Azran the Bastard

"Hahahahaha!"

Laughing was not the reaction ones would expect after a punch. But that was what Sunny did after Heon gave his mightiest hit.

"Is that all you got?" The red-haired boy giggled. He spat on Heon's face, something liquid that must be blood.

Enraged, Heon grabbed Sunny's white haori, pulling him closer and trying to look at those dark eyes. "I'm not your tool."

"Perhaps not mine, but you're clearly someone else's. After all, why are you even here, Heon Lightwalker? God chose to bring you to this world to fulfil a mission, am I wrong?"

Heon knew there was some truth behind his words. Some nagging feeling at the back of his head certifying what Sunny said to be a fact. However, the rage engulfing him at the moment refused any logical thoughts presented.

Instead, Heon slammed his head to Sunny's own bloody nose.

"Stop it, you two!" a girl's voice rang out in the earth tunnel. "I can't see anything, but if I heard you guys fight again, I'll bury both of you underground."

That wasn't enough to quench Heon's anger. Not after what Sunny blatantly admitted.

However, the red-haired manic boy seemed to fall back as he lightly responded, "Alright, alright. Let's fight when he has an audience, yeah? We can even put up a good performance and charge money for people who watch."

Another sound of a smack resounded on the dark, earth tunnel made by the girl's magic.

"Ouch! Okay, understood. No more joking," Sunny chuckled. "Jeez. I bet you guys punch me around just because I have healing magic. Talk about abusive relationships."

They continued walking forward then.

"Wait, what did you say your name again?" The girl asked, breaking the short silence after Heon finally calmed himself down.

"Didn't you already know my name when you hunted me down and forced me to abandon my house yesterday?" Sunny grumbled from behind.

"I mean, your friend, you heartless murderer!"

"Oh, him?"

Sunny made no other sound, so he answered awkwardly. "Heon Lightwalker."

The girl sighed tiredly. "I think I heard that name before."

"Hmm… really?"

Heon imagined the girl shrugging her shoulders, just like the most intelligent girl in his class did when boys asked the answer for their mid-term tests.

"What's your name?" Heon asked aloud.

"Yeah, we never know your name," Sunny added. "It's the least you could do after drilling hole in my friend's chest and accuse me of murders, which might be not true."

"Azran."

The silence stretched.

"Just Azran?" The red-haired boy sputtered.

"Just Azran," the girl repeated.

"Huh." Sunny seemed to be confused by this. "Azran Albahran, I guess?"

Though, Heon didn't know what was so strange about her name. Sounded normal to him. As usual, as it was in this god-forsaken world, he was thrown into.

"I don't care."

"Ugh, why can't I be caught by someone higher ranking? Is that too much to ask?"

Azran snorted, "Seriously, that's what you're so down about?"

"Hey, it's just insulting, being caught by a bastard soldier. Why can't someone from the palace catch me instead?"

"I'll get you to the palace's guardsmen, don't worry."

"No, I mean, it's just demeaning. Getting caught by a bastard."

"Whatever."

As much as Heon disliked it, curiosity got the better of him. "Calling her a bastard, seriously, Sunny?"

"Huh?" Now, Sunny sounded more questioning. "What do you– right, you know nothing of it."

"Know what?"

"That she's a bastard."

Heon frowned at his rudeness. "You're just calling names. You don't know for sure."

"All bastards have no surname, that's how you know," Sunny explained dryly. "Then, you add a universal surname for the likes of her."

"Universal surname?"

"Albahran, for bastards born in the Kingdom of Bahran Pasai. Claysmith for Lecraid. Stormvale for Atarion. Blazeborn for Panthura. Redwave for Vortheas."

"I thought I heard you mention Pasai before. Isn't that for currency?"

"Thanks to Azran the bastard here, I left a million Pasai in my old house."

"We're in Bahran Pasai now?"

"Yes, dummy. Is it so hard to keep up?"

Heon rolled his eyes. "Dude, I'm new to this world okay?"

Giggling, Sunny truly liked to tease him. "Rest assured, ask me anything and I'll answer right away."

Throughout all that, Azran remained silent. The earth tunnel didn't seem to end. He was getting quite worried at the lack of light there.

"You'll answer all of my questions?"

"Yeps."

"How many magic types exist in this world?" Sunny sighed. He heard that but no following answer. "You said you'll answer."

And the red-haired boy clicked his tongue. "I did, didn't I? But, it's so basic, I don't want to."

"Is he serious?" Azran's voice was no less dry than Sunny's unimpressed one.

"How many times do I have to tell, he's from another world!" the red-haired manic boy chuckled, mood lifted. "Anyway, I guess there's six? Err, no, I mean, five, right?"

"You don't sound so sure."

Azran quipped, "Probably because he fell asleep in class or just plain stupid."

"Hey! I skipped some classes, okay?!"

"See? Stupid."

Sunny brushed her aside, choosing to answer Heon instead. "So, we have elemental magic, fire, water, whatever. For example, Azran the bastard here uses earth magic."

"Can you not call me that?"

"Too late, you illegitimate spawn." Sunny must have made a face. "Then, we have healing magic, the most glorious and powerful magic, there is!"

"Pfft!" Azran made a sound.

"Hey, I have proof!"

"A healer is practically the weakest magic user."

"Oh, yeah? Then, what's with the dozen soldiers you brought along to catch me, huh? Scared much?"

"I was just being careful, you heartless murderer! From the looks of it, that two innocent women and ten-year-old boy were not the only victims of your cruel murder."

Heon decided to interrupt before a fight could start behind him. "Guys, can we just get out of this tunnel first before you murder each other?"

Fortunately, they obeyed.

The earth tunnel was still dark, but Heon's outstretched hands felt it stop. "It ends here."

"What?" Sunny asked.

"I can't go further."

He heard a rustle. "Trapping us here, now?"

"Get off my face, you bloody murderer!" Azran snapped back. "I'll make a way."

Someone shoved him aside and then pushed him back. Must be the only girl in his company. He heard her deep intake of air, and then the earth rumbled around him.

A moment later, he saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Go," Azran roughly shoved Heon forward, once again positioning Sunny between them.

Sighing, Heon couldn't help but feel as if he was a dying soul walking to heaven. "Oh, gosh. I hope I'm not dying right now."