"Why are you crying? Are you hurt?"
The three years old Evan was just crying on the bank of the river after receiving a punishment from his step-mother. He still felt the stinging pain on the back of his leg.
He ran away from the manor and found himself crying on the bank when a girl around his age approached him.
Her concerned filled eyes gazed at him. She slowly approached him then she placed the bucket beside her as she kneeled down beside him.
"Your legs! They're bleeding!" She gasped and began to panic.
"I'm fine! Just ignore me and go away." He looked away from her, trying to hold back his tears. He didn't want to cry in front of her because it's embarrassing.
"No, you're not okay! Yuri said that if you leave your wounds untreated they'll leave a scar!" She sighed then she held her palms out.
Evan clicked his tongue then when he saw her holding out her palms he was about to back away but paused when he saw her palm glowed.
A bright light illuminated from her palms then he looked at his bruised leg and the purple bruises slowly faded and he felt the open wounds close.
After healing him, she withdrew her hand then a relieved sigh left her lips.
Evan looked at his legs and touched where the bruises were before but he didn't feel any pain, he looked at the back of his thigh and saw that his wounds were gone.
"T-Thank you."
The little girl only smiled then she lifted her index finger up to her lips.
"Don't tell anyone what you saw okay? Yuri said that my power needs to stay hidden because if the bad guys know they will come and kill Yuri and me."
Evan only tilted his head in confusion.
'Bad guys will come and kill Yuri and her?'
The girl only smiled then she held out a pinky in front of him.
"Promise that you'd keep it a secret?"
Evan looked at her then he leaned forward, holding his pinky and connected it with hers.
"I'm May Amana! How about you?"
Evan smiled and replied, "I'm Evan. Evander Addams."
"Then, Let's be friends!" May cheerfully said, with a gentle smile on her lips.
"Okay."
Evan sauntered towards the man who was now on the ground, coughing up blood. His ribs were broken and he suffered a great damage in his stomach. His body was now full of bruises and wounds.
'How is this brat strong?! They never said anything about this brat!'
The man continued to cough then he tried to stand but his feet was already crushed.
"I'm going to make sure you suffer." Evan clenched his fist and before the man could blink he was already in front of him, his fist collided into his and he rolled a few blocks from him. The trees broke at his contact.
'Fuck!'
Thinking that he was no match for this kid hurt his pride.
"I AM THE TENTH MEMBER OF NUMERO! DYES! YOU FUCKING KID YOU WILL PAY!"
He was about to launch at Evan when his body collided with another body and his head was smashed into bits when it hit a big rock.
Evan's eyes widened then he looked to the side to see a familiar figure walking towards the mans direction.
"Fuck! My clone's dead." The man glared at the kid approaching him. He readied his feet and sword, then he swung his blade to his neck but his opponent stopped it with his hand, he tightly gripped the blade until it shattered into pieces.
"That's..." Evan felt his muscles cramp. Must've been exhaustion from using his magic. He kept his eyes on the kid then when he saw the kid's face, his eyes widened. "R-Ronan?"
"Die." Ronan placed a hand on the top of his head then suddenly a huge fire burst.
All Evan could hear was the loud explosion, the fire cackling and the man screaming in agony before passing out the ground.
"HELP! HELP ME! UNO! AH!..."
*****
"Hey! Is this your art?! It's so awesome! Are you gonna be an Artist?"
In all of Cliff's life, he never felt so good about his skills. His mother wanted him to become a doctor while his father wants him to be in politics like him and would someday become the head of the Davis family. But he never wanted to become any of that.
What he wanted to be was an Artist but everytime he showed his art to his family, none of them were impressed. No one complimented him, so hearing a compliment coming from this pink haired kid made his heart happy.
"I'm Ronan by the way! Ronan Carter!"
Being friends with a commoner was against his family but Ronan was the only friend he had. He was glad to have met him and he was lucky to have a friend like him.
Whenever he was lonely, Ronan was there to play with him, making him laugh and sometimes make him worry.
"Ronan, you said you don't have any abilities right? Then rely on me! I'll protect you." Cliff smiled.
Ronan looked at Cliff's head that was looking back at him. He was already decapitated but why was he still alive when he's supposed to be dead.
Was this a punishment so that he could see his friend's demise?
All his life, Cliff was there to protect him but how come he couldn't protect his best friend. His one and only best friend.
He wanted to curse the heavens for not giving him any special abilities. For giving him such a hopeless life! His mother died after giving birth to him, his family abandoned him, His grandpa left without a word, leaving him alone at the age of 5 and now his best friend died before his eyes?! Brutally murdered?!
He was fed up with how unfair the world was. His life was already hell itself.
Slowly, everything turned dark. Hopefully he was dead.
"Ronan." He heard Cliff's voice inside his head. He opened his eyes then he saw Cliff standing in front of him.
"I'm sorry for leaving you behind suddenly." He sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his head then he slowly turned his back on Ronan.
"Cliff, where are you going?" Ronan reached his hand out to Cliff who glanced at him.
"It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for being my friend!" Cliff held back his tears then he smiled at Ronan before walking away from him.
"Oi! Cliff! Cliff!" Ronan ran after him then he hugged him. "Let's go together! Why are you leaving me?"
Cliff choked back a sob then he turned to face Ronan, placing his hands on his shoulders.
"Ronan!" He tried to muster up a smile while his tears rolled down his cheeks. "Don't forget about me okay? Tell me about your adventures everyday. I promise I'll listen about how clumsy you are!" He chuckled painfully then he embraced Ronan, patting him on the back.
Ronan cried as he hugged Cliff back. He didn't want to let him go! They died together so they should go together right?
"I'm going with you!"
"Ronan." Cliff broke out from the hug then he smiled at Ronan before pushing him.
"Cliff!" He tried to reach out but it felt like he fell endlessly.
"You have to kill him, Ronan. You're the only one who can stop them." Cliff murmured then he clenched his fist as he smiled bitterly.
Reminiscing the past, he somehow wished he could help Ronan.
******
"AHH!! HELP ME..." The scream of agony filled the air. His skin burned and slowly withered until there was none of him left.
******
Uno looked out the window then his grip on the pawn tightened until it crushed in his palm. Looking out the window disdainfully. He opened his palm releasing the shattered pieces of the pawn then he turned his heel to face the nine.
"I'm sorry master, we failed to get the seventh shard." It was Dyes who spoke up.
Uno sat on the throne-like seat and crossed his legs with his elbow on top of the armrest and he placed his cheek on his hand while looking down at them like they were disgusting bugs.
"You disappoint me." He lifted his hand and Dyes levitated, choking and fighting for air.
"B-But I have a news!" He managed to choke out some words. He felt his lungs about to burst because of how tight Uno was strangling him. He took Uno's silence as a chance to choke out another news.
"This kid... F-Flames of... P-Phoenix!"
Uno's brows furrowed then he releasing Dyes from his magic. The latter was now on the ground panting for air.
Placing a hand on his chin, Uno softly rubbed his chin, thinking about something.
"The flames of Phoenix?" The name itself made the corners of his lips curved into a grin. The flames of phoenix is an undying flame. It is considered to be a dark magic that only one man created and only a few could use it. He only knew two who mastered it.
Xyriz, the one who created that magic and the mistress.
"The kid is still alive and is still out there." The clone reported and Uno raised a brow.
A kid?
He sniggered at the thought then he stood up, placing his hand inside the pocket of his pants. Laughing while he looked at Dyes ridiculously. "You're telling me a kid killed you?!"
Dyes clenched his jaw remembering the moment he was burned by that fire. He could still feel the pain. He might be killed by that brat but before he died he created another him.
Now, the great thing about his ability was that even if he was killed, if he makes a back up then he'll have two original bodies.
The laughter soon faded and then the tension suddenly became cold and ominous. Uno looked down at Dyes disdainfully. Dyes deeply bowed his head, afraid to meet his eyes.
"How can you call yourself Dyes when a kid got you? How embarrassing." Uno swiftly lifted his hand and then the pressure on Dyes' head became heavier and heavier.
"Master!" Dyes begged, crying. He has to create another one! He tried to lift his hand but due to the pressure he couldn't. "I promise to catch that kid and bring his head to you!" He managed to croak out the words despite the pressure in his head. He could feel his skull crack.
The others who were with him in the room were only silent and only kept their head low. He looked side to side and saw that none of his teammates were gonna do anything. He knew he fucked up.
"How can I trust that when the kid himself killed you. How pathetic."
Dyes looked at him then he gritted his teeth. He knew that he won't be able to live and that it doesn't matter if he begged. Anger began to bloom in his heart and he began to curse his useless teammates.
"YOU'RE GONNA REGRET THIS! YOU FXKERS ARE GONNA REGRET THIS! UNO YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I HO—" Blood splattered around and some of his blood splattered on the other's beside him but they only stayed still and didn't react.
The place where he was was now filled with blood and his guts scattered on the floor.
Uno sat down his throne with a resigned sigh. "I'll appreciate his bravery for cursing me to the end." He chuckled, leaning on the seat. He tapped his fingers on the arm rest then a mischievous smile formed on his lips.
"The flame of phoenix. How interesting~"
*****
"Any traces of the Reapers?"
"None sir!"
Gervaise's eyes swept around the area. There were a lots of crack on the ground and half of the forest were consumed of the fire.
"Sir!" One knight ran towards him and performed a quick bow. "We found someone."
*****
"You fuckers! What the hell have you done?!" Emily barged inside the room, glaring at the higher ups and then found a woman standing on the middle of the room. She knew that long silver-colored hair very well and it was enough to make her blood boil.
After hearing her voice, the woman in the middle, turned her head to glance at Emily.
"Let's calm our pants, shall we Emily? Or should I say Nessa?"