Chapter 2: The Girl of Red

Footsteps followed by the sound of swords colliding with each other could be heard outside in Liurnida, a city sectioned within the Holy Empire, religious fanatics with lands that grow the finest crops, armies blest with the might of god, and a rule who cares for all.

A motion clashed downwards on the sword defending a boy no older than 14, followed by a swift kick sending the boy tumbling over onto the floor clenching his gut. 

"You can't leave yourself open to kicks! That can lead to your death on the battlefield."

 Said a man, face rugged and hair black as night, his clothes being a deep blue covered by leather armor.

The man walks up to the boy now up from the ground and dusting himself off, the man checking up on him as the boy quickly shuns the attempts and leaves placing the short sword he wielded into a rack with many others and headed into a room slamming the door. paintings of kings, swords hoisted on the wall, a closet void of anything interesting, and a bed alongside that a journal filled with pictures of monsters big and small with surprisingly great detail almost near the real thing. Sitting down in a corner, the boy beats himself up, not knowing what he could have done to block the kick and how he should have countered it, as a knock rings from the door blocking the outside from him.

"Bruise, can you do me a favor and go to the market and buy some fruit and bread, i gotta head to work now." The man whom the boy knew and called Raven asked of him as another door closed.

Bruise opened his door and walked towards the door spotting a bag full of silver and copper coins and takes off into the bright town surrounded by green and orange trees, making his way towards the loud and familiar sound talk amokst people needing something, he passes cart after cart, only finding a shop on the corner of the district rarely visited by people, being an inconvenience to wander to that sells delicous fruit. The shop-keep swiftly places many fruits into a basket, sliding it onto the table followed by two silver coins flying in the direction of the man, swiftly catching them as Bruise takes the basket and leaves. Sighing either from boredom or tiredness from the intense training from before, a loud thud could be heard from the corner of Bruise's ears, proceeding to stand still not wanting to intrude on people's business, but weighing his options of entertainment from safety, curiosity killed the cat. A few minutes of searching led him near an ally, watching a girl no older than himself with long flowing red hair punching a boy taking things out of his pockets she could get her hands on, as she tormented him with insults and bodily harm. Confused about the pain he felt within himself, the bitter taste left in his mouth if he let things remain, Bruise exited from his cover, leaving the fruit he held on the ground hidden, walking up to the two.

"Hey! This is none of your concern! Walk away!" The girl shouted, the boy being mistreated also backing up, though being heavily bruised.

Bruise met face-to-face with the girl, and before she knew it, she fell to the ground as a slap echoed off the face into the alleyway. The girl sat on the ground for a few seconds, processing what just had happened, the boy on the ground thanking Bruise and running away only to be grabbed by his wrist and lightly shoved towards the girl.

"Why are you trying to run away instead of confronting her? Why be the victim of something that could easily be avoided by your actions? For god's sake man up."

 Bruise shouted, then targeting the girl with his roar of complaints mainly targeting her for the excessive force used during the bullying of the boy and how she should be ashamed to call herself human and not an animal, explaining better ways to steal without needing to rough people up.

Tears ran down the girl's face, crying from either the slap or harsh words dealt by the same boy.

Finally snapping out of his emotional chivalry, bruise quickly grabs the fruit he left hidden and runs as fast as his legs carry him to his house.

Time passed after that incident, not coming back to him the next day, as he was wandering the city, buildings beautifully crafted engulfing the large population of people, man, beast, and even dwarven. Bruise's steps speed up, taking turns into corners and allys, his face getting visibly angry, following closely behind him the bully from days ago.

"What do you want!''

 Bruise shouted, snappily turning around to direct his words towards the woman as she followed his words with her own. 

"I want a rematch from last time!" 

Confusion was visibly placed onto Bruise's face, telling her that what he did was not a duel, nor a fight, but a lesson for her and the victim should have learned long ago and something that needed to be retaught clearly, yet as if ignoring his answer she proceeded to ignore him and awaited a duel to reclaim her honor. Realizing people were staring due to his original outburst, he wandered off followed by the woman for hours.

This continued for days, Bruise never acknowledging it after the first time, the girl taunting the boy calling him a coward and weakling, her provocation not working as he continued on his walk, sometimes leaving the girl food out of pity, until one day a man stood still in front of him, eyes enraged as he walked up towards bruise. Taking a defensive stance, bruise readied himself, only to be passed, followed by a scream. The man had lifted the girl with her hair, shaking her demanding that she give him the money he's owed, only to fall down releasing the girl after a kick connecting to the back of the knee, followed by a shove, slaming the mans face downwards onto the hard pavement.

Grabbing the girl's hands fleeing towards a sewer vent he knew all too well, he prys the vent with ease due to the number of times it came off and places it back on after the two have entered.

sitting down near the ladder leading towards the light, they take a well-deserved break from running and stare at the ruined walls forgotten by most except those forced down.

"Who was that?"

 A question asked that filled the sewer's usual silence brought nothing but awkwardness as the girl sat there, clearly uncomfortable.

"None of your business." 

mumbled under the girl's breath, then lightly smacked on the head by Bruise, telling her that he could be in danger because he helped her so he was at least owed an answer, and eyes once again teary, she tells him.

The girl's dad died shortly after she was born, leaving her and her mom alone to deal with the harsh world, her mother taking the first hit, being fired from her job after being born, and started to work as an adventurer. After some time working, she took a job scouting a cave for guild hunters to clear a quest, when the cave collapsed trapping her mother underneath the rubble for days.

She only lived thanks to the kindness of passing hunters and was rescued by the guild, although that kindness being squandered as the guild she worked for was notorious for exploiting their employees, forcing her mother to pay off all the people who saved her which lead to a loan that couldn't be paid off and her mother being crippled for life.

Silence filled the air only to be broken as Bruise opened the grate once more, ushering the girl to follow.

"Let's go to town and buy some clothes. Mine are covered in whatever liquid was down here." 

Staring at bruise either mad or happy from his change of subject, never the less standing up and following the boy. Making sure the man left the area the two kids run around the town until they found an old shop, a wooden sign, and walls neatly polished with its glass looking pristine almost as if nothing that touches it can dirty it. Using the money still left in the bag his dad gave him plus his weekly allowance, they wander around the shop, both finding something equally ridiculous for each other. The girl changed first into a long trench coat clearly not meant for her, the cape of the coat dragging onto the floor, as the boy exited the changing room look extremely happy with what she bought, that being a noble esk robe meant for mages with shoulder pads pointed towards where the birds fly, the robe itself being a bright yellow for the whole world to spot.

The girl bursted out laughing, with the boy smacking her once more with more bickering, the old man who ran the shop smirking at the two clearly enjoying each other's company only to change to an angry frown, noticing the sight of a man with murderous intent. After paying for the clothes, Bruise's wallet crying out for help they continue to wander the streets, the girl asking the question of how he knew about the vents.

Silence befell the boy, yet answering with no shame.

"A few years ago, I was adopted by a man named Raven, and I was scared of everything around me including him, fearing he would come and kill me. One day I had enough of my fears, running out of the house thinking I was escaping all my problems, but I was wrong, I ran deep into the sewers finding comfort in them for days, but at that time they weren't cleared out of monster by the guild, so when I rested, I was attacked. It was only then that I was saved by Raven, and learned that he truly cared for my health and safety."

Both go quiet, only to once again be broken by a traveling showman shouting into the streets of a show that would blow their minds away.

Entering the spot the man told of, they take their seats inside a giant tent in the middle of town where the giant stone and iron statues stand tall showing the heroes of the past who defeated the ruler of all that was evil and corruption, the "Demon King". An hour passes as more and more people show up sitting down with the others, as the lights illuminating the place go dim, and a glintstone shines a spotlight in the center of the performance area where a man appears.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I bid welcome to my show of spectacular magic and wonders, where today I will show you a small bit of what this show has to offer!" 

The man wearing a giant top hat, wearing a black and red with a hint of blue on the shoulders suit, his face being smooth and long with a giant mustache under his long nose.

He waves his hand as a staff appears and hands it to a man considered to be a mage due to his long hat and robe he was wearing, as he slams the bottom part down, chanting words nobody except himself could understand as little bright orbs, various of color appear circling the man, making a constant gust of wind appears under the man's feet levitating the man into the air as he circles around the crowds, still chanting words as random people start floating with the magic, including Bruise and the girl.

Scared, the girl was placed down, although not stopping the fun Bruise was clearly having with the use of magic, feeling almost as if he was at the place he needed to be at to be himself. The fun ended as everyone was sat back into their spots by the mage and the show went on, showing various of fun and dangerous acts. Hours pass and the sun begins to set, as Bruise walks the girl home. She lived in an inn that allowed continuous stay as long as they paid monthly. 

"Thank you for everything Bruise,

let's do this again someday,"

 The girl said shedding a small tear and hugging the boy, who was bright red.

After waving her off and heading towards home, he realized he didn't even know her name, continuing his way home knowing he could just ask her later.

Making it home, he saw Raven passed out on the kitchen table with the scent of alcohol reeking from his breath, Bruise placing a blanket nearby on his cold body.

"Thanks for everything... Dad."

mumbered under his breath, as he walks towards his room.

Footsteps angrily stomp in the house, followed by the front door slamming close, waking Bruise, stumbling out of his bed, looking outside at the night sky, smelling the stench of ash as a neighbor asks Bruise to send a bucket of water towards the flames to help, Bruise eagerly accepting thinking his father is over there.

Slushing sounds of water were outpowered by the shouts of people and orders to stay away as Bruise shows, handing the water to a town guard that knows his father. 

"Whose house was burning?"

"I think it was an inn nearby that caught on fire." two towns folk gossiped, as the boy dashed faster than he had ever towards the flaming inferno.

He didn't want to accept he failed again, he didn't want to accept that another person he knew would die again, yet it was true. The building in which the girl lived in was blazing, with nearby guards saying most likely there were no survivors. 

Bruise who once again felt like a helpless boy fell to his knees eyes widened in horrifying fear, as the flame discriminated against nobody.

There was nothing he could do.

Far away a small chuckle could be heard as a familiar man wearing a long trench coat shoots a flame out of his finger to light a cigarette, walking away and sliding money in his pocket.