A twelve year old Kioku stood near Master Longwang's tree, gazing up at the starry night. He wore black robes and high leather boots, his hair was short and spiky. It had been two years since Hakai sent him away to train with Longwang, Kioku sighed heavily, fog escaping his mouth.
"Five years of mastering war tactics," he said too himself, his expression sad as he looked at his feet. "Now seven more training with a battle crazed geezer, how much longer with this go on for, training for a battle I don't even want to fight, plus,-" Kioku turned and walked towards Longwang's palace, an expression of deep sadness evident on his face.
"No one cared about how i felt about all this."
Kioku walked in silence, drowning in his memories of Hakai's lessons. He had been taught since he was five years old that hope was a superficial feeling that a leader must never feel.
'All these years training to be a leader, training to fight a war, this isn't a responsibility I wanted, why is it me? Why not someone else? Why am I given this burden?.'
Kioku looked up at the approaching building, Longwang's palace. The palace was built with black marble and had patterns of bright green dragons on its walls, it had many towers, the centre most tower rose so high it disappeared into the clouds. Coiling around the entire palace, criss-crossing through the towers was a massive jade dragon.
Kioku approached the gate where a small red serpent like baby dragon stood guard.
"Hey Draco, where is the master?" Asked Kioku, Draco let out a soft squeaky roar and flew and rested on top of Kioku's head.
"He's always in the library isn't he," said Kioku putting his hands together, "Lets take a shortcut." The two dissolved into Kioku's shadow and disappeared.
Kioku reappeared in a hallway within the centre most tower lit by torches with blue flames, at the end of the hallway were large oak doors.
Kioku walked towards the doors with his hands in his pockets, Draco was snoring softly on his head. Upon reaching the doors Kioku paused, he heard Longwang's voice and another familiar one.
"Hakai, its not like you to trust someone," came Longwang's voice.
"Kioku is the Shadow Realm's only chance of surviving this war. He will not disappoint, an entire population, no, an entire culture is believing in him," responded Hakai's voice.
"To place so much on his shoulder is not wise," said Longwang in a worried tone.
'You're wasting your breath master,' thought Kioku.
"I trained him for this, he is ready, he possesses a rune and his connection to my power is stronger than most, like me, he will endure this harsh reality he must wake up to." Hakai's voice was firm and full of conviction, Kioku gritted his teeth and put his hands together and dissolved into the shadows.
Kioku appeared in the middle of his room, it was small and plain containing only a bed and a wardrobe with spare training robes, it also contained a small bathroom with a toilet. Kioku went and sat hugging his knees at the corner near the wardrobe where the moons light could not reach.
"Everyone believes in me when I don't believe in myself Draco," said Kioku through tears. Draco awoke and let out a soft cry, and hugged Kioku's head.
"I don't know what I'm afraid of, failure or the prospect of fighting," said Kioku as he raised his head to stare at the mark of a curved hook drawn with two lines on his palm.
♤♤♤
Kioku opened his eyes as he heard a soft roar. He groaned and slowly got out of his bed, Draco appeared at his feet happily. Draco had grown to the length of Kioku's arm, he looked up curiously at Kioku who was grabbing a towel from the wardrobe near his bed.
"I can't even sleep," said Kioku as he entered the door leading to the bathroom. Draco made a sound as if asking a question, a few moments later Kioku emerged from the bathroom with only a towel, showing his defined abdominals, his chest had a flame shaped burn on it.
"Today is the day I join the war," said Kioku turning to his wardrobe. "I always knew this day would come but now that it's here it's even more scary," Draco made a noise of worry and Kioku smiled sadly.
"It had to come at some point," said Kioku, he turned to Draco and found him staring at him with a quizzical expression. It took Kioku a few seconds to realise what Draco was shocked about, he raised his hands to his chest and felt the burn on it.
"You're father got a little too enthusiastic during our final training session," said Kioku with a dark expression.
Kioku changed into a simple black shirt and trousers tucked inside black high leather boots and wore leather gauntlets on both arms.
"Let's go get some fresh air," Draco climbed up Kioku and rested on the top of his head. Kioku put his hands together and the two dissolved into the shadows.
Kioku appeared on top of the head of jade dragon that coiled around the palace. The sun had not risen but dim light shone across the horizon, a slight mist covered the land and a strong wind was blowing, Kioku sighed, taking in the beautiful scene.
"I'll probably never see this again," said Kioku sadly. "I'll be off dying."
'Even if I'm a Godslayer like master said,' thought Kioku with a frown. There's no guarantee I'll actually be able to kill a god just because I have the ability to do it.'
"The will to survive is the greatest tool needed to slay gods."
Kioku turned to his right and found Longwang standing next to him. Longwang wore black robes and his dark hair danced in the wind, his slit like eyes studied the horizon, he smiled slightly as Kioku noticed him.
"Master, how long,-" started Kioku but Longwang cut across him.
"It seems you failed to understand my first lesson," said Longwang turning to face Kioku. "It is not unexpected, unlike Mora, you have never actually experienced real combat."
"What does it mean?" Asked Kioku in a lost voice. The smile on Longwang's face disappeared and he took time to answer and when he did, a hint of sadness could be heard in his voice.
"Over the years I've come to learn that mortals possess something we gods do not. The will to survive is simply the drive to selfishly cling onto the value called life, to wish to see tommorow."
"That drive you possess allows you mortals to seek strength for the sake of living. That is the advantage you have over immortals, we think ourselves beyond death."
"I see," said Kioku. 'I still don't get it but at least I have an idea of what he's trying to say.'
"You are the most intriguing out of all the apprentices I've taken in Kioku," said Longwang in a mysterious tone.
"What do you mean?" Asked Kioku with a confuse look at his master.
"You don't understand your fear."
'How did he know I was afraid,' thought Kioku, Draco made a soft roar that almost sounded like guilt, Kioku closed his eyes as he realised what happened.
"Screw you Draco," whispered Kioku.
"You're not afraid of losing because I've seen you accept it," Longwang said as he gave Kioku a searching look. "And you're not afraid of fighting because you once told me you thought it was necessary, so what is it then?"
Kioku remained silent because he didn't know the answer to the question himself. He just felt scared whenever he thought about the war and Longwang was right, he was not afraid for the reasons he thought of before.
"I don't know master."
"This war is the perfect opportunity for you to discover yourself and only by discovering yourself can you understand your fears," said Longwang, he put his hand on Kioku's shoulder and smiled warmly.
"Do not worry, I will be there with you."
Kioku smiled, even though he was afraid, the fact that Longwang would be there with him brought him comfort.
A Few Hours Later....
Kioku walked slowly down a hallway which was lit by the rays of the morning sun striking the windows. He was deep in thought but snapped back to reality when he heard footsteps approaching him and looked up to see Mora. Mora was wearing a black travelling cloak and held a katana similar to Kioku's in his hand.
"Hmm," said Mora as he and Kioku stopped to face each other. "I came to check on you and here I find you sulking, afraid?"
Kioku walked passed Mora and paused a few feet away from him. "I am the heir to darkness, I don't feel fear," Mora grinned and ran to catch up to Kioku, excitement blazed in his eyes.
"Let's go shadow boy, the battlefield awaits!"
'Unfortunately,' thought Kioku.