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Yuda Kaneo had always been behind everyone else.
Despite growing up with the rest of the boys, Neo knew he could never be like the rest of them. He wasn’t as talented or skilled or privileged. He would never reach the level they were at.
Hajime came from the higher noble families, one blessed with a successful military lineage. It was only expected that he, too, would join the knights and become one of the most dedicated and loyal warriors of the kingdom of Aoba. He was the one everyone admired. He was the one who made everyone proud.
Issei and Takahiro weren’t too far behind. Though their background wasn’t as amazing as Haji’s, they still put in the time and effort to become just as strong as he was. Their antics made it hard for others to believe they were among the top three warriors of the kingdom, but once they were put in battle, it became clear why they were the best. Their teamwork was something to model, and by themselves, they were still forces to be reckoned with.
And Tooru? Well, he was a prince. He had everything. Wealth, power, opportunity. He wasn’t talented like people believed, but he took advantage of his opportunities to refine his skills and improve his chances of success. In spite of his ego and attitude, Tooru grew to become the kingdom’s most treasured and beloved leader. He led the people well and protected them even more so.
That left Kaneo - a man who grew up in poverty, a military reject, and a lowly bard whose only gift was to write songs of their journeys and share them with all to the people.
He loved his work, but there were days when he wished he had been deemed worthy enough to join them in battle. Although he certainly had the determination and tenacity, his body wasn’t cut out for the training, so he was told to go home and try something else - in less than nice words.
His childhood friends encouraged him that he still played an important role in the kingdom, that they still treasured him as much as they always had, but he had a difficult time believing such ideas, especially when the whole kingdom whispered questions about why he was allowed to even be in the presence of greats.
Who am I compared to all of you?
“Perk up, Neo,” Issei said, snapping him out of his thoughts with a hard slap on the back. “You’re a good egg.”
“We’re still going to be friends, silly goose,” Hiro added, sticking out his tongue. Kaneo glanced at Hajime, who nodded.
“Promise?”
Tooru smiled, pulling his friend in for a hug. “As long as we’re alive, we will remain friends forever, Neo-chan!”
“Always.”
Kaneo wished he had stopped time right then and there.
Because it was after that when he lost them all.
The attack had been sudden, only known when the castle came under siege. All of them rushed to save whoever they could, but the enemy had already taken down so many, infuriating the now-king of Aoba. Tooru had jumped into battle, quickly followed by Hajime. The two slew as many men as possible while Issei and Hiro took care of the straggles. They all insisted Neo take shelter before he was caught up in everything.
But there were just too many of them.
Tooru was the first to fall, caused by a small mistake on his part. The fatigue had kicked in and it was a moment of vulnerability that allowed the enemy to finally sink their teeth into the prey. The king fought irregardless of his wounds, screaming the songs of Aoba up until his last breath.
Issei was next to go. Blinded by his rage, he never saw the trap laid and he was stabbed from behind, then left to die on top of the king he failed to protect.
Hiro followed after. Without his partner, he was overwhelmed by numbers and couldn’t push them back. Though Haji did his best to save him, by the time he arrived, Hiro had already been slaughtered, dying in a pool of his own blood next to Issei and Tooru.
Haji was the last of them. He handled as many as he could, driven by his fury and his grief. Neo swore he killed a good fifty men on adrenaline alone, but it wasn’t enough. Even Haji had his limits and once he had gone beyond them, his body gave in to fatigue and he fell next to his friends. He desperately pushed himself to his feet, hoping to fend off the last of the enemy, but his body refused to obey, leaving him open to attack.
Neo couldn’t bring himself to move fast enough.
The last of his friends was dead.
He didn’t know how it happened, but Neo managed to kill the remaining stragglers. He attributed it to the training he was able to receive before being dismissed, or perhaps it was due to grief, but he’d never know for sure. All he knew was that he was left all alone with men who died protecting their kingdom.
“I thought ‘forever’ means forever.”
Tears cleaned the blood, but it kept pouring out of the men on the ground. Neo’s rivers would never be enough to cleanse the carnage. His hands would never be able to do enough to undo the damage here. His will would never be enough to stop the entire thing from happening.
He’d never be enough to save them.
Collapsing to the ground, Neo screamed, begging, crying, praying for life to return to his friends. He knew they could hear him, yet everything prevented them from answering him. He shook Haji, rolled Hiro onto his back, tried to resuscitate Issei, muttered more prayers over Tooru.
Nothing.
“Come on, please! A complaint, a witty remark, something!”
Neo’s hands grew cold against their bodies. No heartbeats came from their chests.
“Please…”
Nothing.
“Why couldn’t I have been like you?”
‘Don’t be an idiot. You’d send yourself to death.’
Tooru’s scolding rang in his ears. It was the same words he was told when he tried sneaking off to battle despite the men telling him not to. He wasn’t ready and his body wouldn’t be able to handle it. All of his friends knew that, so they insisted he go home instead of risking his behind for them.
‘We’ll be okay.’
“But you’re not anymore.”
‘Look, someone’s gotta stay behind to tell of our exploits if we kick the bucket.’
‘Oh stop it Makks, you’re scaring him.’
‘Neo tells a good story! I want him to give all the juicy details after I’m gone.’
‘He has a point. You have much to live for, if not for yourself, then do it for us.
‘You better promise!’
‘Okay, okay, I will!’
Kaneo held each of their hands, giving a small squeeze as he bit his lip.
“I’ll make sure you all don’t die here then. I won’t break my promise.”
That was the moment he decided he would dedicate the rest of his life to living.
The king of valor
His men, brave and bold,
Saved all of Aoba
But would never grow old.
They will never be able to share
Their tales of loss and glory,
But now let me be the one
Who lives to tell their story.
If he didn’t live, the memory would die.
And he’d never forgive himself if it did.