I Love You My Little Ones

Deon, pinned to the ground, lifted his head to see what lay in front of him. Sticking out of the sand, he found a shard from his brand new swords that his Grandfather had just given him.

"Hey Pops…"

Deon called out to his Grandpa

"Yes?"

"Did you break my brand new swords…?"

For a moment everyone was silent. Robert looked over at Mahina who only offered him an unconcerned shrug. After some time Robert finally spoke up

"*Cough* Nah isn't that how I gave 'em to you?"

"Now Grandpa you know DAMN WELL THAT'S NOT HOW Y-"

"WHO THE HELL YOU YELLIN AT?!"

As Robert and Deon continued to argue, Rai sat up and started laughing with Mahina. Deon and Robert paused and realized the funny side of everything that had happened. Soon their laughter had dispersed the tension that seemed to drown them just a moment ago.

What none of them noticed as they began to walk back towards the house was, between the scattered steel pieces were another few pieces of metal mixed in. The metal was from the small balls that the boys both had. However, the amount of metal wasn't enough to be a full sphere. It seems that the boys only lost part of their seals.

Before they got back to the house Robert felt another burst of bloodlust. He looked at both boys but it wasn't coming from them. On the contrary, fear had stopped them in their tracks. The pressure made them feel as though they were being watched, stalked, or even HUNTED

"They're here"

Mahina said resolutely. She and Robert knew this was coming but not this soon. With no time to lose Robert jumped behind the house and pulled out their medium-sized fishing boat. With no explanation, he picked up Rai and Deon and put them on the boat. Rai and Deon stood speechless as they watched their Grandparents move frantically

"This should hold you guys for a while. Stay safe and we'll see each other again okay?"

Robert said to the boys. At that moment the boys snapped out of their stupor.

"What are you talkin about? We're leaving you guys?"

Rai asked as he looked into Robert's eyes. All of this was happening so fast. Of course, they always talked about leaving the island but they never talked about going alone. The boys were both introverts so leaving the house without their Grandparents was enough to put them on edge. Now they were expected to go out into the world that they know nothing about alone? Oh hell naw.

Before the boys could protest more, Robert handed Deon his stone swords and pushed the boat out a bit.

"You boys should just watch from out there. I need you guys to understand what type of monsters are out there."

With a smile, Robert turned to Mahina

"It's that time"

Mahina said

"Then let's call em over."

Said, Robert. Immediately, they both opened their ki centers. Beams of light once again pierced the sky. As their lights died down, the moonlight began to illuminate the beach. For a moment the silence was so strong that it was as if time itself stood still.

After a moment, a high-pitched squeal came from the sky. A large ball seemed to be falling from the sky. As it landed, a shockwave pushed Deon and Rai further into the water and forced the two hold on just to keep from falling overboard. Meanwhile, Robert and Mahina stood undisturbed by the impact.

"Wish I could say it was good to see you Buluc."

Robert said as the sand that had flown up, blocking everyone's vision began to fade. Standing in the large crater was a man slightly larger than Robert. He wore a red and orange short-sleeve button-down shirt and long white pants with two enormous swords strapped to his back. His dark orange hair was slicked back with one red streak through the middle. Four fingermark scars ran diagonally down his face. However, they weren't scratch marks. It was as if someone had taken the blunt end of their fingertips and tore through his face.

"Aww come on Robert. Weren't you the one who called me over?"

Buluc said as he tried to look past Robert towards the boat the boys were on. Robert realized and almost blew a fuse. Before Robert could lunge at him Mahina stepped forward

"Shouldn't your owner be here soon?"

Mahina said. Buluc grimaced, clearly bothered by her comment

"It's great to see you too Hina. Don't worry, your old friend is on her w-"

"I don't recall ever being that well acquainted with that old twit."

A small lady suddenly appeared next to Buluc. Wearing black jeans and a yellow uniform shirt of some sort with some kind of symbol on it. Nothing was truly striking about her aside from her hair. In contrast to Mahina's black hair with one white streak, the lady had white hair with one black streak through it.

"GODDAMN ASTRAPE!! CAN'T YOU JUST SHOW UP NORM-"

Before the frightened Buluc could finish, Mahina interjected

"Oh, poor child. It seems it isn't just your body that's all saggy but your mind is starting to sag too"

Mahina said, taunting Astrape. It seemed it struck a nerve because without hesitation Astrape lunged at Mahina. Both of them vanished from sight. Following their disappearance, several shockwaves came, pushing Deon and Rai further into the water. They were getting further and further but they stood in awe as they watched everything unfold.

As they reappeared two more shockwaves came. They had surpassed the speed of sound so far that it was almost as if someone else was still fighting. Astrape suddenly laughed

"Seems like age isn't treating you very well. You're slowing down"

As soon as Astrape finished talking Mahina tried her best to hold in her laugh. After taking Robert took a good look at Astrape he also began laughing. Astrape became irate.

"What the hell is so funny?"

"Check your hair"

Mahina said. As Astrape began feeling her head, she realized that half of her black streak of hair had been taken off. Before she could say anything Mahina pointed at her chest. As she looked down at her shirt Astrape realized that Mahina hadn't just taken her hair, she had also individually pinned every strand of hair onto her shirt. At this point, there was no calming her so Buluc didn't say a word.

"Fine. Then how about we get serious?"

Astrape said.

"It is about that time isn't it?"

Mahina said seriously before once again disappearing along with Astrape. Just then Buluc whistled

"They sure are scary aren't they?"

He said while watching them fight. He and Robert stared as the women turned the island a Hell of flying sand.

"All I know is that I don't wanna get on either one of their bad sides?"

Robert and Buluc laughed for a while. As the laughter died down, a calm quiet fell over them. Without warning, Buluc pulled one of the swords off his back and lunged at Robert. Robert had done the same. As their swords collided, one shockwave blew down trees and created waves.

"Your step in was weak"

Robert goaded Buluc

"Not weak enough for you to best me though huh?"

Buluc shot back

"Do you really think so?"

Robert said as he grabbed the edge of Buluc's sword with his left hand and pushed him back. Buluc couldn't believe it. Obviously he wasn't giving his all yet but that doesn't mean that this old bastard should've been able to push him and his sword back with his bare hands.

Buluc pushed back and forced Robert to let go of his sword. Not only was he in disbelief over Robert's power, but he was also pissed that he had been bested. Without hesitation, he pulled his other sword from his back.

"Aww, are we done playing already?"

Robert taunted. Without saying a word Buluc charged at him. For a moment Robert was startled, but shortly after, he had pulled his other sword from his back and matched Buluc. As the battle became more and more fierce, the shockwaves continued to push Deon and Rai further out to sea.

While the battle raged on Rai and Deon continued to watch. Tears streamed down their faces as they knew this would be the last time they would see their Grandparents for years. They wanted with every fiber of their beings to go back but they knew there was nothing they could do in this fight.

"They aren't even gonna say goodbye?"

Deon said while trying to keep from completely breaking down. His voice cracked as the words came out.

"They're busy dude! They can't exactly wave to us right now. Damn. Stop bein a baby."

Rai said, trying his best to be mature about it. Inside Rai had already fully broken. He never thought he and Mahina would be separated.

As Deon wiped his tears and tried to be mature as well, he noticed something. Every strike that they could see from the island left heavy marks in the sand. It was beginning to look like words. Finally, one more strike came and at the same time Mahina and Robert both took off running to another part of the island. Buluc and Astrape were both confused but they chased after them.

Deon and Rai both strained to see what was written. As soon as they saw it they both burst into tears. There in the sand, they saw the words

"nakupenda wadogo zangu"

As the boys were growing up, their Grandparents had told them that they originally spoke Swahili. Despite knowing they spoke the language, Rai and Deon never attempted to learn it. However, every night when Mahina and Robert tucked them into bed they'd say the words

"nakupenda wadogo zangu"

One night, Rai decided to ask what it meant. Deon stared curiously as Robert and Mahina looked at each other and smiled. After a moment, they both spoke together

"I love you my little ones"