Firestorm – Flame of Recca After War
War of the Ancient World
The universe had existed for billions of years. Humankind existed for thousands of years. Quite fitting for the Biblical and Koranic teachings about the end times. The End is Near. In human chronology, the end seems so distant. Yet when the age of the universe comes to play, it changes the whole picture. Perhaps, just perhaps, the end won't be a billion years hence.
A man is but a vapor. He lives, he dies, and for the less fortunate, they are forgotten. Memories play important roles in a man's life. God endowed us the gift to remember, such that one is able to distinguish good from bad based on experience. Mankind's memory has been vital in putting together the beads of wisdom since creation till present. "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." A thousand and five hundred years ago before Kaoru's time, Jesus spoke these words. "He's gone…" Kaoru wept as he sat back alone in the house he and Kurei stayed when they returned back to the ancient world. True, Akai is gone. But a question thus follow. "Gone where?"
It's been days since he ran away from Tatesako's residence. Kaoru felt alone. He was alone. As he glances on his wrists, it reminded him of the very same thing he did four years ago. The scars never faded. In an attempt to take his own life, Kaoru flipped open a razor. "What really, is there in life, that man seeks to live?" King Solomon had the same experience in his literature on Ecclesiastes. When Jack Higgins was asked about one important lesson he learned, he said "when you reach the top, there's nothing there." Life ends in a plateau for many who does not know. Many miss out on something commonly known as eternity.
Episode 6 – Seeing Beyond the Present Life
The thoughts of people he cared for begins to flow through his mind. Team Hokage, Kurei, Akai… Raiha… Yanagi…
"I lost everyone dear to me…" Again. When Kaoru attempted suicide four years ago, it was an aftermath from a car accident he had with his parents. When the car his father was driving lost control, they found themselves ramming the car against the safety barrier. Below them was a river. Soon, they were falling into their deaths. Kaoru has always feared water because it was the same thing that has taken his parents' life. As the three of them struggled to stay alive, his parents made sure that he was the first to be safe. In a wild gush of water, it was difficult to push even a child up to the dry area for safety. When one sees urgency however, the human body pumps up more energy that it normally does. People who panics are normally stronger, especially when they have someone to protect, more so, a life to save. All these is driven by a felt emotion. That which we call love.
His parents struggled to push him up the raging waters. When they finally did. It was an exchange Kaoru was unhappy about. Completely exhausted, his parents were unable to save themselves. He watched as his parents were carried away by the torrents. Days passed. he was hungry, cold, and alone. He looked at the rosary his parents had given him. It was the same rosary he always wore in his time in Uruha. "What kind of God are you? My mom told me that You can do anything. Nothing is too difficult for You. Why did you not save them when you should?" Kaoru was angry. At ten, he sees life as many sees it. Where is God when you're in pain? There was no answer. The rosary was but a piece of cross linked with beads. The God he's looking for is not confined in beads and necklaces. The God he's looking for is far greater than rosaries. He's looking for God, at the wrong place.
Seeing complete meaninglessness, he drew out a razor. "I called for help, and God was silent." he thought. "today, my life ends here." The sharp edge of the blade began piercing his wrists. He was afraid and cold. Before he could completely take his own life, he felt a slap on his face. "What do you think you're doing?" It was Kurei's voice. Kaoru looked up. Too young to understand it all, his shock overrode his grief. It was his first brush with death. He was looking for God. Unknowingly, the God he's looking for was already working in the background. God is seldom early. But He's never late.
Tonight, there's no Kurei to stop him from taking his life. Sometimes, when one is in his deepest sorrow, they fall on their knees. Almost ironic, it is also the perfect position for prayer. "God, if you do exist, take me out of this mess. I don't know what to do anymore."
In the first century, a man named Paul penned these words: "The creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God." The world was indeed created broken so that man will long for more. When one sees chaos, there is a natural preference for order, and man long for it. Paul's writing reveals an interesting feature of the creation. It's broken, so that when man begins to look for something greater, God offers it on a silver platter. The afterlife can be a fantastic one… but only if one decides to hold on to the One who can take them there. If mankind needed repair, God would send a mechanic. If mankind needed power, God would send slaves. No. Mankind needed help, and so He sent a Savior.
Before you take your life. Consider first what else you can do in this life. The things you want, may not always be the things you need.
Kaoru fell dead silent in his knees. Prayers sometimes opens insights that provides clues for the next step. Help is seldom early, but never late. Kaoru's thoughts of ending his life has instead been replaced of a need. Kurei has to be saved… and Raiha had to be informed of Raijin's power. His first priority, was to save the one he knows where to find. But not until he first find the seal. Raijin is a monster that has to be locked in a cage. Yet in reality, it's not a cage he needs, but a madougu strong enough to subdue it. Fuujin was in fact the top choice. Kaoru remembered the present day Raiha showed him both Fuujin and Raijin in Kurei's manor. "For years, I have kept them together so that the true power of this madougu may not fall into the wrong hands." Kaoru wondered how Raiha found Fuujin. It was a task he was about to find an answer to.
Kaoru figured that he still wore the same garment that Miyu clothed him with in his recovery. He had to return it. The timing was perfect. he was home, and he had the outfit he was most comfortable with. Elephant shorts, T-shirt, and rubber shoes. He really wished he had bought more. These outfits are not too popular in ancient japan. Asians are practically great with fashion. It was the influence of the west that converted their traditional clothes to cheaper alternative we know of today. Few still wear dobokus - the popular garment of ancient Japan. Yet, for Kaoru's wear at that time, he was anti-social.
Before Kaoru could leave the house, he felt a presence. Danger! Kaoru looked to his left. The door! It would take him three seconds to reach it. Too long! Right. A window. He jumped out of the tiny opening and sprinted away from the house. Half a second later, the house combusted into flames. "You can run, but you can't hide." It was a familiar voice. Bakuju.
Kurei could use his flames?
Kaoru kept his eyes fixed at Kurei, who was still wearing the mask. No. it wasn't a flame he conjured. It's a flame from Nisebi - the Fake Flame madougu. Kurei was adept with throwing flames. A perfect choice for Bakuju to complement its control. Behind Kurei, two masked women appeared. "Why does one always have to turn things into a numbers game?" Kaoru wondered. He was without weapon. Everything was ablaze from the house behind him. All he had was his body. As he observed his attackers, escaping isn't quite a good choice. One had an Idaten, the boots that made one run extremely fast. Running away would be futile. One had Fukyu Waon. I wouldn't be surprised if the one who had Idaten would also have Yamabiko. He'd seen this combo before. Neon and Miki, when they fight together, are almost unstoppable. Fukyu Waon turns music to projectiles. And should it miss, the Yamabiko makes sure that the second attempt won't.
His attacker made her first move. Fukyu Waon immediately launches an array of projectiles aimed at him. Kaoru dodged. Without the Kougan Anki, he is almost twice faster. The Kougan Anki weighted about ten kilograms. With it, he moves fast. Without it, he's even faster. As Kaoru prepared to defend from Yamabiko, he was stunned for a moment. "This is crazy. the one with Idaten, she doesn't have Yamabiko. Yet she's running to the direction of the projectile?" It looked like his thoughts lasted for minutes, but it took only seconds for him to realize that he's in a greater threat that he would've imagined. "Kurei never launched a flame as fast as what he just did moments ago. The other attacker will be bouncing off the sound without Yamabiko. There is only one other madougu that could do the bouncing. The fire and sound traveled airborne. If the fire picks up speed, its because the air pushed it… and if the air was bent, so does the sound. "You've got to be kidding me."
The other attacker pulled her long sleeve to reveal a madougu hidden beneath it. Fuujin. At a wave of her hand, a huge gust of wind blew into Kaoru's direction. He never saw what was coming. Kaoru put both his arms before him in a cross gesture, protecting his body from harm. With him still in midair from dodging Fukyu Waon, it would be impossible for him to make another dodge from the incoming attack.
There was a blast… and he was blown away. There was another shot, and Kaoru dropped back first to the ground. What he was facing was a greater combination of madougu. In an instant, there were eight cyclones around him. And each time Fukyu Waon releases an attack, it added to the projectiles flying around the battlefield. Unlike Yamabiko which can only deflect once, the wind simply passes the projectile from one to the other. It was a game of dodgeball, except that the game ends differently. In dodgeball, it ends when all the dodgers are hit. Here, it ends when the dodger dies.
Present day…
"We should call the cops." Domon suggested.
"No we can't. We can't risk losing innocent lives." Recca responded.
Are we not innocent? We're risking our lives for God's sake. Tokiya was as confused as the rest. Think!
"Three days."
Everyone's commotion was broken by Fuuko.
"Three days. After that, IT will come back.
Kaoru was sent flying another time. and as he lands on his back, he was motionless. Kurei unsheathed a dagger. "How uneventful. It would've been more exciting if you had something you can defend yourself with." The three of them went close to Kaoru as he lays on the ground. "One down, four to go." Kurei swings his hand downwards, the dagger pointed to the heart. There was a brief silence, and then, a sudden gush of blood.
End of Episode 6.
Author's note: Sit on tight. More exciting chapters to come. I am motivated to finish the fiction :) Please Rate and Review
