Note : Spoilers for end of manga vol.1 and most of vol.2. Everything belongs to Hikawa Kyoko-san. (But then again... can I own Izark? Please, Hikawa-san?)
Fallen
by Aqua-chan
Morning.
Soldiers were leaving early. They were loading the coffins of dead soldiers onto the carriage. Maybe it was their noise that woke me up. Useless bastards - they were probably looking for Mezame, the Awakener.
And also for me.
Tenjoki - Ghost of Heaven.
...Somehow my body felt heavy. My chest seemed to heave strangely - I was short of breath without a reason, this early in the morning. A drop of sweat had formed on my forehead, and I swept it away.
...This must be...
"Ah... Izark. Good morning!"
That girl's voice rang out behind me in a foreign language. That girl - Noriko, Mezame, the Awakener.
NO-RI-KO...
It was a strange name... and that confirmed the fact that she wasn't of this world. She was from Other World.
She was Mezame.
"Ah- did you sleep well?" I asked just casually, knowing she wouldn't be able to understand anyway.
Then my vision darkened. Just for a second. But it was enough to send my whole body shaking, and fog my brain.
-It had started...
"Izark?!"
Noriko's voice shouted in alarm. I had fallen... helplessly. I lay there, unable to stand up, unable to move a single muscle. I felt weak...
"Izark... what... what is it?!" Her face pale, Noriko tried to come near me...
"DON'T COME NEAR ME!" I shouted.
She stopped dead on her track, her face now a mixture of worry and fear. Her large brown eyes seemed to say, Did I do something wrong?
I tried hard to get up. With a heaved sigh, I brought myself up, leaning against the wall. My eyes did not focus clearly, but I could see her face well enough to feel sorry for her. I had shouted at her, for no reason at all. She couldn't understand a word I said. Feeling feverish, I turned my eyes away from her.
"Sorry..." I said, walking shakily toward my bed. I sat down heavily. "I'm okay."
But she didn't seem to take it in. She hesitated a bit, then rushed out a bunch of words that I didn't understand. She even used her hands to gesture something. Then she ran out.
I didn't know what in the names of the Light and Darkness she was doing. But my question was answered when she came back - with a doctor. She had gone out to call a doctor, because I was sick.
How funny... Mezame, the one supposed to awaken me, was worried about me, Tenjoki. Mezame, who was said to kill me and that I in turn had to kill Mezame, so it was said.
This wasn't what I had expected... I had expected a being with mighty power, or something close to it, so that I would have to fight, then kill it. I had never expected a girl.
The doctor made a fuss around me, but I dismissed him with my usual explanation. An illness from childhood and so on. I knew I was lying - I knew it wasn't an illness. It was Tenjoki inside me trying to get a hold of my body. And I needed every bit of will power to control it. And I couldn't use my power well at this time... Tenjoki wouldn't let me have its power.
...Usually it came about once every six months... but this one was... early...
I was half listening to the Town Chief's yelling when Noriko suddenly blocked my view, yelling something in return. She seemed to be angry... for what?
"Hey, Chief... she's angry because you yelled at the sick person..." the doctor sweatdropped. The Chief seemed to be embarrassed, and mumbled some apologies.
She was worried about me... and being protective.
I smiled weakly.
What was with this girl...?
-Mom... where are you...?
I was wandering. Along. Scared. I reached for something...
-Kyaaaa!! Don't come near me, Izark!!!
She shouted.
-Oh, oh, oh! I was ignorant. The price for money and honour is this child!!!
My mother...
-Don't go near him. He's a monster!
Villagers...
All left me.
No one wanted to be with me.
No one, except a dark shadow in my heart...
"...!!" I woke up, startled. It was a dream, the never-ending nightmare. I instincively turned to where I had left my sword - it was still there. I relaxed a little. Then I turned the other side...
...And I got up, surprised to see the girl sleeping on the floor, her head resting on my bed.
Mezame. No, her name was Noriko.
Mezame. Worried. About me. Tenjoki...
The words seemed to hang around me. Each and every word. My destiny as Tenjoki, awakened by Mezame. But she was worried... about me being sick.
Why?
Why...?
Suddenly I sensed footsteps. Many of them, in fact. As soon as I had readied myself with my sword they came, swiftly but not with success. I killed two of them instantly, but the labour was too intense for my condition. I steadied my breath.
They were the bandits, whose chief I had defeated earlier...
"Don't worry, everyone! This son of a bitch is real sick!"
"If you want to die, then come!!" I shouted, and swung my sword widely. They attacked, and attacked again, and I killed mercilessly. I couldn't think of controling my strokes. I had to survive. I had to...
"Kya!!"
...The girl! She was found by the bandits.
...I had to protect her-
-She didn't know anything-
-She was just a girl...
CRASH!!!
The windows broke, and I fell-
-THUD.
"Izark!" The girl's voice shook with fear.
I opened my eyes. The girl's doe-like eyes were filled with tears.
She didn't know anything. She honestly didn't know what battles were. What this world was like.
"Go... run away! I can't move... Go, go anywhere but here!"
She didn't understand. Instead, she hauled my body up, and supported me on her back. Her hand held my sword. Her face was determined.
"No... run away..." My voice faltered. "Noriko..."
But she did not run away.
She carried me all the way to a storage, and hugged me as if to hide me. Slowly my breath eased. Her exhausted body felt heavy but warm against my chest. I closed my eyes.
It was safe. For some time, at least.
I was safe...
...She didn't know anything. She was just an ordinary girl. She... tried to protect me.
I had fallen. She hauled me up.
...If that was what Mezame was...
I had made up my mind.
The rain seems to stop. I stand up, and look out of the small cave we have taken shelter. We had left Karko, defeating bandits and a warrior that the merchant had employed, three days ago. The villagers were so thankful and offered to stay longer, but I had refused...
...I had Mezame in my hands. And I didn't want to stay at one place too long at a time.
"All right, Mr. Horse. The rain stopped, so let's be friendly!" The girl says something in foreign tongue, and tries to mount the horse...
...And fails miserably. "Kya~ Izark! Help~!!"
I sigh.
This girl is Mezame.
A girl who doesn't know anything, even the language.
But a girl brave enough to trust me, a complete stranger, and to stand up for me, to protect me.
"So...sorry, Izark, but you see, I've never been on a horse, we usually have bicycles or trains or cars, and..." She mumbles on in her language.
"Whatever, just look ahead of yourself."
I do not know when I'll part with her. Sooner the better, but I must find a reliable person to trust her. After she learns some basic language, of course. So that I will tell her not to say anything about our meeting.
But until then... I will make sure nothing bad befalls her.
Nothing.
******************
Aqua-chan's note : My impression of Izark's speaking style is... that he doesn't speak kindly.;;; He's more of rough type.
I just wanted to express what Izark was thinking in vol.1 and vol.2. Nothing more.
Izark : ...But you are not me. And I never told what I was thinking at that time.
Aqua-chan : Ahaha...;;; But I'm the author, so I can make up whatever I want!!!
Noriko : *face reddened* Eto, Izark, did you really think like that...?
Izark : *face tomato red* Noriko, don't fall for her trap!!
Aqua-chan : OHOHOHOHOHO!!!