(click banner for daily updates & past entries)

After 180 installments, I may have toyed with the thought of whether I could reach a comfortable point of saying “This would definitely be the end of a volume…” As I have said before, I never expected to stick with this for as long as I have. However, I am happy to say that I have come to the point of claiming a Sacred Force Vol. 1 draft to be completed.

I want to go back and review all that I’ve written — the haphazard stuff in the very beginning, to the mulled-over-for-fifteen-minutes stuff that started showing up around #60 onward. I haven’t received much feedback for SF except from one or two people. Even so, I’m enjoying where my imagination is going with this, even if no one likes how much I skimp on detail due to this being a writing exercise. A most successful one, I must say.

Sacred Force has always been a tentative title, but it’s grown on me. I might take some time to think of a new title, but chances are I’ll stick with it. I know my best friend and manga partner, Kou, has been enjoying this story, but I might want to seek out another talented art style. We’ll see.

In the mean time, hope someone enjoys these next 20 installments besides me. I do love how this ends…^_^

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Matoko strolled along the side street with bag in hand.

“Damn Kyohei…better not be asking her embarrassing questions. I know he would.”

“It’s getting cold..” he mumbled.

Walking past the dimly lit park, he caught a shadowy figure from the corner of his eye.

“Who could that be..? Oh well. Not my problem.”

He could only take a single step, and then…

“AGH!”

His pocketed hand flew to his chest, gripping it tightly. “This pain…it’s never been like this before…!” His body trembled in defiance, but his feet were tugging him across the street to the park.

“What’s going on?! My feet are moving on their own!”

It was when the shadowy figure sitting on a swing like a statue came into view under the brisk night sky that his pain subsided. “It…can’t be!”

A female with long, glistening crimson hair and wearing plain, common clothes sat clinging to a dufflebag with her face buried. Matoko exhaled, clenching his fist.

“Hey. You shouldn’t be out here alone.”

Her body heaved as she scoffed. “Me? Alone?”

“It’s…that same voice…! But that was…”

“The one who shouldn’t be here alone…” she started slowly, glaring at him with one eye. “…IS YOU! MORTAL!”

Matoko had no time to be appalled by the female’s brashness; she had already began lunging towards him, gripping an exquisite, fine-tipped dagger. His reflexes took the wheel, barely evading, taking a thin slash on his left cheek.

Spinning on her heel upon landing, her backhanded slash was easier to dodge. He caught sight of her emerald eyes, wild behind her thick bangs, as he shifted away from her relentless attacks. Though his body remembered how to move, a rock rolled beneath his shoe, taking him off balance.

“Oh crap…!”

“DIE!”

A final blow was imminent. His green eyes suddenly altered in tint.

“Stop.”

The tip stopped centimeters from Matoko’s tensed neck.

“A-Aerin…?”

Her thirst for blood transformed into an expression of brokenness. The dagger slipped from her hand as she fell to her knees. Holding her face in her hands, she burst into tears. Matoko stood still, watching in disbelief.

“That wasn’t…my voice, but it was my mouth..! W-What is all this…?! Was that really just a dream…?!”

______________

“What’s taking that kid so long?” Kyohei grimaced.

Tomoe shifted in her seat. “This is silly! I’ve waited here long enough…!” “Um…I’ll go look for him!” Standing up, her stomach grumbled flushing her face.

“No no, Tomoe,” he said, shaking his finger. “You stay right here. I’ll go heat up the food.”

“But-!”

“Listen. Matoko can handle himself. If anything happened to you, he wouldn’t forgive me.”

“I understand.” Tomoe was hardly satisfied. Kyohei smiled anyway, as he disappeared into the kitchen. “You..have a good brother, Matoko. Something tells me he is worried too.”

______________

Matoko stood over the sobbing female, blankly stoic. “I…can’t take this anymore…! I’m sick of my dreams following me around!” His eyes shifted to the dagger on the ground almost with glee.

“She tried to kill me…So now…” He lunged for the dagger, and gripping it by its hilt, pointed it at her rippling hair. “I’ll be the one killing you if you don’t give me one hell of a good reason not to!”

“I’m so happy…!”

“!”

Her words had caught Matoko off guard. “What..?”

“I’m..I’m so happy…Oh Aerin…”

“Who is she talking about..?”

Her tear-filled eyes looked up at Matoko, twinkling. “She’s…completely different…and beautiful…NO!”

His resolve returned, gritting his teeth, moving the dagger closer to her forehead. “What are you trying to prove?” she inquired, wiping her face.

“What the..?! You tried to kill me and I don’t even know you!”

With a serene gaze, she raised her hand and took hold of the blade. Matoko’s eyes widened, seeing blood drip from her clasped grip. Her countenance became deviously alluring, taking note of the impact she had left.

“I can see you recall our meeting, mortal. You couldn’t kill me if you wanted. You desire answers…And I desire you.”