SFW 36 "We're running low on supplies." "And whose fault is that!? We're supposed to have a month's worth of supply for 10 people, there are only 7 of us!" "It should be fine, the door is opening a few hours from now. Hoho." "Stop talking like an owl, you big useless, hair lump of muscle! We don't even know what's on the other side or if the skinny small stranger really read it right!" "Oi, the guy has a name." "I don't fucking care. As long as he wears that silly eye mask, he remains nameless to me." A few days in the empty, bleak, and cold, darkness of the dungeon; the seven remaining Explorer candidates were still alive and well—perhaps too alive. Don Grecko and Mavey's voices echoed through the corners of the dungeon where their light could no longer reach. The two have been bickering and arguing non-stop for an entire day, making Vayne and the rest of the candidates treat them like white noise already. Vayne and the others were just looking at the colossal door in front o
"People told me that no matter what I do, I could never run. But now whenever they open their mouths, I am the one that has to look behind," — Vayne Valentine, The Crippled Prince. It happened one fine morning. When the birds were singing their songs and the sun gave them the light they wished. Right when the dew disperses all the evil that might have plagued the night before— but alas, it would seem that not every evil was left behind… "No…" …As a mother mourns and grieves for her son. She gently touched his face, not yet even larger than her palm. She caressed his soft cheeks… and a smile shaped on the baby's lips. The babe was not dead, no. But the baby was pale; his arms felt like they would break with just a single soft wind. And his legs, they already were— not even capable of a kick. The babe was not dead, no. But even still, the mother mourned for her son as her soft palms slowly crawled toward his teeny, tiny nose, covering it and his smile completely. "I… I am so sorry
"Absolutely not!""But mother–""How many times have I told you that you are not to talk to your brother!? Again and again, every day I tell you……these people are different from us. We don't belong here.""..."For the first time in 16 years, Vayne's dim and desolate room was filled with more than just the mountain of books that filled it with color.But to think it would be his mother's screams that would fill the void, Vayne could really only sigh at the thought.Charlotte's auburn hair almost bounced as she waved her hands repeatedly, telling Vayne that going with Vale was a bad idea.As for Vayne, he just hid in the shadows of his books, letting his mother calm her breaths, before he once again permeated himself to speak,"This might be the chance you have always wanted, mother," Vayne said; his voice, clear and tranquil, "You have always told me how good it would be if I was able to prove myself. How our lives would be better.""Do… not put words in my mouth, child," Charlotte's
"Kh!""...""...""...You okay? Should we ask them to slow down?""It's… it's fine. I just haven't experienced this kind of quaver cradling my feeble body before.""...Quaver?""Shaking.""Oh… You really do read a lot of books.""Well, it's the only thing I could do."Vayne tried his best to smile; his furrowed eyebrows, however, failed to hide the pain that was crawling through his bones.They have been travelling in a carriage for a few days now. And throughout this linear journey, he and his brother have gotten to know each other.And although he was not able to relate to him, it was good directly hearing stories from others other than his mother."Don't worry, brother. We'll be reaching the border to the Dark Continent soon. After that, we will be……walking." As for Vale, his words could not help but become weak as his eyes slowly landed on Vayne's leg.And as soon as Vayne saw this, he let out a quiet chuckle and patted his twisted leg, "Welcome to my life, Vale. Damned either wa
"...Vale?""What the fuck!?"Shock. It wasn't only Vayne that was stupefied with what just happened. The two Explorers could also not believe what they'd just seen.Their feet, slightly stepping back on their own as they didn't know what to do.Just moments ago, they were watching a touching moment between two brothers. But all of a sudden… Vale raised his spear and stabbed Vayne straight through the chest; without even as much as a falter."...Fuck," one of the Explorers could not help but whisper as he looked at his companion, almost as if they were asking themselves what they should do now.Should… they kill Vale?Before the two of them could even make a solid conclusion, however, Vale opened his mouth."The two of you should leave us for now," Val said as he wiped the tears trailing on his face, "Return… in an hour.""What—""You will be handsomely rewarded— enough riches that would serve you a lifetime…" Val did not let the two speak, "...That, or you face the wrath of my father.
Death.That was perhaps the only thing in the world that remains and will remain completely unexplainable.After all, there was nothing after it, only a void.How would one explain what it feels? How would one tell anyone?A survivor might have words for it, but that is not death, only 'dying'.Was it cold? Extremely so.Was it hot? Extremely so.Exhausting, energizing— all the feelings, everything, at once. But at the same time, there was nothing.No matter how many books one reads, no matter how many words one knows,The feeling of death will forever remain without description.Death, however, did have a sound.A wail— almost an incessant whisper that traveled through the air like a turbulent whistle."...""..."No. Perhaps that sound was not one of death, but resurrection.A sound that was followed by silence as the eyes of one that was once dead opened. Eyes that see nothing but a blur; almost as if smoke was blanketing everything within its view.Silhouettes, recognizable, but b
Fergo Village.One of the many walled villages in the Dark Continent.According to the history books that Vayne have read, they were settlements built by Explorers thousands of years ago.They initially served as outposts for them to rest temporarily without fear of the beasts that prowl outside.But then, more and more of them started to gather— some explorers injured and unable to progress any further.But instead of going home on a carriage, they chose to stay. And eventually, families started to sprout.The farthest settlement should be near a large body of water called… an ocean. Something that Vayne truly wanted to see— and beyond the ocean, it is said that more creatures and lands await.Only High-Ranking Explorers with enough Fame were allowed to venture out of the ocean. His father, Valerion Valentine, was one of the many.The world is a very large place— they were all just specks of dust compared to it.Fergo is one of the nearest villages from the Safe Lands. But still, a v
"Mom, look… that man is walking without shoes on!""Shh, it's rude to point. We don't know what he's going through, sweetie."In the somewhat small and busy streets of Fergo, Vayne had been walking around for a couple of hours, 3 hours to be exact.And he did nothing but just that. Limping, as he was still not used to walking normally. And as expected, he had been garnering the stares of all the people there.Some of them, even closing down their stalls as Vayne was obviously a crazy person.Fergo was a very small town— everyone knew each other and if there was a person they didn't, then it could only mean one of two things.The stranger was an Explorer from the outside, or someone being escorted by an Explorer.And seeing how young and thin the boy looked, he was surely the latter. And they would usually welcome them with open arms, as new visitors mean new money.But with the way Vayne looked, well— he looked bad for business.Vayne, however, didn't mind the stares. He didn't even n