Arc 1 Chapter 8- Kingdom Event

Kyosuke’s eyes open and he lets out a long yawn, ‘What time is it? I feel like I’ve been sleeping all day.’

A nice soft sensation was felt behind Kyosuke’s head, like the pillow of a goddess. The softness of whatever he was laying on made Kyosuke want to fall back into slumber.

“You’re up now so get the hell off of me!”

Kyosuke was pushed down from heaven’s doors by Ai, it turns out she was the one giving Kyosuke the lap pillow.

“You’ve been out for quite a while Kyosuke.” Laughed Adal.

“It’s not my fault that I was attacked by a brute!” Kyosuke sarcastically replied.

“WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BRUTE!” Screamed Ai.

The three were somewhat getting along, they all had their differences, but they looked past them and were able to have a conversion with each other without hating it. Kyosuke and Adal didn’t hate Ai as much as they originally did so the long trip home wouldn’t be so bad.

Kyosuke sadly slept through the dinner since he was knocked out, but after that trial, he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to eat. It was the final trial he had to go through to secure his spot in this new world. He no longer could be taken out of it, the only problem that Kyosuke faces now, is what happens if he dies again.

Acrayma is not a world that Kyosuke can mess around in, it has the same problems the real world faces, you can die. And without any magic, Kyosuke is definitely at a huge disadvantage. That’s not to say Kyosuke can’t learn magic, it just means that he simply doesn’t know how to learn it. Kyosuke’s best chance at fighting is using a sword style.

-DAMMMMMMMIITTT I FORGOT ABOUT THE SWORD IN HERE!

Lying in a hidden compartment in the carriage was a sword, it wasn’t too big or too small, its blade was fresh and shined in the light. It had an engraving in it, he couldn’t read what it said but he was hoping it was something cool.

“Woah Kyosuke, that’s a cool sword you have! He only gave me a dagger so I’d consider yourself lucky.” Adal said while unsheathing his new dagger.

It also had an engraving that he couldn’t read. Kyosuke clueless about what the words meant, asked Ai.

“Hey Ai, do you have any clue what these words mean?” Kyosuke said while pointing at the lines of text.

“Are you illiterate or just stupid? That’s the language of the gods, you’re only taught a few things about the language in school.” Snapped Ai.

“Oh, so I assume you know what it means my royal bitch.” Kyosuke’s face stretched up to make the most disturbing “I told you so” smile.

The language of the gods is brought up yet again, Kyosuke is starting to think that the gods might have something to do with his situation. He won’t try to test it out but if it comes down to it, he’ll have to find out somehow.

-There’s gotta be a cheat code to learn this dang language, you got this brain, remember the letters!

The ride stayed silent for most of the trip, though the three got along better than before, they were still all pretty much strangers. Kyosuke has known Adal for around two days now, while they both met Ai that day.

Kyosuke started thinking about all of the cool powers he can learn, and his new awesome clothes made him look like he was a part of this world, though the pink did make him stand out a bit.

“We’ll arrive back at the kingdom in ten minutes, kids.” The guard said looking back at the quiet bunch.

“Hey Ai, do you go to school, or do you just stay home all day?” Asked Kyosuke.

“What a stupid question, of course I go to school you illiterate jackass, I’m soon going away to one of the most prestigious adventure schools. They teach advanced magic and sword fighting techniques, it’s located in Charpel, the kingdom to the North.” Ai said this all with a smudged look of superiority on her face.

“Do they accept anyone or do you have to apply?” Asked a curious Adal.

“It has an acceptance rate of only point five percent, that means even if you two idiots wanted to chase me there, the chances of you both getting in would be slim to none.”

Kyosuke looked at Adal with beating cat eyes, he thought of her face when she sees them both in her classes, how dumb she’ll look. He couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

“WHAT IS SO FUNNY!” Cried Ai.

Kyosuke snapped back by saying “THERE’S NO REASON TO SHOUT. You’re a real loudmouth you know that, how are you gonna find a man when you’re loud enough for two already.”

Ai’s face reddened with anger, Kyosuke knew that he needed to back off for a while since even he knew that he was being a bit harsh.

The looks on all of their faces instantly went blank when they looked out the window. The whole kingdom of Delpa was on fire, explosions crashed into buildings, people running to escape the city, and worst of all, the smell of dead burning bodies lingered in the air.

“Edwin, please be alright.” Ai tried to silently whisper to herself yet Kyosuke could hear her.

The main building in the middle of the city that housed Edwin and Ai was still intact, with a brief decision making, Kyosuke yelled to the guards to keep pushing forwards.

They made their way through a broken city, houses collapsing, people running from the fires, kids looking for their parents. Kyosuke out of the corner of his eye spotted a crying mom and dad, without thinking he jumped out of the moving carriage.

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING?!” Screamed Ai.

“I’M GOING TO HELP THIS FAMILY, YOU GUYS CONTINUE TOWARD THE MAIN CASTLE!” Kyosuke wasn’t sure if he’d make it in time but he questioned the family anyway.

“What’s wrong, why aren’t you guys running from this hell?”

The couple seemed to scream at him with wordiness, ‘OUR SON, H-HE’S STILL IN THERE, WE DON’T KNOW IF HE’S STILL ALIVE AND WE CAN’T GET BACK INSIDE WITHOUT GETTING BURNED!”

The desperation of being weak, they wanted to do something but knew that if they were to enter that building they would surely die within an instant. Kyosuke started to think to himself about what he could do. He doesn’t know any water magic, and he doesn’t have anything near him to put around his mouth for smoke.

-Screw it.

Kyosuke rushes into a sprint, smashing into the wooden door keeping the flames trapped within.

Fire blazed all around Kyosuke as he looked aimlessly, the flames reminded him of his grueling fates, the ones that he’s going to have to live with forever. Flashbacks started to appear in his mind about what had happened that night he was attacked. The power flowed through Kyosuke, something that he knows he can’t use without damaging himself.

-I’ll have to find another way and fast, I don’t have much longer at this point.

“Help!” cried an unseen voice

Kyosuke could hear a faint cry for help. The kid was still alive and somewhere in the building. He knew that he was going to have to make an action now.

The kid was on the other side of the fire trapped inside of a room. Kyosuke counted to three then let loose a full-speed sprint into the fire. His body instantly felt pain as he could feel his clothes catching ablaze, the fire burning his skin to the touch.

“AUGH, THAT’S HOT!” Screamed Kyosuke.

Kyosuke made sure the kid was out of the way of the door before he kicked it in.

A flashback appeared in Kyosuke’s head as he kicked the door open, it was a flashback to a field trip he had in the fourth grade to a fire station. They told the kids that if they were ever in a burning house to never stand in front of a door you’re about to open.

“Remember kids, if you’re ever in a burning building and you wanted to escape through a door, make sure to stand out of the way, the sudden burst of oxygen will create even larger flames and you’ll surely get hurt if you don’t get out.” The words of this fireman lingered in Kyosuke’s mind as the door was kicked open.

A flash of white light blinded Kyosuke as he was shrouded in flames.

***

“Ai, do you think Kyosuke will be alright?” Asked Adal.

“Who knows, that boy is so stupid and reckless, I don’t even care if he dies.”

Adal felt anger well up inside of him so he shouted at Ai, ‘WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN? KYOSUKE JUST MET YOU TODAY AND YOU ACT-SO RUDE TOWARDS HIM, HE’S ONLY TRYING TO BE FRIENDS.’

Adal took a deep breath to calm his mind before continuing.

“I know it may not seem like this Ai, but Kyosuke is a good person, he’s done nothing but good for me, he helped me realize that the faults of something I couldn’t control or even remember weren’t my fault. He told me that even though I’ve made mistakes, it doesn’t matter because, in the end, all I have to do is make up for them.”

Adal poured all of his hardships out on Ai, it wasn’t to make her feel bad for speaking bad on Kyosuke, but to show her that people care about her and that they’re only trying to help,

“I don’t hate Kyosuke, okay, I’ll admit it, he’s kind of funny and made me crack a smile when I hadn’t in years. I just don’t get out with people very often to I say things that I shouldn’t. I’ve had nothing but good happen to me these last few years, yet-.”

Ai was cut short by an explosion to their right caused a rock to smash into the carriage. The two were flung from the cart sending them flying to the ground. With glass shards and rocks covering the two, they both got up to continue their journey forth. The castle was in touching distance.

The two entered the burning building, they searched each room as well as they could, they went up into the master’s room when they saw him lying on the ground. Edwin lied there, not moving a muscle.

“DADDY!” A crying Ai ran up to Edwin on the ground.

“Edwin! Are you alright? Talk to us!” screamed Adal.

Edwin looked up at the two with motionless eyes. A bloody rock sat next to him, blood started to squirt from his head. Edwin spoke in a weak tone, ‘where is young Kyosuke? I need to tell you all something that can only be said if all three of you are present.’

Right as his lips closed ending the sentence, Kyosuke burst through the doors, his body is covered in flames yet he didn’t even pay any attention to it.

“Edwin, are you alright!?” Kyosuke ran over to Edwin to check on him.

Edwin looked at Kyosuke with fear, the fear of knowing what he has to tell Kyosuke about himself. ‘Kyosuke, I need you all to know something about you, something that could change the fate of humanity. I need to tell you that you’re not normal Kyosuke, rare wouldn’t even be the right term. The term I’d use for you is unheard of.”

Kyosuke looked confused, he never thought of himself as anything more than human, the only thing special about him was the fact that he’s died more than the average person.

“I’ve never in all of my research have ever come across someone who was half Angel, half Demon. The powers you possess are that of two lovers from different sides of the spectrum, one a demon, and one an angel. I don’t know who your parents might be, but they exist, my research proves it.” Edwin looked dazed, the rock that hit his head put a really bad gash in him and the blood loss is making him lose it.

Kyosuke was speechless, he couldn’t even move his lips. The look on his friend’s faces proved that he wasn’t just hearing things. He didn’t know how this could have happened, he was born by his mom and dad and he knew for a fact there’s nothing special about them.

“I won’t be able to help anymore in uncovering your past Kyosuke, that’s up to you three kids.”

The looks on their faces grew even darker as they started to see blood dripping out of Edwin’s eyes and mouth.

“You three listen closely, Kiren, the man who attacked Kyosuke and me, he was an old student of mine, he went mad trying to find the answers of the gods. So I need to say that you Kyosuke, you're the answer to this question he is looking for. You need to kill him and end this hell, only then will you be able to live the rest of your life out happily with Ai and Adal.”

Tears began to rain down Kyosuke’s face as he listened to Edwin’s final breaths. “Ai, take care of Kyosuke, and Adal remembers to keep them in check. I’m counting on you three to save this country and this world.”

The life left Edwin’s eyes as his days went numbered, Ai couldn’t hold herself back from crying, she didn’t know what to do, she had lost the only person who tried to make her happy, Adal sat there emotionless and clueless as to what to do next, and Kyosuke got up, wiping the tears from his eyes. He proclaimed this, “We need to get out of this city and find a place to live, once we do that, we’ll find Kiren and take revenge.”

Kyosuke looked back at the two, his eyes were being weighed down by all of the tears in his eyes, ‘It’s what Edwin would have wanted!” Kyosuke shouted with all of his might.

Ai looked at Adal and Kyosuke, Before, she thought Adal was a quiet Elf that she would never talk to on her own, but now, she sees him as a brother she has to protect and take care of. Kyosuke was a different story, she thought Kyosuke was trying to hurt her, so she stayed defensive towards him, but now, after tonight’s events, she’s found a newly sprouted interest inside herself, one that makes the heart pound.