The cold drizzle of nostalgia rained down upon the child. He couldn't place it, but he had seen something like this before. The images of the past flickered in his mind placing things that had long since happened, things he couldn't remember, over the present. So many things were similar. The way that the wind grazed the trees and wrapped itself around around the small amount of bare flesh that wasn't shielded from the elements. The way the cool autumn air burned at his senses as the flames that flowed like streamers of heat licked at the, no longer frostbitten, ground, sending the ashes of the once peaceful village to the newly scorned earth. Or maybe, what reminded him most, was the empty feeling within him. It was like all of the emotions left him to be nothing but a hallowed shell of what he once was. The wave of nothingness washed over him, stealing everything but the sight before him away. His sight did dim, not enough for him to be able to escape watching this place burn, his ears buzzed and his skin no longer felt the conflicting temperatures of the soon to be winter season and the inferno in front of him.
The boy couldn't help but to wonder how this happened. One moment he was running from his home to get herbs from the healer just two doors down. His mother always like to make sure that the three of them wouldn't get sick during the winter. She had planned to put some of the herbs into dinner for when his father had finished chopping fire wood in the back. His father... He had been helping the other men who still needed to prepare for the oncoming winter days.
His small fist gripped the dried herbs, crushing them in his hand. He knew little of war, being so young, but he did know that there was currently one going on. But there was no way that his small, meaningless village should have been burnt down. His village was far enough into the forest that it couldn't have been in the way.
And now, now there was nothing left of it. Nothing except for him. And he didn't know what to do. What was a six year old supposed to do in a burnt down village by himself. Just like that, all the emotions that had been washed away by that numbing wave came plummeting back. Tears welled in his eyes. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to let go.
"Young one." A shake on the shoulder drew from the daze that the onslaught of sadness had forced him into. He hadn't even hear the man approach, or his horse, or even the soldiers a few yards back on their own horses for that matter. He hadn't heard anything. But his head turned and red eyes landed on the tall man. He was well built, as expected for a knight, with orange tinted brown hair. The man was adorned in silver armor that shined like the full moon, his blue and red cap flapping in the wind, resembling the Arcadian colors. He squatted in front of the village boy. "Are you okay?"
The boy shook his head at the knight. His red hair bright against the fire in the background. He didn't know how to answer the man. He didn't know if he was okay, or if he would ever be okay again. His home was behind him, the last licks of flames dying out as the buildings and grass burned away.
The man let his hands and eyes roam over the child. Limbs scoured the petite body searching, almost professionally, for any injuries. He stopped and glared at the child's forehead for a moment before ripping off a piece of his cape to make a bandage, that he easily weaved under his bangs and through to the back, making sure he didn't not the cloth in the young boy's matted hair. Once finish, satisfied that the child remained, mostly, unharmed after the ordeal that happened in the village, he patted his gauntlet-less hands on the cool metal of his thighs as he stood. "Can you tell me your name?"
"Otoya." The boys said after a moment's thought. "Otoya Ikotti."
The man looked at him with his piercing blue eyes before smiling. His smiled shone brighter than his silver armor. "I am Ryuya, leader of the Arcadian knight's guard. Since it seems you have nowhere else to go, shall I take you on as my third apprentice?"
"Apprentice?" The redhead looked at him questioningly. His nearly dazed eyes glassed back at the people on horseback, yards away, waiting for his answer so they could move on. So they could go home. To their homes that were still there, to a place with living people that still needed them.
"Yes." Ryuya said firmly. "Although your last name...Let's keep that between us, okay?"
The redhead tilted his head. He didn't understand, but he was sure this man had is reasons. He looked back at his old home. Flames all but dead. "Home."
"Give me back my staff, Ai! This isn't funny!"
His voice echoed around the courtyard. Although Otoya wasn't sure who it belonged to, it was the very first thing he heard as Ryuya lifted him off the brown horse's sattle. The mare whinnied in agreement that he was finally off of her. She had supported two people instead of her normal one. But the tall knight had forced Otoya upon her, entrusting her to guide them both safely home. And like any good steed she had followed through. And for that, surely Ryuga would treat her to a nice sugar cube.
But Otoya's red eyes left her, since the orange haired man was taking her to the stable, to wander over to the yard. He had expected cement for as far as the eye could see, but much to his surprise, that was not what his view had showed him. There was an overabundance of greenery and only the pathway to what he could only guess was the knights' quarters was thick with a marbled stone, of the light green variety. Even that looked as if nature had over taken it, in places where that slate was cracked flowers and grass poked through.
And running past a patch of shrubbery into view of his red eyes was a boy, probably older than he, holding a piece of finely carved wood above his cyan colored head. He wore what looked to be, from Otoy'a view at least, a mock knight's outfit. Other than how old and dirt caked it was, it looked almost identical to the one that Ryuga wore. Though his back was to Otoya he knew that the boy had a smile on his face, because the next thing he saw was a rock fly out from behind the brush. A frowning blonde soon followed with another stone, held up high and clenched in his small fist. Looking about half of the other boy's size and age, the blonde wore grey robes that looked to be just a hint to long for him. His sky blue eyes threw daggers slathered with poison at the other child. Oh if looks could kill.
"I would." The one named Ai taunted, twirling the wood between his rather dexterous fingers. "But babies shouldn't handle such dangerous things. Just go back to your crib."
"Again?" Ryuya sighed, walking back. He hadn't taken very long to put his beloved horse in her stall, but long enough to miss whatever they had started. He crossed his arms as he stopped next to Otoya.
The redhead looked up at him. He hadn't liked that sound of defeat in his new hero's voice. "Again?"
"They really do get along." His voice sounded like he was trying to convince himself more that anyone. He shook his head. "I'd better go break them up. Then I can introduce you."
"Seriously Ai." The blonde stomped his foot on the muddy ground, dirtying his robe even more, if that was possible. It looked as if he had been chasing Ai for a while and had fallen one too many times while trying to get his stolen possession back. His eyes searched for something to fight back with. What good would little rocks do in a close-quarters fight. He jumped for his staff, giving up the useless search.
"Come on shorty." The cyan haired boy teased again. Each time the younger boy landed on the ground he would lower the staff until the blonde jumped again, then he would cruelly yank it back out of his reach. "Once you get it back we can begin sparing. Master Ryuga will be home soon. Wouldn't want him to catch you slacking."
The blonde deflated for a moment. His eyes on the ground, missing his opportunity to snatched his staff away while it was being thrown from right hand to left so the other boy could reach for the wooden sword at his waist.
Regaining some fighting spirit back into him, the younger of the two shouted. "Give me back my staff!"
Otoya found it funny that Ryuya had stopped just short of letting the boys know that he was there. But then thought better of the situation. If he didn't truly believed that they got alone, which watching them it was hard to image them getting along in the slightest, he was probably waiting to see how this resolved itself.
"Nope."
"Now."
"Never!"
"Ai, Syo!" He called to them. Otoya couldn't see his disappointment, but he could imagine it.
Ai immediately dropped the wooden item to the muddy ground, giving Otoya a better look at his face, his attention drawn from the young blonde who was trying to grasp it. Though Syo didn't catch it as if fell, he snatched it up and held it dearly and closely to his tiny body. After making sure that his staff was safe from the other's reach, his blue eyes finally made their way up the look at the knight that approached them.
"Master." The blonde, Syo, looked at the man gleefully.
"Master." Ai spoke sounding neither pleased nor distressed about the man being there.
"You boys didn't play to rough while I was away?" Otoya could hear the smile in the knight's voice.
"Of course not." Ai puffed out his chest, as if he were trying to make himself seem more sturdy than he probably was.
"You liar." Syo hissed. His childish features filled with disdain. But the second her turned back to his master it was like he was a pure of heart, happy-go-lucky, child again."He did all of the practice menus you left for us."
"I did all of them." The older of the two corrected. "You did about half."
"Did not!"
"Did so!"
"Did not!"
"Boys." Ryuya interrupted their soon to be violent spat. Ai already had his hand on the hilt of his sword and Syo's knuckles were turning white as his poor abused staff had to bare with the death grip that should be impossible for, what Otoya could guess, a five year old would have. "It doesn't matter if you could or couldn't finish them. I have better news than just who did well at training."
There was a moments pause. Both boy's seemed tense at whatever they thought was on the tip of his tongue.
"We have a new member joining us today." There was a loud sigh of relief. Ryuya motioned him over. "This is Otoya. Let's give him a big welcome."
"Hello and welcome." The young blonde looked at him with evil eyes. The same look disdain that had held for Ai early was now being forced onto Otoya.
"Another one?" Ai said with a sigh, this time hinted with frustration.
"Ai." Ryuya said in a warning filled voice.
"And what's around his head?" He reached for it only to be stopped by the knight.
"Ai, you and I need to have a little talk after I watch you and Syo spare. You are the oldest after all." His grip on the boy's arm loosened.
"Yes master." He nodded, an unhappy pout on his lips.
"Okay, you two, have at it." The knight was all smiles again. "I want to see what you both can do."
They both cheered, grasping their weapons. To Otoya it looked like they were dancing. Every time one would get close to the other someone would back off or sidestep out of the way. But Otoya could also understand why Ai would back off. His wooden sword was shorter than Syo's staff, which gave the small one an advantage. Ultimately Ai lost because of it. As he tried to step away, Syo tripped (Probably on those darn robes that shouldn't have been that long) forcing his staff to the very angle that Ai was going to, hitting him on the side of the head.
"Watch it, klutz." Ai said. He looked away, but still held out a hand to help Syo up. Which the blonde took. That kind gesture made Otoya think for a moment that maybe Ryuya was right and they did get along.
"I meant to do that." He countered as soon as he was back on both feet. Nope, Otoya couldn't have been more wrong. These two were rivals for their master's love, of course they didn't get along.
"Well," Ryuya clapped his hands together drawing their attention. "I think that's enough for one day. Ai lets me see your head. Sometimes head wounds don't seem bad but are."
The cyan haired boy scowled at him. "Fine."
The redhead passed Ai as he went to congratulate Syo on winning. But the blonde was just as rude as the older boy. His blue eyes glared into Otoya's very soul.
"You don't need to tell me I did well. I already know I did. And I'll beat you just the same as Ai." Utter scorn resonated in his voice. His child-like features pinched. He turned away from him, heading back to the green marbled path.
"O-okay?"
There weren't many times that Otoya went outside at night, without asking for permission first. It was even more rare of him to look up at the star filled sky and wonder about what the next day would bring. No, now that he really thought about it, he was pretty sure that this was the first time he had done something remotely close as to thinking about his future. Sure when he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he always answered 'be just like papa' but that's what any child under the age of five would say. To him, even now, his father was an irreplaceable person whom he had admired.
But that didn't matter. He was dead. Nothing would bring him back to how he was, not all the magic in the world. To bring back the dead, using the nercomatic spells, was not only punishable by death, but useless to him. It would bring back his father's body for the most part, but the part of him that made him a dad, a person, him was gone for good.
But looking up at the crescent moon from the grassy courtyard, his legs pulled in tightly to his chest trying to keep some of his warmth locked away from the chilled breeze, wondered how bad it really was. He wanted his father back. He wanted his mother back. He wanted the village with all of it's people and his old life back.
"Otoya." Syo's voice called. "Master says it's to cold to sit out here."
Otoya rolled his eyes. Why had he bothered to send Syo? The blonde obviously hated him. "I'd rather stay out here."
"Just do what master says." The blonde stepped onto the grass. He must have been behind the redhead because Otoya didn't see him.
"Just a little longer." Otoya sniffled. He would not start crying because he had lost his , he wouldn't start because Syo had interrupted his thoughts about how he could go back to those days. No that wasn't it either. Then he realized, he didn't want to share his pain. That would mean that it would be time to let go and move on.
"Such a stubborn new brother." Syo took a seat beside him. "Master said you're older than me. Start acting like it."
"What would you know?" He sniffled back the tears. Couldn't the blonde just go away?
"I know you're here now."
Otoya couldn't hold back anymore. "But you hate me, and Ai seems mean. I didn't want to come here! I want to go back home."
Syo awkwardly reached out and gave him a pat on the back. "Don't worry." That was all he could say. But for Otoya, that was all he needed the blonde to say.
Once again he looked up at the sky. The moon would set, the sun would rise and shine brilliantly onto a brand new day. Life would continue on, maybe a little differently at first, but he would get used to it. He wiped away the salty remnants from his eyes and cheeks. Tomorrow would come soon. He had to be ready to face it. With or without the memories of everyone he loved.
He lifted himself from the ground. While waiting for Syo to do the same, he reached a hand out to the moon, pretending that he could actually touch it's beautiful glow completely unaware of the two deep, dark, stormy eyes that where watching him from the nearby bush.