“Damaged?”

“Broken apart, smashed, disintegrated, put in a blender, bombed to kingdom come, stuck in-”

“I get it! I get it.”

The dream from before flashed through my mind. Was that real? I tried to move around the particles in my body. Nothing happened. No…

“You’re unable to send out particles right? Shame.”

My eyes snapped back to the supposed doctor.

“Why do you know so much?”

She seems to know more about the soul than the experts our family hired.

“A little fairy told me.”

Ok, so I’m not getting a real answer.

“Right.”

I let out a long sigh. I’m powerless. It’s impossible to fix a broken soul. I’m powerless.

I’m powerless.

I let out a laugh that was subtle first but slowly became maniacal.

“I’m powerless!”

After getting that out of my system, I passed out again.

When I opened my eyes, I was back at home. Sunk into the mattress like it was trying to swallow me whole. The silk curtain around my bed tinted the light a harsh pink. I rolled onto my side and sunk further into the soft bed. I guess that was all a dream…

Thank goodness! I mean, in what world could I lose my powers? Those were all I had left after… huh? Did something happen back then? I can’t seem to remember what it was.

“Young master?”

Hailey tiptoed into the room. I let out a soft grunt and she came closer. I opened an eye as she pulled back the curtains. The white sunlight only made her freckles stand out more. Her thin lips were curved into a frown. Hrm… it’s too early to be so upset. I brought my arm out from beneath me and used it to prop up my head.

“What has gotten you so dark in the morning?”

I smiled.

“Young master! It’s terrible! Roy from the outer family has disrespected your mothers name!”

“And?”

“‘And?’?”

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh.

“He’s just a nobody from a bottom of the barrel family. Why would I care about his opinion?”

“But-”

“Leave. Now. I want to rest for a little while longer.”

She gave a little bow and left the room. Yes, this is how it’s supposed to be. I pulled the sheets over my head and sunk deeper into the mattress.

My eyes shot open as a spoon was shoved into my mouth. Huh? This bed is less comfortable than I remember… Did the maids move me? Why is it so dark?

“The patient appears to be stable.”

A yellow ball of curls was below me. W-who? A new servant?

“Mister Golden.”

She locked eyes with me and I flinched. Her grey eyes bore through me.

“Passing out before I can discharge you is incredibly rude.”

Discharge? I looked down. Is this a hospital bed? Why am I here?

“If you had stayed knocked out any longer, I would have performed an autopsy.”

“What?”

My eyes locked back onto her.

“Yes, it’s such a shame. You’re good to go now though.”

I tilted my head to the side.

“Go? Where? Is this place close to my mansion?”

She tilted her head in the other direction, then sighed.

“Delusions are so uncouth.”

She hopped off the bed, wandering into the darkness for a short while. She returned, carrying a wooden club. She clambered back onto the bed but struggled to find her balance. I reached out to steady her myself but something stopped me. Huh? Why am I tied up?

Before I could think a second longer, something struck my skull. Stars filled my vision. When I came back to my senses, the blonde girl was looking down at me, patting the club with an open hand.

She struck me again.

“Stop! What are you doing?”

“Percussive maintenance.”

She struck me again.

“What is your situation? Say it clearly.”

My situation? Does she not know who I am?

“As an esteemed son of the Golde- Ack!”

She struck me again.

“Your real situation. You have one more chance.”

“I…”

I flinched pre-emptively.

“I’m a powerless dud!”

She struck me again.

“Why?!”

By this point, tears were forming in the corners of my eyes.

“I do not appreciate the terminology.”

She hopped off the bed and strolled off back into the dark.

“Liv, untie him; he’s harmless.”

The small girl with white hair popped up again holding a knife. In a swift movement, she darted behind me and swiped at the ropes so fast, wind washed over me. I shuddered and stretched my now freed limbs.

“You have ten minutes to leave. Head to Wenwen’s office. It’s the small building with a blue roof.”

Before I could say anything else, I was hurried out of the dark into a blinding light. I turned back but they slammed the door in my face. How polite. I raised my eyebrows. Here I was thinking that she was a secret master who honed their crafts in a shoddy village. I guess I’ve consumed too much literature.

I brought my hand up to my brow and squinted my eyes. This place looks quite different in the sunlight. It was a well put together village, but less busy than a village of its size should be. I put my hand down as my eyes adjusted. Is it me, or is it far hotter than I remember it being?

I sent out particles to cool me down. Nothing happened…

I should probably throw myself off a cliff at this point. I crouched down and held my knees. I’m a stain on the Golden family name. Dying by my own hands would be better than being killed by them. Roy would probably volunteer to do the honours.

I closed my eyes. The people here seem to be just as hostile as the one’s back home. I sighed. At least I know it’s not a family problem. The options presented to me are frankly unclear and awful. Down each path is nothing but death!

I opened my eyes to scream at the heavens but a woman’s face was blocking the way. A girl with pink hair and narrow eyes was a bit too close. She leaned in closer and I fell backwards. I blinked. She blinked. Then, like cheap rope giving in to weight, she snapped out of her trance.

“Oh! Um, sorry my bad.”

She took a step back and gave a shaky curtsy.

“We don’t often get visitors around here, so I was a bit surprised.

You weren’t the only surprised one.

“My name is Lady Penny. My friends call me Pen.”

Her speech pattern and gestures seemed to imitate old fashion nobility. Though they lacked the quality and refinement that older noble ladies often presented.

“My name is Trist Golden.”

I’m better off not questioning these kinds of things so I gave her an old fashioned bow. When I looked back up, I could almost see sparkles in her eyes. She stood a little straighter and shook the dirt off her long dress.

“So you’re a real Noble?”

Not a Noble per say but I’m from a powerful family so close enough.

“By any chance do you live in a castle? Attend any parties? I bet your life is the best!”

Castle? Does she think that I’m a prince?

“Yes, I’ve been to quite a few parties.”

“What about your family? Do you have any gentlemanly, single older brothers?”

My family? Well they’re… They’re…

“Excuse me.”

I jumped to my feet and strolled away in a random direction. Then broke into a sprint.

The cliff it is! Where is the nearest cliff? I scanned the area. Nothing but flat, pathed roads and cottages. I passed by a house with a distinctly blue roof. That’s the place the blonde doctor told me to go, right? Well it’s good that I know the one place to avoid.

Eventually, I stride into farmland. This is the place I got beaten! I wiped sweat running down my forehead. Forget the cliff, getting away from this place would be enough. At the edge of the plants and barn area is an incline. If I reach the top of this, there might be a valley I can throw myself into.

I bet the soil would be ten times more comfortable than my bed at home! Plus I won’t have to deal with anything else. It will all be over. No more demanding elders. No more suffocating social gatherings. No more ruthless branch family members. No more…

No more Sheila. I came to a sudden stop by a fence. What’s going to happen to her whilst I’m absent? I’m sure she’ll be fine. I scanned the area. There’s no cliff edge here, only a forest. Sheila has always been a strong gir-

I locked eyes with the buff, white haired guy who kicked my butt. The blonde doctor called him Zeke. It’s a fitting name. Anyways, I’m kind of doomed. What will he think seeing me so far away from the village?

To my surprise, he waved at me. I took a step back. The cow he was standing beside tried to push him over. Serves him right. Before he hit the ground, he grabbed the cows neck and used his momentum to throw himself on top of it. That looked practised. How often does that happen?

“Intruder guy! Over here!”

Wait, he wants me to come closer? Maybe he wants to beat me up again? Well, I can't get away from him no matter what. So… Who cares? I took a few steps back and cleared the fence. I immediately regretted that. Damn, when did my body get so weak? I flinched. I’m better off reaching him as soon as possible so I forced my aching joints to move.

“What are you doing out here? Not running away I hope.”

How did he know? I shifted from one foot to the other. I should respond to this carefully so he doesn’t suspect me…

“What? How could I, a man of the Golden family, ever run away?”

“I wouldn't blame ya.”

What is that supposed to mean? Do I look like the kind of person who runs away? I’m a lot of things but I’m not a coward! Most of the time…

“So is showing up injured on a person's doorstep part of the pride of a Golden too?”

“That!.. No uh…”

I wouldn’t even call myself a true member of the golden family now. Considering everything that’s happened, I would get arrested for fraud.

“Did that family of yours leave you any money? We spent a fair sum saving you.”

“Well…”

I looked away. They didn’t leave me anything but the clothes on my back and a bag of supplies that got stolen from me before I reached this village. In all ways, including emotionally, I am broke. He sighed at me, then, out of nowhere, grabbed my shoulder.

“Say intruder, do you have any siblings?”

“Would you not call me that…”

Every time he says that, I’m reminded of all the failures that led me up to this point.

“What?”

This is the one thing I want to have. I don’t care if he gets mad.

“My name is Trist. Not Intruder.”

I straightened my back and locked eyes with him. Trist… Trist with nothing following it. I can’t use that surname anymore. I slouched over.

“Nice to meet you, Trist.”

He crossed his arms. Hooh, I’m glad he didn’t take it too badly.

“Answer the question.”

“A-ah, well I had quite a large family.”

“Like me?”

“Well… sort of. Apologies for the assumption but your siblings probably came from one mother and father, right?”

My family consists of several half brothers, sisters and cousins that all fought to be part of the main branch. It was a mess.

“We’re all one big family here.”

“What?”

My eyes widened. What could he mean by that?

+++

“Hey wait.”

I spoke up. He turned around.

“Regarding my Spark I…”

I gritted his teeth. What will he do to me after I tell him this?

“I can’t use it anymore!”

I panted, grasping his chest. Saying it again made it feel all the more real. This was my reality now and I couldn’t do anything about it. With a sigh, he slung me over my shoulder. Woah, so sudden!

“Figures.”

He broke into a sprint. Did he notice it before I told him? How? Was it because I couldn’t jump over the fence properly?

In record time, Zeke reached the fence perpendicular to the worm monsters and hopped on it. I could never do that the way I am now. As I thought, I’m nothing without my Spark.

Zeke’s eyes were analysing the field with focus I’d never seen from him. He plopped me down beside a wild looking girl and dashed off. I glanced at her and she was dancing to the vibrations caused by the stampede. Her clothes didn’t seem to fit her and looked a lot like Zeke’s. Her most distinct feature were her big, brown boots that she stomped every so often.

“I don’t recognise you!”

She grinned at me.

“I’m uh… new here.”

I didn’t feel like getting into the details.

“Don’t you love the fresh smell of death in the morning?”

…What? Everyone that I’ve met here so far has been more than eccentric. Wait, did she say death? I glanced back at the worm monsters.

“Are we in danger?”

“Don’t you worry your little head!”

She ruffled my hair without a care in the world.

“Zeke’s got this!”