The Tale of Kulas

Kulas stopped walking when he was face to face with Kenji. "Kid, I need you to understand what I'm about to do…" Kenji was puzzled. Suddenly, Kulas shoved his fist through Kenji's stomach. Lightning struck the area all around them and lit Kenji's stomach up. Kenji felt lightheaded. A bright blue orb was pulled out of Kenji's stomach. Kulas inspected it and crushed it in his hand. "What was that?" Kenji said. "Your energy. It's not pure. When you transform, you become a demon, don't you? Instead of becoming a monster that has the same skills and thinking like them, why don't you become a hero that has advantages over them?" Kenji fell to the ground and blacked out. Kulas sat there. Lonely. In the darkness. He waited until Kenji woke up. When Kenji woke up, he felt his energy gone. He couldn't do magic, and the sword next to him was burnt out and shattered. He grabbed his arm and sat up. His arm was thin and covered in red markings. He screamed in pain. It felt like his bones were being shredded apart. Tears were flowing from his eyes and onto the floor. When Kenji blinked, he noticed he was in a new location. He saw a young man wearing a bamboo hat and traditional Chinese robe, and he was kneeling before what Kenji assumed was a king. The king stood up. He had a sword with a long, red blade in his hand. "It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience. These are the words of Julius Caesar, and I'm sure you know that. You see, Kulas, the only time a man can call himself one is when he is able to face fear with stoicism." He held the sword up to Kulas' neck. Kulas looked up at him. His face was filled with color. He had a friendly smile on his face. "Tsuyoi-sama. I do not take death as a fear." Kulas grabbed the sword next to his neck and laughed. "You will truly make a good warrior for this war." Kenji noticed that the Kulas that was talking to Tsuyoi was much younger than the one he spoke with. Kenji blinked once more. This time, he was in what looked like a torture room. There were chains all over the walls, and blood was splattered across every side of the room. He noticed a sign next to him that read "Bloody Chamber". Axes, swords, and other weapons were on the ground. There were also cannons hiding behind planks on the walls. Kenji saw one pale man sitting in the corner. He was an average man, he had black hair and a bushy beard, and he was wearing ragged and torn clothes. Kenji walked up to the man and crouched beside him. He waited. Suddenly, a tall man wearing a robe that covered his face walked in. He began to speak in his rough voice. "Kanto, you'll pay for your crimes now, kid." Kanto was crying loudly. "I wanna speak to Kulas!" His shrieks echoed across the building, but his voice was faint and pierced by the cold and unforgiving air of the chamber. The tall man dragged Kanto to the chain and tied him up. He then picked up an ax. He moved the ax slowly and steadily. He aimed it for Kanto's neck and swung, but the boy's neck was intact. The cold air around the boy cut Kenji more than the ax cut him. Kanto broke the chains with his teeth and started to walk toward the door. Kenji blinked once more, but this time, he was spinning into a portal. He was flying through it and traveling to another world. Finally, he landed back in front of Kulas.