: Chapter One
The sun rose over the desert. It cast a long shadow on the sand and rock formations. An old man lay sprawled on top of the rocks that made up this section of the desert. His back was propped up against the rocky surface. It wasn't quite cold enough for him to feel any real discomfort. But it still hurt like hell. The man took another breath, hoping to ease some of the pain.
It was silent except for the crackle of the flames in front of him. He had been sitting here waiting for nearly two hours. If things kept going as they were supposed to, the fire would soon be completely gone and he could get some rest. But the fire wouldn't last forever. Not if it wasn't stoked high enough.
He didn't have much time left to wait until his deathbed. But he needed some sort of closure before it came. Even if what happened to him happened decades ago. No one deserves to die alone in the desert. No one but the monsters out there.
His mind drifted back to that day so many years before. He hadn't exactly gotten the hang of being an adventurer yet. He thought that since he had a family, then he should follow in their footsteps. After all, that's how you got ahead.
That's where he got into trouble. He had followed his dad and grandfather through the mountains, and somehow managed to break one of their swords. He had no idea how it happened. Maybe the magic had weakened it? Or maybe it just fell apart after a while. He'd never know.
They found a cave and camped at it, but only for a week or two. They moved onto the next town. The second they entered, however, something inside the sword started acting funny. He couldn't describe what it did, but he knew it meant they weren't welcome there. It caused them problems almost every step of the way. First with the bandits, then with the thieves that attacked their caravan. Finally, their enemies caught up with them outside a tiny village. That was when they finally decided to leave town behind. They wanted nothing more than to return home and put this whole thing behind them. At least that was what he thought before their adventure began.
He sighed heavily and stared at the sky. All those adventures and mistakes. All those people and places, and he never got to even see his parents again. And he was sure he'd never see anyone else in his lifetime. His father had died protecting him from an enemy. His mother had died saving him from his grandfather. They may not have liked each other, but that hardly mattered compared to their deaths. His sister, though...
She'a had loved him, and she always would. Even after everything that happened to them. She was probably the only person in the world who loved him. When he heard his name mentioned, even by strangers, it meant she was safe. It didn't matter if she hadn't seen or talked to him for five years. All that mattered was that she was alive. She'a deserved happiness, and even though his grandfather was a bastard and his parents hated him, his sister deserved better.
His fingers gripped the hilt of the sword. If she was in the same place as he was, she'd probably be angry too. Angry at the man who murdered their father and left them both to fend for themselves. Angry at her father for abandoning her at such a young age. Angry at herself for letting him die in the first place. She'a would take revenge for all those lost lives, no matter what. She was strong, smart, and brave; the perfect candidate to lead his band. He wished he was there to see it all, but he couldn't. Because he was dead.
He closed his eyes and listened to the wind blow against the rocks. He imagined the sound of her laughter when his siblings teased him. The way she giggled while making fun of his height. He could almost picture her smiling down at him from atop her mountain of a pony. She would have been taller and broader, but she still looked so small. So fragile. Her face was the only feature that looked older than her actual age. Everything else was hidden under long brown hair.
He opened his eyes. He felt lighter. Almost euphoric. She'a would do whatever it took to make everyone happy. He hoped, more than anything, that she'd succeed. That's why he had asked her to join him on this journey. In fact, he planned to ask her to go on this journey in the first place.
But now it was too late to change his mind. He tried to think of her. What her favorite food was. What color her eyes were. Anything he might've learned about her would have to suffice. And she would have to learn something about him, too. He hoped that someday he'd get to tell her about himself. He hoped that they could find a peaceful life together, somewhere away from the harsh realities they grew up in. Somewhere far away from the world they called home.
His eyes wandered towards his bag. For the third time in ten minutes, he picked it up. As he held it close, the feeling of her warmth flooded back to his heart. How could she leave so abruptly? It seemed so unfair that she would have to go, even if he had promised to protect her.