The Sun had just come up over the horizon as Belle arrived outside of Kris's window, honking her car horn. Kris reluctantly rolled out of bed and dragged himself over to his window.
"Oi!" He softly shouted, "I'm coming I'm coming so if you could not wake up my parents that would be great. Not to mention you're basically calling whatever it is that's trying to kill us, here."
Belle shouted back at him, "Fine fine, just hurry up, the sooner we're with Kazumi the better."
Kris changed into his clothes and tossed as much as he could into his backpack. He brought a handful of shirts and underwear as well as two pairs of pants and some socks, but that was all. He tiptoed out of his room and down the main stairs. He was nervous, he had no idea what was really going on and was trusting in Kazumi to make sure they were safe. In all the time Kris had known Kazumi, he was a compassionate and selfless guy, he never cared about what others could do for him, just how he could help them.
He thought back to the day he'd met Kazumi. It wasn't anything huge, but it was enough. They had been seated in the same biology class together, He'd seen Kazumi in the halls before, but always by himself; he didn't take him for the social type. However when Kazumi sat next to him, he looked at him with a bright smile. Kazumi would always cover him if he didn't know the answer to a question, and if he was late Kazumi always managed to bring up an excuse for him. It was just his nature, he'd help the people around him in every way he could and he noticed that about Kazumi more and more the longer he knew him. He trusted Kazumi more than anyone even though he really didn't know too much about him short of his personality. Nevertheless, he was still unsure about what he was about to do.
Kris got to his front door and carefully opened it, hoping not to make too much noise. He looked back at his stairwell one last time, hoping he would see his home again soon. He walked out the door and jogged over to Belle's car. He opened the door to the back seat and climbed inside.
"You really sure about this?" He asked Belle.
"Do we have much of a choice?" She replied, "We have to trust him, and I know I do."
Kris turned and looked out the window as the car began to accelerate down the road.
Kazumi had woken up with Shin before the sun had even begun to rise. He had gone down to the dining hall with Shin to get breakfast before anyone else was there. The two ate quietly as the sounds of the other students beginning to stir whisped down the halls. The two got out of their seats and walked out to the training grounds. Kazumi was soar but was more than eager to begin sparring with Shin.
Shin looked over to Kazumi, "We'll spar until the sunlight reaches the training grounds, after it does, we'll begin meditating until Aland arrives." He said.
Kazumi nodded and looked nervously at his phone. The two began to spar, working up a sweat quickly. Kazumi had begun to learn how to string together his attacks, once he was able to use Sól energy in the attacks more regularly, he would be able to take down a Scorned on his own.
Two hours passed of them sparing. Kazumi's phone buzzed, he turned and grabbed it quickly, after seeing it was Kris.
"You guys here?" He asked as he accepted the call.
"Maybe, I'm not sure if this is the right place." Kris replied, "Here I sent you a picture of the sign we're at; it leads down this gravel path."
Kazumi looked at his phone and his heart dropped. He looked at the picture of the gravel path that led through the woods to the main entrance, but more importantly, he saw the Scorned, sulking in the backdrop, looking directly at the camera.
"Don't move, don't even leave the car." Kazumi ordered bluntly.
Kazumi turned and ran for the exit of the training grounds. He looked back at Shin with a look of urgency and nodded. Shin flew past Kazumi and threw the exit. Kazumi gritted his teeth and ran as hard as he could, swiftly picking up speed as the white glow enveloped his feet and shins.
Kris and Belle sat in the car confused and concerned.
"Why did he make us wait," asked Belle, "the entrance is right there."
Kris replied, "I don't know, but he sounded spooked."
Kris glanced around when something in the rear view mirror caught his eye. It was a tall black figure peeking out from behind the turn in the cliffside; it had a long black head, but was faceless, instead it had asymmetrical bone spikes coming from every part of its face.
*CRUNCH*
Belle screamed as a bulky, black creature landed on the hood of the car. The windshield spiderwebbed as it shifted its weight. It had massive, club arms, with a small torso that was supported by four spiky bone legs. It reared up its arms, ready to slam them down onto Belle.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!" Kris yelled.
Belle shouted back, "I DON'T KNOW BUT IT'S ABOUT TO CRUSH US!"
*FWOOP*
Two flaming daggers flew out of the woods and embedded themselves in the creature's shoulder and elbow, causing its arm to drop limply down to its side. Belle and Kris both looked over to the woods.
Kazumi flew out from the tree line, blowing the ground beneath him in half as his speed created an explosive pressure wave. His blade glistened a bright orange as he brought it, swiftly, down on the other arm of the Scorned. He planted his feet on the car, and with incredible control, pulled it back up, cleaving the Scorned up its midsection. As the blade neared the top of its chest, the glow fizzled out. Kazumi grimaced as his muscles began to ache, he pulled his blade back and bent back.
Shin darted through the air and slammed into the Scorned's head, crushing it halfway into the cliff face. The cliff cracked and dozens of chunks blew off. Kazumi rebounded and plunged his sword into its head, pinning it to the cliff. Shin, still suspended in air, thrusted his right hand out under his left arm.
"PURIFY!" Shin shouted.
An Egyptian rune on his hand erupted into flame as bands of yellow fire shot out, engulfing the scorned in fire.
"That's one hell of a neat trick, what was that?" Kazumi asked, panting.
"It's a purification rune," Shin replied, "It uses raw Sól energy to burn the soul of the being into nothingness. It's strictly prohibited from being used on actual living beings though, but Scorned aren't alive, hell they're barely souls."
"KAZUMI!" Belle shouted from inside the car, "There's more of them, look out!"
Kazumi turned and saw a group of scorned creeping towards them. He pulled his sword out of the cliff side and formed up.
"I don't have many more uses on this rune," Shin began, "but if you can choke out a few more hits with your Sól energy I think we get this done. These runes only have an effect if they're previously injured, I'll follow behind, one good cut from you should be enough." He finished.
Kazumi nodded and walked out onto the road. He took a deep breath and looked back at Shin, the two nodded at one another. Coordination, they had that, Kazumi just needed to have the stamina to get enough hits out.
He formed up and his blade began to glow again. The two exploded forward, and to Kris and Belle, what happened next was nothing more than a bright blur. Kazumi swung sword in an arc, cleaving both of the front most Scorned in half, he blitzed to the side, shredding three more in his path. Shin flipped through the air behind Kazumi and incinerated the first two with his rune. Kazumi ducked under one of the Scorned as it bit at him with its enormous mouth, he leapt up and split it clean in half. Kazumi's whole body felt like it was on fire now, his whole body pulsed with his heartbeat but he ignored it entirely. Shin zipped into the air next to Kazumi and let loose an eruption of Sól energy that evaporated the four Scorned that Kazumi had wounded. He whipped around and boosted Kazumi down towards the last two. The two Scorned struck at Kazumi simultaneously, Kazumi clashed with the first as Shin whipped his daggers down at the second, pinning its hands into the ground. Kazumi grinned and kicked back, spinning through the air, shredding its arms and sweeping his blade through its head. He kicked up into the air and brought his sword back. He dashed down at the last Scorned and clashed with it once more. The air erupted in fire as Kazumi's Sól energy blew from the edge of his blade. He gritted his teeth and pushed as hard as he could, until the waves of excess energy broke through the Scorned's fist, splitting its arm in two. Kazumi hit the ground and the Scorned doubled back in pain, Kazumi jumped forward and skewered it on his still glowing sword. Shin outstretched his arm and blasted out the last of the power the rune had, disintegrating the two remaining Scorned.
Kazumi, shakily, tried to get to his feet, Shin landed beside him, and reached down to help him up.
"Kazumi, I must say, that display was beyond impressive." Shin remarked. "I was prepared to take those last two on, I was genuinely shocked you had it in you to keep going, I didn't even progress that quickly in my training. Your hard work sure as hell is paying off."
Kazumi smiled and coughed as his muscles spasmed briefly. "So I'm catching up to you is what you're saying." He chuckled weakly.
"Kazumi, there's still one more around here!" Kris shouted, now standing outside of the car.
Kazumi looked around intently, then glanced up. A six armed Scorned held itself against the higher part of the cliff face, it was one of the largest he'd seen. It was the same faceless one Kris had seen previously, it hissed, with a crackle in the back of its throat, the bones shook and stood on end.
Kazumi pushed Shin away, throwing himself to the side in the process as the Scorned dove at them and slammed into the ground. It reared on its legs, towering over the two, it had to be at least nine feet tall. Its hands only had three fingers, but they were tipped with serrated claws and lined with small spikes on its palms. It grabbed Shin's legs and he yelled out in pain as the spikes dug into his leg. Shin whipped one of his daggers into its forearm and it released him as the fire burned its arms. It grabbed Kazumi by his leg and head, blood covered Kazumi's eyes as the spike dug into his scalp. Kazumi swung his arm back and stabbed the Scorned in the wrist, it released his head but held onto his leg. Shin jumped up to stab the Scorned only to get slammed into the ground by one of its arms. It went to pick Shin up by his neck and he narrowly blocked its grip as he threw his dagger flat side down in front of his neck, protecting his throat and arteries.
"I'm starting to see a pattern I'm not so sure I like!" Kazumi shouted, "What's with us getting down to the last few Scorned and then getting our asses handed to us."
"Really, quipping, right now, seriously?" Shin wheezed.
The Scorned pulled one of its lower arms back and its claws sizzled as they extended and became even more grotesquely serrated. It swung to slash Kazumi when a long silver spear, glowing a brilliant blue, flew from the tree line and impaled its hand, stabbing into the ground. Kazumi looked over and saw Elia standing at the tree line as Camron blew past her, holding a broadsword. The blade of his sword glowed and he blew past Kazumi, severing the arm holding him; then spinning behind the Scorned, he severed one of its legs and the arm holding Shin.
"MASTER NOW!" Elia yelled into the air.
Kazumi looked up and saw Naeem, aloft in the air, as he unsheathed his odachi. As it slid out of its sheath, brilliant blue and silver wisps surrounded it as the edge of the blade glowed blue. He shot down from the sky, faster than Kazumi could perceive, and split the Scorned in half.
Naeem spoke softly as his blade reached the ground, "Waxing Moon; Crescent."
The wisps of Lunar energy that had trailed the blade exploded down in an arc of amazing blue and gray light, disintegrating all but the arms of the Scorned.
Kazumi tried to lift himself but he barely had any energy left in his body. Shin and Camron walked over and helped him to his feet, each slinging one of his arms over their shoulders. Elia walked over to the four of them and pulled her spear out of the ground. Naeem placed his sword back into its sheath and turned to Kazumi.
"You did good here," He began, "the skill you demonstrated was incredibly impressive for your level and I would like to say, you and Shin make for a rather coordinated duo. I for one think celebration is in order, right after we welcome our apparent new guests that is."
Naeem waved Kazumi on to go to Kris and Belle. Camron and Shin moved Kazumi slowly down the road. Belle came running up the road and embraced Kazumi, pushing the two off of him. Kazumi fell limply into her arms but slowly pushed himself up with what little strength he had in his legs. He reciprocated her hug as he looked up at Kris who walked over to the two; tears began to fill his eyes.
"I don't know what I just watched but if you died right as we got here I was gonna kill you." Belle chuckled through the lump in her throat. "I'd say you have no idea how terrifying these last few days have been but I'd be lying."
Kazumi laughed through a muffled cry, the shock of the last few days had finally caught up to him. He fell do his knees crying, squeezing Belle; Kris and her was all he had left of his old life. Kris knelt down and joined their embrace, and the three stayed there for some time, as Kazumi finally allowed the loss to overtake him.
The group had returned to The Sanctuary after some time, and oriented Kris and Belle to the area. Kazumi and Shin went to the infirmary near the entrance to have their wounds tended to. After Shin and Kazumi returned from the infirmary, they rejoined the group, as they all walked over to the dining hall for lunch. Kazumi sat in the seat Belle and Kris had saved in between them.
"So you're what, magic samurai, ninjas, knights?" Belle asked.
Naeem chuckled quietly with Elia and Maria, and Camron rolled his eyes. Aland cleared his throat, "Well not exactly, while we do draw much from every one of those cultures we are none of the above. We are simply warriors per say, trained in this ancient art, and applying it in combat as we see fit. Our duty is to no one but the innocent, but as of late we have had an ongoing conflict with a certain party."
"Jeez it's too early in a day like this for this." Belle groaned.
"Well I'd ask more questions," Kris began, "but I have a feeling that would be a bit much for people like us."
"Eh don't sweat it," Camron interjected, "even if you don't have so much as a clue to what's goin on around here, clearly you're of importance to Kazumi, so you're more than welcome to your stay."
"Absolutely," Started Aland, "I would actually like to invite everyone here down to Myself and Naeem's cabin for dinner tonight. As sort of a welcome dinner for our new guests and the aforementioned celebration for Kazumi and Shin's exceptional display today."
Camron leaned over the table and jokingly punched Kazumi in the arm to congratulate him. They all finished their lunches, and went about their days. Kazumi went back to the training grounds and meditated for the better part of the day, until he was finally strong enough to spar again, this time with Aland. Shin had to take his time recovering, he choose to watch Aland and Kazumi's training match, carefully watching Kazumi's movements. He knew Kazumi was going to match his skill, so he had to improve himself as well.
Meanwhile, Kris and Belle were shown around the Sanctuary by Maria and Michael. They got rooms situated for themselves and relaxed there for a while. Kris checked his phone, he knew he only had a day at most before his parents started to question where he'd gone. It wasn't uncommon for him to leave to see his friends early in the morning and end up spending the night at a friend's house, but if he didn't turn up by tomorrow afternoon, they'd start to question. The sun was beginning to set now so Kris left his room and began to walk down the hill to the cabin. Belle followed close behind and he saw Kazumi and Shin walking out of the training grounds. The two jogged to catch up to them, Belle ran slightly, reaching Kazumi before Kris did.
The group had finally arrived in the front yard of the cliffside cabin. A fire crackled in the neatly-made fire pit with two benches and four chairs around the edges of it. Camron and Elia were already sitting in the two chairs to the left of the fire; with Michael and Maria sat across from them. Kazumi sat with Belle and Kris to either side of him. Aland and Naeem stepped out of the front door of the cabin, each carrying two steaming platters of food. Shin grabbed a collapsible wooden table from the porch and set it down in front of them. They each set the platters down and removed the lids. The group served themselves and ate happily, retelling the first encounter Shin and Kazumi had with one another days before. Shin jokingly chastised Kazumi for his heroics, and the two exchanged cracks at one another.
The sun was fully set now, but the liveliness of the group remained.
"Wait wait wait you two are like, a thing?!" Exclaimed Kazumi.
Aland laughed, "Well your confusion is fair we don't necessarily flaunt it." He replied, "But yes, Naeem is my partner, and has been for quite some time now."
"Aw that's cute!" Belle chimed, "So did you two get together and decide to open this place?"
Naeem replied, "Not exactly, we had known each other for about a decade before we opened this academy, and even still it wasn't until three years after we had opened it that our romantic relationship began."
"He was there for me at the worst point in my life, I think after some time it was to be expected that he'd finally win me over." Aland chuckled.
"What happened?" Kazumi asked.
"That's a rather depressing story, I'd rather we keep it light hearted for now." Aland answered warmly. "This is a celebration after all."
"To Kazumi, the rather depressing S.O.B our captain owes his life to." Camron said, raising his glass to the fire.
"To Kazumi!" everyone replied.
They all drank from their glasses and Maria yawned. Elia and Kris yawned in suit and looked drowsily at the fire. Belle yawned and slowly leaned her head onto Kazumi's shoulder. Kazumi was startled and looked down at her.
"You tired?" He asked quietly.
She responded softly, "Mhmm."
"Seems like a few of the others are too," He replied, "Why don't you head to bed, believe me I know what a long day can take out of ya."
She sat up drowsily and waved goodnight to the group, Maria and Elia followed close behind. She looked back and smiled at Kazumi and left up the hill. Kazumi looked across the fire to Shin, who was grinning. He grinned and rolled his eyes, then looked back at the fire. He knew the next few months was going to be rigorous training, but after today he knew now more than ever, he was ready.
Aland and Naeem looked and Kazumi then exchanged looks of endearment. Aland looked to his side at Shin, who was exchanging banter with Camron. He stood and walked back to the cabin door. He took one last look back at Shin and Kazumi, now talking with one another again, and smiled.