Young Writers Society

Twenty years ago, two unremarkable boys from an unremarkable village were caught in a brutal war. Every night, they would go into the mines to play hide and seek with the raiders, and every morning they would wake up to a town that held a few less people. During one of their sessions of hide and seek, they found something: a dragon egg. However, that dragon egg would become lost to time when they were caught by raiders. From there, their lives were torn apart, with both thinking the other as dead.

Now, twenty years later, Railyn Yora is a lieutenant in the royal mage military, leading a force into a neighboring country. Ryun Nguyen is a stablehand turned warrior, determined to defend his town from another devastating raid, and to get revenge on those who killed all he knew. These two men are just cogs in a machine of sides far beyond their grasp, but when their sides clash, the two meet each other once again.

With their worldviews shattered, the two men must begin a journey of self-discovery and self-worth as they must decide what, and who, truly shapes them. There may not be a choice, however, as their worlds quickly collide with one another, crushing everything in their way. A struggle between two childhood friends turned enemies could determine the outcome of the war, and perhaps the fate of all they know.

Week Fifteen Writing - 1053 words

Leigh lagged behind Krieves as they reached the homestead. He couldn't bear to be around as the news was shared. He heard first the joyful cries of the kids realizing their Apa was home. Little did they know. How would they tell the kids? No, Leigh didn't want to think about that. He glanced over to them, and saw Krieves embrace Vera. After a moment, she released the embrace and gasped, her face contorting enough for him to see from where he stood, awkwardly shifting back and forth in the pitch blackness, with only the moon glancing down upon him. That was enough of that. Leigh stopped viewing that horrible situation. There was only one place he could think about going to.

The boathouse. It was ironic on multiple levels that the boathouse was the one last safe place for Leigh, especially after the kids came into their life. Even in the darkness, Leigh knew the path by heart. The trees thinned to bushes, to sandy dunes and rocky outcrops. It was then that Leigh turned, walking alongside the shore. He kept the roving sea to his right, keeping his eyes low to the grand. It made seeing things much more difficult.

However, it was better than getting lost watching the waves at night, just sinking into existential dread and terror. Leigh could handle the sea during the day, but he immediately buckled when attempting it at night. His fingers absentmindedly sought out the comfort of the rope that was put on the trail years ago.

It offend a guide to the boathouse, but more importantly, it became a source of solace over the years for him. Anytime he had to grab ahold of this rope, he was not in a good spot. Today was no exception.

The boathouse was a blot against a starry night, sticking out like a blight against the picturesque background. The wooden steps croaked against his feet, bending under the weight of time. The door opened easily, it's hinges weathered and loose. Leigh walked inside and wordlessly laid down on the walkway, staring at the ceiling. Leigh exhaled, slowly and desperately, and let his eyes unfocus.

The reflections of the water on the boathouse mellowed out to thick lines, dancing around the darkness in a wordless melody. The normally raucous waves thinned out before reaching the boathouse. The mellowed water sloshed against the sides of the boathouse and those its boats, bringing some beat to the reflections' rhythm.

Pale blue circles bounced around each other, blending in and bleeding into each other. Leigh let the mirage bleed into his vision, and then he closed his eyes. The memories of the water danced in behind his eyelids and he let the sounds of the water fill the void where his thoughts would normally be. This place was one of the only things that could halt his spiralling.

Just as he was beginning to calm down, he heard the door's hinge swing open. He didn't bother to pry his eyes open. It was only one of two possible people, and Leigh didn’t really want to try to talk to either of them. The person laid down next to Leigh and sighed. It was Vera. Leigh didn't know if he preferred that over the other option.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Neither of them really needed to, to be honest. Leigh didn’t have the energy to do so himself, and he knew Vera didn’t need to ask just how he was doing. She probably already knew, from what Krieves had said to her. Then again, he didn’t need to say anything. Leigh and Vera were far too similar. Vera knew exactly how Leigh felt, because some part of her felt the same way.

Leigh wished he could reach out to comfort her, to console her, to do something rather than being in his one comfort zone. However, he was far too stuck in his own mind to attempt to reach out and delve into someone else’s.

His eyelids felt heavy, and he felt like his own body has started to melt into the boathouse. His emotions drained into the damp wood and soaked into the waters below. He wondered if Vera was able to absorb any of his feelings.

Vera cleared her throat. “Krieves told me.” She didn’t really need to say that. Leigh kind of wished she hadn’t spoken at all. Because speaking something into existence like she just did required him to actually face it instead of running from it or burying it deep, deep down.

Leigh licked his lips, tasting salt. Was it from the sea or from his own cracked lips? Or maybe it came from tears he didn’t realize he had shed. He attempted to speak, but couldn’t find any words that would appropriately fit the moment. So, he said nothing. He knew something would be said eventually.

“When I first heard the words that Krieves said, the first thing that came to my mind wasn’t about my children, or my husband. I just thought… why couldn’t it have been me, taking his place?” Vera spoke into the darkness of the boathouse. It made things easier to say when you didn’t have to look at anyone in the eyes. “Just a split moment of reason would have explained away that thought, but still, my mind asked that of me and it has stuck since.”

Leigh couldn’t break this line of thought. It was then he realized that Vera needed this moment in the boathouse just as much as he did.

“The children need me. But, they need their Apa as well. He’s too old for war. I’m inexperienced, but no doubt they would have shoved me into some nurse’s tent to tend to the wounds of battle. I would have been miserable, but I would have been alive when the war was over, ready to come home to my husband and children. But, Krieves…”

“Don’t.” Leigh interrupted suddenly, and the silence settled back into the boathouse. It sounded harsher than he wanted it to, but he knew that Vera immediately realized what she was about to say after he stopped her. Neither of them wanted that, no matter how probable it might have been.

The ripplings of the waves were broken by soft sobbing.

Week Sixteen Writing - 1203 words

Leigh didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. He supposed Vera needed her time to work through whatever she was feeling. He just wished he wasn't tagging along for the ride.

Finally, Leigh cleared his throat, and he heard the sobbing soften. "It shouldn't be you."

"It shouldn't be him," Vera said.

"It shouldn't be him,"Leigh agreed.

He desperately wanted to say more, but he just did not know what to even try to say. What could he say that would give the situation justice? He could say that he would sneak out and take Apa's place in the military. Middle of the night, no one could know.

But of course people would. He is no old man. The military would see his name and his skin color and immediately figure out the ruse. Then both and his family would become enemies of the state.And the rulers of Uildauel were not known for their mercy. He was one of the few living testaments of that.

Krieves was also not one who had a huge ego or much pride, but he would not do anything that put his family in danger. Stubborn fool. He abided by those rules his entire life, and where did that end up getting him?

Leigh didn't hear Vera get up from her position next to him. He only found out when he stopped hearing the cries. He opened his eyes and let the faint light settle in his vision. Vera had moved to the lone window, her back to him.

He scrambled to a sitting position, dangling his legs over the edge.

Vera glanced back at him. “Krieves pet the kids to sleep, it seems like. The flames were doused."

Leigh hummed in response. Vera walked back to him and returned to her position at his side. Before she sat next to him, she heaved up the tails of her dress, giving her the opportunity to dip her feet in the sloshing water as well. She was shorter than Leigh, so she was only able to skim her toes against the waves. The two of them busied themselves with kicking their legs above the waves, in opposing rhythms.

Leigh could feel Vera's eyes on him. He opened himself up and wrapped his arm around her. She then leaned on his shoulder, humming lightly, although Ioud enough so that Leigh could feel the vibrations through her jaw into his own bones. While still leaning on Leigh, Vera's hum turned into a slight whistle of an old song they used to sing to him when he was younger, especially during his rougher nights.

Leigh began humming along, and Vera's tune stopped. Leigh could feel her smiling. "You remember."

"Of course I remember."

“... Do you remember that night?" Vera asked, which felt more like a prod into his heart and a fresh stab to his gut.

Vera must have felt him instinctively stiffen because she glanced up at him. "It's okay, I just, I know it's not a good memory for you.” A moment of silence. "Did you know that I was the one who found you? That day?"

Leigh shook his head, too unsure of himself to respond any other way.

“I know it’s not a day you want to think about. It’s one I can’t stop thinking about.” The words just started spilling out of her mouth. “Ever since Krieves told me he had to leave, I can’t stop thinking about it. It was right here, before we built this place. I wasn’t one to be believing in fairy tales and the like, but it was like… well, it was like the water gods themselves brought you to our doorstep. Krieves, he was always the most reasonable of us too, but that night showed a whole new part of him. He could have sworn he saw the twin water gods that night.”

Leigh said nothing. This was a side of the story he had never heard before. Vera and Leigh had come to an unspoken arrangement early on that they would not speak about what happened that night. In the beginning, Vera was full of nothing but questions. She wanted to know who Leigh was, what his name was, what had happened to him, and so much more. Too many questions. It was more like an interrogation than anything. If Vera prodded too much, or too often, or a combo of the two, it would send Leigh into a panic attack. Over time, they compromised on some things. But, that night, no compromises were made over that night. Leigh wouldn’t, couldn’t, talk about that night.

Until today, he supposed.

“We didn’t even know if you were alive at first. Thought you might have been a baby whale who got beached or one of the great beasts come to this part of the beach, like it got tired of the cooling itself on the rocks and wanted something softer. You were so still.”

In some kind of twisted irony, Leigh felt completely still, unable to move. He suddenly felt so acutely aware of every minor discomfort on his body at the moment. His shoulder was starting to complain about Vera’s head resting on it. His bottom was damp and cold, as the water from the wood had seeped through his layers to tickle at his bare skin. His back still ached from the work of the day, and he was just absolutely drained, mentally, physically, and now emotionally. In all the ways he could think of, his body was screaming at him to get out, and pretend this day had never happened. But, he was stuck.

“Both Krieves and I weren’t really ones to rely on prayer for things. But, we prayed a whole lot that night. Krieves had gone into town for help, and I…” she stopped for a moment, mulling her words. “I had to tend to your wound. I had to get the water out of your lungs. I had to keep you breathing. Krieves, if he had come back to find you still, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world for him, but I had become attached. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew I needed to keep you alive.”

Leigh swallowed, his throat dry. “Thank you,” he said after what felt like an obscenely long spread of silence. He didn’t know if he meant it.

“No, thank you,” Vera said. “I saved your life that night, but you gave me a life worth living.” She suddenly stood up, breathing in deeply. In the pale light of the moon’s reflection, Leigh saw her hold out a hand. “Let’s get some sleep.”

She sounded different, like something inside her had suddenly fallen into place. Or, perhaps whatever had changed had broken beyond repair. In the near complete darkness, Leigh couldn’t tell. He wanted to stay at the boathouse, or just stop existing in general. Or maybe he didn’t know what he wanted.

Somehow, she knew what he was thinking. All she said was, “tomorrow is another day.”

Hesitantly, Leigh took her hand, and together they followed the trail back to the house.

Krieves was gone before he woke up.