Chapter 5 - Beyond The Walls

During lunch, as the family sat around the table, Yasu found himself distracted by his curiosity. The thought of what lay beyond the towering wall that surrounded their house was gnawing at him, a constant presence at the back of his mind.
He fidgeted with his food, stealing glances out the window, as if seeking answers from the distant wall. 
Eventually, his father noticed his son's distraction."You seem lost in thought," Raeleanore remarked, eyeing Yasu curiously.
Yasu jolted slightly, caught off guard by his father's observation. He quickly straightened up, trying to act nonchalant. "Oh, uh, it's nothing. Just...just thinking about training and stuff."
But his father wasn't fooled. "You're a terrible liar, Yasu," Raeleanore chuckled, taking a sip of his drink. "Out with it. What's on your mind?"
Caught, Yasu sighed, realizing he couldn't keep his curiosity hidden. "I was just...thinking about the wall," he admitted, his gaze shifting to the window once more. "You know, what's out there. Beyond it."
His parents exchanged a glance, understanding the weight of the topic.
His mother, Kasumi, spoke up, her voice soft but firm. "You're still too young to worry about that, Yasu."
Yasu's shoulders slumped slightly, disappointment etched on his face. He knew that response all too well. "I know, I know. You always say that," he mumbled, his frustration evident.
"I can handle it, I'm not a toddler.."
His mother's expression softened, a gentle smile touching her lips. "Sweetheart, it's not that we don't think you can handle it," she explained. "It's that you shouldn't have to worry about it at your age."
Yasu leaned back in his chair, the frustration melting into resignation. "But I do worry. I see that wall every day, and I can't help but wonder what's out there. What secrets are hidden behind it?"
His father chimed in again, his tone firm but not unkind. "Some secrets are better left uncharted, Yasu. Especially for someone your age. Trust us, this is for your own good."
Yasu let out a frustrated sigh, his curiosity still burning within him. "It's just...frustrating. I feel like there's a whole world out there, and I'm stuck here, not allowed to explore it."
Yasu closed his eyes, his frustration giving way to a weary acceptance. He knew his parents were only trying to look out for him, but it didn't make the itching curiosity any easier to bear. "I get it, okay? You're just trying to protect me. But it feels like you're sheltering me too much sometimes."
Raeleanore, with his arms crossed, leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "You're right. We are sheltering you, but it's only because we care about you."
Kasumi nodded in agreement, her eyes softening as she spoke. "We don't want to see you hurt, Yasu. The world out there is dangerous, and you're still so young. We just want to keep you safe until you're ready to face it."
Yasu sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. He knew they had a point. "But when will I be ready?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of desperation.
His father let out a weary sigh, his gaze shifting to the window, where the looming shadow of the wall was visible. "It's not about a specific age, Yasu. It's about when you're strong enough, both physically and mentally. You still have a lot to learn, a lot to experience."
Kasumi offered a gentle smile, her maternal instincts kicking in. "We'll know when you're ready, sweetheart. And until then, we'll do everything to ensure your safety."
Yasu's shoulders sagged, and he realized the futility in arguing. "I guess I have no choice but to wait, huh?" he said, the disappointment in his voice palpable.
His parents nodded, their expressions soft but resolute. "For now, yes," Raeleanore said, his tone firmer than before. "But remember this, Yasu. Patience and trust are key. We want what's best for you, even if it doesn't seem like it right now."
Yasu nodded silently, resigned to his situation. Despite his frustration, he knew his parents were only trying to protect him. And as much as he wanted to argue, he also knew deep down that they were right. He was still too young, too inexperienced to truly understand the dangers that lay beyond the safety of his home.
Kasumi, sensing his acceptance, reached out once more, tenderly running her fingers through his hair. "You're a good boy, Yasu. Just give it time."
Yasu managed a small smile, leaning into his mother's soothing touch. "Alright, alright. I'll be patient," he grudgingly agreed.
His father, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, chimed in. "Atta boy. You'll be ready sooner than you think. Trust us."
The rest of the meal passed in relative silence, the earlier conversation still lingering in the air. Yasu, although resigned to his situation, found himself stealing glances at the window now and then, his gaze still drawn to the imposing wall that kept him trapped.
As the meal concluded, and Yasu helped clear the table, he couldn't help but wonder. Just how much more growing would he have to do before he was truly ready to face the unknown outside that wall?
With his questions still unanswered, Yasu retreated to his room after dinner, his mind brimming with a flurry of thoughts. He curled up on his bed, burying his face in a pillow, letting out a frustrated sigh.
"Ready, huh?" he whispered to himself, his voice tinged with a mixture of resignation and determination. "It's gonna take forever, I know it."
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Yasu continued his daily routine; training, learning magic, harvesting the garden, and growing under the watchful eye of his parents. But all the while, the nagging curiosity never quite faded.
Every day, as he would glance out the window, he saw the wall, the symbol of his confinement. It mocked his freedom, teasing him with its secrecy. The world beyond the wall, the 'outside' that his parents warned him about, was becoming an obsession. A puzzle he wanted to solve, yet a puzzle he was not allowed to even touch.
During the daily training. 
Yasu paused for a moment, closing his eyes and gathering his thoughts. With a deep, steady breath, he held out his hand, calling upon the divine power of Ignis, the Forgemaster and God of Fire.
"O Lord Ignis," he intoned, his voice filled with quiet determination, a hint of pleading laced within. "Grant me your strength...and give me the ability to master the magic I've been training in for so long. I won't fail again. I can't."
Yasu let out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly as the spell he had attempted went up in smoke. For the hundredth time, his efforts to channel Ignis's divine strength failed.
"Damn it," he muttered, the word almost a hoarse whisper. "Why can't I do this? I've been training for years."He clenched his hands into fists, the frustration and disappointment washing over him in waves. The desire to master magic and prove himself burned within him, but it seemed as if Ignis was refusing to grant him the power he sought.
"What am I doing wrong?" he murmured to himself, raking a hand through his hair in a gesture of agitation. "What do you want from me, Ignis? I'm trying, I'm trying."
With a sigh, he walked home but there was still something that lingered in his mind.
During his daily training sessions, Yasu would find himself distracted, his mind wandering to thoughts of the unknown. His parents' warnings would echo in his ears, a constant reminder of the potential dangers they spoke of. But still, the questions lingered. What lay beyond that towering wall? What secrets did the outside world hold? And most importantly, why couldn't he see for himself?
Yasu, driven by his overwhelming curiosity and frustration, found himself at the wall late one night, long after his parents had retired to bed. As he inched closer, his heart thudding in his chest, he noticed a small crack in the massive structure.
Peering through the crack, he gasped involuntarily, his eyes widening in a mix of awe and horror. 
A creature stood before him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Its body was twisted and contorted, its limbs unnaturally long and gangly. Its eyes, a piercing shade of crimson, seemed to glow with a sinister light, boring into Yasu's gaze. Its mouth, a gaping maw of razor-sharp teeth, dripped with a sickly, viscous fluid. And then it let out a low, guttural growl.
Yasu froze in fear, his body rigid as a statue. His mind raced with thoughts, his earlier curiosity now replaced with sheer terror. What in the world was this creature? Could it see him? Could it reach through the crack and grab him?
The creature continued to let out low growls, its crimson eyes never leaving Yasu's gaze. It seemed to be aware of his presence, sensing his fear and alarm. Yasu's heart raced faster than it ever had before, his breath coming out in short, panicked gasps. 
This was it. This was the 'outside' his parents warned him about. And it was nothing like he had ever imagined. It was nightmarish. It was horrifying.