Age of Darkness Book 1

By Brandon Chen

Age of Darkness is the story of Keimaro Hayashi, a young man tormented and shunned for reasons unknown to him. When his village is attacked and his adopted family slaughtered, Keimaro must join with his only friend, Yata, to find vengeance for those he loved most. Hounded by a villainous group known as the Bounts, Keimaro travels far from his simple, shielded home into a world filled with espionage, magic, and betrayal. He gains allies along the way—others who have been wronged by the Faar Empire and who possess mystical powers that offer unique possibilities. During his journey, Keimaro faces temptation in the form of the enchanting Princess Aika and his own dark desires to overthrow the very gods who condemned his people. Keimaro faces the demon within himself and presses on, learning that vengeance can be found in many forms. Can Keimaro find the good within and protect those he loves?

An action-packed fantasy novel written by 17-Year Old Author, Brandon Chen, for young adults!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brandon Chen
• Release date: Jan 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005369873

Brandon Chen

Brandon Chen is a best-selling author of novels, manga and comics, having started his career with his first publication, Age of Darkness, when he was 17 and beginning his journey into manga with Somnia, which became a Comixology best-seller in 2020.Since then, he has amassed a massive following of hundreds of thousands of fans for his manga and novels with works like God of War Ares, Ghost Wolf, Icarus Rising, Dodge, Soul Search and more. He has edited/developed manga for the publisher, Noircaesar, and written for others, such as Impact Theory.Brandon lives in New York City, where he spends his days reading or writing manga/novels.

Book preview

The Oncoming Age

The stars gleamed and twinkled brighter than Keimaro had ever seen them before. They truly were beautiful. Yet the young man didn’t feel anything but emptiness inside. It was as if an ebon knife had been stuck in his chest and carved out the hole where his heart was. He felt something missing. And he knew that he wouldn’t get it back.

As the gentle rain subsided, Keimaro stared at Yata’s pale body, still and unmoving. Droplets of water dripped from Keimaro’s nose and hair onto the ground as he stood in silence. He wanted to see even the slightest of movements from Yata; even a mere twitch of his finger would bring light to Keimaro’s eyes. But there was no movement. It was improbable. Yata was gone.

All of this pain, all of this agony that Keimaro felt throbbing in his chest. How much more of it would he have to endure before it was finally his time to pass? He watched as droplets of rain slowly dribbled down Yata’s pale cheeks. Keimaro reached up and pulled his hood over his head, covering his gloomy expression with the shadows of his cowl.

Knowing that he would have to hurry after his friends, Keimaro turned away from the body of his old friend. He bit his lip, wanting to look back to find Yata slowly rising to his feet as he always had. But he knew that by turning back around he would only be met with disappointment and more sorrow.

Keimaro began to jog away in the direction of Edward Jones’s house. His friends had headed there, to the last teleporter in all of Faar. Danzo, one of the more experienced Bounts, was going to use the Chains of Memories to rewrite the memories of all those who inhabited the land of the Faar empire. The Chain of Memories was supposedly a weapon that Danzo possessed that could alter the memories of humans, potentially turning them into his minions. The only way to escape the range of Danzo’s Chains of Memories would be to use a teleporter, and since the device in Zylon’s mansion had been crushed when the building had collapsed, Edward’s house luckily had the last one.

The streets of Bassada were completely empty, as if everyone had disappeared. Keimaro walked through the emptied streets alone, remembering how lively the city had been prior to the awakening of Kuro’s dragon. Tiny flames flickered on the desolate city from the dragon’s awakening and some buildings lay in ruins. The boy staggered morosely past a fractured statue of the king, one that he had seen when he had first arrived at Bassada. The sculpture had its entire upper body ripped clean off and the king’s stone head lay cracked on the ground.

Keimaro reached Edward’s house and opened the front door, which was unlocked. Aoi, Yuri, and Edward were all inside scrambling about, trying to pack as many supplies as they could before their abrupt departure. Aika was silent as she stood, watching as everyone frantically scampered through the small house. The light that Keimaro remembered in her eyes had now faded, but he couldn’t blame her. Aika had lost her brother, Darius, her father, and her kingdom, in a matter of only hours. Such a quick course of events had twisted everything upside down, including the life that she had once had. She needed time to think and take it all in. Everyone did.

Set the coordinates for Sparta, Edward, Aoi called, rushing up the stairs of Edward’s house to the upper floor. Knowing Zylon, that is where he would set his eyes. He would want to set up a defensive rebellion against Faar as soon as possible. Since Sparta has already been under siege and has lost almost all of its land to Faar, it seems logical that they would be desperate for help.

Yuri held Lena, who was drastically weakened and unconscious, in his arms as he walked onto the small, blue teleportation pad in the center of Edward’s room. Keimaro and Aika reluctantly followed.

Got it, Edward said, touching a small blue gleaming crystal on his bed, which was on the far side of the room. The crystal glowed evanescently and the pirate returned to the teleportation platform where everyone stood crammed. Clearly the teleporter was not meant for so many people. Hold on tight, mates. Hopefully we’ll fit everyone in one go.

Hopefully?

This isn’t the most operational teleportation pad in existence, lad. Especially when you’re expecting to transport the whole lot of us over hundreds of miles, Edward muttered. Well, here goes nothing!

There was a whirring sound as the pad suddenly flashed a bright blue and Keimaro felt his breath extracted from his lungs. There was an odd tingling sensation in his flesh as he felt every part of him dissipating into thin air. Images zoomed by: trees, blue skies, lush fields of grass, and within moments, he found himself stumbling off of the teleportation pad and into a new room. Keimaro sighed with relief when he saw that his friends were still in one piece after being teleported across the continent. Turning his attention to his surroundings, he blinked when he noticed that the room shared a similar setup as the room in Bassada, if not identical. Are we in Sparta? he asked. This place looks the same.

Aye, I like the setup of the room, mate. I have all my rooms done like this. Edward beamed proudly, walking past Keimaro and down the stairs. Huh, I figured that Z and his friends would’ve teleported here. A part of him had expected that they would all be waiting downstairs. But when he poked his head around the corner after he descended the stairway, he saw that no one was there.

Why would they do that? Keimaro asked, following the pirate. There are hundreds of assassins. Cramming them in this small house would be absurd.

It’s not that small. Edward pouted. Anyway, Lena is probably hungry, aye? She looks like she’s lost a ton of weight since we last saw her.

Keimaro walked back up the stairs and saw Yuri gently putting Lena down on the bed. Aika, he said, turning to the princess. Can you possibly heal Lena? She’s been through a rough time and has a few broken bones and cuts. She was imprisoned for a while.

She was locked up in the Royal Jail then? Aika asked, and there was silence.

Keimaro and Yuri both nodded in unison. She was locked in there for a while. Keimaro said, watching tears beginning to form in the princess’s eyes. He stepped forward and touched her shoulder reassuringly. Hey, what’s wrong? It isn’t your fault that this happened.

I know. Aika sniffed. It’s just … everything that’s happened. Darius betrayed our family. That selfish fool! He had everything already, why did he want even more? He killed his own father, blinded by his own greed. I’ve known him since birth, and even still, I can’t believe he’d murder a member of his own family.

Keimaro didn’t speak, knowing very well the pain that Aika was feeling. After all, only moments ago she had lost a brother. Keimaro understood what it was like to lose someone close. He hadn’t been there for his best friend when it had mattered the most. And now Yata was gone forever. Keimaro would never see his friend’s grin again nor would he hear Yata’s emboldening laughter. He sucked in a deep breath and leaned forward, kissing Aika’s forehead gently. His own warm tears glistened in his eyes, blurring the princess as he pulled her close and felt her silent sobs into his chest. He heard the thumps of Yuri’s boots as he left the room. It’s alright, he said. Everything will be okay. He reassured her, stroking her back gently.

Thank you, Aika whispered, pressing herself a bit closer to his chest. What do we do now? I mean, I have no home now. I don’t know where to go and….

I’ll bring you with me and I’ll protect you, Keimaro said with a heartening nod, pulling back, the corners of his lips curving into a half-smile. I’ll defeat all of the Bounts and reclaim your throne so that you can lead Faar in the right direction once again. You’ll be back home in no time and all of this chaos will be brought to an end. But first, you have help out my friend Lena. She’s suffering, he said, nodding towards the bed. I’ll get us all some food to eat. He touched her shoulder. And then I’ll think about our next move, alright?

***

Tobimaru leaned against a pillar in the destroyed ballroom of Bassada’s royal castle, watching the marred walls crumble around him as Kuro’s black dragon pushed off of the ceiling. A single flap of its majestic wings sent the gigantic beast propelling skyward, creating roaring winds that smashed into the ballroom. A second flap launched it towards the mountains and it began to glide through the sky. The Hayashi clansman glanced over his shoulder at Kuro, who sauntered into the room. Where’s your beast heading? he asked.

To the mountains to stretch his wings. After such a long slumber, he will require open space to recuperate his strength, Kuro said, smiling as he saw Hidan chasing Mai around the debris-filled room.

Tobimaru sighed at the sight of Hidan playing with the child. The white-haired Bount caught Mai and lifted the young girl up in his arms. Her giggles broke the silence as Hidan nuzzled her cheek, laughing with her. Getting a bit too close, aren’t you? Tobimaru grumbled to Hidan, who stuck his tongue out at his partner.

She reminds me so much of my daughter, I told you! Hidan complained, grinning at Mai. Besides, just because you had a crappy childhood doesn’t mean that everyone else has to.

What happens if Keimaro doesn’t cooperate with us, Hidan? Did you ever think of that? Tobimaru scowled, crinkling his nose at the mention of his childhood. Are you going to have the guts to do what’s necessary then? He nodded his head towards Mai, giving off a clear message. She’s a hostage.

Why are you so grouchy, Tobi? Mai called out, pouting at Tobimaru. She clearly wasn’t getting the idea.

I’m not grouchy and I told you not to call me Tobi! Tobimaru growled, glancing off in another direction. He folded his arms and sighed as Mai leapt out of Hidan’s arms and began to run around Tobimaru, poking the Bount in the legs. Tobimaru winced in annoyance at the young girl, feeling his face heat up. You little brat….

Tobi! Tobi! Tobi! Mai chanted, intentionally angering Tobimaru until the Bount pushed off of the wall and began to chase her. She began to run away, giggling as she leapt elegantly out of the way of Tobimaru’s lunges and grasps.

Come back here! Tobimaru snarled while Hidan burst out laughing.

Look who’s chasing her now, Hidan teased.

What’s this? An old raspy voice spoke. Tobimaru blinked, tripping and falling on his stomach. The Hayashi clansman looked up to see the black-cloaked Danzo, standing in the doorway that led from the courtyard into the ballroom. The old man walked forward into the light. I wasn’t aware that Tobimaru was the playful type. The wizened man chuckled.

I’m not, Tobimaru muttered, pushing himself to his feet and brushing off his pants. A moment later, a teddy bear struck Tobimaru in the side of the head and the Bount gave Mai an evil glare. We’ll talk about this later, Mai.

Alright, Tobi. The girl beamed, sticking out her tongue.

Danzo clapped his hands and began to slowly walk forward, his eyes small and squinted. His wrinkled eyebrows rose as he examined Tobimaru and Hidan and shrugged. These are the newest Bounts, are they not? What happened to Junko, Kuro?

He was killed not two hours ago. Kuro smirked.

What?

Junko was murdered by Keimaro Hayashi.

Danzo sighed and shook his head. You don’t seem particularly distressed by your right hand man’s passing.

Kuro grinned slyly. And why should I be? Keimaro Hayashi is growing to be much more of a weapon than I would’ve ever expected Junko to find. He’s incredibly dangerous at his age. He’s eighteen, correct? If so, he surpasses even my strength when I was his age. I can’t wait to see what he becomes when he grows up.

He won’t make it to adulthood if he travels the path he’s on now. Tobimaru scoffed. He’ll attempt to cut us down which will end in his inevitable death, he said. He doesn’t seem too intent on joining us as you had intended. I don’t believe that he’ll take you up on your offer to help destroy the gods either. His love for his family is great but I’m beginning to believe that his hatred for us is trumping that.

What makes you say that? Kuro said with a raised eyebrow.

The look that he wore when he emerged from the explosion you created when destroying that house, Tobimaru said. Keimaro’s look was filled with more rage and enimity than I had ever seen in a human before in all of my years. By killing that Yata kid, we’ve only pissed him off and pushed him further from us. Why the hell would he join us after that?

You’re right, Kuro admitted with a hearty chuckle. "Keimaro despises us. And he has deceived himself into believing that he is willing to fight for the people. He thinks that he has overcome his old murderous ways and that he will defeat us in order to save the world. However, I know that isn’t the case. Within him lies the true seed of his intent and his potential. It is merely dormant for now, but I will awaken it. And when I do, he will reveal his true colors. Keimaro cannot escape his longing for vengeance nor can he escape his nature of hatred. And if his mind is not with us, we will seize it by force.

I have an idea, do not worry. Anyway, there’s no time to waste, Kuro said, clapping his hands together. Let’s commence our domination of this empire. Danzo, initiate the use of the Chain of Memories. Meanwhile, Tobimaru and Hidan, I want you two to find Keimaro and trail him. I believe that he will be suited to fight beside us, and perhaps have a change of mind, rather soon. However, if I am not convinced that he will come to our side, you will be sent a signal.

And what will the signal mean?

That you will dispatch Keimaro, of course.

Danzo walked out to the center of the room and held out his hands, his large, black sleeves drooping out. In an instant, chains began to fire out of his sleeves, flying outwards into the air. They traveled through the gaping ceiling and stretched into the sky, piercing the clouds. There seemed to be no end to these chains, which glowed with a mystical white. The chains broke off and spread out, each link breaking off into two, multiplying infinitely. This continued until there seemed like millions, or even billions of chains descending upon the world, moving at incredible speed. These chains rammed forward into all the humans in Faar, smashing through their chests or backs and linking them all to the same memories. In a mere ten-second period, the entire empire of Faar had been brainwashed to become nothing but zombies at the mercy of Danzo’s command by these powerful chains. Danzo closed his eyes, sweat rolling down his face as he staggered backward, sapped of strength. The chains glistened for a moment before fading from sight, as if they had never existed to begin with.

Get him some food and water and help him to a bed, Kuro commanded Hidan. The Bount Leader sauntered to the far side of the ballroom to Darius’ body, which lay sprawled on the marble floor, lying in a pool of his own blood. Kuro reached down and grasped the heavy crown and lifted it from the fallen prince’s head. He placed the golden crown upon his own head and smiled, turning away from the body as he began to walk out of the room, his footsteps echoing loudly.

Tobimaru watched Kuro with curiosity, following the new king as he strolled out to the courtyard. What he saw left him speechless. The nobles rounded up outside and tied up were now bowing their foreheads shamelessly to the dirt, begging Kuro for forgiveness. They were hailing him as their new king and were desperately trying to convince Kuro that they didn’t know what had overcome them when they had rebelled. This was truly something else. These nobles were more than just loyal to Kuro, they worshipped him as if he were a god. The memories of these people had been altered so quickly that it was almost shocking to see their personalities transform so much in such short time. Was the rest of the empire like this as well? If so, that meant that all of these people were just mind-slaves to Kuro. As the young man watched as Kuro acted as an amiable hero and cut the nobles’ bonds, he couldn’t help but feel his stomach twisting in disgust. These groveling fools were all being manipulated. And it happened so easily. It made Tobimaru wonder whether or not his own memories were real, if it was that easy to change them.

Tobimaru wasn’t going to lie to himself, he didn’t like Kuro. He didn’t like Danzo either. The only reason he was working with these villainous men was to accomplish the common goal that they all strived to achieve. He wanted to make the world pay for what the gods did to him. Humans, in general, deserved every bit of pain that they got. But this memory exchanging didn’t make them suffer at all, it was like working with enemies. It didn’t teach them to learn from their wrongdoings; it merely forced them to mindlessly obey their master’s commands.

We need to work to now repair the damages that have been dealt to our capital city. Sparta and Athens are responsible for everything that has happened here. After we recover, we will retaliate against Sparta and Athens and destroy them both, Kuro said with a hero’s smile, helping a noble to his feet. Will you support me?

So Danzo implanted the memory that the Spartans and Athenians invaded Bassada and blamed them for all of this destruction. Tobimaru sighed at the thought. But there were no signs of Athenian or Spartan corpses. There was not a single trace of their influence, how would these nobles believe such a claim?

Nevertheless, the nobles all agreed in unison that they would support war against Athens and Sparta for the terrible attack on Bassada. Tobimaru couldn’t help but chuckle silently. Seeing truly is believing, these people were going to stick to whatever their memories told them and would believe anything that Danzo fed to them. This plan really was diabolical. Tobimaru slid his hands into the pockets of his cloak and turned around, beginning to walk back into the castle. The only important job for him to do now was to make sure that Keimaro was controlled. Perfect, Tobimaru had taken an interest in him. Compared to the weakling that Keimaro was four years ago, he has become incredibly strong. But that spike in power still wasn’t enough. Keimaro would have to become stronger in order to match up to the power of the rest of the Bounts. So, what was Keimaro’s plan to reach greater heights?

***

Gavin’s heart pounded rapidly as he found himself completely surrounded by Spartan soldiers, separated from the rest of his fellow assassins. He stood at Aladdin and Zylon’s side. The Spartan soldier uniform was unlike anything that he would’ve expected. They wore bronze smelted chest plates that were shaped for their fit bodies. Their muscles bulged and rippled unlike anything that Gavin had seen. These soldiers seemed so fit for fighting that they made the Faar soldiers look as though they were mere children in comparison. They gripped thick spears with well-sharpened stone tips that could surely penetrate through armor and flesh alike. Red capes the color of blood cascaded down their backs and dragged on the sandy ground behind them as they walked. They wore no armor on their arms but had bronze greaves that covered most of their lower body. The round spiral shields that the soldiers had strapped to their left arms seemed to be made of wood but had an outer coating of bronze. This made them gleam as brightly as their armor in the dazzling sunlight. Upon their heads were massive helmets with red feathers poking from the tip. There was an opening in the helm for the soldiers’ faces that also curved downwards for a narrow gap for the nose and mouth.

Without a doubt, these warriors were overwhelmingly intimidating. But as Gavin looked around at the city, he could see that their population was puny in comparison to Faar. Perhaps this was the reason that Sparta wasn’t winning the Spartan-Faar war. It was well known that Spartans were the strongest warriors of the human realm. However, their tiny population was their downfall and was the reason they were not able to prevail against other empires. With Faar’s enormous population and increase in technological advances, it seemed that they were able to make a giant push on Sparta’s boundaries.

Gavin glanced around him and saw that there were civilians, mostly women, who were harshly glaring at the foreigners. He gulped and kept his eyes trained forward as they walked along the sand-packed path that winded its way through the city. They had been ambushed the moment that they teleported into Edward’s home in Sparta. The rest of Zylon’s assassins had been taken hostage while Gavin and his small group were being escorted to whoever was in charge.

Tiled rooftops supported by spiraling columns of marble or stone or even solidified mud surrounded the road. Gavin turned and saw a man with no helmet standing before a large pit. There was a small stone wall around the pit but he could tell that the hole was a burial ground for traitors or prisoners. There were two Spartans, fully armed, at his side.

The man had a trimmed black beard and curly hair. His eyes were dark and had little emotion. He wore the same armor as the rest of his men and had a short sword sheathed at his side. The only difference was the golden helmet he gripped in his hand. He seemed a little younger than thirty and gave a small smile as he saw Zylon. As the escort team arrived before him, he waved his hand and the Spartans dispersed to reveal the three foreigners. The man handed his helmet to one of the Spartans at his side. He then reached down and adjusted the iron braces on his wrists and whistled. Quite a day, is it not? he said casually. The Faar army has halted its unstoppable advance these past couple of days and by some chance the infamous Zylon has blessed us with his presence. Unauthorized teleportation into our city, he said, looking Zylon in the eye with a fierce glare. And from the reports that I have heard, you brought hundreds with you. What do you plan on doing? Invading us with your group of magical assassins? We have no time to spend fighting you. We already—

If I may, King Leonidas of Sparta, Z interrupted, bringing surprise to the Spartans around the leader at the foreigner’s disrespect, though Leonidas himself didn’t seem particularly surprised. It seems that we do have a bit of a misunderstanding. Perhaps if we went somewhere else we could speak in private?

Why go somewhere private? Leonidas laughed. Right now, what you tell me decides whether or not you and your friends live or die.

Come now, don’t be like that.

And tell me one reason I shouldn’t.

Your father wouldn’t want for you to execute an old friend who’s come with a proposition.

My father is gone, Leonidas snarled, storming forward. He shoved his face inches from Z’s, snorting abrasively in the immortal’s face. The Spartan looked Z straight in the eyes with unwavering intensity. Tell me what the hell you and your assassins are doing here. Give me one reason I shouldn’t have my men gut you and have you tossed into this pit.

Faar has been invaded.

Good! Leonidas exclaimed, taking a step back with a hearty laugh. He clapped his hands together, excited. By whom?

The Bount organization. Z sighed. Don’t think that this is any better than your current situation. It is much worse. The Faar king prior to the invasion might’ve given you quarter. However, the Bounts want the extinction of the human race and all that live on this world. They intend on dominating the entire continent using the Faar Empire’s soldiers. They will attack Sparta and Athens and destroy everything. Upon conquering all of this land, they will attempt to storm the Heaven’s Temple to the north and kill the gods themselves. Then they will take the throne of the gods and rule the entire world where they will recreate the planet as they see fit.

You think that it will be so easy for them to defeat Athens and Sparta at the same time? That is a battle on two fronts, Leonidas barked. Who do you—

Kuro Hayashi has been awakened, Z snapped. We were incapable of defending ourselves against him and his dragon. Danzo of the Bount organization has probably used the Chain of Memories on the entire empire already. He has already used it on my own son, who is beyond saving, he explained, his gaze softening as tears glistened in his eyes. He bit his lower lip and the pain erased from his expression as quickly as it had appeared. We’ve come to Sparta in order to aid you in fighting back against the Faar soldiers with hope that we will be successful in defeating the Bounts.

What makes you believe that we require your assistance? a Spartan beside Leonidas spoke.

Because if you don’t accept our assistance, then you will be defeated by the Faar Empire. They are stronger than before with the power of the Bounts. Kuro alone is equivalent to a second army. You will need us to help you, Z said. Either way we share a common enemy. Do not allow your pride to trump your own common sense, Leonidas.

And for what reason should I trust that you’ll stay loyal to our cause? Leonidas demanded. After all, were you not friends with Kuro hundreds of years ago? You expect me to simply allow hundreds of magical strangers to live in our city? We are low on supplies and we are losing ground as we speak!

Then we will turn the tide of the war, Gavin called, reluctantly stepping forward. All eyes trained on him. He ignored the glare from Z and continued to speak. We’ll crush Faar’s armies and all opposition. We will take back your lands and push back them back to dominate their empire. But if we want to be victorious, we can’t be the only ones fighting Faar. We will need Athens in order to do so.

Why in hell’s name would I ever ally myself with those dung bags in Athens? Leonidas growled, jabbing a finger aggressively into Gavin’s chest. Have you gone mad? Our empires are like night and day. Do you honestly believe that we will cooperate?

Yes, Gavin declared. Because if you don’t, your empire is doomed to fall. With the Bount organization, a dragon, and the massive Faar army, individual empires won’t be able to sustain against their onslaught. But together, he said. Perhaps we can succeed.

Perhaps? Leonidas muttered.

Perhaps. It’s a chance and it is something I am willing to fight for. Are you too blind to see that we are trying to help you? Gavin asked, thrusting his face close to Leonidas and staring fiercely straight into the man’s eyes, which were narrowed. Or perhaps it’s weakness that I see. You fear betrayal. Well here, general, I’ll lay out your options for you. It’s either you trust us and do what we say, or you and your empire are crushed and all of your people die.

Leonidas reached for his sword, tearing the weapon from his sheath and pressing the metal against Gavin’s chest, pushing the soldier back. Hold your tongue, boy. Otherwise I’ll slice it off and feed it to you. You underestimate our armies. We are not weak.

Then explain why Faar is at your doorstep about to conquer the rest of your empire. Two thirds of your previous land is gone from what I’ve heard. Gavin scoffed, his heart racing. Beads of sweat began to form on his brow and there was a tightened knot in his stomach. What was he doing? Keimaro usually played the brave guy, but now he was doing it? He didn’t want to die, but given the direction that this conversation was going Leonidas’s blade would skewer his body and soon he would be nothing but a speared slab of meat. You need us and we need you. Without each other, neither of us is going to accomplish anything. But together, I’m sure that we have at least a chance.

Leonidas stared at Gavin with strain printed upon his face. He lowered his sword and grunted, sliding his blade back into his sheath. Come with us. We’ll bring you to our elders to let them hear your proposal. They’ll decide your fate. Though a forewarning to you: they listen more to tradition than to reason.

The Spartan General nodded and waved off the other Spartan soldiers and motioned for Gavin, Aladdin and Z to follow him down the road. Gavin was bumped by Aladdin, who shot him a glare. What was that? the noble whispered with a shake of his head. If that had gone wrong, you could’ve gotten us killed.

But he didn’t, Z said, his eyes trained on Leonidas. Simply be prepared for anything that happens. Both of you.

They walked to a large building supported by large marble columns. Underneath the stone ceiling, there were outside hallways that led around a flat stone area where Spartans would spar. In the sparring grounds, there was no roof, simply open sky. In the center of the small sparring arena were two children of the age of thirteen, of perhaps younger. They were topless and were swinging staffs made of wood at each other with murderous intent. Their blood was splattered across the ground as they relentlessly struck each other, marking their skin with the darkest of bruises.

Gavin winced at each cracking blow but was also fascinated at the same time. At such a young age, their skill was incredible. Their strength, perseverance, and ability were beyond that of any ordinary child. He turned and saw that Leonidas was speaking to two elderly Spartans who were spectating the fight.

One was a man and the other was a woman. They each wore red long drapes that reached down to the ground. A necklace made of flowers was wrapped around the old woman’s neck. The older man was carrying a staff made of a special type of wood that curved at its tip. He used it as a walking cane and plodded past the Spartan General towards Gavin and his friends. The look on the elder’s face was not pleased.

You have come into our city without permission and you wish to tell us how our government should operate and whom we should make our alliances with? For centuries we have been at war with Athens. A simple dispute against the empire of Faar will not change that, the elder said, stamping his staff against the ground. The Athenians reside with darkness and so they shall stay in that darkness. If our empire shall perish, it will fall with pride and will die in order to protect its beliefs.

Your stubbornness will not only be the downfall of your empire but of the world! Zylon barked, taking a step forward towards the elder. In an instant, Leonidas and several other Spartans had unsheathed their blades and pointed them at the immortal, perfectly prepared to kill. Yet Z did not budge, nor did he blink at the sight of these weapons. Elder of Sparta, this is not the time to be selfish. If your empire falls, so does the whole human continent. The rest of the world will crumble soon after. I came here today not because I care about your empire or its damned beliefs, but because I care about this world.

How does the destruction of our empire relate to humanity’s end?

Once Sparta is out of the picture, Athens will be easy picking. Then they will storm the Heaven’s Court, which lies at the highest peak in the north. And the Bounts will kill the High Priests there, destroy the gods, and become gods themselves. With the power of the united human empires, such a task will not be difficult, Z said. I do advise you to reconsider your decision. What you decide to do determines the fate of humanity and this world. I will be with my assassins. If you want the aid that we are willing to provide, you may come see us. But if you truly want us out of your city, you’ll have to use force, the immortal said with a small nod of his head and turned around, beginning to walk down the path from whence they came.

Gavin and Aladdin glanced at each other in shock at the audacious remarks that Z had just made and turned, stumbling after the immortal. You really think that’ll work? Gavin asked Z.

Maybe, Z murmured, unsure. I believe that we have won over Leonidas. He cares for his people. As for these elders who only care for tradition, they must understand that tradition will cease to exist if Sparta does not follow our instructions. For now, we should focus on feeding and clothing our people. Eve and Buu require tending to. We will have a ceremony tonight to acknowledge our dead. He turned and looked over his shoulder at Gavin with twinkling eyes. It isn’t your fault, you know. Yata chose his own fate.

Aladdin was silent and looked away at the mention of Yata.

Gavin’s throat was tight and he gulped forcefully. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his side as tears glistened in his eyes, but he quickly reached up and wiped them before they streamed out. Yeah, I know that it isn’t my fault, the soldier said, his words echoing in the silence around them as the civilians simply stood and watched the foreigners as they walked by. But I won’t forgive myself until I crush the Bounts and their forces. It’s what Yata would’ve done if I had taken his place.

Z closed his eyes and swiftly nodded. Then we shall do our best together in order to accomplish that goal.

Save Me from this Darkness

Save me. Save me!

Mai’s words echoed. An image of Yata’s unmoving corpse appeared, his pale skin as white as snow. He floated freely in an endless world of encasing darkness, oblivion. Then there was the sound of Aika’s shrilling scream.

Keimaro shot forward suddenly, breathing heavily and gasping. He looked around shakily and saw that he was still in the room of Edward’s house. He had heard a scream. Not only that, he had heard Mai’s voice and seen Yata’s body. His face was drenched in sweat and he glanced beside him to see that Aika was sleeping soundlessly on the bed beside him. He slid away from her silently and slowly stood up from the bed. He had taken off his cloak and was wearing his short-sleeved black shirt to sleep. He stumbled to the washroom where there was a bucket of water as well as a mirror. He reached into the bucket and cupped water in his hands, splashing it on his hot face. He gasped as the freezing liquid cooled his skin and woke him instantly. Was that a dream that he had? The scream had been so real.

"Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn’t." A recognizable dark voice cackled evilly from the shadows. Keimaro glanced upward at the mirror and saw his second self. It was the same clone that he had witnessed in the springs in Z’s mansion. Its dark eyes, filled with malice, were unmistakable. Upon his lips he wore a nefarious grin. The words he spoke had echoed in his head, but Keimaro now saw the clone moving his lips to speak. "What are you doing, Keimaro? Working together with these pitiful humans. We should be fighting beside our family. Tobimaru and Kuro Hayashi are the only survivors of our clan. We should help them in their quest to avenge our family."

How? Keimaro gasped.

"By destroying humanity. The clone chortled, his laughter resonating in Keimaro’s head. Don’t you see? It was humanity all along who influenced this. No, it was the gods. If they had never announced the destruction of the Hayashi clan then none of this would’ve happened."

An electrifying sensation of rage shocked through Keimaro’s body. Without thinking, he punched outwards, smashing the mirror. There was an explosion of glass that scraped against his flesh and crumbled down onto the ground, clattering loudly to the floor. He stared at his fragmented reflection in the destroyed glass. "Perhaps you are too afraid to believe the truth, hm? The darker version of him appeared at his side, stepping from the concealing shadows of the empty room. In an instant the entire room seemed to melt into darkness, entering oblivion. The door had vanished and there was nothing but absolute blackness all around him. Humanity caused you all of this pain. Yet, you are fighting to help preserve a world where they’ll have all of your loved ones killed."

The ones who killed my family were the Bounts! Keimaro yelled.

"It was all a part of the plan as Kuro said. Did you not hear him earlier when he spoke to us? the dark version snapped. If you join them, they can revive everyone that you hold dear! Your mother, your father, your friends, Yata! You will have Mai at your side. You will be able to live an eternity with Aika. Everything that the two of us have ever dreamed about will come true! Don’t you see that? Why are you being so foolish by following this forlorn path? Don’t you see that there is nothing at its end except for emptiness? If we actually manage to defeat the Bounts, then what? The gods will still issue your death. In their eyes, no matter what we do, we are still dirt. At the end of this road, is our inevitable fate. If we reach the end at all, that is. We must do what is right for us, not for the world!"

Keimaro was silent, understanding that what the clone was saying was true. The issue for the death of the Hayashi clan was permanent. The massacre would continue until the clan was extinct and eradicated from existence. He would not be able to live a life of peace if he tried to help Z to destroy the Bounts.

"Tell me, what is your reason for wanting to destroy the Bount organization? What is your intention?"

Keimaro’s eyes widened at the question and his heart raced faster. Because humanity deserves—

"Don’t give me that! the second Keimaro boomed. I am you! I know everything that is going through your damned head! And I know for a fact that you don’t give a single damn about humanity. Look at the way it has treated you! They beat you as a child. They killed your family at the Bakaara massacre. They betrayed you with Darius’s attempt to become king. They have annihilated everything that you have ever loved. Humans are imperfect creations that have done nothing for you since the very beginning."

You’re wrong there.

"What?" the clone snarled.

Yata showed me friendship, Keimaro said, remembering the time that the young boy had first traveled outside of the force field of Bakaara with Yata. The two of them had shared their own stories together. Even though they had been complete strangers, they opened up for the first time and told each other everything about their views on the world. Aika showed me love. He couldn’t forget the time he had first seen her four years ago. The princess had made his heart flutter at the very sight of her. Though, he had been too worried about her health since she had been covered in cuts and bruises. He was overjoyed when he saw her again in Bassada. The two of them enjoyed each other’s company and everytime he was around Aika, he felt at ease, temporarily forgetting all of the horrific memories of his past. Lena showed me acceptance. There had been rumors about him but Lena had told him that people would accept him eventually. She was the one who had replaced his sense of loneliness with friendship and had been the first one to accept him as one of Zylon’s assassins. "Yuri showed me strength, Gavin showed me the ability to change, Zylon showed me the pure intentions that humans can have. He wants to stop Kuro, not because he has to, but because he