"Doni?" A young tan girl with a peasant dress waves at a tall, chiseled figure into the distance.
Standing on cultivated grounds, he digs carefully into the soft dirt with a tin hand shovel. Placing a small nut-like seed in the midst of the earthly soil, filled with wriggling worms.
'One life given,' he thought, his gaze drifting down as a recollection of memories resurfaces.
The calm and slow breeze, cools the sweat from the pores of his tan skin.
With dexterity, he gently pushes the dirt back to its original spot as if he was sculpting wet clay.
'Are you watching me?' Staring into the distance, his crimson-hued eyes dwindle and darken like a bright fire against a winter breeze.
Taking off his red gloves, he reveals his calloused hands, riddled in cuts and bruises.
The gentle town murmurs, the animal cries. They all embody the life the town has created.
With approaching footsteps, the young girl said with enthusiasm as she peers behind his back, "Whaa—?"
"What is this?" She asks with dazzling stars sparkling on her ruby pupils.
Smiling, Doni replies. "It's a Forestant Seed."
"Ohhh—" So intrigued, a fly could pass through her agaped mouth.
"Why are you planting this seed here?" Pointing her delicate little finger towards the centre of a rural town.
"A tree should be seen by all."
Clouded by thoughts, he softly chuckles to himself.
Facing towards the little girl, he continues, "It's my way of appreciating life."
He said with a light smile. His gaze so serene, it's hard for anybody to know what the man was thinking.
—-
The fresh earthy scent mingled with the trees and thin brushes, seeps into the noses of a man and a little girl by an aged Forestant.
Doni and the little girl were next to the greenery, observing into the dazzling sunset, dimming by the second.
"Treesha." He asks with kindness hinted at his tone.
"Yes?" She replies, awaiting for what he wanted to say.
Doni sat by the aged Forestant, tucking his scarred legs beneath him, the marks hidden beneath his long blue work pants.
He inquires. "How is studying going for you?"
With eyes lighting up, brows raised, she answers with enthusiasm. "So you finally asking about my learning."
"Indeed."
"…" The wind swept up on her thought filled face, thinking about what to say.
"I guess you could say it was fun." Grinning her white pristine teeth.
"Is work too hard for you?" She reaches up and grasps his hands, worry etching her features.
"…"
"Not at all." He smiles, then he proceeds to grab something from his pockets.
Brushing her long hair with a comb with pride smearing his face.
"Anything for my cute little sister."
"Urghh— Why do you keep calling me little." Flaying her arms and legs, she pouts to the side.
"Haha. Because your short."
"Hey! That's not funny."
Playfully running her fists up against his muscular back. He feintly wails in pain, acting like a good for nothing buffoon.
The quiet breeze enveloping their peaceful surroundings. It's like a dream come true for someone like Doni.
—-
The mirror shatters, scattering its pieces all around the view of Doni.
'Not again!' Watching from the the thick, dark green bushes. His eyes widens without ever so blinking. Tears trickling down, flowing out of the edges of his eye lids like a river.
The flames burns the very timber, the very foundations of the homes in which housed the peaceful and playful villages.
The sky darkens, as the thick, dark grey smoke rise up to the horizons, spreading all around like a contagious virus.
The cries in which echoes across the skies. The fallen brethrens collapse to exhaustion, despair and to protect the children with their lasting affection.
The crimson blood stains the very soil, the one he once toiled to create another bud of life.
Was it out of fear of losing his own life? He continues watching, gripping his chest tightly as he continues to watch the senseless slaughter in silence.
'I'm scared!'
'What was the training even for!'
'A sword? I'm more like a stick, waiting to be stepped on.'
Reflecting on himself, he suddenly saw a little girl in a familiar peasant dress in the distance admist the flames.
Without hesitation, his legs explode with extreme might, the very muscles he had trained propels him forward like the gust of wind.
Gripping onto his hilt in which maintains the sheathed iron blade.
"TREESHA—!"
How could someone like him ever watch his own little sister die within his proximity.
The eyepatched, unkempt man with dark skin lifts the girl's two hands with his bloodied glove, licking her neck with malice.
"Hoho… Such a magnificent little girl being cultivated in these lands." His eyes glint a red glow on their right eye.
Kicking in a fit of futile struggle, Doni's little sister screams and wails.
"Doni!"
With fastened approaching footsteps, he unsheaths his blade with a renewed level of resolve.
As dark as the night sky above, his eyes clouds in pitch black. His breath, releasing the intense steam, oozing from the edge of his lips.
His heart beat rampant, the once quiet and stagnant heart had turned into a boiler.
"All who touches my sister will not leave unscathed!" His blade against the crescent moon shines a bright light. A shine so beautiful, that people have nicknamed him the The Dazzling Knight.
Sensing his approach, the eyepatched man releases the grip, letting the girl fall and collapse on the dirtied soil.
Grabbing his scimitar, eyepatched man delivers an irregular wide swing towards Doni's incoming vertical slash.
Shing!
'What am I fighting for, Doni!' Clenching his teeth to the powerful returning back of the scimitar.
The clashing of metal resounds an earsplitting, metallic echo, applying a gust of pressure across the flames around.
—-
One year ago…
"Doni, you're such an idiot!" Huffing in disapproval, she knocks the bucket right next to her.
"Aye!" Jumping towards his iron bucket filled with dirt and worms and clutching it tight.
"The bucket didn't do anything wrong." Feeling that Treesha went a little bit too far, he feintly sprawled his body as if he was the played the victim.
"You didn't go to the festival with me today. Hmph!" Turning her head to the side, she walks out with a salty tear in her eyes. Running away, not revealing her pitiful side to her big brother.
"I'm so sorry, TREESHA!" He tries catching up to her.
—-
'I didn't go to the festival with her this year even though I promised her.' Saddened, his resolve exponentially increases.
Gnawing at his teeth, the eyepatched man asks, "Who are you? What is your relation to this village?"
"…" Doni launches consecutive slashes from different angles, planting the feet of the eyepatched man further into the dirt.
"A beast? Tch—!" Using his entire might, the eyepatched man still was pushed back, further towards the house that was covered in the sickening light he had created and with his henchmen.