A Lost Soul

The deep blue sea swallowed the boy, plunged into dangerous raging waves, crashing against the pillars pier. He felt the current pulled him into the depths of the ocean as he wavered, trying to keep conscious. His dark grey eyes grew heavy as he reached for the light that had reflected through the dark water. Beautiful, the boy thought. It was like time had stopped as the water became still, flowing calmly, quietly. 

A memory flashed across the boy’s mind. The warm smile of a girl in her grey tunic comes into view, dancing in the meadow. The sun shone brightly on a summer day; the boys’ sister wanted to go to the Village of Vermillion. A festival was held for folks to enjoy, though their Mother did not allow them to go. The girl loved dancing in joyous rhythms, feeling the breeze against her fair skin as her brother played the lute. 

He remembered the feel of his fingers strumming softly against the string of the lute. The soft melody carried the wind, sounds of heavy waves crashing against the beach’s rocks from a distance, creating a strong, rich aroma of saline. He knew very well that he was at peace, despite being poor and isolated from the rest.

Nightfall came, littering the dark sky in diamonds, the two began their duties for the night. The girl, Cateline, prepared dinner for the family. She hunched over the hot pan that laid over the fire, cracking a few eggs onto the pan, fixing it with a stick.

“How’s the bread coming, brother?” Cateline glanced towards Walter. 

She watched him cut the burnt loaf of bread into fours, before hurting himself with the makeshift knife. The knife clanged against the wooden table, Cateline hastily stood up, rushing over to the cabinets to get honey and a couple of other things. Honey was known to have strong antibiotic properties, which can help with minor cuts. 

“I told you didn’t I? You shouldn’t cut the bread on your hand. That’s how you hurt yourself.” Cateline pours the cold water on Walter’s palm, applying the honey to the wound. She wraps the bandage around his hand tightly as Walter grunted in pain. 

“Sorry. Sorry, I have to leave you and Ma at home for a Month,” Walter looked grim. 

The girl raised a brow, Where was this coming from? He didn’t like the idea of staying far from home, his stomach turned and twist, his worries never ceased. It was necessary, he had to work, his job was to deliver crafts made from the blacksmith to the client. 

“Don’t Wor-”

“Worry. How can I not worry, reports of Arson came from the Capital!” Walter nearly shouted. He was angry, how can his sister take this lightly.

 “Whoever is setting those houses on fire has not been caught for over a month now.”

"Walter. Clam down. There's no need to get riled up," Cateline held her tone. "We live on the outskirts of the capital, no one's going to burn down some run-down house."

"Right. Good night," Walter nodded curtly.

The boy sinks further down, regrets filled his heart as he tried to fight the water. He knew he had to return to his sister, she needed him. Not long before he sought out on his journey, their Mother died of the plague. If only, he thought. If only, I hadn’t rescued that girl.

Walter heard the waves of the ocean, noticing that he was not far from home. Grey clouds covered the sky, no sign of the sun in sight, it was difficult to see as the mist covered the land. Walter caught a glimpse of a figure in the mist. A girl out on the pier in a blue dress with blonde hair, eyes blue like the vast ocean she stood before. A noble? How strange, what’s a noble like her doing out here?

The mist cleared, two mercenary soldiers surrounded the girl, her wrist bound with rope. Without thinking, Walter drew the sword that hung loosely by his hip, a client gave him one to protect himself on his way back home. He ran towards the soldiers with a roar, swords clanging against each other, ranged loudly in the strained air. The girl stood still, bounded by fear, with a push from Walter, she ran. 

One of the mercenary soldiers swung his sword high in the air, coming down hard on Walter, nearly missing his back. The boy grunts, feeling the edge of the sword, slashing his back, he uses his surrounding to his advantage. With force, Walter sprung towards the soldier, pushing him off the edge of the pier. 

“Out of breath,” the last soldier smirked.

The soldier pointed his sword and charges towards the boy. Walter swiftly dodges, piercing his sword through the soldier’s chest. The soldier, frighten of death, stared at Walter with fear. 

“I’m sorry,” whispered Walter. “I didn’t have a choice.” The boy stood before him, he raised his sword and swung, finishing the soldier off. Walter came crashing down on his knees, exhausted from the fight, huffing loudly.

It was silent, the smell of blood hung in the dreary weather, the girl looked back. Her blue eyes filled with horror as she stared at the man before her. His dark brown hair disheveled, his grey eyes filled with shock, his clothing covered in crimson liquid as he kneels on the pier. Who is he?

“T-thank you, Mister,” the girl hesitantly walked closer.

Walter raised his hand, signaling her to stop. The pier was run-down, it was unstable due to the weather at hand, the tides below were stronger and dangerous. Walter’s body felt heavy as he shifted his weight onto the sword to pull himself up, wooden boards collapse beneath him, plunging into the oncoming waves below. The last thing Walter heard was a muffled yell before he went under with the persistent current. 

The boy sank further down the depths of the everlasting ocean, water filled his lungs as he drowned. Sorry. His heart swelled, he knew the day he left was the last day he would see his sister. I’m sorry. He felt his eyes grew heavy, closing slowly, consumed in darkness, drawing his final breath.