The Guardsmen

Chapter 10: First Mission

Once the group leaves the hidden trail in the forest, they find a bus stop and wait patiently.

"So. What exactly did I get myself into?" Kokuro asks in a rude tone.

Akahito takes a breath to answer but then decides to keep quiet.

"Well," Acacius says, "We're Guardsmen. So we simply do anything and everything the king tells us to"

Kokuro gives him a side-eye glance and says "That sounds idiotic. You're all basically errand mules for a man who doesn't want to get his hands dirty"

Acacius looks at Akahito knowing how defensive of the king he is, yet Akahito did not move or say a word. "So why are all of you together?" Kokuro continues.

Akahito finally speaks up and says "We are a squadron. We are tasked with taking on larger kingdom issues rather than the smaller ones that individual Guardsmen do"

Akahito looks over his shoulder to see how Kokuro would react. Kokuro clenches his fist, takes a deep breath, and then relaxes. "Well. Then I should expect big things to come out of this" he says.

Akahito softly smiles and returns to gazing up at the bright blue sky. The sound of an engine appears in the distance.

"That's our ride!" Andrus exclaims.

Everyone stands up and looks in the direction of the sound. Kokuro looks at Acacius as his trench coat waves in the wind. "What is that?" Kokuro points and asks Acacius.

Acacius looks to where he is pointing. "Oh, this?" He says as he pulls out the handle of his flame greatsword, "This is my weapon. Made it myself during training!"

Kokuro walks over and inspects the weapon. "How do you use it?" Kokuro asks.

Acacius chuckles and gives a big smile. "With this," he says, "All you have to do is focus your willpower into it and it forms a solid shape that can be used for anything. Really"

Kokuro continues to look at the weapon as the bus comes to a slow stop in front of everyone. "Everyone, let's go!' Akahito loudly says.

The group boards the bus which then heads towards the airport. While on the bus, Kokuro looks at Akahito through the corner of his eye. Akahito's bandages on his leg are covered in dry dirt and blood. Kokuro sighs and gazes out of the window as his home fades beyond the horizon. The group reaches the airport and boards the earliest plane heading towards the capital of the kingdom. During the wait, Maya sits next to Kokuro. Eden looks up and watches as Maya starts talking to Kokuro. Maya puts her hand on his shoulder, gives a sweet smile, and says something Eden couldn't understand. Kokuro looks back at Maya and returns a soft smile. He nods his head at her. Maya stands up and walks away. Eden sneakily crawls over to Kokuro as he pulls a book to his face.

"Pssst!!!" She says.

"What?" Kokuro snaps at her.

Eden pokes the side of Kokuro's head repeatedly as she asks in a childish voice "Sooo!!! What did she say??"

Kokuro looks at her with annoyance. "She was just giving her condolences for what happened back then"

Eden stops poking his head and sits next to him. Kokuro scoots to the side a bit to create space. Eden looks at Akahito, who is talking to Acacius, and says "You know, he really does care and love you"

Kokuro looks up at Akahito too. "Yeah, I know. That doesn't mean he really has changed'.

Eden grins at Kokuro and says "True! But now you two can start working on bonding as brothers again!"

Kokuro scoffs and looks back in his book. The plane begins to board. Once the group was boarded, they flew off back to the king's palace. When they leave the airport after landing, Kokuro gasps in shock. The sounds, the smells, the colors of the city amazed him.