Chapter 4: The 'Akashi' Name

Chapter 4: The 'Akashi' Name.

Kagami examined the miracles for the slightest discrepancy. He imagined there would be a possibility of the miracles tricking him into giving up Kuroko. "Kuroko and that devil are married?"

The miracles were emitting high intensity of aura. They had strong confidence in their abilities, possessing high intense impression of the wild. Teiko were superior in various aspects of strength.

"Poor Kagamicchi. Kagamicchi and the rest of Seirin didn't possess a bond deep enough for Kuroko to trust with his life." Kise said with a bright smile. Among the five miracles, Kise possess great skills of deception and transformation. He could bring out hurtful things with a bright smile on his face. Such is a characteristic of fox spirit.

"Your expression must be telling us 'how can it be possible'." said Midorima.

"That would be a normal reaction! We've just first years in high school. He's barely seventeen!" Kagami had barked at the miracles.

"That's not right, Kagamin~" a girl with pink hair had crouched behind Kagami and pulled him onto his feet. "Nice to meet you, I am Teiko's personal information broker, Momoi Satsuki." The girl grinned.

"Stop calling me weird names! My name is Kagami!" Kagami growled. Kagami had enough of the miracles' giving him weird nicknames.

"Don't you wanna know about Tetsu-kun?" Momoi pushed Kagami's switch. "We'll talk about Tetsu-kun. But you're not getting anywhere. Afterall, he's quite worried about you after chasing all the way from Seirin. It was unheard of. Even Akashi-kun was shocked, you see."

Momoi's words got Kagami to shut up and settled down on the chair he was pointed to him by Momoi. He had no choice but to join the table filled with monsters and devils. It was going to be a long night. The miracles began telling their tale.

The miracles met Kuroko for the first time when he was still a mere child six years of age. Kuroko was presented to Teiko as a human sacrifice in exchange for the flourishing of their capital, resources.... and love. Akashi was a strong word. The name 'Akashi' wield power. Many had feared him, even by whispering his name. His name had become a curse, his name was used in the vast trickery and mockery. Children were taught to fear them, avoid unlucky places and forbidden to go near children who bear the curse. Humans decided they were born to be sacrifices to please the raging devil. It was the name of the raging devil who reside in the lands of Teiko, where the lands were deemed forbidden by the grand elders who had learnt their lessons from their dreadful past.

The miracles were horrified. They had imagined the poor boy had been badly abused, bullied and looked down. On their own kind. Kise and Aomine had snapped, threatened to kill them who dared to harm Kuroko in their presence. They have felt the affinity the boy had towards them. Although they had only met for few seconds, the miracles could feel the strong bond from the small child. The miracles had easily guessed the hardships of the suddenly orphaned boy had experienced with only an evil uncle as his living guardian. Kuroko's appearance had merely confirmed the miracles' detective skills. He was barely skin and bones when he was offered to Akashi.

"Aomine, Kise. Stop it. We shall accept this boy." Akashi had told them. He glared the humans with his emperor's eye. "This is the only time you shall be pardoned. The next time we shall meet will be in your afterlife."

The biological reactions of humans experiencing fear had begun to show. The involuntary tremors, sweaty palms, fast heartbeat and the nervousness could not reach to a halt, the humans had experienced the shivers of the coldness and callousness of the devil. One of them was the tyrant supreme ruler of Kirisaki Daiichi which Akashi had identified as Kuroko's uncle. Greed had overcome the love of their blood.

"Are you sure, Akashi? They could've deceived you, God knows what kind of mockery they could've pulled off." Midorima had advised.

"Akashi-sama, we wouldn't dare!" The humans had pleaded for mercy.

"That's fine, Shintarou. They have journeyed this far to offer me a deal. Although I do not understand the sick minds of humans in sacrificing their own nephew to a demon, I will pardon them for sake of this boy." said Akashi. "Aomine, Kise. Please escort the guests out."

Kise and Aomine took them by their collars and tossed them out of the Rakuzan castle, the heart of the Teiko empire. "Remember well that you're alive is thanks to the boy, not our Master's generous heart." Kise eyes were filled will intense murderous aura.

"From now on, the boy belongs to us. You're no longer qualified as his guardian. Try to harm him, you will face the miracles of Teiko." Aomine had slammed the great doors in their devastated faces.

"What have we done?" One of them panicked, looking at the remaining Kuroko bloodline, tyrant ruler of Kirisaki Daiichi. "What should we do if they plan to destroy us? Isn't sacrificing that boy was a waste?"

"Relax. They won't move without that devil's orders. Let's go home. We have accomplished our mission." Kuroko's uncle had sneered. "We got rid of that cursed child."

Midorima had sent for a few chambermaids to prepare a bath and a room for Kuroko. Murasakibara Atsushi was a miracle with the strongest defense, had defended Teiko on Akashi's orders and led Teiko to numerous victories, earning his nickname, The Ogre's Defense. He had taken on the duty himself of making delicious food for their newest family Kuro-chin, as he called it. Although Teiko had staff taking care of the food and retailing ingredients, the ogre would not take no for an answer. Teiko was surprised at how the young child had got Teiko's strongest defense warrior to open up and become more compassionate.

Young Kuroko was clueless what was happening to him. It finally dawned on him that his evil uncle was finally fed up with him and was offered to the devil as sacrifice. He did not understand how sacrifices were offered services. He was cleaned, groomed and dressed in fresh clothes. The idea that he was saved by the devil has not fully accepted the fact comfortably within Kuroko's mind. He stared at the fresh clothes the chambermaids had dressed him in, throwing his tattered clothes into the rubbish chute in distaste. The chambermaids had wondered who in the right mind could have treated such a fragile boy in such extreme harshness. It was cruelty. The chambermaids assured Kuroko there will be no such person at Teiko. They promised Kuroko that he would be nourished, stating that his malnourishment is nothing to be laughed at. They were surprised how Kuroko could have fended human lands. Akashi had been waiting for him in Kuroko's assigned quarters when the chambermaids had brought Kuroko to retire for the night.

"A... Akashi-sama." Kuroko bowed, greeting the devil master. The devil master had dismissed the chambermaids, leaving both the master and Kuroko alone in the extravagant quarters Kuroko would have never dreamt of.

"How do you feel?" He gestured Kuroko to join him on the bed.

"Akashi-sama, aren't I brought here to be eaten?" Kuroko asked.

Akashi had sighed. It must be the humans' doing. "Did your uncle tell you that?" Akashi confirmed.

Kuroko nodded.

"You don't have to worry about dying here. No one will eat you alive, especially when you're all skin and bones. You won't even taste good." Akashi scoffed.

Kuroko chuckled. "You do say interesting things, Akashi-sama."

Akashi smiled as he tucked Kuroko to bed. "Tomorrow I'll have Kise and Aomine start teaching you lessons. I've heard that you like to read. I do not like people who are clueless of the world. You can't choose your background, but you can choose your future."

Kuroko had looked away. "I see you must have done quite some research on me. Did you manage to discover uncle's evil schemes? Way to go, Akashi-sama."

"No. You just seemed like the type to read silently in a corner, if you're given a chance." Akashi replied. "And you can drop that formal honorific. Isn't that quite mouthful, calling me that every time?"

"How could I? You're my saviour, Akashi-sama. If it wasn't because of you, uncle would have killed me. Father had resented him when he was still alive. The Kuroko family knows it was uncle who murdered Mother." said Kuroko.

"No. I insist." Akashi stood his ground.

Kuroko sighed, seeing as Akashi had refused to budge. "I'll call you Akashi-kun then."

"That's better." Akashi smiled. "Goodnight, Kuroko Tetsuya." Akashi had vanished. That night, Kuroko had the most peaceful sleep he had for the first time in years. He was free from the evil tyrant.

Kuroko woke up to the glowing morning sunshine through the small gaps of the window. His chambermaids were waiting patiently for him to rise. They didn't have the heart to disturb Kuroko's peaceful sleep. It was only yesterday they felt the child was rescued from the hands of the deceiving humans. They were glad that Kuroko's complexion was slowly improving since Akashi had took him in.

"Good morning, Kuroko-sama." The chambermaids greeted as Kuroko, still heavy from the deep slumber stirred from the comfortable nest of pillows and covers. The chambermaids then ushered Kuroko into the bath before even waiting for Kuroko to register how long they had been waiting for him to rise. Kuroko still had difficulties in accepting the fact that the bath was excessively huge, just like everything else in the empire. Just as the chambermaids were finished with dressing Kuroko in a fine pale blue kimono, a choker was fastened with a loud click. Kuroko had panicked and tugged at the leather choker.

"What is this? Take this off!" He scowled at the chambermaids. The chambermaids shook their heads, claiming it was an order from the master. The choker had a recognizing system embedded into it, only Akashi had the power to unlock the choker. Kuroko sighed. He gave up realizing that the chambermaids were Akashi's hands and legs.

It dawned on Kuroko. He was a Teiko captive.

Kise and Aomine galant figures entered Kuroko's quarters. They donned the uniform of the Teiko miracles, where the devil master had self-handpicked. The fox spirit, Kise Ryouta and the tengu commander, Aomine Daiki were part of the members Akashi had chosen to represent the miracles of Teiko.

"Yo, Tetsu." Aomine lazily greeted, accompanied by a huge yawn.

"Good morning, Kurokocchi~!" Kise had cheerfully lugged himself onto the small child. Aomine pulled Kise's collar, and tossed him onto the carpeted floor.

"Get off him, Kise. You wanna kill Tetsu?" Aomine had sighed.

"Aomine-kun, Kise-kun, why are you here?" Kuroko's stony voice ranged quietly. "Do devils rise so early in the morning?"

Aomine flicked Kuroko in the forehead. "We're not vampires. We eat and sleep like normal humans, you bastard."

"Ouch." Kuroko massaged his forehead. "It hurts, Aomine-kun."

"Of course it does. I was beginning to wonder if your senses had run haywire. To be truthful I panicked when I saw how severe your condition was yesterday." Aomine grinned. "Starting today you're gonna get lessons on 'how to live on a demon land',"

Kuroko stared at the two miracles. "Oh."

"Kurokocchi, you're not supposed to agree with him!" Kise whined. "We're not demons!"

"Kise-kun, it doesn't make a difference. I'm the only human living in Teiko." Kuroko corrected Kise, which had made Kise whined even louder, to Kuroko's regret. Two hours later Aomine and Kise decided to give Kuroko a tour so he would not get lost and causing Akashi to make a huge fuss. Kuroko had thought the lands of humans were ridiculously huge. But Teiko had more lands, which made Teiko even massive than the human lands.

The empire of Teiko consisted of five districts, each ruled strictly by a miracle. Kise and Aomine began to explain the topography and the horizons of Teiko. The five districts were Kaijou, Toóu, Shutoku, Yosen and Rakuzan. Rakuzan was the heart of Teiko, where the master resides. Kuroko who belongs to the master, resides in Rakuzan as well. Kuroko had no powers to venture the lands of Teiko like the rest of the individuals in Teiko. Only with the master's exclusive permission Kuroko is granted access to venture outside Rakuzan.

Akashi truly despise humans. Akashi was famous for his terrifying personality and interests throughout the lands. He tossed away Kuroko's belongings which had reminded him the curses of humans' greed.

"You do not need them. From now on, you are to wear what I have chosen for you. My orders are absolute, you're not allowed to defy me, Kuroko Tetsuya."

Aomine and Kise gave instructions and homework, on days Kuroko did not have lessons, he could be found reading books in the library. Kuroko did not dare to challenge the devil master. He finally came to a conclusion that the choker was like an identity within Teiko. In the mornings, Kuroko trains swordsmanship, archery, horse-riding and several other physical training with Aomine. Kuroko admits Aomine was a very skilled warrior even among Teiko, which Akashi had selected him to become one of the miracles. In the afternoon, he takes fundamental studies such as ancient history and social studies with Kise. Kise was well versed in fundamental interactions and ancient history. Spirit foxes were revered as Guardians which had protected the spiritual world. They are well versed in the spirits who resides in the spiritual world. Humans who have gotten lost or entered the spiritual world with ill intentions were deceived and tricked, their bodies were found dead the next day.

Murasskibara sometimes brings snacks during lessons for Kuroko in hope he would eat more. Kuroko's small appetite was worrisome, which had resulted in the detailed research of nutrition, and publishing of several health journals contributing to the quality of academic research. Murasakibara had tried various types of food, which had the opposite effect on Kuroko. His research had provided Teiko a general idea of humans' needs, which was necessary for devils to raise a human among themselves, had unlocked Murasakibara motivation to cultivate Kuroko into a healthier individual. His discovery of Kuroko's fondness of vanilla shakes had opened a new light to motivate and improve his diet, which he had jumped for joy. Kuro-chin had finally showed interests in eating, Murasakibara had commented.

Kuroko was the only child who age. From a young child, Kuroko had matured into a teenager. Midorima had presented his worries to his master. They were well versed in human capability, especially the mortality rates of an average human. "Akashi, what are you planning?" Midorima had dared to ask the master. "Kuroko won't live long. He would soon grow old, and leave this world one day, as a human."

Teiko had realized the affection both Kuroko and their master had for each other. The servants had noted often they had discovered Kuroko and Akashi silently spending time with each other, often sharing the same table in the library. Although they had exchanged less than few words a day, anyone could tell the affection they had for each other was not something simple as family love. There wasn't a single soul who had saw their master with a gentle smile. The young child which Akashi had carefully raised had thawed the ice within the devil's heart. Kuroko had grown up watching the back of the man he loved protecting Teiko empire. At the age of ten, Akash had personally trained Kuroko techniques, discovering his talents and skills, transforming him into one of Teiko's best assassins. Akashi had become someone who was even more important than Kuroko's own life. Kuroko had vowed to protect Akashi and Teiko to the best of his abilities. Akashi was his saviour, teacher, mentor and his fated partner. Akashi had chained Kuroko his body and heart to Teiko, sealing all routes of escape, ultimately becoming someone solely belonging to the devil master Akashi-sama.

"I'm not planning on letting him go. He has been mine since he was offered to me all those years ago." Akashi quietly sipped his tea. "I've made it so he can never escape from me. I've felt it ever since he had first come to Teiko, Shintarou. He is mine."

"Then you better be quick." Midorima took a last sip of his tea and rose from his seat. "Before he is tainted by someone else." Midorima quiet footsteps faded down the long hallway.

The miracles had felt the day where Kuroko would join them was drawing nearer. The miracles had observed their master snapping at everyone, and anyone who would try to hook with Kuroko. It won't be long now. Kuroko had matured into a fine adult. He was more than capable of protecting himself than most humans could. The miracles had felt the humans had unconsciously threw away a talented capital. Because of their greed, they had rather sacrifice their kin. But they were wrong. Kuroko Tetsuya will never return to the human lands. He would become humans' greatest enemy and bring forth the lands to their downfall.

It was then when Kuroko had turned fifteen. It was also the day of the full moon. It is said that spiritual beings draw power of the full moon and are at their strongest on days of the full moon. "Kuroko, what do you think of Teiko?" Akashi had asked.

"It's been my home for a long time, Akashi-kun." Kuroko had a confused look when he had obediently replied Akashi.

"Then, what you do you think about me?" Akashi asked.

Kuroko chuckled. "What's with you today, Akashi-kun? Of course I love you, Akashi-kun."

"Do you love me hard enough to sacrifice for me?" Akashi caressed Kuroko's soft bangs. "Do you love me strong enough to spend your lifetime alone, separated from your kind?"

Kuroko took hold of Akashi's hand. "I will. I have grown detesting humans. They have done nothing but cursing me and my family. But you are my light, Akashi-kun. Without you, I wouldn't be here. I love you, Akashi-kun."

"Even if you have to spend a millennium without ever aging?" Akashi questioned.

"I grew up loving you. Akashi-kun and Teiko were all I could love. Although Akashi-kun is scary at times, people just tend to misunderstand. See, you're not scary at all." Kuroko smiled at Akashi.

Akashi took Kuroko into his embrace. "You're mine, Kuroko. No, after today, you won't be Kuroko anymore." He held Kuroko like a princess.

"What are you talking about? And where are you taking me?" Kuroko was very confused and embarrassed.

"You will know soon." was Akashi's only reply.

Akashi paused his systematic footsteps in front the great entrance to the palace bath. The miracles had waited for Akashi patiently and had greeted their master upon his presence. "The ritual is ready, Akashi." Midorima had informed Akashi.

"Congrats, Tetsu." Aomine had winked.

"Kurokocchi~!" Kise had whined.

Midorima did not have any comment.

"Eh~ good for you, Kuro-chin~" Murasakibara was stuffing his face with snacks in his hands.

The huge bath was soaked in the red essence. Kuroko was filled with shock, observing the state of the great bath had become. Akashi tightened his hold on Kuroko, stepped into the crimson red water, submerging Kuroko into the water. Kuroko screamed as fear accumulated as he wondered what had happened to the waters in the bath.

"Akashi-kun!"

Kuroko felt as if air had left had left his lungs, his bodily functions have slowly ceased their functioning. What happened? Kuroko could barely see as the redness from the waters had accumulated around Kuroko, obscuring his vision.

"From now on, you're Akashi Tetsuya."

Akashi joined Kuroko in the waters, held Kuroko in his arms. Kuroko's pulse fragile body was giving out was becoming weaker and fainter by seconds. "What's happening...Akashi-kun?" Kuroko could barely muster energy to even whisper. Akashi knew the crimson waters was harmful to humans. But it was necessary. Akashi's fangs had elongated. His tilted Kuroko's head to the left, revealing his pale, delicate skin. Without another second wasted, Akashi had plunged his fangs deep into Kuroko's neck. That fated night was the first time Teiko heard Kuroko's shrill scream.

Devils like Akashi possess powers and strengths to turn humans into the very being they are. Their fangs are coated with poison which are harmful to humans. Humans call these devils 'vampires', spirits who feed on blood. Kuroko had passed out in Akashi arms due to the sudden extreme pain. The Akashi family were descendants of vampires, making them the closest to humans. They were also said to be the most dangerous spirits among the residents in the spirit world. There were many families descended from the ancient spirits of vampires. Many had been scattered, no longer a tribe of vampires still living and dictating the present. Some do not remember their identities as vampires, some vowed to destroy humans, Vampires could be found living among humans, some fell in love with humans and had a family of dhampirs. Human greed did not change even after centuries of surviving. Many spirits and devils met the sad fates at the hands of humans, similar like Kuroko had experienced. They inherited the cursed lives of vampires, humans had blamed them for destroying their lives, including the cause of epidemic diseases. They believe spirits and devil bring curses and misfortune to the powerless humans, and claimed monsters do not possess feelings, all they are capable are the inborn callous nature they were cursed with.

[Bring your friends close, keep your enemies closer.]

"Tetsuya...." Akashi caressed Kuroko's messy bangs. Akashi bit his wrist, taking his own blood into his mouth. He kissed Kuroko, invading deep into Kuroko's territory and transferring his blood and feeding Kuroko with his blood. Kuroko had stirred, the rich taste of blood awakened the burning sensations of his taste sensors. Kuroko's strength depleted, the ritual had used his stored strength to turn Kuroko, leaving him no remaining strength to go against his master. The ritual was successful, under certain conditions the power of the moon and darkness will grant the blessings transforming into a vampire, robbing the human of their divine blessings of the Gods. The night of the full moon grants access to the spirit world, where the portal opens with the divine powers from the moon. On nights of full moon, spirits from the spirit world roams Teiko, where the borderline between the human world and the spirit world intersect.

"Welcome to the spirit world."

A cold chill blew over the lands of Teiko. Spirits and devils alike celebrated in joy. Their master had chosen his mate. Our new kin was born.