Renjiro knelt by the riverbank, his trembling arms wrapped around his father's cold body. His breath came in shaky gasps, but he couldn't let go.
The world around him was distorted-his vision reduced to hazy, shifting colors.
Footsteps approached. A voice-deep and concerned-cut through the evening air.
"Hey, kid... Are you alright?"
A hero. A well-known one, judging by his voice.
Renjiro did not answer. He only gripped his father tighter.
The hero stepped closer.
"Kid, listen-"
Renjiro moved. He ran.
He didn't know how far or where he was going, but instinct pushed him forward.
The hero called after him.
"Wait! Stop!"
Then-a sudden yelp.
The hero slipped, crashing into the wet stone pavement.
Renjiro didn't look back. He kept running, his bare feet scraping against the rough ground.
Through the twisting alleyways. Through the outskirts of the city.
He ran-until he reached the ancient fortress.
A ruined relic, abandoned for centuries. The Iron Keep.
Breathless, he stumbled inside.