End Of The End I

The sun rose finally, after so much patience, and questioning everything he had ever done in his life

Ryuen quickly slipped into a casual black shirt and trousers, slipped his foot into his sneakers.

He gazed at his reflection in the mirror, staring deep into his hazel eyes that looked gold if one was to take a closer look.

Thanks to how little the brown in his eyes was, however, he noticed that fade of blue in his eyes, but as usual he let it slide.

He threw on a coat, light enough to move in and exited the room.

Ryuen walked hastily through the halls of the palace, he made sure all his weapons were in place.

Including the tiny blades he hid his hair.

And he let his hair fall today, but held a few strands from the centre, to hide the weapons properly.

Few of the strands fell over his face, but he cared less about that.

What mattered most, was the raid and finishing it before he would find a way to leave and do as the queen instructed.

Once he stepped out of the palace, he spotted Yuta standing beside Althea stiffly, with his head low, and hidden behind his sweater's large collar.

"Good morning everyone.".

Ryuen greeted as he made his way to where Yuta stood, he could feel the air around him.

One filled with sorrow, he couldn't blame them, he knew how it felt to loose a loved one.

He shifted his attention back to Yuta, and called him aside.

As soon as Yuta followed him to a corner, he tucked his hands into his pocket and tilted his head.

"You really have to start acting your age, Yuta."

"I don't even know how old I am."

"Hm?" Ryuen's brows rose, "What's the matter?"

Yuta, raised his head, his blue eyes showed some kind of satisfaction, one that caught Ryuen off guard..

However, he chose to remain silent and let Yuta continue.

"I did a system upgrade today, turns out I'm eighteen."

Ryuen's expression did not change

He stared blankly at Yuta, like he was a kid trying to cover up a crime he committed with very obvious lies.

"I see, don't you know what date is written on your birthday certificate?"

"No."

"What?!"

Yuta laughed nervously, "That's what being a politicians kid gets you, access to everything."

"Yuta, this is not a joke..how old are you?"

"I am eighteen, born on the second day of February, on a Friday."

Ryuen frowned deeply, "You see this is one of the reasons I beat you to a pulp that day."

He heaved a frustrated sigh, "Are you sure it's correct?"

"I cannot ask my father, so might as well go with it."

'This kid is hopeless beyond assistance.'

Ryuen told himself and crossed his arms to his chest, "Do you have any weapons on you?"

"Yes I do, but is it necessary?"

"Yes.....why do you ask?"

"Because I somehow have a command skill," Yuta chucked softly.

Which was rare.

He barely smiled and it showed in his eyes.

His eyes were always lifeless, like there was only a drop of colour in them.

Ryuen couldn't deny he liked it, but it was oddly strange.

He shook off the thought and asked. "What does the skill do?"

"Apparently I was given fifty command word count, before it goes into cool down mode."

"Anything I say will happen, if the target managed to hear what I say"

'Sounds familiar.'

Ryuen thought and smiled, "That wonderful, you won't need to attack then."

"Since you have a skill like that, you can hide behind something and give out command words."

"Unless what we are battling is deaf."

That was the only downside to Yuta's skill.

And that is the same for beings asides beasts.

As long as the target has their eyes closed completely, blocking out sounds no matter how loud they would be.

Then Yuta's skill would be useless.

Unless.....

"If the target can read my lips, or I make contact with them while speaking, I could also use the command words."

Ryuen chuckled, "You never seize to amaze me Yuta."

"You taught me well Sensei."

Ryuen's eyes instantly turned dark.

"Call be that again and watch me bury your face into the pillars of the palace."

"Are you both done?" Aika interrupted, glancing at them from the corner of her eyes, Yuta answered before Ryuen could.

And once again, something was off.

Even more than before.

Althea put forth her hand and a white balls formed inches away from her hand.

She hurled it forward and stepped back when it began to expand.

Without wasting time, she stepped in, and Aika followed.

Jun glanced at Ryuen with what looked like pity, leaving just Erina.

"Do you want to tell me something?"

Ryuen asked, the second Yuta stepped in, leaving him and her behind.

She lowered her gaze, biting her lips in anxiousness, when she opened her mouth to speak, he chucked softly.

She turned to him, only to see him looking at her.

She hesitated for a while, contemplating on whether she should say something.

"Ryuen, I'll stay with you throughout the raid. No matter what."

"And what's with that?"

"Nothing!"

She yelled and hurried through the portal leaving a curious...ever so dense Ryuen, who just shrugged and stepped into the portal.

__________

The portal led out into a large forest, with cliffs at the far, end, towards the exit of the forest.

The sky above was a dull gray, compared to the bright blue sky back at the palace.

The air seemed normal, except for the faint scent of blood, that Ryuen oddly picked up.

He dusted his coat and scanned his surroundings.

Looking for something out of the ordinary.

Aika and Althea were already a few steps ahead. Jun walked behind them, with his hand resting on the hilt of this blade

Erina stood beside him, with her now glowing red eyes, that moved cautiously, and her ears twitched slightly.

Yuta stood at his side too, holding the dagger Ryuen had use against him during their brief spar together.

"Alright," Jun called out, breaking the silence.

"Two groups. Althea, Ryuen and Yuta, will take the right, the rest of us will go left."

Ryuen stared at Jun silently as he dished out orders.

He chuckled silently, "Hey, Jun, I'm taking Erina with me. I wouldn't want a human hater with both of us."

Althea snapped her gaze at him, but a glare from him made her avert her gaze.

"And why is that?" Aika chipped in, giving Erina a look that said, she should refuse or decline.

But she shuffled behind Ryuen.

"Because I want the kitsune with me. She works better in a forest and could alert me."

"You three can handle yourselves properly."

He stated calmly, even though it was acting as a strain on his pride.

Like hell, would he ever try partnering with people he was warned not to trust.

So far, Erina didn't seem to show hostility, so he was a little okay with her.

"Let's go," Ryuen said, he flashed glare at Aika, before walking off with Yuta and Erina, who trailed behind him.

Aika turned to Jun to complain but he raised his hand and sighed, "She should be able to handle herself."

That said, he turned around and started moving.

Althea stood back, watching Ryuen's retreating figure, she wanted to follow him so bad, but she couldn't let herself.

It wasn't long before the first beast appeared—a massive horned creature with obsidian-black fur and eyes like burning coals.

Erina tensed immediately, her hand reaching for her weapon.

But Jun's voice crackled through the communication crystal in her hand.

"Engage it and buy us time."

Ryuen narrowed his eyes.

The timing was too convenient. He held his hands out, and a red and orange blade dagger appeared in his hands.

"Stay close," he ordered Yuta and Erina.

The beast then charged forward.

ROAR!

It let out an ear splitting roar since they set eyes on it, and nothing seemed to happen.

Not even a burst of energy.

It swung it's hands at Ryuen, aiming at his abdomen.

Ryuen leaped out of his way and slashed the beasts should.

However he barely left a scratch, he smiled, and switched the dagger to the other hand

Yuta darted behind a tree, he wanted to be sure the beast could actually hear.

When Erina began moving through the tree, and it shifted it's attention to her, he smiled.

Uttering a command under his breath.

"Freeze."

The beast staggered, its legs locked up as frost began to spread across its body.

Ryuen used the opening, plunging his blades into its neck.

ROAR!

The creature let out another deafening roar as it's blood spewed out of the cut.

It instantly collapsed, to the ground and turned to ash.

Ryuen glanced at Yuta with a smile "Good timing."

Yuta simply nodded, also proud of himself.

But they were just starting.