Immortal Coil

Chapter 2:Ready For War

The birds chirped in the early morning, and the new recruits were up and ready except Koji. He opened his eyes with a stream of sunlight over his face. He looked next to him and Aka was nowhere to be found. He got up and stretched, calling Aka's name. BANG BANG, someone knocked on the door. Koji slid open and saw that it was Fuji, Koji's best friend. He was already suited up.

"Koji, what the hell is going on with you everybody is about to leave!" Fuji said loudly with a bit of irritation in his voice.

"Oh shit, i'm so stupid my bad Fuji i over slept!" Koji said running to get his armor on.

"Well no shit koji, just hurry the hell up, the emperor hasn't even gotten out of his tent yet so you have time...And where the hell is Aka?"Fuji said yelling into the doorway of Koji's house while Koji ran back and forth gathering his clothes and he stumbled as he put them one quickly.

Koji jumped out of the house and slid the door shut. He took a big exhale in relief and Fuji looked at him with a straight face shaking his head.

"Wait, what did you ask me though?"Koji said, gathering his breath.

"I asked where the hell Aka was," Fuji said with a bit of irritation in his voice.

"Oh i don't know i woke up and she wasn't next to me, i'm gonna take a guess and that she probably took a walk through the woods...she likes those types of things, nature and what not." Koji said with an unsure tone of voice.

"Well we're about to leave and she needs to be there to say goodbye," Fuji said, sighing.

"I think she'll turn up at some point, but let's gather with the rest and await our journey!" Koji said proudly, swiping his fist through the air with a big smile on his face. The two men left Koji's house and walked to the center of the village. Koji looked around with sadness in his eyes looking for Aka.

Yeah I hope she turns up,I wonder where she is though, maybe she just went for a walk. But I hate how last night ended for us. She is what I love the most and now that I know she bears my child in her stomach I have to fight for her.. For my family so that they can see better days. I know they think of me as heartless or emotionless because of the way I react to certain things and how I joke in serious moments.But it's pretty hard for me to show emotion even though I have a lot. It's just hard. They won't understand and Aka sure as hell doesn't. Most of the time it feels like she is the heartless one, does she even love me? What the fuck am i saying...of course she does if she married me. When I come back things will be different, I will show Aka the man I have become and take care of everyone. Koji thought to himself, staring at the ground, kicking a rock around.

"SOLDIERS!!! ATTENTION, THE EMPEROR IS ABOUT TO COME OUT." One of the royal guards yelled.The emperor came out of his tent, he looked around at all the soldiers and smiled. He quickly put both of his arms in the air as if he was giving someone a big hug.

"This Journey we are going to take is a hard one, one full of death and danger but we surely will survive it. We will stop the rebellion and you all will succeed in making your land a safe place for your family and the generations to come after. Now families, you are welcomed to greet our soldiers goodbye." The Emperor went back into his tent and the soldiers and villagers blended together. Koji turned to say something to Fuji but Fuji had already disappeared within the mass ocean of people.

"THAT'S MY BOY!" Koji's grandfather yelled, waving his cane in the air, grabbing Koji by his neck. Shortly after his mother, his sister and grandmother came over and they all greeted him a sorrowful goodbye hoping for him to safely return home.

I hope that boy learns to think about others, other than himself out there. I know my son will do great things in life. There's still so much he has to learn, I hope this isn't the last time I see him. Gods please guide him to victory and please guide him back home to us. Koji's mother said in her head as she hugged her son. Aka appeared out of nowhere looking fragile, her hands entangled with one another on her chest and her eyes looked sorrowful. Koji's eyes lit up with happiness as he saw Aka standing there in front of him.