Midnight Arcadia

Chapter 1

In this world, only a single thing matters. Blood. Your blood determines who you are and who you will ever be, such is life. The power that blessed humanity in its time of need was called ‘Veins’, allowing for magical feats and protection during times of unprecedented crisis. But when everyone has power, the strongest naturally rise to the top to control the weak. This is what Sky Akiyama thought as he looked down at his blank high school application form. Despite now being 15 and most of his peers having had their Veins for years, his would never manifest. His mother had gotten him checked many times to ensure that he was not a part of the small part of the population that couldn’t manifest Veins, but the results were always inconclusive. Sky’s train of thought was cut off as his little sister barged into the room. “Sky! Mama said breakfast is ready!” said the young girl. He jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion, but his clouded mind was silenced as he gave a smile to his little sister. “Alright, Ayako. I’ll be right down. Mom probably needs my help…” he said with a small chuckle. He got up from his chair and followed Ayako downstairs, there he greeted his mother. Her silver eyes doting upon her son like she usually does. “There you are, Sky! I tried to make waffles!” she exclaimed excitedly. He looked down at the earnest attempt to make waffles, but they were charred beyond recognition. His complexation went a bit pale as he forced a smile. “They… you did great mom.” he said, attempting to make her feel better. Despite the situation his mother laughed. “Oh Sky, you don’t have to lie! Can you make breakfast please sweetie?” she pleaded between her gentle laughs. Sky let out a sigh as he rolled up his sleeves, grabbing cooking equipment. “Leave it to me, mom. I got this!” he said with a confident smile. Before long he had a full breakfast ready for his mother and sister. As he ate with them, the house doorbell rang. His mother perked up at the noise. “Ah that’s right, you had a day planned with Akihiko, didn’t you dear?” she said with her signature gentle smile. She assured him that Ayako and her would get along fine without him today. He gave her a nod before getting up from the table and grabbing his jacket before opening the door. “Hey, Sky! You ready?” the boy asked. Sky gave him a nod before stepping outside along with him. “Yeah, I’m ready to go. Let’s go, Akihiko.” Sky said. The boys walked down the from the suburban alleyway and out onto the busy city streets. Akihiko turns to Sky excitedly as they walk. “Guess what man!? I got into Himeji!” Akihiko said with joy. Sky looks at him with surprise before responding. “Seriously? Congrats, Akihiko!” Sky said, happy for his friend. Sky contemplated as they continued to walk, considering the gravity of what Akihiko just told him. Himeji is not like other high schools, it’s a very special high school that trains those in attendance to become proficient with their Veins. Akihiko had always had a decently strong Vein and more importantly had always been Sky’s best friend. He had been there for him and to help him when kids in middle school would try to bully him. Though Sky would never take that kind of bullying and would always try to fight back even when it would get him a few broken bones. But Akihiko going to Himeji would mean that Sky couldn’t join him in high school, and deep down that made Sky sad. But he would be happy for his friend, not allowing how he feels about it to dampen the mood. Akihiko would tap him on the back before saying something. “Hey man, you alright?” Akihiko asked, his concern clear. Akihiko was normally loud and always confident, many traits that Sky wished that he had, but his concern for his friends was always on point. “Yeah, just a bit sad that I can’t join you in high school.” Sky admitted, despite his initial reservations. Akihiko rubbed the back of his own head as he remembered. “Ah, yeah that’s right. You still haven’t picked a school. Sorry about that man.” Akihiko said, feeling bad for his friend. He quickly bounced back and said in a happier tone. “We’ll find the right school for you, dude! Don’t worry!” He exclaimed excitedly. Sky couldn’t help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. “Thanks, Akihiko. It’s hard to be sad about anything with you around.” Sky admitted. The boys continued on their way as they talked about schools and Akihiko’s admittance into Himeji. When they turned a corner on the way to their destination, they noticed a girl who was knocked over by the busy street. Sky without skipping a beat walked over to her to help her up, offering her a hand up. “Are you okay?” he asked the girl. She looked about their age, her emerald green eyes looking up at his charcoal black eyes before she finally took his hand. Once she rose to her feet, she dusted off her outfit and tucked a tuft of her brown hair behind her ear. “Thank you so much… I never knew the capital was so busy!” She laughed, embarrassed by getting knocked over. Sky gave her a smile, relating to the struggle. “Yeah, it can get rough this time of year especially. I’m glad you’re alright, though! I’m Sky.” He said as he held out his hand for a handshake. She took his hand into her own and gave a gentle handshake. “I’m Ayumi Yamasaki. Nice to meet you, Sky!” she said, much more relaxed after having become acquainted with him. Akihiko finally speaks up after keeping quiet for a long time by his standards. “Hello! I’m Akihiko, Sky’s best friend.” he says in his usual happy tone. After some conversation the boys decided to invite Ayumi to the park, their original destination. The newly found trio begin to walk to the park in the center of the city. Meanwhile, outside of Himeji… A woman walking out of the main gate receives a phone call. She lets out a sigh before picking it up. “Yo, Nova speaking.” the woman said in brazen tone. “Ms. Koizumi, we’ve received reports of a violent inmate breaking out of the prison. You’re the closest to the scene, can you check it out?” A young woman said on the other side of the line. Nova let out another sigh, clearly not enthusiastic about the situation, as if it bores her. “Yeah, I got it. I’m expecting an extra big basket of pocky when I’m done!” Nova says jokingly. She hangs up the phone and begins to casually walk toward the scene. “Geez… sending me for this is a bit overkill, isn’t it?” she says to herself. Back at the park… “Woah! You got into Himeji too, Ayumi!?” Akihiko exclaimed, excited about meeting a potential classmate before even starting school. Sky smiles as his best friend and newfound friend talk about their incoming school year. He can’t help but feel a bit weak compared to both of them. Himeji was his dream school when he was Ayako’s age but without a Vein it’s impossible to get in. He leans his head back on the bench the trio is sitting on, letting out a sigh. He looks up towards the sky through the tree branches that shade the bench, looking towards the massive translucent barrier covering the entire kingdom. It’s been a sign of protection for humanity ever since the ancient times, allowing humanity to progress to where it is today. Ayumi looks towards Sky and smiles. “What about you, Sky? Have you decided on your high school yet?” she asks innocently. Sky ponders the question for a moment, wondering what he should say. Should he lie? It might cover him from the embarrassment from saying he can’t manifest his Vein. “I haven’t decided yet. I would like to go to Himeji, but certain… circumstances wouldn’t allow me to.” he decides to answer honestly, though omitting some information. Ayumi gives an understanding nod, not wishing to pry any further. “That’s understandable. I hope you’re able to apply to Himeji regardless! It would be amazing to have you as a classmate!” she says while grasping her hands together, a smile on her face. Sky can’t help but blush a bit at her smile. He smiles back at her. “Yeah… I hope so too.” he says. Akihiko gives him a pat on the back as he laughs. “Yeah, dude! If you manage to get into Himeji, it would be awesome!” he says with usual excited tone. Akihiko normally is able to claw Sky out of his worrisome spirals with ease and Ayumi has been a wonderful friend to him in this short amount of time. He lays his head back on the bench, this time with a content smile. He feels like nothing can ruin this moment for him. That is… until reality rears it’s ugly head once again. An explosion goes off nearby, shaking the very ground beneath them. More go off as he quickly rises up from the bench along with Akihiko and Ayumi. His face going pale as he scans the surrounding area all around to see where they are coming from. Screams engulf the park as panicked citizens try to flee from the scene. Sky, Akihiko and Ayumi begin to try the same until Sky hears someone speak from directly behind him. “New prey right after I get out? How lucky am I!?” the man said, his tone delirious. Sky could feel his heart drop right into his stomach. He holds his arms up and over his chest as he quickly turns around, but it does little to stop the explosion that is produced from the man’s hands. Sky is launched backwards and slides across the ground, his arms burned. Akihiko and Ayumi yell out his name as the energy from their Veins erupt to life around them. Ayumi rushes to Sky’s aid while Akihiko stands his ground between the man and his friends. Sky’s vision blurry and his breathing sharp as he uses his burnt arms to get himself up off the ground, the adrenaline truly taking over. Ayumi helps him up best she can. The man begins to laugh. “No way! You don’t see that often! The brat doesn’t have a Vein! His energy didn’t even attempt to protect him!” the man laughs. Akihiko gets angry at the words as he assumes a fighting stance. “Fight someone on your own level, freak!” he exclaimed. Akihiko and the man begin to fight, Akihiko using his Vein to manipulate the very earth beneath them. The man blasts through the pillars of earth that rush at him, using the very same explosions to propel himself forward towards Akihiko. As the man raises his hand to unleash another devastating explosion, Akihiko raises a wall between himself and the man to block the explosion. When the wall comes down due to the force, Akihiko rushes through and lands a punch on the man, sending him backwards onto the ground. The man rises back up to his feet, no harm apparent. “You little shit… Your energy is unrefined, but that’s to be expected from a brat like you.” he says with a smirk, realizing his energy output is much higher than Akihiko’s. Akihiko glares at him with anger. They begin to fight again as Sky manages to rise to his feet again with Ayumi’s help. “Ayumi… we have to help him!” Sky says, the desperation clear in his voice. She nods, agreeing with him. Sky instructs Ayumi to focus all of her energy into an attack that will damage the man. Without missing a beat, she holds her hands up and begins to channel her energy into them. The air around her begins to swirl into her hands and form a ball. The man noticing the swell of energy begins to divert his attention away from Akihiko and attempt to stop her. Akihiko forms the earth around the man’s legs. “I don’t think so, asshole!” he screams out as he places his hands on the ground and a big pillar emerges from the ground, striking the man in the face, breaking the earth holding him in place and sending him flying. He uses an explosion to get back up off the ground. “I’ll kill you for that! Pray to your gods, brat!” he exclaims angrily as he wipes some blood from his nose. He launches forward, once again with his explosions. He dodges a pillar that comes from the ground and grabs Akihiko’s collar, throwing the boy into the nearby tree. “Now, Ayumi!” Sky yells out. Ayumi lets out a scream as she throws the ball of wind towards the man. The ball traps him inside and begins to lacerate him, at first leaving shallow cuts but as his aura cracks like glass he begins to take much deeper cuts. The man screams until the ball of wind dissipates. The trio begin to take deep breaths as the man lays on the ground. Ayumi falls to her knees, exhausted by energy burnout. “Did… did we do it?” Sky asks, unsure of their victory. Much to their dismay, the man comes out of the crater produced by the ball of wind, bloodied and weaker for it. “You… you damn brats! I will not be beat by some high schoolers and a Veinless brat!” he yells out, his voice raspy. Akihiko, despite his exhaustion rushes back over but the man grabs his collar once more and blasts him away point blank, the force breaking through his protective aura of energy. Akihiko attempts to get back up and get back into the fray but when he looks up, he already sees Sky running towards the man. “Sky!? Stop! Run away!” Akihiko yells out. Sky doesn’t listen to him. He runs towards the man despite how scared he is, he can’t hide behind his lack of Vein. The man laughs as he sees Sky run toward him. “You!? What do you plan on doing? Don’t make a mockery of me, kid!” he yells out in laughter. He holds his hand up to blast him point blank, but at the last second Sky manages to roll out of the way. After he is back up right, he jumps toward the man with his burned fist raised. The man is surprised by Sky’s apparent show of agility. When Sky’s fist collides with the man’s protective aura, it is stopped for a moment. Sky lets out a scream as a red spark appears over his fist for a moment and his fist breaks through the man’s protective aura and lands squarely on the mans face. The force from the punch sending him directly into the ground. Sky falls to the ground after landing the punch. He rises to his knees, breathing sharply. The man despite it all manages to rise to his feet shakily. He barely manages to raise his hand towards Sky. He closes his eyes, bracing for the explosion. But the explosion is sent directly into the ground. Sky’s eyes widen in shock as he sees this happen. Before he can even think much further about it, he can feel a hand on his shoulder as a woman vaults over him. She brings her leg down onto the man and he violently hits the ground due to the force, knocking him out immediately. The woman looks over her shoulder with a confident smile. Her golden yellow eyes peering into my very soul. “You kids alright?” she asks. Sky lifts up his arm and points towards Akihiko. “My… my friend needs help!” Sky pleads with the woman. She looks over towards Akihiko who is breathing heavily on the ground and then towards Ayumi who stumbles back down to her knees when she tries to move. She then looks back down at Sky, her expression changing to slight surprise. “Did you land that last hit?” she asks the boy. Sky nods, saying it was him. He notices his raised arm and notices it has been healed and is confused, both of his arms had been healed. When did that happen? He ponders to himself. The woman’s words cut through his thoughts as she speaks clearly. “Would you like to attend Himeji High School?”

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To Be Continued