New Life, Same Fate

"Haah... Haah..."

Zen ran, and ran till an unending destination. His tears traced his path behind him and his eyes covered a task to reach the horizon, escape as far as he could. Soon the little boy followed the Sun light which fell upon his path.

He starts to pant heavily.

"Haah... Haah... What should I do...? What should I do?!" Zen spoke to himself frustratingly, "Nii-chan has been kidnapped... Haah... and most probably killed..."

"I don't know where even am I..."

"Tell me... someone... W-why... why were we even attacked?!"

Soon the seven year old's little feet loosened from their strength, as he fell down tired and hit the ground harshly. Zen started to tear up and cry.

After a while, his steps started to move forward again and in a matter of time, he heard the swift sound of water flowing through rocks, the little boy walked faster and found a flowing river which shined brightly in the early morning. The river seem like it was kept clean and the water can be used in various works.

Zen kept following the shiny waterbody for long, a lot of time had passed but no matter what time it is, he had hope to get somewhere out, to a better place. On his way, Zen dealt his hunger with wild fruits and the river water which kept him from dying.

Yet, the boy did not secure enough energy nor food and would collapse every few hours again and again... Three days have passed by, yet no result or discovery.

"Dad... Nii-chan... P-please... come and save me."

"Please don't die,"

"I miss my family so much."

"I wish nii-chan hadn't sacrificed himself, for me..."

The bushes shook as they sounded chattering, it caught Zen's attention very well.

"H-Huh?! W-who's there?"

Due to the pain inside his body and the injuries he gained through out his journey, Zen falls down again. A girl stepped out of the bushes with a leaf on her head, her eyes widened upon seeing Zen and instantly aided to his rescue.

"H-huh? Are you okay?!" The girl questioned,

"A... a human? I... I'm fine." Zen replied hesitantly and in a low voice.

"No you aren't! You have a lot of wounds!" The girl said, "You're an outsider?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Looking at your injuries, I should have you get treatment from my village quickly..."

She raised Zen with her arms.

"A-Argh..." In pain he said, "Village? I don't see any village... nearby."

Judging by her innocent vulnerable eyes, she was a girl with brightly shining blonde hair, blue crystal like irises and an extremely adorable yet confident look fixed on her face. Her aura was quite small yet filled positive confidence in it. She was a little girl the same age around Zen's too, a seven year old innocent girl.

She did not think twice before giving up her village's security system to an outsider,

"My village actually has a protective system casted on it, so that you can't see it nor access to it, but it's actually here. At some point where this river ended, it was only illusion which you might have followed further. You are stuck in a loop." The girl explained him,

"What...? Are you serious?" Zen replied,

"You actually are innocent if you were this dumb to not notice, how many days have you been following this river for?"

"Today is the fourth day."

"W-WHAT?! FOR REAL?!" She was shocked, "That's really bad! I can't imagine a spy with skills so poor, it's proven you are an ordinary person."

"Let's take you to my village fast,"

"Did you just... insult me or accept me?" Zen questioned the girl the most first thing.

The little girl helped Zen stand back again,

"If you look closely toward these trees, one of them might have a symbol which acts as a seal, put your hand on it and it'll open a small opening to the village. Let's find it again"

"O-oh, alright."

Zen walked around the trees, in an attempt to find the symbol he inspected two or three more trees before spotting the right one.

"You mean something like this?" He pointed toward it.

The girl was surprised, "H-how did you notice it so easily? It's always switching places on the trees! In reality, it was always there but unless you try to look at it in a different way, you won't notice it. How did you?"

"I... I don't know. Since I was born, I was always able to see 'aura' and elemental energies... I can see the elemental energy or aura of a particular body, depending on how much it is, the aura's size increases or decreases."

"My brother always told me I have good eyes."

"I see, where is your brother right now? How'd you end up like this?" The girl doubted.

"I... I..." He could not speak further than that as his mind flashed many deaths again.

"Hey, it's fine if you don't want to talk about it. Anyway, come here and look."

She pressed her palm against the seal as it slowly broke the illusion and led them to a path full of bushes, which eventually leads to the village.

As they first entered the small village, Zen was immedietaly taken to the medic by the girl to get the proper treatment to his injuries. The girl then requested the old nurse to aid him.

Zen was also given food at last, as he hastily ate all of it with great happiness and gratefulness! Yet being little children, Zen and the girl moved on to the other parts of the village as she introduced all places to him till evening.

"And that's all of it."

"A-ah, t-thank you so much for all you did for me today... The treatment, the food, and permitting me inside your village. Thank you... uh?"

"Oh! My name is Ryuzu Nohara, you're welcome, u-uh...?"

"I see, I am Zen Takagi."

"Thank you very much, Ryuzu."

The two lovely children had their peace in both ends as they smiled to each other,

"'Takagi...?'" A man's voice came from the behind, as it caught Ryuzu's attention.

"Dad!" Ryuzu exclaimed.

He came closer as his firm hand gently pushed against Ryuzu's head, he patted her with softness.

"Takagi... Is that right?" The man questioned Zen,

"Y-yes, Z-Zen Takagi." Zen replied nervously.

The person's eyes widened in shock and surprise as he directly towards the little boy, his mind surfed with an amount of uncountable doubts.

"Hey boy, are you from Althon...? Are you Tsumiyoshi's son?!"

"Y-yes. Three days ago, Althon was attacked by two strange men who completely destroyed it to ruins..."

The adult is at a loss of words,

"My elder brother helped me in escaping out of the village. He was taken by the attackers..."

Zen looks up to Ryuzu, who had worry imprinted on her face: "And that is why I had no choice but to run away from Althon and escape somewhere else."

"Z-Zen..." Ryuzu is at a loss of words.

"You're kidding me..." The man's reaction, "Tell me it's a lie, right? Althon?! Getting destroyed into ruins?!"

'T-Tsumiyoshi?! Under his command, how can the village...' Nishiki thought and doubted,

"Zen... did your father win?"

"I don't know... The last memory of Althon I have in my mind was everybody's death... I... I really don't know." Zen would only start to cry after letting these words out of his mouth.

'Tsumiyoshi, don't tell me you've lost...' Nishiki said in his mind.

"Papa?! What is all this about?" Ryuzu asked her father,

"Hey, kid. This is a biiig co-incidence for the both of us."

"H-huh?"

"I'm Nishiki Nohara, I was your father's partner."

"We were partners, teammates, and buddies. Althon is where I took birth, and Althon is where I lived all my life. We used to train together, improve our skills and attack each other, getting better together. Until one day, my childhood best friend, your father,"

"Banished me from the village forever."

Both the children were surprised as they looked towards Nishiki's gloomy look stuck in his emotion.

"But well, the reason's not to be revealed."

"I can't believe it... really."

"Little kid, how are you going to live your life further? Any thoughts?"

"I don't even know if my family is dead or alive, and my village is now ashes where I can never go back again. I don't have anywhere to go now..." Zen replied with a frail voice,

"Well then, how about I raise you further then? What do you say?"

Ryuzu: E-Eh?!

Zen: Huh?!

Nishiki: What?

"You're my childhood friend's son, I can't leave you like this. Let me take care of you and let your father keep your father assured. Allow me."

"You are the son of the village's head, you are important, Zen."

Zen's shining tears slid down to his cheeks to chin as he looked up towards Nishiki, a kind and energetic funny man, though his hand possessed many battle scars, the touch felt comforting and safe. Zen's eyes shined as he noticed the calm and dark aura which surrounded Nishiki, yet the darkness, had a touch of pure mist which was formed only with good intentions.

"I can't let you go--"

Zen hugged Nishiki.

In the end, Nishiki made himself responsible for raising Zen and Ryuzu further more, as he granted him a new home and family.

A new life, huh? It is only a matter of time till that is destroyed too, Zen Takagi. This is only a sewed fate which you stepped in, and it is only a temporary time of peace granted to you. Live your life, child. There is a bad way ahead. -- An Unknown Voice.

Next chapter: A Planned Future, A Destined Parting