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Chapter Text

Chapter 1: The Magician [Rin’s Perspective]

11/13/1268

11:29 PM

The sound of my bedroom door creaking awoke me. I looked at the large wooden door, to see saw the pale red hair of my older brother leaving our shared bedroom. Hurriedly, I got out of the velvet covers to follow him.

“I know you’re there, Rin.” Sae said, a few minutes of following him later. “...How?” I eventually responded. “Wearing your shoes while following someone in these stone halls isn’t smart. Now quick, we’re wasting time” I looked and saw that he was barefoot. “Why didn’t I think of that?” I thought to myself. “Wh-Where are we going? Sae began jogging through the halls. “Dad is having a meeting with some big important guys, I wanna listen” he explained to me. “But isn’t that eavesdropping? Mom said that was bad.” I started to follow him. “Walk, don’t run. And don’t be such a party pooper, were princes, we need to know about this kind of stuff if we want to rule one day.” At the time, it made sense to my young impressionable mind. And nobody wants to be a party pooper.

We first knew we had arrived when we saw the orange yellow light piercing the late-night darkness through the small slit in the oak door. We crouched down at the sides of the doors, peering in with our ears. Most of the words were political gibberish to me, but Sae seemed deeply invested in their conversation. I did however, pick up on a few details that seemed important. “The Witches are an ever-expanding threat to humanity! They must be eradicated as soon as possible!” “To all Humanity? The Witches only reside in The Black Forest, and we are the only kingdom within radius of that forest.” The voices all sounded pretty similar to me, so it was hard to decipher who was saying what. “Exactly! If they take us down, there will be nothing else able to stop them! With the amount of resources they will steal from the ruins of this kingdom, they will be unstoppable!” "That won't happen, and you know it. Even our military by itself outnumbers the amount of witches in those woods 4 to 1. It is all under control for now."

After 5 or so minutes of listening, a small silence fell upon the room, and then the door opened without warning. It was so sudden in fact, that we couldn’t even move before we were picked up by the backs of our sleeping gowns, by the large burly hands of our father, the king of the Itoshi Kingdom. “Bwahaha! You two should be sleeping by now!” Our dad guffawed. “They were spying on us!” and old man shouted from inside the meeting room. “Bah! Stuff it Ernie! They’re just kids!” Another man responded. “You’re right!” Dad agreed “In-fact, I think I’ll let them stay for a while!”

Luckily, our dad was the ultimate power in our kingdom, so what he said went. I barely remember anything from the meeting, besides feeling very awkward and out of place, as well as falling asleep leaning against my brothers arm. He was enthralled, from what I recall. I mast likely only stayed awake on the trip to the meeting because of the exhilaration of sneaking up past our bedtime and eavesdropping on our dad. Me and Sae woke up in our shared master bed, tucked in by our father, with much too little sleep for two children.

“Don’t tell mom about last night, ok? She’ll ground us for a month!” Sae joked to me on the way to breakfast the next morning. “Yeah-hahah! Ok big bro!”

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7/21/1278

7:04 AM

I was awoken by the early morning sunlight assaulting my eyes as the canopy of my bed was pulled open. “C’mon, sleepy prince, it’s 7 AM!” The voice of my somehow always cheerful personal guardsman pierced through my early morning brain fog. “Mmgh... It’s too early for this kind of behavior, Yoichi.” My voice grumbled in my throat as I put my hand in-front of my eyes. “Well this, IS the time you requested me to get you up Sir.”

“...”
“...”

“Get out and let me get dressed.” I commanded. “Yes, my sleepy prince”

I came out of the bedroom, fitted in a casual robe, silver colored, like the grey of fresh iron. It was highlighted and threaded with golden and cyan colored strings and weaves. The robe itself was made of cotton, encased in velvet. The rest of the outfit were plain, basic clothes, including a white undershirt, grey velvet pants, and dark leather shoes. I also took my jewel-embedded rapier with me. It was mostly just for show, but that didn't mean I didn't know how to use it.

“Took you long enough, slow prince” Yoichi taunted as I exited my bedroom. “Someone like me could have someone like you killed for those kind of words Yoichi.” I reminded him. He just laughed as we started walking down the large staircase leading to the main hall of the Itoshi Castle. “What will it be for breakfast today, Prince Itoshi?” One of the servants asked me. “Nothing. I will be going into the town this morning.” “Understood Sir” Yoichi piped up “Since when were we doing that, Prince?” “Since now. Eating in the royal hall with all the servants providing for you constantly can get annoying.” “I...Suppose that makes sense.” Yoichi slowly responded.

The market was bustling as it usually is on a Sunday morning. The streets were crowded with those who were there to purchase, to sell, to do both, or to do neither. Luckily, as I was born in this city, and already knew my destination, it was easy to navigate the cluttered marketplace.

The wooden sign, and the familiar smell of burning wood welcomed me to “The Yo Flour”, my favorite bakery in the entire kingdom. The name was a play-on-words of the Yo Flower, a rare water flower growing around the edges of ponds and rivers. The bakery was run by the Yo family. The front of the store was manned by Hiori Yo, a young teen who always seemed to by coated in baking flour.

“Ah! Gooood morning prince! Same again?” Hiori shouted from inside the brick building. A simple nod back was all he needed to get to work. The Yo Flour was famous for their cocoa croissants, and that's what Yoichi and I ordered every time we came to The Yo Flour. “hey, um, Prin-"

“THIEF! SHE’S A BLOODY THIEF!”

The voice of an old man boomed down the street. When I turned to look towards the yelling, I immediately noticed a small figure dawning a large black cloak and a equally black tall pointy hat. They were carrying a big brown bag filled with vegetables, fruits, and other food items. Two guards stationed nearby started chasing the thief, and then suddenly, a large cloud of dark grey smoke puffed out of the crowd, obscuring Me and Yoichi’s views.

“Smoke Bombs?! That bastard!” Yoichi yelled as he pulled out his sword, preparing to help his fellow guardsman. “No.” I countered. “What do you mean no?! It’s clearly smoke! Have you gotten your eyes checked recently, Prince?!” “It’s fucking witchcraft.” I spat the words out like they were poison, and dashed towards the filthy witch that had dared to invade my kingdom. “P-Prince! Wait!”

The cloaked figure dashed into the alleyways, and I quickly pursued, Yoichi and the two tother guards on my tail. “I knew this would come in handy” I thought to myself as I drew my rapier. The witch had knocked over a barrel of apples, which would have atleast slowed down most guards, but being a prince had many benefits, including specialized training. I jumped off the wall to evade the tripping hazard, and continued the hunt.

I was faster then her. The cobblestones blurred below my feet as we dashed down the alleys, reaching a dead end. I lunged forwards, stabbing them with my royal rapier, making sure not to land a fatal blow. I needed it alive. The blade pierced the witches cloak. Only the cloak. The black fabric fell over my blade, revealing nothing but the wooden walls surronding me.

“Hehe~” A light voice giggled from above me. A small figure was crouching on the brick tile rooftop, wearing dark, baggy clothes with several brown leather straps wrapped around it, each sporting at least one satchel carrying either plants, bottles, or loose papers inside. “Too slow, Itoshi~” The damned witch teased me. Two glowing amber eyes shined from underneath their hat’s shadow. There was something off about those eyes, something that made my stomach fell like it was tied into knots. The witch winked at me before dashing across the red rooftops, but as they stood up, I managed to catch a quick glimpse of their face.

An almost sharp jawline combined with a rounded chin made an interesting semi-circle face shape. She had blunt bangs, and her short hair circled around her head's outline before poofing and slightly curling out to the sides at the bottom. It was black, almost matching her hat, but also had a under-dye in a bright yellow that I had never seen in hair colors before. Hair dye wasn't unheard of, but it was rarely seen, and never done in such an unnatural hair color, usually only blacks or dull blondes.

Looking at them already stirred up no unsignificant amount of malice inside of me, but now? Now there was something more, something… unknown. Something that wouldn't be ignored. “What the hell, Prince?!” Yoichi and the other guardsmen had caught up. “Why didn’t you keep following it?”

“I... Don’t know.”

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7/21/1278

8:15 AM

The steps into the royal courtyard made light clicking sounds from the boots of Yoichi and I as we ascended them. A strange feeling boiled in my gut as I thought about the witch I failed to catch. “What happened? Why did I hesitate? And why do I keep thinking about those damn glowing eyes?!” My thoughts were interrupted by a solemn voice as we reached the courtyard. “Where is it?”

My older brother, and the next-in-line for the throne, stood Infront of me and Yoichi, with his own personal guard, Kunigami, leaning on a statue of out father behind him. “Where is what, Sae?” I responded simply. “Could he know about earlier?... Of course not, how could he? “The witch you found. Don’t play dumb with me Rin, we both know the locals tell me everything that happens in this kingdom.” Ah, right. Sae’s royal prince treatment he loved to abuse. “...It got away.” I said, frustratedly. “...That’s it? It “got away”? Rin, I understand witches are tricky, but you’re better then that. You had 3 able-bodied men, you should have-” “I’M SORRY I’M NOT PERFECT, OK?! I can’t just think of a flawless plan on the spot Sae!” I snapped. “You have to.” This is bigger then a training drill Rin.” Sae told me, like I didn’t already know that. “I’m aware, Sae.” I said back to him as I started walking past, towards the castle doors.

Kunigami stood up from his leaning position, his muscular figure standing before me, preventing me from exiting the conversation. “The threat the Witches propose to this kingdom is greater then you know. That witch you failed to capture could have been a spy for The Coven, Rin!” Sae raised his voice slightly, slowly closing the distance between us. I sighed, my breath jagged as the Iron Cliffs. “I messed up, I get it. I apologize Sae, now I would like to return to my bedchambers.” I told him bluntly. “You can’t just apologize and walk away from this Rin! You know what they did. What they took from us.” Sae spoke darkly at me. “That’s enough.” The deep voice of the orange-haired royal guardsman pierced through the tension. “This is going nowhere. There will be plenty of time for this discussion at the royal council meeting in three days time.”

“...Fine. I hope you understand the gravity of your actions, Rin. Now come, Kunigami. We have important business to attend to.” Sae said before turning around and exiting the royal courtyard. “One more thing, Young Prince.” Kunigami added. “Being a ruler isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked the larger man. “And how would you know? You’re just a guardsman.” Kunigami let out a deep breath before saying, “There is always more then one path for your future that you can walk down. No matter what anybody else says.” And then without another word, he turned and walked away.

“That was strange.” Yoichi whispered to me as Kunigami went after Sae. “...Yeah. Something like that” I said dismissively, although I couldn’t shake the feeling that what he said was more important that it sounded. “...Soooo...” Yoichi began. “Why didn’t you show your br- The other prince, the cloak you stole from the witch?”

Oh. Right. The cloak that the witch left behind after I “stabbed” them. “...You forgot, Didn’t you?” “First of all, that is no way to talk to your superiors, Yoichi. Second of all, it... may have slipped my mind a bit. But I have my own reasons for keeping it a secret!” “Oh yeah, like what? My voice failed me as I attempted to think of a good cover-up story. “Well- I- Look. If I showed Sae that cloak, he would have taken it and used it to find the witch for himself. I can’t have that.” “WaitWaitWaitWait. We could have used. The witch’s cloak. To find said witch. This whole time?!” He yelled. “Be silent before you get us both in trouble!” I whisper-shouted at him. I had a plan, but it was a gamble, and it was highly prohibited.

The familiar creaking of the never-once-replaced wooden door to my bedroom echoed around the room as we stepped inside. Yoichi flopped on to my bed. “I doubt it is legal to lay on the bed of the prince without his permission.” “Eh, legal Shmegal” “Watch what you say in-front of me.” “Anyways” He continued, “I presume you have a plan to capture this witch, right?” “Who do you think I am?”

“Of course I do.”

Chapter Text

7/21/1278
3:55 PM

{Sae's POV}

"Who does he think he is? Trying to hide something like that from me. Does he honestly think I'm that stupid?" I thought out loud, knowing only my royal guardsman, Rensuke was around to hear me as we wandered down the back alley of my kingdom's Royal District. "I too, am unsure as to why he would try such a thing, Prince Sae. However I do get the feeling that he's going to try something drastic." Rensuke responded to my rhetorical question. "Yes, well… Even if he does, I doubt it will be outside of what I have already anticipated." The clicking of our footwear on the stone synchronized as our brisk walking paces began to match eachothers, with Rensuke following slightly behind me as usual. Far enough as to not be breathing down my neck, but close enough as to show that he is with me and can reach my side in an instant.

"You seem…Tense, My prince. Is something bothering you? Besides the other Prince, of course." Rensuke asked, with much more politeness then you would expect from a larger man like him. "*Exhale* Unfortunately, yes, Kunigami. My list of issues that needed to be sorted out with "Utmost Urgency" seems to be growing by the day. What, with this new criminal gang rising from the slums, Rin running unleashed and unchecked, the presence of the witches in The Black Forest, and the lack of a king, it seems like every turn has a new incident report sent to the file manager. What was his name again?" "Kuon, Sire" Kunigami re-informed me. "Ah yes, him. We must remind someone to up his pay, I imagine he is most definitely swamped with paperwork as of late."

As we reached a crossroad in the pathways, i pulled to the left, taking the fastest way to the front gate of the Mikage Estate. The front gate guardsman opened the way for us the moment he caught sight of us. Smart man. The Mikage Estate was a large square of beautifully kept gardens, fields, and plants, with a large wooden manor, white in color, at the back middle of the property.

We strode down the cobblestone path towards the imposing structure. "Why are we here, of all places Prince Sae?" "The Mikage House has taken the role of hosting our "Pre-Meeting Council." "The Pre-Meeting Council?" Kunigami questioned "Yes, a meeting between the new generation of royalty across all of Europe before the true Royal Council Meeting."

"Further more, to lighten the load of work I need to do, I am going to assign the task of watching over Rin to an… Acquaintance of mine. He should already know we're here."

Much to my not-surprise, As soon as we got near the front porch, the door opened to show a tall man with an average build, and purple hair. "Kunigami…" I began as we stepped onto the deck. "This is Reo, the head of the Mikage House. Due to his major wealth, he has a large amount of influence over many different people in many different professions."

"Ah, you flatter me, My Prince. Hello there, Kunigami. You are… the Prince's royal guard, I presume?" Reo asked, extending his hand for a formal handshake. "Yes. That is me." Kunigami responded stoically. "Wow, your a cold one huh? Looking at your impressive build, it seems you've found yourself a rather good knight, Prince Itoshi."

"Yes, He is certainly something, that's for sure." I concurred. "I appreciate the respect, but I am standing right here." Kunigami vocalized his comedic displeasure to being talked to like he wasn't there. "Ahaha, yes of course! My apologies Good Man. Let us talk inside Prince Itoshi, the others are waiting, and the tea must be getting cold by now. However, your guard must unfortunately wait outsi-" "Yes Reo, I'm already aware of the customs, and so is he." I cut him off. "Yes, I should've assumed my Prince, my mistake." Reo apologized, however his impish smirk implied zero trace of remorse nor being apologetic.

"Due to my line of work, I may not leave the Prince completely guard-less however, so I will be staying on the property, if I am permitted to." Kunigami informed Reo. "…Yes. Of course, Good Sir." Reo obliged, obviously to his distaste.

"Now, shall we then, Prince Itoshi?"

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7/21/1278

3:59 PM

{Sae's POV}

The wooden door barely made a creak as the purple haired royal opened it to lead the way inside. The door lead into a medium sized room with glass walls, and small shelves on the floor, each with a small array of shoes. "If you would be so kind as to take of your walking shoes? I don't like making the maids work harder then necessary." Reo asked with a casual sense of formality surrounding him. "Of course." I replied simply as we both dismounted our feet apparel.

Opening the next door led into the main common area. The room's floor was surrounded by a wooden walkway on the edges, with the middle being a slight sunken carpeted floor, with a small set of steps around the edges. AT the back center of the carpeted area, were four cushioned chairs, a large coffee table in-between them, and a fireplace attached to the back(stone) wall.

"Please. Have a seat, my Prince." Reo offered, indicating the seat on the south side of the square table(BTW the door is on the south side of the room). As I took a seat, I took note of who else sat around the table.

To my left, sat a decently muscular, imposing man, with smooth dark hair, and piercing green & purple eyes. Oliver Aiku, Heir to the title of "Itoshi Military Captain". He was well known for his combat endeavors and achievements during the second Salem Witch Extermination, aswell as the Witch Raid on The Itoshi Castle 10 years prior.

On my right, sat an athletic man with a calm demeanor about him. Otoya Eita, Prince of the foreign kingdoms of the northern plains, which are well respected in The Itoshi Family for providing aid during both of the Salem Witch Exterminations.

Finally, Reo Mikage himself took his seat in the opposite chair to my own, the firelight behind him providing an ominous glow to him. House Mikage was a royal family, famous for their neutrality in political situations, aswell as their mass wealth and influence over the people of the kingdom.

"Shall we begin, then?" the purple haired man asked, clapping his hands together lightly. "So we shall." Otoya responded simply. We bantered and conversated over simple topics and polite formalities for a while, asked eachother about their personal lives. Eventually, four cups of a herbal tea were brought over.

"Oh, This is excellent Mikage! Truly!" Aiku called outwardly. "Yes, a very pungent herbal blend. What have you added?" I asked. "Oh, it isn't that special really" Reo began "Just a simple blend of rich, earthy plants. The butler's know more about it then I do. I do, however, know that the petals of the exotic Elpis Flower were used during the brewing." "Truly? The Pale Frontier is unable to grow such materials, due to its harsh climates."

"I apologize for interrupting your friendly banter, but I do believe we should begin discussing the actual reasons for why we're here today" I interjected into the conversation. "Ah, yes. I suppose Prince Sae is right as always." Aiku sighed in a unserious tone. Reo then began to speak. "Yes. Well, we all know that twice a year, the Council of Crowns holds a meeting to discuss agreements, laws, and world issues. However, we, as important voices for the topics of which shall be discussed in this said meeting, come together three days before these meetings to discuss what the biggest things that require addressing are."

'There are many things we could bring up," Reo continued. "But I believe that there are three very important issues that must be discussed. DO any of you know what they might be?" "Well, I've heard The Black Forest and the Witches within are becoming a large thorn is your side?" Otoya offered. "They are not becoming a "thorn in our side"! we have it under control." Aiku shouted back defensively. "What is a problem though, are those damn hellbent anarchists that keep operating right under our fucking noses!" "Calm down Aiku, there's no reason to shout. But yes, The Reavers are becoming quite an issue." Reo agreed in his usual collected demeanor.

Both of these points are large problems yes. But what we have to concern ourselves with the most, is the coronation." I stated firmly. "A coronation?!" "Oh really? I'd not heard of this yet." Otoya and Reo both asked respectively. "Yes. The Queen is getting past her years of rule, and must decide on a heir to the throne." "How is this even a problem?" Aiku asked "Prince Rin is nowhere near ready nor fit to rule" "Neither was my Father, yet look at what he did for this kingdom. However, I also am of the mind that Rin should not be the one to rule the kingdom." I stated firmly.
"He is… Unfit for the role, and his recklessness and selfishness would lead this kingdom to it's doom." I finished. "Sounds like someone else we know, right?" Aiku joked, to no response. "No?… Okay then…"
"What do you suppose we do then, Prince Itoshi?" Otoya questioned. "My plan is much simpler then it would be expected to be, and if I am not mistaken, Rin is already enacting the first step."

4:35 PM

The other two had already departed by now, so it was just Me and Reo by now. "Thank you for coming Sae. Really. It's an honor to have you." Reo praised me as we shook hands to depart. "Allow me to escort you out." "Very well. However Reo, one more thing. Earlier, you guys asked what you could do for the Coronation plan, and I said there wasn't anything to do, do you recall?" I began "Yes…?" "Well… I have heard rumors that you happen to have several… covert workers in your legion." "Ohh. I think I'm following you now." Reo said as what I was requesting dawned on him. "I need someone to follow my younger brother and report to me what he finds. Without being spotted, of course." "I think I have just the man."

"Nagi, My darling? Would you come hither for just a moment?" Reo called out. After a few seconds, a slow pair of footsteps came down the hall. The man who approached was a tall, lanky character, with white hair, and grey, baggy eyes. "…Yes Reo?" This supposed Nagi asked. "I have a job for you dearest. You know of the young Prince, yes?" "Uhhhh… Yeah? The raven-haired one?" "Yes! Could you perhaps follow him and keep note of his actions for me dear?" Reo requested rather politely. "Mhhh… Do I have to?…" I had only know this person for 30 seconds or so, yet they're already pissing me off. "Yes Nagi. You'll be rewarded handsomely my dearest, I promise." Reo bribed "Uhhhh… Fineee…" "Thank you my darling."

"It should be taken care of now, My Prince." Reo said, now turning back to me. "My thanks, Reo. Now, I must be going." "It would be impolite if I didn't walk you out." We walked oit of the manor, finally letting the cool late-afternoon breeze wash over us.

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7/21/1278
4:11 PM

{Kunigami POV}

The bench I currently sat upon was made of polished iron. Aesthetically pleasing, sure, but not the best when it comes to comfortability. It was a rather beautiful day outside, the birds were singing, the flowers were blooming. On days like these, children should be allowed to play outside, and have fun. I looked down at the silver band around my wrist, and steeled my resolve. I knew what I had to do.

Maybe it's the shoes he was wearing, or maybe it was the way he treaded without disturbing the faint grassy foliage beneath him, but I didn't notice the figure walking towards me until his long, silky red hair entered my peripheral vision.

"Heya, Ren." The smooth, singsong of the uber-redhead called out to me as he sat on the metallic bench. "You shouldn't be here, Hyoma." I warned, knowing his presence was illegal on such esteemed property. "Oh come on! Relax a little, Plus, You know you love being in my presence." Chigiri taunted with his infamous little smirk. "Oh hush, Princess." "Anyways… How's it going? With Sae and all." "Well enough, although he still doesn't trust me enough." "Is that why you're out here, and not with him?" "Yep. How's the business going?" I asked him in a serious tone. "It's going rather swimmingly, thank you for asking! I managed to sell more then 20 bouquets today and-" "You know what I meant, Hyo."

"Ugh, it's always work first with you, isn't it Rensuke?" Chigiri asked rhetorically, giving me a light shove. Not like it did anything, but the thought was there. "I am pleased to inform you however, that we've been making some progress on all three of the …"Projects" that we've been discussing!" Chigiri said, almost too loudly. "Oh really now? How much progress are we talking about here?" I questioned. "Not much in particular" The crimson-head said sheepishly. "But we've pushed through a couple barriers that were rather large nuisances for us." "That's great, Hyo." I complimented him.

"Enough about work stuff though. You were saying something about Bouquets?"

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7/21/1278
4:38 PM

{Kunigami's POV}

"Ah, I think thats my que to leave however! Sorry Ren!" Chigiri said as he got up from the still uncomfortable bench. I looked to see what he was talking about, and saw Sae finally leaving Mikage Manor. "NIt's no problem, Hyoma, don't worry about it. Plus, I am sure we'll be seeing eachother soon enoigh." I responded calmly. "Ta-Ta, Rensuke!"

"Finally courting yourself a maiden there, Kunigami?" Sae asked as he walked up behind me, with Reo on his tail. "No." I responded, my voice hardening once more. "They were simply, an old friend of mine that happened to cross by. How'd the meeting fair?" "Well enough." Sae responded "The Council's favor shall shine upon us once more."

"Excellent. Now, we have a dinner to catch, don't we?"

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7/21/1278
12:11 PM

The ground gradually got tougher as I reached the treeline, the thick pine tress preventing me from peering very far into the woods. I began walking along the edge of the Everwoods boundaries, and soon reached a small, hidden alcove in the rocky cliffs with a small pond, a large garden of flowers and herbs, and a small cottage with a large backyard near the rickety wooden fence blocking it all in. Oh, and of course, the miniature waterfall feeding into the pond, allowing a cost flow from the river attached to the pond into the Everwoods.

I leisurely hopped the fence gate and landed on the small gravel pathway leading to all the main attractions of my perfect little cove. As I was walking however, a pale figure with tall, spiky blonde hair with pink ends.

"Well, Well, Well. Look what the cat dragged in. Hello, Meguru." Without speaking a word, I ran up to the man, and in a single movement, unsheathed my knife and made an upwards swing towards his jaw. However, he easily predicted by attack and blocked the blade with his own weapon. A katana with a blade made of pure black, crystal clear, jagged crystal. Our blades held steady, clashed against eachother for a moment, then we both retreated our arms at the same time.

We both then raised our hands at the same time, swung them at eachother…

and caught eachother hands in a firm clasp. "Heyyy Ryu! How's it been?" I asked him "You're quick as ever, Meguru! but It's been soooo boring!!!! Nothing ever happens when I'm alone…" My best friend Ryusei Shidou whined as we released eachothers grasp. "Quit being a baby, it wasn't THAT bad."

"You weren't even there!! Ugh, here. Gimmie your bag, I imagine it must be miserable to carry with your tiny stature." Ryusei teased with a wicked smirk plastered on his face. I shoved him lightly as he grabbed the 2 bags of "purchased" goods, "Oh hush it Ryu! Its not my fault my genetics suck!"

"Aaanyways… How'd the trip go, I see you got what you needed from the markets?" Shidou asked, switching the topic. "Most of it yeah, although!" I perked up excitedly "I saw the Prince!!" "Which one?" "You know which one I'm talking about, Ryu." "Oh yeah. THAT one. What happened, did he see you?"

Well…" I began. "Some old man caught me stealing some various veggies, and called the guards, but it just so happened that the Prince and his knight were there! And so a conjured up some smoke to run away like "Foom!", but The Prince somehow managed to keep track of me! Which caused the rest of the guards to follow him to follow me, but then I knocked over some apple barrels which slowed the guards down and even caused one of them to trip! But The Prince jumped over them with ease like "Woosh!". He was so fast though! If I didn't jump to one of the rooves when I did, he totally woulda got me! I lost my cool cloak though…" "Ohh, that's where that went. By the way, nobody saw your face right?" Shidou questioned my with a look of faint curiosity on his devilish face.

"Nope! well… I might have teased the Prince a bit, but even so, how's he gonna find me? I didn't leave any sort of trail at all. Atleast, I don't think I did…"

(Flawless Transition)

7/21/1278
9:19 PM

“Why cant you just tell me where we’re going Prince!” Yoichi whined for the umpteenth time.  “Look, like I’ve said every other time, you’ll find out when we get there.  And before you ask, yes we’re almost there, you impatient squire.”  The faint creaking of the wooden pathway was a familiar, yet foreboding sound that resonated through the dingy, old buildings of the reformation district.

The Itoshi Kingdom was split into 7 districts, each having a unique purpose. The Low Housing and High Housing Districts are filled with the housing units of the low to middle class people, and the high class people respectfully. All of the people's trading, purchasing, selling, and service providing, are done in the Commerce District. The Ironworks District is for all Military purposes including training, planning, and weaponry storage. Then there is the Harvest District, where all of the lands natural resources are farmed or taken to be prepared and sold. The Royal District is smorgasbord of the homes, gardens, markets, and most other things required to live are. However, only royalty or other very important/very high class people are allowed to even walk inside.

Finally, there was the Reformation District, where most Criminals are sent to to be reformed. it is a gross, dingy, filthy area with terrible living quality, almost polluted air, and a dangerous crowd. The only reason I would let myself be seen in this kind of place is because of the fact that almost all of the black market dealing of mv kingdom happened here, and I needed something… not entirely legal.

“Prince, This place f-freaks me out.”  Yoichi hushedly informed me.  “Stop being so paranoid all the time, it's not like I'm happy about being seen here either.  Plus, since I’m here, anything even remotely close to a malicious act on us would result in the death sentence, at minimum.”  I told him.  I would never admit it, but I also felt uneasy as we walked down the dark wooden pathway.

Although I could have just been confusing this unease with the similar disconcertion building inside of me as I kept returning to the thought of that filthy witch. "I can't get their face out of my head, like it was permanently engraved on my mind! Maybe it was a spell… Yes, That's it, it was probably a curse they had put on me to hinder me. No matter, I shall use this curse as a blessing, by finding this damn witch using their own face."

I was roused out of my own head as the boardwalk went down a flight of wooden stairs into a large divot in the ground, with a large murky pond with reeds coming out filling the bottom.  Creaks and faint cracks sounded as the wooden pathway became less stable.  Ahead laid a shabby shadowy shingled shack, that radiated a dusty smell.  It, along with the nearby boardwalk was lit up by green-flame lanterns, further adding to the already unsettling, perturbing atmosphere of the area.

After a small amount of carefully waking, Yoichi and I finally arrived at the decrepit hut, and read the sign that said, in messy scrawl “Collector’s Emporium”.  A tiny shaving of wood fell of the door as I pushed the door inwards, causing a chime of bells to ring through the dark room we had just entered.  “Yoichi”  I began. “This store is ran by a man who collects the unique in all forms.  He is... A tad peculiar, so stay calm-”

“Hello Itoshi.”

His voice was enough to kick Yoichi into high alert, his hand already on his sword hilt.  I hate to admit it, but it even brought the hairs on the back of MY neck up.  “...Peculiar, you say?”  The storekeeper said.  He was an abnormally tall, skinny man with a thick but short mob of dirty black hair even darker then Yoichi's.

“Yoichi, this is Mr. Jinpachi.  He is a merchant that specializes in magical trinkets and strange artifacts.”  I informed him as he slowly took his hand of his blade, realizing that I appear to trust him.  “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”  “Hello there, Jinpachi.”  Yoichi responded, clearly still wary of this borderline creepy stranger.  Fair enough.  “Please, call me Ego.  Now, before we get sidetracked, what brings such a royal figure like yourself into my humble abode, Itoshi?”

“Ah right,”  I began. “Well, this morning, me and my royal guard here ran into a filthy witch in the courtyard and-”  Ego cut me off. “I am aware of your earlier spectacle, Itoshi.  I may do business in the Reformation District, but I am by no means ...Chained... to this place, like the rest of the… Denizens are.”  “I... See.  Well, during the incident, I managed to acquire a piece of clothing from it.  I was wondering...”  “If I could track down their location from it?”  Ego then pulled out a golden monocle lens, and held it up to his eye.  Show it to me.”

7/21/1278
9:43 PM

As Ego took his precious time going back and forth between studying the fabric, and studying various objects, which were surely magical in some way. Yoichi got very quickly distracted by Ego's other wares and "products". A crystal ring in a box labelled "Jennamite Ring", A Cylindrical object wrapped in bandages with weird writing on it labelled "Curse King's Finger", and a deep blue, perfectly round, tiny glowing sphere on a pillow labelled as "Hex Gemstone", aswell as several others.

“I have an idea.”  The eerie voice of the shopkeeper spoke after a while.  “Take this.  It’s a magical artifact that will most likely help you track down your prize.” What he handed to me was a silver compass with a single blue needle inside, and a wolf face on the back.  “What do you mean, “Might help us” Ego?”  I questioned him.  I needed guaranteed solutions, not maybe’s."

“...Do either of you understand the fundamentals of Witchcraft?”  Ego began  “No?  Why would either of us kno-” “I’m pretty sure I do!  It was part of the Anti-Witch course in Combat Training.”  Yoichi chimed in.  “Excellent Yoichi... Then you would know that a witches magic comes from nature, but is controlled by the witches soul, which is why every witch is different.  This, however, can be manipulated to our advantage with tools like the one you hold.  That compass can take identify and track witches using the leftover traces of their magic, which is directly linked to their soul.”  Ego explained  “And there’s leftover soul traces on that cloak?” Yoichi asked.  “Correct.   This does mean that this will have a limited duration of use, but once you find your target, the compass will never run out of energy. The only downside of this artifact, is that the closer you get to the target, the more likely they will feel that their soul is being interacted with.”

“This is practically perfect!”  Yoichi said as a grin spread across his face, although I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.  “How much for the compass, Jinpachi?"  "Ah yeas, always straight to business Itoshi… Seems to run in the family, not a bad trait to have in my eyes, mind you."

"You could pay for it the normal way, with a few hundred gold pieces, howe-" "A few hundred?! That's ludicrous!" Yoichi exclaimed. "Magical artifacts fetch rather… Ludicrous… Prices, as you put it, although, if you let me finish, you would know that I am offering a alternative way of payment for a relic such as this one" Ego informed us both, hodling up the compass to the dim yellow light in the roof by the small chain attached to it. I looked into my small coin purse I fastened to my waist. 80 gold pieces at most. Unfortunately, since i was not of legal ruling age, I had to ask permission from the royal treasurer to use the Kingdom's funds, and due to the fact that this wasn't a legal purchase, that wouldn't work. "I suppose it's somewhat misleading to call it payment. It's more of, how to put it… A deal."

"Do we have any other options, Prince?" Yoichi whispered. "No, I suppose we do not. Fine Ego, I'll hear your damned deal." I stated, diving head first into the unknown. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear… Come with me." He commanded us as the slender man walked into the backroom. "Here we go, Yoichi."

We sat into the worn wooden chairs as Ego lit a small hanging lantern that lit up the enclosed room rather well, surprisingly enough. Besides the three chairs and the lantern, the only other things in the room the third seat for Ego, and a table separating me and Yoichi from the merchant, with a stone bowl filled with a crystal clear water-esque liquid inside. "What's this deal of yours merchant? Do you wish to have The Prince in your debt?" I asked seriously.

"Not quite, Itoshi. For reasons that are my own, I have stakes in the politics of your Kingdom. To put this simply, I believe, that Prince Sae Itoshi will beat you to the throne, and become the new King." I could feel my jaw tighten as I heard those words. "Infact, I am so sure that is will be the case, that I will make a bet on it. If you manage to take the throne, not only will I never make you pay for that artifact you hold, but I will also give you one other relic of your choosing for free."

"Even though it won't ever happen, I believe I should still ask. If I don't take the crown?" I tried to keep myself 100% composed as I spoke. "Simple. If Sae beats you to the status of ruler…"

"I get to take both the compass, and your life, away from you."

My chair suddenly felt a whole lot stiffer as an awful, dreadful chill filled the enclosed space. "W-what did you say?" "You heard me, Itoshi." Ego then brought out two identical knives, each with a simple steel blade, and an ornate wooden handle. He slid one of them across the surprisingly smooth table, the knife gliding effortlessly into my palm. "If you wish to agree to my …"Deal"… then we must both seal it with our blood. Not a large amount, but a single drop from us both." "This reeks of witchcraft, Ego." I stated, a faint knot forming in my stomach. "It is a fair suspicion to have, but no. This is simply, a ritual… performed by my people."

Looking at the bowl of the silvery fluid, I tightened my grip on the knife I wielded. I had to do this. I had to. "You first, Jinpachi."

"It seems you have made your decision." Ego said. "Very well then." Ego raised his fist upwards, and extended his pointer finger outwards so it would be directly above the bowl. After, he brought his knife to his pointer finger. "At the same time. Our blood must be equal." Reluctantly, I copied his movement and hand position. Suddenly, I felt Yoichi grab my arm.

"You can't be serious, my Prince!" He pleaded desperately. "Can't you see how bad of an idea this is?!" I shook off his hand. "Let go of me, Coward. I know what I'm doing."

I prepared my blade. "Ready?" Ego asked. I nodded. "3. 2. 1." In a single moment, we both performed a swift incision, causing a single drop of our individual liquid life to fall into the liquid. The silvery water quickly began to change into a deep crimson hue as our blood mixed together within. The pain was a cold sting, like a papercut underwater. I had to remind myself that this pain was necessary. There will be more.

"Perfect." The man muttered, looking slightly more unkempt then usual. 'Here you go, Itoshi. Treat it well, and it will treat you in kind." Ego handed us the artifact. "That will be all, Ego. We will be taking our leave." Yoichi spoke. "Very well. See to it that the door is shut tight on your way out."

I took the compass and followed the knight out of the backroom and towards the exit. "One more thing, Prince Itoshi." Ego called after us. "Remember, Magic is nature's creation, and mortals can only wield it because of Mother Gaia's love for humanity. You are not in control."

"Ignore him, Prince. We have to get out of here." Without another word, I opened the door to Ego's Emporium, and left.

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7/21/1278
10:07 PM

{Isagi's Perspective}

"Where are we going now? It's getting dark, my Prince!" I called out to him as we began to ascend a hill at the edge of the Reformation District. "I'll be fine, foolish knight. I have a plan." Rin responded coldly. "You always have a plan, yet you never tell me what it is, Rin. I'll always be faithful to you, but I feel like I'm run blind here!" "Look, Yoichi. Finding this Witch could be the most important moment in my life! I never cared much for the theatrics of the believers, but this time, I feel the Fates calling out to me."

It was pretty much the first time I had ever seen Prince Rin speak this intensely about anything. He was already a plenty determined person, always set on completing and scoring his goals(heh). This time however, there was something else driving him, something more. I believed it had to have been something to do with that Witch we saw that morning. It was in the way he talked about her, the way his voice changed ever-so-slightly when they were the topic of conversation.

We stopped at the kingdom wall. The wall was imposing, tall, and stretched around the entire kingdom. Since the wall was only insinuated under the rule of the previous king, most sections were not entirely complete, so it was completely normal to see a construction crew at the bottom of the Reformation District's sector of the wall.

Rin walked up to one of the crew members, a beefy man with slicked back black hair, and a small black goatee. "Good evening, Lemon. I assume it is complete?" The man spoke in a tone both gentle and gruff at the same time. "Yes, Prince. Yes it is." "Perfect. Your end of the agreement shall be with you at dawn." Rin responded.

The Prince began walking towards and into a small unfinished part of the wall. As I followed, I quickly realized the hole was actually a hidden passageway out of the city. As I exited, a small gust of wind blew over me. It was no different then the wind from within the walls, and it wasn't like I hadn't left the city for Knightly duties before, but this time… Something felt different. A strange foreboding feeling washed over me, is this what people mean by the "Winds of Change"?

Rin stood upon a small boulder, staring out towards the boundless woodland of the Black Forest. His royal cloak billowed in the faint winds, making him look even more serious. "Are- Are we leaving Prince-" "Yoichi." Rin began. "I need your loyalty now, more then ever. If we fail, it's over for us. We have 3 days until the Council, and not many more after that until Mother passes on the crown. I have to be ready. Will you follow me?"

The severity of Rin's words sunk into me as I realized, this was the point of no return. There was no turning back after this. If the Captain of the Knights had taught me one thing, it was to never do something without giving it your all. I swallowed down my inhibitions, and stood tall.

"Without hesitation, My Prince."

Chapter Text

7/21/1278

9:48 PM

"Ughhhh, why did Reo make me do this…? This is so boring." I was laying behind a small dirt mound, watching an old, rickety house that stood above a gross looking pond. I was only watching because the Prince and his guard had entered inside, but that was like 30 minutes ago! How long were they going to take…

As if my prayers were answered, Prince Rin's royal guard walked out of the door, with RIn himself right on his tail. quicken there pace after they got down the small staircase, with Rin taking the lead. I waited until they were far enough away, and began to follow, staying hidden behind the rubble and various buildings.

Since we were in the Reformation District, it wasn't out of the ordinary to see someone dressed in black cloaks, carrying weapons, and chasing people. So none of the few stragglers out payed much mind to my presence.

After a painstakingly long walk, the path my target was following eventually gave out to a large-ish clearing when we got to the wall. Rin walked up to a construction worker that was standing by the wall, and then he and that royal knight just walked past him, through the wall! I waited a few seconds then began to walk towards the same point of the wall that the prince had walked through.

As I approached, the worker began to speak. "Sorry mate, this place is forbidden from entry, the wall isn't fini-" My knife made no noise and it slid through the air and through the man's throat, both with equal ease.

After spending a few minutes hiding the body, I exited the same way my target did, and saw them sprinting down the plains, towards The Everwoods. I hopped down the small cliff face, and slowly began to stalk my prey once more.

"This is gonna suck."

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7/21/1278

11:42 PM

{Rin's Perspective}

The fields of grass blowing in the wind created an interesting pattern in the ground as I wandered forward, following the blue compass needle, Isagi trudging along close behind. A golden-eyed magpie circled overhead slowly. We had been walking for well over an hour, and combining that with waking at 7 AM meant Yoichi and I were exhausted. Fortunately for us, my fatigue must have been getting to me, because I somehow managed to miss a hole in the ground, causing me to trip and fall into a small depression in the earth, right next to the Everwoods.

"Oh- Are you ok, my Prince?!" Isagi shouted as he ran up to my fallen self, looking awfully corpse-like. As he began to reach his medium-armor-bound hand to help me up, I swatted it away lazily. "Don't help me, I can get up on my own, lukewarm knight." True to my word, I got up and dusted the dirt of off my royal leggings. In hindsight, wearing my regal attire during my secret outdoors excursion was… not the wisest decision.

Yoichi and I looked around at our "new" surroundings. It was a small, grassy indent in the hilly plains, with a hole on the side leading into a small earthy alcove. "Well, to make light of your little tumble there," Yoichi began teasingly. "This cave seems like an appropriate place to spend the night, huh?" "Never speak of that. To anyone. Also, We'll be damned if it rains." "Oh relax, the clouds are as clear as the castle windows."

I had thought ahead enough to prepare a sizeable bag of useful implements for the hunt of my escaped prey. I had Yoichi carry it of course. I would never stoop so low as to do such a peasantry task. The bag had come with bedrolls, aswell as rations, water pouches, a map or two, various hunting instruments, and a blade polishing kit.

We unrolled our bedrolls and layed them out on the dirt. "This will be the worst sleeping conditions I've ever had to endure." I stated.

"Heh, You'd never survive the Royal Knight training camps."

"Yoichi, I am the Prince of The Itoshi Kingdom. What makes you think I can't survive military training? We royalty get our own combat training so you know."

"I did not know that, however the Royal Knight Regime requires more then combat effectiveness to enlist, although it is the most integral. You say this is the worst sleeping conditions you've ever seen? I had to sleep in a simulated 3-day siege in-between simulated combat routines for my final exam!"

"…Hm. I did not know that, Yoichi. I seldom say this, but I… I am impressed."

"Oh! Thank you-! I- I am unsure of how to respond to that… That means alot to me, Prince."

"Can it, lukewarm knight. Go to sleep."

"…Yes, your Highness."

A magpie perched on the edge of the depression, it's golden eyes staring at me as my own eyes shut, unconsciousness taking me deep down.

1:09 AM

I lay restless after my dialogue with Yoichi. My stomach churned, but not in the sickness type of way. Similiar to the way I feel when I think about then blasted witch, but not the same. These unknown feelings. Such an uncomfortable weight in my stomach. It matters not. The witch is more important. Sleep is more important. The witch is more important.

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7/22/1278

6:49 AM

I awoke, crust on my eyes, and a foreboding sense that something was wrong. I spoke hastily under my breath. "Yoichi, draw your blade. Now." The knight was a very light sleeper. A good trait to have as a high-ranking soldier. He stood, picking up his sword sheath in the process.

"Huh- What? What's happening? What's wrong, Prince?"

I too, drew my weapon. A jewel-encrusted silver rapier. The staple of my bloodline's weaponry. It was getting closer. What it was, I was not sure. But I could feel it. It reminded me of the way I knew that thief was a Witch the moment I saw them. This however, felt different. It felt, unnatural. Unnatural and malevolent.

The sun had only just started to peak above the horizon, so the hills were still blanketed in a faint darkness. From behind Yoichi, that golden-eyed magpie from last night flew up into the sky, in the same way we had to go.

Eventually, after several painstaking moments, it came over the hill into view. A humanoid figure, clad in black studded leather. The man wore a hood, and wielded a sword made out of some sort of pure black, crystal clear, jagged crystal. He held it horizontally behind his waist, and his eyes glowed an eerie pink color that pierced the dim light of the ascending dawn.

A wicked grin crested his face as he spoke, his voice a chilling, unsettling echo across the fields.

"Prince Rin Itoshi of The Itoshi Kingdom, I have become aware that you are hunting down someone I keep company with. I cannot allow that."

As the mysterious figure approached, my royal knight Yoichi stepped in front of me, his steel longsword drawn.

"If you want to hurt Prince Itoshi, you'll have to get through me first." He stated, entering a battle stance, sword pointed forwards and upwards.

"My pleasure."

The cloaked figure dashed towards Yoichi with surprising speed, almost catching Yoichi off-guard. What caught us both off-guard however, was when the unknown figure slashed upwards to clash with Yoichi's downwards strike, instead of stopping against the metal, his pure black sword cut straight through Yoichi's own weapon, shattering it.

"Heh." Almost instantly, the figure brought his blade back down, tearing through Yoichi's chainmail, and through his flesh. Yoichi somehow managed to immediately respond with a right hook to the jawbone. The figure was clearly ready for this, because he used the momentum of Yoichi's punch to grab his arm and slam him down onto the grass with more force then should have been possible. Yoichi stopped moving.

He stepped over Yoichi's body without another thought. "Y'know, I never understood why weaklings choose to protect those stronger then them. Never made much sense to me." The figure said from under his cowl. Red hot anger flashed through me as I saw this series of moments unfold Infront of my eyes. Without thinking, I too rushed forward, readying my rapier for a lethal thrust. The cloaked man saw this, and raised his sword arm to slam the hilt down. We reached eachother in an instant, prepared to kill, when suddenly-

"Ventus Eurus!"

We were both sent flying backwards by a random blast of wind that came from in-between us. My unprotected head landed on a small rock, causing a huge surge of pain, and my vision to start going black. The last thing I heard was something along the lines of, "This is why I didn't want you findign them, Ryusei!" The voice that spoke it was not the creepy voice of the mystery man, but a lighter, smoother one. "Why does that… sound so… familiar?…"

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7/22/1278

10:13 AM

{Chigiri's Perspective}

My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light of the candles in my room. Scrunching up my cotton bedding around me, I could barely abide removing my self from it's comfort. Alas, it has to be done. I arose, letting the sheets fall to my sides, letting the lukewarm basement air flow over me. In spite of the temperature, a chill still ran down my slim back.

Opening my wardrobe, I grabbed some spare black leggings and a duplicate shirt, then threw on a duplicate shirt. After that, I threw on a burgundy wool overcoat. "I'll get dressed proper when I have to go out." Stepping into my red cotton slippers, I pushed open the wooden door, and exited my bedroom.

The hall was made of the same materials as my room, dark spruce and lit by oil lamps, with the occasional stone bricks. Several doors went into different bedrooms for the people that lived here, storage rooms for the people who didn't, work rooms, and other storage rooms. While most of the doors were the same wood and shape, one was a sliding glass door. I opened it, and ascended the staircase upwards.

At the top of the stairs, was a greenhouse. The sun bathed my exposed face as I stepped onto the tile. I always liked coming up here to start the day, the cool morning air coming form the open holes in the roof, the smell of greenery and flora, the faint moisture that hanged in the air, and the light condensation on every table. The cool, airy environment made for a refreshing way to start the morning.

"Oh, good morning Boss, Boss." The Brown-Red haired man said to me as he walked up, his single front braid moving passively. "You certainly got your beauty sleep, huh, huh?"

"Oh be silent Ranze. Have you done the growth check today?" I asked, barely masking the sleepiness in my voice.

"Yep, juuust now! Nothing of note since the blossoms started to come in."

"*sigh* same as always…"

The faint yet familiar aroma of mint and peaches hit my nose, signifying the arrival of my morning tea. "Ooh, thank you dear." I said to the assistant as I took the teacup, sipping down the fresh, pleasant flavor of my "Wake-up Blend" tea.

"Woo! That's the stuff… I might aswell have a look at it while I'm here!" I announced, automatically feeling more energized. Heading to the underground portion of the greenhouse, I took in the sight of my floral project.

The Ferro Comedenti, 'Steel Eater,' as we called it. The Steel Eater was a tall, multi-vine plant with many medium-sized serrated leaves coming off of each vine, along with white flower buds. After it had reached it's maturity, 3 1/2 weeks past with no measurable changes, not one. But as of yesterday, the buds had began to flower into beautiful purple-petaled blossoms with a golden center.

"There's something so gorgeous about it, isn't there?" I spoke to no one in particular.

"I don't particularly see it, but you're the plant-loving one. Maybe it's because I haven't spent years of my life studying these things, unlike some people, people." Kurona responded anyway, nudging me in the side.

"Hey! I have not spent Years studying plants… Maybe a few months, but not years!" Kurona was a tease, it ran through his blood. I found out it's easier to play along.

"Anyhow, I should be going, I have other things I need to check up on. Keep regular procedures flowing. I'll be back later."

"Of course you will be, Chigiri-ri."

I left the sassy shark to himself and his gardener assistants as I descended the wooden staircase, back into the underground establishment. My next stop would be the Supply Depot, to oversee some specific trading and supplying. The Supply Depot was the place we used to supply our sponsored businesses, aswell as deliver supplies to our Checkpoint Shelters, which were small establishments we used to give out free food and basic necessities to people who didn't have access to them.

As I walked to the east end of the underground building, the ground began to shift from wood planks, to stone bricks. Besides the Supply Depot, there was also the Forge on this side of the base. A hot, sweaty, steamy, giant room. It was constantly filled with flame, steel, weapons and men. If it wasn't so necessary for our plans, I would have petitioned to have it de-commissioned months ago.

Walking past the hellish metalworking station, I descended down the ramp into the Supply Depot. We used a ramp instead of stairs here because of how often we transport heavy objects, or a multitude of objects via wheelbarrows. Carefully sipping my vaguely steaming tea, I reached the bottom of the ramp, and entered the open, concrete room. Filled with boxes, workers, and transportation devices, the room seemed to be a constant concentration of activity. It did make sense though, people needed things, and places needed people.

Scanning the crowds of workers and assistants, it wasn't hard to find the bright sky blue hair of my target. Quickly walking over, I shouted,

"Hiori!"

"Hmm? Oh, Chigiri! How's it going?" The joyful baker called back as I reached him.

"Not terrible, Not terrible."

"Good. Is there… Something you wanted to talk to me about, Boss-Man?"

"Yes there is Hiori. I know your on business so I won't take up too much of your time. I simply needed to check in on that… Assignment… I asked of you. How is that going?"

"Oh, Yes. I should've assumed. It seems to be going well, but The Prince isn't an easy target to read emotionally. He comes to my families bakery pretty frequently, and I believe I've built up a rapport with him."

"That shall do. It's better to take it slow and steady with this. You're doing good work, Hiori."

"Thank you! Is that all however? I've gotta get this flour to the saferoom sooner rather then later."

"Yes, go go. Thank you for your time, Hiori."

It was going exactly as planned. With the Steel Eater checked up on, the Supply Depot overseen, and Hiori checked up on, there was only one task left to do before I was free. The worst one. The most important one. The most painful one.

After exiting the Supply Depot, I walked down the halls of wood, the faint tapping of my slippered feet failing to distract me from the grisly sight I was about to witness.

Eventually, I reached the white-painted door with red text labeling it as "Medica Bay". Breathing a deep sigh, I pushed the door open, re-adjusting my overcoat as I did. No matter how many times I see it, no matter how much I prepare, it is still sickening to see. People, injured people. Sick people. Young and elderly. Male and female. All innocent people, abandoned by The Queen, all simply because they didn't choose to pledge their lives away to her service.

Me, as The Head Doctor, aswell as my fellow medics try to assist in everyway we can, and often the patients do survive, but sometimes, sometimes we fail. I, fail.

"Good day, Doctor." Spoke a solemn, male voice from beside me.

"Ah, faring well I presume, Kira?" Kira was a patient in the Medica Bay from the War of the Iron Oasis, who was forced to retire when he lost his right eye, aswell as permanently damaged some of his bones. Out of anyone in the Medica Bay, he was the most healthy, and the most trustworthy, so I put him in charge of taking care of the other patients non-medical needs, to keep the professionals hands doing what needed to be done.

"Well enough, I suppose."

"Any pressing medical concerns I need to take care of?"

"No. The other medics are very competent, despite the limited quantity."

"Yes. If only medical practices weren't such a guarded secret."

"If only. We will release the knowledge kept by the royals when We achieve victory."

"Yes we shall Kira, Yes we shall. Now, if you will excuse me. "

"Very well."

My conversations with Kira were straight to the point, and I liked that. Compared to some of my other 'coworkers', quick, short conversations were a nice change of pace. I strode to my office, making stops to certain patients. Some elders, some terminal. I never quite understood it, but my presence always seemed to have a calming effect on my patients. Maybe it was because they knew I was there to keep them safe.

"Oh, Chigiri… Your so handsome, you know that?" Asked an elderly that got to sick to move properly. "Yes, Madam. You keep me reminded everyday." I always tried to keep a happy face in the Medica Bay, it would be disturbing for the patients to see the head doctor grimacing.

"Doctor? I hope you know how thankful we are that you're trying to save us." A father of two said to me as I passed. "…It warms my heart to hear you say that, Sir."

The praise ringed through my head as I got into my small secluded office in the corner of the Medica Bay. It never felt real. No matter how much gratitude I received for my work, I always knew deep down that I couldn't save them all. It was foolish to think I could save them all, I knew that. But it hurt to know that it wasn't possible, no matter how hard I tried.

I opened the steel locker at the back of the office. Inside were an assortment of herbs for pain alleviation and natural regeneration enhancements, vials of liquids that could knock someone out, or wake them from slumber, and a large glass flask filled with a silver liquid that had red clouds floating through it.

This was my true project. My most important goal. A serum that could cure disease, and repair flesh wounds. A miracle drug. I knew it was possible to create, everything I knew about medical sciences said it could be done. I just didnt know how. It was infuriating, how the answer was so close, yet so unreachable. Trapped in a glass maze, the exit just in sight. I was missing something, that much was clear, but what?! What was it?!

I spent the next several hours trying different experiments, documenting results, and filing paperwork for the patients. I probably would've gone for several more if I wasn't interrupted by a rapid knock on my door. One of the few rules I made for my staff was that I was not to be disturbed while in my office unless it was strictly necessary. Opening the door, I was greeted with Kira's face for a second time.

"Kira? What's wrong-"

"Come quick! They need your attention."

Dragged along by the jacket sleeve, I was brought over to a blanket, where two children lie, one kneeling down silently, the other curled up sobbing.

"Hey, it's ok, it's ok. I'm a doctor, you can trust me. What's wrong?"

The quiet one spoke first, a girl with red hair and an old scar across her nose.

"My- My brother! He's- He's hurt! I- We need-"

"Hey, shhh, slow down. Your safe now, you don't need to worry."

"*Deep breath* My brother needs h-help. His arm doesn't work, and he's in so- so much p-pain!"

"What about you? Do you need anything?"

"N- well, my head is screaming, and my lungs burn since I had to carry him here, and he's heavy!"

"Okay, You don't need to worry anymore child, your in good hands now."

Around us stood Kira, and my two other medical professionals, A middle-aged woman named Krile, and a lanky older man named Charlie. "Krile! Grab the Meditative Serum, Charlie, bring me a Cot." I slowly lifted the protection sheet we had layed over the other child to see the damages. His arm was wrapped haphazardly in some article of clothing to prevent it from moving. Picking up his arm delicately, I began a quick examination. "Hey, don't- you'll hurt hi-" The girl began to protest.

"Hush. Chigiri is a medical prodigy, you'd be smart to put yourself in his hands." Kira reassured her seriously.

"Hmm. It seems to be only a minor break. Rather fortunate." I diagnosed.

The other doctors returned with my requested items. "Here." I gave the Mediative Serum to the girl. "Drink. It will calm you and that headache. Charlie, Krile. Take the boy. He has a minor forearm fracture. Can you take care of it?"

"Without a doubt." "Yes sir!"

"Wh-Where are you taking him? Is he going to be ok?!" The little girl asked worriedly.

"The other doctors will take care of him, I promise. Now, what is your name?"

"It's- It's Sphene…"

"Okay Sphene, you don't mind if I ask you a couple questions, do you?"

"…No. Go ahead."

Thank you, you don't need to answer if you don't want to. First off, how old are you and your brother?"

"I-I'm 10 and he's 11. Solus is 11."

"Ok. Did you come here alone? Where are your parents?"

"…" Tears began to well up in her eyes. "I-I brought Solus here. It's… It's just my mom at home, and she got… She got t-taken! sob…"

"Taken? What happened?"

"The… sob… The officers, they- they came inside! They were looking for some-something, something Mother didn't have! Th-They sob… She kept t-telling them she di-didn't have it, then th-they got mad! And- And- the

"Panic. She's panicking." I realized.

"Shh. It's ok, Sphene. You've told me plenty already. Get some rest, you have been very brave today."

My consolations seemed to have kept her from breaking down entirely. Good, she's been through too much today to not sleep. Or at least based on our conversation. I had become rather efficient at understand hysteric patients.

Krile returned from handling Solus. "Everything will be ok, Chigiri!"

"Perfect, now, can you stay with Sphene until she gets some rest? I have… Something that must be attended to."

"Yes, Sir."

"Kira, if I could have a word."

Me and the white haired man walked into my office once more. I shut the door behind him.

"Sigh… I hate it." I spat out, with venom in my tone.

"Hate what, Sir?" Kira responded

"First of all, you calling me Sir. But mainly this kingdom. This kingdom and it's blasted, unfair rules. Those wretched laws that spoil the royalty, and shoves the common folk to the gutters. The militia officers basically can do anything they damn well please, especially due to that new 'Witch Hunt' ordeal from The Queen, hells, those kids out there got displaced from their homes and lost their Mom. Not only that, but out of the only two people who will truly have the power to change this place, one is on The Queen's side, while the other is an unchanging, stubborn wall!" I had begun yelling without even realizing it.

"I apologize for raising my tone. It's just, there's so much that has to be done, and if I fail-"

"I understand, Chigiri. I am unaware of what you and the Others are planning, and I don't have much of an ability to help anymore, Nor do I know of any solutions…" Kira began

"But one thing I do know, is you, Hyoma. I know you work so hard so you can bring about change to this… place. I know you joined with us because of your fiery revolutionist spirit. The Hyoma Chigiri I know wouldn't sit here and stress about things he knew he could fix…"

"…He would fix them."

"Kira…"

"…Yes, Chigiri?"

"Find an assistant, and tell them to tell the Other Heads to meet me in the meeting room."

"Justice shall be served."

PAGE BREAK———PAGE BREAK———PAGE BREAK

7/22/1278

2:31 PM

{Rin's Perspective}

Pain.

Agony.

"God, everything hurts so bad. What in the 9 hells happened to me?"

Slowly opening my eyes, the candle light of my bedroom stung my eyes. Or atleast, I assumed it would. Instead, I awoke to the soft blue light of a… ball? Made of… a mushroom? "Where am I…?" As my senses returned to me slowly. I began to properly assess my surroundings. "Humans have five senses. Use them all, Rin." My mother taught me that.

Feeling; I was lying down on a bed made of a material I was unfamiliar with, in a cool room, with a fabric blanket clinging to my body. The pillows and blanket were surprisingly luxurious.

Taste; The air was tasteless, and my mouth was dry as The Expanse.

Scent; Dry air, that was… Lavender scented?

Sight; After adjusting to the darkness, all I saw were wooden walls, highlighted by a flickering blue light. There were also multiple water-filled glass vases, with flowers within.

Hearing; Silence. Pure, absolute silence. Until a conversation seemed to pick up outside of my mysterious room. I tried to listen, but the dialect was heavily muffled by the walls.

"I got it, although I … Why'd you ask for so much … Seems excessive." Said a male voice, both deep and light at the same time. Somehow.

"I told you … Helps people rest easy … Told you that already dummy." A charming, androgynous, voice responded. "Hmm, they sound cute. Wait- No! Not now. Priorities, Rin."

"Just leave it right by the … Deal with it later … " The second voice spoke once more.

Standing up from the surprisingly comfortable bed, I was brutally reminded of my stinging headache. My clothes hadn't changed while I slept, but my shoes were removed. I looked disheveled, and frankly unpresentable due to sleeping clothed. I wiped the dust out of my eyes, and waited for several minutes for the two figures to leave.

It took another minute or two for the two people to disperse, but during this time, I managed to hear a few intriguing things.

" … Check on him? You … with that spell." Voice 1 told the other person.

"Says you! You … the knight down to the … You're lucky I was there in time!" Yelled voice 2, in a comedic tone.

"Yoichi! What happened to him? Hells, what happened to me? I can barely remember the past day at all. God, my head hurts."

"Anyways, I have to … next meal. Especially if … eating here too." Voice 1 spoke once more.

"Alrighty! I need to … check on … anyways, see you soon, Ryu!"

"Ryu? A name, probably. But from where? It doesn't sound like a name from my Kingdom's culture. Maybe it's from the North Star up within the Pale Frontier."

After a few moments of no one speaking, I decided it was safe to believe that Ryu and the other had left. The brisk summer wind flowed over me as I left the cabin, greeted by a unfamiliar sight. The area around me was a medium sized field, with a few wooden huts, a relatively large cottage, A clean-looking pond with a waterfall flowing down from the small mountains that surrounded two-thirds of the alcove, the rest being fenced off. There were also fenced off gardens, some growing flowers, the others growing what seemed like vegetables.

Walking over to the body of water, since my hut I had awoken in was right next to it, I began to contemplate what I knew, what I had heard, and what I should do further on.

"I've woken up somewhere unknown, although surprisingly peaceful, and nice on the eyes-" I shook my head to regain my focus. "That's besides the point, I need to figure out where I am, and how I get back home. Wait, no! I can't go home without that damned Witch!… Wait, one of those voices, the one named "Ryu" I think, mentioned something about a spell. Like Witchcraft…?"

Just as I had the thought, I felt an electric tingle run down my spine, the same one I had felt when the Witch invader used that smoke magic. Looking around swiftly, I saw Someone enter a hut on the East side of the Alcove, whereas I was on the west side. They had black hair, with yellow undertones, and was wearing a black shawl, with leather garments that had several pouches attached via straps. It was Her! The witch that started this entire escapade.

I sprinted quietly to the hut she entered, drawing my Royal Rapier, which whoever kidnapped me decided to let me keep, which didn't seem that smart, but I wasn't complaining. Stopping just before I ran into the wooden wall, my hand trembled, causing my weapon to shake.

"What? Why am I shaking? You've practiced this a hundred times before. Get it together, Rin."

Another electric micro-shock, through the whole body this time.

"That's it. Magic. It must be some of this Witch's evil witchcraft."

I forced my body to move, pushing the door slowly. Fortunately, it wasn't fully closed, making it easy to slip in quietly. What I saw was very similar to the room I had woken up in, with the singular light coming from the blue mushroom-ish lamp, a surprisingly luxurious bed, and a wooden interior. The main difference however, was a figure laying under the covers, aswell as the Witch standing beside the bed, her hands outstretched over the figure.

She was roughly 5'3, and from what I could tell, not particularly muscular nor skinny. Without her hat on, I could see her face much more clear now. Semi-circle face shape made up of a sharp jawline and a rounded chin. Short, black, blunt bangs, with yellow undertones. It was definitely the same one. That same illegal, impure Witch that I couldn't stop thinking about.

I was rustled out of my musings when the Witch's palms began to emit lime green light down onto the figure. Her eyes were closed, which explains why I wasn't found yet. She uttered two words, seemingly in a foreign language.

"Reficere Corpus."

Smooth. Serene and beautiful. There was an intrinsic beauty to the words that couldn't be described. I never knew words could be so …magical.

The lights on the Witch's hands glowed brighter, which caused the laying figure to be highlighted in an eerie green aura. Raven blue hair, decently muscle-bound, a sword sheathe laying on the side with The Itoshi Kingdom seal on it…

"Yoichi!"

My body must have started, because the Witch turned towards me suddenly, a look of shock on her face.

"Wha-!? Oh- it's you! You're awake!" They exclaimed, surprisingly happy to see it. They're voice was a bit lower then I expected, but I didn't pay much mind to it. What I did pay attention to, were her eyes. I had seen them for a moment yesterday, but seeing them properly… They took my breath away. Golden circles, with small speckles spread around like stars. They almost glowed.

"Hello? Did you hit your head that hard? So sorry about that by the way!" They said quickly

I raised my rapier so the tip was pointed directly at the Witch's throat.

"Where… Where am I? What have you done to me?!"

"Woah wait hold on Rinrin! There's no need for such aggression. Plus, I doubt your in any fighting state right now, hehe~" She said, winking at me. They weren't wrong, my head was still throbbing, I looked dishevelled and unkempt, and my weapon was barely held upright.

"S- Silence, wretch. You're in no position to act so… cocky. You're under arrest for trespassing within The Itoshi Kingdom…! You'll come back with me… And you will face judgement via royal trial… ugh…"

My body buckled, and my sword dipped downwards.

"Damnit all…"

"Oh, Rin!- You shouldn't be out of bed. Come, I'll make you some fresh tea- Wah!"

I lunged forward towards the witch, in an attempt to stab them non-fatally.

I missed.

Falling onto one knee, my rapier-point stabbed into the ground slightly.

"Rinrin! Be careful! Your not in good health… C'mon, the teapot should be by the fire already."

The witch put my arm around their neck, attempting to help me walk somewhere else. They didn't have the physical prowess to actually move me, but having a crutch of sorts did help.

"This isn't right. Why am I letting this witch pull me along? Shouldn't I... Be trying to stop them? Why can't I muster up my hatred for you, Witch?!"

After a brief moment of walking, we arrived at a small firepit, with a metal tray hung above, flames licking its bottom. Around it, were 4 stools made of tree stumps, each with a cushion on the top.

"Sit, sit! I have so many kinds of tea, hold on!" She seemed very excited to have someone to serve tea to, even though there seemed to be another person here. Maybe Ryu wasn't a tea drinker?

"Since you have a headache, you're definitely gonna need some of these… Ooh, and osme of these!" The Witch was muttering to herself, while picking out various plants from different glass containers. After a moment of searching, she put the chosen herbs into a steel teapot, and put it on the campfire tray.

I wanted to be angry, hateful even, to this Witch, but I just couldn't muster it up, only a tingling, aching, warm feeling in my gut, like butterflies nested inside of me. Without any other options, I did the only thing I could.

"…Why are you doing this?" I asked after a brief moment of silence.

"Hmm? Making tea? Because you need it, silly!"

I couldn't argue with that. "yes, but you're a Witch. Helping a Human."

"So? You being Human doesn't mean I shouldn't help you recover from an injury I inflicted upon you."

"Yes it does- Wait, you did this to me?!" Incredulousness filled my tone.

"Oop- uhhhhm… Maybe…?" She stumbled with her words, as if she had just spoiled an important secret. "This is taking too long!" She continued.

A tingle when up my spine, then:

"Calefacere" The Witch spoke more foreign, beautiful words.

The tea quickly bubbled and boiled, steam rising rapidly.

"Oh shoot! Shoot shoot shoot!" It was heating up too quickly, or so it seemed.

"What are those strange words? And why do they sound, feel so… Good?"

"So so sorry about that Rinrin!! But your tea is ready now at least!" With the pot removed from the flames, she grabbed a cup and began to pour.

"Another thing. How do you know my name?" I asked seriously.

"…Oh! We never did introductions? Gosh I'm dumb. My name is Meguru! :)" She told me as I was handed a wooden cup. It was filled almost to the brim with a translucent, orange(?) liquid.

"…You… Drink out of wood? That seems unsanitary."

"Oh nonono, it gives the tea a nice, oaky undertone! Try it, try it!"

Without having much choice, I took the cup, and sipped regally, like I was taught vigorously during my youth.

The flavor was subtle, but sweet, a tangy citrus taste, with hints of cinnamon and, surprisingly, oak. It was quite possibly some of the best tea I'd ever tried.

"This… Is nothing like what the butlers serve at my castle." I was hesitant to compliment a creature such as this, but some form of commendation was required for such an excellent beverage.

"How is it, Rinrin?"

"…You have taken me by surprise, Witch. This is better then I'd expected from something as feral as a Witch."

She looked offended, but also proud that she did a good job.

"Excuse you! Witches aren't feral!" She half-yelled, jutting her lip out and crossing her arms. Was she really… Pouting?

"Cute. Wait, what?! I don't think that! Why would I ever think …something like her was… That?"

I was about to speak, when a familiar voice from behind me beat me to it.

"Now this… Is a sight I never thought anyone could ever see." Yoichi, my royal knight, commented weakly.

"Oh! You're awake too?! Maybe I'm better at healing magic then I thought.." Meguru the Witch commented "But come, come! Have some tea with us :)"

"That would be… wonderful. Thank you…" Yoichi cast me a quick look as he spoke, judging what I thought about the whole situation. "If only I knew."

Yoichi sat, then we exchanged names, talked, and drank tea. It was a suprisngly enjoyable experience, even in a Witch's company. But thing's changed when a fourth party member arrived.

"I'm back, Meguru!" Came an oddly familiar voice. It sounded deeper and masculine, but also high, like they were permanently smirking. I turned, and I saw a man with tall pointy hair, light blonde with pink ends. His eyes glowed a malicious magenta, and he wielded a dangerous looking sword on his hip, amde out of black, translucent, jagged crystal… Him! The figure who attacked me and Yoichi earlier.

Now that my headache was starting to abate, I quickly stood up and drew my rapier.

"Oho~ You want some action, Princey?" The figure, most likely the "Ryu" mentioned earlier, asked teasingly as he put his hand on his own sword hilt.

"Woah Woah Woah!! Guys, no fighting during tea time!" Meguru said as she stood up, her hands outstretched. "Rinrin, this is my best friend Ryusei! Ryusei, this is-"

"Oh, trust me, We've met. And you've already introduced me to him several times over."

"Oh yes, we've met- wait what?" I responded, now increasingly confused.

"Shhhh!!! Shut up! Shut up!" Meguru covered Ryusei's mouth VERY quickly, flushing a deep pink.

Yoichi and I exchanged a look of mutual confusion as the conversation swiftly switched topics.

"D-Did you find some meat for dinner, Ryu?" Meguru asked. "So that's why that's the name I heard, it's a nickname. But it still doesn't explain the name's origins. I understand Meguru- The Witch's name being foreign, but there is no such thing as a male witch… Right?"

"Unfortunately not. My hunt was interrupted by a rather disheveling sight. A small platoon of soldiers, marching this way. It took all of my will power not to slaughter them right then and there." Ryusei explained, an evil grin spreading across his face as he finished speaking.

"Awh, that sucks. Welp, there's always next- WHAT?!!" Meguru almost screamed.

"There's only one place a platoon could come from so quickly, but how? Nobody followed us, I made sure of it!" Yoichi wore a look that showed that he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Did you see who was leading the soldiers?" I asked without thinking.

"Not certain. However, I did see a man in much fancier gear then the soldiers, with faintly red hair, and eyes very similar to yours, Prince Itoshi." Ryusei responded, using my formal tile, although I could tell it wasn't because he respected me.

Isagi spoke up. "My Prince, do you think it's…?"

"Of course it is. There's nobody else it could be. But how?"

"Was this not your plan? Soldiers from your kingdom coming to rescue you?" Ryusei aasked.

"No, No." Yoichi covered before I could rebuttal. "The Prince wanted to find the Wi- Meguru, by himself. I am unsure as of how they found us." Meguru and Ryusei shared a knowing look, the former blushing once more.

"None of that matters." Ryusei continued. "We have to decide what we are going to do about this. I say, since it's your kingdom, and you seemingly know the general. You should do it, Itoshi.

"No!" Bachira interjected, a bit to quickly for my liking. "There… There has got to be a way to do this without any conflict."

I opened my mouth to speak, planning on warning these two strangers about Sae, but then I had a thought.

"Why do I want to warn them? Isn't this what I want? If Sae gets here, Bachira will surely be brought to justice. Why do I feel so confused?!"

My thoughts were quickly brought to a stop by the sound of a battle horn blowing.

"Uh oh…" Ryusei commented, a smirk on his face.

"Your Highness…?" Yoichi asked, waiting for what I was going to do. But before I could decide, a figure hopped over the perimeter fence. Red hair, Bright blue eyes, a golden rapier at his hip. It really was Sae.

Without speaking, Sae approached, drawing his blade. Several soldiers followed behind him, each wielding a weapon aswell. This was going to be bad, The others saw it too. Yoichi quickly stepped towards me, without causing any alert. Ryusei stood up, a wicked grin on his face. Bachira was the only one who stayed seated, searching through their various pockets and bags.

Sae drew his weapon, a quick flourish that briefly reflected to sunlight. Then, suprisngly, he and his soldiers stopped there approach. Slowly raising his rapier to point towards Bachira, Sae spoke.

"Witch. You have been caught trespassing in The Itoshi Kingdom. You will return with us, and face judgement via royal trial. You have the right to remain silent, and will be detained via physical force if you refuse to cooperate."

The default monologue, done perfectly. Bachira whispered something in Ryusei's ear, and they shared a knowing look. As three knights grabbed me and Yoichi from behind, Sae began to approach, preparing to capture the Witch I came for, the Witch I was hunting.

"No. No! She is MY bounty. This is my duty as Prince Rin Itoshi! You can't take this away from me, Shitty Brother!" I thought as I viciously struggled against the gold grasp of metal gauntlets. "But, does it matter? She's captured no matter what, right? Why does it matter who gets to take-"

*CLANG!*

Our blades pushed against eachother, fighting for proverbial dominance. My body had moved without thinking, now standing in-between Sae and Bachira.

"Why? Why do I stand here, in senseless defiance of my own goal?"

"Why must you do this, foolish brother?" Sae suddenly stopped putting pressure on my blade, instead throwing it in the air, causing me to stumble slightly. It was minor, but it was enough for Sae. He brought his fist downwards, delivering a swift, yet fatal strike to my jaw.

"Rin!!" It sounded like it came from several people, but I couldn't look up to check. I felt my older brother, and fellow prince, step over my fallen body. The grass was cold. Cold, and soft, like the embrace of a calm winter breeze.

"Take them home." I heard Sae command. After finally rearing my head upwards, I saw Bachira, illuminated by the sun's blanketing gold. She was bound within a length of rope, held by Sae. Yoichi thrashed in my peripheral vision, as I felt rope bind my arms behind me.

"No! This… This isn't fair!"

I was dragged into a wooden carriage, Yoichi already sat across from me. He looked at me, an expression on his face that he had never wielded against me before. Vaguely sad, with a tinge of pain intertwined. Was it… Pity? If there was any a time I deserved such a look, this was it. I had failed.

Again.

It was going to be a long ride home.

Chapter Text

First of all, I'm so so sooooo sorry!!!!!! I totally got hit with the Ao3 curse after finishing chapter 3 :((( I've been dealing with a bad homelife not alwayys having an actual home so with that and school, I've not been able to think about fanfics very much... HOWEVER!!! Now I have more time and I reeeeally wanna finish this but I'm not very happy with it and the only way to fix it would be to change up ALL the old chapters, so I'm just gonna... drum-roll please... REWRITE THE WHOLE THING!!!!   It'll be on a new fic, and it'll come out with all 3 chapters at the start so be excited for that(if anybody cares anymore XD)

So yeahhh if you are reading this THANK YOU!!!! Hopefully you'll read the new version thank you!! <3 mwah