Finally, after a long break, The Sacred Guardians have returned.
Silence fell inside the stable.
Sheer agony pervaded his mind as Kira laid amongst horses munching hay, his hand clenching his shirt. Immense pain filled his body, mind, and soul, but he forced his screams down, refusing to give in. Even when his heart felt as if it were aflame, trying to burst from his chest, he refused to scream.
The thought of death’s door shot through his mind as his hot breath tinged his throat. He thought it was the end. His memories were fickle. And, now, his body was finally breaking down as well. Yet, after what seemed like an eternity to him, drifting in the void of lonesome pain, and perhaps resignation and impeding death. . .it all subsided.
Kira’s heavy breaths stopped and slowly returned to normal. He collected himself, hand clutching hay to regain his footing. Standing, his expression shifted from fear, caution, curiosity, puzzlement, and then fell back down into the person known as ‘Kira’. Into the mask he showed others and the lie he told to drown out the truth of how broken he felt with each passing day.
‘Why today. . ?’
He took it slow. Moving towards the barn’s entrance with ginger steps, refusing to overexert himself with outside as his goal. The sun crept through the cracks and highlighted the space. Then, Kira stepped past the wide doors of the building, the wish to speak to Hikari once more on his mind. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to see her smile once more. And he wanted to create new memories with her, memories that he hoped would stay within his person.
The light of the sun felt like a death ray to his eyes. Kira shaded his throbbing left eye with a palm as he took a moment to glance at his surroundings as if it were alien to him.
“They’re not there. . .” He muttered.
Hikari and Shana were nowhere amongst the children.
‘I guess they’re inside Setsuna’s house right now?’ He thought, remembering Kuro’s words of preparing food for the guests.
He took a step forward, then another, finding himself regaining his strength. Yet, as he made his way to the house, a village girl stopped him from preceding.
She was a pretty girl in her mid-teens with dark, brown hair and emerald eyes. She had recently returned from selling some wares in the kingdom.
“Um, Kira. Could you help me with something?” She requested with her hands together at her front.
“Of course,” Kira replied, his voice, his expression, and his body hiding any of the recent event. “What’s the matter?”
She pointed towards the entrance of the forest.
“Hina was out playing with the other children and dropped her teddy near the forest. Since it’s banned to go close to its entrance. . .can you get it for us, please?”
Kira stared behind the girl and recognized Hina, slouching upon herself with anxiety upon her face, and the uncertainty. He knelt in front of her.
“Hina, you did good telling an adult, I’m proud of you,” He spoke with as soft a voice as he could muster. “I will return with your friend in no time.”
The eyes of the girl opened wide.
“You will?”
Kira smiled and patted the girl’s head.
“Of course, he replied.”
At that moment, a figure ran in from the left. Kai, Hina’s older brother, came into view and stood proudly before her.
“I’ll get it for you! Leave it to me!” He beamed a confident grin.
Yet nothing was ever that straightforward in life. Kira watched the boy and shook his head. As determined as he was, Kai was a kid. Heartwarming perhaps, but he was still a kid. Due to the recent assault on Silva during the night, it wasn’t safe near the first entrance. Only Setsuna, Kuro, and Kira could fight. The rest died protecting their loved ones.
Kira did not remember much about the incident, but that did not mean it didn’t affect him. Here were two kids, alone without parents, left in the care of the village and him. If only he had power. If only he had enough power to change the course of the world. Perhaps a might belonging to the Sacred Guardians of ancient legends.
Mariko, the girl who had initially stopped Kira, tried to explain the situation to Kai.
“You can’t do that Kai, it’s dangerous,” She chided the boy, though warmly. “The chief and Setsuna said we can’t go near there until they’re confident it’s safe.”
Kai remained unshaken, however. “I can get it! See? I have a wooden sword! I can defend myself just fine!”
Kira stared into the boy’s eyes and recognized them as piercing gazes that belonged to someone who would not change their mind. He shook his head and sighed.
“I have an idea, Mariko. I will go with Kai,” He suggested.
He knew how to defend himself. Years of training with Setsuna, and sparring with Kuro, made him capable in his own right. Only wolves native to the forest were likely to be the foe and, thus, Kira was confident in his abilities, foreseeing no problems. Perhaps, there was also a desire to do something with himself, to fight instead of remaining stagnant within the village.
Mariko looked at him, frowning.
“Kira. . .are you sure you’re okay?” She asked.
“I am.” Kira nodded. “Why?”
Mariko’s frown deepened.
“For the past few weeks, you’ve seemed out of it. Everyone’s getting worried, and you’re covering your left eye a lot. . .”
Though suspicion left the girl’s lips, Kira maintained his calm.
“The sun is awfully bright today and my eye is sensitive to light. That’s all it is,” He explained. “At any sign of danger, I will come back with Kai.”
Naturally, though he wouldn’t mind fighting, Kira had no thought to put the boy’s safety at risk. He merely saw someone who wanted to do good for his little sister after the death of parents that had once protected them both. That struck a cord with Kira, finding a part of himself within Kai. Parents lost. Stranded in the village. Though he despised the world for allowing things to become the way they were, he did not have enough strength to change the past, present, or future.
Though some doubts remained in her mind, Mariko accepted his answer and pushed no further. With Setsuna and Kuro busy, she had no choice in the matter.
“Please take care,” She told Kira, then addressed Kai, “And you better behave yourself and listen to Kira, understand?”
Kai, in defeat, raised his head reluctantly and replied, “Fine!”
Relieved, Kira sighed.
‘How long can I keep this up?’ He thought. ‘Lying to them about my wellbeing and the state I’m in. . .it doesn’t feel right. Should I tell them? No, that will just worry them, and no one can fix this. I’ll keep it to myself, even if I have to lie to Hikari.’
Kira, with Kai in tow, set forth for the entrance of Silva’s forest. A place that held history. A place that held memories soaked in blood.
Two ancient-looking trees stood out from the rest of the surrounding greenery, several meters higher than most. Each took up a space big enough to fit a dozen people, reaching for the skies as if they were in a bid to touch the heavens. Intimidation was the peculiar feeling one felt when they stood before the once blood-soaked forest. It was the very place Atem fought off the pure Darkgress and won.
Not all were unfriendly inside as only a few dangerous creatures dwelled within, most of the wildlife being friendly and docile, keeping to themselves. However, because of the recent events, Kira needed to remain on guard. More so due to the masked figure’s cautious words, ominously foretelling the darkness returning.
Kira kept Kai close to him. They stood and looked around and, there, they gazed at Hina’s teddy upon the damp, dirt ground. The thing they were looking for was a few centimeters in front of the forest’s entrance. It was the stuffed toy Hina’s parents had given to her at her birth and, though age was apparent on it, she had taken care of it well. It was irreplaceable.
Kira grasped his sword’s hilt, ready to draw his blade out at a moment’s notice. He looked down at the boy beside him and the boy looked back up at him.
“Can I grab it now?” Kai asked.
Kira nodded.
“Go and get it, but come straight back,” He said, then emphasized himself, “I mean it.”
“I will.”
Kai cautiously approached the teddy bear, legs shaking, perhaps remembering that the forest truly was a frightful place to be. He gulped and muttered to himself.
“I-I’ll protect Hina. . .”
He picked up the thing than raced immediately back.
“I’ve got it!” He grinned, but stopped in front of Kira. “. . .but, but, there are strange footprints on the ground though?”
“Strange?”
Kira, with Kai close in, inspected the ground.
“You seem to be correct, Kai,” He acknowledged the boy’s findings.
As Kai’s face elated in pride, Kira glanced at the markings in the dirt. He could tell the footprints consisted of at least seven to twelve intruders, though he was unsure of a definite answer. Though, what he was certain of, was that three wolves were amongst the mix, yet he didn’t think them typical. The paw prints were twice larger than their standard and each had markings dug into the earth, signifying two sets of claws, which were unheard of in these parts.
‘I guess the intruders are the cause of the recent deaths. But what about the wolves? They don’t grow that large. Wait. . .it rained last night, and these marks are here. They are from this morning then at most.’ Kira ran through his thoughts and came to a single conclusion. ‘I need to inform Setsuna right away.’
He stood up from his crouch.
“Let’s go, Kai. I don’t like this.”
Kai proudly waved the toy in the air once they returned to the village. Mariko saw the two’s form, relief washing over her.
“Hina, it looks like they rescued your friend.” Mariko smiled.
Once Hina saw the duo, her eyes widened and filled with joy.
“Teddy is safe!” Kai yelled.
He ran to meet Hina while Kira trailed from behind, giving him the moment.
“See, Hina?” Kai presented the toy to his younger sister. “All it needs is a clean, and it’ll be good as new!”
Hina smiled happily as she hugged the teddy bear.
“Teddy, you’re safe!” She gripped it tightly, deciding to never let it fall again. Then she turned her attention back. “Thank you big brother, thank you, Kira!”
“No problem at all,” Kira replied. Her smile was enough of a reward.
Kai rubbed his nose, puffing out his chest.
“See, Mariko, I can take care of myself,” He gloated.
“Yes, yes.” Mariko agreed and patted both Hina and Kai’s heads.
Then she turned towards Kira, bowing slightly.
“Thank you, Kira.”
Kira waved his hand at her, a bit embarrassed.
“Mariko. I did what anyone else would have done.”
That was the truth. Any person in the village would have done the same, and Kira merely did what he could do.
With a glance, he requested time alone with Mariko. The two stood alone, idle from the children as they had ran off immediately to go play, while Kira voiced his findings.
“The chief and Setsuna are right to remain cautious,” He stressed.
Mariko’s concern grew as she clenched a hand over her chest, eyes wary.
“Is it about the recent attacks?” She asked.
“Yes.” Kira nodded. “It might be a bigger problem than we realize. . .I spotted tracks which I believe were left today. A few hours fresh if I had to take a guess.”
Mariko gasped but Kira stopped her from causing a commotion.
“Shh. . .we don’t want to scare the children,” He s aid, finger to his lips, knowing that panic would do nothing.
She nodded, taking a deep breath, and composing herself. She wasn’t a child. That much, Mariko could do.
“What are going to do?” She asked.
“Simple. I’ll inform Setsuna and the chief,” He replied. Though the chance remained that they perhaps already knew about the tracks, Kira refused to take it. “Mariko, don’t tell anyone else. Telling the others might cause mass panic. Keep an eye on the children, preferably in a single location.”
Mariko nodded. “I understand. Leave it to me.”
She turned to tend to the children but paused, glancing back at Kira’s form.
“Just some advice from a girl. . .” Her emerald eyes met his. “You’re an open book, Kira, don’t lie to Hikari.”
She departed immediately after as Kira watched her from behind, hand holding his chin.
“. . .an open book?” He muttered.
'Plot by Lord Atem, Written by LotsChrono'
