Chereads / Ebonborn / Chapter 4 - Chaos.

Chapter 4 - Chaos.

It was bright and early, the sun was shining like a spotlight upon the Bleakburn, Egura had stepped out, hoping to get food before the children could awaken.

He felt something off about the day

Just… a feeling something would go horribly wrong. He didn't want to leave the kids there, but he went against his gut.

Ebon and Ashura were already wide awake, they even saw Egura leave, and after he closed the door they both rushed to the main area of the dojo, hoping to spar against each other more. 

This had been an everyday routine, wake up, spar, rest, then spar some more.

The two boys have both grown, in height and in age, even though it was suspected that Ebon was younger, he had already grown taller than Ashura, and was a much more gifted fighter.

Never losing to Ashura once.

Even with the tension between the two in terms of strength, they got along great, becoming closer than blood could make them. They never spent a moment without each other.

The Devil's Left and Right Hand.

That was the name given to them by those who they encountered, fighting so much in sync you would think they had one connected brain.

It was like fighting clones.

Their stomachs were turning a bit, they didn't get it yet, but something was off and it didn't feel right, but they couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

Sweat dripped down their faces.

As they reached the center of the dojo, they stood shocked and on guard. There stood a man, tall in stature and exuding enough bloodlust to make the two sweat more. Almost making them want to drop to the floor.

"Ah, the children of the azure devil. He would've been wiser to take you with him, it seems he's gone senile." The man's voice was distorted, almost as if he was intentionally changing it, it sounded like a robot.

His aura was so intense, Ebon began to shake, this was the first time he's known fear.

This man is extremely dangerous.

In his left hand was a massive blade shark tooth shaped blade, the size of its handle could make you confuse it for a spear. It was serrated, dripping with qi dark enough to make anyone's heart shudder.

Ashura had noticed Ebon's fear, he needed to get out of here now.

He turnt around to face them, his blade scrapping the wood of the dojo floor, his face was covered by a white Oni mask, he wore a long dark coat, flickering like flames, almost as if he was covered in shadows.

His eyes under the mask were purely white.

The two entered into battle ready positions, staring down the man as he took one step, instantly appearing in front of Ashura as he kicked the boy in his chest, stomping him into the ground.

BOOM.

The crunch was sickening.

"Pops, where are you?" The last thought that went through Ashura's head.

Ashura's face was contorted in pain, the scream he let out came from the very depths of his soul, it was painful to hear.

This can't be happening. If the thoughts of the boy could be transcribed, those would be it.

Ebon's rage flared.

His aura was deadly, it felt rough and like it could choke you. "Oh, a feisty one." The man brandished his blade, "Come at me kiddo."

Ebon was already flying towards him, wind rushing past him as he threw a kick at the man's neck, it sounded like wood on wood when the man caught Ebon's leg.

He swung his body, throwing the child while running after him, pinning Ebon to the wall with the handle of his weapon.

"Tell me this isn't all you got, he would be so disappointed."

The man turned his head, looking at the bandages covering the boy's face. He reached his hand for the bandages, pulling them down to the eyes, where he saw an endless abyss. Darkness. 

The man felt fear.

He felt hopelessness.

He felt little looking into the abyss of the boy's eyes.

No color in them, just nothing, an absence of anything.

Ebon exploded with power, singeing the man's gloves but not enough to burn through them completely. Ebon threw punch after punch at the man's mask but it did nothing, not even a scuff.

"This level of energy is quite impressive for a boy of your age." You could tell a smirk was tugging at his lips even through his mask, "It would be a shame if I squashed that potential."

The dojo around them began to warp.

Ebon felt the air around him shatter like glass, he was floating in space, nothing around him but the man who harmed his best friend. His brother.

He couldn't move, he couldn't feel, he couldn't smell, he couldn't do anything but see what was in front of him.

The man let go of his weapon, it levitated beside him.

It was slow, the first punch was aimed at Ebon's shoulder, the second was at his neck, then the speed picked up, left pectoral muscle, center stomach, left shoulder, then it became untraceable, each and every meridian on Ebon's body was struck, hundreds of times, killing them completely.

The pain was a burning sensation, it felt like Ebon was at fire at every meridian in his body, the pain intensified as they closed.

Ebon didn't know what had happened until the man grabbed his weapon again, the space around them began to contort, returning to its original state, in the dojo.

He felt it all at once.

Ebon's body began to flail and contort as if he was hit by all the punches at once, his empty eyes widening in pain.

Is this it? Those were the words lingering in Ebon's mind.

He felt like he was on fire, but he couldn't die here, he needed to save his brother.

He dragged himself with his chin, inching closer and closer to Ashura, laying next to him in what he thought would be his dying moments.

"The Devil's protégés were so weak. I guess he wouldn't mind if I ended them here." The man spun his weapon above his head, going faster and faster until it started to tear up the surrounding area.

The dojo began to fall apart, wood splintering and flying towards the wind swirling around the man, qi infusing into the vortex, making it more destructive.

"Lapse."

The walls and ceiling of the building fell into itself more violently, a blue glow escaping the weapon. The hum coming from the vortex was sickening.

Even put himself on top of Ashura, just hoping they wouldn't get dragged away. Ebon braced for impact, then nothing. Nothing happened.

He looked around, slowly and in pain, but the man was gone, the destruction remained.

"MY BOYS!" Ebon heard a voice, it sounded familiar, it sounded warm.