Away

FLASHBACK (20 years ago)

The room was a vision of chaos, consumed by flames and destruction. Amidst the wreckage lay a wailing infant, left to fend for itself amidst the ruins. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the shattered walls as four figures clad in ominous black and silver armor burst into the room.

"WHO IS IN HERE?!!" bellowed one of the armored men, his voice reverberating with authority.

Their gaze fell upon the vulnerable child.

"It's nothing, just a baby," declared the first armored man dismissively.

"Are his parents nearby?" inquired another.

"No, they've been taken by the others," confirmed a third.

"Good," grunted the fourth, his eyes narrowing with a sinister gleam. "Let's take the baby. We can mold him into a useful slave."

With callous efficiency, the fourth armored man scooped up the infant, and the group departed, leaving behind the charred remnants of the room.

5 years later...

Within the confines of a vast cavern, a congregation of children lay huddled upon a massive rock, their weary forms a stark contrast to the harsh surroundings. Two armored figures loomed over them, emanating an aura of menace.

"Back to work, you little bastards!" snarled the first armored man, his voice laced with cruelty. His fist lashed out, striking a young girl and sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Lisa!!!" cried out a young boy in anguish.

"I-I'm okay," Lisa stammered, though her battered appearance told a different story.

"No, you're not!" protested the boy, his heart heavy with concern.

"Shut up! One of you is missing. Where's the one who's missing?" demanded the second armored man, his tone brooking no disobedience.

"Pyta is handling all our mining duties today," revealed the young boy.

"Pyta?" echoed the first armored man.

"The red-haired kid who's always begging to wield our weapons," clarified the second.

"Oh, him. Well, you lot have just earned yourselves another week of starvation! No child could accomplish a day's worth of mining alone. It would take the labor of thirty men to achieve such a feat! Twenty, at the very least, to transport thirty tons of resources back here!" scoffed the first armored man.

"Yeah, might as well go back to sleep. The day's just begun," chimed in the second.

"You must be new," observed the young boy.

"So what if we are?" retorted the first armored man.

"I'm back," announced Pyta, interrupting their exchange.

"What the—" began the first armored man, taken aback.

Pyta returned, burdened by two immense containers of rocks, each dwarfing him in size, balanced precariously atop his shoulders. A pickaxe hung from his back, a testament to his labor.

"This can't be real!" exclaimed the second armored man in disbelief.

"Which one of you did this to Lisa?" Pyta demanded, his voice tinged with anger.

"Awww, he's getting mad," mocked the first armored man.

With a resolute gesture, Pyta dropped the containers to the ground, causing the earth to tremble beneath their weight.

Pyta's eyes blazed with fury as he repeated his demand, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade.

"I said, who did that to Lisa?"

Armored Man 1, emboldened by bravado, stepped forward, his defiance palpable. "I did. What are you gonna do about it?"

Without a word, Pyta withdrew his pickaxe, the glint of determination in his eyes belying his tender age.

"You're not really going to try to fight us? Adults with swords," taunted Armored Man 2, drawing his weapon.

"New guys, huh?" Pyta remarked cryptically before vanishing into thin air.

"What the hell—" began Armored Man 1, bewildered.

Before they could react, Pyta reappeared behind them, his movements swift and precise.

"What did you—" Armored Man 2's sentence was cut short as both of the armored men's heads were swiftly separated from their bodies. A chorus of cheers erupted from the assembled children, their admiration for Pyta evident in their jubilant cries.

"Thank—" began Lisa, her gratitude interrupted by Pyta's stern voice.

"Don't say anymore, Lisa. We need to get you fixed up."

Five hours later, Lisa lay in a makeshift infirmary, her wounds tended to by her concerned peers.

"Lisa, are you okay?" inquired a worried boy.

"Yes... Where is Pyta?" Lisa questioned, her gaze searching.

"He's having a talk with the chief," offered a girl, her tone tinged with concern.

Meanwhile, in a secluded chamber, Pyta sat restrained, facing the imposing figure of the chief, resplendent in his pink and blue armor.

"Pyta, ever since you arrived here as a mere infant, you've shown remarkable abilities," the chief began, his voice carrying weight.

Pyta remained stoic, his gaze unwavering.

"At the age of three, you were already surpassing expectations, displaying strength and intellect far beyond your years," the chief continued, his tone measured.

"What point are you trying to make?" Pyta interjected, his patience wearing thin.

"You're exceptional, Pyta. I want you to join us, become one of our guards," the chief proposed, his offer hanging in the air.

"I can't do that. I belong to my people," Pyta stated firmly, his allegiance unwavering.

"Your people are just children. But you, Pyta, you're more than that," the chief argued persuasively.

"Evil isn't the answer," Pyta countered, his conviction unwavering.

"There is no such thing as right or wrong," the chief asserted, his words carrying a chilling weight.

"But good and evil exist," Pyta insisted, his resolve unyielding.

"How about this? You join, or else, I'll activate Plan: Child Slaughter," the chief threatened, his tone ominous.

"Because of the lack of actual working children, I've decided that I'll kill all of the kids here and restart with adult workers instead," the chief explained, his words dripping with malice.

"But why? Why kill the kids?" Pyta demanded, his incredulity palpable.

"You guys know too much. Pyta, I'll give you until 12 AM tomorrow to think about it," the chief declared, his ultimatum hanging in the air like a guillotine blade.

Later, as the night wore on, Pyta found himself walking down a dimly lit hallway, his thoughts consumed by the weight of the chief's words. Suddenly, two boys darted towards him, their urgency evident in their eyes.

"Pyta! What did he say?" cried Boy 1, his voice urgent with concern.

"I would actually like to discuss that with the others..." Pyta replied cryptically.

Two minutes later, Pyta found himself surrounded by a somber assembly of children, including Lisa, their eyes filled with apprehension.

"Today, I bring upon you bad news," Pyta began solemnly.

"What is it, Pyta?" inquired a random kid, their voice trembling with unease.

"The Chief has decided to eliminate all of us," Pyta revealed, his words hanging heavy in the air.

"Wait, what?" gasped the random kid, disbelief etched across their face.

"He gave me the ultimatum: to train under him, or let you all die, including myself," Pyta explained, his voice tinged with resignation.

"But what did you pick?" demanded the random kid, their eyes wide with fear.

"I chose to let you all die, including myself," Pyta declared, his resolve unwavering.

"But Pyta, I don't think we could take them on..." the random kid protested, their voice faltering.

"We'll find a way," Pyta asserted firmly, his determination igniting a spark of hope in the hearts of his companions.

FLASHBACK OVER

Pyta recounted the harrowing tale of his past, his voice heavy with the weight of memories.

"And so, I trained all of those kids, and we charged into battle. All of the kids died, and I lost one of my eyes," Pyta concluded, his words echoing with sorrow. "Thankfully, King Midas saved me and took me in. After that, I was left to raise myself, and four years ago, I became the highest-ranking knight in all of Falaikia."

Shimisu listened intently, his curiosity piqued. "How did you lose an eye?" he inquired.

"That Chief guy scooped out my eye with his sword. Good thing I got this new prosthetic eye," Pyta explained, lifting the bang covering his other eye to reveal a sleek black prosthetic. "This thing is amazing. It allows me to see in the dark and even see through nearby objects. Since this eye isn't real, mana doesn't flow to it, meaning I have a little bit more mana than usual. Also, because it isn't real, this eye can see through illusions."

"Neat," Shimisu remarked, impressed. "Why did you mention this Lisa person? Was she important?"

Pyta's expression darkened with sorrow. "It made me feel so much pain... seeing her die... She used to heal me up after I got into fights. She also was my best friend. She got crushed by a rock, though."

"I'm sorry for asking," Shimisu murmured, his tone filled with regret.

"It's alright," Pyta reassured him, his voice tinged with melancholy.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a knight, his urgency evident in his demeanor.

"Sir! There is an army lined up outside the kingdom's walls! The king has requested that he will need you to be there," the knight announced breathlessly.

"On my way," Pyta responded tersely. "Shimisu, stay here where it's safe. This might be war."

"I can fight! If they wanna battle, they have to watch out for the walking nuclear crisis himself!" Shimisu declared defiantly.

"So, you know magic," Pyta observed.

"Like hell yeah, I do! I'm from the Negative Point," Shimisu boasted proudly.

"I see... Come with me," Pyta commanded, his gaze steely with determination.

Meanwhile, in a humble barn outside the kingdom, Enerida toiled away, carrying hay in his arms, unaware of the impending conflict that loomed on the horizon.

Enerida grumbled to himself as he hoisted another bundle of hay, frustration evident in his movements.

"Stupid training! How strong even are these guys we're supposed to be fighting?" he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, a rock hurtled towards him, sending hay scattering in all directions.

"Who did that?" Enerida demanded, whirling around to confront his assailants.

Before him stood two men, their presence imposing and their intentions clear. One was adorned in a white sweater, a matching cape, jeans, and black shoes, topped with a long hat bearing the word "M.A.G.I.C." His long, curly brown hair framed piercing red eyes. The other figure wore glasses, orange gloves, a green leather vest also emblazoned with "M.A.G.I.C.", khaki pants, and boots. A single strip of blonde hair ran down from the top of his head to his eye, accentuating his green gaze.

"Now you can see if we're really worth your time!" declared the man in the top hat.

"Holy shit. Two M.A.G.I.C. guys! What are you two doing here?" Enerida exclaimed, his surprise palpable.

"We're here to eliminate you before you become a threat," the man known as S-001, or Duck, proclaimed coldly.

"They put a hit on me? I'm flattered," Enerida quipped, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"I'm S-001, or you can call me Duck," the man in the top hat introduced himself.

"Duck? That's a stupid name. What about your buddy over there?" Enerida retorted.

"I am Brant Crossford, V-001," the glasses-wearing man introduced himself calmly.

"Alright, the farmer isn't here so, let's make this quick! Are you guys jumping me or what?" Enerida challenged, his stance defiant.

"I'd rather you experience S-001's ability before mine," Brant replied evenly.

"Why, thank you, V-001," Duck acknowledged with a smirk.

"Just gotta get charged up..." Enerida muttered, his body crackling with electricity as he prepared for the impending confrontation. In an instant, he vanished into thin air, leaving behind a lingering aura of power.

"Brant, he's trying to—" began Brant, his warning cut short as Enerida materialized in front of Duck, delivering a powerful uppercut that sent him crashing through the ceiling.

"Ow, what a cheap shot!" Duck grumbled, shaking off the impact as he emerged onto the roof, greeted by Enerida's sudden appearance.

To Enerida's surprise, Duck stood before him, seemingly unfazed by the attack.

"Huh, well, I hope you do well. Break a leg!" Duck remarked casually.

"What the—" Enerida began, only to feel his left leg crumble beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground in agony.

"What the hell did you do to my leg? It's broken!!!" Enerida exclaimed, his voice tinged with pain and frustration.

"You just answered your own question. I broke your leg," Duck replied matter-of-factly, his tone devoid of remorse.

"Damn you..." Enerida muttered through gritted teeth, his body wracked with pain.

Meanwhile, at the kingdom's walls, Shimisu and Pyta stood alongside an army of knights, their gaze fixed on the opposing force before them.

"Who is the leader of this army?" Pyta demanded, his voice commanding.

The ranks of the opposing knights parted, revealing a man with short blonde hair and yellow eyes. He wore a white shirt beneath a brown overcoat adorned with the word "M.A.G.I.C.", paired with brown leather pants and black Brogue shoes, a formidable figure amidst his crimson-clad troops.

"I am!" declared the man with short blonde hair and yellow eyes, his voice resonating with confidence.

"Who are you, and where have you come from?" Pyta demanded, his gaze piercing.

"Wait, this guy... He's from this evil organization called M.A.G.I.C that we are battling," Shimisu interjected, his tone wary.

"How do you know that?" the blonde man questioned, his demeanor shifting slightly.

"It's on your coat, dude," Shimisu replied bluntly, gesturing towards the emblem emblazoned on the man's overcoat.

"So these guys are bad," Pyta concluded, his expression hardening with resolve.

"Very bad, I heard! One of them destroyed my friend's magical weapon," Shimisu added, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Classic Wareme," the blonde man remarked casually, confirming their suspicions.

"Shall we attack?" Pyta inquired, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.

"No, no, no. I don't want to destroy your poor kingdom (yet), but I do want to make a proposal," the blonde man replied, his tone diplomatic.

"Keep going," Pyta prompted, his gaze unwavering.

"Give me the kid, and me and my army will go away," the blonde man proposed, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"And if I don't?" Pyta countered, his voice laced with defiance.

"I will wipe out your entire kingdom. I am a one-man army, after all," the blonde man threatened, his tone chilling.

"I'd rather fight your army than turn on this child," Pyta declared, his resolve unyielding.

"War it is! But before we start, I'm Kogito Baichi, Z-008," the blonde man introduced himself, his name carrying weight.

"My friend told me that he fought a Z-010 and lost horribly! Z-008 should be worse!!!" Shimisu exclaimed, his eyes widening with apprehension.

"I'm not as strong or fast or tough as the others... but this guy is," Kogito admitted, gesturing towards a random knight in his army.

"What are you saying?" Pyta demanded, his confusion evident.

"You'll understand soon, but on that note, you get first blood, Strawberry," Kogito remarked, addressing Pyta.

"It's Pyta," Pyta corrected, his brow furrowed in annoyance.

"And it's Shimisu!... Shimisu Hikari..." Shimisu added, a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Well, Pyta and Shimisu Hikari, I'll let... well, Pyta, kill one of my soldiers! Come on, step up Pyta, and hell, I'll pick one to go up for you," Kogito challenged, a smirk playing on his lips.

A knight stepped forward from the army, dropping its weapons and approaching Pyta with determination.

"Alright... Magical Weapon: Subete No Buki," Pyta declared, summoning a basic-looking sword before plunging it into the knight's chest, drawing first blood in the impending conflict.

Pyta withdrew his sword from the knight's chest, a puzzled expression crossing his face as he observed the lack of blood staining the blade. The knight, seemingly unaffected by the wound, stood stoically before them, unharmed.

"There's no blood!?" Shimisu exclaimed, his eyes widening with disbelief.

"That's right! With my Magical Weapon, Ridazuganzu," Kogito explained, summoning his weapon—a sleek black pistol with a gleaming golden barrel—in his hand.

"WOAH, A GUN!" Shimisu exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

"All it does is shoot bullets... Well, let me show you something," Kogito continued, retrieving a bullet from his gun, its surface adorned with cryptic words.

"Let's see... Oh, is there someone in your army named... Conner?" Kogito inquired, his gaze fixed on Pyta.

"Yeah... Why?" Pyta responded, a sense of foreboding creeping over him.

"Because he's on my bullet. Watch," Kogito replied ominously, dropping the bullet. In an instant, the projectile streaked past Pyta, striking a knight directly in the head and causing him to collapse.

"Conner... He's dead..." the nearby knight declared, his voice heavy with sorrow.

"This gun has the ability to shoot bullets that target and lock onto whoever I'm currently looking at. And if that person wants to cheat and goes invisible, or enters another dimension or universe, or even becomes intangible, these bullets become bullets that automatically kill whoever they touch, and target whoever I am currently fighting, chasing them to and through whatever dimension or timeline that person is in. And it doesn't stop until it hits their target. I call these bullets 'punishment bullets,'" Kogito explained, his tone chilling.

"This is some very useful information you're telling us, but why?" Pyta questioned, his mind reeling with the implications of Kogito's abilities.

"I feel like it's not fair to not tell the losers about how they're exactly going to lose," Kogito replied casually, his demeanor betraying a sense of amusement. "While I play games like chess or card games, I enjoy giving my opponents a false sense of hope by explaining how they are about to lose. They try to form a strategy based on it, but end up losing because of overthinking everything. People think that after exposing someone's tactics, they are going to try to change it up as some sort of diversion, but I simply don't change anything after telling someone my plans. But when they realize that I am still using the same plan, I finally decide to mix things up. The problem with everyone I've ever played against is that they let the pressure get to them, or they get too overconfident, or they overthink things. But that could just be humanity's problem overall," Kogito concluded, his words carrying a weight of insight and cunning.

"While we're on the topic of explaining your plans to us, does your gun do anything else?" Pyta inquired, his tone laced with skepticism.

"It only has the ability to summon soldiers, each skill being a different type of soldier. I have one more thing to show you before I start this war," Kogito responded calmly, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

A knight from Pyta's army stepped forward, his movements hesitant as he approached one of Kogito's soldiers.

"What are you doing!?" Pyta demanded, his voice tinged with urgency.

Without hesitation, Kogito's soldier swung his weapon, severing the knight's head from his shoulders in a single brutal motion. The headless body crumpled to the ground, blood pooling around it.

"From M.A.G.I.C., I've gained my special power. I call it dominion, which allows me to mind control anybody without any restraints or weaknesses. I can control whoever I want, for as long as I want, and I can control any amount of people that I want. But I have to talk to them at least once. Meaning that I could take you all over and end this now! But that would be boring, and I want an actual battle," Kogito explained, his words carrying a weight of authority.

"That sounds a bit... overpowered. Why haven't you used it on anyone in your organization?" Shimisu questioned, his expression incredulous.

"Fifty percent were built with an immunity to mind control, and fifty percent have a counter to it," Kogito elaborated, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Daaamn, bro, that sucks—" Shimisu began, only to be cut off by Kogito.

"Okay, let's begin. Charge units!" Kogito commanded, his voice ringing out across the battlefield.

With a thunderous roar, both armies surged forward, the clash of metal and the cries of battle heralding the beginning of the conflict.