Toshiro and Sapphire

Dante continued screaming with his eyes closed until realizing he wasn’t falling. ‘Huh? My body…I-It’s see through? I’m floating down. Where is this leading?’

He stuck his hand through his chest, but it completely went through. ‘It’s almost like I’m a ghost. How long am I going to fall?’ Dante turned towards some of the creatures falling along with him. “Hey! Can you hear me? Where does this go?”

He stopped falling, but didn’t reach the ground. A white magic incantation fell from the top. Dante froze, unable to do anything as It fell over him. He opened his eyes, appearing in a different room. The Celestial Dragon came out of his clothing in the same astral plane form as Dante and began to hiss.

“What? What’s the problem?” Dante panicked and walked forward to an empty throne made of sticks and leaves with a single shade of light shining over it. Hesitant to approach, he circled around to the back where a broken skeleton lay behind the throne with a crown.

‘This is exactly what royalty wears. Kings and queens. This is identical in my world.’ The dragon now on his shoulder began to hiss even more. “What? I know something here isn’t right, but you’re not telling me anything. Where did all the creatures go?”

A long, sharp katana landed on the front of the throne. Dante turned in shock and jumped back. More katanas flew at him one by one. He jumped side to side to evade them. Dante shouted out, “Ice cage!” not knowing if he could still evade the incoming attacks as they sped up. Shrouds of ice emerged from the ground and ceiling, encasing Dante in a cylinder of ice himself. He couldn’t control the power like he wanted to, but this would do for now. Blue mana emitted from the outside and balls of ice formed continuously flying towards multiple areas. A voice spoke out from the shadows…

???: “Okay, okay. You can call that off now. I’m not going to do anything.”

Dante didn’t trust the man. “Who are you?” He came forward in sight of Dante. An average looking man wearing a white shirt, an orange jacket, and gold sunglasses walked side by side with a horse. His outfit didn’t match anyone that he had seen so far in this world.

???: “I was just testing ya. Don’t worry. I’m Toshiro Rin. Wasn’t going to kill you. Not like I could though. You’re strong. That barrier is impressive. Strongest I’ve ever seen in the 27 years I’ve been alive. Don’t think Kastor’s power could duplicate that. The mana produced from it is different. If anything y’all would end in a stalemate. Interesting.”

Dante processed what was going on before responding, still hesitatnt of this man who seemingly tried to kill him.“Where are we right now? What is this place? Is Kastor here?” he asked over and over.

Toshiro: “No. Haha. This ain’t Kastor’s domain. The path you took at the beginning of the entrance. Let me ask you this, which way did you go?”

Dante: “I-I went left. It led me to a dead end and now I’m here, not even in my original body.”

Toshiro: “Okay. That confirms it for me then.”

“Confirms what?” Dante asked in frustration.

Toshiro: “You’re not the first person I’ve seen since I got trapped down here a year ago. It doesn’t matter what way you went. It leads to this same goddamn place. The last guy, well, let’s just say he didn’t make it”

Dante looked around the lifeless room. He undid his barrier, still cautious of the man that stood before him, but realized that he needed to cooperate and find out about this man in order to escape this place.

Dante: “How come you’re not the same as me? Your body is fine.”

Toshiro: “Couldn’t tell ya. Not sure myself. Same thing with my pal here.”

Dante: “Where did all the creatures go? Don’t they get sent here with us?”

Toshiro: “There must be some different room that they get teleported to. However, there is a hole in the wall on the right hand side. Everyday those same creatures appear one by one through that hole. That’s the only source of food here. It’s how me and Sapphire here have stayed alive. I can produce water myself, but I’ve never found a way to get out of here. Not very good at magic incantations. Only special people can do stuff like that. Goes against the rules of this world. Surprisingly, the bones go down smoothly. They look like normal bones, but they are soft as jello. Ain’t that good, but it does its part.”

‘This man, he’s hiding something. Why would he know about Kastor if he went on the same path as me? There has to be more to his story. Or…maybe he’s just not that smart, but nor am I in this world. I’ll wait it out, but I need to know more.’

Dante: “Listen, I don’t have much time. Probably a day at most and even that is too much. I need to get to Kastor. Even if we do manage to get out of here, where would I find him?”

The man sat down with his horse. His hand lit up with blue mana lines similar to Dante’s, but a lighter shade of blue as water poured from his hand into his horse’s mouth.

Toshiro: “Well, ya were on the right track. There are two ways to get to him. Number 1! Keep going the way ya were going and be lucky not to get killed, or…Number 2! Find the teleportation stone near ‘The Garden.’ It’s the only place in this land that is filled with green grass and flowers and isn’t fully made of bones or sand. It will put you at the front gate. Kastor does it as a way to intimidate people. You have to put your chaplet into the stone and poof you go.”

Dante: “How am I supposed to get back if I give the stone my chaplet?”

Toshiro: “That’s the point. Kastor invites ya to the front, but in return, he takes yer chaplet. The only way back is to beat him. By the way, where did ya get that sword? Never seen anything like that.”

Dante: “I bought it from a street vendor.”

Toshiro: “A street vendor? Since when did the Feudal Lord start allowing street vendors to sell the samurai swords?”

Dante’s eyes lit up in shock. His mouth simultaneously opened wide as he realized why it seemed like this man was hiding something. He started to cough uncontrollably, choking on his own saliva. ‘H-He’s from Japan isn’t he?’ he thought loudly in his head.

Dante: “Y-Y-You’re from…Japan, aren’t you?”

Toshiro: “Me? Wow, I’m surprised you knew that! Oh, but ya probably don’t know the city, but I’m from this place called T-O-K-Y-O! Ba Da Dum!”

He stood in a soldier's stance and opened his mouth again saying, “At your service sir!” Dante still stood with his mouth open. “Y-You’re a s-samurai?”

Toshiro: “What’s wrong kid? Ya look shocked. Like ya been scurred by a deadly ghost…Boo!”

“Y-You’re…” Dante couldn’t say what he wanted to, but thought it. ‘Already dead.’

Toshiro: “I’mmmm what? Ah. Lighten up kid. We gotta get you, me, and Sapphire outta here.”

Dante could only keep asking himself how this man is in front of him. ‘Is that why his body isn’t normal? Am I the problem? This man thinks he is still in the Heian era. How long has he actually been here? Samurais have been long gone. How is he still alive? When did he get here?’ The man continued speaking. “Agh. It doesn’t really matter. The Lord knows what he is doing. He knows how to safekeep Japan just fine…Oh. Some food dropped. Let’s see what it is today.”

Toshiro walked over to the hole in the wall. It was perfectly shaped to allow things in, but not let things out. “Agh! Land fish! This stuff sucks. Sorry Sapphire, looks like we won’t get a great meal today…Dante ya wanna try a bite? She won’t touch this stuff.”

The horse neighed in a sad tone.

He walked back over with the food looking at Dante. “This stuff is better when it’s alive. You can catch it right in the air. They are pretty slow. Ah. Nothing beats fishing in Japan though. The fish here ain’t nothing like the ones back home.”

Dante still looked at the man in shock. “Toshiro? You said you’ve been trapped here for a year?” he asked.

Toshiro: “Umm, let me think…A little over a year if I think clearly about it.”

Dante: “How did you get here?”

Toshiro: “That’s a whole other story. You’re in for a treat. Yer ready? So, I ended up in a portal with Sapphire, right? I was so shocked because she was flying away from a bunch of flying skulls that chased us. We escaped and ended up in front of Kastor’s huge castle by accident. I was then greeted by a bunch of scary skeletons with swords. I was able to produce lots of katanas to fend them off, but the little bastards wouldn’t stop coming. Eventually, a man by the name of Shin walked towards me and said to me, “You have talent. Let’s see how many years that talent can prove useful…” Strange guy, but after that, I got sent through another portal into this here cave. Not sure what the man meant by that or who he was, but this whole time I thought he was testing me when he sent someone down heya. Maybe that Shin guy is Kastor’s buddy. Hmm…Now I ain’t sure. Wait. I have to prove to Shin that I’m strong. Right, Sapphire? We’ll both prove him wrong. Our goal is to be liked by everyone. We don’t gotta be the best, but we wanna be liked by everyone we come across.”

The horse neighed in agreeance.

‘I still can’t get over the fact that he was brought here just like me from Japan. Is this normal to be brought to different worlds? Tch! What should I say? What should I do? This can’t be right. He’s been here for at least 400 years if what he said is true. That doesn’t make any sense. Does this place loop? Will I be stuck here forever?!’ These thoughts echoed in Dante’s head endlessly, not knowing what could happen in this world. Everytime he learned something and thought he had it figured out, something new would pop up and mess things up.

“Whattya standing there fer. Don’t wanna speak to us? I get it.” Toshiro pouted as if he actually cared, but started to laugh jokingly.

Dante: “Sorry. I was just thinking. There has to be some way out of here. That only makes sense right? Magic has to counter magic.”

Toshiro: “Well…You ain’t wrong. However, is it different because ya volunteered technically? You came down here willingly ain’t ya?”

Dante: “Not necessarily. I didn’t know obviously what it was, but you have a point. Regardless, if that theory is right, then some type of magic has to override the magic here.”

Toshiro: “But if we ain’t strong enough to override it, then how we gonna break out?”

Dante thought about it. He knew Toshiro was right. He thought that there must be another option though. ‘There has to be a loophole.’ That’s when he had an idea that might just work.

Dante: “Toshiro, I think I know how to get out of here.”

Toshiro: “What? How? Ya figured something out?”

Dante: “It’s a guess, but there isn’t really much else of an option. We were brought here through a gateway, hence the paths we took. However, you said that no matter what path we took, we still end up in the same place. The man before went the opposite path as me, yet we both ended up here. However, there has to be a trigger to an incantation. Magic took us here and magic has to get us out. If there is an incantation, then there must be a start where the magic is and where it ends.”

Toshiro: “Hmm…I’m not real smart, so I don’t understand what ya saying really, but I think I get it. Magic has to have a beginning and an end. Plus, we were brought here through magic and that still is in play, so ya saying that magic can transport us out of here cause it’s still connected. Yer pretty darn smart for a kid.”

Dante: “Right. We just have to find the source or at least a strand of it that is keeping us here. Although, I don’t know if we’ll be able to break it.”

Toshiro: “Ya have ya sword there. That should do the trick. It’s the strongest I’ve seen. Why not give it a shot? I can also try to pour some mana into an attack.”

Dante: “Okay. Let’s find this thing.”

Toshiro: “Okay! Let’s look, Sapphire!”

Dante and Toshiro looked around the whole cave, but found nothing for several hours. “Dante. I don’t know about this. I mean, wouldn’t it stand out pretty easily?”

Dante: “No. If anything, it’s probably as small as a pebble. Keep looking. Whoever set a trap wouldn’t want it to be easily accessible for a reason.”

The two searched for another hour and still found nothing. Dante began to get frustrated. ‘Agh! I don’t have time for this. I’m trying Lucky. Please hang in there.’ Toshiro yelled out, “Still got nothing boss. I don’t think that there is anything here. Maybe we are gonna be trapped here forever girl.”

The horse sadly neighed.

‘Think! Think! What have we not checked.’ Dante looked around before realizing there was something that they didn’t look at. “The hole! Look in the hole Toshiro!”

Toshiro: “I’ve done that already multiple times in the past. There was never anything there. It just brings food everyday.”

Dante: “And how is it bringing food? It needs magic, correct?”

Toshiro: “I guess you're right, but I still have never seen any incantations.”

Dante rushed over to the hole and got on the ground to see what was inside. “I don’t see anything. Hold on. Maybe my sword can light up the other side.” The blue mana slowly lit the small hole, but Dante still saw nothing. ‘Focus Dante. Focus. Condense your mana into your hand the best you can. Condense the size of the technique. Let it flow through the other side.’

“Martyr King’s Resolve.”

The condensed ice bled from the tip of the sword into the other side. The cave on the other side lit up white along with the hole. Dante backed away as swiftly as possible. ‘Did I do it?’

Toshiro: “Dante! That must be it! You freed us both!”

The cave rattled and then the glowing light disappeared and everything went back to how it was. “No! What did you do Dante? Do it again. Whatever you just did. That has to be the way out.”

Dante stuck his sword back in and repeated the cycle. The same glowing white light appeared and then disappeared when he pulled back out.

“Let me try. Give me your sword.” Dante, reluctant to give him it, handed it over knowing that the man needed his help to get out of here.

Toshiro: “Watch how it’s done. I’ll get us both out of here. For I am the heir to the House of Armolean. Royalty. A prince. A king!”

Dante stared at him in confusement.

Toshiro: “You didn’t get the joke? Loosen up kid…Okay, here I go…uhh what do I say again.”

Dante: “Martyr King’s Resolve.”

Toshiro: “Oh, right, right. Martyr King’s Resolve.”

Nothing happened. “What? Dante, what’s the problem here?”

Dante: “If I remember what Astro said, you can’t activate my sword’s powers. Something about a will or contract or something. I don’t know. Maybe it doesn’t allow you once it chooses its owner. I’m not 100% sure. Things are new to me too.”

Toshiro: “Really? I didn’t think that’s how it worked. Okay! No problem! Reach your hand out with the sword.”

Dante did as Toshiro asked. Toshiro shot out water at Dante’s hand and sword in a bungee like form. It connected Dante’s mana with Toshiro’s. “This is a little technique that I use. Shh. Don’t tell anyone. I’m able to tap into your mana and use my own ability with the help of your mana. I’m gonna take the majority from your sword though since you don’t have a ton.”

Toshiro called out, “Riyals Water Spout.” A large surplus of water poured into the other side. Dante couldn’t see it, but he could hear the intensity of it. Once again the light glowed and the cave rattled. The dragon on Dante’s shoulder flew over to the throne and sat down. The floor beneath the chair slowly started to open.

“Yes! I knew it! Let’s go Dante.” Toshiro ran over to the chair away from the hole. As he did this the throne rose and the floor closed as silence filled the air again.

“No, no, no, no, no, no. Why!” Dante immediately knew what the problem was. ‘This cave. These animals. They aren’t the prey. We are. They lure us down here no matter what path you take and then they sacrifice themselves to keep us here. That’s what the magic is. It’s the food down here. That’s the way out! Wait, but that would mean–”

Dante: “Toshiro…I…”

Toshiro: “Don’t say it, Dante. I already know. I saw the same thing you did. I may be stupid, but don’t think I’m that much of a fool.”

He sighed. “You know, looking back maybe I would’ve liked to marry a nice girl and have a nice family. I lived too much in fear. I thought coming here would give me a second chance. A chance to redeem myself. Change who I was. I don’t think I’m a bad guy, but I don’t think I'm necessarily good either. But, is anyone? Does anyone really have it figured out? I don’t think so myself.” Dante chimed in. “Toshiro, you don’t have to do it. We can find a different way. What about Sapphire? That might work.”

Toshiro: “No. I’ve made my choice. Sapphire didn’t do anything wrong. I would never hurt her. And, quite honestly, once I make up my mind on something, I follow through, even though usually it doesn’t amount to much. I don’t know you Dante and I don’t know your dragon either, but we’re both the same, just I’m not a ghost haha.”

His laugh quickly faded. “You said you had to get to Kastor. I assume he took something or someone important to you or you’re just crazy and want to fight him. I have no right to keep you here when you have people waiting for you.” He looked at his horse. “Sapphire…” Toshiro started to cry. “Y-Y-You a-are…my best f-friend. I love you!” He held on for a long time before he pushed her over to Dante. “Go! Get on the throne!” He ran over to the hole with his Katana and water poured from the tip of the sword as he still connected his mana with Dante to ensure he had enough power.

The white light glowed and the cave rattled intensely. Dante rushed over to the throne with the horse and dragon at his side. The floor beneath opened and the throne slowly began to fall.

Toshiro: “Dante! Y-You liked me right? Did I deserve your respect?”

Dante: “Yes. I respect you Toshiro. You are the strongest person I have ever seen in my life. As someone who’s seen blood and war, you are above that. You have the power to stop that and change people. I won’t ever forget you.”

“Ah, thanks man. I feel a lot better. You take care of my horse now! If I don’t see her in the afterlife, I’ll never forgive you!” The throne slowly fell through the floor as it resealed. The hole closed off along with the floor, but he quickly pulled his katana away before losing it on the other side. “If anything, I want my sword. I’m a samurai through and through.”

A strange figure rose in the cave. “What’s going on? Another challenge?” The broken down skeleton on the back of the throne now stood and peered into Toshiro’s eyes. The cave still rattled and the skeleton began to grow skin and blood while Toshiro feared what was to come. “Ahh. This must be hell. Bring it on Devil. I’ve already made my peace.” Rocks fell from the ceiling and closed off the cave brimming the last bit of light with darkness.