With knives I lament

Humanity's dark descent

Red hues, world's torment

"If you do care, you will close Kawa for good once you've become the king."

Taiga nods at Akemi before returning his attention to the map sprawled on the rickety table. His eye flits from point to point, scanning every potential area, attempting to determine the most likely path to take for their mission. It's not much of a map, to begin with—a few crude scribbles and scratches on the side but still...

Four days. It has been four days and three nights since they started hunting for those bandits. For those criminals who have murdered their people. Days of searching, following their tracks, and discovering their bodies scattered across the forest floor.

So far, they have only had one, but it doesn't count since the man immediately bit his tongue off and died in the process. Whoever their ringleader is, he sure has planted in their minds that it is better to die than to be caught.

"Are you even listening to me?" Akemi stands before him, silhouetted against the merciless sun. Her usually perfect eyebrows are now slick with sweat, droplets dripping down her face. She blinks furiously, trying to clear her vision, but the relentless heat persists. With a huff of frustration, Akemi wipes her face with her long sleeves, heedless of the priceless fabric. Her raven hair, normally bound in intricate coils, now hangs in wild disarray, framing a face etched with worry as her eyes dart about, scanning for possible threats.

Taiga heaves a sigh, rolling the map and then handing it to a servant. "Yes. I can do multiple things at once." The corners of his lips tug upward, and yet there is no amusement in his eye. He knows. He doesn't have to see his reflection. He's not a gloomy person, unlike his sworn brother, Tatsuya, but he is, as they say, graceless. Even the cursed prince had been charismatic, is what they say behind him. It irritates him deeply because they have never met his cousin.

Ironic, if he thinks of it. When Aomine was in the Palace, nobody dared to look him in the eye. Now that he is no longer here, those who have never seen him think he could be better.

If only Taiga knew how to smile. Oh, he can form the shape with his lips, but every time he does, the burnt part of his face—the gaunt, twisted flesh—seems to mock him with its deep fissures. It seems everyone looks their best when they smile, even the toothless crones who do nothing but laugh. Everyone but him. It is why he now hides half of his face behind a mask, a barrier between his disfigurement and the world's judgement.

Akemi opens her mouth. She closes it again and then shakes her head. "I don't even know why I am here."

"You should take a rest," he agrees, not because he does not want her to be here. In fact, her presence can be comforting. These days, however, she is becoming harder to read, and harder to predict. It's all right. It is what happens to every woman, as they say.

"You don't have to worry," he says, trying to be as gentle as he can. "We will discuss Kawa...after I am done with the bandits. I can only handle one thing at a time."

"And yet you said you could do multiple things at once."

"I...yes, I did say that. But I'd like to believe that you do know exactly what I meant."

Thousands of protests spiral in her eyes. She does not say them. She also does not hide them as she lifts her chin and turns her back, leaving him with his duty.

Smiling to himself, Taiga gestures to the servant, asking for the map again. Deep inside, he is worried that they might be lost, and he is leading them all to nothing. He wishes the god who had once visited his dream were here to comfort him. For some reason, that was the only time he had felt sure about himself.

In his dream, he saw a forest with a big tree. The ground was made of sand, and a river flowed through the tree's roots. The moon shone brightly and illuminated the god's hair as the sky exploded with stars.

He observed the grass moving slowly in the wind. A nearby bird chirped. Taiga lowered his gaze to himself. His hands were on his knees, and his chest was rising and falling steadily. He closed his eyes for a moment, then stood up from where he sat on the soft grass.

And the god...oh the god.

The god was standing on a boulder, gazing up at the moon in the night sky. Taiga had so many things to say, but nothing came out of his mouth. He had no idea where he was or what time it was; all he knew was that he needed to be there.

Their eyes met.

He felt himself float away from it all, the sound in his mind fading into nothing as he flew towards the starry sky. Then something grabbed his ankle and pulled. He twisted his body, but the god only shook his head.

Maybe it wasn't the right time, he reasoned.

No matter what happened, that was when his heart was at peace. It's different now. Everything feels out of place.

Even he has begun to wonder if the god he saw in his dreams was real. His dreams no longer make sense.

He walks along the path, letting his mind wander for a moment, listening to the echo of each footfall through the forest. Even with his eye fixed on the ground, he can feel the earth beneath him trembling slightly.

No. It's him. His knees are wobbly. Taiga wills his body to hold it together. Akemi is here. She must not see his uncertainty.

🌑

This is not a kind place for the likes of him, Tetsuya soon finds out. The further they are from the sea, the warmer the weather is becoming. The leaves have turned bright red, yellow, and orange, and the grass has started to curl up in a way that makes it look like a little flower crown. In the late afternoon, the air is thick, with just a trace of precipitation remaining in the sky and on the wind.

He is not apt for such a climate. He's lucky he's wearing a thick-layered cloak; otherwise, his delicate skin would burn in the blazing sun.

The woman who says not a word steers her horse with ease, as though she isn't almost as naked as a newborn. All she wears is a skirt of unknown colourful fabric and beads around her left ankle. A long knife hangs from one hip and a large bow from the other. Her brown hair is bound up at the base of her skull in intricate braids that flow over one shoulder. It would have brushed against his face if not for the long hood of his cloak.

The city wall appeared near when he first saw it, but of course, it is much further away than that.

Earlier, fortune had smiled upon them with the discovery of a well—though 'fortune' might be too generous a term for the nearly dry pit. Without hesitation, his companion had descended into its depths, moving with remarkable agility. Her casual disregard for her own safety unnerved Tetsuya. Did she truly not fear abandonment, or did she simply know that he was utterly dependent on her?

Before he was handed to the woman, he'd asked Maro a favour if he could look for his brother. The elder nodded but promised him no results. After all, pirates are only allowed in Kawa.

Mayhaps it is the beauty of the nature surrounding them—despite the heat—but somehow, the wind is telling him that he will soon locate his brother and they will be together again.

🌑

Is it safe to stay here? Tetsuya bites his lip as he watches the woman gather wood from the hacked limbs and branches of an old tree. Maro warned him to never let her hear his voice or see his face. She can be trusted, Maro said, but it is best that they know nothing about each other.

The sun begins to hide behind the lilac clouds, and a minute from now, the dark blue sky will wash over them. A cool breeze blows, rustling the leaves on the trees. The birds begin to cry as they leave the trees, their song dying down until the only sound left is that of the cicadas chirping in the distance.

It is not safe, he wants to warn, as fire sparks and then rises. As much as he appreciates the warm puff, he'd rather endure the cool night than risk being spotted. I am from the North. I know how to live in the cold...

The North. The cold. Oh, how much he misses them. Has it been that long that he's starting to long to be back in the Palace and do the tasks he's familiar with? It is not as though there is anything good in the South for him. Ever since he came here, he couldn't catch a break. The weather is warm, and yet the chill is still in his veins.

Except for that time, Aomine had stopped him from drowning. Even when he was dripping with seawater, the cursed prince's embrace made him feel warm and had made him feel safe.

The burning wood crackles as the fire burns higher, licking the edges of the logs and hissing and spitting sparks. Tetsuya jumps as it scatters embers on the ground, his chest rising and falling. He needs to step away, or he might faint. Funny how that thought never occurred to him when he was with Aomine. Nobody can blame him, can they? The Kaptan is so strong that he can make anyone feel protected.

"It's only fire..." the woman says, and it takes him a second to process that yes, she is indeed talking to him for the first time. Contrary to what he imagined, she has a raspy voice, as if she has drunk too much and now her throat is too scratchy and dry.

He grits his teeth, thankful that his face is hidden. He has no desire to tell her the story behind his fear of fire. When he told Aomine about it, he felt it was the right thing to do. Of course, it was. He had to soften his heart.

The right thing to do now is simply nod and pretend she is not here. She must have gotten the message, as she goes back to feeding wood to the fire.

As he looks up at the night sky, he cannot help but be awed. Millions of stars are winking down at them; their silver lights cast shadows and lights on every surface. That's how the sky looked before the riders turned his life inside out. He was playing with his brothers and sisters, chasing them and laughing with them.

When he had run away with Ogiwara, the stars and the moon guided them too, as though Kang'e had heard his prayer to give them light. Someday, he will have to lie down on the grass and name all of the stars together with his brother. It will be a simple life, and that's all he wants.

He pauses.

His eyes dart back to the woman, then to the writhing flames. She stiffens under his scrutiny, slowly turning to meet his gaze. As her lips curl into a smile, the distant thunder of hoofbeats reaches his ears. "I had to—" she begins, but her words falter as his fingers find the pressure point at her throat with lethal precision.

She gasps, tears streaming down her face as her eyes turn red. Her scream emerges as nothing more than a choked cough before she crumples, unconscious.

"Well, Maro," he mutters, withdrawing his hand, "I guess you cannot trust just anybody." Without hesitation, he commandeers the woman's horse and spurs it into a frenzied gallop across the field.

Fear claws at him as the riders' war cries pierce the night. No...No. It's not the same. I am stronger now. I will survive this. I must. The mantra beats in time with the horse's pounding hooves.

Reason whispers that he cannot hope to defeat them all, and a traitorous part of him cries out for Aomine. Gripping the reins until his knuckles turn white, he forces calm into his racing heart and places his trust in the fleet-footed steed beneath him.

I am stronger now. I am strong.

🔱

They crossed hills upon hills, and yet they found neither men nor women.

This village is dead, abandoned by the residents a fortnight ago, Izuki reported. Even the clear river is deafeningly quiet as if it can sense their distress. The water's surface is perfectly circular and glitters a stunning cerulean blue, creating the illusion that it is surrounded by a mirror.

"You know what they say, you cannot trust a silent river," he whispers to Akemi, and when she doesn't answer, he pulls her close to him. You should have remained home, he wants to say, but Taiga knows they will have a dispute again, and that is not what he needs right now. Instead, he says, "Stay close to me. We don't know who or what is out there." Akemi nods into his chest, and he feels her smile as she lets go of his hand and follows him into the woods.

"I know what you are thinking," she says, brushing his forehead with her fingertips. "You should stop worrying about me." I am a warrior, much as you are, even in her current situation, Akemi seems to want to add that. She squeezes his broad arms, reassuring him. Whenever she does this, his wrinkled eyebrow straightens until it is flat against his forehead. It's not enough to cool down the fire inside him, though. Something always gets under his skin. A part of him wishes that he could just be like her, able to ignore it all and focus on the tasks at hand.

Tonight, he can't give in to his temper. He has to stay focused. After all, no matter what Akemi says, he has to protect her. He would have prohibited her from coming with him, but knowing her, she would do anything to catch the bandits.

"I've already told you! We cannot have another respite! If you're tired, so am I, but do you see me crying like a little girl here?" Hyuuga Junpei's shrilling voice is behind him, and yet he hears it loud and clear, as though the captain of his company has shouted right in his ear. He can feel the blood rushing to his head, as it often does whenever someone is yelling at him.

Akemi creases her nose, her lips twisting into a sour line. "Does he always have to shout his insults? I should teach him a lesson or two," she whispers, letting go of his arm.

"He can be a bit too much, but he is an effective captain. He's saving my voice," he says. Saving me from shame is what it is. He remembers an overheard conversation: that his only duty is to give his father an heir. That must change. Now. This hunt cannot go wrong.

Sounds bring the forest to life. The sound of leaves rustling beneath his feet. The sound of birds in the tree canopy. The wind rustles through the trees. Everything he hears but cannot see. It's almost as if he's a bird longing to fly free. He doesn't care who he has to fight or what it takes, but for the sake of his family, he will be a better son. His first kill was a deer when he was just a little boy, and he tore at its throat like a madman, feeling the blood run down his face and hands. His father was so proud of him.

"I say we are all fortunate that I'm here. Otherwise, we'd be lost by now. We don't need torches as long as I am here," Hyuuga prattles on and on, reminding each of them that he was born and raised in the forest.

With the sky shining bright tonight, who would need a torch to guide their way? Taiga is aware that their captain is mostly talking about him and doubting his ability to lead them. He would have connected his fist against Hyuuga's jaw if he were the same man he was years ago. He did. Five years have passed, and yet the animosity between them hasn't dwindled.

"About what you said..." he says, leaning his head close to Akemi.

"Which one? I think I have been talking a lot since we started marching again." She smiles. The light coming from the sky illuminates her brown eyes, which resemble a smooth gem. They are filled with joy and life, unlike before when they were so empty, similar to how he used to be.

"About you being a warrior. I know that, and I admire you for it. But if anything happens, I still want you to rely on me. I want to protect you. It is my duty, after all."

Akemi is about to say something when their heads turn to the sound of a horse breaking into a trot; its iron-shod feet sending gravel and sparks flying in the night. Atop the steed, a cloaked figure sways precariously, their identity concealed beneath a heavy, dark hood. Taiga narrows his eye, determining details about the rider.

In a heartbeat, the reason for their haste becomes clear. A pack of bandits erupts from the darkness, their wild whoops slicing through the night air. They brandish vicious weapons, guiding their steeds with practiced ease. The fleeing rider's inexperience is painfully evident; one wrong move, and the predators will have their prey.

"It looks like the opportunity is upon us," Akemi says.

"That's a trap, I say!" Hyuuga counters. "We were looking for them, searching for days, and suddenly they are here, chasing a single person?"

"Well, whatever the reason is, now is our chance!" Taiga doesn't wait for any of them to agree with him. He is aware that what he is doing may endanger him and his company, but if he lets go of the bandits now, there may be no more chance. He knows his father will understand.

This is perfect, he tells himself. They are well-fed and larger in number.

He runs with a palipad in his hand, a spear with a double-edged metal head designed for striking and slicing. Whenever he throws it, it glides smoothly until it stabs its target.

Tall grass whispers against their legs, and night-blooming flowers release their heady perfume, as if nature herself is intoxicated by the impending clash. In the distance, the dark wall of the forest looms once more. To his left, the road to Vangpu beckons—a path of safety and duty. Taiga could retreat; he could order his men to handle this perilous task. But he is their prince, their leader, and where he charges, they will follow.

Hyuuga moves to Taiga's left, waving his axe and giving commands. He didn't notice until Akemi is on her horse, galloping past them. She readies her bow and nocks an arrow with steady hands. The moonlight glints off the shiny metal surface as Akemi aims her arrow at the unsuspecting target and then releases it. The arrow flies and lodges between a man's ribs.

The bandits hear and see them. Now their attention is on Taiga's company, abandoning the cloaked person. For a split second, he recalls what Hyuuga has said: This is a trap. And yet, here they are, at long last. There is no turning back.

🌑

Not so long ago, the night was quiet.

The battle erupts without warning. The clash of steel on steel and the frantic neighing of horses shatter the silence. Swords slice through flesh and bone, their wielders showing no remorse for the carnage they inflict. Men are moving with desperation that comes from fear and rage, creating a deafening symphony of death and screams.

Tetsuya is hiding atop a huge tree, watching as men and women take each other's lives. Thanks to the stars and the moon, he can see how life drains from their eyes. His stomach turns at the sight of such violence as blood splatters in all directions. Humans always turn out to be savage, even to their own kind. Though he can't fully grasp the reasons behind this conflict, Tetsuya knows he must seize this chance to flee and continue his journey.

But he doesn't know where to go. His only guide has betrayed him, and he doesn't have a map. Mayhaps one of these fools has one. He just needs to find the right time to snatch one once they're all dead or have stopped killing each other.

Mainly, he cannot help but notice that one of them sickly reminds him of Aomine. Not only is this person as tall as the Kaptan, but he also has almost the same features, except that his skin is a shade lighter than Aomine's and his shoulders are broader. Lastly, half of his face is concealed by a mask.

And why would anyone need a mask if the rest of his men aren't wearing any?

"Kagami Taiga?" he whispers, exhaling as he connects the dots. Must he always meet his victims during a fight?

Tetsuya holds his breath as five men go down. He grits his teeth, commanding himself to focus on the fraud prince. He can feel every second, every breath, and yet it still feels too slow. Too heavy to bear at this moment. The arrows' fires crackle and whistle as they rain down.

Just when a long blade is about to sever his neck, Kagami blocks it. The prince locks the attacker's neck between his arms and snaps it with a resounding pop. He throws the dead man at an unseen opponent and sends it hurtling back through the air, this time, to strike someone else down.

A woman throws Kagami a shield, which he swiftly catches and then uses to smash against the three men blocking him, successfully bursting through them as if they were nothing more than rotting fruits. Using his spear, he impales one arm and one leg in fast, forceful movements. The final man tries to swing his sword, only for Kagami to dodge it easily as his feet leave the ground, launching himself into the air so high, and in a second, he brings down the shield, splitting the man's skull in half.

As Kagami turns on him with a murderous look, the man he stabbed falls forward, blood spurting from his wound. The others turn to flee, but Kagami stops them both with quick stabs to the throats and chests. Blood sprinkles all over him, soaking into the tips of his hair. He doesn't take his gaze away for a second, even when he's being attacked from all sides.

"Stop killing them all! We need at least one of them alive!" A man with wispy hair says. His weapon, an axe, isn't coated with blood.

"You want one of them alive? Then I'll get him for you." The same woman who gave Kagami a shield releases an arrow within seconds, faster than Tetsuya can blink.

My guide, who is affiliated with these riders, betrayed me, whilst Aomine's cousin is also here in this forest, clearly looking for these riders.

Tetsuya could believe in anything, even the six gods who have never shown themselves, but coincidence is too much to ask of him.

His guide said she had to do it. In a split second, his logical side told him not to kill her, so he only took her consciousness away. He'll ask her what else Maro wants from him once they've met again.

For the time being, he must be vulnerable.

🔱

This fight ended so quickly.

They have only lost two men, as opposed to their opponents, who have lost at least ten, mainly because of him. Taiga felt proud that he had defeated the bandits just a moment ago, but after hearing what Hyuuga said, he now feels terrible. No, he has no sympathy for these criminals who destroyed lives and property for their own benefit. He regrets that he once again allowed his animal instinct to rule him. Had it not been for Hyuuga's command, all of the bandits would have died. Had they all died, they wouldn't have had a source.

"I guess that's all of them," Hyuuga says, wiping the blood and sweat from his brows and forehead. The captain has made certain that the five surviving members of the bandit are restrained and gagged. The last thing they'd want is for one of these barbaric creatures to bite off their tongue and die before they could provide vital information.

Taiga starts to mention what a fantastic job they have all done, but Hyuuga interrupts him. "I am just glad that we didn't kill all of them," he says, eyeing the prince. It takes all of Taiga's patience to not grab him by the throat and squeeze him until he bursts into a pulp.

Perhaps noticing his distress, Akemi approaches him and puts her hand on his wrist. "We all did help. We would have lost more of us if we hadn't outpowered them." Even though she doesn't directly say that it's Taiga's work, the message is clear. Hyuuga nods and turns his head with a low grunt.

"Thank you," Taiga whispers.

She answers with a sweet smile.

Their moment gets disrupted by Izuki's announcement. "There's someone here! I think they're bleeding!"

Taiga bolts, hoping it's not one of them. Even though they bore no love or respect for him, they're still his people. And, as their future king, it's normal for him to be concerned about them, even if hatred is slowly boiling inside him.

Izuki is standing next to a tall tree, staring down at a cloak. Or, more specifically, at a person wearing a cloak. It's too big for them that Taiga takes a few seconds to notice their chest rising and falling abnormally.

"Isn't that the same person they had been chasing?" Akemi says from behind him, peering over his shoulder.

"He said he was escaping from the bandits. They tried to rob him, but they couldn't find anything valuable, so they tried to take him away instead," Izuki says.

"To sell him?" Taiga asks.

Hyuuga approaches, loosening the hood of the stranger's cloak. "It appears so. Look at his pale skin and hair. He's clearly not from around here."

That can't be right, Taiga wants to say. What kind of outlander would travel to a deserted forest unless they wanted to die alone? He finally looks at the centre of everyone's attention, curiosity slithering beneath his skin.

The Outlander, as Hyuuga has stated, has skin as white as the moonlight. It's difficult to tell at first, but as he looks closer, he realises the stranger is indeed a boy, not a girl. His long lashes frame his small, bloodied face. And his hair...it's like the dream he had aeons ago has finally come true.

In it, a god with white, silky hair spoke to him and predicted wonderful things for him. He'd told his mother about it, and after hearing it, she advised him to pray to and thank their cardinal god, the Azure Dragon. "He has sent his messenger," she said, and when he asked if a god could also be a messenger, she smiled and told him that gods do not lie.

But he has begun to doubt that dream. Perhaps it was nothing. Maybe he wished for a miracle or something, and it came true in his dream.

He hears the same message tonight as he looks at the boy's folded, trembling body.

"I will make you the king of this kingdom..."