《Realmwalker 1.5 Side Story : Akira》


 Chapter 1. When can I get my Revenge?

    Chapter 1


    Akira writhed on the straw bed, clutching the wound to his groin. He locked his handsome face in a grim fa?ade. A fresh batch of sweat drenched his clothes. Pain radiated out in waves from the stab wound. Each one felt stronger than the last. The wound Ayasse had given him wouldn¡¯t stop stinging. If Mel hadn¡¯t performed some quick healing to stem the blood loss and stop the poison from killing him, Akira would¡¯ve died there on that battlefield. Alone.


    He didn¡¯t want to be alone.


    ¡°It hurts! Damn that woman! This is all Sam¡¯s fault!¡± Akira clenched what was left of his teeth, breathing through the agony. This was Sam¡¯s fault. That bitch was always destroying everything she touched.


    ¡°Calm down Akira. I¡¯ve found something to help take the edge off,¡± the white-haired, wispy mage, Mel, responded from the small room door, holding a small plant. ¡°It looks like the toothache plant. My Master used to use it all the time. He had stacks and stacks of it in his laboratory.¡± She grunted, lifted his head, and placed the leaf in his mouth. He bit down and winced over the bitter taste, spitting it onto her shoes.


    ¡°It tastes like shit. Where¡¯d you get this filth?¡± Akira glared at Mel.


    She leered and dropped him back onto the bed. ¡°From where I got the water you wash with, Lord Akira. The scum pond out back.¡± Mel pointed to the broken window, her long thin arms cast a small shadow over his face.


    He could break those arms with a simple twist of his wrist. Let her experience the same kind of pain.


    Akira scowled at her. ¡°This is payback for rejecting you, isn¡¯t it? For choosing Sam! You want me to die, don¡¯t you?¡± He spat in her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s crossed my mind, but I¡¯m stuck with you.¡± She grimaced, wiping the spittle off. ¡°Eon has probably branded me a traitor along with you for abandoning the battlefield, and his Relancian butchers would love to gain the reward. However, if you¡¯d point me to the nearest town, we can part ways and I¡¯ll never bother you again.¡±


    ¡°Haw! Don¡¯t make me laugh. You couldn¡¯t find your way through a flat farm field,¡± Akira scoffed.


    Mel scowled. ¡°Tell me again, why did I save you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I still haven''t forgiven you for that wind spell. You almost killed us,¡± Akira said, wincing as what remained of his teeth clacked together. They still hurt whenever he clenched his jaw. Another reminder of what that bitch Samantha had done to him. Stacks and stacks of humiliation.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t pulled you away from there, Sam would have captured you and given you to the Demon King.¡± She smirked. ¡°Did you want to become his plaything?¡±


    Akira was silent. His pride refused to bend, even when he knew she was right. He was the hero. It was up to him to save the day, not the other way. He needed to save the day, not her.


    ¡°We have to move soon. The Demon King¡¯s patrols are getting closer. Some of the mana traps I set a few days out were triggered,¡± Mel continued.


    ¡°How much longer do we have?¡± Akira asked through his clenched teeth.


    ¡°We should be okay until the morning.¡± She picked up the cup. ¡°This is siguma country after all, and they hunt at night. I can feel them out there. I¡¯m no Rock, but I know what¡¯s dangerous. I¡¯ll get our stuff ready so we can leave at first light.¡± She stood up. At the door, she stopped and turned back to him. ¡°Can you tell me what is happening with that sword of yours? Why is it singing in my head when I pick it up?¡±


    Akira sat up and glared at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t hurt it, have you? I need it. Bring it to me!¡±


    Mel rolled her eyes at him and left the room.


    ¡°Bitch. Wait. You¡¯re next,¡± Akira grumbled as he lay back down. He needed some sleep before they moved out. ¡°Bring me my sword!¡± he yelled through the door. ¡°It¡¯s lonely. It needs me.¡±


    ****************


    ¡°Who¡¯s the beautiful girl, your Majesty?¡± Akira asked the hefty king as he pointed at the attractive woman with short blond hair standing in the courtyard. She stared at the orange sky like she¡¯d never seen one before.


    ¡°That is Samantha. She¡¯s a visitor to our lands, but she¡¯s had some trouble when she arrived,¡± King Eon said, resting his hands on his fat belly. He had lost much of the power from his youth, but the king retained the same intense look as the man who single-handedly held off a demon invasion in the Kolori pass.


    ¡°She¡¯s lost her memory and doesn¡¯t remember anything,¡± Eon continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± Akira said, tearing his eyes from her and turning to the king. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°As you know, the Holy Sword, you carry is Relancia¡¯s prized possession. With it in your possession, nothing can stand against you. However, to beat the Demon King and secure our border, we need more,¡± he pointed to Sam. ¡°She is quite powerful.¡±


    ¡°How powerful?¡± Akira asked, a small smile appearing as he watched her move.


    ¡°Powerful enough to make standing up against Kale and his minions a possibility,¡± Eon said, putting his arm around Akira and leading him back into the throne room. ¡°She¡¯s untrained, but that¡¯s where you come in.¡±


    *****************


    Akira woke up with a gasp and clutched the sheet. Sweat dripped down his chest and made a pool on the sheet, staining everything a deeper yellow. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about that,¡± he mused, running his hands through his hair, and shaking the grease out. ¡°How in the hell did I ever think she was attractive?¡± He tucked his knees under his arms and stared out the window. She still needed to pay for destroying his first Holy Sword.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t that fat, useless twat of a king tell me she was the Realmwalker?¡± He growled. ¡°That useless story he made up failed.¡±


    Eon had come up with the idea of pretending to be childhood friends. It wasn¡¯t hard to sell, and he had the perfect backstory. She would find nothing if she investigated, as a battle between Relancia and Kolori had destroyed his entire village.


    The pain in his groin flared. He was tired of shouting out. Mel had used all her spells to heal him, but the feelings wouldn¡¯t vanish. What poison had that assassin used to cause this?


    Akira sat on the bed and crossed his legs in front of him. He winced. The stab wound in his groin threatened to break open again. Closing his eyes, he practiced the breathing techniques Master Jin taught him to compartmentalize the pain, isolating it, and allowing him to move. He¡¯d have to pay for this later, but he needed to move.


    ¡°A hero must move past the pain, past the suffering, for the good of the people,¡± Akira mumbled with each breath. His mantra used to give him comfort, but that was before Sam betrayed him.


    ¡°Being trapped in a cabin with Yoruhi would have been better,¡± he mumbled. ¡°She couldn¡¯t float a stick, but she was nicer.¡± He pushed thoughts of his sister to the side. She was probably long dead, anyway. One day, Kolori would pay for that.


    Master Jin¡¯s breathing techniques helped him reduce the pain to a dull throb. Letting out a sigh, Akira got off the bed and dressed. The first moon was going down. ¡°Two hours left. Damn. I wanted some more sleep.¡± He strapped on his sword and made a strained smile at the song. While it still filled him and comforted his soul, it was different than before. Less powerful, like it was hurting, but with it on, the pain receded even further. It allowed him to function. He stepped out of the room.


    Mel was sleeping in her shift, her blanket on the floor. Sweat covered her brow and stained the sheet as well. Akira stared at the white-haired witch and had to push the bile down. He had thought she was attractive as well, once, when they were lovers. Now, she was useful. But he¡¯d leave her for Demon King Kale in a heartbeat if she couldn''t use magic. Maybe with a stake through her heart. He didn¡¯t want her to come back.


    Akira stepped out the door and looked at the black forest. He hated this place. Every leaf reminded him of his defeat against the Demon King. Every sound spoke of his humiliation at Sam¡¯s hands and his wounding at Ayasse¡¯s knife.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    A lifetime of pain in a breath.


    ¡°So much hate. Do I need to keep it?¡± He mumbled.


    At night, the Deadland Forest smelled the same as the forests back home, but that only added to the disgust he felt. He was the Hero, the star. His bed should be swarming with women ready to throw themselves at his feet. Apart from Sam and Mel before that, there¡¯d been no one. He was alone.


    Always alone, except for his sword. He placed his hand on the pommel.


    He still remembered hearing that song for the first time. It was like describing blue to a blind man. He¡¯d tried to explain it to the magic researchers who¡¯d made the sword, but it was impossible. Heaven was the closest he could come to it. That first day, he spent hours listening to the music ring in his ears. It filled the hole in his soul, and made him forget all about his family, Yoruhi, and that he was alone.


    Yoruhi was the only thing that saved him. He¡¯d felt guilty about forgetting Yoruhi. That forced him to put the sword down.


    The first time he killed with it in battle, it made him sick. He threw up. He knew it was wrong, but the sword loved it. It felt like it sucked in the soul of the man he killed. King Eon said the others chosen by the sword died in the first forty-eight hours. They forgot to eat, drink, even breathe.


    He drew the sword, glaring at the moonlight reflected off the blade. ¡°I survived your predecessor. I will not let you control me. I am the hero.¡±


    ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± He sheathed his sword, sat on the ground and started his breathing exercises again. Rage was threatening to overwhelm him and bring back the pain.


    He turned to his memories. After that fight, Akira tried not to kill, but it was so hard. The next time was easier. Each time he killed someone, it became easier to take out the next person. Besides, he had so much revenge to give. Kolori needed to pay for killing his family. The Demon King needed to die for opposing him. His Master had to die for the abuse he inflicted in the guise of training.


    That one always brought a smile to his face. Even if his older sister had gotten in the way, Master Jin would never bother Akira again.


    Then Sam came into the picture. At first, he had no trouble using her. She was too na?ve, too easy to direct. Her beauty had been a plus. There were some troubles. The first time she threw him across the room, he wanted to take her head. It took everything he had to calm himself down. Even after they became lovers, she would always question his actions, try and tell him what to do, and that stupid nickname of hers.


    ¡°Destroying that village was a mistake,¡± Akira mumbled. He turned and watched the first moon sink below the horizon. ¡°That¡¯s where it all went wrong. We should have left her in Relancia when we did that.¡±


    Mel had erased Sam¡¯s memories, but something remained. Some spark must have come out in the battle with that disgusting Demon King. Akira punched his hand and sighed. He dropped his hands to the side, fists still clenched.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you break her, Sam?¡± Tears formed in his eyes. ¡°She was my best friend. I don¡¯t want to be alone,¡± Akira let himself cry for the loss, soft tears streaking his face. Even if they had replaced his sword, it was so hard to go on.


    ******


    ¡°Wake up, woman,¡± Akira grunted, kicking Mel¡¯s bed. ¡°There are some men outside.¡± He unsheathed his sword.


    Mel snorted and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Akira scowled at the thin woman. She was always the most useless on watch.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± She yawned.


    ¡°I saw a few demons in the forest,¡± Akira whispered. ¡°They were in the valley and are coming here. Keep your voice down. Those bastards have good hearing.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Mel tumbled off the bed and hit the floor with a thump. Rubbing her ass, she got dressed, tugging on her pants. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me sooner?¡± she said through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Because I¡¯d rather wake a bear. The last time Rock did that, you signed off his hair,¡± Akira growled, directing her to get low. He wasn¡¯t going to let her know that he¡¯d missed seeing the soldiers until it was too late to escape. It wasn¡¯t his fault.


    The Hero doesn¡¯t make mistakes. Someone else does, and he has to fix them.


    ¡°How many are there?¡± She came to the other side of the door, working her arm through her tunic.


    ¡°A small party, about six. There could be more in another part of the forest.¡±


    ¡°Blast! I don¡¯t want to use fire here. The place is too dry,¡± Mel said, clicking her tongue.


    ¡°Can you stop any of them from running away?¡± Akira put his finger to his lips and pointed outside the door. He heard them coming up to the front.


    Mel nodded and stood back.


    ¡°Do you think there is anybody here?¡± A high voice said.


    The second voice was much lower and older. Akira knew that voice, but it sounded raspy, like he had a cold. ¡°I¡¯ve found some signs around the area, and Mel likes her comfort. She hates sleeping on the ground.¡±


    ¡°What signs?¡± A third voice said.


    ¡°Some tracks were leading here, and I found the scent Mel likes to use. In addition, that mana trap Su sprung could only have come from her. It had her vicious fingerprints all over it.¡± The second voice responded loudly. ¡°I know he¡¯s here, and probably listening to us, so I don¡¯t want him to take my head off.¡±


    What was Rock doing here? He couldn¡¯t be sure. They were so far from Relancia. There was no way that lazy coward would come here on his own.


    He glanced at Mel. She knew the voice, too. Her eyes lit up. Akira knew what she was thinking. They could go home.


    He shook his head. No way. It was a trick. Too many people wanted them dead.


    ¡°Akira, you here?¡± Rock¡¯s voice came from behind the door. ¡°Can I come in?¡± Akira looked at Mel and she stood up, smiling.


    ¡°Rock, is that you? I¡¯m so glad to hear your voice,¡± Mel said, grabbing the door.


    Akira snatched her hand and put a finger to his lips. He wasn¡¯t letting her leave him alone with only his sword. He¡¯d kill her first.


    ¡°Can you open the door? I have some friends here who want to talk to you.¡± Rock shouted.


    Akira was silent. Mel stared at him. He saw the fury in her eyes. A a year ago, it would have scared him. Now, he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°We know you¡¯re there. Akira. I tracked you from the battlefield and found the group of demons you killed. It¡¯s no use hiding. We¡¯ve already scouted ahead and this is the only place you could be.¡±


    ¡°Stand back 30 meters,¡± Akira replied. He peeked through the door and saw the men move back into the trees. He counted five of them. ¡°Where¡¯s the sixth man? Bring them all out. I want to see everyone.¡±


    ¡°Trust me Akira. We¡¯re here to offer you a great deal.¡± Rock came out into the open. He was still wearing the ugly green outfit. His bow was over his shoulder. There was no way he¡¯d get a shot away before Akira could stop him.


    Rock¡¯s arrows were always better than his. Akira tried to match the archer but always came just a hair short. He was the only one Akira could respect.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming out.¡± Akira opened the door, stepped outside the small hut, and saw the soldiers. They weren¡¯t the orcs from the Demon King¡¯s army, but they weren¡¯t his allies either. ¡°What are you doing with Kolori troops?¡± he asked Rock, clenching his sword tighter. ¡°Did you betray me?¡±


    Akira would still kill him if he had to.


    Rock glanced back at the men and shrugged. ¡°I would never betray you, Akira. You are the Hero. They paid me good money to find you, and I trusted they had your interests at heart. That¡¯s all I needed to know.¡± Rock turned to one of the soldiers. ¡°This is all you wanted, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, Mister Rock. You¡¯ve been most helpful. If you accompany us back to the main camp, we¡¯ll have your final payment there.¡±


    That was the first voice Akira heard. He stared at the soldier. The man was wearing Kolori colours of green and red. He¡¯d removed his helmet, holding it under his arm, away from his sword, and wiped his bald head with a cloth. He was trying to show Akira that he wasn¡¯t a threat. The man¡¯s armour was a dull black. Iron; probably made from the old smelting method. Akira could cut through that easily. They had no backer to offer new technology like Relancia.


    ¡°Good morning, Hero Akira, Mage Melisia. I hope this day finds you well.¡± The soldier bowed to the two. Mel had finished dressing and stood next to Akira. She had removed her travel tunic and wore her last clean, white dress.


    When did she change?


    ¡°Yes, it is now,¡± she replied, hoisting her bag onto her shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you want Akira. I¡¯m going with Rock. Even with Kolori bigots souring the pot, I¡¯ve had enough of this hellhole.¡±


    Mel walked past Akira and joined Rock by the trees. He grimaced and didn¡¯t look happy to see her, but they left with two other soldiers. That left three.


    I¡¯m alone again. But I can kill three easily.


    ¡°May we talk?¡± the bald soldier asked.


    Akira said nothing. He stared at the man but kept his sword out. There was something strange happening here. They wanted something. Rock trusted them and Akira trusted Rock. Of the original five members of the Hero¡¯s party, he was the only one who¡¯d never betrayed him.


    Yet. It didn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.


    ¡°Please listen then. My name is General Saku. As you might have guessed, we are from the Kolori kingdom.¡± He wiped his head again. ¡°We are here to make you an offer.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the offer?¡± Akira asked, staring at the two other men. Saku looked strong. You didn¡¯t get to be a general in Kolori, without knowing how to fight. The armour hid his skills, though. He¡¯d have to take the other two in the background, before the General, just to be safe.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to talk about it back at our camp if that¡¯s okay with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not. Tell me, and maybe I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Akira moved his position. He needed to take the right one first.


    ¡°Sigh,¡± the General wiped his head a third time. ¡°Very well. We wish to offer you a commission to take down the Relancia kingdom, acquire the technology they used to make the armour and gain this new crop coming out of the land.¡±


    ¡°Why should I help you?¡± Akira adjusted his stance. The left one had more training. His stance showed he was ready to counter Akira¡¯s move, given a chance. He¡¯d be more difficult to deal with. He had to go first.


    ¡°We can help you get your revenge against the Hero Samantha and the Demon King that injured you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. How can you do that?¡± Akira watched the General raise the cloth to his head. ¡°If you wipe your head one more time, I¡¯ll take it from your shoulders.¡± Akira sneered at the bald man.


    General Saku lowered his hand, ¡°Ah yes, very well. Did you know that King Eon has placed a bounty on your head? He is blaming you and the mage for the failure to capture Demon King Kale¡¯s castle.¡± He paused. ¡°The Kolori kingdom can help you get to Samantha. Our reports say she¡¯s gone through the portal.¡±


    ¡°How do you know about the portal?¡± Akira asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Eon kept that a close secret.¡±


    ¡°We know a great many things that will be of great importance to you. If you come with us, we can help each other,¡± General Saku said, holding out his hand.


    ¡°A few weeks ago, I was attacked by a three-man assassination team. They reeked of Kolori gold. Did you have anything to do with it?¡±


    General Saku grimaced. ¡°In the spirit of disclosure, yes. My predecessor believed you were a dangerous threat to the Empire,¡± he gulped. ¡°I have removed him from his position. You won¡¯t have to deal with such nuisances again.¡±


    Akira stared at the man and watched the sweat roll off his head. The General was hiding something, but Akira was tired of running.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Akira sheathed his sword. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your camp. We can discuss this further there.¡± He stepped away from the house and followed Rock¡¯s trail through the trees. There was no way he was going to trust another bald man. However, Akira needed to get out of this forest to get revenge.


    He wasn¡¯t alone anymore.

 Chapter 2: Escaping the Forest

    Chapter 2


    Akira faced his master, Jin, across the field. Clouds surrounded them as they stared down each other. ¡°You cannot fear the blade, boy. When your enemy comes at you, raise your sword and drive him back,¡± Jin said. ¡°Like this.¡± He thrust his sword directly into Akira¡¯s face.


    Gasping, Akira woke up. It was still night, but Akira could see streaks of sunlight starting to peek through the horizon, pushing away the bleakness of the Deadland forest. There was no way he was getting back to sleep now. Dreams of his old master, Jin, always left him too angry to do anything.


    Placing his hand on his sword, he let the images fade as the song replaced his anxiety. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and stood up.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early. Bad dreams?¡± Rock asked, taking a drink. He was sitting beside the dying embers of the fire.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t friends, Rock. After what happened in the last battle, I can¡¯t tell if we¡¯re even acquaintances. Why do you insist on asking me personal questions?¡± Akira turned to the tracker.


    ¡°My mother raised me to be polite,¡± he shrugged. ¡°Even to assholes. Besides, we¡¯re the only ones from Relancia here. The Kolori soldiers don¡¯t trust me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you keep slipping through their lines,¡± Akira smirked, hiding his missing teeth. ¡°And with that ugly green outfit. Let them catch you once in a while.¡±


    Rock smiled. ¡°That would be cheating. Besides, Saku needs someone to punish. It¡¯s the national pastime in Kolori. They love putting commoners in their place. I think there is a rebellion or two a year for them to put down. Their goddess would be upset if they didn¡¯t occasionally spill blood in the streets. I heard it took them a week to remove the bodies the last time. I¡¯m just giving him another excuse to get angry.¡± He tossed another branch on the fire.


    In the two weeks since Rock found Akira, they moved through the Deadland forest, closer to the Kolori empire. General Saku had several dozen men with him, but the Demon King¡¯s patrols made getting through the black forest difficult. Yesterday, they lost two men in an ambush before they were able to get away. The black trees were thinning. After today, they should leave this depressing place. None too soon. Akira kept feeling eyes on him. It had gotten stronger since he killed Thane.


    Akira shook his head. Today¡¯s pace promised to be a hard one.


    ¡°Is Saku awake?¡± Akira asked.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s chewing out the sentry. They let Mel touch them again, and she had them acting like chickens or something like that,¡± Rock said, pulling his hat over his head.


    Akira sighed and put his hand over his face. After joining with General Saku, Mel had become more uninhibited. It might have something to do with the Kolori attitude to magic. She¡¯d taken to using her mind magic to get the soldiers in the Kolori entourage to entertain her and humiliate them. They didn¡¯t dare touch her, however. One of them tried the first day. After his head met Akira¡¯s sword, their attitude changed. They buried what was left of the body and learned to treat her with respect.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with her,¡± Akira grumbled.


    Rock went back to his drink. The weather was getting colder and the hot cider smelt good. Akira sighed again, turned away and went to find Saku. A hero¡¯s work was never done.


    He picked his way through the stirring soldiers. Akira saw the General outside the camp yelling at some men, and wiping his head. He stopped doing that when Akira was near, but his hands still twitched. It had become an unspoken game between them. Akira chuckled.


    ¡°Lord Akira,¡± Saku said, quickly hiding his handkerchief. ¡°You are up early. I trust you had a good sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had better,¡± he said, glaring at the bald general. ¡°What¡¯s this about Mel?¡±


    Swallowing, General Saku pointed to the two men. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for the trouble. This was something I planned on bringing to your attention later.¡± Akira saw his hands twitching again.


    ¡°Spit it out. I¡¯m not going to kill you if I hear bad news.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I might if you keep talking around me.¡±


    Saku nodded, and his face turned pale. ¡°The men believe your mage has placed a mind spell on them. Now whenever they see the second moon they start rolling on the ground and clutching their heads.¡±


    Akira turned to the two guards. ¡°I remember you,¡± he said to the younger one. ¡°You were at the cabin. Tell me why you think Mel had something to do with this?¡±


    The guard turned deep red. ¡°The last thing I remember was standing outside the mage¡¯s tent for her protection,¡± he stammered. ¡°She placed a hand on my arm and after that, I woke up naked in the field outside the camp. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    ¡°Were you drinking?¡± Akira asked, crossing his arms. He wouldn¡¯t be the first soldier to blame drunkenness on magic.


    ¡°No sir. I¡¯m a strict Metite. Alcohol is forbidden,¡± the young soldier said.


    Akira tilted his head and sighed. The religion card. ¡°Ah! The Kolori religion. My tutors taught me a little about it. I understand how pious you may be, but that never stopped anybody before.¡±


    The guards and Saku nodded, frowning. Akira knew he was treading on a dangerous subject. The Kolori people were fanatical about their Goddess Zial and her hatred of magic. The soldier¡¯s face turned hard. He was trying to suppress his anger.


    This was another game. If Akira could annoy the Kolori soldiers enough, they would try to kill him, and then he could eliminate them all. It was not a hero¡¯s place to kill wantonly. He¡¯d forgotten that for a while. It was time, he remembered.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°I will speak with Mel,¡± Akira told the General, saving the man from a bloodbath. It was good to try and keep the peace.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he nodded. ¡°I would hate to have to deal with the matter myself.¡± That usually meant beheadings in Kolori proper.


    ¡°If you do that, then you will follow,¡± Akira said, his voice quiet. ¡°Mel and Rock are my family. What happens to them I will repay, a thousandfold. I already proved that.¡± He stared at Saku until the bald man twitched and reached for his head again. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Akira asked, changing the subject, and giving Saku a chance to save face.


    Saku looked at the sky. Orange rays were hitting the bottom of the trees now. ¡°Within the hour.¡±


    ¡°I will be meditating until then. Please don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Akira said, moving back to his blanket.


    Ever since he killed Thane, he¡¯d been plagued by strange dreams and bad luck. Akira wouldn¡¯t put it past the thief to put a curse on him. It had been too easy to kill her. He had Mel perform a scrying, but she had found nothing. In addition, the poison Ayasse had used on the knife was still causing him trouble. When something distracted him like this, the pain was possible to ignore. Mel had offered to try healing again, but he didn¡¯t like her touching him. Meditation was the only other thing that gave him any relief.


    He sat down cross-legged and placed his sword across his legs. After the incident in the camp, he no longer put himself into a trance while practicing his forms. Killing soldiers, even by accident, was not good for morale. Letting his breathing slow, he closed his eyes and brought back his dream. The memory was trying to tell him something. In it, he was practicing with Master Jin. His father had hired Jin to teach Akira how to hold a sword. All the kingdom¡¯s nobles had a sword teacher after they reached the age of five. Master Jin claimed to have the title of Sword Master, but if he wasn¡¯t drinking, or whoring, he was beating Akira.


    The first year was the worst.


    ***


    ¡°Boy, you can¡¯t hold a sword like that. Grip it with both hands,¡± Jin said, slapping Akira up the side of his head.


    ¡°Sorry, Master.¡± Akira wiped the tears from his eyes.


    ¡°Stop sniveling, worm. Practice your forms.¡± Jin went under a tree and pulled out a bottle of Hizzal. Father wasn¡¯t coming home today, so he was going to drink the strong-smelling liquor until he was unconscious; his usual state.


    Gritting his teeth, Akira went into his first stance and practiced the movements. ¡°I¡¯m going to get good enough to make you pay for this humiliation someday,¡±


    he mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll take your head.¡±


    ¡°Did you say something, boy?¡± Jin asked from under the tree. Akira could swear he had the devil¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you proud of me, Master Jin.¡±


    He started laughing and spilled his Hizzal all over his pants. ¡°Look what you made me do, you little shit.¡± Jin stood up, grabbed his sword, and stalked towards Akira. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a special lesson for that.¡±


    ***


    Akira rubbed his face and opened his eyes. Even in his meditations, he couldn¡¯t get away from that violent maniac. He was still in the Kolori camp. The twenty soldiers were finished running around and stood at attention. Saku was giving them one last check. The scouts would already be out. They would leave in moments.


    He looked down at his sword. ¡°At least I didn¡¯t kill anybody today.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m so glad you could control yourself,¡± Mel said from behind him.


    ¡°Mel,¡± Akira turned around, knocking his sword off his lap. She was leaning against a tree. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He could smell a slight burning in the air, like the scent of a storm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t cast any magic on you. I was prepared to, however. The last time I caught you meditating, you killed several of my guards, remember?¡± She gave him a sardonic grin. ¡°I¡¯d hate for you to kill off all of Saku¡¯s men before we get out of here.¡±


    Akira stood up and faced her. ¡°I¡¯m under control. I let my hatred get the better of me then. It won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯m the hero, after all.¡±


    Mel grunted. ¡°Good,¡± she said, pushing away from the tree. ¡°Saku said you wanted to talk with me.¡± Mel raised her hand and ran it down Akira¡¯s face. He pulled away from her and took a step back.


    ¡°I told you not to touch me like that. We¡¯re through.¡± Her face darkened. He was treading on dangerous territory but continued to speak. ¡°This is part of the problem. Saku tells me you¡¯ve been using your magic on his soldiers again. You know the Kolorians hate magic, especially magic like yours. According to their doctrines, Zial wants it destroyed, and they¡¯re fanatical enough to do it.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s so much fun. I love turning these stuffed peacocks into game hens,¡± she said, her smile returning. ¡°It helps distract from the boredom of this journey.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± he said, directing her back to the horses. ¡°We have to get along with him for now. When we¡¯re free of these accursed black trees and away from the demon patrols, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to kill him?¡± she asked. Akira thought he could detect some worry in her voice. Did she want to stay with them, or was she worried about him?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. I hate Kolori almost as much as Sam, but it¡¯s been so long since they killed my family that it¡¯s become a dull ache.¡± He wasn¡¯t going to let her know that since travelling with Kolori, he¡¯d had more dreams of his sister than ever before. She would hate what he¡¯d become.


    Mel placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you hated Kolori. Why are we still going there?¡±


    Akira pulled off Mel¡¯s hand and dropped it. Ignoring the look of indignation on her face, he wiped his own on his pants. ¡°It¡¯s an old incident. Kolori soldiers were fighting with Relancian ones. A border clash, or something like that. The usual stupidity. They invaded my village and killed my family. It forced me to flee to the capital.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Mel said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about that before?¡±


    ¡°Because it wasn¡¯t important.¡± Akira stopped by his bed roll and saw his pack was ready. Rock was always taking care of him. He cleaned his boots, set up his bed, and made sure everything was correct. Akira hadn¡¯t had a butler since he fled his village. Rock usually did those things for him. When they were travelling to defeat the Demon King, it was great. Akira thought it was because he was the hero, but now he wasn¡¯t so sure. What did that tracker want?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to Kolori, Akira. It¡¯s dangerous for people like me,¡± Mel said. Akira looked up. She had crossed her arms and was glaring at him.


    ¡°I know they hate magic, but Saku assures me you¡¯ll be safe and I will make sure you stay that way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Mel continued. ¡°They do something to magic users. I¡¯ve heard the rumours and they aren¡¯t good. The Kolori prejudice itself isn¡¯t the only issue. I don¡¯t trust the Kolori people. They are dangerous. Remember what they did to that patrol yesterday?¡±


    ¡°The demon soldiers killed two of them.¡± Akira shrugged. ¡°They wanted revenge. I would have done the same thing.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d think that was only revenge. They liked it.¡±


    ¡°Saw something similar, did you?¡± Akira stared at Mel. He knew she liked him. When he needed her, it was useful, but now? The closer they got to the Kolori empire, the more dangerous her attitude became.


    Mel stared at him, her face stone. Akira met her gaze and didn¡¯t blink. She turned and stalked away, kicking at the underbrush.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know how to talk to women, do you, Akira,¡± Rock said, stepping out of the bush.


    ¡°How did you hide in there?¡± Akira asked, spinning around and putting his hand on his sword. ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn it was empty.¡±


    Rock put his finger on the side of his nose. ¡°That¡¯s my secret.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Saku is waiting. He¡¯s been wiping his head every two seconds. If you don¡¯t come soon, we¡¯ll probably see some skull poking through. His scouts found a demon patrol closing in. It¡¯s bigger than the last one.¡±


    ¡°Blast.¡± Akira spit to the side. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He followed Rock to the horses.

 Chapter 3: Entering Kolori

    Chapter 3


    The citizens swarmed over the merchant¡¯s overturned cart from the narrow side streets. A short man, wearing a brightly coloured tunic, stomped his feet on the cobblestones, his face a red mask of fury. The wheel of his cart had broken, scattering fruits and vegetables across the cobblestones. He had three guards holding huge swords with him. However, several men held them at bay, while women and children wearing filthy clothes scooped up the loose food.


    ¡°Help me!¡± the merchant shouted, running up to General Saku as Akira and the remaining Kolori soldiers passed the road leading from the gate. ¡°They¡¯re robbing me!¡±


    Saku put on his helmet and scowled at the merchant. ¡°Have you paid your taxes, good citizen?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± He held up a medallion, shaking it in anger.


    Akira had no idea what it meant. The entire scene was slightly unreal. This would never have happened in Relancia. He¡¯d been to the Kolori capital once, many years ago, but that wasn¡¯t enough to help him explain this. His mother had presented him and his older sister at court, ignoring the city. Yoruhi had been too young to travel then.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Akira asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t the guards just kill the looters?¡± He narrowed his eyes at Saku.


    Saku shook his head. ¡°The merchants can¡¯t do that, Lord Akira. It wouldn¡¯t be proper. Only the soldiers have permission to kill if they are not being threatened.¡± He turned to the ten remaining soldiers, took a deep breath, and shouted. ¡°Men! Present arms!¡±


    ¡°The soldiers are coming! Get out of here!¡± a voice rang through the narrow street. Most women and children fled back into the holes and gutters they had come from at the sound. A few continued snatching up the vegetables.


    The soldiers advanced on the men surrounding the guards. Three had already fled, but two remained. They brandished their poles and attacked the Kolori soldiers, shouting incoherent sounds.


    ¡°Why are they so stupid?¡± Mel asked, moving her horse up behind Akira¡¯s. ¡°They must know that they can¡¯t win.¡±


    Akira thought the same but didn¡¯t want to express his concerns. He was still supposed to be the hero, and it wouldn¡¯t look good. The citizens were stealing, but they looked like they were starving. Yoruhi would have been upset with him for staying back.


    ¡°What¡¯s a hero, brother?¡± Yoruhi asked. They were sitting in front of the fire in the manor house.


    ¡°A hero is someone who helps those in need without any thought to themselves,¡± Akira responded, stirring the fire. He winced. Jin¡¯s training had been exceptionally harsh today. He held onto the mantel.


    ¡°Are you a hero?¡± she asked, raising her eyebrows. ¡°Is that why Master Jin is training you?¡±


    Akira nodded, blinking his eyes to stay awake. He didn¡¯t want to say anything. Yoruhi was only five and still looked at him with trust. Father had given that up years ago.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll always protect the weak,¡± she said, smiling at him with wide eyes.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Akira said, drifting off to sleep.


    Akira shook his head to clear the memories. The two men who¡¯d stood up to the soldiers were dead. They had arrested some women as well and were dragging them off the street in chains.


    ¡°Is it over?¡± Akira asked. There was a small nugget of guilt in his chest.


    Mel scoffed. ¡°Where were you?¡± She shook her head.


    He scowled at her and grunted. Turning to Saku, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to the women?¡±


    Saku took off his helmet and hung it from his horse. ¡°They will be questioned and tried. Most likely sold to the merchant to pay off the bill from what the others stole.¡±


    Akira nodded, lost in thought. Justice was harsh, but they must be punished. Stealing was wrong. He felt a small pit dig into his stomach. Why had images of Yoruhi come up now? He hadn¡¯t thought of her, except in passing, for years. She would have hated the man he¡¯d become. When had doing Eon¡¯s dirty work become so easy?


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± one dirty woman screamed, punching the soldier in the face.


    The young man returned the blow with a metal-gloved slap, shattering her nose and sending teeth flying out of her mouth. She collapsed to the ground, her tunic ripping in the soldier''s hand.


    ¡°Bitch. I¡¯ll teach¡ª¡±


    Akira took his head before he could finish his sentence.


    ¡°They are guilty of theft. Still, they are your citizens,¡± he said, glaring at the other soldiers. ¡°Treat them with respect.¡± He bent down and wiped his sword on the dead man¡¯s tunic.


    ¡°Lord Akira,¡± Saku said, gulping. His hands twitched and began to reach for his head before he forced them down. ¡°May I ask why you killed my man?¡±


    ¡°He was disrespecting the people. Even if they are criminals, they deserve that much.¡± Akira shrugged and looked at the woman sprawled on the ground. ¡°Are you all right?¡± He asked in a soft voice.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    She nodded, her eyes wide with shock. Her lips, trembling.


    Akira continued to grin, ignoring the sour stench of sweat emanating from her. A hero must be willing to suffer.


    Saku sighed, directing two more soldiers to take the woman away and clean up the body. ¡°Please stop killing my men. It makes it very difficult to protect you.¡±


    Akira shrugged and moved his horse back to Mel. ¡°They teach your soldiers more respect. They should be protecting the citizens, not harassing them.¡± He flicked the reins and moved his horse forward.


    ¡°Where¡¯d Rock go?¡± Mel asked when they were a few paces away from Saku.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to meet the emperor, so left for the local taverns,¡± Akira said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure which one.¡±


    ¡°How did Baldy feel about that?¡± Mel asked, turning around in her saddle and glaring at Saku.


    ¡°He was most unpleased.¡± Akira smiled. He didn¡¯t trust the general. Anything to make his day worse was a good thing. ¡°I talked him out of tracking Rock down.¡±


    Mel chuckled. ¡°He¡¯d never find the bastard. That green-clad twit is the best at what he does.¡±


    It had been a long time since Mel smiled at him. Akira had missed this interaction. Before Sam, this had been the norm. After the battle in the Deadland forest, revenge had clouded his mind. He¡¯d wanted everyone dead. Since joining Saku and experiencing regular life again, could he go back?


    ¡°No. He won¡¯t find Rock!¡± Akira said, stronger than he expected.


    Mel pursed her lips and turned away.


    Akira grunted. He had hated the hero¡¯s life as much as he loved it. Eon made him do so many dirty things and he¡¯d done them without question, even enjoyed them. The Kolori emperor was probably the same. However, the admiration of the citizens, like the woman he¡¯d just saved, made things worthwhile.


    He glanced at Mel. She¡¯d been looking more nervous the closer they got to the city. Akira had heard the rumours about this place, just as she must have. Zial¡¯s hatred of all things magic was legendary. While Akira could ignore their bigotry, Mel obviously couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to come into the city, why didn¡¯t you leave before we arrived?¡± Akira asked, raising an eyebrow. He still hated the woman, but he couldn¡¯t remember why. The feeling had become a dull ache, besides the pain in his groin. Mel had saved his life several times and he owed her. Why did he stop trusting her? Was it the mind magic?


    ¡°I wanted to, but Saku wouldn¡¯t let me,¡± Mel said, scowling. ¡°Said the emperor wished to meet me as well. The first chance I get, I¡¯m out of here.¡±


    ¡°Where will you go?¡± Akira asked, raising an eyebrow, surprised at his question. A few weeks ago, he¡¯d wanted to kill her himself. A sense of loss filled him at that thought. If she was gone, he¡¯d miss her.


    Mel was silent.


    ¡°I will protect you,¡± Akira promised. ¡°On my honour as the hero, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    Scoffing, Mel urged her horse forward.


    Akira placed a hand on his sword at the insult and let the song wash over him. It called for her blood, but he was used to suppressing that urge. He couldn¡¯t kill her here, even if she always disrespected him. Taking a deep breath, he looked around the outer city.


    The main street through the city was the only open area and the only safe place in this section. Saku hadn¡¯t sent any soldiers down the narrow side streets after the thieves. Most of them had probably disappeared into the underworld with their spoils. Fresh fruit and vegetables would be a rarity here. While not as dangerous as the underworld in Relancia, most of the allies in Kolori housed the worst of humanity.


    A rotten smell that could only have come from a mix of dead animals and stagnant water permeated the whole space. He hated going through the slums in Relancia and the other cities. They always smelt the same.


    ¡°How long until we¡¯re at the castle?¡± he asked Saku. The afternoon shadows cast a pall over the bald general¡¯s face.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave once this mess has been cleaned up,¡± Saku said. ¡°Please don¡¯t wander too far away. I¡¯d hate for someone else to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Akira snorted.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about you,¡± Saku mumbled.


    Akira chose to ignore the slight. He¡¯d already stressed the general out today. He glanced up the street at Mel. Two of Saku¡¯s soldiers followed her as the mage went further ahead.


    ¡°Are you preventing Mel from leaving?¡± Akira suddenly asked Saku. ¡°I warned you never to harm her.¡±


    Saku coughed and wiped his mouth.


    ¡°Stop stalling and answer my question.¡± Akira placed his hand on his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping her, but Emperor Thanatos wishes to meet the companions who travelled with the hero. That includes Rock,¡± Saku said, tucking a cloth back up his sleeve. ¡°He will be most displeased to have missed the tracker.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Akira said. ¡°Rock will show up when he¡¯s ready, probably stinking of porku, as well.¡±


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Saku said, flicking on the reins and sending his horse forward. ¡°We¡¯ll be at the palace soon.¡±


    Akira fell in behind the general. Soon the soft road turned into hard stone and he got lost in the rhythmic clip-clop of his horse¡¯s hooves against the cobblestones. The houses still butted the street, but they were more solid and lacked the smell that had threatened to gouge out his eyes. There were stores as well, designed to impress people, with several displaying large windows showcasing the goods inside.


    ¡°What does Zial say about the slums back there, Saku?¡± he asked the general.


    ¡°The goddess is moved by their plight and offers salvation in her every breath,¡± Saku said, not turning around.


    ¡°But not enough to give them enough food. Is that it?¡± Akira asked. He needed to work out the feelings that were plaguing him.


    ¡°She is always there to provide a helping hand to the poor masses, but Zial is a warrior.¡± Saku turned around and locked eyes with Akira. ¡°She accepts only those who take what they are due.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you kill those men who were stealing?¡± Akira asked, pointing back to the slums.


    ¡°We are imperfect creatures,¡± Saku said, nodding to several Kolori citizens as they pushed deeper into the city. They removed their hats and bowed. Several of the women curtsied and pointed at Saku, giggling behind their fans.


    ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with it?¡± Akira said, shuddering at the sight.


    ¡°What right do we have to impinge on the Goddess¡¯s plans for us,¡± he said. ¡°If she wants us to succeed, she will show us the path. Any other result we take is a waste of energy.¡±


    Akira wrinkled his nose. He hated fate. It was what Eon used to give him the Holy Sword. It¡¯s what Jin used to say when he was beating him. He¡¯d followed it for a while, but it only ever brought him pain. Rubbing his jaw and working his tongue through the remains of his teeth, he wondered when he could laugh at fate again.


    The road moved from the rough cobblestones to wide-open boulevards. Houses were set far away from the street, surrounded by high walls and manicured gardens. The smells in this area were also better. Akira could taste a hint of baking bread and spices in the air. Much better from the blood and offal of the slums.


    ¡°I have prepared a room for the two of you at the palace. Please rest up. Emperor Thanatos will see you at his earliest opportunity,¡± Saku said.


    ¡°Tonight?¡± Akira said, his hopes rising. He¡¯d heard good things about the library here and wanted to check it out. He hoped they would have some information on potions that could counteract the poison. In the last few weeks, the pain from the wound Ayasse had given him had lessened, but not disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯m unsure about this afternoon. It is a holy day and the emperor often spends most of the day in prayer,¡± Saku said, rubbing his hand over his head, and jerking it back to the reigns. ¡°I promise it will be in the next few days.¡±


    Akira nodded. ¡°Will I have time to visit someone about my teeth?¡± he asked Saku, pushing his tongue through the holes in his smile. Once he had his smile back, he was sure he¡¯d feel like a hero again.

 Chapter 4: The Kolori Emperor

    Chapter 4


    The Kolori palace was a masterpiece of engineering. Akira remembered his last visit to a throne room and gnashed his remaining teeth. Eon¡¯s throne room was ugly compared to this place. Covered in gleaming white marble, the walls shone, hurting his eyes. Glancing up, Akira wondered how the dome overhead didn¡¯t fall. He walked between the beautiful columns with General Saku and glared at the statues of the woman adorning each. The temple was dedicated to Zial, the Kolori goddess of victory, famous for her berserker attacks, leaving nothing in the wake of her passing. She was usually shown as a young, beautiful woman, naked with wings and pointed ears. Akira thought she could have been an elf from the stories if those things had been real.


    He placed his hand to his side where his sword usually was. They wouldn¡¯t let him take it into a meeting with the emperor, and he felt naked without it.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you left the mage in the barracks,¡± Saku said, hand twitching. ¡°I cannot stress how important it is that we don¡¯t upset His Majesty.¡±


    Akira wrinkled his nose at the man¡¯s insult. ¡°I thought he wanted to meet her. What do you mean?¡±


    Saku waved his hands around at the statues. ¡°This is one of the holiest temples of Zial. Here, we can sometimes catch a glimpse of her perfection. Uncontrolled magic pollutes this space by its very presence.¡± Sweat dripped from his forehead. ¡°The emperor will meet her on a different day.¡±


    Akira turned to look at some of the statues and hid a smirk. They were more ostentatious than Mel could be, even at her worst.


    It had become a contest for the last three weeks to see if he could get Saku to wipe his head. The General avoided Akira whenever they were camped, preferring to spend time alone. On the march, they moved too quickly for conversation, but in the evening, Saku would retire to his tent, and Akira knew he was washing his head and shaving any stubble that happened to show up.


    However, this attitude towards Mel had to stop. ¡°What did I say about speaking about her like that?¡± Akira grumbled. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate her being disparaged by anyone.¡± I may have hated her and wanted her dead, but that¡¯s my choice and I¡¯m not so sure anymore. Things have changed. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s the hero¡¯s path I should be on. Revenge failed. Conqueror could be my destiny. I will decide whether she lives or dies when or if it¡¯s the right time. She saved my life and I owe her that much. No one else gets to decide. Yoruhi would expect that much.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡± Saku dry-washed his hands. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Akira nodded, and the two continued down the hallway to the throne room. ¡°What do I do when I meet the emperor?¡± Akira asked, keeping pace with Saku. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°Bow, like this.¡± Saku stopped walking, put his right foot in front of his left foot by about a pace, and bent forward from the waist. He swept the left arm out and kept his right arm on where his sword would be. He finished with a nod and stood up. ¡°Please be respectful and don¡¯t stare at the emperor in the face.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Akira was silent as they stood outside the doors to the imperial throne room. ¡°What happens if I look at him?¡± he asked, smiling. ¡°After all, he wanted me here.¡±


    General Saku placed his hand on his chest and sucked in his breath. ¡°Please do not kid about that. The last supplicant who appeared before the emperor, and didn¡¯t show the proper respect, had his entire family killed. In addition, everyone who knew him was demoted.¡±


    ¡°Kolori soldiers already killed my family ten years ago,¡± Akira said. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll kill himself.¡±


    Saku stopped walking, but Akira continued moving forward. He reached for the door and took hold of the handle. ¡°Are you coming?¡±


    ¡°Um, yes. Sorry, Lord Akira.¡± Saku jogged up and pushed the door open. They stepped inside.


    The room assaulted him with its brilliance. Light shone through the plate glass windows behind the throne and bounced off the white marble. He had to squint to make out the shapes of the people. Even then, they looked like multi-coloured blobs. To the right of the door, there was a trumpet sound announcing his presence, and a voice cried out, ¡ª ¡°Presenting the Holy Hero, cousin to his Holiness, Emperor Thanatos the Second, welder of the Blessed Blade of Zial. Akira of the house of Light.¡± ¡ª causing Akira to wince. He hated being reminded of his connection to this jackass. It didn¡¯t matter if his mother had been related to this man¡¯s grandmother, Kolori soldiers had still killed her.


    The blobs started clapping. It was the kind of clap you¡¯d give a child bringing home a pretty stone. Polite, but with no meaning behind it. They didn¡¯t want him here.


    ¡°Welcome, Lord Akira,¡± came a voice from the blob on the throne. ¡°Approach.¡±


    Akira stepped forward, looking down to allow his eyes to adjust to the light and kneed as Saku told him to. It was humiliating, but he didn¡¯t have to start a fight here yet. His mother knelt when she presented him here, years ago. Akira still remembered his mother wringing her hands, afraid he might make a mistake. That was the most scared he¡¯d ever seen her. Until the Kolori soldiers invaded his house and killed his sister.


    He noticed the General kneeling next to him in the same manner and seethed. That bald waste should know his place. He needed to be behind Akira.


    ¡°Arise, my cousin,¡± the emperor said. Akira stood up and placed his hands behind his back. Saku stayed kneeling.


    ¡°I trust you had a safe journey here?¡± Emperor Thanatos said. He was an older man, thin, with a small chin and in his early fifties. Some grey hair appeared around his temples, giving him a distinguished look. He was clean and dressed in beautiful green and red robes, topped with a violet cape. He was as extravagant as the throne room. To the side stood an older man in armour. He was scowling and glaring at Akira with hatred in his eyes.


    I have to take him out first.


    Behind the throne were some people in deep hoods. Akira couldn¡¯t tell if they were men or women. He¡¯d heard of them; the famous Kolori slave mages. While Zial hated uncontrolled magic, she was pragmatic enough to use it for her purpose. Most of the mages found in the Empire had this fate. It¡¯s what Saku wanted to do with Mel.


    Thanatos¡¯s guard stood around the edges of the room, resplendent in their light brown tunics and gold-inscribed shields.


    ¡°It was uneventful. There were a few skirmishes with The Demon Kings¡¯ men, but nothing of note,¡± Akira said, meeting the eyes of the emperor. He noticed Saku gesturing for him to lower his head, but Akira ignored him. The emperor had requested Akira. Had wanted him here. There was no way he would supplicant himself to a man he despised. Kneeling was one thing. It never hurt to be polite. Leaving his sword in the dressing room was enough respect.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Emperor Thanatos raised an eyebrow at Akira¡¯s rebellion. The whispers from the people in the room grew louder. They had permeated the room before, but now it was becoming easier to make out individual words.


    ¡°How dare you raise your face to the emperor! You will bow before his holiness!¡± came a shout from the older soldier standing next to Thanatos. His armour was gleaming, reflecting more sunlight than the marble columns. He was scared and missing half his nose. Those were not the simple scars achieved in duels. They were only awarded in battle. This man was skilled, probably the emperor¡¯s protector. Akira checked the position of the soldiers in the room. He could see the men and they were focused on him, hands on their blades.


    ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Akira scoffed. ¡°Your emperor wanted me here. If anything, he should be bowing to me.¡± The gasps that filled the room were music to Akira. He had missed this feeling. This was how he felt before Sam destroyed everything. The hero¡¯s path may have failed, but it still had its benefits.


    Twenty soldiers drew their swords at once. The metallic scrap of their blades sliding against the scabbards echoed in the silent room. ¡°You will pay for such insolence,¡± Thanatos¡¯ protector vowed. He stepped off the dial where the emperor was sitting and faced Akira. Saku had already moved off to the side and was wiping his head.


    Akira smirked.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny, fool?¡± the protector yelled.


    ¡°Rock owes me a gold coin,¡± Akira chuckled.


    The protector raised his sword and turned to the emperor. ¡°Forgive me, your magnificence. I must teach this scoundrel a lesson,¡± he said, bowing.


    Thanatos waved his hand and said nothing. Akira could see the hint of a smile on his face.


    ¡°Your eminence,¡± Akira said, bowing with a flourish at his waist. ¡°Would you like me to keep your soldier alive, or do you mind if I kill him here?¡±


    ¡°Surprise me,¡± Thanatos said. ¡°You too, Sir Reginald. I would like you both to survive, but I will make do with one of you.¡± He leaned back and steepled his fingers, waiting.


    Sir Reginald faced Akira across the throne room. His shiny armour was gleaming. His broadsword gave him another arm¡¯s length on Akira. ¡°May I have a sword?¡± he asked the emperor.


    ¡°If you can take it,¡± said Thanatos, gesturing to Sir Reginald.


    Akira scowled. That weasel wanted a show, did he? Raising his arms and crouching, Akira moved into his first stance. Master Jin had taught him many things about the sword, but he also drilled into his student what to do if and when he was without one.


    ¡°Prepare yourself, fool. I will not hold back,¡± Sir Reginald vowed, stalking forward.


    Akira waited, his face calm. Master Jin was a firm believer in hiding your true prowess behind a fa?ade, even if you wanted to rip a man¡¯s throat out with your teeth.


    Sir Reginald lunged towards Akira with his sword thrust out. Akira dodged to the right and ducked, avoiding the backswing that would have taken his head. He kicked his right foot forward, hitting the protector¡¯s knee, and was rewarded with a loud grunt. Rolling away from the downswing, Akira bounced back to his feet.


    ¡°Stop moving and take your punishment like a man,¡± Reginald yelled, staggering. That kick to his knee had taken some of the power from his stance. The knee was always the weakest link in any swordsman. If Akira could do that again, he¡¯d be able to drop him. It always worked on Sam.


    Scowling, Akira moved into his second position. He didn¡¯t want to think about that woman. She still made him seethe in anger and one day, he¡¯d see her dead body laid out at his feet.


    Distracted, he took his eyes off the protector for an instant. Sir Reginald rushed in to attack, his sword a blur. Akira avoided this swing as well but felt the swish of it passing. He needed to focus on the man in front of him, not a ghost.


    ¡°Pay attention, boy. Their distraction is your victory,¡± Master Jin would say. Akira refocused on Reginald. His patterns were clear. The protector went for the thrust, trusting his arm¡¯s strength and sword length to compensate for his lack of skill.


    ¡°I will see you dead,¡± Reginald said. ¡°Your lack of focus is a further stain on this throne room.¡± The protector raised his sword again and charged. Akira noticed that he¡¯d shifted the foot he had used the first time. Coming in under the swing, Akira used the palm of his hand to ram his chin. Staggering the older man, Akira grabbed Reginald¡¯s sword and wrenched it from his hands. Spinning around, Akira turned it and hit Sir Reginald on the side of his head with the flat of the blade. The emperor said he didn¡¯t care if either of them died, but spilling blood here wouldn¡¯t be in his best interests. Besides, he could always kill the man later.


    The protector dropped to the ground; his hands spread out in front of him. Akira stood and bowed to his opponent. When he straightened, he looked at the rest of the soldiers standing in the circle around the two men. They hadn¡¯t moved. The rest of the colourfully dressed peacocks behind them were pointing to Akira. However, no one was talking. Even the whispers had stopped.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill him?¡± Emperor Thanatos¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°You had him dead to rights.¡±


    Turning to face the emperor, Akira nodded to his distant relative and pointed to Sir Reginald. ¡°It is unfair to attack a man while he is down. I¡¯m sure Sir Reginald, as a man of honour, would agree with me. In addition, I¡¯m sure Zial, blessed be her name, would hate to have more blood spilled in her temple.¡± Akira turned back to the man on the floor. Sir Reginald had sat up and was rubbing the side of the head where Akira had beaned him. ¡°Your sword, sir.¡± Holding the weapon, hilt first to the man on the floor, Akira knelt and supplicated himself to the older soldier.


    ¡°Why are you being so polite now?¡± Thanatos said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Just a moment ago, I was ready to order your execution.¡±


    The protector stood up and took his sword from Akira. ¡°Answer your emperor!¡± He placed the sword on Akira¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Before, I needed to establish my position in this court. I am an outsider. My blood is only loosely tied to your holiness,¡± he said, his head still down. ¡°Even though you called me here, I could feel most of you mistrusted me for my connection to Relancia and my skills. Now both are not in question.¡± Akira could already hear the whispers passing between the soldiers and nobles standing in the throne room. Sir Reginald was the most skilled fighter here, being the emperor¡¯s protector, and Akira had taken him down easily.


    Akira locked eyes with the emperor and bowed. ¡°My life is in your hands.¡± The whispers stopped and Akira could feel the entire throne room holding its breath, waiting for Thanatos¡¯ decision.


    The silence was broken only by Sir Reginald¡¯s heavy breathing. The man was getting old and the soldiers around the emperor knew it.


    ¡°Arise,¡± Thanatos said, breaking the tension. ¡°You have proven your skill, despite rumours of your recent setbacks in the Demon lands.¡±


    Standing, Akira watched Sir Reginald sheath his sword and step back beside the emperor. His face was iron, but Akira knew the older soldier would hate him for the humiliation. Akira had no choice.


    Cheers broke out among the rest of the assembled nobles. Akira nodded and gave a small smile, closing his eyes.


    I needed this. I missed this. Since Sam had destroyed his teeth, he refused to show his face publicly. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.


    ¡°May I ask, why have you summoned me here, your eminence?¡±


    Thanatos stood and raised his arms to the assembled audience. The soldiers and nobles in the room all stopped their applause and bowed. Akira raised an eyebrow and continued to stand. He¡¯d seen this before, the last time he was here when the emperor would call on Zial.


    ¡°Mighty Zial has asked for your assistance in taking down the corrupt king in Relancia. His abuse of nature is an affront to the peace-loving citizens of Kolori.¡±


    Abuse of nature? ¡°What do you mean, your eminence?¡± Akira asked. What had changed since he was last in Relancia?


    Thanatos lowered his hands and turned towards Akira. ¡°We are aware of King Eon¡¯s connection to another world and are concerned that the influence is unhealthy. That connection needs to be controlled by one tied to nature, not one looking for profit. As it stands, the common folk are getting ideas beyond their station. This imbalance needs to be put down.¡±


    Akira nodded and understood. Thanatos wanted to control the trade with London. That man, Robert, might be amicable to a change of guard. If nothing else, heading back there with a stronger force may allow Akira to get closer to taking Sam¡¯s head.


    ¡°I agree, your eminence, and I will assist you in any way I can,¡± Akira replied, bowing along with the rest of the people in the room.

 Chapter 5 Proposal

    Chapter 5


    Sir Reginald closed the door to the room and stood in front of it, hands on his sword. According to rumour, Thanatos was always protected by someone. However, as the emperor of one of the biggest empires in the world, Akira was surprised to find that Thanatos worked in such a small office. Akira turned from the soldier and sat on a soft white chair set in the middle of the floor. He crossed one leg over the other and faced the emperor, on a similar chair across the room, behind a large wooden desk that dominated the room. It rested on the only carpet in the room, leaving Akira sitting on cold hard stone, near the door. If there was any trouble, Sir Reginald would immediately cut off Akira¡¯s head before the hero could cross the space and there would be no trouble cleaning up the blood.


    ¡°I see,¡± Akira said.


    ¡°What do you see?¡± Thanatos asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Why this room is so small.¡± Akira didn¡¯t elaborate, just stared at the emperor, watching the older man¡¯s smile grow bigger. ¡°Why am I here? Tell me the truth. And it¡¯s not because of Relancia¡¯s connection to the other world.¡±


    ¡°Very astute, young hero.¡± The emperor stood up and came around to the front of the desk. He sat on the edge of the carved wood and leaned forward. Akira heard Sir Reginald shift. This wasn¡¯t part of their plan. The emperor must be improvising.


    ¡°I can deal with Eon. His son is much more pliable and already sympathetic to our overtures. However, I need your help to take care of the Relancia soldiers. While your name has lost some of its muster, you are still an important person there. With you by my side, I can easily make my way to the capital. You can connect both countries.¡±


    Akira put his hand under his chin. ¡°You don¡¯t need Relancia,¡± he said, looking up directly at the emperor. ¡°Eon is a fool and has squandered the steel armour, but he¡¯s going to eat himself to death before he can cause much more trouble, and then you can swoop in and take the secret from him. One last time, what do you want?¡±


    Thanatos frowned and moved back behind his desk. He pulled out a long, thin message. ¡°My spy in Relancia sent me word that a man from that other world has arrived.  He described the man as tall, handsome, older, and completely controlling Eon.I don¡¯t know what he wants here, but I¡¯ve seen what he can bring that fat bastard. I want it and I want him,¡± he said as he handed the paper to Akira.


    From the description and Eon¡¯s response, Akira knew it was probably the Backer, Robert. He remembered how Eon acted around him. Akira looked up. ¡°You want the technology he¡¯s offering, don¡¯t you? The steel?¡±


    Thanatos nodded and pointed to Sir Reginald¡¯s armour. ¡°And more. We have some of the best blacksmiths on the continent, but Relancia constantly outperforms us. Recently, they have received a miracle crop, as they call it.¡± The emperor pulled open a bag, reached inside and set a round thing on his desk. It was brown and had roots growing from it. ¡°Unfortunately, we couldn¡¯t gather many of them. It¡¯s called a potato. I need to know how it¡¯s grown and prepared. We have some ideas, but not enough to begin planting before he can harvest more than a test field and flood the market. We are facing a famine here in Kolori, and this crop may help stave off a revolution.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Akira asked.


    Thanatos leaned back in his chair. ¡°The people love Zial, but they blame the nobility when they don¡¯t have enough food to fill their bellies. We have been facing unrest recently and need to work on giving the people what they need.¡±


    That explained some of the extreme measures those people took when the cart turned over. Poking at the root, a clump of dirt dislodged itself and fell onto the desk. Standing, Akira started to pace the small room. ¡°If I do this, what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°We have received a second message from our spy that the woman, Sam, is also back in Relancia,¡± Thanatos said. ¡°She arrived a few weeks ago. Eon sent a team against her, but they were defeated. She¡¯s on the run. We will help you find her.¡±


    That woman again. Akira probed his missing teeth and grunted. Coming to the capital, Saku mentioned that there were surgeons here who could provide him with replacement teeth, fakes to fill the holes left by that woman. When he arrived in the city, he had been expecting a welcoming celebration as he stepped through the gates. The near riot was exciting enough and told him everything he needed to know. His feelings about Sam were still there, but not as strong.


    He could start with this man.


    ¡°No. I have spent too much of my time obsessing about her,¡± he dismissed Thanatos¡¯s promise with a wave of his hand. He didn¡¯t need to be indebted to the emperor for something so small. ¡°I don¡¯t care what she does now and refuse to hunt her down. I will kill her if I see her, but that is the extent of my desire at the moment.¡± He stood up and went to the door. Sir Reginald stood aside and opened it for Akira. ¡°I will think about what you said after talking it over with my companions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± Thanatos said.


    ********************


    Mel paced back and forth in her room. The door was closed, but she could feel the men standing outside, guarding the entrance. Supposedly to protect her from zealots who hated magic. She knew the minute she tried to do any spell; they¡¯d take her head. The followers of Zial armed themselves with crystals, sensitive to magic power. She hated those things, and in the temples, they were everywhere. The soldiers who¡¯d rescued them from the Demon lands only had a few of them. The magic there set them off permanently, usually destroying them. Here, everyone with a lick of money had one. There was no way she could burn off any stress.


    The room was big enough to run across, with beautiful furniture and a soft bed. Light streamed in through the bay windows. Where they had gotten the glass for them was a mystery. Mel hated it. A prison, even a beautiful one, was still a prison.


    ¡°Where is that fool?¡± she kicked a large brown pillow. They had taken her shoes and given her a pair of simple slippers. They made kicking anything heavy, difficult. She¡¯d placed several cushions and pillows on the floor after drawing faces on them with the ashes from the firepit. Stalking up to the one she¡¯d named Akira, Mel paused.


    ¡°I wish I could have helped you more.¡± She bent and hugged the cushion. Since leaving the demon lands, Akira had talked to her less and less. ¡°You seem to have calmed down some, though.¡± She smoothed the pretend hair on the cushion, blackening her hand. ¡°I had hoped we could regain what we once had.¡±


    Standing, she kicked it again and let it sail across the room, knocking over a vase. The crash echoed, followed by the door bursting open and soldiers rushing in.


    ¡°What was that? Are you safe?¡± The soldiers had their swords drawn and were facing her.


    Mel scoffed. ¡°Trying to protect me from a pillow, are you?¡± She pointed to the broken vase. ¡°Send a girl to clean it up.¡±


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    The soldiers scowled at her and left the room. She heard the door click, locking her in again.


    Sighing, Mel flopped down in the chair. ¡°I need to get out of here.¡±


    The door clicked again and opened. Akira stepped in. He¡¯d washed and fixed his mop of hair. Mel loved touching him and wanted to run her fingers across his chin again. First, he had to seduce that cow, Sam. They could still meet each other. That had been fun for a while. After finding out about her mind-control spell, he¡¯d refused to let her touch him. Damn, Tysone. Her old master always destroyed everything he touched.


    ¡°Next time knock. I could be in the middle of a delicate situation,¡± she said. Sitting up in the chair, she put her hands in her lap. ¡°What do you want, Akira?¡±


    He sat down across from her and touched her knee. His smile was soft and comforting. Mel raised her eyebrow. The last time he touched her like this was before the campaign at that village where everything had gone to hell.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She made no move and forced her face to remain expressionless. She felt her heart racing at his touch. Had he forgiven her? She wished it was so, but wasn¡¯t going to give him any more ammunition to use against her.


    ¡°Emperor Thanatos has asked me to lead an army against Relancia and Eon. He wants me to use my name to convince the soldiers there to follow him.¡± He removed his hand and sat back. ¡°I told him I had to think about it and talk with my companions first.¡±


    Mel sat back and stared at his face. It had changed. She knew he was still in pain from that poison, but he wasn¡¯t showing it. ¡°You''re different. I thought you wanted to hunt down Sam and Ayasse for what they did.¡±


    He scowled at the names, but other than a slightly raised lip, brushed her off. ¡°Before, yes. I was obsessed with their death. That hasn¡¯t changed. If I see them, they will die, no more quarter. Now, though, with some distance from them, I can see a better path.¡± He stood up and went behind her. Grabbing her shoulders, he started giving her a massage. She missed this and closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be a hero, but I haven¡¯t been acting like one. That needs to change. I want you with me when we do this. You deserve to be there. Without you, I would¡¯ve died.¡±


    She leaned back into his fingers and closed her eyes. This was just like before. He needed to keep up appearances when they travelled as the Hero¡¯s Party. That meant pretending to be interested in that barbarian. Mel hated that woman and didn¡¯t even want to think of her name. When that blond bitch finally showed her true colours in the battle with the Demon King, Mel was ecstatic. Akira had tried to get her to cast the memory spell again, but her mana had been depleted. Even if it hadn¡¯t, Mel didn¡¯t want to have to touch that slut again. That started this whole chain of events.


    If she could go back to how it was before¡­ ¡°No!¡± Mel jerked forward and jumped out of the chair. She spun to Akira and pointed a finger at him. ¡°You wanted to kill me after the battle with Sam. I saw it in your eyes. Now you want me to blindly follow you? How can I believe anything you say?¡±


    Akira lowered his hands. Mel could see the fire in his eyes, but the anger was gone, replaced by something else.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I hurt you and I¡¯m sorry about that. After my sword was destroyed, I took my pain out on everybody around me.¡± He stared into her eyes, ¡°You most of all.¡± Akira started pacing. ¡°I wanted to blame you for what happened. It was your memory spell that failed, but I knew I had to acknowledge my part in that bitches¡¯ actions.¡±


    Mel could hear Akira¡¯s teeth grinding. Ever since Sam knocked half of them out, he wouldn¡¯t stop doing that. It at least made him honest. ¡°What will I have to do if I join you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you haven¡¯t already done. Provide support for me as I attack the front lines,¡± Akira said, spinning to a stop. ¡°I will have to prove myself to the army first, so we will be attacking some of their advanced units. The Kolori empire¡¯s magic slaves are powerful enough to surpass any magic, but some will slip through. I don¡¯t trust them as well. They are controlled by the empire and would betray me at a moment¡¯s notice. With you by my side, we could protect each other. It would have to be as a last resort though. The soldiers would probably kill you if you used magic near them.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s the point in asking me? You¡¯re just putting me into another box. You¡¯ve already made up your mind.¡± Mel could feel Akira slipping further away. He didn¡¯t need her anymore. She turned around and faced the window. Hugging herself, she didn¡¯t want him to see her crying.


    He placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°I still value your opinion. Without you and Rock, I¡¯d be lost in the forest, drowning in blood and vengeance. You pulled me from the edge of the abyss and I never properly thanked you. If I was lucky, the Demon King would have killed me before the poison did.¡±


    Mel placed her hand over his and turned around. She stared up into his eyes and tilted her head. He wasn¡¯t pushing her away. Leaning forward, she opened her mouth and waited for him to grab her in closer and kiss her like he used to.


    ¡°What are you doing, Mel?¡± Akira said, pushing her away. ¡°I told you this part of our relationship was over.¡±


    Mel smiled and nodded. ¡°I just wanted to see how much you had changed.¡± She turned away from Akira and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Give me some time to consider your proposal. I will think about what you said and tell you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡± Akira bowed to Mel and smiled. She saw his gapped teeth, but he didn¡¯t care about that at the moment. He was always hiding that now.


    ¡°At least remove the guards from my door,¡± Mel asked as he turned to the exit. ¡°I always hated feeling like I was living in a prison. I had enough of that with my old master. For some reason, I can smell the scent of his madness here.¡±


    Akira nodded and left the room. Mel could hear him speaking to the guards, even if the words were vague and unclear. A few moments later, the door to her room was no longer protected. Using her mana, Mel could feel the guards moving away.


    She turned to the window and looked at the setting sun. It was bathing the buildings in a radiant fire, seeming to destroy everything. The same light hit her face, but couldn¡¯t penetrate the depths of her grief. If Akira had returned then, she would have blasted him to ash.


    *****************


    ¡°What do you want, Mel?¡± Rock asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy here?¡± Rock hoisted another tankard of ale. When she found him, he was already drunk, but she needed him to get her out of the city.


    She scoffed and placed a gold coin down on the table in front of him. He raised an eyebrow and took another swing of the ale. She sighed and set two more coins down beside it.


    ¡°You have my attention. Please continue,¡± he said, gathering the money and placing it in his soiled green tunic.


    ¡°I need to get out of this city,¡± Mel said, keeping her voice low. ¡°They don¡¯t like me here. It feels like I¡¯m in a cage. I¡¯ve always hated that feeling. Besides, I can¡¯t stand the way Akira has changed.¡±


    ¡°You mean, become more like how he used to be, before vengeance took hold of him?¡± Rock said. He pulled out a sick and started carving it. ¡°I like the new Akira. He reminds me of the man I used to follow.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he is different now. More¡­, how can I explain it?¡± Mel was lost for words. She knew he was different, better, but at the same time, no longer the man she cared for.


    ¡°Maybe you just don¡¯t like the fact that he no longer needs your care and attention. He¡¯s moved on from you.¡± Rock smiled.


    Mel scowled at the man. She curled her fingers to release a fireball at him and noticed a few of the mana detection crystals start to shine. It was a small pinprick and easy to miss, but if she continued, she¡¯d give away her position.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. You got it, you big powerful man, you.¡± Mel took a deep breath and let out her anger. ¡°Can you get me out of the city before I kill the new Akira and they kill me for using magic?¡±


    Rock was silent. He took another swig of his ale, polishing off the glass. Letting out a loud belch, he stood up. ¡°When do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, if possible. I don¡¯t have anything to take with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll mean sleeping in the forest again. Is that okay?¡± Rock smirked at her. Everyone knew how much she hated the forests.


    ¡°I¡¯ll survive.¡± Mel stood up and followed Rock out the door. Finally, she was going to be free of this place. ¡°I should never have come here.¡±


    ¡°No. You really shouldn¡¯t have,¡± Rock said, stepping outside and moving to the right.


    Akira stood under the street lamp. Behind him were a dozen soldiers with the anti-magic handcuffs Kolori scientists had developed to deal with mages.


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d taken me up on my offer, Mel,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I had to make Saku give me his word he wouldn¡¯t kill you if you come quietly.¡±


    Mel stared at Akira and turned her head to Rock. ¡°You betrayed me. You bastard,¡± she spat at him, ¡°Why?¡±


    Rock shrugged. ¡°I never betrayed you. I never promised to help you in the first place. I just took your money. Besides,¡± he pointed to Akira, ¡°as I said. I like the new Akira.¡±


    He stepped away as soldiers surrounded Mel and slapped the magic-dampening cuffs on her.


    ¡°I hate you, Akira.¡± Mel glared at him. Tears streamed down her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you anymore, Mel.¡± He turned to the soldiers. ¡°Please take her back to her room. She is confined there.¡±


    The soldiers nodded and shoved Mel forward. She stumbled but caught herself before she fell. There was no way she would give him the satisfaction of seeing her fall here.