The man donning that deep red armor stepped into the hall. That dark red armor, which beautifully matched the blood spilled on the floor. It was pretty, in a morbid way.

The hall, cloaked in silence, trapped in stillness.

The man’s boots clacked on the hard floor as he stepped over her body. That guard had stopped making any sound, and yet blood still flowed. So much blood.

Hayato felt sick.

Sakura, on the other hand, had settled down in her grand room. She was currently ignorant to the issues that had arisen just down the hallway.

She lay in her bed, thinking.

I… really can’t believe it. To think I, of all people, would be given a Great Power. I wonder how Hayato’s fairing…

Someone screamed. Many followed.

As the Hall of a Thousand Minds descended into chaos, Hayato sat, filled with terror, upon the stage. Hands firmly planted on that crystal, he finally collected his thoughts.

I need to run.

People were running all over the place, completely disorganized.

At that moment, more of those warriors, wearing those uniforms, came into the hall.

Hayato saw someone get kicked down.

Another one was knocked out with the hilt of a sword.

Hayato got up and looked for an escape route.

“Ohoho, not so fast, boy.”

An arrow whizzed past Hayato’s face. He could feel it graze his cheek, and a small cut opened there. As a little blood dripped down his face, the man spoke again.

“We’re here for you, Great Power!”

Even with the noise in the room, it seemed like that man spoke directly to him, it almost sounded like it was coming from right beside him.

It was.

The man grabbed Hayato’s shoulder.

How’d he get there?! I just saw him!

“Listen,” Hayato begged. “I’m the wrong person! I’m no one special, much less a Great Power!”

“Whatever you say,” the man chuckled. “We need to take you. It’s nothing personal, in fact, you’ll be helping a lot of people. We just want you to help us out a bit!”

“Why the hell would I help you?” Hayato yelled. “You’re trying to kidnap me!”

The man grabbed onto Hayato, and held his arms behind his back. Pulling some rope out of a bag, he started tying.

“What the hell?!” Hayato struggled.

He desperately tried, but to no avail. The man was just that much stronger. Hayato was only a boy after all.

Why is this happening to me? Hayato thought. I just wanted to live a normal life…

He cried.

“Let me go!” he screamed.

The room darkened, and a look of fear appeared on the large man’s face.

“Sir, I think we’ve caused enough of a panic to—”

“Shut. Up,” Hayato muttered.

The hall seemed to close in, the shadows stretching. It felt claustrophobic.

“Please, I’m begging you, just shut up.”

The large man’s face of fear melted as his mouth stretched into a smile.

“Ha! You do have a Great Skill after all.”

The large man raised his fist, and struck. Hayato was knocked out instantly, and the room seemed to lighten.

The man took Hayato up and draped him over his shoulders.

“Well, let’s take our leave,” the man announced.

“Sir!” several voices affirmed.

Sakura sat still, still thinking. She had yet to hear the commotion in the hall.

“If I remember right, Divine Right is what kings and queens used to use to justify the reason they were kings or queens. Being chosen by God or something like that.”

She let out a sigh.

“I wonder what I can do with it…”

Reaching her hand into the air, she clenched her fist.

“Whatever the case, I’m determined to do good!”

----------------------------------------

Hayato woke up in a dark room. He was bound to a chair; he couldn’t move. His eyes started to adjust to the dark, showing him more of where he was. It looked like a small room, made from stone bricks.

Hayato tried to move his arms, but to no avail. They were tightly bound together behind the chair. His ankles were tied, too.

“Is anyone there?” he asked. “Please… let me go!”

“No can do, pal,” a voice responded from the darkness. “You’re not scheduled to leave anytime soon.”

“Why am I here, anyway?” Hayato begged. “Please, I just wanna go home.”

“Well, you have a Great Skill, and we need a Great Skill,” the man responded. He lit a candle and placed it into a holder on the wall. With the now dimly-lit room, Hayato was able to identify his capturer. It was the man from before.

“Who are you, why do you have to do this to me?” Hayato asked.

“The name’s Renard. Renard Blackwood.”

“W- What are you going to do to me?”

“Let’s see,” Renard responded. “Your Skill seems to come out when you’re in distress, so I think I’ll try putting you through some pain.”

Another man entered the room. He wheeled a tray of tools on it.

No, no, no, no! Please tell me this isn’t happening! God! Anyone!?

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Hayato prayed and prayed, and yet, as it seems, when the gods are needed the most, they stay silent.

“Please!” Hayato yelled. “I’ll do anything! Just please don’t hurt me!”

“You’ll do anything?” Renard mocked. “Then just sit there and take it like a good boy.”

The man with the tray picked up a knife. He examined a syringe. He inspected a glass bottle.

“Looks like we’re in for a fun time!” the man laughed. “Don’t worry about anything, I’ll make sure it’s nice and slow!”

Hayato trembled.

The man approached with tools in his hand. Renard left the room. He caressed Hayato’s face with the back of a knife. He flipped it and dragged it down Hayato’s face, cutting it down the left side.

“Ah!” Hayato yelled.

He was used to the mental pain, but nothing physical.

The torturer was toying with him.

“Please stop,” Hayato groaned in pain. “Please.”

He cut, and cut, and cut.

Hayato screamed.

He chopped and chopped.

Hayato cried.

He ripped and ripped.

Hayato lay silent.

That dark room darkened even further.

The torturer didn’t even notice. He was having too much fun.

Minutes passed, melting into what was maybe an hour? The concept of time no longer was relevant to Hayato.

Hayato wasn’t responding.

“What’s wrong, little boy? Had enough?”

Hayato thought back to his old life. With all of its glamor and brightness, it truly was a good life, however short it may have been cut. And then he remembered the dark parts: the bullying, the rejection, the coldness. The dark seemed to outweigh the light, except for one vital factor: Sakura. While in the deepest pits of despair, Hayato would not have made it if not for his sister pulling him out of his isolation. But she wasn’t here right now.

Maybe it would be better if I died.

“Oh, don’t talk like that!” a voice resonated within Hayato’s head, almost hurting.

W- What?! Who’s that?

“Listen,” Hayato heard. “You shouldn’t think of yourself so lowly. You know you’re worth so much more. And I can help you realize your innate talent!”

Who—

“All you have to do,” the words interrupted, “is kill Renard! And anyone who stands in your way, for a matter of fact.”

I could never kill anyone! What are you talking about?

“Well, you wouldn’t need to do anything! Just let me take the wheel for a little bit, and I’ll steer straight through your enemies.”

My enemies?

“Yes.” The word rang. “Any one person who gets in your way, or opposes you. Simple as. If you destroy your enemies, you will succeed. You’ve played video games, it’s just like that!”

You know what video games are? Who are you?!

“I’m you, Hayato. So go ahead, let me out. You know you want it!”

Hayato looked up with dark eyes.

“Yes, I believe I’ve had enough.”

Hayato stretched out his hand.

“Reaching out to be saved? How cu—”

The shadows seemed to shoot from the walls. And then they disappeared as fast as they had emerged. The torturer collapsed to the ground, no evidence of an injury.

“I was hoping that you’d feel a bit more.”

Although it’s rare, sometimes those with Skills go through what is called an Awakening. In these Awakenings, the Skill-bearer, in a short period of time, gains all of the knowledge of their Skill, and in some cases, it causes a drastic change in personality. This often depends on the depth and complexity of their Skill.

“Abyssal Whisper,” Hayato muttered. “Ha! I love it!” He cackled.

He sat up, his ropes severed, falling to the floor.

“Now,” he said. “Let’s see if we can’t find that Renard.”

----------------------------------------

“Hayato got… kidnapped?!”

Sakura exclaimed in surprise. She had been enjoying herself, and Hayato had been going through this.

“Miss,” said a guard, “you are scheduled to meet with His Majesty in thirty minutes. I know this must be hard, but please make yourself presentable. Clothes are provided in your room.”

The guard left the room and Sakura slumped down into her bed.

He must be so scared… And to think that they were coming for me, but took him since I left.

“Damn it all!” she punched her bed. “I’m sorry, Haya,” she cried.

She collected herself and went to get dressed. Afterall, she couldn’t wear poor looking clothes to the King’s audience. The closet her clothes were in was crazy big. Bigger than anything that Sakura was used to. Because of her current emotions, she decided to wear something on the darker side; she couldn’t bring herself to wear bright colors. She found a navy blue, flowing dress. Sakura had the ability (just in general, not an actual ability) to make anything look good on her. Even if the item already looked good, it would look especially good on Sakura.

As Sakura walked through the halls of the castle, people stared as her beauty emanated through the building. She strode through the halls without the slightest concern about her meeting with the king.

Guided by a royal guard, Sakura was led to the Royal Hall in the king’s palace. All of a sudden, her nerves hit her.

It’s okay, Sakura, she thought. Just be respectful, and make sure he knows how important it is to get Hayato back.

The red carpet seemed to stretch for eternity, the king sitting at the end of time. She approached the throne and kneeled, lowering her head.

“Welcome,” the king said. “I am King Calladan of the Holy Kingdom of Illt’en. Raise your head and speak your name.”

“My name is Sakura Sigrari. I am attending an audience with Your Majesty because of my Great Skill.”

“Yes, yes, very well,” Calladan responded. “You!” Calladan looked at an attendant, whom Sakura recognized from the Skill Ceremony. He was the one who announced Skills. “What is this woman’s Great Skill?”

“Its name is Divine Right,” the attendant answered. “We’re not yet sure of its capabilities.”

“Divine Right?” Calladan asked. “Curious.”

“Um, Your Majesty?” Sakura called. “I wanted to ask you something.”

Calladan looked back down, no longer lost in thought.

“Yes, what is it?”

“My brother got, um, kidnapped, and I was wondering if you could please, please try to help. It would mean everything to me. I can’t let him go.”

Sakura cried a little, but quickly wiped the tears.

“I see… Well, you are a Great Power, so I suppose I could make some things happen.” He smiled.

Sakura was surprised.

Isn’t he supposed to be super unreasonable? But he just said yes… I guess maybe he is capable of change, unlike what Sakamoto said.

“I am extremely grateful, Your Majesty,” Sakura said.

“Of course, young child.”

The audience went on for longer, and Sakura learned what duties she would be assigned. She would start her training immediately and would be soon inducted into the Order of Knights of the Holy Kingdom of Illt’en. The same as her father before her. The Order of Knights, as it was called informally, was a more public institution than it was when Alexander was there. They were more of a military unit than ever, especially considering the growing tensions with Bakhr.

The militia that had infiltrated Berent Academy had come and left. According to news publishers, the “brave soldiers serving the king drove them off.” There were no casualties—besides one guard—but more than a few students were injured during the attack. They were promptly treated, and returned to their correct assignment afterwards.

Sakura left the king’s throne room and reentered her chambers, followed closely by a personal guard.

At the same time, Hayato roamed the halls of the mysterious complex he was housed in.

“Renard!” he called. “Come on, I just wanna talk!” He laughed.

He slowly approached a door, reaching for the knob. Suddenly, his head jerked to the right.

“Found ya!”

He walked down the dark hall, coming closer to the door at the end. Getting closer, the darkness in the hall became almost tangible. The door was slightly ajar, and a light came from within. Hayato pushed it open, revealing Renard inside the room, sitting on a chair.

“Hayato, pal,” Renard chuckled. “Seems like you’ve had an Awakening! I’m happy to see that. Seems not all of my effort went to waste.”

“See, Renard,” Hayato responded, “I’m not too happy right now. You just put me through a lot… I don’t appreciate it.” He frowned.

“Sorry about that, but you should know that it’s necessary for our cause. We need you, Hayato!”

“And what happens if I kill you, right here and now?”

“Well, I guess I’d die. And you’d be able to take over this here militia.”

“So, I’d be in control of all of your men?” Hayato asked. “And I’d have to fight against Illt’en?”

“Possibly, and yes,” Renard answered. “Well, I mean I would like if you fought against Illt’en, since that’s kinda, my thing, y’know, but if you really wanted, you could take it wherever you want. My men might not be so accepting of you, though. But I’m sure you’d persevere.”

“How do I know that you don’t actually want me to kill you and take over?”

“Dunno.”

Renard laughed, tilting his head back, laughing.

“Haha, I’ll let you live, but don’t make me regret it, old man,” Hayato teased. “Now get out.” His happy demeanor melted into a cold gaze.

“Yes, Sir!” Renard disappeared, blinking out of thin air right before Hayato’s eyes.

Fool.

----------------------------------------

Sakura sat in her room, praying and hoping. She held her hand out, trying to recreate that radiant glow that shone during the ceremony.

Maybe if I get this power to work, I could help Hayato, Sakura thought. If only… Why doesn’t it work? I hate this!

She decided to go on a walk—without telling her attendant. Walking around the school grounds at night was a sobering experience. Sakura was able to think clearer about the situation, realizing that Hayato would be fine on his own, and would be back before she knew it.

The balcony Sakura stood upon had a beautiful view of the city below it. Past the city was the sea, coated in the fading light of dusk. The Capitol was quietly buzzing, the night crowd emerging as the Sun fell behind the rolling green plains.

But something felt off. Like there was a disturbing power emanating from within this very city. It made Sakura feel uncomfortable—almost as if an inescapable darkness had surged up to swallow her whole.

But as of now, it is still just opening its maw.