Chapter 1: Ephemeral Dream

It was late in the morning. The sky was clear as a summer day. The chirping of crickets from the trees were calming albeit almost deafening. The scorching heat of the sun appeared to burn anything on the field. Occasionally, clouds would cover the sun for a short moment casting splotches of shadows on the front yard. Near the tree, a vague silhouette of what one would perceive as a woman appeared. The figure seemed to be saying something, as if calling for someone. However, as the clouds passed, so did the silhouette as it vanished into thin air.

"It appeared again today, huh?"

The silhouette had been appearing to him every year. Despite being spooked about it at first, the teenage boy eventually shrugged it off as a shadow cast by the clouds. Realizing how much time he had wasted looking at the front yard, he picked up a wooden imitation of a sword which was leaning on the wall just below the windowpane. He changed into his training attire, an off-white undershirt paired with brown khaki pants, and finger combed his ashen-gray hair.

"Today, I'll do 100 swings. I'll have it done before Master returns."

He left the bungalow and walked across the front yard under the scorching heat towards the shade cast upon by the towering tree in the middle. He began doing his routine diligently.

"101…" he paused abruptly to catch his breath, "I think I can do more today."

He raised his wooden sword overhead and swung in front of him. He repeated doing so until he collapsed on the ground from intense fatigue.

"105 swings. I did five more swings," he stopped for a moment and took a deep sigh, "pathetic, aren't I?" He closed his eyes and placed his right elbow over. It was not soon enough that he fell asleep.

~~~

The marketplace in the small port town of Eden was filled with patrons haggling with the market vendors. It was busier than usual as it was Marasha, the last day of the week. The townsfolk were stocking up on their groceries for the following week. Among the stands that sell meat, a woman in her mid-twenties wearing an off-white kimono could be distinguished from the huge crowd as she carried a pale white complexion accompanied by free-flowing strands of hair, white as snow and eyes as blue as the sky. Truly, her dignified appearance would catch the attention of the people around her, however, the locals would converse with her in a familiar tone.

"O'? Out for shoppin' ag'in t'day?" a vegetable vendor called out to her in a southern dialect.

She smiled in response, "Yes, thanks for your hard work always."

"No, th'nk ya, miss priestess. If not fo' ya, I wou'dn't have such b'untiful harvest this y'ar," the vendor crouched down and picked up a huge basket filled with potatoes and cassavas. "Here take this. It's on me."

"Are you sure? This is a lot…"

"Don't sweat it. These're the excess from my harvest. I wanted to return the gratitude."

The priestess replied, "Well then… Thank you. I'll be taking them. I could make mashed potatoes tonight for dinner." She smiled and bobbed her head as a gesture of thanks. She then went around the market to buy other necessities. This should be enough, she thought. She hummed to herself as she hopped away from the marketplace towards the shrine situated at the outskirts of the town, near the mountain range which served as the border of the port town. It was late in the afternoon when she had arrived at the shrine steps.

~~~

A strong breeze blew on the boy dozing off under the shade of the tree, interrupting his nap. He fluttered his eyes open and saw a beautiful maiden beaming a sadistic smile over him. She stepped on the boy's stomach.

"You sure have the guts to slack off, huh, Shin?"

"Ah, Sylvia you're─"

Sylvia grunted and threw a stern gaze at him. She disliked her apprentice's tendency to be familiar with her. Annoyed, she applied even more pressure on her heel.

"Don't address me casually, idiot."

Shin writhed in pain as he bobbed his head twice.

"Welcome back, master."

Sylvia sighed and took her foot off. She offered Shin a hand which the latter grabbed a hold on to stand up. She tightened her clutch on his hands.

"If you think that I'm letting you off the hook, I'm not. One hundred push ups. You're not eating dinner if you stop halfway."

Shin tried to protest. He was fatigued and worn out from his morning routine. But he had it coming because of his actions.

"Mr. Kon gave me a lot of potatoes as thanks for helping him with his crops a few months back. You better hurry, dusk is fast approaching."

Sylvia didn't need to speak another word. Shin quickly dropped on fours and began doing push ups which took him until dusk to accomplish. For him, who had been training his body since childhood, this was a rather simple and tedious task compared to what he had been through in the past sixteen years.

"Go take a shower. I'll prepare dinner. We'll have your favorite tonight."

Shin's red eyes glistened like a rose basking in the radiance of the sunlight in his anticipation and excitement. Despite his fatigue from his rigorous routine and his punishment, it did not seem to hinder him from galloping back to the small bungalow situated behind the main shrine. Sylvia shortly followed afterward, deep in thought. She had been looking after this boy since he was an infant. At that time, he was orphaned due to his mother, Amelia, dying from an accident. She adopted him to fulfill her promise to his mother. To Sylvia, it only felt like yesterday, Shin was an infant. She couldn't help but reminisce about his days as an infant. How Shin would pee on the futon every night. How she carried Shin on her back during her duties. How Shin would attempt to walk on his two feet, only to fall over and cry right after. And a lot more memories. She stopped on her tracks as she arrived at the doorstep.

"Time sure passes quickly," she murmured.

~~~

Sylvia opened a large cooking pot and steam gushed out from the lid. The aroma of mashed potatoes wafted through the air as she scooped up two portions in a wooden bowl. She placed both bowls onto a tray along with another two bowls of meat stew. She walked into the dining room and settled the tray atop their small dining table.

"Here, dinner is served."

"Thank you, Master," Shin muffled as he stuffed mashed potatoes in his mouth.

The two feasted on the humble meal. Shin enthusiastically asked for seconds and stuffed down serving after serving as if he had not been eating a single thing in the past few days. Sylvia sighed as she continued to serve portions for him. He was a growing lad after all. He needed all the nutrients he could get.

"Happy sixteenth birthday, Shin," said Sylvia as she served the last portion to him. She produced a pendant from her pocket and gave it to him. Shin reached to his nape to clasp the hook of the pendant. He smiled ear to ear which Sylvia was glad to see that he liked her gift.

"Thank you, Master. I'm surprised you remembered," Shin grinned.

"What an idiotic apprentice you are, just what do you take me for, huh?"

Sylvia flicked her fingers on Shin's forehead. The two laughed in unison. She hoped that these blissful days would last forever. But she knew it was impossible. She only had two more years left. At that moment, she thought that if only everything were a dream, she wished that she'd never wake up.

~~~

Two years had swiftly passed since then. It was dawn at Asha, first week of the Descending Tide, year 2130 of the Kween's Calendar. Shin woke up from his deep slumber and opened the windows of his room. A gentle breeze brushed past him. Not soon enough, he heard a rooster crow from a distance, signaling the sunrise. He noticed his master, Sylvia, stepping out of the house.

"Ah Master, are you heading out?"

"Yeah, I'll be back before dark. Don't wait up, and don't slack off," Sylvia gave Shin a mean stare and a stern point of a finger.

"Yes, I'll do my hardest. See you later, Master," Shin replied, forcing a smile.