Chapter 0.5

"C'mon brother. Wake up."

"Don't wanna. Go back to bed. It's too early."

"Too early? But, it's almost midday."

The boy who was at first lying in bed suddenly shot up and looked outside and saw the sun rays beaming through his tent.

"Ah shit! How come nobody woke me up?"

The boy then jumped out of bed, threw on some torn clothes and ran out of his room and started running through the streets of the Land of the Stars.

"Hey Yamato. Might sparing me some fruit?"

"Sorry Akira. You know how tight money nowadays."

"It's alright oldman."

He then kept running until he reached an area filled with the smell sweat, blood and steal. He was about to sneak his way in before a bald man with a big broad body yanked him to the side to where no one can see them.

"Oi Akira, where the fuck have you been," the man whispered.

"Shut up. I'm here now aren't I. Not like any of the guards noticed right."

"Only because of the party they through for the emporer. If not for all the alcohol they consumed, me and my family would be at great risk. The same goes for the other guys. Do you not remember the deal you struck with the emporer. Do you know what he'll do to yours frien-"

"Family, Obi. They're my family. And I would never allow them to get hurt," Akira said with a serious look.

"Yeah well I guess you are pretty strong for your age. But still. I basically had to do double the work just to cover for you. So don't pull that shit again."

"Yeah yeah get off my back about it you bald ape."

Akira then snuck in and began to put in his shift.

After hours of mining Akira finally finished his shift and the other miner's invited him out to have a drink. He as usual declined their offer and started his journey back home.

He then reached a forest where he walked for about ten minutes before reaching an area where the trees had been cut down and a number of small huts were built in their place.

"Hey guys, I'm back."

At that moment, 12 young kids aged between 7 and 9 ran out and yelled in excitement.

"BROTHER!"

The young boys and girls ran and on their elder brother to embrace him.

"Hey, hey I just got back from work. I'm exhausted."

The youngest of girls started to pout.

"Liar. You not look tired."

"'You don't look tired'. Hasn't Hikari been teaching you proper grammar Mako," he asked while patting her head.

"She's trying her best brother."

"Especially since I had to teach myself how to properly speak as well."

Akira looked up to see a girl around his age with short rough brown hair.

"Hey starboy. How come you didn't greet me before leaving."

Akira just shrugged. "I was running late."

Hikari just rolled her eyes at that statment.

"Here," she then threw him a hair tie,"You look weird with your hair down."

"Thanks. I was in a rush and forgot to tie it."

He then walked up to Hikari and looked at her closely.

"H..HEY! You know the kids are still-," she said with red flushing on her face.

"You're tired Hikari. You've been pushing yourself too hard."

"W-well I could say the same to you."

"I can actually handle it. Your not like me. You need your rest. And that goes for all of you as well," he said now looking at the kids, "Time for bed everyone."

All the kids started to complain wanting to play with Akira instead.

"He's right guys. You should all head to bed," Hikari said with a gentle smile.

With a grumble all the kids went back to their tents to sleep leaving Akira and Hikari to themselves.

"Well, I'm heading to bed. I'll see ya in the morning Hikari."

Akira then began to walk away when Hikari called put to him.

"Hey Akira. Can I ask you something?"

He then turned back around to face Hikari.

"What's up?"

Hikari walked up to Akira and pulled out a piece of paper and held it out for him to take. Akira took the paper and gave it a brief glance.

"What's thi-"

"Don't even dare to try that with me. I found it under your mattress."

Hikari, now glaring at Akira, clenched her fists.

"So you're hiding things from me now? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

Akira just looked down, scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"It's my decision isn't it? There was no need to worry you about it. I'm not doing it. End of discussion."

"But Akira, don't you know what this could do if you do. Our country will finally be free from the emporer's tyranny. And most of all," she then grabbed his shoulders and lifted his chin,"you'll be free, Akira."

"And then you and all the kids will be left unprotected. Sure people might come and help you, but then who'll protect you from the emporer's army. No. It's too risky. I won't join the revolutionaries."

"But Akira-"

"I already made up my mind Hikari. Now go to bed."

Akira started to walk away to his tent when Hikari spoke up again.

"It's not your fault Akira."

A shiver ran down Akira's spine at the girls statement.

"What do you mean?"

"I already told not to try that with me. Your parents deaths are not your fault. You have to move past it already."

Akira just stood their clenching his fists. His body shaking as the memories of the day he was told of the events which took place on the day of his birth.

"If you keep restraining yourself like this, you'll never be able to protect anyone. Not me. Not yourself. Not the kids. And definitely not this country."

Akira remained silent for a while before speaking.

"Just forget about it Hikari. You need to sleep. Goodnight."

Hikari just sighed while rubbing her forehead.

"He's such an idiot."

~

Morning rolls around and the kids are up early and running around playing tag. Akira then stepped out of his tent and all the kids stopped what they were doing and ran to him.

"GOOD MORNING BROTHER," they all said in unison.

Even though he was still exhausted, he couldn't help but smile at his younger siblings.

"Hey guys. Ain't it too early for yall to be up?"

"We just wanted to play with you brother," said Mako.

Akira then got down on one knee and patted her head.

"Sorry Mako, but I gotta go to work. I'll play with you all later alright."

"But you will be tired by then."

"That is true. But today, I'll push through and play with you anyway. Okay"

Mako's face then lit up with joy.

"REALLY," she exclaimed while embracing her elder brother,"I LOVE YOU BROTHER."

"WE LOVE YOU TOO BROTHER," the other kids exclaimed.

Akira returned Mako's embrace.

"I love you all as well."

He then stood up and tied his hair before running off into the forest. He made it to the edge of the forest where he found Hikari standing by a tree, looking down the path to the town.

"What are you doing this far out Hikari. Going to the market?"

Hikari looked back at Akira, then returned her gaze towards the town.

"Heading back actually."

"Then, what are you doing?

"Just taking in the scenery."

Hikari then picked up her groceries and started to walk into the forest. She then stood right next to him.

"Be as upset as you want Hikari. I'm not gonna change my mind."

"I know."

"...."

"...."

"Do you hate me for it?"

At that comment, she let out a small chuckle.

"Of course not idiot. Don't be ridiculous. Something like this could never make me hate you. After all, your my starboy," she then walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek,"Have a good day alright."

Hikari then walked back to their home. Akira watched Hikari's back for a couple seconds before turning forward heading towards the mining site.

~

After his shift ended, Akira was on his way home, when a shiver ran up his spine. He started to move walk faster until he got to the entrance of the forest. There, he saw a faint glow and smell coming from it.

"Fire!"

Akira started to sprint towards the glow to try and put out the fire, but the scene he witnessed was far worse than he had imagined. For not only were the huts burned down, the kids were left lying on the ground with Hikari nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a spray of water came from behind Akira but instead of it being an attack, it was putting out the flames. But that's when Akira noticed something.

"MAKO!"

He ran over to the girl who lay on the ground shaking in pain from the slash across her stomach.

"Br..brother. It..it hurts. It hurts so much," she says while tears fall down her face.

"Don't talk ok. I'll get you some help."

"Am...I...gonna die?"

"I'll never allow that to happen. Never. Just be still. Where's Hikari."

"Th..th..they..t..took her," Mako said before passing out.

"Fuck. None of the doctors in town can do anything about this and Hikari is the only person I know who can at least help her. Damn it. If I don't do something she'll-"

"I can help," a female voice said from behind Interrupting Akiras thoughts.

Akira then stood up swiftly and saw two females wearing clothes with the revolutionaries emblem on it standing before him.

"Who the fuck are you? Did you do this," he spat out with so much venom it made the first girl shudder.

"Aren't you a little young to have such a foul mouth. And how dare you think we'd hurt a bunch of kids," said the second girl.

"I promise you. I can save her life."

Akira looked carefully at the two before allowing the first girl to heal Mako. She pulled out, a flower from he pocket and placed it on the wound. Almost, instantaneously, the wound healed leaving only a mark and Mako's breathing returned to normal.

"Looks like it worked."

The first girl stood up and stretched out her hand.

"My name is Mai. That's my friend, Yuki. We're apart of the revolutiona-"

"I thought I told you all, I'm not interested."

Yuki then stepped forward and got in Akiras face.

"You really don't have any manners. Though, I can't say I blame ya. Living in this shithole."

Akira just walked past Yuki knelt down near Mako and picked her up.

"Fuck off."

"What do you mean 'fuck off'. We just saved that girls life and you tell us to fuck off."

Akira ignored her.

"Listen, Akira," spoke Mai," I understand why you don't want to. But you must realize that these kids are not safe. With us, we can guarantee their safety and they will be educated."

Akira ignored her as well.

"Hey, we're tal-"

In that moment an overwhelming pressure fell upon the girls.

"What the hell? There's no way such powerful ki is coming from that kid," thought Yuki.

The pressure then subsided. Akira then put down Mako and turned to the girls.

"Watch them."

Then Akira using the wind dashed into the forest.

~

"Damn, what was that ki we just felt?"

"How would I know know? It might be a demon. We should get moving."

The two men speaking were samurai of the shogan. They were the ones who burned down Akira's home. They were initially there to investigate since the shogan had suspected that the revolutionaries had got into contact with him and when they found the letter, they started to trash the place. Hikari tried to fight them but was overwhelmed by the two and beaten. Mako had then tried to stop them from taking Hikari but was cut down in the process.

"Anyway when we get back, I'm going first with the girl."

"What! Hell no. The bitch nearly killed me. I gotta pay her back ten fold before you break her. Plus, I'm the one carrying her. When I'm done, you can have whats left of her."

"Hmph, whatever. But the next girl we get, I got first got it."

"Sure sure."

Hikari laying atop the shoulders of one of the samurai, was deep in thought, worried not only for her situation but for the beast that had just been awakened.

"That was Akira's ki I just sensed. He knows where we are. But he angry right now. If he gets here and see's me like this, his ki will go out of control again. I have to beat these two before he gets here."

"Whew. Guess its that time a year. Its even hot during dusk."

"Hey, how long you think she'll last?"

"Well she is tough so I suspect she'll last longer than the other girls. But, I'd say forty minutes maxi..ghh"

The men not noticing that Hikari had woken up, had let down their guards. This gave Hikari the opportunity to to manipulate the sweat dripping from the man's neck and turning it into a blade, skewering his neck. The man then dropped to the ground Hikari stood up knowing the attack was coming her way.

"You bitch," the other samurai yelled. He then drew his blade ready to cut down. Hikari just barely managed to evade the sword swing.

"Damn it. The fight from earlier drained me of my ki."

Her thoughts were interrupted by another swing which she evaded. But, she didn't dodge the kick that was planted in her stomach. She then hunched over and started to cough up saliva.

"You really are one feisty girl," he said then kicking her again,"...though I can't say I dislike that." He then picked her up by her shirt and threw her against the tree. She now started to cough up blood.

"I like the fighting one's. Makes crushing their pride much more enjoyable."

He started to walk towards her taking off his armour.

"I hope there will some of you left in that brain when I'm done. Now, stand up an-"

The samurai then felt as though he was carrying the world on his shoulders.

"I..is that the demon?"

The samurai turned to see a mere boy standing before him. But this boy was not ordinary, and the samurai could tell.

"What the- a mere boy can bring me to my knees. This must be hi-"

In that moment, the boy used the air to increase his speed and covering his hand in flames, tore the side of the man's abdomen.

"Two affinities. That's impossible."

"H..how?"

"Measuring my ability by your standards is a mistake. I am the exception."

After the man perished, Akira turned to see the other man who lay on the ground lifeless

"Hikari must've taken him out. She's really growing at a high pace."

"Akira!"

The boys turned his attention to the girl who lay next to the tree. He ran towards her to assess how badly she was injured.

"I'm fine Akira. How are the kids."

"They're all okay. Mako was hurt but she was healed."

Hikari looked at Akira with a puzzled look.

"By who?"

"Revolutionaries."

"I see."

"We should get back. You need to get healed as well. Get on my back."

Hikari then got on Akira's back and he started the journey back.

"You think the emporer will come after us."

"Definitely. Two of his samurai are dead. He won't let it go and I'm not confident I could beat him as I am now."

"We could run to a different country."

"Nah. I doubt the leaders of the other nations would like it if we just decided to start living in their country."

"Then what do we do. We can't stay and if we ask the emporer for a pardon, he may ask for something in return. Something insane like-."

Hikari cowered at the thought and held onto Akira even tighter.

"Don't worry. I would never allow anything to happen to you. We'll worry about where we will live later. Let's just get home and rest for now."

"Yeah."

They remained silent for the rest of the journey.

~

By the morning, everyone who was hurt was healed by Mai. Mai also offered them a place to stay which Akira accepted. It took them a couple days but they finally made it. The place was the revolutionaries headquarters. A crater deep in the forest near the countries border. Currently, Akira is sitting on the edge of the crater looking down at all the activity going on. Seeing all the kids together playing with each other and having fun. He couldn't help but smile at the site.

"Never seen you with such a big smile, starboy."

Akira looked beside himself and saw it was Hikari who spoke.

"Yeah well, I'm just happy the kids are safe."

A moment was spent in silence with then just enjoying each other's company when Akira spoke up again.

"I think I'll join the revolutionaries."

"Oh? What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"I've been thinking you were right. What happened to my parents it....it made me scared of my power. That it might hurt the people I care about. But now I understand that it was just an excuse. An excuse to live a mediocre life. And I was about force my family to live in that mediocrity with me. That's not fair. Not at all."

Akira then stood up and held his and clenched it into a fist.

"This country is corrupt. Its people are starving, suffering and dying. I can't afford to be afraid anymore. So I'll fight. I'll fight so that you all of the people of the Land of the Stars can live comfortably and without fear."

He then turned to Hikari and gave a confident grin.

"I promise."

Hikari let out a chuckle.

"And I promise to fight by your side Akira. Let's rebuild our country."

(I hope this is good. Kinda rushed but I'm overall happy with the outcome. I changed my mind know a lot of things when writing this that's why it came out so late. The first chapter to the actual series may take a while to drop but just wait and your patience will be rewarded.)