Accolade

the abandonment/the goal

My cabin wasn't the only cabin situated on the other side of town. There used to be a whole village worth of cabins outside the town and it housed around 10 families.

The families specialized in fighting against monsters to protect the town. They were called the Herse Guardians, named after the chief, my father. He was a proud man, and one with a warm heart. My mother too was a Herse Guardian and helped my father fight against the monsters.

Out of nowhere, one day, all of the Guardians were called in order to assist the revolution taking place in the citadel of Parais. My parents were recruited with the promise of greater glory. Everyone of age was taken to the citadel for assistance, and naturally, I was the only one left behind. Given that I was only 7 then.

"Don't worry Mars, I'll be back in a few weeks." My father assured me while leaving me in town.

"Auntie will take care of you." My mom left my belongings with an innkeeper.

But that was the last time I met them. I, from the bottom of my heart, hope that they're alive and doing well. And that circumstances lead them to not look for me again, rather than something as cruel as abandonment.

Seeing that that was my thought process, I took their absence rather optimistically. But unfortunately, the other townsfolk didn't.

The Herse Guardians were a well-respected group as they vowed to keep every townsperson safe, but when they disappeared out of nowhere the townsfolk were all left to fend for themselves. Many died, many grieved, and many felt betrayed.

In the spirit of betrayal, they took to fire and burnt down all the houses that the Herse Guardians lived in so that they would never have a place to return to. None questioned the Guardian's safety.

The day they decided to burn the village down is one that I remember clearer than any other. I was 8 back then and still hoped that my parents would one day return. So I defended my house with every little bit of strength in my body. I stayed there for days on end pleading them to let my house stand, until they took pity and left me alone. To them, I was a victim too.

The house's cost was greater than I could imagine. I got abandoned by the town, being the heir and sole survivor of the Herse Guardian. It was then, that I took to collecting. I started with herbs and built my way up to here, where I am at least somewhat self-sufficient now.

Time flew and the Herse Guardians got replaced by the guards from the citadel and I became 18. Life in town came became comfortably stagnant again.

Out of my past, letting my parents go isn't my biggest regret. The biggest regret I have is the promise I made to a girl who was around 7 years older than me.

"Mars, I'm a Herse Guardian now!" She exclaimed the day she turned 14, under a birch tree.

'Oooooh. You're so cool! I want to be like you.' Was probably what I said back then.

"Well, we'll see about that." She tilts her head with a smug little smile.

'What?'

"Do you think you can beat me?" She asks.

'I can and I will! It's a promise.'

"Those are some big words coming from someone who can't even catch me!"

'I can too.' Then the girl runs off in the distance. 'Wait for me!'

A simple promise, but one which makes me feel pathetic about myself. It was my dream to become the strongest man alive, but I'm now a man who almost died by the appendages of a spider. I wonder where the girl is now, and which heights she has touched.

**

'I'll let you see that woman.' Iris' words catch me off guard.

How does she-

'How do I know? I'm literally inside your head, so your memories are mine too.'

This is creepy and a total invasion of privacy.

Wait! Does that mean?!

'Yeah, I saw that too. You're pretty mid, I think. I haven't seen any real-life ones so I'm not really sure what to compare it to.' I instinctively cover my willy.

WOW! Now she's sexually harassing me too.

'You were the one who brought it up.'

No, I didn't! I just thought about it. Urgh, I can't deal with this anymore. I'm changing the topic.

How'll you let me meet the girl?

'Oh her? I worked in the citadel too, so I'm familiar with all of the warriors. And she's pretty famous and great at her job. You can meet her if you go there, and with my connections, you'll be able to find her too. So it's essentially me allowing you to meet her.'

If that girl is alive does that mean that my parents are alive too?

'Well, I'm not sure. The records of the revolution left a pretty big mass of people unidentified. I have definitely seen them somewhere, though.'

HAAAH!

New air enters my lungs.

There's hope! Some hope is better than none at all. The parents who I thought had a 0.1% chance of survival are at least 1% now.

I feel elated and my day is saved. I don't think she knows the size of the bomb she dropped on me but it's massive. And one that I welcome wholeheartedly.

How do I get there?!

'Get strong enough to survive the journey.'

Huh? Isn't there like a steady supply of goods that I can go with?

'Nope. The citadel is extremely strict with who comes in and goes out. The only way you can get in is by becoming a town Guard and then surviving the journey there on your own.'

Ehhhh?! That's inconvenient.

'What's with that flimsy attitude? Don't you want to see them?'

I do. I really do. But that's a lot of hard work.

'Stop complaining, with Accolade, I bet you can get there in like 3 months.'

3 months? To be as strong as a guard? Is this woman sane?!

'I'm sane, but you won't be after the 3 months end. I'll train you down to your bones.'

No thanks. I'd rather take my time and eventually get stronger. It's not like they're running away.

'Remember the promise?' Iris's voice becomes stern again.

With the girl?

'No, with me, dumbass. You have to listen to everything I say if you want to meet them.'

Oh yeahhhh. I totally forgot about that. I don't know why she's in such a hurry.

'You don't have to know that yet. What you need to know is that it's all work and no play from now on.'

Like from right now? Right, right now?

'No, you should sleep for tonight.'

Niceeeee.

'It's the last good sleep you'll have in a while...'