chapter 5-Where does the sun go?


" See every King has there own way of life called Ikik Taka's".

Ben guided his finger across the same book that Kenshi showed him a week and a half ago.

" This guy is interesting", Wolf points to King Zosen's paragraph." Way of building", Wolf repeats." He used to live on Portside, that's fantastic!"

" And once we get to the Royal Island you'll pick out your own weapon, Ikik Taka and maybe even a kimono-like mine". He fluffs up his kimono.

" I don't need to pick a weapon", Arashi says as he pulls an axe out from his back. He holds the blade in one hand an the handle in the other as he stares blankly at it. The handle had similar etchings to the wooden pillars back at the Portal on Portside.

Arashi spoke slow," It's my family's legacy to be great shipbuilders, and this axe helped create the ship that started it all." He sighs," Just because you have the ability to do great things, doesn't mean great things will come from it".

Ben, who sat next to him, started speaking," Woah. That's deep Wolf".

" It shouldn't be…" Arashi said putting his Axe of Legacy away.

Arashi stands up and stretches as he watches the sun fall on the horizon and sink below the ocean.

Ben walks to the front of the ship." When the sun falls below the ocean…where does it go?" He looks over at Wolf who was near the center of the ship.

" My father once said that the moon steals a portion of the sun so that it can glow in the night. And then she gives it back in the morning. He never told me where it went, though. Maybe the moon is the sun, just at a different time".

Ben didn't have someone like Wolf Arashi in his life. Even though he's known him for two and a half days, Ben believed the two were friends. He also thought Kenshi to be a friend, now it's more of a rival friendship. Ben wanted everyone to be his friend, but his shyness gets in the way. And he was okay with it, if the friendship wasn't meant to be, then that's okay.

Next morning:

Ben yawns and scratches into the morning light. The sun was slightly above the horizon, making the most beautiful sky. A mix of oranges and pinks filled the sky. Ben lied on the wooden floor and stared up into the mess of colors as the best smell in the world filled his nose, morning air.

You could agree for centuries, the best smell on the planet is fresh morning air and it has the ability to instantly make anyone happy. Ben closed his eyes and breathed in, when he opened his eyes Kenshi stood above him.

" Training time", Kenshi said as if he'd been awake for hours.

The clashing of their swords filled the silent ocean. With each strike, a shock was sent into their hands, vibrating their arms vigorously.

As the sun rose high into the sky, far above the ocean's surface, they neared Royal Island.

Ben and Kenshi finished their morning training just as the Royal Island's coast came into view. A three-day mission finally completed.

They neared the Royal dock, which came as a surprise to Ben. He'd never been to this part of the Island.

Wolf tangled and knotted a heavy rope to the dock as to not lose their ship. King Polo waited at the end of the dock.

" Well done Benjamin- Oh. Who's the boy?" He gestured with a tilt of his head.

" He served as our sailor for the trip as well as the shipbuilding protege. Also Ben convinced him to join the Demon Guard".

Wolf stepped forward from behind Ben and Kenshi.

"King". He bowed. " I've come from a background of greed and hate. I want to be disciplined and show my family that I can be different ". He waited for a response patiently.

" I see. Ben came for knowledge…Kenshi came for power…and you, my dear boy came to show your pureness. What an excellent trio of warriors. Follow me, boy".

King Polo led the trio up the hill and into the library. Once more he ran his hand over the books. Dust covered the tips of his fingers. He pulled a small book out of the dozens that covered the shelf. He handed it to Arashi, giving Ben memories from when King Polo handed The Laws of Nature to him, in this very spot.

" Zoshen's book of life. It's the autobiography of King Zoshen himself. Every ship he built, how he did it and even how he eventually became King."

" Why. Why are you giving me a book about King Zoshen?" Arashi said.

" I did the same with Benjamin. I gave him a book that I believed fit his personality. A book is worth however much attention the reader gives".

And with those words, King Polo continued on to the training grounds where Ben became a Demon Guard member.

King Polo motioned his arm across the field." This is where Kenshi trained dozens of men to fight demons. It's also where Ben first became a Demon Gaurd member".

"Woah", Arashi said as he followed the King.

Arashi noticed how different the climate and culture was here. The island had dozens of rain clouds and crazy waters. Portside was almost completely opposite.

King Polo walked into Kenshi's tent that held most of his belongings.

" This was the room where I officiated Kenshi into the Demon Guard". King Polo looked up at his son a smile that wasn't returned. He continued on." Its also where Ben became a Demon Gaurd member. Arashi. I noticed the axe you carry. What property does it bring you?"

Arashi thought as he brought out his family axe from behind his back." It… It reminds me of what I should do differently. Not just for myself but also for the corruption of my family".

King Polo stood quietly, stroking his facial hair." Would you like to exchange it? Or maybe even upgrade it?"

Arashi smiled, not looking away from his axe." No. I understand how broken it is and what it stands for. But I want to be the one to change the definition of my family's name. And with that this axe".

King Polo smiled and nodded slowly." Something neither one of these boys could say". He motioned his staff to Ben and Kenshi." They looked up to me and couldn't deify me because of it. You", King Polo got close and put one finger on Arahsi's heart." You may not be in command, but you are going to set them straight". King Polo stood back and cleared his throat." Now, Arashi believes he needs to be disciplined. I've arranged a training experience with the captain of the Demon Gaurd, Lead Red".

Kenshi cut him off." How did you already set a training camp up? Arashi got here half an hour ago?"

" I set it up previously for the two of you, but a third member wouldn't hurt".

" Why would we need a training camp? Kenshi was training me", Ben added.

" Yes, Kenshi was training you in swordsmanship, but Kenshi himself isn't at the highest level his potential allows him to be. He could be even greater than I. And you Ben. You granted me the opportunity to give you a new pursuit in life, I choose for you, adventure. This camp will give you adventure. It will give Kenshi the ability to grow and get stronger and Arashi will be disciplined ".

" When do we go, then?" Ben asked.

" The ship arrives in three hours from Gallomae".

" Gallomae?" Kenshi questioned." Do you mean the three of us are going to the capital of Demon Guard training camps? I'm okay with this now".

Ben chuckled as if Kenshi had a choice.

" In the meantime, Arashi will be becoming a demon guard member. Kenshi, you'll be swearing him in".

Kenshi took out the book that had Ben had read when he became a Demon Guard member weeks ago.

Kenshi opened it to the page with the list of Rulers Ikik Taka's and flipped in so Arashi could read it from the opposite side of the table.

Arashi skimmed over the words as Kenshi explained.

" Every Ruler of Malema has created an Ikik Taka, or way of life. It's the rules they followed when they were alive. Every Demon Guard member must choose an Ikik Taka for them to follow. Also called a mental".

Arashi's eyes stopped on the words,' Mythical Enlightenment'. He read carefully.

"6. Mythical Enlightenment
The child of Queen Ikimono, Queen Lammè followed the path of the higher beings, dragons. They took her in as if their own. Following the path of her mother, she dedicated her life to them since they helped her".

" This one", he tapped the page delicately. " This is my Ikik Taka".

" Mythical Enlightenment ", Kenshi repeated. " Interesting".

Ben rushed forward." Mythical Enlightenment? That's my Ikik Taka too!"

" Cool!" Arashi said raising his hand for a high five.

" Dragons just seem too interesting to me".

" Me too!" Ben agreed.

Three hours went by faster than a hare on steroids.

Arashi had picked his mental, Mythical Enlightenment, his physical the axe of his forefathers and his spiritual, Proving his family wrong and growing away from greed.

The ship that would take them to see the Captain of the Demon Gaurd had already arrived on the West port of The Royal Island. The trio boarded it without any hesitation, they were ready for the next chapter. For the adventures that awaited.

King Polo waited on the dock." Adventures await my son's".

Dr. Gemm had appeared on the dock as the ship left the dock. Without a single goodbye, Benjamin left into the world that would need him.

" Do you think he left too late?" Dr. Gemm asked the King that stood next to him.

" I sure hope not...The whole universe is depending on that boy to learn magic and defeat that damn demon. And if he doesn't succeed, the blood is on our hands".


As Ben looks back at the vast ocean that stood between the ship and the island, he got curious.

" So, Gallomae, what's it like? Kenshi you've been there before right?".

" I did, but I've never gone to this side of the continent before".

" I've been to the south side of Gallomae. It's mostly farmland but the whole place is completely different than any other island", Arashi said leaning over the side of the ship.

" That's cause Gallmae is the largest landmass on the planet. Bigger than the Mal X desert", Kenshi explained.

Ben thought for a second. 'Bigger than the Mal X desert?! I've only seen half of that!'

" Nicknamed the 'land of opportunity' because of how many jobs there are in Gallomae. Weapon shops, leather shops, boot shops, armor shops, the amount of culture in Gallomae is unique only to it".

Kenshi really knew a lot about Gallomae, Ben thought.

Arashi looked at his old dirty rags, and asked," Amour shops, aye? I think we should go there first". He giggled in self-pity.

" Oh, no need. The place we're going is the capital of Demon Gaurd Camps. It has its own weapon shop, its own armor shop, everything. And we might get everything for free since the King sent us". Kenshi rested his elbows on the railing of the ship as he spoke.

"Fantastic", Arashi added.

A silence swept over the trio. Then Ben broke it." Hey, Kenshi, Arashi. I've never been excepted into a friend group like this one. I just want to say that… I want to say thank you". Ben fidgeted with the handle of his katana." I have a feeling this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime".