The dripping helmet of Zero and the flashing emerald eyes of Asahi drag the smoke forward towards the man as he doesn’t even have time to react to the speed of the two. He tries to throw his hand up to use his power but the glowing blade swings at his face just slicing at his nose.

Asahi crashes his knee into the man’s chest with enough force to make him fall back into the benches behind him. Asahi stands over the man with his eyes glowing and his hair hanging over his face. The man winces in pain as he looks up to see his tow attackers causing his face to scrunch up in anger.

Zero turns to Hiro as he lies unconscious by the door with rain crashing down on his face. Zero running over causes Asahi to look away from the man and just in that moment his eyes glow as they follow something going past his head.

He quickly flings his head backwards as a spiked rock flies past where his head was. His eyes dart to the man still glowing green in the darkness of the chapel.

He stands holding a wriggling Isamu in his grasp. Asahi’s eyes widen as the man places his open palm against her head and smiles through the blood. Zero looks over from the other side of the room as she hangs over Hiro.

“So you’re rogues as well huh?” The man’s voice is cracked and through gritted teeth.

Asahi takes a breath as he stands tall, “I’m Asahi Yoshida… I can’t have rogue subjects like you disgracing the name of your god or your family”. Asahi’s voice is clam and firm as he stares forward towards the man.

The man laughs into a cough as his palm remains firmly planted against a still Isamu, “You think I’m disgracing my family?”. The man laughs once again as he begins to walk backwards towards the paintings of the four gods.

He points up towards the ceiling “Those bastards did nothing for my family!”

Asahi watches as he forms small, spiked rocks in his hand and fires them up at the four gods standing above them.

Asahi’s eyes fall back on the man, “So you’re from the Maximillian family? The god of the elements?”

The man laughs as he pulls Isamu with more force, “You think they would allow someone like me to hold the name?”, He places his head in his hands as he scrunches up his face in anger. “They kicked my grandfather out without even an ounce of care…”

Asahi stares at him without an ounce of guilt as he stares him down, “And that’s how you became a rogue subject…” Hs voice is cold as he looks back at Hiro who is slowly being picked up by Zero.

“Zero! Take him to the inn and stay with him”

“What about the other one?”

“I’ll deal with both of them.” His gaze doesn’t shift from the man holding Isamu as his emerald eyes harden at the sight.

Zero picks Hiro up and hoists him on her shoulder giving Asahi one more look and then leaving in the rain. Asahi stands in the middle of the church as behind him the smoke slowly forms into the priest.

Asahi looks to his feet as a he stands in a pool of blood. He quickly realises this is Hiro’s as he looks back towards the man.

“And your name?”, The man smiles as he continues to walk backwards.

“Does it matter?”

Asahi stares forward silently and then looks behind him towards the priest, “You?”

The priest shakes on the spot as his voice cracks and squeaks as he feels the pressure of the emerald gaze of Asahi. Asahi’s eyes widen ever so slightly as he hears the broken voice of the man holding Isamu speak,

“Damon”

Asahi turns back towards him as he takes a breath “Well Damon… answer for your crimes”.

Just in that moment Asahi dashes towards Damon who throws Isamu towards him. Asahi grabs her and lifts her up on his shoulders dodging all the rocks flying at him from Infront. The priest dissolves into smoke as it flies past Asahi and towards Damon as he runs towards the once blocked door.

Asahi watches as the two rush into the basement area and he takes the time to pull the bag off Isamu’s head. She must have passed out a while ago as she lies unconscious. He smiles relieved as he hoists her back on his shoulder. He uses the rope from the bag to tie her around his back.

Asahi slowly walks down towards the basement room. The atmosphere feels heavy and dark. The flickering light swings from side to side as Damon and the priest stands on the other side of the room. Their shadows cast across the whole room as Asahi stands across from them.

His eyes slowly move across the many cages filled with women as his gaze lands back on the two men as he grits his teeth. He lifts his fists ready to fight. Damon spits blood out as he lifts both palms to face Asahi. The priest stands behind Damon shaking in place as Asahi begins to walk closer. The light swings from one to the other as Asahi walks forward. The pressure of his gaze lands heavy on the two.

Zero holds Hiro as the rain crashes against her armour and splashes on his face slowly washing away the blood. She reaches the inn before placing him down on his bed. She sits by him as the room lies silent its only the sound of droplets of rain off her armour that’s heard as she sits over his body. She sits beside the bed silently watching him as he sleeps.

Asahi holds Isamu close as he dodges all the projectiles firing at him. Damon and the priest hide behind a flipped table as Damon fires rocks Asahi’s way. The priest shakes as e cries out for Damon to finish the job.

Damon turns to the priest houting at him but as he loses concentration on of his rocks crash against the swinging light leaving the place in complete darkness. The priest cries to himself as nothing but darkness surround them.

Complete darkness surrounds everyone yet in this darkness slowly shines a green light. Damon slowly looks towards the source.

Two emerald eyes shine in the black of the room. The two shining eyes grow closer and closer before they sit above the two as their backs touch the wall.

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“It’s over…” A cold voice reaches them from the darkness.

“If you want to save all of the women in this room it’s not”.

The emerald eyes twitch in anger as they sit in front of Damon’s face, “And that means what?”

“I’m aiming my hand towards one of their heads”, Just as Asahi looks away Damon makes a break for it towards the stairs slamming into anything and everything on his way there. Asahi sighs as he knocks out the wailing priest and heads towards the stairs.

Damon runs out onto the streets as he looks from right to left for any way out. Asahi stands sat the entrance to the chapel as the rain pours down. Damon breathes heavily as he begins to run from Asahi.

Damon runs through stores and behind taverns as he tries to get away from Asahi eventually falling over a brick lying on the floor. As he slowly gets up Asahi stands behind him with an annoyed look on his face. Damon quickly gets up and tries to swing a multitude of punches at Asahi who easily gets out the way of them.

Asahi begins slamming his fist into Damon. His eyes grow cold as he beats the man to his knees. Damon begs for mercy as Asahi stands over him breathing heavily.

“You’ll be in a cell where you belong”, He slams his knee into Damon’s jaw completely knocking him out down the alley.

Rains pours over Asahi’s long black hair as he whips it back before wiping the blood off his knuckles. He grabs Damon by the collar and drags him away leaving a pool of blood much like Hiro’s in the church.

The sun slowly rises as the town lays quiet. The two men are dragged away by soldiers of Yoshida as the women are released to their families. The rejoice in the street and despair from those who’s loved ones have been sold off leaves Asahi feeling completely drained.

Asahi slowly opens the door to Zero sitting beside Hiro as he rests. Asahi places Isamu down on the bed next to him as he stretches.

“You dealt with them?”, Asahi nods in response.

“Well done…” Zero returns to watching over Hiro as Asahi looks down at Hiro with concern in his eyes. He sighs and sits down on the chair in the corner of the room.

Zero looks at both Isamu and Hiro as she looks back at Asahi who now snores away.

As the silence sits once more she looks at Hiro and grows frustrated, “I need to be better”.

Zero shoots awake as no one is in the room with her. She stands up quickly before running out the room. Her worry becomes relief as she sees the three in the tavern being surrounded by the towns folk who cheer and praise the three of them.

Asahi relishes the free drinks whereas Isamu grows annoyed. Hiro laughs along with the others as Zero stares down at them. She turns to go back to her room.

“Hey! Zero!” Hiro shouts after her causing her to stop and turn. He gestures for her to join them. Zero instead turns and heads back to her room to Hiro’s slight sadness.

“More drinks!” Asahi shouts as the people cheer at his feet lifting their mugs in the air as alcohol spills and smiles shine.

People dance and sing into the night as drinks are drunk and good time are shared. Isamu tries and Hiro try their first drinks spitting it out instantly to Asahi’s delight. Asahi forces Hiro to dance with the towns women as he stumbles around completely uncoordinated as Isamu points and laughs at his embarrassment. Asahi is hoisted onto the shoulders of the towns folk as they parade him around the tavern as Hiro laughs and cheers as Isamu turns to him fixating her eyes on his bruising and small scars on his face.

She grabs his face and gives him a kiss on the cheek to his surprise as she quickly heads to her room leaving him standing with a blank face.

As the night draws to a close Asahi stumbles around drunk as Hiro laughs and helps him along. Asahi drunkenly waves to those who lie all around the tavern. Hiro places Asahi down on his bed and sighs as Asahi laughs into his pillow. Hiro smiles and heads towards the door before Asahi stops him.

“Who are you?” Asahi stumbles over his words as he lies staring at Hiro.

“What do you mean?” Hiro looks back confused.

“Why do I care about you so much?”, Hiro smiles ever so slightly as he brushes off Asahi’s drunken remarks.

As Hiro slowly closes the door Asahi mutters “You are my first friend…”. Asahi smiles as he slowly drifts off to sleep.

Hiro winces slightly as he steps out onto the small balcony overlooking the tavern. His eyes grow sullen as he looks at a woman with dark hair with her back to him drinking below.

“I thought you’d be sleeping by now”, Zero stands behind him as he takes a second to turn around. A smile greets Zero as she pauses for a second before turning back to her room.

“Wait…” Zero stops.

“Could I ask you something?”, Hiro looks at her with a slight hint of desperation in his eyes, yet his smile still remains.

Zero turns her head towards him, “Ok…”

“Do you know anyone named Kyoko?” His voice is dampened as he looks towards her. Zero pauses as she fully turns towards him. She stares at him for a couple moments before turning back around,

“No.”, Hiro nods as he loses his smile and turns back towards the tavern.

Zero watches as his head lowers and his disappointment is on full show. She hesitates before turning fully around and walking towards him.

“Who is she?” That soft voice once again widens Hiro’s eyes slightly as he turns around to face her.

“She was… She was my best friend.”, His voice cracks ever so slightly.

Zero slowly walks towards the window behind her and opens it wide to allow the moonlight to shine upon her armour. Hiro looks on as she stares out at the night sky and as the stars give her a majestic backdrop.

“You want to talk about it?”, Her icy cold demeanour and aura melts in the warmth of her voice. The moonlight shines against her helmet showcasing her eyes through the slit in her helmet just barely, but they show themselves for the first time to Hiro.

Hiro and Zero stare out towards the moon as it sits between them.

“So, you’ve known her since birth?”, Hiro smiles to himself as he nods.

Zero looks at him as her blue eyes glimmer against the moonlight, “I think you need to find her”, Hiro’s eyes widen as they stare at one another. “I think she’s waiting for you… somewhere”.

Hiro stares out towards the moon and smiles, “You have kind eyes”, Zero is taken aback by him as she looks back out towards the moon silently.

“You don’t like taking off the armour?”

“I can’t”

Hiro looks up at her as she continues staring out towards the moon, “Ok”.

The two stand against the window staring out towards the moon as the stars sparkle around them.

The sun peers through the curtains as Asahi groans. Hiro sits awake as he looks determined. Isamu snores as Zero stares down at her helmet but with a sigh slowly places it on her head as she does so she places her hand on her chest for a moment before picking up Isamu and walking towards the door. Hiro meets her in the hallway as he carries a groaning Asahi on his shoulders and smiles.

The four head back to the carriage in the quiet of the morning. Asahi and Isamu sleep as Hiro and Zero look back at the town. Hiro smiles and turns to Zero,

“That’s one job done right?”, she nods as he puts his thumbs up.

The carriage sets off towards their next mission as Isamu sleeps against the armour of Zero and Asahi sleeps against the bandaged shoulder of a smiling Hiro. Zero stares at Hiro as he slowly falls asleep.

Back in the capital, Kenji Yoshida sits across from three powerful looking people as his son stands behind him. His face looks stern and serious as his eyes shift from one of the three to the other. A beautiful woman with expensive looking clothes sits with two people behind her who look equally s well off as the young man smiles and the young girl looks fed up. A man with dark skin sits across from Kenji, his hair is a dark purple, as his son stands behind him with a pompous look about him. The other is a man with short blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes as he smiles to Kenji.

Kenji slowly arises out of his chair. “Multiple villages in my territory have been completely destroyed in the last few years…” His voice is strong and piercing as he looks around the room. “I think we all know that only someone with power could do it…” The three look back at him each with a far different expression.

The woman sits confidently, “Well It certainly wasn’t us I mean what would we have to gain?”

Kenji’s eyes slowly fall on the blonde-haired man to his left and he just smiles in response. Kenji then looks forward towards the man without a care in his eyes as he sits back.

His voice bellows as he laughs, “You think it was me? I’m perfectly happy with my kingdom thanks”

Kenji smiles ever so slightly as he sits down, “I didn’t say it was any of you… I just meant that it was someone with power”

He sits back in his chair as he smiles, “I just thought you should know that whoever it was…”. The three look at one another as he pauses.

“Will draw their last breath by my hands.”, A tense atmosphere falls in the room as Gou smiles behind him.

A painting of a woman sits above them looking down on them all.