Back at the edge of the steep hill..
Whooping and crying happily aloud, the other two shared a look to one another's eyes. Shrugging just a moment, Alex did a simple front flip onto the downward slide as August spun around so his back would be facing the slippery slope. Skipping off one of the rocks, he impressively spun in the middle of the air spiraling into the skies, implanting his soles above the infinity between the ground and the levitating air. Gliding backward against the air with his arms casually held on the back of his head, August patted his mouth yawning waving smugly at Al surfing amongst the dirty liquid filled with rocks and everything.
Scoffing at the sight of his master mocking him, Ben manipulated the flow of the dirty liquid as if it were nothing but child's play. It froze right beneath his feet, August twisting his waist and spinning so he could plant his feet into the ground standing beside his father. His feet unnaturally slipping against the tundra made of the downward hill, Alex grunted about to face plant into the mud before he manipulated the Requiem energy in the form of white lightning to stop himself.
"Havin' fun?"
Wiping the dust from his hoodie and pushing back the cover that had fallen over his head, Alex used the static to guide himself right onto his two feet. Then stretching out his arms as if he landed an Olympic landing, he swiftly turned to face the other two, closing his eyes and showing a bright grin with his teeth glistening in the sun,
"Yup!!"
Al answered happily, Ben walking past him for his master and teacher to pat him on the head, all of them facing the entrance to the town they'd seen from above. It was written in Japanese characters, so having a cousin and aunt who spoke Japanese meant August could make it out easily,
"It says... Renkin. I think that's the shortened version of Renkinjutsu,"
"Renkinjutsu..? What's that mean?" Alex inquired of his master, Aug rubbing his chin as Ben sighed, then interjecting after remembering the meaning of the foreign word,
"It's the super white way of saying Alchemy in Japanese, meaning we might be met by threats in here. Stay on alert, show no mercy,"
August pulled tapped at his wrist for a BEEP! to enter the atmosphere as the cloak peeled out from his suit, hood popping up over his head to cover the rest of his tanned skin except his heterochromatic eyes. Alex did the same with his very own hood, yet the Emperor moved with no care in the world, face fully exposed and leading the way.
The second they stepped foot into this town, their demonic screeches entered his ears causing him to sigh in annoyance pushing up his glasses. Spotting one of the monsters chewing on a bystander with their stomach torn open, entrails in their mouth, it didn't take much for the Emperor to effortlessly slice it in half with a simple glance in its direction. Putting them back down as the demon's upper half slid off its waist, leaking out blood and some of its guts pouring out, August spotted another. Pouncing and bouncing from rooftop to rooftop, claws digging into the insides so the civilians would cry in fear- Rivera manipulating the wind to jump further into the air landing behind the monster.
Turning around and spreading their wings out further so a gust of wind would expand out from the sudden opening of the levitation devices ripped and torn apart. The Reaper felt his cape move with the steadiness of the wind, unwavering from his planted and position against the metallic roof of the house. Dropping the corpse that is held by the side of its throat, the jaw gaped so the superheated demonized energy of Takyr would be transformed to negative energy and such an extreme blazing sensation that it was turned to Hellfire. Spitting it out from its throat so the flames would contort and snap chaotically due to the destructive nature of the blazing element, August swiped his hand chopping the blast having it circle into a ball levitate among his hand.
Alchemy was the study of molecular change and alteration of matter, back in the olden times. Scientifically, it didn't work in anything besides nuclear fusion in reactors with a supernova, but putting away those facts and logic, for the time being, August had simply changed the properties of fire- making it simply water above the tips of his fingers. Flicking the index extremity towards the enemy with a smug smirk, the water stream had turned to ice, an icicle piercing right through its chest. Gasping in surprise for a split second in time, it shrieked out in agony with blood gushing out, August running alongside the metal jumping and kicking its head right off throwing his leg to the side of its misshapen skull.
Watching it fly right off of the shoulders of the demonic thing, August smirked wiping the blood from his shoulders, one of the brain bits getting onto his face leading him to groan breathing it off. The Reaper then heard the cracking of a whip as Alex had moved with unbelievable precision and accuracy, the edge of the weapon cutting one in half behind him. The hellfire coming at him quickly, he spun right over the blast feeling the whip tangled around his wrist, throwing out his arm and then smoothing out his leg so he could press his foot against the middle of the metallic projectile-like weapon. Letting out a war cry as the tip of the whip generated an explosive charge in the exterior shell of the demon's skin, it was blown into bits for only the head to come out of the ball of smoke. Alex didn't even have to move for all for the whip to come to him, the head dropping right onto the ground, skull breaking instantly against the foot of the Emperor as he stepped forward. The cheers and greetings of those that managed to survive filled the town, August sitting at the edge of one rooftop with his legs dangling over the edge,
"They love us already," August stated jokingly, putting his hand to his chest and leaning back dramatically like a prince as Alex grumbled shaking his head. Rolling his eyes at the insolent children, Ben stepped forward as the townsfolk began to gather around him,
"Greetings, my name is—"
"Ben Rivera; the Lost Requiem, and the Blessed Emperor of Longing. So, you've come,"
"Oh FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!"
Anatomy engulfed by the emerald teleportation energy that transported them from place to place, August appeared right beside his father with a vein visible in his forehead. Taking his shoulder then beginning o massage it, the Emperor was gradually calmed down by his son as the man who'd spoken and known his name revealed himself from the crowd. The Warrior patted the Emperor on the shoulder moving closer to him, Rivera quirked a brow, and while he wasn't looking into the eyes of the Ruler- his eyes looked to the hand of this man. Goosebumps appeared over his nape, as the Headman informed the other travelers,
"Please, make yourself home, we'll be happy to guide you to your guys' quarters for the time being,"
And as the Headman disappeared into the crowd, The Judge was guided by a woman to the hotel they'd be staying at for their time here- while the Reaper just rubbed his stomach. Seeing as how his protege was grown and he didn't need to worry about him, August's Four Eyes searched for a place to eat, then hearing the sound of chewing from a nearby location. Feet guiding him to this place, Rivera groaned, metallic doors spreading apart mechanically before revealing the inside. Neon signs glowing against his face, his pupils searched over the wooden boards below him to his soles, the Reaper rubbed his chin... people needed to find their style. The restaurant was beautiful, the calming sound of the violin soothed him as he dragged his hands across the ground, step by step plopping against a table for a waitress to come over, noticing the white-haired man. Arms over the furniture, he rested his chin against his knuckles, sunglasses over his heterochromatic optics- her voice reaching over to him,
"Excuse me? Are you going to be ordering?"
August raised his head slowly so he could make eye contact with the employee, freckles over her cheeks, red hair in a braid over her right shoulder. One red-eye and the other blue, the smile she gave as she noticed him examining her figure was bright- filled with life as he covered his face for a moment, sending her a simple nod. Giggling at his cuteness, she leaned closer and decided to aid in him getting the food he'd wanted. Which was something simple like-
"Chicken tenders and fries, please. And yes, I'm five years old, don't ask,"
She couldn't help but laugh at the side comment, after having his order, she took the menu as he handed it to her walking backward for a moment. He hadn't even noticed, still just groaning in anticipation for the food- but she managed to spot something, rather... odd. Pushing down his glasses to examine everyone here, the color of his eyes revealed themselves, different, just as her own. The Reaper's optics began to dart at a breakneck speed, registering everything thanks to his acute enhanced awareness of the Four Eyes technique etched into his blood and eyeballs. And just as then, as the customers' faces had all been memorized into the back of his mind, the white-haired new resident and the ginger waitress had their eyes met. Her heartbeat, the way she breathed, fingers nervously twiddling behind her back, Rivera smiled at her before turning his head right ahead. She vanished into the swinging doors of the kitchen, nervously twiddling his thumbs, a stray thought made its way from the back of his mind into the forefront of his thinking, uh... cap,
~That girl was pretty... I wonder if she'll like me~
She manifested in the form of an all-white spirit, his eyes widening, that part of him beginning to claw at the sides of his mind resting against his shoulder. Whispering as her arms entangled themselves around his neck from behind, the mist-like shape she'd taken had given the coloration of her eyes something like white or grey. Her damned whispers began to curse him, tears streaming down his cheeks, whimpering in shame for what he'd just thought... as she goaded him,
"How dare you think of that woman that way..? Didn't you promise me that we'd meet again someday? Spend the entirety of eternity together with one another. Like you get to have the chance to move on as if someone like you has those opportunities in life. Then again, who am I to say anything? I'm not even here, do what you want, be with her and dishonor me. Or wait, and maybe... you'll get to see me again,"
As she vanished into smoke back into his heart, his words were soft yet held the weight of the world, it was clear he was just trying to apologize to her, wherever she may be; but if you hadn't even known him, you'd mistake it for praying. Holding the food for the man, the plate slid across the table into his line of vision, sniffling. She could make out a tear slid from his cheek down his chin onto one of the tenders steaming with heat. Widening her eyes at the abrupt change in his personality, she reached over her hand, about to touch his shoulder... before it was smacked away.
Wiping his eyes, he threw the food into a bag and decided it was time to go before he could make any more stupid decisions, well- stupid by his judgment. He didn't even give a glance back at her before he vanished, phasing right through the hardened material of the doors and stepping onto the porch leading up to the restaurant. Sitting on the steps, a gentle sigh let out from his mouth, teeth sinking into the outer shell of the tender before it tore out the white meat kept secret underneath.
Continuously chewing on the bunches of food kept together in the bag, the World Representative... had finished all of his food, nevertheless, though his stomach was full, it was as though there'd be nothing there at all. August facepalmed, the tears leaking into his skin and descending further down about to drop onto the ground as they poured down his cheeks. An empty shell, hollow, with nothing inside- what more was he besides a shameful creature? Not even considered human. That swirling pool of shame had caused August to hold his stomach, groaning, he made his way outside the perimeter of the city, and yet all she did was watch with nothing else to do, she just watched worriedly, eyes shaking. She couldn't stand by and do nothing, but before she knew it, the second she'd been done untying her apron from over her waist, he'd vanished without even a semblance of a trace. Running over to the widened doors that served as the entry to the town, her eyes searched, and she sighed dejectedly, no more she could do- so she walked back.
And as he stared at his reflection in the lake, all he could do was crawl back and hold his legs, shivering with the goosebumps appearing all over his skin- August sobbed himself to sleep. Celine's memory needed to be remembered, everyone else had forgotten, so what if he did... what if... he just forgot?
The door to the office shut automatically behind him, the Emperor feeling the heat of the sun's rays cool as they were shut behind the wood of the building. Debating to stand or sit behind the desk, Ben's arms crossed over his chest, the Headman's words entering his ears, voice calming and deep yet twisted,
"So, what brings you outside the Border, Emperor? I thought you'd be on that little Castle of yours, luxuriously living with your family and all. Like we're some sort of peasants, you cut yourself off from the rest of the world. Why?"
"Because I had a responsibility to protect the Subjects I'd made when I imbued their cells to make them superhuman, same with the rest of the world. Now, though, after everything... I had to leave to protect everyone, I can't let anyone else die, not again anyway. I'm sure since you know me by the Blessed Emperor of Longing, you know why, don't you?" Ben rhetorically asked of the man, glaring at him before he began to step closer toward the furniture the seat was placed in front of. His feet began to yank the chair back so its legs would skid across the wooden boards of the office implanting his bottom against it,
"Yes, I was told all about you by them. The Guardian Angels of Desire, they came to me. They warned me, yet I ignored them, and I welcomed you with open arms for a reason. Creatures like the Malevolent God and the Embodiment of Evil... I distrusted them, and they left me alone,"
Stroking at his beard, Rivera rested against the arm of the seat, chin pushing against his knuckles, the Emperor heard the irregular beating of a heart. It began to increase rapidly, yet the breathing remained normal, Ben cleared his throat leaning forward. Pushing up his glasses as he began to speak, his vocals were deepened as if the snarl of a lion stalking their prey,
"If they've told you about me then you know what I am. Alchemists, the scientists that studied the transformation of matter, that's what you are. That was only a theory, so you small bunch having figured out the secret bothers me... how?"
The silence after that menacing question was loud, chills sending down his spine, the Headman covered his face with the side of his hand; parting his lips for but a millisecond. And yet, no words spewed out, as the fear he'd just felt surge through every part of his body was unbearable. Leaning against the front of the desk, the Emperor used his thumb, pointing out his index right at the Headman, vocals not only that of words but chilling action as the Requiem threatened with a rasp in his tongue,
"If you are planning to betray me, my brother, and my son, I want you to know this before you make any stupid decisions, Wizard.
When I kill you, you'll be surrounded by no one, and I'll make the pits of Hell swallow you up so the tortuous flames singe your flesh as the damned pull you down into the inferno. I hope I make myself clear, because if you touch any of those boys; if you touch my son... I'll make you wish you were sent to Hell,"
The reflective flare that shined off from his right eye had sent a shiver down the Headman's spine, blinking for just about half a second, maybe even less, but just then; the Emperor had fled. Ben's hands staying in his pocket, he made his way to the quarters Alex had been led into. The Emperor of Time rubbed at his arm, rubbing his stomach... speaking his mind as if it were nothing but a whisper,
"I need food..."
In an unknown place outside of the world they'd known, this town was filled with a mysterious aura and mischievous creatures. Their horrific stench invaded this area, there was a reason the second they'd got into this place, there were demons. For the time being, they had to stay, with nowhere else to go; Ben knew the world beyond the Border would be dangerous. Yet it didn't stop him, and he kept moving forward, onward, without hesitation...
And as the Incarnations began to watch from above in the shadowed void of space, he turned his head up as if silently challenging them... bring it on.
"Wretched scum."
The Lost Alchemy Kingdom Chapter - Start.