Asurea (The soul of Rage.)

Chapter 12. Episodic Explosive.

Asurea pov


The training was coming to a close, the sun setting. I felt sweat run down my face while I hit the dummy with all my force again. Breathing got a bit too hard for comfort. I walked over to the bench and sat down, drinking my water. Drue walks over, as he usually does when I take a break. "You seem tired Surey." He says, his voice raspy. "Could say the same to you," I responded. He laughed and sat down next to me, drinking his water. He looks at the dummy I was hitting. "Surprised that isn't across town by now." I smiled shyly. "Yeah..." He looked at Zana, who was still training. I followed his gaze. "Does she ever stop training?" I asked, jokingly. "Not unless she has to." He answered. I looked at Drue. "Any idea why?" He shook his head. "Nope. I've got theories about it, but other than that. I figured if she wanted me to know, she'd of told me by now." I nodded, understandingly. "Fair. Wouldn't like people prying into my secrets either." 

Eventually, Zana looked over at us.  She stopped hitting the dummy and walked up to us. "You two already stopped?" She said, grabbing her water and chugging it down. Drue and I just shrugged. She shrugged back. "Oh well. I guess you two had to end eventually." Drue nodded. "I guess we do."  We all sat there, drinking water and just resting. Of course, the silence ends when a trumpet is played from behind us. I looked behind us, to see the king and... the white-haired boy. The one I saw when I first woke up here. We all stood up instantly, and Neon waved us over. We walked over there, and the king stared at the three of us. "...Well. These are the three you've been training?" He looked over at Neon. He nodded. "With your command, yes Sire." He nodded.  "Well, you three are...trained. We have important matters to speak about. However, this conversation cannot be held here. Follow me." Arison started walking away, with Neon following, waving us along. 

I looked back at Drue and Zana, who were whispering to each other while walking. "Hey" I flipped around, the white-haired boy standing there. "Oh- hey." "Glad to see that you are still here." He said, starting to walk. I kept up with his pace. "Oh really?" He nodded. "Of course. You are the one person to come from Ruful town. You are of mighty importance, as the king has told me." I nodded. "I guess?" "No no. It's not a guess, it's the truth. Without you, we don't have a way to know the layout of the land." I smiled, feeling somewhat special. "Thanks." We started coming up to the castle. "Do you know what this meeting is for?" I asked. He shook his head. "Not really. But I know it's important." I nodded, and The king looked at the white-haired boy next to me. "That looks to be my cue. See you inside." He ran over to Arison. I walked over to Drue and Zana, both of them still whispering. I was about to start whispering with them when something glistened in the corner of my eye. I turned around and saw nothing. I stood there in silence for a few moments, before turning around and speed-walking to catch up with Drue and Zana. 

We stopped at a big wooden door. I have only seen one of these doors in my own town a few times, mainly in the ceremonies that happened. The only one I can remember anymore is the last one though. So many people. So...many people...so... I felt something grab my shoulders and shake me. I finally came back to the moment, finding myself staring at Zana. I noticed she was visibly concerned. "Hey, you ok?" Their tone was softer. "I...Yeah...yeah, I'm okay." I lied. She let go of my shoulders. "Good." Her tone was back to the normal, harsher tone. I found it strange, but couldn't help but smile. The big wooden door opened slowly, making some loud noise. Eventually, the door fully opened and we started walking again. The smaller door to the castle's interior opened, and we also walked through that—so many doors. However, we finally were inside. The corridors were spacious and carpeted, with paintings on the walls. Most were head paintings. As we walked down the hall, I saw A painting of the king. It read 'Arison Skel.' with some numbers under it, which surely meant year. Weirdly enough, it wasn't the last painting. The last one in the hall was fully scratched out and worn down, even though the numbers were the newest. The name was also almost completely wiped away, with it reading 'A....... Skel.' I stared at it for a bit, before my name was called by Neon. "Asurea." He motioned to the room where everyone else was in. I nodded, letting out an apology before walking into the room. It was dark, the only light coming through being the light shining through the window.

I was instantly blinded by a bright light, but after my eyes adjusted, I was some of the people that were at the last meeting. But...I noticed there were fewer. The king's head lowered while he spoke. "So...as we royalty know...Ruful town's army has destroyed Uha village and Fula town." A few murmurs came out of some. "And... Well...We have to do something. If we keep playing defence, more towns will... fall. So, I've set up a strike team to eliminate the Tyrant from Ruful." He tapped the wall and it flipped around. Papers everywhere on it. Including atleast a dozen photos. 4 of which I recognized. Zana...Drue...the white-haired boy...and Me. "...Arison." One of the other kings started to speak. "Four of those are children." He nodded. "Yes, I'm aware. But all of which have good reason to be there." "Those being?" I heard a voice ask, full of suspicion. Arison nodded as if he expected this. "Jal," He said, pointing at the photo of the boy with white hair. I looked at him. That...seemed like a good fit. "Jal is the one person I trust to go with them besides Neon. As such, he will be the leader of this adventure." A few comments about how ridiculous it was from other royalty.  He then tapped on the photo of my face. "Asurea is the only one who knows the layout of the land, so having them on the mission is of the most importance." 

I stared at the wall. I didn't want to go back. But...I thought about what Neon said. I needed to go back. I shook out of my trance, staring back at the king. "And of course, the rest are our finest soldiers. This may be our one way to end this war quickly."  War...I didn't like it being called that. Made it sound bad...but...I guess it was bad. Really bad. This was a war. A war I needed to help end. I suddenly fell to the ground, something shaking the earth itself and making a sound that roared loudly. My ears rang, with me holding my head. I felt someone trying to pull me up. It was Zana. "UP! UP! GET UP!" I faintly heard them yell, until my ears stopped ringing. "You okay?!" She yelled, with her voice back to how it was when I was having my flashback, yet somehow it seemed more concerned. "I'm fine...wh-...what happened?" I asked, still a bit dazed. She shook her head. "Not too sure..." The king got up. "EVERYONE OUTSIDE!" He yelled. Everyone ran out, either because of the yelling or not. Eventually, a crowd gathered outside the door, and I pushed through it. I needed to see what happened. My eyes widened when I saw what was there. The insignia...My town... Ruful town military troops walked towards us, a giant hole in the wall surrounding the town. One of them yelled. "RUFUL TOWN'S KING ASKS YOU TO HAND OVER  ALL MONSTER AND HYBRID CITIZENS! IF YOU DO WHAT WE ASK, WE WILL NOT HURT YOU." I looked up at Arison, who was standing in front of me. He looked at them, then back at us. Thats when I noticed archers come up from the walls and this city's military. "I'm sure you all know what to do. Take care of them." The king said while he and the other royalty walked inside the castle. 

Jal looked at the army, and then us, and then them. He pulled a horn whistle out of his pocket and blew into it. The king's blade army charged, and at that moment I knew this was going to be my first battle.