Interlude 

On the Night when Destinies Clashed

I was seeing a dream – a dream that always ended with one particular sentence.

I’m going to kill you.

Inky black bloodlust. I felt like it was going to swallow up my entire mind.

◆

Today’s the best day ever, I thought, as I awoke and stared at what had been left by my pillow.

A popular video game and a sword. It was December 25, Christmas morning. A star armament and a video game. Santa... er, Dad must have put them there while I was sleeping.

Of course, I knew that Santa Claus had been Dad the entire time. After all, I was already six years old. Dad had been acting so fidgety, asking me about what kinds of things were popular with kids these days, and all the game and toy advertisements he had been reading pretty much gave it away.

I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out if I was five, but I was now a fully grown six-year old, an elder in the kindergarten world. My five-year old sister Towa probably still believed that Santa was real, but as her older brother and elder, I wasn’t about to shatter her dreams.

First, I picked up the game. I had told Dad about how it was super popular with all my classmates. I couldn’t wait to play it. I wanted to get really far so I could brag to my friends.

But that would have to wait. The real present was sitting right next to it... The sword. Talk about a generous Santa – not one, but two presents. Dad probably considered the sword to be the real present, but he was also kind enough to give me what I asked for, too. I would have been more than happy with just the sword, and felt really grateful to my generous Santa – er, Dad. Holding it, I could feel the weight of the permanent training star armament, and mentally sent him my thanks.

Thank you, Dad... I’ll have to thank you properly later. Oh no, wait, I can’t let him know I’ve figured out he’s really Santa.

“Look, big brother! Look, look!”

Suddenly, my door burst open, and a pitch black creature came in. For some reason, its voice sounded just like my little sister’s.

“Whoa...” I almost swung my new sword into the air. But right before I could do so, I realized that the black thing was a stuffed animal... and an ugly one, at that. What was it? A dog? A bear?

“Towa, what’s going on?”

“Look! Did you see it?!” Towa peeked out from behind the huge, ugly stuffed animal.

“Yeah, I can see it. It’s really huge...” It wasn’t as big as her, but it was close.

“Isn’t it big? And cute?”

“Y-yeah... Super cute.”

Cute? Really?

“Don’t you think it looks kind of like you?”

“Uhh...?”

I cocked my head and stared at the ridiculously huge, black thing once more. I honestly had no idea what it was, but it seemed to be squinting as if it was tired or grumpy, and its face didn’t look the least bit cute. Yet she said it looked like me. If it really did, then that was kind of depressing.

“You’re right, it really does look exactly like me. It’s even just as handsome!”

“Yeah! Santa really has good taste!”

“He sure does.”

I stared at the brazen-faced stuffed animal. Mom must have picked it out. Her tastes were always a bit... off. And Towa was exactly like her, so it was no wonder she loved it.

“I’m gonna go show Mom and Dad!” Towa shouted, as she trotted out of the room.

“You’re gonna take that huge thing with you? Don’t slip and fall!”

“I won’t!” Towa called back cheerfully. I still felt a little worried, so I went after her.

I figured Mom and Dad would be at the table anyway, and I needed to let them know that I was grateful for what Santa had brought me.

“Good morning, Kokuya. Did you get a visit from Santa?” The moment Dad saw me, he smiled and asked me that question. He was really playing dumb.

“Morning. You bet I did! Next time you see Santa, tell him he’s the best, and give him a big thank you!”

“Oh, good, I’m glad. Okay, I’ll let him know. I bet he’ll be happy to hear it. You were a good boy all year, so I’m not surprised.”

“Really?”

“And it seems like you’ve been working hard at your training lately.”

“I guess. But I’ve still got a long way to go. Oh yeah, the present! I wanna try it out, so can you help me train a little?”

“Hmm. Your mom and I need to go to the lab... So I guess we can do it at the usual place.”

Mom and Dad were both star sorcery researchers. Mom focused on the research, while Dad did research along with testing out the new star armaments they made. He was really strong. And he taught me that star sorcerers fought to protect the world and everyone in it.

I felt like Dad had taught me more than that as well... Basically, star sorcerers were cool, strong, awesome, and exactly what I wanted to be. I wanted to become a top class star sorcerer, just like Dad.

“Are you coming out to the lab too, Kokuya? We should just bring the cake and have the party there,” mom said.

“Huh? There’s a cake?”

“Well, it is Christmas, after all. I made sure to get a big one!”

“Yaaay! Cake!” Towa cheered in a childish voice. Honestly, I wanted to do the same.

“Is it okay to bring Towa to the lab?”

“I figured it’s about time we measured her star power anyway.”

“Oh, right. She’ll be in elementary school next year, right?”

Children aiming to be star sorcerers all got their potential measured before they turned six. I got mine measured too, but...

“When I saw your results, Kokuya, I nearly fell off my chair,” Dad said.

“Shut up! It’s only potential. It doesn’t mean anything. I already decided that I’m going to become a star sorcerer no matter what.”

“That’s the spirit!”

I hardly had any star sorcerer potential to speak of. They’d even told me that due to a certain critical deficiency, I might not be able to become a star sorcerer at all.

“Besides, we’re all basically the same compared to people like the Yukiganes. I’m not worried. I just want to inherit your strength, Dad.”

“Well, yeah... Okay. If that’s the path you’ve decided on, then it’s fine by me.”

The Yukigane house was an especially distinguished family of star sorcerers. They had a daughter who was the same age as me, yet she was already stronger than every single adult star sorcerer.

...I might not be able to beat her now, but I will someday. Even though I’ve never actually met her... If she’s really that strong, then I’m sure I’ll run into her eventually.

◆

“I think that’s enough for today.”

“...I’m not... done yet...” I tried to sound tough as I lay face up on the ground. I wasn’t even sure how much more I could swing the brand new star armament in my right hand.

We were in the laboratory where my parents worked. This was one of the rooms where they tested new star armaments.

“We could keep going, but remember, we have a party to attend. Towa might get mad if you show up looking like a wet noodle.”

“Hmm... Okay, let’s stop here.”

“Yeah.”

“...Hey, Dad.”

“What?”

I lifted up my worn out body and stared at my sword. “Will I really be able to become a star sorcerer like you?”

“...Sure. I bet you’ll even be able to surpass me.”

“Really?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m sure of it,” Dad said with a smile. “It won’t happen for a while yet, though.” And with that, he stood up and left the room. He had done just as much exercise as I, yet he didn’t look tired at all.

“Hey, wait!” I shouted, as I chased after his long shadow.

◆

“That should do it. Now for the cake.”

“...Can I just eat one piece?” I extended my hand toward a big piece of fried chicken that was lined up with the rest of the food.

“Just hold on a bit longer. I’ll go call Towa and your mother.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“They should be nearby...” he said, as we traversed the lab together.

No one else was inside. My parents were in charge of this block and usually worked here with their subordinates, but since it was a holiday, we were the only ones present.

“...That’s strange.” Dad suddenly stopped.

“What is?”

“Kokuya, wait here for a minute.”

“...Huh? Why? What’s going on?”

“Just wait here! I’ll be right back!” he said, as he ran down the hallway.

He ran so fast, there was no way I’d be able to catch up. What made him panic all of a sudden? I stood there for a bit, racked with helplessness and fear.

Towa and Mom were supposed to be in the room where I had gotten my star power measured earlier. I figured that must be where Dad had gone, so I decided to go after him – but before I did, I turned and went back to get my brand new sword. I was starting to get a bad feeling, so I wanted a weapon just in case.

I grabbed my sword and ran... and ran... And... then, I saw her.

My mother was on the ground, covered in blood. Standing in the room were two men I had never seen before. They both had swords, one of which was covered in deep red blood – my mother’s blood.

Dad was brandishing his own sword toward the two men, but he was already covered in wounds. Towa cowered on the floor behind him. The room was dim, and the only source of illumination was the moonlight that slipped in through the skylight.

It was all so sudden, I couldn’t even process it. All I knew was that the men Dad was fighting were bad, and I needed to protect him and Towa.

Suddenly, I dashed toward the men with my sword raised high.

“Get back, you idiot!” Dad shouted.

The other man stepped in front of the one I was heading for and swung down his blade, which was enough to send me flying to the other side of the room. My back slammed into something hard, and I let out a pained moan. Simultaneously, I heard a hollow ‘clink’ as my sword fell to the ground.

...But that wasn’t the only thing to hit the ground. Next to my sword, I saw a severed right arm. That arm... The moment I realized it was mine, intense pain enveloped my right shoulder. Then, before I could scream, something even more shocking happened.

A sword skewered my father.

I couldn’t understand what was happening in front of me. Just... what is this?

The man pulled his sword out from Dad’s body. There was a splatter of freshly drawn blood, followed by an impossibly thick river of red. Dad fell down into a pool of red, right next to Mom.

Then, the man turned his eyes to Towa. Without giving it a second thought, I picked up my sword with my left hand and tried to run in front of him. But I soon lost my balance and fell back to the ground with a pathetic thud.

“B-big brother...” Towa’s shaky voice trailed out from behind me.

“It’s okay. It’s okay...” I said, without any conviction in my voice.

Towa touched my left arm – and suddenly, I felt an immense power behind me.

Huh? What’s happening? I could feel a far greater amount of star power than Dad had ever displayed rising up behind me. I turned around and saw nothing but Towa – and a silver prosthetic arm that had materialized in place of the one I had lost.

I stared at my new right arm and tried to move my hand. It worked. When I clenched my right hand into a fist, I could feel incredible power rushing through me.

It’ll do. I can kill them with this. The moment that thought occurred to me, I heard a voice echo through my head.

Kill.

It kept getting louder, until I could think of nothing else. I stared at the man who had just killed my father. I have two enemies. Did the man who killed Dad also kill Mom? Maybe it doesn’t matter. I’m going to kill them both regardless. But I’m going to start with the one who killed Dad, since he’s right in front of me.

The bloodlust consumed everything.