The Town on Fire

"Wait, why are we going to the town?" Makoto asked. The four had walked towards Ryu and Chihiro's hometown instead of the Abyss Ravine, which was where they thought Kaerainus was. "There's just some things I have to deal with first," Ryu said, avoiding eye contact with Makoto. When they where just outside of the gates, Chihiro grabbed onto Ryu's arm, as if he was scared of the town. "You can wait out here if you want to, Chihiro," Ryu said quietly. Chihiro shook his head and said, "No, if I stay out here, I won't be a strong warrior. That's what dad said, anyways." Ryu nodded and the four walked into the town.

As soon as they entered, Makoto felt a tug on his shirt. He turned around to see a small child. They were covered in dirt, but otherwise seemed harmless. "Do you have cibus?" They asked him. Makoto looked at the kid in confusion for a second, not sure what they were saying. "Do I have... what?" He asked slowly. "Um, I mean food?" They said. He felt a pang of guilt as he remembered that all the food was back at the Apex Tower, and he hadn't brought any. Just as he was about to tell them he hadn't brought any, he heard a familiar voice not far away.

"So, we meet again, Chosen!"

It was Shiro, the person Makoto had fought with before. He walked up to them and pulled a loaf of bread out of a deep bag he was carrying. "I always keep my promises, puer, so don't go bothering a passer-by, bene?" He said to them with a warm smile as he handed the loaf over. "OK, I'll try," the child said, smiling back as they took the bread. "Shiro?" Makoto said in surprise. He hadn't expected to see Shiro after the battle. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Makoto, was it?" Shiro said. Then, as he walked towards Makoto, he suddenly grabbed his right arm, visibly in pain. Makoto, genuinely worried, went over to help Shiro. "A-Are you OK?" He asked with a worried look on his face. He started to worry that maybe the injuries from that battle hadn't fully healed yet, and that something bad might've happened. "No worries, Makoto, I'm fine," Shiro said reassuringly. Makoto helped him sit down on a bench nearby. "So, Shiro?" Makoto asked. Shiro looked over at him and said, "Hm? What's on you mind?" Makoto then said, "That kid, who are they?" Shiro chuckled and said, "That's Hope. He's really important to me." Makoto looked over at the kid. He saw Makoto look, and waved at him. Makoto waved back, as did Shiro. "He's only ten, but he's a real tough kid for what he's been through," Shiro said. "It make me feel like I have to be tough around him, y'know?"
'Tough?' Makoto thought back a bit. He had always liked this girl in his class, Asahina Yui, just because of who she was. But she had always said she wanted someone who was strong, but not a show-off, and that's why Makoto tried so hard to be that person for her. 'I really like Yui, but I don't know if she likes me...' He thought.

Just as Makoto was spacing out, Chihiro called out, "Makoto? Could you come here for a second?" As he ran over to Chihiro and Ryu, he saw they were standing in front of a medium-sized building. It appeared to be in disrepair, and it looked like no one had lived there for months. Ryu turned to Makoto and said, "Chihiro and I have something we need to do, but our mother would insist that you to come in." He continued, his gaze averted, and Chihiro appeared to be struggling to hide his sadness. Ryu knocked on the door, and the sound of footsteps echoed from within. Soon, a woman opened the door. She had long silver hair and light blue eyes like Chihiro. "Ryu! And Chi!" She exclaimed. "And who is this?" She asked, looking at Makoto. "Uh, I'm Makoto; Suzuki Makoto," Makoto said. "We met him in the mountains while on a mission," Ryu said. Their mother brought the three inside, and a man with dark brown hair was inside. He bore a striking resemblance to Ryu, making Makoto wonder, 'Is he Ryu and Chihiro's father?' Soon, the man spoke. He said in a low voice, "Ryu, Chihiro." The two looked at him, and Ryu replied, "Father." Their father turned to look at Makoto, and said, "You are the long-awaited Chosen One, I take it?" A surprised look came on Makoto's face from this. "H-How did you know?" He asked. "The pendant. I can sense it," the man said. Makoto took the pendant out of his pocket and looked at it. 'Is this thing... dangerous?' He thought. "Excuse me," Makoto asked the man. "Yes?" He replied. "Is this pendant dangerous?" Just as he asked this, they all heard something outside.

They all ran outside to see what was happening, and when they got there, they saw the same guy who kidnapped Kaerainus, the bear Guardian! Arthenraed had his bow ready when they got there. "It's the Abyss King!" Chihiro shouted. Arthenraed had his bow ready, but Shiro and Hope were nowhere to be found. The King turned in Makoto's direction and said, "Well, it seems the old hero is here as well." "Don't you have better evil deeds to be putting your energy into?" Ryu and Chihiro's father replied in a monotone voice, yet sarcastically. The Abyss King laughed evilly at this, and said "Ah, so that's how it is, then!" Just then, Arthenraed shoots an arrow, straight and true, at the Abyss King. But, in the blink of an eye, the King evaded it with uncanny speed. "You'll have to be faster, Elf," he said with a menacing grin. Ryu and Chihiro's father, still with his monotone facade, laughed dryly at the Abyss King, saying "You haven't changed, King; not one bit." The Abyss King laughed with evil at this, and said "If your new Chosen One wishes to battle with me, I'll gladly accept, so long as it's in your  tower!" To this, Makoto walked forward. Though he was shaking, he took one step forward and said, "I accept the challenge, only if you promise to give Kaerainus back to the Forest!" The King's gaze turned towards Makoto, and turned to an evil grin as he said, "Alright, then. It shall be a fair fight." With that, the Abyss King teleported them all, even Ryu and Chihiro's parents, to the Apex Tower, so that they would all see Makoto's fight.