In a group of people, be it friends, colleagues or even just random strangers. there have always been the leaders. If he were to divide those people in different categories, they will be established as the followers and the leaders. The tricky part was not finding them, but distinguishing between them.
At first glance, the group of people in the followers might all look the same, mundane, boring with nothing special at a glance comparable to flies who drifted from one place to another in search of a light they can never produce. The people in the leader categories usually shined like fire in a cold night, attracting all the flies towards them. harboring the hopes and dreams of the flies, burdened by them.
Ofcourse that was not it, there were leaders who liked to stay among the flies, resenting the attention all together. Changing star posed like the leader, she may have not been one naturally but her harsh childhood and the events portraying her life had forced her to be one. she never asked for it, and yet yearned for it indefinitely
Lost from light was also a leader, though at first he was forced into becoming a fly, wandering aimlessly, or with just the single aim of survival. He was never given an opportunity to shine, and so he had created one. And he shined so bright, others looked like grains of salt in the vast ocean.
He was born a fly himself, yearning to produce the light that he saw others do so effortlesly, wondering what wall separated them, and when he had finally gotten his answer.... his wish to shine had dimmed, until it was just a distant glow, untouched and unreached. If he were to put it, he would be a firefly. content with their own shine
Of course he was a fool. leaders were not just attracting flies, they were always trying to cast a shadow over other fires. being the brightest, the best. if he was not that, then he was just a mirage, hidden under someone else's shadow. he refused such fate
His desire to be the best did not just stem from being overshadowed by someone brighter, but the possibility itself that there was someone, something that COULD overshadow him, it was a threat to his very existence, a sword hanging over his head. and that sword was dancing dangerously close to his skull, ever since he came into this world.
'why am i in such a philosophical mood so suddenly?' maybe it distracted him from the pain, from the possibility that right he was overshadowed so easily.
Sunny's shadow had detected around four scavengers roaming about the path they were set on, maybe because he had managed to kill one, his mind was blind to this possibility. upon his proposal, and a little bit on convincing, they had decided to flank the six beasts. if they managed to slay even 2 of the 4, then they could definitely kill the other two.
His plan had worked as well, they had two of them, sunny striking from the shadow along with him while nephis gained the attention from the front, it was a good plan. They had just killed another when the last scavenger moved—too fast. Its clawed hand slammed straight into his stomach ripping through it with ease. it was eventually killed by the princess herself but the hole in his abdomen was still a problem
It felt numb, he had already lost enough blood to kill him twice, In the corner of his eyes he saw white dazzling flame, he felt the numbness fading replaced by pain, so much pain. then even that faded until it was almost gone. Changing star had brought him back from the doors of death
"This should be enough to keep you alive.... im sorry" She sounded somber fora person who had saved a life. and why was she apologizing. his chest felt a little heavier
Changing start got up and turned towards their other two companion, he could not completely make out what she said, it sounded more like gibberish. his ears were still ringing.
He saw an ugly expression appear on sunny's face while cassia seemed deeply disturbed. 'what the hell is happening, hey wait, where are you going? nephis? cassia?.' he was drifting in and out of consciousness but he could see three figures slowly moving away. he only managed to breath out one world before the world turned black
"Sunless?...."
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His heart was burning, no it wasnt just that, his entire body was on fire. When he had awoken, everything was hazy, the things around him, what had happened and even his thought. he was only alive because his instincts had screamed for him to return to the tall hill.
The world swam in and out of focus, and for a moment, he wasn't sure if he was alive or still clawing his way back from death, Every breath was fire, every twitch of muscle carved fresh scars into his nerves
climbing the hill was no small matter, this time it took him triple the time, he had passed out the moment he reached the top.
Now he was watching as the sun rose from the edges of the dark sea, when it had set? he had no idea. He grunted in pain. so hot, his body was so hot.
'Damnation' he muttered, staring at the rising sun. Now that he was relatively safe and his mind was clear, he could think again. He was abandoned, not just that but he was left to die... and by changing star none the less.
' what had happened, why did she do that? why did sunless let it happen, what now?' many question were bubbling in his head but only one mattered
' what now?'
The past was the past, he could not change it, so why ponder on it. infact he could not ponder, the more important thing was the path ahead. what should he do now?
No matter the reason behind the betrayal, aeric was now alone, with possibly the main cast of this damn novel becoming his enemies. How would he survive in this harrowing place?
It was not a statement but a fact, only the strong survived in the forgotten shore and the weak were squashed. he knew for a fact that he had to make his way towards the dark city, afterall his only way out was there
" damnt it, god damnt it!!"
He spat blood onto the ground and laughed bitterly. If this world wanted him dead, it would have to claw that death from his hands. The Forgotten Shore had chosen to cast him aside—so be it. From this moment on, he would walk alone. He would survive… or he wouldn't. But it would be his choice