Akatsuki- Chapter 27
Title: Akatsuki
Genre: AU/Fantasy
Rating : PG-13
Disclaimer: I made the poster from images I got from flickr, heavily influenced by an original, final fantasy/kingdom hearts/legend of Mana but the plot and characterization are my own hard work. The Idols are Johhnys but because they've engraved an irreplaceable position in my heart so I based my characters on them and yeah used their names...the end.
Summary: Two nations on the brink of war. A young King on a mission. Two brothers on a quest to preserve their ties. The bonds of friendship are pitted against the greed for power but the hidden strength lying dormant within the confines of a fragile heart has the ability to throw all asunder.
Chapter Twenty Seven - Sinister Tidings
His heart felt squeezed within the confines of his chest and the way his ribcage felt like it was tightening around his lungs made every intake of breath sharp…painful.
Was this a warning? Something was awfully wrong for his senses seemed to be on fire. Every sound was piercing, the breeze felt warm and humid and the air smelled of smoke and blood. He had been trying to hide it since it started 3 days ago, when they had finally left the safety of the elven highway but back then it was subtle. Right now it just felt like his chest was ready to explode.
He held himself, eyes warily scanning the deserted area. It was strange, where were everybody?
The company made their way silently through the village and its empty streets, all the while feeling a sense of foreboding. Had the people been evacuated? There was no threat on this side of the border though…
“Yuto?”
He jumped, yanking the reins with force that made his horse neigh and jerk causing him to topple of the saddle and onto the ground.
“Yuto!”
He gasped as he felt arms around him. Blinking away the tears he frowned as Kouta’s concerned face swam into view. His body ached, but his mind was swaying. He was starting to loose sense of his surroundings.
“Wha…what happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, voice shaking…breaking under the effort of holding back a sudden surge of fear. The sky was dark, too dark and the mist that was settled so heavily around them felt suffocating.
“You fell from your horse…are you alright?”
“Where is…everyone?”
Kouta frowned and looked at Keito for help. The latter shook his head, bewildered.
“I think, maybe because of those threats from Valian…His Majesty your father might have evacuated this village…that’s all, I’m sure if we go further, we’ll come across some civilians maybe even soldiers,”
“No, this is not right,” Yuto argued voice almost hysterical. He tried to break free from Kouta’s grip with such rashness that led Kouta to tighten his grip further.
He needed to get back home, to his parents…quickly. Where was Chika? Why wasn’t she answering his call? He pushed and shoved and despite the pain from the fall his movements just became increasingly aggressive.
“Yuto? Yuto get a grip!” Keito exclaimed, grabbing onto his cousin who was lashing aimlessly, eyes hazy with tears and face scrunched up in worry.
“What’s wrong? Is he hurt?” Hikaru asked bewildered. Kouta gave him a helpless look.
“We…need to get back,” Yuto gasped clutching onto Kouta’s collar when all attempts failed. Either the older had gained immense strength or he had lost all of his.
“Calm down Yuto,” Kota spoke more firmly as Yuto started struggling again.
“We’re almost there Your Highness,” Aoi added as calmly as she could. One of Yuto’s flailing arms struck Keito across the face sending him sprawling back in shock.
“YUTO!”
Aoi bit her lip before moving to sit next to a still shocked Keito as the others froze in their places. Yuto had stopped moving and was now staring blankly up at Kouta.
“Calm down, we’re almost there, I’ll get you home now okay?” he spoke firmly but with a reassuring smile. He frowned as Yuto slumped against him.
“Somebody’s coming,” Hikaru spoke suddenly and both he and Yuya turned halfway, hands on their weapons before a blade on each of their necks halted all movements.
Keito exclaimed as he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head and as he slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing he saw was Aoi falling right next to him.
Kouta tightened his grip around the young King, glaring at the group of rogues that had besieged them. 4…8…12…15…there were 15 of them…was this an ambush? Had they been waiting in the shadows all along?
“Did we hit the jackpot boss?” asked the man standing above an unconscious Keito.
“I think this was the mage, she’s the only female of the group,” spoke another, pointing at Aoi.
“Oh Geez Taka, thanks for telling us that we couldn’t have been able to tell otherwise,” spoke the first one, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, just doing my job,” replied Taka rather proudly. His companion stared at him.
“Stop talking both of you,” came a gruff voice and Kouta frowned as he recognized him. He had only seen sketches of that man but he had come across his name so many times in the past few years that it seemed to roll off his tongue pretty naturally.
“Tamamori…Junta?”
The man raised an eyebrow, looking thoroughly pleased.
“Oh? The King’s right hand man knows me? I’m flattered,”
“Of course boss, cause you the man!” Taka exclaimed, fisting the air. His remark was followed by cheers from the rest. Hikaru blinked.
“Who is this idiot?” Yuya asked and Hikaru shivered at the dirty looks the gang threw the older of the two.
“He’s been on the security force’s most wanted list for a decade now, he used to be a petty loan shark but now he’s a mercenary,” Kouta replied. He frowned as he felt the heat from the body in his grip and from the heavy breathing he could tell that Yuto was hardly conscious.
“So I am, and currently my boys and me have been offered a fortune to perform a noble duty for this country,”
“Duty? How is mistreating your King and his men duty?” Kouta roared.
“Don’t get excited, we’re not mistreating our King at all,” was the confusing reply.
“So, who hired you Mister Mercenary?” Hikaru questioned the stern looking man and frowned at the strange twist of his lips and the madness flashing in his eyes.
“Former Royal advisor and current ruler of Akatsuki…Lord Miura.”
~*~
“What’s wrong? If you’re already this frightened at the mere sight of him…how will I leave him to you?”
Ryutaro gulped audibly and shook his head. No, he wasn’t a scared child…right now he was the most powerful person in the castle! He took a deep breath and forced himself to stare right back at those bloody red irises, lodged in ebony black. Those deep eyes were like red moons in the late night’s sky.
The boy’s hands were held up against the wall and pulled apart by chains and every inch of his skin visible, from his arms to his bare torso was so pale that he could see the trace of his veins branching under his skin. His raven black hair were messy locks framing his face and long enough to brush his shoulders. The boy’s lips were a dark shade of red, as if painted by blood.
If he didn’t already seem like an inhuman creature chained to the wall, the presence of the large black wings that he knew would have fully covered his body if not restrained by the many more chains destroyed any room for doubt.
Was he expecting this? The boy still looked human…but at the same time he didn’t…
“Maybe his appearance would improve after he’s learned to contain the crystal’s power…not that it would make much of a difference now, since this was his first impression on you anyway,”
“Are those chains strong enough?” Ryutaro asked calmly, ignoring the man’s amused tone as they watched the figure struggle weakly against his binds.
“I don’t know, haven’t really provoked him enough,” came the answer.
Ryutaro scowled, mentally strangling the man. He could tell the ignorant King was thoroughly enjoying the sight of an arrogant brat shivering and sweating before his assigned task, like it was the last thing he would do but was still foolishly trying to sound like he owned the place.
He sighed, gazing weakly at the being on the wall.
Maybe… it just might be his last.
~*~