Chereads / Night's Destined Legend / Chapter 12 - The Beat of a Heart

Chapter 12 - The Beat of a Heart

When it snows, its quiet. All sounds cease to exist; as if you're in a vacuum in space. Even with the peace of snow, why is it so cold? Why does the cold it brings onto your skin hurt? Even with its tranquil feeling, its painful.

In an ally shrouded in darkness sits a boy. His heart covered by the dark that surrounds him. He sits with rags as clothes and dirt covering him head to toe. He curls his body into a ball to protect himself from the cold. His heart still beating is the only way he can tell if he is alive or not. He checks the rhythm constantly to make sure he is alive. A cat walks up to the boy.

Boy: [What's you're name?] He says softly

Cat: [Meow~]

Boy: [That's a great name.. My name is Tejin] His dry lips make it difficult for him to talk.

Tejin gets up and starts walking towards the light coming from the end of the alley way. His feet slap against the cold concrete on the ground with a light sheet of snow. The light dilating his eyes shining the darkness away from the boy.

At the end of the light, a bustling busy shopping market. People walk in their kimonos and sandals through the light snow. Tejin looks up.

Tejin: [The snow is really cold today.]

???: [Oi boy!]

Tejin looks to the right of him to see a man with black hair and hazel eyes starting at him with a bag of potatoes in his hand. Tejin thought that is was just a vender selling food.

Vender: [You got any money? Im selling these potatoes for a small price. Think of this as you're lucky day, these are the best potatoes in the Honni Empire let alone the Yumi district.]

Tejin: [Honni? I-I s-o~ry h-ave.. no.... money]

Vender: [Huh?! You cant even speak our language?! Get out of here stop lottering then!]

The vender took a potato and threw it at Tejin. Tejin began to run, his feet frozen from the snow on the ground. His heart still beating and beating. Then, he heard something else beating. The beat was in align with his heart; he ran towards the sound. Every beat with each step. The beating got louder, his feet ran faster, his heart paced quicker. He ran straight into a small building.

???: [Oh? Do I have a visitor?]

An elderly man with white long hair and a white long beard saw Tejin rush in. Tejin slowly walked to the big drum next to the elderly man. Tejin put his hand on the drum and starred intensely.

Man: [Oh, so do you like drum also?]

Tejin puts his hand on his chest and his heart starts beating, he starts to cry. The man puts his hand on Tejins back.

Man: [You've been through a lot haven't you]

Tejin: [y~e-s!]

Tejin's crying made his speech more difficult then before. His tears wouldn't stop that day.

???: [Find Him!]

Men with swords started to storm a building on a cold snow storm night.

Man with sword: [Where is he!?]

Tejin started running through the snow storm. His small body trying to pull through the heavy snow. His warm clothing not enough to be protected from the snow. His tears freezing as they fall from his cheek.

Tejin: [Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa Why!?]

Tejin flashes back to the old man in white telling him to run away far.

Old man: [Make sure you're heart follows the beat of the drum Tejin!]

Tejin cries while he runs through the fierce snow and winds.

Tejin: [Why can't I turn back! Why is he letting me abandon him! After 3 years of him taking me in!]

Tejin flashes back to all the times he spent with him. Each memory makes his heart beat faster.

The old man walks out the house with his robe on.

Man with sword: [There you are! The Devil Jiro! Men surround him!]

Jiro: [What a fuss! i'm guessing "he" is on his way so i'm surviving this one.. Well while I wait! I'LL SEND YOU ALL TO HELL!!]

Jiro pulls out 3 giant drums his deadly red aura surrounding him. His robe revealing the scars on his chest, and his eyes glowing a scarlet red. The house breaking apart with the immense power and the sky above glowing red.

Man with sword: [You damn Devil! Kill him men! Men...]

Jiro: [They are already dead..]

The man with a sword looks around to see all of his allies dead. Jiro holds a head in his hand with a fire of the once house behind him.

Man with sword: [H-How!]

Jiro: [Seems like you're next.]

???: [I'm going to have to stop you there!]

A young man with green hair sits a top a building nearby.

Jiro: [I was expecting you're stronger friend. But I guess you can kill me also.]

???: [Are you giving up so quickly?]

Jiro: [Of Course not! I have someone I want to see again!]

???: [Devils don't get wishes.]

A slash in the air cuts Jiro's head clean off.

???: [It was that easy huh?]

Tejin lays on his back in the snow.

Tejin: [Why, it's so quiet the snow is so tranquil. Yet it's slowly killing me...]

Tejin puts his hand on his chest.

Tejin: [It still beats.]

???: [Over there I see a body! Its still alive, someone help me carry him!]

Anon: [ I cant believe this!]

Tejins drum floats behind his back, his eyes scarlet red and the aurora around him burns violently. Anon's body on his left half was completely gone and blasted away. Then on his left side, the ground was completely demolished as far as the eye could see.

Tejin: [I won't miss next time.]