How come you got a change of clothes?"
Kioku and Mora walked through the nearly empty streets of the capital. Most people would be asleep when the moon was at its highest point but a few remained outside.
"I live here," answered Kioku.
"I'm still wearing ruined robes," Mora said as he looked down and his burnt robes. "A nice hot bath would be nice too."
"Would you like some tea and biscuits as well my queen?" Asked Kioku sarcastically. Mora snorted and they walked in silence, they were no nearing th edge of the residential section and approaching the business district.
"Kioku, how were you able to kill so easily during that battle?" Asked Mora. "It could only be so easy if you've killed before believe me I know what the first time is like."
Kioku remained silent for a while but spoke as they took a turn to a narrow path way, he looked down at the soul rune on his right palm with a dark expression.
"In order to help me master my powers Hakai had me practice them on people."
Mora listened with a slightly stunned expression. 'Yeah he's definitely not a candidate for heaven.'
"From the time I was seven until the time I was eight I killed every day," Kioku said as he stopped before a small house that sat at the end of the path way.
"By the time I was eight I had killed three hundred and sixty people. So killing means nothing to me because it was once a routine of my training"
"I see," said Mora. 'Forget heaven, even Hell would be skeptical to take him in.'
"During training you once said I was a monster for being too hard on you," said Kioku in a low voice.
Mora remembered that day well, Longwang had told them to spar with swords and not to kill each other. Kioku had been so ruthless that Longwang had to stop the training.
"Yes I am a monster but I hope you understand, that that's what I was trained to be."
'I've trained with the bastard for nearly a decade,' thought Mora as he stared at Kioku. 'I realise now that there's much about him I don't know.'
Mora was about to say something but the door to the house open revealing Zeru who only wore a green towel at his waist.
"I got your message Kioku, I'm in," said Zeru and he gestured for them to enter the house. "
"I didn't expect you so early, give me a few minutes to finish up and I'll join you."
Kioku and Mora entered the house and sat down at the wooden six person table in the centre of the large room. The house had two rooms, the room Kioku and Mora were currently in had a wardrobe in one corner, a small kitchen and a hammock at the far corner.
"He's the person who can teach us about Arch?" Asked Mora skeptically.
"His clan has the most knowledge on Arch within the Shadow Realm," answered Kioku. "As the next chief he has access to that expansive knowledge."
Mora did not question further after that and silence fell before the two as they waited for Zeru. Zeru returned ten minutes later wearing a blue vest and short and sat down at the head of the table.
"So you need a crash course on Arch?" said Zeru with a grin. "Don't worry I'll tell you all you need to know."
"Mora I heard what you said earlier, thanks to my clans records I know quite alot," said Zeru.
"Prove it," said Mora.
"All right, I assessed you two the moment I saw you at the door and I can already tell the problem," said Zeru, he held out his palm and black lightning sparked around it. "You two have been using your Arch the wrong way."
"What do you mean?" Asked Kioku and Mora simultaneously.
"You know that Arch is the natural energy of existence right?" Asked Zeru, the two nodded and he continued.
"Well, when a person is born their body absorbs the natural Arch in the air and it combines with their blood vessels and forms their own unique brand of Arch depending on their bloodline."
"Arch flows through our veins and is connected to every organ in the body. You can manipulate it to heighten your senses, increase your physical ability and even heal wounds."
Zeru pointed at Mora and a small blast of lightning hit his palm leaving it charred.
"Hey!" Shouted Mora in protest but his palm glowed and healed instantly.
"The auto healing mechanism Tsukiyomi placed on your body is an example of how Arch can be use to heal," said Zeru with a smile.
"What you and Mora have been doing is forcefully ejecting Arch from your body which has caused your attacks to be messy. You need let Arch flow within your body and smoothly output it."
"How do we do that?" Asked Kioku.
Zeru moved quickly and touched Kioku and Mora on the palm and forehead with a single figure. The movement was so swift had they not been paying attention they would not have noticed.
"What did you do?" Asked Kioku. "My body feels looser."
"Arch mostly accumulates at a single point within each person, releasing it makes it easier to control."
"Why did you agree to join us?" Asked Mora abruptly.
"Sorry but I only just meant you so I need to know your reasons."
Zeru frowned and turned his head his Shadow Guard cloak which was on a chair nearby.
"When Kioku becomes ruler he'll need a new adviser, the law states that the next adviser is chosen from the children of the current adviser," Zeru's voice was filled with bitterness as he spoke.
"My father has two sons, my little brother and me but as the oldest I should automatically be picked," Zeru clenched his fists, the memories of the last few years had been painful.
"My father wants to pick my younger brother instead of me. His reason being that I'm far too incompetent and lack the talent that my younger brother possesses. So I want to go with you guys to prove to him that I do have the talent he doesn't see."
There was a knock at the door and Zeru stood to go answer it. He came back carrying a box with a letter on top it.
"I just found the box at the door step," said Zeru suspiciously. "And the letter is addressed to Kioku."
"Me?" said Kioku with a quizzical expression. He unfolded the letter and read it out loud:
"The box contains the official uniform of the Shadow Guard Rogue Unit, the unit should be fully operational within fifteen days, order by supreme commander Yona Merokat."
"What's the Shadow Realm Rogue Unit?" Asked Mora.
"I don't know," said Zeru as he looked through the box. "Its my first time hearing of it."
Kioku looked thoughtfully from the letter to the box and after a few moments groaned.
"What?" Asked Mora.
"Hakai knows the plan."
"Huh," said Mora and Zeru simultaneously.
"And he's testing me as a leader."
♤♤♤
On a cliff of the mountain that the palace of Hakai lay, Hakai and Tsukiyomi stood looking at a large purple portal that had formed in the sky.
"Hakai, even though I can't see you, happiness is oozing from you," said Tsukiyomi looking at the mass of shadows. "What are you so happy about?"
"Remember when I asked you whether you would allow Mora to explore?" said Hakai happily.
"I agreed, though reluctantly, however Chaos changed his mind," Tsukiyomi said with a sigh.
"There's no going back on that decision, the wheels are in motion. We already passed the point of no return."