• Chapter One

    Twelve years after Kluth’s final battle three young men were in the park, two were standing ,the other sat in the shade of a tree. These three had been in the park at least once a week for their entire lives. As they grew each became a distinct young man. One was a giant at seven feet two inches tall, another was known for uncharacteristic bursts of intelligent thought, and the third would forever be in his father’s shadow, due to the purple locks they shared everyone knew his name before he gave it.
    The smallest of the bunch, the purple-haired youth smirked at his giant friend as they stood in their undershirts and sweatpants “Come on Nhoj you can hit me,” he goaded.
    Nhoj shook his head and charged forward looking to punch the dwarf square in the nose. The purple-haired boy ducked and threw a kick toward Nhoj’s knee; but Nhoj saw it coming and caught his leg and hoisted him off the ground “Come on Yenek, you always do that,” Nhoj pointed out.
    Yenek smiled and swung by his ankle and punched Nhoj in the face. The giant stumbled back, surprised by the attack he released Yenek who landed on his feet. Nhoj regained his balanced and looked at his hand “Where’d he go,” he wondered.
    Yenek smirked “Over here,” he whispered and delivered a fresh punch to Nhoj’s cheek. Nhoj turned with the force of the blow and pounded down on Yenek’s back.
    Yenek caught himself with his hands and pushed himself back upward slamming his heels in Nhoj’s jaw, the giant fell.
    The boy in the tree’s shade looked utterly shocked “Wow Yenek just dropped Nhoj,” he said to himself.
    Yenek laughed “Don’t worry I didn’t hit him that hard.” he assured panting.
    Nhoj stood up winded “Great match Yenek,” he huffed.
    Yenek looked to his friend “I’m surprised you fell,” he admitted “You’re tougher then that,”
    Nhoj took a deep breath trying to steady his breathing “Yeah, but you’re too quick for me, with enough hits even I can fall down,” he explained.
    The boy under the tree shouted to his friends “C’mon guys step it up!” gaining a glare from each of his friends “Nhoj, you’re losing to a guy half your size!” he pointed out.
    Yenek again glared at the boy “You wanna give it a shot then,” he growled.
    The boy laughed, he was about half a foot shorter then Nhoj butthat still made him much larger then Yenek, he shook his head “Nah I’m good,”
    Nhoj took another breath and looked to the mid-sized friend “There’s more to fighting then size and power Belac,”
    Belac raised an eyebrow “I don’t understand the question,” he replied confused.
    Nhoj shook his head “That wasn’t a question,” he said firmly as he smacked Belac upside the head.
    Yenek chuckled and rubbed the back of his head “Well I’m exhausted, I’m gonna take off, see you guys at the usual spot tomorrow?” he asked
    Belac and Nhoj nodded “Later dude,” they said in unison.
    Yenek walked down the forest path that led to his house, he opened the front gate, crossed the well-kept lawn, went up the front steps, and opened the door “Mom, I’m home!” he called into the house as he closed the door behind him.
    Leksey smiled as she worked on dinner “Dinner’s almost done Yenek,” she told her son.
    Yenek nodded though his mother couldn’t see him “Alright, just gotta change and I’ll be right down,” he told her
    Leksey nodded and began to hum to herself as she worked. After a few minutes of stirring Leksey heard a knock on the door. “Coming,” she called as she came to the door, Leksey opened the door to reveal a hooded figure.
    “Lek-sey…” it moaned from under its hood, whatever was under the cloak was not used to speaking.
    Leksey heard movement upstairs, Yenek was on his way down, Leksey pushed the hooded figure back and closed the door behind her.
    Yenek got down the stairs in time to hear the door slam “Guess she went out,” he said to himself and then went back upstairs to his room. Yenek was worn from his match with Nhoj so he decided on a nap.
    Apparently Yenek was more tired then he thought, for when he woke up he discovered it was the next day. Yenek moved down the stairs and into the kitchen “Mom must’ve gone out,” he said to himself then looked out the window and saw Leksey and a hooded figure.
    Leksey was staring down the hooded figure “Who sent you here, I didn‘t speak with you last night why would I do so now?” she demanded.
    “Blade ordered me to find Dawn, the human he was reborn to battle.” the hooded figure replied.
    Leksey glared at the figure “That’s impossible my husband died to destroy Blade, he won’t be back until the next Dawn comes of age,” she replied dodging the bit about Dawn
    “Blade ordered me to find Dawn,”
    “Well you go back to this Blade of yours and tell him I have no need to fight him.”
    The demon vanished and Leksey turned around, Yenek was behind her, he had come outside to see what was going on “Who was that?” Yenek asked.
    Leksey smiled and shook her head “Nobody important,” was her reply.
    Yenek shrugged “Alrighty then, I’m gonna go hang with Belac and Nhoj for the day, I’ll see ya later,” he said with a two fingered salute.
    Leksey rushed forward and hugged her son tight. Yenek looked down at his mother confused “Mom?” he asked “Is something wrong?”
    Leksey released her son and shook her head “No, why does something need to be wrong for me to hug you?” she asked playfully.
    Yenek shrugged “I guess nothing needs to be wrong, I’ll see ya later okay?”
    Leksey smiled and nodded “See ya later honey,” she said as she watched him leave.
    Meanwhile Belac and Nhoj were already at the pub, seated and waiting for Yenek “What do you mean people are coming from the colonies?” Nhoj asked Belac.
    “I heard it on the News this morning, people are being brought in from Irotokian colonies,” Belac insisted.
    Yenek had made his way into the bar and found his friends when Belac spoke and shook his head “You mean to tell me that Irotokians, who are our enemies, are being brought into the very capital of our country?” he asked.
    Belac nodded “Yep,”
    Nhoj shook his head “That doesn’t make any sense,” he said firmly “And since when do you watch the news anyway?”.
    Yenek’s attention was drawn to another young man in the pub, a few stools down, Yenek had never seen him before, he walked over to the boy and tapped his shoulder “Hello, I don’t remember ever seeing you in town,” he said politely.
    Nhoj looked over “Yeah, you from the city or something?”
    The boy shook his head “No I’m from the colonies,” he replied
    Nhoj looked to Belac “You set this guy up before hand didn‘t you?”
    The boy shook his head “No really I come from the colonies, but anyway my name is Kyo,” he said “Kyo Yagle,” he added and extended a hand.
    Yenek shook his hand “Yenek Vakgahna,”
    Kyo laughed “I figured,”
    Nhoj looked at the clock “We should head out,” he said
    Yenek nodded and looked to Kyo “Wanna come with us, we can show you around town?” he asked.
    Kyo shrugged “Sure,” he said and walked with the three friends. As the four continued Kyo pointed to Nhoj “So is this your bodyguard or something?” he asked.
    Yenek looked at Nhoj “No this is Nhoj, he’s just a good friend of mine,” he replied then pointed over his shoulder at Belac “And that genius is Belac,” he said his voice oozing sarcasm as Belac ate his sandwich oblivious to what was going on around him. He finished the sandwich then asked “So Kyo what’s it like in the colonies?”
    Nhoj sighed “Give it up Belac, he’s not from any colony,”
    Kyo sighed “No I really am from the colonies.” he insisted
    Yenek turned to look at him “So you’re actually from Irotoko?” he asked.
    Kyo shook his head “Nope, I’m from a colony between the two countries that handles trading between all three nations.”
    Nhoj shook his head “I still say Belac’s paid him something.”
    Belac perked up “Oh the news also said that demons may be loose again,”
    Yenek shook his head “Now that would be impossible,” he said and as if simply to defy Yenek a demon rushed past them.
    “A d-demon,” Belac stuttered.
    The beast turned and growled at the four “Nhoj go!” Yenek said firmly.
    “Right!” the giant said and despite his size very quickly got behind the demon and put it in a full nelson to hold it still.
    “Now you Belac,” Yenek directed
    “Right!” Belac said and rushed forward ready to punch the demon.
    The demon broke free and let out a mighty roar, then charged straight for Kyo.
    Yenek looked surprised “Kyo look out!” he shouted
    Kyo smirked and pulled out a bladeless hilt, though he drew it like a normal sword. Purple energy began to flow from the hilt, it wasn’t organized but it seemed contained, when the demon got within range Kyo swung the weapon and sliced it in half.
    “Wow,” the other three gasped
    Kyo smiled and put his weapon away and started back towards the others, behind him the demon began to regenerate “Believe me now?” he asked cockily.
    “Kyo look out!” Nhoj shouted.
    The demon reformed and hurled Kyo away. Caught off guard Kyo flew through the air and his weapon fell from his hand. Yenek jumped and caught the weapon, he noticed a switch and flicked it unleashing the energy but keeping it somewhat contained. Yenek thought a moment as the demon decided ob its next target “Nhoj get it in a decent grip again,” he said firmly.
    “Right!” he said and the giant again full-nelsoned the demon.
    Yenek rushed forward, faster then Belac he got to the demon before it could break free of Nhoj, and slashed through its horn.
    The Demon let out a repulsing scream and then fell silent. With a thump it hit the ground never to rise again.
    Yenek flipped the switch to its apparent off position “So Kyo where’d you get your hands on this?” Yenek asked as he tossed Kyo the weapon.
    Kyo caught the weapon and smiled “Got a five-finger discount from the Irotokian Military,”
    Belac smiled “See he is from a colony,” he pointed out.
    “Fine,” Nhoj admitted.
    Kyo looked over at Yenek “How’d you kill it when I couldn’t?” he asked
    Yenek smiled “Well I’ve been around the military my whole life so I know a bit about Demons,” he said “And most demons can regenerate if not killed instantly, and surprisingly slicing someone in half won’t kill them instantly, takes time to bleed out, however with the exception of Devils if the horn is removed then the demon dies,” Yenek shrugged “Well as fun as this has been I really do need to be heading home,” he said and began to walk down the path toward his home “See you guys later,” he said and walked out of sight.