The Hanazaki dynasty.
Dynasties were often built around a single, overwhelming divine– one capable of being inherited from generation to generation.
For the Hanazaki, that inheritance was their affinity for the light.
However divinity wasn't guaranteed. Blood alone did not determine it, nor did lineage increase the likelihood. Many were kin to the divine but never touched by it.
Nearly five centuries ago, a Hanazaki sorcerer attempted to solve that flaw.
Through ritual aided by the light, nine souls were bound to a single vessel. A creation that would be later known as one of the strongest divines to exist.
Omi stood outside the cage holding a weathered old man, while Ciro and Ezra lingered in the shadows of the dim light overhead. The barred window allowed the moon's shine to highlight Omi's face.
A face that displayed his anguish from all angles. A face met by unseen betrayal, yet still displaying the young prince's authority.
"Why Takeo…?" he said softly.
"You were my fathers closest friend.
Takeo smiled as if the sentiment had no effect on him.
"Because your father is dead, you're not king."
Omi clenched his fist, grit his teeth and looked down towards the camera around his neck.
"So why-why would you tarnish his will? You know how he felt about the ritual."
Takeo stepped in closer, hands gripped onto the metal bars.
" Your father was a coward. I'm doing what must be done for the dynasty! But he was too cowardly to have his son take on the ritual." he shouted in aggression. An aggression spurred on by belief.
He shook on the bars, wet from saliva that escaped his shouting.
"You divine were put on this plane to fight. Don't you see! You are all weapons, meant to serve."
Omi fist unclenched. His jaw relaxed. His gaze lifted softly towards Takeo, yellow eyes piercing.
"What could a child possibly owe the world?"
Ezra in that brief moment felt lost in those words. They had a familiarity to them, a familiarity he couldn't instantly put his finger on. He often found himself lost in wisdom. Pedro's teachings, but this deeper, further aged.
He could remember lying in her lap.
***
The world was calmer. Her hand moved softly through his hair, the soft strokes only given by love. As if she was afraid he might disappear if she stopped.
"Ezra." she said softly, eyes fixed somewhere he couldn't see.
"You deserve a normal life."
He shifted slightly, pressing closer, tilting his head.
"There's people who will try to take that from you,"
"People who will tell you that you owe the world something. Assign reason for your life."
Her. brushes slowly stopped and she leaned in, pushing her forehead against his.
"But you don't owe anyone your life. You deserve to live it the same as anyone else."
At the time, he nodded.
Only now he realised–
I guess I took that the wrong way for a while.
She never told me to stop moving forward.
She told me to not let the world decide where I'm allowed to stand.
Ezra exhaled slowly, the cage rattled as Takeo shifted around it.
"Takeo, just tell where the rest of the children are." Omi asserted.
Takeo's posture dropped as he crawled towards the shadows of his cell, lying across the floor. His face instantly relaxed.
"I don't know."
Omi grew closer to the cell this time. His eyes like the sun, shining a spotlight down on the traitorous old man.
"Then what about the person in the Binko mask?" Omi asked.
Takeo's stance stayed the same.
"I am already dead. You are already dead. But unlike you I will happily die for this dynasty. You are no king."
Omi walked away, back turned towards the cell.
"There's no point questioning him right now. Keep him locked up."
Omi stepped out as the sun finally started to rise. He crouched, taking a long deep breath, releasing a whirlwind of his frustrations. Both Ezra and Ciro followed him.
"Ezra, we'll go check the mountains Mai mentioned. Re and Gia are already across the other side of the island." Ciro said.
Omi smiled softly looking up at the pair.
"I appreciate it truly, but you're here the distortions. I can't ask you to deal with our civil matters aswell."
"I wouldn't be too sure they're not the same—" Ezra said
Suddenly the air shifted, that stench, the unnerving flow of air– Ash. Screams could be heard throughout the estate.
"The Reikin. Mifu!" Omi dashed towards the screams with the others in close pursuit.
The Reikins barrier fell, allowing hundreds of low level ashkin to enter the estate. None higher than neg-1 level– which can be killed by any trained fighter.
"Mifu carried the Reikin sword on her back as she never leaves the estate. Someone must have taken it from her." Omi said while sprinting.
They quickly arrived at the center of the estate where the Hanazaki civilians had already taken up arms to fight against the invaders. They cut through the ash easily moving with the same grace Mifu did during her lessons.
"Where's Mifu sensei?" Omi asked the group.
"Nobody's seen her."
An ashkin attempted to slash at Omi but he effortlessly swung his sheathed sword cracking its skull.
Ezra's face dropped. Suddenly everything around him froze, he couldn't escape from it. Something far away in the distance, burning malevolence.
What is that?
It's by the mountains Mai said the other kids might be.
"Ciro." Ezra said with unease in his voice.
"Im going to the mountain, there's something up there."
Ciro paused holding the face of one of the ashkins attempting to attack him.
"What? That's too dangerous alone."
Something brushed against Ciro's neck, leading him to squirm. Then he heard a voice.
"Dont worry. I'll be with him." Rena whispered into his ear.
Ciro threw the ashkin into the sword of one of the guards.
"Fine. But I'm sending Re and Gia over there aswell."
Ezra ran off, leaving the estate towards the mountains a few miles away.
I don't know if I can take that thing alone.
But Mai…
I don't really get all this nine tale ritual stuff, but I can't let those kids end up like Lyla.
The Hanazakis easily slayed all the ashkin attempting to invade the estate.
"Spread out, stop them from entering the walls at all." Omi ordered.
"spoken like a true king." A voice spoke from above.
Levitating as if standing on the air itself there was an ashkin. Its silhouette was pure white– not snow white, the white of flashing lights. The white you see before you die. It had nine long locs of hair, the same shade as its skin.
It dropped something from its hand— Mifu.
Omi dashed towards; her blood was leaking fast. Too fast.
"Omi, it's Kota." she said through her sporadic breaths.
Omi looked up towards the ashkin in disbelief. As if he hoped her words lies, but her tears spoke truth.
"Kota..?"