It all began on a sun-drenched afternoon, when a cataclysmic explosion ripped through the outskirts of the kingdom. The blast was deafening, a thunderous roar that shuddered through the earth itself—mountains quaked, cliffs groaned, valleys echoed with the fury, and even the ancient castle at the heart of the realm trembled as if the gods themselves had struck the ground. But this was merely the prelude to the greater convulsions that would soon grip the land.
"Chase him! Don't let the little bastard escape!" Elegant in their Royal blue attire and sliver armet stretching to the sky's with round furry figure at the peak bellowed the kingdom guards, their voices raw with urgency.
"He must not get away!"
Nestled in the eastern quarter of the kingdom stood the ERG—the Eastern Royal Guard—a formidable brick fortress sprawling across more than a hectare of fortified ground.
"Captain, who is this kid? Why are we so hell-bent on capturing him?" asked one of the guards, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I don't know, I can't fathom what kind of mess that kid could have gotten himself into damnit ," Captain Rosewalt snarled, his eyes narrowing. "All I know is that an order came down from my superiors, and I'll be damned if I fail to deliver. It might just be one misfit we're after ."
"If I have to chase him straight to the pits of hell, trust me, I will."
"But Captain, let's be logical," another guard pressed. "What could the higher-ups possibly want with a brat like him?"
"As I said, I don't care. For all I know, maybe the king wants a new slave—or a playmate. You know I can never fathom what goes on in that sick bastard's head. And from what I've heard, the kid's... special."
"Captain!"
"Tell me you've captured the damn kid," Rosewalt barked, spinning toward the messenger.
"No, sir. I came to report that the boy... he bumped into him."
"Into who? Speak up, lad!"
"The man who breathes fire."
"Don't tell me he ran smack into Sango!" Panic surged through the damp, stale air of the station like a wildfire. Legs tangled in frantic motion as guards scrambled, the name alone igniting terror.
"Of all the times for him to show up—why now?" Rosewalt muttered.
"Damn it. Looks like I'll have to haul my ass over there before this spirals out of control."
"Yes, sir."
"Someone hand me my sword—quickly!"
"Captain, we can't find it anywhere," a guard stammered.
"Find it, damn you! I'm done with excuses today. Just find the damn sword!"
"Maybe if you kept your office organized, it'd be easier," a voice muttered under his breath.
"You said what?" Rosewalt grinned, his teeth flashing like a predator's.
"Found it, Captain!"
"Quickly—hand it over." He took a deep breath, inhaling the musty scent of the barracks, then exhaling slowly. "Time to move out. You three—come with me. And you—arrange my desk before I'm back."
"Yes, sir," they chorused.
"Hey, you there," Rosewalt called to the messenger as they marched out. "Where exactly did the kid bump into Sango?"
"At the town square, sir."
"You've seen the kid, right?"
"Yes."
"Notice anything... special about him?"
"Yes, sir. That kid doesn't belong here. He belongs in hell."
"Captain, if I were the higher-ups, trust me—that boy wouldn't see another sunrise. I'd end him myself. The world doesn't need his kind of atrocity. In fact, give me the order to execute him on the spot. It'd be my pleasure."
"I'll need to see it for myself before issuing any execution orders," Rosewalt replied, stroking his chin as if he were royalty pondering a decree. "And who knows? Maybe Sango's done us a favor and rid us of him already." Lieutenant
"Run away! It's a monster!" screamed a villager, his voice piercing the chaos.
"What the hell is the devil doing on land?" another cried.
"I see this place hasn't changed one bit," Rosewalt grumbled as they pushed through the throng. "Always too crowded for my liking. And now this so-called boy's appearance has everyone in a panic." He inhaled deeply, the dusty air filling his lungs, then exhaled softly. "Can't wait for retirement. I'm starting to think I'm getting too old for this shit."
"Hey, you two—get this place in order. And you—follow me. Let's get to the bottom of this so we can all head home. I'm already bone-tired."
Just at the corner of his eye, he spotted him—the world's greatest atrocity. Is that a him... or an it? Rosewalt wondered, his gaze locking for a fleeting moment on the small figure. Then, as quickly as it came, his eyes caught a glimpse of a crimson cloak billowing in the breeze.
"But why? Why is Sango on his knee, talking to that brat like a father comforting his son?" Rosewalt whispered to himself, disbelief etching his features.
"All I need to do now is get over there, get to the bottom of things, snag the boy, and hand him over to the higher-ups."
"Sir, are you going to give me the order to execute him?" the zealous guard pressed, his voice trembling with bloodlust. "My blood's racing just looking at him. Please—do me the honor."
"No. Sorry, but I can't do that."
"But Captain, the higher-ups said dead or alive. Killing him is still within our jurisdiction!"
"Shut up. I've heard enough. One more damn word, and you'll be the one kissing Satan's ass."
"I can't quite put my finger on it," Rosewalt thought, still stroking his chin, "but something's definitely off with this one. Acting too radical for a sane man—does he hold a grudge against the kid?"
"Hey, you," a voice cut through the din like a blade—calm as an early morning sun, yet laced with unspoken menace.
Chills raced down Rosewalt's spine and that of his lieutenant; they could barely stand steady.
"Yes, sir," Rosewalt replied without hesitation.
"The noise around me is too much. Make it stop. Immediately," Sango said, his gaze never leaving the boy's eyes.
"Yes, sir. We will—quickly."
"Everyone, shut the hell up and clear the town square! Now! These are orders from Sango!"
"Did he say Sango? What would a man like him want here? I don't want to stick around to find out," a villager muttered, bolting.
"Maybe he'll do us a favor—kill that thing and take the square with it," another hissed.
The chaos only amplified: screams mingled with the thunder of footsteps, bodies colliding in a frenzy. The town square itself seemed to shake under the stampede, as people fled to what they believed was safety. Little did they know, a day would come when there was nowhere left to run.