[A/N: This side story should end in the next few chapters and we should have Spark's appearance soon.]
As the boy's eyes drifted shut, the world around him dissolved, the guard's voice fading into a distant hum. In its place, memories surged like a rushing river, pulling him into their depths.
He was a child again, back in the village, running barefoot across grassy fields bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. Her laughter filled the air, light, carefree, and infectious, like the chiming of bells.
They darted through narrow paths between the trees at the forest's edge, their playful chase leaving trails of crushed wildflowers in their wake.
The earth was warm beneath his feet, and the scent of fresh blooms clung to the breeze. They ran until they collapsed together in a heap, their sides heaving with laughter and exertion.
