WILL’S MAHOGANY-COLORED EYES mirrored the lifeless body of the girl he’d known for much of his young life. Her long pink hair was soaked in the boundless pool of blood beneath her. Chiaki was still sobbing uncontrollably, her hands now clasped together in prayer. Daytona knelt beside her with a vacant look in her eyes. Will used this opportunity to form his Gyro Field around the girls, as he didn't want any further harm to come to them. The boy took one last look at Hotaru and time seemed to stand still. His breathing labored. This had to be a dream. A terrible nightmare that he would soon wake from. At least that was what he’d hoped for.

No…she can’t be…We haven’t reached our full potential…We haven’t broken our tie… She hasn’t even found her parents yet…

These thoughts triggered a memory from within his subconscious, seizing hold of him and obscuring his vision.

“Hey whatcha listening to?”

It was a day that Will would never forget: During his first year of primary school, he'd developed a habit of sitting alone during recess, having earned a reputation as a 'ticking time bomb' due to rumors spreading about his previous gyro magic outbursts. At the behest of their parents, no child dared to approach him for fear of triggering another gyro episode. This day, however, was different, for the first classmate to approach him willingly was Hotaru Hyakuya, a gnome-sized little girl with pink hair.

“Hm?”

“I asked what you’re listening to.”

“M-Me?”

“Yeah, you!”

His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. He took a deep breath, temporarily quelling his anxiety, and spoke.

“O-Oh, um…J-Janice Crede…”

Her eyes lit up, raising his heart rate yet again. He didn't know what to expect from this girl, so even the slightest change in her demeanor made him apprehensive.

“Oh, so you like JC, too? My mom loves her! Whenever we’re doing chores, she puts her music on all the time!”

“Does she?”

“Mm-hm! Can I sit with you and listen?”

“Huh?”

“I mean if that’s cool with you.”

Will felt a wave of warmth wash over him. He'd never been spoken to so openly, especially not by someone his own age. He'd grown accustomed to being the outcast up until this point, but here came this girl, with such a simple action as coming up to him with a friendly smile.

He looked around, fearing that this was some elaborate prank devised by the other students, only to discover that everyone else was fully engaged in their various activities. He returned his gaze to her and nodded.

“Mm.”

“Thanks!”

Will didn’t know how, but the girl’s bright smile had managed to shine through the dark cloud that hovered over him. She plopped down on the bench beside him and he handed her his right earbud.

They sat there in silence for the remainder of recess, enjoying the music.

Ever since that day, they’d been close. She introduced him to both her parents and Mr. Pete. They took him in when he had nowhere else to go. Treated him like family. No matter how many episodes he had, she was always there to calm him; even teaching him the calming technique her father used on her.

“Aw, come on, Willy! You wanna be a patrol officer, no? Don’t tell me that’s all you got!”

“Of course, not! I can still go. Bring it!”

“That’s the spirit! I know you’re capable of more. Now, on your feet!”

When training, she’d push him to do his very best, playing a pivotal role in him finally gaining better control over his powers. He may very well have gone on to become the second coming of his father if they’d never met.

Though Will was loath to ever admit this to her personally, deep down, despite being the same age, in some aspects, Hotaru was a lot like an older sister to him. But now…

“Hey, Will. Do us a favor and keep an eye on our girl, okay?”

…all of that had been taken away. And as Hiroto Hyakuya’s last words to him came flooding back into his subconscious, Will’s body grew hot and he began to shake, his eyes welling up with tears.

“Her heart’s always in the right place, but sometimes she’ll bite off more than she can chew. I can see how much you cherish her, and I’ve no doubt she feels the same way…”

His gyro mana rushed through his pores, bursting outward like magma from a volcano or some other natural phenomenon.

“So, take care of each other, alright?”

In less than a second, he was upon the chimera with blinding speed.

FWOOOOM!!

His fist slammed into the creature’s face. This was followed by a powerful gravitational pull that sent his target back several yards.

GREEAOOOAH!

Will didn’t let up. He flew over the chimera as it was still airborne, crossing his arms before releasing them, unleashing his Gravitational Downforce and crushing the foul creature beneath the weight he generated.

GREEAOOOAH!

I failed them…

FWOOOOM!!

I failed her!!

FWOOOOM!!

FWOOOOM!!

FWOOOOM!!

Over and over Will generated a powerful pulse, crushing the chimera and deepening the crater that was forming around them.

FWOOOOM!!

GREEAOOOAH!

Upon unleashing the next pulse, blue blood began to ooze from the monster’s orifices. But the sooner the afflictions came, the sooner they healed. The chimera gained purchase by pressing its foot against the center of the crater before channeling its newfound gyro aura.

Shit! It’s pushing back!

GREEAOOOAH!

FWOOOOM!!

“—Agh!”

Will was pushed back several feet by the impact, and he landed on his feet before sliding against the concrete.

It’s not good enough! I need more power!

He didn't waste any time closing his eyes and channeling his aura. His rage, his grief, and even his feelings of love and affection. He needed to mediate these emotions in order to properly control his Gyro Field. He channeled these bottled-up emotions into his mana pool. When the merge was complete, his eyes flew open, a gyro aura flowing from them.

FWOOOOM!!

With both feet, Will kicked against the air, propelling himself toward the chimera with greater ferocity than ever before. He aimed his palms in the direction of his target, creating another gyro barrier around it. He then took his fingers and slowly curled them, attempting to crush the monster within the confines of the enclosed space.

GREEAOOOAH!

The creature then spread its massive wings, breaking through the barrier with shocking ease.

Dammit, stay down!!

He landed before the creature. His aura was becoming increasingly ferocious, and as he approached the monster, the ground around him began to tremble. His gaze was fixed on the creature’s, and the longer he stared, the more enraged he became. With the dramatic increase in his mana circulation, it became more and more difficult to control.

“Ugh!” Will’s body began to ache all over as magical energy coursed through him like a chaotic storm. Various thoughts and feelings washed over him. Nothing he’d tried so far had worked. He'd sworn to himself since he was a child that he'd be nothing like his father, but at this point, he no longer gave a damn. If it meant avenging her, if that’s what it took…he’d do just about anything…even if it meant letting his rage take over completely.

Will unclenched his hands and his aura began to consume him.

“Say, Hotaru?”

“Mm?”

“Why me?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, of all the kids in our class, why’d you choose to hang out with me?”

“Mmm…”

Will waited for her answer with bated breath. Surely a girl as interesting as her could easily make friends with the other kids, but she’d risked all of that just to be friends with the outcast. No matter how much he thought it over, it didn’t make any sense to him.

“Because you and I are more alike than you realize. I know how it feels to be feared by others.” She looked down at her tiny palms. “To even fear yourself. When I first heard about you, I’ll admit was a bit scared. Like, ‘Yeesh, I’m gonna have a classmate like that?’ But when I actually met you, I saw someone who was just like me: scared and alone. Actually, before you, I’ve never even had any friends, other kids’ parents said I was too dangerous.”

“Wait…” Will could hardly believe what he was hearing. “We’re f-friends?”

“Huh?” Hotaru raised an eyebrow before chuckling lightly. “Oh, silly Willy, of course, we’re friends!”

“Huh. And you’ve never had any before… S-So that makes me…your first friend?”

She smiled. “Mm-hmm! The first of hopefully many more! And they’ll all be your friends, too!”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Hm. I see. I don’t know about that last part, though.”

“Heh, heh, heh. I’ll make a social butterfly outta you yet, mister!”

That memory with Hotaru flashed through his mind’s eye. What he wouldn’t give to hear her voice once more. Now completely engulfed in a vast wellspring of gyro mana, he brought his attention back to the chimera and raised his arm, preparing to collapse the ground around them, but then…

“Wi…lly! Willy!”

A familiar voice called out to him. It was high-pitched, yet fierce at the same time.

There’s no way…

“Willy!”

The voice called out to him again, and before he knew it, a small hand grabbed his left fist and squeezed it. Suddenly, his mana’s hold on him began to wane and his eyes returned to their normal brown color.

“Willy!”

His eyes widened in shock. It can’t be…That voice… When he looked down, he noticed a pink-haired girl laying on the ground behind him. Her large eyes were as bright as the ocean, and they returned his gaze with purpose.

“Willy…I’m here!”

Will’s breath caught in his throat. His attention was drawn to the long trail of blood smeared across the pavement, which stretched all the way from the Gyro Field to him. She…crawled over here, He thought. She then grabbed his forearm with her other hand and used him as support to lift herself to her feet.

“......”

His gaze traveled down to her plexus, the location where he, Chiaki, and Daytona all witnessed the creature drive its large talon. Her blouse, like the majority of her hair, was still stained with blood, but her wound...

It healed?!

His mind was racing. The chimera had killed her. He saw it. They all saw it. How could Hotaru possibly be standing before him? Necromancy? No. There was no trace of gauntness or paleness to speak of, so it couldn't be. Her skin was still as fair and radiant as it had always been.

An illusion spell, then?

As soon as the thought began to register, he noticed the girl’s smile. And suddenly, any fraction of doubt he once had quickly vanished from his conscience. Her reassuring smile, the warmth of her touch, and her refusal to stay down despite the punishment she received. He'd spent far too much time with her to know that these characteristics couldn't be replicated by a mere illusion. All signs pointed to this girl being the genuine article.

He squeezed her hand back, just to be sure this wasn’t a fever dream.

“H-Hotaru…?”

“Mm-hmm!” Her smile grew wider. “I’m here. So, please…breathe.”

Will took a deep breath and his aura fell back into a calm state. His eyes then flicked over to Chiaki; perhaps she noticed Hotaru was barely clinging to life and figured out a way to heal her after all.

“—!”

However, this theory was put to rest upon seeing the young witch’s face; she, along with Daytona, was staring back at him and Hotaru with an expression of mingled astonishment and horror.

“H-H-H-Hotaru…” Chiaki had emerged from the Gyro Field, her voice was brittle and her lip quivered as she staggered over to them. “Is that…is that really you?”

Hotaru turned to her best friend and gave her a warm smile. “Y-Yeah…Sorry for scaring you guys back there.”

“Hotaru!!” Chiaki ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her. “I thought we’d lost you forever!” she whimpered, pulling back from her and examining her wound. She then said what they’d all been thinking, “B-But…how is this…possible…?”

Daytona stepped through the Gyro Field. “Y-Yeah, seriously! You nearly gave us a heart attack!” Scowling, she folded her arms, but the bags under her eyes were red and puffy, indicating that she, too, had been crying. “When you started moving all of a sudden, we’d thought the godsdamn thing had turned you into an undead or something!”

“Really?”

“Huh? You didn’t hear us screaming, Will? We were proper loud.”

“No.”

Will’s Gyro Field did more than just protect against physical and magical attacks, it also contained sound, so he wouldn’t have heard any sort of commotion as a result of Hotaru’s supposed return to the realm of the living. However, he, too, shared the girl's feelings and sought answers, but Hotaru simply shook her head.

“Look, I’m just as confused as you guys. I promise we’ll talk about it later, but first…” She let go of Will's hand and returned to her fighting stance. “I need to get my lick back!”

She was right. If they didn't make it out alive, there wouldn't be much to talk about. Will was as surprised and intrigued as the others, but he understood that survival came first, so he nodded and assumed his stance as well.

“Let’s do it!”

“Yeah!”

The duo picked up from where they left off. Hotaru sprinted toward the creature, showing no signs of injury despite having been impaled moments before. Will silently considered various explanations for Hotaru's sudden recovery, but the only one that seemed plausible was a recently developed regenerative healing factor, and Hotaru wasn't the type to keep something like that from her friends.

“You’re mine, big ugly!!” Hotaru threw a flurry of punches at the creature's torso, aiming for the same spot where she had been impaled. “How do you like it? Haaaaaaah!!” She delivered one more heavy blow to its jaw.

GREEAOOOAH!

It staggered back, writhing in agony. Something it hadn't done much of before this point. Will, Chiaki, and Daytona all looked on in disbelief.

Daytona’s mouth gaped. “Her punches, they’re…stronger?”

“Even more so than before it seems,” Chiaki deduced. “Hotaru…what…happened to you?”

It was odd, Will thought. They'd wound the chimera earlier in the battle, but other than crying out a few times, it never reacted like this. Whatever had happened to Hotaru had boosted her offense significantly.

GREEAOOOAH!

The chimera collapsed to the ground, howling as it spread its wings and convulsed in pain. But then something strange happened: the monster's appearance began to change right before their very eyes.

GREEAOOOAH!

The monster grew in size. It had grown from a seven-foot behemoth to an incredible ten-foot titan. Its talons became longer and sharper, and its lips became pointed and jagged, like the fangs of a predatory animal. Large cracks began to form all over its upper body, from its head to its torso. Hotaru eyed the creature with a look of disgust.

“What the hell?”

“Damn, we can’t let it finish!” Will clasped his hands together. “Over here, Hotaru! I’ll give you another boost!”

“Gotcha!” Hotaru leaped over to him and landed on his hands with both feet. Channeling his aura, Will used all of his strength to propel the small girl into the air. Hotaru repositioned herself in midair once more. The veins of her arms and legs pulsated. She stretched her arms backward and dived down toward her target.

“Haaaaaaa…”

Just as Hotaru was about to approach the chimera, it leaped backward, flapping its large wings and taking to the air.

“Dammit,” Hotaru cursed as she landed on her feet and clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Forgot about it copying Daytona’s speed!”

“Yeah…Sorry!”

“No need to apologize. You did it to protect, Chi-Chi.”

GREEAOOOAH!

The usual roar of the monster was followed by a sound that could only be described as glass shattering. The dark skin on its torso began to crumble and dissolve, falling to the ground below.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Will channeled his mana and flew after it. He was about to fire another Gyro Blast when the creature did something he hadn't anticipated.

CAW! CA-CAW!

The countless pieces of the chimera’s shedding dark skin transformed into a murder of pitch-black crows with striking golden eyes. They swooped down on Will like a flurry of throwing knives.

The crows moved too quickly for him to put up a Gyro Shield, and their sharp beaks pierced his sides. A searing hot pain rushed through him.

“—Agh!”

“Will!” Hotaru leaped upward to save her friend from the onslaught but was obstructed by a beam of purple light. The blast's gravitational force knocked her back down, pinning her to the ground.

“It’s…it’s using Will’s Gyro Blast…” Hotaru concentrated her mana throughout her limbs and began to rise to her feet, pushing against the gravitational downforce, as she'd done in the past when dealing with Will's gyro episodes.

“Rrrraahhh!”

Hotaru managed to rise to her feet and break free from the creature's gyro spell with a grunt of effort.

“Gaaah!!” Meanwhile, Will sent a rippling shockwave through the pitch-black crows, disintegrating them. However, he was now wounded, and his sides burned intensely. He lowered himself to the ground beside Hotaru, who turned to him with a look of concern.

“Will! Are you alright?”

“Ugh, barely. Those crows got me pretty good, but I’ll…holy shit.”

His focus was drawn over to the chimera. Gone were its beastly features, now bearing a more human-like appearance. Its obsidian skin was no more, replaced by a pale pigmentation that appeared whiter than snow. Long red tresses sprouted unevenly from the scalp of its once bald head, and a long dijon-colored horn protruded from the center of its forehead. The sole feature that remained was its large golden eyes. And their hostile gaze shook four teens to their core.

The chimera’s metamorphosis was now complete.

Daytona gasped. “N-No way…Is that…a yōma?!”

“No, that’s impossible! This chimera must be a shapeshifter…” Chiaki doubted the possibility, providing her best logical explanation. “No one’s even seen a yōma since…”

“Aaaaagh!” Hotaru doubled over, dropping to her knees and clutching her chest.

“Hotaru! What’s wrong?” worried Will.

“M-My heart…It…it burns!!”

“Will, what’s happening?!” Chiaki called out to him.

“Not sure,” he admitted. “I haven’t a clue what could be causing this.” He started to form another Gyro Shield around Hotaru, but she raised a hand to stop him.

“No, Willy,” she said. “You’re hurt…Save some mana for yourself…”

“But—”

“I’ll be fine, I promise…” She assured, slowly heaving herself off of the ground. “Must be the after-effects from before…Guess they’re finally catching up with me…”

“She’s right, Will. Let me see your wounds.” Chiaki rushed up to him and immediately cast a chrono-spell on his injuries. “Alright, hold still. This will only be a moment.”

“Mm. Thanks.”

GREEAOOOAH!

The creature swooped down at them. Its talons, now resembling human hands, had long sharp claws protruding from its fingers. It made to swipe at the trio but was stopped by a flash of blue light. It was Daytona. She'd sped over to intercept the creature and unleashed an electric-charged kick to its face.

“Sod off, you hideous tosser!”

The monster flew back a few feet before swooping back over to Daytona with a speed that rivaled her own and shoulder-tackled her to the ground.

“—Agh!”

The chimera then landed on the ground. Hotaru began to charge, but it quickly cast a gyro pulse that knocked her back.

“Ugh!”

Then the chimera raised its right hand to the sky and a massive accumulation of violet-colored mana began to swirl toward its palm, forming a massive sphere of magical energy.

“What is that…?” Will eyed the phenomenon with mingled curiosity and dread. Whatever this thing was planning, it was going to wreak havoc. They needed to flee the premises as soon as possible. However, Chiaki was still tending to his wounds, so neither of them could move until the procedure was finished. He looked over and saw that Hotaru and Daytona barely getting back to their feet. And the mass of the chimera's red sphere grew larger still. They weren't going to make it in time.

Dammit! It can’t end like this!

Will clenched his teeth. He knew Hotaru and Chiaki would have his hide for what he was planning, but he couldn't just sit on his ass and do nothing. Just as he was about to channel his aura once more...

KRAPHOON!!

…the ground beneath them trembled and shook, reshaping the landscape of the entire battlefield.

GREEAOOOAH!

The chimera was then launched into the sky by a massive pillar that erupted from beneath it.

“I invoke the power of Dogoda, child of Kerio,” came a voice. “O’ Ruler of Storms, grant me your glorious gale...Fortis Ventus!”

The amplified voice rang out throughout the park as they called out the name of their aero sprite. A strong gust of wind swept through the area, forcing the four of them to brace themselves. The intense maelstrom of aero mana made contact with the chimera and severed every external appendage on its body, the massive waves of green aura ripping through its skin with ease. Everything from its wings to its arms, legs, and head was cleanly divorced from its torso. Pieces of the creature’s body fell to the ground one by one. Finally, with a strangely satisfying wet plop, its head landed in front of its now limbless torso.

“Wha…”

“““......”””

With the monster dead, the four teens rose to their feet and stared in silence at the carcass. Whoever cast that spell had made quick work of the creature they'd been fighting for quite some time in only a matter of seconds. They then cast their gaze upward on the hill overlooking the battlefield, where the voice came from, curious about the identity of their savior.

And three pairs of those eyes widened in surprise.

“Well, I’ll be…”

“No way…”

“You…”

Upon the hill stood a teenage boy. He was relatively tall, about two inches shorter than Will, with a lean frame. His short, curly hair was dark blonde, neatly flattened, and parted on the left of his head. The boy was dressed in a white military blazer with a navy blue accent, navy blue trousers, and a pair of black loafers with gold laces. His blazer’s left arm was embellished with the shielded emblem of St. Magnus Academy of Scholarship, the most prestigious of Taqora's four major schools.

Adorned on his blazer’s right pocket was a ram-shaped brooch, the symbol of his house. In his right hand was his unsheathed weapon, a Wiccastrean athame with a two-foot-long blade of glinting steel, and a hilt crafted from silver and gold.

“Yes!” the boy exulted, pumping his fist with delight. “Looks like I’ve made it just in the nick of time!”

“Huh?” Confused, Daytona raised an eyebrow, turning to the others for an explanation. “Oi, this lad a friend o’ yours?”

And indeed a friend he was. Peering down at them with his dark brown eyes, was Jonathan W. Shepherd, the Golden Lamb of House Shepherd, and a childhood friend of Will, Chiaki, and (to a lesser extent) Hotaru. A childhood friend who should have been in the capital city of Bevenhome, where he was to attend St. Magnus Academy. Yet, here he was, in the heart of Marlia City, standing there with a warm smile on his face, giving off a welcome sense of familiarity.

“Ah, William, Ms. Chiaki, and Ms. Hotaru! It has been far too long!” He cast a worried glance down at the heap of monster chunks below. “Now, what in Mother’s name have the three of you got yourselves into while I’ve been away?”