The twilight was more beautiful than he could have imagined.

Wind kissed along the side of his check as the prince pushed back the hood of his brown cloak and rubbed the sweat from his forehead, hair bright as sunshine and pushed back. The cool breeze was indeed welcomed over the increasing heat of his homeland. His tunic and breast harness slung to his skin by the body fluid staining the fabric as he boots began to chafe up his legs. Kanji panted as he tightened his hold on his horse's reign and dug his heels into the animal's side to not fall behind his retainers and instructor. His gaze wandered over the sky, taking it all in as he could, noting everything from the birds flying about to the grass below him, stiff and dry. It was all still felt so new to him, having only left the castle grounds a handful of times in his life.

After living in the Sun Kingdom his whole life, to see the sky golden and orange as it bled into the distant eternal night of the Dark Kingdom was a treat. Kanji's eyes continued scanning the horizon, awe struck while taking in the view of the three realms of the known world. Behind him at a glance was his home, the sun reigning over the sky, sending one heatwave after another the earth. Then the sky over head was the still unclaimed territory their ancestors had fought over for almost a century, now. The Twilight Lands was a beautiful place, forever caught between night and day. Then finally, up ahead was the Dark Kingdom, but this would be the farthest they'd go. Kanji had only managed to be allowed this far into the grasslands due to his own instructor's permission. Very soon, Kanji would be expected to take the throne, and it was always thought best that a ruler of the lands be a man of experience and knowledge of their surroundings. So today…his trials would be held in neutral territory instead of their training grounds. Very little was to fear, they thought if their personal body guards were with them.

Kanji had never cared for royal life and luxury. Sure, it was nice to be pampered, but only after so long he hated waking up and having everything done for him, leaving him only to attend to what little royal duties a prince was expected of. He had become proficient in swordplay, hand to hand combat, cross bowing. The only skill he had failed to learn was any sort of magic, incapable of generating even a spark for a thunder spell. The rest of his time was spent about the castle doing whatever hobby he deemed of interest, usually any sort of craft such as sewing or even cooking. He had been told time and again that a ruler needs to show he can demand authority, and to do so by not showing any signs of weakness yet he had chosen to ignore all advice and pursue more feminine hobbies others considered risky behavior for him.

Where Kanji's true heart l laid was with a desire for adventure and the unexpected to whisk him away in the winds across time as though it were some child's fairytale. In all his years, Kanji had never seen the ocean (save in paintings), nor experienced the cold. Until today had he never been allowed to leave the royal grounds, let alone leave the kingdom's walls. He was only here to prove to his instructor that he was a suitable hunter and strategist. Once that had been done by killing a few boars or the increasing sightings of Shadows then they'd return, no doubt. Still, he would savor every moment he could; every second to get fresher air, and every moment he could wear his hunter's garb instead of his formal robes.

That was it.

After only an hour or so their task had come to an end. Kanji extracted the arrow from the beast and allowed his guards to handle the rest of the work in tying the boar to one of their horses to bring home. Surely it'd be enough for a feast for their entire royal family and still have some scraps left over for the servants. The prince's heart sank as he climbed back onto his mount and saddled up. His home castle stood tall over the clearing in the distance, sun shining bright and hot. Just looking at it made Kanji uneasy and sick, being reminded only of the intolerable temperature and high sale walls surrounding him at every turn. He furrowed his brow at the idea of going back…at least so soon, that is. Eyes shot back at the retainers, struggling with beast. A smirk came over him. This would be his only chance…

"Lets go, Shooter!" he muttered to his horse as he dug his heels into its sides much harder than before, and immediately his steed took off through the twilight and in the direction of the Dark Woods. It wouldn't be too hard to find his way back if he even managed to lose his retainers, hearing them shout after him. He didn't need to look behind him to know that one of them was already giving chase, but he was fast, not having to carry a giant pig with him. After all…to get home he only need to follow the light.

One thing was for certain: stars were more beautiful than twilight or sunny meadow he knew.

Kanji had read about them in various tomes and text books during his studies, but given him always living in the Light realm, he had never seen them in person, before. Crickets chirped all around him as he continued his trod through the forest, staring primarily through the tree top to the sky. The air around him was more frigid, kissing his face with delight. Winds before now swept over the tops of the trees to make them sway, but didn't reach to the still air of the forest floor around him. Time passed in slow motion as he took in the new world around him.

Why are we in arms against this realm, he thought to himself. This land seems so peaceful and rich. Surely we could settle on trade rather than fight over the twilight, couldn't we?

Just then the sound of running water chimed into his ears. Could it be what he thought it be? His mind washed over with a vision of the cliff's edge opening to a vast blue sea and immediately he steered Shooter in the direction it came from. His heart raced, hopes rising as he cleared through the thickets only be a tad disappointed. To his discovery…it was not the ocean, but only a stream and a waterfall. Yet Kanji had learned of something else that kept him from despair. There was someone there with a horse of his own that he couldn't help but stare at. The man's skin was pale and hair silver, cut short and slightly messy. He was dressed in red and white silks and fur, the man's cape was flashy, and heavy, no doubt to keep warm in the dropping temperatures, as well as a pair of solid black rider gloves and white leather boots. Though he appeared roughly the same age as himself, whoever this person was they were of high status. The blonde was sure to keep a distance, watching him with caution, lest this person prove to be a thug of some sort, yet he couldn't help be sense a peculiar tranquil aura coming from this other person.

Their eyes met, and Kanji's expression softened.

"Who goes there? A traveler, are you?" he called out. There was curiosity, but also joy in his voice. "You need not hide yourself. I mean no harm to anyone!"

He hesitated before approaching the other man, not climbing off his horse just yet. Kanji raised an eyebrow. Whoever this person was, they carried themselves different than anyone else had around him. The silver haired stranger had a calm expression with an inviting smile even with arms crossed over his chest. "You're not from around here, are you? Nobody in these parts would have hair as golden as yours. Tell me, what's your name?" he asked, breaking the silence. The man took a step forward and reached a hand out to pet Shooter on his snout, already warming up to Kanji and his companion.

"Kanji…my name is…Kanji," he answered as he grinned back at the other. "What's yours?"

"Akihiko. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Kanji. Tell me, did you venture in here from the Sun Kingdom? You best not stay long lest you be caught by royal border patrols. You'll be executed at once!" The silver haired man spoke his warning calmly. It was clear his concern was genuine, with no intentions of turning the blonde in for trespassing, all while a smile held on his face, more interested in Kanji's steed than his person. "I can turn the other way and allow you to escape back to the Twilight, should you like."

There was confusion floating about the prince as he stared at Akihiko, finding him all a tad bit strange for someone who appeared to be of noble status. "Y'ere a bit weird, ya know that?" he said while loosening his grip on Shooter's reign. "What are ya; the son of some law maker in this country or somethin'? Why ya bein' so nice ta me?"

"I take no joy in ending a life that has done nothing wrong, good sir. You've only crossed a border into the Dark Woods, not stolen from the royal palace or attempted to kidnap the prince. There is no harm in you being here, is there?" Akihiko looked up at Kanji, eyes gleaming in the starlight that managed to break through the forest canopy. His skin was so pale and dry, looking as though it were as sharp as steel. His breath was visible. "You're shivering, you know? Did you not expect a temperature drop so drastic when crossing over?"

Kanji blinked, shocked, and just now noticing it himself. He hadn't felt this frigid in some time, let alone to be shaking slightly. His hunters armor had proved to be of little protection against the weather, it seemed. "Stop y'ere patronizing!" he snapped as he tugged Shooter away from Akihiko's affection. Whoever this person was, they came across a tad odd for someone who clearly belonged back home in his castle of some sorts. "The hell do ya want from me, anyway? Ya called me over here, didn't ya? If all ya wanted was ta pet my horse then I'll be on my way, like ya suggested!"

"There is no reason for you be act as defensive as you are being, Sir Kanji," the silver haired man said with calm in his voice as he looked up to the horse's rider. "I see no benefit in reporting you, as I've already said. So what say you stay and chat a bit? If it's you're first time in the Dark Kingdom then surely you must be curious about more than just the cold, are you not?" Akihiko pointed his eyes up above to the stars, just peeking through the trees around them. Each spec was bright, twinkling playful about as though to invite anyone on the planet to gaze upon their beauty. When he glanced back to Kanji he saw the hesitation and uncertainty on the blonde's face, but also a mix of curiosity and longing. "I mean you no harm, I assure you. You can perhaps even tell me about the Sun Kingdom in exchange?"

Kanji paused, and then nodded. "Alright," he finally said quietly. "I'll stay but only for a few minutes and then I must be off. I…have business to attend to back home, and all," he choked up whatever lie he could think of and climbed off his horse. "Your horse is friendly, right?" He didn't need an answer, as Shooter was already eager to stand beside the other's steed, happy to have company of his own.

Akihiko took her previous perch alongside the stream, staring at his reflection in the water. Along the edge one could see clumps of ice beginning to form, freezing over the surface. "You're a hunter are you not? Please, tell me all about it! What kind of wildlife do you have over there? Surely it must vary! I'm told that poachers from here has even stolen livestock to try and breed them in sheltered environments, for they can't otherwise survive in a permanent winter!" There was a smile on his face, one that shined with wonder and excitement to have Kanji beside him. He didn't hesitate to look upon the blonde's face directly and showcase a welcoming glow.

Kanji sat down beside Akihiko as he tightened his cloak around his shoulder. The ground was near frozen stiff and dry, causing him to shudder momentarily. He could feel his nerves acting up, having never truly been exposed to the cold like this before, yet something about this stranger urged him to stay for as long as he could bare. "I-it's rather warm, for starters! Wild life is kinda…well…how do I put it? We got stuff like insects buzzin' around all the time but they also make flowers bloom and junk so we keep 'em around even when they're annoyin'. Then we got wild bears and boars that we hunt but I'm sure ya got them here even in the cold, too, right?"

The other shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We do occasionally sight beasts of many kinds but you speak of some I've never heard of. Flowers are known, but do not bloom in this realm at all. There is very little plant life able to survive in this kind of environment." Akihiko allowed his gaze to follow along the environment, wandering about until he found himself repeating patterns of glancing at Kanji and then again all around him, almost as though he was searching for something. "What is an "insect" as you called it?"

Confusion was glued to Kanji's face, staring back at the silver haired man. "Ya really don't know? Haven't ya ever seen a bee or a dragonfly? They're all the place where I come from! They got tiny wings and crawl all over the place and buzz in y'ere ear!"

"Dragonfly? Do they breath fire as well?"

"No, they aren't like regular dragons. They are actually harmless. Hell, some folks even collect 'em after they die and preserve 'em!"

"Seriously? That's rather interesting. Why is that? Is it because your kingdom holds value over the dead? Is it some sort of ritual or ancient practice? Tell me more!"

"Th-there's…nothin' really that special about it," Kanji leaned away, slightly distressed over how excited Akihiko seemed to be getting over small talk of bugs. "Some folks just do it 'cause they like starrin' at 'em and junk. They find 'em pretty!"

"…oh. I see…." Akihiko grew silent momentarily as he placed his gloved thumb to his teeth. It was clear that he was processing what he had been told, digesting it while thinking of what to ask next. The sound of running water with the occasional horse breathing loudly behind them was the only thing keeping it from feeling like eons. "It must be nice. I'd…like to hope I could see them one day for myself."

"Huh?" Kanji responded. "Ya don't have anything like a tome or somethin' with drawins' in it or anything?"

"Oh, believe me. My family has plenty of books in our library, but none on such things. We had no need for it, after all, so they never sought to add such subjects to their collection."

Kanji raised an eyebrow at his company. "Family library? Akihiko, was it? Ya never actually answered my question earlier. The hell kinda' rich family you come from so rich to have their own library?"

This earned a small chuckle from the silver haired noble. "I am the son of a duke, studying to take my father's place in the near future." Akihiko's words were spoken softly, yet still managed to shift the atmosphere into a heavier tone. "Father had told me since birth that it would be my duty to be his successor, as his only child. A shame really…."

"Why…why do ya say that?" Kanji was a tad more interested now suddenly. Did this man speak the truth? His clothes certainly fit the role to say the least but something felt off about it for the moment. The price had learned to be mindful as to not trust all that is spoken by a stranger, lest he fall to deception so easily. "Ya don't wanna live the high life and have it easy?"

"Certainly not…but it seems our time as run out"

Galloping could be heard faintly in the distance.

"You should leave now, lest they catch you…but perhaps we can meet again." Akihiko stood up and offered a hand to help Kanji stand. He turned his gaze to his horse and with a whistle, it came to him as did Shooter who followed along. "What say you return here, overmorrow at this time? I'd like to continue this conversation, and to hear more about your world."

Kanji was silent at first as he climbed on his horse. Not far off he could make out the silhouette of others approaching, a small search party or the patrol like Akihiko had warned him of earlier, no doubt. The prince tugged on the reigns of his horse, ready to head off on the path he had taken, but not before glancing back at the silver haired man one last time, pondering the offer over.

"I could show you a better place you can see the stars and you…maybe you can show me a tome of insects…."

"I'll…consider it," he finally answered before taking off.

"My lord, we finally found you! Are you hurt at all?"

"No," Akihiko answered the guard. "In fact I'm…positively, sunny."