*Slightly revised chapter
SIX point FIVE- Despair
Location: Narwall, Karith
Population: 1 million
The world of Karith was covered by vast greens and water on all sides, which protected them for hundreds of years. It deterred many countries from invading them, as to travel the vast oceans to acquire a plot of land that was separated far from the rest of the world made it an unworthy cause. This meant the country would thrive as religion, and structure began to grow. The country became highly religious towards the sacred pillars of life. A pillar that was left behind by their ancestors. In order to honor these pillars they held ceremonies two times a week to honor it. Every other day there would be couples that would walk amongst the pillar of life to bless them with a child. If the pillars were pleased they would be blessed with a child. If it was not pleased the couple would be given no child. If they were blessed with a child, there would be ceremonies that lasted all through the night. The lights of the city would burn bright, as dawn hit. Aimerick was born within this city during the summer. He would grow up in a peaceful environment for the first five years of his life. It was during the fifth year of his life that an invasion from the largest country of another planet would change the course of his life. Aftokrator had come to rule them.
"They are coming." Voices screamed, as a large ship of black flew above them, as the skies darkened to bring a premonition of their world's demise and destruction.
Bamsters landed down into the city, as the men of the city of Narwall mounted onto their beasts. Large tusked tigers with stripes with leather straps being placed into their mouths, and saddles that are made of leather onto their fur backs. The men pulled there mounts out of there stalls, as they rushed towards the armory to grab what weapons they could. The reality was though, that there weaponry would merely be merely spears, and arrows. Being isolated from the rest of the world, left the development of the country slow. This would mean there chances of success would be beyond low. Aimericks father was one of the few captains that had any battle tactics to lead men to battle. The rest of the men were clueless, as they scattered. Aimerick wasn't sure how to feel, as he watched his father's face that was blurred in his mind walk out of the house. He turned back to look at young Aimerick, as his mother ran towards him. She was crying, as she fell to the floor holding on his father's long leather pants. She didn't want him to go. This country had lived in peace for so long, so why did an invasion have to take place?
"Father." He whispered, as he walked outside to see his father mounted, as he and his men rode towards the epicenter of the city. He would run after him for quite a distance before he too stumbled. His knees were bleeding, as he got up crying. His mother didn't come to console him, as she too remained on the dirt ground crying. That would be the last time he would see his father.
The city of Narwall fell, as the rest of the small country of Karith fell along with it. The countries Natius, Gigora, and Fairos of that planet would remain intact. They had kept up with the latest technology that allowed them to take on Aftokrator. They too suffered casualties, which was to be expected as the price to remain free from any rule.
What came after the fall of Karith was the punishment of enslavement. Aftokrator would take the young children of each city away from their families. They needed more military power, and the idea to take the children to train them was a good choice. It would mean they could nurture them as they please. As for the parents of those children, they were given nothing but enslavement. Many would remain in the country of Karith, never to see their children again. Aimerick was still five, as his mother wept before him. She held out her hands to grab me, but the soldiers of Aftokrator whisked him away without a chance to say goodbye to his mother. He would endure the hard labors of training along with the rest of the children who were seen crying, and asking for their parents. Aimerick couldn't cry, as he looked emotionless. One of the soldiers of Aftokrator saw that as a good trait, and Aimerick was chosen for special training.
For the next ten years he would remain in training, and was finally able to return back to Narwall. The country was now thriving with technology, even though it was under Aftokrator rule. The population had gotten use to the soldiers of Aftokrator. Aimerick returned back down the dusty road, passing the bustling city towards home. He rented out a lizard like mount that was green and had brown tint all over the underbelly. He mounted, as he tugged on the reigns and headed east. The road would go from smooth tar to dirt, as an indication of the conditions of the outer city was different. There was noticeable indication of the invasion that had still remained. The holes in the ground, and the mass graves that were scattered with no identification of who laid where. With small plots of land still being farmed visible, and the existence of people living out of the city. It would be a miserable life, since most of the population had been taken to Aftokrator to endure labor. Those taken would probably not come back, as he felt the remaining people eye him from a distance. They lived in misery, as the houses were in shambles, and falling apart. They could only express their hatred and fear in hiding. He was once one of them, but they could only see him as a soldier of Aftokrator. His mind wandered from those peering at him towards a more familiar feeling.
"Mother." He thought, as he rode towards the roads he recognized. The house he remembered was red brick, and had straw mixed in it with a bit of mud. It was an oval shaped house, as he pulled up his mount. There was only rubble everywhere, as he was sure this was the right place where his home was. Why was there nothing here? He looked around desperately, as he dismounted, and led his mount by foot. He saw more large boulders that would have been part of a house here and there, but there was no actual evidence of a standing home anywhere. He looked out towards the green fields, and remembered. This was where he played in his younger days. He walked towards the large green weeds that swayed back and forth. He placed his hand out, as he touched the weeds. His memory of yet a distant past. If this was where the field was then his house should have been standing somewhere here. He paced back and forth looking at the ground as large rubble, pieces of wood, and straw were scattered everywhere. He spotted something not too far off, as he walked closer to it. The color became visible, as if it were white, and protruding out from the ground. He looked down at it, and knew what it was, a bone. It can't be? He thought, as he knelt down, and dug up the bone. It can't be his mother. His face squinted at the possibility of it being his mother. He held back his tears. His black hair that was loose scattered all over his face, as his shallow brown eyes filled with disbelief. He had trained, and worked hard to one day be able to return, but not to this.
He was the first to return home, but where was home exactly? There just seemed to be nobody left. He would wander further down land to find out what had happened during his absence. He found a man working the fields slightly west of where he stood. The man took a few steps back, and fell to his knees, and begged not to be taken from his family. Aimerick just wanted information, and assured the man he only wanted to know what happened to his home. The man made a terrible face expression of regret, and despair, as he explained. Aimerick could only listen, as his vision tunneled, as he continued to stare out into the open. The man finished, and continued to work on his fields.
A few years back, there had been a rebellion and Aftokrator had sent there men to put the rebellion down. His mother had lost not only her husband, but her only child. She had nothing to lose. She rallied up the families to fight Aftokrator. They would be living a life of enslavement, with a chance to never see their children. She had been the first to die in the rebellion, along with many more, as the fighting commenced for a few weeks. His home had fallen to ruin, as the remainder of the population that had been involved with the rebellion were imprisoned, and tortured. There was nothing left, as Aimerick could only trace what his hometown was once like before Aftokrator came.
"You know, I never liked how the city was, but it was still home.", as he trudged back to his mount. Mounting, he decided there was nothing left to see and began his ride back. He would no doubt, hold this grudge for life. He would meet up with an old training partner, as he had entered back into the bustling city. Hairein, an old friend from training was standing with a pack in his hands. He was clueless, as he looked back and forth as to figure out where to go. Aimerick put his hand on his shoulders, and Hairein turned with a smile.
"Aimerick! I can't seem to find where the hotel is." He said, and Aimerick led the way. He had ventured into the city earlier, so he knew most of the cities layout. Hairein was one of the many noble sons of Aftokrator. He had joined the forces, with the rest of the noble young sons to train to be part of the noble forces. He trained with Aimerick, and helped him when he was cast aside for not even being a noble, but training with them. Haireins father had a lot of influence, so the other boys had to leave Aimerick alone. He was thankful for that, and felt he owed Hairein for it.
"You said you had to go somewhere, so where did you end up going?" he had asked, as they both checked into a hotel. They would both get separate beds, as the manager of the hotel opened the door. The room was clean, with two tables on each side with a lamp on each side, with a bed on each separate wall. They both put away their stuff, as Hairein laid onto the bed to rest.
"Went to visit an old place I recalled." Was the only reply Aimerick could give. Hairein could easily tell when Aimerick was not truthful, but he didn't say anything nor ask anything further after that. Hairein was fiddling with his belt on his uniform, and passed out a few minutes later from exhaustion. Aimerick would remain in the room with him till night fell. The city was now dark, but he could still see movement down below. There were no celebrations like he remembered, as most of the city would remain quiet for the rest of the night. He looked out the window most of the night, as his thoughts wandered. He would later fall asleep by the window, with Hairein waking up a few hours later. He scratched his head, and ruffled his hair. He gave a deep yawn, as he got dressed. He wore a blue tunic on top, and his uniform pants.
"Aimerick." He thought, as he placed his bed covers over him. He left the room, as he closed the door lightly.
By dawn, Aimerick had opened his eyes to see that he had fallen asleep by the window. He had a blanket over him, as he got up. It fell to the floor. He picked it up, off the floor and placed it onto the bed. Judging by the rooms' condition, Hairein had left earlier. There was clothing all over the room. He hadn't changed at all. Aimerick sighed, as he picked up the clothes and folded them, and placed them onto the table. He took off his uniform, and put on a shirt, and some pants. He left the room, and headed outside.
"Yo." A voice said, and he saw Hairein standing outside waving.
"Why didn't you wake me?" Aimerick asked, and Hairein shrugged saying he looked like he was having a good dream. They both walked onto the main road, as Hairein turned to Aimerick. His messy blue hair, and blue eyes were visible due to the street lights. He also had a feature he tended to avoid even speaking about, and it was the black horns that had been embedded into his head when he was young. They were now visible, and couldn't be hidden by his messy hair any longer. He would try several different hair styles back then to hide them, but most of the time it wouldn't work. He would get frustrated, as he rustled his hair.
"They look fine." Aimerick said, as he could see Hairein getting self-conscious about his horns.
"I got a promotion." He said, as he laughed. Aimerick stopped, and looked abruptly at Hairein. He too smiled, as he slapped Hairein on the back. He was happy for him.
"That is great." He thought, but Hairein didn't seem thrilled. It made him worry about how their relationship as being friends would change, and it did.
Three years after, Aftokrator decided that Karith had no worth, and slowly removed there armies. Hairein got the orders to recall all the soldiers within the country, as men began to pack up there bags, and leave the city. Large ships landed to take the men back to Aftokrator. Aimerick stood there in the main street, as the people of the city remained silent. It would mean freedom after almost being in Aftokrators control for close to eighteen years. Many were unsure of what to do or say, as the number of soldiers decreased each day. Aimerick holding his pack saw Hairein giving orders to the men. He stopped in his tracks, and for some reason he couldn't go with them. It would be the final day, and the last ship that was departing for Aftokrator. He just stared at the black ship, as Hairein grabbed him by the shoulders.
"We got to go back home." He said, and Aimerick felt the word "home" hit him.
"I can't go." He whispered, and Hairein looked at Aimerick with disbelief. Hairein took a step back away from Aimerick, as to say why.
"This is my home." He said, as Hairein gave no reply. He shook his head to say no.
"Your home is with us, Aimerick. It is now Aftokrator." He gave his reply, and Aimerick could not agree nor disagree. He had grown up in Aftokrator for the majority of his life.
"I can't go back." And Hairein began to trudge towards the ship. He would have to tell the superiors that he did not return, and there would be a chance that they would come back for him. He would have to lie for Aimericks sake.
"Then does that make us enemies?" He asked, as he looked at Aimerick.
"I don't know." Aimerick said, as his hair swayed and the dirt from the ground shifted up into the air. This tension, and this sadness. Aimerick didn't know what the future would hold for them both. Hairein seemed to understand, as he walked up the steps into the ship. He gave only one look back, as the ship departed from Karith. Aimerick would never be able to go back.
The country would remain in shambles, as chaos ensued. There were no rules, nor someone to set them. Aimerick would remind hidden for the first year after remaining behind, due to the hatred towards Aftokrator, he was never safe. He had to change his appearance, as he began to build up his own army. He scouted people he trusted, and began to set order back in Karith. He would find a worthy individual to set on the throne, as he would become the main force of the armies in the country. He feared that Aftokrator would come back one day to reign over the country again, and decided to take his men on expeditions throughout the galaxy to search for people to aid in his cause. Most of those expeditions came back as failures, and as he became more desperate, he decided force is the only option. He would become no different from the ways the Aftokrator ruled.
Still, on those chilly nights of winter he would venture back towards the past where he had once sparred with Hairein, and how they would be laying on the ground together looking up at the sky. The days they both became official soldiers, and went through the portal to other worlds and conquered countless countries together.
"Hairein." He would say, as his own men behind him had fallen asleep. The cold castle he now lived in, and the cold atmosphere of being in control. He felt no different from the people he hated. He simply had no choice, but to accept it, as he would sometimes see the image of his mother smiling, and his father whose face was not visible laughing. They both hugged and kissed, and they both hugged him with love.
"One day you will grow up, and you will see the world in a much bigger perspective. When I am gone, protect your mother. Don't forget that." He said, as he would ruffle his hair, and he would nod. As those memories passed, Aimerick felt his eyes water. He could never truly go back, as his eyes closed, the darkness would overtake him.
"I miss you, Hairein."
Characters:
Aimerick: Becomes James to live amongst the Meedens to gather information. He loses his parents at a young age, and is taken to Aftokrator to become a soldier along with all the other youths of Karith. He befriends Hairein.
Hairein: A black trigger user of Aftokrator, and is the captain of his crew in the manga that invades Earth. He has messy blue hair, and blue eyes with two horns on his head that were embedded into him when he was a child. He befriends Aimerick who is shunned by the noble sons due to him not being a noble. He also has a brother.
