Note: Yo this is my first story posted here. English is not my first language and I only edited this once so it's probably full of errors. If you find them please be kind and point them out and if it's not too much trouble explain them a bit too so I can learn from them. I love writing but English is not my strong suit so expect some more works from me in the future.

The Lost Raven

When I was 10, my mom died and home has never been the same. Dad, who was always so relaxed and always had a bright face, is now hardly ever shaven and always has bags under his eyes. He'd still smiled like he used to but I only wished it wasn't so forced… I can't blame him though, having to work starting early in the morning and coming back late at night. Not even having time to grief for mom… Unlike him though, I was lost; in a deep dark tunnel of confusion and grief, I had no idea what was right or wrong, good or bad, truth or lies. In this confusion I stumbled upon a certain path; one in which I wished I had never taken.

I don't remember exactly how it began; I think it started because I got into a fight with a classmate for something childish. In this fight I guess it's when my talents awoke. Reading him like a book, left punch right punch, I dodged and blocked all of his attacks and with one jab to the face; I knocked him straight to the ground and that was where he stayed. With this my first taste of victory and it tasted good, I wanted more. After this incident I guess fighting became a hobby; I picked fights with anyone I could and if I was not fighting, I was thinking about fighting. Where would I hit, how would they react, how would I react… All these thoughts racing through my head, they will eventually lead to a strategy and when I put my strategies to the test in a fight, they'd always work like a charm and I never lost even once.

Wasn't before long when people started calling me Raven. Why? Maybe because my cloths, maybe because my hair or maybe because my eyes, I never really knew nor cared. Eventually I ended up in a gang called Crow, which is all fine for me as long as I get to fight. It wasn't long before my skills and strength was noticed and liked by the boss, in which he promoted me to a captain; I even got a handful of underlings. Everything was going good for me and I thought I was finally out of the dark tunnel, in which I was lost in for all these years, until one day I met her.

Her name was Seris; she was the sister of one of my underlings. I guess the best word to describe her would be bright. Everything about her shines her face, her hair, her smile. She reminded me of mom… and dad before mom passed away. We started dating; it was awkward at first, me a meat head who knows of nothing but fighting and her, a beautiful bright girl, who hated violence and would always try to pull me and her brother out of the gang. Eventually though she got through to me. She was right, everything I did was wrong; I was blinded by my own greed, my own addiction to fighting. I hurt others for my own pleasure. I act big and picked on the weak… Is this the path I want to walk through… and I thought I finally found the exit out of my long tunnel of darkness; guess it was only an illusion. I realized this now after Seris showed me the way. Her radiance lit my path and showed me my true exit. I agreed to leave the gang and I also made to her two more promises. The first I would convince her brother to leave as well, the second I would never get into another fight again.

I left the gang and convinced Seris's brother too. It was not hard, convincing her brother that is but leaving the gang that's a different story. It was not like we could just waltz out and expect nothing to happen, no, the boss was after us. After being on the run for days, they finally trapped us in an alleyway. We fought as hard as we could but the ones we knocked down would cling to us, pulling us down, as more come with planks and bats; stomping and hitting us as hard as they could. All my experiences, all my strategies in fighting that I was once so proud of. This was what it has brought me to; being beat up in an alleyway…

After the beating I lay on the cold cement ground, powerless, beside me was Seris's brother. I recalled him taking a few hard blows to the head; I think he's out cold. I wished I was too, if I'd known what would happen next. The boss came out from the crowd looking down at me; he says "Looks like this ends your winning streak eh Raven?" I did not care about such things, all I cared about was to get out of here and see Seris. "It's a shame to see you like this, I had so much hope in you" he continued. "But it's not your fault; you are not the one who should be punished." Then it occurred to me "No it can't be, please don't tell me it's true" I thought. "It's this bitch's fault" he said as he reached into the crowd and pulled someone out. There was no doubt, it was Seris; she was covered in bruises. They must have captured her while we were on the run. Somehow I found some remaining strength and shouted "basterds what have you done to her." With a smirk the boss throw her on the ground and said "just paying her back for what she done to our cute little Raven." Seris laid in front of me; looking into her eyes I can see she was afraid, as I see boss approaching behind her. Then suddenly he dropped his boot and Seris screamed in pain. "And that is what we do to traitors" said the boss as he walked away with the gang soon following. Seris was still clinching to her right hand and crying in pain. I always thought I was strong but at that moment I was powerless, as I saw flashing red lights and heard the sound of sirens. Soon I found myself on a stretcher in an ambulance. I was exhausted; I closed my eyes and soon fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up in the hospital. I suffered from only minor bruises throughout my body and a broken arm. Seris's brother however was not so lucky; with a serious head injury he still hasn't awoke. I wondered out of my room and right next to mine was Seris's. I took a deep sigh and walked in. There sitting up from her bed was Seris; covered in bruises and staring at her bandaged hand. I turned around; I could not stand the sight of her hand. She noticed and called out to me "darling did you come to visit me?" "What do you mean, all of your injuries, your hand is broken its permanent, it will never be the same again, your brother who knows when he will wake up; all of this is because of me" I shouted still facing the other way. "It's not your fault" she said. "Yes it is" I replied "it is, it is, I was powerless to help you and I could not protect you. All of it was my fault…" There was a silent pause between us. "Let's break up" I said breaking the silence "I cannot bear seeing your hand in that condition." There was no reply. I took a glance back tears flowed like a tap out of her eyes. I cannot bear the sight any longer. I quickly turned around and walked away and that was the last I ever saw her.

I remember walking down that hall; tears swelled up in my eyes and started dropping one by one like rain. Even after mom's death tears never came so why now… why... Damn that boss I want to get back at him for what he did to Seris… but Seris would never want that and the promises I made to Seris. That I would never get into another fight again also forbids it… Dammit to hell! A month has passed and I decided to enroll in a new school; Elwood High it was called. This way I can slowly repay for all my past deeds. I believe this is way out of the dark tunnel that I was trapped in for ages and also what Seris would want.

As I entered the gates of my new school, I was greeted by a short boy with red hair and holding a wooden sword. "You're late" he said "as punishment you are now to stay after school and clean the classroom." "Who are you" I asked? "You're new here huh? I am the captain of the kendo club, the three time national champion, the pride and sword of Elwood high" he replied "Everyone calls my Elsword. Now get to class and don't you dare skip out on your punishment after school." "Who does this egoistic pussy think he is? Fuck, what a pain in the ass" is what I thought.