Sdorica -Vestige-

by Amatsu180

"Princess... Please. I beg you. Speak your mind..." she didn't answer. She looked unto the sunset as teardrops fell from her face. Her heart was burning, but it was for him. A story of a man finding himself in a world full of mystery. When everything was given to you without explanation, what would you do? Follow Roxas as he discovers who he really is in the land of Vendacti

30. Chapter 30: The Plight of an Orphan

30th of Fire Month
Sun Castle, Warden's Quarters

The sunlight coming from the window bathed the entirety of the east side of my quarters. It was already morning, and I was still sitting on my chair in front of the pristine wooden desk near the bedside table. Under my nose was a quill pen and some parchment. I took up the paper with one swift motion of my right hand and decided to inspect the contents I have written on it.

Or rather, the absurd lack of contents that was on the parchment.

I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing, but I guess it doesn't really matter now. I'm now wide awake and all I know is that I woke up and decided to write something. Even though I didn't really get to write anything after a while. My thoughts wandered elsewhere as I carefully stored the paper and pen into the drawer underneath the desk.

If I had to guess, it seemed to me that I was sleepwalking. To be perfectly honest, I never experienced that before. But I do have to admit, it is an interesting thing to look back on. As for the reasons, I still don't know why. I've read from one of Angelia's books that people who sleepwalk tend to have not been sleeping well for the past few days, drunk alcohol, or have taken in certain medicine.

It's strange, but I haven't actually done any of those things

I haven't got my fill of alcohol for months. The Sun Castle forbids anyone from drinking if it wasn't a special occasion, as it may hinder work. Furthermore, I wasn't sick or have been feeling sick as well, so medicine is out of the question. As for the amount of sleep, I have been sleeping well except that one time me and Angelia stayed up late in the garden.

Speaking of which...

Five days had already gone by since Angelia had gone unto her blind date with that duke with the ill-willed bodyguard I had to tolerate for practically the entire duration of said blind date. I'm pretty certain she won't be going on dates any time soon. Thankfully, her mood has improved drastically over these five days as well, with her constantly having a relaxed smile bless her face all the time.

Her smile was contagious; I couldn't help myself but smile every time I saw her do it.

I sat back unto the chair and stretched, taking in whatever amount of breath I could take as I did so. It was a good feeling, but more so that I needed to be wide awake for today. It's nearly the end of the month, and I'm expecting some sort of challenge ahead of me.

Well, a challenge is a bit of an exaggeration, but that's what I honestly feel as of the moment. So far, I had only gone to two big assignments. If I even get the right to call them big, anyway. The first was only intended for me, which I enjoyed I won't lie, and the other was a blind date in which both me and Angelia had to sit there and take crap from another party because we were forced to.

I have still yet to be in an assignment in which Angelia would truly enjoy herself on her own.

With one final stretch, I waltz on over to my bed and plopped myself on top of it. All I had to do was wait a bit more. I'm sure the assignment will come eventually. After all, with someone like Princess Angelia to look after, I'm expecting a swamped schedule.

The last five days were only me and Angelia in her quarters, and it was starting to get cramped in there. Not on the literal sense, and even though I had her as company, it truly did feel like I was isolated from the world. Sure there was the usual maid and servant to bring food in, but that was it.

Now, I wouldn't say I hated it. In fact, I enjoy her company as much as she does.

But if I'm already feeling a sense of loneliness just by being in her room, then I can't even imagine what it would've been like if I was in her place for the past years of her life. The worst thing that would happen is that I would've gone insane from the isolation.

I'm starting to understand why she would've wanted some sort of company with her...

Then, a bright bluish light enveloped my quarters. Somehow, it even overpowered the sunlight that was coming through the windows. I shifted my body and tried to look at the source of the light, only to see the light of the P.U.P. now fading as it finished receiving information. I sat up and proceeded to walk over to it, now with the new assignment engraved on the paper.

If I was anywhere else, I would've kept my P.U.P. in my pocket all the time. However, since I was taking up temporary residence in the Sun Castle and adding to the fact that this place was filled to the brim with security, I had the luxury of placing my P.U.P. somewhere I could just see it. Like this dining table in my quarters which conveniently has a flower vase I could place on top of it.

I tilted the flower vase unto one side and took my P.U.P from underneath. On it, it read today's assignment...

Ignis Orphanage Visit
Time: Any hour before Noon

Well, it seems I know what I should be doing today...

I guess it should suffice. If anything, I'm hoping this would be the first ever assignment I get where Angelia wouldn't get sad or disappointed.

Whatever an Orphanage was, anyway...

Looking out through the window above my bed one more time, I decided it was best to wait a little while. I don't know whether or not Angelia was a deep sleeper, and that's because she would usually just call me up to her room in the afternoon. Now that I think about it, I have not been to her quarters in the morning.

Well, not that it would be any different. After all, the only thing that would change is the time.

So, without anything left to do in the morning, I decided to make a quick meal for myself. A hearty breakfast does sound quite nice, especially in the face of a very promising assignment. If anything, this day was about as promising as a cool morning breeze back at Paradise Prairie.

It felt nice being in a good mood after a sleepless night.

Since I was taking up temporary residence here, I was allowed to do my own errands once a week. Thankfully, the routine work here was about the same back in both the training encampment and the Acies outpost. I decided to stop by at the capitol market in the Aurorus Sector yesterday to fill up the pantry and cupboards since it was starting to get desolate.

Even though my pay of curren was significantly larger because of the fact that I am Angelia's bodyguard, I only ever bought my usual sourdough bread, salt cured ham, and a few fruits and vegetables that I needed to make good use of in the next two days. I'm not that used to being all pampered in the privileged life.

Besides being privileged, I'm not too keen on getting proud just yet. After all, all of this is just temporary, and I know for a fact that I pretty much have to part with Angelia sooner or later. Though I would be sad, I'd much prefer being in the thick of things in the middle of the battlefield.

Taking things slow just doesn't feel natural to me at all. For me to be free from this godforsaken curse, I needed to be stronger. For now, that is my aim: to be stronger, and the battlefield is just giving me the answer I'm looking for.

With my mind moving on to actually cooking my meal for the morning, I brought out the salt cured ham and placed it onto a cutting board before beginning to sharpen one of the kitchen knives. I do have to admit, even though the quarters kitchen was small, it was undoubtedly complete in tools and equipment. To top it all off, everything was polished to perfection.

Although I still needed to make use of the fireplace if ever I needed to cook something...

I waked in front of the fire place, and looked down. Of course, underneath my feet were just the shining floorboards that need only to be swept once a day because they were well kept. However, once you count three floorboards to the right, you'll see an old and dull part of the floor that stood out like a sore thumb. I then pulled the board out from its edges to reveal a secret compartment. Inside, there was an ashen covered metal frame that was used to hold up cooking pans and pots atop the fireplace for the sole purpose of cooking.

Think of it as a makeshift stove top for the poor.

I struggled a bit and even though it was relatively small, it still weighed a ton. After settling down the metal frame, I placed the firewood inside the fireplace along with several dry twigs and sticks. As for lighting up fire, the Rune Sorcerers in the castle had provided me with a rune that gives off tiny but powerful sparks to ignite the fireplace with.

I'm not going to lie, this was oddly convenient and I began to wonder why we ordinary soldiers haven't been using these runes for these purposes. This also could've really helped a whole lot of people with their everyday problems.

But whatever the case was, I'm sure there was a good reason for it.

As I tapped the rune against the brittle firewood, it gave off a bright red flash of light. I needed to close my eyes for that, or else I would've dealt with a searing eyesore for the rest of the day. As expected, the moment I opened my eyes the fireplace was already burning quite brightly. Setting down the spark rune, I headed back to the kitchen to prep the bread and meat.

When we were training back at the encampment, we went out on a four day exploration on the Paradise Prairie. For me it was more on sightseeing than exploring, so I just let my team do as they wish. However, when it came time for breakfast, I would always make use of the cured ham and bread since they were the only rations given to us by Officer Marshall.

While it's true that I have been eating salt cured ham for most of my time, even before I had decided to join the army, I had developed a taste for it. Since then, I had found ways to make it a tastier option for both rationing and, in this case, a good breakfast meal.

I took out one of the silver cooking pan underneath the sink cupboards, along with the ground pepper and the nice smelling oil from the top cupboards. Taking one moment to look at pan, its shine and gloss really told me that it was something that I couldn't personally afford. Even its bottom still kept its shine. I drizzled a bit of the nice smelling oil on top of the cooking pan before placing it atop the fire on the metal frame.

I needed the pan to be nice and hot for me to be able to start cooking properly.

Once I was back in the kitchen, I decided to give the meat a nice, cold water wash on the sink before placing it on the cutting board. Taking the kitchen knife I sharpened a few moments ago, I carefully sliced through the meat. What I'm aiming for are thin slices of meat and, after a while of slicing, I was able to achieve uniform cuts with each slice of meat.

I then turned my attention to the sourdough bread. After cleaning the kitchen knife, I opened one of the sink drawers and pulled out a bread knife. Even though normal bread is easy to cut through, sourdough bread is a different story. For this, I actually needed a bread knife to properly cut my portions.

And so with everything in place, I just needed to do a bit of magic before actually enjoying my morning...

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After several minutes of cooking, eating, and bathing, I was finally dressed up and ready for the day ahead. Well, not entirely dressed up. I'm still in my usual comfortable clothing of linen shirt and pants. After doing all I could to make my hair somewhat decent and presentable, I donned on my indoor shoes and left my quarters.

Before I could even decide to do anything else, I've ran into one of the maids in the castle who was just coming down the stairways to Angelia's quarters. "Good morning, Sir Roxas." she greeted me with an elegant bow. It became my second nature to greet everyone in the castle with the same elegance, so I returned her kind gesture with my own. She then gave me a faint smile before walking away from the East Wing Hall.

From the looks of it, it seems only natural that she was the one who served Angelia breakfast today. This of course meant that Angelia herself was already awake. With that in mind, I decided to check on her.

I don't know if she knows about the visit to the Ignis Orphanage, but I would guess that she was already informed of it once she received her breakfast. But regardless of whether she knows or not, it wouldn't hurt to visit her this morning.

After ascending the stairway and casually crossing the long hall toward her quarters, I knocked on her door with little to no hesitation. She didn't answer immediately, but I heard a muffled sound from the other side.

This hall is eerily silent...

Waiting a while, I heard staggering footsteps behind the door before finally hearing her voice. "Who is it?"

"It's Roxas, Your Highness. May I enter?"

"You may~"

With the familiar sound of a doorknob turning, Angelia welcomed me inside.

Looking around, something about her quarters in the morning gave off a different feel to it. Compared to the times where I lazed around here during the afternoon, her room seemed a bit brighter than it normally should be.

That, or I have already gotten used to the orange tint it always had during the afternoon.

Everything gave off a whitish shine, akin to what a Dawnchaser would've done. It was comforting, to say the least, and I don't mind the change in atmosphere as much as the next person would.

That being said, though, the glow of her room couldn't mask the delicious scent of cooked eggs, steak, and stew that was her breakfast. I got to admit, I was sort of envious that she got such wonderful food.

However, that wasn't what I was here for.

"Good morning, Angelia." I said nonchalantly as I followed her inside.

"Good morning to you, as well! But what brings you here this morning, Roxas? If I remember correctly, the only time you've been brought up here was when Sir Dylan introduced you to me..." Angelia said as she tucked herself back into bed and in front of her breakfast tray.

"Well, I was informed that we would be going to the... uh..." I stopped. My mind had gone blank for a second.

I realized I don't know what an orphanage is...

Ah, crap...

"Is something the matter...?" Angelia tilted her head slightly to the right as she asked me, her expression clearly showing signs of concern.

My mind raced, and I felt my chest thumping loudly. Even though I don't get to see it, I was sure that my face was also flushed in red.

"Ah... no, it's n-nothing...!" I stuttered. I quickly turned around and dragged a chair, placing it beside her before sitting on it.

"Hmm...?" Angelia only stared at me while I remained on my seat, trying all I could to regain some sort of composure. At the corner of my eye, I could see an amused smile creep around Angelia's cheeks.

To think this would be the time that I would jest in front of her...

"Come on, Roxas! What were you trying to say?" she giggled, much to my dismay.

"We are going to the Ignis Orphanage this morning..." I mumbled, finally completing my thought.

"Oh! I see. So it's that time of the month again..." I heard Angelia mutter as she placed a piece of meat in her mouth. As the sounds of her chewing filled the room, my mind went elsewhere. Angelia was not aware that internally, I was screaming...

Orphanage...

I swear I tried all I could to remember where and when I heard the word. The words on my P.U.P. didn't count, of course, but no matter how hard I had tried, I couldn't find a memory for it. Now that I have sat down and thought about it, something about the word just makes my insides tighter.

I felt uneasy, like something was suffocating me.

I am embarrassed at myself...

"I'm sure the children would be happy to see me today!" Angelia spoke as she finished her plate.

"Children? Whose children will you be seeing today?" my eyebrows narrowed as I evaluated her words carefully. The embarrassment from earlier faded immediately. I'm sure this wasn't some sort of event for nobles to have an excuse to see Angelia, but a part of me just wants to make sure.

Of course, it probably didn't mean much. Children are children; innocent and ignorant.

"The children of the orphanage, of course!" she said with a bright smile, but that same smile disappeared once she opened her eyes to glance at me. I felt her gaze bore at me, prompting me to look at anywhere else but her.

"The orphanage...?" I could only mutter.

Right...

I still don't know what the hell an orphanage was...

"Roxas...? Don't tell me...that you don't know what an orphanage is?" I slowly nodded. It was useless to lie to her. After all, it wouldn't make much sense for me to lie in the first place. The only person that was to judge me at this moment was Angelia, and no one else.

Still, that doesn't stop the writhing feeling in my guts when she asked me the question...

"Roxas... an orphanage is a place for young children to live in when they don't have homes to go to..." I felt a tinge of sadness overwhelm my heart the moment I heard her words, making all the embarrassment disappear in an instant.

"No homes to go to?" I muttered.

"Yes... when children lose their parents, orphanages take them in until they're ready to live on their own."

"I see..." I mumbled as I stared down onto the foot of her bed. I didn't know what to say. When she said that, I couldn't find the right words to say what I am feeling. This sadness in my heart is different, but it is so familiar.

The feeling of losing one's parents...

It's the same damn feeling that tore at my heart in the past twice on two separate occasions...

At the same time, I felt incredibly idiotic to not know about this. Foolish, even. I feel like I shouldn't even be showing my face at all, but no matter. It was already too late for laments. Now, I could only ponder on the pain these children must be feeling right now.

"For them to be alone at such an age... I have no words..." I said after a long pause, mustering up a bit of courage to hold a decent conversation.

"I know, Roxas... It is sad that these children lost such loving families, but that is precisely why we need to visit them."

"Huh? Why exactly?" I couldn't see the point in visiting strangers who didn't know your name. It was like walking into a mess hall of a different outpost just to eat. These children wouldn't be delighted to see a stranger at their door.

But then I remembered Angelia wasn't just a mere stranger. She was the Kingdom's Princess and, if I had to guess, this was part of her duties. I felt another sting of embarrassment strike me at the moment.

This was it, I couldn't face her directly anymore. I made sure I glued my eyes to the fabric of her bedding, but I couldn't even do that correctly. My eyes wandered for a while before settling on Angelia again.

She only shook her head slowly as she wore a small smile. "I can't just sit idly by and watch these children cry with broken hearts. It hurts me, too..." I silently nodded at her.

So this was her resolve...

"I see... My apologies for my ignorance." I said, clearing my throat as I did. She only gave me a smile, as if saying 'It's alright.' I was beginning to think that Angelia was too kind for her own good.

"Still, I find it quite funny that you don't know what an orphanage is..." Angelia let out a chuckle as she finished the last bit of her stew.

"Not even books can help me with those things..."

"It's alright, Roxas. There is no need to feel bad about it, okay?"

I sat back on the chair, puffing out a big exhale as if letting go of something heavy. "I suppose..."

I heard Angelia place down her utensils as she tried to lift up her breakfast tray from her bed.

"Let me get that for you..." I said as I made my way to help her. I grasped the tray and carefully lifted it up, cautious as to not hit her on the way out. Thankfully, it was much lighter than the ghastly metal frame I used earlier.

"Thank you so much!" I heard her as I placed the tray on a table near the door.

She then got up from her bed and had done a few quick stretches as I sat on the same couch near the west window. But before I could even get comfortable on the cough, Angelia gestured me to go outside. "Go ahead and get dressed, Roxas. We shall be leaving soon. I want to see the children's smiles."

"Alright... excuse me, Your Highness." I gave her a light bow and smile before leaving immediately afterwards, taking the breakfast tray with me. After these days of being courteous in her presence, it really did become second nature.

Considering she may take a while to get ready, I decided to stop by the royal kitchen and hope to get a bite to eat. I made quick work of the travel from Angelia's quarters to the kitchen, as I was determined to return to my quarters immediately after. However, I was lucky enough to meet the same maid who served Angelia earlier.

I gave her the tray but before she could even think of walking away, I spoke out to her. "Please call a rune chariot for Princess Angelia. She shall be visiting the Ignis Orphanage this morning." She nodded silently before walking away. Both of us then parted from where we stood.

Though, I'll be honest, I was quite disappointed that I didn't get to enter the kitchen. The chefs were unusually friendly, and they tend to offer me food whenever I stopped there to deliver something to Angelia.

Nevertheless, I walked back to my quarters in silence and haste.

At this point in time, walking around the castle became more or less a chore. I had slowly gotten used to the sights and decorations of the castle, so looking around has lost much of its appeal. The same military banners that line the halls, and the gems, which Angelia told me were gifts from the Desert Kingdom before they declared war on the Kingdom, that lined the halls became duller day after day, even though they were still quite beautiful.

Upon returning to my quarters, I took out my sword from under the bed and grabbed the spare whetstone I had in my inventory. Unsheathing the sword, the blade became slightly duller. After all, five full days have gone by after I sharpened and polished it.

I figured this was the perfect time to do so, since we are going outside the castle for once.

The sound of the blade grazing against the smooth face of the whetstone was all that filled the room for the next couple of minutes. I honestly find it quite relaxing, but the scraping of the whetstone wasn't one of many comforting sounds in the world.

After a few more strokes, I put away the whetstone in the trunk and took out a damp cloth and the sword oil near it. Oiling the blade was essential, and thankfully I got Doran to lecture me all about it when I got my sword back.

I want this blade to last a lifetime, and I don't intend to let it break anytime soon.

With one last polish, I was finally done with sword maintenance. I placed it on top my bed before walking towards the closet. I immediately donned on my uniform. At this point, it was a cinch. I didn't need to think as every single piece snapped into place on my body along with my sword. Everything else moved as naturally as I laid down the finishing touches on my hair in front of the mirror before leaving my quarters at the very the next moment.

As soon as I left my quarters, I found Angelia already waiting for me outside. "Did I make you wait long...?" I asked her behind my back as I fumbled with my keys as I saw what she was wearing.

She wore a furry red cape over a white sundress whose skirt hem had reached all the way to her ankles along with transparent sleeves. As per the usual, the dress had the engravings of the Sun to adorn its front. I could barely see the brown high heels she wore and the skirt had covered her legs well.

"No, I have just arrived. I was afraid you'd take longer than me."

"In any case..." I said as I put away the keys into my pocket. "Shall we go?" I held out my elbow before she took it gracefully as per the protocol.

"I have already called a rune chariot for you. They should be outside the Main Hall right about now."

"How nice~" she said as I saw her sweet smile at the corner of my eye.

We sat in comfortable silence as we walked through the castle halls, with her humming to another song. Still, it was a song that I didn't know. We eventually reached the Main Hall, after a series of consecutively greeting all the castle servants from all directions. Outside the Main Hall, I could already see the shining rune chariot that held the honor of bearing the Carlos name.

The conductor had already waited for us and opened the door of the chariot. I allowed Angelia to climb in before I did the same. The comforting inside of the Carlos chariot had brought to me a welcoming familiarity, along with the memory of being chosen by Colonel Levon.

And I refuse to believe all that happened only two weeks ago...

Before we even knew it, the conductor had willed the chariot to move and soon, we were off. We descended down the stairway, into the royal courtyard, through the arching gates, and out into the Capitol street. I felt the chariot gently turn right before moving forward gracefully.

"It's wonderful being outside the castle. Don't you think, Sir Roxas?" Angelia questioned me with a bright grin on her face as her eyes were locked on whatever was outside the window. The sudden call for formality took me by surprise, but I ignored it.

I could hear her make sounds as if she was a curious little girl. I swear, every single object outside was as beautiful to her as the castle was for me. It's the same childlike wonder that people would want in their lives, and it's honestly pretty sweet.

"I agree, Your Highness. Getting some fresh air once in a while sounds great." I answered as I, too, looked outside the chariot window. I propped myself up with an elbow as my eyes darted from left to right. Looking closely, I was starting to understand why Angelia was so focused on the things outside this chariot.

Everything looked so ordinary.

For her this was like a sightseeing trip outside the Capitol, but for us common folk, the familiar sights of the bland and ordinary isn't worth pondering over. It's quite saddening, but I guess it is just people's views on various things.

People are different, after all, and me and Angelia are no exception.

I could feel the tense atmosphere in the chariot. I knew then that this wasn't the Angelia I was used to speak to for the last weeks. She was putting up her face, and damn does it feel unnatural.

Still, it shouldn't stop me from speaking to her.

"Princess, if you don't mind me asking..."

"You may speak your mind." her voice this time had the tinge of seriousness, but a part of it held her gentleness.

"How long has it been since you last went outside the castle?"

"Oh, I simply visit the orphanage every 30th of each month. I believe I have mentioned this to you..."

"Indeed, however you have only vaguely mentioned it. I may have misunderstood it for another matter. Forgive me."

"It's quite alright, Sir Roxas. I would like to ask you something as well..."

"What can this humble servant of yours do for you?"

Angelia held out a good, long pause before turning to me and asking, "Are you good with children...?"

What...?

"Ch-children...?"

"Yes."

Am I good with children? 'Probably not' is the only thing I want to say to her. However, I needed to make sure that I didn't

"Perhaps..." I lied through my teeth.

"I would like it if you were to join me with the orphans. You know how it is with them."

Whatever the challenge may be, I was forced to accept it regardless of my own opinion.

"I will... do my best." I said with a forced smile, along with a big sigh.

"Really!? Oh, that's wonderful! I can't wait~" she said in a voice filled with absolute joy.

I couldn't hold back the surprise that was in my eyes as she excitedly bobbed from her seat. With that, Angelia dropped her formal facade for a moment before sitting back down and continuing her act.

I couldn't help but hide a smile at her antics, staring outside the window of the chariot as I did so. I do not know how much time had passed, but the chariot had already dragged to a halt sooner than what I expected. Looking outside, I saw a fairly large building that looked more like an abandoned church than an orphanage.

I stepped outside and circled around the chariot to where Angelia was before opening the chariot door to allow her to step outside. She took a deep breath before eyeing the building with joyful eyes.

I looked around, everything else was so unfamiliar. To tell you the truth, I have never been to the Ignis Sector before. Or, that's what I believe anyway. If that were to be the case, then I have already been to three out of four sectors. The last one being the Helios sector. The buildings here are just as the same as from Aurorus and Solaris.

I couldn't even tell whether we were in Helios or Ignis if not for the assignment...

"I'm here~" Angelia announced to no one in particular. Silence had first greeted her, but a few seconds later, a rumbling sound came from inside the orphanage. And in the next moment, a loud bang echoed through the sector as the orphans came flooding into the empty street.

"Big sis Angel!"
"Princess!"
"It's the Princess!"
"SIS ANGEL!"
"We missed you!"
"We love you, Princess!"
"Come play with us, Princess Angelia!"
"PRINCESS ANGELIA!"

My mind soon stopped working as the voices of the children began to overwhelm all of my senses. All the orphans were acting like moths to a rune lamp. I couldn't control my eyes as they began to become wider and wider as I slowly realized what Angelia had asked me to do.

"Okay, okay! Let's not be too excited, okay?" Angelia said, probably out of desperation to try to control the excited kids, as she giggled along with them. She then turned to me as she was taken by the hands by one of the girls. "Are you ready, Sir Roxas?"

I could only nod slowly as I followed the sea of kids into the orphanage, bringing their dear Princess inside...

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I lost track of time, but it didn't really matter at the very least.

As surprised as I was, all of them had behaved by the time Angelia agreed to play with them. Of course, I wanted to be as far away from all of them as possible, but I got dragged back in by some child. Eventually, I had given up all hope to escape and accepted the tragic fate that awaited me.

Or that's what I expected it to be...

Soon enough, I began to enjoy their little games. We played several games of hide and seek, where I constantly got tagged due to the sound of my armor, hopscotch, which I won a few times, and duck duck goose, where I also am the constant loser. Before we knew it, we had already played a lot of games in the backyard of the orphanage.

We had just wrapped up a game of tag, and almost everyone was out of breath.

Everyone except me.

"You're way too slow, sir knight Roxas!" I heard the orphan named Christer say to me as I stopped and pretended to catch my breath. I admit, it was rather fun to see their reactions to my pretend actions. Although not being able to sweat makes it a lot more obvious than it seems.

Luckily, these kids aren't as perceptive as I expected them to be.

"Well! It's not my fault! This armor is heavy, see?" I took off one of my arm bracers and gave it to the boy. Much to his surprise, and mine, he was struggling to even hold the armor piece. Even though it was the lightest piece of armor I had on my uniform.

I swear, these iron greaves do more harm than good sometimes.

I immediately took the arm bracer back, seeing as he was already sweating a ton just by holding it. Christer heaved a breath of relief as he let go. Then, his face was wild with disbelief and astonishment. "Wow! You're strong! What's your secret? Can I be strong as you!?" he continued to ask similar questions as I strapped the bracer back on.

"Are you talented, sir knight Roxas? Are you, are you!?"

"What? I'm not! Also drop the 'sir knight' bit. It's okay to call me 'Roxas', you know." I let out a chuckled as I ruffled his hairs.

For a kid, he sure likes to pester me with unending questions.

"Then why are you so strong!? Tell me, tell me!"

"Alright, alright..." I said as I sat down unto the cool grass, the dew already gone at this hour. The Sun was already high in the sky, but it wasn't as hot as I expected it to be. The summer heat was almost fading from the season.

"You just have to work hard. You don't need to be talented to be strong."

"But, my friends don't think like that. I'm also not as talented as they are..." Christer pouted. His mood dropped immediately.

"It's alright to not be talented. As long as you believe in yourself, you can be as good as them, if not better, okay?" I tried my best to console him as I gave him a bright smile. This one time, I'm not forcing it.

Christer's eyes had widened, and they were already sparkling. He perked up with glee. "So, if I believe in myself, I'll be strong?"

I only nodded.

"Wow! That's easier than being talented! Thank you, sir kni-"

"Drop the title Christer..." I said, interrupting him. I narrowed my eyes from the sound of the excessive formality of my name.

Thankfully, he picked it up quickly. "Oh, okay, sorry. Thank you, Roxas!" Christer said as he ran back inside, leaving me alone in the grass.

I stood up as I glanced upwards. The Sun was already near the top of the sky. Taking my gaze back down, I saw Angelia already making her way towards me. It seems she was already asking the children to go back inside.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." she said with a fairly mischievous grin on her face.

"To be fair, Your Highness, I was dragged into this..." Angelia hopped to my side, her grin growing wider. She probably ignored whatever I just said to her just now.

"But I'm glad, Roxas. I half expected you to be glum during all this..." her smirk disappeared from her face entirely, leaving only a sense of doubt. However, she seemed to be relieved that I didn't suck at bonding with children, she let out a small smile.

I admit, I kind of expected the same thing myself.

I never had any friends as a kid. Though I went to school, I had other things in mind than friendship leading to my leave. All I had to worry about was my father, and even he tried to kill me under the effects of the Eclipse. I had no one, in other words, and I honestly thought it'd be the same with younger people.

Only when I got this sword did my life turn a complete 180. For better, or for worse.

"Trust me, Princess, I am relieved too." was the only thing I said as a gentle breeze went by us, clearing the summer heat building up around us.

"Relieved? I'm sure you can say that when just moments ago you were having the time of your life~" I turned away as the grin on her face returned. A part of me wished that she didn't mention it as I felt my cheeks flare up.

But I do have to admit, playing with the orphans was pretty damn fun...

Just as we entered the building and went into the dining room to where the children were having their lunches, the mistress of the orphanage came to the both of us. She then turned to Angelia with, more or less, a welcoming look on her face. "Your Majesty Princess Angelia, you have a friend who is looking for you outside." she said as she bowed and left to attend the noisy children at the dining room.

"A friend?" I muttered as Angelia pouted.

"Who might be looking for me during this time?"

There was only one way to find out, after all. We hurriedly made our way towards the main entrance of the orphanage, with me leading the way. Only after we passed through the old, creaky, wooden doors did we get our answer.

"Angel!" said the same, brown haired woman who recruited me to the army.

"Naya!" Angelia had ran off after they had exchanged their names. They shared a deep embrace of friendship, something I could only smile at. I caught up with them a short while after. Naya broke off her hug with Angelia and turned to me, nodding with crooked lips.

"And who do we have here? Honestly, I didn't expect you to come this far..." she sounded half-annoyed and half-impressed as she crossed her arms, eyeing me from top to bottom. It was a little late on the uptake, but I nevertheless gave her a firm salute.

"At ease, Von Zayne." she groaned whilst pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Understood, ma'am!" I let out an audible chuckle.

"Wait, Naya, have you met each other before?" it was at this point that Angelia had forced her way in between me and Naya here.

"Yeah, we have. I was the one who recommended him. I don't wanna say it but he's good, and he's truly fit for the soldier part. Still though, I did NOT expect you to end up like this..."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing, Officer Naya..." I said as I loosened a bit. Seems like she knows her way to bring down a fresh good mood.

Mine, to be precise.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Private Von Zayne, it's impressive. You haven't even served a year yet and you're already the Princess's bodyguard. Mind you, even though it's temporary, it's still quite a feat for a commoner such as yourself..." she scratched the back of her head

"Please don't discriminate me any further..." I said on impulse and in the most monotone voice I could muster.

"Aren't you two forgetting someone here?" Angelia raised her voice. She was staring at both me and Officer Naya with crossed arms and an unnatural glare. Though at best, I'm guessing that she feels left out on the conversation.

"Sorry, Angel..."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness..."

"Now, why didn't you tell me about this? Explain yourself, Roxas!" she yelled at me as she pointed an accusing finger at my direction.

"Huh?" was the only sound my mouth gave off. No kidding, I was genuinely confused.

"Explain to me why you haven't mentioned anything about you meeting Naya!"

"I did!"

"Since when!?" It was now Angelia's turn to be surprised as one of her eyebrows rose.

"The day after we went to the royal garden. You have asked me how I got into the army and I told you Officer Naya recommended me!" I explained, holding my ground.

"..." she did not answer. Her face cringed, her eyes widened, she forced a smile, and she was slowly but surely lowering her head as if she was ashamed to even show her face.

"Please don't tell me you have forgotten...!"

But Angelia remained silent. I could hear her the faintest sound of her voice squirming.

"Anyway..." Naya said, her voice managing to snap Angelia back into reality. "I'm here for something, Angel. It's about tomorrow."

"Tomorrow...?" Angelia's eyes narrowed as she wondered whatever Naya meant by her words. Luckily, the change in her eyes told me she realized what she meant. "Wait, you don't mean-"

"Yes, I'm talking about The Hunt!"

"The Hunt, huh? But why come to Princess Angelia for this? Isn't this the sort of thing we soldiers do?" I wondered out loud. It didn't make much sense in this circumstance. I'm pretty sure Angelia herself is already aware of The Hunt taking place tomorrow, and of course I'll be accompanying her to it as well.

But once again, Naya found herself scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. "Well, yes and no. I'll put it bluntly, I'm here to get you to join, private."

"What!?" Angelia was more shocked to hear the news than me.

"You can't be serious about this!" I added to Angelia's disbelief.

"Oh yeah, you better believe I'm serious!" Naya replied with a determined expression.

"Why? What about Roxas' duties?"
"Yeah! What about my duties!"

"Hold on! I'm not finished yet! Jeez..."

"Alright..."
"Fine..."

"If it is okay with you Angel, I'll be temporarily taking Private Von Zayne's place as your guard during The Hunt. Dylan has already filed the request to His Majesty Theodore, all we need is your permission."

"Don't I get a say in this?" I said as I felt the need to interrupt. I feel like I'm being cheated right now with people making decisions that should be decided by me, and me only. It feels unjust and unfair, really.

Naya paused for a moment before answering me back. "You don't want to join The Hunt, Von Zayne...?"

This time, I paused...

I mean, I get it. The Hunt is a privileged royal sport where only chosen individuals get sent to entertain the royal families. It is an event to prove yourself and earn your place within the Kingdom of the Sun.

I do want to join, but there is this feeling in my gut that it shouldn't be now, that there will be another chance to earn my place in the Kingdom. Desperation, maybe? I don't even know, but it feels like something is trying to crawl out of the depths of my stomach.

I feel like the time isn't now, though I doubt I'll get another chance like this.

"I want to join..." I said my answer as bluntly as I possibly could.

My heart had already decided, but the outcome ultimately laid on Angelia's decision.

"Then, Angel, do you mind if we borrow Roxas for a bit?" the air went cold, and the tension became silent.

"I suppose... yes." she muttered, sealing my fate for tomorrow.

"Then it's decided! Once we get His Majesty's approval, we'll send a rune chariot to you before dawn." Naya said happily, as if she had won a once in a lifetime opportunity or something.

"But why me?" I once again wondered out loud.

"Huh?"

"Out of all the people to choose, why me?"

"Roxas has a point Naya. Why him?"

"O-oh...! Uh... well..." Naya then begins to fidget as I raised a questioned eyebrow. Though I couldn't take a glance at her, I was certain that Angelia was also suspicious of this. Naya then began to fidget even more before eventually sighing in defeat. She slowly inched forward toward us before bringing our heads together.

"Listen..." she began to whisper. It seems that she doesn't want people to eavesdrop on her. "I want to prove to these nobles that doubt my recommendation of good ol' Roxas here wrong. The Hunt is the only way to prove his worth."

"You do realize you're not being fair here, Officer Naya..." I commented while wearing a blank expression.

"I know! But please, do me a favor just this once! Even my promotion is on the line..." Naya said as she wore the most distraught set of puppy eyes I had ever set my eyes on.

With that said, though, I forgot that Naya was still Officer-in-Training all this time. I realized that this wasn't about me anymore. I didn't know what to say, but I did know that this was not the time to be selfish. If I were to look at this objectively, if I dominate on The Hunt tomorrow, I'd both prove my worth to the Kingdom and be able to secure Naya's promotion as well.

It is, undoubtedly, a win-win situation.

Besides, it'll be a way for me to thank her for recommending me in the army. I need to go all out no matter what.

All things considered, I merely sighed as I mustered up the voice to speak. "It's alright, Officer Naya. I'm joining."

"Really!? Thank you so much! Oh, what a relief!" Naya panted as she was gripping her heart.

Did I just... prevent her death just like that?

"Will you be alright, Roxas?" Angelia asked in a low voice. Her concern was on the nose.

This girl, honestly. She was way too kind for her own good.

"Don't worry about me, Princess. I'll do great, I'm sure of it..." I reassured her before turning to Naya.

"Okay... I trust you." Angelia simply said, turning away.

"I'll make you proud tomorrow, Officer Rosset. You won't be disappointed."

Σ-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I woke up early morning the next day before the Sun had even began to rise. It was all a blurry incident and the next thing I knew, I was snoozing at the edge of Paradise Prairie. The peaceful atmosphere of the prairie is just what one needs to be able to sleep soundly, even when not under a roof.

But I didn't get to sleep well earlier.

The dark veil of the night sky was still looming above me, but I saw a dark hue of blue. A hue where most people wouldn't have noticed it right away. Even though the mountains of the east were blocking the horizon, I knew from that tiny change of color that dawn was drawing near.

I was sitting outside the rest area, a place where the participants of The Hunt could rest up before it took place. Several tents were set up, with Colonel Levon's and Officer Naya's alongside my own. Of course I didn't bring my trunk, so I had only brought personal necessities and a few clothes to change in after The Hunt. Not only that, I was now wearing the usual standard infantry uniform everybody wore. As much as I wanted to complain that I preferred the bodyguard uniform, the cloth on this thing felt like home.

Although I wanted to relax, there was, of course, The Hunt to worry about.

Again, The Hunt is a royal sporting event that even His Majesty Regent Theodore enjoys watching in his pastime. An event where several chosen candidates battle it out in a game of collection: whoever scores the most game wins. Each kill has to be delicate and presentable for the nobles, therefore precision and experience are name of the game.

Unfortunately, I have only one of those things. That, and the fact that all of that has to be done under a specific time limit makes my nerves extremely uncomfortable.

But that wasn't all: my thoughts weren't exactly pleasant anymore since I had left the castle either. My insides were constantly churning, but I was determined to see it through. However, even that didn't stop the doubts that came rushing in. I felt more pressure when I realized that my success determined whether or not Naya gets promoted or not.

But on top of it all, the pain had returned the moment I stepped outside the castle.

Out of all the times it had to occur, it had to be at one of the most important events of my life. I cannot find the time to stay calm. I have to admit, everything on my mind was stressing me out beyond belief.

"You alright, Roxas?" I heard Naya's voice call out to me as I snapped from my trance. She held two cups of what I assume to be warm drinks that she had brewed herself.

"Y-yeah... just didn't get enough sleep." I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes, desperate to get rid of the sleep pestering my eyelids.

"You'll get used to it. Here..." she said, handing me one of the cups on. My face immediately flinched the moment I took in the aroma of the drink. It was coffee. Really strong coffee.

Oh no...

Please tell me it is not what I think it is...

"Blackmill? You're kidding, right?" a coffee so dark you will begin to doubt that there is even a bottom to begin with. Just a drop of this coffee on the tongue and you're wide awake for the next eight hours or so.

"You did say you were sleepy, right? Drink it." she then sat beside me as she, too, drank a cup of Blackmill Coffee.

I don't remember having to drink this kind of thing every day as I wake up, even though I do sleep irregularly. I've read somewhere that drinking this stuff too often can cause bodily dysfunction.

But considering the countless others I've seen drink Blackmill regularly, I have yet to know the truth behind this. For now, I'd just have to man up and chug this cup down my throat. I took a sip, and immediately regretted it after. One drop was no exaggeration, and its taste was far more unpleasant than the alcohol I usually drunk. The drowsiness was gone in an instant, but at the cost of my knees aching from all the energy I just drank. Though it was really bitter, it was gracious enough to have a sweet aftertaste.

I look to my left, only to see Naya casually taking a few sips like it was a warm drink.

My face flushed.

She was already used to the coffee.

Silence then past us by as we watched the crawling Sun climb up the east horizon, the bluish hue of the sky was beginning to overtake the dark veil overhead. At times like these, I would want a conversation, but I was comfortable enough to just be sitting here and enjoying the sight and breeze.

I tried to not think about The Hunt too much, as my thoughts were constantly bombarding my spirit.

"Hmm... How do I put this...?" Naya asked, probably to herself.

"Something on your mind, officer?" I asked her out of curiosity as I tried to contain my disgust after taking a sip. Though I disliked initiating a conversation, I knew that it was unavoidable. I slowly accepted it as I tried to take another sip of my coffee.

"I hope you're taking your job seriously..." she mumbled. From her tone, I could guess that she partly didn't want me to hear it. Alas, I did anyway, and there was no turning back from this. However, I could only wonder as my mind had processed the question.

In the end, I knew that she meant only one thing...

"You mean as the Princess's Bodyguard?"

"Right on the target." she nodded with a wide grin. "But anyway... just don't hurt her, okay?"

"What's this? You're okay with trusting your promotion on me, but not with Her Majesty's well being?" I joked half-heartedly. I partially knew what I was putting myself into, but I allowed it regardless.

"Don't put words in my mouth, private!" she immediately shot back.

"Okay, okay. My bad."

"Honestly... here I am just worried about how you and Angel go about these past few weeks. With Dear Sione getting a sick leave and everything, I hope you're treating her fine."

"I can assure you... I don't intend to harm Her Majesty anytime soon."

"Good. Just what I needed to hear..."

I can understand where she's coming from, but the thought had never struck me until now: just what exactly is the relationship between them? I couldn't guess from just a mere glance, and I only knew that they knew each other only yesterday.

"Officer Naya..."

"Hmm? What? Also drop the formalities, jeez. Don't remind me of work..." she said as she glared at the horizon, obviously annoyed by the way I addressed her.

What's with everyone with not wanting to be formally addressed anyway?

"Do you mind? I have a question for you..."

"Ask away, Roxas."

"What's your relationship with the Princess?"

"Hmm? Oh, that? We're just childhood friends. Why?"

"Oh, just wondering..." I said, sending us back to a comfortable silence as I dropped the topic.

As of the moment, the Sun had already left the embrace of the horizon and is now climbing up the dark sky. Its orange rays now coming down unto the land as the light now begins to envelop the world with its radiance. The Blackmill Coffee wasn't at all hot anymore and, even though it was fairly warm now, it still wasn't a good idea to drink it all in one go.

"Now, I got a question for you..." Naya asked, breaking the silence between us once more.

"What is it?"

"Are you nervous? I mean, you gotta be, right?" she laughed, but it didn't seem like she was amused. It was more like she was nervous instead of me. The stress from all the thinking had returned the moment she brought up The Hunt again.

"I am, but I don't want to think about it." regardless of what she feels, I answered honestly.

"You can back out, if you want. I'm not going to stop you."

"I didn't say I wanted to back out. I'm going, and that's that." I took another sip from my cup, as I meant what I said. The taste wasn't going to hamper the welling feeling that was stirring in my gut.

"You sure?" she asked one more time.

"I told you, didn't I? I'll make you proud today, and that's that." I triumphantly announced as I chugged the last bit of Blackmill down my throat. Surprisingly, it wasn't the least bit strong as the previous sips.

Naya only laughed as she gave me a thumbs up, leaving me confused for a moment before realizing what she meant. "Don't let me down!" I replied with my own thumbs up.

"Well, it's about time we head back to prepare." Naya stood up, giving me her hand for me to reach. I accepted it and suddenly got pulled up, leaving me to stand on my own two feet shortly after.

"Y-yeah... I think so." I only mumbled as she walked away. I soon followed her until we arrived at our own tents in the resting area. I then bid her farewell as I entered my own tent. I did not waste one second as I let myself lumber over to the bed.

As much as I was wide awake from drinking a whole cup of Blackmill, my body was still tired from all the lack of sleep. It wasn't long after that I decided that I wanted a bit of a nap before The Hunt, but thanks to that one cup of Blackmill, I ended up just staring at the top of the tent. My body twitched and writhed as the energy from the coffee surged through me as I tried my hardest to rest.

Unfortunately for me, the silence of the resting area wasn't able to calm me down. Worse, my nerves began to become out of control as I constantly thought of the upcoming event. Even though I did tell Naya I would make her proud, the doubts just wouldn't stop. Soon enough, I couldn't close my eyes as the stress became worse by the second.

I stayed there for about a few hours and now, I heard the familiar sound of the encampment horns. Several of them roared in an attempt for a melodic tune. However, their sound meant only one thing...

I heard the tent entrance swoosh as Naya entered. She looked more serious than before. "It's time, private. Get your ass out here!" she commanded as she left the second after. I forced my body to move, taking me by surprise at how easily I moved about. I quickly grabbed my sword and head outside.

The Sun was now confidently high above the horizon. I looked around and number of people heading toward the Prairie Edge. I looked just a bit further from where I sat earlier, and saw both Naya and Colonel Levon already waiting for me. I ran up to them as quickly as I could before giving them both a firm salute.

"At ease, Roxas." Colonel Levon said as he motioned his hand downwards, my body following suit.

"Looks like this Hunt is gonna be harder than last year..." Naya commented as she looked far into the distance. Her eyebrows narrowed as she looked closer at whatever she was looking at. "Yeah... I don't know what they were thinking..."

"What's wrong, Rosset?" Colonel Levon asked her as he urged us to move.

"Longtails..." Naya mumbled.

"Longtails...? You mean Longtail Beasts?" the colonel asked. His tone was very concerning.

"You sure you don't want to back out, Von Zayne?" Naya turned to me, not even answering the colonel. The shape of her face told me she was scared.

"I'll be fine..." I said, but I doubt that calmed them down.

I don't know about both of them, but I already have plenty of experience taking these large animals down. If they're worth more than most of the prey here, I'll be pretty excited to take them on.

We climbed down the Prairie Edge, now far from the resting area. Somewhere along the way, the three of us had merged with the number of people walking from the resting area. We continued to walk until we were at a large, fenced clearing where most participants were gathered. With them, they were also accompanied by their mentors and such. At the right side of the clearing was a line of seats, where I would assume the nobles would be sitting to watch. It was decorated to a beautiful degree, and one suit of armor dressed in blue was in the center of it all.

The area itself was as big as the eye can see, and the only indication that there was a fence to begin with was the one behind the audience stands. The fence stretched far into the horizon, until it somehow brushes and intercepts the blue sky above.

As we marched on to the farthest side of the gathering area, I was met with gazes from all directions. I felt my body become cold and my breath became heavy. Along with the gazes, came the murmurs and incoherent muttering of both participant and mentors. I couldn't hear them as the cacophony of cold voices surrounded me, choking me.

This pressure was not for the faint of heart.

Just as we were about to be settled in a spot nearest the audience, I was greeted by a voice I did not expect to hear. Along with it, several clashes of steel and thundering footsteps made its way toward me.

"ROXAS!" yelled a feminine voice, too shrill compared to Angelia.

I couldn't see her but Sharice had jumped at me, hugging me from behind. My instincts immediately caused my right hand to grip the handle of my sword, but it only took me at least two seconds before relaxing in her embrace. The way she hugged me reminded me of how I carried her back to the encampment."Hey, sis..." I smiled as I allowed her to bury her face in my back. She got off my back, but continued to hug me regardless of my attempts to face her.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" I asked her as soon as she broke off the back hug, finally satisfied.

"What does it look like? I'm here for The Hunt, you dummy!" the smile on her face immediately turned into a frown as she crossed her arms on her chest.

Sharice looked different from the last time I saw her. Her hair grew a bit, as her twin ponytails were now sitting at shoulder length and her uniform showed a bit more skin. I'm guessing her uniform is best suited to her tastes.

That, or it's just the standard female infantry uniform.

Before I could reply with my own half-assed insult, Colonel Levon spoke up. "Miss Carterwell here will be your partner. Both of you must work together because from what Officer Rosset here confirmed earlier, this year will be tougher than the last." he explained. I nodded as a wave of relief washed over me.

Colonel Levon handed Sharice her signature lance, and she immediately grabbed it before proceeding to embrace it like a mother reuniting with her long lost child. Sharice confidently wrapped her fingers around the handle before shouting, "Let's kick some butt, Roxas!" drawing unnecessary attention from the other participants.

"Let's do it!" I replied with a loud chuckle before settling down on the cool, morning grass as we waited for the event to actually start.

Normally it would be embarrassing if I drew this much attention, but with Sharice by my side, I didn't mind. If she wants to show the world she's the greatest lancer they've ever seen, then I'll be more than happy to help her along the way.

Plus, this was a great opportunity all on its own.

We waited a while and, soon enough, the audience seats were beginning to become full and the anxious murmurs of the nobles and participants begin to fill the area. In the very middle of the audience seats, near the marvelous suit of armor, were two thrones with one being more elevated than the last along with the Carlos insignia on them. These seats were, without a doubt, reserved for Regent Theodore and Princess Angelia.

Sharice and I sat close to each other as the minutes ticked on by, whispering mixtures of encouragement and insults with each breath we exchanged. With every passing second, she would become more and more jumpy, causing me to at least anchor her down by pulling on one of her wrists, giving me an annoyed glare shortly after. This continued for a while until we heard the messenger announce the arrival of the Carlos family.

With a sound of a white horn, we all stood as both Their Majesties finally graced us with their presence. They took their respective seats on their thrones as they reveled in the applause of everyone. I could hear a few whistles and yells from other younger nobles about the same age as Angelia, most of which I knew she had dated blindly before.

A man, dressed in fine royal garb, walked forward unto a podium in front of the Carlos' thrones. Silence engulfed us our attention on the man in question. The silence caused even Sharice to settle down on her place as her eyes were locked on the man in robes, her brows narrowing as her gaze bore deep into him. He pulled out a rune, and gave it a swish in the air before flicking it toward his throat.

At the very next moment, his voice echoed throughout the area. The sheer volume and intensity caught everyone's attention. "Hear ye, hear ye!" the man called. "As we gather here today, let the Sun be the witness of this glorious Hunt! May Its guidance bless our warriors today as they bring in prosperity and fortune into this marvelous Kingdom!" I felt Sharice's strong grip on my wrist as I was pulled into the open field. I looked back, and only saw the approving faces of Naya and Colonel Levon as they gave me and Sharice a thumbs up. She continued to pull me until we were well in front of the thrones. We turned to Their Majesties as we bowed down before their excellency. As the Carlos family's gazes pierced the top of our heads, I felt a shiver being thrown down at my spine.

Indeed, the act of bowing before them signifies the gap between common filth and royal blood. However, a part of me decided that I wanted to close that gap, no matter what.

We raised our heads, and His Majesty Theodore gave the announcer a satisfied grin. "With His Majesty, Regent Theodore's command, The Hunt shall begin!" the man turned away from everyone as he disappeared back into the crowd of nobles. We stood up in unison, and faced the horizon. The Sun was shining upon us, and I felt strength, stress, doubt, and excitement fill the very core of my being.

And now, it was bound to burst any second...

We waited for His Majesty's words. My hands were already gripping the handle of my blade, and my stance was now aching to sprint forward. I felt a single piece of sweat trickle down my forehead as, at last, Regent Theodore finally said his words, "Go forth! And bring glory to the Sun!"

Our response rang in our ears and in an instant, we bolted unto the distant fields...

My ears were filled only with the sounds of loud thumps from the footsteps of the other hunters, and the fading cheers of every noble. I look to my left and saw Sharice with a determined look on her face. We continued to sprint further and further into the field until we stopped to catch our breaths. The other hunters were now gone, and far from the audience stands.

I don't exactly know how the nobles are able to watch us from here, but I'm sure they're using a rune device of some sort. However, I don't exactly have the time to be thinking about how they're watching.

I'm more surprised there aren't many prey around.

"Hey, Roxas..." Sharice said through her heavy breathing. "We should look for prey now..." she steeled herself as she reeled back to gather a bit more energy for herself. Meanwhile, I only panted in silence. I was already getting somewhat exhausted.

It seems being inactive and caged in the castle got the better of me...

"Yeah, let's..." I said as I lead the way north. As we embarked a short distance from where we caught our breath, it didn't take long until we encountered a pack of seven Red Wolves, each branded with the emblem of the Kingdom of the Sun. It seems this hunt won't be as difficult as I imagined it to be.

I grabbed an excited Sharice by her shoulder. "Aim for their necks, sis." I told her, giving her a glare to tell her I mean business. She nodded with a determined look in her eyes before letting her run off. She announced her presence and shortly after, the wolves pounced on her. I followed suit as battle began.

The battle didn't last more than five minutes and putting my trust on Sharice paid off, as she took down most of the wolves herself with me taking three of them. Thankfully, they were all clean kills, and the sight of them made me grin from ear to ear.

The sight reminds me of the time me and father used to hunt wild game for meat if the crops had failed on void season...

However, as much as Sharice wanted to gloat over our small victory, there came the sound of a rune activating nearby. Bluish light glowed from a crest on the ground and from it, arrived a noble rune sorcerer. He looked around for a bit before his gaze settled on our slaughtered game. "Seven confirmed kills from the Rosset team." the sorcerer said as he waved his hands. Our kills glowed a blue light before disappearing into thin air. "Kills transported." he said before he disappeared as well. "Let's go, brother!" Sharice yelled as she dragged me unto another direction.

I'm glad that we didn't need to carry our kills all on our backs. If I knew back then how to transport game back to our homes with a flick of my arm, this would've made hunting easier and enjoyable that it would usually be.

For the rest of The Hunt, I didn't have time to think about doubting myself. I only killed and killed until there was no more prey to be seen. To be honest, this was the most abundant hunting trip I've ever been to. Boomshrooms, wolves, and buzzwings were the most common. For the sake of complexity, however, we needed to take home the buzzwings alive for their silk. Fortunately, we managed to at least capture a nest with the help of a rune sorcerer.

And, even though Naya was worried, we were the only ones who managed to take down a Longtail Beast. The other hunters weren't so keen in fighting them and simply ran away instead. Although the Longtails were intended as an obstacle for this year's hunt, it simply was no match for me and Sharice's teamwork.

"Take that, and that! You weakling! THIS IS FOR BREAKING MY ANKLE ALL THOSE MONTHS AGO!" Sharice vented at the top of her lungs as she kicked the downed beast's broken wing before it, too, disappeared in a blue light. I let out a laugh as I watched her try to kick absolutely nothing. "Come on, sis... we better get going." I called her as I walked away.

"This was way too easy! I don't know what Officer Naya was worried about!" Sharice said excitedly, unable to contain her fighting spirit as she hopped around like a child. As much as I wanted to agree, there was something awfully wrong about all this.

This can't have been too easy, can it...?

A part of me couldn't wait for all of this to be finished, but the other felt some dark premonition that was bound to happen any time.

And that is where it hit me.

Pain.

It surged through my arm, and squeezed the hell out of my chest. My legs went numb as my body fell to the ground. In a matter of moments, I was already kneeling on the ground as I grasped my chest for any sort of comfort. I felt hands wrap around me, probably coming from a worried Sharice. My ears rang along with voices I doubt were mine in the first place. I felt a dark presence to my right, and my stomach dropped once I realized what was coming.

As the pain subsided, I slowly stood up and Sharice's voice became clearer and clearer as the hurt faded. "...rother! BROTHER! WHAT HAPPENED!? YOU OKAY!?" I heard her literally scream at my face as her strong hands shook me to and fro. I didn't answer her. Instead, I locked my eyes at the wave of darkness that was coming from the west.

"What... is that...?" Sharice mumbled as she stopped shaking my body. Though I couldn't see her face, I knew that dread had already took over her. I knew, then and there, she was frozen to the spot.

But this wasn't the time to panic; this was the time to act!

"Run..." I said, nudging Sharice away from the wave of monsters coming right at us. My hand was already gripping my sword as I pushed her away.

"What!? Don't make me run! It's just a horde!" she hissed as she gripped her own lance. Admittedly, she was right. However, I just want her to be safe as I fend away these monsters. From what I've heard, one can die from just a bite from these things and I didn't want that to happen to Sharice.

Or to anyone back at the audience stands.

This was my time to protect and save these people from harm.

"Just... don't get bit, alright Sharice?" I yielded. Sharice only grinned like a child as she faced the horde with a tad bit more excitement that I would've liked.

"You got it, Roxas!" was the only thing she said as we steeled ourselves for the hell that's about to come.

"We charge in there and lead them far away from the nobles, distract them together!"
"Aye, sir!"

We let out our war cry as a cube monster already made its way towards us.

A single slice, and one died as soon as my blade sliced through it. I swung again, two died. I did another slice through, another died. At the moment, I supported Sharice as she charged deeper into the horde, skewering multiple monsters at once in quick succession. I was killing monsters left and right as she lead the charge. A moment passed, and we were at the back end of the horde.

Then, the worst possible scenario happened.

"They're...!" Sharice couldn't complete her sentence, but one look at the monster horde and I already knew what she was referring to. The monsters had dispersed, and it was now nigh impossible to take them out all at once. We could only sit back and watch as our plan fell apart right in front of our very eyes.

Everyone was now at risk.

"Quick! Split up!" I ordered her. She complied immediately as she headed right as I ran toward the direction opposite her. I could barely keep up with these floating monstrosities before culling them from where they stood. On and on, I was managing to slay them before they reached anyone else.

However, just as I was feeling a bit better of my progress, I heard a scream for help just a bit further. I urged my body to move as fast as it could. I needed to get whoever needs assistance out of here.

"Help me! Thank goodness- wait, Von Zayne!?" the voice that was calling for help was the same one who insulted me all those days ago during . "You!?" was all that came out of my mouth as I stared at Duke Felipe's bodyguard.

She wasn't in the best condition.

Blood was seeping out of her shattered legs, and it was clear that was she was crawling her way back to the resting area. She was in so much pain I almost vomited from the sight of it. However, I needed to allow myself to forget the past for a while. This wasn't the time to engulfed in personal strife.

She needed help, and I was the only one around who could save her.

I mustn't fail now.

"What are you doing!?" she said as the rest of her body struggled to get away from me. However, she was only hurting herself as blood was gushing out her fracture legs. "Saving your life, dumbass! Come, we're getting you out of here!" I lifted her torso up and hoisted her on top of my shoulder despite her protests.

Then, I ran.

I became accustomed to carrying people, just as I carried Sharice and Angelia in two separate occasions, so this wasn't a problem to begin with. But, what made this one difficult was her constant struggling and protesting. I knew better than to let my anger get to me, but she continued to insult me.

"LET GO OF ME, YOU FILTH! I'D RATHER DIE THAN LIVE BECAUSE OF DIRT LIKE YOU! LET ME GO!" she continued to complain as she slammed her weak fists against my back. I stayed silent as I made my way back to the gathering area. I wonder why she was chosen to participate in the hunt when she was this weak?

I met yet another horde of monsters, just a bit away from the audience stands. I looked around, and we were already surrounded by monsters. Fortunately for us, there was a clear path through the horde and straight towards the gathering area. We were almost home free.

However, she was already sick of me trying to save her life.

Her blood on my hands had managed to loosen my grip on her, and with just a slight push from her exhausted arms as I ran through the horde, I dropped her.

My heart raced as I realized what happened. Everything that happened around me became a standstill. My eyes could only focus on her and, though I could not see it, I knew my face was filled with nothing but horror. My body wanted to turn to her and jump at her, scream at her for being so foolish as her body landed on the ground with a loud thud. Her body rolled away from where I was, as if she was trying to insult me and my efforts in saving her life. Blood gushed from her legs as she screamed in agony.

However, before I could even run to save her, the monsters immediately turned to her. They swarmed her, even ignoring me completely. My eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing, but I knew that this wasn't just a dream.

This was reality.

Dark pools of liquid that came from the monsters mixed with her blood as the resulting substance painted the green grass with purple and red. I saw her twitching arm reaching out to the sky in the midst of the swarming horde around her. As the monsters continued to mangle her, her ear piercing shriek was the only thing that filled my ears.

I could only watch.

"DAMN IT!" I let out a scream of my own as a lump formed in my throat. I felt hot tears come down my face as I cried to myself. I failed to save her in time. The monsters began to disperse again, but they were shot down by orange bolts. One by one, they all fell until nothing was left.

All except the mutilated corpse of Duke Felipe's Bodyguard.

I recognized the voices of Naya and Colonel Levon, but all I heard was the scream of the girl I failed to save despite my all.

Even though I knew it wasn't my fault, a part of me wanted to save St. Paula all those years ago. Now that I'm stronger, I had it in me to save people. However, when the time came, I couldn't even save another person.

The world reminded me through her corpse that I am still weak, and did it do a damn good job in reminding me of my weakness...