Crestfall: Darkness Unveiled

"Your father was the legendary warrior—don't you know this!?"

"I fought alongside him back in the day. Shuhei was… incredible. A man of unshakable resolve. I admired his strength—still do, actually. I'm sorry about… you know."

That's all Sosuke ever heard. They never truly saw him. His father's shadow was all that mattered. No one looked at Sosuke Estrella. It was always about the Sword Saint.

Six years ago, Sosuke was just a boy. A lost boy, unremarkable, untested. He lived in a hidden home—a sanctuary deep within an untamed forest. Everyone said it was the safest place on Earth. They were wrong.

The attack came without warning. His sanctuary became a hunting ground, the air thick with smoke and the acrid scent of burning wood. Trees groaned and splintered, their roots torn from the soil as a monstrous force tore through the forest.

Inside the house, Shuhei, the Sword Saint, stood as the last line of defense. His ability, The Negation, could suppress any technique, rendering even the most potent attacks useless within its sphere. But it wasn't his ability alone that made him a legend—it was his spirit, the strength in his resolve.

Shuhei's sword gleamed in the flickering light of the fire. He raised it to meet the snarling maw of a beast unlike anything Sosuke had ever seen. Its jagged, unnaturally long teeth snapped against the blade, forcing Shuhei back a step. He grunted under the strain. Where had this monster come from? Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, a feral intelligence that sent chills down Sosuke's spine.

From the hallway, Sosuke froze, watching the scene unfold. His father turned, sweat and ash streaking his face, his voice sharp and commanding:

"Run, Sosuke! Now! Out the back door!"

But Sosuke couldn't move. His ten-year-old mind couldn't process the chaos, the terror. His small hands trembled, his feet rooted to the floor. Was this how a boy was supposed to act? Was he supposed to be brave?

Shuhei's knees buckled. For the first time in Sosuke's life, he saw his father falter. The beast pressed forward, and Shuhei's grip on his blade wavered. His voice, low but resolute, cut through Sosuke's paralysis like a blade.

"Go!"

Their eyes met for one brief, searing moment—Shuhei's gaze was filled with a mixture of desperation and love, a silent plea Sosuke would carry with him forever.

Sosuke turned and ran.

The forest swallowed him whole, its dense foliage closing in like the jaws of another beast. Branches clawed at his skin, and the uneven ground threatened to trip him with every step. He didn't know where he was going. There was no path, no sign of safety. The fire and chaos behind him seemed endless.

His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding like a drum. Still, he ran, the image of his father standing alone against the beast carved into his mind. And somewhere in the distance, the roar of the monster pierced the night.

Eventually, Sosuke stumbled upon a dirty old cabin. The lights were on, and muffled voices filtered through the wooden walls. Desperation fueled his final steps as he knocked weakly on the door, his vision blurring before he collapsed onto the ground.

The piercing morning light forced Sosuke's eyes open. He sat up, groggy and disoriented, in what appeared to be a makeshift bed of torn paper and an old pillow. The cabin smelled faintly of damp wood and something metallic.

The front door creaked open. A tall, bearded man entered, an axe slung over one shoulder and a bag of goods in his other hand. His brow furrowed as he spotted Sosuke. Dropping everything, he crouched beside the boy.

"Are you okay, lad? How do you feel? Where are your parents? Where did you come from?"

The rapid-fire questions overwhelmed Sosuke. His lips trembled as he struggled to find words. Finally, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"What happened to the beast?"

The man's expression darkened, a mix of confusion and worry flickering in his eyes.

"What do you mean, child? Was there a monster in these woods?"

Sosuke's eyes widened. How could he not know? The deafening roars, the sheer aura of the creature—it was impossible to ignore. There had to be a way back.

Tears welled in Sosuke's eyes, spilling over as he buried his face in his hands.

"What happened to my father? I want to go home…"

The man, whose name Sosuke would later learn was Beorne, placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. He coaxed him inside, offering a warm meal. Beorne's wife, Katherine, was out shopping in the nearby plaza, leaving the two of them alone in the rustic kitchen.

"Who are you, boy?" Beorne asked, his tone gentle yet probing. "Tell me about yourself."

Sosuke hesitated, poking at the food on his plate. Then, in a small voice, he answered.

"I'm Sosuke… Sosuke Estrella. My father… he's the Sword Saint. We were attacked by a beast. He told me to run, so I did."

Beorne leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his beard as he processed the boy's words.

"I see. Well, take it easy for now. When you're ready, we'll go see what happened at your home. You need rest—you were in rough shape when I found you. You ran here, didn't you?"

Sosuke averted his gaze, shame creeping into his voice.

"I did. I panicked. I didn't know where to go, so I ran all over the place."

"Don't beat yourself up, lad," Beorne said with a reassuring smile. "Your father's strong. I've heard the stories. No beast could defeat the Sword Saint."

Sosuke looked up, a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes. He nodded resolutely.

"You're right. My father can't die!"

Beorne chuckled, clapping Sosuke on the back. "That's the spirit, boy."

Just then, the door swung open with a bang. A woman stepped inside, her vibrant orange dress swaying as she kicked the door shut behind her. Katherine's arms were laden with bags of food, and the faint jingle of expensive jewelry accompanied her every movement.

"Honey, I'm back!" she called out, her voice carrying an air of dramatic flair.

She stopped abruptly, her gaze falling on Sosuke. Her eyebrows arched in surprise.

"Oh, right. The boy." Her tone was flat, almost dismissive, as she set the bags on the counter.

Sosuke straightened in his seat, his voice tinged with renewed determination. "I'm going home soon. My father will be there."

Katherine froze, leaning against the bathroom sink as she removed her jewelry piece by piece. "Your father, hmm? And who might that be?"

"The Sword Saint! We were attacked, but there's no way he wouldn't beat that thing. He's always defeating evil!" Sosuke's hands moved animatedly as he spoke, his youthful idolization shining through.

Katherine paused, her movements halting mid-air. "Shuhei Estrella… the Sword Saint's son." Her voice dropped, almost reluctant. "They found his severed limbs scattered through the forest. But no body."

The room fell deathly silent.

"Katherine!" Beorne snapped, striding toward her. "You can't say that! He's just a boy!"

Sosuke stumbled back, his chest tightening as the weight of her words crushed the fragile hope he had clung to. His father… dead?

"No…" he whispered, shaking his head violently. "That's not true. It can't be true!"

Tears blurred his vision as he staggered to his feet, gripping the edge of the table for support. His mind raced, clinging desperately to the memory of his father's strength, his unyielding presence.

But doubt crept in. Could the beast really have bested the Sword Saint? Could his father—a man who seemed larger than life—truly be gone?

Sosuke's world, once filled with certainty and safety, began to crumble. And for the first time, he felt the cold, suffocating weight of loss.