Chapter 2

The flames that had gathered in the beast’s hands never found their mark. In their place, a torrent of water slashed through the air, hissing as it carved into the fiery hands. My eyes widened as I saw its arms severed cleanly off its mangled forearms.

A figure stood between me and the beast. Covered in white and blue robes and brown hair. Their movements were so sharp I couldn’t keep up with it. They were in front of me, calm...too calm for someone who had just cut through a monster with such ease.

“Still breathing, kid?” he asked without turning around.

“Gramps... Akari...”

The beast roared in challenge, while its body cracked and its arms grew back. Its laugh grew louder and crazier, amusing itself at the sight of my impotence.

“You mortals, always hanging on for dear life. Always thinking you’re entitled to everything like you’re so special. News flash, trash; you’re not. The only ones entitled to anything are gods. I’ve taken what I came for, the rest will follow soon enough.”

As I took my next breath, it dissolved into nothing. Its flames extinguished, its body turned to ash which a subtle wind took away. With no idea of what had just happened, my body gave in. I was too injured, and the adrenaline had soon come to pass.

As I was unconscious, I dreamt I was in a green field. Filled with nothing but white Sakura trees, and a big mountain on the view. It was calm and peaceful. For a moment I thought I died and began coming to peace with it. But as I took in the fresh air, I heard a woman’s voice, as their hand touched my shoulder.

“Thank you...”

Before I could turn around and see who it was, I had suddenly woken up to that man from before checking my pulse.

“Hey, you alright?” Said the mysterious man who had saved me.

“Take it easy. You must be tired after that.”

My head was spinning. I just had gotten the chance to process everything that had just happened.

“What’s going on? What was that just now?”

“That? That was something that should not exist. But don’t worry about that for now. Right now, we should go and search for your sister, shall we?”

I didn’t know who he was, but he saved my life and was going to help me find Akari, and that was enough for me.

After a few minutes of searching, we found Akari still unconscious, lying on the lap of the other boy that helped me out before. I got closer to her and caressed her forehead, thanking the heavens that she would be okay. As soon as Akari felt my touch and regained consciousness. Right as she saw me, she teared up and got up to hug me as fast as she could.

“I thought I had lost you!” her eyes tearing up

“Hey, I’m here now. Don’t worry. Are you okay? You were out cold for a while there. Thank goodness you’re okay.”

As she dried up her eyes, she looked at me and asked.

“Hey, Hayato... where’s gramps?”

My chest tightened. I couldn’t speak. The image of gramps being consumed by fire flashed in my mind, brighter than any flame that burned that night.

My face went blank. Akari tried to sit up, looking around frantically.

“Hayato... where is he!?”

I swallowed hard, tears filling my eyes struggling to let out a word. Akari’s breath hitched and began hyperventilating.

“He... he’s gone. I’m sorry.”

She stared at me blankly, then twisted her face in disbelief.

“No! It can’t be true!” She pushed herself up, looking everywhere around the area, her voice cracking. “He’s strong! He’s out there somewhere! He wouldn’t just–”

She stumbled over some ruble, and I caught her before she fell. Her fists pounded heavily against my chest while she cried and yelled unconsolably. I didn’t know what to say. I was going through the same pain, but someone had to be strong, for the both of us.

“I’ll never forgive it” she whispered, still crying in my arms, but her voice trembling but sharp as knives.

I looked at her, and for the first time in my life I felt no warmth in her soul. What was left was something colder and focused. I understood her, because I felt the same.

That night, everything we had was taken away from us. Our village, our home... our grandfather. That night, the two of us changed forever.

The man approached us, breaking the quiet. “I’m sorry for your loss.” His face filled with sadness and empathy. “If only I had been here sooner, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Who are you?” asked Akari with a hoarse voice.

He crouched beside Akari, inspecting her burns and noticing a faint blue flicker beneath her skin. “Your body is weak; you need to be treated.”

Akari groaned, struggling to breathe by the second. I put my ear on her chest, hearing her slow and fainting heartbeat, I pleaded the man to help her.

“Please... she’s everything I have left! If you know treatment, then take us with you. I beg you...!”

I pleaded to him in tears; I couldn’t lose the only family I had left. The man’s sharp eyes narrowed, but his tone remained composed.

The boy approached me and put his hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see how he smiled and comforted me. “She’s going to be okay.” His voice was so soothing, nothing but pure intentions came from him. The man stepped closer to us and spoke.

“That’s fine. Don’t worry, she’ll be fine with me.”

He adjusted the Akari’s weight on his shoulders, remaining calm without making a face, as if he had carried countless souls before. We were left astounded. Such unbelievable upper body strength and stamina.

“I will go with you! She means everything to me; I will be there for her through good and bad. Please!”

“Hayato, I understand you’re hurting. It’s enough pain for a boy to deal with in one day.

But I do warn you, where we are headed is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. That thing we saw earlier would become the least of your concerns.”

I did not care for the stakes; I just knew that someone I cared about was in a bad state. With a firm voice, I said.

“I won’t leave her side... whatever it takes.”

“I want to go as well!” said the boy. “I will help as much as I can!”

After hearing us, the man sighed and smiled back.

“Well, I was planning to take all of you anyways.”

“All of us? What does he mean by that? Why?”

“Water Art – Azure Dream”

With a subtle snap of his fingers, rain started to pour in the area. As it sipped in our skin, our eyelids grew heavy, our breath shallow. The world blurred, I looked at Akari’s face, quickly falling asleep – peaceful despite everything. The other boy slowly collapsed to the floor, snoring like he was having his best sleep.

I too went down, trying to stay awake was too difficult. In my final moments of being conscious, I vaguely saw how other feet gathered around us. With no time to process it, I too blacked out.

“Rest now. When you awake, your path will begin anew.”