2

He slowly opened his crimson red eyes, his eyelids heavy and his head throbbing. The window on his right had been left opened, welcoming the summer breeze which brought along with it soft sakura leaves from the tree outside that room. He sat up on the futon, a petal falling gently in his lap. He couldn't tell where he was or who brought him there but he could tell that he couldn't leave that room.

BOUND.

That was the incantation in the doorway as well as on the windowsill. He raised his hand, whispering,"WITHER AWAY."

In vain. The incantation wouldn't wither away. He raised his eyebrows. For someone to be powerful enough to confine a lion spirit like him. That could either mean an unavoidable danger or a reliable ally.

He held his breath, eyes wide as he slowly turned his head. There sitting on the windowsill was a human boy in white pajamas, his eyes clear blue and hair black. How come he couldn't sense his presence?

"Dumplings?", the boy said.

"Pardon?"

He jumped off the window sill, a bowl of fresh dumplings in his hand,"Here. You must be starving after sleeping for 3 days."

The beast closely watched the human boy as he came to his side and plopped down on the wooden floor, crossing his legs and offering the white ceramic bowl to the boy in front of him.

"Try some."

"Are you aware of what I am?"

His offer rejected, the boy retracted his hand, picking up a dumpling from the bowl,"A lion spirit."

He put it in his mouth, licking the tip of his index finger.

"Are you not afraid of me?"

"Why would I be?"

"I am a beast. I can hurt yo-"

"You can not."

The boy cut him off, his stare intense and his still blue eyes digging holes in the beast's soul who gulped. That human's aura was heavy. He felt like one reckless move and he could lose his life. But there was something missing. Something strange about that boy's energy.

"Now eat up. I need to tell Kim that you are awake."

The beast dared not to touch the food. He didn't trust that human who had his eyes closed despite having a beast sitting in his room and right in front of him. Did his arrogance come with his superiority in power? He felt himself getting irritated.

The boy was using telepathy but what was that place? Was he even in the beast domain anymore?

"This is human world", opening his eyes, the boy answered his unasked question. He yawned and for the first time the beast saw how tired the human boy looked.

Was he not sleeping well? Not that it was any of his concerns.

He frowned,"Did you read my thoughts just now?"

The boy shook his head, his sapphire earring swaying a little,"I don't have any such power. You had your thoughts written all your face. I'm Rin by the way. What's your name?"

"Loid."

"Are you a big deal?", Rin leaned back on his outstretched hands. Such unrefined language.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Kim said you were some important guy. Something about your red eyes and black hair. Your hair sure are long."

Loid was irritated. Again. Are you this talkative to every stranger you meet? That was what he had wanted to say but instead he said,"I'm an imperial spirit. The guardian of our tribe. My features are my proof."

The boy whistled.

Was he for real?

"Royalty. Nice."

"Who are you?"

"I told you. I'm Rin."

"Let me rephrase myself. What are you?"

The boy sat up straight. His demeanor serious now. Did that human have a personality disorder? That was rude of him to think. Loid mentally reprimanded himself.

"I'm a Kage for now?"

"For now?"

"Hmm."

"Are you planning on resigning?"

"You are being nosy."

"What?"

"You don't need to know about my life."

"Even when you let me sleep at your house for three days?"

Rin crossed his arms, his poker face not giving away any emotions. Was he irritated? Was he annoyed? Loid couldn't tell and that was frustrating for someone like him, someone who had lived his life, leading his tribe by reading the atmosphere of the meetings and battlefields.

"Don't create meanings of my kindness. I don't trust you."

"What a coincidence! Neither do I."

He could see Rin's eyebrow twitch and he felt a sense of triumph.

"Too bad you can't dare to move an inch."

Loid frowned which deepened when that blue eyed boy smirked at him. He wouldn't lose. Not to a human.

"I do have-"

"Ah!!!!"

It came charging in through the window, someone on a broomstick. Rin cursed, pulling Loid by the front of his gray kimono, making him duck as that person swooshed past them, crashing in the bookshelf.

It was an elf. An elf with a broken broomstick, that is. The books on the shelf swayed before falling down on the elf's head. First book, second book, third book.

"Ow. Ow. Ow",the green eyed elf cried, rubbing his head. Letting go of the lion, Rin got up."Here", he said, extending his hand for his friend to take,"learn how to apply breaks, Kim."

The elf took his hand, getting on his feet and dusting his brown shirt and trousers,"I am. It's just too difficult. Not everyone can teleport like you, you know."

Rin rolled his eyes before going around the short brown haired boy and picking up his books. Kim adjusted his big, round glasses before turning to the boy sitting on the futon.

"Is this the lion you fought?", the elf asked Rin over his shoulder.

"Fought?", Loid questioned.

"Do you not remember fighting this guy?", the elf pointed over his shoulder at the boy who was casting a repairing spell on his broomstick.

"I fought him? I can't recall any such thing."

The elf clicked his tongue,"No worries. I'll tell you the tale. Oh, I'm Kimberly by the way." He extended his small hand and a scar on his right wrist caught the beast's eye.

"Loid",he said, shaking hands with Kim.

"Loid the lion. Cool", he grinned and Loid cracked a small smile. The kid reminded him of his brother.

His brother.

The realization suddenly dawned upon him. A sharp pain pierced his head and he bent over, his head in his hand. What were those images flashing through his mind?

Smoke. Fire. Blood. Ashes. Cries.

"Get a hold of yourself!",Rin cried from beside the elf.

He snapped his head up, eyes bloodshot and his fangs bare.

"Rin, Rin. We need to do something",Kim cried, tugging on Rin's sleeve.

"For God's sake, stop freaking out, Kim!",Rin huffed.

Rin knelt on the floor, grabbing Loid by his shoulders. He could feel the tremble of the beast's body as his painful cries filled the air.

"Hey! Look at me!", Rin shook his shoulders.

Loid snarled, trying to get himself free of the boy's hold. He wanted to hit his head in a wall. The pain was killing him and why on earth wouldn't those cries stop?

"Look at me, Loid! Snap out of it. You are not there anymore."

Loid shook his head as if it would help get rid of his thoughts. In his hysteria, he pushed the boy away, making him fly across the room and crashing into the door. Rin groaned, his back hitting the hard floor of the hallway outside.

"Rin!", the elf rushed to his side,"You.. you are bleeding."

Rin wiped his bloody forehead with the back of his hand. "Ugh! That stupid lion."

Footsteps could be heard rushing upstairs before they came to a halt. The boys turned their heads towards Rin's parents; a blue eyed woman in white kimono, her long, black hair tied back in a bun and a middle aged man with eyes as gray as his short hair.

"Honey!", the woman rushed forward, kneeling beside her son, holding his bruised face in her aged hands.

"Your head's hurt. Let me heal it for you."

"It isn't a big deal."

"Hush."

"And the lad going insane inside your room is the reason I presume", his dad said, referring to the hysteric boy inside who was currently shredding the futon to pieces.

Pain. He was in undescribable pain and his memories were the culprit. Lightly pushing away his mom's arm, Rin staggered to his feet.

"Genki."

A whisper and the sword answered to his summon, materializing in his right hand, the sapphire in his handle glistening slightly.The elf was stressed out.From fear? No but from worry. Surely the beast had no control over his action but what would he do if Rin got hurt? He stepped in front of the human.

"R-Rin. Don't go. Let uncle take care of Loid. You are not as strong-"

He was gently pushed aside, his sentence left unfinished as Rin stepped around him.

If only he was strong. He was just a weakling who could only watch Rin fight alone. He made a fist of his trembling hand, his lower lip quivering.

"Kim?", Rin looked over his shoulder,"Cast a barrier for me, would you?"

Kim couldn't nod more vigorously. Drawing a golden luminous loop in the air, he casted the spell.

SAFE HAVEN.

A magical dome materialized inside the room, enclosing Rin and Loid.

Now it was only the two of them. A lion on rampage and a Kage with blood stained face.

"Would you snap out of it?"

Rin's voice shook the very core of that beast. Each word uttered was low and dangerous. Loid turned around, his claws sharp and hands trembling.

He was lost. Lost between his thoughts and the reality. One moment it was Rin standing there, the next it would be a tall man in black cape, a smirk on his face that would make Loid's blood boil and his head throb. So he pounced at the person in front of him, intending to get himself free of the cause of his suffering.

Rin frowned upon witnessing the change in Loid's gaze, his crimson eyes turning from clear to hazy. Loid wasn't there.

He was lost.

"What a pain", the boy said. Nonetheless, he jumped up when Loid pounced at him and with a hand on the beast's nape, he pushed himself up, doing a flip and landing behind Loid. He raised his sword and the tip was at Loid's throat before the latter could turn completely around.

"You sure you have royal blood in you? You lost to some thoughts. How pathetic."

There was a transition. For a split second. As if the beast had taken a breath to calm himself.

Did it work?

Rin's thoughts were answered by an unexpected hit in his abdomen and he staggered backwards, coughing out blood.

"Rin! Come out!", Kim cried.

Rin looked over towards the doorway. They were worried. He made them worried again. Rin cursed. He wasn't that much of a weakling.

ENTANGLED VINES.

Rin traced a circle in front of him, long, slender vines emerging from it and twisting around the lion's feet, making him topple over. Rin straightened his back, his bloodstained hair sticking to his forehead and his sides burning. Holding the handle with both of his hands, he sunk his sword in the floor.

INTRUSION!

A magic circle appeared under the two of them; an intricate, pattern turning around slowly like a wheel. There was a flash of light blue light and Rin had intruded the lion's memories.

He was on a mountain top, the dark cloud over his head threatening him with their thunder. The snow was stained with blood and a lot of it.

"It's a mess."

A/N:

Hey,

Here's the second chapter.

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