The dark eerie sky threw shivers down my spine as all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up straight, As if they were making a perfect wall. Why was it dark so early? I stared around into the blank desert area I stood in, not even a slight breeze killed the dreaded silence that was upon us. Even the scorching sun had almost turned against us, turned black. Quickly, I raised my hands to the front of my body; in my hands I held two small blades. Though the darkness had over-thrown light and taken over the skies, A small silver light shone from my blades, The last reflection of the sun.
"Watch your back Ryu!" My friend shouted "This isn't normal"
I turned to face him, hoping it really was him I was looking at through the matted layers of shadow.
"Wh-what do we do, Yahiko?" I stuttered.
"Wait, I will use a fire item to make light!" Yahiko answered.
"Really? Aren't they hard to find?" I couldn't help but ask even in this situation.
"'ve done a grand job of learning the basics, But its times like this I'm glad to use rare items" Yahiko sounded optimistic still, But I was happy about that, It gave me hope.
"Thanks Yahiko! I really do appreciate you helping me like this"
"Fire!" As soon as I saw my first glimpse of light again, Yahiko's smile faded. He was looking at me but not in his normal way, His glare was cold, like ice. I heard a rustle behind me and in an instant turned to see a long heavy blade hurtling towards me with unknown force. I froze, I couldn't move. My legs. My arms. All were just glued in the position of a weak, incompetent girl. I closed my eyes ready to except my fate; the monster with the blade was only small so damage would be minimal.
"RYU!" Yahiko yelled running towards me as if something was wrong. He grabbed my wrist and at the last second flung me out of the way, and lifted his sword laying it straight up above his chest. As I lay on the floor after being flung I saw both swords colliding, and then moving so the sides of swords touched each other, slowly, each sword sliding up the other.
"GRAH" Yahiko pulled his sword with an unbelievable strength and using that same force, He plunged the sword back up and straight into the monster.
I started running over to Yahiko and stopped next to him as I saw what was supposed to be one of the weakest monsters still standing, not even taken a single damage from Yahiko's attack. This monster wasn't normal.
"G-get away Ryu" Yahiko stuttered "NOW, JUST GO!" I couldn't just leave him, not there, not then.
The sword of the monster again starting hurtling towards Yahiko.
"YAHIKO" I cried at the top of my voice as the foes sword sliced into his body right before my eyes. I then stood staring, alone, at the monster that stood in my way.
"Flash Bomb!" I yelled throwing a small round capsule like object on the ground in front of the beast. It exploded into a blinding light that surrounded the near area. I then decided to use the last bit of energy I had lying in my small body, with as much speed as I could find I ran to Yahiko and scooped him into my arms. It took all the strength I had, but at that point my heart thumped and shook more than an earthquake on complete dry land. I knew the gate back to town was just less than a mile away, In my training I'd only just managed a mile without stopping a few days before, never in my training had I been carrying a man about triple my weight. I couldn't give up although the light from the Flash bomb was quickly fading and the beast was hot on my tail. Sneakily I had a peak to see what this monster really looked like, and the difference between 'it' and a normal monster. A normal weak monster of its type was a basic red colour and looked a bit like a goblin, with a long lizard-like tail. But this monster was a dark blood-red colour with strange black marks around its body, like scars. It still had the same basic shape but the difference couldn't be missed. Unless you were an amateur. As I was.
Still I ran using all my stamina but I wasn't fast enough, The Monster had tremendous speed but I couldn't attack it or use an item as my hands where busy trying to protect the body of Yahiko, Though unless I could stop this beast there would be no need for my hands to protect Yahiko as my fate would be Inevitable. Luckily for me though, I was nearing the gate, The what-was meant to be grass land was now rocks and pebbles meaning the gate was only a short distance away .Slowly but suddenly the ground under my feet started moving. I felt my body slipping, Out of my control. My back pounded against the ground with a loud thump. I could have used Yahiko as a cushion but instead I protected him from further damage on his frail body. The beast was gaining on me; it wouldn't be long till I too felt its power. I tried to carry Yahiko is a single hand so I could stand up, But I'd already used too much of my strength. The end was nearing.
My eyes widened into two large 'O' shapes. I watched carefully as the sword of the enemy swung closer and closer, till…..
"Thunder storm!" A dark silhouette appeared in front of me attacking the beast. I was too shocked and out of strength to stay and help, but I couldn't move easily either.
"Go now!" The voice shouted as a strange energy poured into my body. I leapt of the ground and stumbled through the gate which lay right in my path. I had escaped, but only narrowly.
As I entered the town I dragged my feet along the hard cobbled ground. The few villagers around stared at me, looking astounded. I tried to look around at them all as if to say "It'll all be okay" but all the energy I lost caught up to me and a sharp bolt of pain struck my body. "Ryu!" A member of the guild I was in shouted me from behind; I slowly spun around and gave a small smile.
"wh-where safe now" I stuttered, falling backwards, Smashing the back of my head on the cobbled floor.
"RYU?" … I blanked out.
"ugh" I muttered under my breath as I slowly opened my eyes and the darkness lifted, Light slowly pouring into my sight. As my eyes fully opened I noticed a ceiling above my head and looking around I was lying on a bed in a room, A hospital room. I noticed my right wrist and arm in agonizing pain so I lifted the covers I where under to reveal a sling that my arm lay in and a scar-like mark all the way down my wrist leading up my arm.
"Yahiko" I whispered jumping out of the bed. Crash. My legs weren't steady enough and collapsed under me as I jumped. There was quite a loud noise.
"Ryu!" I heard footsteps like a herd of Elephants rushing closer and closer, The door to my room in the Hospital swung open. A familiar looking person entered first, A middle-aged lady, She had long wavy brown hair and Green -grass coloured- eyes. The dark black suit she wore made me tremble as she walked closer and closer to me.
"Ryu…" Her voice made it clear who she was, Kinyu, A fellow member of the guild "Yahiko is…." I turned to her closely listening to her trembling voice.
"Yahiko is dead..." Kinyu stared down as me.
I breathed heavily as I sat up with my eyes open widely, I could see the wall straight in front of me with a picture of the guild members. It definitely looked like my room but I wasn't certain so I pinched myself sharply.
"Ow" I mumbled "I'm not dreaming now then?" I jumped out of my bed to look in the mirror, My shaggy blonde hair lay over my forehead, the back of my hair reaching down just past my ears and my dark blue eyes squinting in the morning sun. I walked back over to my bed where a neat white shirt and long black pants lay folded ready for me to change into. I sighed slowly as I started to change into my neat clothes. "What was that dream all about?" I asked myself "I was a girl… But Kinyu was there" My eyes narrowed as I thought carefully about it but for once I couldn't think of anything. I heard a loud knocking on the door as I finished buttoning up my shirt. "Ryuzaki!" A voice shouted "You're going to be late!" That's right, the meeting is early today. I thought, hauling myself out of the room. I slowly opened the door yawning loudly and seeing Kazuko. "Kinyu sent you, Right?" I asked Kazuko with a smile "Thanks" I added with a slight nod before starting to walk down the corridor of the hotel. My room was on the top floor of the hotel -as I had asked for before the trip- albeit the meeting had been organised to take place in the Basement. Running my right hand through my shaggy hair thoughts of this Yahiko poured through my mind,
Who was this Yahiko who I had been so close to in this dream? And why was I a girl? Thinking back, I also wondered whether other members of the guild had spiked by drink causing this strange dream. Erasing this from my thoughts for the moment I arrived at the Elevator, knocking three times lightly on the metal doors. It sounded like a long way down… In such a small confined space… "I think I'll take the stairs" I muttered with a nod, opening the neighbouring door that led to a long stair case all heading down. Having to walk smartly incase of bumping into one of the other attendants of the meeting was a must, especially for me, as Kinya had informed me, "It would be bad if the youngest member at the meeting is seen messing around.. No one would take you seriously" I spoke out loud, doing my best imitation of her voice "No-one's looking… I better hurry"
After a minute or so of running down the staircase I reached the basement were Kinya waited for me and walked towards the door with her. "Were you imitating my voice earlier, It was rather loud" She stated it, rather than asking me causing my face to turn slightly red as I shook my head, "Of course….not…. You said no messing around right?" I smiled innocently, something that had worked a lot better when I was younger. Kinya shook her head as well, sighing but then turning it into a small chuckle, "Just get in here you knucklehead." She opened the door, pushing me in, "Oh right… Can I speak to you later?" I asked, and received a nod in reply. The both of us walked over to one end of the large table laid out and sat down, being the last to arrive at the meeting. "Oh…. This must be the young one you have spoken about" An elderly man, perched at the front of the table enquired, looking as if he was about to pounce if the wrong answer was given. "Of course, this is Ryuzaki, as you may already know" "So…. Ryuzaki was it? How old are you…. 10,11?" "No, neither. I'm 15" My reply must have been to blunt, since many of the people sat around the table glared at me for a moment, including Kinya. "And how long have you been a high ranking officer for?" " Since I was 11, So, 4 years." "Ahem!" The man coughed "No need to take that tone with me… What an interesting one. What about Law 81, part 3, which states anyone under the age of 15 cannot join up to a guild." Kinya sent me a glance of warning; she already had knowledge of my 'cocky' answer to this question, since it had been asked many times. "Actually, If you read on to Law 94, part 1, it is said that any person under the legal age can join up to a guild and work actively if they pass the entrance exam that is passed directly by the Government, After being referred to the Government by a Guild Leader. The exam is said to be much harder than the average one taken by those over the legal age, due to the Government not wanting to take responsibility for 'children' dying. Therefore the only ones who pass are said to be extremely skilled." I hid my smirk as Kinya put her face in her hands, the elderly man raising an eyebrow and closing his hands together in a clasp. "Are you trying to be defiant child? You then gained access to the guild before the age of 11? Are you trying to say you could take me on?" I was bombarded by this barrage of questions and more, staring down at the table with a smile though my eyes were covered by the blonde hair that usually fell over my forehead. "1. I'm simply being honest. 2. I gained access at the age of 8, and as I have already told you I became a high ranking officer at 11. 3. Since I'm honest… Yes, I could take you on" For a second it seemed her blanked out the last answer I gave him, only really hearing the second. "You were referred at the age of 8…. By Kinya, I presume?" "Incorrect… I was taken in by Kinya and her guild… Before that day we had never met." Kinya glared at me , not such a cold glare, just a strange glare as if saying to stop talking. "Well then, Since you are so confident of your strength…. Let us duel tonight at 7pm" Kinya jumped in, bowing her head to the rotten man, "Sir Gouren, please excuse the behaviour of my young guild member. I'm sure he means none of what he said." It was now my turn to glare, straight at my superior, Kinya. Kinya had never before been this weak minded, at least not in front of me. She had always been the strong one, standing up for us all. "Since you insist I will forgive the child if an Apology is received" "Ryuzaki…" Kinya kept her eye on me, as if she was trying to pressure me into saying sorry. "I accept your challenge"