He sat near a campfire and the sound of water droplets dripping just kept on increasing in speed but the kid could not see anything as the mist covered his sight.
'How do I escape from this place?' thought the boy, not knowing when his luck would betray him next time.
The kid was feeling sleepy and tired as he stared at the fire bored out of his mind.
Just then a cold droplet fell from above where he sat and fell onto his nape which surprised him and he shivered in cold.
His eyes shut as the sound of droplets fell all around him.
Drop.
A voice shouted "Captain! He is awake"
The kid barely opened his eyes to find the soldiers looking at him as he was being carried. He could hear the sound of horses, foot and carriage with a bunch of people walking and running around on the ground.
'I guess he wasn't kidding about soldiers.' the kid whispered but he could not keep his eyes open for much longer and from tiredness and he kept on falling asleep.
During this, he opened his eyes multiple times, remembering vague memories of afterwards. First being loaded onto a carriage, He felt something on his face a few times here and there then being supported on one arm and carried out into the village with his hands chained while one of his legs being dragged across the road.
He barely opened back his eyes once again just to see the commotion of soldiers and village folks.
'Let him go. The boy did nothing wrong!' said an old villager woman while another villager was being pushed back, being resisted by one soldier.
A man yelled from front 'He is the only lead we got, this is for his protection. It is the order of the town's captain that he will be under our supervision."
'Huh? Protection?' as he hears his chains rattling while one of his knees was being dragged across the muddy road and one of his arms supported by someone else.
'Yea right, as if.'
The village guards are arguing with the town soldier about something.
The one who was carrying him seemed trying to handle the situation and explaining everything while the other was causing trouble as he failed to explain anything and just used his authority as a soldier.
The boy's eyes landed onto the sword of the one who was carrying him and his sword had three small orange balls tied to his halt. It was a new toy for kids as it was small and its hollow inside let them bounce it pretty high.
The boy's face felt pretty sore as he wondered 'Did I fell down?'
He tried to stand up but his body was not responding to his will. One soldier noticed the boy struggling around. He checked on him but by then the kid had already fallen asleep once again.
He could still hear but the sound was muffled up, he could not make any sense of it.
After some time, he was dragged upstairs and finally, he was thrown onto something, allowing the blood to circulate to his head letting him rest properly but the cold chains were still on his wrists as he felt cold and was irritated making him feel uncomfortable but at least people were not dragging him across the road.
After some unknown time had passed, he jolted and opened his eyes to find himself staring at the familiar wooden ceiling he used to wake up to. A safe place he could call home.
He was in the room at the tavern where the owner let him stay from time to time. The room had a bed, a mirror, a chair with some mannequin accessories, a fresh uneaten bread by the table, a wardrobe and a flower pot by the window with dried up blue flowers.
He rested his arm on his forehead and thought 'I guess I am back home.' followed by a slight whisper 'Freak…' as he suppressed a smile.
He laid there for some time before pushing himself and he sat up while recalling what went on 'I was fighting with someone named Ignis. passed out, met a weird girl? and dragged out here… in chains?'
He glanced towards his wrists which were freed from the chains that restrained him and those very chains were lying on the ground.
'So much of their protection.' the kid thought.
A bit annoyed by being dragged around like a prisoner but what's done is done. For now he is not angry or anything, he is just sitting on the bed, thinking about what happened to him as he rubs his wrist.
He inspected his body and only his arms were covered in bandages.
He could move his body easily and felt tireless. He actually felt better than ever before.
After stretching, he turned around and questioned 'And what exactly are you supposed to be?'
He looked at the same white string which still floated in the air, trying to lead him to some place.
It just kept on floating and waving around.
…
'I guess I am going delusional' as the young man laughed at himself.
The kid patted his chest once… twice? Confused.
'Huh?' He checked underneath his shirt and could not find it… 'Where did the ring go…'
His eyes widened and he checked under the pillow, on the floor, even at the places where he never expected anyone to look at. The ceiling itself.
But no hope was found as he dropped to the ground onto his arms.
'Did someone stole it?' question the kid to himself.
After all, it was his only keepsake that remained given to him in the moments of his death. A keepsake that was lost not even moments of being given to.
As he was thinking with his hands on the floor and felt a bit relieved as he thought 'Just maybe.'
Just then something dropped and flew in front of his face from around the neck.
He narrowed his eyes to find the ring hanging from his neck. It was never lost from the very start.
It was not that the boy forgot to check his neck. It was just when he was sleeping, the chain had slid to his back making him entirely miss it and the rough cloth which was used to tie it around his neck was now replaced with a proper chain.
'I guess I deserved that' as he sighs a bit of disappointment.
He stood up and noticed the string was still floating, inviting him to some place and wouldn't go away but it started to wave around more violently than before.
Confused, the young man followed it out the door as he peeped out to find it was leading him towards downstairs. The boy looked back at his sword.
After all, his master would always eat his ears off if he was found outside without one. He felt like his master was still yelling at him in his head.
The boy grabbed his sword and looked at it as he mumbled in a quiet voice 'I guess there is still something I must prove…' his hands started to shake 'or else'
The boy closed eyes and said calmly 'No, everything is alright…' He took a breath out to calm himself and slowly opened his eyes back saying 'Everything is fine.'
He put up a smile. His usual gentle smile.
'Just a little longer—'
His eyes were dull blank 'and I will wake up soon'