Chapter: 4 The Fugitive of Elaris

Volume 1: The Boy Summoned by Mistake
Episode 4: The Fugitive of Elaris
"It's him!"
The soldier's shout echoed throughout the hallway.
Kazuki looked at his hand.
The small violet spark was still there.
"Uh..."
The spark grew.
"Is this bad?"
Lyra didn't even look at him.
"Very."
"I figured that much!"
The soldiers advanced.
"Hand him over!"
Lyra raised her staff.
"I'm not going to do that."
"Then you'll be considered an accomplice!"
Kazuki's eyes widened.
"An accomplice?"
"Don't worry," Lyra said.
"How am I supposed to not worry?"
"Just run."
"Oh."
Kazuki nodded.
"That I can do."
Lyra slammed her staff against the floor.
BOOM!
A gust of wind sent the soldiers flying backward.
"Now!"
Kazuki took off running.
"WHERE?!"
"Follow me!"
"THAT'S NOT A DIRECTION!"
The two of them raced down the stairs.
"Stop them!"
The soldiers' shouts echoed behind them.
Kazuki jumped over the last three steps.
"This wasn't part of my plan!"
"Your plans stopped mattering when you appeared in Astravia!"
"That doesn't help!"
They reached the main hall.
The inn's customers stepped aside in surprise.
Kazuki spotted a door.
"That way!"
"No!"
"Why?"
"It's the kitchen!"
Kazuki stopped.
"..."
He looked at the door.
Then at Lyra.
"So?"
"That's not the exit!"
"Well, it is now!"
He opened the door.
"Sorry!"
The innkeeper raised a knife.
"What are you doing in my kitchen?!"
"Sorry!"
Kazuki ran through.
Lyra followed him.
"Come back here!"
Behind them, the soldiers entered the inn.
The innkeeper pointed toward the back.
"They went out the back!"
Kazuki stopped.
"Are you helping us?"
The woman smiled.
"They broke one of my tables."
"Oh."
"Now run."
"Thanks!"
They ran into the alley.
The night in Elaris was wide awake.
Guards were running through the streets.
Bells began to ring.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Kazuki looked around.
"Does the whole city know we're escaping?"
Lyra was breathing heavily.
"In a few minutes, they will."
"Perfect."
"What?"
"It's my first day in this world, and I'm already wanted by the law."
Lyra smiled.
"You're adapting quickly."
"That's not a good thing!"
They turned into a narrow street.
Kazuki almost crashed into a carriage.
"Watch out!"
"Sorry!"
They kept running.
But then...
A figure dropped from a rooftop.
BOOM!
The ground cracked.
Kazuki stopped.
"..."
A girl stood in front of them.
Dark red hair.
Golden eyes.
A short sword in her hand.
She wore a black cloak over light armor.
"It's over."
Lyra raised her staff.
"I don't want to fight."
"Neither do I."
The girl pointed at Kazuki.
"I just need to take him with me."
Kazuki raised a hand.
"Quick question."
The girl looked at him.
"Who are you?"
"Rina."
"And why do you want to take me?"
"Because I was ordered to."
"Oh."
Kazuki looked at Lyra.
"Can we discuss this?"
"No."
Rina stepped forward.
Kazuki backed away.
"What if I say no?"
"Then I'll have to force you."
"That was pretty straightforward."
Rina lunged.
CLANG!
Lyra blocked her sword.
The two separated.
Rina spun around and attacked again.
Lyra raised a barrier.
BOOM!
Kazuki moved out of the way.
"Hey!"
Neither of them heard him.
Sword.
Magic.
Sparks.
The alley filled with flashes of light.
Rina was fast.
Too fast.
Lyra could barely keep up with her movements.
"Lyra!"
"Don't come any closer!"
Rina thrust her sword.
Lyra dodged by mere inches.
Kazuki clenched his teeth.
"I'm watching again..."
"Everyone is fighting because of me."
The violet spark appeared again.
"No."
Kazuki clenched his fist.
"I don't want this."
The energy disappeared.
Rina noticed the movement.
"Interesting."
Lyra took advantage of the distraction.
"Now!"
A magic circle appeared beneath Rina's feet.
"What...?"
BOOM!
Rina was sent flying into a wall.
"Let's go!"
Kazuki ran after Lyra.
But a voice echoed from the end of the alley.
"The game is over."
Kazuki stopped.
There were more soldiers.
Many more.
Lyra's face went pale.
"They've surrounded us."
Kael appeared, calmly walking through the soldiers.
Kazuki's eyes widened.
"Kael!"
The old man raised a hand.
"Relax."
The soldiers stepped aside.
Kael walked toward them.
"I think we need to talk."
Kazuki pointed at the soldiers.
"Weren't they chasing us?"
"Yes."
"And now they're with you?"
"Yes."
"Do you work for the Empire?"
Kael smiled.
"No."
"Then..."
"I've known them for a long time."
Kazuki looked at Lyra.
She seemed just as confused as he was.
Kael sighed.
"We don't have much time."
"What's going on?"
"The Emperor found out about your existence."
Kazuki felt a chill.
"And?"
"He wants to see you."
"To kill me?"
"No."
Kael stepped closer.
"He wants to offer you a deal."
Kazuki remained silent.
"What kind of deal?"
Kael looked toward the palace towers.
"Protection."
"In exchange for what?"
The old man didn't answer.
That was enough.
Kazuki understood.
"They want to use me."
Kael nodded.
"Probably."
Lyra tightened her grip on her staff.
"We can't hand him over."
"I know."
Kazuki looked at both of them.
"Then..."
He smiled.
"Why are we still here?"
Kael burst out laughing.
"That's what I wanted to hear."
The old man turned toward the soldiers.
"I want you to deliver a message to the Emperor."
The captain bowed his head.
"What message?"
Kael pointed at Kazuki.
"The boy is not under arrest."
The captain frowned.
"Then?"
Kael smiled.
"He's under my protection."
The captain's eyes widened.
"That means..."
"Exactly."
Kael drew his sword.
The blue flames illuminated the alley.
"If anyone wants to take him..."
The sword burst into flames.
"They'll have to get through me."
The soldiers stepped backward.
Kazuki looked at Kael.
"What kind of person did I just meet?"
Rina slowly emerged from the rubble.
She had a small wound on her cheek.
She looked at Kael.
Then at Kazuki.
"So this is the Heir..."
Kazuki frowned.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?"
Rina sheathed her sword.
"Because there is a legend in Astravia."
"What legend?"
Rina looked directly at him.
"That one day, the man who once came close to destroying the world would return."
Kazuki felt the air grow cold.
"And what does that have to do with me?"
Rina replied:
"He has the same eyes as you."
Silence.
The violet spark appeared in Kazuki's hand again.
But this time...
It didn't disappear.
His eyes changed.
For an instant, they glowed with the same violet color as the eyes of the man he'd seen behind the door.
Kael stopped smiling.
"Kazuki..."
A voice echoed inside his head.
"Not yet."
Kazuki placed a hand over his chest.
"Astra?"
"It isn't time to awaken."
The energy disappeared.
But one thing had changed.
The black door inside his mind now had a crack.
And behind it...
Something was breathing.