Rin always thought the Arena would kill them.
But not like this.
Not with fire falling from the sky.
Not with Seka yelling for survivors.
Not with everything they knew turning to ash in a heartbeat.
It began with one explosion. Then countless more followed. The ground shook violently. The sound alone made Rin's ears scream.
Then came the fire—sweeping, roaring, swallowing everything it touched.
"What the hell is going on?!" Rin shouted, his voice cracking over the chaos.
"How the hell would I know?!" Seka yelled back. "The first blast came from inside the Arena! We need to check it out!"
Smoke choked the sky. Ashes were all that remained of the once-great Arena. Within minutes, the screaming stopped. Not because the fire faded—because the people were gone.
Everything Rin had grown to love—burned away in moments. And he couldn't lift a damn finger to stop it.
He turned and saw a man stumbling, skin engulfed in flames.
"Help me…" the man whispered before collapsing, crumbling to ash.
Charred bodies surrounded them. Some had never even woken up before the fire reached them. Others were blasted apart. Rin's thoughts spiraled.
Who did this?
Why would anyone do this? It doesn't make any sense.
Was it an accident?
No. It couldn't be.
As they stepped deeper into the ruins, figures emerged—soldiers. Men in military gear, the kind used in the war.
"What the hell is the military doing here?" Rin asked, his voice shaky. "Did they... burn everything?"
"I don't know," Seka muttered, jaw tight. "But this isn't good."
No, it wasn't. Rin didn't know what to do. His chest tightened. Panic clawed at his throat.
"We can't fight them. If they can use Aura, we're as good as dead—"
"Well, well. Would you look at that?" a voice cut in behind them. "We've got some survivors after all."
Rin spun around. A soldier smirked at them, gun slung over one shoulder.
"Crap! Run, Seka!" Rin shouted.
"Now, now. Don't make this difficult," the soldier said casually. "We're just looking for someone. Won't you be glad to help?"
"What are you after?" Rin snapped.
"Didn't I just say? We're looking for a boy."
What...?
"As if we'd believe you!" Rin barked, fists clenched.
None of this makes sense. Who would do this? Why now?
Logic had always been Rin's anchor—but now, it failed him. Just fire. Just chaos.
"Calm down," Seka said suddenly, tapping Rin's shoulder. His voice was oddly steady. "We'll help. You'll leave after, right?"
"Good boy," the soldier said with a satisfied smirk. He stared at Seka for a moment, analysing his face and called the other members.
"Oh! Look—we found two more," said another soldier, spotting them through the smoke.
"Hope one of them is the one," muttered a third.
Rin's mind was unraveling. He had a horrible feeling about all of this.
He wanted to run.
He wanted Seka to run.
This wasn't just dangerous—it was a death sentence.
"Well then. Let's get to it," said the soldier who had first spotted them.
They walked a short distance, passing corpses blackened beyond recognition. The air stank of charred flesh and sulfur. Rin's stomach twisted.
They finally reached a group of soldiers gathered in a circle.
One of them carried a box—pure gold, from the look of it. A seal gleamed on its side, and the soldier holding it was smiling, light dancing off the surface.
On closer inspection, Rin realized the box really was gold. The designs etched into it were intricate, deliberate. Its lid bore a silver swan with its wings spread wide.
It would've been beautiful—if everything around them wasn't burning.
Clearly noble-made. But why was something like this in the Arena?
What does this have to do with anything? Why here? Why now?
"What's inside the box?" Rin asked.
"You'll see soon enough."
The soldier opened it.
A sharp blue light burst forth, flickering like bottled lightning. Inside, a crystal lay nestled—cylindrical, glassy, and throbbing with some unnatural energy.
"You. Blondie," the soldier said, pointing at Seka. "Touch it."
Seka hesitated. His hand hovered... then dropped onto the crystal.
Nothing happened.
"Tch. Another dud."
He shoved Seka aside and turned to Rin.
"W-What the hell are you saying?! You said you'd let us go!" Rin shouted.
Something twisted inside him. The feeling was foreign. Wrong. Like every part of his being was screaming that something here did not belong.
"Stupid brat," the soldier sneered. "Don't play dumb. Why do you think we burned this place down and slaughtered everyone?"
"N-No... This isn't right. No!" Rin gasped, stepping back.
This isn't how it ends. It can't.
"Just shut up and kill the guy! I'm tired of looking at useless trash!"
One of the soldiers grabbed Seka and pressed a pistol to his forehead.
No...
"W-Why are you doing this?! What did we ever do to you?!" Rin pleaded, the words tumbling out. It was all he could do.
Tears streamed down his cheeks. Seka was silent.
He turned to Rin and gave a simple gesture—not to worry.
Then he smiled. That same old smile.
Even now.
Rin's knees buckled. He wasn't in the Arena anymore.
He was in a memory—on the field again, the day he first saw him.
Blonde hair. Soft eyes. That same damn smile.
"Hi," Seka had said.
"Move, you maggot!" a voice had barked. Rin was kicked forward.
Cold metal clamped around his limbs. His shackles clanged as he moved.
His captors—rogues—smirked and muttered behind him.
"Pleasure doin' business with you."
Strong arms threw him into a dark room.
He hit the ground, hard. His palms scraped against rough pelts.
As his eyes adjusted, he realized there were ten people inside. Cramped. Sweaty. Airless. He nearly vomited. He couldn't breathe—he hated crowds.
Just as he was about to pass out, a hand gripped his shoulder.
Rin turned. Blonde hair. Kind eyes.
Seka.
He silently gestured Rin to follow, leading him out into the cold night air.
Rin was wary—but that voice, soft and light, put him at ease.
"Who are you?" Rin had asked once his breath returned.
"Uh, my name's Seka. I'm a fighter here, though… not well-known," he said, puffing his chest with mock pride.
"But that's not gonna stop me. Just you watch—one day I'll rule this place!"
That grin had made Rin feel something warm. Something real.
Something he hadn't known he was missing.
He had tried at first to keep his distance. But Seka never let him.
He stayed.
Their bond grew naturally. They trained, fought, laughed—together.
Seka wasn't just a friend. He was a brother. The only one Rin had ever known.
And now... that reason for living stood in front of a gun.
"Seka! Get away! Do something! Why are you just standing there?!" Rin shouted, sobbing. His voice cracked, hoarse with desperation. His whole body was failing him.
"Sorry, Rin. I guess this is it for me," Seka said.
And he smiled.
"What the hell are you smiling for?! This isn't a joke!"
"Thanks… for always being with me."
"What are you saying?! Don't say that! It's not fair!"
"Sorry. Please live. And remember… always keep smiling."
Those were the words he chose.
The soldier grabbed Rin and forced his hand onto the crystal.
Seka looked at him one last time.
Smiling through tears.
And then—
A flash.
A bang.
Seka was gone.