*Crackle* *Crackle*

 

The world around was set ablaze. Aiden Dwain walked amongst such a fiery world. In the body of a young boy, he flinched and squeaked with every crackle of the fire around him threatening to engulf him.

 

"Mother, save me..." a single whisper came out of his mouth.

 

He couldn't even voice it out with confidence as he knew that his pleas would not be heard.

 

His skin was melting away... his feet were scorched. The flames were engulfing him from all around. He wanted someone to rescue him. The pangs in his stomach were to unbearable as fear was gradually creeping towards his heart.

 

 

Aiden took a step back knowing he can't get caught up in the approaching flames.

 

"Scary... scary."

 

But more than the fear of getting scorched there was also something else that was keeping him vigilant around the flames.

 

"Please let me out of here," Aiden cried.

 

But then surprisingly his pleas were heard?

 

A chilly and swift wind blew past him as they swept the flames away. The skin that was melting a moment ago now shivered under the cold air. Aiden could swear that the mere chilliness of the winds to THAT day. Was it a coincidence?

 

But before Bane could collect his thoughts, the world around him changed. From a burning world, he was driven back to some unknown street.

 

But he himself hadn't noticed such a change, for his eyes were fixed on the car that was lit ablaze and also his heavy back that was now carrying his unconscious sister.

 

"Mother?"

 

Aiden put down his sister at a safe spot and then rushed towards the vehicle. He walked over the flames but his already charred skin could feel no pain. As he took a peek at the front seat what greeted him was the last visage of his mother.

 

Her head was bleeding... it had dyed the entirety of her favorite dress all red. Her legs were crushed under demolished car. It scared Aiden... it plagued him to see his mother in such a state.

 

But even if she was injured to this degree, there could be a chance that she was breathing, couldn't it?

 

Aiden reached out his hand to check but...

 

*Cough* *Cough*

 

The sound of coughing resounded in his ears making him stop. Rather it was more so of someone having trouble to breathe in the oxygen deprived air, instead of mere coughing in cold.

 

"Ai--den?"

 

It was his father, sitting on the driver's seat. It seemed that he was still somewhat conscious.

 

"Father! Please help me take mother out of here."

 

*Cough* *Cough*

 

Aiden's father glanced towards his wife with a look of melancholy. For he already knew she had stopped breathing. But he believed that there was no need for Aiden to know this.

 

And he himself wasn't in any better state either. He could already see the reaper coming to take his life.

 

"Ai..den, you go and stand beside your sister... T-ake care of her, okay? Cough Cough, I will take mother out of here and reach out to you."

 

"I want to help, father!"

 

"Cough, No!~ It's dangerous here, stand back.. Let the adults do what they can."

 

"But--"

 

"No buts"

 

Saying so Aiden's father pushed Aiden away. With his light body Aiden flew a few meters away and crashed on his back.

 

Aiden tried to get up, but before he could...

 

BAM

 

CRACKLE

 

The car burst forth engulfing whatever was inside in flames.

 

Aiden's pupils glowed in a similar glow as it reflected the same in the dark and musky night.

 

"Wait, No"

 

Aiden reached out his hands only to get burned.

 

***

 

"ARGH," Aiden woke up reaching his hands in the air and screaming out in pain.

 

But surprisingly the pain he was feeling was imaginary, which he soon realized as he checked out on the surroundings. The hand that he reached out with sure had burn marks but they were old and had healed. Not to mention that he had just woke up from his bed at his flat.

 

Aiden held onto his head as it felt too dizzy for him to move.

 

"That nightmare again..."

 

His whole body was sweaty and his bed was all in a mess. It was evident that those old memories still gave him the chills.

 

He would be having these nightmares from time to time as it plagued his everyday life. And whenever it happens, he had to give some time to himself to remind him that it was all in the past and there was nothing he could have done in those days.

 

Aiden held onto his head with both of his hands as he collected his thoughts.

 

"What a bad way to start the day... I have so much work to do and yet..."

 

It wasn't a mystery as to why his entire day would turn into a misfortune whenever he had such a dream. But time wasn't stopping for him, he had to do his work despite how he felt. Otherwise it was questionable, if he would be able to put food on his table.

 

"Ah yeah... breakfast. I have to make breakfast."

 

Aiden got up from his bed, splashed his face with water. After brushing his teeth.

 

"Today is Yuna's exam, isn't it? Ah no yesterday was the last one, it seems," Aiden muttered to himself fiddling with the calendar in his phone.

 

After washing up, Aiden went straight to the kitchen to make breakfast. Since he would be outside working for the whole day long, he at least makes sure to make a healthy breakfast. It was usual routine.

 

Ever since his parents died, Aiden had to cook himself to feed two mouths. His sister back then was a little too young to be playing with fire and he was the only one who could do it.

 

That is why, even though he was horrible at cooking at first, it was his necessity that drove him to learn this too.

 

[Big Brother your cooking tastes like poison.]

 

Aiden chuckled to himself as a certain memory of Yuna cursing him resurfaced back.

 

"I am passable now. I guess?"

 

Aiden was pretty satisfied with his self proclamation not bothering to ask others for an opinion.

 

It was the usual omelet for breakfast. Aiden himself didn't like it too much but it was one of the quickest dish he could make early in the morning so it was always a hot option for him.

 

Aiden carried his dish in a tray and walked to Yuna's room.

 

*Knock* *Knock*

 

"Yuna, Yuna. Breakfast is ready. It's time to wake up."

 

The knocks on the door got harder and harder. Usually his sister would wake up as soon as he called her, but today something was amiss.

 

'Is she okay?'

 

Aiden couldn't help but be worried.

 

*Knock* *Knock*

 

"Yuna, are you okay?"

 

*Knock*

 

"Ni-san! Can't you let me sleep a bit more? I just had my last exam yesterday, you know?"

 

"But breakfast is..."

 

Aiden had always been strict about it. Food shouldn't be left aside cold. Ever since his parent died he had work to the bone in part time jobs to earn this food. So he knew better than anyone how valuable it was.

 

But today he smiled as he let it be.

 

'Yeah, she must have been studying non stop. She deserves a break.'

 

Aiden nodded.

 

"Okay, I am leaving it covered though. I am leaving for work so do make sure to eat it later, okay?"

 

"Fine," her voice came in somewhat muffled.

 

Aiden left the food covered as he had said and went back to his room to get 'dressed' for his work. A chainmail for protection and hard leather boots for his scorched feet. That's the most what he could afford for his work. He slipped his arms inside of his equipment bag which already had a pickaxe sticking out from it as he lifted it up all prepared for his job at the 'dungeon'.

 

Doing part time jobs and fiddling with straps didn't provide Aiden with much cash. But he didn't have much option in regards to the matter.

 

No one wanted to hire him for a full time job.

 

But that was only until weird dimensional gates called dungeons started appearing all around the world pouring out otherworldly monsters into their own world. And followed by such an occurrence several anomalies called 'awakened' were found among the general public.

 

Fortunately Aiden was one of those awakened, and working in dungeon was much more profitable than doing part time jobs for scraps.

 

"I am leaving," Aiden claimed out of habit before leaving through the front door.

 

"Wait, Ni-san!"

 

"Huh?"

 

Aiden turned around. His sister had come out of her room with a ghastly pale look as if she had come out of a hospital for mad men.

Her eyes were droopy. Sleep crust had accumulated at the corner of her eyes. Her raven hair was in a mess and her lose t-shirt was only struck at one of her shoulders leaving the other one bare.

 

Once Yuna noticed that his brother hadn't left yet, she let out a sigh of relief.

 

Walking closer she didn't give the confused Aiden to collect his thoughts as he planted a kiss on his cheek.

 

"Take care and don't do something too dangerous, okay?"

 

"Ah...yes."