Arc I: “Apocalypse”
Chapter I: “The Generals”
Episode I: “Arrival”
“Move! Get out of here at once!” The shadowed man’s voice cracked like thunder as he shoved a child into the pod. His hands were shaking, but his gaze burned with urgency.
The woman clutched the pod’s frame, her fingers white from the grip. “No… I’m not leaving without you!” She pushed against the pod, preventing him from getting her in.
“You must,” he said, his voice breaking, “our son will need you.” He didn’t look at her when he said it. He couldn’t.
Then the ground quaked. The sound of the world breaking apart. The rest of the ships shattered like glass.
“Dammit!” He slammed the pod shut and hit the coordinates.
The hatch sealed shut with a hiss.
“Live,” he whispered.
The pod shot skyward, streaking into the blackness as the world behind them collapsed into chaos.
[At another time and place…]
“Akiraaa! Akira!?”
An old man’s voice echoed through a cramped, shadowed room. A boy stirred from his sleep, face sticky with sweat. His spiky black hair was pressed firmly against his pillow.
“U-ugh.” The boy rolled over groggily. “No need to be loud so early in the morning, gramps.”
His black eyes slowly fought themselves open.
“I wouldn’t have to be so loud if you’d woken up the first time I called you, you squirt.”
The man crossed his arms at the doorway.
“Now get up, we have work to do.”
Akira pulled himself out of bed and stepped into the blinding morning.
The air smelled of dew and soil. Beyond their weathered little house stretched endless golden fields under a rising sun.
Akira dragged his feet through the dirt as he walked behind the old man, squinting against the light.
“Sigh… another boring day of working in the fields with a boring old grandpa,” he muttered, scratching his head.
The man didn’t look back. “The sooner you stop complaining, the sooner you finish. If you have time to flap your lips, you have time to work.”
Akira rolled his eyes. Old man has always got something to say.
[Later that day]
The two of them worked well into the evening, the heat making their ragged clothes stick to their skin.
“Okay,” the old man said as he wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning against his worn hoe.
Despite his seemingly frail physique and short stature, he was a hardworking man, well into his age. The wrinkles across his face and the dry, calloused surface of his hands were proof enough.
“At this rate, we’ll be ready by harvest time. I guess that means we can stop working for today.” He sighed.
“Yes! Finally!”
Akira leapt into the air, arms raised like a victor as he celebrated in delight.
“Does this mean we can do some training? After we eat, of course. Definitely can’t skip out on dinner,” Akira said, nodding his head affirmatively.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
The old man chuckled. “Sure. But first, you need to clean up these tools and wash yourself up. I need everything to be in order so that my trip to the village tomorrow can be as smooth as possible.”
The old man left to prepare their meal.
Akira groaned. “Fine…”
After packing away the tools, he was on his way to collect water from the well. Incidentally, he started wandering into the forest surrounding the farm.
“I still don’t get why he never lets me visit the village…” he mumbled, kicking a rock down the dirt path.
The forest was alive with chirps and rustling leaves — until a low, wet tearing sound broke the peace.
Akira froze. He peeked through a thicket and saw a massive wolf hunched over a carcass, its teeth stained crimson.
Shit.
Even from far away, he could smell the decaying flesh. The wolf had bloody guts lodged in its teeth.
He crouched low, heart hammering against his ribs. One wrong move and—
A twig snapped.
The wolf’s head whipped toward him, glowing eyes locking on his position.
I need to get out of here.
Akira crawled backward, then bolted, the forest blurring as he ran.
[The next day]
“Are you sure I can’t come?” Akira said this while the old man was loading barrels from their harvest onto a cart.
“I’ve already told you Akira, no, you’re going to stay here and watch the house.” The old man finished putting the last barrel into the cart as he said, “And that’s final!”
“Aw man!” Akira whined.
The old man gave him a stern look that killed the conversation. “That’s final.”
[An hour later]
Plenty of time has passed now! It’ll still be a few hours before gramps comes back so, I should have time to check out the village and come back before him!
Akira grinned mischievously and took off down the forest path toward the village.
The next few hours were a blur of new smells, colors, and faces. He sampled strange street foods, marveled at trinkets he couldn’t afford, and traded jokes with friendly merchants.
But joy gave way to panic when he noticed the orange sun sinking.
Oh no… the old man’s gonna kill me.
He sprinted back through the forest, lungs burning.
By the time he was in the forest, he heard a loud sound.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion lit the night sky orange.
Akira burst into the clearing to see the old man surrounded by wolves, their hulking forms darting through fire and smoke.
“Wh-what’s going on?!” he cried out.
“Grgh- get out of here! Akira!” The old man did his best to fight off the demonic beasts. “Run!”
Akira slowly approached, trying to help, but then a couple of the wolves took notice and rushed at him.
“No! Stay away from him!” The old man released his energy and attacked the wolves chasing Akira.
He knocked them back with one hit, but it wasn’t enough to stop them. The wolves greatly outnumbered them seven to two.
“Akira, you need to get out of here, NOW!” Hearing that sent a shock through Akira’s body.
“Get out of here at once!”
The old man’s words stirred the dreams that were deep inside Akira’s mind. The shadowy figure from Akira’s dreams stared him down.
Akira froze in silence, sweat slowly dripping down his cheek.
“Akira! Now!”
The wolves’ eyes glowed like embers as they closed in, their low growls rumbling through the field.
“Agh!” Akira’s legs locked.
He couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.
He’s going to die because of me. He panicked.
“Akira! Run!”
The old man’s voice cut through the chaos.
“Damn it…” The old man crouched low, his palms glowing with a faint golden light. “Pierce through the darkness… Espada Santa!”
A blade of pure light exploded from his hands, tearing through the beasts. The smell of burning flesh filled the air as the wolves howled in agony before collapsing.
Akira watched as the blood trickled out from their bodies; slowly, until they were lying motionless on the ground— pallor mortis quickly settling in.
The old man grabbed Akira by the wrist and dashed out of the field. He went straight through the woods at tremendous speeds.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
The voice was smooth, almost playful, but the aura behind it was suffocating. His demeanor was that of a predator toying with its prey.
From the tree line, a man stepped forward— tall, with spiky orange hair that caught the moonlight like fire. His smirk didn’t reach his eyes, which were sharp and starved. He was wearing a flamboyant red coat with dark gray pants to match.
“You didn’t even say hello.”
The air grew heavy. Akira’s knees wobbled, and bile rose in his throat.
What… is this pressure? He thought.
He felt his stomach churn. Just standing near this man made his body want to collapse.
“Who are you?” The old man said sternly.
“Hehehe… don’t you know it’s bad manners not to introduce yourself first?” He smirked as he licked his lips in a gluttonous manner.
“I won’t repeat myself.”
“Hmph. Fine, be that way.”
His smile quickly vanished, but the deadly look in his eyes was emboldened.
“Not that it matters since I’ll just kill you and take what I want. But first,” he said as he took notice of Akira. “I think I’ll introduce myself. I… am Demon Lord Felix, one of the Ten Generals of Apocalypse’s Army.”
“W-what! Apocalypse?!” The old man stiffened and let his guard down.
Felix waved his hand lazily.
Suddenly, like a mystical force had come over him, the old man collapsed to his knees, coughing up blood.
“Old man Haru!” Akira screamed.
“Hehehe… HAHAHA!”
Felix’s laughter echoed as wolves slunk out of the shadows, circling them.
“You’re through. Now give me what I want. Unless you want to die a slow and painful death.”
Haru choked, spitting up blood as he glared at Felix. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, geezer. Where is it? Where is The Heart of Utopia?”
“You’ll never find it…”
Then Haru gestured towards Akira.
“Go… get out of here,” he whispered.
“No! I can’t leave you!”
“You must.” His voice softened. “I will stall this monster for as long as I can. But you… you need to live. Otherwise, everything I’ve done will have been in vain.” Haru got into his pose once again.
Akira’s chest tightened. Tears blurred his vision.
“O-okay…”
Haru inhaled deeply, gathering the last of his strength.
Yes… If this works, it will all be worth it.
He slowly breathed out.
“Now is the time! Ducha Sagrado!”
A storm of golden light beams began raining down. They rampaged through the forest, destroying everything in their path— including the wolves, who trembled helplessly in their path.
However, Felix swatted them aside like gnats.
“Go now!” Haru yelled.
Akira ran as fast as he could through the forest, heading towards the nearest town to get help. He ran without looking back a single time; his own tears racing him as they fell faster than he could step.
Then he felt it— a sharp, cold shock pulsated through his body. He felt his heart squeeze like it was choked in devastation.
He didn’t need to see it to know… Haru had already been killed.
Felix stood among the ruins, casually brushing dirt from his coat. He strolled towards Haru’s home and found a trapdoor leading into the basement.
“Well now… what do we have here?” he said as he looked around.
A Drift Sphere?! What’s a space pod doing down here?
[Akira’s Escape]
Akira didn’t stop running until his legs gave out. He collapsed in the dirt, chest heaving, staring at the empty night sky.
“You said… to live.” His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “But how am I supposed to live with this?”
For the first time since Haru’s death, the tears came. Akira curled into himself, fists digging into his arms as sobs wracked his body.
“I’ll… I’ll kill him.” The words burned in his throat. “Felix… I’ll make you pay.”
Only when his voice broke did exhaustion pull him under, sleep taking him like a mercy.
[Next Time on Lyte of Utopia]: “New Beginnings”
[Yield Levels]:
Akira: ???
- Suppressed: 5
Old Man Haru: 400
- Prime: ???
- Suppressed: 10
- Espada Santa: x1.1
- Ducha Sagrado: x2
Lesser Demon Wolf: 200
Felix: ???
Thanks for reading Lyte of Utopia!