The warm sun hugs my skin whilst the chilling breeze soothes my mind. Birds chirp as I look up at the symbol of power and protection standing in front of me.
"Remember, Aven: if you want to grow up to become truly strong, a powerful body and some cool powers won't cut it."
I frown, "But how else am I going to survive in the mainlands? You said I might have to fight for survival. What good is it if I can't fight?"
He smiles, "You can't punch away all of your problems," he tells me, gazing at a mountain range, "That's something your uncle would do." A smirk, "That's why I'd beat him."
My eyes widen, "Really? You're stronger than the mountain buster?!" He nods and folds his arms, "Yep. And here's how…"
I take a deep breath, my grip on the doorknob tightening. "This is it, Aven. Time to put it into practice." I whisper to myself.
"Step 1: This is the most important step to any stealth mission: Conceal your presence." He tells me confidently…
I nod, "No heavy breathing, no puffing out your chest. You are…"
"Nature itself."
"I'm outside." The moonlight illuminates the grassy plains of the hilltop, the still yet cold air, sending shivers down my spine.
"Step 2…"
"Locate your target." I scan the surrounding area.
"People make noise. It's a law of life. Especially those who don't know they're being followed. Once you find them, tell yourself…"
"Target spotted. I got her." Elira begins descending the hill, a beige trenchcoat wrapped around her.
"Step 3…"
A twig snaps behind me. "Crap!" I whisper, diving behind a tree.
Elira turns.
I freeze as she stares at the tree I'm hiding behind, my heart picking up in speed.
"Compose yourself, Aven." I tell myself whilst taking deep breaths; hand over my chest as I feel my heart slow down.
I continue to follow her, coaching myself through each step that's been drilled into me. As I descend the hill, Elira a few meters ahead, the wind begins to howl. Violent gusts pushing me back, my legs ache, my breathing accelerates, but I'm excited. I'm here.
"You did it!" He exclaims, lifting me up.
"That's harder than it looks," I reply, panting.
"But you pushed through." He chuckles.
"I'm proud of you… Son."
I smile, wiping a tear from my right eye with a snuffle, "Thanks Dad."
"But why here?" I wonder as I stare at Elira's destination: a small, mossy wooden hut. "Does this dirty shack really offer that much money for our stuff?"
I watch on as Elira approaches the door. She clutches the collar of her coat, eyes closed as she hesitates before knocking three times.
After some faded muffling from inside the house, the door creaks open and behind it, a large figure. "Welcome. Elira right?"
"Woah… He's big." I note as I analyse the man she's in there with: A tall, dark skinned, muscly man. I gulp as he sits down, allowing me to notice the scar running from his right eye to his bald head.
"Take a seat." He instructs, pointing at a red armchair a metre across from his own.
"Th-thanks." Elira replies as she sits down.
"Why… are her hands shaking?" I ask, leaning in closer. "Something's off."
"Well… what ya got?" The man asks.
I take a small sigh of relief, "Few," I whisper, "She's actually just selling stuff."
"W-wh, pardon?" She replies.
The man frowns. "The fuck d'ya mean 'pardon?' Take it off." He commands.
I watch on…
"R-right." Elira nods, quickly stumbling to her feet as her hands fiddle in an attempt to untie her coat.
The man rolls his eyes as he watches on.
"S-sorry, got some irritable hands it seems." Elira mutters.
"Fucking hell just come here." He orders.
Without a word, Elira nods, eyes locked onto the floor as she slowly walks over.
"Why is she acting like this?" I ask as I jump down from the tree branch, "It's like the wedding all over again."
The man walks over to Elira and unties the knot for her. "Get on with it." He tells her as he slouches into his armchair.
With a forced smile, Elira removes the trenchcoat and drops it onto the floor.
My eyes widen.
My lip quivers, "Wh-what's going on? Why is she wearing that?!"
"That's better…" The man scoffs, "But you lose points for taking so long."
"S-sorry." She replies, taking a deep breath, "Do you think I could make it up to you?" She whispers, slowly falling to her knees.
The door slams open.
Silence.
Silence again.
Aven scans the room, "One bat, one Elira, one victim." He mutters before glaring at the man. "Elira, what the fuck are you doing?!" Aven yells.
"A-Aven?!" She questions, scrambling toward her coat. "What are you doing here?"
Aven shakes his head. "Don't you dare." He commands, staring down both Elira and the man. "Explain. Now." He instructs.
Ignoring him, the man stands up, towering over Aven whilst rubbing the back of his bald head. "Elira, you gunna tell the kid or am I?"
Elira doesn't respond, instead she stares at the ground, coat wrapped around her shoulders.
The man snickers, "I'm assuming this bitch is your mother, right?"
He grins, "What she's doing for me is what she's paid to do."
Aven gnashes his teeth.
"This is what your mother's worth. This is what she does to put food on the table for her joke of a kid."
"I can't believe you'd do this to Dad!" I lament, staring down Elira who avoids eye contact. My voice cracked halfway through. Why doesn't it sound angry anymore? It sounds like… begging.
Elira continuously shakes her head, tears streaming from her eyes as she mumbles, "No, no, no. This was never- This isn't happening."
My head hurts.
The man keeps talking to me; I don't like it.
"P-please stop." Elira pleads. "You don't have to pay me, just let me and my son leave safely."
"Son?" I frown. "Who's son?"
Elira covers her mouth, "Aven…" She whispers.
"Dad's not here."
The man grins, "That's a shame… Don't worry, kid." He leans close to my ear,
"I'm here now," he whispers.
'Crack!' The sound of my elbow slamming into his nose echoes throughout the hut.
The man stares.
I stare back.
He wipes the blood from his nose, "Good luck kid." He threatens.
"He's coming."
I duck under a right hook thrown at my head, raising my guard as I turn to face him.
He cracks his knuckles before coming at me again, this time throwing an uppercut, narrowly missing my chin as I sidestep.
"SoulCraft? What's that?" A four year old Aven asks, eyes filled with wonder.
He grabs the bat leaning against the wall. "God, aren't I lucky to live outside of the mainlands?"
"Dad, you really gotta teach me how to do that! Please, please, please!"
"Wanna know a secret?" The man asks. "Round these ways, actions go unchecked."
"It's SoulCraft, Aven. As in what's in your heart."
"That means, even if I kill a kid… I get off with no problem!" He announces, sprinting toward me.
"What's the point in me being here? What's the point in people?"
"Aven… you've never met your Dad."
"My Mum's a liar.
My Dad's not real.
Only I exist."
The man moves faster than I expected, the swing coming straight for my head…
I don't move.
The bat shatters on impact.
I wasn't touched.
His hands begin to tremble.
"Good." I remark whilst licking my lips.
"You said murder goes unpunished, right?" I ask, strolling towards him.
"W-wait. How did you do that?" He questions whilst stumbling backwards.
The thug glances toward Elira who's gazing out the window.
"D-Do Something!" He shouts at her.
She doesn't answer.
The man takes a quick breath before throwing a right cross to my chest.
I don't move.
His hand bruises on impact.
The air itself formed a barrier between his hand on my heart.
Perfect, my heart is sealed away.
He hyperventilates, "You're a SoulCraft user?!"
I don't answer.
I continue to walk him down.
"Why are you on this island?!"
He trips backwards into a wall.
"Deadend."
"I'm sorry. Kid, I'm truly sorry." He raises his hands above his head. "I'll pay you." he begs, "All the money you want. Please kid, just let me live."
I shake my head, "You're not real… That means you don't matter right?"
Crack!
A fist into his nose: broken.
Smash!
A glass into his temple: bleeding.
Pummeled, beaten and battered.
I kept going.
I didn't stop.
It felt good.
The unconscious thug lies before me. I sit on his chest as I continue to rain fists into his blood-soaked skull.
"Aven that's enough!" Elira yells, grabbing hold of me and pulling me off of him. "I'm sorry." Her voice tremors. "Aven, please. Don't let this ruin you." She shakes my shoulders, "Don't let my mistakes kill who you used to be!"
I stare blankly.
"You're a fake." I state, pushing her off of me before leaving.
I refused to look back at the imposter I left behind, or the man I left on the floor.
I don't see the point anymore. Even reality itself bends to keep others away from me.
Despite that…
She still runs after me.