Rupture: Rise of the Demon King (6 page)

6: Fire

24 Maer, 112 AV: Day 63

Seeko fixed his eyes on the table. Emperor Physis’s gaze bore into Seeko, judging. He paced around his study before approaching the table. A long breath escaped his mouth as he stopped before Seeko.

“Our hero, and yet you fail to meet my expectations. And from what I hear, you refuse help from Tenumi. I should have known that you were a false hope.”

“It’s not my fault. I didn’t want to get into a fight with Yoshino. I just wanted answers.”

“You need more training,” the emperor said, not listening to Seeko’s words, it seemed. “That’s the only way to make you into a hero.”

Seeko slumped in his chair and crossed his arms. “What good will that do me? It doesn’t seem to help when it comes to fighting for real.”

Physis paused for a moment. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. You need real experience … a sort of field training.” He seemed pleased at the thought.

“Uh … What do you mean by ‘field training’?”

Physis sat down and wrote on a piece of paper. “Until you learn magic, you will go around, doing errands for the castle or fixing problems for the townspeople. You will still go through training, but we will free some time for this.”

Seeko’s eyes lit up. He would be able to leave the castle again. He grinned and nodded. “Okay, anything to make me into the hero you expect.”

The emperor looked up at Seeko when he said that and gave him a sly look. “This is your first assignment,” he said as he slid the paper over to Seeko.

Seeko pulled the paper over and read it aloud. “‘Dispatch a group of bandits that have been stealing supplies from nearby caravans.’” He looked up, no longer happy. “This isn’t what I was hoping for.”

“It’s not the punishment you deserve; it’s the one you need,” a pleased Physis said. “You will leave tomorrow. Once you’ve either completed or failed this task, we will see if another task is necessary.”

Seeko got up, clutching paper in hand. “Fine, have it your way.” He moved to the door and opened it.

“Oh, and I think I’m going to have Mori help you with this. She seems to get along with you and is skilled with a blade,” Physis said as he stood up. “This way, I can make sure that you don’t run off and get yourself killed.”

Seeko frowned and left. Of course Mori had to be involved.

The emperor called after him. “I’ll have Mori brief on your mission tomorrow before you leave!”

/ / / / /

The soft noise of knocking awoke Seeko. He opened one eye and saw that the sun was not even up yet.
It’s too early …
He closed his eyes and rolled over.

A voice came from the other side of the door. “Seeko? Are you ready?” The handle creaked and the door came open. “I was sent to get you …”

Seeko groaned. “Go away, Mori.”

He felt a pressure on his bed. “Come on, we need to leave.”

He reopened his eyes, and saw Mori sitting way too close to him.

“Get away …” he mumbled.

His protests went ignored. Mori smiled and touched him. She laughed, a soft, sweet harmony. “Wake up, grumpy.”

Seeko rose slowly. After a moment, he became aware that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and that Mori was staring at him.

“Get out!” Seeko said. “I’m not going to change with you in here.”

“Why?”

Seeko flushed a little. “What? Get out! You’re not supposed to be here! I would do the same for you!”

Mori looked crestfallen. “You would?” She gave him a soft stare, reminiscent of a puppy dog.

He rolled his eyes. “Leave! It’s embarrassing!”

She sighed. “Fine.”

With that, she got up and soon Seeko was alone. However, she still floated in his mind, a crazy invader watching,
judging
.

Before long, Seeko was dressed in his Irenic white and blue and was ready to go. He strapped on the short-sword that Kazuma had given him and then slung his training bow over his shoulder. He placed a small quiver of about ten arrows around his right thigh. Seeko stopped and looked at the weapons he carried. No more training. This was real.

He exited his room to find Mori leaning outside on the wall.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Mori nodded. Her silver rapier hung on her hip, reminding Seeko once more that this was all too real. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Lead the way. I don’t know where we are going,” he said.

She headed to the castle gate and Seeko followed.

/ / / / /

A few hours later, most of which was taken up with Mori explaining this new world to Seeko, the pair reached the caravan. The owners were awaiting their arrival. The sun was close to the center of the sky, with no clouds overhead to shade it. Seeko breathed in the warming air. Spring was in full bloom now, and the Irenic grasslands blossomed with new life.

Fifteen miles behind him lay Asilis, and before him sat the trio of wagons in series on the road. Mori approached the lead wagon and Seeko followed.

One of the wagon owners, a male, stood near the lead wagon with a woman. “The hero,” the man said. “Here to save us.”

The woman said, “You’re a little short.”

The man and woman both laughed.

Seeko rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be,” he said. “Let’s just get this over with.”

The two nodded, still humoring themselves. They hopped into the first wagon and Seeko stood next to it, noticing the pack animals for the first time. Two large, fox-like creatures were tethered to each wagon. Seeko swallowed and took a step back. Their frames were bulkier—for strength, Seeko assumed.

“Uh, Mori … what are those?” he said, gesturing toward the creatures. Their tails were wrapped to keep the fur away from the wagon riders.

“Oh … those? Kitseans,” she said. She looked at Seeko, seemingly puzzled at his fascination. Then the air was full of her melodious laughter.

“What?” he said as he tore his eyes from their beautiful white hides.

“You’re like a child, fascinated at little things.” She laughed again.

“Well, what do you expect?” he replied, looking back to the kitsean. “I’m not from here. I’ve never seen magic or giant foxes.”

“Foxes? Is that what they’re called back where you are from?” Mori walked past him and the caravan shifted into action.

Seeko walked with the group, watching the horse-sized fox pull the wagon. “Yeah, back on Earth, they are only the size of a small dog,” Seeko said. “Oh—I guess you don’t have dogs here.”

“‘On ‘Earth’?
That’s
the name of your planet?” she said, giggling again. “That’s like naming Kismetia ‘Ground.’ Plus, we do have dogs here. They’re good pets, for those who can afford them. Actually, I have one, back home.”

“Oh.” Seeko looked down at the ground.
Making a fool of myself.
He walked behind Mori silently, enjoying the landscape. The world was even more alien to him now than before.

After walking for another hour or so, Seeko looked back toward Mori and found himself gawking at her legs. She was wearing a short skirt, after all. He watched her hypnotic walk for a while before his gaze drifted to her red hair. Suddenly, he realized that he was checking her out and quickly looked away. What was he doing?

“Hey, Seeko,” Mori said, looking back to him.

“Huh—Huh? Yeah?”

“Tell me about your world,” she said. “What’s it like?”

Seeko scratched his head. “Well, it’s more advanced, and people live a lot more luxuriously than they do here. I’ve never had to explain it before, so let me think about it.”

She smiled. “Tell me how you lived from day to day,” she said, drawing near him.

“Okay, I’ll start with where I live—lived,” Seeko stated. “I lived in a huge city, with tall buildings that pierced the sky. My home was a two-story apartment with my foster family.”

“Foster family?”

“I was adopted. I don’t know who my real parents are; they abandoned me. My foster parents brought me in and cared for me.” Seeko looked away. “I’m glad they did, even if I never showed it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Mori’s smile faded.

The two continued their conversation about Earth as they followed the caravan in an attempt to bait the bandits. The day grew late, and soon the sun bordered the western horizon.

“If I lived in such an organized world, I wouldn’t have any survival instincts, either,” Mori said. “No wonder you’re such a pushover.” She watched the sunset cast beautiful oranges and pinks into a cloudless sky. The ring brightened as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. “I guess the bandits didn’t show up.”

“So, what do we do now? We’re so far from Asilis,” he said, sighing.

Mori looked over to the wagon drivers. “They seem to be doing fine. Besides, the bandits have never been spotted this far north. We can turn back, if you want.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said.

“Who told you they haven’t been seen this far north?” said the woman up on the first wagon. She pointed to the northwest and stopped the wagons. “You see that camp in the distance?”

Seeko looked where she was pointing and saw tents far in the horizon. Several small white blurs moved away from the camp. “What is that?”

“Come on, hero! Use your brain! They’re riding kitseans. They see us!” said the man.

“Seeko! It’s the bandits. Prepare for battle!” Mori shouted. She ran to a position between the bandits and the wagons.

“What should I do?” Seeko said as he looked from person to person for guidance. “I’ve never done this before!”

The female driver moaned. “You’ve never been in a fight before? Nyeri protect us.”

The wagon drivers pulled out bows and arrows. Seeko mimicked them and soon his bow was in his hands. He’d never fired at real people before. He had never tried to kill anyone before.

He took a deep breath and watched them approach.
Just pretend they’re straw targets. They’re just lifeless, dull targets.
He nocked an arrow, gulping. Soon the targets were in range. He took a deep breath and let loose an arrow.

It landed wide right of a bandit on his kitsean. Again the female driver moaned. She began to pray. The other wagon drivers let loose their arrows and one found its mark. A bandit slumped off his mount, an arrow in his neck.

Oh God!
What had he gotten himself into? Seeko was thrown back into his memories. The shouts of that man being devoured by that demon … now another man died in front of him. He trembled, his bow dropped.

Then Mori was at his side. “Seeko!” she hissed. “You have to make a good impression on them, or you’ll never become a hero!” She grabbed his bow from the ground. “Please! Suck up your fears and go! Do it for me?”

“I never wanted to be a hero!” he yelled. “I can’t do this!” He backed away from the rapidly approaching enemies.

Mori turned her back to the bandits. “Seeko! If you don’t defend us, defend yourself! Everyone will die! Do you want that?”

His eyes went wide as he watched a bandit draw an arrow and point it at Mori. “Watch out!” he shouted. Mori was in danger. What could he do? He had to help, but had no power. No!

Suddenly, his mind cleared. It was empty, black. Seeko saw within his mind a green orb of light glowing in the abyss.
The spark!
Seeko reached to it.
Fire!

He awoke to the activity around him. Time was frozen. He saw everything, becoming more aware of the magic of the world. It permeated everything, from the roots of the grass sea to the ribbon of light high above. The man on the kitsean was no longer a threat. He had to stop them all. He raised a palm and pointed at the bandits who were paused mid-stride.

A spark of fire started underneath them. Time resumed. A green dome of flame expanded outward and consumed all the bandits.

The arrow fired at the last second. Seeko saw it, and the arrow combusted, leaving only ash to hit Mori in the back.

Seeko fell to the ground as his spark dimmed to almost nothing.

/ / / / /

He awoke in Mori’s arms. She was crying. Why was she crying? He tried to ask her, but his voice wouldn’t respond.

He heard a voice behind him, the male wagon driver: “I’ll be damned. He actually beat them. All of them.”

Another voice, the female, joined in: “He disabled all of them, yet left them all alive. Truly a hero!”

Actual praise from them?

Mori had stopped crying. Seeko could smell her from this close.
Roses? Perfume? Did she always smell like this?

The man approached and looked into Seeko’s eyes. “Ah! He is fine! Good! Our hero yet lives!” he said. Seeko heard the other wagon owners cheer.

Now
he was their hero. They no longer doubted him. He closed his eyes and smiled. “Mori,” he said weakly.

She sniveled. “Yes?”

“You smell … nice …” His consciousness faded. But before it did, he swore he heard Mori’s beautiful laugh again.