“Brother,” Takara whispered.

“Taka,” Rai answered, sluggishly coming to. “Taka!” Alert and awake, he frantically looked around but he couldn’t see a thing due to the blindfold. “Are you okay?!”

“Yes,” she replied, her voice shaking.

“Shut it!” someone’s voice resonated nearby.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get us out of this,” Rai reassured his sister under his breath. A couple of minutes passed and a wave of motion sickness crept over him; whatever they were being escorted in, swayed like a drunken elephant.

The screech of a beast caused the floor to vibrate.

Takara scared, leaned into her older brother.

Curtains parted and Banu walked in. “Flippin,” Banu declared, the other man free of any bindings, nodded in response. Sitting down, they secured themselves with belts.

“Ready to flip!” the guard shouted.

A panic surged through the group, but before they could react, the carriage flipped upside down, inciting screams.

Blood rushed to Rai’s head and Takara clung to him, trying to protect herself.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be back to normal shortly,” the man sitting across Banu hollered.

“Ha! Nothing normal about this,” Banu laughed, his distorted face showing.

It felt like an eternity, but Rai counted the seconds - it was only 30.

“My head hurts,” Takara said.

“Just a little longer,” Rai said, but truthfully, he wasn’t sure how long this would go on for. Suddenly, an explosion rocked their transport and the cries of a beast signaled a drop from unknown heights. Rai braced himself, “Hang on!”

For a moment everything went dark, but Takara heard her brother’s voice in her the back of her head. Peering from the muddy floor, Plu; it was lying nearby… Her ears were ringing as she pressed into the mushy mud, razing herself from the floor. In the distance, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face running her way. She smiled, even now, he was still there for her. “Brother!” Takara pointed, worry in her eyes.

Confused but sensing urgency, Rai looked to his right at a bandit unsheathing his weapon. “Run, Taka!”

Takara hastily darted into the woods, leaving Plu behind.

“We were promised safe passage,” Banu said, staring at the blood on his hands. Slowly rising from the floor he witnessed Takara running away.

Rai continued to avoid the bandit swinging his sword, but when he looked up and saw Banu chasing after his sister, he changed his strategy. Amidst the uneven floor, he climbed the roots, elevating himself and making it hard for the man to hit him.

“Quit running, you slippery little rat,” the bandit said, but when the opportunity was right, Rai turned and jumped off the head of the guard, rapidly descending back to the ground.

“Smell ya later!” Rai shouted at the stumped bandit.

“Basta-” the bandit cried out in agony.

A human-like figure with long protruding ears, almost like that of a rabbit, loomed atop the small mound of roots - its fangs sunk into the enemy's neck.

Suddenly, a chaotic battlefield erupted as people emerged from opposite sides of the forests, swords and bodies clashing.

Nefarians and human’s each at the other’s throats.

Taken back, Rai tripped, falling backward over the talon of a large dead animal; a portion of their transport remained strapped to its back. Quickly rising, Rai, swooped Takara’s stuffed animal on the way, weaving through the battle in the direction of his sister, nearly avoiding death at every turn. “Taka!” he called out, but there was no response. Worry gripped him as he stealthily slipped out of the battle, heading deeper into the woods.

“Get lost!” a silver-armored man shouted on the battlefield, hurling his axe into a Nefarian. Glancing at another person, he yelled, “Where are the reinforcements?!”

“No idea sir, they should have been here by now,” the soldier responded.

“Dammit, that’s nearly half of us. Don’t tell me they turned tail and ran?!”

Battle casualties on both ends were mounting fast when loud explosions suddenly resonated all around the battlefield, causing many to stop fighting.

“Please return home to your family,” an older man sporting a gi, said. At his feet, nearly a dozen were unconscious.

“It’s Reezo!” someone said.

“A member of the Illuminus Elite,” another whispered.

“Who cares?! He’s old!” the silver-armored man shouted. He looked around and noticed no one was listening to him. Wait—I can’t even hear my voice!

“Old, you say,” Reezo said, caressing his white goatee, now standing a few inches behind him.

“When did you—” their leader crippled over.

No one saw Reezo move, and when they tried to discuss what had happened, they couldn’t hear one another.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Elsewhere, Han and a companion in a colorful kimono were surrounded by enemies from each side.

“By order of the emperor, this fighting is to cease immediately,” Han said, flexing his power. Beneath Han’s feet, tiny roots surfaced, glowing a faint purple. Many opposing him were then forced to the ground by his gravity control.

“Looks like we get to take it easy today, Shiki,” Marco, the man beside Han said. Around his neck, a little white snake appeared out of thin air, flicking its tongue before fading away like a ghost.

“Run!” People by the dozen scurried away as humans and Nefarians alike were thrown around like ragdolls.

“What the big deal, you swung first,” a huge muscular man said. In his grip he had the armor of another solder, carrying him wherever he pleased, but seeing his chance, the soldier swung his blade, but it shattered off the large man’s chest.

“Idiot, that’s Knox! Out of the Illuminus Elite, he ranks eighth,” someone warned. “Normal weapons aren’t going to do a thing.”

“I thought you were looking for a trainer?” Knox said, disappointed. “Guess not!” Knox threw him so hard, that some thought they saw a shooting star.

***

“What’s that scent?” Rai said, covering his nose with his hand. Mists clung heavily to this part of the woods, but he pressed forward anyway. Finding his sister was his number one priority. A rustling bush nearby startled Rai. He was prepared for anything, however, not prepared for a cute fluffy bunny.

It innocently scratched its pink nose before bouncing off.

Rai sighed, but upon examining the ground closer, he noticed the bunny had left a trail of bloody spots.

“Gah!” someone screamed in agony, alerting Rai to more potential enemies.

Hang on Taka. Darting through some bushes, Rai eventually burst into an open field within the dense forest where the voice resonated from…

The moon’s radiant glow may have created a dazzling scene on any other night, with all the flowers lying around, but it was hard to tell with the number of dead bodies covering them.

Rai broke into a cold sweat, his body paralyzed. The smell of death was overwhelming, and the creature in the center—he’d never felt such bloodlust before.

Its long-twisted spine, squirmed as if alive.

Shifting its body to the left, Rai noticed a silver essence, like that of a soul, being drawn from someone. It was…

“TAKARA!” Charging the creature, he shouted, “Let her go!” his fear gave way to determination. The creature raised its head, sensing something, it immediately dropped his sister, vanishing into the forest. “Taka,” Rai said, reaching her side. To his relief, she still clung to life.

Drops of rain gradually started to fall; fearing a storm could be brewing, Rai hoisted Taka onto his back, moving even further away from the battleground. One tree in particular had a very nice umbrella shape to it, and so Rai rushed toward it, shielding his sister from the rain.

“I know you’re here, where’d you go you little treasure bunny,” Banu’s voice echoed in the distance.

Dammit?! Rai concealed his sister with vines and leaves. “I’ll be right back.”

Banu, fueled by a desperate desire to get paid, searched relentlessly for the small brat, until a pebble struck him, drawing his attention to Rai. “Look who it is,” Banu sneered.

“I’d say it’s nice to meet you, but I can’t seem to get past that hideous face of yours,” Rai said.

“Die!” Banu targeted Rai and a pursuit ensued. Rai, nimble and agile, skillfully evaded the infuriated Banu at every turn, and upon recognizing a specific tree, he raced over to it, tugging on a long yellow vine hanging down. “Your mine,” Banu screamed, his hands inches from Rai, but, the yellow vine propelled Rai away.

Following the momentum, “Right behind ya!” Rai swung around the tree, delivering a powerful kick that sent Banu crashing into a cluster of purple goomas.

“When I get ahold of you,” Banu threatened, struggling against the gomma’s suction holding him down.

Rai playfully negotiated, “Promise to leave us alone, and I'll consider giving you back the mask. It is doing everyone a justice either way.”

“I’ll hang your head on a wall!” Banu vowed, attempting to free himself from the goomas.

“Your funeral,” Rai responded, gesturing above Banu’s head.

Banu looked up, a panicked expression spreading across his face; above, a giant insect descended! The tips of its many legs produced a liquid that is used to remove the suction of the mushrooms holding Banu down before dragging him up into the tree above. “Let go!” Banu shouted.

Rai, returning to his sister, noticed a large gathering of peculiar sheep-like creatures in the forest. It wasn’t until he neared his sister that he realized they were all surrounding her. Shooing them away, Rai discovered glowing roots from the plants masking Takara and Plu. He desperately reached for the vines, uncertain of what was occurring, but upon touching them, a surge of energy coursed through his body, revealing a flashing vision of an abandoned little village, nestled amongst colossal vines.

“Gotcha!” Banu interrupted, hurling Rai aside. Banu was covered in purple blood.

The weight of Banu’s foot drilled into Rai’s stomach, snatching his breath and hurling him back into the tree beside his sister.

Legs wobbly, Rai pushed himself from the floor, preparing to defend his sister.

Dragging a log behind him, Banu prepared to deliver a lethal blow.

With a well-timed place of their foot, Banu was unable to move the log any further.

“Huh?” Banu tugged, but the log wouldn't budge.

“Tux,” Rai mumbled, acknowledging the assistance before collapsing.

“Who’re you,” Banu, dropping the log, he confronted Tux.

“Always cleaning up after you it seems,” Tux sighed.

“I’m talking to you!” Banu said, attacking Tux.

In response, Tux delivered a single, devastating blow that sent Banu sprawling backward, unconscious. Surveying Rai and Taka, Tux shook his head. “You’re more trouble than you’re worth, street rat.”

***

“The symptoms are just like the others… I’ll need more time to check into it,” a voice came from a small communication device.

“Thanks, doctor,” General Kur said, standing outside the medical room with Han and Reezo.

“General,” the voice said before disconnecting.

“Can we be sure the boy is telling the truth?” Reezo asked.

“He was in the middle of a battle,” Han nodded, “it wouldn’t be surprising if he made it up, under the circumstances.”

“You think I would make that up!” Rai argued, appearing behind them covered in bandages.

Nurses chased after Rai, apologizing.

“Mind your manners, you’re addressing General Kur, the right hand-”

Interrupting Han, General Kur raised his hand. “What you described is impossible.”

“That thing is out there!” Rai argued while the nurses tried to pull him back into the room. “It did this her,” breaking free, he returned to Takara.

“General, if I can,” Tux's voice came from the communicator. “The scene back in the forest... It isn’t something any normal person could do. Half of them didn't even have their weapons drawn.”

General Kur thought for a moment before deciding they reconvene in the morning.

In bed, Takara was in a deep slumber, unable to wake up.

Rai rested his head on the sheets.

“Ri Ri…”Hanabi said, appearing behind Rai.

“How could I let this happen?” Rai sobbed. Hanabi came over, putting her arm around him. His crying ceased, instead gripping the sheets in anger. “That thing did this.”

“What thing?” Hanabi asked.

“I’m not sure what it is, but whatever is happening to my sister, has to do with that monster from the night before.”

“Then let’s find it,” Tanabe suggested, also appearing—and with Milu nonetheless!

“What’re you guys doing here?”

“When I heard what happened, I asked my grandpa if could stop by,” Tanabe explained, revealing a port pass.

“I came over as soon as Tanabe told me,” Milu added.

“Does this mean you’re not grounded anymore?” Rai asked.

“No, I’ll be grounded for even longer after he finds out I’m not home,” Milu admitted, revealing a badge he stole from his father, and used to access the empire's new ports.

Circling Takara’s bed, they held each other's hands, including hers.

“Together,” Hanabi declared, determination in her eyes.

“Together.”