Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ Give a Reason ❯ Alone ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Illianaka 
Rai has to endure hardship most children never know of...
Anime/Manga: Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Supernatural / Horror / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.04.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 249 | Status: Work In Progress
Rai has to endure hardship most children never know of...
Anime/Manga: Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Supernatural / Horror / Drama | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.04.2003 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 249 | Status: Work In Progress
:: Give a Reason ::
Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
Disclaimer: I don't own Rai or Sorcerous Stabber Orphen. All rights go to ADV, Manga, Akita Sandanobu, and others. I did, however, make up Makubura, so please don't use him without permission (like you'd even want to use him ^^;).
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: pre-SSO series, Rai-centered, dark issues, slight gore, mild swearing
Notes: This chapter is... Dark. That's all I have to say. Dark and extremely... Uh... Dark.
-_-; Admire the vastness of my vocabulary...
Rai sighed heavily to himself, wrapping his thin arms around his body. The action was more for comfort than protection against the biting cold. Makubura, his teacher-to-be and temporary guardian, slept without complain on the ground near the fire. He glanced bitterly at the man, angry; angry for so many reasons. For one, Makubura got to sleep next to the fire in this cold, while Rai himself had been forced to rest a good few feet awat from it. Second, this trip was taking far longer than either had expected.
Makubura constantly blamed him, though why he didn't just give up and leave was beyond Rai in the first place. He had rescued the boy over a month ago. Since the next morning they had been traveling together-- On foot.
At first Rai had been afraid of the man, then angry at him. Then he'd completely hated him; he'd told him so several times. And yet, Makubura had saved his life again not too long afterwards. Rai had decided that he couldn't be that bad a man; he had even healed his wounds.
But then, once they were out of immediate danger, Makubura began to treat him like an incompetent slave again, one to be beaten if he even so much as put the tip of his pinky toe out of line. Really, it was quite infuriating, not to mention painful.
Not only that, but Makubura's ways were slowly rubbing off on him. Rai hated it. He was beginning to speak more and more like him. He was a mere three years old, but when he spoke he was beginning to realize he sounded much older than he really was. It was frightening, and when he was frightened he grew angry. In this case, he was simply furious with his future teacher.
On days he was cross or sullen, hours seemed to drag by with intentional slowness. If he didn't sleep, he would surely be tired tomorrow. But then he doubted he could even GET to sleep at this point. He was freezing, and did Makubura offer any relief? Certainly not!
Rai forced himself to lie back down. Maybe if he thought about something else he would drop off into an easier sleep. So he did. He thought of his mother, whom he missed sorely. He especially missed her loving touch. He imagined her soothing words, the things she would say if she ever found out what Makubura had put him through. "It's all right, darling. Momma's here. Hush, now, that man will never cause you strife again. I promise."
The imaginary solace was enough to do the trick. He would have to try it more often. The first time he had been in a similar situation, Rai had tried to stay up until Makubura fell asleep. Then he had moved closer to the fire, believing he could wake up before the man.
Naturally, his childish ignorance proved him wrong a mere three hours later. When Makubura had awoken and found him asleep there, he had carried the boy to the nearest river, dunking him into its icy depths until he had swallowed a good deal of water, and not all of it went to his stomach. He had choked numerous times and Makubura had been forced to remove the melted ice from his lungs lest the boy should die. But that succinct and wordless warning had been enough. He wouldn't be trying a trick like THAT again.
The past month had not been easy, not at all. Makubura had, indeed, said that they would have a long journey ahead of them, but on foot! It was unreasonable! Once Rai had suggested taking a carriage, or even a boat, but he had been slapped for making such a "foolish suggestion". Apparantly his future teacher was miserly when it came to money.
"Wake up."
Rai made a small whining noise in the back of his throat. He sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as his temporary guardian set about putting out the last of the fire.
"To your feet."
Though he was tired, Rai had learnt well by now not to disobey. He stood, sleepily dusting the dirt from his clothes. They were extremely dirty and scruffy now, dyed red from all the times he had been attacked and had spilled blood. On numerous occasions Makubura had saved him. Oddly enough, these were the times Rai actually liked traveling with him. Yes, the wounds hurt, but it was the only time he got to see various sorts of magic.
"Makubura-sensei?" The man nodded once to indicate he was listening. "How much longer until we reach our destination?" There, he was doing it again! Speaking in the same manner as Makubura! Rai mentally kicked himself.
"In no less than a week, should we keep at this pace," was the answer. Rai scowled; Makubura was clearly insinuating that they could have already been there (wherever there was) by now if Rai hadn't been whining all the time. But what did this man honestly expect from him? He was just a CHILD!
And yet... He wasn't. His body was that of a three year old, yes, and he had always been a little too smart for his age, but he was also growing steadily wiser. He had more discipline. Though he would slip often enough, he wasn't quite a delicate spoiled child anymore.
Sighing in reluctant acceptance, Rai fell into step beside Makubura. They walked in silence, as they usually did, but something occured to Rai that he couldn't believe he had never thought of before. He decided to voice this wonder in the form of inquiry.
"Makubura-sensei? Will there by any children my age where we are going?"
For a long moment Makubura said nothing. His long legs didn't hesitate in their fast pace either; clearly he had been expecting this question for some time, for his expression didn't change either. Finally, he admitted, "Yes."
Rai's demeanor brightened considerably. Children his age! People he could play with! As though reading his thoughts, his teacher-to-be continued, "But you must not come into contact with them."
Shocked at how quickly his one bright thought had been taken away, Rai stopped. "Why?" he demanded.
Makubura didn't hesitate to slap him for delaying their journey even a few precious seconds. Rai numbly fell back into step as the man spoke once again. "You will be in a special training course. Your powers are exceptional; they must be executed in private. Rarely will you leave your special chambers. When you do, it will be for necessary needs only."
Rai didn't have to ask what those necessary needs would be. He had already picked up enough of THAT on this journey. Rarely did Makubura stop to get them something to eat or anything of the like, believing that Rai would only grow stronger both physically and emotionally if he neglected his own well-being some of the time.
And anyway, he didn't even understand what 'special powers' the man was talking about. Unless he was referring to his nightmares, but they were just nightmares, weren't they?
Uncovering this piece of information made the child very cross indeed. For the next week he continued to be sullen, only performing Makubura's demands with great reluctance. Exactly eight days later, however, Rai wished that he could have taken everything back, that everything could have been so much different...
Their destination was within vision. Rai's breath was taken away at the sight of the enormous towers, the lush green grass that looked almost black in the night sky. They were standing in a graveyard, appropriately enough. The irony didn't quite reach the boy's mind yet, though. They were finally here! After all the pain and suffering he had gone through, here he was at the place promised: The Tower of Fangs, the most prestigious sorcerer's academy in all of existance.
Even Makubura looked relieved. "Let us go," was all he said before he swiftly began to walk towards the Tower. And yet, something made Rai hesitate. Something felt odd. Magic was flowing through the air, unbound and free, and yet there was something lingering...
"Makubura-sensei, I--"
Makubura turned to him, dark green eyes narrowed in suspicion, but before Rai would continue or the man could comment, something came flying out of the air, hurtling itself straight for the boy's almost-teacher.
Rai screamed. Childish panic he hadn't felt since he had been attacked on their second day traveling swelled and burst, making him irrational as he ran straight to Makubura.
"Get back!"
Rai hesitated, but that hesitation cost him. Something else seemed to fly out of nowhere, joining the other thing in attacking the single man. Then another, and another... One cuffed Rai on the side of his head. Something large, shiny and black dropped to the ground and Rai stared at it. A black scale... These were zynths!
They far outnumbered his teacher, and even with magic Makubura could not stop the seeming multiplying beasts from ambushing him. Soon he was very bloody, his dark robes stained and his hair in complete disarray.
And then it hit Rai: his teacher was about to die.
"Makubura-sensei!" he screamed. Whatever logic he had gained on their journey fled as fast as he was running towards his teacher and the zynths. "MAKUBURA-SENSEI!"
Why was this happening? That was all he could think as he fought his way through the zynths. He was quickly thrown back; he was still just a child, and far too weak. But...
He had DREAMED of this! Numerous times on their journey, he had awoken from this exact same nightmare, pale and shaking! But this was no nightmare; the blood was glistening with reality and his throat was sore from his shrieking.
"Hikari yo!" he faintly heard his teacher cry. Light exploded, much weaker than all the blasts prior, and there were few zynths left. But they were doing their job a lot better than either Makubura or his student.
Rai fumbled for something, his small fist closing around a rock. He hurtled it at a zynth, hitting it square on the head.
Everyone knew that the head was a zynth's weak spot. The rest of its body was covered with almost impenetrable scales, but the center of its forehead was left unprotected. That was normally why they tried to attack with their large and sharp claws.
This zynth was not happy to be hit. In fact, it screamed. Blood dripped from the wound Rai had inflicted. Forgetting its main target, it turned on the boy and swooped down on him. Rai's arms flew up to cover his face and sharp claws tore his arms. He shrieked and fell back from the weight of the beast. It flew down at him again, and again Rai had to block with his already bloody and torn arms.
"Makubura-sensei!" he sobbed. His teacher didn't respond; in fact, the only sounds he could hear now was that of the single, angry zynth and his own terrified screams. Why was anyone not coming to help?!
In sudden determination, even as tears cascaded down his face, Rai lifted his arms up and out, taking on the same pose Makubura had when using his light attack. "Hika--"
He had thrown them out both too soon and too late. One taloned foot missed his outstretched arms and struck the right side of his face. Pain exploded, as did his vision. Rai clenched both eyes shut, screaming out, "HIKARI YO!"
Lightening burst from the palm of his hand. He heard the zynth shriek and fall, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Rai's arms collapsed and he lay there, gasping for breath. He was tired, so tired, and his body hurt and ached and-- Makubura!
He struggled to sit up, ignoring the fire burning in his clawed sides, arms and face. He had to get to his teacher! His right eye wouldn't open, seeming to be sealed shut. But... That didn't matter! With his one good eye he looked around wildly, finally spotting the body of his teacher.
"Maku... bura-sensei..." he whimpered, crawling on his hands and knees to the man. His clothes were in worse condition than ever before... As were the older man's. Rai took one look at him, gasped, then quickly turned away. His legs completely gave out; he collapsed on the ground. His teacher was mutilated beyond recognition... Were zynths so smart creatures as to be able to recognize a single man and take revenge for the damage of one of their own?
Rai sobbed as he hugged himself. Makubura had been his only companion after the horrible accident at home, the only person he could trust. Even if he had been a bastard, he had been trustworthy, honorable, reliable, honest... Rai forgot every bad thing that had happened, remembering the faint smile Makubura had given him that one day, the one night that he had cared for Rai when the boy had come down with a cold after being dunked in the ice river...
"Sensei," he cried, falling to the ground completely. "Sensei... Sensei..."
Whether it was from shock, blood loss or sheer pain, he didn't know. But his body eventaully took pity on him and allowed him to black out.
Sorcerous Stabber Orphen
Disclaimer: I don't own Rai or Sorcerous Stabber Orphen. All rights go to ADV, Manga, Akita Sandanobu, and others. I did, however, make up Makubura, so please don't use him without permission (like you'd even want to use him ^^;).
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: pre-SSO series, Rai-centered, dark issues, slight gore, mild swearing
Notes: This chapter is... Dark. That's all I have to say. Dark and extremely... Uh... Dark.
-_-; Admire the vastness of my vocabulary...
Rai sighed heavily to himself, wrapping his thin arms around his body. The action was more for comfort than protection against the biting cold. Makubura, his teacher-to-be and temporary guardian, slept without complain on the ground near the fire. He glanced bitterly at the man, angry; angry for so many reasons. For one, Makubura got to sleep next to the fire in this cold, while Rai himself had been forced to rest a good few feet awat from it. Second, this trip was taking far longer than either had expected.
Makubura constantly blamed him, though why he didn't just give up and leave was beyond Rai in the first place. He had rescued the boy over a month ago. Since the next morning they had been traveling together-- On foot.
At first Rai had been afraid of the man, then angry at him. Then he'd completely hated him; he'd told him so several times. And yet, Makubura had saved his life again not too long afterwards. Rai had decided that he couldn't be that bad a man; he had even healed his wounds.
But then, once they were out of immediate danger, Makubura began to treat him like an incompetent slave again, one to be beaten if he even so much as put the tip of his pinky toe out of line. Really, it was quite infuriating, not to mention painful.
Not only that, but Makubura's ways were slowly rubbing off on him. Rai hated it. He was beginning to speak more and more like him. He was a mere three years old, but when he spoke he was beginning to realize he sounded much older than he really was. It was frightening, and when he was frightened he grew angry. In this case, he was simply furious with his future teacher.
On days he was cross or sullen, hours seemed to drag by with intentional slowness. If he didn't sleep, he would surely be tired tomorrow. But then he doubted he could even GET to sleep at this point. He was freezing, and did Makubura offer any relief? Certainly not!
Rai forced himself to lie back down. Maybe if he thought about something else he would drop off into an easier sleep. So he did. He thought of his mother, whom he missed sorely. He especially missed her loving touch. He imagined her soothing words, the things she would say if she ever found out what Makubura had put him through. "It's all right, darling. Momma's here. Hush, now, that man will never cause you strife again. I promise."
The imaginary solace was enough to do the trick. He would have to try it more often. The first time he had been in a similar situation, Rai had tried to stay up until Makubura fell asleep. Then he had moved closer to the fire, believing he could wake up before the man.
Naturally, his childish ignorance proved him wrong a mere three hours later. When Makubura had awoken and found him asleep there, he had carried the boy to the nearest river, dunking him into its icy depths until he had swallowed a good deal of water, and not all of it went to his stomach. He had choked numerous times and Makubura had been forced to remove the melted ice from his lungs lest the boy should die. But that succinct and wordless warning had been enough. He wouldn't be trying a trick like THAT again.
The past month had not been easy, not at all. Makubura had, indeed, said that they would have a long journey ahead of them, but on foot! It was unreasonable! Once Rai had suggested taking a carriage, or even a boat, but he had been slapped for making such a "foolish suggestion". Apparantly his future teacher was miserly when it came to money.
"Wake up."
Rai made a small whining noise in the back of his throat. He sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as his temporary guardian set about putting out the last of the fire.
"To your feet."
Though he was tired, Rai had learnt well by now not to disobey. He stood, sleepily dusting the dirt from his clothes. They were extremely dirty and scruffy now, dyed red from all the times he had been attacked and had spilled blood. On numerous occasions Makubura had saved him. Oddly enough, these were the times Rai actually liked traveling with him. Yes, the wounds hurt, but it was the only time he got to see various sorts of magic.
"Makubura-sensei?" The man nodded once to indicate he was listening. "How much longer until we reach our destination?" There, he was doing it again! Speaking in the same manner as Makubura! Rai mentally kicked himself.
"In no less than a week, should we keep at this pace," was the answer. Rai scowled; Makubura was clearly insinuating that they could have already been there (wherever there was) by now if Rai hadn't been whining all the time. But what did this man honestly expect from him? He was just a CHILD!
And yet... He wasn't. His body was that of a three year old, yes, and he had always been a little too smart for his age, but he was also growing steadily wiser. He had more discipline. Though he would slip often enough, he wasn't quite a delicate spoiled child anymore.
Sighing in reluctant acceptance, Rai fell into step beside Makubura. They walked in silence, as they usually did, but something occured to Rai that he couldn't believe he had never thought of before. He decided to voice this wonder in the form of inquiry.
"Makubura-sensei? Will there by any children my age where we are going?"
For a long moment Makubura said nothing. His long legs didn't hesitate in their fast pace either; clearly he had been expecting this question for some time, for his expression didn't change either. Finally, he admitted, "Yes."
Rai's demeanor brightened considerably. Children his age! People he could play with! As though reading his thoughts, his teacher-to-be continued, "But you must not come into contact with them."
Shocked at how quickly his one bright thought had been taken away, Rai stopped. "Why?" he demanded.
Makubura didn't hesitate to slap him for delaying their journey even a few precious seconds. Rai numbly fell back into step as the man spoke once again. "You will be in a special training course. Your powers are exceptional; they must be executed in private. Rarely will you leave your special chambers. When you do, it will be for necessary needs only."
Rai didn't have to ask what those necessary needs would be. He had already picked up enough of THAT on this journey. Rarely did Makubura stop to get them something to eat or anything of the like, believing that Rai would only grow stronger both physically and emotionally if he neglected his own well-being some of the time.
And anyway, he didn't even understand what 'special powers' the man was talking about. Unless he was referring to his nightmares, but they were just nightmares, weren't they?
Uncovering this piece of information made the child very cross indeed. For the next week he continued to be sullen, only performing Makubura's demands with great reluctance. Exactly eight days later, however, Rai wished that he could have taken everything back, that everything could have been so much different...
Their destination was within vision. Rai's breath was taken away at the sight of the enormous towers, the lush green grass that looked almost black in the night sky. They were standing in a graveyard, appropriately enough. The irony didn't quite reach the boy's mind yet, though. They were finally here! After all the pain and suffering he had gone through, here he was at the place promised: The Tower of Fangs, the most prestigious sorcerer's academy in all of existance.
Even Makubura looked relieved. "Let us go," was all he said before he swiftly began to walk towards the Tower. And yet, something made Rai hesitate. Something felt odd. Magic was flowing through the air, unbound and free, and yet there was something lingering...
"Makubura-sensei, I--"
Makubura turned to him, dark green eyes narrowed in suspicion, but before Rai would continue or the man could comment, something came flying out of the air, hurtling itself straight for the boy's almost-teacher.
Rai screamed. Childish panic he hadn't felt since he had been attacked on their second day traveling swelled and burst, making him irrational as he ran straight to Makubura.
"Get back!"
Rai hesitated, but that hesitation cost him. Something else seemed to fly out of nowhere, joining the other thing in attacking the single man. Then another, and another... One cuffed Rai on the side of his head. Something large, shiny and black dropped to the ground and Rai stared at it. A black scale... These were zynths!
They far outnumbered his teacher, and even with magic Makubura could not stop the seeming multiplying beasts from ambushing him. Soon he was very bloody, his dark robes stained and his hair in complete disarray.
And then it hit Rai: his teacher was about to die.
"Makubura-sensei!" he screamed. Whatever logic he had gained on their journey fled as fast as he was running towards his teacher and the zynths. "MAKUBURA-SENSEI!"
Why was this happening? That was all he could think as he fought his way through the zynths. He was quickly thrown back; he was still just a child, and far too weak. But...
He had DREAMED of this! Numerous times on their journey, he had awoken from this exact same nightmare, pale and shaking! But this was no nightmare; the blood was glistening with reality and his throat was sore from his shrieking.
"Hikari yo!" he faintly heard his teacher cry. Light exploded, much weaker than all the blasts prior, and there were few zynths left. But they were doing their job a lot better than either Makubura or his student.
Rai fumbled for something, his small fist closing around a rock. He hurtled it at a zynth, hitting it square on the head.
Everyone knew that the head was a zynth's weak spot. The rest of its body was covered with almost impenetrable scales, but the center of its forehead was left unprotected. That was normally why they tried to attack with their large and sharp claws.
This zynth was not happy to be hit. In fact, it screamed. Blood dripped from the wound Rai had inflicted. Forgetting its main target, it turned on the boy and swooped down on him. Rai's arms flew up to cover his face and sharp claws tore his arms. He shrieked and fell back from the weight of the beast. It flew down at him again, and again Rai had to block with his already bloody and torn arms.
"Makubura-sensei!" he sobbed. His teacher didn't respond; in fact, the only sounds he could hear now was that of the single, angry zynth and his own terrified screams. Why was anyone not coming to help?!
In sudden determination, even as tears cascaded down his face, Rai lifted his arms up and out, taking on the same pose Makubura had when using his light attack. "Hika--"
He had thrown them out both too soon and too late. One taloned foot missed his outstretched arms and struck the right side of his face. Pain exploded, as did his vision. Rai clenched both eyes shut, screaming out, "HIKARI YO!"
Lightening burst from the palm of his hand. He heard the zynth shriek and fall, hitting the ground with a loud thud. Rai's arms collapsed and he lay there, gasping for breath. He was tired, so tired, and his body hurt and ached and-- Makubura!
He struggled to sit up, ignoring the fire burning in his clawed sides, arms and face. He had to get to his teacher! His right eye wouldn't open, seeming to be sealed shut. But... That didn't matter! With his one good eye he looked around wildly, finally spotting the body of his teacher.
"Maku... bura-sensei..." he whimpered, crawling on his hands and knees to the man. His clothes were in worse condition than ever before... As were the older man's. Rai took one look at him, gasped, then quickly turned away. His legs completely gave out; he collapsed on the ground. His teacher was mutilated beyond recognition... Were zynths so smart creatures as to be able to recognize a single man and take revenge for the damage of one of their own?
Rai sobbed as he hugged himself. Makubura had been his only companion after the horrible accident at home, the only person he could trust. Even if he had been a bastard, he had been trustworthy, honorable, reliable, honest... Rai forgot every bad thing that had happened, remembering the faint smile Makubura had given him that one day, the one night that he had cared for Rai when the boy had come down with a cold after being dunked in the ice river...
"Sensei," he cried, falling to the ground completely. "Sensei... Sensei..."
Whether it was from shock, blood loss or sheer pain, he didn't know. But his body eventaully took pity on him and allowed him to black out.