Gakkuri no Kioku

Prelude

"The rose is fairest when it is budding new, and hope is brightest when it dawns from fears."

All around me I could hear people screaming out in pain. I could feel the heat of the flames nearby and I could feel the tension of fear in the air. All around me the world seemed to be falling into some sort of disarray and all I could do was hold on to the man standing next to me.

Sometime during my attempt to fully grasp the situation I found myself grasping the shirt sleeve of a tall long haired brunette by the name of Jade. I did not really know this man, he was visiting our country with his King, but right now I don't think I cared who he was.

I was surprised he did not pull away from my grasp or tell me to let go. Actually I felt encouraged to hold onto him and not let go until I felt safe again. I doubt I would ever feel safe again though. Minutes ago we were attending a party; a simple dinner party to celebrate Jade's king, King Peony's visit to our castle.

Suddenly loud whistling was heard from out side and then everything meshed together in a blur. Here I stand now facing a large hole in the castle wall clinging to a man I don't know anything about other then his name, with people around me dead, dying, or just as lost as I am.

"Is his highness safe!?" called out the voices of soldiers who finally pulled themselves out of their stupor. I felt sure Jade would leave to fin his king amidst the mess of rubble and flames but he did not move. I felt a twang of guilt in my chest as I gripped on tighter scared of what was to come next.

"With an attack come the ones that will spill blood." Jade muttered looking out past the glow of flames. "Come." I obeyed without question as I followed the man without letting up my grip. The walk was slow at first but sped up until we reached the courtyard where the glow of flames was behind us and bits of the castle lay at our feet. "So they beat us out here…" Jade spoke drawing my attention from the rocks on the floor to numerous men clad in black armor before us.

"Hand over the Noble and we'll spare your life." The largest man spoke stepping forward as he placed his hand on his sword.

"You seem to already know what I will tell you." Jade hinted as he nodded his head toward the man with a light smile playing at his lips. "Why bother saying anything at all?"

"I thought I would give you a chance." The large man said before all of the men drew their swords only a mere second after the first. "We'll take the child by force then."

After that my ears began to ring. I couldn't hear anything anyone was saying. Jade opened his mouth and moved his lips but I heard nothing. Then the leader opposite us pointed his blade before five men charged at one time.

The moment felt like it would last forever. The black armored men ran at us so slowly that I felt that I hand time to could the number of dents in the black metal they wore. Then time caught up with itself as the man closest to me lost his head. As it came off of his shoulders the other men stopped coming at us and I felt time stop as the blood from the cut poured from his neck and my hand fell from Jade's sleeve.

I felt myself falling to my knees when time started up again and my hearing returned. From somewhere behind me I heard the battle cry of someone familiar before a streak of blond ran past with sword drawn. As he ran past I felt my eyes begin to well up with tears as my knees at long last met with the stone ground below me, and just as I was about to cry out in fear a hand covered my eyes and I was quickly pulled into a comforting embrace of protection.

"Don't look." A strong soothing voice spoke into my ear. My fear slowly turned down as I sank into the embrace given to me. The one protecting me now was the same one that during the party called me useless drift wood, Asch.

I no longer wanted to be here. I didn't want to be in this castle and I didn't want to be in this country. I was more terrified then I had ever been in my life. I felt that I had no control over anything that would happen, or was happening.

"Asch, take Luke and get the hell out of here!" Guy's voice called from the same direction of the clangs of metal. After a few seconds nothing seemed to happen then I felt Asch move his head against mine in a nodding motion before I was picked up bridal style. I cough a glimpse of what was happening from where Guy had called. Dozens of men laid at his feet bleeding out blood colored black in the orange light of fire as dozens more charged at him attempting to kill him.

"GUY!!" I screamed out before my head was forced into Asch's chest and I felt us running from the fight.

"Don't worry Luke, I'll be right behind you!" Guy called before metal clashing over powered his voice.

"I'll make sure of that." I heard Jade's voice say as an odd sound resembling the sound of an electric charge came about before a sudden explosion resounded into the night air.

"GUY!" I screamed as loudly as I could with a mouth full of Asch's clothing.

"Believe in him. He'll come if you believe he can make it out of it alive." Asch's labored voice softly spoke as the sound of his foot steps changed from stone to carpet. He continued to run for a while before he stopped and let me down. I stood for about a second before my knees gave out and I fell to the ground. "Luke!" he called out as he knelt next to me.

"Why is this happening!? What did we do to earn this!?" I shouted loudly trying to get an answer.

"I don't know either but you can't shout and we can't stay here! We have to move. If we don't those men in black will find us and possibly kill us." Asch said as he tried to help me stand.

"Guy, and Jade, and everyone, what about them!?" I questioned with so much fear in my voice every syllable shook.

"Luke get a hold of yourself!" Asch said loudly before someone appeared in the hall.

"I've found you." Said the voice of a man I knew all to well.

"Master Van!" I said with pure joy. I had never been so happy to see my teacher in my entire life.

"Come quickly you two, I've secured a ship we can escape on." Van spoke as he jogged to us. I started to stand to meet with my master when Asch pushed himself before me. I didn't understand why he did it but I didn't have time to wonder why when the same whistling from before sounded from the window next to us. I looked at Asch who had shuddered before something tore the roof off of the castle hallway we were standing in. Large rocks began to wall threatening to kill us if they hit us. One particularly large one was coming down at me and Asch. Van pushed forward and knocked both of us out of harms way. Soon after the rubble fell I felt Van over me letting the smaller rocks still falling hit him. I looked next to me to see Asch curled up on the ground under no protection. I was about to call out to him when I noticed a small stream of blood coming from him.

"ASCH!" I shouted loudly trying to crawl to him but Van stopped me.

"There's no time!" Van called before picking me up and running away from Asch who lay on the ground bleeding.

"ASCH! ASCH! Please do something! Tell me you're alive!!" I shouted as I was carried farther and farther away from my counterpart. I had started to cry when I noticed his hand rose up before it fell again. "Master Van! Stop he's alive we need to help him!"

"I said there's no time Luke!" Van spoke as I was yet again carried away from someone important to me.

I looked to the ground that was moving quickly the pattern on the carpet melded together in a mess of different colors that seemed like nothing but red to me. I saw in my mind Guy and Jade fighting for their lives but in the end falling at the end of someone's sword. I saw Asch bleeding out onto the castle floor until he died. I saw the people from the party all dead on the marble floor eyes wide open with surprise. "No…" I muttered lowly as I closed my eyes. The images ran over again and again faster each time the first reel ended. "No…" I said louder as fire and blood mixed into my vision.

"NO!" was the last thing I remember screaming at the image of Asch dead on the ground. After that I lost all feeling of myself and all sense of anything. I do not know what happened but I felt powerful. Like I had control over something.

For once I felt like I had power to protect people.

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Prelude End