Strength of the World
Prologue: The beginning.
A name is such a useless word. It holds no truth to a person or any way of expressing that person. But yet day in and day out children are born with a name being chained to their body for all eternity, along with the last name in hopes for it to become a well known and respected one in time. It is so pitiful…people are treated differently because of their names that have some importance to the world. If you by chance are lucky enough to be born into a well respected and known family you have already been given a pardon on almost everything.
You no longer have to earn respect the correct way. No it is handed to you as if respect is nothing! It is utter bullshit. Respect is the hardest achievement to gain. But yet people throw it around like it is nothing. I use to have great respect for my land. I would hear stories of our great and dynamic history, with great pride in my eyes. The eyes that stayed set on the moving lips of the story teller. In those brief moments the story teller becomes your means of life. Your oxygen.Your breaths become synchronized with one another so you do not miss a word. Your heartbeats beat at the same time; your blood is the same temperature, the exact same shade.
But alas the good memories fade as does respect. On my thirteenth birthday my initiation of becoming a man began. I was brought into the armed forces as is all boys when they turn thirteen. My name was nothing in there and I had to fight for respect. My rank was nothing compared to others and yet I was better: faster, stronger. But because of my name they earned all the respect, all the cheers, all the attention. I mustn't be too mad however. Thanks to them I am as strong as I am today. It was on the night of my sixteenth birthday I was given my full fledge mission that would rank me as an assassin. Or the more technical term…a man slayer.
To reach such a pinnacle at my age is unheard of. It usually takes ten years under the study of a sword master before they even consider you. But because of my natural skill I had mastered the best swordsman style to date under the wing of my great sensei in a matter of three years. My name is Dark Black and this is my story. The story of the greatest warrior to ever grace Shipa's land.
Chapter 1: Its name is Justice.
I stood there in complete silence, the darkness between us concealing our expressions. But I needed no light to see his face. Ever since the age of thirteen I have been training for this moment. This moment in time that will define me as a man. Would I be a strong warrior that could hold the justice of god himself by the swing of my sword? Or would I be reduced to a loud mouth being that is only as good as those political giants, who feel their big long speeches actually mean something.
I tightened the grip of the hilt of my sword. My stance was perfect. I had mastered the strongest sword style to date in three years…I was the prodigy of my land. My blue robe was tight to my skin; my red hair flattened upon my skin due to the rain. My black lifeless eyes set.
"What are you doing here Dark?" The old man stated, a nearby candle flickering on.
"I've come to name my sword." I responded, watching as various other candles became lit.
My eyes followed the illumination of each one, looking for him. Finally my eyes became still, set upon his figure. He stood before a grand throne. His two hands intertwined by his fingers lying softly upon the top part of his hilt. The sheathed part of the sword balanced his old, withering body.
"I see, and what shall it's name be? Will it be of your rotten mother?!"
My stance changed, my body straightened. My anger began to rise, the only emotion I had felt for my grandfather became apparent once more. It had been so long and I had had such grueling training I forgot the reasons why I loathed him so…it didn't take me long in his presence to understand once more.
"You should know the only way to name the sword of a man slayer is upon whispering it into the first man you have killed." I stated, hiding my anger.
He did not deserve to see it. Not after everything he had done to my family. He disowned us the moment my father gave up his last name to take upon my mothers. She was the only child in her clan and if my father did not take it to pass down to me it would forever be lost. Her clan would cease to exist. My grandfather had another son; his name would not be forgotten. But because of his wealth and how many people knew his name he did not want his son to take on a lower class name. No he demanded such a thing to not happen.
"So I see. It seems the government has found out about my conversations with the great Lord Frieza."
"Conversations!? You sold out your own race for your own safety!" I shouted my anger surfacing.
"Tisk tisk boy, showing emotion is not what a man slayer is trained to do." He stated waving his finger as if he knew what the hell he was talking about, a wicked smile parting his luscious red lips.
"Are we just garbage? Garbage that is disposable for your own gain?!" I shouted; my voice rising, my right foot inching forward.
"It seems that the government has poisoned your mind with harsh lies grandson. I simply told Frieza our strengths and weaknesses in exchange for safety with my family to another world. You see boy?! Thanks to me our race will continue to thrive with the most powerful clan being the one to keep our blood line going!" He shouted, laughter exiting his mouth, cocking his head back as if he was looking up to god himself with his insane laughter.
I despised when he called me his grandson.
"Our religion states that a person only grows old and gains such liabilities as wrinkles and arthritis due to all the suffering and pain he inflicts on others. Until the day finally comes in which he gets his judgment…the judgment of death. It seems the day has finally arrived for you." I muttered, drawing my sword and bringing it before my body.
His laughter stopped, his head coming back down, his eyes now set on mine once more. His grin left him, a somber and serious look replacing that. He made no response as he slowly began to raise his sword from the sheath. Mimicking my movements he brought his sword before his body.
"They said you would be my hardest challenge."
No response.
"My sensei told me you were the greatest swordsman to walk our land, a direct descendent to the inventor of this devastating style." I said, my feet walking aside one another as we began to circle across the wooden floor.
"You act like you have already killed me."
"One can only achieve victory if they believe they have already attained victory."
"Do not mock me! I know the commandments of the style! I am the one who taught your sensei everything he knows!" He shouted, a white aura exploding out all around him as he charged straight at me.
I wasted no time, my blue aura exploding around me too as I charged. My sword was out to the right of me, my hands gripping it tightly. It was quickly brought to use as we were mere inches away from one another, perfect striking distance. I swung my sword from the outside to the left, his sword colliding with mine as I was to graze his face. Our two auras exploded outwards upon the contact of the blades. A wind like shockwave rocketed around us, shattering the glass and blowing out various candles, our blades staying still, not moving.
He was an old man, but a very strong old man. My sword was only centimeters away from his face but he had enough strength to slowly force my sword away from his face and directly between the two of us. We stood there in a stalemate the aura around us not slowing down. Like a wild fire it grew, being fueled by our emotions.
"Tell me!"
"Tell you what?!" He shouted back, a small hint of perplexity wrapped around those words.
"Tell me why we are so worthless to you?! Why you hate your son so much now, and why you ignore my mother as if she was dead!"
His teeth became clenched, his anger rising even more. Why? I had no idea. But my eyes stayed set on his, they were calm but I knew he knew full well I was hurting inside.
"Because of your mother my son put the sword down and threw the concepts and style to the side to marry that whore!"
He jumped back, unlocking our swords, firing various white blasts at me with his open left palm as his feet skidded across the brown wooden floor. I dodged each blast with ease, my body becoming a blur as it happened. The blasts hit various parts of his wall, leaving holes from his tried attacks. I could feel the wind pouring through those holes, waving my hair from side to side gently. My veins brushing up against my forehead with my sword -now in my right hand- staying stiff down by my side.
"So you disown them both?"
My grip tightened.
"You throw them to the side along with me as if we are rubbish!?"
My eyes left contact with his, darting to the side. Tears began to roll down my cheeks, the moisture cooling off my skin.
"If you would have only waited a little longer you could have seen their son, me, take up the sword and trained me yourself! Teaching me everything you knew! You could have been a grandfather to me!" I shouted, my eyes (completely full of emotion) now meeting his.
I would not hide it anymore. He would see the hell he had put me through. His demeanor did not change; he stood there, completely still, as if he was mocking me with his silence. Finally after what seemed like an eternity of silence his lips parted, his vocal chords coming into use once more.
"Do you ever shut up?"
My eyes widened. Even after everything I said he didn't give a damn. Why did he hate me so? I didn't have time to let that thought be answered for just as those words entered my ears he disappeared in a flash, the wood panels being uprooted due to his fierce speed. I felt the back of his hilt collide with the back of my neck, along with a warm ball of energy forming on my back. It exploded instantly, rocketing me into a nearby wall, shooting me through it and into the snow outside of us. A line of the ruffled snow leading up to my still body.
"You truly are a monster." I stated, clenching the snow below me in my left fist, hearing his feet being engulfed by the snow with each step he took.
"You don't get it do you? I would never have loved you. Never accepted you as one of my clan! You are a product of my son being with that whore you call a mother!" He shouted, coming to a halt as he stood before my body.
He raised his sword, the edge pointing downward directly over my head.
"The swordsman style is based off pure speed. So much for a prodigy…you couldn't even keep up with me."
His sword was thrusted downward but just as it moved a mere inch it came to a screeching halt. His mouth wide open with blood slowly seeping out, splattering onto the snow below him, he stood in shock.
"I now understand the reasoning behind being trained to be an emotionless killer. Due to my emotions blinding my judgment I wasn't fighting at full potential giving you the opportunity to actually kill me...I don't make the same mistake twice." I stated; my grip loosening slowly, my eyes deadly calm -as was my voice- a drastic change to who I was at the beginning of this battle.
I couldn't believe myself. This man that was supposedly my grandfather has been such a monster to my family and I. But yet here I was, finally getting revenge for all he did to us and to our world with his dealings with Frieza, and yet I was feeling sorry for him?
"The…the only reason you have become such a prodigy is because of the little blood that flows…that flows in you that is of my clan!" He shouted.
He was creeping up to deaths doorstep and yet he still had enough strength to try and down my mother?
"I should have cut your tongue out first." I stated calmly, ripping the sword out of his back.
I twirled my weapon in a quick circle to the side of me, quickly sheathing the bloody blade afterwards. The knees of my grandfather buckled, his legs giving way, causing him to fall face forward into the snow. I looked on with disgust; I didn't want to say a damn thing to him. Nothing. He deserved every ounce of pain he was feeling at this moment. But there was something that had to be said. With that in mind I bent down beside the man, my mouth an inch away. I opened to speak only to have the cold air become visible to me. I hesitated. Why? I wanted him to feel my presence. For once in his life I wanted him to fear for his life.
"Judgment." I whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.
"You…you think through killing me…through killing me you have obtained judgment. If….if that is true…then…then you and your family will receive judgment the day Frieza destroys this whole planet!" He replied, a small chuckle following those words.
I gave no response, rising with my red eyes set upon the bloody mess. I raised my right hand (that was now bloodied due to my sword) a blue ball of energy forming before my open palm.
"You fool, you think everything is about you…that is the name of my blade."
And so I blasted him into oblivion, walking away with a look of no emotion plastered across my face. My clothing blew calmly in the wind, with white smoke appearing before my nostrils from the cold weather. Not looking back at the black smoke I knew I had put more than enough energy to leave no trace of his body left. His name would do nothing for him in the afterlife. He was just another insane man with an insane cause…the devil no doubt has a room reserved for him, with his name upon the door. The only place his name means anything…He was now just dust in the wind…
Chapter 2: The Blood Stained Date.
I worked so hard to get to where I am, feeling that I could make a difference. But really what good am I? All I can do is kill people. Dangerous people? Yes, but still only people. I can not kill an idea, a resistance, or even evil. I can only end life. I could stop the worst villain of my time, give my life, but really it would do no good in the long run. Someone stronger, smarter and having an even worst idea would just rise from the shadows, threatening my home once more. What good would I be dead?
Those thoughts plagued my mind. Consuming all my thoughts onto that one subject, just like a cancer. The man's demeanor was quite strange. For being the king of our land he held himself higher than I would have imagined. Not high as in over confidence but high as in…as in he has experienced much. He paced back and forth, his words rough. He obviously didn't plan what to say before my arrival. Which was alright I assume. For once I was being spoken to from the heart. Not from a piece of paper with the chances of my survival.
"I read the reports that were made after your completed assignment. However," A pause, his body shifting to now be facing mine. He stood there rooted to the ground, like a tree. Did he doubt something? Then without warning he continued to speak, his black mustache swaying from side to side, a sign of his increased breathing. "I would like to hear what happened in your own words."
"Do you doubt the authenticity of the report my majesty?" I asked my sword lying up against my shoulder as I sat there calmly, Indian styled.
"No my boy, it's just," Yet another pause, unlocking his hands from one another before him, he began to stroke his mustache. What was it? If he did not doubt me why did he need me to tell me what happened like this? It was unheard of for a man slayer to be questioned no matter how new he was. "You could say there has been something brought before me that is quite important. It is because of this report I must hear how you felt when you killed your grandfather."
Silence. His eyes were set on mine. A flash of light fully illuminated the room. Time froze, the lighting never leaving. I could see it in him…the fear. He was much younger than I had expected. He looked to be in his mid to late 40's. It must have been storming outside. My eyes leaving his to now look at my clothing. They looked damp, felt tight and heavy. Yes, it was storming. It must have been storming since I left base upon arrival of defeating my grandfather. It must have rained for the full two days' in which I traveled to the capital. But why had I just now realized it?
"I felt nothing." I responded, time regaining, the flash of lightning leaving, returning us to the same visibility we had before.
"Nothing? But my boy he was your—"
"—He has been dead in my eyes for a long time."
"I see."
His words were hollow. Did he doubt me? Then he did something I had never imagined. Without even thinking he sat before me, the same exact way minus a weapon. He was sitting before me as if we were equals. But yet he was the king. The king always sat in his throne. The throne he had inherited. With his hands cupped before his body he began to speak once more, his loose white robe falling forward to reveal his bare skin. The god of a man before me had the same skin tone as me, how strange….
"Three days." He stated abruptly, his voice muffled up by his hands, his hazel eyes now set on mine.
"Yes in three days is our day in remembrance to the end of the horrible civil war over 100 years ago."
"Historically speaking yes….but religiously speaking it was also the day the great Satan was be-headed by the lord himself and forced below ground for all eternity to suffer—"
"—And thus hell was created."
"Yes my boy…it seems that you are well informed of our national religion."
"My father is a priest, but I do not see what any of that has to do with—"
"—It is the day I am suppose to be be-headed before the masses."
His words were sudden, fearless. But his eyes left mine, secluding themselves behind his eyelids. He did not want to show what great fear he truly felt. I sat there, for the first time in a long time in complete shock. My eyes widened, my mouth open. It could have been the forwardness to which it was spoken or how fast I understood what this meant. But yet why would anyone want to kill the great king Ester? He will go down in history as the greatest king our land has ever had. Regaining my composure I began to speak once more, making sure my words were calm and flowed with grace.
"How can you be sure this is a legit threat?"
"Trust me I know. I wouldn't have called for you if it wasn't a legit threat." His words calm, but his eyes still hidden.
"Then just increase your defense. Put a barrier of a hundred men around you, I doubt the person would be able to get to you in time in such a public place with such a defense."
"This is not such a simple solution Dark. The idea has already been brought up by the defensive bureau but just as fast it was shot down. Even with that many men, it has been figured that I would still be killed. We are dealing with a very powerful group that we have known about for years. They have hidden in the shadow's gaining strength until they had the power and number to oppose me."
"Then root them out. If you know about them, then just kill them."
"It's not that simple my boy." A sigh. Was it aggravation? No it was a sigh of hopelessness. He was running out of ideas.
"Then why have you called me? Do you wish for a body guard?"
"Not just a body guard….I need someone that has traveled to hell and back. Someone that has the skill of a prodigy, I need someone that can stand up to someone with the skill of a prodigy and survive."
"Someone with the skill of a prodigy…"
No response. For the first time his eyes re-appeared. Unlocking his fingers he brought his left hand before his right, pulling each white piece of gloving off of his fingers. Until finally I was shown what secret he was hiding. Raising his hand before me I saw first hand the bloody mess. Carved with no signs of pity was a date. The blood and scar still fresh I had come to the conclusion it happened recently.
"Two nights ago." He stated breaking the silence.
"How did he sneak past your security?"
A slight chuckle, he did not find the question in general funny, but my own ignorance to not seeing the full picture.
"My boy, I thought you were a prodigy."
"I am." I stated, a bit of cockiness finding its' way into my words.
"Then you should understand what one is capable of. He did not hide from me. No, nothing could be farther from the truth. He woke everyone up on that night. Shouting he would kill me if no one came to stop him. So of course my night guards all appeared before him, all thirty seven of them. I was directly behind them, confidence in my soldiers, probably the greatest mistake I have ever made…"
A sigh once more, a tear rolling down his cheek, moistening his face.
"I blinked and they were dead."
My shocked look came over me once more. No way was someone that fast…[ino way.[/i
"That's impossible…no one is that fast…are you sure, are you sure you weren't—"
"—Weren't what, dreaming?!" He shouted, the first time raising his voice before me. "I would not have gone through all this trouble to track down the latest prodigy! Look at my hand Dark! Look at it!"
His fear was obvious now. I had never expected a king to be this open with his emotions. But yet again…his life was on the line. But still…he blinked and all thirty seven were killed? Man slayers are known for their god like speed…but this…this was beyond that. Could even a prodigy go beyond gods' speed? It was too much to believe…
"Did you get a look on the man?"
Ester seemed to calm back down at this comment, now twiddling his thumbs right above his waist. With such reactions I doubt he was sleeping well.
"Yes…just for a split second when lightning filled my room."
"Is it someone we know?"
Silence.
"He's a fellow man slayer isn't he?"
Silence.
"A previous prodigy?"
"It's Cloud."
"But he was killed five years ago in battle. I read the report on his death!" I shouted abruptly.
"It appears he faked it. Looking at it now it all makes sense. It was about a month later that we started hearing the whispers of the group. But we never thought to make the connection. We just assumed it would be just that…whispers. We also didn't want word to get out. We didn't want to feed them possibly more members or give them the fear they needed to feed off of to accomplish their goals."
"I see." I stated standing for the first time, making my way to the door, hanging my sheathed sword upon my left side of my waist.
"We already know the source behind the funding of this group."
"Who is he?" I asked, quite surprised he knew what I was thinking.
"Why do you think I asked for you? It wasn't just for your great ability, because frankly right now you are just a normal manslayer, nothing I couldn't get from another one."
"—It is my grandfathers' other son isn't it?" I asked my body still facing away from him, watching the water roll off of the roof before me, and drowning the green grass.
"I thought you would refer to him as your uncle."
"He is no uncle of mine."
No response. A little taken back with how little I valued my fathers' family side.
"The house he is hiding in is off the main road, fifteen miles east of the river, and five miles north of the paved road. It should take you one day if you leave now. I sent a man slayer off twelve hours ago. If you hurry up you might be able to catch up with him if you do not rest."
"I shall see you in two days then." I responded grabbing a wooden circular hat to shield my eyes from his wall.
"Be safe Dark…you know of Clouds' skill and ability. He's hailed as the greatest man slayer of all time—"
"—Make sure you get a few man slayers' while I'm gone. Someone might jump early."
Without another word I walked out into the torrential storm. God himself was crying for us tonight. For he himself was sad with what was becoming of his children. To think someone would want to kill the greatest king in the history of Zanarkand…and that my family was involved in the funding and possibly much more. How deep did my blood run in this? But above all else how much blood would be spilt when the blades of the two greatest prodigies met?
Chapter 3: The Great Defeat.
I've been having these weird dreams lately. They're so vivid. So real. It feels…it feels as if I was there. But everything, everyone, seems so…so distant. But yet I feel as if I've known the people that lie before my shaking feet. Know the blood stained houses before me. The dreams always start the same and always end the same. Darkness taking all vision from me, feeding off of my fear, the high pitched screams of the butchered families echoing through my ears. I shoot up abruptly from my bed; my room is covered in darkness.
Had I been sleeping, or was I simply staring into my blinded room? My vision becomes a blur; everything speeds up around me until I come to a halt. I stand in the middle of this strange town, a white robe clinging to my body. It must be raining. But why…why do I not notice the droplets of rain upon my body until the tightening of my clothes, or the weight of my hair? The yells and screams for mercy are getting louder, my head shifting back and forth. My breathing increases, chills running down my spine. Is this what true fear is?
My head tilted, my eyes met the man that would take my life. They were emotionless. Not caring that his sword was raised, ready to strike and kill a young, defenseless boy. I open my mouth, but no noise comes out. My mouth is dry, but yet I am not thirsty. My tongue flocks back and forth, my lips mimicking but still nothing comes out. It was as if he had cut out my vocal chords. His sword comes rushing down, the air whistling around the cold steel, becoming the only noise hearable. Time freezes, a red haze around us. Had my blood stained the beautiful star filled sky?
A woman's voice overcomes the sound of the whistling sword, and then my vision becomes blinded, the trees around me replacing the deaths of all those people.
"Why does this dream plague my mind?"
That was all I said on my long travel. A man slayer always worked alone and rarely ever lived long enough to settle down with a family. The time frame of one was ten years. It was such a dangerous life but yet so many boys want to become one. Was it the fame that you get? To be a man slayer was to be hailed as such a great warrior. Maybe to some. But to myself, I was never tempted with such selfish views, I was one of the few: one of the proud, one of the elite, one that strived for such a position to try and make a better life for others. I didn't mind doing this dirty work, risking my life with every mission, or even the hell that I was put through in training. But I must admit…it was starting to get to me. I might be better at hiding my emotions from others, but I still have them inside me. Was it due to my age? No, it couldn't be that. Or….was all that was expected of me…all of these deaths I was suppose to be able to do without feelings truly too much for a boy?
The various times when I found myself oblivious to the change in weather around me made this quite obvious to me. At first it was once and a while but now it seemed to increase in the occurrences. But yet I haven't even been a man slayer for that long. Did everyone go through this change? Of course…I mustn't doubt myself. The moment I doubt myself will be the moment I am defeated and killed…
I found the moon taking the place of the sun, darkness taking the place of light. The exchange between the two phenomena's that was a daily blessing to see. Such an amazing occurrence that was before the eyes of millions and yet some wanted to end this beautiful sight for many. Time seemed to speed by me; before I knew it I was facing the old wooden house, a perfect spot for my uncle to hide. The last place anyone would suspect a member of the richest families in the world to be. Too bad the government was smarter then him.
I walked cautiously inside, darkness being the only welcome for me. Carefully stepping, no noise was made of my feet connecting to the wooden floor, my hands swung side to side gracefully. My eyes went side to side looking for him. I was afraid if any noise was made he would run away instantly. What was truly surprising was that there were no guards…but then again he wanted to stay hidden from everyone.
Thunder rolled through the shack, shaking it from its ferocity. A flash of lightning and my heart skipped a beat. Another flash, my breathing increased. The final flash, I stood as still as a statue. My grandfathers' other son sat there, a date like the king carved on his bare, ghostly white chest. Blood still fresh in color and movement. It was today's date…
"A trap…" I muttered, my head darting to the left as the wooden wall exploded all around me.
Time slowed down, the wooden chunks flying by me, various ones cutting my skin open, my blood becoming visible. A shadowy figure came charging through the hole, his blade in front of his body. My hands ran to the hilt of my sword, ready to release it to do its' job. Time resumed, our blades collided. Sparks flew around us, the friction between our blades being the reason.
"You truly are a stupid one aren't you?" The man muttered, the stench of death exiting his mouth with each word.
"But how…where is the other man slayers body?!" I shouted, unlocking our swords and jumping back. None of this was making sense.
I stood there with my blade before my body in a defensive stance waiting for a response. He stood there with his blade down by his side. Lightning flashed once more through the empty room of death. He was the strangest warrior I had ever seen. He had a loose blue robe on, his body covered in bandages. He looked like a living mummy with various parts of his spiky black hair sticking out.
"Here I thought you would have guessed it the moment you saw the dead body." He stated his yellow eyes of a demon staring into mine. "I am the one that was sent." The warrior stated a wicked smile parting his lips, charging straight at me once more.
Our swords collided time after time. Sparks flew. He wasn't lying, he was the man slayer. He had to be. He was such a skilled warrior.
"How many man slayers have become traitors to the crown?" I asked our bodies coming to a halt as our blades collided one more time, both of us trying to over power one another.
"Boy, it goes much deeper than a few man slayers. Do you think that I was just lucky enough to be sent before you by a whole twelve hours…use your head!" He shouted, a blue aura exploding around him.
The amount of power he had was astounding. I was shot backwards like a bullet. Head first through the opposite wall; flying through the outside air, finally skidding to a stop after a quarter mile journey. Standing up I placed my hand upon the dirt pile behind me that I caused, half of my top robe ripped, lying down upon my pants. Frantically trying to get my eyes to focus I could see him slowly walking towards me.
"I don't get it…we are both man slayers…why…why is he so much stronger?" I muttered, spitting blood to the side.
The thoughts of traitors being within the government made my anger rise. I hated that there was high ranking officials that help make grand decisions with the king plotting his death. It was so cowardly…to pull the strings while making it seem like they were trying to help! My vision became focused once more; a white aura flashed before my now deadly calm eyes. It was just like with my fight with my grandfather, my emotions taking a back seat to this new me. It felt so strange…I did not fear death…I had no emotions.
"I won't let you get away with this…I will kill you and then rip out every traitors heart with my bare hands." I stated calmly, a white aura exploding all around my body, the sand pile behind me shooting out in every direction blinding me from his sight.
"Now we see just how good the brother is…" He mumbled, his sword before his body ready to defend.
"You will pay for what you have done!" I shouted appearing to the right of him, my blade slashing at his head.
Raising his blade in front of his face our blades collided for a second, before I disappeared once more. His feet turning, he shifted his body to the left side placing his sword vertically in front of his stomach to halt my oncoming assault once more. His feet continued shifting in the sand as he blocked every strike I made on him…just barely.
"Damn he's fast when he's like this."
"Die!" I shouted from above him, my sword above my head, tightly gripped by both hands, my white aura still around me.
He quickly brought his sword horizontally before his head. Our blades and auras collided instantly, the sand below us separating around him. A hole the size of a crater being the end result of our strength.
"Your good boy, I'll give you that. But…" He stated his eyes looking into mine, his devilish smile appearing once more.
"But what?! You're the one that can't keep up with my speed!" I shouted in response, my aura becoming wild like a fire.
"You are still a boy in a mans' role. Your emotions are starting to seep out once more, blinding your judgment." He stated calmly, a bluish aura flashing before his pupils, his calm demeanor that of what mine was just moments ago.
A shocked look came over my face. I stayed suspended in air, our blades still together, trying for me to overpower the man. What happened next no one could have suspected…
"Three moves."
"I may be only sixteen but I have never been defeated…and I don't plan to be in three moves!" I shouted trying to force him back more.
His blue aura doubled in size, forcing me off of his sword in that instant. Surprised and suspended in air for that mere second he round house kicked me. My body shot once more through the air. Hitting and splitting each tree I finally came to a halt upon a great mountain…half way in.
"I'm going to have to…" I started but before I could finish my eyes widened in shock.
At first I thought the sun was rising only to quickly be proven wrong…it was a massive amount of energy sent at me. Crossing my arms in front I tried frantically to defend myself. The area around me exploded a massive circular cloud of smoke and dust appeared all around me. It had to be at least twenty feet high. The scene finally settling around me, my knees buckled and my half clothed body fell forward, the feeling of dirt brushing up on my lips.
I could hear his foot steps getting closer and closer until they finally came to a halt. Before my eyes closed from severe pain I got a glimpse of his shear power…He had leveled the whole area making it seem as if it was a desert. The house and the forest completely destroyed, as if it was never there. I could feel the cold metal brushing against the back of my neck. Was I going to die? For the first time in my life I truly feared for my life…
"Some prodigy…" He mumbled, finally taking his blade away from the back of my neck and sheathing it.
"When we see you in two days you better fight like you did for those two minutes if you want to at least give the king the chance to run away."
"There's more…more like you…" I mumbled barely any strength to my words.
My hand crumpled the dead dirt I lied upon, the dirt creeping into my battle hardened finger nails. I was supposed to be this great warrior, the warrior that would end this suffering. The one to save the king, and I couldn't even beat that man. I had fled death once more. The fear still fresh in my mind, I looked to my slumber as a chance to lose my fear. Fully aware that would not happen. With the last visible image being that of the hunter walking away from his prey disappointed, I left the real world with all of its fears to enter my dream world, to only embrace the fear of death once more.
Chapter 4- A life of lies.
I stood there in shock. My right hand was shaking, barely able to hold my sword. How could this have happened? I was the strongest! I was the best! My vision faded out from reality, I should have been killed. Why spare me?
"Your king is dead because you weren't able to stop me. Get over it."
His words were lifeless soulless. I heard rumors his hair use to be as golden as the sun itself but from over all his years of killing it darkened, reflecting his dark heart. I did not view it as a rumor anymore. It was the truth…
"But how…you were trained by this man. He was supposedly like your father, swearing up and down you would do whatever for him for taking you under his wing!"
He stood over me silently. His black bandana covered in sweat, his red eyes upon me. He held the kings' head as his trophy to the masses. No screams, no cries. Everyone was truly speechless. How could this be true? How could Cloud, the greatest warrior to hold a sword, be on the stage before the previously cheering crowd with the head of the king grasped tightly by the hair in his left hand?
"Yea well things change." He responded, no remorse in his words.
I didn't believe my ruler…after all the warnings I shrugged it off. He warned me over and over that he was fast enough to strike within a blink of an eye. I thought he was exaggerating. I thought he was just trying to push me harder. But no, I was too full headed to see the truth before me. Tears began to roll down my eyes, I couldn't hold them back. He had done so much for me, so much for my family. During the religious massacre he saved us. Protected us in his very castle, challenging anyone that wanted to take on the last priest of Christianity, but warning them that they would have to take down the great prodigy of his time first, himself.
"Get over yourself." He began, breaking my train of thought. "You act like you stood a chance to begin with."
My knees buckled, I fell forward the very knees that gave out now supporting my knelt body. Dropping my sword my tear filled eyes widened. I saw the officers before me, as shocked as I. Within moments I saw their future, I saw what was to become of them. I tried to yell, shout, but I couldn't. The yellow light engulfed them instantly, screams erupting from them burning bodies. I could feel the pain of the fifty men. But as soon as the light appeared it disappeared, taking the lives of the young soldiers with it. In its' place a crater. The mummy man walked through the dust and smoke, no smile, no emotion. His sword held tightly in his right hand, his left steaming from his last attack.
He had used much more energy on that group than he did on me when we last met, but why? Why spare me? It would have been so much easier if I had died in that battle than to have lost like I did. He was walking closer and closer, a somber look upon his face. Was it possible? No. It was impossible. He just slaughtered fifty soldiers that he knew were no where near his caliber, but yet, somehow I had this lingering feeling. This lingering feeling that he felt bad for his actions, almost to the point of sadness…
"I don't understand…" I finally blurted out, my state of mind returning to me.
The memories of the battle came crashing into my mind once more. It was as if I had been watching this all unfold, and now it finally clicked. I finally understood how I lost. I stood shoulder to shoulder with the king in his grand speech of peace to come. The slaughters of innocent families would finally come to a stop today. He was issuing a state of purification, sending all the help he could to the villages that were still experiencing abuse for their religious choices. Bringing his hand down from his heartfelt waves you heard [ihis[/i speech. By destroying a nearby house he gained the attention of the crowd and the king, but the person he wanted mostly to listen[ime[/i.
He challenged all and any to stop his purification. He was going to assassinate the king for all of his crimes. Not bothering to even tell the crimes the great man was accused of he drew his blade. The three man slayers that were like a wall before the king and I drew their blades as did I. My adrenaline began to pump; this was the moment I had been waiting for, preparing for, and so I blinked. The three men before my eyes were engulfed by a blue flame. Time froze, blood exploding from my chest, staining the sky in a red haze.
I saw the red coated Cloud already past the shadowed figure of myself, in that mere second; no it was even faster than a second, he had been able to run half a mile, summon enough energy to kill three A-ranked man slayers and slash my chest half an inch deep. Time resumed, the red haze leaving, color returning to my body. I grabbed my chest out of reaction, turning to see his sword clean through the neck of our king. My eyes widened, how was it even possible for him to be that fast? Our lords' headless body dropped, and Cloud turned around to show the crowd the head of his enemy in his hand, gripped tightly.
My mind raced back to the present, now fully understanding what had happened. He had been able to exceed god like speed…he was a god. One thing still wasn't making sense. I woke up this morning in my own bed, bandaged up but fully healed. I know for a fact I had fought the mummy man slayer the day before…
"How…how am I here? This can't be real…it's a dream…it has to be. I know I fought you just yesterday…I was almost killed and yet here I am before the corpse of the greatest man!" I shouted, the mummy man now before the steps of the kings' stage.
"Simple…I healed you when you were knocked out and brought you back here that night."
I gave no response, but I needed to give none, he knew what I was going to ask...
"But I knew ahead of time I needed to keep you alive and not hurt you too bad. Your brother needed to see if you could stop him." He stated pointing to the man, Cloud, behind me.
"My brother?" I asked perplexity in my voice.
I didn't even turn to face him. This wasn't true. I had no brother. My parents never told me of any siblings, I was their only child.
"You lie!" I shouted my eyes on the one who defeated me the day before.
"I never thought my little brother was this stupid…the parents you grew up with have never been your true parents. [iOur[/i parents were slaughtered on the second week in March, better known as The Day of Death."
"The Day of Death…" I began, remembering the stories of how brutal the worst recorded massacre in history. It happened when I was only five years old, the government (under the king before Ester) had ordered its men to go to every village and kill all and any that worshiped a different god. On that day, one third of our total population was killed like animals.
"Yes The Day of Death! Our parents were killed like animals no thanks to this man! He was the commanding general of that section of the planet and led his group of soldiers as he[ithe great man slayer,[/i took on the stronger men. I was twelve when I saw him behead our dad! And if it wasn't for Dante, that great man behind you, and his mother then you would have been killed on that day too! We are the successors of our village. The village where our father trained Ester the great! He killed his own teacher because he was ordered, but what he didn't know is that in that village; three prodigies would live and seek their revenge!" He shouted, gripping his sword in anger. The anger that had been bottled up inside of him his entire life, anger that fueled him to commit such a crime. "Everything he worked so hard to do has been unraveled on this day. This day will be remembered as the day that the great murderer was finally put down, and in my wake of revenge driven destruction a civil war was started! Because on this day the king to take Esters' spot will declare war on my terrorist driven act, but instead of uniting this nation he will separate it. All the small countries they have forgotten about have pledged allegiance to our organization and are willing to fight till the end. A civil war that divides the world will begin!"
"Shut up!" I shouted at my brother turning around and charging straight at him with the hilt of my sword clenched tightly, my blade aimed at his head.
Dropping his prized lifeless head of Ester, he grabbed the blade tightly, blood beginning to seep out, staining my blade. I couldn't control myself anymore. Hearing all this nonsense was making me sick. He was not my brother! My family was not slaughtered by my king! The blue aura that engulfed my eyes against Dante began to surface once more.
"Dante told me you had the same eyes as us, I guess he wasn't lying." He began, regaining his calm demeanor. "The power of Shiroki resides in all three of us, but only one of us can truly summon all of his power. [iIs it you brother?[/i" He asked, a red aura engulfing his eyes…
Chapter 5: A lifetime choice.
Shockwaves pulsed through the dark, scream filled air. The crowd of people ran through the festival, their brown shoes clicking against the old gravel. Dante stood there, his arms crossed, his sword sheathed, his eyes set on the ensuing battle. The screaming crowd ran right around him, a few slamming into his shoulder, falling to the ground. He was a strong man.
"You aren't strong enough Dark." Cloud stated, our swords slamming together, our bodies suspended in air for all to see.
"I don't care if you are stronger than me! I don't care if you are faster than me! You killed our king! A war will break out between your organization and the government, even possibly a civil war! And all you care about is who is stronger!"
I jumped back only to charge straight at him once more, my blue aura surrounding me completely. Our swords collided again, back and forth, back and forth. I attacked he defended. He attacked I defended. I knew he was holding back on me. I saw his speed only moments before. But why?
"He slaughtered our family Dark, he be-headed our father!" He replied, our swords interlocked once more.
"And you just be-headed him before his fourteen year old son, so explain to me how that makes you any different than him…brother?!"
A red aura exploded around his body, a sure sign of his increasing anger towards me and my comments. The aura kept getting bigger and bigger, soon pushing me away from his sword, making it impossible for me to try and get out of the way. In seconds his power exploded, rocketing me at a two story wooden building two miles away, it crumbled and fell all over my body. Reacting, I increased my power, the building pieces exploding all around me. My eyes widened a beam three times the size of Dante's days before was sent straight at me. I had no time to react. He didn't just raise his power moments ago just to get me off of him or to scare me, possibly even taunt me. No, he did it so he could summon such a devastating attack. I was engulfed by the red beam, the earth rumbling all around me, dust and sand rising.
"You're going to kill him if you keep those types of attacks up." His partner brought up, his eyes watching my shadowy figure come back into view.
"He's my brother…he can take more than what I'm dishing." Cloud responded, my non standing body now in his sight.
I was so tired. His first attack on me with his sword was a lot more serious than I thought. I was being so stupid with just attacking him. Wanting revenge, disregarding how deep the cut really went. I lost too much blood to fast…
"Since you are down there you might as well listen." He started, slowly coming down from the sky. "Before you faint from all your blood loss I want you to understand something very important. I wasn't the only one that wanted the king dead. Whether you want to believe it or not, I don't run the organization, it is run by the next king in line."
"But that's…that's impossible…"
A foot came crushing down on my stomach, two ribs breaking from the weight. His foot digging deeper and deeper, cries of pain entering the sky.
"You've been used by the government since day one. You have been trained and set on missions that will only better themselves, not this world. Until the day came that you became such a man slayer that you could kill a pregnant wife, or even an infant without even a second devoted to thought on whether or not it was right to do, or even an inch of guilt. I did all of this not only for revenge but to free you of what type of world you would have been forced to live. Manslayers are a dieing breed; civilized fighting is a dieing art. The military is run by pig hungry men that just want more and more land thus giving them more and more power. You would have lived through hell time and time again. I know what it is like and how much pain you go through. I have killed so many Dark; I know what would have become of you."
He raised his foot from my stomach, waving at Dante. He nodded in agreement, walking away without another word.
"This war is inevitable Dark. How you fight and what side you are on is your choice. But you now have that choice. I wish I could tell you everything but I can't. I have to go into hiding for a bit now, but I pray that you can find the answers you will need to bring this world to a true peace." He finished, raising his foot, standing there for a moment looking at his half alive brother.
"You gave me a choice?! Bullshit! You are a terrorist…"
I didn't get the chance to finish before he blasted me until I had finally fainted. He would pay for what he had done to King. But he was right about one thing…I had a choice of a lifetime to make.
"I may never see you again brother but I hope you hear my words…this world needs to be revived from it's blinded state, especially if we want to live through the coming war between Frieza and his Sayains. I am on neither side, I am my own side. This world will be killed to rise once again. And only then will it finally become a peaceful land for all to live. Only then can people like us not be needed. Only then…