Chapter 17:Dear Emperor
My legs feel much better than before now.I can breathe in relief. No more pain in my body at last.I opened the silk curtains and saw the sun up in the sky,smiling at me with brightness.A fresh scent spread through the vivid kingdom.Water flowed through numerous tubes as serpents walked around.I felt…I was in the future.
"Irai!"Maku waved at me and ran for a hug.I opened my arms and hugged him back.
"Morning Maku."
"Did you get enough sleep?"
"Yeah,I feel better now."
"Come on,we're going to train now,the others are waiting for you."
"Got it."We walked through different tunnels and doors to see the group waiting for me.
"It's going to be slightly harder without Sosu but don't worry,we'll make it work!"Everybody nodded and we got into our starting positions.
"Total concentration is important when using your manipulation."Maku placed his hands like he was holding a ball then tilted sideways. He closed his eyes and started moving his hands a bit but kept the same position.A spark of smoke emerged from the center of his palm
"I use air manipulation but everybody else would be different.For example,Irai has light manipulation.Isura has water.Emma and Hunter have fire.Yet with all the elemental abilities we all have to place our manipulation in the center of our palm because the power needs to get to our fingertips.
So copy what I'm doing and you'll be ready to use some moves."Maku closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. We all copied him and in seconds,I felt the light energy moving rapidly.
"Hey,this is working!"I shouted.
"Don't talk,it removes your concentration."
I began to sweat a little and kept my mouth shut.Full concentration,got it.I opened my eyes.The light energy was at my fingertips and everybody's manipulation was working. It felt…peaceful.A cynical surge flowed through my body.Head to toe.
"It's ready."Maku whispered. We were all connected to each other.Different bodies,one soul.I charged up my energy into a golden ball and shot it at the shooting range.With ease,it SMASHED through the wooden manique.
Fragments of splinters flung through the air,not towards me of course because a few pieces of wood wouldn't do a scratch to me,not even at light speed.And although I'm a Tier seven with a high ego,I know I can master this manipulation technique and move up the ranks.Rank one of the third worst tier.I've moved up three tiers in three years and if I was going to move up the process would need to speed up.Maku shot wind cuts at his manique.Isura shot a water ball,Hunter shot a fire ball and Emma shot fire bullets.
"Perfect!"Maku grinned at me and I grinned back.
"Indeed."I was happier than usual.Keep this up and I could become a Tier six soon!
"Guys I need to tell you something."Everybodies eyes fixated on me.
"Well,what is it?"I gulped,hesitated for a second.
"I wrote a letter in my bedroom. To Emperor Aizzaku."Maku gasped.Everybody else looked slightly worried.
"Why?We haven't made contact with that runt in three years.And only now you call for his help?"
"Maku hear me out.Sosu is sleeping most of the time and he gets tired pretty easily. We don't even have the ancient book!We don't have the moonstone and all of us are weak besides you.A tier four is pretty good but we need more to beat Kraven."Maku growled ferociously.
"No,we aren't going."
"Please."
"I SAID NO!I'm sorry Irai but you aren't right in this scenario."
"Fine,I'll go myself."
"Do you even know where his castle is?"
"Yeah,in Kyoto!"Maku crossed his arms and walked up to me,leaning down a few inches to reach my height.
"Irai."
What?"
"It's not worth it.Aizzaku has probably become weaker than he was in his prime form."
"That's not a bad thing though is it?We can just confront and negotiate with him so that he can get on our side again."Again,Maku sighed.
"You're really stubborn Irai but you can't go alone…so I'm coming.Anybody else who wants to join,get beside me.For we are on the adventure to Emperor Aizzaku."That was easy,to get Maku to agree on the trip.Thing is,he ended up joining himself.I didn't have to do anything. We packed food and water and left the serpent kingdom after sending the letter.I hope he would respond while we took our time travelling to Kyoto.Endless riding through swamps,forests,desserts and other biomes.But it was worth it.Approximently thirteen hours after we left the serpent kingdom,we finally arrived. At the so-called new atomics palace.Technically I'm meant to be the leader of the atomics and the next emperor in line,or maku. We all walked up to the gigantic door covered in ice shards and knocked on it twice.LOUD footsteps echoed intensely. It had to be him,there was nobody in that palace that could have been stronger than my Uncle.The door twisted and Aizzaku stood before us.
"What is it-"He leaned down towards us and raised his eyebrows. He dropped his cigar and let out a slight gasp.
"It's you guys…Maku and Irai."
"Uncle Aizzaku!"I exclaimed.I was trying to be delightful but for what?Aizzaku was in a terrible state.
He was smoking,presumably black lungs.His hair was longer than the river nile and his clothes were scratched in filthy dirt!
"Hi,Irai.Uhhh…I wasn't expecting so many visitors."Really?Not even a 'How have you been?'It's been three damn years and this good for nothing piece of crap complains about more company.I get it,I hate people.Certain people but have some respect for your nephew atleast!
"Come on in,I'll prepare some ice tea I guess…"He sounded so homeless to me.That sounded weird but he did.
"Where's Yanagi?"
"Outside."
"In the freezing cold?"
"She's in a warm coat,hunting for herbs,I commanded her to do so."Maku gulped and opened his mouth but stayed silent.Was coming ALL this way really worth it?So called emperor huh?Well guess what Aizakku.I'm the future prodigy of Japan and the Genshi.And I'll surpass you Uncle.Just you wait.I grinned without showing my face to anyone before stepping into the palace.The wooden floor boards creaked.Paintings covered the walls in enriched colours and vibrant patterns I had the random urge to lick. Of course,that was an improper thing to do so obviously I wouldn't have done it in public. We sat down on the soft couch and waited for Aizzaku to make the ice tea.
"Your Uncle doesn't seem promising Irai."Isura whispered.
"I know but he's the best chance we've got at taking down all the cursed crows."I nodded.Aizzaku came with a plate of six cups full of iced tea.Cold mist vaporized through the air,the scent fulfilling somehow.
"What brings you here?"He picked up the cup and took a long sip.
"We need you.I know there's other Genshi in here. We need to revive our clan Aizakku."
"For what purpose?"
I stood up from the couch and frowned.
"Don't you see?All the pain and suffering in this tragic imperfect world.This dark age of ours,it won't stop.Which is why I used the moonstone to create the land of edo."
"So it was you!You're the one who made edo?"
"Yeah. We need the moonstone to find it but Kraven Crow has it."
"Kraven…that name. It seems awfully familiar."
"Kraven's the King of Crows.You can see the darkness in his eyes.And his soul is just an empty void waiting to be filled with hatred and corruption."
"Ok,I get it. He's evil.Leader of the cursed empire I presume?
"Spot on Aizakku."
Maku took three sips from the iced tea and placed it on the transparent glass table. He stood up from the couch and took a few deep breaths,looking Aizakku in the eye.
"Maku…"Aizakku was speechless.Maku exhaled.
"Say something then!"Aizakku broke the chains of silence.
"Join us. So much evil in this world…we have two people from the draco clan.One serpent and Irai and I count as Atomics.Please.The serpents,dracos and Genshi have the potential to form a great alliance. We could dominate all evil and success in edo."
"Maku,I don't want edo. In fact I don't even have a clear goal in mind.Sure,I'm aware my life is being wasted and that I shouldn't be emperor but that doesn't mean I'll obey you."I couldn't take this anymore.I had to speak for the sake of us all.
"AIZAKKU KORENZU!"I shouted,eyes wide open and red full of fury. My fist clenched.The situation was flight,freeze or fight and my body was prepared for the third option.
"YOU'RE WASTING YOUR LIFE!YOUR POTENTIAL,JUST GOING DOWN THE DRAIN LIKE A BUNCH OF DROPLETS FROM THE CLOUDS ABOVE US!"
"Irai!"I looked at Maku with an angry face and looked back towards Aizakku.
"Tier two,rank one.Surprised that title has stayed the same for three years straight.Isn't it a bit odd the head of rankers never changed your rank despite you not doing anything these past few years?They're going to change it,in fact I think they already have.When was the last time you checked your rank huh?"
"Irai stop,I'll check it now."Aizakku went to a bunch of mail he received and pulled out one specific piece of paper. He opened the scroll and showed us.
"Tier three rank six…"
"EXACTLY!YOU MOVED DOWN A TIER BECAUSE OF YOUR LAZINESS!NO DISCIPLINE IDIOT!SO JOIN US AND BECOME STRONG AGAIN!"
Aizakku rubbed his eyes and brought his index finger and thumb towards the point of his nose.
"You're stubborn,y'know that right, Irai?"
"Stubborn for a good reason!"I kept on shouting.I had to do everything in my power to get Aizakku to join us.
"It's global.This pain and suffering is experienced by everyone!So will you join us on our journey to Edo?"
"No.You just wasted your breath,blabbering about reaching Edo and me joining this mess.I don't want Yanagi to get involved either."
"YOU DON'T EVEN TAKE CARE OF HER PROPERLY ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR ANGER ISSUES!"
"You know what?I'm gonna clean myself as a start.Then I'll call them here and take care of them.Sounds good?"Aizakku took a towel and entered the bathroom to shower.
"So is this really happening?"Hunter asked.
"Huh?"Maku turned towards Hunter.
"Are we going to trust this emperor who takes our word after five minutes of convincing him?"
"I mean,who else can we go to that's as strong as Kraven?"Hunter shrugged and we all kept sipping our ice tea in peace.Steam submerged under the small gap between the door as Aizakku exited.
"That was quick."Maku stated.
"YANAGI!!Come greet your family members!"Footsteps surged through the cement steps placed along the stairs.I turned my gaze towards her.She stood in silence for a brief moment.Did she not want to see us or something?
"Irai,Maku."She placed on a fake smile.A mask of lies.
"You guys made some new friends I take it?"She looked towards the couch and saw Emma,Isura and Hunter sipping ice tea.
"Yeah we did.Are you alright?"
"I guess so..."Yanagi leaned closer for a hug and whispered behind my back.
"Aizakku has been distancing himself,getting angrier or sadder,depending on his mood."
Of course,he didn't hear that.Aizakku had already exited the living room and had gone to get changed.
"Got it,I sense an aura around the both of you,meaning…"
"That's right!Ability manipulation.Your Uncle did come out of his way to teach us a little bit of that stuff but we don't have a lot of it."
"Understandable Yanagi."
"I uh…learnt some abilities aswell."
"That's nice to know.I've been moving up the ranks lately."
"Tier 6 now I presume?"Kera scratched her head.She looked towards Hunter who sipped his tea before smiling at her.
"Hi,Yanagi I think?My name is Hunter."
"Nice to meet you…draco clan?"
"Yeah,so is my sister Emma,right beside me."He pointed towards Emma who seemed super confident.
Within fifteen minutes,she had finished her ice tea.All the smoke had vaporized into thin air and vanished.The cup sat on the glass table,freezing.I could feel the cold mist from such a far distance.And finally there was Isura.The Queen Of Serpents.
"Hello there,my name is Isura.Nice to meet you…"
"This my daughter Yanagi!"Isura made a slight smile before sipping her tea.Aizakku came down to greet everybody and he had seemed way happier and fresher than when we met him earlier.
"Aizakku!"Maku grinned with his shining white teeth and spread his arms open for a hug.The two of them increased their pace every step they took.
"It's been a while,blood brother.I feel…GREATER THAN EVER!"
"You just took a shower but it's fine…"Maku rubbed his head.I walked over towards a window to gaze over the glamorous sky.And I was wrong. It looked treacherous.The sky was grey,a dark tone latched onto my heart.The sky got darker and darker,blocking the sunlight.A strike of lighting bolted from a cloud and hit the ground,leaving a black burn mark.SIZZLE.SIZZLE.SIZZLE.
"Sorry,that's my lightning manipulation.I just got a bit tensed up because I feel a dark aura in our presence."Yanagi wrapped her arms around her waist.
"No,she's right."Hunter stood up with droplets of sweat dripping down from his face.
"No,it can't be…"Maku's face stretched.
"We all feel it because we all have manipulation."I said bravely.
"Let's all go check it out."Aizakku trotted towards the door and swung it open.All our faces struck with horror.
"IS THAT…KRAVEN?"Isura stuttered.She was shaking.All of us were including Aizakku.A flock of birds walking to us as we stood there,awaiting for our demise.
"He brought his army too. We're outnumbered by miles."I spoke again.
"EVERYBODY LISTEN UP!"We all turned towards Aizakku.
"That crow has declared war on us. So it doesn't matter how much power you have.Total concentration matters.Use what you have to fight you."We all nodded and swiftly walked along the rough dirt.Their shadows,our shadows reflected upon one another.A barrier was between us,wind.Maku moved it out of our way and we got a close look at these curses.Although it was scary,I was happy to fight Kraven and his guards.
"KRAVEN!"I shouted,clutching my blade in my right hand.
"IRAI!"Everybody stopped in their tracks. We stood in silence,waiting for someone to say something.But then,he spoke.The King Of Crows.
"Guards!"
"YES SIR!"He waited a second.Wait.Wait.Wait.
"Kill all of them."
He pointed towards us.
Not just the Genshi but Isura and the dracos.The men shouted with rage and struck towards us.
So much was going on.Nobody had died yet,hopefully none will in the future aswell.I twisted and turned my head,looking in every direction and as soon as the crowd moved out of my way,he stood there menacingly.Kraven Crow stood there with two things.A cane in his left hand and the moonstone in his right hand.
"Irai, I'm feeling generous right now. SO ILL SHARE THE MOONSTONE WITH YOU!"I squinted my eyes a little and then I saw a sapphire scent roaming through the air.I caught it with the palm of my hand and it began to glow golden.
"This will be fun!"Kraven started laughing. He grew and grew.His clothes ripped off with only his hat on top of his head.I could see his eyes,an empty void waiting to be filled with hatred.But then again…I started to feel more powerful. My body began to glow and a cynical surge flowed through my body.BOOM!I panted slowly. It felt unreal.I was a divine warrior,coated in gold and white armour. My tanto?A sword sent from a higher power.
"You weren't kidding Kraven…this battle shall last with us our whole lives."
I chuckled and pulled the sword out of the ground.His beak and my sword clashed,sending sparks of iron through the air.I grabbed him by the beak,jumped into the air and threw him into the ground.
A giant crater surrounded him.But that was only the start of this memorable fight.SLASH!Blood gushed from his neck and it spread around him.
If he stayed in that position,then he would be dead in minutes.
Kraven jolted into the air,stabbing his beak through my arm.A hole covered in sticky blood which looked like jam meant that the bird ripped a piece of my arm off. It was a small hole though,about the size of a cup.The scent of flesh rotted through the air.I widened my eyes. My vision became slightly blurry and I was sweating a whole river out of nowhere.COUGH!COUGH!Blood spat out of my mouth covered in moisture.This is…too much for me?The moonstone was draining my energy far too quickly. Or was it Kraven?I landed on the dusty rocks not far from the battle that was going on.Kraven just stood there,staring at me. He kept on twitching his head left and right.
"What are you waiting for,aren't you going to attack?"Kraven spoke in a demanded tone.
I gulped. My mind was full of thoughts but my mouth was lost for words.I couldn't explain this feeling I was getting. It felt so unreal.Like I got an adrenaline rush and now I'm huffing and puffing.Slightly to the right I could see a small ball of smoke at the palm of Maku's hands.His eyes were closed and he was focused on moving that tornado around.
"IRAI!"Aizakku shouted from a distance. He sounded desperate.
"THE MOONSTONE!ITS TOO STRONG FOR YOU-"The harsh winds cut his throat off.I couldn't hear his voice anymore but he kept on ranting before being tackled by a crow.How could I take the moonstone out of me?I felt so tired yet so confused.
"IRAI."Hunter rushed towards me,keeping his distance from Kraven.I activated chromo visualling and saw three scents.Kraven's scent,my own scent and Hunter's scent.Purple,yellow and orange. He reached his hand out to me asking for something.
"GIVE IT TO ME,THE MOONSTONES POWER!"
I nodded and then…a blue scent appeared.
It was in the grasp of my hand.I clutched onto it like a ball and threw it towards Hunter.Suddenly,Kraven turned back to his normal form and fell onto his butt.
It was funny for a brief moment but he immediately stood up with his cane in his hand.A couple of the crows noticed and ran to the scent in attempt to catch it.
They didn't even need to use visualling,they could just see the scent naturally.The only people who actually need it are humans.Everything else can see it naturally.Humans are so weak compared to all the other beings.
Hunter's aura expanded and took up more of my vision. He jumped into the air and caught the scent with his hand.
"Thanks samurai.Now leave the area."
"Hunter,don't do it…"
"Irai trust me on this."I sighed and got up to leave.
"YOUR NOT ESCAPING THIS TIME."Kraven used his wings to glide over to me.I ran as fast as I could,leaving a trail of blood behind.A shadow enlightened me.Hunter turned into a true draconian.His body shifted from human like into a lime skinned dragon with golden freckles. It was a fight between a crow and a dragon.
I hoped that Hunter would win but it was unlikely.
On the battlefield laid dead bodies of crows that were previously slain by my family and friends.I walked over them slowly,trying not to step on the mushy flesh surrounded by flies.Those pesky creatures were in my way.Yanagi inflamed herself with lightning manipulation.
My arm still hurt but I couldn't give up that easily.Justice needs hard work.I pulled out my tanto from my sword pocket wrapped around my waist.SLICE!
The metal's echo didn't travel for long because the wind blocked it.Although now that I was closer to where the main battle was,I could hear the voices of people yelling. It was a blood bath.Literally.
Blood gushed from every direction and painted the floor red.I stood there with one of my hands holding the tanto and another covering up the hole in my arm.The wind expanded the volume of my clothes. My mouth was open and dry.The wind whistled.Every single second,the air sucked the moisture out of my lips,making them dry once more.I had to keep on licking them so that they would stay wet and moist.Aizakku shouted,
"FORGICAL SURGE!"As soon as his foot dropped to the floor,it shook for a brief moment.Sky blue shards appeared from the dirt and shot up like arrows flying for miles.The ice kept growing larger and larger until it couldn't.The illusion of it all…crows decorated each shard.Lifeless.Their nerves stopped working and their limbs and head dropped dead. No motion. No contact.Blood spat out again from their stomachs and it slowly came out of their mouth,pouring onto the ground like a fountain.
My grip on my sword became tighter.I patted off the dirt from fighting Kraven and wiped my face with the navy silk of my clothes.The other Genshi did so much.
They wiped out so many crows and the bodies covered the fields of dirt.They could go on for so long that the human eye couldn't see.But I just stood there,licking my lips,clutching the tanto.I had to do something now or else I'll be killed,my friends and family will be killed.I felt something wet below my feet.Isura summoned a water pillar before me.She stood at the edge of a steep cliff.
"IRAI JUMP!"She exclaimed in fright.
"I-I…"I stuttered. It just happened so fast.
"DO IT PLEASE!"Without further hesitation.I leaped from the pillar onto the cliff,almost losing my balance but I managed to maintain it.She summoned pillars for Aizakku,Yanagi,Emma and Maku aswell.They all jumped at the same time and we were all united.Except for Hunter on the far side fighting Kraven.I looked down and saw hundreds of cursed crows staring at us with evil intent.They had balls of dark manipulation in their hands,ready to throw at us.Suddenly,Isura merged her two hands together and a tsunami appeared in a blink of an eye.
Some of the crows acted fast and flew up into the air before the tsunami hit them.
But others were victims,accepting their fate or crying in hopes of surviving.Either way was miserable but anything was good to stop the cursed empire.Kraven,I hate him.But I felt an ounce of sympathy for the guards.They still have a chance to redeem themselves unlike the cursed crow,Kraven.More bodies now.Washed up this time.I had a slight smirk on my face about the crows being dead.
"Don't celebrate so early."Aizakku had a serious tone in his voice.
"We aren't the victors of this fight."
"What do you mean Uncle?"I replied confused and scratched my head. He pointed towards Hunter who was in the group,sticking his tongue out.Kraven leaned over him like a shadow covering sunlight.Kraven was truly the King Of Crows.
"We need to get Hunter before Kraven kills him!"Emma covered her mouth and widened her eyes.She started shaking and pulled out her daggers without thinking.
"Emma,wait!"Isura tried to grab Emma by the arm but at this point she had already jumped off and dived to save her brother.
Even if they weren't related by blood,she was still important to him and he was important to her.
I took a step closer but Isura pulled me back and shook her head.
"Let Emma handle this one,she hasn't contributed a lot to the group so far. So this would be good for her."Emma stabbed Kraven in the neck and he screamed in agony.His silver shiny beak was wide open and his vocal cords were about to snap.Hunter opened one eye and although what had seemed to be a crooked smile in dragon form,was a pure hearted smile from the soul,the spirit.Hunter flew up to the cliff with Emma on his back.
"Jump on."We all nodded and hopped onto his back.Hunter soared off into the skies with angry crows below,ranting at us in rage.
A flock of crows nearby yet we were the ones flying in the sky.
Kraven felt defeated,I saw it behind that plague doctor mask.Behind those dark eyes,was the devil.Relentlessly hunting us over and over again but failing each time. He wasn't going to quit,not anytime soon until we were dead.I tried to not look back at the mess we made but the wind kept hitting my face.
Hunter soared through the skies with ease and we made it back to the Genshi palace.Although he turned back into the state he was in before becoming a dragon.After a big feast,the candles burning fire faded and now it was dark.The moon illuminated in the distance,the only reason I could see.A clear moon.Three quarters of it was visible meaning a full moon would be soon.What a day,what a life.I covered the fluffy blanket over me and took off my hat.
"No progress…to Edo…"I whispered.In fact we haven't found out how to get to Edo yet.I would need more information on how to get there.Maybe I could talk to the moonstone's spirit once we get it back.I guess this is a goodnight to you emperor.