王族 - 変化する砂漠Royalty, The everchanging desert

第一章: 危険な城 Chapter 1: The Castle with Danger

Mornin' everyone! My name is Daru Tokichito. I'm 60 and I had to live in the desert for 13 years. I was 8, when I lost my parents and I had to live on my own. I somehow figured out how to pick pockets, but two years later, the whole world was turned into a huge desert.

You probably want to know more about me... Wait, do you even care who I am, or are you just here for the story? Well... Fine, I guess. So, back in the day...

...40年前... - ...a 40 years ago...

He woke up on the floor. "Must have had a nightmare again..." - he thought. He was right. In the nightmare he saw a man in his 30s with dark blue hair and a creature that had its head covered with a red blanket and had a rod in its hand with a relatively big circle on the tip of the rod. The man was punching the abomination and delivered a blow so big, it would make the creature get hit a couple of feet away. The next thing he remembered is that the creature was standing next to the man and was about to strike him down, as darkness got swallowed up by the creatures staff. It pierced through the mans neck. Everywhere Daru could look was blood. After a lot of struggle he could at least wipe his face clean as it was also covered in blood. Daru could hardly move. It was almost like something froze him. He wanted to shout as the man was dying, but as we all know these dreams, not a single letter can come out of our mouth. After the creature brutally murdered the man he just saw, it turned to him swinging his staff. Daru knew he would have the same fate as his comrade...

But this was all just a dream... Or was it? Don't worry I won't tease y'all with this kind of stuff.

After Daru woke up and rubed his eyes, he got up and went outside. Sand. Everywhere. Just like any other day. The dunes surrounded him like a wall. He enjoyed looking at the desert. In his ten years of surviving, he rarely talked and learned to appreciate small things in life, such as, having a house that he built for himself from wooden and metal scraps. Having to traps that he can hunt desert foxes with and having a small well, where he can get water, even if it was dirty.

This day started the same as usual. He went to his trap, hoping he would see something bleeding out, but he saw nothing. He had nothing to eat that morning. First time that happened in a while. He stared at the trap for a while and then went to the well. He grabbed his cup and reached down for water. The water was pure and clean. Not a single sign of water pollution. He drank the water in the cup and reached down again and got another cup of clean water. After that, he reached down again... And again... And again... He did this until his hands were tired. His throat was dry, so it drinking clean water again helped him a lot.

The dunes were beautiful as always. Daru liked the scenery of the desert. Always did. Always will. He walked up to the top of a dune and looked around. He was astonished of what he saw. There was a huge castle on the horizon. It was a castle made out of stone bricks and had purple roofs. Daru hasn't seen a manmade object or building for ages, so he was really excited. So excited that he ran towards the castle with tears of joy in his eyes and didn't care that he left his "home" behind.
- Humans! - he screamed as he ran. He started to lose stamina as he ran. Once he was there he kneeled down and looked up. Two ominouse creatures stared at him menacingly. They had a purple blanket on their heads so he couldn't see their faces. They held a staff with a circle in the end... He remembered instantly. These creatures were about to kill him in his dream!
- What is your business here? - one of the creatures asked.
- Please! - begged Daru with tears in his eyes. - Please give me some food! Something real! Give me shelter I don't want to live in the desert  anymore!
- Come! Our king will give you what you ask for!
The two escorted Daru to the throne room. While they were walking Daru saw magnifiscent and horrible things all at once. In one corner some creatures (similar to the ones who were escorting him) were training. They didn't have a staff they have seemed to practice some sort of magic. Dark matter appeared from their hands and they seemed to be struggling with their moves. In another corner a man was hanging from a gibbet. His eyes were white... He clearly was dead.
- What happened to him? - Daru asked.
- He didn't obey! - said the creature. - He didn't follow the king! This was his payment...
Daru was terrified by the answer. Not that he expected something else but still it was quite shocking for him since he hasn't seen a dead person for more than 10 years.
Daru continued to look around. He saw a man talking to some creatures with staffs. The man turned around as he heard his footsteps. He started to walk towards Daru and the two guards.
- Who is he? - he asked. His voice was soft and calming although it creeped Daru. He had his hair till his butt and wore blood red clothes. He wore a sword sheath on his belt. His skin was white as snow and his eyes were black as the night sky. He had quite the aura. - Where are you going with him?
- We are doing our job. - answered one of Daru's guards. - He asked for help so we will escort him to the king. Also when did you get the right to intervene with our work, Peasant Louri? We are Royal guards remember?
- No need to be so harsh I was just curious, since the boy looked promising - he sent a smile to Daru. He was suprised by Louri's smile. - I thought maybe I could be the one to introduce him to the king. He is not in the mood to see guards.
- This is our job, that was assigned to us when we were chosen to guard the Palace of the Black Moon. Now if we may...
They walked past the man as he looked disappointed in them.

They entered the throne room... It was huge and majestic. Every single pillar, every single carpet was detailed to the point when you could look at it for hours to find every last meaning. It was truly royal. On both sides there were five royal guards. They held their staff and they stood steady. In front of Daru stood the King! He wore well-made, expensive clothes and he had a red blanket on his head to show his status among other soldiers. The guards who were with Daru bowed down on their knees. Daru did the same.
- Who dares to destroy my peace with their presence?! - the king shouted.
- Some of your carefully chosen royal guardians. - the creatures answered. - We found a boy outside of your great Palace of the Black Moon. He seeks food and shelter. He said he wants something real.
- So he wishes to join the cult?
- Wait a minute! - Daru said. - I ain't joining no cult! I just asked for a minimal amount of food and maybe a little bit of shelter for the night.

The king groaned. Daru realised he said something really stupid and harsh.
- So you have a big mouth! Thus you should have a reason to have the audacity to talk to me like that! Kill him!
- Wait, your Majesty! I was dumb to say that! I don't wish to join this cult, or whatever this is, I just ask for food! I'm a survivor and I just... I just want something that resembles human goods.
The King sighed: - Do you know who I am?
- I have never heard of you, Majesty.
- I call myself the Faceless King! The King of all! Now bow down and worship me if you don't have a death wish!

Daru looked baffled as he thought about what he could possibly do in this situation. He thought about running away but with the amount of guards, he couldn't even make it out of the throne room. He thought about the person hanging from the gibbet, covered in blood... He didn't want to end up like him.

- I won't be a part of this! - he said. He tried to sound confident but his voice shaked. - I don't want to live the rest of my life in fear!
- Then die, you little insect! - shouted the Faceless King.
- Don't kill him Sire! - Louri stepped into the room. - At least give him a chance! I humbly ask you... - the king thought about it for a while then said:
- Give him a sword! - he said. - The boy will fight me! What is your name, so I can write it on you tombstone?!
- Your Majesty, my name is Daru Tokichito!
"At least I'll die in battle" - Daru thought.

The two guards who escorted him gave him his sword...
- This is no sword, this is a knife! - Daru shouted in disbelief. - How am I supposed to fight with this?

The king said nothing. He held his staff high then slammed it into the ground. Daru froze. Not because of the shock but because of the power and pressure that was targeted on him. This invicible energy didn't let him to move. It forced him to his knees. The offer of a fight was equal to a death sentence. The king walked up to him. Daru saw the light getting swallowed up by the circle at the top of the staff. It was just like in his dream. But then who was that man...?

Daru didn't have much time to think, the king was about to strike him down. He tried to move, though the pressure was getting stronger. He eventually was able to mkve his leg. The king stopped and stepped back. Everyone in the room went silent. Daru finally gathered enough strenght to stand up. The man named Louri was the first to react. He started to mimic weird position with his fingers, while some kanji appeared in front of his hands.
- 血の農民、ムハソド綴る:静脈の裂け目Peasant of Blood, Muhasodo Art: Riptide of veins! - he casted a spell, which made whips out of liquid blood and have wrapped around Daru. Again: he couldn't move...

The king started walking up to him again. "This surely is the end... I just wanted some food... These ones are ruthless!"

Something flashed before Daru's eyes...