Impossible Fantasy

By Dyaoka

Disclaimer: I don’t own Prince of Tennis! I don’t own nothing here! Nope, and of course, I don’t own Final Fantasy.

Warning/Notes: Yup…reposted and revised. Added about 1500 more words. Check back every 2-3 weeks for updates. Why? I have badminton and practice ends at 5 and homework usually takes me 4 hours to finish and I have to eat dinner and do the chores. The end of the day for me is usually 11 at night…So the only time I get to type is on the weekends now. *sniff* And thank you everyone for being so supportive!!! I’ll make the new chapter extra long for you! (new chapter should be what…chapter 6? I forgot…)

Scroll Two: Leviathan

They had left the rural-like town that Ryoma lived in, traveling onto a narrow dirt road that seemed to lead into the wilderness. Due to Fuji’s persistence and Oishi’s worrying, they had to bandage the golden-eyed boy’s legs. Carefully, trying not to hurt the boy anymore than he was already, they veered off to the side of the road and got him off of the horse. Ryoma was in a state where he was half asleep and half awake. He muttered things incoherently and yelped when he felt pain. Other than that, his eyes remained closed and his breath even, although it was a bit shallow.

“It’s obvious his legs are broken,” Inui commented from the side. “I would try to set it, but chances are, he’ll wake up.”

“But…look at it! We could at least try to stop the bleeding!” Oishi protested.

“Yes, I know,” Inui said solemnly. “Unfortunately, we have no water to rinse out the dirt and bacteria.”

“At times like this, you do what you gotta do!” Momo said. He grabbed the bandages out of Oishi’s hands and knelt down by Ryoma. “Well, just keep a grip on him, yeah? I don’t know if he’s going to struggle or not…”

The violet-eyed youth gently raised one of Ryoma’s bloody legs and tore off the majority of the leggings to the pants, leaving the boy with ripped shorts. “Man, he’s gotten himself good!” Momo whistled as he saw the wound without the hindrance of the leggings. “Alright, here goes nothing…” With that, he gently dabbed at the wound with the ripped leggings, using the underneath side of it, where it was cleaner.

“Momo, how’d you learn these things?” Eiji asked curiously as he watched from the side.

“I told you. I used to be in the military before I became a guard for the king. Well, either way you had to learn some basics in medical care,” Momo said as he wrapped the wound on Ryoma’s leg. He then set to work on the other while the others watched and gave help when he requested it. Ryoma had snapped to life once during this moment, while Momo was cleaning his leg and nearly tore the bandage off the other. It took a bit to soothe him, but eventually, they got him to calm down and they managed to get the bandages on. After Oishi was satisfied by the job done, they were on their way, with Fuji and Ryoma on the horse again.

However…for the moment…

“Eiji…you do know where you’re leading us, right?” Oishi called out to the red head nervously. Eiji had ‘unofficially’ taken the reigns of the group and was leading them towards an unknown destination.

“Seer Nanjirou had said to go towards the Hangma Forest …” Inui said. He looked up at the late afternoon sun. “The sun will set soon… Fuji , is Ryoma alright?”

The injured boy who was currently resting on Fuji ’s chest had fallen unconscious—due to his pain or due to fatigue was completely unknown to them. “He’s asleep right now, but his wounds have better be treated properly quickly. I’m afraid that it’ll become infected,” said the tan haired boy from the House of Fuji.

“Well…we’ve bandaged it up the best we can, didn’t we? It will have to do for now,” Momo said. He was carrying Ryoma’s cherished cat in his arms. Karupin had awoken a few times and coughed, shaking the soot off of its fur. Now, Momo’s face was nearly all black with soot. Eiji had laughed till he could no longer walk and had Oishi carry him for a few minutes. And afterwards he was still a little wobbly on his feet.

“Come on, we’re almost there!” Eiji exclaimed, running towards nowhere. The dirt road only stretched on and on and on.

“Eiji, you do know where you’re going, right?” Fuji asked worriedly.

“Of course; Hangma Forest to the Old Lady!” Eiji answered immediately. “You don’t trust that I know the way?”

“I’m sure that we all find it strange that you, Eiji, know the way there. Have you been here before?” Inui asked. The red head looked up at the taller lad for a moment before looking away and giving a negative.

“Nope. Just trust my sense of direction, will ya? I know this…I just know where it is. You don’t have to believe me of course, but I know where it is. Call it a…thief’s intuition…” the red head answered softly, forlorn. “Come on, we should get off this road and head down this field…” Almost immediately, his attitude changed into a brighter one and he was racing down the field.

“Where do you get all that energy?” Momo whined as he attempted to follow the hyperactive red head down the road and into a field of green.

“Really, aren’t we pressed for time?” Fuji asked, looking over to Inui as he directed the mare after the two figures that were running on the grass.

“Yet they have so much fun,” Oishi said. “It must be nice to have a mind that has no worries like theirs…”

“We all could, Oishi, but we choose not to. They choose to ignore the greater worries around them and just find comfort in life’s simplest pleasures” Inui spoke as he too watched them.

“Let’s go catch up to them,” Fuji suggested.

“Ah.”

Several miles and hours later, they were still walking, except this time they had actually entered the Hangma Forest . Eiji still insisted to take the lead. “Oi, Eiji, do you really know the way?” Momo asked for the fifth time that hour. Night had already fallen and they were walking in nearly complete darkness. Also, they were not on the road, but relying on one called Eiji in such a dark time. He claimed to be able to see in the dark.

“Don’t worry,” Eiji reassured.

“How about we make camp?” Oishi suggested.

“I agree with Oishi,” Fuji and Inui announced simultaneously.

“No, no,” Eiji objected. “If we rest, we’ll never get there!”

“Really,” Karupin said from wherever he was in the darkness. Before it had turned entirely dark, the cat awoke and decided to walk on its own legs. “You humans are so stubborn. Even I say that we should make camp!”

“The cat agrees! C’mon, Eiji! Let’s make camp! Stop!” Momo nearly begged. “My feet hurt…”

“Weren’t you a Captain?”

“So? My feet can still hurt, you know.”

“No, no! We can’t! You’ve heard of the Hangma Forest before?” Eiji asked.

“Yes…The texts had always said to avoid the place although it had been determined to be safe. That’s about all I know” Oishi answered.

“I read something different,” Inui said. “I read that in the Hangma Forest there once was a great battle; between the Fae and some other creatures. Eventually, after a long, long time, the Fae were forced to flee the land and the other creatures took over. Creatures like the centaur and unicorns and such like that. Although I don’t see what’s so harmful about centaurs…”

“That’s true…but, nya…none of you ever heard of this story then…” Eiji said wickedly.

“Do enlighten us.” 

“Well, it started a long, long time ago when the Fae did indeed occupy the Hangma Forest . It wasn’t called the Hangma Forest before though. The Fae are tiny creatures, you see, some about as tall as my thumb. They have wings that glow and their main diet…was blood. Once however, an angel fell from the sky and they drank its blood. But once they drank it, they turned into the most horrible monsters. The blood of an angel is pure and cannot be touched or drank by anyone with a corrupt heart, and even then, you had to have Luck by your side to live. And then what Inui said happened; the Fae and other creatures fought and the mutilated Fae were forced to leave. No one knows where they went after that,” Eiji finished.

“That was pointless,” Momo said after a long, long, long, long moment of silence.

“It was supposed to be!”

“What happened to the angel?” Oishi asked. “Angel’s can’t die, right?”

“Hm…from what I heard, the angel vanished when they drank its blood. Other than that, I don’t know,” Eiji said. Suddenly, as if spotting something, the red head dashed off. “Wait for me right there!” 

“Eiji!” Oishi exclaimed, wanting to run after the other, but he was already out of sight.

“Wah! He’s crazy!” Momo exclaimed, nearly collapsing onto Karupin who let out a hiss of annoyance. “After all that walking and he’s STILL able to run!”

“I thought those in the King’s private guard was really tough. Turns out that you’re completely the opposite…” Inui observed. “No endurance, loud mouthed, overly enthusiastic, and has a simple mind…”

“Hey! I am not simple minded!”

“Definitely loud mouthed…” Inui muttered to himself.

“I’m right here, you know! I do have ears for listening!”

“Oi! Oi!” yelled a voice. They all turned to where the voice sprouted from the darkness. “It’s me, it’s me! Come quickly!”

“We can’t see you!” Oishi called. “Where are you?”

“Right…here!” Eiji exclaimed enthusiastically, popping out of nowhere with his arms wrapped around Oishi’s neck. The other boy nearly passed out from shock.

“Eiji!” Oishi cried.

“Nya, I found it! Come on!” Eiji clasped onto Oishi’s hand and lead the way. It was all dark within the forest, but then it started to get lighter and the group found that they were able to see just fine. “This is it!” Eiji exclaimed. “This is her home!”

“What? Who?”

“It’s Lady Ryuzaki’s of course!” Eiji smiled happily. “Look! Over here…” He pointed into the clearing of the trees and there was the strangest looking hut in the most serene background of the forest. A small stream flowed smoothly over the rocks and the high oaks and redwood surrounded the place. The madrone and many other types of trees were scattered here and there, making it a complete nature-heaven.

“ Fuji , do you have the letter?” Oishi asked. The famed-prodigy nodded and handed over the sealed envelope. “We’d better hope that she’ll help us…”

“Unya! Is anyone home?” Eiji called out, knocking thrice on the door. There was no answer. Eiji knocked again. The door opened slightly with a small creak.

“Yes…?” said a voice.

“Delivery from Seer Nanjirou! Please open your door?” Eiji said comically.

“Eiji…” Oishi hissed. “Isn’t that a bit rude?”

“That’s how you do things,” Eiji whispered back.

“Delivery from Nanjirou? What did that runt ever want to send me a letter?” the door opened wide and there stood a woman looking about her 50s. Wrinkles of age covered her face as she welcomed the group in with a smile. “Oh? Is that who I think it is?” she looked over to the unconscious Ryoma who had just been taken off the horse with caution by Inui and Fuji . “What happened?”

“Nya…do you think we can tell you our story later? We’re all really tired and hungry…” Eiji said hopefully. He beamed his puppy eyes at the Old Lady of the Forest . She gave a hearty laugh.

“Ha! Of course! No need to beg, you’re not on the streets anymore. Now, sit down and rest a bit while I get the tea going. Oi! Sakuno!” she called to someone in the hut.

“Y-yes?! I’m here, grandma!” a petit girl immediately ran from somewhere to aid her grandmother. She gasped when she saw the unconscious Ryoma. “Wh…wh…” she couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Sakuno, do these guests a favor and heal his wounds?” her grandmother requested.

“Of course! Could you please bring him down into the back…?”

“Sure…” Fuji said as he carried the unconscious body of Ryoma to where Sakuno directed him to.

“My granddaughter’s even better than me at healing” said the old lady Ryuzaki. She handed a cup of tea to every person in the room. There were two left on the counter, one for Fuji of course, and the other must have been for Sakuno.

“Then…that’s a relief…” said a nearly-forgotten cat. “Do you think I could request some warm milk…?”

~*~

Ryoma was vaguely aware of his surroundings, since he was falling in and out of consciousness. The first time, he was aware that he was held close to someone and that something was tickling his nose…The second time was when a jolt of pain ran through his legs. The third…was now.

He was fairly certain that he was being moved around and his legs were feeling like jelly from the pain. He felt that he was placed on something—definitely not a bed, but something more like a table since it was really hard. And then…pain flared through his limbs. Not just his legs, those were hurting the worst, but his arms, back, neck—it was basically everything that was in pain. 

“Ugh…” he couldn’t even move his jaw. He heard someone speaking, but he could make no coherent sense of it.

“The wounds on his legs had been infected abnormally fast. What happened?”

“Apparently he rushed into a collapsing house that was on fire. We were then forced to leave the town before getting him to any medical attention and then we decided to come here, although we knew it was long road ahead. None of us knew remotely how to deal with injuries at a scale as this.”

“Oh dear…Well, let’s see what I can do. I think that he’s conscious right now from the movement under his eyelids or he’s having quite a dream. Anyways, if you don’t mind, I need you to hold him down for me.”

The next thing Ryoma knew was happening was someone setting both his broken legs at the same time. He did the only thing his mind told him to do. He screamed. 

Up above on ground level, where the rest of the entourage was, all heard the scream.

“Wh-what was that?” Momo asked, looking around sleepily.

“That sounded like Ryoma,” Inui voiced. “It is, isn’t it?”

“What’s going on down there?” Eiji wondered.

“Probably setting some bones,” replied the old lady nonchalantly. “Call me Sumire, any other name makes me feel really old…”

“Sure, Sumire” Eiji said immediately, getting use to the homeliness of the feel. “Unya! You sure know how to make someone feel welcomed!”

“Thanks! Unlike that stupid idiot Nanjirou who knew nothing of welcoming guests…Well, anyways, what brings you all here?” Sumire asked. The atmosphere seemed to change almost immediately from joyous to dreary. “Eh? What’s wrong? What did I say?”

“Well, I’ll tell ya” Eiji begun, drinking the rest of his tea. “Four of us were fugitives from across the really huge puddle of water—”

“Sea,” Oishi and Inui interjected at the same time.

“—whatever. Anyways…we escaped from there and came to find someone who can help us out of the predicament. We went to go find Seer Nanjirou and we did find him, after a long, long time of traveling. We got into a lot of trouble along the way and we met with a lot of trouble at Seer Nanjirou’s place too. This guy came along during the second day we were there and scared the hell out of us by barging into the shop like that…heh. Well, to put a long story short, the shop Seer Nanjirou owned was burned and Ryoma went running in there. Then, when everything was good and fine, we came here!”

“Everything was not good and fine…” Oishi whispered into the red head’s ear. “And you got hurt when you rushed into the shop too!”

“Unya…she doesn’t need to know all the details to what happened! Besides, my wounds are minor to what the kiddo has!” Eiji whispered back. “Can I have the rest of your tea since you’re not drinking it?” With a sigh, Oishi handed his cup of tea over to the red head who took it with much enthusiasm. “Nya! I was so thirsty! Thanks Oishi!”

“Eiji…really…”

“Childish” muttered Inui as he finished his own cup of tea. Momo had long fallen asleep; the violet eyed boy had collapsed onto the soft sofa the moment he stepped into the room.

“You like the tea?” Sumire asked Eiji. The red head nodded fervently and asked for more. “Help yourself” she said, pointing to the large kettle of tea.

“Grandma!” called a voice from below. It sounded muffled and urgent. “I need some water and fresh bandages! And definitely some clean clothes for the poor boy!”

“Yes, yes…coming right up” Sumire answered, grabbing the bandages from the sideboard next to the stove. “I’ll be back up so make yourselves at home, alright?”

“Yup! Do you need any help?”

“Eiji, it sounds like you’ve been through a lot today, so why don’t you take a rest?” Sumire laughed before disappearing down the nearly-hidden steps. And almost immediately after she left, they all started to feel tired and drained.

“Today was a rough day…” Inui commented.

“Ah…it was a rough day…” Eiji agreed, trying to stifle a yawn with no success. “Everything happened so fast too…” Within several moments, the three young fugitives in the room had already fallen deep into slumber. The last thing that Oishi remembered having thought of was:

‘When did Eiji ever tell her his name…?’

After Sumire came back up to speak to her guests, she found them asleep. Momo was snoring from his spot on the couch whereas Inui had his chin tucked into his chest and his arms crossed—the bespectacled boy was completely silent, but it was obviously he was asleep from the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. Eiji had himself sprawled across Oishi where the two shared the same couch. Curled up into a ball on the floor next to Momo was Karupin.

“All tired out,” she said to no one in particular. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she went to fetch blankets for the boys. The arrival of these people had been expected, but it was just so entirely out of the blue that they’d caught her by surprise. “I must be getting old now…” she removed the sleepers’ shoes and placed the warm blankets over them. Her mind then went back to the letter that was delivered to her. She had yet to read it.

Down below, in the room where Sakuno was doing her best to fix Ryoma’s legs, Fuji was also resting.

~*~

Fuji was quite aware that he was asleep and dreaming, yet…he couldn’t wake up. There was…something that was preventing him from waking up. The youth peered around the darkness, which seemed to be his ‘dream.’ There was nothing. Fuji took one tentative step forward, his heart pounding at his chest. Suddenly, everything lit up and the scene before the light haired prodigy shocked him.

Corpses were everywhere. Some of the flesh had rotted off of the bones, yet there was some that looked fresh. Blood was spewed everywhere; the crimson liquid that was unjustly accused of staining his hands—the blood of the King’s. Fuji placed a hand over his mouth and nose, the horrible stench was overwhelming. The scene shifted again this time, to a place of magnificence. The prodigy recognized it as the City of Magic: Bevelle. There he saw Ryoma, with his dark hair gleaming in the moonlight as he stood at an empty stadium, as if the weight of the world was upon his small shoulders. The younger boy had his eyes closed, his face turned upwards as if looking at the moon. ‘If this is a dream…’ the young prodigy thought. ‘If this is a dream…then let me take control of it.’ Fuji hesitantly reached out to touch Ryoma’s pale face. Golden eyes snapped open to meet brilliant gleaming sapphire-blue eyes. Fuji gave a smile. “It’s ok,” he said. “It’s ok.”

With that, Fuji returned to reality, awakening from the (rather disturbing) dream he had.

It was still relatively early in the morning, the sun hadn’t even come up yet—Fuji was sure about that. Upon opening his eyes, Fuji smiled softly at the figure that was next to him in bed; Ryoma. Last night, Sakuno had said that there were no other beds in the house since they rarely got visitors. So, Fuji and Ryoma were to share a bed, since she also wanted someone to keep an eye on the golden-eyed boy through the night. The plaited girl had her grandmother to look after, so Fuji decided to take up the watch over this…well, foreign youth (it was more like Fuji was woken up during the middle of the night when Sakuno asked for some help to move Ryoma into the next room). They, he and Ryoma, were both strangers to each other, and yet, in the dream, it felt like he’d known the dark haired boy since…forever. Fuji took this silent moment to examine the other’s face. It was no longer contorted with pain, as it previously had been. Now, Ryoma was asleep, quite peacefully as well. Knowing that he no longer had any need to worry anymore, Fuji left the bed.

Up one floor in the so-called ‘living room’, Inui was aware of his state of drifting in and out of his sleep. However, he was also aware of his need for rest. He was now also aware of the fifteen million different spots on his body that were aching like crazy. So, the bespectacled youth decided to wake up. He lifted his heavy eyelids and blinked, trying to clear his vision. To his left was Momo, half on the sofa and half on the floor with Karupin snuggled under the blankets that had dropped to the side. Inui lifted off his own blankets and wrapped it around his shoulders. Yes, it was a very cold morning indeed.

Doing his daily routine like always, Inui got off of the seat and stretched…and then noticed how Eiji was curled up to Oishi and how the other boy had an arm slung possessively around the red head’s waist. There was a sly gleam upon his square shaped glasses…

Of course, that was the moment when Fuji chose to arrive. He came up from the floor below and greeted his taller friend sleepily. Stumbling, he got to the kitchen and poured himself something warm to drink.

“What is that, Fuji ?”

“Hm…don’t know. I’ll try it. It looks good” Fuji said, his usual smile in place already despite his fatigue. He drank the steaming liquid and set the cup down. “It does taste good. I think it might be the new drink they’ve just found called coffee…Although I taste sugar added into it…”

Inui, thinking that Fuji was, after all, a sensible person in taste, decided to drink the mysterious dark liquid.

~*~

“Hurry, get him out of here already! It’s him they want!”

No…no! I want to stay!

“It’s no use! There’s no way out!”

Stop it!

“Use this! The secret passage way! They can’t get through here, and even if they can, they won’t be able to move in it!”

No…I don’t want to go in there!

“I can’t fit in there! A child…a child can!”

I don’t want to go in there!

“You! Get the Prince! Get both of them out of here!”

I’m not going in there!

“Tezuka! Hurry, get over here! Take the Prince and go!”

…I know him…

“Very well.”

No! Don’t go in there! Don’t go in there damn it! They’re…

“Our forces can’t hold them out any longer!”

PLANNING AN AMBUSH ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!!

“Go!”

Goddamn it…No…

Ryoma woke up, drenched in cold sweat. His heart pounded against his chest wildly as he breathed in deep breaths of air to fill his lungs. He closed his eyes, an attempt to calm himself, and opened them again. Slowly, he took in his surroundings. “Where am I?” he wondered out loud. The room he was in was quite dim; the only light that was there came through the half opened door. Letting his curiosity getting the better of him, he left the warmth of the bed and wandered out into the hall. It was then that he realized that he was dressed in some strange garb he’d never seen before.

It was a rather large long sleeved shirt that had something written on it, but was too faded to figure out. He wore some nice warm pants so his legs weren’t cold, but his feet were. The floorboards were ice-cold!

As silently as the boy could, he passed the many doors along the corridor and came to the bottom of a stairwell. From above, many voices emanated from there and Ryoma couldn’t help but be curious to see what was going on. So, needless to say, he ascended the stairs.

“Unya! The food’s great!”

“Eiji, anything that’s edible tastes great to you.”

“Nuh-uh! I don’t like asparagus! Those are nasty!”

“I think that asparagus doesn’t taste all that bad…”

“Nya, Fuji , you’ve got an iron stomach! You even drank Inui’s experiment!”

“But…didn’t you drink it too?”

“Hey! You just took my bread! Give it back, you thief!”

“I’m hungry! Wah! Oishi! Save me!”

“It’s only a piece of bread…”

“Why do you need saving from a cat…?”

“Eh? Ryoma, you’re awake!” Sumire exclaimed, having spotted the boy that had just entered the room very, very, very quietly. All activities in the room ceased when the Old Lady of the Forest made that statement. A girl with two long pigtails hanging down to her waist immediately ran over to him.

“Are you alright? Does anything hurt? You shouldn’t be stressing yourself out!” she continued to fuss over him as she pushed him towards the table. She sat him down on an empty chair between Fuji and Eiji. “Did we wake you up with all the noise?”

“Unya! Sorry!” Eiji was the first to apologize.

“Ryoma!” Karupin jumped and curled up in his owner’s lap, purring contentedly. The cat’s blue eyes stared into his owner’s deep golden ones. Karupin probably already knew what had woken him up.

“You had us worried there. Your wounds were showing signs of early infection,” Fuji said from the side.

“Oh.”

“You should stop being so reckless. That’s a trait you’ve probably picked up from Nanjirou unconsciously” Sumire said from her spot at the table. “You probably don’t remember me, but the stupid Seer you stayed with had brought you here once when he first took you in. You were about ye-high.” Sumire dropped her hands several inches off of the table to indicate how tall Ryoma was when he was first brought to see her. “You asked the strangest questions then.”

“I did? Hm. I don’t remember. I don’t remember you either.” Ryoma picked up a fork and stabbed his bacon with it rather aggressively.

“Ah, well, it’s none of my business so, why don’t we continue eating?”

~*~

It was later that afternoon when Sumire finally cornered Ryoma alone. “Ryoma,” she begun. “The letter from your mentor, Nanjirou, it said that he wanted me to assist you on your journey. It also said that there’s another message for me…?”

“The old man told me to tell you that the forces are moving. He was rather vague to that, so I have no idea what he is speaking of” Ryoma answered with a shrug. However, despite his outward appearances, inside, Ryoma was in huge turmoil. He felt very uncomfortable with Sumire, it felt like she knew his every move. The other half though, was screaming at something, saying that he should trust her and confide in her. For the second time in his life, Ryoma felt like he just wanted to run and hide like the brat he was.

“Yes…the forces are moving…” Sumire muttered under her breath. “Well, anyways,” she said louder this time. “I knew you lied earlier at breakfast. You remember the questions you’ve asked me all those years ago, but you don’t remember who I am. Is that correct?”

Ryoma made no effort to reply.

“Do you remember…?”

Flashback…

“Oi, Old Hag, are you there?” Nanjirou called out. There was no answer from inside the queer looking hut. He banged some more on the door until it opened.

“You’re too loud, Nanjirou! You’ve woken up my granddaughter from her nap!” Sumire snapped from her place at the doorway. Nanjirou blinked at the vision before him.

“You’ve changed…a lot!”

“Taking care of children adds to the wrinkles. Besides, I’m old” Sumire said with a grimace. “Are you coming in or not?”

“Of course, of course!” Nanjirou came in without a moment’s hesitation.

“What brings you here?” Sumire asked, and then, she noticed the little bundle in her former pupil’s arms. “Is that your son?”

“Let me see, let me see!” came a high pitched voice. Nanjirou looked down and saw a little girl tugging on the legging of his pants. “Could I see?”

“Sure,” Nanjirou said with a small smirk. He sat down on the sofa that had been there since…forever. It was still very comfortable though. The little girl who was obviously the granddaughter of Sumire climbed up onto the seat next to him and peered over his shoulder to have a look at the sleeping child. “How old are you, girl?” he asked, looking over to the plaited girl.

“I have a name!” she exclaimed. “I am Healer Ryuzaki Sakuno! And I am four years old!”

“Four years old and already a Healer?” Nanjirou looked at the girl skeptically. He then looked over to his former teacher. “Oi, is that possible?”

“She’s a talented little one. Who’s that you’re carrying?” Sumire asked as she shushed Sakuno from waking the sleeping boy.

“He’s not my son, just so you know. Someone dropped him off at my place today, asking me to take care of him. The idiot then left, promising he’ll be back one day to take him back,” Nanjirou said with a snort. “What a load of bullshit.”

“Mind your language!” Sumire exclaimed. “There’re children here.”

“One’s asleep and the other’s a qualified Healer. I don’t see a problem!”

“You’re hopeless…” Sumire sighed. “What do you want, Nanjirou? You wouldn’t just visit me out of the blue without wanting something in return.”

“How right you are. Could you take care of the kid for me? I have no time for kids.”

“He’s your responsibility. Unless your wife is against taking him in…?”

“I have no wife.”

“Eh? I was pretty sure I was at the wedding…A child was born several years after that, wasn’t it? Your wife kept in contact with me, you know,” Sumire said, looking sharply at Nanjirou. The famous Seer said nothing for a moment, but sighed.

“My wife…and child died. They died in a fire six months ago,” he said finally as he set the child in his arms down onto the sofa. “I don’t want to have to take in a child after that. I know that I may have killed some people, but I don’t want something like that to happen again…”

“You’re afraid of being hurt, Nanjirou. I didn’t think that you were that delicate” Sumire smirked.

“Che. Whatever. Just do me the favor, hag,” Nanjirou scoffed.

“You don’t insult people and expect them to help you.”

“Look! He’s awake!” Sakuno’s shrill voice echoed through the hut.

Indeed, rare golden eyes opened and the three year old boy sat up and looked around, confused. Almost upon instinct, he looked up at the adults and shrank back and clutched the blankets tighter around him. He glared at the occupants in the room.

“Hi, I’m Healer Ryuzaki Sakuno!” exclaimed the hyper four year old girl. “What’s your name? Where do you live? Want to be my friend? We could go fishing together! We have a river, right outside with lots and lots of fishes!”

The boy only blinked at the girl. He didn’t understand her. The boy spoke something in return, but she didn’t understand him.

“Grandma! Is he a for…for…for-EN-er?” the girl struggled with the pronunciation of ‘foreigner.’

“Yes, he probably is a foreigner,” Sumire said. She spoke something to the golden eyed boy. He responded back quickly, happy to find someone who knew his language.

“What’re they talking about?” Sakuno asked, going over to Nanjirou.

“I have no idea.”

“Nanjirou, you’re going to have to teach this kid our language!” Sumire said, beaming at her former pupil. Said person only scowled in return.

“You think it’s that easy?! What’s the kid’s name?”

Sumire turned back to the kid and spoke something. The boy didn’t answer.

End Flashback…

“Do you remember your native language?” Sumire asked the silent boy next to her. The boy shrugged.

“Maybe.”

“The first question you asked me…you asked me ‘where is Tezuka.’ Do you think you can tell me now who this ‘Tezuka’ person is?” Sumire asked.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember. But I think he was the one who saved me…” Ryoma said, thinking back to the dream he had.

“Saved you? From what?” Sumire inquired.

“I don’t know. I told you I can’t remember,” Ryoma snapped, rushing away from Sumire as quickly as he could. He didn’t want to endure anymore of her questioning.

~*~

“Oishi, let’s go exploring!” Eiji exclaimed. After helping out with the chores and such (Sumire had set them to work on almost everything…from cleaning to repairs), they were free to go wherever they wanted to. Of course, she made them promise to come back for dinner. Eiji didn’t refuse for that and he wouldn’t let the other’s refuse either.

“What if we get lost?” Oishi wondered.

“We won’t!” Eiji said as he dragged the other off towards the forest. “We have to be back in time for dinner though…”

Inside the hut and down below the ground in one of the rooms was Fuji and Inui. They spoke in low voices to each other, but they spoke swiftly.

“Our horse has disappeared. I thought that I heard a mysterious sound last night,” Inui whispered, examining the room. It didn’t look particularly safe to him—anyone could be eavesdropping and they wouldn’t know it.

“Ah. This place is too strange. I never heard running water when we were walking last night and then we find a stream here. I find it very peculiar” Fuji said in return. His blue eyes glinted strangely in the dark room. “I also feel the presence of the dead…”

“I believe that we should leave quickly. However, it will look strange that we promised to stay for dinner and yet we do not. It would be far too suspicious” Inui reasoned.

“Yes, it would be. Have you seen Karupin anywhere other than at breakfast today?” Fuji asked. “He’s also disappeared, along with our horse and Momo.”

“He was there at breakfast, but didn’t show up for lunch…” Inui mused quietly. “It could be possible that he took the horse somewhere and the cat followed him.”

“However, it makes no sense since the horse disappeared in the morning before breakfast whereas Momo and Karupin disappeared after breakfast” Fuji reasoned. His sensitive ears picked up a small creaking sound and he immediately motioned to the other boy to be quiet.

“…I remember him!” that had to be Sakuno. No one else had such a high voice.

“Yes, I’m sure you do,” the other speaker was Sumire.

“He was the one who spoke the strange language! What language was he speaking?”

“Hm…let’s see. The language is difficult for humans to learn, but I believe he was speaking one of the four languages of the Fae; Faelin” Sumire said.

“Really? It sounds strange.”

“You were really such a hyper girl back then, now you’re so…timid. I wonder what happened.”

“That has nothing to do with what we’re talking about…”

The footsteps stopped in front of the door which Inui and Fuji were in. ‘Hide’ the bespectacled boy mouthed. Within seconds, Inui had hid behind a part of the wall he had quickly transmuted and Fuji had dove behind the junk that was scattered about the room.

“I thought the Fae died long ago, just like all the sprites that use to live in this forest” Sakuno said as she entered the room. She opened the cabinet near the door and started to pull jars out.

“Sakuno, those things aren’t true. The sprites are still alive and living, just like the Fae. They’re just hidden, that’s all.”

“Where did you learn the language of the Fae, Grandma?” Sakuno asked. She held one of the jars up to the light. It had held a human heart in it. The girl shivered, but placed the jar into the bag she had brought along.

“Hm…I guess you could say I learned it on my travels,” Sumire said thoughtfully. “Oh, and what about the liver?”

“Liver?” Sakuno made a face. “No…I don’t think so…Well, how do you suppose Ryoma knows that language? He doesn’t look like Fae.”

“Really now, Sakuno, what’s gotten into you? You’ve been asking a lot of questions lately” Sumire said, eyeing her granddaughter critically.

“Just curious. You know so much, but then you never share any of that knowledge with me…” Sakuno said the last part quietly so no one really heard besides Fuji who was only several feet away. “Come on, grandma. What was it that you wanted to get?” their voices started to fade away as they closed the door and traveled down the hall.

The soft humming sound of Inui transmuting the wall back to its regular state was a ‘clear’ sign for Fuji .

“Hm…what was that about?” Inui asked.

“Ryoma’s a Fae?”

“Who knows. It’s probably false, and even if it was true, it’d be too early to tell” Inui said, thinking back to all the texts that he’s read about these mystical creatures.

“ FUJI !!! INUI!!! RYOMA!!! EVERYONE!!! HEEEEEEELP!!!” the desperate cry for help from a certain red head caught everyone’s attention. Fuji and Inui rushed up the stairs quickly, getting to their friend first and not letting Sumire and Sakuno see that they were downstairs.

“Eiji! What happened?” Fuji exclaimed when he saw his friend. The red head had cuts and all over him and it was evident that he had been running through bushes and shrubs.

“Where’s Oishi?” Inui asked. “Wasn’t he with you?”

“What’s wrong?” Ryoma asked, unlike Fuji and Inui, he just walked there calmly.

“They’ve been taken!” Eiji nearly shrieked.

“What? By who?”

“The snake thingy!”

“Eiji…calm down first” Fuji said. “Then, tell us what happened.”

“I can’t! I can’t! The monster’s got Oishi ‘n Momo! It ate the horse! ‘N it was so horrible, but I thought Oishi was behind me ‘n th’n when I turn around, he ain’t there! Nya! Save ‘em!” the red head was near tears now.

“What got them?” Sumire asked, coming up from the stairs.

“The monster! We found a cave ‘n then the thing just popped out ‘n attacked us! We were goin’ to run when we saw Momo cat ‘n the half eaten horse in its cave! We had to run because otherwise it woulda eaten us! ‘N th’n Oishi got lost!” Eiji bawled.

“First thing’s first, calm down, Eiji” Sumire said, rubbing Eiji on the back as he tried to soothe the very distressed boy.

“You weren’t there when we saw the horse…” he said weakly. The red head started to hiccup.

“Sakuno, could you get some water?”

“Sure. Here you go, Eiji” Sakuno said, handing a cup of water over to the distressed red head. Eiji took it with gratitude and downed it in one gulp. Fuji patted his friend gently on the back.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get them back—safe and alive” Fuji promised. “Inui?”

The bespectacled boy nodded. “Although I have to say we ‘might’ get them back safe and alive.”

“Inui!”

“Let me go too,” Ryoma said from his place on the sofa. “Karupin’s there, isn’t he? I didn’t see him at lunch today…”

Fuji remained silent and went to open the front door when Eiji flung himself in front of it. “You’re taking me with ya!”

“But…didn’t you just run back?”

“That’s the point! I know the way! You don’t!” Eiji exclaimed. “Ya gotta take me with you, ya gotta!”

“Actually, I would have to recommend you staying here. I’m pretty sure we could find it ourselves. It’s a cave, right?” Inui said.

“It’s a huge cave! But me ‘n Oishi saw four caves today when we went explorin’!” the red head said exasperatedly. He hiccupped again. “’N the reason I came back was because I knew that I couldn’t take that thing on alone, nya!”

“Sumire, did you know that there was a monster here?” Fuji asked. Sumire looked away, avoiding Fuji ’s glance and answered.

“Yes…however, I didn’t think that it was awake…” Sumire answered grimly.

“Well, that proves how wrong you were,” Ryoma said as he exited through the door. “We’ll be back.” The others followed his lead and also left.

“Grandma…are they going to be ok?” Sakuno asked. In return, her grandmother flashed her a smile.

“Of course they’ll be alright. If they can’t deal with something as trivial as this, then I can’t let them go anywhere.”

~*~

“Unya…It’s this way, this way!” Eiji exclaimed as he led the way through the thick jungle of trees. Then, the red head stopped abruptly. “It’s…that…”

“That cave?” Inui asked, righting his glasses. “It doesn’t look very…peculiar. Nevertheless, we must be careful.”

Ryoma sniffed the air. It was foul, in this part of the forest; a strange fog was also starting to shroud the place. “Do you smell that?” he asked. “It smells like…death.”

“Death doesn’t smell” Fuji said, turning to the younger boy. “But this…this is the smell of dead corpses that haven’t been touched…”

“Whatever. Let’s just go in and leave. I don’t want to stay here,” Ryoma said, walking forward into the cave.

“Nya! Kid, watch out!”

Ryoma looked up just in time to see something flying down towards him. The golden eyed boy dodged whatever it was just in time. He came face to face with a particularly large snake…a particularly large and weird looking snake…if it was a snake at all.

“It seems to be a serpent,” Inui observed. “But those things protruding out of the back of its head…what are they? And its color is quite peculiar…I’ve never seen one that was…aqua…”

“Let’s wonder about them later, Inui,” Fuji said. “Eiji’s just run off.” The others turned to face the red head, but found that he truly wasn’t there.

“And Oishi tells me not to do dangerous things,” Ryoma muttered as he rushed off into the cave with Fuji and Inui flanking him. The serpent watched them enter the cave, but did nothing. It lifted its head and swam through the sky…towards the back entrance of the cave.

Within the cave was just as dark as it seemed from the exterior—perhaps even darker. A foul smell wafted through the air. The ground that they were walking on was strangely damp and the coolness within the cave unnerved Ryoma. But then again, hadn’t caves like this always been cold?

“Eiji? Are you there?” Fuji called out as he ran ahead of Ryoma. He disappeared soon into the darkness, his voice also disappearing.

“Magic is at work here,” Inui observed, his eyes darting around. He looked over at Ryoma. The younger boy only shrugged. He lifted his palm in front him and then a small flickering flame appeared. It danced for a bit, burning the air around it as it produced smoke.

“It would be foolish to run in like so,” Ryoma said. He held the flame up to illuminate the cave around them. There was basically nothing to be seen with only the small flame he held in his hand. The two trudged onward carefully through the cave, listening for any signs of their companions or oncoming danger. There was the occasional noise of the pit-pat of tiny feet scurrying about—obviously rats. However, nothing else could be seen, no movements at all whatsoever. They couldn’t even hear Fuji …if he was still calling out for his friends of course.

Then…a sudden movement fell from the shadows. Something fell to the ground of the cave with a sickening wet squish. Ryoma lifted the flame to see what it was…and found it to be what seemed to be part of a horse. Its blood was splattered everywhere, soaking the ground with what was a reddish color—now, it looked dark and dried. Ryoma suddenly realized what the horrible smell was.

“Come, we must be close,” Inui said, diverting Ryoma from his thoughts. “There’s something here…Ryoma, can you make it any brighter?” 

“Yes, but…”

“But what?”

“I can’t hold such a source. It’s too powerful for my hands.”

“That could be solved. It’s simple enough,” Inui said. Then, from his hands came a faded glow as he transmuted the rocks nearby into a stone staff for the younger boy. “Is this good enough?”

“Ah…” Taking the heavy staff from the other boy, he focused on putting the flame onto the top part if the staff. The flame, instead of growing bigger, formed more of a solid shape and grew brighter and brighter until the entire section of the cave they were in was lit. The two were amazingly shocked at the sight that greeted them.

On the side, where the tore up sections of the horse lay, was a rather small lizard chewing its way silently at the meat. On the other side of the cavern laid the unconscious and bloodied Momo and Oishi. Karupin wasn’t there…and neither was Eiji or Fuji . The lizard blinked twice at the two intruders, but paid no heed to them. It went on eating silently. Ryoma covered his mouth at an attempt to stop himself from throwing up his lunch.

“What was that?” Inui asked, looking up startled. Ryoma also looked up. Just a moment ago, the sound of wings had reached both their ears.

~*~

Fuji knew that he shouldn’t have run off like that after Eiji. When the light haired prodigy had turned back to face Inui and Ryoma, they were gone. Yet…he was still near the cave entrance, the dim light flowing into the cave allowed him to see. Piercing blue eyes opened into the darkness of the cave, glinting like hidden sapphires that just met the sun. No, geniuses like Fuji don’t get lost. No, geniuses are never lost. Focusing his attention on his first objective, Fuji walked forward: to find Eiji. Of course, things are never that easy in dark caves with no light.

Shivering from the coolness of the cave as he walked further away from the entrance, Fuji felt a tingle run up and down his spine. It was the dead. They were calling to him. The light haired prodigy kept his remaining senses on full alert, discerning any smell and sound, since it had become completely dark and impossible to see and not trusting the way his mind was screaming for him to go. His own heartbeat and breathing was loud to his ears as he continued his way. No, he didn’t dare touch the walls of the cave. Fuji was just walking, without a guide, hoping that he wouldn’t bump into anyone…anything. Then, dimly, Fuji heard something. It was something that was pounding on walls.

“Who’s there?” Fuji called out warily.

“Unya? Fuji?” came the faint reply. Fuji exhaled, relieved that he was able to find his friend quickly.

“Keep talking, Eiji, and stay wherever you are! I’m coming!” Fuji exclaimed, now walking in a much more hurried pace. There was something horrible about this place, and Fuji was ready to leave this dark cave behind him.

“Right here, Fuji! Right here! Nya, I thought that they were here, but I was wrong! It’s so confusing!” Eiji exclaimed. “They hafta be behind this wall or something! I dunno…I was sure that they’re here!”

In the dark, Fuji was aware that Eiji’s voice was getting louder and louder. “Eiji! Don’t touch that wall anymore!” Fuji exclaimed.

“What? Why?” Eiji asked, his voice sounding suspiciously close to Fuji’s ear. Fuji reached out and his hand hit something. “Hey! Don’t hit me!”

“Just making sure it’s you,” Fuji said, relief obvious in his voice. “This place is filled with…the mirth of the dead. It pulls at me to go join them—its just so disturbing…”

“What are you talking about…?”

“Nothing, nothing…” Fuji muttered, shaking his head to clear them of such thoughts. “Now, they’re behind this wall?”

Eiji nodded in the dark, forgetting that Fuji couldn’t see him. “Yah! Behind this thing!”

“Alright then. Here we go,” Fuji said.

~*~

Scratch. Scratch.

A strange noise from behind the lizard sounded, making Ryoma and Inui turn their attention back over to the creature. The lizard looked behind it and then suddenly dashed away, running towards the entrance of the cave.

Scratch. Scratch.

“Protect” Ryoma muttered, focusing a barrier around the unconscious two. A clear blue barrier appeared, encircling them. Just as he finished casting the spell, the stone wall been destroyed. Shards of rocks flew past Ryoma and Inui as they stared at the arrivers.

It was Fuji and Eiji.

They all breathed a sigh of relief.

“Where have you been?” Inui hissed at the other two.

“Lost,” Fuji shrugged nonchalantly. Their eyes fell upon the limp forms of Momo and Oishi.

“Oishi!” Eiji exclaimed, running towards his friend…only to collide with the barrier Ryoma made. “What the…?”

“Oh…I made that for safety precautions,” Ryoma said, swinging his new staff from his left to right hand. “Where’s Karupin?”

“Your cat isn’t here?” Fuji asked. “Who knows then…Maybe he never came close to this place at all…”

“And what are you implying?” Ryoma asked, turning to look at the famed genius with his golden eyes. “Do repeat that again.”

Sensing the threat in the younger boy’s voice, Eiji jumped between them before they would start fighting. “Nya, now is not the time!” He yelled. “Come on, we get them out first and then we go looking for Kitty, ok? So why don’t you let up the shields on them?”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed it or not, but the cave…shifts” Fuji informed. A glint of blue that was usually hiding behind closed eyelids was seen by the flickering of light.

“Shifts?”

“Unya! That’s right! If Kitty did come here, and if the cave shifts, then Kitty wouldn’t have ended up at the same spot as we did! Think about it! ‘N where’s the exit?!” Eiji exclaimed, he started to look around frantically but only stone walls surrounded them…something they didn’t notice before.

“As I have said before,” Inui started to say. “Magic is at work here. Perhaps I can do something about the…shifting.” He placed a hand on the wall of the cave and closed his eyes, concentrating deeply. Then there was a faint shifting sound of dirt and rock pressing against each other. The noise started to increase and Ryoma almost immediate dropped his staff at the raising noise.

“Nya! Inui, what are you doing?!” Eiji yelled, covering his ears. Even Fuji was trying to cringe away from the horrible noise. The barrier Ryoma put over the unconscious two had popped the moment the sound started to get loud.

“Che…” Ryoma gritted through his teeth as he dropped his staff and covered his ears. The sound was very painful…like nails on a chalkboard. Or better yet, the sound of very squeaky wheels to a metal wagon. Then, the feeling of something shifting brought the attention of everyone to look up. Indeed, the walls were shifting to form an exit for them.

“This won’t hold. Let’s go,” Inui said, completely unfazed by the noise. He set to rouse Oishi and Momo (by slapping them twice on the face). “Don’t speak, just run” he told them as he helped them to their feet.

“We’d better hurry…” Fuji said. “It’s starting to close.”

“Then run!” Eiji exclaimed. “Just think of this as a race! And I’m winning!” The red head was dashing ahead of everyone else.

“No, no, Eiji. You can’t win” Fuji said, giving into the idea of the race instead of being trapped in a cave perhaps for life. He also dashed ahead.

“You all can stay, but don’t expect me to help you out again” Inui said. He too, rushed ahead.

“I don’t get what’s going on, but…I guess we all should run!” Oishi said as the rest of them started to catch up.

“Shit! The opening!” Ryoma gasped. The opening had almost closed. Focusing on the rocks, he let loose one of his more damaging spells. “Comet!” he called. Suddenly, something went rushing past them and struck the stone, immediately breaking it as if it was glass. The opening remained as they all rushed through it.

“Unya!” Eiji gasped as he slipped on the moist grass. “We’re out!” However, hearing nothing but silence from his companions he turned to them. “What’s wrong? We’re out of the blasted cave!”

“Eiji…” Oishi whispered although he wasn’t looking at the red head. He was looking at something in the sky. “I think…we were safer in the cave…” Eiji turned around and looked up to where everyone else was staring at. It was the huge snake-like thing he saw earlier that tried to attack him. It was the same one that he saw tore up the horse into bloody pieces.

You nearly escaped me. Prey should be obedient and stay still…and let itself be devoured. It would hurt less.

The strange and mystical hissing-talk the serpent was saying echoed in their minds. Its long forked tongue flicked in and out of its mouth. Some dried blood still stained its mouth.

“Shut up. Where’s my cat?” Ryoma snapped, stepping forward to face the odd-colored snake.

I’ve seen no cat. I’ve no use for a cat—too small to enjoy a good meal of, useless to keep around. If I did, I would have swallowed it whole.

“The cave is yours, right? Then find him for me” the boy demanded. That demand seemed to have angered the serpent as it went diving at Ryoma, its fangs bared and ready.

“Look out!” Momo snapped; kicking Ryoma’s feet from under him so that he fell to the ground before he met the horrible fate of being eaten.

Foolish one! No one dares make fun of me! I am Leviathan, Serpent Lord of Destruction and Terror!

“I don’t care! Just leave if you’re not going to be helpful!”

“R-Ryoma…I think you better calm down…” Oishi said, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t intimidate it anymore…ok?”

“Fine…fine…” Ryoma said, his shoulders going slack. In turn, he glared at Momo. “And why did you kick me?”

“What?! You dare ask me that after I save your LIFE?!” the violet-eyed youth yelled.

“It may be angry, but it won’t eat me,” Ryoma said. “The thing’s full from eating the majority of the horse…”

“And how would you know that?” Fuji asked, looking over to the serpent that claimed to be Leviathan. It sure didn’t look full to him…

…A foolish child you are. Turn to me and let me see your face.

Ryoma turned to glare at Leviathan. “I read about you in books. They said that you were sealed away by your previous master because you were too destructive.”

Of course he did…he feared my powers. His seal has become weak and soon…I will roam the world freely again!

“Goodie,” Ryoma muttered. “Since you can fly, look for my cat for me.”

Your…cat…is currently stuck up on a tree somewhere. It’s too scared to jump back down! Now leave, before I devour you!

“Ha…Ok, let’s go!” Eiji exclaimed, pushing the boy away from the giant serpent.

“…I was collecting data…” the bespectacled boy next to him said.

“Inui! You’re not helping!” A small murmur of ‘am I suppose to’ was the replied comment.

“Right…we should leave…the stupid serpent is too powerless to go get my cat for me,” Ryoma announced loudly. That caught Leviathan’s attention.

You will die for that comment! I will show you the meaning of powerless—when you can do nothing against me!

“Then bring it!” Ryoma snapped, jumping away from Oishi and Momo who were frantically trying to keep him from facing the giant serpent. “If you win, I’ll free you from your seal! If I win, I become your master!”

A duel, young one! A duel!

The enraged serpent gave a hiss before turned its venomous jaws at Ryoma.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Eiji exclaimed, his eyes wide as he saw that Ryoma was taking no action. What seemed to be just a split second before Leviathan would tear Ryoma’s head off, giant barbs of ice shot up from the ground, effectively stopping Leviathan from attacking him. Leviathan had turned to go upwards the moment the ice had shot up from the ground.

“Ice,” Ryoma held his hand out, the palm facing Leviathan. The serpent was suddenly encased in a block of ice that appeared out of nowhere.

“Wh-what’s he doing? Inui?” Eiji asked, tugging on the older boy’s sleeve like a child begging for a present.

“He’s using Ice-based attacks to slow down Leviathan’s movements. Leviathan is really just a huge snake if you think about it and all snakes are cold-blooded, therefore absorbing heat to move quickly. Ryoma wants to slow or possibly freeze Leviathan so it’ll loose…It is a good strategy…He’s had this all planned out…”

“Inui…you’re talking to yourself again…”

Leviathan started to struggle and writhe in its icy cage. Its tail whipped about, trying to get through the thick ice, only to no avail. However, the huge ice block dropped to the ground from where it was in midair. The ice shattered and Leviathan was freed. It gave a frightening hiss and opened its mouth, spraying poisonous fumes around.

“It won’t work if I don’t breathe it!” Ryoma yelled. Focusing on the poisonous mist, it all went towards his hand had formed a cloud. “Comet!” he called. Something from the sky this time shot down and collided with much impact on Leviathan who hissed in pain and when its tail lashed out, it hit Ryoma to the ground.

“B-blizzard,” Ryoma sputtered as he tried to get up from the ground. The boy was currently seeing stars around his head and his line of vision was narrowing. A slight rumble with the ground told Ryoma that the serpent had fallen and no longer in midair. Then, his vision went black.

--To Be Continued…