Chapter 7: Echoes of Memory Part 2

Volume 1: prologue

Chapter 7: Echoes Of Memories Part 2

In the kingdom of Alzeria, eleven-year-old Suzaku found himself surrounded by his cherished friends – Suko, Tachi, Alicia, and Lumin. the friends gathered, each destined for a role in the unfolding tale of heroes.

"In this realm," Suko proclaimed with a twinkle in his eye, "we have five great heroes."

Suko, with an impish grin, declared, "Tachi, the fire element user who can't aim properly."

Tachi, his fiery temperament matching his element, shot back, "What the hell, you idiot!"

Undeterred, Suko continued his delightful narration, "Lumin, the healer with emotions veiled like a gentle breeze."

A soft sigh escaped Lumin as he realizes that suko is right

Next in the spotlight, Suko turned towards Alicia, adorned with angelic charm and lightning magic. Tachi, frustrated with the inequity, grumbled, "Why does she get the normal, cool-sounding introduction?"

Alicia, graciously acknowledging the compliment, responded, "Oh, thank you, Suko."

Blushing, Suko waved off the praise, insisting, "Just telling the truth."

The playful banter continued as Suko, with a mischievous grin, introduced Suzaku as the "bait." A genuine fear flickered in Suzaku's eyes as he protested, "W-wait, I'm not bait! I can fight!"

Unfazed, Suko crowned himself as the "greatest hero," an ice magic user. Tachi, unable to contain his frustration, exclaimed, "Shut up, you suck."

Amidst the friendly banter under the sprawling oak tree, the atmosphere shifted as Tachi, fueled by frustration, declared, "I'm stronger than you!" Suko, not one to back down, retorted, "Why don't we settle it then!" Suzaku, ever the peacemaker, interjected, "Hey, let's not try to fight, okay?"

However, Tachi, driven by his fiery spirit, swiftly conjured a fireball, launching it towards Suko. Reacting with agility, Suko molded the frosty essence of his ice element, forming a protective barrier to block the incoming attack. Tachi, undeterred, challenged, "Let's see who wins! Will my fire melt the ice?"

Suko, grinning, responded, "Or will my ice freeze the fire?" With a swift motion, Suko unleashed ice spikes towards Tachi, who deftly dodged the frozen onslaught. Tachi, countering, released a fiery arrow, but it missed its mark, eliciting a frustrated "Dammit!" from him.

Suko seized the opportunity to tease, "You suck," punctuating his remark with laughter. However, the playful duel took an unexpected turn as Tachi disappeared from sight. Bewildered, Suko realized Tachi had repositioned himself, preparing to unleash his fire ability from behind.

Just as the clash reached its climax, Alicia, the lightning-wielding angel, intervened. With a crackling surge of energy, she used her lightning ability to strike both Tachi and Suko, rendering them temporarily blackened and disabling their elemental attacks.

"Why would you do that?!" Tachi and Suko shouted in unison, their protests echoing through the tranquil surroundings. Alicia, with a mischievous smile, retorted, "Sometimes, you two need a reality check."

the evening sky, bathed in the soft glow of twilight, the group found solace after their spirited training. As the air carried echoes of laughter and shared camaraderie, the time came for each friend to embark on their journey home.

Suko, Tachi, and Lumin, like the diverging paths of destiny, chose separate routes, dispersing into the gentle embrace of the dimming horizon. Left in the enchanting were Alicia and Suzaku, their homes coincidentally were close by.

Alicia, beneath the starlight, found herself entangled in a paradox of emotions. In the subtle nuances of her gaze and the softness of her laughter, there lay a silent tale that only the stars seemed privy to. Suzaku, however, remained blissfully unaware, his mind perhaps entangled in the simplicity of the evening or lost in the constellations above.

As they strolled through the winding pathways that intertwined with their homes, Alicia, her heart beating to the rhythm of a clandestine melody, began to share fragments of her feelings. Her words, draped in the elegance of unspoken affection, were like petals carried by the night breeze.

Alicia: "So, Suzaku, today was... interesting, wasn't it?"

Suzaku, with the innocence of a child and the obliviousness of a comet, replied, "Yeah! We learned a lot, and it was fun!"

Alicia, a gentle blush gracing her cheeks, continued her veiled expressions.

Alicia: "You know, Suzaku, the stars look beautiful tonight."

Suzaku, gazing at the night sky with an unassuming smile, said, "Yeah, they always do. It's like they're telling a story or something."

Alicia, her heartstrings gently plucked by Suzaku's words, sighed with a mixture of contentment and wistfulness.

Alicia: "Stories... can be fascinating, don't you think? Full of surprises and... secrets."

Suzaku, his eyes reflecting the innocence of his soul, grinned, "Yeah! I love stories, especially the ones with adventures and heroes."

Alicia, a tender laughter escaping her, responded, "Heroes, huh? They come in different forms, don't they?"

Suzaku, tilting his head in playful curiosity, questioned, "What do you mean, Alicia?"

Alicia, her words now wrapped in a poetic riddle, murmured, "Sometimes, heroes are right in front of us, and we just... don't realize it."

Suzaku, still blissfully oblivious to the unsung melody in the air, chuckled, "Yeah, like how Suko thinks he's the greatest hero."

Alicia, her blush deepening, seized the moment to weave the threads of her feelings.

Alicia: "Suzaku, do you... ever wonder about things that are closer to your heart?"

Suzaku, a playful sparkle in his eyes, replied, "Like my favorite dessert? I wonder about that all the time!"

Alicia, her laughter a symphony beneath the twinkling stars, continued to express sentiments hidden beneath the veil of the night.

Alicia: "Suzaku, your favorite dessert might not be the only thing worth wondering about."

Suzaku, blissfully unaware, grinned, "Well, mysteries are fun! Maybe one day I'll solve them all."

As they reached the point where their paths diverged, Alicia and Suzaku bid each other goodnight, their laughter lingering like stardust in the tranquil night air.

As the moon cast its gentle glow over the tranquil kingdom of Alzeria, Suzaku, lost in the cocoon of his thoughts, made his way back home. The laughter of friends and the echoes of their shared adventures lingered in his mind like a cherished melody.

Entering the familiar comfort of his room, Suzaku settled onto his bed. His thoughts meandered through the day's events—Suko and Tachi's friendly banter, Alicia's subtle expressions, and the enchanting fire and ice. A quiet yearning flickered within him, a desire to partake in the magic that wove through the fabric of his friends' lives.

Suzaku, gazing at the ceiling adorned with imaginary constellations, whispered to himself, "I wish I could use magic like Suko and Tachi. Maybe then, I wouldn't be left out."

The resolve to transcend his limitations stirred within him, and, for the first time in his life, Suzaku decided to attempt a feat he had never dared before – push-ups. The initial endeavor was met with failure, but Suzaku's spirit refused to yield.

Day after day, the determined young soul engaged in various exercises, sculpting his body in pursuit of a newfound strength. As the weeks unfolded into a month, Suzaku discovered muscles he never knew existed. His friends, noticing the transformation, marveled at the rapid evolution of the once magic-less Suzaku.

One day, in the midst of casual chatter, Suko remarked, "Hey, Suzaku, you've grown a lot in just a month!"

Tachi, feigning boredom, added, "Yeah, it's like we're witnessing a magical transformation, but without the actual magic."

Suzaku, beaming with newfound confidence, flexed his muscles, showcasing the tangible result of his dedication. However, his friends, accustomed to his playful antics, responded with a collective yawn.

Suko: "Yeah, yeah, muscles are great, but can we get back to training now?"

Tachi, nonchalant, added, "Flexing won't make you a magician, you know."

Amidst the banter, Suzaku, undeterred, continued his exercises, oblivious to his friends' casual remarks. Yet, in the midst of their bored indifference, Alicia, her gaze lingering on Suzaku, blushed with a silent admiration for the determination radiating from the once-unassuming friend.

The tranquility of the night shattered as a deafening roar echoed through the kingdom of Alzeria. Flames menacingly in the dark, casting eerie shadows on the once-familiar streets. Suzaku, Alicia, Suko, and Tachi, their hearts pounding in sync with the chaotic rhythm of the unfolding disaster, raced towards their homes.

As they approached, dread clutched at their chests. The once vibrant houses were now engulfed in the relentless embrace of fire and ruin. Panic etched across their faces, they frantically searched for any sign of safety, but the reality before them was a tapestry of devastation.

Suko, the jovial spirit of the group, froze in horror as he stumbled upon the wreckage of his home. His parents lay beneath the rubble, and a gut-wrenching cry escaped him. Traumatized, he clutched at the remnants of his shattered world.

Tachi, propelled by desperation, rushed towards his own home. Relief washed over him as he found his mother miraculously unharmed. Yet, the moment of solace was fleeting, shattered by the grim revelation from his mother. "Run, Tachi. Your father is gone," she uttered with tearful eyes.

Before Tachi could process the weight of those words, a sinister arrow of dark aura pierced through his mother's heart. Time seemed to freeze as Tachi, paralyzed by shock and grief, witnessed the unthinkable unfold before him.

In a desperate attempt to save what remained, Suzaku, acting on instinct, pulled Suko and Tachi away from the scene. The world around them blurred into a nightmarish haze as they fled the engulfing nightmare. Suzaku, struggling to comprehend the chaos, muttered to himself, "What's happening?"

The night, once serene and filled with childhood laughter, now echoed with the cries of anguish and the crackling of flames. As the chapter came to a haunting close, the fates of Suzaku, Alicia, Suko, and Tachi became intertwined with a darkness that loomed ominously over their world, leaving behind scars that would forever alter the course of their destinies.

End of Chapter 7