Chapter 2: Yoru

The dismal shack in front of Yoru was also called his home. Of course he didn’t quite live there. Inside was a circle Thalorian had created, imbued with teleportation magic.

Yoru thought back to the time when he and Thalorian had argued about his living arrangements. Thalorian had told Yoru that he had to live in Varelion, but Yoru insisted that he stay in Canada, he just couldn’t leave his friends. Eventually they came up with this, Yoru went to school, and lived his life in Canada, but his house and other things were in Varelion.

Yoru stepped into the shack and then into the circle. The shack was floorless, so he was just stepping on dirt. The mud squelched under his feet as he walked into the circle.

“Heven Welyeh Sha Koon,” he chanted, the runes around the circle glowing and focusing the spell. Yoru never liked the feeling of teleportation. He had told his friends that, “It feels like you're a piece of gum being stretched until you snap.”

The teleportation from this circle was swift, due to its nature. It didn’t cast the spell as soon as you stepped into it, you still had to say the words. Instead the circle focused the spell, it gave you one set destination, but consumed far less mana

Yoru snapped back into existence as he walked into his house in Varelion.

“I’m home!” he called out, his voice echoing through the hallways.

Rarily were his parents at home when he arrived. They were almost always in the castle. Due to Thalorian’s position as the General of the Varelion Army, he was often in the castle.

Yoru walked through the deserted house, walking into the kitchen, which was rarely used. It was about twelve thirty at this point, and he wanted nothing but to sleep, but he needed food desperately. The snack cabinet creaked open, and he pulled out a ‘Mr.Noodle.’ He poured water from the dusty sink into a bowl, and then put it into the microwave for three minutes.

The coach cushion squished down as he sat in it. This is nice, he thought, feeling free from the violence that plagued his past.

As the microwave beeped he stood up and poured the water into the cup of water, after waiting for the noodles to cook he put the seasoning packet in. His favourite flavour was the chicken one. It just felt right.

Biting into the soft noodles Yoru felt a tinge of satisfaction at his work. He knew that he hadn’t made the ramen from scratch, and they were still just microwave noodles, but he was satisfied with his work. Their soft, savoury flavour stuck to his tongue as it slid down his throat.

After finishing his ramen he turned to his room. A quiet tapping emanating from the floor. Thoughts whirled in Yoru’s head as he sat down in his twin bed. He thought about the party, about Josh, about school, about Iris, about Thalorian, about summer. Yoru’s thoughts spun around his head like a carousel, spinning round and round, each getting its time to shine as it reached its peak, then fading to the back of his head once it was complete. Finally, Yoru felt ready for sleep, his eyelids were drooping and he could barely keep himself sitting up.

He had strange dreams that night, flying lizards appeared often. So did a glowing Josh, with a yellow-blue aura. Yoru tossed and turned in his bed, throwing up the sheets and sweating up a storm.

***

Yoru woke with a jolt. His black and red sheets flew off of him, covered in sweat. What… was that?

He asked himself questions about what he had seen that night, he had been in a hellscape, with mangled bodies walking around. The sun never shone there and a man on a throne, with pale white skin and twisted black horns was laughing at him. Iris and Josh were sitting behind them, expressions grim as they stared down death.

Yoru had heard tales of places like that from Draylum, the Crown. He had told him of the dismal ‘Great Below,’ and how it was a place feared by even the greatest of warriors feared going. I hope I don’t have to go there, silently prayed Yoru.

Stepping out of bed, Yoru got himself dressed and prepared breakfast. On the counter laid a note. It read Dear Yoru, on the cover. Curious, Yoru stepped forward and picked the note up, opening it.

Dear Yoru: Due to unforeseen circumstances me and your father will not be able to return home for a while. We have to stay in the castle, per demand of the Crown, to increase training on the troops. Love, Mom.

Yoru crumbled the page up in his hand and tossed it in the trash, I told them not to leave me notes. Several weeks ago Thalorian had left the same thing, a brief note saying he couldn’t come home. It’s like they’re not even my parents! Yoru remembered the times they had begged them, on their hands and knees, to treat them like family. And now, they never even show up!

Yoru felt enraged as he scarfed down his Raisin Bran. He tossed his spoon in the sink, and, after cleaning it out, loaded his bowl in the dishwasher.

It had only been recently that Varelion had caught up to the rest of the world in terms of technical prowess, and Yoru felt utter bliss the day indoor plumbing and hot water was installed in his house. Never was I so glad to see a toilet.

Yoru wrote his own note and put it on the table, Fuck you two.

“Heven Welyeh Sha Koon,” he chanted, stepping into the teleportation circle. The world snapped around him again, ending him in the old shack.

Unlocking the door and opening it, Yoru stepped outside. He shielded his eyes from the blast of sunlight, and scratched his head.

The ground wasn’t as damp as it was yesterday, and the boot marks had faded from the rough ground. To Yoru’s left was a trail leading up into the denser part of the city, while to his right was the lake.

“Hey Faun,” said a deep voice, walking towards him. They had broad shoulders and deep black hair. There was a bit of scruff around his jaw, and his hair was styled in a short mullet. On his forehead was a wide stretching scar, in the shape of a sword’s blade, and there were several other scars on his arms and legs. Steve… thought Yoru, filled with dread.

“Hey Steve,” replied Yoru, his legs shaking. “Hows it going?”

Steve glared at the boy in front of him. He was about a foot taller than Yoru, and had much more muscle, but Yoru knew he had more battle experience.

“We have something to talk about, Faun,” growled Steve, approaching Yoru. As Steve walked slowly towards him, Yoru moved back.

“And that is?” he asked. Despite being the more experienced and accomplished fighter, Steve was still a threat to Yoru. Yoru had heard the rumours about Steve training in secret, so that he could destroy Yoru, Iris and Josh. Why does he want us dead? Yoru had asked himself that a lot.

“I think we have a little debt to settle. You and your little friends killed me, and I think it’s time we got square,” said Steve, getting in Yoru’s face.

“Me? Kill you? No, no, no, that was my da-” Yoru cut himself off, was he about to call Thalorian his dad? “That was Thalorian!” he protested.

Steve shrugged, “Close enough,” he said, swinging his fist at blinding speed. Yoru ducked under the strike and tried to punch Steve’s shin. Steve widened his stance, causing the strike to miss, parlaying that into another attack.

Due to his current position, Yoru took the strike head on, sending a shock wave down his body.

Yoru stumbled back and raised his palm, “Terris!” he yelled. The expectation was that stone would rise from the ground, and smash into Steve. But Yoru couldn’t even feel his mana flowing.

“Like it?” asked Steve, shaking his right hand in pain. Yoru noticed that there was a gauntlet on his hand. It just seemed like the skeleton of a hand, not even covering the entire wrist. Steam was rising from a few tubes on the back of it. “It’s called a Mana Shaker, the Magic Investigative Society made it. Apparently it disrupts someone’s mana and makes them unable to use it. Hurts like hell to use, though.”

Steve ran back at Yoru, attempting to land another hit with his ‘Mana Shaker.’ Yoru ducked under the wide swing and finally landed a blow to Steve’s chest. Yoru’s fist stung as he pulled it away, Damn he’s strong.

Yoru remembered a year ago when he had fought with Jiyoda, and was beaten so quickly. I could barely dent his armour…

Breaking from his thoughts, Yoru sidestepped and dodged another one of Steve’s punches, and countered again. Throughout the encounter Yoru realized that Steve was relying heavily on his Mana Shaker, trying to land every hand with it, his left hand always guarding.

Yoru went for a punch to the left side of Steve’s body, then stopped mid punch and kicked Steve’s arm, knocking the Mana Shaker from it.

Steve stumbled while Yoru landed another blow, knocking his legs from under him, and putting him into a choke hold.

“So why do you want me dead?” asked Yoru.

Steve grumbled, “I told you, your dad killed me.”

“Not good enough,” Yoru tightened his grip, “I know you Steve, sure you were big and liked picking on people, but you’d never kill anyone.”

Steve coughed up some saliva, Ew, “Fine. You got me. Some dude came up to me at night, he had a red bushy beard and a little water droplet or something on his coat. It looked like someone in the army, told me to hunt down and kill you, no clue why,” Steve made a motion that seemed like a shrug, “if I didn’t he’d kill my family.”

Yoru wanted more info, “Was this guy the one who gave you the Mana Shaker?” he asked.

Steve hesitated, “Yeah, he told me it was my only way to take you down.”

“Any more?” Yoru asked.

“No. That’s all I know,” insisted Steve. “Please. Let me go.”

A sly idea crossed Yoru’s mind, sliding in like a snake, “Of course,” Steve’s expression turned to happiness, “but, you have to keep meeting with this man, tell me everything you get to know about him, meet me right here every half moon. Got it?”

Steve nodded his head. Yoru released his grip on Steve’s neck and let him walk free. Yoru picked up the Mana Shaker, “I’m keeping this.” Steve just glanced at him and kept walking up the hill.

***

Yoru was supposed to meet Iris and Josh in the park half an hour ago.

He stepped into the warm sunlight of Sundance park. It was a recently constructed park, made only a few months ago. In its first few weeks it was swarmed with families letting their children play on the huge structures and swing on the many swingsets; it had soon faded to disuse.

After a freak storm hit the park had been all but destroyed. Its luscious slide’s beautiful plastic had melted, and became bumpy. The magnificent structure in the middle of the park, a multi lair play structure with slides, swings and other playthings, had had its top layer crumbled.

Sundance park had gained a new name in the communities surrounding it, Moonshine Central. Rumours had spread that people had covered some of the drums by the rim of the park into stations for making illegal beer. Apparently a local had seen someone, who smelled strongly of liquor, pouring a browny-bronze substance into one of them, while walking her dog.

Yoru waved down his friends, he saw them sitting by the swing sets.

“Hey guys!” he called out.

Iris stepped up and stomped toward him, “Where the hell have you been?” he demanded. “We were supposed to start half an hour ago!”

Yoru stepped back, “I know, I know. I got held up doing something,” Yoru said.

“And what was ‘something’,” asked Iris, demanding a straight answer.

A single droplet of sweat crawled down Yoru’s forehead, he hesitated before speaking, “Apparently someone wants me dead.”

Iris suddenly lost her rage, “Oh.”

Josh walked over to them, “What’s going on over here?” he asked.

Iris turned to Josh and opened her mouth, “Someo-” Yoru put his hand over Iris’s mouth.

“I don’t want him knowing about the ‘situation’,” he whispered.

Iris turned to him, “Why? He’s one of us?” asked Iris, also whispering.

“But he isn’t ‘like’ us, he doesn’t have the same understanding of magic, he can’t handle these things,” said Yoru.

Iris looked skeptical, “Josh can do this, he has as much experience as you and me.

“He can’t handle things like this,” said Yoru. “When I told Josh about Harry, he insisted on coming, I thought he might die several times. I don't know if he will survive this.”

A long sigh came from Iris, “Fine. We won’t tell him.”

By this time Josh had walked over to them, “Hey guys! Whatcha talking about?” he asked with a smile.

Iris shot Yoru a look before turning to him, “Nothing.”

Josh looked skeptical but accepted it, he was used to Yoru and Iris hiding stuff from him.

“Okay,” he shrugged. Josh turned and walked back toward the circle he and Iris had drawn in the woodchips, “Lets get this started.”