The town was burning.

  People rushed through the streets, screaming, carrying buckets of water that did nothing against the roaring inferno. The night sky was painted in hues of orange and red, smoke swallowing the stars.

  A boy stood in the middle of it all, frozen. His house was engulfed in flames, the windows shattered, blackened wood crumbling apart.

  "Mom! Dad!" His voice cracked.

  Through the fire, he heard them.

  "Son! We’re sorry! Forgive us!"

  "No! I’m coming!" He ran forward, but before he could take another step—

  BOOM.

  An explosion ripped through the house. The force sent him flying, his body skidding across the dirt. Everything blurred. The last thing he saw was the fire swallowing everything.

  Darkness.

  ---

  (Six Years Later)

  Shinjiro sat beneath an old oak tree, staring at the sky. The wind was gentle, rustling the golden fields around him. Peaceful. But inside, it wasn’t.

  A voice broke through his thoughts.

  Shun: Found you!

  Shinjiro blinked, looking up as his friend dropped down beside him.

  Shun: What are you doing all the way out here?

  Shinjiro: Nothing.

  Shun: Liar. You were thinking again, weren’t you?

  Shinjiro didn’t answer.

  Shun: Come on. Just say it.

  Shinjiro exhaled.

  Shinjiro: What am I supposed to do?

  Shun: The hell does that mean?

  Shinjiro: What is my purpose in life?

  Shun blinked. Then—

  Shun: (laughing) That’s gotta be the dumbest thing I’ve heard today.

  Shinjiro: (frowning) Stop laughing. I really gave it a thought.

  Shun: And what did you come up with?

  Shinjiro: Nothing.

  Shun stopped laughing.

  Shun: You’re probably just missing your family. It’s easy to overthink when you’re feeling lonely.

  Shinjiro: (quietly) Maybe. Everything seemed fine... then, one day, it all just disappeared.

  Shun: You mean your family disappeared.

  Shinjiro: (nodding) It’s empty without them. I miss them... more than anything.

  Shun was quiet for a moment before placing a hand on Shinjiro’s shoulder.

  Shun: I understand.

  Shinjiro: (bitterly) Do you really? You still have your parents.

  Shun’s expression shifted, something unreadable flickering across his face before he grinned again.

  Shun: Don’t sink into sadness, my friend. Why don’t you grab something from Oizo’s shop? Eating always makes you feel better.

  Shinjiro hesitated before sighing, pushing himself up.

  Shinjiro: Fine.

  The two walked back toward town, the golden fields swaying in the breeze.

  Neither of them realized—this was the last peaceful day they would ever have.

  ____________________________________________________________________________________________

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  Scene: A cozy, bustling medieval restaurant with wooden tables and a large stone fireplace. The aroma of roasted meat and fresh bread fills the air as Shinjiro steps inside and takes a seat at one of the tables.

  Oizo: (calling from behind the counter) Let me know if you want more, kid.

  Shinjiro: (nodding) Okay.

  Shinjiro was a regular at Oizo’s restaurant. Since he did not know how to cook. He ate at Oizo’s restaurant. Oizo was an old man who was also an information broker and he used the restaurant as a cover for his hideous business. Oizo was a kind man , he does not charge Shinjiro at all for the food.

  (As Shinjiro sits down, he overhears a conversation nearby.)

  Man 1: (whispering to Oizo) Is he... the abandoned kid?

  Oizo: (frowning) Don’t say it like that.

  Man 1: But you know what happened, right

  Oizo: (sighing) Yes, I remember. It was six years ago. A fire swept through the town... and then they came.

  Man 1: Who came?

  Oizo: (lowering his voice) The Arcanors.

  Man 1: (laughing) You’re joking! Everyone knows the Arcanors are just creatures from stories.

  Oizo: (staring him down) I saw them with my own eyes.

  Man 1: You must have been drunk!

  Oizo: (grumbling) Maybe, but I know what I saw.

  Just then, Shinjiro looks up and calls out.

  Shinjiro: Can I get some more?

  Oizo: (smiling kindly) Sure, kid. Here you go.

  (another man enters the restaurant)

  Oizo: Come! What do you bring?

  Man2: A news. The Katagiri family are selling a slave. It’s a 10 year old boy.

  Oizo: Shame on them. They adopted the boy to sell him?

  Shinjiro heard them and was hard struck by the news. He started eating hastily.

  Man2: Yeah sucks to be him.

  Oizo: Anything else?

  Man2: There’s a rumour in the town. A mysterious man has appeared apparently someone saw him using magic to hunt a deer.

  ______________________________________________________________________________________________

  It was a ruckus. Some bandits ganged up on Shun and were threatening him. “What’s your name?”, asked one of them.

  “It’s Shun Katagiri”

  “The Katagiri? I know your father. He is an old bastard who owes me money.”

  Another one of them speaks, “He is broke. He can’t give us anything. I threatened him yesterday and he has promised to give us a slave”

  “You won’t have my brother!”, he spoke angrily.

  “What will you do? Cry to your Whore mother”.

  Shun was enraged, He quickly grabbed the bandits dagger and attacked him. “Yahh!”, he roared.

  The bandit grabbed his hand and stomped him to the ground.

  “How dare you? Brat! Tie him. We are gonna kill him and sell his organs.” , the leader ordered.

  Someone was hiding behind the tree watching all the ruckus. One of the bandits noticed, He slowly walked towards the tree.

  “Come Out!”

  A man reveals himself, he wore a white cloak which was in contrast with his black hair. He looked young probably 22 years old.

  The man raises his hand.

  “Boss! I caught him spying on us.”

  “I was just passing by”, the man said.

  Boss: We are lucky today. Tie him up too.

  “That’s a bad idea. I am not worth the trouble”

  Boss: (laughs) You think you are some kind of vigilante?”

  Shun was conscious now, He watched the mysterious man closely.

  “You are awake.”, said the man.

  Boss: Who are you talking to?

  “Look at him. The boy is miserable. Let him go”, said the man.

  Boss: Let him go? He’s not going anywhere neither are you. Attack him.

  The bandits dashed towards the man with weapons in their hands.

  Shun: He’s going to die.

  “What a pain!”

  They had stopped. The bandits were not moving. It was as if the time had stopped but time cannot be stopped. The man had altered the senses of every living being around making them move infinitely slow making it look as they had froze. The only person who was able to move was Shun.

  Shun: What is happening?

  The man comes forward and unties Shun. He speaks, “My name is Rakk”.

  Shun: How did you do that?

  Rakk: I was just able to. What will you do now?

  Shun: What do you mean?

  Rakk: I saw. Your father will sell your brother. The bandits will probably kill your father. Your mother will leave you.

  Shun: Nooo! It’s not true.

  Rakk: Who are you lying to? Me? Or Yourself? I will leave then.

  Shun: No! They will start moving again.

  Rakk: Yeah they will. What will you do?

  Shun: I will run away. Hold them off till then.

  Rakk: No! Escarius Miuishn!

  Rakk had stopped his spell and used another spell on Shun. Shun’s eyes were darkened. He saw illusions of his father and the bandits killing his brother and him.

  Shun: Noo!!

  Boss: What happened? Where did he go? Who untied the kid?

  Rakk had become invisible. It was a feature of the white cloak he wore.

  The bandits approached Shun. Shun saw them as evil monsters. Everything was blurry.

  “Don’t try to run away”

  “Come here and die”, (what shun heard)

  Shun: Arghhhhh!! Stop!!

  “What is wrong with him?”, one of them said.

  Shun: Don’t come near me!!

  Shun hears a voice, “Help me big brother!”

  Shun: Fiol !!

  Rakk appears again. “Escarius Niuishn”. Time had froze again.

  Rakk: Open your eyes. It was an illusion.

  Shun: Don’t come near me.

  Rakk: You saw. It’s inevitable. It’s going to happen. These bandits, your father, your mother, your brother.

  Shun: Noo!

  Rakk: I am giving you an option. Join me and I’ll help you.

  Shun: Please! Help me! (crying)

  Rakk: Help yourself. Protect your brother. Eradicate the evils.

  Shun: How? I am weak.

  Rakk: Weakness is a choice. I will teach you how to fight against the world.

  Shun: Who are you?

  Rakk: We are the Daimyojin.

  Rakk walks towards him and gives him a dagger. “Escarium!”

  The bandits unfroze but they moved very slowly.

  Rakk: Kill them.

  Shun roared, “ Yahhhhhhhh”. He stabbed them one by one. His face and hands covered in blood. He was angry, sad and happy at the same time.

  Shinjiro was running around the village trying to find Shun. He tried every place he knew but unfortunately failed to track him. He was concerned about him. He went back to Oizo’s shop to ask for help.

  He slammed the door open in a haste.

  Oizo: What happened kid?

  Shinjiro: I can’t find Shun. I heard you talking about the Katagiri family selling Shun’s brother. Help me old man.

  Oizo: I can’t do anything about it.

  Shinjiro: Please! Help me save him. I will pay you.

  Oizo: I am ordered not to do anything.

  Shinjiro: Tell your boss, I will give my house to him.

  Oizo: You can’t do that.

  Shinjiro: I don’t have a choice. He’s the only family I have.

  Oizo: Let’s go, I will come with you.

  It was the dawn but the sky was covered with cloud, it was dark as the middle of the night. Shun’s father was drinking again. His mother seemed to be getting ready to go somewhere. A knock was heard on the Katagiri house door.

  “Fiol ! Open the door.”, Shun’s father shouted.

  “Go open it yourself. Did you forget that you tied him so he cannot escape.”, replied the mother

  Shun’s father walked towards the door in a sluggish manner and opened the door. It was Shun standing at the door covered in blood.

  “What happened to you?”

  A lightning struck and rain started with thunderstorm. The rain washed away the blood on Shun’s face. It was a long silence.

  “Who has come?” curiously the mother arrived and saw her son.

  “Shun! Where have you been all day? No work has been done all day.”, said the mother.

  The mother did not see the blood.

  Shun’s father mood changed often . His mental trauma caused him to see illusion as well. He was suffering.

  “You brat! No work has been done all day!”, the father slapped Shun.

  Shun: Where is Fiol?

  “He’s tied in the room. I don’t have any money, I have no choice but to sell him.”, the father started crying.

  Shun: There’s no need. I killed them. You don’t owe anything to anyone.

  “What?”, Shun’s mother exclaimed.

  Father: (yelling) Shun, what were you thinking?!

  (He slaps Shun hard, and Shun stumbles back, clutching his cheek.)

  Mother: (coldly) Who taught you to lie? Trying to save him? He’

  Shun pushed his father away and broke into the room and unties Fiol.

  (Suddenly, loud banging comes from the door.)

  Voice from Outside: Open up! Or I’ll break it down!

  Shun looks around, panic filling his eyes.

  Shun: (thinking quickly) Fiol, get out through the window! Now!

  (Fiol rushes to the window, but as he starts climbing out, his father storms in, grabbing him.)

  Father: Where do you think you’re going?

  (Shun grabs a nearby stick and swings it at his father’s hand, freeing Fiol.)

  Fiol: (climbing out the window) Brother! Come with me!

  Shun: (firmly) Go! Now!

  (Fiol hesitates, then jumps out and vanishes into the night. Shun turns to face his furious father, fear and defiance mixing in his gaze.)

  Father: (mockingly) You think you’re an adult now?

  (The father picks up a sharp piece of broken glass, stepping closer to Shun.)

  Father: Shun!

  Shun: I know you are suffering! Wake up father!

  Father: (starts crying) Why did you do it? Why kill them?

  The Father was seeing illusions again of the man who killed his companions in the war.

  Shun: It’s me!

  Father: (raged)

  (Suddenly, everything freezes, and Rakk appears in the corner of the room.)

  Shun: Help me!

  Rakk: (handing him a knife) Kill him.

  Shun: (shocked) No! He’s my father.

  Rakk: (shrugging) Then do as you wish.

  (Time resumes. Shun’s father brings the glass down, cutting into Shun’s shoulder. Just then, Shinjiro and Fiol burst into the room.)

  Shinjiro: Shun!

  Fiol: Brother!

  Father: (spitting) come here. I’ll deal with you myself!

  Shinjiro: Stop! What are you doing to your own children?

  (The father lunges toward Shinjiro, shoving him against the wall.)

  Fiol: No! No!

  Shun: (screaming) Stop!!!

  (Once again, time freezes)

  Rakk: Your brother and friend are both in danger. Accept my offer, and you can save them. Kill him.

  Shun: (trembling) I... I’m afraid. He’s my father.

  Rakk: Don’t you see how your father is suffering as well as your brother, your friend.

  Father: (crying) Why?

  Shun had stabbed his father in the heart.

  (The townspeople rush into the room, followed by Shun’s mother, who takes in the scene with horror.)

  Mother: He... he killed my husband!

  Shun: (breathless and crying)

  (Fiol, in shock, faints. The townspeople restrain Shun)

  Shinjiro: No! He’s not a criminal!

  Oizo: (pulling Shinjiro back) Stay away, Shinjiro.

  Shun: (to Shinjiro) I’m sorry, Shinjiro. I have to go.

  (Time freezes again. Rakk steps forward.)

  Rakk: You made the right choice.

  Shun: Take me wherever you want.

  Shinjiro dashes towards them getting caught in the spell.

  (Rakk places a hand on Shun’s shoulder, and in a flash of light, the three of them vanish.)

  (scene change)

  Scene: A dimly lit, cold stone prison. Water drips from the ceiling, and rats scurry across the floor. Shinjiro wakes up, his hands and feet tied, feeling the sting of pain in his leg.

  Guard: (throwing water in his face) Wake up!

  Shinjiro: (blinking) Where am I?

  Hiroko: (leaning down to meet his gaze) I am Hiroko of the Royal Capital. Are you a spy?

  Shinjiro: (desperately) No! Where is Shun?

  Hiroko: (coldly) Break his bones.

  (A guard strikes strike his leg with an iron bar)