Andromeda

Yuki could not believe it, but there was no denying the man above him. No matter how he wanted to think about it there was nothing holding him up. ‘That explosion just now…I would have been dead if I hadn’t moved. Is he really trying to kill me? Was she…was it all…the truth?!’ Yuki looked up after having been staring at the crater again still in shock about what happened. He could not explain it through any rational means. Yet in spite of that he could not ignore, it was real the injuries he took were proof enough of that.

Yuki raised up his hand that he was holding his injured arm seeing the blood that was covering and it seeing the mysterious man between his fingers staring down at him. He was not sure why he was holding off if he could easy have killed him where he was. The pause had only worsened the tension for Yuki feeling weaker from the injury. The familiar taste of blood threatened to push him, but refused to unlock that door.

The assassin lowered from the air gradually until his feet came to meet with the ground finally standing even with Yuki across the school grounds. He stood a few inches taller than him and much older in age with the strange clothes that Yuki had never seen before. The cloth itself seemed normal enough, but he was wearing white baggy pants that had a strip of blue cloth wrapped around at the ankles up several times around close to the mid section of the lower leg. There was more cloth wrapped around at the waist tucking in and keeping the shirt in place. The shirt was white as well with the ends of the shirt sleeve wrapped up and an open tan vest with heavy embroidering across the surface making arching lines and twists throughout. He noticed now that the same line work was continued throughout the cloths in a pale off white thread blending in with the base color appearing embossed.

There was one step forward from the assassin and once the black shoe firmly contacted the grass a red wave burst out from him. Behind the wave everything was suddenly being transformed into sand until it reached Yuki and the tree that he was resting against. The bark of the trunk slipped and continued to fall apart as it was changed to sand, but rather than the tree collapsing with no support it seemed to only emit sand keeping it covered.

‘What’s going on? Where did all of this sand come from? How can the tree be sand?!’ Yuki stumbled around trying to get his footing in the changing surface underneath him that was no longer grass. Everywhere that he looked within a ten foot radius of the man was a sand dune. ‘How is this possible?’

Chapter 5 – Monou Sand Dunes

‘What I mean by that is that you have the power to create anything with your mind and make it become reality,’ Ayumi said to him in his thoughts as he tried to comprehend what was happening to him. Yuki fought to get footing in the loose sand trying to get to somewhere flat, but the incline of the sand made it difficult and he slipped falling down the slope until he came to the feet of the assassin that stared down at him. Yuki pushed on his hands in the sand attempting to stand, but only slid through unable to get a hold.

He could not believe what he was seeing. ‘Power to create anything. This is what she was talking about. I’m going to die here!’

From the sand a column of sand poured up towards the assassin’s hand. Once it was too high to hold together the sand broke revealing the hilt of a sword. He grabbed the sword up pulling it free from the ground and threw off the sand in a clean arc to his side. The sand blew in the wind away from them leaving the gleaming double edged blade held flat horizontally. He looked upon Yuki slowly bringing it back ready to strike at him.

‘I’m going to die! Thinking like that isn’t helping me any. Think Yuki! I’m going to die!’ Yuki mind was blank with fear. There was nothing else in him anymore and nowhere to run. The sand was preventing him from moving all his feet could do was slide repeatedly with no traction. All he was doing was kicking up sand. ‘I’m going to die!’

The sword finally was readied no longer hesitating in its draw. The sunlight played across the sharpened steel swinging down to slice him from the shoulder through across the chest. Yuki’s feet panicked moving even faster hoping to find a holding as he closed his eyes knowing that he was trapped. The blade hit the sand before his body dividing it into a forceful wave missing the target. At the last moment his left leg found enough of a solid hold that it pushed him into a rotation barely avoiding the strike in time, but his back was not so fortunate. As he rolled over the sand the blade caught his back cutting through his school jacket and dress shirt allowing the tip of the blade to taste his blood ever so lightly.

Yuki came to a stop no further away from the assassin, but now on his left looking a little frustrated that he had missed. He turned around to face him again, but Yuki was ready for him thinking a little clearly. Once he had a view of him his hand that had been digging into the sand for fear pulled out throwing the sand it held at the assassin. The sand cloud hung around him digging into the man’s eyes making him drop his sword leaving it to disappear into the sand.

‘What should I do? The sword…he tried to kill me…can I?’ Yuki looked around for the sword that dropped knowing that he could at the very least use it for protection. However, it was nowhere to be found like it had vanished the moment the man dropped it. ‘I can’t stay here long…if I run…’ He tripped a little as stood up fully in the sand and dragged through the sand. Eventually, he made it back to the top of the dune that surrounded the center and rolled over. He rolled a short distance before he suddenly dropped in the air to the hard cement.

“What the? Where’s the sand…” Yuki could not finish his sentence as he stood up on firm ground once more staring back at the sand. It was simply cut off suddenly smoothly not moving as though it was being held back by an invisible barrier. “What is this? Why did it stop?” He stepped forward pushing his finger into the sand finding that there was nothing between it and him. It was normal sand, as normal as it could be for being created from nothing and existing profoundly enough to declare itself. Yuki put his entire hand in grabbing some of the sand and pulled out to look at it more closely. But when he opened his hand it was empty. “Huh? It’s gone, but how? I know I was holding sand.”

The sand suddenly began to advance on him, but not as though it was moving rather it seemed like the barrier that was holding it was moving revealing sand that was not seen before. Yuki attempted to back away, but there was not enough time and he was buried up to his waist in sand. An angry scream from where he assumed the assassin to be drilled through the sand letting him know that he must be on the move again. ‘So much for that. Got to…get out…’

While Yuki struggled haplessly in the sand digging to his legs the man wishing him to die appeared up in the air looking for his target. The sand prevented any escape for Yuki making it an easy search for the assassin. Yuki pulled at his legs stretching out to the open air where the sand stopped abruptly. It was just out of reach. If he could just make it free the grass would give him time to run. Unfortunately for Yuki, the sand suddenly grew out again like before and he turned around finding that the assassin was closer to him standing effortlessly on the top of the dune.

Yuki’s heart sank once more feeling the heavy cold air of death staring down at him. He tried to keep his heart from pounding out of control, but it could not be helped. This was unlike anything he had ever experience. His life was nearly in the hands of this stranger. It was only by chance and luck he survived these extra minutes. ‘Why does it have to be me?’

The words of Ayumi called to him silently from their meeting again. ‘Those struggling for power of the throne will not allow an heir to ever appear to take the throne. I’ve come here now because you’re in danger. Assassins have been sent to kill you before I can take you back to claim your birthright.’

He had dismissed it all out of hand, but how could anyone have done anything else. This was all too crazy to believe. ‘You can’t be serious. I’m dying because some crazy girl’s story is actually true. What have you gotten yourself into Yuki?’

His escape to the grass disappeared from his grasp with even more sand between him now. The assassin began to step forward drawing out his sword from the sand once more. Yuki could plainly read the intent to kill that was colored over his face. It made him sweat knowing that he did not want anymore interruptions from his task. Yuki flailed his arms around in the sand hoping to kick sand back up at him to get free and blind him. However, the assassin was not affected this time standing looking almost disappointed at the same trick being attempted.

“This is my sand. I can control it and when it ceases. You can’t blind me again. Now end this struggling Yuki Hayashi!” The assassin charged down the dune using the slope for more speed holding the sword firmly in his right hand angled down as though to go for a decapitation.

Yuki tried franticly to free himself, but could only get one leg free before the charge began. He kicked up more sand just at the moment that the assassin had closed the distance creating enough of a cloud to make it impossible to see. The blade sliced through the cloud making a dreadful sound filled with uncertainly. There was blood sprayed across the sand’s surface and the blade had drunk more. The assassin stared at the cloud seeing it fade away upon command.

There was blood brushed in drops and puddles where Yuki lay, but he was still breathing, heavily. He had pulled himself back in the sand enough for the sword to miss his neck, but it had gone through the front of his uniform now much deeper. The blood that he was losing was being to affect his head making everything fuzzy, but he fought to keep himself focused as the assassin brought down the sword once more. This time out of force of will to live Yuki pulled his entrapped leg from the sand free and rolled away in the sand just in time.

Yuki pushed himself up feeling the adrenaline kick in for him and the pain pass. It gave him the extra strength to press on into a full run for the edge of the sand and the grass he could see in sight. He did not look behind him, but the assassin was not moving leaving the sword in the sand. On his left a long column of sand burst up quickly to be taken in his left hand revealing it to be a lance with a wooden shaft. His left arm tensed back quickly and released it immediately aimed straight his back. The lance sailed through the air quickly closing the distance between them with Yuki only a step away from the grass once more.

Misfortunate struck again for Yuki, his ankle twisted in the sand tripping him and threw off his run causing him to rotate as he fell in motion. He suddenly was granted a view of the lance coming straight for him. The lance met him before the edge running through his chest and disappearing into him not to appear on the other side as though his body had eaten it. Yuki collapsed to the grass dropping blood on the grass. He could not feel the lance anymore, but was certain that it struck him. He lifted himself up quickly painfully drawing in his injured arm to pat down his chest finding that he actually did not have a new hole through his chest. “What happened? I know it hit me.”

The assassin stepped forward and the sand returned to Yuki’s feet drawing out the dunes. Yuki pulled himself away and ran to his feet scrabbling for the storage shed that kept the sports equipment mainly. He hid behind the corner looking around seeing the man in white charging forward with the sand out in front until it met the shed. All of the brick suddenly poured sand out from the surface covering Yuki’s hand making him draw back in surprise. ‘It’s all sand now! This isn’t going to protect me. He’ll be able to knock it over easy. I’ve got to find somewhere else.’ Yuki looked around quickly, but he was in the worst possible spot with this being the track and field section. There was no cover just open grass or track ground.

Once more Yuki was ducking from an attack by the assassin as the lance he was using now sliced through the air. Yuki backed up dropping blood at his feet from the stress he was placing on his body to move and function. A horizontal swing caught his uniform and then stopped suddenly in the brick wall of the shed to Yuki’s surprise. He used the moment to back away and get to the grass for safety. ‘I thought it was all sand, but I heard the metal hit brick. Does that mean he can’t transform existing objects into his sand? But how does that help me?’

His moment was over and on the defensive again fleeing from the encroaching sand, but losing ground. ‘He’s faster than me. I can’t out run him and his sand seems to move with him everywhere. What is it?’ The thoughts going through slowed him down even more bringing the assassin within striking distance. Yuki danced around awkward leaving blood on the sand as he narrowly avoid the swings. ‘He is slowing down? Something doesn’t feel right, it’s almost…’

The assassin looked like he was becoming enraged upon frustrated that this was drawn out for so long. He thrust in at Yuki with the lance to pierce him through the heart, but Yuki avoided it and clamped his still good left arm on shaft of the lance ripping it free from the surprised assassin. Yuki, a little surprised himself, stared at his good fortunes, finally. After eying the lance he turned it on the assassin pointing down at him narrowing his eyes. ‘I can’t let it…it has to remained locked. I promised…’ Yuki shuck his head fighting between thoughts trying to control him. “I have your lance now. Now why are you trying to kill me?”

Yuki stared down the assassin defiantly, but the man seemed unimpressed by the reversal. The momentary surprise had faded away and he was walking towards Yuki once more. There was a smirk drawn up on his mouth like he still had more secrets to play. “Why should I tell you when you don’t have a weapon?”

“What are you talking about? Stay back!” said Yuki thrusting the lance forward a little to make his point, but there was nothing in his hand anymore. He looked down bringing his hands into clear view. The lance was gone and now back in the hands of the assassin. “Huh?! But I had your weapon! How did you…”

“I told you before I control the sand, but that is not all. I control these weapons as well. You can’t use them against me. I’ll just make them fade away before you can even swing.” He stepped forward raising the lance up high catching the sunlight on his blade. Yuki’s eyes had widened in shock unable to react to the coming strike. A deer caught in the headlights; Yuki stood as the lance came down slicing through his shoulder and across his chest digging up blood sending him flying across the sand landing at the outer edge his head limply knocking against the drop off of sand. “Now it ends.” The assassin let the lance fade away into the air and stretched out his palm until it began to glow red.

Yuki could barely feel anything and his body would not move. He could not even lift his head from the ninety degree angle it sat at now. His head began to lose focus making him think he could hear a crackling sound. The red glow from the man grew to fill the entire area of sand around him drawing together to become an orb. The energy pulled together sparked and fought against each other clashing angrily to be let free. Time passed slowly drawn out with Yuki unable to perceive what was happening. ‘This is it? I’m going to die now…Saki…she always protected me…can’t believe I’m thinking about her now…’

‘Your life is in danger, but I will be here to protect you and keep you from harm,’ Ayumi said to him from their meeting. She looked serious, but there was no one here to save him.

Yuki could almost laugh if it was not impossible for him. ‘No one’s going to save me. This is the real world. It doesn’t work like that…I-I…don’t want to die…’ Yuki suddenly felt something warm near him and then he fell over in the sand sliding to the grass at the moment he felt a scorching pain all over his legs. When he opened his eyes to see what was happening there was a red glowing explosion at the perimeter of the sand throwing sand everywhere. Yuki felt his body return to him making him pull away in shock and fear for being caught in the explosion, but as time passed nothing happened to him. He cautiously looked back to see that the explosion was cut off immediately at the edge where the sand stopped as well. Yuki pulled himself back up leaning heavily against the pole for the high jump practice.

He wrapped his blood stained left hand over his injured arm again breathing heavily while watching the red explosion finally subside away. The explosion now and the lance before that did not run him through made him think back. He remembered the sand that he tried to pull out and saw nothing. ‘Is that his limit? Can he not maintain his reality beyond the point? Is that his weakness?’ Now that the explosion was gone it meant that the assassin could see him again. ‘Weakness or not, I can’t use that to my advantage. He is faster than me and I’m about to pass out. I can’t survive anymore.’

The man charged in with his sand surrounding the high jump mat and pole quickly staring down Yuki. Yuki did not try to flee. The man seemed to understand that he had given into his fate now. He drew up his sword from the sand once more pulling it back with both hands to thrust through Yuki for the final blow.

‘Saki…Momoko…Ken…Jun…I’m sorry…’ Yuki closed his eyes waiting for the blade to strike. Time paused for him seeing his family smiling at him one at a time. ‘I couldn’t…’ It was over. The blade came in for the kill and time passed on. Yuki winced in pain, but he then looked around to see someone in front of him. Someone had actually come to save him. It took him a moment for him to stare at the person’s back to realize who it actually was. “You?!”

To be continued…