01/09/4098

  *12 days before the present. In a FCG meeting room.*

  Thalior: Tarnok, Vexa, it seems that once again you are the first to arrive at the meeting. The only heroes who always arrive on time. I wish Phoenix, Cryo, and Tyler would learn from you.

  Vexa: Thank you very much sir, although I have to give Tarnok the credit.

  Tarnok: I don’t do much either, it’s just easy to live with you, you’re organized.

  Thalior: I didn’t know you live together.

  Vexa: Well, at university we rented an apartment together and… we’ve gotten used to it.

  Thalior: Well, it makes sense. You have good team coordination.

  *Kaelion enters with a bunch of files that fall to the floor*

  Kaelion: Uh, sorry boss *picking up the files, which fall again and again as he collects them*

  Thalior: *Rubbing his temples* Kaelion…

  Phoenix: Haha, having trouble again, kid? *Entering the room and bending down to help. His messy red hair falling over his red eyes, interrupting his vision for a few seconds and making him slip on one of the files and fall*

  *Vexa covers her mouth to avoid a laugh while Tarnok and Thalior put a hand to their face*

  Cryo: Just as idiotic as always *standing at the door observing only Phoenix*

  Thalior: Please, take a seat already and let’s start the meeting.

  *Everyone takes a seat as Thalior uses his element so that branches pick up the files that Kaelion dropped*

  Kaelion: Hey boss, isn’t Tyler missing?

  *Thalior stays silent with his eyes closed. Counts three more seconds and Tyler appears in a trail of lightning*

  Thalior: You’re late, as always.

  Tyler: Oh come on boss, you know how girls are, they always want a little more…

  Thalior: Silence. I don’t give a shit who or what you were doing. You’re a hero and an adult, behave like one. I can let Phoenix and Cryo slide because they are always on missions, but you do the minimum you are supposed to and still arrive late.

  Tyler: That’s because I don’t have a partner. That’s not fair, look at Tarnok and Phoenix, I’m sure they have fun with Vexa and Cryo after their missions.

  Tarnok: Neither Phoenix nor I are disgusting pigs like you, we are more about thinking with the head on top.

  Thalior: Besides, I have no need to assign you a partner. To begin with, that is precisely that, a work partner, not one of your little girlfriends. And I should remind you that you were the one who asked to work alone.

  Tyler: That’s because Hiro always seems high, also, he likes men. What if he falls in love with me?

  *Cryo is about to speak but Thalior gets ahead*

  Thalior: To begin with, Hiro is no drug addict, his attitude is relaxed by nature. Besides, he is a thousand times a better hero than you were, are, and will be.

  Vexa: And as an extra fact, Hiro likes both men and women.

  Thalior: Anyway, I don’t have time for this. Another mission has arisen and you have to take care of it. Hiro will not be back for 9 days because today he leaves for the elf kingdom on some diplomatic matters.

  Phoenix: How cool! Can we go there sometime?

  Thalior: No.

  Phoenix: Please.

  Cryo: Stop being such an idiot.

  Tarnok: What is the mission about?

  Thalior: Thanks for showing interest, Tarnok. The mission consists of defeating a group of rebels that is between the Northern city and Lightown.

  Vexa: But… is it safe to go? I mean, wouldn’t it be dangerous to be so close to the North?

  Thalior: That’s why you are going, because you will be fast and effective. Now, get ready to depart.

  *Everyone gets up and leaves to get ready. Kaelion talks with Phoenix while asking for advice to improve his element. Cryo walks beside Phoenix, observing the childish attitude of both without commenting. Tarnok pauses for a moment as does Vexa*

  Tarnok: Thalior, why do you keep the kid here? He has enough power to be a hero.

  Thalior: I know, but he can’t even walk without tripping over his own feet.

  Tarnok: Is it just for that? I don’t want to sound intrusive, but I feel that somehow you don’t want him to become a hero until all tensions settle. And I think that’s why you keep him as your secretary. You want to see his evolution and when he will be ready.

  *Thalior stays silent. Then looks at Tarnok with approval*

  Thalior: You are a really smart man. Come on, get ready already.

  *Tarnok smiles and nods, turns to Vexa and they go together to prepare. Later the 5 heroes walk to have lunch and finally depart*

  Vexa: Hey Tarnok, do you know if Hiro is still training that girl?

  Tarnok: Erissa? Yes, that rebellious brat is still under his tutelage.

  Tyler: Lucky Hiro, I wish I had such a pretty student under my care.

  *Tarnok turns to Tyler and hits him in the stomach*

  Tarnok: Are you stupid or something? She is 15, a kid.

  *Tyler recovers and grabs Tarnok by the shirt collar*

  Tyler: Do you want problems?

  *Cryo intervenes and separates both*

  Cryo: Enough, we have a mission to do.

  Phoenix: Although now that you mention it, will Erissa stay under Thalior’s care? After all, Hiro cannot take her with him on his mission.

  Tarnok: That’s the safest. I just hope she doesn’t cause more problems.

  Vexa: Oh come on, she’s adorable!

  Tarnok: So adorable she stole your wallet.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Vexa: Well… But then I got it back, she just needs a little more discipline.

  *Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, several screams are heard. Four men run through endless alleys until finally their screams stop, leaving an eerie silence. The shadows seem to be the only things now present in the alley where those 4 men disappeared. And from the sky, wrapped in yellow light, Erissa descends*

  Erissa: Ugh, looks like I’m late again *observing the dark alley.* Hey, come out already, little shadows.

  *No one responds. Erissa starts tapping her foot rhythmically, her patience running out. She runs a hand through her pale yellow hair as her eyes, the same color, scan the alley*

  Erissa: Come on, I know you’re here. I can hear the stupid “ssshhh” your shadows make. Are you playing hard to get?

  *When silence answers again, Erissa loses patience and using her light element, makes a beam of light bounce off the alley walls. There, the silhouette she wanted to see appears. A boy, her age, leaning against the back wall. He is crossed-armed while staring at Erissa*

  Sylkar: Don’t you get tired? We’ve fought like 20 times. Stop wasting my time.

  Erissa: HA! You say that when you don’t even have the guts to face me?

  *Erissa looks at him carefully. Sylkar is always calm and cautious. He acts from calm and distrust, like a dog that steps back in case it has to flee or jump to attack. She analyzes every detail of Sylkar, trying to find something new. But as always, Sylkar wears the same robe, black hair to the shoulders, and those two daggers that somehow chose him as their wielder. Though she notices something new*

  Erissa: And those dark circles? *in a mocking tone* Has the little shadow boy not been sleeping well?

  Sylkar: Did you come just to talk?

  Erissa: Of course not, I came to stop you.

  Sylkar: You always say the same and always end up on the ground.

  *Erissa’s patience completely runs out and she launches light orbs toward where Sylkar is, who dives into the shadows of the wall and disappears*

  Erissa: Come out already, coward!

  *Sylkar comes out of Erissa’s own shadow, daggers ready. Then he attacks but Erissa creates a light sword just in time to defend herself*

  Erissa: Too slow for my taste *grabbing his wrists and kicking him in the stomach*

  Sylkar: And you too careless for my taste *wrapping Erissa’s arms and legs with his shadows to free himself from her grip and punching her jaw sending her flying*

  Erissa: Ouch! That hurt! *Charging at Sylkar with the speed her light element naturally provides. Speed Sylkar cannot match*

  *Erissa attacks Sylkar again and again, while Sylkar defends himself again and again*

  Erissa: You’re too slow! *Hitting him on the head. I’m stronger than you*

  *Sylkar responds by trapping Erissa’s feet in a pool of shadows to immobilize her and hitting her again and again*

  Sylkar: You fight without thinking, you’ll never win that way.

  *Erissa frees herself from the trap and steps back*

  Erissa: This time I’ll win, I swear. I’ll stop your misdeeds!

  Sylkar: Misdeeds? I catch and exterminate criminals, instead of chasing me you should be chasing real criminals.

  Erissa: You’re no hero.

  Sylkar: I’ve never defined myself as one.

  Erissa: I know, idiot, they always call you the “anti-hero” of Lightown, you’re so annoying.

  Sylkar: And what’s the problem? I help society killing and cleaning the streets of criminals, I do the work heroes can’t do.

  Erissa: That’s what you want? To be a symbol?

  Sylkar: I just want people to stop being afraid to defend themselves.

  Erissa: Defend themselves?! What you do is a massacre. Tell me Sylkar, what will you do when people use your name and symbol to kill claiming it’s their own “justice”?

  Sylkar: And what will you do when the criminal you lock up gets out for good behavior and kills again?

  *They stare at each other before resuming their fight. Erissa attacks with light orbs that explode on contact, but Sylkar avoids them with ease, diving into shadows again and again. Sylkar charges his daggers with his shadows, being able to throw shadow slashes, which Erissa manages to dodge just in time*

  Erissa: Stop running! *Stepping back a little and preparing to launch again*

  *Sylkar takes the same position and when they are about to attack, a huge presence stops them. It’s soft, relaxed, but the danger is palpable. Sylkar quickly flees into shadows and Erissa crosses her arms. And there descends Hiro, with his calm and relaxed smile. His hair and eyes, the same as Erissa’s*

  Hiro: Erissa, you ran off again. Were you with your friend again?

  Erissa: I told you he’s not my friend!

  *Hiro lets out a soft laugh at Erissa’s reaction*

  Hiro: I’ll have to punish you for disobeying. Mmm, I know, you’re going to learn two more history topics.

  Erissa: TWO MORE!? Come on Hiro, it wasn’t that bad!

  Hiro: I’ll give you three for protesting. *With a kind smile*

  *Erissa opens her mouth to reply but finally stays silent and crosses her arms*

  Hiro: Good, that’s how I like it. Look, it seems your friend is still around watching as shadows drop documents with evidence of the crimes committed by the 4 people Sylkar was chasing. Wow, maybe I should catch him, he’s already at 271 killings. Like a little anti-hero, don’t you think?

  Erissa: Stop being so calm!

  Hiro: Well, even if he only kills criminals, it’s still a crime. But for now there are more important things to do. By the way, you’re going to stay with a friend while I’m on a mission.

  Erissa: Leaving again?

  Hiro: Yes, I have a mission very far away. You better not cause trouble to my friend.

  Erissa: Only if you take me to eat a hamburger.

  Hiro: Deal *signaling Erissa to leave*

  *At night, outside Lightown, the heroes camp and prepare to sleep*

  Tyler: Why do we have to camp in this stupid clearing? And why do we have to go on foot? Any vehicle would get us there faster.

  Tarnok: To hide our presence, we have to be stealthy.

  Tyler: Can’t we just reinforce our body with Anima and run?

  Tarnok: That would make us even easier to catch.

  Tyler: What a boring mission.

  *Tarnok sighs but goes back to his tent, where Vexa is already lying in her sleeping bag*

  Tarnok: Are Phoenix and Cryo asleep yet?

  Vexa: Yes, although as always, I doubt Phoenix will let her sleep much.

  Tarnok: Should I talk to him?

  Vexa: Don’t worry, Cryo can handle him *adjusting to look better at Tarnok, resting her head on her hands.* Hey, do you think Cryo really dislikes Phoenix?

  Tarnok: Why do you ask?

  Vexa: Just curiosity, though I’m intrigued by their story. Sometimes I see Cryo doesn’t really seem to mind Phoenix’s mischiefs. Also sometimes I think she even enjoys them.

  Tarnok: Well, I thought I was the only one who noticed *putting away and organizing some things in his backpack.* I’m going to change

  *Tarnok waits in case Vexa wants to look away, when she doesn’t he simply starts undressing to put on pajamas*

  Vexa: Hey Tarnok, is it safe that Tyler has come?

  Tarnok: I put sleeping pills in his water. And just in case I made sure to leave him immobilized. Tomorrow I’ll get up a bit earlier to untie him.

  *Both stay silent for a moment as Tarnok gets into his sleeping bag, which is next to Vexa’s*

  Vexa: Why do they let someone like that be a hero?

  Tarnok: Because of his strength, only.

  Vexa: Are you sure he won’t do anything?

  Tarnok: I’m sure.

  *Vexa stays lying on her back, trying to hear something beyond the calm silence of nature*

  Vexa: Hey Tarnok.

  Tarnok: Tell me.

  Vexa: Can I sleep with you in your bag?

  Tarnok: Are you cold?

  Vexa: It’s out of habit, at home we always sleep together and I feel safer.

  Tarnok: Well, anyway I know you’re going to end up convincing me *making space in his sleeping bag, or well, all the space he can*

  Vexa: Thanks *lying next to Tarnok and resting her head on Tarnok’s chest.* Do you remember how we used to be? At school you were a troublemaker *lets out a soft laugh*

  Tarnok: Don’t remind me, I dressed terribly and had a horrible haircut.

  Vexa: I remember, who would’ve thought you’d become so serious. Although I’m glad you were like that, otherwise we would never have met.

  Tarnok: You saved me from a very bad future. I still remember you wore those glasses and always had two braids.

  Vexa: What memories, when I was a nerd. Although it seems that even with that appearance I managed to make a little space in your stone heart.

  Tarnok: I never said I didn’t like that look.

  Vexa: You know? That’s what I like most about you. Thanks for being my friend *kisses him on the cheek.* Good night

  Tarnok: *Caressing her head* Good night.

  *Meanwhile, a cat chasing the train its owner took accidentally wakes an ancient beast that protected a magical crystal. The beast chases it but the cat manages to dodge and flee quickly. However, the chase has made the ground shake*

  *Below, the ruins of Kari Yume are shaken by the sudden movement of the ancient beast. The Tipotas, small animals hiding there for refuge, begin to flee thinking it’s a predator*

  *Crack!*

  *The sound of something breaking is barely heard among the footsteps of the Tipotas. Inside one of the rooms of the ruins, the cold stops being constant and little by little, the figure of a boy inside a piece of ice begins to become visible. The color of his blond hair is more visible, his robe and ancient clothing. Little by little, the figure of Kazuki Takeda becomes more visible*