Academy

Fire crackled and roared as it rolled over dry grass, walking towards the towering pines before hungrily devouring those in its pitiless flames. The dark sky above Japan was painted in bright oranges and reds, reflecting the fire-light that burned passionately.

Women screamed.

Children cried.

Men died.

It was the kind of attack that didn’t deserve to be called a war. It was a slaughtering. Bandits, followers of Takeshi Shun, clad in their rag-tag armor and clothes, waded through the farmers and villagers with malicious and sadistic laughter.

The whole band of them stood now at bay. Held back by their leader, the Giant. He was as his name expected, a man of tower height with a body layered in fat that hid his muscles. He was a brute, a criminal, and monster. And now he stood before a handful of villagers armed with sai, rusted katanas, or other gardening equipment.

One at the front was shaking in fear, holding up his weapon pitifully. Despite that, though, he mustered enough courage to hold his ground. “We just have to wait for the ninja!” he cried back to his fellow neighbors. “If we do that, then we don’t have to fear these men any more! We can fight!”

Though his words he had meant to inspire what little courage he had gathered, the others did not feel it. They were tired and dirty. Blood soaked and injured with the dead all around them. Some in their arms.

A deep laugh rolled over the sound of the fires. It was as powerful as thunder, and stank as vile as the depths of Hell. The Giant’s shoulders shook in his humor, and the stump he used as a cudgel came to rest on those shivering boards. “‘Fight’?!” he repeated with a mocking venom that drenched his words, and spilled from his lips in saliva. “You peasants don’t know a damned thing about fighting. You’ll all be dead before a single ninja shows up!”

The farmer’s courage shattered, and his trembling overtook his hands. The hoe he had been using as a weapon clattered against the hard packed dirt, and his feet finally gave ground.

The Giant’s face split into two as a broad, mirthless grin spread over his face. “That’s right. You’ll all be dead, and there’s not a thing any of you can do.... Now. Die and remember my name when you go to Hell! My name is Sei-”

“Amakurajii?” finished a new voice. It rose above that of the Giant without actually becoming louder. “Funny, I heard you were called ‘the Giant’ for other reasons. Not because you were a fattso who can only push people around.”

The Giant’s entourage of cutthroats parted like the ocean for a rock, and there stood holding a slim staff was a man in tattered robes.

In comparison, he was much smaller then the other man, but there was no denying something that emanated from this stranger. A strange calm of certainty and power that was not displayed, but whispered. As if to show it would render the fabric of reality naught.

“Who the hell are you!” demanded the Giant as he brought his club over head. “Answer me damnit or be beaten down by my club!”

“Oh your club? Hmm.... Odd, I think I’d only need my pinky for you.”

“You mock me?”

“Mock? Oh no I.... Okay, well maybe a little.” Brown eyes looked up towards the face of the Giant, whose features were now bitter and raging. “But I don’t kid you. I just hope you can live up to that name.”

Suddenly, a weaselly looking man slipped through the crowd and headed straight for the stranger. “Sir.... The Master would demand your presence.”

“Does he now? Alright, I’ll just finish up here then.”

“Don’t take me so lightly!” the Giant screamed, finally bringing his club down in annoyance.

The weapon whistled through the air, coming down with the force of a mountain that spelled doom for whoever got in its way. Only when the sharp sound of wood snapping came did the Giant realize something was amiss.

His weapon should have crushed the stranger, but it was practically hovering over the spot he should have smashed. “W-What in the name of....”

“Sorry,” replied the stranger, casually holding the destroyed tree up with his smallest finger. “I forgot to introduce myself didn’t I?”

Whispers sprung up around the bandits and farmers. “Look at his staff, are those weights?”

“Isn’t the Giant supposed to have a weighted staff?”

“Is he really doing that with his pinky?”

“Wait, that’s Itatchi Shomuuga, one of Takeshi Shun’s messanger boys!”

“Does that mean....”

True terror spread throughout the gathered people. Only one man had any voice, and it was failing him. “This … this can’t be... But I’m supposed to be....”

“A fake? A liar? Sorry buddy, but you should have done your research a bit better. If you go around calling yourself Sei Amakurajii, you better know that sooner or later he’s gonna come looking.”

“So that means you’re him?”

With the barest amount of effort, Sei Amakurajii, the Giant, shoved the cudgel back into the air. His left hand came back in a single smooth motion that seemed to capture time and grace. “Damn straight.” His fist shot right into the gut of the giant man, and their came a disgusting sound of bones snapping, and internal organs liquefying.

Turning his back to the whole scene, Sei rolled his shoulders. “Not even worth a warm up.... Too bad. I had hoped he’d have been really strong. Guess he was just really stupid to take my name and start killing weak people with it.” Looking to Itatchi he nodded. “Right, the old geezer wanted to see me about something. Let’s go.”

 

‪Jade's Theme - Beyond Good and Evil‬‏ - YouTube

Arata was sitting on a rock, staring at the mountainous views from faraway. He pondered how the snow was still up on the peak despite the heatwave they have been getting. Arata closed his eyes and stretched out his arms above his head and pushed his chest out. He received a satisfying click on his back and smiled.
"Hey Arata, sorry for interrupting you" called out a boy of the age of 10
Arata turned around to see a friend of his called Sora. He held out a scroll.
"This is for you, from the Master Sensei."
Arata ruffled his hair. "Oh really now? Now who's this Master Sensei?" he joked.
"Sensei Daichi Mauri, duh!"
Arata grinned. "Well, we don't really call him Master Sensei. Just Sensei, really. I'm sure he'd like it though."
"OK Master Arata" Sora said, before running off.
Arata smiled, as he ran away. "Good kid. Can't wait to see how well he does"
Arata unrolled the scroll and started to read.

‪Beyond Good and Evil Soundtrack- 'Peace'‬‏ - YouTube

Arata,

I regret to inform you that Sensei Honku has fallen in battle. However, life must go on and we will appoint Sensei Konoe to be your's and Sakura's master. Be vigilant and stay strong.

Sensei Daichi Mauri

Arata, at that point, was furious. Three senseis have fallen to this massacre of a war. How many more? The boy sat down on the rock and looked at the mountains again.
"Too many people have died. We have to end the war somehow. I hate this."
He thought about his previous Sensei. He was brave, strongwilled and was wise. However, he was not a master in teaching in anyway. He never told him how to use magic, for example but he was always a strong figure amongst everyone in the Sanctuary. He will be missed.
He threw the scroll off the hillside and watched it fall down into the riverbed below. After that, he walked over to the main gardens of the Sanctuary. Flowers crowded the ever flowing stream. The sound of the wind and the water calmed his frame of mind. He was angry but now, he knew Honku's life will not be in vain.
He noticed Sakura and walked up to her.
"Hey, how are you? You alright about what happened to Honku Sensei?" Arata asked. "You must have received word by now?"

 

Three teachers.
A finger was trying to find its way along an instrument.
Three teachers, killed.
The finger finally found the string it required, and plucked it. A melodious note echoed throughout the area.
Three teachers, killed, because of this war. A tragic event indeed.
Soon, others joined the initial searcher, and began plucking notes alongside the first, beginning to develop into a full harmony.
But I never knew them that well. . . I've only been under one teacher since I've gotten here, and looks like more'll be joining me.
A voice joined the fingers of the hands that were so attentive in their duties, pulling a song into existence. It echoed through the main courtyard where Hiromi currently resided.

‪The Beauty Dance in "House of flying daggers"‬‏ - YouTube

Funny how you can live in one little town for so long, and still not know people! Well, that'll change, soon enough.
A smile appeared across Hiromi's face as the song finished, and she simply just packed up her things and left.

 

"Sensei. You have been summoned." A ninja spoke to Takahata. He had an envelope in his hand. "In addition to that, sensei Honku has fallen. It has been decided that you are to take over the training of his students, Sakura Miyako and Arata Ikoshi."

"Sakura Miyako huh? You know, there's a joke going around us teachers. Since Honku would be the third teacher of Sakura's to die, teachers have decided to joke that Sakura is cursed, and that whoever teaches her is going to die. Let's just hope that isn't true. Or if it is true, I guess I might've made sensei mad at me. Let's go see what he wants." Takahata vanished, going off to find the head sensei.

"You summoned us sensei?" One of the ninja spoke once all the teachers were gathered.

 

Sei’s staff gave away his approach with its soft clink-clink against the packed earth. He was smiling as usual, and there was a certain spring in his step. The weasel had explained that something might be going down, but that was it. There wasn’t any other slip of the tongue or teasing hints. But that was okay. If the old man had something for him, it was likely to be something he could fight.

As the Giant stepped over the rise, Takeshi came into view. He was old and hunched from the years, withered both inside and out. But he was strong, and strong men looked for strong opponents. That’s how the laws of power worked. If he didn’t look for them first, they’d come after him instead. Eat or be eaten - that was the law.

“Grandpa, I’m home!” he announced sarcastically. Part of his tone implied respect, while the other a sense of familiarity and understanding. “You said you wanted to see me?”

 

Sora was watching the world go by from inside. The grass was bright lime green and the trees swayed around like the girls who dance in the theater. A boy of the age of 18 stormed into the room.
"Sora? Why are you in here? We have to take you underground"
Sora turned to see a boy at the top of his rank. His name was Zhao. The tall, black haired boy started to grab the little boy by the arm, tugging at him to leave. Zhao didn't have much patience with little kids and despite Sora's positive nature, he did not like Zhao that much. He always was violent to people who are younger than him.
"Why?" Sora asked.
"We are at war. Its getting too dangerous for you to be around anymore."
Sora tugged away at Zhao.
"No, I will not go there."
He wanted to be around Arata. Without him, he'd feel alone. He wouldn't stand the thought of Arata, the person who welcomed him, to be slain by the Cultists. Zhao growled and pulled his skin, marking his nails into his arms. Sora started to moan as the pain grew but Sora, once again was able to tug away as his arm emblazoned in fire, burning Zhao's hand.
Sora started to panic. He would get in a lot of trouble for this. He did not even know he could do that.
"YOU BRAT!" Zhao shouted, readying to punch him but as he swang, Sora held up his hands, which now were invisible. Once he noticed, what had happened, he quickly evaded his attack and ran away with his body gradually becoming unnoticable. He ran across the wooden halls, went outside, and sat down by the pond, breathless and panting.
"What am I going to do?"

Zhao kicked open the doors to the entrance of the Sanctuary, red faced and angry. The burns on his arms were noticable from a mile off and looked like a lightning bolt.
"Where did he go!?"
Zhao stomped towards Arata and Sakura. He knew Sora hung around Arata a lot more than any other person in the sanctuary. He needs to explain himself, Zhao thought, already having a rivalry with the boy for losing a battle against him. It was a spar but it was embarrassing to lose in front of the entire sanctuary community. He lost his pride. He lost his women. Zhao was too eager for power and lust and as he lost against Arata, the small boy without magic, he lost his dignity. He's been hating the people of the sanctuary ever since. He does not feel strong enough. He desires power.
"Where is Sora? Look at what he did to my arm, Arata! You need to explain yourself. Did you tell him to do this?"
Arata stared at the lightning shaped red gash on Zhao's arm from the burn. It looked permanant. He could not believe that would come from Sora.
"Sora would never do something like this. He's a good kid. This was not on purpose." Sora stared at the anger in Zhao's face; the fiery eyes, the irritable look on his eyebrows and the veins pumping on his forehead. "Calm down" Arata told him.
"f**k off" Zhao replied, punching him in the face. "I have had enough of you and that boy and if I ever see him again..." Zhao said, with his voice tailing off to the thought of what he would do.
Arata stood up and interrupted him. "What would you do, Zhao?"
Zhao turned away, with a clenched fist. "You don't want to know"

Arata had a black mark near his eye, holding it as it was pumping as fast as his heart beat. He really thought he would have to defend himself. He looked over to Sakura.
"I need to find Sora. You should tell Sensei Daichi Mauri of what happened. I'm worried about Zhao. He's too power-hungry"

Arata ran away, hoping Arata was unharmed. Ever since that "casual" battle against Zhao, he has been slugged every once in a while without any warning. At first, he hasn't told Sensei about this issue because he thought it was a very minor thing to worry about but now he's gone too far; his power-hungry and angry nature would drive him to the Cultists and harming children is taking it too far.

 

"War huh? This is rather unfortunate. And things have been so peaceful recently. Oh well. I suppose that is life. I wonder if the upcoming fight will ever be recorded in history for the rest of the world to know. Although that does kinda go against any vows of secrecy we're supposed to have. How long has it been, I wonder. How long since I was even remotely related to war. My parents... They never came back, did they? Oh well... I suppose that is just how life for me went. After all, without that battle I wouldn't be here right now. Only time will tell if it is a blessing or an omen."

Takahata had started to walk away with everybody else when he heard Diachi call his name out. Near instantaneously Takahata was then standing next to Diachi. "Yes sensei?"

 

Zhao's body started to cloud in darkness. Fumes left his body in the shapes of snakes slithering across the room. He swiftly turned and grasped her neck. His eyes became red.
"I do have the right to hurt others, especially children. They need to be taught, just like you."
Zhao pulled out his blade and whispered, "I won't leave without taking someone with me"
He was about to stab her through the chest.

Sora dangled his feet on the pond, creating ripples. However, he was still invisible. He did not want to cry but as he felt his arm hammering in pain because of Zhao's nails, a tear ran down his face. Blood poured down to the grass.

Arata checked the gardens, in search for his 10-year-old friend.
"Sora! Are you there?"

Sora heard Arata's voice but stayed quiet. He didn't want to go underground, doing nothing but twiddling his fingers. He wanted to help Arata if he ever went to war. However, Arata gasped as he noticed the blood fall to the floor, from nothing but an invisible space. It wasn't entirely see through which made him think one thing. Sora learnt a new spell. He sneaked up from behind him and took the boy by the shoulders. Suddenly Sora turned to normal, as he was alerted to someone else's presence.
"Hey, you okay, Sora? Did he hurt you?" Arata asked, as he sat down next to him. Sora stared down at the marks on his arm, which dripped blood but wasn't entirely pouring. They weren't exactly dagger wounds.
"No, not really. My arm hurts" Sora told him, still trying to smile and trying to think positive about the whole incident.
"Let me have a look" Arata held his arm, and touched the wounds. "How bad does that feel from 1 to 10?"
"7" Sora responded, Arata pinched a mark. He wanted to know how far it penetrated him. However, as he let go of his touch, the mark faded away and the painful look on Sora's face faded with it. As Arata tried to reach the next mark, he realized that his injuries had gone.
"Now its a 0? How come?" Sora asked.
Arata's heart was pounding. Did he just get a power of his own? "I think I can heal wounds"

 

Arata turned to Sora.
"Go invisible. I don't want the teachers to notice you. You don't want to go into the underground, right?"
Sora nodded but sighed.
"I don't know how though..."
Arata patted him on the shoulder.
"Do something which triggers it in your mind. I've heard that from a textbook, somewhere"
"OK, then" Sora replied, and then clicked his fingers. He disappeared. "Thanks for understanding, Arata"
Arata started to run.
"Come on. We've got to move!"
"Why?" Sora asked, as he stepped on the grass at a quicker pace.
"Sakura's in trouble with Zhao. He's from the darkness, like we expected"

They ran into the hallways and Arata stopped by Sensei Daichi's office. He looked over to where he thought Sora would be and held out his hand vertically flat, signalling to stop and then he placed his index finger on his chewed wet lip, telling him to be quiet. Arata then stormed in, without knocking, into Takahata and Daichi's conversation.
"Zhao is one with darkness. He is attacking Sakura and Riku in the forest!!" he exclaimed, rushing his speech, out of breath.

 

”So it’s a kid you’ve been waiting for?” Sei blinked for a second, semi-surprised. All this time he thought Takeshi had been waiting for the Academy to bring about it’s full force so they could smash through it in one swipe. Looked like the old man was powerful, but not as godly as some people painted him.

With an amused chuckle, Sei shrugged at his own thoughts. What did it matter to him. If the geezer was more a tactician then muscle, that was good. After all, what good did it do to have a bunch of people like the Giant around. He wasn’t the brightest, and he knew it. If he couldn’t smash a problem, someone else would come along with a better idea to deal with it.

Leaning against his staff, Sei followed Takeshi’s eyes towards the school. “Just as long as I can pair Jin with someone else. Kid pisses me off with how lazy he is. It’s just annoying.” Rocking back to his full height, Sei turned his back to the old man.

“I don’t care who’s all there - they just better be able to fight, dammit.”

 

"I see sensei. I suppose there isn't much time for messing around. Although I do not believe fate to be such a cruel mistress that she leaves children as the sole option. But I shall not take any risks." Takahata replied.

Arata burst through the door and explained the situation.

"I'll go." Takahata sighed. "And while I'm certain you're aware of it sensei, I see that we have an invisible child here who is hiding from us. I'm assuming he does not wish to go underground with the rest of the children." Takahata gently placed his hand on Sora's shoulder. "As useful invisibility is, you're a bit too young to be able to fool us." Takahata spoke before vanishing.

-----

A gigantic four bladed shuriken landed in between Zhao and Sakura and Riku. Before Zhao could react, Takahata was already standing next to him. He quickly punched Zhao in the face, knocking him away from the group. "You know unsupervised fights are not allowed anywhere on the academy grounds. Stand down now Zhao, before I take any disciplinary action." Takahata grabbed the handle that was in the center of his shuriken.

 

Sora ran away, not wanting to be caught.
"Sora? Sora? Where are you?" Arata asked, bellowing his name. He tried to feel for him with his hands but he wasn't anywhere to be seen or felt. He ran off.
"Damn it..."
Arata ran outside, in search for him but now there wasn't any blood to find. The trail has gone cold.

‪NieR Soundtrack - Yonah (Piano & Strings Version)‬‏ - YouTube

Sora ran into the forests, looking for a safe hiding place. They would be looking for him now but he didn't give up. Arata could die and he'd never see his friend again. Children usually think that way; think of the worst. He hid in the shadows, waiting for Arata to come and think of the next plan of action.

Zhao laughed.
"Disciplinary action? You don't own me anymore. I'm not your puppet, or your experiment. You cannot change who I am. I am a Cultist!"
Zhao smacked down a smoke bomb to the ground and ran off. However, at this opportune moment, he threw daggers within the dense fog, from the dark energy surrounding him.
"That should toast them"
As Zhao sprinted, he ran into Sora, causing him to turn to normal.

Sora swiftly turned around to see Zhao, with his piercing red eyes and the black gas surrounding him.
"AH NO!"
Sora tried to run again but Zhao clasped him around the neck.
"I will take you back with me to the Cultists. I'm sure we could use you as an experiment like they did with me"
Zhao summoned wings from his dark energy and flew over the Academy.
"This is the last time you will see this place again; I assure you"
"ARATA!!! HELP!!!" Sora screamed in terror, with tears on his face.
Zhao sniggered. "He can't help you. He has no magic"
Arata was watching from below, helpless.
"NO! Sora!"
Zhao opened up his wings and charged up energy, while motionless in the air. Arata shouted, "I'll find you, Sora! We will save you, I promise!"
Zhao grinned and before Sora could respond, Zhao's wings took off in high speed, leaving a trail of dark fumes behind them. They were gone.
With tears in Arata's eyes, he ran to the forest, hoping the Sensei and Sakura were okay.

 

Arata dashed towards Riku and Sakura, breathless and agitated. He was glad, however, they were okay. He instantly forgot about that as he witnessed Sora being taken away by Zhao in his mind again and again and again....
"He took Sora. I couldn't do anything. He was in the air and without powers, I was useless. We need to save him. He's just a kid"
Arata clenched his fist, looking down at it.
"He's going to pay for this. He can mess with me but not with a kid. I should have told him to go underground" he murmured with a sense of anger in his voice. No one has ever seen Arata act this way before. He was losing his grip.

Zhao landed by the riverside with Sora clenched within a case of dark energy, behind his wings. Sora was afraid and simply cried, not knowing what to do. He kept telling himself that Arata would come. That was his hope.
"Right time to get out"
Zhao broke the case, causing Sora to fall to the rocky floor. He immediately was held up by the throat and slammed into a tree.
"That was for your cheek from earlier and this..."
He took a knife from his right pocket. Zhao placed the knife on his cheek and made a slow but painful cut on his face. Sora started to scream but Zhao put his hand on his mouth, muffling his shouts of anguish.
"Hush...we don't want Daichi to hear you, do we?"
Zhao, then pointed the knife at Sora's heart.
"Get me?"
Sora nodded. Zhao kicked him back at the tree, making his head fall to the hard surface of the wood and fall unconscious.

 

"You know, it's not very nice to talk about a person when he's not there," A yawning voice drifted up to Sei and Takeshi, an icy mirror at their feet. The visage of a young man, well kept but tired looking, appeared in it, looking up at them. "Anyways, where 'xactly did you want me to go over here? I'm gettin' bored of wandering around."

~~~~~ Some ways away~~~~~

Xi Fan Jin sat in the forest, holding a mirror in his hands. He looked into his mirror to see his superior and that other one, the one with the nickname. Too much of a bother to remember what the nickname was, so he just didn't talk about it. Talking into the reflective surface, he said, "I've been kinda lost for a little while. And I did hear some shouts in the distance not that long ago, but it seemed rather far.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A certain Nagano Hiromi entered the rather messy scene after all the action had happened, and looked a bit confused while doing so.

"Did I miss the party?" She asked, half-heartedly grinning before noticing the gash on one of her fellow student's arms. With a more apologetic look, Hiromi asked the student, "Oh, should I go get some bandages for that?"

 

”Well you know how you’re always being told to get yer self that education that nobles get, right?” Sei looked up from the ground where Jin’s image was, and back towards the Academy. “Schools about to start, and we need to make one hell of an appearance. I thought I’d find you a nice new friend to play with,” a cold smile, as cold as Jin’s ice mirrors, spread over the Giant’s face. “Lemme go find him, and when I got ‘em, you can show all the kiddies there just how cool you can be.”

Oh the marvelous world of puns and sarcasm, would they ever fail?

Shrugging against the night’s air, Sei pulled his purple cloak over his shoulders and started back into the woods. “Until I get there, why don’t you see about all that noise?”

Sei finally disappeared into the woods, his tall and powerful figure swallowed by the moon-shadows, hungry brush, and his own excitement for the fights to come.

Woe to his foes as he speed through the forest with all the speed of a demon let loose from Hell. Silent feet carried this fighter as he bobbed and weaved through the underbrush. His tattered mantle whipping about in the created wind, and the only sound that could give him away was silenced by his dominating fighting spirit.

On this night, lives would change.