Embers

Chapter One

The day does not start well for the young fella of Haven Brass Castle, Master Franklin Juniro Sonmichos. From the stunted height of 5'1 (1.55 m), he doesn't seem to get taller like his older brothers Marcus and Freitas. All his family members were tall, unlike him, and knowing very well how self-conscious he was about his height, his family relentlessly teased him, making him feel less than he was. It would be the smallest action to give him a stir. From shoving him, resting their elbows on his head, and mocking him sometimes, too. He was too sensitive for his own good. That will need to change.

“Look, Brother. It seems Franklin has grown!” His elder brother said, nudging the other one.

“Yeah, when crows go fingers, then sure!” His brothers laughed and held their stomachs, pleased by the disdain look on Franklin’s face and their terrible idea of a joke.

Although he was hurt by their actions, he fearlessly stood up for them when they were in trouble, and so many times he got scars to drag his bloody brothers from battles they could not win. He could remember vividly it one day Freitas, his second-eldest brother, decided to trouble the temperamental local butcher, and goodness knows the butcher wanted meat. It was safe to say Franklin intervened and was gifted with the now fading scar on his back. Unfortunately, the butcher wasn’t so lucky. Harming a royal, if they are wrong or not, is a crime punishable by death, and no amount of begging could have stopped it.

It started simple with the famous taunting from Freitas and the madman with a butcher knife went on a rampage against him. 

“What is going on?” Asked Franklin as he passed by, looking at the small commotion and shouting gathered in the middle of the square. It seemed like trouble. Indeed, it was. When Franklin got through and stood at the front of the battlefield after being pushed into the open space, he saw what was happening and paled. 

“Freitas, what are you doing?” Franklin shouted to his brother, who was only a few feet away from him.

“This is a madman! He came up to me with his knife, threatening to harm me,” Freitas shouted back angrily. 

“What did you do to him? Why did he turn on you?” Franklin argued back. Franklin looked at Marcus, who chilled back in the crowd, not doing anything except looking on.

“I don't know. I was only passing by,” he said, turning away and barely allowing his words to come out. 

“You're lying, you dumb brat!” The man shouted, swinging his knife aim fully at Freitas.

“Look, sir, you are not going to be in favor. Just let this go,” Franklin said, putting his hand out to calm the angry man down. 

“Who are you?” The man shouted, clearly not listening to reason. 

“We are royals from the Palace.” Franklin said, and everyone gasped. The whole crowd had gone silent upon the confession.

“I don't believe you. You're nothing but rug rats who are a thief!” said the fat man and finally swinging close to catch an off guard, Freitas and Franklin jumped forward and took the striking blow. 

“What the hell!” Cried Freitas as he was crushed under Franklin. When he rested his hand on Franklin's hand to push him back, he felt something warm, and liquid, on his back.

Everyone shouted and gasped, and some even screamed. The butcher stood there with his knife in hand, pale as a ghost and lifeless. When the royal chariot arrived with news of their sons in trouble, Marcus made his escape and left the two behind. 

“Rise, Freitas and Franklin!” shouted the king angrily.

“Father, he's hurt.” Freitas said, scared, holding up his brother's lifeless body. 

“Take him away and let him walk by the time I reach back to the castle. Freitas, find Marcus where he's hiding and come find me after. You know how you got here.”

“Father, I am sorry. I did not mean to let Franklin…,” trailed Freitas as he closed his mouth the moment his father looked at him.

“Bring me the man who did this,” said the king in a solemn voice. 

That was it after the incident, never to speak again and always remembered as a tragedy. 

From then on, they always looked at Franklin with some sort of disdain. Even though he only tried to help, they thought he was trying to show off what he can do. Hence, the teasing and torment never stopped, always hurling words at him to break his self-esteem, or picking on him in some other way. It was a complete and utter mess. 

The young master was trying to ace the arts of competing smartly in battle and Prentice, his teacher, looked on at how bravely and calculated he took each step as they fenced, fought, and worded against one another. He was light on his feet and witty, too. There was a time Franklin wasn’t so determined and so light on his feet. He tried his best, but sometimes his insecurities gets the best of him. Prentice noticed this, and he frowned deeper as he watched on what was happening to his poor young student. 

Once, at age fourteen, Prentice saw him do something that not even he could do. Franklin sat watching a leaf. It was the only way Prentice could have left without him sneaking off to other places and getting into trouble. When Prentice came back, he saw something peculiar. Franklin was talking to the leaf, and what blew the mind of the teacher, the leaf spoke back. Wide-eyed and scared in half his mind, Prentice did the only thing he thought was right. He tried to tell Franklin in a way not to deter him that some things are just beyond other's capabilities and that he should try to perfect his, but he never once mentioned the leaf and tried not to as much as he could. 

He knew if Franklin's parents found out about his gift, they would have their envy tear him to pieces. He hasn't neglected him since birth, knowing how special he will be, yet not entirely knowing how. Not only that, but he also wasn't blind to how neglectful his family was to him, either. Franklin had asked him why does he spend so much time with him instead of his family. With a heavy heart, Prentice opened a story that he swore his heart had sealed away. He had tragically lost his family years ago and found a liking for the little one he would protect with his life. Prentice shook his head when the little boy shrugged and sighed, looking at his brothers from afar as they worked in fighting stances with their personal teachers. He asked politely to continue and stood in position.

“Franklin,” Prentice said softly, “One day you will see how special you are. Skills take time, it takes patience, and it takes a lot of hard work. Would you like to begin formally for today?”

"Yes sir," he said eagerly. He never backed down and when he lost his spirit, he fought harder to get it back. It was a circle of Franklin in his own little mind.

While the royals has only tasked the teacher with educating Franklin with fighting skills, like his brothers, he took it a step further. As gifted as the teacher sought Franklin to be, he harnessed his skills to make him strong, to protect himself. He taught him to read, to know skillful ways to take down an opponent without touching him, and when that lesson ended, Prentice would have to send him off on his journey. He had been painfully dreading the day will come all too soon.

While training has been going on and much studying and progress did for Franklin, his journey's length stretched further every day as the walls cracked from underneath. The darkness crept up the walls, admiring what they could have from afar. They have been hissing to one another sickly sinister, in only a matter of time. 

Waking up in a cold sweat, they spooked Prentice awake, and the darkness retreated peacefully from the enclosure of his bedroom. They did not give off the aura of evil spirits instead; they brought back the glow of the fire their taint has brought when they came in. His messengers have been working in the dark, feeding him information about what is happening behind the walls. Feeble and unable to fight as their light diminishes, they hold their wits and do their jobs without arguments.

The walls are cracking, and the fiends are getting more anxious about their awaited treasure. Their message had related in dream form. The pixie-like creatures invaded his dreams frantically, pleading for him to send help. They looked pale and blotches of black scarred their bodies, growing continuously and painfully enveloping them. He feels this is the time he lets Franklin go, and seeks the fortune of his life. He swallowed the lump in his throat and laced his boots. This must be done, he chimed to himself, trying to convince his voice to not break but sound sharp.

Deep into the forest laid a wall, to the naked eye. It was a wall, casting away the dangers of the forest from walking on the royal lands and possibly causing harm to its people and wanderers who came close to venturing from where they shouldn't. Prentice knew its real reason for being there and what lies in the gloomy forest. Disguised as a male human for so long, Prentice often visits the forest and his sister, who resides there, to shed his human skin and feel what he is supposed to on his own. He seldom does so the moment he noticed Franklin talking to a leaf. Prentice never wanted to leave him alone for too long after that.

The reason he didn't want to come was the day he found out about what Franklin can do. Prentice asked him why did he touch the leaf, in which he replied tersely.

“The leaf looked dry. It was becoming withered suddenly and when I touched it, it turned green again, but eventually, it turned into the leaf fairy. Did you know those exist?”

Prentice, with his hand folded at his back, and standing tall way above Frank, nodded and hummed. Suddenly, the little boy saw his teacher whisper and blew the leaf away. A non-existent wind came and swept the leaf, and it sails peacefully away. Franklin never fought to have a conversation about it, and Prentice knew better than to confront him about what happened that day, and they just let bygones be bygones.

Knocking four times continuously on the door, promptly opening to find the now sixteen years old Franklin rubbing his eyes, and a book nestled in his hand. The old teacher crouched down and looked at the boy. They shared a stare and his lips trembled to know what time it was. Franklin walked away from the door, eyebrows crinkled, mentally preparing himself for what was to come, and wondering how lightly he should pack. How will he survive this?