The only sound following the three is the crunching of snow beneath their feet. The quiet town is far in the distance now. The words etched into the wooden wall swirl around Zero and Asahi’s heads unable to decide whether now was the right time to tell Hiro of their finding. Hiro walks a couple paces ahead almost searching for a smile to wear for the remainder of the trip back to the capital. Zero’s eyes never leave his back as Asahi scrunches up his face thinking about the two travelling alongside him. These two people he had found himself in the company of were starting to feel special. One was a knight who hardly spoke with a powerful ability and then there was Hiro, a seemingly nothing kid who he just so happened to run into, and he now has some unknown power that seemingly isn’t tied to any of the gods?

  Asahi’s thoughts are brough to an abrupt end as he bumps into the back of Hiro. Hiro turns to face him with a smile that clearly doesn’t reach his eyes.

  “Sorry about that but I guess we’re here” His voice doesn’t crack like it was before he was submerged in the water.

  Looks like he’s gotten a hold of himself a little…

  Asahi reciprocates the smile as the sounds of the capital ring out in the distance. The tall walls covered in snow as carriages come and go. The bustling city creeping ever closer as the trees leave their view. Asahi looks on with a comforted smile. Home

  Zero doesn’t care for the city, her thoughts are solely on Hiro. He wasn’t acting like someone who had only lost their mother less than two weeks ago. His eyes were devoid of colour whenever he smiled and even then, he tried to hide his face most of the time. She was worried.

  Hiro stared forward as the sounds of the city began to grow louder with every step eventually the crunching of snow became the tapping of the cobblestone below. Carriages rolled by as the three walked down the path.

  Asahi wrapped his arm around Hiro, “So what are you planning on doing once we get back?”

  Hiro flashed that pained smile, “Oh, I don’t know… what are you guys gonna do?”

  Zero picked up her pace to get shoulder to shoulder with Hiro, “I am staying with you…”

  Asahi sighed as the condensation flows from his mouth, “You know that we have to go to my father Zero…”

  Zero lowers her head slightly before glancing at Hiro. She stops in her tracks as he smiles back at her, “I’ll be ok…”

  You wont be… You can’t be

  She quickly catches back up. Just before she can refuse Asahi’s eyes light up as he sees a figure standing at the gates.

  Gou stands leaning against the wall looking around seemingly waiting for someone, His eyes widen as he watches his little brother race towards him.

  “Asahi!” Asahi stops in front of him before Gou pulls him in for a hug.

  “It’s been a little while huh?” He rustles his hair and straightens up his coat

  Asahi smiles as he steps back, “Yeah… yeah it has”

  Gou places his hand on his shoulder, “You’ll be heading straight to father, right?”

  Asahi nodded

  “Then get going… he seemed somewhat excited about you dealing with that woman”

  Asahi’s face drops ever so slightly as he looks back at Hiro. “Yeah…”

  Asahi’s gaze remains on Hiro as he smiles back at him. Zero is reluctant to follow as he gestures her to come. Gou looks at Zero who has a different aura around her.

  He leans towards Asahi and whispers, “What’s up with Miss silence?”

  Asahi softens his eyes, “She isn’t exactly silent anymore really…”

  Gou looks happy for a second before he notices the look on Asahi’s face, “Is that a bad thing?”

  “I don’t know…”

  Zero turns away from the brothers and looks directly at Hiro, “I need you to tell me if you are ok”

  Hiro stayed silent and just stared at her.

  Her breathing became heavier as she leaned closer towards him “Please tell me… That you’re hurting”

  Hiro just smiled and places his hand on her cold shoulder, “I’m ok”

  As Asahi called her name to go and report to his father, she could feel her heart screaming at her to not go. As Hiro looked at her with those black eyes, she could tell he was on the verge of breaking but he just wouldn’t show it.

  She finally averted her gaze and turned back towards the gates of the capital. “Hiro promise me you’ll just wait for me to be done… please?”

  Hiro was silent

  Zero followed the two Yoshida towards the giant gates of the capital. Both Zero and Asahi looked back at the lonely Hiro as he gives them a weak wave. His hair blows ever so slightly in the wind as bits of snow land on him. His rose cheeks and nose make the cracking smile all the more heard to watch.

  Asahi waves back, “We wont be long Hiro. Just wait for us, ok?”

  The three walk into the capital leaving Hiro there alone.

  The giant capital building displaying the Yoshida symbol proudly stands tall above them. Gou pats Asahi in the back welcoming him home. Zero begrudgingly follows as the great halls open up to them. Maids take their coats and workers nod their way.

  Gou as usual feels uncomfortable with the treatment but nonetheless guides the two towards Kenji’s room. The large intricate patterns on the door stare them in the face as Gou nods to them both. With a creak the doors open to reveal Kenji standing at the large window staring out towards the people.

  He turns towards the group and immediately his emerald eyes land on Asahi, “The second target… where is she?”

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  Asahi lowers his head, “She’s dead”

  Kenji raises his finger to his mouth, Asahi couldn’t really tell what type of reaction he was holding back.

  Kenji grunted slightly as he walked towards the large painting of his late wife, “At least one of us got to end her life”

  Asahi stepped forward, “Father, she was already dead”

  His eyes twitched before he turned around slowly, “She was already dead? How?”

  Zero looked away slightly as Asahi swallowed, “Well… she ended her own life it seemed”

  Silence fell in the room as no one dared make a sound… that was until Kenji began to chuckle. He moved his finger away from his mouth to reveal a smirk.

  “She killed herself, did she?” He said with an amused tone.

  Asahi looked confused by his reaction but didn’t dare question his father. Gou shared in his unwillingness to question the odd reaction.

  Kenji sighed as he stepped back towards his wife. “It wasn’t quite what I imagined… but it’ll have to do I guess”

  Kenji looks down at his hands and balls them into a fist, “I don’t exactly feel any stronger…”

  Asahi stepped towards his father tentatively, “Who was she?”

  Kenji placed his hand on the table under the painting. “She was a b-“

  “May I be excused?” Zero’s voice cut through Kenji’s. The room fell silent once more. She had never spoke over him before and yet here she is.

  Kenji stared at her as she didn’t raise her head. “Is this not apart of our deal? You were to be my knight, no?”

  Zero wasn’t willing to reply

  Kenji just smiled as he took a few steps towards her. “Why is it you want to leave so bad? Hm?”

  Again, Zero wouldn’t reply.

  BANG. She flinched as he slammed his hand on the table near her helmet. Her breathing staggered as he knelt down towards her. “Where is it you need to go?”

  She takes a moment before she looks up, “There’s a loose end…”

  Kenji slowly stands, “A loose end? What kind of loose end?”

  She immediately regrets buckling under the pressure as she stays silent.

  Just before Kenji looks to press on Asahi interrupts, “A rebel group… nearby”

  Kenji looks over at him with sharpening eyes. “Rebels…?” He smiles, “Why should I care about rebels?”

  Asahi tightens his grip on his shirt as he painfully tells his father, “Giichi… the leader of the rebels is there”

  Kenji scoffs “Giichi huh? He’s still alive?”

  Kenji walks over towards the large window as Asahi shares a look with Zero. Zero quickly averts her gaze from him.

  “Giichi… That man and his wife caused a lot of issues until we destroyed their group. Nice to know he still has some spirit” he looks out towards his people with a smile

  Kenji laughs as he covers his mouth with his hand, his fingers brush against the large scar under his eye. “All of the bugs come out at once… but now is a time to celebrate. A great evil was vanquished”

  He places his hand on the frame of the painting and whispers, “It’s beginning now… it’ll all be worth it, I promise”

  He slowly turns back towards Zero and Asahi. “I have a new job for you two…”

  Zero doesn’t move while Asahi perks up, “Really?”

  He nods, “There is going to be a meeting between some of the families on neutral grounds… and you two will be coming”

  Asahi looks over at Zero as she hangs her head lower. His mind wanders to Hiro, he’s alone right now and he doesn’t really have anyone to be a shoulder to cry on.

  “H-How long will the trip be father?”

  Kenji watches his son speak, his commitment seems to waver ever so slightly. “You hesitate my son?”

  “Huh? No I just wonder since the festival is in two months will we make it back?”

  Kenji smiles and nods, “Of course, we couldn’t miss it for the world. It was important to your mother”

  Kenji’s eyes linger on his wife’s face as Gou gestures for Zero and Asahi to leave now. “Rest up you two…”

  Zero immediately swivels and goes straight for the door with Asahi quickening his pace to keep up.

  “Oh before you two go… try and keep the distractions to a minimum. I don’t know why you’re letting that boy follow you around but you should trim the fat sooner rather than later” His cold voice stops Zero in her tracks as her hand rests on the door.

  Asahi begs her to just leave with his eyes but she slowly drops her hand, “He’s a nobody… we wont ever speak to him again. He just follows us around.”

  Asahi’s eyes widen as her voice reads as cold as his fathers.

  Kenji looks intrigued as he stares at the back of Zero, “Oh I was only teasing he doesn’t exactly seem like much. Just don’t let someone like that get in the way of your mission”

  Zero presses forward and out the door with Asahi following behind.

  Asahi is struggling to keep up with her pace as she storms down the hallway. Her armour clangs off the spotless floors as she paces through with no regard for any of the workers.

  Gou stands by his father’s side with a slightly disappointed look on his face, “Did you really have to press them that hard? We already knew about Giichi”

  Kenji stands with his arms behind his back, “How is he to mature without success?”

  “And Zero? What about her?”

  Kenji drops his toughened act as he leans against the window, “She’s needed for now, but after the meeting I’m not so sure”

  “And your deal? What did you mean?” Gou watches as his father gives him a look as if to say it wasn’t for him to know. It frustrated him to no end but nonetheless he was forced to drop it.

  Before Gou reaches the door Kenji stops him with a question, “The boy. Did you figure out who he was?”

  Gou shook his head, “Seems like just another kid really”. Kenji nods

  “Why would you bring up loose ends?” Asahi practically jogging raises his voice slightly at Zero.

  “Leave me alone Asahi”

  Asahi grabs her shoulder and swings her around, “Aren’t we supposed to be partners here?”

  She grabs him by the collar and pulls him close, “You ruined that chance when you laid hands on Hiro back in Kyosho… don’t think I forgot”

  Asahi tenses up and tightens his grip on her already damaged armour, “If you don’t recall we both laid hands on him after his mother died”

  She pulls her arm away angrily, “That wasn’t him. Don’t talk to me again” She storms away towards the door leaving Asahi alone in the corridor.

  A woman’s voice knocks him out of his trance. He feels a hand on his shoulder. His eyes widen as he is met with a face he hadn’t seen in a little while. Sakura

  “You got home safe then?” She pulls him in for a hug, “Thank you Asahi… truly”

  Asahi smiles, “We’re Yoshida… we stick together.”

  She chuckles as they begin to walk side by side. “You know I actually am in charge of the prison now”

  Asahi raises an eyebrow, “Really? Isn’t that a little quick?”

  She smiles, “It seems Kenji still trusts me as his sister…”

  Asahi nods, “That’s great…”

  Zero’s fast paced walking becomes a jog and eventually she is sprinting through the snow filled streets of the capital. The gate seems so far away. Thoughts of Hiro’s lonely smile flash through her mind as snow taps against her cracked helmet. I need to say sorry, I need to stay with him.

  She reaches the gate but there’s no sign of him. She runs around to the nearby inns. Nothing, no signs, no one has seen or heard of him. The snow has covered any potential footprints he might have left. She hobbles over to the bench by the gate and falls onto it in a heap. Her injuries and mental exhaustion all hit her at once. Her head falls back as she looks up to the sky. Her bright blue eyes glimmer through the cracks.

  Half and hour earlier Hiro watches as Asahi and Zero head into the capital. As they are no longer in his line of sight his smile falters. His eyes slowly land on the nearby forest, and he just walks forward. He looks like a shell of a human as he disappears into the trees.

  He bangs off the large trunks and doesn’t even stop himself from falling into the snow below. As he lies there in a pile of snow hidden away by the trees. He cries. He screams out in pain for the first time since he was forced to see his mother’s body.

  He doesn’t even have the energy to slam his fist into the ground like he wants to. He just lets everything out on the floor.

  After a while he just lies there silently. His eyes glazed over and red underneath from crying. He hears the crunching of snow nearby.

  “Are you ok?” A small voice calls out to him from the tree nearby.

  Hiro lifts his head to see a small boy not wearing enough for the cold weather. His clothes are raggedy, and his face is dirty. He reminds him a little of himself.

  Hiro slowly gets to his feet and wipes his eyes. He forces that smile once more as he walks over to the child, “Am I ok? Are you ok”

  The young boy steps out from the trees and walks over to Hiro, “You’re pretty lucky Mr”

  “I am? Why’s that?” Hiro tilts his head in confusion.

  “You’ve been chosen” The boy lifts his hand from inside his shirt

  “Chosen for wh-“ Hiro’s eyes widen as he looks at his stomach. The boy holds a small blade that’s stabbed into him.

  Hiro’s eyes shake as the young boy just stares at him completely emotionless. Hiro begins to grow dizzy and his body grows weak.

  Eventually he loses consciousness and drops to the floor.

  The young boy smiles over him as figures in robes slowly step out from the trees.

  “Our last sacrifice… good work boy”