I was truly reminded that day how dangerous and how much I don't know about the pillars...

~

“We’ll be back as soon as possible Ty,” my mother told me with a smile while putting her sword back in the sheath.

“I want to join the Brigade too when I grow up!” I exclaimed to my parents.

“No Ty, it’s too dangerous,” my father told me as strictly as ever.

“Why are you guys doing it then?” I asked with a bit of a whine to my voice.

“Shouldn’t we tell him already?” my father whispered to my mother.

“What did you say?” I asked. I couldn’t hear what he said.

“Oh nothing, just that we have to be in the brigade for the betterment of Aspen,” my mother said hastily. 

“Okay,” I said

“Alright honey. A government officer is going to check up on you every week while we’re gone,” my mom said.

“Bye!” I shouted to them as they went to the front door.

With that they stepped outside the door into the driveway. The weather was perfect, almost like an omen that they would be safe. I went up to my room looked through the window to see them as they joined the other members of the Pillar Brigade

I heard the gates opening signaling their departure of the country. I watched them as they walked towards that monstrous pillar, fighting the Pillae at wake on their long journey.

I wonder what’s in the pillars.

I waited for their arrival. A day went by. A week went by. A month went by. As I grew anxious that they wouldn’t return, I heard the gates opening once again, the same way the sound echoed in the East District of Aspen when they left a month ago.

“They’re back!” I shouted to no one in particular while jumping out of bed. I sprinted out to the street the gates were at to see my parents.

I wonder what it was like up there! There must’ve been something really cool up there! I thought with excitement as I turned the corner to the street.

“Mom! Da- “

“Oh, my this must be more than last time,” a woman said with her hand over her mouth.

“They never learn. This is the 44^th expedition and they still fail to get to the top,” a man said shaking his head.

I was in pure shock.

“Is this the first time you’ve seen the Brigade come back?” an old man asked me.

“Y-yeah it is,” I stammered.

“It’s always like this. Every time there are more casualties. I hope no one you know was in this expedition,” the man said.

What I saw was blood everywhere. The ones still alive were carrying the dead bodies.  

Where are they? I don’t see them! I thought nervously.

As I grew more and more worried, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I ran onto the streets to look for my parents.

“Mom! Dad! Where are you?!” I shouted to the line of the soldiers in the Pillar Brigade as I looked around for them. The man at the front halted the line from moving anymore and came up to me.

“What’s your name?” he asked me.

“Ty, Ty Dusk.”

“It’s the Dusks’ kid,” he quietly told himself as a look of worry went on his face, “kid, I’m Commander Lucifer of the Pillar Brigade. We couldn’t find your parents while we were retreating from the pillars, I’m sorry.”

At those words, I lost all of my senses. My whole body felt numb as I collapsed to the ground. My vision started to pulse from normal to blurry.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I’m supposed to be going home with my parents right now as they tell me their adventures in the pillar. I thought. My mind was racing with denial.

“Sir, you’re joking right?” I said with my eyes wide open.

That’s right, maybe he’s a prankster! I thought wearily.

He gave no response, just a look of remorse.

“W-what?” I asked.

“I’m sorry! It is all because of my ignorance that they aren’t here right now! Its my fault!” he shouted as he put his head to the ground in a bow. At that point I lost all feeling. I turned around slowly from the commander. I walked home, with a feeling of emptiness.

Why did this happen? They are supposed to be here right now. I thought heavily to myself. While lost in those thoughts, the commander signaled for one of the officers to come.

“I’m sorry kid, but you are going to need to come with me,” said a voice behind me.

I didn’t really know what was going on, but one second I was on the street with the brigade, then the next, back in my house.

“One of our officers will check up on you every once in a while, but you’ll pretty much be here by yourself,” said the officer who lead me back home.

“O-okay,” I said quietly. With that he tipped his cap and walked out the door. I just went up to my room and plopped down onto my bed.

I’ll wake up from this dream tomorrow. I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

~

Two days. That is how long I let my grief take over my body. I gave it two days, then today, I got up and pushed past my grief. I started training myself because I swore I would make it up that pillar, if it was the last thing I’d do.

Next chapter: Eight Years Ago