SGE His Guarded Heart (Prequel to His Darkened Heart)

Chapter 16 Dead Already

"He'd be dead already that way and to him, to be dead was best."
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Chapter 16 Dead Already

For a long while, Krushem didn't want to wake up. The darkness was all that clouded his thoughts. It surrounded him on all sides, pressing into him like a weight he couldn't push off. It was cold, numb.

He felt nothing. No fear. No hurt. It was like everything was gone. All he knew and all that he was now ceased to exist within this void of darkness he'd found himself in.

But just when Krushem felt some resemblance of peace, he was suddenly thrust into a deeper crevice of his mind, into a memory he'd hoped to have forgotten.

He found himself standing on soil he'd swore he'd never step foot on again. The sky was shockingly blue, a deep azure color contrasting with the brown color of the earth at his feet.

He passed by a puddle, and in the water he glimpsed his reflection. His hair was groomed back, his cheeks aglow and his armor glinted in the sunlight. There was a lopsided grin upon his face and a twinkle in his green eyes he thought had been snuffed out long ago.

"I'm so proud of you, big brother!" A shrill voice shattered Krushem's eardrums before his side was rammed into and a pair of arms wound around his waist, holding on tight.

He glanced down and his heart filled with the utmost warmth as he gazed upon his littlest sister's face. Elisa's bright blue eyes danced with excitement and she had the widest smile on her face as she bounced on her feet, sending her brown curls swaying. A few inches away, their father was walking hand in hand with their mother. Their parents' gazes were upon them, and Krushem saw the pure love upon their expressions.

"Krew-shame! Are you gonna go to war now?" Elisa droned on, talking so fast that Krushem could barely make out her words. But her excitement was contagious and he couldn't stop smiling.

"Of course he's gonna go to wars, Lisa!" Cynthia piped up, attempting to splash through the puddle before their father snagged her back ("Now, come on now. Your momma will be upset if you get that dress wet," he warned her).

Elisa looked up at Krushem, her gaze wide in innocent awe. "But what if you die, Krew-shame? I don't want you to die!" At this notion, Elisa started to wail in distress, tears spilling down her little cheeks.

Krushem scooped her up in his arms and tried to soothe her, his voice gentle; "I'm not gonna die. Don't you worry. Besides, Altazzara hasn't had a war with anyone in a long long while. Nothing is gonna happen to me or you or Cynth or Mama or Papa, okay? Im right here, Elisa."

Cheered up, Elisa giggled and threw her arms around Krushem's neck. Their parents drew closer, and the family walked close together, the Altazzara castle receding further and further behind them.

There was no darkness anymore.

It was just a feeling of warmth and love and pure happiness Krushem felt in his heart as he walked alongside his family.

But then he remembered all that would transpire. He recalled all the pain that would follow soon enough, and he remembered Aric and all Aric had done.

He was dreaming. This wasn't real, but it once had been. But what once was was now gone. Krushem couldn't ever hope to get that back.

He'd just graduated from Altazania Academy and after the graduating ceremony, him and his family had walked home before having a big feast. It'd been a great day. It'd been a day that Krushem wanted to forget, along with all the other memories of his departed family. It was no good remembering his family. Besides, It was weak of him to remember them and feel.