Fall

Nothingness. That was the daily life of Kyran Lach, also known as Ky by his close family. Unfortunately, there were only two people that affectionately calls Kyran by Ky, and that was by his grandparents.

Kyran was born blind. Stories were told that the pregnancy of Kyran's mother brought about misfortune amongst the village, so he was born with despising eyes looking at him.

At ten years old, Kyran's longevity was a miracle. He had a death sentence since his birth, yet he exceeded the odds.

Even though misfortune followed his birth, Kyran Lach could be considered a handsome fellow. If not for the dirt, his disheveled hair, and his blindness, girls from the village would flock all over him.

Of course, it was also his misfortune that he was good looking. Envy was a strong emotion, and teenagers usually cannot control those emotions or even understand them.

Although blind, Kyran lived a humble life. In Gradz village, nothing much happened except, of course, when village bullies had nothing to do.

His nose perked up as the scent of a newly crushed nightflower swarmed his senses.

It was a musky 'manly man' scent, and some people—particularly Jack, loved to substitute cologne for bathing.

"Jack Gradz," Kyran said. "I could smell you from ten trees away."

Kyran smiled, spread his arms wide, and welcomed the man sauntering towards him.

"Tsk," Jack uttered. His fury for Kyran's blithe attitude made his tramp the crunchy leaves beneath his feet.

Kyran heard the smacking of Jack's katana on his yukata as his steps hurried. Two others followed behind him, each having different stinky scents.

"Stop with this act, Kyran." Jack drew his sword and pointed it at Kyran. He tightened his grip and put his left foot forward.

Kyran maintained his happy demeanor even with a dirty and oily face. He wore a tattered blue yukata with mud stains in the hems of his pants and creases all over his chest—a luxury for someone his kind.

"What? Tell me; I'm not deaf." Kyran cupped his ears and leaned them towards Jack.

The two kids behind Jack tried to rush towards Kyran, but Jack stopped them from attacking. Jack looked at Kyran and snarled.

"Guys," Kyran uttered. "Being blind is not that uncommon."

Jack and his friends turned towards Kyran and waited. Their hands gravitated towards the hilt of their katana.

"Isn't your girlfriend blind? I mean, they wouldn't have been with you otherwise," Kyran teased.

Jack's feet bolted towards Kyran and caught his neck. He lifted Kyran off the ground.

Even with his windpipe crushed, Kyran kept his smile, albeit forced. His arms struggled to pry Jack's hands away, but it was firm.

"Hehehe…a little…pissed, are we?" Kyran struggled to speak, yet his sharp tongue could not keep shut.

"Today's the day," Jack uttered with a devious smile on his face.

Kyran heard Jack's heavy footsteps as they walked away. With his legs above the ground, Jack brought him along.

As they walked, the ground changed from dried leaves to rough, coarse gravel. Kyran had never heard this sound before.

Kyran never strayed too far from the village. He only wandered through the dense trees on the outskirts of the community.

It was the dried leaves season, the only time Kyran could hear the cracking of leaves, the long quiet lull of the trees, and feel the comfortable breeze of the wind.

Kyran smiled.

Jack always harassed Kyran. Everyday, Jack dragged Kyran towards the largest Narra tree in the village, and knocked him until Kyran's face was painted with blood.

Kyran would go home with his nose broken, his shoulders slumped, and his clothes tainted with dried blood.

The only thing preventing his death was the village's laws.

No one under the age of ten can kill a person and suffer no consequences. However, if it was masqueraded as a duel, everything was legal.

Anyone aged ten and up can kill a person in a duel.

Kyran retained his casual smile as his mouth gasped for air. A single dried leaf fell on his face. He let his arm limp, let his legs stop thrashing, until his face turned violet. It was a good day to die.

Not long after, Kyran felt the breeze getting stronger. It smelled different, too; instead of the dried wood smell, it transitioned to a salty scent.

He felt the breeze against the back of his head until his hair got disheveled. On the bright side, he no longer smelled Jack's nauseating perfume.

"Is this the mythical beach I have heard stories about?" Kyran uttered.

Jack smiled. "Better."

Jack treaded through the cracked limestone of the ground. His steps were careful because one wrong move could send him to his death.

Instead of the warm and sandy beach that Kyran hoped for, Jack led him towards a cliff a mountain's height above the water.

They reached the tip of the cliff, only one step away from plunging into the rocky waters. Jack let go of Kyran's neck and let his feet touch the ground.

Kyran coughed. The uneven flooring almost sent him tumbling in the ground and falling off the cliff.

"I have waited for this moment," Jack shouted as the wind blew against him. "For so long."

"Really? You must have nothing going on your life then," Kyran remarked, holding his neck and massaging it.

"You, a blind idiot, should NEVER have been born!"

"Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of the wind."

"Will you still have that glib tongue of yours when you fall off the height of a mountain?"

"Probably," Kyran shrugged his shoulders. "Will you finally kill me after all this time?"

"Yes. It's my birthday gift," Jack laughed. His two friends patted his back and laughed with him.

"Hmm," Kyran uttered. "Since it's my last day, can I ask you a question?"

Jack laughed again. "Sure."

"Why? Why torment me all this time? I haven't done anything to you," Kyran said. His smile faded as the words left his mouth.

"Why?" Jack smirked. "It's because you're WEAK! This world doesn't need you!"

Kyran chuckled. Then, his chuckle turned into full laughter until his stomach ached. The three looked at him with furrowed brows, like he was a crazed man.

"Haa…that's funny," Kyran uttered as he wiped a tear from his closed eyes.

In the face of death, Kyran could not help but laugh. The situation was ridiculous and petty, tormenting someone for such a mundane reason.

Such was the cruelty of life. The powerful ruled, and the weak perished. It was a law of nature that only the gods could change. Yet, they remained passive.

Kyran took a big breath. He spread his arms and looked up at the skies. He let the wind pass through his body and let his feet skid against the ground.

"See you in hell, bastards!" Kyran shouted.

Jack lifted his feet, kicked Kyran's chest, and pushed him off the cliff. A large muddy footprint was left on top of Kyran's heart.

The kick made him gasp for air as the pain coincided with the anxiety-inducing heart-fall towards a plunge into the ocean slamming through the jagged boulders.

His smile returned. The wind pushed against his back, almost stripping his tattered yukata off his body, finally freeing him off the piece of cloth that Jack made fun of.

Beads of tears floated up as it filled up with emotions. Dying did not mean much to him, yet his death was not about him. Death would only give him the release he longed for.

His grandparents raised him. They nurtured him, taught him, and loved him. His death would affect them, not him. They would grieve, and he would only cease to exist.

It was for the best; he could not bear to hear them like that.

'If only I were stronger,' Kyran thought. He could have defended himself, stood up for himself.

As Kyran went through the motions and accepted his death, a rift in space appeared.

An almond-shaped void filled with darkness, lined with black electricity around the edges, swallowed Kyran whole.

The wind stopped, the oceans calmed, and Kyran stopped in place. He no longer felt anything, heard anything, nor smelled anything.

He was stuck in the void with only his mind as his companion.

"Where am I?" Kyran uttered, and it echoed through the unknown. "Is this death?"

He should have felt pain or felt nothing at all. Yet, he could move his body like he was underwater.

He waited, and nothing happened.

1…2…3…, he counted the seconds. He kept track of his time until he could no longer feel time. This was the Nonex.

The Nonex kept him captive for 10,000 years, but time stopped outside, breaking the natural laws. He stayed as a ten year old, and the world outside did not advance.