|The promised day:birth

(vol 2 chap 1)

In the Lunar sky temple, where the meeting of region rulers took place; the puzzled look on each of their faces was enough to dissect the probability of the issue at hand.

“You must be out of your mind.”

Shinji’s words carried no weight of emotion behind them. His voice was gentle but cold.

“Let’s hear him out first.”

Myra chose to give him the benefit of the doubt and asked the same of Shinji.

“Fine.”

--Does Myra think anything reasonable is going to come out of this mad man’s mouth?

“So the plan is this. Until the time comes, we need to recruit more capable magic users, not the mages. If we can do this effectively then the next plan will be a success. That won’t be a problem, right?”

They all nodded their heads in a general agreement. The glass table already had some cracks surfacing. Due to Kakei’s outburst. The table was dark but glowed, it portrayed the beauty of the night sky to perfection. It wasn’t a table cloth decoration, that was the way the table was made. A rather beautiful invention from the science department. This was his favourite creation as the beauty drew Shinji in. Also, the darkness was similar to that of an abyss, so he loved staring at it.

“I have to say, it’s a well thought out plan.”

“That’s it.That’s it. Now praise me more.”

“It makes sense, I’ll give you that but who the hell is strong enough to face Kira?? Her powers are unrivalled.”

“Myra, that’s a good question. However, she’s not invincible. At least not at the moment.”

“What do you mean?”

“Shinji, I apologize in advance for bringing up old scars.”

“You already brought them up since the start of the meeting so quit the half-ass apologies.”

“Eh??? Well, my guilt kicks in every now and then.”

“Liar.”

--He was just looking for a reaction. That bastard..

“About the fight that took the lives of everyone in my clan. It is drilled into me so thoroughly that it’s something I can never forget, not a single detail. The battle between him and my father was something that couldn’t be explained logically. He was supposed to die. My father’s magic has never been ineffective. It should have worked, but for some reason he was still alive at the end of it all. Barely alive, that is.”

Jade snapped his fingers immediately and screamed “Bingo”. Akatsuki placed his palm on his chin and smiled like a proud father in the midst of this grim discussion. He seldom bore any ill will towards anyone, even his enemies. To his peers and pretty much everyone, he was known as a force of nature, in every sense. The pure contradiction between his naturalism and his belligerence on the battlefield was what made Akatsuki.

“Exactly what I wanted to hear. Taking your words into account. It’s accurate to say he was on death’s door but then she stopped that by using the most repulsive form of magic you can find. It’s a given.For even someone that’s invincible, this requires a lot of magical energy. If the magic was indeed supposed to kill him then the main question is did she neutralize it or is she delaying the inevitable? Why wait to invade when all they need to do is claim one more weapon?? I believe the stronger you become, the more difficult it is so why is it now? We have our answer right in front of us.”

“Because their leader is still recovering from that attack, even with the help of magic.”

“Bin--go. Nice assist, Myra. Right now, we are sharing brain cells.”

“So now they are probably both weakened and are underestimating us. This could lead to their downfall.”

“Vice-versa.I already considered that part. Akatsuki is going to play a major role in that.”

“Let’s just say that my powers would be quite problematic for her.”

“I see. What about Myra and I?”

“Myra goes with Akatsuki and you come with me. I haven’t fought alongside a kid before but I believe your powers exceed that of those that are the same age as you. I also took your rage into account.”

“Rage?”

“Yeah…You have a score to settle, right? Revenge either blinds an individual or makes them stronger. Let’s see what you do with yours. Besides, I also want to kill that son of a bitch for corrupting my sister.”

{ahem}

For a moment, his eyes darkened but reverted to normal after he cleared his throat.

“So that’s the summary of the plan. It will commence shortly. How many months?? I don’t know.. For the meantime, prepare yourselves. Gather your men, inform your brethren,don’t see death as a stranger and make sure you do not leave any regrets before the promised day.”

“The promised day??”

Akatsuki that was out of the conversation seemed to put in a minute and rather irrelevant contribution.

“Yes, that’s the day the plan commences.Although I said all these things about death, it’s perfectly fine if you distance yourself from that thought. Some of you don’t even know the joys of marriage.”

He sighed and shook his head while Myra and Shinji looked at each other in confusion. “This geezer”, they both thought.

“That will be all. Dismissed.”

They all stood up and left the room. Jade went to the edge of the table that had somehow been shattered.

“It wasn’t supposed to break this easily. What’s the point of having something well-fortified and visually stunning if a mongrel like him can break it.”

{tch}

Myra and Shinji walked side by side when Akatsuki joined in from behind.

“So how was your first meeting?”

They both stopped and stared at each other.

“From the way I see it, we would probably say the same thing so I’ll leave the talking to him.”

“ Let’s see. ‘I wouldn’t want to end in a situation like this again. I also wouldn’t like to be in that same space as that blabbering man child.’ Did I get it right?”

“You definitely did.”

“I’m sorry for all the things he said. I didn’t expect it to be that bad. He just got excited for some reason.”

“Excitement, huh??? That’s a strange way of showing it.”

“Tell me about it. Haha. Just forget him.”

“He is cunning. I wonder why he had to take so long with something pretty short. It was like he was beating around the bush.”

“No.”

She turned to Shinji who shook his head slowly.

“I could be wrong but.. It seemed like he was testing something out.”

“Like what?”

“As you two may already know, he suspects the old man the most, he could have forcefully destroyed the door while leaving so our conversation would be more restricted. Jade played along with that.”

--That is quite unnecessary, though.

“I was also wondering how he got his info. It seemed accurate but it seemed awfully convenient.”

“Oh….It wasn’t convenient at all.”
Suddenly, Akatsuki’s faint smile slowly thickened and the tone of his voice changed.

“Shinji, you see. All those rebels that were captured during the skirmishes had one or two secrets they were hiding.Some had nothing. Just thick-skulled, loose mouthed insects who were ultimately a waste of time but at the end of the day, it paid off.”

“So you tortured all of them?”

“That’s a harsh way of putting it. We extracted information from them. Our methods vary from individual. But, some high ranking members sang like birds. It was quite the sight.”

The organization led by Kira and Kuro were not only fierce in terms of numbers but also will. They really believed they were forming a revolution and rebuilding society in Quesur. Misplaced faith could be a dangerous weapon and a very useful tool to have. Knowing this, most of the followers would have never betrayed their leader under any circumstance……… except they were at their breaking point. This is why the words of the grey haired man in front of him weren’t making much sense.

“Shinji, let’s go.”

Myra dragged his arms and Akatsuki waved gently as they walked away.

“Seriously. Are we the only sane rulers in this kingdom??”

She sighed and released him.

“Sorry about that, hearing him talk nearly made me sick.”

“I can somewhat understand your disdain for it. Especially when it goes to the extreme. However, if they deserve it then it just can’t be helped.”

“I completely agree.”

“Sis, that meeting took so long, and I was bored just waiting outside.”

“My bad. I should have sent someone else in your place.”

“It’s all good, I can do this much.”

“Hey there, my name is Setsuna.”

“You idiot, what kind of greeting is that?”

With a brief, gentle tap on the forehead, Myra reprimanded her sister for the overly familiar tone she had on.

“Why do I have to be formal all the time. Plus, he doesn’t look like he has a problem with it.”

“You’re such a handful.”

“My name is Yatogami Shinji. Ruler of Bruma.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Shinji.”

--I’m not even surprised at this point.

“Huh? You look surprised. Isn’t that what my sis calls you?”

--You aren’t your sis.

“You moron, Shinji and I are quite close.”

“Hey, why do you sound like you’re bragging.”

“I’m not bragging, just stating a fact.”

Setsuna appeared behind her and poked her cheeks with a smug look on her face.

“Eh??? Is that so?”

“Stop it.”

“You’re no fun.”

She took both of her arms lower and tickled Myra mercilessly.

“Setsuna,hahahahahaha..I’m being serious.”

She turned to him and smirked.

“Relish this scene.”

“FORGET IT EVER HAPPENED!!”

“Sis, why are you so loud? Aren’t you supposed to act all dignified?”

“Which is why I asked you to release me.”

{sigh}

“Fine. Anyway, Shinji.. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“But we just met.”

She hung her arms around his neck and snapped her fingers.

“Precisely.”

An arm swiftly pushed hers aside with breathtaking speed.

“Forgive me for my rudeness but Lord Shinji is already engaged.”

“Huh?”

Behind them was Ryugo Kirisaki, who was upset by the familiarity coming from Setsuna.

“It has been a while, Soragami-sama.”

“Indeed, Ryugo. I take it your reflexes haven’t dulled a bit.”

“My limit is growing considerably lower as the years pass by but I still give it my all.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Hey, sis. Did you know he was married?”

“Engaged, and no. Not a single word.”

“Hmmmmm..”

She stared at him, disappointed by his tactless behaviour.

“It has been a pleasure speaking to you two after such a long time, if you’ll excuse me.”

Myra walked past them while Setsuna hit his side with her elbow but no response.

“Jerk. Anyway, you should probably stay here today and leave tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“Well, this is the perfect chance to take a break.”

“We don’t need one. Besides, what of the people I left?”

“So you think they can’t do without you for a day or two?”

“Well…”

“Exactly. You don’t need to be so scared.. My sister thinks the exact same way.”

“My lord..”

He whispered in his ear.

“I know this is a selfish request but would I be able to go ahead of you?”

“Feel free, you’re the true ruler here, I’m just the one with the title.”

“I am grateful. I will be on my way then.”

--I hope she didn’t hear us.

“What was all the whispering about?”

“Nothing.”

As the sun set for the day, Shinji took the advice of the boisterous lady with ash blonde hair colour and enjoyed his stay in the mystical city. It was much smaller in size compared to the four regions across Quesur but it was the center of it all, where even the weather didn’t have a fixed system. It was also the most diverse place you could find. Quesetania, the starting point of Quesur. He wandered around the place and to his surprise, he wasn’t smothered by the people here compared to his home. To be fair, he had a disguise on just in case.

“Who knew I’ll miss all that?”

He went past merchants, hunters, chefs and many other people of intrigue. There were eyes on him but not to the level of disturbance. There were preparations for a grand festival. The incoming week was that of the grand ruler’s birthday and he saw a festival necessary. Since his ascension to the throne, it was a must. Luckily, it was limited to the people of Quesetania. A lot of people had mixed feelings but eventually gave in to the cheery gesture while few others considered it an absolute insult. Festivals have always been special and sacred, not to be used for a grand birthday party. Even in this world, there was a troll and his name was Kagesame Jade.

“Shinji!!”

“Oh no..”

“C’mon.. Don’t be like that.”

The girl he wanted to see the least was right beside him. She always

had a way of popping up without notice. She slowly tapped his shoulder

repeatedly.

“Firm.”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing, really. How’s the city?”

“I’ve been walking for more than an hour now and I must say, this is sort of relaxing.”

“Told ya.. When I feel like my sister is being a pain in the ass, I come here for some fun.”

“Should you be telling me all that?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“How did you find me?”

“I saw someone that looked like you from a distance, so I followed.”

“Stalker!!!”

--They might be twins, but they are nothing alike.

“It’s really a pleasure meeting you, though. I sincerely mean it.”

“Thank you.”

“I thought you will be wondering.”

“Wondering what??”

“Eh? Huh, so you never really thought of it.”

“What??”

“Oh, nothing important.”

She placed her hands behind her as she leaned forward, highlighting her ash blonde hair as it swung forward and sparkled.

“I figured you didn’t want to talk about anything related to that. Am I right?”

“Nope.”

She made the “X” mark with her hands and shook her head in disappointment.

“We don’t talk about it with anybody. That’s all.”

“I see. So we can talk about it??”

“Sure thing. I’m sure you wanted to meet me for a while, right?”

“Er---”

“Well, I wanted to meet you. Sis has told me a lot about you. Ever since we were kids actually.”

“Good things??”

“Well, not all of them.”

“Fair enough. She also told me a lot about you and to be honest, I was quite curious as to what you seemed like.”

“Awwn..”

She squealed and wiggled her hips left and right before an attempted hug that ended in failure. He leapt backwards and stared at her with a puzzled look. This display of affection caught the eyes of passers-by.

“Just what are you trying to do?”

{Tsk}

“Why did you move?”

“Why wouldn’t I?? You’re a weirdo.”

“Say no more.”

She placed a fingers on his lips, as cautious as he was, she managed to close the distance and even made physical contact for good measure. With that, she considered that part of the conversation over.

“That’s that. Aren’t you hungry?”

“A little.”

“Well, I have the perfect place with the most delicious meat you can find in this god-damn world. The beauty, texture, size and most importantly, the taste.”

“Huh…”

“It’s a friend of mine that runs the shop. You’ve definitely got to try it out. Have you eaten a piece of kunai shaped meat before?”

“No..”

“Let’s get going, then. We can even get honey. Lots and lots of it.”

“What the--- Sure, I guess.”

“By the way, about that thing. My sis will tell you all about the details. So make sure you ask her.”

“Huh?”

“Setsuna!!”

“Yo, sis.”

“What the hell are you doing? And why are you locking arms with Shinji?”

“Oh..This? Just a misunderstanding, don’t get too worked up.”

“I’m not… Shinji, what brings you out here in the middle of the city?”

“I just wanted to admire the surrounding, that’s all.”

“As for you, don’t just go running off like that. I thought something happened.”

“I’m sorry…”

“When we’re together, you forget you’re a grown woman and start acting like a spoilt child.”

“I said I’m sorry, jerk.”

“Sorry about that, Shinji.”

“It’s fine. She was just recommending somewhere to eat.”

She crossed her arms, staring at Setsuna who pouted proudly. Her words were not just getting to her at all which made Myra even more upset. Setsuna acted on her own whether in her sole interest or that of others and was misunderstood most of the time. Myra sighed loudly and dragged both of their hands.

“I know where she’s talking about. If it’s about recommendations, the only place she talks about is….”

She let go of their hands and pointed to the restaurant right in front of them.

“It’s here. Dragonfish-tail. The place is worth the time. We could eat here, if you want.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Sis, but you just ate a while back. You’re still hungry??”

“Shut it.. I am not filled yet so I’ll indulge myself.”

“Well, I’m stuffed so I’ll get some rest while I can. Later…”

Getting the two of them alone was her plan from the start. It was a success but that was just the beginning, the most difficult part was about to begin.