Rain poured heavily in the center of the Kingdom of Sihalia. Everyone in the kingdom had attended the Kings'' funeral. Hibiki was speaking at the podium, "My Uncle Akio was a great king and a great man. I remember every time I visited him over the weekends he would teach me a new magic technique." Hibiki wiped a tear from his bright red eyes. "He also taught me how to be quite the ladies man, if I do say so myself. I know I am the heir to the throne and so I will do my best to become as prodigious a king as he was. I just hope he''s in a better place now. And that he knows we all love him. Would anyone else like to say a few words?"


    Queen Hikari raised her hand and walked up to the podium, "My dearest husband Akio. Everyone here knows what an amazing king you were. But they don''t know how you were an even better husband to me and father to Ai. So allow me to share it with everyone. He worked hard to run the kingdom and still please me and raise our daughter all at the same time. He spent all the time he could with us. Every day is so special. So live it to the fullest. He used to always say that. And I know he did. I''m sure would want us to as well. So that way, he''ll have no regrets."


    "Thank you, Aunt Hikari," Hibiki started. "Anyone else? Very well then. Please walk up one at a time and pay your respects for King Akio."


    Ai was sobbing, tears streaming down her face. "Daddy...Is he really dead, big brother?"


    Sato hooked his arm around Ai''s shoulder. "I''m afraid so kid."


    Ai rested her head on Sato''s shoulder. "Big brother, why do we die?"


    Sato didn''t know how to answer that. "I''m not sure." He noticed a disappointed look on Ai''s face. "Well maybe, it''s because...You know the saying all good things must come to an end?" Ai nodded and Sato continued. "Well you see, life is a good thing. And so it eventually must end also. Every living thing has to die at one point or another. Whenever that life does die, however, is unknown until it already happens. So I guess, we die because we have to? Like how we have to eat or drink. Does that make sense?"


    Ai nodded and flashed back to a time when she was younger. King Akio clapped, "Now low out the candles birthday girl!"


    Ai tried to blow as hard as she could but ended up spitting on the cake. "Aw," she pouted.


    Queen Hikari blew out the rest of the candles. "Happy fifth birthday baby girl."


    Ai hugged Hikari and Akio. "Yay! Thanks, Mommy and Daddy. I love you!"


    Akio laughed, "Okay, now go play. Daddy has some work to do."


    "Okay!" Ai turned to Hibiki who was leaning against the wall. "Cousin Hibiki, will you play with me?"


    Hibiki smiled, "Sure Ai."


    "Yay, let''s go!" Ai skipped to the door leading to a beautiful garden with pink roses and cherry blossom petals falling. Hibiki followed a little behind.


    Ai and Hibiki plopped down on the moist grass. "Hibiki." The white-haired princess started, "Don''t you think it looks so pretty out here?"


    Hibiki shrugged, "It''s okay, I guess."


    Ai grunted, "You''re so boring, Cousin Hibiki. Don''t you think anything out here looks pretty?"


    "Why should I?" Hibiki caught a cherry blossom petal in his hand. "It''s not like it''s gonna stay this way. Nothing lasts forever." The dark-haired Magic Bakemono crushed the petal.


    Ai gasped, "Hibiki! Bring it back! Bring it back!"


    Hibiki sighed, "I told you. Nothing lasts forever. I can''t bring it back. If you or I were to die right now, no one would ever be able to bring us back." The remains of the crushed petal scattered across the air as Hibiki opened his hand.


    "Why do we die, Cousin Hibiki?" Ai wondered.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Hibiki stood up, "You''re too young to know right now. One day, you''ll know the answer, my younger cousin. But hopefully not anytime soon."


    Ai walked up and placed a flower on Akio''s grave. Ai''s tears streamed down her face. "I love you, Daddy."


    Hibiki spoke, "And now a moment of silence for King Akio."


    After the funeral, Ai was walking around the Kingdom alone when Ren ran into her. "Oh, I''m sorry!" The Wolf Bakemono apologized.


    "It''s fine," Ai said rubbing her head.


    "Oh no. Did I hurt your head? I''m sorry." Ren apologized again.


    "No no. Really I''m fine." Ai assured him.


    "Okay, well that''s good. Sorry, I kinda have a habit of running into people." Ren laughed awkwardly. "Wait a minute! I know who you are! You''re Princess Ai! I''m sorry about your dad. He was a good man."


    "Yeah, I know," Ai muttered, a look of pain on her face.


    "Oh, I''m sorry! I shouldn''t have brought it up so soon." Ren bowed his head for forgiveness.


    "No, it''s okay." Ai forced a smiled, "So I saw you compete in the tournament. But you''re like my age. Why would you compete in a tournament where you could die?"


    Ren''s wolf ears drooped down, "My mother is in the hospital. If I win the prize money, we can pay for the operation she needs. Otherwise, she''ll die."


    Ai gasped, "I never knew. Well, I''ll be rooting for you to win. Good luck, Ren!"


    Ren smiled, "Thanks Ai."


    A hand grabbed onto Ai''s shoulder. "Hey, kid. I''ve been looking all over for you. Ai looked over her shoulder and saw that the hand belonged to Sato. "You really shouldn''t be wandering off on your own, you know?"


    Ai sighed, "I know."


    "Come on. Let''s go back to the castle. Your mom is waiting for you," Sato told her.


    Ai spread out her arms, "Carry me."


    "Again?" Ai just smiled and nodded. "Okay then." Sato picked her up and put her on his back, "Let''s go."


    The next day, the news was shared that Hibiki would continue to carry out the rest of the tournament as the new host. "Now let the final match of the second round begin! Sato versus Nori!" Hibiki shouted.


    Nori walked up to the stadium. "I''ve got this one in the bag."


    Sato walked up to the stadium as well. "Well, I had a good run. I wish I would''ve made a will or something."


    "Hey, don''t talk like that Sato! You can do it!" Sakura shouted.


    "Yeah! We believe in you!" Hikaru added.


    Sato sweatdropped, "Weren''t you guys just saying I was gonna die yesterday?"


    "If you won''t make the first move, I will!" Nori dashed towards Sato, the space between the two quickly receded. Nori swung his steel sword at Sato knocking him hard onto the ground.


    Sato just lied there immobile. Ai gasped, "Is it over?"


    "Down after one hit. What a loser." Arashi commented with a sneer.


    "One can''t forget who his opponent is. Nori, now the new General of the Sihalia Army." Hikaru remarked staring down at the man.


    Sakura put her hands to her chest, "Sato…"


    Nori turned to Hibiki, "King Hibiki. This is over. Call the match."


    "No way," Sato mumbled.


    Everyone gasped as Sato struggled to rise to his feet. Blood dripped from his hands and legs. "I have to get stronger. Not only for my sake. But for the sake of my friends, King Akio, and this world as a whole! I have to get stronger so I can defeat Niji!"


    Sato ran towards Nori thrusting his blade only for it to be blocked by Nori''s sword as sparks lit up from the two weapons collision. Nori swung his sword at Sato. Blood sprinkled out from his shoulder. "I don''t care if you are the general of an army." Sato continued to swing his sword as Nori flawlessly dodged.


    "I don''t care how much stronger you are than me." Sato swung his blade down. Nori dodged with a backflip. "Because I''m smarter!" Sato yelled swinging his blade a final time. Nori dodged once more realizing he was now out of bounds.


    "Out of bounds!" Hibiki declared. Sato is the winner!"


    "Impossible!" Nori screamed. "That''s not fair, he tricked me!"


    "Rules are rules," Hibiki stated.


    "But, he''s too weak to beat me!" Nori protested.


    Sato smirked, "Sometimes, pure power alone isn''t what you need to win. Sometimes you just have to use your head."


    Nori''s eyes lit up as if he had just remembered something. "I see. Now I understand why the king chose you to carry out his dream. You''re just like him. What you just said, was what he used to always say before he led us into battle." Nori put his hand on Sato''s shoulder. "Make him proud, Sato."


    Sato nodded, "I will."


    Nori sheathed his sword, "Make no mistake, I still don''t like you."


    Sato smiled, "Feeling''s still mutual."


    Nori walked away and Sato walked back up to the stands where Sakura and Ai run up and hug him.


    "Yay! You won, big brother!" Ai yelled with excitement. "We always knew you could do it!"


    "No you didn''t!" Sato yelled.


    "Of course we did," Hikaru joined in.


    "Oh yeah? Then what''s up with the grave?" Sato questioned.


    Ai and Hikaru threw a pile of dirt over top of the grave. "What grave?" They both said in unison, complete with dumbfounded looks on their faces.


    Sato sighed, "I just saw you cover it up with dirt. And it''s sticking out."


    "Hey, human." Arashi pointed to the screen monitor. "Look."


    The next match-ups were two-on-two, Sato and Sakura versus Ren and Arashi. "Well, this should be interesting," Hikaru stated, rubbing his chin. "You two will finally get to fight each other…sort of." The green man said looking at Sato and Arashi who were staring at each other with a blue spark of lightning connecting between their eyes.


    Ai threw her arms up in the air. "It''s about to get real!"


    Sakura sighed, "Oh boy."