Embers of the Holy War

The Boy With No Memories

He dreamt of nothingness. He was one with the universe; thoughtless, sensationless. Like a leaf in the wind, he simply went with the flow. Stagnant. Peaceful.

But suddenly, the ground gave up beneath him. Uncontrollably, he was falling, falling, and-

He awoke with a gasp. Colours faded in and out of his vision like a mirage. A cacophony of voices filled his ears. Too loud. Unfamiliar. He screwed his eyes shut and cupped his ears to get rid of it - to get rid of everything. Humans...he sensed humans...

Something warm touched his wrists and he hissed, instinctively lashing out with a punch. However, it landed on something soft. After blinking a couple more times, he realised that a man dressed in white had blocked his little fist with his palm. It was the first time he finally got to see. He gave the room a quick scan, his breathing picking up with more and more things he couldn't understand.

Who is this man? Who are all these people surrounding him? Why is he on a bed? Whose bed is this? Where is he? Where is-

A sharp pain shot through his head and he yelped loudly, gripping his head. The man in white leaned closer, way too close, and he felt his heart hammering madly in his chest.

In an attempt to ease the knot in his chest, he murmured, "Go away..."

But the man continued to get closer, as did the other people in white, gathering around him, murmuring sweet honeyed words, sending his mind into a frenzy.

"You'll be alright."

"What's wrong?"

"Calm down, take deep breaths."

"You're just confused, it's OK now."

Lies lies lies lies. The people in white...humans...despicable creatures...

With all the panic building up inside him, he felt like he was about to combust. Go away...don't come near me...don't touch me...don't-

"GO AWAY OR I'LL KILL YOU!"

As if responding to his call, fire engulfed him, blasting away the men in white in a wave of scorching heat. But to him, it was warm, comforting. In that warmth he calmed down - or was it because those men were not around him anymore?

He heard footsteps rushing in from the door ahead and he readied his flames which were rearing to go. However, what came in were not men in white, but a man and woman in expensive casual clothing. The man in a black and white suit, the woman in an elegant dress.

The woman teared up at seeing him, completely disregarding the spheres of orange flames dancing around him. "Baby! You're awake! Oh, we were so worried!"

Baby? Him? Who was this woman who's calling him in such an endearing tone? It sickened him to the bone to be called in such a way by this woman - even though he doesn't understand why.

"Who are you?" he demanded. Around him, the flames flickered agitatingly.

The man in a suit held onto the woman whose knees weakened at his demand. With strong, steely eyes, the man said in a careful tone, "Do you not remember us, Guang? She's your mother, and I'm your father."

Mother...father...? Did he just call him Guang? Was that his name?

His mother and father were total strangers as far as his memory told him. His name...it didn't sound familiar too. But the more he tried to think about it, he realised with daunting horror that he doesn't remember anything. Not where he lived, the people dear to him, how he got here, and who he was.

He gripped his aching head. Just what was going on here?

"I'm sorry Mr and Mrs Long, but Guang still seems to be confused," one of the men in white said. Turning to him, the man explained in a soft, gentle tone, "I need you to listen calmly, Guang. You were involved in a major accident and your head suffered serious damage. But fret not, we've fixed you up, and from how you're looking, you can go home the next day. It's a miracle, really, that you've managed to survive. You're a strong little boy, Guang."