Lives You Choose to Protect

As the night descended upon Artimia, so did a blanket of quiet sorrow that enveloped the town. The remnants of the earlier assault had finally died down, leaving behind a trail of destruction and bloodshed. The absence of artificial light had given way to a night sky filled with glittering stars, as far as the eye could see, resembling a sea of diamonds. 

The only light source in the town was an enormous flame the size of a small home. Theo, David, and Dawn were among the townspeople, young and old, huddled together around the fire. Theo could hear their cries and watched the tears flowing like a river around him. The air was thick with despair, and a closer look revealed that inside the fire were the bodies of the deceased.

As Theo stood watching the bodies burn, memories of his parents flooded his mind, followed by images of their deaths. He turned to face Dawn, who stood beside him, holding her hand in frustration. Dawn was a mess, and she couldn't stop the tears from falling, no matter how hard she tried.

"Mama... Papa, why did this have to happen?"

Dawn's voice was filled with anguish as Theo held her hand, trying to console her. Theo held Dawn in his arms for the first time, but he knew something was wrong as she sobbed, hiding her face in his chest.

The events that had led up to this moment had left a bitter taste in Theo's mouth. 

"Gramps... You were all I had left. What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

David tried to hold back his tears as he gazed at the star-studded sky. Theo placed his hand on David's shoulder, trying to comfort him. David's face was troubled. It took all his strength to keep his composure as he removed his glasses to wipe away the tears. Theo watched in silence. He had no tears left after his earlier ordeal with his parents.

"They took everything from us, Theo..." David said, but Theo was still at a loss for words.

Nozomu couldn't help but notice the condition of the crowd. He rose from his seat and made his way over to the townspeople. Nozomu stood before the blazing fire, clearing his throat and immediately commanding attention from the crowd.

"Allow me to introduce myself to you all. My name is Nozomu, and I am the Commander of this group here." 

Nozomu motioned to Isabella, Evaughn, Tana, and Pop, seated together on a pile of debris.

"Today, you have all witnessed a hell unlike any other. Trust me when I say that I truly understand. So, to put this bluntly, tonight, I stand in front of you all as an invitation to join us in our cause."

Isabella's eyes widened in horror as Nozomu continued his speech. "What is he doing!?" she muttered, standing up to prevent him from delivering the rest of his words. But Evaughn, who felt differently, quickly utilized his size advantage over her as he blocked the way. 

Isabella was considerably shorter than Evaughn, so it was child's play for him to keep her contained, thwarting all her attempts to sneak by him. 

"Hold on for a second, Bella. Let's see what happens, shall we?" Evaughn bargained with Isabella, who had given up, knowing there was no way she would get around him.

"You now know single-handedly how terrifying the power of the Mad King can be and just how powerless you are against him. However, as you all witnessed today, my comrades and I have the means to fight back," Nozomu told the weary crowd, which sparked chatter amongst the townsfolk, but the people's reactions were not what Nozomu had hoped for.

"Don't make me laugh! Fight back!? That's ridiculous!" someone shouted.

"He's right! It's the God-King we're talking about, after all," another added. 

"Hey, everyone! Don't listen to this guy! He doesn't know what he's talking about!" a third chimed in. 

"He's trying to get us all killed! That's what he's trying to do!" a fourth person yelled. 

"Yeah! That's crazy talk!" another interjected. "We don't stand a chance against the God-King and his soldiers."

Nozomu disregarded the townfolks' chatter as if they had never opened their mouths to voice their opinions before moving on with his speech. 

"At sunrise, two carriages will be waiting at the town's entrance." 

The crowd's banter faded away as everyone refocused on Nozomu's voice.

"One will take you to a nearby town where you can restart your lives. The other will embark en route with us on our journey." 

Nozomu seemed to be speaking directly to Theo.

"So, as you watch your loved ones burn, ask yourself this. If allowed the opportunity to change this cruel world, would you? If not for yourself, for the ones you've lost today."

Theo's eyes lit up, whether, from the glare of the flames or Nozomu's words, it was difficult to tell.

"But, more importantly... For the lives you choose to protect moving forward," Nozomu concluded his speech before he walked off, leaving the townspeople to converse amongst themselves. Isabella ran towards Nozomu, contorted with anger. She couldn't hold back her fury any longer.

"Nozomu! Why couldn't you wait until morning!? Don't you understand that they're still grieving!? So many of them lost loved ones today! You should have been more considerate of their feelings!" 

Isabella scolded him, but Nozomu merely moved her aside, his gentle touch belying the gravity of the situation. "I was being considerate," he replied as he sat back down.

Meanwhile, Theo, Dawn, and David stood among the crowd, their eyes fixed on the raging fire. It burned fiercely, consuming the heap of bodies. Theo searched for his parents, lost in a sea of bodies. He felt numb and disoriented, his mind struggling to process the enormity of the tragedy.

The night passed slowly, and the sun rose over the smoldering ruins of Artimia. Theo wandered through the wreckage of his home, his heart heavy with grief. The memories of his parents and their peaceful life before the attack flooded his mind.

As Theo walked through his home, everything inside was scattered. He could no longer smell the familiar scent of breakfast due to the acrid smell of ashes and fear. Theo began to pack a bag with essential items, leaving behind his mementos and treasures collected over the years. Theo walked toward the staircase, and a black figure dashed into his arms.

"Mimi!" Theo cried in relief, catching the cat in his arms. She licked his face excitedly as he hugged her tightly, feeling a sense of comfort. Relief washed over Theo. "Thank goodness you're safe," he whispered, rubbing her head. 

Theo continued down the stairs, taking one final look at the home that had been his sanctuary for all these years. "I'm going away for a while, Mimi. I don't know how long it'll be, and Mom and Dad..." his voice trailed off as he fought back tears. 

"Mimi, don't worry. I'll find you a good home. Mom, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you. I know I'm weak, but I promise to get stronger. Strong enough to change this world," Theo declared, his voice shaking with emotion.

With one last look at his family home, Theo set out on his journey, his faithful companion Mimi by his side. Theo was awash with a comforting warmth that stirred memories of his parents. He couldn't help but sense their presence, as though they were still seeing him off from the house as they used to every morning. 

A smile tugged at the corners of Theo's lips as he realized his parents would always remain with him, deep in his heart. As he stepped outside, Theo was surprised to see Dawn and David waiting for him with their bags. Theo knew they would try to dissuade him from joining Nozomu.

"Guys... I'm going to join Nozomu and the others. I know you're going to try and stop me. Don't waste your time. I've already made up my mind," Theo informed his friends, his gaze flitting between them uneasily.

"What makes you think we were going to stop you?" Dawn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Did you honestly think we would let you run off and play hero by yourself?" David chimed with a playful glint in his eyes.

"We understand how you're feeling, Theo. We lost something important to us yesterday, but we still have each other. We're in this together, right?" Dawn said, her voice gentle and reassuring.

Theo couldn't help but smile at her words. Dawn always knew how to soothe his anxious mind, "Right..." he replied before suddenly, Mimi fidgetted in Theo's embrace and poked her head out. She leaped from his arms into Dawn's, snuggling up against her.

"Hello there, little lady. How are you?" Dawn asked, her eyes twinkling as she hugged Mimi close.

"Thanks, guys," Theo said, and David ushered them all in for a warm, heartfelt group hug.

"We should get going. It's almost time to leave," David reminded them, and they set off toward the town's entrance, a united front against the unknown challenges ahead.