It was quiet. The moon was high into the night sky, its shimmering light finding its way through the thousands of leaves that covered overhead. Bane was there, snuggled up to the side of a cloth tent with the necklace tightly gripped by both hands. It happened not too long ago—the event from what seemed like an eternity of pain that happened in an instant—at least, that's what Bane thought.
That being said, he didn't dwell on it. His eyes were dry, likely all his tears wasted on the time prior. At the same time, he wasn't alone there. Surrounding him were the mother and girl whom Bane nobly saved—with the unfortunate sacrifice of countless others as a side effect, though.
"How... are you feeling, boy?" The mother let out, gently rubbing his back. "Still thinking about... what happened?"
"Mom-!" The young girl sneered at her mother, pulling her in closer, "Don't remind him!" Despite her kind intentions, the girls attempt to stop Bane from remembering were in vain. Truth be told, that's all he could think about. That's all anyone there could think about.
The mother and daughter did seem quite sorrowful, though they chose not to directly state it. Instead, they simply sat there in silence; all the way until their energy reached its end and they all fell asleep.
* * *
Bane sat outside; the morning light hitting his face as he simply sat in silence—pendant still in hand as he simply examined it with deep and oddly bated breath—though with no apparent reason why. He still hasn't looked to see what was inside, but instead his gaze was fixated towards the shattered chain. What would have been used to proudly hang and dangle the necklace was now broken. Snapped in two.
It's my fault. It's my fault. It's my fault.
Those words repeated in his head. Over and over again he looked back; What could he had done to prevent that. Then again, the answer was fairly obvious. Even to him.
I should've let them die. He let out a slight tick. That mother and daughter—I should have let them die. If then, she would be here still. I should have-!
Bane jolted up as a hand abruptly placed itself on his shoulder; that being said, it quickly receded after seeing his rather panicked reaction. "Are you... okay?" The girl asked. It was the daughter.
He was all to lost in his own emotions to respond, simply letting out a series of incoherent mumblings before peering his eyes away from her own; "I-I'm fine..."
The girl wore a rather friendly smile, masked with blood-tainted innocence. Perhaps that's why Bane looked away—a sense of guilt for not only bringing that upon her, but also wishing death towards them just a few seconds prior.
"Here," The girl began to speak in an aberrantly chipper tone, lifting up part of her long and oddly straight brown hair to reveal a long since healed scar struck right across the side of her neck; though looking quite gruesome despite that. "I have one, too."
Bane, for the first time actually maintaining eye contact with her, was slightly put off. Her own pupils had an uncanny sense of normality and kindness—usually fine, though after what happened at the checkpoint, extremely out of place. "What do you mean?"
"A scar. I have one." She gestured towards the side of her left eye just before brushing her hair back in place with her hands.
Bane stroked the top of his head, though stopping as soon as he winced. He had only just noticed his own injury—likely too occupied by his own dark machinations to discern it. Fortunately enough, it seemed quite harmless. "That... doesn't make me feel much better..." he exclaimed.
It was clear to him what she was trying to do; obviously relate to what had happened. Make him feel better. Bane wasn't falling for it, however. In a span of mere minutes, he had lost everything. He lost it all—not them.
"Well..." She murmured, Walking towards his side and halting just up to his ear, "I wanted to thank you. For saving us."
Bane immediately felt as if his gut and heart clenched up; a beating he had just endured in a mere instant. The girl, whom he had yet to learn of her name, subtly walked past without a making a sound. He wasn't entirely sure of where she was going, but he certainly was conflicted by his own feelings.
Thank? I- killed them. All of them. I killed my mother. I did it. I'm a murderer. You don't thank a murderer.
Despite his feelings, Bane was surprisingly unemotional. Not a single tear. Not a single visible expression of remorse. Instead, his feelings were all on the inside. Quite unusual for someone of his age.
That being said, the girl also seemed to be a similar age to him—quite likely could be the exact same. There was a fondness he felt towards her; one he couldn't quite understand. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she still had something- someone to live for. She mirrored Bane before he had lost it—his innocence.
"Excuse me-" The mother shouted out from behind, with Bane immediately turning around, "Can you help me pack up?" She asked, gesturing over towards the small tent she had set up the night prior.
"...Sure." He murmured, rushing over and beginning to release the pins holding it in place. It wasn't too long after that it was fully folded and tightened within her hands.
"Thank you. I'd ask my daughter for her help, though she'd gone out searching for food not too long ago." As if it were on cue, she came hobbling out from the forests edge with an abundance of berries packed within a small satchel to her side. "Well, speak of the devil!" The mother exclaimed.
The girl briskly pulled her hand out towards Bane as a handful of berries sat on top. "Here!"
"Thanks..." He murmured out, briefly pondering for what to refer to her as.
"Oh- I'm Rachel Villow- though people usually just call me Rae. As for my mother-"
"I'm Olevi," She cut in, "It's nice to meet you."
Rae seemed slightly annoyed about her mothers interfernce, she quickly put it off and leaned in closer towards him, "Can you... tell us your name?"
Bane let out a deep sigh, a brief pause before choosing to answer. "Bane." He softly replied, "Bane Tiylaccel."