Secrets Arts and Souls

Blood. Screams. Darkness. Blood. Screams. Darkness. Blood. Blood. Blood…. Sasuke, surrounded by the corpses of dragon slayers that he had murdered with his own hands, was down on his knees. He was not begging for forgiveness nor repenting for his sin. He’s broken. And if that wasn’t enough to already warp his psyche, he was subject to watch his own kind be murdered by the very dragon slayers that he had himself killed, thanks to a magical technology that allowed for one to analyze the memory of any living being. But he didn’t have a choice; it was his brother who forced it onto him. But, could it be called “forced” if he himself didn’t fight back? Hadn’t he just accepted his brother’s words for what they were and submitted himself unto these horrors knowing exactly what he was doing? Wait a minute, why did he join Ouroboros in the first place? What was his purpose here?

“Samson,” called Ino from behind the door. The door opened and he walked in. Sasuke slowly turned to his brother with catatonic eyes. “Why the face?” asked his brother with a smirk. “Still think that what you just did was a crime? Still believe that all living things deserve to live? You’ve seen what they’ve done to our kind. You saw it with your own eyes! You may think that their life is valuable, but apparently they don’t believe that of us. Humans may be living beings, but they do not deserve to live. They are nothing but a bunch of arrogant monkeys driven by ignorance and cowardice!”

“M-Monkeys,” repeated Sasuke slowly.

Ino put a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder. “We are doing the universe a service by ridding it of the worst of the worst of parasites,” he told him.

“P-Parasites,” repeated Sasuke slowly.

“Why should we, a race superior to them in every shape and form, be afraid of them? We possess the strength, the power, the magic to bend them to our will. But yet, we allow ourselves to struggle under their weak and underhanded ways. This is our time to reclaim our former glory as the true descendants of the gods,” declared Ino. His words were filled with a conviction that sent chills down Sasuke’s spine. The Yellow Emperor himself, as he spoke those words, was filled with a zeal that made him more vital and emotional than his usual nonchalant self. He turned to his brother and smiled with just the left corner of his mouth. “We cannot rely on the Dragonborn or any other messiah to fix this problem. This is something that we must do ourselves. The only way to fix this problem is not through peace or understanding. It is through eliminating our enemies.”

“But—,” attempted Sasuke.

“You saw with your own eyes the horrors our kind had to suffer at the hands of those dragon slayers,” interjected Ino. “Do you think that they give a damn thought about killing our kind? Do you think they view us as living beings? Do you think they view us as intelligent beings and not just mindless barbarians? Do you think they stop to think that we, too, shed blood and tears? They may care about women and children and the elderly when it comes to their kind, but not ours. We are on our own. So, how do we prove to them that we are just like them? By doing unto them what they have done unto us. We must kill each and every one them without a thought. We must understand that they are beings unworthy of living. We must acknowledge that they are the barbarians for their indiscriminate ways of thinking and savagery. We must spill their blood and steal their tears. We must not discriminate between their women, children, or elderly and treat them all the same. That is how we make them suffer.”

“But this cycle of killing—,” objected Sasuke.

“It is what it is,” said Ino. “Ouroboros does not care about achieving some sort of holy goal and reaching heaven for our beliefs. We know well that we are doomed for hell. So, if we have already resigned ourselves to our fate, what can stop us from doing what we want? I’ll kill all of the dragon slayers myself if I have to until I get judged before Ammit. This is not for the sake of righteousness or virtue, but to satisfy my own thirst for justified blood vengeance.”

Sasuke was at a lost for words. Or rather, no words could now be formed to argue against his brother after everything that he had seen and been through. The only thing he could do now was to accept his fate.

“You’ll see, Samson,” said Ino. “Our way is the only true way to end this for the good of the universe.” He glanced back and saw his brother wearing a very grim expression. “Do you really think that your friend can prevent this war between dragons and humans?”

“He defeated the Yellow Terror,” said Sasuke.

“A pawn, nothing more,” dismissed Ino.

“P-Pawn? But he was one of your own men,” gasped Sasuke.

“His death at the hands of the Dragonborn was imminent. It showed that he ran out of his usefulness,” said Ino matter-of-factly.

Sasuke could not believe the words coming out of his brother’s mouth. “Am I just a tool for you, too? Will you get rid of me the same way when I run out of my usefulness?” he asked in a half-whisper.

Ino turned to his brother and wore a very nonchalant expression. “Samson, you are my brother,” he simply said. He then turned back around and began to take his leave. “Come, we must think up a new plan to kill the Dragonborn.”

“Answer the question,” Sasuke told him. His brother started to walk away. “Answer my question!” pleaded Sasuke. Ino continued to ignore the former’s words. “Answer my question, dammit! Ino! Answer my question!” screamed Sasuke. His anger got the better of him and he let himself go mad. Like a giant magnetic coil, Sasuke’s body became covered in electricity. With a mad scream, he let it fly out in all directions.

On the other side of a door, Ino stopped and listened to his brother’s horrific breakdown. Footsteps approached him and the Red Emperor appeared. “Sounds like someone is having fun,” he said with a demented grin.

“Does that look like fun to you?” Ino asked him blandly.

The Red Emperor, still with the smile, watched as his colleague left. “He’s enjoying himself more than I think,” he snickered.

“Rise, Dragonborn!” bellowed a rumbling voice. Tatsuya’s eyes flew open and he immediately sat up. Floating next to him was the same white flaming ball from before. He turned his head and realized that the voice came from Shenlong’s lair. Like a soldier being woken up for boot camp, Tatsuya quickly scrambled up off the ground and made his way to meet the Celestial Dragon. His arrival was met with a deadly look of irritation from the Celestial Dragon.

“Y-You called?” said Tatsuya with a sheepish smile.

Shenlong let out a huff followed by a puff of smoke from his nostrils. “Your barren wit is unneeded,” said the Celestial Dragon. Shenlong eyed Tatsuya with eyes more intense than before. His appraisal of the Dragonborn, however, did not change at all since their first meeting. ‘What about him is interesting?’ the god asked himself. These words were first spoken to him not too long ago prior to his meeting with Tatsuya.

Before meeting Tatsuya, Shenlong was visited by another visitor. The visitor had come at the exact moment Shenlong had awaken from his slumber one day. It was uncanny, their intuition, but upon seeing who the visitor was, it all made sense to the Celestial Dragon. They had appeared before him in the guise of a young human girl in a uniform of sorts. But the giveaway to him was the one bold amethyst eye and the purple dragon tattoo upon their forehead.

“Did I wake Your Greatness from slumber?” asked the girl cheekily.

“Why are you here, Imoogi?” asked Shenlong sternly.

“Geez, do I need a reason to visit Your Greatness?” said Imoogi with a pout.

“Enough of your foolishness!” boomed Shenlong.

“Why so prickly today?” asked Imoogi with a raised eyebrow. “Oh right, it’s your natural attitude. Oopsie!”

Shenlong let out a puff of smoke to show that he had no time to deal with her shenanigans. “What has you in this abhorrent mood?” he asked Imoogi suspiciously.

“Oooooh! Do you wanna now?” she asked him in a teasing manner with her hands behind her back.

“Go home before I burn you to ashes,” cursed Shenlong.

“So you were lying,” said Imoogi with another pout. “That’s why I hate inviting you to parties. You say that you hate it when others do unnecessary things, but you quite enjoy talking and eating with them without a care in the world once you join in. What is it with your two-sided attitude? Are you supposed to be a tsundere character or something?”

“I have no need for your jokes!” shouted Shenlong.

“Sure thing, Mr. Tsunlong,” said Imoogi dismissively.

“I swear by Tianlong’s claw, I will—,” began Shenlong aggressively.

“Now, wait a minute there,” snapped Imoogi. Shenlong quickly shut up, much to his own surprise. “I’ll go home just like you said and leave you alone, but only after I get to talk about what I wanted to talk about.” Shenlong let out an irritated sigh. “You see,” began Imoogi, “I met a rather interesting fellow in the human realm.”

“You still bother yourself with their troubles?” asked Shenlong insultingly.

“I couldn’t care less about the troubles of the mortal realm,” admitted Imoogi with a shrug of her shoulders, “but those places always have interesting things that I want to try. And the fact that they are evolving every time with new excitements to offer, well, I couldn’t just sit still.”

“Ridiculous,” muttered Shenlong disapprovingly. “Have you no shame as a mighty celestial god?” asked the deity.

“Shame is for the weak,” dismissed Imoogi. “I have no shame, therefore, I have no weaknesses.”

“The way you twist logic to suit your own needs is still as irritating as always,” said Shenlong through gritted teeth.

“Such a shameless act suits me, don’t you think?” said Imoogi cheekily with a wink.

“Get on with it!” commanded Shenlong.

“Alright, alright,” said Imoogi, gesturing for her companion to settle down with her hands. “Well, this interesting fellow was neither a human nor a dragon,” she continued with a grin.

“You mean—,” said Shenlong, to which Imoogi responded with a nod.

“He’s a very funny fellow! He deludes himself in trying to be a “normal” human being and defiantly fights against fate! He’s brash, foolish, emotional, irrational, slow-witted, and downright ignorant!”

“How does a fool like that make for interesting?!” yelled out Shenlong in anger.

“Geez, can you please don’t interrupt me when I am talking?” whined Imoogi with a pout. “But even with all of that, he’s committed and strong and honor-bound. Oh, and he reeks of Ryujin.” She giggled at the last mention.

“This interesting fellow of yours is a descendant of that fool?” growled Shenlong. “If this fellow dares to show his face around here, I will incinerate him immediately!”

“Oh, but I think you’ll like him!” poked Imoogi with a smile.

“Why must you associate with that foolish king? He brings shame to the dynasty of Tianlong!” said Shenlong.

“But I think it’s fun,” said Imoogi.

“There you go again with your nonsense,” snarled Shenlong.

“Well, I don’t think that it will be long before you meet this interesting fellow,” said Imoogi with a knowing smile. Her eyes glinted in the light like previous jewels.

“What are you planning?” asked Shenlong in an accusatory tone with squinted eyes.

Imoogi said nothing and turned around with her hands clasped behind her back. “Can’t wait for this new exciting chapter to start,” she said aloud to no one in particular. Her form then changed and she now became a small human boy dressed in lederhosen. “I’m intrigued to see how this all turns out,” she added, her voice now that of a young boy’s. Imoogi then left.

That day was the first time Shenlong had learned about Tatsuya. And after now meeting the Dragonborn for the first time, Shenlong’s previous expectations about him was firmer than ever. How could someone as witless and weak and ignorant as him be interesting? Shenlong had no idea. He simply chalked it off as one of Imoogi’s jokes and nothing more.

“W-What did you call me for?” asked Tatsuya.

“Do you desire the power to take control of your own fate?” asked Shenlong.

Those words ignited a flame in Tatsuya’s heart. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it!” he confidently announced. “I’ll rend my fate and take control of it with my own two hands!”

“Know this, Dragonborn,” boomed Shenlong, quieting Tatsuya’s excitement in a heartbeat, “no one can escape their fate. Not even you.”

“But, but, you just said—,” protested Tatsuya.

“Fate cannot be severed, but it can be controlled,” said Shenlong. “You cannot tear apart the fate that the universe has given you, but you can choose to take control of it and influence how that fate comes about.”

“Control…,” repeated Tatsuya.

“You can either die by the hands of the universe or die by your own,” said Shenlong, “but no matter what you choose, you will die. Though the result is the same, how that result comes to be shall be of your own choosing.”

Tatsuya thought deeply about the Celestial Dragon’s words and began to understand it. “I see what you mean,” he finally said with a nod of his head.

“Owatatsumi Tatsuya, you cannot escape your fate as the Dragonborn,” said Shenlong, “but you can choose what kind of Dragonborn to become.”

“If that’s what it takes to control my own fate, I’ll do it,” said Tatsuya.

Somewhat content with the Dragonborn’s unwavering determination, Shenlong let out a satisfied puff of smoke through his nostrils. “I shall teach you the skills that will allow you to become your very own Dragonborn,” revealed Shenlong. “What you choose to do with them does not concern me. However, these skills can only be used by the Dragonborn and only the Dragonborn alone.” Tatsuya replied with a nod to show his understanding of the god’s words. Shenlong raised one of his clawed fingers up and touched Tatsuya’s forehead. “You will now have the power of the elements at your fingertips,” said the Celestial Dragon. Tatsuya suddenly felt relief from within his body, as if a massive weight that had been there all this time was finally lifted away. “Follow my words to the letter, and you shall receive your wish.”

For the entirety of the day, Tatsuya trained inside Shenlong’s lair. The Celestial Dragon was surprised at how quickly the Dragonborn was able to pick up his teachings with little-to-no effort. Before the sun had even set, Tatsuya had successfully learned three techniques: Divine Wind of God—the signature move of Quetzalcoatl, the Celestial Dragon of Air, that allows for the user to launch a massive gale that is impervious to defeat and unstoppable in power; Cosmic Quake—the signature move of Python, the Celestial Dragon of Earth, that creates a massive fissure in the earth that swallows up everything in its path and forces all land to tremble; Celestial Ray—the signature move of Long, the Celestial Dragon of Light, that fires a divine ray of light that is capable of purifying evil and disintegrating matter.

“You are quick to pick up these moves,” said Shenlong once the day was over.

“What can I say? The instructions were pretty easy to understand,” said Tatsuya with a slightly arrogant tone.

“How is it that you are smart when it comes to combat but foolish when it comes to intellect?” asked Shenlong.

Those words quickly killed Tatsuya’s ego and he became brittle like a piece of chalk. “Combat was always easy for me to pick up,” he finally said. “Ever since I was a young kid, I was trained by Uncle Shin and learned almost the entirety of his martial arts at a very young age. He even told me then that I had a natural talent for it. I mean, at school, I wasn’t really that bad when it comes to academics, though it’s not like I tried very hard. It’s not that I don’t like it or don’t understand, but I would say that I’m pretty average when it comes to those stuff.”

“That is not what I meant by intellect,” clarified Shenlong. “It matters to me not your understanding of the mortal teachings that have developed to try and understand our powers, that which you call the arts and sciences. But what I was referring to was your ability to think. You are foolish and impulsive and illogical to a fault.”

“I can’t disagree with you there,” agreed Tatsuya. “I admit that I’m not the most reasonable guy out there. I mean, if I was the old me, I would’ve disagreed with you flat out. But, after experiencing what I had experienced up to now, I realized that I was only fooling myself. I have learned many things that I wished I knew back then. Maybe if I did, I could’ve been a better Dragonborn.” He added the very last sentence in a whisper.

Shenlong’s attitude lightened a bit after hearing Tatsuya’s honest words. “It is now time for my rest,” he told Tatsuya. “Rest and we will continue on tomorrow.”

The next day, Tatsuya added three new skills to his repertoire: Inferno Apocalypse—the signature move of Draco, the Celestial Dragon of Fire, that summons giant walls of blistering flames hundreds of feet high and is immune to magic and the other elements; Holy Arcane Magic—the signature move of Bakunawa, the Celestial Dragon of Magic, that grants one control over the magical force and manipulate it how they see fit; Probability God—the signature move of Lindworm, the Celestial Dragon of Luck, that gives one total control over probability without disrupting the natural order, therefore negating the negative aspects of the tribe’s natural power.

Once again, Shenlong was amazed at Tatsuya’s quick growth. ‘Is this what Imoogi meant?’ he wondered, thinking back to her words. However, the Celestial Dragon refused still to acknowledge those words and believed that Tatsuya was simply better than most, but not enough to warrant his genuine interest.

The following days, Tatsuya continued to improve and built up a very strong repertoire that consisted of all of the Thirteen Dragons’ signature moves. He was aware of what they were, though he was still confused as to how they could help him achieve his goals. Shenlong hadn’t said a single word concerning that subject and Tatsuya was too afraid to ask for fear of being turned into pulp on the spot.

“You have done well,” said Shenlong, congratulating Tatsuya’s achievement.

“To be honest, I felt that they were pretty easy to begin with,” said Tatsuya with a nervous grin.

Shenlong squinted his eyes and brought his face down until it was level with Tatsuya’s. ‘Impossible! What is this?’ he exclaimed to himself. ‘I knew that he was a very quick learner, but the power he possesses inside…. That’s why he said it was easy for him. And to think I thought him pretentious to say such a thing. Perhaps he was speaking the truth!’ Shenlong suddenly let out a roaring laughter that shook the cave like an earthquake. “I see! So this is what you meant! You were right! He is truly interesting!” boomed Shenlong to the heavens above.

“Um, you said that you would teach me how to take control of my own fate, right? What do these moves have to do with that?” asked Tatsuya.

“Interesting, but a fool,” said Shenlong, shaking his head. “Do what you will with those moves I taught you! Whether you use them for evil or for good is dependent on you.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Tatsuya.

“Enough! I have no more time to spend on your foolish inquiries!” snapped Shenlong. “Leave! We are done!”

Tatsuya immediately did just that. When he reached the mouth of the cave, he squatted down. “How am I supposed to get to my friends now?” he asked himself. He then began to grow angry. “Geez, what is his problem! I have no time for his tantrums! Just because he’s a god, he thinks that he can treat me like a piece of trash?! That’s bullshit! And why the hell am I scared of him now? With the moves he taught me, I can take him down and force him to tell me the secret to getting what I want! Then I can get him to help me get back to my friends! Alright! That’s what I’ll do! I’ll show that grouchy Celestial Dragon bully who’s boss!” Confident in his words, he stood back up and marched back into the dragon’s lair.

When he came to the mouth of the lair, he found a group of Wisps blocking his path. “I want to speak with your master,” he told them. The Wisps didn’t move and remained static in their position. “I don’t have time for this,” grumbled Tatsuya. He threw out a punch for one of the Wisps and the balls of fire scattered to avoid his strike. Now that the area was clear, Tatsuya quickly dashed forward. However, he could only get one foot in as the Wisps quickly came back and pulled on him from behind. “This is so damn annoying!” he cried. He closed his eyes and thought about his friends. He desired to return to them, to be with them! This boiling passion inside spread throughout his body. His body then underwent a transformation. Tatsuya, now in his Draco form, emitted a blast of fire from his back. The Wisps promptly dispersed. Now without anyone or anything else to stop him, Tatsuya flew inside Shenlong’s lair.

As expected of a powerful Celestial Dragon, Shenlong had been expecting Tatsuya’s arrival. The god was irritated to have his rest interrupted by a foolish mortal. “What do you think you are doing?” bellowed Shenlong.

“I have had enough of this!” Tatsuya told him. “This is no time to be scared of you! I did everything you told me to and you still refuse to help me! Tell me, how can I get what I want? How can I get back to my friends?”

“Disturbing me with your trifles is begging for immediate annihilation,” threatened Shenlong.

“You can’t do anything to me,” shot back Tatsuya in an attempt to appear unfazed. “Besides, I can’t die!”

Shenlong released a terrible laugh that shook the cave even harder than before. “You think that you are immortal?! How ridiculous!”

“W-What are you talking about?” demanded Tatsuya.

“You truly are a fool!” Shenlong bellowed. “To think a fool like you is a candidate to become the destined messiah! Pah! You do not even understand your own life!”

“My life?” asked Tatsuya with a puzzled expression. ‘What the hell is he talking?’ he asked himself. This was the first time that he met someone who scoffed at his immortality. Or maybe he wasn’t immortal at all? But based on what he had heard from other people, it sounded like he should be immortal!

“Before you challenge an all-knowing god, perhaps you should first educate yourself. Lest you want to die a painful death of irreversible destruction,” said Shenlong. “Shall I teach you using your own life as an example? I am absolutely tempted to do so as gratitude for your earlier interruption.”

Tatsuya quickly landed back down and transformed back to his normal self. “I…I deeply apologize for my behavior,” apologized Tatsuya with a bow.

“Hmph. You are too quick to save yourself,” said Shenlong with squinted eyes.

“I…I just want to get back to my friends,” said Tatsuya.

“I fail to see how this concerns me,” said Shenlong in an irritated tone.

“But first,” quickly interjected Tatsuya, “what do mean that I am not immortal?”

“Immortality is nothing but an illusion!” shouted Shenlong, his voice echoing through the cave. “Nothing is truly immortal, immaculate, nor immutable! Everything is born and everything dies. Creation is not a power in of itself, nor is destruction. Everything is connected through a constant cycle of transformation. It is this transformation that we perceive as creation and destruction. Life is the same. No being in existence is immortal, regardless of your status or power. However, some beings are able to live longer than others. This longevity is what lesser beings perceive as immortality.”

“So you’re saying that Celestial Dragons will die naturally too?” asked Tatsuya.

“No,” replied Shenlong. “Our deaths come about differently. Do you remember what I had asked you back then about souls?”

“Yeah,” said Tatsuya with a nod of his head. “But you said that my answer was incorrect.”

“It is,” said Shenlong. “Your concept of soul is a foolish way your kind had comprehended the force that has kept you alive. Your soul is not simply the essence of your life, nor is it truly immaterial. It is your life.”

“But isn’t that the same thing?” asked Tatsuya logically.

“Essence would assume that it is a concentrated substance within your very being,” explained Shenlong. “It is not a substance. It simply is you!” The Celestial Dragon let out a puff of smoke through his nostrils. “There are five kinds of souls,” he continued. “The first one is Qi. This is the soul that all humans and creatures of Earth are made up of. The second is Mana, which is the soul that all magical creatures are made up of.”

“Don’t those two substances exist from within us?” asked Tatsuya.

“Wrong!” bellowed Shenlong. “Humans do not possess Qi inside of them just like how elves do not possess Mana inside of theirs.”

“Then—,” tried Tatsuya.

“The human is the Qi! It is the energy that makes up the human, not the other way around! Everything that you have: bones, flesh, organs; they are all built upon the soul that has taken form as a human being. Similarly, it is Mana that has taken form as a living being that allows for the elf to be born. Everything else follows and is built upon that foundation. These are souls!”

“Souls are ourselves,” repeated Tatsuya.

“When a being dies, it is because their soul has lived the amount of time that has been prescribed to them and is preparing to undergo a transformation,” said Shenlong. “You mortals may know this as reincarnation.”

“I know about that!” commented Tatsuya.

“Different souls have different time-spans,” continued the Celestial Dragon. “Qi depletes faster than Mana, which why magical creatures such elves and goblins live longer than humans and other Earth creatures.”

“How about dragons?” asked Tatsuya.

“Dragons have two souls,” answered Shenlong. “When one of their souls deplete, they can still survive on the other.”

Tatsuya touched the pocket where his sword was. “But I killed Aris with only one strike of my sword. If he had two souls, then doesn’t that mean that he isn’t actually dead and can come back at any moment?”

“Fool!” bellowed Shenlong. “Your weapon is a powerful weapon that was constructed specifically to kill dragons. Its magic transcends this natural law,” revealed the Celestial Dragon.

“I see,” said Tatsuya with a sigh of relief. “But if we’re all destined to die anyway, then doesn’t that mean that you’re mortal, too? Then why call me a mortal when we’re the same?”

Shenlong couldn’t help but smile at the Dragonborn’s words. “Looks like you’re not a total fool after all,” said the god. “However, Celestial Dragons are destined to live till the ending of this world. Our lives are intertwined with that of the universe. If we all die, so does all of current existence. For that reason, we have four souls.”

“F-Four?!” exclaimed Tatsuya.

“Qi, Mana, Spirit, and Primordial Core,” listed Shenlong.

“That’s crazy,” whispered Tatsuya with widened-eyes.

Shenlong let out a rumbling laugh. “Now do you see, Dragonborn? If you try to kill me, it will be all for naught. That sword you possess will have no effect on me either. Be glad that you still have your souls.”

“How many souls do I have?” Tatsuya asked the god.

“Even if I tell you, my strength and power is still greater than yours. You have no hope of defeating me,” said Shenlong. He then turned back around and proceeded to rest his head. “If you want to return to your friends,” he told Tatsuya from below, “use your own power. Be your own guide. Otherwise, you will never be the master of your fate.”

Tatsuya smiled at the Celestial Dragon’s advice and silently thanked him with a bow before running back out of the cave. He then rushed over to the tall cliff. Thinking back on Shenlong’s advice, Tatsuya reviewed all of the moves he had learned. ‘That’s right! I can do that!’ he told himself. He got himself into position and unleashed Divine Wind of God. With his hands to his side and the palms facing down, the giant gusts of wind propelled him up. Finally, Tatsuya can escape from this abyss and return back to the upper world and his friends! ‘Thank you for teaching those moves, but you weren’t exactly a joy to be around. Hope we don’t have to meet again too soon!’ he silently thanked Shenlong.

He could see the edge of the cliff right above him. ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ he thought excitedly. The excitement got the better of him and it made the gusts even more powerful than before, propelling him higher and faster. He came upon the edge and then found himself going higher and higher and farther away from it. When he finally realized that he was meters above his desired destination, the gusts of wind suddenly disappeared and he began to plummet back down into the abyss just as fast as he was coming up. Tatsuya saw the ground getting closer and closer and he instinctively took out his sword and struck it into the ground, using it as a springboard to flip into a safer position. He softly landed on his knee and quickly picked himself back up. “So my powers respond to my emotions,” he realized. With his sword now in his hand, he developed a new idea. This new idea was simply a revision of the previous one but with a higher success rate, at least that’s what he’s hoping for.

Tatsuya put the sword back into his pocket. He looked up to the edge of cliff above and gauged exactly how much power he needed to expel to avoid an accident like last time. With a deep breath, he started again. He summoned the powerful godly gusts and shot himself up into the air. When he came five feet away from the edge, he lunged forward toward the cliff and quickly pulled out his sword and jammed it into the rock wall. The sword was now stuck to the wall and Tatsuya used it as a kind of lever to pull himself up. Just when he thought he had finally succeeded, exhaustion began to overtake his body. He felt his muscles getting heavier and found it difficult to pull himself up.

“Dammit!” he yelled out to the heavens above at the top of his lungs. His voice echoed through the abyss as the winds carried it even further as if taking pity on his situation.

“Do you require assistance?” came a calm voice from up above.

Tatsuya quickly looked up and noticed a hand clad in a pristine white glove reaching out to him. He knew to be cautious in case this person was an enemy, but seeing that there was someone else offering him the chance to finally escape from this hell overruled his better judgement and he reached out to grab their hand. The person pulled him up with ease. Tatsuya was amazed at their strength but grateful nonetheless. He made it past the edge of the cliff and crawled a few more spaces forward before finally standing up. He’s finally back where he’s supposed to be!

“Thank you,” Tatsuya quickly said to his rescuer.

The rescuer was a very handsome young man with sharp features and jet black hair. He had an eyepatch covering his right eye and his left eye was the same dark-purplish color as an eggplant. He was dressed in an immaculate butler uniform complete with a pristine purple ascot, a pair of shiny white gloves, and lustrous brown shoes. He simply smiled at Tatsuya and bowed. “My pleasure,” he replied. “My Lady has been waiting for you.” Before Tatsuya could say anything in response, the butler excused himself and turned to a carriage not too far from where they were. After about five minutes or so, the carriage doors opened and a young woman walked out.

Tatsuya felt a pit in his stomach; something about this feels all too familiar. A bad case of deja-vu was coming back to haunt him and he began to sweat at the neck. ‘Don’t tell me…,’ he said to himself.

Now standing before Tatsuya was a young woman about his age. She was taller than him by a little, putting her height at Arashi’s but still shorter than Kiai. Her hair was black like night and fell down to her knees in a long ponytail. A black eyepatch covered her right eye, and her left eye was a sparkling violet like a perfectly cut amethyst. Her face was a little long, giving her appearance a touch of handsome masculinity like that of an impeccable prince, but it still didn’t detract from her obvious femininity that exuded ladylike gracefulness and elegance. Her skin was a dark tan, reminding Tatsuya of some of the Okinawan natives he had seen in his youth when vacationing there with his family, but still noticeably supple and smooth. She was dressed in a very fashionable and elegant long Victorian dress, bright black like anthracite and decorated with garnets around the neckline. Long sleeves covered both her arms, flaring at the wrist with frills, and her hands were tucked in white silk gloves. The skirt of her dress was pleated, but otherwise rather plain in appearance, though no less beautiful. Two purple earrings dangled from her ears, both in the shape of the crescent moon. The air about her was mysterious and impossible to comprehend, yet Tatsuya couldn’t help but feel drawn to her.

She bowed to him with her right arm over her stomach just like a gentleman. “I (Ware) have been expecting you,” she said in a very attractive husky voice.

‘Is she also going to speak in a language I won’t understand?’ he asked himself worriedly, referring to Sunaji’s archaic style of communication.

“The Holy Darkness have revealed you before me,” she continued. “I am humbled to be blessed by its obliging power, answering my desires with a song of destiny that grips my heart like a chaotic breeze. I will remember this blessing like a true servant of darkness and offer my essence to the only true Father.”

‘Never mind! She’s way worst!’ concluded Tatsuya in fear.

“Tis is fate that the Holy Darkness has shown me,” said the girl. “My vision of darkness is always true.”

“H-Holy Darkness? Vision? Fate?” asked Tatsuya in bewilderment.

“May you be the Grand Savior of legend?” she asked Tatsuya.

“Grand Savior? Me?” stuttered Tatsuya.

“You must be, for the will of the Holy Darkness has brought me here. And it is through this divine providence that my vision took form,” said the girl.

“Wait a minute! First of all, who are you?” Tatsuya asked her.

The girl realized that she hadn’t introduced herself and smiled. “I apologize for my rudeness. Before you, Grand Savior, stands the child of darkness that shall consume the chaos that dares to disrupt the will of the Holy Darkness, our true Father. Born of sovereign blood, with the true essence of darkness coursing through these veins, treasured by the people as a savior from the shadows, a warrior that defies the villains who attempt to poison the minds of the masses, I humbly bow before the destined hero of prophecy.” As she said this, she bowed again. “Please remember my name, Grand Savior, and carve it into your heart. I shall forever be your shadow, for tis the will of the Holy Darkness, thus tis also the will of mine own. I am Princess Sharina of the Amaru tribe.”