Part 4

‘Why?’

That was the only word coursing through Knight’s mind.

‘Why? Why? Whywhy? Why, why? Why? Why – Why? Whywhywhywhwywhywhywhy?’

He didn’t check to see if Rei was holding up well. He didn’t check to see if Iroha was awake. He just stared. Stared at the bare fangs protruding out of a ragged hood.

“-Why?”

Why was there a set of fangs in front of him? Why, after he was finally beginning to enjoy his adventure, did someone stand in his way?

Of course, Knight didn’t know. He could only repeat the same question in his head over and over again. He wasn’t aware, but his body, mind, and heart knew it was hopeless to do anything. It didn’t matter whether it was a boy or a man. It didn’t matter if it was a girl or a woman. It didn’t matter if it was a cat, a dog, a beast. The only way he would win was if his opponent let him.

Knight didn’t know this, however. After all, the only thing he was doing was questioning the situation.

“Why?”

Why did this beast care about Knight? Why did Knight matter to him? Why did anyone bat an eye to him? After all, Knight was just an ordinary boy.

This world wasn’t accepting of ‘ordinary’ people. At first, Knight tried to fight back but that only trapped him to the truth. It didn’t matter if it was an immense power toying with him. It didn’t matter if it was a minuscule power toying with him. After all, both had the power to do so.

“-Why?”

Why was it like this? Why did he awake in a magical world, only to be the most insignificant thing living in it?

It didn’t matter what Knight decided to do. After all, he wasn’t in charge of what those choices led to. No matter what happened, it was up to everyone around him. It was up to others for him to survive and it was up to others for him to die.

‘Why-?’

‘Why are you happy with that?’

“Huh…?”

“Well, nice job escapin’, lad. But I told ya didn’t I?”

A flame sparked. Inside of Knight, a flame flickered. The flame danced around his body, engulfing his heart. Then, it shot it grew to his mind, burning away the questions and confusion coursing through.

“...”

The beast moved its mouth but nothing came out. At least, nothing got past the flame shrouding Knight’s ears.

“…”

The more the beast opened its mouth, the darker it got.

“Ngh…” a trickle of noise fell out of Knight’s mouth as his heated muscles tensed up.

“…”

The last thing Knight saw before his vision was blotted by darkness was…probably laughter.

‘What is happening--------’

‘XHJJDJSKALLLKDBHIXDBXXVCZVCZ!!’

‘What the hell am I---’

‘XVXVXDXIDXH- Power – XXZZXGDOWEI!!’

‘Fuck off! I don’t have any power.’

‘XVXVXDXIDXH- So you’ll let everyone use you, beat you, toy with you… do as they please with you… because you lack power?’

‘It isn’t my fucking choice! I don’t let them, I can’t do shit about this fucking thing!’

‘XVXVXDXIDXH-So… you’ll let him take the one thing you care for in this world?’

‘What? I-- XXZZXGDOWEI!!’

The mess of noise halted Knight’s retort and shattered the darkness surrounding Knight.

“-Glad yar makin’ this easy and not bein’ useless.”

“---!!”

The darkness shattered and one thing coalesced into the centre of his new vision.

-A black beast.

But-

“-Nggh!”

The black beast wasn’t baring its fangs at Knight.

‘Fuck! The fuck is it doing! Get the fuck of Rei!’

With nothing but noising spewing from his mouth, one line of thought coursed through Knight’s dark mind.

His tensed muscles loosened, allowing his hand to shoot to the black katana, his hand immediately clamping the hilt.

‘XVXVXDXIDXH - Power. Power is there if you reach out and grab it - XXZZXGDOWEI!!’

“Damn right!”

With his words breaking his welded lips, Knight tore the sheathe off with his other hand.

“You little fucking furball!!! I’ll make a carry-on purse out of your corpse!”