Black Heart, Bright Soul

The story of a Boy in conflict with his dark powers, struggling with the death of his father. All in a race against the clock to realise his destiny and save the world.

Have you ever sat there and thought to yourself, that maybe one day: your questions will answer themselves, that your guilt will subside on its own, and that your heart, will find love when the time is right.  There comes a time in your life, when the shadows of your comfortable society and the harshness of reality wage a war so strong it's hard to get out alive. But each one of us passes that test. For some of us its harder than for others. But the results are the same; we all find our way in the world. The bottom line, is that you just have to try.

This is the story of a young man who was plagued with doubt about himself. Wrapped up in a world so dark, so hopeless, that nothing was as easy as it should have been. Red's journey to finding his way was just about as hard as it can get. Red was born into a family with a vast history of interest. They were important to those who knew what they did. Red was the next to bare the family crest upon his skin, just as his fathers and forefathers did. It was his turn, and his time; to save the world. But what does this mean? Allow me to explain.

Every 18 years, since the beginning of time, those who know the power, must prove they can use it. 'The power', or the void as it is better known, has been kept a secret from most of the world. That is, until now. Destiny is such a controversial concept, many chose not to believe; but then how has the world overcome such evil as we have known in our lifetimes? Some would say it hasn't; and to you i say, that's about to change.

Red woke up to the birds gazing in through his window from the tree outside, the sunlight glazed the wooden floor as it diffused through the darkness of the room. He reached his arm out, hoping it would make contact with the light-switch; but to no avail. Dragging himself from his bed, he persued the task of getting ready in the dark. Once he finally managed to dress himself, he continued down the stairs, only to be greeted by a confused looking father. "Did you get dressed in the dark this morning son?" He asked. Red responded "er, yes actually, why?" His father, Riley, watching what he has to say, changed the subject. "Never mind, my boy, you remember what today is, don't you?" Red looked sneakily at the calender and contuned to converse, "of course i do, its training day right?" Riley handed his son a wooden sword and beckoned him to follow. 

As they entered the courtyard outside, Riley, looking sternly at his son said "that layed back, easy going attitude of yours has to stop today." Red continued to study the sword he had been handed. Riley resumed, "There's no place for it in the mind of a champion, my boy." This drew Red's attention. "Dad, you think i can be a champion?" He raced through the sentance with no hesitation. "One day, you will have to be; but for now come on and strike me" Red took to arms, and striking his father with a single powerful blow, he fell to the ground in seconds. "Recklessness will be your downfall son. Concentrate!" Riley boasted. Red, embarassed, tried again. The outcome was the same. Frustrated, he began to watch the way his father moved. Realising his own attacks were leaving him open, he tried again. This time, it was his Father who fell to the ground. He rushed immediately over to Riley, to see if he was ok. Red's heart was his strongest ally, remember that. 

"your compassion my son, wil always guide you, never let your heart stray to the other side" These, were his fathers last words.

Three years on, Red wakes each day to the darkness of his room; to the the silence of his empty house. His heart was fractured, like a glass mirror, shattered into hundreds of pieces. He made no effort to seek conversation, but instead, practised everyday to be just like his father. 

He made his was each day to college, to retain as much of a normal life as possible. See, after that day, he'd never lead a normal life again. But little did he know, his destinty would never have permitted that anyway. 

Riley Kazuki, Red's father, was more than anybody realised; and Red was to follow in his footsteps. The crest upon Red's wrist, was more than a simple family tattoo. It was the key to his power. A power, he was yet to harness. Traditionally, in his family heritage;  the father would teach the son the ways of the void. Without Riley, nobody could teach Red how to use the void. But Red's powers were a little different.

For now however, lets get back to that fateful day:

"I'm ok son" assured Riley. "I'm a tough one, my boy." Red's eyes lit up, he had finally managed to strike his father.  Red passed his hand through the air towards him in a gesture to help him up. Riley took his hand, and that's when it happened. 

"Get down Red!" Riley shouted, quickly finding his footing. "They've come for you." "For me?!" a confused Red asked. "Son, there's something i must tell you." Riley sighed, and resumed "Every 18 years, a Void Fighter from the family, steps forward. They premit a few years either way of course, for each figher to have a child; but what i'm saying is, it's your turn. Red, in three years, you must prove your worthy, and take the wish for the good of mankind." Red looked overwhelmed, he began "But Dad, that doesnt explain why they're here for me, and what wish, what does any of this mean? What on earth is a Void Fighter?" Riley cut in, "There's no time son, now we must fight."

"Red, it's time to fight inside the void. Inside, you will have powers you could never imagine." Riley spoke these words with such strength, Red was astonished. His rather raised his hands, the crest on his arm expanded, it spread to the floor and lit up so brightly; like the world around them had been coated in solid silver. The sun and the moon, rose together, and vanished simultaneously. The stars filled the astranged sky, and then suddenly, in the brightest flash of light; nothing was in sight. Nothing, that is, but Red, Riley, and the mysterious attackers. 

Red's mind grew clouded, confused at what he was seeing. Nobody before him had been exposed to the void so quickly. He began to realise something massive was about to unfold, Inside his heart; something didnt feel right. He was correct to have such dark assumptions, for he was not to know, a dark power was about to awaken; and his father would be trapped in the void forever.

Inside the void, Reds tattoo, the family crest shone brightly.; as did his fathers. "Stay back son, you don't know how to safely use these powers yet." Riley said, in fear of his son's safety. 

"But dad, i'm ready." Red replied. "I can do this." Red clenched his hand tightly, overturned it and sprung open his palm to reveal a fireball. Riley was shocked, "Maybe he's the one," he thought to himself. "He's mastered it so quickly." The attackers ran close, the concept of the void seemed not to phase them. "They're not from this world Red," Riley told him. Red leapt into action, he threw his fist forward, clenchingit tightly; a flaming spere shot out towards his foes. He toppled two, with one attack. Riley moved next, His hand shone brightly with no preperation, not with flames, but with a bright light. He swung his arm like a sword, and from it moved a beam of the purest brightest light. Hurtling towards its foes like a thunderstorm, it dodged and weaved its way through they're attacks until reaching the final foe. It cut the monster clean in two. 

Riley and his Son rejoiced, "Sweet moves Dad. I never knew you had it in you." Red joked. "You surprised me too son." He replied. "The way you used the void. It was incredible." They're victory was short lived. Dark hands grabbed Red, holding him tightly, he was unable to move. The creatures they had destroyed dissolved into a single dark cloud. It began to hurtle towards red with great speed. "No, my son!" Riley cried. "What have i done?!" Red desperately wanted to comfort his father, but he couldnt speak with hands over his face. His heart was pounding so strongly, he felt every beat like his entire body was a drum kit. His mind, so deeply in shock and panic; began to slow down. His heart just couldnt keep up, and so he fainted. With no resistance from the boy, the dark hands revelaed they're true form and held Red up high for the darkness to enter. "He shall remain here forever, in the void." the astranged voice spoke loudly. "No. That will not be." Riley said calmly. He had devised a plan; all be it a reckless one. 

Riley concentrated. He focused the energies the void granted him towards his feet. He moved with great speed, like the very beam of light he has previously conjured; and threw himself at the dark energies about to reach his son. Red, still unconscious was oblivious to the situation; but Riley would not let him come to harm. Not only did he take the hit from the dark cloud, but the sheer force he moved with, ripped a hole right through the monster holding his son. Dark sharks flew through the sky like a mirror shattered into hundreds of pieces, just as Red's heart would every day for the rest of his life. Riley began to feel the force of the darkness he had endured to save his son. It tore at his flesh, ripped apart his skin, cut through his very soul; as he faded away, forever lost to the void. 

The dark shards from that final demon, still in the air; targetted Red. They shot towards him like an army of swords. He awoke, and raised his wrist, just as the shards made contact. The shards dug deep into the skin of his left wrist. Right by his family tattoo. The crest shone with a bright light, and expelled Red from the void. This effort to protect its barer was futile, the dark shards slid into his wrist like a knife cuts through meat. 

Red was in agony. His wrist bled an incredible amount. He bound it and looked around for his father. Riley has used his last moments as a free soul to conjure a letter for his son from the void. It read: 

"Dear Son, 

                     I can't explain how sorry i am it has come to this. My soul has been claimed by the void in your place. Those men today that came for you, did so because of me. Son, I had to prove i was worthy of the voids powers too. But i used my wish in a way the council saw was wrong, selfish even. I wished Red, for you. See, your mother was incapable of baring children, and so i took up the ways of the Void Fighter to prove i had what it takes to claim that wish. So we could have a child, not because my father told me i had to. The coucil, today tried to destroy you, not because they disapproved of my wish, but because a Void Fighter, born not of normal means is destined to fulfil the prophecy. They wanted to trap you in the void so the prophecy could never fulfil itself. Son, bringing you into this world, meant bringing with you a great evil, and you are destined to destroy it. Not only that, but you are destined to take that wish and free mankind from the evil that enshrouds it. I know this duty seems harsh, unfair even. But it must be you my Son, i saw for sure when we fought together. You controled the void like it belonged to you. One day, Red, i know it will."

In reading this, Red's eyes filled with tears, he cried the contents of several rivers for the next few weeks to come. The anger he felt inside grew stronger with each day. Red decided to train to be like his father and so he summoned the void. His family crest shone brightly, just like he watched his fathers do the day he vanished to the void. But just as Red felt in control, the light wavered, flickered almost, its grew dark, then blood red. His wrist was in agony, despite having fully healed. It was buring him, he felt his skin crawl, he felt his soul tear. The darkness inside was taking over. The void summon finished, but it wasn't Red that made it to the void. A dark soul stood in his place, a demon. Red's soul stood inside his mind like it was a cage, watching his body cause chaos to his fathers house. The lack of control was the last thing he needed. The light in his soul went out. He became a meer shell of himself. After hours of watching from inside himself, crying, tearing at his mind to escape. The darkness grew weak and Red regained control. He fell from the void like it was a thousand foot drop. He slept that night where he landed. 

In the morning, when he awoke, he put put on long sleeved gloves to cover his wrists. He wanted nothing to do with the void anymore. But he still wanted to earn the wish and make his father proud. I think, what hurt him most; was knowing his father hadn't made it to heaven to be with his wife, Red's mother; who died giving birth to him.

Three years on, and Red was still training, by now he was a master swordsman. It was difficult to believe that anybody could defeat him, and the liklihood is that they couldn't. He attended college everyday, to no real interest; but one thing kept him going. A girl by the name of Kari. They showed a great ienterest in each other. 

One day, Kari apprioached him and said "Red, can we, maybe. Err... talk? After college today?" Red, still broken from the events of 3 years ago, found converse difficult. He nodded and returned to his studies. He was researching different kinds of magic powers, like that of the void. He was desperate to do his father proud, but was afraid a Void Summon would draw out the darkness again. Thats when he saw it.

Kari's shoulder blade bared a tattoo, like his, but according to his studies; represented a unique line of gifted individuals with telkinetic powers. Red, without thinking ahead , threw down his books and ran after Kari. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards him. It all looked a little forward to everbody else. They both blushed. He spoke for the first time in a long while "Kari, i'd like to catch up now if that's ok?" She agreed, and they made their way outside. 

"You know, i don't skip class for just anybody, Red." She flirted. "I'm sure you don't, he said. I on the other hand rarely attend as it is." He joked. "I'd noticed. What's your story Red, you not normal. Are you?" Red stepped back. "I didn't mean to offend you." she cried. "oh, i really don't word things too well." Red spoke again, "No, Kari. I'm not." He removed his glove and his tattoo was glowing brightly. "That's new." He laughed. Kari's was glowing too. "Red, your like me?" She said, "Gifted?" 

"I was." He said solemnly. "Until one day. I got possessed by dark energies." There's a demon inside of me Honey. "Honey?" She said embarassed. Red, annoyed at himself, for making it hilariously obvious that he liked her, paniced and said; "Yeah, like what bears eat?" There was a moment of silence. "Dark energies you say?" Kari changed the conversation. "Err, yes that's right. I used to be a Void Fighter, but now when i summon it, the darkness takes over." 

"Your a Void Fighter?!" She shouted, her face almost touching his. "That's incredible."

 "What's so special about that?" He replied. 

"Your the most powerful of the super-art groups?" She laughed "Do you know anything?"

With a darker tone Red said "Well, no, not really. I vowed not to use my powers after the same darkness that's inside of me, claimed my fathers life." 

Kari fell silent, her confident front seemed to fade.

"I'm sorry." He said. "It's things like that the darkness makes me say." 

Kari smiled, "I like a mysterious guy." Red blushed as Kari continued.

"Red, listen. You...Your powers are irrelavant to what im about to say. Ok?" Kari said hesitantly.

Red placed a finger on her lips, as if to silence her. "Kari, let me. For three years, since i lost my father. My hearts been broken. I've not wanted to get out of bed each day or even wake up sometimes. I come here everyday to see your face. I didn't know why, but i felt so drawn to you. And now, after speaking to you, i can see why. You a wonderful person, and your eyes; They're so beautiful up close." He stopped himself, "Gosh, listen to me rant."

Kari had tears in her eyes at the words that had come from Reds mouth. She grabbed his waist. He grabber hers, as they moved in to kiss one and other. As they did, Red's heart, his mind; felt free from burden. He raised his wrist, they watched it as they kissed, The dark shards that had plagued his soul, began to rise from the crest on his wrist. Kari pulled him closer, and held him tighter. He closed his eyes, and the shards came free. 

Author's Note

Pretty much just written this. I know i mark paragraphs oddly ^^ but hey i'm unique, tell me what you think to the concept, and the quality of writing :) thank you.