Chapter <Ⅻ>

In the pale endless void, no walls, no sky, nothing, but waters that stretch throughout the infinity,

There Ark’arios stood, in his form of Humanoid dark ash, watching the void beyond and beyond.

“ Ark’arios. ”

There Tenmei Akiro was, standing behind the Archdemon, in the calming plane of vivid dreams and the mind.

“ We need to talk. ”

The Ark’arios didn't answer but silently turned back to the void he so stared for infinity.

" What is this purpose you speak of ?!” Tenmei began to ask, unforgiving of this demonic entity’s merciless deeds onto the world, ruthless taking of lives with the actions done by Tenmei’s hands

“ What is your endgame ?! What do you want in this bloody end ?!?!” Tenmei shouted, his voice echoing across the blank dream realm.

The Archdemon watched on the pale void long in silence, before he finally replied in his deep rough monstrous voice

“ I have made a promise.” Spake the Ark’arios calmly

“ And before that promise is fulfilled, blood will be shed on those that stop me !”

And before Tenmei can question more of this so-called Promise, The Ark’arios with a tremendous evil stare, banished Tenmei Akiro our man out of the Dream realm and Tenmei returned with a jolt sitting up on the bed of the small cottage room he slept for a few days back in the peach blossom village, silenced by night save the gentle fluttering of the peach blossom branches outside his window.

What has happened has happened, and Mirai is gone, forever.

For all that Tenmei has remembered of Mirai of the past together, he could only reminisce about them to himself, knowing her voice was lost forever within the sea and the dawn that they saw last of each other. And with the realization of what can never return, Tenmei couldn’t help himself and succumbed to sorrow in the form of tears.

That was when Tenmei Akiro decided, he has seek out the truth behind the Ark’arios and its goals and motives on this forgone path, and eventually put it to an end.

As Tenmei Akiro mourned for Mirai,

The others that knew her and were linked to her in the mystique ways of the Strike force that flows in all things life and lifeless, the Parusefors that share the same origins of strength and memories felt through the force that Mirai’s essence had diminished and deep hollowed sorrow swept across the Hanging Gardens and of all the Parusefors light hearts linked to the same one prominent force within the Garden, their Prime Parusefororn Lord Nirvariel Nero felt the sorrow combined of all the children under him and his sorrow was tantamount yet concealed in the flame that engulfed his face replacing his mortal skull.

“ My Prime…” Sven the Master Striker of lance came to his Prime Lord’s presence stern and holding back the grave melancholy from the loss of one from the gathered force they dear

“ Mirai has sacrificed yet the deed remains undone.” Sven gravely spoke with a slow bow

“ We have to do something, and finish what she started for us.”

Nirvariel Nero hummed with the flame atop his neck flickering with the night breeze.

“ Gather the Strikers.” Nirvariel Nero thus spoke

“ We will hunt, in Mirai’s honor.”

And lo without a word needed to announce from the Prime himself, all linked in light heart to their Prime through the inner connections of the Strike Force immediately felt their Prime’s calling and the Parusefors awoke from their slumber and began preparing for the ultimate hunt of the Demon Ark’arios, furnishing their weapons of choice to slay and assassinate and donning their Strachild armor, rallying without need of command to the gathering of Strikers, ready in but a small descent of the moon, well prepared to commit the honorable slaughter of the Archdemon that took their kin’s life.

Marian Amatsumina was one of them willing Starbreakers of the hunt, and through the Strike that linked them all, she linked it to Griffon, residing in the far away peach blossom village.

And from Marian’s vision, she shared with all the other Parusefor Strikers, they all knew where their target is, and leapt all out to the night sky, armor assassins of the stars, leaping mountain to mountain on the way to the sacred hunt. Behind them Starchilds, the Prime Nirvariel Nero himself, flew in the sky with his children, like a giant raven of doom, leaving a starry long trail of space behind him in the skies.

…

………

On that same night, however, another Parusefor Master Striker, wrapped in long cloth from face to toe to defend himself from the piercing sands, roaming alone in the desert seas on a wooden yacht made by hand and a single oar that pushed and stirred his old yacht across the dark desert night.

A single lamp hanging and swaying side to side with the rocking of the yacht on waves of sand, a dim but flaring light that shone on the tanned beard face of the boatman Master Striker, his armor rusted and torn hiding lo scarred muscular arms and chest underneath, and a longbow made of Star rock carved and engraved with ancient Star word tongue runes of power, strapped behind his sturdy, the eyes that contain the starry night sky reflected onto the vast endless sea of sand.

He too felt the calling of the Prime, the calling to hunt the Archdemon which he too tried in his past when he was young, but failed utterly costing innocent lives and guilt turned him to self-imprisonment in the desert afar from home.

There, this Master Parusefor saw a huge wreck, a broken monument of what seemed to once be a mobile walker giant of Kingdeniom army design, lying among large pieces of metal platforms piercing out of the sand, and under one such platform of ancient starship planks, shielding the fierce ravaging sand rushing with the violent wind, were a young man and woman, huddling close in the cold.

The Master Striker sailed his ship to them and bade them join on his safe yacht with water and resources which the young man and woman immediately agreed.

“ Thank you, kind saint.” the two young people in wrinkled uniforms that belonged to the military spoke with gratitude as soon as they rested and rejuvenated themselves with water and supplies

“ You are our saving grace.”

“ Just a master of stirring boats, soldier.” replied the Master Striker in ragged cloth with his raspy dry voice, for he has long not spoken to the living in years

“ What brings you two to this dune of no mercy, the prison of the mind ?” the Striker asked as he stirred his yacht along with the cool night breeze.

“ We were in the war, of my home Tron against the Parusefors that invaded the capital.” This young soldier man replied.

The master Striker was taken aback by what he heard of Parusefors taking over the capital, but hid his shock under his hood.

The young man continued

“ One of them killed my friend, so we fought, and both of us lost, while after I came to, I am here, with my companion who followed for my safety’s sake.”

The Parusefor nodded silently.

“ ….I am Asuka by the way. And she is Yukari. what can we call you, saving saint ?” This dude, the Asuka Hikaru, son of notorious Lasvet Hikaru, finally appeared again, and asked for their savior’s name.

The master Striker was silent at first

“ Hassan Helsing is the name.” introduced this Master Striker with a star bow

“ Then let us set off back to your home.”

…

………

Far away on that very same night, lying on the royal couch of his preserved suite for Lords of Exia, our king Varche Scrirocco of the Red Exian rune lay bitterly as machinations and hovering first aid droids helped tend his wounds.

“ Damn it !!” Varche cried, fumed with rage and regret

“ I have been toyed with by this Lord Slayer! We were this close !!”

Varche pinpointed the minuscule gap between his fingers with his hands shaking with anger

“ If only this Nison would stay…..”

Varche was about to say “Dead” but noticing Milina was actually glad her brother was still alive despite Nison foiling all their plans to smite the Lord Slayer, Varche fell silent and went on no more.

“ I have failed you and myself, Milina. I should have put my whole game instead of playing with the prey.”

Varche King admitted his fail sincerely

“ And my sworn brother Toshiumi, how am I to explain both the Lord Slayer and the Seed slipping away from our fingers ??”

“ Then don’t tell him,” Milina replied gently, coming to her lord

“ We will tell him after we get the Demon next time.” Milina comforted her lord with a kiss on the forehead, apparently in a very good mood.

Varche accepted her kiss, and with his hand wrapping behind Milina’s close face, groping her long light violet hair, he gently pulled Milina closer and kissed her lips in exchange.

And soon Milina was upon her lord, and the medical droids swept aside, making way for a real treatment through love.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

…

……..

Speaking of good sworn brothers, Toshiumi Al Seraphim, Brave of Zabanya, savior of Londeniom, the golden Exia lord, the Awesome Toshi, walked down the corridor of The Vilencia castle Winter Cold castle and met Mustangoo his most loyal aide and friend on the way.

" Arashi sent news and reports on Mio's safety and well-being. ”

Mustangoo opened the virtual image of Arashi's letter from his floating laptop.

Toshiumi nodded

“ I have seen them, thanks, bro. ”

“ But have you seen this ??" Mustangoo showed His lord and friend Toshiumi a file and Toshiumi read it.

“ Is this a prank ?" Toshiumi asked Mustangoo after finishing what Mustangoo showed him.

“ No. It is a file that was sent alongside the reports from Arashi, which he deleted immediately after it was sent. ”

Mustangoo explained with proof of the files in order of the time they were sent

“ This letter is definitely a Love Letter Arashi wrote and accidentally sent to the wrong mailbox, Tono! If this is true, Arashi bears impure thoughts on your Wife !!"

Toshiumi nodded his head gravely, and awesomely.

" Arashi is a friend, and he is young His zeal may be hard to control even to himself. I will talk to him in person about this matter. ”

Toshiumi the Exia Lord of all that is Golden sighed.

“ Send Doumyojii “Andy" Masayuki in Arashi's stead to safeguard Mio. Though I feel bad for Andy, for his heart is always in battle, this should have been a better way from the start. And send Arashi back to assist us here in Vilencia. ”

“ Yes, Awesome.” Mustangoo nodded and went to work, heading to the lounge of the golden company, where awesome lavishing young men of all kinds and features, some wild and yankee, some calm and cool with glasses, and some looking rather normal in comparison, and many more all in golden uniforms and armor, all wielding golden katanas strapped at their waists and enjoying brunch as Mustangoo walked in on them young dudes.

“ Andy! Awesome Toshi wants you to go guard her ladyship Mio on Aurora isle in Arashi’s stead !” Mustangoo reported the decree of their awesome Lord who they respect and are loyally willing to go and rage hell with Lord Toshiumi if he ever so leads them to.

But this Andy, full name Doumyojii “Andy” Masayuki, who everyone just calls Andy, a wild red messy haired young fighter and brilliant swordsman that was reluctant of the change of said positions

“ Why is it Me? There are no enemies on that island, are there ?”

Andy asked, his heart eager only but battle

“ And doesn't Arashi like his position right now ?”

“ He loved it too much, that’s why.” Mustangoo replied and the other young heroes nodded in understanding, and so this Andy readied to set off to the Aurora island, while orders for Arashi’s return hit the young subordinate like a truck.

“ Lord Toshiumi has found out…..” This Arashi feared for his life, and from fear comes anger, and anger draws one to the dark side. But that was a later story to tell.

Now that Toshiumi Al Seraphim went on towards the corridors of Winter Cold Castle of Vilencia, heading to the meeting of all the northern lords arranged that day, an annual gathering of the Warlords of the North that joined forces under King Phaldemon Filediak’s rule, coming together once a good year to discuss the next step the northern united forces should take in the ever-changing events on Kingdeniom soil.

There Phaldemon Filediak King of Vilencia sat at the middle forefront of the meeting hall, with the Five Lords of the North lined on both sides—

Chapez Aznable, Lord of Zargosia;

Masil Ken, Lord of Histan;

Hano Kumkass, Lord of Kundessa;

Unbar Zet, Lord of Sardoza;

Charion Di Vagnar, Lord of Jabudan;

Isvem Prince, Prince of New Birmingham, in his father Lord Shemus Oberon’s stead;

And Toshiumi Al Seraphim the Awesome, the Golden Exian Lord entered the meeting hall and sat alongside them Lords of the North, nodding to all awesomely.

“ Well met, fellow lords and brothers of the North.” Phaldemon spake to all the lords with kingly speech

“ As you have all heard the rumors of the Seed emerging once more in our age, it is confirmed that Lasvet Hikaru once had it !”

“ Lasvet! I knew it !” Lord Masil Ken cursed angrily

“ He has the Key to reach blessed Herunia but isn't willing to share !”

“ It is a power too strong for anyone to wield in their hands.” Toshiumi however stood up to speak to all

“ But my wife needs it, she is dying of an illness that will also doom the world, and I seek the Heruia’s miracles to cure it. And I need all your help.”

“ But You are the Awesome Toshi !” Lord Charion Di Vagnar spoke up with much doubt in his voice

“ What help do you need from us warlords ?”

“ Lord Vagnaar, Lord Toshiumi is a certified Lord of the Golden rune of Exia and savior of many lands in need! You don’t doubt his Awesomeness.”

Prince Isvem the fanboy warned the pompous lord Charion with serious words.

“ All due seriousness though, Lord Seraphim,” Chapez Lord of Zargosia asked seriously

“ Why should we help you ?”

“ The Seed is not in Lasvet Hikaru’s possession as we speak,”

Toshiumi Al Seraphim began revealing his plans

“ And it is in the right hands and soon will come to me as the plan. And when I claim it back to my headquarters at the Northern island Aurora, Lasvet Hikaru will surely send his Book of Mobile armies to seize it back, and as you all know Lasvet, he will wage war as he marches north in excuse to seize power over your lands.

I will stand in front to stop Lasvet’s scourge, are you willing to join me, and protect those you Dear ?!”

Toshiumi asked the gathering of the Lords who were silent in deep brood.

King Phaldemon then stood up with his glass of wine

“ Lord Toshiumi the golden will stand by my side in battle !” King Phaldemon also spake

“ In this battle and many more to come! Lord Toshiumi saved my country many times, from pestilence and from flying monsters, so he will have my aid in life. What Say You All, Brothers of the North ?!?!”

Lord Phaldemon cried to all the Lords and Prince Isvem is the first to rise

“ You have my sword !” Isvem prince cried, pulling out his sword in the middle of the meeting.

“ Prince, keep your sword to yourself please.” Lord Unbar Zet whispered sitting next to the prince in fervor.

And So the Lords of the North all unanimously agreed to join forces together to face the Notorious Lasvet Hikaru, when the time comes for the prime minister’s invasion.

Yet while all of Vilencia was heavily concerned about the lords’ meeting,

none realized that Legion Lubadab Alesdale, the wounded third son of House Alesdale, vanished from his hospital chamber.

…

………

“ Tenmei…..!”

Tenmei Akrio turned around, sitting in the little garden at the back of their lined-up cottage villas looking at the tiny calm pond and the fat koi fishes swimming lazily within.

And coming to Tenmei Akiro’s side, sitting down next to the silent man be our girl Haru, her blue dazzling curly hair bound to a side together with a small dark blue ribbon, in blue polka dotted pajamas.

“ ……..You alright ?” Haru asked after a long silence, finding hard the words to say, for the last time she heard from Rang is Tenmei is not coming back.

“ Rang said you might be trying……to kill the Demon.”

Haru whispered, unsure if she should be talking about said topic.

“ It won’t die.” Tenmei Akiro replied shortly, his voice light and devoid of feelings

“ I cannot kill it, and those in its way are doomed to fail.”

“ …well……that means you can live on after every fight, right ?” Haru tried to relive the gravity of the conversation, but Tenmei didn’t reply, and Haru was afraid she might hurt him.

They looked at the pond for long in silence.

“ I remembered about this girl, in my past.” Tenmei Akiro spake, finally ready to talk

“ Her name is Mirai, she has a brother Youki. We were orphans, and we helped each other survive, traveling around Kingdeniom……..”

And Tenmei Akiro told his story as Haru listened attentively, of the times of he and Mirai, and the Parusefor training days in the hanging garden, to the eventual betrayal of the Parusefor Masters.

After listening to all Tenmei had recalled and experienced, Haru fell into deep silence, deep in thought.

“ If only…there is a way...” Haru surmised, reviewing her knowledge of the Archdemon’s notorious past.

“ …a way to disconnect you and the Ark’arios.”

“ There is no such power.” Tenmei sighed dispiritedly.

“ There is! There must be!” Haru convinced encouragingly, trying to rekindle Tenmei’s confidence to stand up against the ruthless Archdemon. In the darkest of times, when Haru wasn’t sure if her parents could make it, it was Tenmei who brought her confidence and a solution to help. Now that Tenmei is at his gravest, in need of support, it is Haru’s turn to help resolve his sorrow.

“ If there is a power to link you to the Ark’arios, then surely there is a way to break it. We only need to know how…but I think….” Haru slowly blurted out but stopped short.

“ You think?”

“ I think I know what the Ark’arios wants…..”

Tenmei’s eyes widened

“ Really?”

“ Yeah, I think, it has to do with the Epic of—”

Before Haru could go on, Tenmei quickly put his hand to her lips, signaling her suddenly to stay quiet, as Tenmei Akiro slowly stood up from the back porch.

Haru’s gaze followed him, her heart pounding fast.

“ Go back inside, quietly,” Tenmei whispered in haste as he instantly summoned the Demon Armor to him and stood tall, guarding the cottaged behind him as Haru reached her room as she was told, peaking at a small gap at Tenmei Akiro and the unknown threat that he sensed in the night.

To Haru’s surprise, Griffon emerged from the dark !!

Man Griffon, clad in full Parusefor Starchild armor, came forth and stood a distance away from the demon-armored Tenmei, with his twin halberds in hand.

“ …….Are you with them……Now ?” Tenmei Akiro asked the Griffon, whose expression was dark and grim, cast in shadow.

“ They are here for you, Tenmei. I know you can sense it And so am I.” Griffon spoke, his grim voice filled with sorrow

“ It’s been a short but unexpected journey with you, Tenmei. But I have promised those back in Hanging Gard, that I have to do this. I am sorry, Tenmei, but I have to kill you, before they show up.”

Tenmei Akiro closed his eyes to muster his courage and determination to fight this Parusefor dude that has joined him along on the wild adventures, fighting alongside battles together, a man he can call a friend.

“ Griffon…..” Tenmei Akiro sighed with great sadness he try to not convey through his shaking voice

“ Not even I can kill myself……!!”

Griffon too, after all the days of wacky encounters and life-threatening events, is unwilling to push himself to a full assassin mindset, to murder this man he can also call a friend.

But he has to, for his own tribe’s acceptance, and Marian’s promise.

With a silent shout, Griffon was no more in front of Tenmei, but reappeared behind the demon warrior, cutting down Tenmei’s back which Tenmei thrust his sharp spiked elbow to block and parry back with a slam of his sharp-fingered hand, which Griffon evaded into thin air, appearing again from Tenmei’s behind to stab both halberds into Tenmei’s stomach, only to be deflected by the Ark’arios armor’s instant swipe quick, that forced Griffon back to a short retreat.

After fighting Mirai and clashing with the Strike, regaining the memories of his training, Tenmei Akiro can now maneuver himself to pull off moves he didn’t know was possible, thus showing a slim chance for Griffon to survive this battle.

But Griffon still with all he could, fought Tenmei with every skill he could conjure and with every cell in his body resonating with Strike Force, still managed to fight the Ark’arios Tenmei Akiro to a standstill, though not realizing that Tenmei had not summoned the cursed greatsword Lifthrasir to fight him even yet.

With many slashes and a quick series of flip kicks, Griffon sent Tenmei backward and the demon warrior fell into the pond on the porch, scaring the fat koi fish out to the surface. Griffon saw his chance and pierced down his twin halberds and with a shout of determination he stabbed the blades deep into Tenmei Akiro’s chest, to which Haru screamed in terror.

Griffon panted as he looked down at the silent motionless Tenmei in shock at his own actions also.

“ Very well.”

Griffon’s ears rung the deep chaotic humming of the Archdemon Ark’arios’ groan

“ So you have chosen Death.”

And with an energy blast of sheer dark demonic power, the Ark’arios awakened and blasted Griffon off the porch, crashing through the bamboo fence and hitting a peach tree outside the villa.

The villagers started to come out of their homes to see what kind of commotion was going on.

“ Stay in your houses !!!” Tenmei Akiro yelled to the villagers, as the Ark’arios dashed forth out to the open and started to gang up on Griffon, punching the young Parusefor man down with immense earth-breaking punches at the chest, one thundering blow connecting the next, thumping the poor Parusefor fellow deep into the ground upon the pool of his own blood.

And before the Ark’arios is about to land one last final punch to shatter Griffon’s rib cages, a strong flying force flew into the rescue, grabbing hold of Tenmei in demon armor and yanked the Ark’arios away from killing Griffon with that one punch.

It was Varis, fully clad in alien armor with emerald blazing lights and runes all over her powered up armor, ready to stop Tenmei from killing anyone.

Nina Zefield also came in armor and her naginata glaive and came to Griffon, carrying the mortally wounded dude back to safety.

“ Number 3….listen..to me..!” Varis spake as quickly as she could.

“ I ..can…try to separate…..!”

“ Silence You !!!!” With a sudden dashing blow, the Ark’arios armor pulled Tenmei forward to stop Varis from speaking and knocked Varis out of the way, but Varis flew back and landed a punch onto Ark’arios’ helm, breaking parts of the pus armor off Tenmei Akiro’s face.

Ark’arios sensed danger in Varis to his existence and quickly pulled out the greatsword Lifthrasir as it flew forth at full speed, crashing down as Varis blocked with her armored gauntlets, which transformed into cannons and blasted the demon’s arms that held the greatsword and Lifthrasir flew away out of Ark’arios and Tenmei‘s hands. Seizing the chance, Varis leapt force and grabbed hold of Tenmei’s dark helmed face and with never before seen light blazing in her hands she began to split Tenmei and Ark’arios apart.

Both Tenmei and the Ark’arios screamed in pain and agony but Varis won’t stop, she could not stop. It is working, just one more heave—

— But LO !!!!!

Like a beast trapped in a hunter’s cage, Ark’arios condensed all its demonic powers to Tenmei Akiro’s arm and with one last struggle to break free, struck Varis through the stomach, penetrating the woman’s belly with that one devastating punch.

Varis let go involuntarily and collapsed to the ground, mercury and light essence flowing out of the orifice on her belly.

“ Oh shite…..” Nison Char, having just woke up after the commotion, uttered in confusion. Hurriedly the woken vagabond rushed to the dying Varis to try and save the woman.

Tenmei wished he could stay and save Varis, but before he knew it, the villagers’ screamed and gasped, pointing upwards in terror. Tenmei followed their horrified gazes, and there,

standing on rooftops, treetops, and on top of telephone poles,

were a whole army of armored Starchilds, wielding weapons of all kinds.

The Parusefors, all out for the hunt.

[.............to be continued]