Chapter 1: Azure Butterfly (IV)

The Vargard Gardens was an abandoned flower tourist spot that contained many attractions. That also included the famous enlarged terrarium that housed many exotic plants and flora.

Unfortunately, the garden didn't last quite long as it burned down to its base for unforeseen circumstances.

The arson was often debated in the media, and different theories were espoused in print and horseback. Experts were brought in to explain, condemn, justify the culprit's actions but in the end, no one knew why or how this happened.

Eventually, all the acres of land including the garden was abandoned and it was land to rot along with the weeping willows.

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 յ: 𝕬𝖟𝖚𝖗𝖊 𝕭𝖚𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖑𝖞 - End

Hiding behind dense bushes, I hid precariously as I patiently waited for the gang to come— Leone.

Behind me was my metal sword that positioned for it to not be seen but at the same time made sure that it was an affordable spot so I grab it when the time came right.

As time ticked on, my patience became gaunt yet stale while seeds of thoughts emerged. Were they even going to come?

This thought soon became reality as shallow yet quick footsteps paced upwards as he could hear a crunching sound of the gravel appear.

Pausing, they surveyed the gardens as there was not much of a sight.

The stone foundation was all that remained as even that was buried by the verdant grass had long begun to invade it. The pillars that supported the building had already turned into ash as it too was wisped away by the gentle gale.

There were of course ornate fences that had intertwining iron that protected the perimeter. However, it was a counterproductive measure as a mysterious hole surfaced from the gate. This left an opening for Leone and his gang to do their thing.

The lush overgrowth where I hid was only positioned few meters away from where they stood as an irritated voice followed by more following at heed

"Where the hell is he?" Leone yelled annoyed while irritatingly looking around for any signs where I was.

"He just ran away after what you did to him," another voice rang out. This voice was mundane and easily identifiable as he was referred to as Arsiel.

"Ye, just leave him boss-." The third voice referred to as Kivdre

"Listen up, I need you to go find where he is. I don't want him ruining my career." Leone said even more furious than before— as if the word 'career' was more important than the sake of his underdogs.

The word career rang and toned out the other words as I found that word more peculiar.

Grabbing my sword, my heart pounded with exhilarating adrenaline as I felt that today was the day where all of my troubles would end.

It certainly of course wouldn't erase the burnt house and my grandmother but it would do the deed of quenching my vengeance. Both hands on the sword, the course wind howled in the morning as if it beckoned me to do the deed. Gentle chords of soft light shined shallowly as I watched for the right moment.

The azure majestic butterfly also fluttered softly gently as it avoided arousing the concern and the suspicion of me and the gang.

At the same time, my hands trembled with the unique and distinct fear that was imprinted on me. Yet still, I knew I had to do it.

Breathing in the crisp summer air, I tried calming my ataractic self making sure that no faults or errors would be made.

Everything would be perfect. At least it was what I hoped.

3. My hands gripped even harder on the sword as my heart rate increased with pace.

2. I locked my eyes on my target. Leone who was the most threatening out of the trio would be taken out first.

1. If I could take him out before he could manifest his abilities, then the rest would be easier.

0.

Leaping out of the thickly and massively overgrowth, I swung my sword aiming right at Leone's chest as inviting winds and faithful memories motivated me to aim right at Leone's right.

Halfway there, I realized something. Something wasn't quite right?

A spot that couldn't be precisely be pinpointed out. Was my footing wrong? Was I generating an unbalance between my strength as I placed more on the sword?

In the state of quandary, it was neither the former nor the latter that had failed me. It was my engendered confidence that had failed, faltering under the invisible pressure handed down to me, to seek revenge— my significant blade sliced through the insignificant cold air.

Falling short, my feeble attempt of revenge garnered guffaws of laughter.

"Look at him, trying to attack us when he is not even the same level," Johnny smirked while lashing out at me.

Doing a sidekick, the heel of his foot made an excessive impact on my chest causing me to fly out. Falling back to the concrete drab pavement, a blunt pain breached and surfaced from me. It wouldn't be considered an agonizing pain if it never seemed to cease.

Falling back, I narrowly missed a glistening puddle of water that was found from the previous night's sorrowful rain. Coughing, I desperately grasped for the imperative air as if it was needed.

"You are finally here. You could have run away but you didn't." Leone grinned grotesquely as he started walking in my direction. Pulling out a box of cigarettes, he took one out as he didn't require a lighter to light it.

A candela of fire erupted from his right hand as it was no larger than an orange. Catching on, even the graceful wind could obliterate ravenous flame. Flickering once, it caught on— catching the cigarette on fire before Leone took it into his mouth.

A puff of smoky essence flew out of the cigarette and his mouth as he squatted down to eye-level where I lie embittered on the ground. Resentful yet bottling up my feelings in a bottle where the golden key to unlocking it would be tossed, while I watched in dismay.

"So I wanted to give you an opportunity. Of a lifetime of course. Soon I will be taking the placement test, and I want to give off a good impression. But of course, this won't happen if you run to them and blabber to them of course. Sooo…"

Leone cut his sentence off as means to let my imagination flow as I knew what he meant. He was going to leave me alone and in exchange, I would not tell others of my tales of horror— as his means to promote equilibrium.

However, what he said was an empty basin of promises, a drainage basin not meant to be fulfilled. Even if he was leaving, he would still leave his two goons as his eyes could even reach where I stood.

If I ran to the village chief and told him my tales that held my affirmed dread, there was no possibility that he would listen.

Leone was a heavily acknowledged person that originated from our village. His ability allowed him to manipulate mana into flames, a very powerful tool if used properly and skillfully.

As the village's pride and greed, if reporting his heinous deeds would tarnish and taint his reputation, it would reflect its properties back onto the village's honor.

If that was the case, the promise was heavily skewed towards me because I would be the one who would receive the other end of benefits.

"I can't"

I talked back sheepishly shocking most— at my wavering and flickering voice. Their shocked faces quickly morphed back into presumptuous smugs that revealed their astonishing waves of laughter.

"Oh, my goodness did you just reject his goodwill." One replied almost in a daze. Such behavior only appeared when a disappointed mother chided her child and in return, he yells back with an ungrateful irritation.

Though, it was true that I had never really talked back. Was I a little bit different today?

"I'm surprised too." Leone smiled as he pulled the cigarette that he huffed on and threw it into the bushes as the flames were quickly blowing out.

Immediately, with a subtle nod, the two goons began their rain of terror.

It was over.

A shower of kicks and punches that were equally forceful and solid. By means of defense was shattered with a single punch and my means of attack was sent flying with a kick that sent my sentimental treasure flying to the bushes.

It was like a chisel that pounded onto the stone as traces of stone were chipped away with unfaltering speed. Strings of rock that slowly unraveled with each forceful smack nicked away the grisly rock to only reveal more of the same.

With both sculptures alike, the chisel only sculpted with more ferociousness and intensity, emotions poured on rapidly as the clouds and atmosphere were brewing with a strong vigor. Laughter guffawed out of the two sculptures as they splintered more and more of the desolate beauty. Pushing and pushing against the malleable border, as it bent to its will. Farther and farther they went, reaching farther than they were ever allowed to, as they pounded, thumped, and nicked away the inoperative rock, with a non-cajole-like behavior.

The ground began to be littered with these strings and chips of stone. The sawdust and debris were showered in the air with an unauthorized urgency and potency as they were sure of what they were doing.

They wanted to make art as the voice inside his head wanted to make art. Forbidding the voice was erased from their minds as their desires to make something unmistakably. Unimaginable.

Minutes flew by like turquoise-blue streams wounding around in a merry way through the forest.

Grinding and grinding more, the two sculptures only truly stopped.

When they realized how far they truly went.