The axe bit into wet wood again. And again. Branches shook off the rain droplet mingled on the leaves. The air smelled of wet bark and turned earth. "THUCK!" Two thirds of the tree. He pulled the axe out and took three steps back away. The tree fractured and collapsed onto the ground. Kenji gasped for air before sitting down on a root wad nearby.
A cold wind wafted through his neck and spread down across the skin. He straightened his body before turning behind. A movement? His chest hammered. He glanced at his hip - the axe was there for him.
He got it in the grip and tightened his fingers. His right foot lifted off the ground. And to dirt again. A sharp inhale filled up his lungs as he closed the gap to the bush. The freezing wind, the shiver. It all felt so familiar. Just like that person he had seen yesterday.
His axe raised up and jaw tightened as the bush moved again. "Rustling. Rustling." Something jumped out. A squirrel.
In a flash, it climbed all the way up the tree. He glanced up and his breath jagged. Oh…Just a squirrel. A cold sprawled down his back, urged him to move. In an instant, he found himself on the ground. A shadowy arrow hissed and pierced half way through the tree he stood.
"FFSHHHH-THWARK"
His body quivered as he shifted his gaze to the arrow. Black. Smoking. And freezing. Kenji's lungs forgot what to do. But he noticed a warm fluid rolled on his face. He reached up with his trembling hand.
Blood.
Everything went still for one second. White-hot pain spread across the face. His teeth gritted, biting off the scream. Kenji instantly twisted his head back to where the arrow had come from. Nothing else but plants. The freezing air struck his face. Wh…what the hell is that?!
An archer. Not a human, not an animal, something outside of this World.
It stretched the bowstring - aimed straight to Kenji. He inhaled hard and threw himself to the right. The arrow struck into dirt. Sweat rolled to his chin. He got on both feet before his attention shifted to the right. The axe. Kenji quickly took it and hung it on his belt before fleeing into the forest.
Passed through trees and rocks, branches whipped his face. His lungs gasped for air but he didn't slow down - he couldn't. Behind him, another arrow hissed in the air. Its freezing effect lingered on Kenji's right shoulder before digging into a rocky outcrop three feet away from him.
Grit and rock fragments stung his eyes. Too close. Way too close.
The forest blurred. Each inhale ached more than the last. How long had he been running? A minute? Ten? Everything was pure instinct now - dodged aside, jumped over fallen logs - roots tried to grasp his ankle. He ran up the mountain. Chaotic sounds echoed as if metal had collided. He shifted his gaze back. His heart paused for half a second.
Down the mountain, his village was under attack.
People screamed out of their lungs. Their limbs hit the ground as the ashen blade slashed down. Dark ichor sprayed and pooled beneath - like a slaughterhouse. Some ran but meaningless - the arrows pierced through their chest and neck with ease. Some begged for mercy - got tied up and stabbed slowly.
Tears welled up. Stomach boiled but his jaw clenched harder. He scanned quickly. A way out. A way to help his village. Kenji immediately lunged forward and veered both sides. Gnarled roots tangled his ankle. His side slammed onto the ground.
Air burst out of his lungs, leaving him gasping. His chest thundered. The world blurred but his head lifted back up. The archer - it was still there. Bowstring was already stretched with a grin on the archer's face.
He flinched hard and threw his gaze around for something that could help. None. Kenji looked back. No... And scanned again, same result. Only himself in the plain grass area with the archer. His arms and legs loosened. He leaned on a huge rock. This is it… His chest was no longer stiffened.
This was it. Bowstring snapped.
"PSHH-"
His jaw locked.
"THOOWRK!"
Waited for the pain, but it didn't come.
Nothing.
He slowly opened half eyes. And snapped wide with a sharp hitch. The axe was already in his grips. Black smoking arrow hovered two centimeters from his face, the handle caught it.
"GRUAAHH!" The archer pulled the bowstring further back with a deep frown. Kenji instantly snapped back to reality. He threw himself behind a tree on his left.
"THHWARK" Another arrow. The tip pierced through the tree. So close. Two inches away from his face.
He pushed himself off cover and ran straight to the mountain. Legs were numb, fingers froze, each breath ached harder. He veered from tree to tree before glancing over his shoulder. And another time. The archer was always there. Come on. Kenji glanced up the mountain and ran up instantly.
---
Haruto's body stiffened. He slowly turned to the front door as if he had sensed something. Memories hit without warning. The Shroud. Blades. The faces of people he couldn't save. No...It couldn't be. He frowned and forced himself to move to the door. Hands trembled, reaching for the door knob. Before his fingers could touch it, a scream from afar hit his eardrums with the following slashing sound. No more hesitation, his hand twisted the door knob in the grip.
The door opened. The village was under attack.
Peasants scattered as if birds had been hunted. Some died from arrows dug into their body. Some were killed with no mercy. He glanced to the right, only to find his old friend, face down, pupils gone grey.
"AAHH-" A kid cried as he fled away from one of the Shroud crashing over. Haruto's chest locked. The numb spread throughout his entire body. Then, veins emerged out of the fists. His attention already landed the ken-nata dug in dirt nearby.
The Shroud assassin roared behind. Swung the sharp sword to the little boy. He glanced back in a swift moment, only to have the blade closing to him reflected in his teary eyes.
"CLEEEEENNKK" Two blades screamed in the air.
The ground rumbled slightly as a dust cloud burst in a perfect ring. Haruto's hands clenched and drove the rusty nata against its blade. Locked into the ghostly creature and riposted quickly, "DON'T YOU DARE!" Haruto pushed forward and curled his arm. "SHENGG!"
It dashed and wrenched aside. The attack went to air. Haruto lunged forward and drove his shoulder to it. He stopped mid way. But it already jumped - into the trap. He pivoted the base foot. Hip whirled instantly. Right legs dug into the ribs. Organs collided with bones. Its feet stumbled but both arms shot straight with two blades in the grip. Haruto ducked down and appeared behind its back.
His pupils glowed from dark brown to faint gold. Thrust the ken-nata through its body. Haruto wrapped his arms around its stomach. "DIIEEEEE!" Lift. Suplex.
Its head bounced off the ground. Dark ichor sprayed as it slowly faded to dust and curled up in the air - only bones remained. Haruto forced himself to stand but legs gave up first. He dropped on his knees. Blood welled up in his throat and cascaded out.
In a flash, a man came to Haruto and propped him up with both arms, "Haruto! You're okay?!"
"Nami..."
A sharp gasp escaped Nami's mouth as his attention locked onto the fallen enemy, "Did you kill that thing?!"
Haruto left a slight grin and nodded yet he couldn't stand anymore. Thighs convulsed with white hot soreness spread down to his toes. Nami pulled Haruto's arm over his shoulder and dragged him to the village gate, "Let's move."
Too late.
A shiver grew across his skin. Haruto's eyelids shot up as he pushed Nami aside, "Watch out!"
The air changed before the sound did.
"SSSHHHHPHFFF" A blade trail. Freezing. Black smoke.
Haruto's hands trembled with the nata locked in grip. He lifted his gaze up. Another one. But this one looked completely different. The glowing blue pattern drew on its fitted armour and the dark cold swords in its palms. A sharp gasp escaped Haruto's mouth as it swung the blade again.
"FSSSHEENG!" Sharp lines barely cut him. His hair dropped on the ground as Haruto drew away on his knees.
"Nami, raise your weapon!" he turned back on Nami one second before focusing on the enemy again.
Nami stopped dead. A gulp shifted from throat to chest as the spear trembled in his hands. Haruto veered left and got out of swing range but its blade drew a long burning line on his face "NAMI!" The other men pulled Nami, and they all fled to the opposite direction - leaving Haruto behind with the outmatched soul assassin.
"Hey!" Nami glanced at the men that pulled him out of the chaos. One of them shouted "We cannot save him!" He paused, "Let's go."
Nami shifted his gaze back. Haruto dashed and blocked those heavy hits from the enemy yet Nami couldn't do anything. He should help. He knew he should help but his feet didn't move. Tears formed and escaped to dirt. They kept fleeing until Haruto was only a grey shadow in thick dust.
Haruto gritted his teeth and pushed back the blades. He called again, "Nami! Your weapon!" But no reply at all. He jerked back yet the tip still found his skin. Haruto jolted back, "Nami…?" All gone. Nobody else beside him.
Alone.
Surrounded by chaotic fights. The Shroud units hunted down his neighbors one by one. He noticed the pain had somehow faded. Yet his chest felt empty. Ayaka's warmth. Riku and Kenji's smiles. He couldn't find a way to save them. "THUUD!" Its sharp elbow struck straight to his jaw.
His ears rang. The World swiveled from the mountain. Sky. Dirt. Lips were torn and warm blood dripped out his nose. The night before this tragedy. They finally had time for each other after two years. So warm.
Now it was all gone.
Tears leaked out of his closed eyes. Arms dragged next to his shoulders. The Shroud assassin was there with a cold grin. Both arms straightened with two black swords. Palms to the ground. Pushed. He lifted his face and grabbed the rusty nata nearby. Haruto stood up on both feet with his eyes staring into its pitch black pupils. He took a step forward. Something changed in him.
His gaze.
A faint golden light emerged and covered his skin. And another step. Three meters. Then inside its guard. "PAAM!" His sharp fist drove firmly in the face. The surface jolted once. And twice. The assassin jumped left and whirled his shoulders. Haruto was already behind. The rusty blade popped out from its chest with dark ichor rolled down the abs.
"GRAAAHHH!" It jolted forward - out of the blade. Hip snapped back with its arm already shot straight. The blade hissed in the air, near Haruto's right ear. He folded down. Left heel to its face.
The enemy's feet stumbled with a loud groan burst out the mouth. Its palm pressed to the face and forced its half eyes open wide, only to find no one in sight. Glanced around and over the shoulders. And again. It caught a golden movement on the corner of his right eye and instantly snapped to it. Haruto's blade was already ten centimeters away from it. A golden light beam ran across his skin. The pupils burned and went completely still.
"SHEEENG!" The ground caught its head.
Haruto stood there with his arm hovering at the end of the slash. His hand trembled as the light faded. What remained on the blade escaped to dirt as Haruto dropped onto his right knee. The chest locked - couldn't gasp a single air. A freezing shiver grew on his spine. His heart thundered and couldn't slow down.
He slowly straightened up. Another one? No... His body jerked onto dirt before he could understand. Pale. Tall and skinny.
With a long thin sword on the shoulders. It took a step forward. And through the dust cloud until the glowing blue patterns on the armor sprawled clearly across. Like blood vessels. No sound when he moved. That was the wrong part. Haruto flinched hard and threw his gaze up.
"THUUUUD!" Couldn't see a move. But the world shut to darkness.
---
Kenji found a hiding spot, a huge bush. Wasting no time, he hid in it. His shoulders sagged slightly, lungs finally had a few minute break. Legs shook and muscles burned - felt like they were torn. But the leaves hustled. Closer. And closer. Kenji's breath caught as he slowly leaned to the edge of the bush. His gaze scanned around. Eyebrows jumped.
The archer. Slowly moved with the bow raised.
Kenji's heart pounded. He threw himself back into the bush. Clumsy. The bush moved a tiny bit but enough for the archer to understand. It aimed straight. Left foot lifted off the ground, and met the dirt. Slowly. The grin grew more and more on the face.
Without a warning, the bowstring snapped "PPFSHHH-" The arrow drew a curled line of dark smoke and stopped at the bush. The archer rushed over. Only to find-a dead squirrel. Pierced through by its black arrow. The wound of the squirrel froze. The archer roared out of its lungs and kicked the dead squirrel with its right foot.
The leaves moved. Branches fell. It turned around but too late.
Kenji dashed forward with his right foot already met its ribs "THUUD!" Impact shocked the liver and rested on the bones. A loud groan escaped the mouth. Its feet faltered. Body slammed onto the ground. His gaze pinned into its soul. He raised his axe above, betting all in for one swing.
Memories of backbreaking labors flashed before his eyes. First time holding this axe. First chop. First tree down. They all urged him to swing straight down. He gritted his teeth as goosebumps grew on both arms. Within a blink, the archer's hand found the bow - pulled the bowstring with full stretch.
Released. The arrow hissed deadly once again.
Red drops fell and darkened the dirt. Hair fell but it barely hit. Kenji's face was covered with crimson and bruises. But he entirely focused on it. A glimpse of golden light flashed faintly - ran across his skin. Kenji roared as the body folded to the front "GRRRRRAAAAAHH" The effort. Blood, sweat, pain. It all mixed together for this final swing.
"WOOSHHP-THWARRK" Axe through skin. And met the dirt. Dark ichor sprayed his face. The axe handle shattered and threw Kenji forwards. Kenji lifted his head up. The archer jolted and shook violently before fading into smoke - curled into the air and left behind bone ashes.
His focus rested at the evenly cut skull and shifted to the axe pinned to the ground. He looked at the broken part of the handle in his right hand. That axe...saved me. Kenji laid onto grass as the chest pounded. He breathed hard and hitched as something broke the tiny peace.
Eyelids shot up. The village.
The world brightened as Haruto's eyelids lifted half way. The sun was still up. That felt wrong. A quivering voice of a man echoed in his eardrums, "Haruto!" The blur faded instantly, only to find Nami was captured with ropes wrapped around his body and arms. Tears rolled down Nami's face as he shouted again, "Haruto, save me!"
"Hey! Leave him a- !" Haruto threw himself forwards and slammed onto the ground. Both feet and arms were tied. A Shroud warrior pressed his head onto the dirt. His back grew cold as a deep demonic voice found him - unhurried. Almost amused. He shifted the gaze up. A silhouette under the sunlight. The Figure lowered his body as the knees bent both sides. "Just like your father"
"Who has died from me."
Veins grew on Haruto's neck as he threw himself forward, but those things held him, "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" His head abruptly snapped to the left. Hot white pain spread across the right cheek as the palm struck firmly. He glanced back immediately and found people pressed knives to the neck of his friends.
Humans...?! Haruto stopped dead at those enemies, ten seconds at least. He crawled forwards, "Hey! What are you doing?!"
Nami and the others jolted but their hair was fully in grip - faces slammed onto the ground. Crimson rolled down from the nose before Nami glanced over Haruto. Knives were ready to pull. The Figure turned to those humans with a slight nod.
"FFSHH"
Nami's head rolled in crimson puddles - eyes left open half way. It stopped and faced Haruto. His breath caught. Nami. Who had shown up at his house every morning and drank till drunk with him each night. Shattered.
"How dramatic," the Figure giggled and nudged it toward Haruto with his foot, "keep it as you wish."
He frowned hard and turned up at the Figure. Faint flame spread across his skin as veins grew along the neck. The world around drove straight to the left. He groaned. The Figure already continued, "That changes nothing."
"Look over here. A special gift for you."
Haruto coughed hard before lifting his gaze up, iron taste on the tongue. His body froze as he noticed the house and the woman captured with two figures locked grips on both of her arms. Her head was covered in cloth. His heart stopped. Ayaka?!
He pushed himself forwards and gritted his teeth, "Don't you dare..."
Ayaka jerked back and turned her head around. Narrowed her eyes to see through the tiny dots. One of them pulled the cloth out. Haruto was pinned his chest to the ground. Faced to her. Red and bruises. A tape on her mouth stopped words yet the whimper was loud enough to reach his ears.
Her attention shifted to the red puddle. She paused at Nami's head. Breath caught instantly and she stepped back without thinking. Something stopped at her neck. Sharp. Freezing. An ashen blade pressed to her throat as she dropped the gaze. She traced from blade to hand. And face.
A person she had seen before. A neighbor. A friend. This time, he was here with pitch black eyes - hollow and borrowed. The Figure stood up and approached Ayaka. Her feet stumbled and couldn't stop a loud groan out of her lungs. The grips on her arms tightened. Two of them drew sharp knives and pinned both of her thighs "AAAGHH!"
Haruto's heart paused a second as the blades dug into her. He crawled on rough sand as the shoulders burned but not enough. Never enough. The Shroud stomped on his back and pulled his hair, "Enjoy the scene?" The Shroud slammed his face onto sand.
Ayaka collapsed on her knees. She cried but that couldn't touch their heart. Two more holes on both arms. Blood splashed onto the ground and ceiling "AAUUG! STOP IT!" She pulled but it just hurt her more. Haruto gazed up with dust on his face. The pupils faintly shined as he shot his legs straight, "DAMN YOU!"
The Figure turned to Haruto as he stood next to Ayaka, "You know. The World is cruel itself." The Figure drew out a long knife, black as his swords.
"Even without me."
Haruto pushed forward, dragged the guard behind, "HEY! STOP IT!" Ayaka glanced down the blade, slowly approaching her. She hitched and pulled back from the grips.
The knife found her neck. Her jaw dropped and gasped as crimson poured. The Figure pulled it out. Blood sprayed down her white shirt. Muscles gave up. She dragged her gaze and met Haruto once. His mouth opened but nothing came. For the last time before eyelids shut forever. Her body met the wooden threshold with warm tears escaping to the floor.
Haruto stopped. The Shroud felt it first and looked down. Only to find Haruto already staring at him. The rope had already been cut loose. Within a blink, Haruto grasped the knife hung on the right thigh of the Shroud. Its head rolled and drew a long line of dark ichor.
Haruto lunged behind The Figure with the knife in his grip, "DIEEEE!"
"You fool."
"SHEEEEENG!" Blood sprayed up the ceiling and poured to dirt. A sharp long cut drew from the left hip to the right.
Haruto collapsed. Lungs didn't seem to inhale. All he could see was the threshold where Ayaka had fallen. His vision blurred and couldn't feel any more pain. Beside the dark red on sand, two wet spots spread beneath his face.
Riku sat in his room. Cried with a teddy bear in his arms. He prayed "Please. please" and tears dropped to the floor. He tucked his feet into his body as he heard a footstep outside the bedroom door. A shadow of something blocked the light leaking in between the gap of the door and the floor. And the door knob twisted.
His heart hammered. Everything swam through the wet of his eyes. Freezing. This feeling could never come from his parents. And the door opened. His chest locked.
---
"Ha-Haa-" Every gasp cost more than the last. Sweat escaped Kenji's face and soaked the dirt in each footfall. The village gate was at least fifty meters ahead. The smell reached him before the gate did. Smoke. Copper. Cold spread down his back as he reached it. His chest tightened. Kenji traced across the village.
On both sides, the houses collapsed with walls painted in red. A silent corpse field.