Chapter 1: Prologue

Prologue

There once lived a man who sought out to bring peace to the world through conquest. He conquered many lands on his journey and became the most feared and respected man on the planet. He was a beacon of light in a dark, cruel world. But eventually he was defeated by a coalition of nations, now known as the Holy king alliance. Even though he failed in his goal, his legend lives on, inspiring many to follow in his footsteps. Those people are the Outliers of today.

This is a tale I have known for as long as I can remember, and 9 years ago, in my homeland fisher's village (A small village in the southernmost part of the continent, cut off from the rest of the world by two natural barriers "The beast forest and the swirling sea.") my very own journey began.

The swirling sea is calm today, and some villagers take full advantage of that. The fishermen sail out deep into the sea to catch the best fish, whilst others play on the shore and swim in the water with their children. But my friends and I have different plans.

"So, what's the next move Masaka?" Francis ask.

I've known Francis my entire life. He is my first, and closest friend: We're basically like brothers. He has medium length curly black hair, pale skin, and wears the same linen clothing as I do.

"Our next move." I replied. "Hm... Tona, what do you think?"

Tona [age 10] is standing guard directly in front of Francis and I with her metal bat and fluffy puffs. She wears a sleeveless pink shirt and draping beige shorts. Tona is the smartest of the group, but she doesn't like to speak around strangers. Tona is also super protective of everyone and is always kind and caring.

"We should start our adventure. We're all strong now thanks to Miss Kaen, and the sea is calm today. Who knows when we'll get our next chance."

Jackie and Hatsuhime, the last members of our group, are practicing kendo on the hill behind us. Jackie [age 9], the timid and gentle one of the group, overhears our conversation and is visibly distressed.

"We're gonna start already?" Jackie says to us as he turns away from his opponent.

Hatsuhime [age 11] the oldest, and most frightening of the group hits Jackie on the head with her bokken, giving him a knot that's visible through his blonde bangs.

"You have to always stay focused Jackie! If this was a battle, you'd be dead! If you hold Masaka back, I'll kill you." Says Hatsuhime.

Hatsuhime has long black hair, wrapped up in a bun with two braids that frame her face, and she wears a white and brown flowered dress with the sleeves torn off. Hatsuhime used to bully all the kids in the village but that stopped when I finally beat her in a duel and made her one of my friends.

"Hey Hatsu, watch how you talk to my brother." says Francis.

Francis and Hatsuhime angrily glare at each other.

"Alright calm down guys. I'm making my decision so Don't mess up the mood!" Hatsuhime and Francis avert their gazes and I continue with my statement. "We'll officially start our journey today!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah!" We all cheered in excitement.

"But don't we need money for that boss?" Jackie asked skeptically.

"Oh yeah, you're right. I haven't thought about that." I replied.

Everyone is dumbfounded by my thoughtless response.

"Don't worry guys I have a plan for that." Says Frances in a disappointed tone.

"What plan?" Tona replies

In the same tone Francis asks, "You guys remember the gangs on the coast of the village, that we mess with every day?"

"Uhuh uhuh." We all reply in anticipation.

"They have this big building where they give each other big sacks of money for playing games. The plan is to go in there and win all the money. That way we don't have to fight anyone, and we leave the village on a peaceful note." Says Francis, yet the only words I heard were "gangs, fight, and money" and I was in.

"Yeah. We'll kick their asses!" I replied.

Tona scolds me saying, "Masaka. No bad words Remember"?

"Oh, yeah my bad." I replied.

"But what about miss, Kaen?" Hatsuhime asked, and she's visibly sad upon asking this question. The mood immediately changed, and everyone got serious.

"Yeah, the doctor was at the house that day and he said she caught the Incurable." Francis says with teary eyes.

The Incurable is a mysterious disease as old as time. It strikes without sign or warning: It's the ultimate killer.

"Hey guys listen. My mom is strong. You don't have to worry about her, all right. She'll respect our decision! We're gonna conquer the world and have the greatest adventure ever. Are you guys with me?" I say with a glass smile, so fragile it'll shatter at the smallest disturbance.

A large group of the gang members who reside on the coast are inside of a raggedy guild building playing blackjack and smoking with sacks of money around them. The village is split into two groups of people. Those who happened upon it in search of a home, and criminals who fled here to escape persecution.

"Haha, I won again." Crunel, a burly bald headed gang leader says as he slams his cards on the table.

"Shut up you fool. I am gonna get my money back ten times." replies the frail, toothless, greasy haired man sitting beside him.

"Hehe, I'm gonna buy a nice ride with this. We'll be rich in the city." Says bones, a tall slim man as he counts his money on an old dusty wooden table.

"Yeah, there'll be hot babes all around us. That is if we can make it there." Says grim another member of Crunels gang.

All the while they are unknowingly being stalked by my very own gang. I kick down their door causing a dusk cloud to fill the room. Everyone in the building looked toward the door in anticipation, and once the dust finally settled, we walked into the building eager to earn some cash. The tension in the room is crushingly thick.

"Agh. It's those crazy ass kids. What are they doing here?" Bone says in an irritated manner.

I walk to the center of the room, making myself everyone's focus.

"I'm gonna be taking all of that money you have." I said in the most serious way I possibly can. But I can tell, I'm not being taken seriously, then the gang proceeds to laugh hysterically. This angers Tona

"Tona don't worry. I got this." I say, in an attempt to calm her down.

I walk up to Crunel who is three feet taller than him and looks him in the eyes.

"Who are you laughing at fatty?" I asked.

Crunel looks over me and completely ignores my presence

"Huh, did you guys hear something?" Crunel replies. I grab his arm and flip the large man onto his head subsequently causing the floor beneath him to give.

Everyone in the guild stops laughing.

I look down on the now unconscious man and ask, "Can you hear me now fat ass?"

The gang members get out of their seats.

"Attack?" I exclaimed, starting a brawl in the raggedy guild.

The Gang members attack us, but they can't land any hits. My mother Kaen, trains us all for situations just like this. Since the men are so much bigger than us, we attack their nether regions, crippling those who dare to approach us with pain.

"Everyone, hold your nuts!" Yells Muno, one of the younger members of the Crunel gang.

The men close their eyes and hold their nether regions in fear, allowing us to make away with their cash.

"Alright let's take off." Yells Francis.

We run out of the building with their sacks of money and a thrilling chase ensues. The farther we run through the Gang controlled half of the village the larger the mob gets.

"Hey! Get back here with our loot!" Yells bones,

"Hahaha." I replied while teasing them with a mocking crybaby face.

"When we catch you your dead brats." Yells a random scrawny member of the Crunel gang. We reach the dock, and the thugs are a few dozen meters behind us at this point

"Get on that ship right there." I say.

"You're not going anywhere." Replies Grim.

We reach the ship and throw the bags of money on board then hop aboard ship one by one. First Tona, then Hatsuhime, then Francis. But Jackie trips on a loose dock line, nearly falling in the water but I grab him just in time.

"Get away from our boat!" Yells Prattford, another member of the Crunel gang.

"Come on, let's go Jackie!" I exclaimed. As soon as Jackie lands on the ship I hear something that freezes my entire body.

[The deep voice of a man from a few meters away]

"Mitsuhito Masakado. Are you truly going to leave this village, when I know the cure for your mother's illness?" Says the man in a slow eerie manner that sends chills down ones spine.

"Masakado what are you doing!? Get out of there!" Yells Francis.

The dock line gets split in two by a bullet and the ship begins to move away from the docks. My heart begins to race. I am stuck in place not by fear but by the conflict the voice has caused in my heart.

"Masaka, the ship is moving. we're not gonna leave without you!"

I hear the voice again, and this time it carries a different message.

"Masakado, turn around." Says the voice.

I look out to my friends and see the expressions on their faces change from anxiety to absolute terror. I turn around and come face to face with Merle, the leader of the hell gates and his right and left heads, Bruce and Steamer with smoke coming out of the end of his pistol. Merle is the strongest man in the entire village standing seven feet tall with a slender but Muscular frame. He wears fancy leather clothing with spikes protruding from his entire body.

"In the forest where the beast resides lives a giant green dragon, whose blood can cure any affliction." Says, Merle. For some reason his words reached me, and my heart is set in one direction.

"Hey, you get away from our Masaka!" Yells, Hatsuhime.

"We're coming to save you!" Yells Jackie in a shaky voice.

"Stay back!" I yell. "I don't want you guys to get hurt. Just stay back!"

"But Masaka!" Yell's Jackie.

"This is our dream Masaka! We can't do it without you!"

"Please just leave!" Tears begin to fall from my eyes in a way they never have before. Is this what true sadness feels like?

"Something is wrong. Let's go guys." Francis says, as he turns towards Hatsuhime, Jackie, and Tona."

"But." says Jackie who is promptly cut off.

"I said. Let's go! There's something wrong. Masaka wouldn't hide anything from us like this." Says Francis

Tona adds, "That guy: He must have done something to Masaka."

"Dammit! Just turn the ship around you idiots! We can't leave him, I'm gonna kill those bastards!" Hatsu exclaims with pure anger. Francis holds her back as she tries to jump into the water and swim back to shore.

"Stop Hatsuhime. It's too late, we're already riding the current. If you jump, you'll die!"

I can feel Jackie and everyone else tearfully gazing at me with pure sorrow in their eyes. I can also sense their anger towards the hell gate bandits.

"Masaka. Whatever you do, just promise us you won't die! We'll be back for you!" Francis yells. "Come on, put your pinky up Masakado! Promise us!"

I turn towards my friends who can no longer hold back their tears, and neither can I. I lift my arm and extend my pinky finger to the sky with everything I have in me.

"I promise!" I exclaimed whilst weeping.

"Furl the sails, we're leaving him. Let's do what our leader says. We must trust him." Francis says.

"Okay." Says Tona while wiping her eyes.

"Masaka." Says Hatsuhime as she covers his face with both of her hands wailing.

Francis and Jackie are also bawling as they furl the sails. The Ship picks up a gust of wind and begins to fade into the horizon. I glance at them one last time and before I know they are gone.

"You little twerp." Says Crunel, the man I had knocked out previously as he approaches me with his arm cocked back. Suddenly my world goes black.

To be continued...