Blows of Reality

A week has passed since Kanito recovered and now as Yuriel promised, they were heading to the training grounds.

Kanito noticed the simple attire of people, they wore white or black chitons, a few of them wore jewellery or floral circlets around head and brownish black leather sandals with straps, the marketplace was still rustling and busy.

On their way, they were shocked when all chariot or carts refused to give them a ride. The common chariots are the most prominent source of public transport in this archipelago country, Bakerheim is a major city too, so it was quite strange.

While they were in the busy marketplace, a sentence, a news, spread from lip to lip

"The King is in the city" was the news. Which was blowing in the marketplace and then soon Kanito saw everyone bowing down, one by one like falling leaves, all the heads in the marketplace were lowered.

"Bow !" Yuriel said to Kanito

Kanito was addled, another man said to him "Are you crazy, you want to get beheaded?"

Suddenly a group of people mounted on horses came closer, one of them was wearing a shiny blue cloak and a golden crown, his face was clumsy and wrinkled, he had long dark brown hair and beard, that was the the King of the nation, Sarstin Eurashio. Kanito bowed down when he caught a glimpse of the King.

"Subjects of Ashfelt, inhabitants of Bakerheim, how is your morning?" said the King in a brazen tone.

"Under your rule, we are flourishing" a shopkeeper said.

There was a woman on the streets wearing torn and ragged clothes, the King threw a few gold coins in her direction

"Go, its fifty quasars, buy some decent attire" saying that, his lips curled up in pride.

"My Majesty, should we return to Tunicster? To the palace?"

"Yes I think so, now we should, I am too tired anyway. Sirrah, pour wine"

A slave stood near the group of horse mounted men, his waist was tied in dark steel chains, he struggled to move but still somehow poured fresh rhenish wine into the King's glass. However while doing so, he dropped the jug of wine from his shaking hands.

The King looked furious and gave somekind of signal to one of his officials, that official out of nowhere pulled out a whip and started hitting the slave with it until he bleeded.

"Are you insane? These wines are imported exclusively from the Beast Kingdom of the south, your entire bloodline won't make up for this loss !"

Kanito was enraged, he couldn't keep on watching this. He in his world, was a staunch supporter of human rights, he forgot that he is in an another world whose moral values are completely different.

He couldn't take it anymore and raised his head standing tall. The King's old eyes fell

upon him. Kanito stood infront of the King with a stout face.

"You are in the presence of your King, don't you think you should bow, boy?" That official looked at Kanito. He had blond hair and deep green eyes and a thin face.

"I am sorry but the actions you showed are not suited to royalty" Kanito maintained a straight face while saying this.

King Sarstin looked utterly confused

"Are you even sober ?" He finally spoke in a vague manner.

"No my Majesty, he is not. Please forgive him, I beg you" Yuriel interrupted the talk.

"What the hell are you saying Yuriel ? Why should he forgive me? What wrong did I say?"

"Can you shut up Kanito? My Majesty, he just had three shots of rum, he is not in his senses. Please forgive him" Yuriel's strategy of exaggerated words did earn them a pardon from King Sarstin. The King looked at Yuriel for a few seconds fastidiously and then murmured something to that official.

"Oh you? your face is a known face now isn't it? You are Yuriel, tiny angel Yuriel, Hollow Hero Yuriel, aren't you?" The official slowly said with a straight expression.

The words didn't waver Yuriel's resolve and he said with a bowed posture "Yes my Lord, Yuriel is my name"

The official's mockery didn't end, he kept on belittling him with the same expression.

"Your Rescue division only saved one person? But the hospital informed us that even that lone person died due to lack of medication, we shouldn't have entrusted you with such a big mission, it was a loss of prestige"

Kanito's fierce look changed into vague confusion, that lone person is dead? What was the official talking about? Kanito is that person and he is standing infront of them, Kanito understood there was a big misunderstanding so he kept quiet and waited for Yuriel's reply

"I am sorry my Majesty, I will be more vigilant in my rescue missions that are yet to come" Yuriel spoke with much more reverence, ignoring the context of that 'dead' lone refugee.

"Ah, you angel, straight out of picture books, you should join a social worker's organisation you know ? The Blue Olive or the Paradise Society. You will be more fit for peaceful works like that" The official's lips accquired a disdaining smirk. Yuriel's pride was wavered, he was furious but maintained his calm somehow.

"Ah enough Marcus, let's go"

The King gave Kanito a confused gaze followed by a threatning look from the official Marcus, they left. The heads slowly raised and everyone went back to their everyday work, however some of them were a little joyous and festive for some reason.

"Why did you even pick a fight with them" Yuriel inquired angrily.

"They tortured the slave, Don't you think the other people should've done the same?" Kanito responded with hints of rage in his tone.

"The guy behind was mocking you, I thought your pride meant more than anything to you, why did you stay silent?" Kanito questioned.

Yuriel looked down annoyed and walked towards public vehicles.

The marketplace slowly cooled down, the carts and the bronze chariots started again.

Yuriel and Kanito got onto an open roof chariot to reach the training grounds.

Kanito climbed on it and sat on a seat on the edges while Yuriel sat a seat away. Kanito curiously looking at the building walls, trying to become familiar with this world.

The chariot's speed decreased slowly as the oxes stopped moving. Infront of them was an influx of people in traditional white chitons.

"Ah, today is day of Blissful Shadow isn't it?"

Yuriel said lounging back on the seat

"Yeah, it's always crowded on this day"

Kanito saw a great temple with a purple tiled roof supported by white columns. People around it's ramp and it's long descending stylobate were gathering with flowers, wines, nectars and many other offerings in hand.

The charioteer raised a little from the driving seat, he looked at the acoterion and at the designs below the sloping cornice.

"Zeus's naos?" He asked

"Yeah, those loosers" Yuriel said with a sly smile, rolling his eyes away from the temple.

Yuriel then looked curious and asked

"But doesn't Bakerheim fall under Prince's Zone?"

"No, not yet" said the charioteer.

"It will be great if the prince takes this city under his administration, atleast these shrines will get demolished"

The charioteer looked at Yuriel with disappointment.

"You don't always have to prove that you're an infidel" the charioteer gazed back at the gathering.

Yuriel was saving refugees, fighting battles and leading armies ever since he joined ISF. He saw scenes crazier than hell. All of this slowly made Yuriel believe there are no higher powers and the powers brought through their name are unknown scientific phenomenons, but certainly not the doing of a higher power. That is what he believed atleast.

Kanito saw that the King who he encountered in the marketplace was also stopping by the temple. He offered prayers and that same rhenish wine which the slave was beaten for, at the wide spread altar infront of the temple.

Suddenly Kanito's eyes drifted away from the ground and aimed towards the roof of the naos.

Three or four shadowy figures were sitting on the roof looking down at the boisterous crowd below.

Kanito found it strange, he craned his neck to focus his vision on them and then, he became terrified, he instructed loudly

"Veer the chariot, now !"

The charioteer with parted eyes of surprise turned and looked at Kanito. Yuriel too looked at him with the same doubt and wonder.

"Veer it, quick !"

The charioteer understood that it wasn't a drill, he had to act now, he yanked the reins hard to the right and lurched the vehicle greatly, it's wheels, screeching, rotated immensely to the left.

The shadowy silhouettes took out some red glowing objects and stretched their arms infront

"Are those explosives?" Kanito exclaimed in a horrified manner.

The goons dropped the explosives down, making them dive through the air but just before it could hit the ground, one of the royal guards attending the King shouted loudly

"Watch out !"

He launched himself towards the King, pushing himself and the King inside the temple while only fractions of a second later, a big blasting sound exploded the streets, shaking the temple, throwing everything into chaos and disarray.

The horses neighed heavily, smoke and dust rose, the altar was destroyed and the streets erupted in flames, massacring hundreds of devotees.

Seeing the destruction, the charioteer grabbed Kanito's palms with both of his hands and gave them a firm shake, looking at him gratefuly. He and his asset of business, that is his chariot were okay only because of him.

The silhouettes then with precise jumps landed on the ground, they were actually wearing pitch black trousers and shirts with a black cowl that covered their faces.

The charioteer raced towards the ruined street, the fire brigade fortunately arrived on time while some royal guards chased the creators of this madness.

Other officials scurried inside the temple to check on their King, he was alive.

"My Majesty, are you alright?" Marcus said, looking at his King with an overly concerned expression.

Slowly people from other corners came closer to the temple, Kanito picked up a black cowl from the ground, it had a design of a white alligator on the edges of it.

Marcus turned around and saw Kanito holding the cowl. Amidst this turbulence, he saw a prospect of ensnaring him, his lips curled attaining a vicious grin.

"My Majesty, look, he is the plotter of this chaos" Marcus yelled.

Kanito was stupefied, he stared inside the temple at the King with knitted brows

"See, he is probably plotting something again"

The King was terrified, he stood up with a bewildered look and watched Kanito standing with a confusion and fear mingled face.

"I just found it on the ground, are you insane?" Kanito shook off the fear and instead of running away or begging for mercy, he strongly protested, walking closer towards the naos.

"Guards, take him away !" Marcus commanded

Kanito's eyes squinted in part confusion and part worry, but he had to stick to his principles, a sense of justice and truth again crept into his heart, so he didn't stop defying the claims from Marcus and kept on protesting.

Yuriel was surprised and frustrated, visible in his agape mouth. He pushed through the crowd of people and grabbed Kanito's right arm to restrain him.

"This is not Human World" Yuriel with clenched teeth, whispering to him quickly.

"Run away !" He commanded quietly.

"Huh? Why should I ?"

But it was too late to run as the King who valued his safety over everything, in a disorganized and clumsy manner ordered his guards to capture him. The guards looked a little reluctant, however, followed their King's instruction.

Four of them quickly stepped down from the stylobate of the naos and converged around Kanito and binded his arms in cold iron shackles, parting him from Yuriel's hold. Kanito only looked at their impassive faces, doubtfully.

"Sir, he didn't do anything" Yuriel intervened, his hands again clasped Kanito's upper arm, trying to release him from the guard's grip.

Yuriel then turned around swiftly to look at the King who managed to revert to his confident and cruel look. The public who gathered around, alongside the devotees witnessed this scene.

"My Majesty, there's a big misinterpretation, he is still a kid. He didn't do it. To show heroism, he picked up the cowl from the ground, perhaps to show off his bravery and

charm maidens, but he is no goon"

The King was a little hesitant, he didn't asses the situation for himself, nor did he act on his will, rather believed his trusted

chamberlain, Marcus's words.

"Caution is wise my Majesty, I saw through my own eyes that he wasn't able to run away as he turned around to pick his cowl"

Marcus crafted another lie.

When the blast occured, the people were too devastated to think of anything other than themselves, so it was obvious that the public wouldn't be able to save or jeopardize Kanito.

Kanito was being taken away by the guards as Marcus further signaled them to not wait and do what they have to.

At that moment, Kanito looked enraged and desperate as the guards slowly dragged him away. The shackles binding his fists felt like they were draining his soul. Kanito was never this frustrated and distressed. He couldn't believe that such emotions would ever take over him.

He considered himself a calm and composed, polite person, who would stand for what is right and acted that way, but he inwardly cursed himself for acting stupidly.

His brows furrowed and a sense of loss, despair and despondency was evident from his face.

Kanito looked down with a shattered heart, his humanity, his justice and his morals themselves disillusioned him and before he even knew, he was screaming, yelling, in desperation and anguish, throwing his arms, shamelessly. Small blobs of tears appeared near his eyes as he felt ashamed for showcasing such emotions desperately in public.

With rage, pain and vengeance, he enquired Marcus "What is your name, even?"

The public looked at him strangely, it was rude to openly ask for a dignitary's name and that too in a moment like this? It was unthinkable.

Marcus was jolted, but he quickly stabilized his senses and said with a witty smile

"I am Marcus Nephnis, the Chamberlain of Eurashio family" loud and clear to reach Kanito's ears.

Kanito heard the name and the affiliation closely, repeating it thrice in his mind

Kanito hummed something to him desperately.

He hummed again before he was put in a black carraige nearby, the four guards tossed him inside the vehicle and then drove away with speed.

The carriage entered an isolated location, it crossed a bridge and after a short drive in the carriage, it reached a large building like place enclosed with brick walls, surrounded by dense trees. It was Bakerheim Central Prison, the huge gates of the buildings opened.

Kanito stepped down the carraige with his rusty shackles held tightly by a guard, they entered the building, Kanito looked at the interiors, frustrated. It had a round cloister which lead to different cells.

"Criminals of your level won't have the luxury to stay there" the guard said, scoffing at him.

"Instead, criminals like you stay here"

Another guard lowered towards a few planks on the ground which were loosely arranged together with nails.

Two guards pushed the planks, opening it like a lid, revealing a dark blue underground dungeon with stone paved steps leading below.

Three of them slowly headed down the steps while the guard who held the shackles pinched Kanito, indirectly telling him to walk down.

Kanito walked down and as he expected, the place looked suffocating, dark and mysterious, only dim firesticks were embedded on every exterior walls, which seperated cells.

As he stood close to the newel, different pairs of eyes looked upon him, those gazes were from other captured prisoners, it was a macabre scene to behold, it made Kanito abhorrent and repugnant. Kanito's heart beats quickened and he squared his shoulders inorder to appear confident.

One of the guards then turned and gave out a call, a jailor came out from the path adjacent to the cells,

"New criminal?" The jailor in boredom said in a lousy way.

The jailor pulled out the keys for the first cell and went closer to them, he then said with an astonished manner

"And he is this young?"

The jailor first looked surprised and then burst out laughing, Kanito's repulsive face only turned more enraged.

"My oh my, it's a bliss to be born in this stupid archipelago" The jailor's tone was laced with mockery, his way clearly connoted that he is not a patriot, and has questionable loyalty for his nation.

"Kid, did you even pass the drinking age? How old are you? Fifteen?"

"Sixteen !" Kanito declared defiantly through his gritted teeth.

But Kanito's anger amused the jailor even more. The jailor walked carelessly, bumping Kanito's shoulders on purpose, and opened the dark portcullis of the cell and pushed Kanito inside.

Kanito entered the dark cell room, tumbling, but somehow managed to stand on his feet. He turned around slightly to catch a glimpse of the jailor.

Kanito reminded himself the name of the chamberlain "Marcus Nephnis" he hummed inwardly.

"And, what is your name?" Kanito asked in a low yet steady voice.

The jailor looked shocked, but then he gained back the jeering grin

"Whose name? Mine? If mine, then it's Poker, Poker Lope, an evil jailor for evil criminals" his grin widened.

"But I still can't digest the fact, I mean, he didn't even grow a beard" The jailor spread his hands behind the portcullis and tried to pinch Kanito's cheeks, but Kanito immediately retracted.

"And you are plenty cute too, call me if you're bored, I'll give you a good time"

he laughed and strolled away.

The royal guards then scurried above the steps leaving Kanito behind the barriers with a face colder than this dungeon, laced with revenge, rage, negativity and enormous hatred for this world, for it's inhabitants, for it's ways and mostly for his own fate.

Kanito looked at the stony floor beneath, his justice was his defining trait and that was fading away. Evil, chaotic thoughts soar in his mind.

He turned his head towards the walls, banging his forehead to punish himself for feeling his justice fading, he clenched his teeth trying to restrain his principles from vanishing but at the same time, he wanted to sympathize with himself, he wanted to let go of his morals so that he could feel bad for himself.

He slowly descended to the floor. His hands were tied, so he couldn't even cover his face this time to cry loudly.

He bit his tongue and imagined about good food, good perfumes, beautiful women, he thought of his family and his memories from Earth, all so that he can delay the rush of tears from his eyes.

When the guards reached above the dungeon and closed the lid slowly, casting an ominous shadow over Kanito, he at that very moment decided that all he will bring to this world is destruction and degradation

He slowly let go of the tough act and rested his neck against the wall. The blows of reality came to him severely.

In the darkness of the stony room, when he was convinced that no one will see him, he lay down on the floor, suffocated, with a heavy beating chest and closed his eyes before allowing cold tears escape his face and trickle down the brick paved surface.