"Likewise..."
Raki's emotionless eyes gazed back at her, his clear blue eyes reflecting an image of her.
Lucia sighed.
'Seriously...I can't tell what he's thinking. Such a mysterious boy...'
While Lucia was lost in her thoughts, a burning pain flared in Raki's mind.
"Ngh..."
As the pain increased, Raki's vision faded away.
"Kuh..."
The boy's eyes re-opened, finding himself floating in the air. As he surveyed his surroundings, a scene played itself out before him.
Several boys had cornered a small girl, their eyes filled with a mixture of lust and greed.
As their hands reached out to touch her, she glared at them, her crystal clear eyes radiating a murderous aura.
"Y-you'll pay for this!"
"Haha, little girl~ you must be joking. After all, your parents are gone, and your brother's just a worthless cripple."
"Who's gonna protect you now?"
"Aww, look, she's getting angry~"
"Hehe, those shitty parents of yours are finally gone. I always hated them for being so high and mighty...and now we can have our way with you."
As the boys began to jeer, the girl trembled as she balled up her fists.
"You bastards...and your garbage families too..."
A large amount rain poured down from the sky, causing the boys to smirk.
"Look who's gonna try and fight back!"
"You can't beat all of us."
"Just enjoy the precious time you spend with me~"
The water that pooled on the ground began to swirl, turning into translucent weapons that formed around the girl.
"I'll at least be able to kill some of you..."
Her words caused the boys to freeze, fear spreading across their faces like an infection.
"Ngh..."
That same fear disappeared without a trace, as a young man holding an orb stepped forwards.
Chains had already bound up the girl and absorbed all of her magic energy, causing the manifestations of water to disappear.
The girl's eyes widened in shock as the young man stopped in front of her.
"Kise...w-why...?"
"Hahaha...HAHAHAHAHA...why? You're asking me why? All this time, you've only had eyes for that weakling #@4$%7...and now, you're finally mine..."
Raki's ears automatically filtered out the name, causing his eyes to widen in confusion.
The young man's hand reached out for the girl, freezing as a clear, innocent voice rang out.
"Stop."
The young man slowly turned to face the speaker, his eyes filled with mockery and hatred.
"Look who's come to save the day...take a close look, Airi...it's your knight in shining armor."
The girl glared at the young man, her eyes filled with hatred.
"If you hurt a single strand of his hair, I swear I'll make you pay...Kise-"
Kise snapped his fingers, causing the golden chains to cover up her mouth, clicking his tongue as he eyed the boy mockingly.
"What? Want a fight?"
The boy gritted his teeth as Kise smirked, his hand reaching into Airi's shirt, causing her to let out a soft moan.
"You bastard..."
His eyes glowed golden as the he clenched his hands, balling them into fists. The world around him played in slow motion as he arrived in front of Kise.
His fist landed on Kise's face, causing the world to resume its normal flow.
All the boys saw was a golden streak of light impacting against Kise's cheek, sending him flying as a loud boom resonated through the air.
As the light faded away, a boy wreathed in golden flames was left standing in its place.
The boy looked up to the sky, revealing a toothy grin as he made eye contact with Raki.
'I can't wait to meet with you-'
The voice in Raki's mind was cut off as his vision faded yet again.
"Tsk."
A boy wreathed in golden flames clicked his tongue as the mental thread he had formed was cut off.
"Seems like the Heavens don't want you to meet with us-?"
The golden haired boy's voice was drowned out by a sudden strike of lightning, directed towards him.
"Though that just make me even more curious...."
"What kind of weakling would attract their hatred."
As the boy finished speaking the sky rumbled as several lightning bolts descended upon him.
"Tsk tsk tsk...such cowards, refusing to even let me see him..."
As Raki's vision returned, he found Lucia staring at him.
"Lucia?"
"A-ah!"
The woman jumped a little, startled by the boy.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she coughed, attempting to relieve herself of her embarrassment.
The boy's emotionless gaze did nothing to help, causing her to look away.
"Ahem...Shall we be on our way?"
"Mn."
"Stop!"
Their movements were interrupted by a loud shout, causing Lucia to click her tongue in annoyance.
"Cheh...The city guard, as annoying as always..."
"Hmph. As expected, it's you, Lucia."
A blonde woman snorted, her steel armor shimmering in the sunlight as she thrusted her spear into the ground.
Raki turned his head upwards, giving Lucia a blank stare.
"Do you...know her?"
Lucia snorted.
"Of course I do. She's a pampered brat."
Raki tilted his head, his ears twitching as he heard the hint of affection contained in her voice.
"Hmph! Who are you calling a brat!?"
The golden haired girl glared at Lucia, before turning to look at Raki.
"..."
Raki´s ears twitched again as he took a step back, an ominous feeling enshrouding him.
"Kyaaa~! So cute!"
"Kuh-"
A golden blur slammed into Raki, causing him to grunt.
"Aww, so cute~! Lucia, where did you find him~?"
"..."
Lucia tried to avert a chuckle as Raki stared at her grumpily while the blonde girl lifted him up into the air.
"Alright, alright, Angelina, you should put him down already."
"Fine..."
The golden haired girl pouted, gently setting Raki on the ground reluctantly, suddenly covering her head in pain as a fist whacked her head.
"Owww! Captain!"
A man had appeared silently behind the blonde girl, his eyes focused on Raki.
"Riel, is that the mage?"
"Looks like it, Captain."
A blue haired mage spoke up, his cyan eyes concentrated on Lucia.
"Tch." Both of them clicked their tongues, turning away from each other.
The man sighed, giving Riel a light whack on the head.
"Ow! Captain!"
Lucia stuck out her tongue triumphantly, only to be replaced with a grimace of pain as the hand of the captain hit her too.
"Kuro! What was that for!"
"..."
Kuro ignored Lucia's cries as his gaze continued to focus on Raki.
"So...You're the Horde member that infiltrated Valkros eh?"