Yanz had always been an early riser. It was a habit ingrained in him for as long as he could remember. He opened his eyes, the familiar grogginess lifting as the world around him came into focus. The loft was dimly lit, with no window nearby to let the early morning light in. The only source of light was the small window near Ceph's bed below, barely allowing enough illumination to make out the shapes of the furniture.
He glanced at Hazel, curled up on the edge of the bed, sleeping peacefully. Yanz sat up quietly and made his way to the ladder. Each step down was met with a loud creak from the old wooden floor, causing him to move more cautiously. He didn't want to wake anyone.
Finally reaching the door, Yanz carefully opened it, but the rusty hinges betrayed him, letting out a sharp creak.
-"Mmm..."
Ceph stirred, his voice thick with sleep. He rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up, still groggy.
-"Yanz? Why are you up so early?"
"I'm used to waking up early," Yanz whispered back.
-"I was just heading out for a walk."
Ceph yawned, glancing toward his mother to make sure she was still asleep. His voice dropped to a whisper. -"You shouldn't go outside at this time. The villagers head to the farms early, and if they see you, they'll drag you along to help."
Yanz raised an eyebrow.
-"Really?"
-"Yeah,"
Ceph nodded, still half-asleep.
-"Sleep for now. I'll explain later. We'll wake my mother if we keep talking."
Yanz hesitated but eventually agreed. -"Alright."
He tiptoed back, though the floor continued to creak with every step. Climbing back up the ladder, he lay on his bed. Unable to fall back asleep, Yanz reached under his pillow for the diary he had taken from the library and hidden in his pants the day before. He tried to read, but the darkness made it impossible to make out the words.
Frustrated, he lay still, thoughts racing through his mind. What am I going to do about food? He had given all his jerky to Ceph and his mother to win their loyalty, but now he had nothing for himself. Before he knew it, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted back to sleep.
The sound of movement stirred Yanz from his slumber. He opened his eyes to see Ceph at the door, getting ready to leave.
-"You're up?"
Yanz asked, his voice still groggy.
-"Yeah,"
Ceph replied, glancing back at him.
-"I was just heading out."
-"Where are you going?"
Yanz asked as he climbed down the ladder.
Ceph hesitated.
-"Let's talk outside."
The cold morning air hit Yanz as they stepped out of the house. The village was quiet, with the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon.
-"I'm actually going to the farms,"
Ceph finally admitted.
-"Aren't you too young for farming?" Yanz asked, surprised.
Ceph looked at him earnestly.
-"I trust you, Yanz. It's only been a day since we met, but for some reason, I feel like I can tell you this."
He took a deep breath.
-"You remember the sky people come to take our harvest, right?"
Yanz nodded.
-"About four months ago, my father was alive. He was one of the main people in charge of the farming, and my mother helped as well. When it was time for the harvest, the sky people came. But the crops weren't as good as they wanted. They were furious."
Ceph's voice grew quieter.
-"They asked, 'Who is responsible for this?' My father stepped forward. He took responsibility, and... they used their magic to blow his head off."
Yanz's eyes widened.
-"It's exactly like I saw that day,"
he thought, recalling the scene of violence he had witnessed before.
-"I watched it happen,"
Ceph continued, his voice thick with emotion.
-"I saw my father die in front of me. After that, my mother collapsed from the shock. She's been sick ever since."
Yanz stood there, speechless. He could see Ceph's eyes welling with tears, though none fell.
-"Whatever's left after the sky people take most of the harvest, it's divided among the villagers. Only those who help with the farming get a share," Ceph finished quietly.
Yanz placed a hand on Ceph's shoulder. -"You're strong, Ceph. You've been through so much—losing your father, taking care of your mother, and now working at such a young age. Don't worry, better days will come. I'm sure of it."
Ceph gave a weak smile.
-"Thanks. I should go now before I'm late."
Yanz watched him walk away, guilt gnawing at him. He had been so focused on securing his own survival that he hadn't thought about how much others were suffering. He wandered around the village, taking in the sight of the dilapidated houses and the weary faces of the villagers. Everyone here was struggling, living in quiet misery.
An idea struck Yanz, and he quickly made his way back to the house. He thought about using his healing magic on Ceph's mother, hoping it could somehow help her recover. He entered the house and stood by her bed, observing her as she slept soundly, even though the door and floor had creaked so loudly.
-"Don't get me wrong,"
Yanz muttered under his breath.
-"I'm doing this for myself—to make my life easier."
He extended his hand over her and chanted
-"Heal"
in his mind, waiting for something to happen.
Nothing.
He tried again, focusing harder.
-"Heal."
Still nothing.
Frustration gnawed at him as he realized his magic wasn't strong enough. He was running low on mana, but he gave it one last try.
-"Heal!"
he chanted, but once again, nothing happened. Yanz clenched his fists. Either my magic is too weak, or some things, like mental scars, can't be healed.
Disappointed, he decided to leave it for now. He went back upstairs to fetch Hazel and the diary. Waking the little squirrel gently, Yanz grabbed the book and headed outside, where the morning light would allow him to read.