BESIDE THE CAMPFIRE ↦ LISSIEXO

prologue

prologue

     The ocean tide fell back as she held the hand of her dear mother. She always found peace in the water and how tranquillity followed her when she would just stare out to the endless sea. Her mother wanted her to see the peace, feel it in her bones and gather the collective that you can find subtle moments that will help your most darkest moments.

      "Why do you bring me here anytime father is not around?" She proposed the question to her mother whilst looking into the ocean once more. "Youko, there will be things you find in this life that" Her mother paused trying to wonder why a mere 8 year old could feel the tension within the household.
"What is it? Is there something going on that I am without knowledge about?" Youko questioned worrying about what the future might hold.

       In this land, most children did not fret at the idea of the future. They believed that they were protected by the gods and the elements. So whatever came to them, they gradually grew accustomed to it, so much as they were powerless to change the will of the divine. Or at least, so they thought. Youko was young, but she was adapted with a strong sense of justice and compassion. She knew at this age that she would do anything to protect her mother regardless of what the gods wishes were.
Her mother got onto her knees and clasped her daughter's face. She looked at her only child with tears and painful emotion.

    "Your ability to feel others and grasp complex issues will always be your gift," she said, knowing her young daughter would understand. Youko was always someone that listened and wanted to tell her own side. She wiped the tears off her mother's face and smiled at her. "There isn't a need to cry, you will always have me here," she illuminated as her mother stood back onto her feet grabbing Youko's hand once more.

      "Come on my child, we have to get back before darkness hits," she sighed whilst walking with Youko along the path back to their residence. 'Something feels off about mother' Youko thought 'she was always a resolute person, nothing I've ever said to her has ever warranted such a severe response. Even when I asked about what happened to the cat when it stopped moving she only ever responded with a straight face'

      "Youko are you coming?" She snapped out of her daze, turning around to find her mother had already begun walking off without her. She ran up to catch up with her whilst she was a couple meters ahead. Youko stared up at the overbearing, moss covered door of her house. This was the residence she had lived in for years. Her mother, being a resourceful person, had never wanted to move from the small village of Muspel since it had provided them so well with a plentiful source of food and water. The villagers were lovely too. Despite only having very few residents, the community was very cliquish and Youko enjoyed spending time around them. An eerie screech came from the door as her mother pushed it open. Stepping inside, Youko went directly to her room. It was way past her bedtime, but her mother had allowed her outside just this once, to see the ocean.

      "Goodnight mother" she whispered through drooping eyes. Blinking suddenly, Youko jerked up from her bed. A faint shadow lingered in front of her, a very hazy, blurred outline of a figure, someone Youko instantly felt she knew yet she didn't know who or what it was. Rubbing her eyes, she could make out an imperceptible orange hue being emitted from the figure. "Who are you?" she yelled trying to get something out of the figure. "What are you doing here?" She spoke loudly towards the man and yet again the stranger was as silent as ever.

Youko hurriedly got out of bed, running over to the window for a better look. The man looked like he was slowly walking up the path to the house, each stride burning footprints into the ground with a horrifying sizzle. As he got closer, Youko felt an overwhelming sense of dread rush over her body as she stood there, frozen, like a statue watching the figure encroach ever closer. He slowly grew closer to the door, but she couldn't get rid of this feeling of fear.   
         This was something she simply hadn't experienced in her life, his feet continued to create the sound of fire burning against wet ground. It shook her from her hairs down to her very core. A tear started to fall as the man started to get close, slowly revealing his features, but before he reached the house, a faint, auburn light illuminated the ground. A loud sound suddenly rang out about a hundred metres away catching the man's attention. He turned his head and as she closed her eyes for a split second to pray that he would leave the residence area. She opened them to realise that he was no longer in her vision. She turned her back towards the wall and slowly let her legs fall creating a ball shape with her body.