Prologue: Bright Thunder
I remember like it was yesterday, the day I cast off my name of freedom and entered the house of Azumi. The aristocratic family of my best friend, you think that life had been good for a three year old up until then would be wrong. I remember standing in the large hall, a man grasping my shoulder…my father. His broad shoulders and brown hair all too familiar; I stood there in the warm hall, my body wrapped in a black and red uniform while a charm was around my neck. It was a freedom charm, one that would soon be taken off against my will. "Hey Akira, we're friends right?" a seven year old Raid asked me. We were outside, she was balancing on a narrow log while I padded beside her in my wolf form. My eyes met hers and I sighed, "yes we are."
I was just three, my red hair cut into a spiky frame and my cat green eyes peering nervously around me.
"Come now Akira…time to meet your family." My father spoke. Behind those dark blue eyes I saw pain and most of all, sadness. I had known from 2 years old that I would be leaving, my heart burned within my chest but I knew that this was how it had to be. For me to grow up brave and famous I needed to give up my family.
My father lead me inside the dark study and then suddenly the lights turned on and I saw maids light the lamps. Behind a solid mahogany desk sat a man, no doubt the head of the house. I stood quietly, my three year old face staring out into the darkness, only the reflective eyes of my wolfian side shone out. A clear green. The man beckoned me forward and I stepped up to the desk, my father stayed behind. I could see the slight glimmer of tears in the corner of his eye…I would miss him. The man took hold of my chin and turned my head from side to side.
"She seems healthy, how intellectual is she? What are her stats?" he asked. My father replied, "she has a 9/10 intellectual level and her strength are unmatched, as for her speed she has outraced even newly made vampires…and…she's an elemental…" I saw the man's face twitch into a smile and he revealed long fangs, "really? What kind?"
"Darkness, she can harness it to her will and change it into light as well."
"Very good…" the head of the house said, "welcome to our family young Akira…I am Mr. Azumi, your guardian father. You're going to be guarding my daughter, Raid Azumi." Then he snapped his fingers and a maid ushered a young girl in. She was my age but very small and skinny; she had long brown hair and large blue-green eyes. She seemed like such a porcelain doll…I felt hand around my neck and then the chain I had been wearing slipped off and was replaced with a crested chain. It had the Azumi Family Crest on it; I couldn't help but suppress a shudder.
After a brief farewell, my father left and I was left alone standing with the girl across from me. Suddenly a large smile blessed her face and she spoke with a voice as light as feathers, "hello, I'm Raid…what's yours?" I stared at my feet, my mouth was in a neutral expression and I didn't think it would get out of it.
"A-Akira…it means…'bright'." I whispered. The I was suddenly staring at another pair of feet, she had walked over to me.
"Oh, mine means 'thunder' that's what my mommy says…" she replied. I nodded then looked up, she was still smiling and I couldn't help but smile as well. The she took my hand and we ran out of the dark room, for some reason I followed her without any questions. She was the person I was too guard…suddenly it didn't seem too bad.
"Good…I'm glad you're my friend." She replied. I continued to walk, my long tail brushing her every now and then and she would laugh. I smiled a wolfish grin, "I'm glad too."
Sadly I knew from the moment I met her that we couldn't be real friends…not the way some people were or what vampires were with other vampires. But for now I was content with being her guardian and that's all that mattered. Heck, we were the brightest thunder in the world…