(WILLIAM RODS POV)
It's been a while since my brother has been around.
I think he really went to fight in the war...
I didn't even get to see him for the last time.
Our father is desperately searching for Light everywhere.
We've already gone to every house in the village to ask if they've seen Light, but no one has given us an answer.
We thought he was with Katerine, but she said she didn't see him today.
He really is in Legorio...
At the moment, my family and I are inside the house, wondering where he could have gone.
My mother talks to my father about something that I can't even pay attention to.
What I'm really thinking about is joining Yanma and fighting alongside her.
All this time I spent training couldn't have just served as decoration; I needed to put what I learned into practice!
"Light has gone to the kingdom." I break up their conversation.
They look at me in silence. Their eyes widen and their lips part.
"L-Legorio?" My father says in a worried voice, as if he doesn't want to believe it.
My mother's eyes practically do not blink.
"No..." She mutters. "He..." My mother doesn't know what to say. She must know it's true, but she can't accept it.
"I need to go too." I say. "I can help!" I break the silence again.
"You will stay here!" My mother raises her voice immediately.
"William, you will not set foot outside the house until this war is over." My father scolds me.
I don't have time to listen to these scoldings. They wouldn't understand...
I have become stronger; I will not die.
"What about Light? Are you going to leave him there?" I ask.
The two remain silent. None of them know what to say. The sound of the wind outside with a whistle that passes through the window. Either option would be bad, so I must go and fight with my brother!
"I will go to the kingdom to bring him back." My father speaks crudely.
My mother looks at my father as if she doesn't believe it. Your hands are shaking and clearly damp with nervousness.
"We know Light won't want to come back." I say.
"I'll bring him, even if it's by force." My father responds.
I've heard too much.
A green aura begins to come out of my body.
I'm going to run away!
Increasing my speed with Wind Magic, I run and leave the house. Richard leaves right behind.
"WILLIAM!!" He shouts as I move further away. "GO BACK WILLIAM!"
I'm sorry, dad. I'm really sorry ... but I know I can make a difference!
I know you're just worried. I know...
If I die, you will be left with the guilt of not having stopped me.
So I promise...
"I WILL NOT DIE!!" My scream invades the silent night.
Looking back, I can see my father slowly getting further away, but he doesn't stop running.
Every time I look at his worried look, I feel my chest tightening, as if I can feel his feelings.
During my entire run to Legorio, passing through all the fields as I'm illuminated by the moon, running down the dirt road that leads me to the war, I felt guilty, but I couldn't go back.
When I start to see the entrance to the kingdom, I realize that knights are at the entrance; they are probably guarding the place.
As I approach the gate, some of them look at me without understanding.
"I... I would like to help in the battle, sir." I say to a knight who is nearby.
"Hmm?" He says. "This is not a child's place to be." He speaks. "Where are you from?"
"I came from a nearby village. I think you know my brother, Light." I answer.
"Light?" The knight puts his hand on the chin of his helmet and looks up. "Are you talking about that kid who's here?" He exclaims.
"Exactly!" I say. "He's my brother!"
"You're the captain's apprentice, aren't you?" Another soldier, this one without a helmet, approaches and recognizes me.
"Yes, I am." The two knights look at each other.
"We can't let him in; he's just a kid." The helmeted knight says.
"But he was trained by the captain. I'm sure he's far more skilled than many of our men." The other speaks.
The two guards start whispering, and I can't understand what they're saying.
Then, the helmetless guard enters the kingdom.
"What is he going to do?" I ask.
"He went to call the captain. Only she can decide." He answers.
After a few minutes, the knight and I remained in endless silence, with only the crickets and insects around to make any noise so we wouldn't go crazy. And then, Yanma appears.
"Let him in." She says, and the knights immediately lead the way.
"Who's that?" As I'm passing through the gate, one of the guards comments.
Looking back, I see my father, running towards the gate.
Hearrives and tries to get to the other side of the gate. The guards hold them back, preventing him from passing.
"William, come here, please!" He exclaims.
He is completely drenched in sweat; he actually came here running.
His eyes give off a feeling of despair and melancholy.
"Dad, I need to fight. I know you're worried, but I won't die, I promise!" I answer.
"This is crazy, William!" He says. "A child should not be on the battlefield under any circumstances!"
"I..." I can't say anything... It's me who's wrong...
With my head down, I see Yanma walk past me, her violet cape swaying in the light breeze.
"Captain Yanma..." The soldiers look back, impressed by her presence.
"Mister Richard, I am sorry that your son acted so recklessly." Yanma speaks. "But, as your son's mentor, I believe he will be an important player in combat." Yanma says with regret in his eyes.
Richard's eyes widen, his mouth hanging open.
"Have you all gone crazy!?" My father gets excited. "We're talking about a child!" He reaffirms. "My son is neither a warrior nor an adventurer!" He completes.
"I understand your concern for your son, and I can assure you, I am also worried about him; after all, I am his mentor." Yanma says in a calm but assertive voice. "And from what we've trained, William can perfectly defend himself on the battlefield."
"But... This is unacceptable, how can you think this is normal?" He arguments with furrowed eyebrows.
"Mister Richard, I give you my word; your children will return home safely!" Yanma says trying to convince. "I guarantee you that I will protect William's life as if it were my own!"
"But..."
"I trained William for moments like this. Honestly, I didn't think I'd see William on the battlefield so soon, but it's happening, and he's as capable as you think. I ask that you trust your son, just this once."
"..." My father is silent; he seems to be a little calmer. "What about Light?" He says in a crying voice.
"Light is a little monster, I think you've noticed." Yanma says with a small smile. "He would be fine with or without my help." She adds.
My father stays silent, just looking at the floor and possibly thinking about a million things.
He moves away from the guards, and they let him go.
"Tsc…" My father tears up, but he wipes his tears away immediately. "Okay." He says, after taking a long sigh. "I let you participate in this madness." He says looking at me. "And you," He looks at Yanma. "If one of my children dies, I will never forgive you, Yanma Fumiko." My father looks with fervor in his eyes. I look at Yanma's face, and she doesn't lose her composure.
Yanma keeps a serious and confident face.
"I give you my word." She just says.
"William, please be as little involved as possible, understand?" He asks.
"Yes father." Right now, I think I should just calm him down. It would be bad if I said I would fight on the front lines.
"And also, let Light know this." He adds. "Tell me if he dies, I'll kill him." My dad says with a slight smile on his face, still worried, but at least he's smiling.
"You can leave it to me" I smile back.
After that, my father turned around and returned to the village. This time, he walked.
"Where's Light!?" I ask anxiously.
Yanma gives a small sigh before answering me.
"In the center of the kingdom. We set up some tents for the night." Yanma comments. "He'll probably be there."
Without waiting for anything, I quicken my pace to the center, where we usually celebrate Ryza's birthday.
Passing by the houses, everything seems to have been abandoned. That's what I might think if I didn't know that a war was going to happen.
All establishments are turned off, and no torches or candles are lit.
Luckily, the moonlight is strong, making the streets visible.
As I approach the center, I begin to observe yellow and reddish lighting. The noise of wood being broken also fills the environment.
I then come across several white tents, which are around a considerably large fire.
Around the fire, some men have skewers of food in their hands; they must be the knights.
I start looking inside the tents, looking for my brother.
It's quite late, so most of the knights are asleep.
Not here... Not here either...
Tent by tent, I search for Light.
The men around the fire begin to watch me with a strange look...
Let me see this tent here...
The moment I pull the white cloth away, I see my brother Light, sleeping peacefully.