood oozing from her wrists. "Etornam, if only I had heard you earlier."
"Words like 'if only' do not exist on the battlefield", Commander Seyram pointed his sword at his opponent. "You of all people should've known that."
"Lady-", I began, but swallowed my words when I locked eyes with her. "Yayra..."
"Let me mend my faults", she stood on her feet.
"Hmm?", the Commander frowned. "Mending your faults at such a time?"
"I'll start with wielding the legendary moon sword", she walked to the centre of the room.
".... Eh?", a look of amusement cocked up on the commander's face. "HAHAHAHA!! Are you joking!!??"
*Tap Tap*
Yayra lightly tapped her feet on a circular symbol that was embedded into the ground.
*Click*
Right after, the symbol began to rotate and a stone platform elevated from the ground. Within the platform was a long blade.
"Stop wasting your-"
"This is what you really wanted, right?", Yayra muttered, dripping her blood all over the weapon.
"W-What the are you doing!?", the Commander bellowed. "You're wasting royal blood!"
"Come forth", she grabbed the sword's hilt. "Dzinu."
Harsh lights engulfed the entire room as she pulled out the sword.
Whatever happened in that period was a complete mystery to me since there was no one but Yayra sitting next to me right after the light's intensity reduced.
The commander was nowhere to be found and Yayra had successfully claimed ownership of the Legendary moon sword.
"Etornam", she muttered softly.
"W-What happened?", my voice wavered as I asked.
"That's something I wish to keep to myself", she replied. "Listen, you may be a soul that's completely tainted by murky colours..."
The bidings that held me in place slowly began to loosen.
"But, to me... you're as pure as the colour white", she turned to me with a smile.
I kept silent for what seemed to be minutes, "Yayra, I-"
*BZZT!*
What... What was-
*ZZZZTTT!!*
Painful zaps of electricity jolted my brain, causing some kind of distortion as the world before me slowly faded into a mix of colours.
*ZZZT*
"Dzinu..."
Huh? W-Who was that?
"Hey, Dzinu!"
It sounded... familiar.
"Dzinu!! Are you there!!?
Is that... Is that Seksulfur?
...
Wait, who's that?