4 Chapter 4 - The Past, 2 years ago.

He had not known how he had managed to keep track of it, but somehow, he knew that he had turned fifteen. Something deep in his heart told him this, along with the fact that he would have no one to celebrate it with. No family, no friends.

Just himself inside his little hollow. Inside of a tree.

He had found this place a long time ago. It was a small cave, at the base of a tree. He assumed that the hollow must've once been a huge pocket of water that the tree had managed to suck up over hundreds of years, making a cave about the size of a living room.

Over time, he had turned the place into his own. There was only a sleeping bag, a pile of bloodied up clothes, and a small table he was able to scavenge. He at least wanted something that resembled a home.

Of course, that feeling had soon faded. He was truly alone, now that he realized it. His parents were gone, his sister was gone... This didn't feel like a "home" anymore.

Nothing did.

Not even the recesses of his own mind.

He shook his head. He assumed that his mother wouldn't have wanted to sit here, moping, while there was work to be done. When there was surviving to do.

He got up and walked towards the pile of clothes, picking up a small bag. He had found it in the woods, near a camp of robbers. He knew it had money in it. He felt ashamed, though, knowing that this was most likely stolen from another individual, but his own will to live outweighed his guilt, eventually.

"Maybe I'll take the time to go and treat myself to something good today..." He said numbly. He put the bag inside of another bag that he could simply carry by throwing over his shoulder.

"I mean, it is my birthday after all."

Higara jumped out of the hollow, glancing around. It was sort of humid outside, since it had been raining all throughout the night. He never liked the way humidity felt. It felt sticky, and it made his clothes cling to his skin.

He shook it off, and began walking. He assumed that the best course of action to take was heading to the town, which wasn't far from where he was.

This gave some time for his mind to breathe, and it was honestly working well. It was only just a few minutes before Higara was slightly bouncing with each step he took.

Things would be fine. Yeah, everything would be great. He was just gonna go to town, and get some sweets.

Eventually he did reach town, and when he did, he looked around. Everything was very old fashioned here in Briar. The town looked like something out of a medieval styled movie!

He disregarded this and made his way to a place that looked almost like a bakery, but thats when he heard a commotion. He looked over, and it turns out it was coming from the church. Several people were going in, with whips that were somehow electrified with energy.

Higara's eyes narrowed, and he tied his bag around his shoulders like a backpack, and he used his intense speed to run over to the church and jump ontop of the roof in a matter of seconds.

Plasma sparked off of his body, and he was thankful that the roof was made of wood. If it were made of metal, the conduction would've caused a huge discharge that would've sent him flying.

He stuck out his palm and blasted a small hole in the roof, looking through to see a girl being bound by the whips.

Somehow, he knew that this girl was innocent. And so, he jumped up into the air and stuck his palms downward, a bolt of lightning shooting out shortly afterwards and hitting the guys with whips.

He dropped in soon afterward in a battle stance in front of the girl, a grin on his face.

"Looks like I made it in time!"