Softly falling rain drummed on the black umbrella the woman held to shield the man. Her face remained emotionless, stoic like an elegant doll, as her arm stayed perfectly still while His Majesty gazed out over the balcony.

  Light seeped through the gaps in the heavy, rumbling clouds above the kingdom, as though a giant were waiting to emerge from behind their ominous walls.

  Fear of lightning had driven the normally crowded streets far below, completely indoors.

  Down the main road, a black carriage traveled towards the distant, imposing gates.

  The wheels creaked, tilting into the stony path’s crevices, while two large doors opened ahead.

  Peering through the curtains of his home, a curious man said, “They’re opening the gates?” He let the curtain fall, turning to his wife.

  Knitting in her rocking chair, she said, “I can’t even recall the last time they were. What do you suppose its for?”

  “Only Veni would know,” he said, relaxing on the couch. “Following our rebirth, he’s never asked anything, except that we remain within the walls.”

  Smiling at the boy drawing on the floor, she said, “I have faith in him.”

  A drawing of a swirling, colorful orb above the ground caught the husband’s eye in the fireplace’s light.

  He looked up at the plank ceiling as thunder echoed through the entire kingdom. Sighing, he uttered, “In Veni we trust.”

  Upon the balcony of the throne room, sunlight touched His Majesty’s long, brilliant blue hair outside, its reflection like tranquil waves in a sea of diamonds. As a gentle breeze blew his hair toward the kingdom’s coastal backside, he looked up at the clouds where a butterfly morphed smoothly into a flower.

  “Pretty pictures, dancing to my imagination,” Veni said. Lightning ignited a lone tree atop a grassy hill nearby, causing him to glance at the burning tree with eyes that gleamed with anticipation. “I wonder. Will you be the fire burning amidst the storm, or the storm itself?”

  Inside, the grand doors of the throne room swung open.

  “Your majesty!” the man entering said, struggling to catch his breath.

  As Veni turned away, the burning tree sprang to life, miraculously shedding its flaming bark. With a lasting glare, he said, “Or perhaps, something else entirely…” He placed the silver goblet of wine on a small stand beside the throne, his assistant Camille following closely. “Let’s not keep them waiting any longer than.”

  As the carriage departed the kingdom, Dedi, a guard at the reins said, “We’ll be at the meeting point in a couple days.”

  “Hang tight,” Lui, the other guard said.

  A slender figure inside the carriage rested against a corner near the covered window; a thick brown vegetable bag concealed their face.

  Their head occasionally hitting it due to the rough terrain.

  Bit by bit, they slipped into a deep slumber.

  Families walked through the festival, enjoying the magnificent colors illuminating the alleyways. Oddly, a mysterious fog hid every face, obscuring everything but their mouth.

  Amidst a carousel of pink and blue flowers, a girl in brown overalls, said, “Look at me, look at me!” She disappeared as the ride turned.

  “Was she talking to me?”

  “These heels are agonizing,” a woman in an exquisite marble gown said.

  “This year’s festival has expanded considerably from the first,” her husband said.

  “Yes, though the homeless situation needs attention,” she said.

  “Homeless?”

  “The girl on the carousel,” she whispered, pointing. “Poor thing probably couldn’t tell a brush from a fork.”

  Time flashed by and the girl reappeared, happily twirling, calling, “Over here!” She disappeared into the crowd, her giggling trailing off.

  “Are these my memories?”

  Near a crowd of people at food stands, she was in the center, crouched and lost, tears streaming from under the fog. Yet, as she lifted her head, a wide smile spread across her face.

  Extending her arm, a pinky finger was offered.

  In return, a slightly larger pinky wrapped around hers.

  “Together, always,” she said.

  Upon waking, a single pinky finger extended from the prisoner’s outstretched arms, as he murmured, “Together, always?” A tear escaped their eye beneath the bag.

  In the ruined wastelands once known as Crystal Heralds, the wheels came to a slow, creaking stop. The cracked earth of the barren landscape was scatted with broken children’s toys and shards of glass.

  Lui pointed towards four black-cloaked figures amidst the ruined buildings, saying, “Dedi, look over there.”

  “Let’s get this over with,” Dedi said, hopping off the carriage and making his way to the back.

  “Sending only the two of us, was that truly a wise decision?” Lui said.

  “Veni sees more than any of us. We’ll be fine,” Dedi said, opening the back doors. “It’s time.”

  From under the bag, their head rose, uttering, “Dedi... Lui...”

  “Let’s refrain from using our names. Dedi said, “Don’t forget, you are our prisoner.”

  Lui reached in and said, “Let me have your arm.”

  Mindful of their bound hands, the men aided the prisoner. After, they moved to a distant spot opposite the cloaked figures.

  Between the two groups, a tumbleweed rolled past as Lui raised his arm against the sun. His sweat dripped, evaporating shortly after hitting the ground.

  “Ready to commence prisoner exchange,” Dedi shouted.

  With a nod, the cloaked figure unveiled the bound individual, revealing a man with a bright red and yellow mohawk.

  A red glow faintly emanated from the mechanical collar entwined with roots around his neck.

  “About time,” Seph said, impatiently tapping the floor with his foot. “I’ve been holding in my piss for hours!”

  “Consider yourself lucky; the emperor is a generous man,” one cloaked figure spoke, shoving Seph forward

  “Generous,” Seph said with a chuckle. “Tell that to the brats who infiltrated our kingdom.”

  Though the smallest cloaked figure angrily clenched a fist and stepped forward, a third person’s outstretched arm prevented them.

  As Lui lowered the telescope, he said, “It’s him alright.”

  Dedi nodded, then took the bag off their prisoner’s head, revealing Rai. “Here’s where we go our separate ways.”

  Rai slowly looked up at them, his dark green eyes empty and emotionless. With a subtle nod, the prisoner exchange proceeded.

  Swaying unsteadily, head down, Rai made his way forward, until the wind blew a half-burnt photo of a girl and her mother by a picnic basket in front of him. Moments later, the gust swept away, and so Rai continued to walk.

  Meeting in the middle, Seph leaned closer, recognizing the boy. “Well, I’ll be damned,” Seph said. “You’re the last person I expected to see here.”

  Looking up, Rai said, “Have we met?”

  “H-Have we?” Frustration etched across Seph’s face. “You’re lucky I’ve got this stupid collar on kid!” Seph said.

  As Seph passed, he leaned over and whispered something into Rai’s ear, then continued toward his escorts.

  “Welcome back, sir!” Lui and Dedi said, placing their fist along their chest.

  “Shut up and get this damn thing off already,” Seph said, tilting his head to expose the collar.

  “Yes, sir,” Lui said, pulling a small laser-emitting device from his bag.

  “You’re not planning on causing any trouble, are you sir?” Dedi said.

  “As if. With two elites present, I’d be as good as dead,” Seph said. “Besides, I wouldn’t want to keep his majesty waiting,” he said with a sly smile.

  Rai’s legs buckled, and he almost fell, but one of the cloaked figures caught him.

  Removing the hood, Tanabe said, “Rai!” Tears of happiness lingered in his eyes. “Everyone’s waiting for you back home.”

  As if in a trance, Rai showed no response. “Everyone…” he said, looking up. “Who’re you?”

  From across the window, within the empire’s walls, Tanabe observed as Rai underwent thorough examinations by many doctors.

  Approaching, Alan, a friend of Rai, said, “So this is where they’re keeping him.”

  “Yeah… The empire is taking special precautions in case he poses any sort of threat,” Tanabe said.

  “He was under the Furies captivity for nearly half a year. What could have happened in that time?”

  “That’s what they're trying to figure out. Fortunately, he remembers his past, but he can’t recall the people associated with those memories.”

  “I told you already, I don’t know!” Rai said. “The last thing I remember is smashing the damn thing, and then everything went black. Now can I go?!”

  “I’m afraid we can’t let you go until further examinations have been conducted,” a doctor noted.

  “So stupid,” Rai said, folding his arms. “What’s the point of being an apprentice if I’m living like a geezer in some maximum-security retirement home?!”

  With his chin in hand, Dr. Kael, the empire’s lead scientist, pondered Rai’s test results. “How strange… He appears to be perfectly fine.”

  A nearby nurse, held out an orange lollipop, saying, “Candy?”

  With a frustrated squint, his eyes wandered over to the guards observing him. An idea struck him. “You know, I prefer cherry if you have it.”

  The nurse smiled, “I’ll be right back.”

  “You mind grabbing some for my friends over there,” Rai said, gesturing to the guards. “They’ve been stuck watching me all week.”

  “I’ll get some for them as well,” she said.

  In her return, as she handed them lollipops, Rai scoped his surroundings.

  The doctors were discussing with one another and Kael still had his face glued to the test results.

  “Rai, what root were you registered with again?” Dr. Kael said, turning to face him, but he was no longer sitting on the table. “Rai?”

  From outside, where Tanabe and Alan stood, the doors slid open as Rai lunged forward, only to be quickly tackled by doctors and guards. “Let me go! I didn’t sign up to be a lab experiment!”

  “Rai…” Tanabe said, watching his struggle.

  “I’d rather do laundry, than stick around for this…” Rai said as he was slowly dragged back inside.

  “Well, at least he’s still Rai at the core,” Alan said.

  Days later, within a large room of the empire’s palace, Marco was watering many plants.

  “He should resign,” Han said, his back to the wall.

  “Perhaps,” Marco said, tilting the water can. “But he’s a stubborn one.”

  “Has the emperor made a decision yet?” Han said.

  “After numerous tests, the emperor decided that Rai should take a leave of absence until his condition improved. If it doesn’t, he will be dismissed from the apprenticeship entirely.”

  “If that be the case, he should consider himself lucky. The apprenticeship isn’t meant for individuals like him.”

  “Individuals, meaning rootless Abminus?”

  “Exactly. There’s plenty of work for Abminus as loggers clearing the jungles that have overtaken the outside world,” Han said.

  “Yukio is also a rootless Abminus,” Marco said.

  “He’s a unique case… Nevertheless, without advancements in Shen’s technology, his growth would be limited as well.”

  “Even so, the empires gained a valuable asset in our battle against the Minus.” Marco set the watering pot aside, glancing at a flower that started to bloom. “It’s likely he could still blossom into a great addition for the empire.”

  “You place too much faith in the boy,” Han said as he left.

  “Leaving for another mission already?” Marco said.

  “Minus has appeared in large numbers, south of Excalibur. I’ve been tasked with dealing with them,” Han said.

  “You’ve been on one mission after another,” Marco said. “It’s not like the emperor to assign so many in such a short period.”

  “The sooner this new threat is dealt with, the better,” Han said, before leaving.

  “I suppose you’re correct…” Marco said. However, it’s not the threats of the outside world that are motivating you, is it, Han?

  The next morning, Rai and Tanabe were strolling through the empire on their way to the inner gates. The sun was just rising, and the streets were still quiet.

  “About time they let me out,” Rai said, hands dug into the pockets of his green coat. “But seriously, why’d they have toss me out like the extra sock you find after losing the other—and so early, too?” He yawned, slouching as they made their way toward the empire’s inner gates.

  “Precautions I presume,” Tanabe said.

  “Yeah, but if I were the grandson of the general, I’m sure different ‘precautions’ would be in place,” Rai said.

  “Believe me,” Tanabe said, touching his bruised cheek, “being his grandson isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

  “Tough day of training?”

  “You have no idea,” Tanabe replied, letting out a sigh. “He wanted to ensure I received thorough training before escorting you for the next couple weeks. I’ve hardly slept…”

  “You and me both,” Rai said. “The amount of middle-of-the-night wake-up calls for random testing I endured… I’m done with doctors.” Rai noticed a red muishi, also known as protectors. Its red topped head was decomposing. “How long does it take muishi to decompose again?”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Once they’ve passed, a couple hours. Why?”

  “Kinda freaks me out,” Rai muttered, watching its rotting black body cave in, like ancient demonic eyes staring into his soul... “Nah, just playing,” he added, hands behind his head.

  “Were you able to see your sister before you left?”

  “Still weird hearing that,” Rai said, gazing at the sky.

  “You really don’t remember her?” Tanabe said.

  “Not at all. Aside from what you’ve told me, the only thing I know is what’s on my finitypad,” he said, pulling out a small golden notepad. “But I haven’t really looked at it. To be honest, part of me doesn’t want to.”

  “Why?”

  “Same reason I haven’t visited her yet. I don’t want to see her any less than what she means to me. Besides, with her condition, we can’t exactly sit and reminisce.”

  “Yeah…” Tanabe said, frowning.

  As they neared the gates, the streets opened into a vast plaza. Travelers and merchants mingled, sharing stories and laughter, while distant music filled the air.

  Glancing at the towering archways that framed the gates entrance, in a low, but annoyed tone, Rai muttered, “Vacation, here I come.”

  “Maybe rest is exactly what you need,” Tanabe said.

  “I know what you’re doing,” Rai said.

  “What’s that?”

  “You just want a head start on joining the elites, isn’t that right?” Rai said, squinting at Tanabe.

  Chuckling, Tanabe replied, “Try to get your memory back soon, or I just might.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Either way, I’ll still be one who becomes the next number one elite.”

  “Rai!” a voice echoed nearby.

  As Rai turned, he saw a young woman rapidly approaching.

  “She made it,” Tanabe said, smiling.

  Rai tried to piece together who she was when Hanabi unexpectedly lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him.

  Trembling, she held him so tightly he could barely breathe.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” Hanabi said. With tears in her eyes, she looked up at Tanabe, who was standing behind Rai, and said, “Thank you.”

  Tanabe gave a subtle nod to her, thinking, she hasn’t seen him since his captivity.

  “I take it you’re Hanabi?” Rai said, arms awkwardly hanging down.

  Hanabi wore a look of confusion as she leaned back and let go of Rai.

  “I was instructed to keep your departure as discreet as possible, so Hanabi’s the only one I told,” Tanabe said.

  “You really don’t remember me?” Hanabi said.

  “Not exactly,” Rai said. “Tanabe’s tried to fill me in on people, but everything’s still a blur.”

  “What about Taka? You haven’t forgotten her, have you?” Hanabi said.

  “Even her,” Rai said, staring at the ground. “I hate that I don’t, but no matter how hard I try, nothing comes.” His head throbbed. “I need a sec,” he said, walking away.

  Pulling Hanabi aside, Tanabe said, “Whatever happened to him in Furies captivity can’t be explained. He hasn’t been told yet, but the doctors say he may never regain his memories of others...”

  “But what about everything we’ve been through together?” Hanabi said.

  “Despite everything going on, he’s still Rai. We can always make new memories,” Tanabe said, reassuring her with a smile.

  “Without Milu…” Hanabi said, glancing at the floor.

  Tanabe paused, seeing her saddening expression. I forgot she’s going through it just as much as any of us. He recalled the many nights she spent visiting him while he recovered from his injuries.

  “Visiting hours are over, miss,” a nurse said.

  “Sorry,” Hanabi said, withdrawing her hands from Tanabe’s arm as she stood up to leave.

  “Oh, it’s you. On second thought, if you’d like to stay longer, feel free,” the nurse said.

  “Really? With a quick, appreciative bow, Hanabi said, “Thank you.”

  Once the nurse left, the doctor said, “Did you tell them?”

  “It’s Hanabi,” she replied.

  “Hanabi?” Walking over, the doctor glanced through the clear windows next to the sliding door, where the patients were. “Other Links would’ve collapsed by now, however each day she’s been steadily and expertly restoring his core with ease.”

  “She is Lady Yui’s granddaughter, after all,” the nurse said.

  The doctor nodded in agreement.

  Beneath his bandages, Tanabe uttered, “You, should get some rest…”

  “Don’t worry about me,” Hanabi said, sitting down next to him. With hands on his arm, she continued healing his core.

  Seeing the building sweat along her face, Tanabe said, “Hanabi…”

  “Your core is in need of constant repair because of all the damage it’s taken. If not, it’ll continue to crack.”

  Remembering those long nights in the hospital, Tanabe placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I should’ve seen how Rai’s condition affected you.” As she glanced up, he withdrew his hand. “There’s still a chance he’ll get his memory back. In fact, I’m sure he will—he’s too stubborn not to.”

  “I hope so,” Hanabi said, glancing over at Rai. “So, where are you guys headed too exactly?”

  “A village where Alan’s extended family lives, on the outskirts of Keltzer. He’ll be there until he’s fully recuperated.”

  Rai flipped a red apple between his hands next to a fruit stand, saying, “Keep the change.”

  “Feel free to come back,” the vendor told Rai as he was leaving.

  “Here’s hoping,” Rai said, taking a bite of the apple. Glancing down, he dropped the apple in shock. Blood soaked the floor at his feet, causing him to stumble back. “Where’d all this blood come from?!”

  Immediately, ripples emerged from the puddle as roots twisted out of it, wrapping around his leg; he desperately tried to yank them off.

  As he struggled, a voice whispered in his ears, “Together, always.”

  An agonizing scream drew the attention of those nearby as Tanabe and Hanabi saw Rai clutching his head in pain.

  Panicked, they rushed to his side, but he lost consciousness the moment they arrived.

  Kneeling beside him, Hanabi gently placed his head in her lap, brushing his hair away from his eyes. “Ri Ri...”

  Journal Entry:

  It’s been about 3 months since I was freed. I just found out that my fifteenth birthday was a week ago, and memory exercises haven’t improved recently. I’m terrified that my apprenticeship will end before I regain my memories of others. I’m losing everything I’ve strived for; the idea itself weakens me.

  In any case, I better get my act together; I have a little sister depending on me. One I can’t even remember at that rate…

  Rai closed his golden notebook, reclined on his bed, and closed his eyes, only to be disturbed by the incessant knocking below. “Give it a rest,” he mumbled, looking at the mirror on the desk.

  Plu, the stuffed white sheep sat there, gazing at him, thr brown fur along its neck and upper leg was incredibly soft.

  Elen had a children’s book in the attic, featuring sheep with red tubes around their necks, known as Fleeps, that looked similar.

  He groaned, covering his ears, but the noise was too much, so he stood and went downstairs.

  The smell of cookies filled the air.

  Alan, could you please give me a hand?” an elderly woman known as Ellen said. Because of her age, she struggled to remove the trash, causing it to repeatedly hit the wall.

  “My name’s not Alan, and sure,” he said.

  “Thank you, honey. Your father stayed in that exact room before his move to... I can’t recall the name.”

  “Excalibur,” Rai said, removing the trash, “and let me reiterate, we’re not related.”

  “You grew up here, starting from when you were a baby,” she said.

  After grabbing his coat from the front door, he said, “That was Alan.” My name is Rai. My hair isn’t even red!” he said, shutting the front door behind him.

  “Rai?” Ellen said.

  On a trash can lid, Rai noticed an orange stray cat cleaning itself. “Beat it,” he said, opening it slowly. Hissing, the cat leaped off and quickly crossed the dirt road. Gently replacing the lid, Rai went to the front yard fence, propping his chin in his hands to observe the village. Lanterns illuminated the settlement’s edges, while fireflies danced above the pond. “You’ll figure it, you always do.”

  He saw a kid in a hoodie and backpack sneak out of a window a couple of houses away.

  Light-footed as they were, the bag got stuck in the crevice of the window, forcing them to yank it free, falling heavily on their butt.

  With a pained “Ow,” she stood, rubbing her rear end and gritting her teeth.

  As she ran toward the stable, her small wooden sword fell from her bag unnoticed.

  “Hay doesn’t seem like your typical midnight snack,” Rai said.

  “Come on, you stupid saddle!” she muttered in the stable, while struggling to pull it. As she was making progress, she lost her grip on the strap and fell into a haystack. In a fit of rage, she kicked the saddle, resulting in a painful jolt that shot up her toes. “Ow, again.”

  “Want me to call for back up, or do you got this?”

  Startled, she tripped over the saddle, causing her hoodie to fall off, revealing long blonde hair.

  A yellow muishi darted out of her opened bag and ran for the exit.

  “Hey get back here!” she shouted as it hopped over Rai’s foot and disappeared.

  Quickly scurrying over to her bag, she searched frantically before realizing it wasn’t there. Standing, the girl clenched her fists, “I’m hittin’ the road, and there ain’t nothin’ you can do to keep me here!”

  “Yell any louder and I won’t have to,” Rai said. “Where you headed too, anyway?”

  “I’m huntin’ for Minus,” she said.

  “Is that right? Well, you’re going to need something a little sharper than this toothpick,” Rai said, tossing the wooden sword at her feet.

  “Uh—my sword!” she said, scooping it from the floor before redirecting its point at Rai.

  “Now I recognize you. Sari, I think. Your friends with Dot, right?”

  “Hardly,” she said. “That stupid card game’s the only thing he ever thinks ‘bout.”

  Rai squinted, a vein popping from his forehead in frustration. “I actually like that game…” he said under his breath. “Do you even know what Minus are?”

  “I know they went and took both my uncles’ lives,” Sari said. “Daddy ain’t got the guts to act, so I’m fixin’ to avenge ‘em myself.”

  “I hate to tell you this kid, but you're way in over your head. Abminus are the only ones capable of dealing with those things.”

  “I’m AB- blood type, same as them.”

  “That doesn’t guarantee you’ll become one,” Rai said. “The chances are as slim as you straddling that horse there.”

  “What’re you, my parents?” she said.

  Rai placed his hand along his face, shaking his head in disapproval. “I do feel a little like Tux right about now.” He sighed, glancing back at the girl. “Alright, go on. I won’t stop you,” Rai said, leaning against the entrance and folding his arms with a smirk.

  “You really gonna let me walk outta here?” she said.

  Placing his hand over his mouth, he yawned, “Sure, I’m tired enough as is.”

  Gazing at the saddle, then back at Rai, she slowly lowered the sword. Once the item was secured in her backpack and strapped on, she crouched by the saddle.

  She mustered all her strength, determined to lift it overhead. She used a small step stool to try and get the saddle onto the tall horse.

  “Almost there...” With legs and arms shaking, the horse moved and accidentally bumped into her, making her sway off the stool in one direction and then the other before falling to the floor. Rai’s soft laughter caused her to furrow her brows. “What’s so funny!?”

  Rai, facing outward, subtly turned his head. “How about we make a deal?”

  “A deal?” she said, breathing heavily.

  “If you pass, I’ll saddle the horse and you can be on your way,” he said, leaving her sight.

  “Really?”

  “Bring the toothpick while you’re at it.”

  “It’s a sword!” she said, jogging after him. While walking through the village, she looked up at him. “Who’s Tux?”

  “Based on my notes, I’d describe him as a meddling, overbearing jerk,” Rai said, with a sniff. “Though, there’ are a lot of good things in there about him too.”

  “Dad says you’re an apprentice of the empire. What’re ya doin’ here?”

  “You could say I’m on leave for the time being, but I’ll be back before you know it,” Rai said.

  “I think you got fired,” she muttered.

  “Not even!” Rai said, clattering in anger. Approaching the pond, nearby plants curled inward as he picked up and rubbed a smooth rock. “When I was younger, I used to venture out to the forest to train. After, I would spend an hour throwing rocks like this one to see how many skips I could get.”

  Beside him, Sari gazed at their reflections and the stars glimmering in the still water. A sudden streak of light sped past.

  “Shooting star!” she said in a low, excited tone. She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again. “You gonna wish for somethin’?”

  “Nah. I’ve been wishing for the same for as long as I can remember,” Rai said.

  “What that?”

  “To be the number one elite. It’s not going to be easy, but one day I’ll make it.” He drew his arm back, then thrust it forward, causing the small, flat rock to skip on the water.

  Sari leaned forward, saying, “Twelve. Nice throw”

  Rai stretched his arms to the sky. “I seem to have forgotten more than just people.” Reaching his hand out, Rai said, “You mind?”

  “Mmm,” she murmured, hesitating before setting down her pack, retrieving her sword, and offering it to Rai.

  He channeled flux force, raising his blade to the sky. “I saw someone do this on TV once, but on a way bigger scale. It inspired me to work harder.” With a downward swing, the shallow pond’s water split, scattering fireflies and revealing the muddy bottom.

  “Whoa...” Sari whispered, as the pond returned to normal.

  “Now you give it a try. If you can create something similar, you win.”

  “Ain’t no way I can do that.”

  “I used to say that while skipping rocks—first aiming for twenty, then thirty, and it kept climbing from there.” Handing her the sword, he added, “Give it a go.”

  She nodded, then took the sword with both hands. With a deep breath, she lifted her arms and swung down with all her might, however, not even grass along the edges of the pond moved. “This really is impossible.”

  “It’s your first swing. Using a thick branch, I made thousands of attempts before seeing progress.”

  “Thousands…”

  “That’s right, and even then, I was practically useless when a Minus randomly appeared.

  “You were?”

  “Yeah, I’d have been a goner if the nosey person I mentioned earlier hadn’t tracked me down and rescued me. You have many more swings ahead of you,” Rai said as he left.

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Baby, sitting’s not really my thing,” Rai said, causing her cheeks to puff out angrily. He glanced back with a smirk. “Try not to fall behind.”

  Smiling, Sari pulled the sword into her chest. “Try not to slow me down.”

  Rai went back inside the house.

  “You were gone for a while,” Ellen said, lying on the couch where she watched the same channel each night until she slept.

  “Surprised you remembered,” Rai said, hanging his coat.

  “That’s a nice coat. Who got it for you?”

  “We’ve been through this,” Rai said.

  “I was just asking,” Ellen said, innocently.

  “I know,” Rai sighed. “From what I’m told, it was a gift.”

  “From who?”

  “No idea, it’s not in my notepad and I forgot to ask Tanabe.”

  “Well, there are cookies on the table. Help yourself.”

  “Sure,” Rai said. He enjoyed cookies, but Grace’s Lumi Lumi’s were by far the best. After his return, she had left an entire plate of them as he recovered.

  Rai’s drool dribbled from his lip, then he shook off the thought and bit down with a loud clank.

  “There’s milk in the fridge—”

  “You almost shattered my teeth you old hag!” Rai said, tossing the over-cooked treat into the trash.

  “Who’re you calling a hag?” Ellen said.

  “Whoever made these cookies,” Rai said, spitting out the remainder.

  “Not me,” Ellen said.

  Seeing the oven was left on, Rai turned it off. After dumping the cookies, he placed the plate in the sink. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “What is it?”

  “With dementia, do you ever feel bothered at the thought of losing these memories with others?”

  “Mm, I’m not sure I can’t remember,” she chuckled.

  Though unexpected, her reply brought a smile to Rai’s face. “I’m hitting the sack. See you in the morning.”

  “Goodnight,” she said. “Oh, and Alan?”

  Rolling his eyes, Rai said, “Yeah?”

  “If you’re hungry, there are cookies on the table.”

  “I’m fine,” Rai said, escaping upstairs before more questions could be asked. The stuffed animal on his bed caught his attention. “Ellen…”

  Grabbing Plu, he set it back on his desk before crawling into bed.

  He opened his finitypad to a blank page, gazing at it.

  Recalling a specific date, without regard to the actual memory, he focused flux into the golden notepad and words began to materialize.

  Journal Entry:

  After Tanabe stepped through the portal, the luminite shattered into flux particles and vanished. The color of the roots along the machine quickly faded after. It’ll take me a while to find another one of those stones…

  Walking back to the orphanage, I couldn’t stop replaying the fight with Scar Face the Bumbling Giant.

  Walking down the empty streets of Nyhud, Rai kicked a rubber ball, and a dog raced out of an alleyway, snatching it and running off.

  “Banu was tough, but we shouldn’t have struggled that much. I’ll have to train harder if I want to join the apprenticeship, let alone the elites.” Rai’s stomach growled, nausea hitting him. “I should’ve grabbed those Muishi earlier…”

  “Street rat,” Tux said, leaning against a corner lamppost.

  Rai tensed, whistling as he walked past Tux, pretending not to see him. “Man, am I tired.”

  “Would you rather have an apple, or a pear?” he said, calmly juggling them with one hand.

  “A little creepy to be following a kid this late, don’t you think?”

  Tux dropped the fruit, curling inward in frustration before composing himself. Pulling a golden notebook from his pocket, he began, “Ahem. ‘I need to do this to get stronger, because one day I’ll be number one—’” A hand shot out to snatch the notebook, but Tux quickly yanked it away.

  “Give it back!” Rai said, stretching his arms out to grab it.

  “I found it at an illegal martial competition,” Tux said. “Those fights carry sentences of up to twenty years, or life, depending. Any idea how it got there?”

  Sweat trickling down his forehead, Rai hesitated, “Course not.” Unexpectedly, he delivered a swift kick to Tux’s groin.

  Tux gasped, the notebook falling as Rai snatched it and sprinted away.

  “Street, rat…” Tux muttered, crippling over.

  Miles away, Rai muttered, “Why’s Captain Nosey always up in my business?” As he neared his foster home, he stopped to stretch. The place had peeling paint and weeds taller than him out front. “Home sweet home,” he sighed.

  Creeping along the wall, he paused under a rusty window. Quietly lifting it, he slipped inside. Tiptoeing to his bed, he slid under the covers, moving the pillows he’d placed to fake sleeping.

  “Did you win?”

  Turning over his sister was gazing at him. “You know I did.”

  “Brother’s the strongest,” Takara said with a sleepy grin.

  “That’s right, and one day when I join the elites, it’ll be nothing but warm showers and all the food in the world.”

  “Ice cream?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.

  “Plenty,” he said, grinning despite his exhaustion.

  With a yawn, she said, “Yummy.” Her eyelids fluttered, then slowly closed as she dozed off.

  Rai stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with thoughts about the future. “One day, just you wait and see…”

  Closing his finitypad, Rai rolled over in bed, thinking to himself, I have to get my memory back…

  Rai spent the next morning loading grain into a large wagon to trade with a nearby village.

  “Two hundred and two. Two hundred and three. Two hundred and four!” Sari’s voice echoed.

  As Rai went around the house, he saw Sari by the pond.

  “She’s up early,” said the village leader, appearing at his side.

  Sari, arms shaking, yelled “Two-hundred, and five!” She fell forward into the pond, her momentum causing a muddy splash below her knees. Short of breath, she spotted Rai watching and stood, lifting her sword. “Two hundred and six!”

  Rai smiled, before returning to the wagon, stacking the remaining bags.

  “The trip will be a couple days, but your return must be swift once you’ve received the goods. There’s a rumor of bandits roaming east of here. Although I don’t expect them to come here, given the empire’s protection, it’s wise to be prepared.”

  “Hey, I’m still an apprentice,” Rai said with a thumbs up. “I’ll be fine.”

  “That’s reassuring,” the village leader said before departing.

  While Ellen slept, Rai retrieved tape, carefully placing multiple layers over the oven knob. After grabbing his coat, he said, “I should be back soon enough, old lady.

  Outside, he got in the driver’s seat, taking the reins and preparing to leave.

  “Rai! Rai!” Dot called, his pink hair bouncing as he ran over. “Where are you headed?”

  “Next village,” Rai said.

  “Can I come?”

  “Not this time Dot, but hop in, you can ride with me to the front,” Rai said, urging the animals to pull the wagon forward.

  Dot carefully climbed over the bags of grain until he was right behind Rai. “Is this your stuffed animal?” he asked, holding up Plu.

  As Rai looked over, he was surprised to see a little stuffed sheep in his grasp. He thought, I’m sure I left that in my room. “Yeah, it belongs to someone I know,” Rai said.

  “Like a girlfriend?” Dot teased.

  “No way! Not like a girlfriend,” Rai said, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. “More like family.”

  “Oh, like GG,” Dot said, referring to Ellen.

  Rai smiled, “Exactly like GG.”

  “Does it have a name?”

  “Hm, I think it was Plu?” Rai said.

  “Plu!” Dot said, tossing it into the air.

  “Ah—!” Rai leaned over the edge, catching it before it hit the ground. “Careful,” he said, putting it on his lap as they neared a woman feeding baby goats.

  “Good morning, Rai,” she said.

  “Morning,” Rai said, slowing the wagon until it was alongside her.

  Spotting Dot, she put her hands on her hips and asked, “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’m just riding to the front,” Dot said.

  “All right, but after you need to help with feeding the animals.”

  “I’m too tired,” he sighed, collapsing.

  “That’s on you for playing that card game way past your bedtime.” She then told Rai, “Have a safe trip.”

  Rai nodded and moved on.

  The wagon slowly made its way to the picket fence bordering the village, the wheels grinding on the dirt as it came to halt.

  Hopping off the wagon, Dot said, “When you get back, do you want to play Minus Wars?”

  “Sure,” Rai said with a smile. “But you’re going to have to keep an eye on the old lady while I’m gone, okay?”

  “Okay!” Dot said, as Rai departed.

  Reflecting on it, Rai turned back, raised his fist, and said, “Don’t even think about touching my hoopah collection while I’m gone, or I’ll hang you upside down for a week!”

  “What?” Dot said, holding his hand to his ear, pretending not to hear him.

  “I mean it squirt!” Rai froze, his mind flashing to a battlefield, littered with the dead and stained with the blood of fallen soldiers; both nefarian and human alike.

  In the distance, a girl in a white flower dress stood with her back to him. She held Plu by the paw, the creature drenched in blood, but her dress remained untouched.

  A sudden, intense headache made Rai put his hand to his head. Looking up, as quick as the vision came, it disappeared, with Dot being just that.

  “Bye,” Dot’s voice was but a whisper in the distance.

  Rai shook his head and said, “I must be losing it...” Lying back to watch the clouds, his imagination ran wild, envisioning all sorts of things, but one image in particular stood out to him.

  It was of an apple.