BloodLust- The Dark Arts Chronicles (4th)

(1) AKEMI

(1) AKEMI

     Summer has ended and autumn is dawning. We have lived through our school lives at Tokyo Boarding High and in a few hours we will be beginning our 1st year at college. It was way after midnight and I was spending the night at Soubi’s uncle’s house with Dai.

     I decided to go outside for a bit; in the forest nearby or a graveyard. I know exactly why I wanted to do it. I was remembering Mizuki and maybe I hoped to see her again, even though I saw her a few hours ago. Unfortunately, we did not get to be alone and I was hoping that she would be somewhere in the woods as it was closer for her but I knew that was uncertain because she was spending the night with Saika. Making my mind, I decided to go there for a bit of fresh air. That girl gets me to do the craziest things in the night just so that I could see her again.

     Changing, into my wolf self, I ran through the mysterious forest. The forest wasn’t like the woods we have behind Tokyo Boarding High. It was enormous with endless trees and bushes, which looked almost identical everywhere I went. The deeper I went, the colder it got. I could get lost in here. Eventually, I will find my way back to Soubi’s place. After all I had been here almost five years ago, with Soubi and Dai, searching for Mizuki when she had gone missing.

     It’s still a mystery what happened years ago. Mizuki had completely vanished, for four days, late in the spring five years ago. Arriving home, after work, her mother found no sign of her anywhere and no one had any idea where she was so she called the police. Search parties where taking place even outside Tokyo. Most people thought she was kidnapped and murdered so everyone was expecting to find a body.

     Four days later, after being missing the whole time, Mizuki’s mother discovered her tucked in her bed, sleeping peacefully. Overjoyed she had called the girls over and even Soubi, Dai, Rio and me, went to see her. However, when she woke up, Mizuki had no idea that she had been missing and she acted as if everything was normal and nothing had happened. No one except Soubi, Dai and me believed her because we knew she was telling the truth. We had heard her distant screams when we had been searching for her in this forest years ago but we did not say anything to anyone, in order to keep our Werewolf secret safe because no one knew what we were then. After all we only found out what everyone else was about a few months ago. However, we still knew that something had definitely happened to Mizuki but she had no clue what anyone was talking about. It was almost like she was brainwashed…

     Abruptly, I heard a rustle amongst the trees. Freezing to my spot, I listened. Silence. Nothing happened but this time I walked at a steady speed instead, thinking to myself that I was being paranoid. Feeling unsteady, I changed back to a human. I heard another rustle between the trees behind me. Stopping, I looked around me, the hairs at the back of my neck standing up.

     Suddenly, a bunch of strong-built, muscular guys jumped out from the trees and took a hold of me. Kicking one, I punched another in the face but a guy with black hair, brown eyes and a scar on his eyebrow kneed me in the stomach. Groaning, I fell to the ground. They all circled around me and an oak tree. Looking up, I scanned each of them. There were five of them all together. The man with the scar was in the middle. He looked down at me, the sides of his lips curving up in a grimace as another took hold of my arms. He looked like he was the leader amongst them. Whatever he did the other four followed. He had an air of confidence surrounding him. I pushed the other guy away from me, trying to get up. A pain shot up my legs and immediately, I fell back to the ground. Who the hell were these people and what did they want?

  “Hello, Akemi,” said the leader.

  “W-Who are you?” I asked.

  “Seize him and take him to the car,” commanded the scarred man. Struggling to break free, I kicked the other man and punched him in the face, managing to break his nose. I felt another shot of pain up my leg and I fell to the ground cursing. I tried to get up but my legs felt like jelly. Just like a spell. Could it be that these people are sorcerers? What the hell would they want from me? This could not be good. Two others tied my hands up and another bound my hands together. I looked at his face. He looked about the same age as me and the youngest amongst them all. He had shiny, silver hair and gleaming hazel eyes.

     Struggling to break free, I just gave up. I would just have to wait and see where they take me and what they wanted. Whatever it was I knew this wasn’t good, as werewolves and sorcerers hate each other. One of them, a guy in about his early thirties, a bit of a stubble and spiky dark brown hair cast a spell and I found myself transported in a car, with my kidnappers. Still curious, I demanded to know where they were taking me and who they were but every time I said something, one of them took the pleasure in whacking me hard on the back of my head, so I sat down quietly. I would find out soon enough.

     We drove for a long time, until we got to a big, ancient-looking, gothic house. The guy with in his thirties cast another spell and I found myself in a large room that was surrounded by a group of important-looking people. Grabbing me, by my collar, the scarred man pushed me towards them.

  “We got him,” he said. The people around the table watched me. I looked up and around, scanning each of their faces. There was no one I knew and then I came across a pretty girl; maybe several years older then me. Something about her seemed familiar. I scanned my brains, remembering if I knew this girl. She had the same green eyes and purple hair as my friend, Shana. Shana. That's it. She's Shana's older sister, Mei.

     Speechless, I looked at her. Surprised, she looked back. A hand ran to her mouth. A tall, bald man, who sat in-between them all, noticed her reaction to me.

  “Are you alright, Mei?” he asked her, concerned.

  “Yeah, yeah...fine,” she replied. Obviously, she was shocked to see me. She looked closely at me. Probably remembered me but not sure it’s me. She smiled weakly and I managed to smile back. She shook her head, still watching me.

  “The boy, he’s Akatsuki’s son?” she asked the scarred man. He nodded his head.

  “Akemi Kai Fujiwara, son of Akatsuki Fujiwara,” he confirmed, repeating my name as I watched Mei, who turned pale.

  “Mei, is there a problem?” asked the bald man.

  “I don't think this is a good idea,” she replied.

  “Nonsense,” said the scarred man. “Asano and his men, especially Akatsuki, need to be taught a lesson. He‘s perfect.”

  “But, you cannot hurt him. He did not do anything wrong. He‘s innocent!” protested Mei.

  “So was the woman that Asano and his men targeted but she still got murdered.”

  “But, this could start a war!”

  “Mei, they’re all merciless dogs! They don’t care about anyone and we all know war is inevitable.” Scared, Mei looked at me.

    “No,” she said, stubbornly. “This is still wrong.”  

     Jumping out of her seat, she muttered something under her breath, her emerald eyes terrified and never leaving my gaze. Startled, I watched. She’s casting a spell on me. All of a sudden, I was surrounded in darkness and then felt myself hit something hard and fall into unconsciousness.