Astral's Adventures

Once a fire in your heart is awakened, never let it burn out.

A hooded figure traveled down a path, illuminated only by the fluorescent mushrooms that grew along the path. The echoing sounds of silence were only protruded by light footsteps. Walking slowly down the path he worried about nothing.

The sky was gray with clouds hiding the night's true intentions. Something menacing was approaching, yet people didn't know it. Silence turned to a wail for help, muffled by murmurs. The man kept his hood up as he had his hand on his sword. His steps quickened as he charged down the path.

Down the path stood a small group of people surrounding one small girl. They were harassing her and wanted to get certain things out of her. She was covered in dirt, spit and blood. The men that surrounded her were harassing her for being different.

Their dirty clothes matched hers as her ears stuck out pointed. The man saw this as he made one loud footstep. Seeing the girl on the ground he was fuming. His calmness hides deep within him to keep composure.

The group of people turned to him and asked. "Whaddya want ya punk?" as one of the members tried to spit in the man's face, all that came out was blood. Running down the person's mouth was a stream of red liquid. The hooded man had slash the man's neck. The speed of the attack caused his hood to reveal the man's face; cyan eyes, strong jawline, and medium length hair that went halfway down his neck. 

He spoke, while pulling his blade from the man he impaled. "Leave in peace, or be turned into pieces." his voice was calm, but had a tone of arrogance.

The group of now five turn at each other and their 'leader' speaks. "He can't take each of us at o-" his speech was cut off by his head leaving his shoulders. The speed of which the cyan eyed man was able to end the lives of those who he was disliking was extraordinaire.

 The rest charged at him one at a time, in a quite stupid and idiotic manner, the man would slice the men down one by one, his katana, made of what appeared to be some blue steel, cutting completely through them with ease. Each of them had a death wish filled with rage as the man diced all of them to bits.

He flicked his blade and the blood on it made a pool on the ground. He spoke softly to the girl on the ground. The wind carrying leaves down the path they were standing on. "Would you like a companion?" the small and frightened child on the ground slowly nodded yes. He extended his hand, to help her up, she was roughly half his height. Back on the path they went.

He remained quiet as did she. The man looked among the trees as he felt something was watching them. Glancing around he saw nothing but the wildlife. Uneasiness filled the air as he looked to the little girl once again. "What is your name?" He asked as she paused for a second.

"Tina." She let out a meep little squeak as she pulled on his cloak. "May we search for a plant?" The man nodded as she pulled him into the woods. He trusted that it wasn't a trap as they climbed a tree. She fell twice while climbing it as he caught her both times. Once they reached the top. They grabbed three leaves from a plant growing in the center of the tree.

She hopped onto the man's back as he slid down the tree to the ground and continued to hold her. "Say, you don't have any shoes on, you walked the dangerous forest floor with no shoes?" He asked her as she nodded yes. He rolled his eyes as he continued to hold her.

"What is your name, strange man?" She asked as her meepish tone stayed quiet. The man stayed still as his thoughts wandered.

"I am Astral." He went back to the path as they traveled to the outer walls as Tina tapped on his shoulders and advised him not to go to the gate. He heeded his direct motion as he kneeled and waited for her to show him where to go. She went in the wall with the plant leaves as Astral sensed something new about her. Something that lie underneath her young shell. 

He crouched around and scouted the entire wall, there were no weaknesses where he could sneak in as he noticed a small little girl opening a door. Astral slid in unspotted as Tina shut the door behind him. The two explored the inside of the walls. Astral and Tina saw the different ways it was built as they slipped out.

'These walls feel more like a prison than a gate to guard from the outside.' Astral thought to himself as he looked around and saw a squirrel that was familiar to before. He brushed it off as Tina pulled him into a back alley. A storming legion of troops came around the corner as Astral and Tina hid.

"This place feels corrupt." Astral muttered as the guards passed. Tina pulled his hands down the back alleys as they went to her house. The same squirrel following them as Astral took note. Something was different with the entire place. Chimneys stood tall as no smoke was forming. Shingles remained tiled as their color lost all life. The trees around the village lend shade to make it pure darkness.

Astral was deeply worried about the place realizing it was unsafe for a girl. A girl who could explode into a magical ball of energy if trained right. He dug deep as he felt that part of him, missing? But still there. He didn't know what the issue was as he stopped in place. Tina opened the backdoor as Astral looked up and swooped in.

Astral lightly shut the door as he saw the squirrel rest on the building across from them. 'That squirrel followed us from the forest to here. Why?' Astral had less and less questions as he sat down in a chair quietly as Tina reached up and set the leaves down.