========================================================================================================================================================================
I remember the stinging cold of the blizzard weighing down on my body, hands holding the pod mounted to my armor's chest, it's warm glow a light in the darkness of the storm.
How I lagged behind the group, how I heard Etty calling out my name before he came into view.
I cried, oh how I loved him, oh how great he was, truly a good father-

I remember the pain as he shot me in the leg, how I fell back into the cold snow as my violet blood stained the white ground.
Etaiyo's words stinging in my mind to this day: "You produced a waste to my legacy. I had high hopes for you but yet here we are, you carrying that pathetic little thing in that pod."
I asked why, pleaded, but he just told me that he was doing what was right, snuffing out poor genetics within our kind and ensuring his bloodline wouldn't have such a disappoint in it.

I remember how he abandoned us, left us to die in the cold, how I limped forward to try to find some refuge.
The corpse of a large beast lay upon the ground, desperation for my life and my son's, I'd bind up my wound to keep it from getting diseased.
My blade bit into the beast's hide as I cut it open for refuge, steam rising in the cold air.

I remember spending hours hidden away, stained in blood as the glow of the pod carried on, my beacon of hope.
When the storm died down I'd leave and head in the direction we were going, hours upon hours within the snow blanketed fields until I reached it.
The first to my aid upon seeing me was Akane, the doctor who had seen to my son's survival, how she supported me as I was brought to the medical tent.

I remember her seeing the bullet wound, how she knew... I couldn't lie to her so I told her truth.
Her words a calm fire that burned with a restrained rage: "Etaiyo said he lost you in the storm, we woke up this morning to him being gone. Had we known..."
I told her to not worry, I was alive, my son was alive, Etaiyo escaping was none of my concern at that moment...
========================================================================================================================================================================
[Prev] | [Next]