"You still good to go Hanise?!" my best friend asked, a bright face that glowed through anything.
"Me? Fantastic as always Murren! You?!" I replied, ruffling his hair with my hand.
"Of course, I'm always raring to go, who do you think I am?!" We laughed.
A bundle of joy he was, why else other than his charismatic and cheerful smiles? Why else other than his perseverance and resilience? Why else other than his strong will?
16, brave, and strong. He was the sole representation of what a knight could be. An upcoming star bound to shine in the new generation, in the new era that would soon come to face us.
Who else could rise to the top as fast as he could? A natural born prodigy, one in a million, a guy who could use all four elements like it was nothing. His charm was other-worldly, it was simply God-given talent.
Even when I was a loner, someone quiet, he brought me into the light, cheering me up and including me whenever I felt left out. Girls flocked to him, sure, I was a guy and even I agreed he was attractive.
Even then, I was the one he wanted by his side, written tests that we both flunked each time, and practical tests that we both excelled at. Always getting exposed for dumb pranks, still ended in laughter, and getting in trouble for staying up late in the academy.
An unstoppable duo we were. Wherever his light went I followed.
His light consumed me and eventually the dark, quiet side of me vanished, It was till the point when I didn't even know I had changed.
"Hanise, what do you think of becoming an instructor with me in the future?" Murren asked me, I was taken aback, instructor? He was someone much better than that in my eyes. So why did he decide to become something so dull? He wasn't smart either, and the only thing he had was his swordsmanship and prodigal talent.
He was someone bound to become someone so much higher, better than anyone else. It was a dumb question to even think about.
"Instructor? Pfft, no way!" I jokingly said, his eyes were serious and as usual, I could see his unwavering determination. "Wait, you're not joking?"
"I'm being dead serious, Hanise. Let's be instructors together, teach the new generation! Drink away because of annoying day with our students! Don't you think it'll be fun? To help others?" My foot instinctually stepped back, I couldn't understand why he was so persistent on it. Of all things, why an instructor?
"Murren.. Rethink about it! You're fit for something better, why are you so determined to be a measly teacher?" This time I stepped forward, grabbing his arms.
"Hanise.." He stood still, not even trying to pry my hands away. "Maybe you're right. I'll think about it some more." As he turned to walk away, my hands naturally dropped back to my side. At the time, I think I was relieved, I had saved my best friends future, why wouldn't I have been happy?
But, the more I lingered on that memory, the more I realised that his face looked sad. And the more we kept being together, standing side by side in the face of adversity, his once precious glowing light was no longer there.
"Were getting reports on an invasion within Kūkyo Academy! Deploy squad A!"
We both became knights in the end, and we had already been doing it for many years. This time however, it wasn't so smooth. The raid was much worse than before, 'Raiders', an evil syndicate that's been running for more than 20 years.
It was about 1000 to 85, plundering the Academy, we slaughtered as many as we could, more squads were deployed and more were killed.
"You still good to go Hanise?!" My best friend asked.
"Me? Fantastic as always Murren! You?!" I shouted aloud.
"Of course, I'm still in perfect condition, who do you think I am?!"
"Let's hurry this up and drink till the sun rises alright Murren!"
"What are we waiting for then!" He yelled back, we ploughed through the continuous raiders, toppling them with just us two.
"Stop! I've got hostages, I can blow up the whole place if you move one more inch!" One of the raiders threatened.
"Please! Please help us!" It was the group of students, all tied together.
"What do we do Commander Murren?"
"Hold back, I'll negotiate with them." He placed his sword to the floor, his hands held in the air.
"I'm the Commander! Let's negotiate!"
He went into the building with the raiders, what plan did he have? Minutes passed till he and the enemies came back out.
"In exchange for them not to blow this whole place up with the students, I've agreed to give my life for them."
"What?! What the f*ck are you saying Murren?!" The breath left my mouth so quickly, I gripped my sword firmly, and his smile reminded me of that time before. When was it? When did he lose his golden shine? When did his smiles feel like they had lost its serenity?
The times when looking at it always cheered me up, now made me look only in horror as a sword thrusted through his chest. Before I could take out the remaining raiders in front of me, they had vanished. I lifted Murren's head, using my leg to support myself holding him.
"I can do this! I can heal you!" My hand remained slightly above his chest as a glowing aura emanated.
"Stop.. It's a cur- curse. They had an Aura user who.. Could curse.." He coughed up blood, his eyes shook, trying to stay open, and his hand grabbed mine. "It's fine.. Hanise. We saved as many.. As we could- could."
"What about the drinks we said we'd get?! Stay strong, we'll dispel the curse!" I looked up swiftly, "Hey! Anyone a priest?! Or an Aura user!?"
"We have a priest coming as fast as possible!" One of the knights responded.
"Tell them to hurry the f*ck up! Our Commander is about to die!" His hand gripped tighter around mine, this wasn't how it was supposed to go, why did he give up his life for some students? For some f*cking students?!
"I'm.. Sorry, Hanise." He heaved heavily, "I'm sorry, that we couldn't drink tonight." Another, "Did you remember..? When I asked you to become an- an instructor, Hanise?"
"Stop talking Murren! A priest is coming as fast as possible, just wait okay!?" Murren grabbed my hand more tightly than ever before.
"Hanise!" His eyes widened as much as possible, "Do you remember?"
"Yes, I do.."
"I- To be honest, I hated you.. When you said that.. Hanise." His chest kept puffing more quickly, "But, I knew.. You just were looking out for me." Tears slowly dripped out from his eyes.
"I'm sorry! Murren.. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" It was only until now, that if we had become instructors, this wouldn't have happened, right? Maybe, if I could've changed my choice in the past, this wouldn't have happened.
"Don't be sorry Hanise.. Keep- huff keep living!" He heaved heavily one last time, his eyes closed and my hand was released from his tight clutch. The beating of his heart slowed, and the voices that surrounded us, dampened, and silenced.
It was only until a few months later, that my identity, 'Hanise Bavrit' was no longer alive. The dream Murren once had was now something I took. I was now Murren, an instructor, a grumpy instructor who forced students to do nothing but train till they gave up.
Eventually I retired as an instructor, it continued to remind me of Murren, my closest friend. And I couldn't keep my heart from wanting to burst, I didn't want to get attached to anyone, to any student.
It was to the point where I couldn't sleep, I felt like vomiting every time it flashed through my mind. My hands became bruised from the amount of times I hit myself, and the amount of times I swung my sword in my room.
If I could change one thing, it would be to go back into time, and stay a loner.
"Sir, Duke Helt has requested for your teachings." A butler from the house of Helt, apparently for some random girl. But why me? I retired 4 years ago, and I had barely any experience in teaching.
I initially rejected, however I changed my mind to the pay check that I'd receive.
"Eh? Wind? Ew, why did Lione even let you live here? Seems like such a waste."
"Whatever, I'll try to teach you I guess. Just first, do like some basic exercises or something."
A girl who had looked to have no talent, no determination, no bravery, no nothing. Someone like her would die so quickly, why did the Duke even decide to do this?
Slowly, the girl kept doing the same thing without stopping, even if I pretended to sleep, ate fruits in front of her or tried to be overly irritating, she never stopped.
If it was one thing, her will was the same as his.
I still made her do basic exercises, waiting for her to give up. Waiting for the day she'd stop, but to no avail. What was with this girl? She didn't have talent like his, she couldn't manipulate 4 elements, nor did she have beautiful technique like his.
She wasn't someone who was outstanding in any way, nor did she seem at all like a star. But, even so, I was drawn in. Perhaps, teaching her wouldn't be so bad?
It was only recently that I began vomiting frequently again, I felt too tired to do anything and the bruises that were slowly vanishing over the months I had watched over her came back.
I tried to come back like always, arrogant, irritating as possible, laid-back, but the memories kept coming back.
I am a lost cause.
If only, we had killed the raiders before he died, things would've been so much different.
If only.