The four figures stand high above Hiro reaching down towards paintings of large trees sprouting from four different souls. Hiro hasn’t seen anything like this before, however something feels off about it, something eats away at him while he stares into the eyes of the four gods. He doesn’t get any time to dwell on these odd feelings as he feels a hand on his shoulder.

“This depicts the moment that the gods passed their power down through the bloodlines of the four champions” He runs his finger slowly down one of the trees as he gives a slight grin.

“Champions?” Hiro can’t help but be excited by the mention “Who were they?”

The priest steps away from the wall as he turns back to Hiro. He looks down on him as he smiles “you want to learn more of the gods?”

Just as Hiro goes to answer he winces in pain as he feels a tight urge not to. As he brings his hand to his head the priest leans down offering help. Hiro smiles and waves it off as nothing.

“Just a headache” he hides the pain through a half-baked smile, enough for the priest but just barely intact.

“Well let me know when you feel better” The priest points up towards the four gods above them on the ceiling. “I’ll tell you all about them.” His eyes slowly make their way towards the champion standing below the tree painted with yellow branches “And just how important they are…”

The priest smiles as Hiro walks away, that piercing voice attacks at Hiro trying to get through to him. It’s muffled but that doesn’t change the pain. Hiro’s eyes shoot open as he clearly hears the words “kill him” before feeling another hand on his shoulder causing him to reel back.

Zero stands slightly taken aback by his reaction. Hiro steadies his breathing before composing himself, he smiles at Zero. She looks at him for a moment before turning back towards the priest as he talks to the usual church goers. Hiro turns to see what she’s looking at before growing confused.

“You have an issue with the priest?” Hiro scratches his head in curiosity as she stares forward. Zero nods but looks back towards Hiro with a stern glint to her helmet. Hiro braces himself for a telling off before her metal hand lays on his shoulder and her gaze meets him face on.

“Could you please not run off the moment I turn my back?”

Her voice is soft, almost soothing to Hiro. His face reflects the surprise of hearing Zero talk like that as his eyes widen ever so slightly and a sparkle chimes off the hazel of his eyes. He smiles and nods to her feeling the genuine concern this suit of armour had for him.

The priest slowly makes his way towards the closed off door at the back of the chapel, Zero follows him with her eyes. As the door shuts behind him, she grabs Hiro by the arm and guides him towards the front door. Hiro is confused for a second but goes along with it by the time they reach outside. The merchant’s square has grown far busier since they first entered the town. People crowd around every store and those who aren’t are walking towards the chapel. Zero groans at the sheer amount of people before turning back towards Hiro,

“We should head back to the inn; I’m sure Asahi and Isamu will be waiting”.

Just as Hiro and Zero try to make it through the crowd they see a familiar pair standing before them. Asahi and Isamu stare back at them covered head to toe in new clothes and bags. Asahi smiles nervously towards Zero,

“This is…. All important” his voice quivers as Zero stands over him in the middle of the crowd. Her gaze enough to make him shrink.

Isamu on the other hand laughs to Hiro as she lifts a large bag full of new clothes. Her laughter causes Zero to twitch in anger. She continues to laugh and show off to Hiro to Asahi’s dismay ad anguish. She slowly turns back towards Asahi as he chuckles nervously.

“Important… This was important?” Zero’s voice is cold and stern completely opposite to just a few moments ago.

“O don’t worry you big meanie” Isamu pulls a pair of glasses out from deep in her bag and just about fits them onto Zero’s helmet “see we didn’t forget about you”.

Zero stands silently as Asahi fears the wrath and Isamu just laughs. Zero slowly turns to Hiro as he begins laughing at the sight and she can’t help but sigh before walking away.

Hiro and Isamu chase after her laughing “oh c’mon they’re cool”.

Asahi is left speechless that they weren’t killed on the spot by her.

The priest stands before the large man as the dim flickering of the light passes from one of them to the other. The priest looks over towards the cages lining the walls as he smiles,

“You think we can stay here any longer?”

“You see how busy it is out there?” the man licks his cracking lips as his smile is shown under the light. “no one gives a shit if a couple women go missin’ a day” The man leans closer to the priest as the light casts shadow under his hat. “I think we could make this a profitable business… don’t you?”

They smile together as the buzzing of the light is accompanied by the muffled crying in the darkness of the other side of the room.

Hiro stands in complete darkness. He looks around for any sign of life, but nothing is around but just as he is about to shout two large eyes slowly peer out from the darkness. The pupils staring at Hiro as black but with a glowing white almost glimmering through the void. He takes as step back, but they just stare at him. A black arm slowly creeps towards him from the direction of the eyes and his breathing grows heavier. The fingers contort and shift the closer they get as if they are itching to touch him. His breathing staggers and stutters as the palm of this hand looks to grasp him. The fingers surround him slowly causing him to fall to his knees and freeze, the fear is taking over. The eyes peer over the hand and down at him.

“Kill him…”

A whisper is met with a slamming of the hand causing Hiro to jolt up from his bed.

Sweat drips down his face onto his chest. Asahi remains sound asleep as Hiro lies back and looks up at the roof with confusion and terror painted in his eyes. He puts his hands on his face as he lies in relief that it was just a nightmare. Something still itches away within him.

He steps out into the hallway between his and the two girls’ room and is met by Isamu as she leans over the banister overlooking the tavern. Hiro leans beside her and looks over to see her heavy eyes staring down at the people below. The people laugh, cheer and dance as beer sloshes around in the large glasses splashing on the floor. Hiro watches as Isamu’s eyes follow a man dancing with a young woman as they laugh and cuddle to the music. She smiles ever so slightly as she watches,

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“You like dancing?” Hiro finally gets her attention as she jumps up in fright.

“You asshole! Who sneaks up on a girl like that?!” her anger quickly fades as her eyes grow tired and heavy once more “You’re lucky I’m tired”.

Hiro laughs as he looks down below “You can’t sleep either?” She shakes her head in response as they both watch the people below. The young man and woman embrace as the song comes to an end and the whole tavern clap and cheer the musician.

Isamu turns to Hiro quickly, “You want to go for a walk?” Hiro smiles softly as he nods and they both head outside. Zero watches on from a crack in the door.

A slight drizzle hits their faces as they step out onto the street. Every light is on as the muffled sounds of people enjoying themselves carries through the empty streets. Hiro and Isamu walk side by side passing by each window as people party and dance.

“You would never think people are going missing huh?” Isamu’s eyes grow sullen as she passes by yet another missing poster of a young girl.

“I think some people are putting on a brave face…” Hiro’s smile fades ever so slightly as he looks into one of the windows, a golden glow hits his face as the light from within sparkles against his eyes. Isamu joins him in watching others through the window and smiles softly at the sight of the faces of the people within.

“Or they are happy to still be together now…?” Her voice is coated in optimism as she closes her eyes and takes a step back away from the window. She slowly looks over at Hiro as he smiles back at her. The two softly smile at one another as the drizzle becomes heavier and the splashing can be heard against the windows nearby. Isamu slowly pulls down her goggles as she smiles, “We should head back…”.

Hiro nods and turns away from her. “Must be exciting going back to sleep on a toilet huh?” He laughs “I mean we have two beds s-“As he speaks he slowly turns around chuckling before pausing. No one is there, Isamu has disappeared and there isn’t any sign of her. Hiro looks quickly from left to right and his eyes begin to shift faster and faster as the panic sets in. He can’t help but continuously glance at the missing posters all around him and they almost begin taunting him as he spins around looking for any sign.

Just as he goes to run back for help he sees the chapel door crash shut as a burst of water splashes off as it slams against the frame. Hiro doesn’t hesitate to run towards the large wooden doors and crash through them. His eyes widen at the sight that stands before him.

The priest and a large man stand side by side and stare back at him. Muffled screams alert him to Isamu thrusting around on the larger man’s shoulder with a bag around her head. Hiro’s breathing grows staggered, the large man almost sees an opportunity as his face contorts into a demon-like smile with the small lantern light casting a dark shadow on half of his face. The priest stares at Hiro with fear in his eyes that he has been caught and he is unable to speak. After a moment of forced silence, the thick tension in the air tightens once again as the man slowly lifts his hand towards Hiro. His long and scratched finger points right to Hiro’s head as he stands completely still feeling that the tension alone is forcing him into place. The man closes one eye as he lifts his thumb,

“Bang.”

Hiro’s breath stops for a second and his heart skips a beat as the room falls completely silent. The man’s grin grows slightly larger and the cracking along his lips become ever present. The priest’s eyes shift from Hiro to the man’s finger in a rattled fashion.

“Aren’t you g-“Bang. In that moment something is formed at the edge of his finger and flies straight for Hiro slicing his cheek and zipping right through the wooden doors behind him. The room falls silent once more as blood slowly drops down Hiro’s cheek, yet his eyes don’t move away from the man across from him.

The man growls ever so slightly. “You made me miss priest”.

The priest shakes as he bows to the man. “I’m so sorry!” His voice crack and quivers as he speaks. The man’s eyes that peer through the shadow of his hood slowly move back towards Hiro as the moonlight from outside shines down on him. The rain falls behind him.

Hiro’s eyes waver as he slowly looks behind him. The door was completely blown apart by whatever was blasted his way. His eyes quickly make their way back towards the man as he continues to aim towards Hiro.

“I won’t miss twice”. Isamu wriggles around as he is unable to keep his arm steady, his evil grin grows into an annoyed scrunch of his face. In one motion he throws her off his shoulder and she crashes into a nearby bench. He tuts and begins to look back at Hiro and just in that second,

Smash. Hiro slams his fist into the man’s face. His eyes widen in realisation as the priest’s mouth gapes as Hiro puts all his might into smashing the smile off of the man’s face.

The man falters and stumbles backward a few steps as blood falls from his nose. The priest can’t even begin to believe what just happened as his face is one of complete shock. Isamu lays groaning in pain as Hiro’s eyes are the picture of anger, his fist now bruised shakes as it stays clenched by his side. He stands tall as the man slowly raises his hand to his bruised and broken nose. His eyes shake in anger and disbelief as he stares down Hiro.

He quickly raises his finger and pushes it into Hiro’s forehead making sure his head is pushed back by the sheer force. He leans in towards Hiro,

“You’re dead” his voice is far less calm than before it shakes with anger and he spits his words through frustration and gritted teeth.

Hiro pushes forward and slams his head straight into that already broken nose as the man reels back in both pain and confusion. He can’t believe that he still chooses to fight. Further blood drips from his nose as Hiro pushes further.

Hiro screams out in anger as he goes to swing at the man once more. Just as his punch is going to connect a cloud of smoke blasts in his face causing him to swing and miss. The smoke dissipates as quickly as it arrived, but it was enough time for the man to move. As Hiro’s punch hits nothing but empty space he isn’t given any time to think before a knee smashes into his ribs. He reels from the attack before the smoke swirls around him hiding each and every punch, kick and knee. Continually he is hit without being able to reply.

The smoke seems to move as if being controlled as it swirls back away from Hiro as the man becomes visible once more. Hiro barely stands as he coughs up blood clearly battered from the small flurry of hits; his body isn’t built for it. The man grabs him by the hair as he pulls his bloodies face up towards his own, he spits blood at Hiro as he throws him back down to the ground.

The smoke begins to form a shape next to the man. The smoke was the priest, they were both able to hold power. Hiro slowly looks up as the two stand over him through blurred vision. The man breathes heavily as the priest looks up towards him,

“What now?” The man looks back towards Isamu as she writhes in pain with muffled screams. The man laughs through his breathes as his nose drips blood through the cracks in his teeth.

“kill her”

The priests eyes widen and he reels back ever so slightly “but sit that is wasted asse-“The man’s eyes quickly dart to him with a piercing deathly stare and through the shadow of the hood casted by the moonlight a yellow glow slowly forms as he looks back at Hiro. The priest runs to Isamu and drags her forward in front of Hiro and the man. She crashes onto the wooden floor with a grunt as the man looks down at the pair with his bloodied smile. His finger slowly lifts towards Isamu’s head.

Hiro throws his limp body on top of her only angering the man off even further. He smashes his boot straight into Hiro’s ribs making him roll off Isamu and out into the rain. He slowly turns his head towards her as raindrops pass by his eyes and down his cheek.

“Cast a smokescreen.” The priest quickly turns to the man,

“Wh-why?” A grumbled breath in response is all he gets from the man but it’s enough to make him oblige. His pathetic shaking eyes glow yellow as his body turns to a smoke and creates a wall in front of Hiro.

Hiro is unable to move as the smoke comes up and now everything on the other side was a mystery. He tries to call out but all he can muster is an exasperated breath and a whimper, “Isamu…”

The man aims his finger towards the smoke as he laughs through his bloodied smile. “I want you in constant fear of when the next shot is coming.”

As the man’s grin grows larger and the glow of his eyes grows stronger Hiro slowly closer his eyes.

“I’m sorry mom… Kyoko”.

The man prepares to fire as he cackles. One shot. Two shots. Three shots

His eyes squint ever so slightly as he doesn’t hear the screams of anguish he so desperately wanted. He shoots once more and only hears the clink of a sword. He grows confused until he sees a glow of both green and red through the smoke, his eyes widen in reaction but a split second later his fears come to light.

Through the smoke charges Asahi and Zero. The smoke parts way for their entry as in just a split second they are face to face with the man with weapons on hand ready to fight.