Those Fateful Dreams, Stained with Blood

Back in his world, Yuushin only ever had one master—his grandfather.

The head of the Retsugo family, the man who had been carrying the family’s martial art for generations, the one who taught Yuushin’s father before him. And that man’s passion and dedication to his art were so fierce and immutable, they demanded nothing less than perfection from his students.

Yet “perfection” to his grandfather was the closest thing to an unachievable goal Yuushin had ever witnessed.

“You will regret this day, and when you do, there will be nothing left here for you.”

Which is why Yuushin left. Why he was, in his grandfather’s eyes, the family’s greatest failure.

Because of his previous experience with an instructor—a master—Yuushin felt somewhat afraid of becoming someone else’s student again. Afraid of that unachievable idea of “perfection” he had never managed to grasp and obtain.

Though that fear subsided somewhat as Vel taught him the sword, Yuushin didn’t know what to expect from one of the strongest Soma users in all Ekkarys. And he soon came to learn that, not only was his new master nothing alike his grandfather—

His initial fear had been misplaced.

*huff huff*

This is it…

I’m gonna die.

“Heh, serves ya right for playing with that crap.”

Crouching in front of him, with her arms resting on her knees, was the great Sapphire Fang—the curved smile pouring with blatant mockery, the same that echoed in her voice.

Yuushin didn’t even have strength to reply. He barely had enough to breathe.

“I was always against giving students that shitty tuning thingy. You can see it now, right? Why it’s such a crappy tool made for lazy people.”

The man had been doing a handstand, with weights wrapped around his ankles, wrists, and waist, while constantly moving the Soma in his body.

For more than three hours.

With no breaks.

“I will give you a pass, boy, since you didn’t really have a choice. It’s also easier to fix that bad habit when it’s caught earlier on. But damn, was your form a mess!” The old woman started to laugh, 

fanning herself while sweat drenched the grass beneath him.

They were in the woman’s backyard, the sun shining in his head—no signs of a gentle, cooling breeze to soothe him.

If at least I didn’t have these damn weights…!

Clenching his jaw, Yuushin shut his eyes, holding back a grunt. He had to keep the Soma flowing within his body, so the energy kept moving and controlling both the blood-flow and oxygen in his system. And though he had learned how to properly control the Soma in his body—

“Will you keep relying on this Tuning Weapon scum?”

His master was extremely against Jay’s parting gift, it seemed.

“Do you learn how to swim in a pond? You don’t, do ya? Of course not, you’re not stupid. So you won’t use this shit to train, right?”

Rather than strict and demanding, the Sapphire Fang seemed to enjoy Yuushin’s suffering. After all, for what other reason would she wrap those weights around him to restrict his Soma channels?

“That weapon expands the channels so it’s easier to manipulate Soma, but that’s how lazy-ass people learn, right?”

So she gave him something that did the opposite.

And Yuushin was certainly feeling its effects.

Ekkarys’ God, I know practically nothing about you, but if you are listening…

Please, at least move the sun away.

The man could not even feel his limbs anymore. Deep down, Yuushin was getting more and more convinced he had actually passed out, with the pain and tiredness following him even in his dreams.

Right before the five-hour mark, be it for mercy or God’s pity on him, Yuushin’s master stood up and stretched her back. Her following words sweeter than any nectar.

“‘Kay, that’s enough for today. We still need to have you learn some more techniques before sundown, so feel free to wash yourself before then.”

Yuushin’s body dropped before the woman had even finished her sentence—the man almost breathless as his legs and arms screamed, the Soma within him prickling and burning. He had been doing that same exercise for the past twelve days.

At the beginning, he couldn’t even last twenty minutes without his master lashing out at him for not managing to manipulate his Soma in that position. But as the days went on, not only was his control getting better, the Sapphire Fang even added more weights. Yuushin saw that as a good sign.

When he finally broke into the four-hour mark, the woman started teaching him more advanced techniques—the ones Yuushin was so eager to learn. Like how to use Soma to thicken his skin, and how to transfer the energy to other things. Like weapons.

Yet she had only been teaching him the concepts so far. He was hoping that day would be the day Yuushin would finally be able to put some of that theory into practice.

Before that, though, I really need to bathe.

And as Yuushin began to unwrap the lead weights around his wrists—

*WHACK*

The man was hit in the forehead with a fan again.

“Who said you could take them off?”

From the distance, Yuushin could almost hear his heart’s cries. Its despair.

“H-how am I supposed to wash myself with these things on?”

With a smile, the old woman tapped him gently on the chest. “Someone as smart and young as you can figure this one out, I’m sure.”

This woman…this woman may actually want to kill me.

After grabbing some spare clothes, as he dragged himself toward the small pond, Yuushin actually felt a small sense of pride. An eagerness and excitement that kept looming over his heart whenever he thought about the future.

About how strong he could be.

The past days had been hellish, yet the man could feel his control over Soma growing. And even if he had to do a headstand for hours and hours without breaks, even if he had to train until his skin broke and his hands bled—

It will be worth it.

As long as it brought him closer to the theryan knight, as long as it brought defeat to the Arch Bishop, he would do it.

Whatever, however.

                                                                           ⋆༺𓆩𓆩༒︎𓆪𓆪༻⋆

Within that space, voices and sounds echoed like distant rumbles—as if the skies were cursing through thunders and wordless phrases.

Those sounds, they did not belong to that space.

Yet there was a single word she could recognize. A word that belong to her.

「Kez'vethra」

Her name.

She focused on that word—that single word she could understand and make any sense of it. Again and again.

「Kez'vethra」

「Kez'vethra」

「Kez'vethra」

Then…the space that until then had been made of darkness and solitude began to take shape. A light started to surface, bringing alongside it meaning.

A place.

「….alk…is tim….」

「…uld….eep doin….」

Pieces, broken and difficult to grasp. Yet pieces of words she could recognize. Words she could focus on. More and more. Again and again. Until the space ate that light, hiding it within its darkness and enclosed room. A room that reeked of metal.

Of blood.

「…on’t care. If the prisoner wants to keep playing games, then we will honor his wishes.」

「Of course, Templar Merzora.」 

The dragon could see clearly now. The creature within the cell. The origin of all that blood. All that pain.

Lyrelith…?

Something got a hold of her heart—an emotion she could neither name or comprehend it. Yet an emotion that made her ache, tightening within her chest more and more.

Another theryan came closer, opening the cell again. Their tiger’s tail swinging to the sides with a calm yet chilling pace.

「Stellar Priest Lyrelith. Are you willing to talk today, or should we prolong this petty rebellion of yours?」

Lyrelith’s white ears were dropped, the once lush and pristine tail covered with dried blood and dirt. The priest let out a weak, hollow chuckle, straining himself so he could meet the knight’s gaze.

「I’m afraid…there is little I could share…that you don’t already know, Merzora…」

A cough fit interrupted his speech, the sound wretched and painful. The theryan knight narrowed her gaze—those eyes unforgiving. Hateful.

「What a pitiful creature you chose to become, Lyrelith Caelynne.」

With a snap of her finger, one of the priests behind her placed a tool into her hands. A metal clave with unwashed blood.

No…wait…

Yet in that space, all the dragon could do was observe. Feel. React.

Never act.

The knight raised the clave toward Lyrelith’s face—

“NO!”

Kez’vethra woke up with a jolt, heart racing against her chest, sweat dripping from her face.

How long since I had one of those dreams…

Why now?

She could still smell the blood, the stench so strong it was nauseating.

“Hah…why am I even dreaming about that fellow?”

Yet the more she tried to push the dream away, the more her blood boiled. The more she worried. A Veritux priest or not, Lyrelith had aided her when Kez needed most.

And as a proud member of her clan, it was her duty to pay back the favor.