Prologue: Escape
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, Kyo Kara Maoh or XXXHolic!
"Destiny… refers to an event that would definitely happen. Without it, nothing is possible. From one thing, you see, many other things can be imagined." XXXHolic-Yuko
He desperately ran in the heavy rain with bare feet that were covered in his own blood; which left a trail of blood in his wake. His cloths were in tatters and he was badly hurt. The relentless rain made his brilliant blue-black hair cling to his pale face. But that did not dull it's moon-like shimmer.
The boy's glowing eyes darted around the road ahead for any routes to buy him more time. There was no way he would escape them. He knew that. Not in his condition and without a sword. Still, despite that he ran ever onwards into the night.
With no hope of being able to escape, fleeing from his pursuers, he cried out with all his heart for some miracle to deliver him from their hands. Knowing that no one would answer his desperate and hopeless plea. No one had in his eighteen years of hoping. But for the first time in his life, someone heard his cry.
As he stepped through a puddle he fell into it, almost as if he had walked right into a pool of water. It was like he was being tugged and pulled in all directions. Water pressed on his body with intense pressure from everywhere. Was this the end? Was he going to drown? How had all this happened anyway?
It happened because there was some sort of prophecy about his birth. Although he himself didn't know what the prophecy was even about. But since before he could remember he had been on the run with his father, Conrad.
When he was but a small child his mother had passed away from an illness. And a few short years ago, his father had been brutally murdered. So he became an orphan. What's worse, is that just recently, he discovered that the men he was fleeing were the same men who had done the foul deed; for they wanted his power.
Still. Even after he discovered the truth about what those men wanted from him he couldn't help but wonder...What was this prophecy? Why did he even have this power? What was it worth if he couldn't use it? If it was meant to help his people?
Honestly, after his father died, he didn't even want it, this power. Not when it meant that everyone he cared about would be in danger because of him. He had already lost so much. What more could he possibly lose?
He remembered the day his father was killed, at that time, he was only eight. That's when he lost his hope. It wasn't too soon after leaving the capital that they met some travelers who, after one of their hoods fell off, at last they showed their true colors and attacked them. Although he was far too valuable to kill they went to great lengths to stop him. Killing his father in the process. And then he had been captured.
His captors had treated him kindly as long as he behaved over the long years. But that was only to trick him into using his powers for them when they awakened. They had even tried to brainwash him too. But he managed to hold onto his memories of his father and held firmly onto his self hood.
Now however, he was utterly alone in the world. With no family to support him. And he couldn't go back to his hometown, since he couldn't risk searching for his long lost friends from his childhood and endangering them as well.
So he accepted his fate. He had been alone for the last ten years and could continue to do so if it was for the sake of protecting the people in his life that he had left. In hopes of one day being reunited with them once this was all over. Someday. When he was strong enough.
If he was going to live on the run, he might as well fight his way through and defeat any enemy who dared to give chase. At this point, he knew now that he was better off alone. He could grow stronger then and protect what mattered most to him. Instead of being the one that was protected all the time.
Even when he had been such a small child, even then, he fought those men with a sword he could hardly lift. Trying to defend his beloved father. Now that his father was dead too he would have to face those people again in the end. Alone this time. For they would never stop chasing him. And so, he would continue running alone into the darkness. Seeking a small ray of hope.
Surviving. That was all that mattered now. He was sure that he could take care of himself thanks to his father's training. Still, he wondered what would happen to him from here on if he didn't die now. Since he'd never been on his own before or even outside since the day he was taken. And he had been so young back then.
The world was a vast place and he knew so little about it. But when he thought about it it wouldn't be so bad if he died now though. He'd be joining his parents. That way, he wouldn't be so alone.
So death didn't frighten him. It would be the greatest adventure he ever embarked on. Freeing him from all these worldly cares.
He started getting really weak and blackness began creeping in on him as water began to close in on him. His lungs were screaming for air. If he didn't surface soon he would surely drown. Therefore the answer he sought about whether or not he would live or die would be answered soon; if he ever woke up again to see the light of day...
