Chapter 2

The crescent moon hung low, casting a gentle glow upon the world. The sky, dark and endless, was filled with bright stars that blink indifferently at the lone figure below. A snowflake touched his already red nose. Elric fluttered his eyes open, adjusting to the dimness. Then he shivered, the cold had now seeped onto his bones. He forced his self to stand but every movement was a protest from his aching body.

Elric groaned, his gaze darkening as the memories from the fight dawned on him like a crashing wave.

His sword was about to reach her then, but it was stopped mid-air. Crows circled beside him, their wings flapping wildly. Inside the circle, a figure suddenly appeared, his sharp sword colliding with his. Kaito's strength is something he can never compare with. It was much greater than two of the cadres combined, so when Kaito stopped the blow from hitting Chiyo, the steels that collided created a defeaning sound. The impact was so strong that his whole body trembled.

And he thought that was the end of it but within a second, his commander's fist has crashed on his stomach. He was then sent flying, the world becoming blurry. Then his body fell like a broken kite, the snow swallowing him whole, and dark spots have appeared on his vision. The punch has instantly rendered him unconscious.

Tasting the iron in his mouth - a bitter taste of defeat - he spat at the snowy ground. If only he was a bit faster then his blade would had met her flesh. Elric tried to stand but fell so he tried harder again. He staggered to his feet - breathing ragged, each exhales a release of pent up rage.

"I am going to kill those two!" Madness was evident on his unfocused eyes. He was stumbling forward, body trembling from both anger and coldness.

Then within a minute of trudging the snow that felt like forever something malicious formed on his head, a wicked smile finally appeared on his lips.

"Who says I can't?"

Amidst the darkness of the night, a smiling figure, hiding in the shadow, perches atop a tree. His white hair glows like moonlight. His dark eyes, innocent yet playful, watches the scene below.

He observed in amusement as the man staggered on his way, clutching his aching stomach. Elric has been causing a lot of trouble lately and seeing him in this state was a sight to behold. It is not everyday that their commander would give him a painful lesson. He was given so much leeway already so this kind of treatment was well deserved. His misfortune made Kaoru laugh in secret. He has always been an observer or perhaps an audience. He likes to witness countless dramas: their sadness, anger, betrayal, or even their demise. Hidden in the shadows, he watches them unfold - his laugh shared in silence at the dead of the night.

Kaoru was the third member of the King's cadre and a part of a Tsuchigumo. Among them, he is the only one who behaves normally. Always following orders and sometimes helpful. Not softhearted nor overbearing. Others sees him as the innocent type, yet behind those eyes lies treachery. He was a master of deception. Beneath the surface, he planted seeds of doubts, and sowed discord among rivals. That's just who he is because Kaoru has an unyielding loyalty to the crown, and just to ensure its power will remain then he will do anything even if it means sacrificing pawns along the way.

He jumped down from the tree after a few moments of amusement. Since Elric was the fourth member, being older than him, he still needs to take care of him.

The cadre was formed 600 years ago, Hachiro being the oldest and first member then the commander who came after the next 200 years. Kaoru was the third member.

Before he became a member, he was also once a young master of their clan. Lazy and uninterested — he who always want to seek something fun was finally chosen by the king to become his loyal knight. The King's cadre — the knights — to the citizens of the realm, they were known as the guardians.

So Kaoru would often look after Elric. He puts him in order when needed because among the cadre his personality is the wildest.

"Yo." His figure appeared from the shadow. His playful gaze already concealed behind an innocent, kind gaze.

Walking up to Elric, he hung his arm around his shoulder.

"Another fight?" He asked. "You shouldn't have done that. The season is winter and that Yukionna has all the advantage. Snow is still her field."

Elric glanced at him. "I am going to kill that witch!"

"Chiyo is not someone you can kill. You know who she is or what she represents, and that's the reason the king would always turn a blind eye whenever she seeks trouble."

The promised Queen. That's who she is. She was the one destined — chosen by fate— to rule the realm beside the king, however, one fateful encounter had changed everything. Chiyo came but the king suddenly wedded another, so because of his guilt for not following the prophecy and disappointing the girl he was supposed to marry, he let her do whatever she wishes.

Kaoru leaned closer, whispering in his ear. "The king's generosity, do not take it for granted or you might just meet your demise."

He removed his arm away and looked at the crescent moon. His gaze was somewhat cold, but it was fleeting, it immediately turned to its usual innocence.

"Also, Hachiro has been looking for you since you vanished from your spot. You know how critical these days are. If you are not too careful then another prey will fall victim again. Stop causing any more trouble."

Elric looked down to hide the anger in his eyes, and Kaoru walked away after saying his piece. They have been so busy these past few days. A lot of yokai, especially women, would went missing and be found somewhere isolated - murdered in cold-blooded.

A creature is running amok across their realm, and until now, no leads has been found yet. The yule is approaching already and they needed to find the cause of all of the killing before the day of the night parade.