Chapter 18 - Blinding

Blood splatters against the floor as Yuto is knelt on the floor, wrist bound in chains. He coughed, a spray of red painting the floor between his boots. He struggled against the chains, screaming as he lifted his blindfolded head up.

“Let me go!” Yuto’s voice was a jagged rasp. “Cowards! All of you!”

A boot presses into his chest, Yuto screaming out in pain.

‘Just sit tight, ‘kay? Your dad’s paying us something pretty good to handle you. Think of it as durability training, haha!” the young voice exclaimed.

“How cold of you, Kento…: Another voice said with a sneer. The sound of cloth being pushed struck Yuto’s sensitive ears. “Don’t say my name, idiot! That was the one thing we weren’t supposed to do!”

Yuto smiled, before laughing out loud, his mocking laughter echoing the room.

Presumably Kento slammed his fist into his face, grabbing him by the hair and lifting his head up.

“What’s so funny?!”

“...Kento Arashi, of Team Helix, right? Can’t even keep a secret correctly, you’re just two morons playing warden…!”

The grip on his hair grew tight, as Kento punched wildly, fist after fist colliding with Yuto’s face.

Yuto gasped for air, blood seeping from his mouth.

“Even if you get out, don’t come looking for a fight. Unless you wanna get beaten again. Come on, Nao. We’ve got another mission.”

The door to the room shut with a heavy iron thud, as Yuto wheezed with every breath.

…Think. He closed his eyes, and for a second, he saw the pink blur of Akari’s hair. Then the darkness swallowed that, too.

A hill overlooking the city has its grass disturbed, a familiar pink blur flying past slamming into a wall of ice with her fist. The old man, Shinjiro, smiled.

“Interesting… You’ve got the spirit, young one!” He shattered his own wall of ice, A cloud of glass-sharp shards exploded toward her. Akari didn't flinch for a second. She threw up a wall of heat, the ice vaporizing into a screen of steam before it could touch her skin. Still the man landed a blow to her chest in the confusion.

“C’mon, your power won’t evolve if you don’t get pushed!”

Kagemura stands nearby, a cigarette in his hand as he watches the battle. Akari dashed up to him, tossing blow after blow only for the man to dodge effortlessly.

“What’s the point of this, gramps?”

He dodges to the side, moving his head back to look at Kagemura.

“She’s strong, but her problem is that she’s untrained, it’s like a wild animal tossing themselves at you.”

“Are you trying to spark an evolution…?

“An evo-wha?” Shinjiro punches her away, making her slide back.

“Under dire circumstances, a Lucent’s power can evolve. This evolution could be anything, but normally, it’s an expansion of one’s powers. Think of it as an extension of one’s technique, brought on by trauma…”

“So you’re tryna exploit that but training me up, eh? Solid plan for such an old man!”

Shinjiro smirks, ‘This “old man” is a war hero! And I’m not even 40 yet!”

The two lunge at each other again, as Kagemura takes another drag of his smoke.

“Hey, speaking of… where’s that right hand of yours?”

Shinjiro counters a behind the back attack from Akari, grabbing her by the leg and tossing her into a tree.

“Hanae? Still searching for that cult… I swear we get more and more people talking about that damn flame everyday.”

Akari crouches. “What is the Flame anyway,” She burst forth at Shinjiro.

“Rambling, just don’t worry about it.”

Akari dashes to his left, as he strikes, phasing through an afterimage. He taps the floor with his foot before she can touch him, she tosses her head back as a spiked pillar of ice rose up.

“Are you trying to kill me?!”

Shinjiro flicked her forehead. “You move too erratically. At least without a plan, you also lack range.”

Kagemura sighed. “Didn’t you have a weapon?”

Akari shrugged, “Been too busy to remember anything like that… Guess it aint important.”

He fell silent.

“What are those… Warlords? They mentioned 'em’ at that fancy party, I think..”

Shinjiro paused, stretching his neck. “The Four Warlords of the Blight, the strongest creatures on the earth and the ones who follow them. From what we know, defeating these foes should expel the blight, for good!”

“Then why not just attack together then?”

Kagemura stomped out his smoke. “They have the ability to blight anything with a touch, and so each Warlord can turn armies against them, I only know of a couple people who survived an assault.”

“Don’t worry, sensei. I’ll wipe out the Blight all on my own! I got the most potential, you know it!”

Shinjiro smirks. “If you can be a star, I invite you to try, but it's going to be difficult!”

Kagemura stepped forward, looking deep within her eyes only to be met by fire.

“What about your team? And all those dreams people placed in you?”

Akari slowly turned around, staring up at the sky, clouds rolling in.

“What’s a hero without a pedestal? Everyone told me to follow my dreams. My parents. Kana. They wanted this. They wanted a Star. So I’m gonna shine as bright as I can!”

Ami’s head lay on the lap of Seraphine, The girl’s fingers moved through Ami’s hair, a rhythmic, silent comfort that didn't reach. She stared ahead, staring at the ceiling with eyes that didn't blink.

Kagemura stepped closer to Akari, who walked forward with each approach.

“What is it that you’re planning, Akari? What dream is worth this?”

She didn’t face him, only staring right ahead. “To dispel the blight and make a better world? That’s what everyone’s doing! Making a better world, for me! As future Imperator, of course!"

Kagemura stepped back in shock. “But… why would-?”

“I promised, and I’m gonna keep it.”

Yuto sits within his cell, bound, blood still pouring from his face. His breathing labored but still going.

“How blinded are you? What happened to you, what happened to…”

Akari shook her head. “I’m not blind, silly! It’s the opposite! I can see so clearly, it’s almost blinding…”

Rika sat within a dark room, sparks flying as her strings dangled above the table. Ryota stands outside of the room, his face clearly filled with worry.

Kagemura waved his hand. “As a Lucent, the worst thing you could do is abandon the people who care about you! That makes you inhuman!”

She chuckled, “Sensei… Please, don’t worry. I get it. I understand…”

Kagemura looked up, slightly hopeful.

“I’ll surpass you before long, so just don’t worry about it! It won’t be all that hard!”

Kagemura stretched out his hand. “Akari…!”

“Just don’t worry about me anymore, okay, sensei? After all…”

She finally, slowly, turned her head to look Kagemura in the eyes, A mask of joy stretched over eyes that looked like empty sockets.

“In the darkened skies of this dreary world… I am the only sun that rises.”

Kagemura watches her vanish in that instant, another cigarette in his hand clenched up tight.

Shinjiro put his hand on the teacher’s shoulder, sighing.

“Either she’ll wake up… or die. There’s nothing to be done either way. Regardless of the outcome… I’ll be one step closer to taking my seat. But for your sake, and hers too, I’ll give a prayer for you my friend. Call it a war buddy favor.”

The wind picks up, as Kagemura lit his cigarette in silence. The flame of the Lighter sparking on, before the wind snuffed it out.

Chapter 18 - The End.