Akira, Raiga, and Yui had no horses, so they embarked on a long and grueling journey toward the palace. Their bodies, already exhausted from the battle and losses, felt even heavier with the seemingly endless road ahead. With every step, their feet struck the ground as if weighed down by stones, and their breath grew shallow. Though their eyelids grew heavy with fatigue, the anxiety inside kept them moving forward.
Finally, when the magnificent walls of Eldravon and the palace towers appeared on the horizon, the trio let out a deep breath. A relief they hadn't felt in a long time spread through them. "We made it," they thought to themselves—but they knew very well that nothing was truly over. Still, seeing the grand silhouette of the palace gave their hearts a fleeting sense of peace. They quickened their pace, heading toward the massive gates.
Upon entering, the first person they saw was Arisawa. Sitting on the ground at the entrance, he looked as if he had briefly rested his eyes. Akira's eyes lit up, and he ran excitedly to Arisawa, shaking him awake.
The moment Arisawa opened his eyes, he sprang to his feet. His voice was sharp, commanding, like that of a seasoned commander:
— You're very late!!!
Akira was initially startled by the harshness, but a small smile tugged at his lips. He replied in a tired but sincere voice:
— We're sorry…
Curiosity and suspicion flickered in Arisawa's eyes. He quickly asked:
— Where are Daigo and his son?!
The question froze the air. Akira's face went pale, all his cheerfulness vanishing in an instant. His pupils shrank, his breath quickened, and he clenched his fists and teeth. Raiga let out a heavy sigh and spoke the truth:
— His son… is dead. And Daigo is currently fighting a spirit…
Arisawa's body went rigid. His lips trembled, his eyes widened, and for a moment, he forgot to even breathe. In a near-whisper, he repeated:
— Dead?.. Then if Daigo is fighting, why are you here?
Yui explained calmly and coldly:
— Because Daigo said he would use his special move… but its range is very wide. So we had to move quite far away.
Arisawa fell into deep thought. For several seconds, he didn't speak, staring at the ground. Finally, he raised his head, his gaze hardening:
— Where is he? Tell me where he is.
Akira asked excitedly:
— Are we going together?!
Arisawa answered sharply:
— No! You will stay in the palace. I'll go and check.
Akira's spirits sank instantly. His shoulders slumped, his voice broken:
— On the road to Karathos…
As soon as Arisawa heard this, he left the palace without a word, running swiftly, disappearing from sight.
Raiga exhaled deeply, shaking his head:
— Definitely… this guy is not normal.
Yui, a gleam of excitement in her eyes, grinned:
— Since Arisawa's not here, the palace is ours!
Raiga's eyes lit up, his excitement like a child's:
— I heard the palace has a special kitchen! Let's eat!!
Akira interjected in a tired, heavy voice:
— I… will go straight to bed.
Raiga laughed mockingly, slinging an arm over Yui's shoulder and teasing Akira:
— Nobody asked you anyway, fool!
Yui laughed:
— Let's go!
Raiga and Yui ran cheerfully into the palace, while Akira trudged toward his room, shoulders slumped. Upon entering, he drew his swords from his waist and placed them on the table. He carefully stored his light armor and emblem in the wardrobe. His eyes were heavy with fatigue. Without delay, he lay down on the bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Meanwhile, Arisawa was making his way along the Karathos road. Ahead stretched a massive chasm. The earth had been torn apart, deep fissures cutting the ground. The surroundings bore the scars of battle. Tree trunks were charred, branches burned; not a single sturdy tree remained standing. Arisawa advanced with heavy steps toward the grassy patch in the center of the chasm.
There, he encountered a sight that shattered his heart. Two lifeless bodies lay side by side… Daigo and his son, Ren.
Arisawa froze. His eyes went wide, his heart feeling as if it might burst from his chest. Daigo was one of the council's strongest members. Now, the body of such a mighty man lay lifeless before him. He refused to believe it was real.
Trembling hands approached the corpses as his gaze scanned the area. The enemy who had done this was nowhere to be seen. Only a silent, ash-covered battlefield remained. For several seconds, he stood in stunned silence. Finally, he thought, "I must bring these bodies back to the palace." Bearing the heavy burden, he collected Daigo and Ren's bodies and returned to Eldravon.
In the palace, Akira slept deeply. He heard sounds in his dreams but did not want to wake—until Arisawa's voice entered his room:
— Akira!! Get up!!
Akira mumbled, keeping his eyes closed:
— Not yet…
But Arisawa's voice was icy. His words froze Akira's blood:
— Daigo… is dead.
Akira shot upright in bed. His eyes were frozen, his face rigid. Looking at Arisawa, his lips trembled:
— I-is this… a joke?
There was not a hint of tremor in Arisawa's voice; only ruthless certainty:
— No. Daigo is dead. Get dressed quickly and go to the council chamber.
Akira's mind was in turmoil. Shock, anger, grief… all struck his heart at once. Daigo… really? He did it for us… he thought. Silently, he sat back on the bed, eyes drifting to the window.
— He knew if we fought, we'd all die… he deceived us!!
A heavy tear fell from his right eye. His lips quivered, his throat tightened:
— He sacrificed himself for us…
The door knocked again. Arisawa's cold voice spoke:
— Akira, the council is waiting. Are you ready?
Akira hurriedly wiped his tears, took a deep breath:
— I'm coming right away.
He quickly dressed, strapped on his sword, and walked with Arisawa toward the council chamber. Upon entering, Arisawa took a seat, while Akira stood. All council members were present—except one chair… Daigo's chair… empty.
Akabane spoke in a mocking tone:
— Why did you bring Setsuna's user again?
Neither Arisawa nor Akira responded to this. Then Noa asked in a worried voice:
— Why did you gather us here? And where is Daigo?
Akira's eyes dropped to the ground, his fists clenched. Arisawa spoke in a heavy, cold voice:
— The reason I gathered you here… is that Daigo is dead.
A deep silence fell over the hall. No one breathed, no one spoke. Only eyes turned toward one another. Akabane broke the silence:
— Is this… true?
Arisawa confirmed:
— Daigo perished along with his son while battling Kael Volgrath during the mission. I saw their bodies with my own eyes.
A wave of shock swept through the hall. No one wanted to believe it. Chaos erupted among the council members.
Sorane's trembling voice was heard:
— Th-this can't be…
Natsuhara shouted in anger:
— A man like him… dying…!!
Makise spoke in a cold tone:
— It's… shocking.
The council members began arguing among themselves. Voices rose, debates flared. Only Noa remained silent. Her eyes were fixed on the void, her lips trembling. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she stood up and walked out of the room with heavy steps.
Arisawa silenced the crowd, speaking in a firm voice:
— The funeral will take place in a few hours.
Akira and Arisawa went out into the garden and sat on a stone bench. The smell of rain-soaked earth filled the air, and droplets still fell from the leaves above.
Akira clenched his fists, shouting with determination:
— Kael!! I will kill him!!
Arisawa immediately touched his shoulder, his voice firm but calm:
— Calm down, Akira.
Akira couldn't contain his anger, tears welling in his eyes:
— But!!…
Arisawa cut him off:
— The council probably won't be sending anyone on missions for a while.
Akira looked at him in shock:
— What!? If we don't go on missions, the chaos and the spirits—
Arisawa grew even more serious:
— I understand your concerns. But even someone like Daigo died. The council is afraid now. If we fight now, we will all die. We must become stronger first.
Akira clenched his teeth, wanting to argue, but Kael's power flashed before his eyes. He fell silent, unwillingly accepting it.
For a while, they sat in silence. They all felt the same thing: returning to this war without growing stronger was impossible.
By the time the funeral began, rain had started to fall. The sky was dark, and distant thunder rumbled. All council members gathered at the cemetery in the shared garden of the 12 palaces, dressed in black, eyes downcast. Akira, Raiga, and Yui were there as well. The coffin was being lowered into the ground.
Noa knelt beside the coffin, staring with empty eyes. She gripped a flower in her hand. Suddenly, a scream shattered the silence:
— You said you'd protect me forever!!!
Noa's voice was heart-wrenching. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the rain.
— You said you wouldn't die before me!!
Her knees trembled, her hands clenched.
— You liar… you're just a liar!!!
Her son Rui ran to her side, trying to calm her:
— Father… calm down.
But Noa shouted in anger:
— Shut up!!!
She hurled the flower at the coffin. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. Her tears mixed with the soil, falling onto Daigo's grave.
Watching this scene, Akira thought, "Why does it always rain at funerals?" Seeing Noa's screams reminded him of his sister's funeral. She had shouted in the same way, enduring the same pain.
The funeral ended in silence. The coffin was closed, earth shoveled over it. Arisawa spoke one last time:
— From now on, let's refrain from missions for a while.
All council members, except Noa, agreed.
Arisawa withdrew to his room, removed his black suit, and lay on the bed in exhaustion. There was a knock at the door.
— Come in.
The door opened, and Akira, Raiga, and Yui entered. Akira clenched his fists and spoke:
— We… want to become stronger from now on.
A small smile appeared on Arisawa's face.
— Understood. Rest for now. We will resume training later.
Akira shouted in agreement:
— Got it!!
As they left the room, the same fire shone in all three of their eyes: determination. From now on, the same flame burned in their hearts: to become stronger, to seek revenge, and to never lose anyone again.
———
Note:
This concludes the first arc, the beginning of our story. I sincerely thank everyone who has read and supported it. From the next chapter onward, in the second arc, the main story will finally begin.