It was already night and the sun have long set. It was almost dinner time and the twins decided to have a walk when they heard something weird.
"Kira, let's go back already." Kishi pleaded his sister who is walking in front of him while holding his hand.
They were at the forest, following the weird sounds only they can hear. It was already dark, and they can barely see where they are going. They may have been experienced in walking through the forest even at night due to the kind of place they grew up in, but Kishi still felt that the place was extremely dangerous. Kira though, didn't falter and continued to strode forward determinedly.
"Kira..."
Kishi kept calling her again and again, but she didn't listen. It was until she tripped on a large trunk and almost fell down.
"Whoa! Careful!" Fortunately, Kishi caught her in time. He held her tightly. That scared him a lot. Perhaps they should really go back.
"Kira, let's go back already." He pleaded her again. "It's really getting dangerous here, we can just go back tomorrow."
Kira stubbornly shook her head. She was not going to back after getting this far. She continued to walk forward, ignoring her brother's pleads.
Although unlike earlier, Kishi didn't move forward. And because he was holding her hand, it wasn't far when Kira was forced to stop. It was only then when she looked at him.
"Nisan what are you doing? We gotta go!"
Even though he was afraid to hurt her sister's feelings, he shook his head. "No, let's go back. It's dangerous here."
"But we need to save that dragon. It's asking for our help!"
"But Kira--"
"Nisan!"
Kishi bit his lip and stayed in his position, unmoving. Seeing that her brother won't be listening to her anymore, she moved closer and gave him a hug.
"Don't be scared, I'm sure everything's gonna be fine."
Kira tried to coax him, but it's not going to work. It was not like his scared or anything, the truth is, he's more worried about her. The cry of the dragon is just too abnormal that even Pearl and Aster didn't bother. He knew that whatever it is that was waiting for them there is nothing good.
Kira let go of him and smile. She once again advanced forward but she was stopped again. Looking back, Kishi didn't move a step but was still holding her hand tightly. It seems she won't be able to persuade him that easily. But they were so close though, she did not want to go back. Pouting, she made him let go of her hand and ran away.
Kishi was utterly taken aback. He did not expect her to suddenly do that, and he wasn't able to react immediately.
When his feet started moving, she was already far away. Kishi was panicking. He ran after her without looking where he was going, and eventually, he got tripped and fell down.
Kira who was running without looking back, she didn't notice anything until she felt that she was there alone.
Panting, she turned around, but Kishi wasn't there. Did she run that far? It was really not her intention. She just wanted to scare him a little so he would have no choice but to go with her. Apparently though, they both lost sight of each other.
She started to feel scared. She was there alone in that dark and she did not know where she is. Her trauma that she got four years ago was starting to get back to her. She was also there alone in the dark forest where her dear brother was nowhere to be seen.
"Nisan? Nisan! Onii-chan where are you?! NISAN!!" She started calling out to him but she became even more scared when she heard no reply.
"Kira!" Her heart suddenly leaped when she heard his voice.
She was about to run towards him but she suddenly felt someone coming from behind her. She was about to turn around but that person is lot faster than her.
A hand held her and covered her mouth. She tried with all her strength to resist, but alas, the man is just stronger than her. It was not long when her consciousness started to fade away.
She cried. She felt so helpless and her fear overwhelmed her. As tears welled from her eyes, she asked herself.
Is it all going to happen again? If she could have been stronger, perhaps maybe things would change. Once again it was all her fault. Just like last time, if she listened to her dear brother and stayed at his side, perhaps none of this would have happened. Maybe the two of them would still be together, enjoying their dinner with everyone else.
Kishi suddenly felt nervous and scared when he did not hear his sister's calls anymore. His heart also stared to beat so fast and he felt so frightened. Those feelings weren't his though. He panicked at the thought that something bad happened to her.
Moving as fast as his feet could take him, he ran towards where he heard her voice. Panting, he held onto a tree for support, but when he raised his head, a terrible surge of emotions made him to almost forgot how to breathe.
Kira was there. Unconscious in the arms of someone he doesn't knew. It was a man he only saw then, along with a group of suspicious people.
They wore the same look. A look of someone that achieved victory of tormenting someone that is weaker than them, along with the look of outmost greed for power.
Even at that distance, he can see tears on his dear sister's cheek. It seems that she was really scared that he even felt all her fears.
He did not know what kind of emotion he was feeling, but without a second though, he moved towards them, hoping to get his sister back. However, before he could truly advance toward them, a hand held his wrist and stopped him.
Looking back, he saw Airi, along with Rex, Lune, and their teacher, Amili. They all shook their heads, silently telling him not to go.
Kishi frowned. How could he not go? His only, and dearest sister was there being abducted by some suspicious men. Are they actually expecting him to just stand there and do nothing?! He was not going to let that happen again, ever! That was one thing he promised himself after he found her once again. To protect her was the reason and will only be the reason that he worked that hard for more than four years. Yet now they were stopping him? There is no way he's ever gonna listen!
As if knowing what he was thinking, Amili spoke. "You can't go there now."
"But--"
"Listen, the two of you together is very powerful indeed, but together, you're also vulnerable." Amili told him. "Think about it. They can take Kira as a hostage, and you'll risk yourself getting captured as well. Do you understand the consequences if you're both captured?"
With her saying this, Kishi will have no choice but to listen to her no matter how reluctant he is.
*
Opening her eyes, Kira found herself lying on the cold floor. She could not move a limb, and she can barely move her lips. Did they poison her? Whatever it is, she was rendered completely helpless right now.
She can hear distant foot steps that are gradually getting closer to her. She also heard men speaking to each other, but she can barely see anything at all except for the stone floor and darkness.
"She's a Sacred Royal you say?"
"Yes, this girl is indeed a Sacred royal, my lord."
"Are you sure? How did you find out?"
"She once dropped the sacred insignia. She picked it up after and was very relived she didn't lose it. That made us certain that she is one."
"Hmm...so young...very well, prepare a ritual. Oh, and make it quick. I believe we don't have much time. We must leave this island before midnight."
After that, she was carried by a maid--no, by a slave as she heard the sound of their shackles at it gets dragged on the ground.
They quickly undressed her and brought her to the bathtub. They must be pretty confident that she wouldn't resist or that the poison will be taking effect longer that they didn't even tie her.
But just as they thought, Kira didn't resist. She barely had the energy to cry, much less to run away. Instead, she just closed her eyes again and passed out once again.
When Kira woke up once again, she was dressed like a Japanese shrine priestess with a white kosode and red hakama. She was forced to sit up with her hands tied with red ropes coming from the ceiling, and each of her foot also tied with red ropes that are tied somewhere on the walls that she can't see.
She doesn't like being left alone in an enclosed dark place. Looking around frantically, she can't help but cry for help as her tears flowed uncontrollably.