The next morning Yeong, dumbfounded, saw his arms wrapped around Izumi like a young child, and blushed uncontrollably.
“Wake up!” Hiroki said, startling both Yeong and Izumi.
Izumi got up and Yeong followed along. Hiroki took them near a river and brought out 3 Sharpless swords.
“Here.” Hiroki said tossing the swords to Yeong and Izumi.
“What are we doing...?” Izumi asked slowly.
“Fight me.” Hiroki said in a defense position.
Yeong started first and fought while Izumi watched closely. The swords colluded and Yeong’s sword broke in half.
“You’re dead.” Hiroki said, pointing the sword towards Yeong.
Yeong pushed the swords away quickly and tackled hiroki to the floor and grabbed his sword and pointed it at him.
“You’re dead,” Yeong said.
“Your next, good luck...” Yeong said, walking away from Hiroki.
“Fight me.” Hiroki said.
“OK” Izumi said unconfidently.
Izumi didn’t charge at him but waited. Hiroki grinned and sped towards him. Izumi moved to the side and poked Hiroki's back.
“Did I Beat you?” Izumi said, looking at Hiroki.
“You injured me.” Hiroki said smiling.
Hiroki charged once more and again Izumi moved to the side and the sword touched Hiroki's side.
“It seems you have killed me.” Hiroki said out of breath
“Oh. ” Izumi said. “Yay!”
Yeong stood to the side and looked at Izumi very shocked by his swordsmanship.
“Where did you learn your moves?” Yeong and Hiroki asked
“Hi...sao...” Izumi said, pausing.
Yeong remembered that night and tried a different topic.
“I think it’s pretty amazing.” Yeong said, smiling faintly.
“I believe the only thing is to extract your sword from within you.” Hiroki said, putting his arms around Izumi and Yeong.
“Let’s try it now!” Izumi said with glittering eyes.
Hiroki took his hand behind his back and pulled out a sword from within his wings. And so did Yeong. Both of their Swords are different. Yeong handed his sword to Izumi and let him examine it. It was silver all over it, with designs similar to Izumi’s necklace and Yeong’s wing pattern. Izumi gave him his sword back and looked at Hiroki’s sword and had a resemblance to his wings as well.
“These swords are ours and only resemble our soul and body.” Hiroki said
“They also resemble what we have done and who we care for the most.” Yeong said, looking at the mark resembling Izumi’s necklace.
“Tenshi People have many other weapons but all Jigoku people have swords.” Hiroki said “We have to find what your weapon is...”
Izumi looked at Hiroki and did the same action as Hiroki.
“I have it but it is not a Sword.” Izumi said, pulling it out.
Izumi pulled as hard as he could and an enchanted horse came out within him. Hiroki looked at the beauty and fell.
“No one has possessed this weapon since five-hundred years ago” Hiroki said amazed.
Izumi was frightened and backed away from the enchanted horse but it followed him as he stepped back.
“Who are you…?” Izumi asked quietly.
“I am your Guardian.” the horse said.
Yeong stayed where he was and looked at the magnificent gray colored beauty.
“What are you going to name him?” Hiroki asked Izumi.
“Uh...” Izumi stuttered “His name is Cuojue”
Cuojue bowed and his coat of grey became lighter.
“So this weapon you must study” Hiroki said “become one with your weapon”
“Let’s get going” Yeong said “we will reach the Dragon lands in 3 days”
“Yes.” Izumi said walking toward Yeong
Izumi, Yeong and Hiroki took to the sky and flew a little way.
“Izumi your horse.” Hiroki said.
Izumi forgot and tried to fly back, but instead hit Cuojue, knocking him out of the sky. Yeong rushed to Izumi and caught him.
“Cuojue, sorry” Izumi said
Yeong looked at Cuojue and said “Why didn’t you save him?!”
“I… Couldn’t act fast enough.” Cuojue said.
“It’s ok,” Izumi said, getting up. “Let’s continue on our road.”
Cuojue bowed down and rested his leg on the ground and said “Rest upon my back as I glide through the sky”
Izumi Went on his back and Cuojue flew up with wings.
“Cuojue how come you have wings?” Izumi asked, noticing them.
“I am able to shift into what will help you.” Cuojue responded.
“I see...” Izumi said, looking down below.
Hiroki Spotted a water nearby and started to descend towards it.
“We’ll stop here for a rest.” Hiroki said, opening his water container.
He filled it and drank some. Cuojue bowed for Izumi to be able to get off. Izumi walked towards the water pool and so did Cuojue. Yeong and Izumi filled up their container of water. They took a small rest and again headed onward again. As they were traveling Izumi fell asleep on Cuojue. Yeong looked at Izumi and told Hiroki if he wanted to continue or stay to rest.
“Let’s continue. We can make it there in one more day if we continue.” Hiroki said.
“Yes sir.” Yeong addressed Hiroki.
Many Hours passed and Izumi woke up seeing that Yeong and Hroki were still flying.
“Yeo” Izumi said.
Yeong looked at Izumi and went by his side.
“You're tired…” Izumi said
“Not at all” Yeong denied.
Izumi hovered above Cuojue and placed Yeong on top of Cuojue’s back and sat behind him.
“Izumi...” Yeong said “I’m not tired.”
Izumi tied Yeong’s arms behind his back and flew off Cuojue but stayed by his side.
In a short time Young passed out on Cuojue. Morning came, Hiroki descended the skies and rested on a tree, many miles from the dragon lands.
“We’ll rest here and continue soon.” Hiroki said, removing some leaves and sticks from the tree.
Both Izumi and Hiroki sat down and drifted away into sleep. Izumi dreamt of what might happen in the dragon lands and Yeong was there.
‘No Yeong don’t please. ‘ said Izumi in the dream.
Yeong smiled and left leaving Izumi crying alone.
Izumi woke up with tears in his eyes and wiped them quickly, looking at Yeong I went close towards him and saw the necklace that Yeong had, and looked at his own necklace.
“I...” Izumi said, thinking.
“You what…?” Yeong thought while pretending to sleep.
“I wanna stay together even after I harmonize my clan and yours.” Izumi said, looking down hoping Yeong didn’t hear.
Yeong looked at Izumi and saw his emotions and felt he needed to comfort him. For the first time in his life he felt he needed to do something to make Izumi feel better.
“I won’t leave your side ever.” Yeong said looking at Izumi, feeling his sadness change to an emotion he, himself couldn’t name.
Izumi felt a beat once more in his heart, he touched his chest and felt it beat faster once again. Izumi grabbed Yeong's hand and put it in his chest.
“WH...wh...what are you doing…?” Yeong said calmly and quietly.
“Once we reach our goal… let’s do other adventures together. Ok?” Izumi said, tilting his head to the left and smiling.
“Mhmm” Yeong said, completely blushing red.
Yeong and Izumi laid down looking at the bright blue sky with some clouds and talked.
Izumi slowly drifted to sleep while listening to Yeong's voice. Then suddenly Yeong heard a crack sound from below.
Yeong quickly got up and stood in front of Izumi guarding him while sleeping soundly. A crack ringed through the air making a loud sound waking Hiroki, Izumi and Cuojue up. Cuojue defended both Izumi and Yeong.
“Run away! I’ll handle this. Take Izumi to safety!” Cuojue said.
“Go! We will buy some time for now!” Hiroki said, flying off.
Yeong took Izumi’ wrist and flew off in the direction of the dragon lands. Yeong looked below the forest to seek any shelter and found a cave small but enough to hide in. Yeong swooped down and pushed Izumi inside, creating a seal, locking him inside and going off to where the beast was.
“Cuojue!” Yeong yelled “Go to Izumi”
“Yes!” Cuojue said firmly.
“You know what to do.” Yeong said, lowering his voice.
“Yes…” said Cuojue speeding towards Izumi where he was.
Cuojue transformed into Yeong, went down and looked at Izumi.
“Yeong!” Izumi said, running towards him and carefully looking at him.
Izumi felt something was wrong. He looked carefully and saw he didn’t have his necklace around his neck.
“Where did you go?” Izumi said carefully.
“I was told to protect you until Hiroki and Cuojue come back,” Cuojue said.
Izumi saw a faint smoke behind Cuojue and saw the same fairy-like wings that only Yeong has. Izumi dashed past Cuojue and flew off the ground and hit the seal that Yeong created. He fell to the floor and remembered he put it there.
“Are you ok?” Cuojue said.
“You aren’t Yeong” Izumi said “who are you?”
“I am Cuojue, Yeong instructed me to protect you.” Cuojue said transforming into a horse once more.
“Let me out of here.” Izumi said, trying to break the seal.
“They are trying to kill you not them. You need to stay safe” Cuojue said
“Why me?” Izumi said, turning around, looking at Cuojue seriously.
“You will find your answer soon.” Cuojue said, looking down, unable to make eye contact with Izumi.
Izumi wandered deeper in the cave and found a light peering the darkness. Izumi dug as fast as possible. He kept digging until there was enough room to squeeze out.
“Yeong I’m coming.” Izumi said to himself.
Izumi flew off towards the Akumu creature. As he got closer he saw Yeong being thrown towards a tree. Izumi hurriedly tried to catch him but didn’t make it in time. Yeong was thrown heavily towards a tree, before he went unconscious he saw Izumi dashed after him.
“Yeong!” Izumi said, looking at his bloodied body and tunic.
Izumi moved Yeong away from the battle-field. He laid Yeong down gently and looked at the Akumu. Fire blazing in his eyes. Looking towards the beast his body lit on fire, it didn’t ruin his tunic but it did ruin his body. He blazed on fire and struck the monster down aiming for its heart. The Akumu burned until only a needle fell from its heart. Izumi flame stopped and he ran towards Yeong and saw Hiroki lying next to Yeong unconscious as well.
“Izumi!” Cuojue said “What happened?”
“Help me get them up. We have to get to safety more and will be back.” Izumi said, lifting up Hiroki on Cuojue’ s back.
He lifted up Yeong and started walking.
“Cuojue...” Izumi said trailing off.
“Yes?” Cuojue said
“I had this power that came out of me...” Izumi said.
Cuojue knew what it was.
“It’s beginning to awaken...” Cuojue said, to himself.
A special treat for you. I will be posting chapter six on the day of Halloween and the day after. Hope you enjoy!
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