3 Life Is To Be Cherished
Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-Ding!-
The rapid chiming of storm bells clung throughout the whole soulless island clogged with murk. The citizens whom were vassals to the island's master, scampered back to their original dwellings.
The trash which littered the streets, flew along with he hard gusts like phantoms, haunting this town.
The wooden window frames rattled across meeting the first phase of the storm. The boats on the docks rocked heavily upon the blue rippling blankets of its cradle.
Wide huge hands crashed into the island, each bigger than the next, seeking to destroy the obstacle which blocked it.
Errrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiingg!-
The official storm sirens began to howl into the projections of the night, which was the day only mere moments ago.
A huge storm was going to hit this island, and it was only going to get bigger.
Jin Muryo stood drenched upon the concreted shores of the island. His hair dripped along his eyes, making it hard to see.
The wind constantly attacked him, trying to push him down. The heavy rain became bullets under the assistance of the wind.
Pata!-Pata!-Pata!-Pata!-
His body kept being shot by the forces of nature, seemingly infinite and random rain water. Drops slipping from the skies above, raining down below.
For all the years he has lived, Jin had never once seen a storm worse than this one yet. He wished to stay here longer, to witness nature's miracle, but he had trouble just standing up, not to mention once the storm became stronger. He was not qualified.
It was time for him to leave, or his body shall be swallowed by the sea. Engraving this scene into his mind, he left the island's edge.
His feet ran through cold flowing water, climbing up hill against the current. The rain washed from the top of the hill, forming dirty rivers on the streets that sloped downwards. The liquid flowed somewhat fast, and the height that reached his ankles.
The world was trying to eat him alive, engulf him. Jay Muryo had a hard time dashing up hill. He was getting beaten down from the powerful winds, the heavy rains, and the things that tried to keep him away.
He was not the only one within this storm trying to head home. Although they were not out here longer watch the sea, each of them wished to extend their times of enjoyment, before they must go back to the demanding work set on them.
The further Jin headed up hill, the more people that he started to see. As usually everyone was in rags of cloth, some of the more unfortunate ones had their clothes torn apart by the weather.
Bystanders did not care much however, for they were already used to seeing each other buck wild. Their stations at work had no privacy, so by now it was not that much of a embarrassment.
All they wished to do was head back to their "homes" for safety. Everyone was stark dripped in bounds of water, their eyes had trouble seeing, not to mention to not be thrown down by the storm.
Jin Muryo was half way back to his metals workshop once he spotted a noble's carriage that was travelling through.
Even though the weather was rotten, he quickly dropped both of his knees on the ground, causing the mud and water to cover all of him, save for his upper body.
Things still splashed onto him though, causing him to look more poor than he was before, more homeless and useless.
The noble's carriage was slowly getting closer, and everyone stopped their rush for uphill. They did not have a choice, the rule on this island was you must drop to your knees once a noble is spotted.
However, these weren't really nobles, they were just the people that were posted here to take charge of the island. At this place though, no one dared to say otherwise.
Thunder boomed overhead, the storm grew fiercer, yet the people here were still, as if there was no storm. Unless one looked closely, they would not notice their struggling expressions, and eyes hidden with humility and dread.
These were the bosses, and they were the slaves, lower than the minions. No one could do anything to change their destiny, this was the world they were born into, positions lower than dogs.
The beautiful carriage gradually made its way in front of them, passing the street intersection. Four tough guards were assigned to each of the corners, with one extra man driving the carriage with the whip.
The sturdy horses walked with their hoofs steadily, giving no care to those that it burdened. It was just like it was taking a leisurely stroll.
The horse's steps grew distant starting to disappear around the corner. The people near Jin sighed in relief, and continued their journey ahead.
PWAHH!!-
A heavy whip sounded, followed by a fierce yell. The group near Jin quickly ran away from this, afraid to be dragged in this mess.
"How dare you stand knowing that the owners are in front of you!!!"
Jay wished to leave, but his heart twinged hearing the whip sound.
PWAHHHHH!!!-
An even harsher sound rang out, followed by a cry, a child pleading for mercy. The voice was muffled, being drowned by the very water beneath him.
"St-Stwa, - - op- - ease- -"
The young voice could barely be heard, being filled with water, gasping for air. Jay knew he should leave, but this was a child... Something within cried out, begged for him to stop this inhumane cruelty.
"You dare to talk back you smelly monster!"
PWAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!--
A whip which was even harsher than the both hits from before, echoed from its target. The crying child sobbed worse, shrilling her voice, begging for someone to help her...
He was also a child once... That was when his dreams formed... When he thought a single cliff was as vast as the world... She is only a child, a child whom should already have her very own dreams...
Unknowingly, his footsteps moved on his own, towards the voice, a wish to defy the natural order. A action to defy his destiny, a choice that defied these local gods. A direction to crash the very heavens they have created, to decimate their kingdom.
'What is my life worth, if I can't even save one child? Will I be able to see the world with a clean and fulfilled heart if I let this girl die? How will I live my dreams if I already start to form regrets!!!'
Jin's feet splashed foward, toward the commotion. He was just a slave, he had already lived this long, yet he was still chained.
'Maybe if I can save this child, I can achieve one accomplishment in this life of mine...'
The sobbing noises grew closer to him, but it did not register in his ears, he only followed his heart at this very moment.
The heavy wind, suffacating rain, the river which swept underneath, the gods who were in front betting on how long she'll last; none of it was there, only the child was seen.
A little girl only a couple years old, was drowning in the flowing water with red lines of whips bleeding across her body. Even her face was not spared, having a gash that swelled her left cheek and eye.
This was inhumane, and Jin could not tolerate this! He needed to stop them- even if he ends up dying today! He saw his self inside this girl, and he would end up wasting the rest of his life if he chose to ignore this little child!
She resembled what he had seen all those years ago. Hope! Freedom! Everything he had dreamed of! The embodiment of a child! To not care about the world! To live as one wished! If he can not even do this, how will he complete his dream!? To see what layed beyond the sea!? To see what was beyond the horizon!!?
"You ignorant child! We let you continue living in this place, and now you shall die for your actions!!"
PWAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!-----
. . .
Blood trickled down, causing a river to flow.
The child who closed her eyes, ready for the whip, did not recieve what she had expected. She slowly opened her eye that still worked, afraid to see if the whip was still lashing out.
Her face who was covered by snot and tears, turned into sniffles as she thought of the possibility that she was pardoned.
Trying to form a smile and thank them for their forgiveness, she formed a crooked smile with tears going inside, and mud still seen inside her mouth, teeth stained by the dirty water.
She opened her eyes, about to thank them right away, but a scene she did not expect to see appeared.
A big man was kneeling in front of her, bloody and beaten, cloth partially torn, scars and wounds covering his whole body.
A pool of blood forming puddles beneath him as they flowed right around her body, going down hill.
The man who covered her like a shadow, merely had a frozen smile on his face. Blood was slipping out through his teeth. Seeing the girl look at him in horror, he simply just said a sentence, like he was never hurt at all.
Coughing out, blood splurted onto the little girl's face before she managed to hear his low deep voice.
"Little girl, why are you out so late? People will be worrying about you if you play outside for so long..."
The girl who turned silent, sobbed harder than before, wailing at everyone around them, harsher tham earlier, repeatidly yelling I'm sorry to Jin.
The scene went silent, only the storm sounded off im the background. Lighting and thunder flashing harsher and faster. Loudly creating booms of light over than man who protected the child, showing the long whipped wound that has settled in his back.
Jin turned his body around, and the child who saw his wound, cried fiercer. Jin purely just sat on the muddy water that flowed, staring off into the flashes of light overhead.
His eyes than stared at the man who held the whip. The attacker shivered and his whip dropped onto the seat, while the guards lost their stance and backed up.
His eyes felt like a predator, a massive goliath which they can't overturn. The aura which sprouted from this young man was incomprehensible, against the standards and principles of nature. The vibe was suffocating, impossible for them to face against with their will power. It was the power of a King!
"If I Muryo D. Jin can't even protect one small girl, how do I deserve to even have such dreams..."
A sentence was muttered, and the aura gently vanished into thin air, replaced by normality. No one understood what dream the man was referring to, but everyone woke up from their stupors and blatant surprise at the sudsen event.
The driver regaining his thoughts, gripped his whip and lashed out towards this imbecil.
"How dare you defy the natural order!!"
PWAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!-----
Punishment rained-
