Chapter 7: Weakness

So, Master Longwang is dead?" Asked Kioku.

Kioku had woken up to find himself in a small empty hut, with Mora by his side and Zeru watching over them. He now stood on the roof of the hut and was staring at the distant town ahead of them, Zeru stood beside him, his cloak fluttering in the wind.

"I can't confirm his death but his Arch signature has definitely disappeared so we can only assume the worst," Zeru said. Kioku noticed a trace of bitterness in Zeru's voice and sighed, he sat down on the roof and looked ahead with a sad expression.

"What's the war situation looking like?" Asked Kioku. Zeru took time to answer and when he did, his voice was filled with despair.

"Our outside forces are spread thin in an attempt to help all our allies. Lord Hakai wished for the main army to remain put which limited our man power. Order's forces gain an advantage by the day and we lost contact with many of our allies. The Buddha's last contact was two years ago, Susan'oo also isn't reachable, and last we heard of Poseidon and Hades they were under heavy fire."

As Kioku listened to all of this, his expression did not change as if he had expected to hear exactly what Zeru said. 'That's why Hakai recalled us, they need man power,' thought Kioku.

Zeru's expression brightened slightly and he gave Kioku a cheerful smile. "But now that you and Mora have returned maybe we can strike back together, everyone's been waiting for your return."

'Sorry to disappoint them but I just got my ass handed to me,' thought Kioku. 'And they expect me to protect them against people that defeated even the Dragon god Longwang.'

Kioku lied down on the roof and gazed at the starry night, the blue moon shined brightly. Kioku closed his and listened to the empty sounds of night, the only thing that brought him comfort.

"Hey, come down here!" shouted a voice.

Kioku stood and saw Mora standing outside the hut, he was limping and had clearly not recovered from his injuries. Kioku and Zeru jumped down from the roof and landed next to Mora.

"What happened?" Demanded Mora. Zeru explained everything that had occured since Mora had been knocked out and the more Zeru spoke the angrier Mora became. Mora turned to Kioku and grabbed him by the collar.

"Why the hell did you leave the master!" shouted Mora. He clenched his hand into a fist that glowed brightly, Zeru stepped forward and prepared himself to stop the two if they fought.

"You're a coward Kioku, after all these years training with you I thought you'd be better than this but I was wrong. You're a coward who doesn't have the guts to-" Kioku kicked Mora and sent him flying back a few feet, Mora spat blood upon landing. Kioku had a look of pure rage on his face.

"You're a damn idiot Mora!" Shouted Kioku, tears forming in his eyes. "The only reason you're standing here is because I saved you, retreating was the only option that gave us another chance of fighting. You're not even upset with me for retreating, you're upset with yourself for being too damn weak!"

Mora's eyes widened, he lowered his head and started pounding his fist on the ground. "WEAK, we were too weak! All these years of training and that was all we could do! DAMN IT!"

Mora paused and look at his hands as tears streamed down his face.

"And now he's gone."

A long silence followed Mora's words. Zeru was about to speak when the door to the hut opened. The trio jumped back and took a fighting stance, a tall man with a travelling cloak stepped out of the hut.

The man had curtain like black hair and dark eyes, he had a handsome face that made him appear ageless, he looked like an older version of Zeru, the only difference was that he had a waist long braid that he tied back. The man smiled warmly at Zeru and bowed before Kioku.

"It's a pleasure to see you again Prince Kioku, it's been far too long," said the man in a courteous tone. Kioku relaxed and so did Mora, the only one who remained vigilant was Zeru who looked like he had seen his worst enemy.

"Who-," began Mora but the man had bowed to him and smiled gently, he was about to speak but Zeru moved forward and faced the man.

"Father," said Zeru stopping a few feet away from the man, his right hand formed into a fist. The man rose from his bow and looked at Zeru with a cheerfull expression.

"Zeru, you didn't inform your unit Captain of your departure," said the man with a smile but his voice came with controlled anger, his hand was also clenched into fist.

"The mission was urgent I-," began Zeru but one look at his father silenced him.

"What if your unit needed you for a strategy and didn't know you couldn't make it and did not plan for that," said Zeru's father, Kioku noticed that the tempreture around the area felt both extremely hot and cold.

"Would you take responsibility if your unit was wiped out? I do not expect such inefficiency-," Zeru's father said, he took one step and disappeared then reappeared behind Zeru and gave him a chop to the neck, Zeru fainted and his father caught him as he fell.

"From a member of the Shadow Guard and the Merokat clan."

Mora stood shocked at the sight he had just seen. 'He moved so fast it looked like he teleported and his presence was completely erased, who the hell is he?' thought Mora.

As if reading Mora's thoughts, Zeru's father turned to face Mora with a smile but the air around him was intimidating far more intimidating than what Mora had felt from Henry or even Longwang.

"I am Yona Merokat, chief of the Merokat clan and Supreme Commander of the Shadow Realm Special Unit."

♤♤♤

In the throne room of Hakai's palace, Hakai sat on his throne whilst Tsukiyomi paced around the room nervously. Hakai was trying to sleep but was disturbed by the sounds of worry Tsukiyomi made.

"The level of worry you display makes you look like a woman," said Hakai amusement evident in his voice. Tsukiyomi stopped pacing and sighed.

"Hakai, your adopted child and heir may very well be dead and Longwang, your close friend, might be dead as well and all you do is sit there and act like all is well," said Tsukiyomi worriedly.

"Longwang knew very well the dangers that came with allying himself with me and my father, his death is a product of his choices," Hakai said this with no hint of sadness, he had spoken as if he was merely stating an obvious fact.

"What about Kioku and Mora and the one you sent to retrieve them!" Shouted Tsukiyomi, he was upset at Hakai's lack of care.

"Ah, those three arrived some time ago, I tasked Yona with picking them up," said Hakai absentmindly. There was a brief moment in which Tsukiyomi stared with a dumbfounded expression at the mass of darkness that was Hakai.

"Then why didn't you inform me?" Asked Tsukiyomi angrily.

"It's always nice to see a woman worry," said Hakai with a chuckle.

"Who are you referring to as a-," Tsukiyomi looked as though he was about to attack Hakai but he took a deep breath and calmed himself, he had forgotten who he was speaking with.

"Atleast you must be worried about the fact that the Heavenly Society is now hunting for the Advocates."

"Not in the least," Hakai said whilst yawning loudly. "They may have managed to capture or kill Longwang but other than me the other Advocates are either dead or in hiding, Kami-Gatta has been gone for two thousand years and Nero disappeared during the war which was Aeons ago."

"Your carefree behaviour will one day be your down fall," said Tsukiyomi in an exasperated. 'Most people would think he's reckless and carefree but under that carefree manner is the most devious mind in existance,' thought Tsukiyomi.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" Tsukiyomi's voice regained its worry and he faced Hakai with an anxious expression.

"You can stop your crying Tsukiyomi, they just entered the capital."