Pathless: Outcast

Cirrugur, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC

The rhythmic clatter of wheels on rails filled the private cabin as the train hurtled through the night. Shadows danced across the landscape, briefly illuminated by the pale moonlight before being swallowed once more by darkness.

Inside, the soft glow of a single light cast a warmth to the otherwise chilling night.

Bryan sat motionless as his crimson eyes were fixed on the window, watching intently as trees and fields blurred into indistinct shapes.

Across from him, Emilia observed the boy in silence.

Was she doing the right thing, by bringing him out here? Out into the open?

There were a ton of things that could go wrong, and she wouldn’t be able to handle them all.

But, as she observed Bryan a part of her felt that this was what was best for him.

She knew she had to keep him safe, but at what cost? He wouldn’t have a normal childhood.

That’s what he needed the most.

Awakening his magic stripped him of that opportunity. It could be seen as a blessing and a curse.

Yes, he’d advance faster than others, but that’s it. There were too many people out in the world who wanted someone just like Bryan. A child with magical abilities. Someone they could exploit and tame.

Given his unique appearance, it would be hard for him to be accepted by others.

It didn’t matter at this point, he wouldn’t have any friends while she was here. Not now. Friends could be made at a later date.

Bryan could say the wrong thing, show off his magic. Then what?

She couldn’t stop that from happening, at least not without preventing him from interacting with others. That was something she already knew.

Which is why she planned for him to be alone.

Honestly, she thought this whole thing would go better.

She thought she was ready.

Whenever she looked at him, she saw a bit of Rashaka, but more than that, she saw that thing.

It was hard to not feel angry at it for ruining everything. To feel upset that she was powerless to stop it.

Worst of all, she felt guilty that she let her sister down.

These feelings… they just wouldn’t go away. Not when she was around Bryan, as it was a constant reminder of what she lost.

Of course, he wouldn’t know that.

How could he? She didn’t tell him, nor did she plan to.

But, she had to do something.

All she knew was training, working through her problems, emotions… everything really.

It felt good when there was no one to bother her. Just her letting loose, running wild.

‘But is that really true?’

She asked herself as she reflected on what Edward said.

That she was running from her problems.

Is that what she did? Was that how he viewed her?

She clenched her fist.

‘No. I’m not.’

"Bryan, you can take your hood off now. We're alone here."

She said softly.

His hands moved slowly, almost as if he didn’t want to push back the hood.

‘So… fragile.’

She thought as she watched him.

It was hard not to think that when she paid attention to him. Bryan felt like he would break at the slightest touch.

That wasn’t actually the case, but the same couldn’t be said for his emotional state.

Sometimes she wondered if he was afraid of her.

Edward said a lot about him, but Bryan was usually silent around her.

He even spied on Lucas out of all people. Which she couldn’t understand.

‘Why Lucas? Why not me?’

It was a pointless question really, but out of all of them there. He didn’t come to her.

Sure, she was hard to approach. But, Lucas was no better.

What made Bryan choose him instead of her?

"How long will it take us to get there?"

He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

‘I should ease up a bit, make myself easier to talk to.’

Emilia leaned back in her seat, her posture relaxing slightly.

"About two hours."

She replied.

"We'll go to Cintra, visit the site where..."

she paused, choosing her words carefully.

"Where Ms. Kelly was. Then we'll head back. It'll be a quick trip."

Bryan nodded. Without another word, he turned back to the window, losing himself once more in the passing scenery.

Emilia watched him.

‘Am I doing something wrong? He didn’t even reply back.’

But, she shouldn’t expect much. He was going back to where it all started.

He had to be nervous, anxious even.

She’d give him that. Bryan probably had a lot on his mind.

When she mentioned the trip to him, he was excited. Now that they were actually going there, that excitement was nowhere to be found.

His face brightened up at the sight of the train. He never saw one before.

They weren’t new, but to him they were.

The moment was actually cute when she recalled it. She was reminded that Bryan was only a child. One who should be treated as such.

Honestly, she was impressed by him.

The trauma of Ms. Kelly’s death, the awakening of his powers, and the bullying he faced from all those around him – it was more than most adults could bear. Yet here he was, about to go back and step foot in the place that started it all.

It was something she tried to do but failed at.

As the train continued its journey through the night, Bryan's reflection in the window caught her attention. In the dim light, with his pale features and solemn expression, he looked eerily like a ghost – a specter of what might have been if she had made different choices.

**********

Cintra, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC

The train slowed to a halt, its brakes hissing as it came to rest at the station. Emilia rose from her seat, gesturing for Bryan to follow.

"Come on, we're here."

Bryan nodded, pulling his hood back up before stepping off the train.

His eyes widened as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Tall buildings loomed overhead, their windows reflecting the moonlight. The station bustled with late-night travelers.

This was different from the town he knew.

The people seemed so much more alive here.

Someone gazed in their direction, and he felt himself pulling his hood down.

They waved, and Bryan turned away from them. Then he saw a woman wave with a smile on her face as she rushed forward.

The two of them embraced one another, as the man swung the woman around in his arms.

They seemed happy.

Better yet, they weren’t paying attention to him.

Emilia glanced around.

"We can't waste much time. Follow me, Bryan."

Bryan nodded again, hurrying to keep up with Emilia's brisk pace. As they left the station and entered the streets, he found himself constantly turning his head, trying to take in all the new sights.

They walked in silence for a while, the cobblestone streets giving way to less well-maintained paths. The buildings grew shorter, older, and more tightly packed together.

As they passed an alleyway, Bryan heard the sound of children laughing. He stopped abruptly, staring down the narrow passage.

‘Dave? Millie?’

He wondered if it was them. It sounded like them.

But, would they be here? This place… it seemed so different from what he was used to.

What would happen if he met them again?

Would they blame him?

Maybe they’d laugh.

But, they wouldn’t laugh. Not when he showed them he could use magic. That he was a mage!

They’d ask him all about it.

How he became a mage, what its like. All the kids in the orphanage would be surrounding him.

A small grin came across his face at that thought.

‘But…’

But, he wasn’t going back there. He wasn’t sure he wanted to go back.

Not now. Not ever.

Emilia, noticing Bryan was no longer beside her, turned back.

"Bryan? Is something wrong?"

Bryan shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the alley.

"No, it's nothing."

He said softly, rejoining Emilia.

As they continued their journey, Bryan's eyes darted from one unfamiliar sight to another. Street vendors hawked their wares even at this late hour, the smell of food made his mouth water.

There were sounds going on in the background. A nice melody that accompanied the night.

He wasn’t sure what it was, but he would like to close his eyes and take the sound in.

They turned a corner, and suddenly the street was awash in a red glow. Bryan blinked, momentarily disoriented by the change. The street was busier here, with people of all sorts walking up and down, laughing and talking loudly.

"Where are we?"

Bryan asked hesitantly.

Emilia's lips thinned slightly.

"We're in Cintra. The train stops in the upper districts, and we have to go to the lower one. Don't worry, we don't have much farther to walk."

Bryan nodded.

That didn’t explain all the red he was seeing.

The area he grew up in didn’t have red lights like this. He might not have gone outside the orphanage walls, but he gazed out the window.

Not to mention there was a smell in the air. The scent was unfamiliar to him.

"Why are all the lights red here?"

Emilia paused for a moment.

"That's... not something you need to worry about right now, Bryan. If you want to know, ask me when you're older."

‘Older? Why do I have to wait until I’m older?’

He frowned at her answer but didn’t press the issue.

If this was Edward or Lucas he was sure he would have gotten an answer. Especially from Lucas.

The man was something, a bit weird, but also funny.

He wasn’t as scary as he seemed once you worked with him.

Lucas was teaching him about magic, but so far he had not actually used any. He had to learn more about magic cores, ether pathways, and how they connected.

Which seemed boring, as he thought he’d have to study more. But, Lucas had a different way of teaching him.

He got to cut open some animals.

That was pretty exciting.

Lucas did say that after he returned, he would teach him to use his own magic. But, he had to keep it a secret from Edward and Emilia.

As they walked, Bryan couldn't help but notice the differences in the city. From the clothing people wore, to the way buildings were shaped.

Despite Emilia's earlier words, Bryan found himself slowing down, his eyes drawn to every new sight.

Emilia noticed Bryan's lagging pace.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Bryan. But we need to keep moving. It's not safe to linger here."

She reminded him.

Bryan nodded, picking up his pace.

"Sorry, Emilia. It's just... I've never seen anything like this before."

Emilia glanced at him for a moment, before she looked at a stall.

“Come along.”

She said.

Bryan followed her as they approached the stall. A dark-haired man stood behind the stall with brown eyes. Two long ears peeked out from beneath his long hair.

He saw some kids at the orphanage that looked similar. They were a type of elf.

“Two sweet Kushari. And one sweet roll.”

Emilia said.

The man grabbed two sticks with meat on them, and a light brown ball with a stick piercing it.

She handed him some money.

“Here.”

Emilia handed Bryan the stick with the meat on it.

It looked a bit funny, but it smelt amazing.

“It’s Kushari. Fried meat with vegetables. Try it.”

Bryan nodded and bit into it.

It was softer than he was expecting, and the meat seemed to melt as soon as it entered his mouth.

He licked his lips and stared at the food.

“Good right?”

Emilia asked as she bit into her own.

Bryan nodded and quickly ate the rest.

“Slow down, the food isn’t going anywhere.”

She told him and he felt a bit embarrassed.

There wasn’t much of the food left and Emilia handed him the other stick with the light brown ball on it.

Without asking what it was, he bit into it.

It was sweet.

As it dissolved in his mouth, he found himself wanting more. But, he didn’t rush and took his time eating it.

“This is the best I can do at the moment. Maybe on the way back, we can grab something else, but for now, let’s go.”

He looked forward to the return trip back.

**********

As they continued their journey through the dimly lit streets, Bryan suddenly felt a jolt of recognition. The road they were on seemed eerily familiar, triggering memories of a day that felt like a lifetime ago.

‘This... this is the road Millie took me on.’

Bryan thought to himself.

"It’s pretty amazing, right?"

Millie said as she smiled at him.

He was nervous then at leaving the orphanage, at going with them when Ms. Kelly told him he should make better friends.

But, it was nice to feel wanted then.

"Yeah, it’s incredible. I never knew there was so much out here."

He told her.

"Sometimes you get to see Magitech, and its so cool!"

Millie said excitedly.

He remembered the bustling stalls that had lined the road, filled with colorful wares and mouthwatering scents. Now, the street stood empty, the absence of life creating a haunting silence.

‘There used to be stalls here. And people. So many people.’

It was his first time seeing so many people. His first time seeing a stall. His first time outside the orphanage.

The once-lively street now seemed like a ghost town, abandoned and forgotten.

"Wait, are you into Magitech?"

Brittney asked him.

"I am! But, mages are better."

He was so proud of that moment. Believing that they’d think the same as him.

Zeke who was leading the way next to Dave started laughing with his hands behind his head. Turning around he looked at him.

"You're so dumb. Mages use Magitech!"

He felt his cheeks burn as he looked down at the floor.

The moment was so clear to him. It was all coming back.

As they walked, Bryan's gaze was drawn to a particular corner. His heart began to race as a realization struck him.

The orphanage – his former home – was just around that corner. Just down there.

What if... what if it had all been a terrible dream?

What if Ms. Kelly was still alive, waiting for him back at the orphanage?

Without thinking, Bryan's feet began to move of their own accord, pulling him towards the corner. He had to see. He had to know for sure.

"Bryan?"

Emilia called out.

"Bryan, where are you going?"

But her words didn't reach him.

He turned the corner, and he could hear his heart pounding. He had to see. See her one more time.

Emilia hurried after him, her longer strides quickly closing the distance between them. As she rounded the corner, she came to an abrupt halt.

They both stood frozen, staring at the sight before them.

Where the orphanage had once stood, there was now nothing but a large patch of charred earth.

The building that had been his home, the place where he had known both cruelty and kindness, was gone.