In the soft dawn's light, Zen clad himself in Swords-Man uniform for the very first time, a garment that seemed to be the weight of generations past.
The fabric was very crisp and new.
It was a rich clothing material especially made for Swords-Men, they're hard threads combined together to withstand some attacks and be least affected by one's own Elemental Art. It was an elegant touch by it's creators and was mainly based on Black and Green colors. A belt cinched his waist neatly, and a Katana sheathe rested securely on the hip.
As Zen stood there, he felt the weight of his new role and the exciting adventure that lay ahead.
He stood there, as he smirked.
"I'm ready to set out and fight the Rakshas. Nishiki-san."
Ryuzu, who had passed the final test after Zen did, came from the behind with a pleasing look to the eyes. It'd be an eye massage to look at the beautiful embroidery of her uniform. She waved her hair back behind the air as she looked confident too.
"Indeed, we're ready to depart to from the village, towards justice." Ryuzu proclaimed her statement acting mighty.
"Well then," Nishiki sighed as he patted the floor mat. "Both of you, sit down. I've yet to give you the final information."
The Sun shine reflected as a blessing on both the young, new enthusiasts, as Nishiki and the two sat in front of each other for a last lesson. They both looked into each other's eyes, with Nishiki having tired and proud eyes while the children had cheerful irises.
Ryuzu's iris shined like a new and better world for Nishiki, which makes him harder to realize they're finally leaving the village.
"You guys are going to departure from this village, from now on you're officially my strong Swords-Men." Nishiki sighed, "I don't really know if I'll be able to see you both again... But keep in mind, my training and blessing are always with the both of you. Don't trust anybody easily, 'they' can be a Rakshas too... Hidden in disguise... If you ever face an Enchanted Rakshas, push yourself to your limits. Don't die."
"M-My children... Stand proudly and fight them with all your might... till your last hustle." Nishiki's voice turned fainter as he kept speaking.
Ryuzu had become a bit too emotional too, after all, she's still the little, adorable daughter of Nishiki. Ryuzu and Zen had both, caught Nishiki's words and kept them in their hearts, safely.
Nishiki rubbed his forearm to his eyes.
"Now, now. For your first mission, you're assigned to head for village Hanaoka. It's a secret hidden village, it's established in the South." Nishiki informed them about their first mission.
"But how'd a Rakshas get into a hidden village?" Zen questioned,
"I don't have access to that information, but take a wild guess yourself and help me with that too," Nishiki answered to his query.
"I think somebody might have been turned into a Rakshas there, so it started in the village itself." Ryuzu helped them both with an idea, " If I'm not wrong, the Lost Piece of Black Sun which Ryuga possesses can also turn people into a Rakshas right?"
"I see... That's how you view it." Zen kept the wild guess Ryuzu gave.
"Ryuga..."
The rough hands had gripped onto the smooth surfaced steel of the Katana, as they touched the texture for the first time and felt Elemental Energy flowing through them too. Zen and Ryuzu had gripped on the handles for the first time and finally took a hold of their responsibilities into these blades. As they slid the steel inside the sheathe, following the end with a clack sound... They finally came into the complete form of a Swords-Man.
"Listen, remember to eat on time, sleep on time, focus in your missions, write me letters, make me write back letters to you because I'm lazy, read my letters and not throw them in the trash, clean your blades frequently, remember me thrice a day again, don't forget me, protect yourself, protect others, do not eat from stranger's offerings, don't befriend Rakshas, don't trust anyone easily, respect everyone, and yourself." Nishiki went on a spree of advises, half of them contain of him to not be forgotten!
"And, be Proud of yourself too. Ryuzu, Zen."
"Nishiki-san..."
"Papa..."
"Go Ahead."
"Thank You."
Hearing the words of gratitude as the last tone into his ears by his only family's voices, Nishiki waved farewell to Zen and Ryuzu, who finally set out on a journey to save the lives of others, who could continue to carry on their life's journeys. Zen and Ryuzu both waved back as they showed a genuine and lovely smile to Nishiki while venturing off.
"Farewell, Nishiki-san. Thank you for your being a father to me."
BLACKLIGHT: The Last War For Humanity
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.
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The Sun dazzled and sparkled brightly in the sky, but there are places where the shining positivity can't spread itself. As Zen and Ryuzu walk into the woods of a deep forest, they have reached their mid-way to the village from days of travelling.
With 22 hours more added to this long journey, Zen and Ryuzu finally reach their destination, the beautiful village of Hanaoka.
Adapted between the serene embrace followed in a lush valley, Hanaoka was a village which embodied tranquility. Dirt roads had wind through a tapestry of traditional wooden houses, covered by thatched roofs. Lanterns softly illuminated the evening with their orange lumine.
The village was an eternal beauty, but it was also a desolate area filled with solace. People had glued their doors and imprisoned them into their own houses most of the time. Only a bare amount would come out to venture in this dangerous village. Some had planned to leave it day by day, tortured enough of the tremors it had survived through.
"This village looks beautiful in day time," Zen teased Ryuzu, "I wonder how scary it'll be at night, heh."
Ryuzu smiled towards Zen as she barely unsheathed her sword.
"Shut up or you won't even get to know how the night actually looks like," She put on a pleasant fake smile.
"I'm joking."
"Hmph.--"
Over a distance, were dark clouds even in the presence of Sunlight. These were clouds made up of negativity and sadness. Negativity, which traveled through the air, and the sound of grief and cries of the ones in agony which reached the ears of Zen and Ryuzu.
The both instantly set up their quick feet as the crashed into a funeral. Many people were frustrated as they mourned over the death of someone who had been silenced by the cruel acts of the monstrosity of the Rakshas which lured in the village at dark.
Zen and Ryuzu walked up to the people standing by to collect some intel. These were at least mentally stable enough to answer than the others.
"Uh... I'm, really sorry to ask you all of a sudden... but, what exactly happened... here?" Zen felt awkwardness creeping onto his back.
"Huh? Outsiders?" The man replied,
"N-No! We're swords-men! We were sent her by the corporation to execute a Rakshas hiding in this village!" Ryuzu backed up immediately,
"Yeah, she's right. So, if you could give us some intel on what happened here exactly..." Zen supported Ryuzu's words.
"It's the murder of two children. Two innocent young siblings playing together inside their house." He explained in detail to the both, "The man on his knees, crying right here... is the father. It's the signs of a Rakshas as always, because the huge claw marks on the wooden walls and surfaces. They were just 5-6 years old."
Zen's eyes widen in anger and Ryuzu's eyes expand to shock.
"That's Horrible..." Ryuzu reacted to the story,
"Every month, we find brutally murdered remaining of more children and only a few adults, this place has become unsafe to inhabit. We're all going to leave this place soo-" He got interrupted by another man following Zen's shadow as he gets on his knees and grabs Zen's feet.
"H-Huh?!" Zen exclaimed in surprise,
He was a timid man who then lead himself toward Ryuzu,
"Y-Y-You're both swords-men!? Y-you'll s-save us?!" His way of speaking had stuttering through each word, he was mentally unstable.
As he kept requesting and begging to be saved, Ryuzu assured the man in the background while Zen's rage to hearing all of this had been unbearable. He gripped tightly in his fists.
"Please! Help us!" Repeated the other village members who overheard the conversation.
"Please get us out of this misery!"
"My children were killed severely."
The disturbing situations had been repeated so many times that it spun around Zen's head over and over, until a child grabbed his uniform from the front and cried out,
"M-my parents and brother were robbed away from me! P-please bring them b-back...!"
This was the moment, where Zen's pupils had become smaller and developed red lines across the eye, as his aura fired up into anger and rage.
"Those who kill the innocent without any kind of remorse."
"Those who rule over the lives of others with the use of fear."
"Those who torture ordinary people for their own benefits."
"Are all monsters."
"And in this village."
"This kind of tyranny..."
"Ore wa Zettai ni Urusenai."
("I can never allow it.")