Mega Dragon: Harbinger of Death

A Ghost From The Past (2)

Kiro wasn’t sure whether he had received an upgrade to his status already. He received a lot more stares than was usually spared towards him. Everyone in the market stared at him and they didn’t have the courtesy to look aware whenever he locked eyes with them. There was a mix of fear and disdain in their eyes. Something that reassured Kiro that he wasn’t going to be stoned to death just yet. But his shack couldn’t say the same. He had forgotten the mess that he left it in – the mess that he created.

He would have preferred if it was vandalized by someone else. At least he would have some to blame. Ara probably forgot about it since he wanted him to leave the place altogether. The place would be fixed eventually. There was no way they would leave the market in such a mess. It had only been three days. Things like this take time especially if they were not an emergency.

He moved over as many things as he could. It didn’t look like anyone had ransacked his shop, which would have been a surprise because of the state it was in. Even with the strict laws stealing was still a menace, especially in the markets. But the circumstances that surrounded the destruction of his shack probably made everyone stay clear of it. It was one thing to attack the prince. Not just because of how strong he was but because he was the prince! That was an immediate death sentence for something that would prove futile in the end. Ara simply couldn’t be hurt. It was another thing to cause that much destruction from a single punch. Of course, they would be terrified of him.

But there Kiro was. He was back with absolutely no charges. Even more so, Prince Ara was the one who ordered that he be taken to the Healers Nest. Which begged the bigger question – what were prince Ara and prince Zenon doing there in the first place? Just who was the blacksmith named Kiro Ner? Thoughts filled the air rather quickly as no one dared to say a word to him. All thoughts about Kiro. It wouldn’t be long before rumors started to spread as well.

“Hello Kiro, it’s been quite sometime now,” a familiar voice said to Kiro.

A cold chill ran down his spine as he heard that voice. He didn’t need to turn to know who that was. But it shouldn’t have been possible. How are you still alive? Where’s the rest of the group? Did you find your sister? All these questions fly through Kiro’s mind. In his head, he asked them all and he didn’t like the answers he received. He knew very well what the answers to those questions were. After all, he watched them all die, including the man who spoke to him in his shack – a ghost from the past. 

Kiro turned around hesitantly. A million words ran through his head but none would escape his lips. Before him, was a young man under a cloak. Just a regular black cloak, unlike the patterned type that the intruders donned. He took off the hood on his cloak to reveal a younger face – a face that had seen the horrors of the world. He was covered with bandages from his mouth below. Only his nose upward was free of these white bandages. He had green eyes – the type that was uncommon in Croft kingdom. His hair was a mixture of grey and sooth black, although the grey side seemed to have been from stress. His hair was ordinarily black.

“You’re stunned. I get. The last time you saw me, I was---”

“Dead,” Kiro blurted out.

The young man’s eyes dimmed. It was a painful memory however long it was. “It’s good to see you again,” he said as he hugged Kiro tightly.

Kiro was as stiff as a log. Images ran through his head. Painful images. Images that he had long buried in the artic of his mind and threw away the keys. And now it was all back to make him pay for his sins. The pied piper has come to take retribution.

“You’re unusually quiet,” the young man said. There was sadness in his eyes no matter how his smile tried to hide it.

“Ray. How are you still alive? I saw you burn that night,” Kiro said. it was a night that changed his life forever. He remembered it so vividly. It had been years since he had been forced to remember, but he could never truly forget. After all, the one who was truly responsible for their deaths was…

“Do you still blame yourself for that night?” Ray asked. There was every letter of the word ‘guilt’ written on Kiro’s face. but Ray never thought of it that way. He was certain the others who died as well felt the same way.

“They only came because of me. If I hadn’t come to your family for help, then maybe---”

“You’d have been dead for sure. I have no regrets helping you that day Kiro. I thought you would be doing better for yourself here. What’s with the pile of rubble? I heard you punched the prince and caused all this. Were you taking out your anger at him? Do you resent the nobles like I do? If there was anyone to blame that night, it’s them, not you.”

Kiro let out a heavy sigh. He felt a lot calmer and somewhat tired. He sat atop his anvil. It was one of the few things still in shape – at least the shape he left it in. “Of course I despise the nobles. There are all the same. The ones here aren’t any different. They extort, the t*****e, they’re arrogant, they---” he said, but he started to doubt himself when he remembered the nobles he recently got acquainted with. They were different. He knew it. “Annoying, always angry,” he said after remembering Aroha, “Arrogant,” – Ara, “Caring” – Zhiyi, “Composed,” – Zenon.

Ray watched as the rage in Kiro’s eyes slowly smothered. “I see you’ve made new friends. Do I need to remind you what happened the last time that happened?” Ray snapped.

Kiro ignored what he said without giving it a thought. These were completely different scenarios. He had already convinced himself to be as unattached to them as possible. But he was certain Ray wouldn’t approve. But there was a more pressing question at hand – how was Ray not dead?

“You’ve met him, haven’t you? The man we call Adamas. He was here the day you met Ara,” Ray said.

Kiro was wide-eyed. The suspicious man – the one without a presence was Adamas? And Ray was an acquaintance? “What are you saying?” the trembling of his voice was apparent.

“He saved me, Kiro. Unfortunately, the others were gone by the time he got to me.”

“Are you working with him?” Kiro asked. He prayed hard that he was wrong.

“Of course. I don’t want to go too much into the details but I told him to scout you. I know how much you would hate the nobles. Maybe a lot more than I do. But then Ara showed up before he could speak to you. So here I am,” Ray said.

Kiro was dumbfounded. He might have lent a listening ear to him had he come before Ara showed up. He cared little about revenge, but surely, he might have just played along because of Ray. But things were a lot different now. And that would make Ray an enemy.

“Ray, I’m not one of you anymore,” Kiro said with empathy.

“So, you’re one of them now? I guess we got to you a little too late. I’ll tell you this for old-time sake. Leave Croft kingdom while you can. There’s no stopping what is to come. I would like it very much if you were not caught up in it,” Ray said promptly.

“What is it that you hope to achieve?” Kiro asked.

“If I told you the way you are now, I’d have to kill you. And I really don’t look forward to that. Stay safe,” he said as he walked out of the shed.

After a second of hesitation, Kiro ran after him. There was too much happening for him to watch him leave like that. But as he ran out, there was no sign of him. He asked those around his shed but no one seemed to see anyone walk in or out of the shed. It was as though he was truly a ghost! 

***

“Well, we just might have to separate you two then. What do you think, Ara?” Zenon teased.

“I think it’s a fine idea. So we pick one of them and never walk in the same area?”

“Certainly.”

“Then I pick Aroha,” they blurted out at the same time. And the awkward air settled around them once more. At least Kiro wasn’t unfortunate enough to be forced to suffer alongside them.

“It’s a joke of course. Why would be trying to break you two up? You two are adorable together,” Ara said in a failed attempt to salvage the situation. The rest of the journey was silent. It was as awkward as walking in n***d to your surprise party. No one uttered a word. No one dared to for the fear of making things worse. A day’s rest should sort it all out, they thought.

“I guess we’ll see you around tomorrow then,” Ara said as they got to the Renoff Manor. Zenon said nothing. He simply smiled at the both of them. And that marked an awkward to what was an eventful day for the girls.

That was the beginning of Aroha’s worries. She stared at the ceiling of her room as she reminisced about the day’s events. It was certainly a long day for her. From Vela’s ridiculous training to relaxing in the palace. And then the weird man they encountered with a final touch of an awkward walk for the rest of the walk. What was that all about by the way?

Zhiyi stormed into Aroha’s room. She had said nothing since they got back. Aroha would have yelled at her for barging in had Zhiyi not spoken first.

“Do you like him?” she said.

“What” Aroha was perplexed. What the hell was she talking about?

“Zenon. Do you like him now? Are you finally interested in one of them?” Zhiyi cried.

“No! God no!” she exclaimed. Was that why they were acting weird all through the day? She thought it was fun just staring at him. Some part of her enjoyed staring into his dark eyes she would admit. But that didn’t mean anything? What did it mean to ‘like’ someone?

“Then make it clear. You’re taking both of them away from me!” Zhiyi snapped.

Aroha was worried. It was the first time ever that she had seen Zhiyi speak or act that way. She didn’t know what she did was wrong. If she knew it meant that much to her, she would have avoided speaking to them altogether.

“Zhiyi…” Aroha said, but she had no idea what else to say. She was lost for words.

“It might not even matter what you say. They always pay attention to you. No matter what I do, you’re the one in the focus. Whether it’s prince Ara, or prince Zenon, or Vela, even Kiro. You’re always the focus and I’m always ignored!”

“Zhiyi…”

“You know what? Maybe they were right. Maybe we need to be separated. They can battle for you for all I care but at least you’ll only get one. Unlike now.”

Zhiyi’s words seeped deeper into Aroha’s body hurting her in every way possible. “Zhiyi! How could you!” Aroha snapped. But Zhiyi said nothing to her and slammed the door behind her as she walked out. 

Aroha stared at the door for minutes after Zhiyi left. She couldn’t fully comprehend what had just happened. Zhiyi had never once behaved that way towards her. And was she insinuating that the princes liked her? That was absolute bullocks. There was certainly no way that was possible. She might slightly believe it with Zenon but certainly not Ara. But she certainly wasn’t interested in any of them. She was sure of that fact. But how was she going to convince Zhiyi?