SSS: Chapter 4

"…What is Sophia doing?"

My mind wandered across such a thought while trying to deal with the anxiety that was rising in my chest.

It had already been 30 minutes since sunset, yet there was still no sign of Sophia coming back.

The entire village was shrouded in darkness with the only sources that illuminated my field of view coming from the lights that shone in the Village Head's house and the luster from the twinkling stars that shone in the night sky.

Demons are attracted to lights. Therefore, there were no lights turned on in the village other than the Village Chief's house, where adults had gathered in order to discuss the future course of action while sticking close to each other.

Demons were attracted to lights; they were akin to massive moths that would run headlong into the fiery flames.

Thus, it was considered prudent to turn off the lights in the village to prevent prowlers from approaching in the wee hours of the night, the only lights that were kept on were in the Village Chief's house where the adults huddled close to receive some much-needed warmth even as they debated the next course of action.

"…"

There was an abnormal chill in the air.

Even my breath seemed to have turned into ice.

At that moment I stood outside in a posture that was reminiscent of an anxious person waiting for someone dear to arrive.

My eyes often wandered over to the Village Chief's house which shone like a beacon.

I had no idea what was going on in there and I couldn't stop myself from postulating what could be going on.

I asked my mother to allow me to wait for Sophia to come home and she allowed me to wait outside the house.

I'm sure that my mother, just like father, must have misunderstood my relationship with Sophia.

However, this time the misunderstanding was convenient, so I did not correct her.

"… What the hell are they talking about?"

Their loud voices could be heard even from a distance. Those voices didn't sound very friendly either.

What were they talking about?

I was distracted and thought it wouldn't be bad to take a look, therefore, I proceeded towards the Village Chief's house.

"That's what we mean! We want you to wait until tomorrow! "

Spoke a shrill voice that I had never heard before yet for some reason seemed irritating to my ears.

Then came a loud scream of desperation belonging to a man whom I knew all too well.

"My child still hasn't returned from outside the village… please… it will be too late by the morning…!"

"If you are unwilling, I am welcome to accompany you!"

"The monsters have good night vision, and during the night, they're more active! Not just ogres, even goblins turn into dangerous creatures and will attack us without fail!"

"If you were to come along with us, you would undoubtedly die. In that case what of our dignity and record would it not be besmirched by your stupidity? "

Upon hearing the response of the shrill voice an eerie silence descended upon the congregation.

"....."

The man who had been desperately conversing with the person with the shrill and intimidating voice was quite familiar to me.

Because he was the Village Head and also happened to be the father of my childhood friend Sophia, Alekis.

When I peeked through the small window from where the light was coming, I could see that there were four people I had never seen before and five people from the village, including the village chief and my father who were sitting in two groups facing each other.

By all rights, I should be nothing more than a naïve teenager who has experienced but twelve summers.

However, experiencing the life of swordsman that I saw in my dream had a strong effect on my personality.

Partly because of that, I was able to think with a calm mind.

Moreover, my understanding of the habits and means of Demons was higher than that possessed by an average person as well.

That was why. I knew instinctively that the man who was shouting was right.

That was why. I had realized that miracles do not occur conveniently.

That was why. At a glance, I knew that the strangers who were raising their voices were the so-called adventurers.

That was why I knew that help would not be forthcoming

That was why I knew that by all rights the village should follow the decision made by the adventurers.

Then why did I choose to turn my back to the village chief's house instead of going in?

"Why?"

For some reason, I seemed to be doing exactly what should not be done.

I wondered why I chose to do so even as I gazed into the inky black dome high above with a bitter smile spread across my face

A shining star was looking down at me.

Was I overconfident?

Did I perchance think that my frail figure could bring down a fearsome monster that made even the best of adults helpless in front of it?

It had been only four years after all.

Regardless of how amazing the memories of the swordsman were, time was a factor that impaired my progress.

Regardless of how diligent I was there was no way to make up for a lack of experience.

Regardless of how confident I was without experience, I would be doing nothing more than building a castle on thin air.

In other words, without a doubt any combat between me and the ogre would involve me putting my life on the line.

It would be brutal and the slightest of mistakes would end it all.

My passions.

My dreams.

My life.

Everything.

Thus logic dictated that my decision wasn't worth it at all.

The risk was too great.

I should not be doing this after all.

"Ah… why, why?"

Yet.

Even as my back faced the village chief's house, my feet were heading towards the place where I had been practicing until just a few hours ago, not my home.

What did I want to do in the first place?

I wished to "slash" a star.

Just a short while before I had been sharing my dream with Sophia.

It had no doubt astounded her that there could be such a crazy guy who was willing to stake everything for such an unrealistic hope.

To the current me, not to mention slashing a star just holding my own in a real battle would be a big achievement.

I was aware of that.

I was aware of my weakness; the fragility of my soul that was constantly conveyed to my mind by the thumping beats of my heart.

"Ba-dump. Ba-dump."

By all rights, I should be waiting at home.

Come morning, the adventurers would do their best to subdue the monster.

Meanwhile, the rest of us can enjoy a merry night's sleep.

"Ba-dump, Ba-dump"

Be optimistic.

Be hopeful.

It was likely that the worst hadn't happened yet.

We have time until morning.

Until the adventurers blaze through the forest without much effort.

"Ba-dump. Ba-dump."

Yet.

My legs refused to obey my orders.

They kept moving forward.

Inexorably.

It was as if my head and feet belonged to different beings.

"Anxious, was I anxious?"

So I wondered.

"Ba-dump, Ba-dump"

"Am I afraid?"

"Do I care for her after all?"

"No, that's not it."

Her safety could be considered a lost cause as far as the adventurers were concerned.

Perhaps that's why I was afraid.

I immediately cut off such a ridiculous thought.

I knew better than anyone that I was not an emotional person.

Ideals of justice and compassion were too far to me who dwelled in the real world, a much darker place.

Then why?

Why am I trying to choose an option that has a high probability of encountering an opponent with whom a confrontation can very well be fatal?

At this point, the reason ceased to matter.

Whatever my motives were, the decision I made was pretty clear.

"I don't want to lose her, I don't…"

I concluded.

That day four years ago.

The life of the swordsman had been engraved in my mind vividly.

After that, I who had been living the humble life of a villager had wished to spend my days as that swordsman had done with his.

"You used to have the demeanor of a dead fish, but now you resemble a human!"

For some strange reason, I could visualize the scene of Sophia watching over me as I swung my stick.

Sophia and I were childhood friends.

We have been close since the time I was born.

Such was the nature of our relationship.

She took much more interest in my affairs since my decision to embark on the path to "Slash the Stars" although she had been close to me before as well.

That was why.

Perhaps she had been watching me for a long time or maybe because she had said those words.

She had recognized the fact that I had acquired a "life" of my own.

"Ba-dump"

"Maybe that's all there is to it. I just don't want her to die."

An acquaintance.

I didn't want to lose an acquaintance who I remembered vividly.

That was why my emotions were so erratic.

A dream may not make sense to others even so that should not stop the relentless march onward.

Still.

Somewhere deep down I desired to be recognized and to the only person who had recognized me so far.

I didn't want to lose her like this.

Even if I had the memories of the dignified and emotionless swordsman who had marched ahead casting off everything behind him.

I could not be the same as him.

We might share the same dream.

But in essence, we were different people after all.

I was still a 12-year-old boy.

More emotional.

More foolish.

More impulsive.

More naïve.

I smirked at my naivety.

"Besides…"

Wasn't this a good opportunity.

A wide smile spread across my face.

I had a premonition that this day would have come sooner or later.

The day that I push myself across the "barrier" that blocks further advancement and succeed or fail and watch my dream disappear in front of my eyes.

Such a moment comes for everyone at some point or the other.

A moment of reckoning.

Where you get to decide who you are going to be.

I couldn't help but feel that it was too early for me.

I had hardly finished my training yet.

Even so, there was no escape from this reckoning.

Even the swordsman had failed to slash the stars at the end.

Time had failed to stop for him.

It would not stop for me as well.

Perhaps it was still too early for me but if I missed the bus this time it was going to be too late for sure.

"What use is a dream of slashing the stars when a humble ogre can stop you in your tracks! "

It is easy to be timid.

It is easy to look at the other side.

Day after day.

Runaway from danger.

Continue raising your stick again and again.

Will the end result be a mighty move that would cleave the stars in two?

Could such a person ever reach the impossible heights that even the Sword Demon who kept swinging his sword out of madness till an entire world came to fear him, was unable to?

The answer is an unequivocal no.

"I have decided what to do."

I muttered softly under my breath.

I have the memory of that swordsman.

It is the best guide possible.

To that swordsman dealing with an ogre would be but child's play.

I was sure.

After all, I had seen his life in its entirety.

That fierce technique was imprinted in my mind.

All that I had to do was to jog my memory.

There was no way that I would lose if I used my memories properly.

"Ba-dump"

My heart pounded once more.

I had more confidence than before.

Ability, experience, skill.

Regardless of how much one had, they would never be enough.

Thus, all I had to do was make the best with what I had.

There are too many things that I didn't have then, a significant lack of ability and experience was something I felt distinctly.

Which was why.

I had to throw away the extraneous thoughts that cluttered my head.

Banish worry to the deepest recess of the being.

Let your mind resemble the surface of a clear lake without a single ripple.

Take a moment and exhale.

Let's decide once and for all.

Suppose that Sophia was to die tonight, in that case without a doubt I would be scarred for life.

I wished with my entire being to "Slash the Stars" someday.

Such an ambition was impossible to fulfill when one was burdened with regret. Moreover, the sweetness of success could be never enjoyed in full with the bitterness of regret sapping away at my soul.

Thus for the sake of my ambition, Sophia had to be alive at all costs.

With that, I had a concrete reason and now all I had to do was to reach in time.

My feet sped onward with greater conviction than before.

"Oi!"

As I raced along the path that ran along the banks of the river next to the village, a voice hailed me.

This voice had the characteristic high pitch of a woman.

The speaker's clothing is similar to the men who had been conversing with the Village Head and my father.

She was certainly an adventurer, I deduced.

"Hey, you. Where are you going?"

"Oh, I'm going home!"

"My house is over there." I pointed vaguely in a direction.

In fact, the house in question did exist.

It was the lone house that was located next to the banks of the river.

"Is that so? Well then, take care and make sure not to go out of the village. It's quite dangerous right now."

"Sure, I will keep that in mind."

I smiled at her and then sped forward.

There was just one flaw in my statement that would have been spotted by any of the villagers even if they had no idea where I lived.

The house in question had in fact been abandoned long ago.

A foreign woman would never have been able to recognize that.

Neither would she have been able to recognize the determination that sped me along faster and faster as the eaves of the forest closed in on me.