I stood before the furnace, letting its heat creep onto my skin. The orange flames danced, reflecting off my face and accentuating the wrinkles carved by time. Beads of sweat trickled from my temples, mingling with the dust and ash swirling in the air.
Sliding a piece of raw iron into the furnace, I watched as it slowly turned red, glowing with a perfect orange hue. Using iron tongs, I pulled it out and placed it on my workbench.
Clang.
The rhythmic sound of my hammer striking the glowing metal filled the small workshop, a soothing melody that helped me focus and forget the troubles that weighed on me in my old age. My rough, scarred hands gripped the hammer tightly, pouring every emotion into each strike as I forged my masterpiece.
But the tranquility didn't last long. The workshop door slammed open, its hinges groaning sharply. Startled, I paused mid-swing as a young man from the village stumbled in, panting heavily, his face etched with fear.
"What's going on?"
"Old man… your orphanage…" His words were broken, each one forced out between labored breaths. "The children… they…"
My eyes widened, and a crushing weight seized my chest. He didn't need to finish—his fragmented words were enough.
"Lead the way, now!"
"Yes, sir!"
I tossed the hammer into the corner without hesitation, rushing out of the workshop. My aged body protested as I sprinted down the familiar path to the orphanage, sweat dripping down my temples.
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the young man lagging behind. "Pick up the pace, boy!"
"Damn it! How is he faster than me at his age?" I could hear his muttered complaints, but they didn't matter. My mind was consumed with worry for the children. I had to reach them before it was too late.
"If something has happened… I'll never forgive myself," I whispered, pushing myself harder.
In the distance, a plume of black smoke spiraled into the sky. My heart sank. "No… it can't be…"
Images of the children flashed in my mind. Their innocent faces. Fear clawed at me, urging my legs to move faster as I sped along the cobbled path.
Yet, no matter how fast I ran, the journey felt endless, like a nightmare that refused to end. Doubt crept in, whispering that I might not make it in time.
When I finally arrived, I was met with a sight that shattered me. My knees buckled, nearly sending me to the ground. The orphanage, the home I had built with my heart and soul, was engulfed in flames.
"No… this can't be real," I muttered under my breath, my voice barely audible.
The fire raged on, consuming what little remained of the structure. Its charred beams stood like skeletal remains, groaning under the weight of the destruction. The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning flesh.
"I'm too late…" I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. My cry escaped as a broken howl, the sound of a weary old wolf mourning under the midnight sky.
"You were a fool to think we'd let you live in peace, old man."
From the smoky haze, dark figures emerged. They wore armor emblazoned with the royal crest, their faces obscured by iron helmets. One of them carried something that made my heart stop.
"That… can't be…"
A small, charred body was flung at my feet. I reached out with trembling hands, pulling it into my arms. Tears blurred my vision as I cradled the remains, recognizing immediately who it was.
"Sarah…" My voice cracked as I uttered her name. She was the cheerful little girl.
The soldier sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "This is the price of your actions, old man."
"How could you…?" I roared, my voice trembling with fury. "They were just children! Have you no shred of mercy, you monsters?"
The soldier laughed coldly, swinging his sword to the ground in a dismissive gesture. "Orders are orders. Whether they're children or not, it's none of our concern."
Grief suffocated me, but beneath it, a raging inferno of anger burned hotter than the flames consuming the orphanage. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.
"You'll pay for this," I growled, my voice low and venomous.
One of the soldiers stepped forward, slapping his sword against his palm. "What can an old man like you do?"
Their laughter echoed around me, blending with the crackling fire. It was a cruel symphony that mocked my pain.
With a heavy heart, I resolved to give Sarah a proper burial. "Please wait just a little longer, Sarah," I whispered, brushing the ashes from her lifeless face.
A sharp, searing pain suddenly shot through my chest. I stumbled, Sarah slipping from my arms. My hand instinctively clutched at the gaping wound in my chest.
"I'm sorry, old man…" The young man's voice came from behind me. Turning slightly, I saw him standing there, a bloodied dagger in his hand. His face was twisted in a fake grimace, but his eyes betrayed no remorse.
"I had to do it… for my wife," he claimed, his voice hollow. Lies. There was no sorrow in his tone, only greed.
"You… fool," I spat, coughing up blood as I collapsed to the ground.
The soldiers surrounded me, their laughter cutting into my very soul. The young man stepped toward them, his hand outstretched, expecting payment.
"Laughing… at such cruelty…" I croaked, blood staining my lips. "How… disgusting."
Their laughter faltered. Confusion painted their faces as I staggered to my feet, my broken body defying all reason.
"What… how? I destroyed his heart!" the young man stammered, eyes wide with disbelief.
He wasn't wrong. I could feel the absence of my heartbeat, the emptiness where life should have been. But the flames of my fury burned brighter, consuming the pain, erasing the boundary between life and death.
"You will face the consequences." My voice was low, raspy, and filled with hatred.
The soldiers stepped back, fear starting to flicker across their faces.
"W-What is this…?! He's supposed to be dead!"
I raised my gaze, locking eyes with those who relished in trampling the weak.
"You will all pay the price."
"Th-That's impossible!" the young man shouted, panic seeping into his tone.
"I was sure I had killed you!"
I didn't respond. Closing my eyes, I clasped my hands together as if holding the hilt of an unseen sword.
"Come to me, O sword ablaze with the flames of Hell, the blade that felled the eight-headed serpent…"
The sky darkened abruptly, nature responding to my summoning spell. A fierce wind began to howl. The fire engulfing the orphanage reversed its course, spiraling around me, coiling into my wrists. I could feel it. The sword buried within me awakening to answer my call.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, glaring at them with disdain and disgust.
"Kusanagi no Tsurugi… lend me a fragment of your strength."
The air grew thick with oppressive heat. It was far hotter than the flames that had devoured the orphanage. The blazing energy infused into the blade turned it a fiery red, like a miniature sun.
I fixed my sharp gaze on the young man.
"You sold your soul for lies. Did you think I would let this go unpunished?"
The young man stumbled back, ready to flee. But as he turned to run, I slashed at him without hesitation. My strike cleaved through his body, reducing him to black ash that scattered into the wind.
The soldiers who had mocked me earlier widened their eyes in shock, finally grasping the power of the sword in my hand. One of them barked orders urgently.
"Everyone, retreat now!"
The soldiers surrounding me broke formation, putting distance between us as they prepared their spells. Some drew weapons from their belts and backs, forming a defensive circle around me.
Shield and sword-bearers took the front, spear-wielders stood in the middle, and archers and mages occupied the rear. Their ranks tightened, forming a complete battle array.
"He's injured! Focus on defense! Mages, hit him with your strongest water spells!" their commander bellowed, his voice echoing with authority.
He then turned his gaze toward me, his arrogance unmistakable.
"You're finished, old man. We've got you surrounded. Your head will make a fine trophy for the kingdom."
"Surrounded?" Beneath my calm expression, a smirk of cold triumph crept onto my lips.
"No, young one. It's you who are trapped."
I stomped my foot into the ground. A circle of flames erupted, encircling all of us.
"No one can penetrate my wall of fire. It is you who are caged here."
Despite their bravado, I noticed some soldiers breaking into a cold sweat.
"You think we're afraid of your threats, huh?!" The commander shouted defiantly before barking orders once more.
"Everyone, ignore the fire! Attack him now!"
As if bewitched by his command, the soldiers roared and charged recklessly at me. The front line raised their shields high, trying to bash me, while spear-wielders lunged with deadly precision. Mages hurled water spells in unison, their magic surging toward me.
Their combined assault was impressive but futile. With a single swing of my katana, a wave of fire burst forth, colliding with their spells and filling the battlefield with a thin veil of steam. Any soldier touched by my blade was instantly reduced to ash.
Their screams of pain were fleeting—disappearing as quickly as they came.
Through the haze, they continued their blind charge. Their weapons gleamed as they swung them high, their war cries echoing until they too succumbed to the fiery end of my blade.
A gust of wind swept away the steam, revealing the battlefield. The remaining soldiers hesitated, their confidence wavering.
"Is that all?" I taunted, tilting my head mockingly.
"Is this the extent of your strength?"
Grinding his teeth, the commander glared at me with mounting frustration.
"Damn you! How dare you mock us? I'll take you down myself!"
Conjuring a massive axe with his magic, the commander charged at full speed.
I remained still, my gaze hollow and indifferent, showing neither intent to attack nor defend.
When he was but a step away, he halted abruptly, raising his axe high and swinging it down with all his might.
But it was pointless. I had already read his movements. Taking a single step back, I placed myself just beyond the reach of his weapon. His axe struck the ground, kicking up dust but finding no target.
His eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! How is this possible?!"
I was already poised to strike. "You're a century and a half too young to defeat me, boy."
Without hesitation, I drove my blade through his heart. The movement was smooth, effortless, like slicing through a strand of thread.
"Ugh… no… this can't be…" he rasped, his final words dissipating as his body crumbled into ash.
Closing my eyes, I allowed myself a brief moment of relief.
"It's finally over…"
But the cries of other soldiers quickly snapped me back to reality. This wasn't the end. Not yet. There was still more filth to cleanse.
Opening my eyes, I glared at them with icy resolve.
Some dropped their weapons, turning to flee toward the flames surrounding us. But the moment they touched the fire, their bodies ignited, writhing in agony before collapsing into charred remains.
Seeing this, the others froze, panic etched across their faces.
"This… this is impossible. We're really trapped here."
"Didn't I already warn you?" I said, my voice deep and resonating within the fiery circle.
"Now, accept your karma. Don't worry. I'll cremate you swiftly. I promise."
"N-No! Stay back!"
But there was nowhere to run. Behind them lay flames more excruciating than a quick demise.
Ignoring their desperate pleas, I raised my sword high and swung it in a wide arc. A wave of fire engulfed them, turning them to ash in an instant.
"The debt has been paid," I muttered.
Suddenly, my vision blurred, and the world around me began to spin. My body weakened, collapsing onto the scorched ground. Pain coursed through every fiber of my being as my breaths grew shallow and labored.
"Is this… the end?"
Memories surged like a flood—faces I had loved, smiles long lost, and betrayals that cut deep. Everything swirled together in a maelstrom of emotion. Tears slipped from the corners of my eyes.
"If only… I could go back… I wouldn't be blind. I wouldn't be naive. I… I…" My voice faded, echoing only in the chaos of my mind.
The noises around me receded into silence, replaced by a profound stillness. My vision dimmed, the vibrant world vanishing into a void of endless black.