Fate of Both Worlds

“Before there was Life or Death, Time or Space, Creation or Destruction, one singular space existed: The Unlimited. Through unknown means, this space was split into two: The Void and The Abyss. In these spaces, beings called Nulls were born. Beings possessing no history, nowhere to go, and nowhere to stay. These beings were mighty but extremely volatile. They waged war against each other but could not find death after what would be called one thousand years. Something unexpected occurred: bodies started to litter the streets, cold and motionless, unable to draw breath. This, however, terrified them as they had come to find themselves invincible. This only increased the savagery among them as they started to form groups, and the population started to plummet, realizing that it was all or nothing. One group sought to end the war by any means necessary.”

 Female voice: Tatsuya, wake up, or you will be late for your first day at New Dawn High Academy.

 Tatsuya jumps up excitedly and rushes to put on his clothes. Stumbling out of bed, nearly falling on his face. He rushed to the closet, swinging the door open with excitement, and grabbed his clothes that his mother had ironed for him the night before. When he gets his clothes on, he wears black dress shoes with tan slats, a white dress shirt a bit too big tucked in, and a black tie. His mother knitted the tie for this special occasion. His eyes are amber with a faint gold ring on the outside, his skin is the same as chocolate, and his hair is braided to the back in what looks to be a little too tight. Tatsuya is 15, about 5'3”, and weighs 135 pounds. Since his weight is muscle, he was a bit intimidating for his age.

Female Voice: Don't forget your ID card.

Tatsuya: I know, Mom.

 “Where is it?” He thinks as he turns his room upside down, looking for it. His room has a flat-screen TV with a gaming console attached to it. He has posters of his favorite anime characters on the walls and a picture of a bird flying from the sun on his ceiling. The poster on the ceiling was a gift from an anonymous person on the day he was born. At this point, clothes are everywhere, even on the computer near the closet right next to a window with a beautiful view of the forest line behind the house. You can see his mother’s greenhouse garden in the backyard housing all kinds of fruits and vegetables, and a bird bath statue of a lady with a gore. The lush green fields and the flower bed on the other side produced a natural citrus smell mixed with the nearby forest, producing a calming scent that seemed to relax the senses. “Damn, where did I put it?” He questioned.

Tatsuya's mom: Honey, we need to go now!

Tatsuya: I still haven’t found my ID. I won't be…

He stops as he comes down the stairs and notices the ID card hanging from the door. His mom scowls at him from the door, hands on her hips and brow furrowed. He lets out a faint fake laugh as he slowly approaches the door, head slightly down. He grabs the ID card as he walks out, still receiving his mother's scathing look of disapproval.

His mother is thirty-five and a shade lighter than him, standing at 5'4” and weighing 167 pounds. She is dressed in a pink sundress, holding a black umbrella and expensive shades. Her hair is neatly tied in a bun, and she wears pink pumps. Her white hat had a white and pink rose.

They made it to the school just in time for the ceremony. The sight of the school is breathtaking. The dull-ish all-white marble stone was cut flawlessly and gave the building a nice sheen. The pillars represent all five mortal races, surrounded by lush green grass and flowers everywhere. The sweet aroma drifts into the car and smells of clean air, honey, or sugar. The many scents that filled the air were enticing and welcomed those with a relaxed, calm sense. It may have just been imagination, but the sun shone brightly over the school. The forest behind it made it stick out more. Off to the far left is a bridge stretching over a river, the streams sometimes breaking off, creating smaller ponds with birds and other animals like deer drinking from it. On the other hand, you can see venues where people stop to sell food or snacks. The trees were allowed to space out the campus, providing shade to those under them.

 They finally got to the parking lot, and Tatsuya rushed out of the car as they had to hurry to their seats. The guard at the door pointed them in the right direction, and they hurried along. The inside of the school was just as breathtaking as the outside. There were plants, pictures, and trophies everywhere. Corridors littered with doors on each side breaking off to reveal more. The floor had a nice black carpet with gold designs. The stadium was huge and was outside in a field between the school and the forest. It was the length of two football fields with four entrances at both ends and two in the middle. The seats are black with a cushion on each and two armrests. They are spaced out enough for people to be able to move freely. There was also a VIP section, though only five people were there: a human, a fairy, a giant, a dwarf, and an elf.

 Almost as if planned, the ceremony started as they sat down. It is hosted by an older lady dressed in an all-black dress and a silver necklace bearing an upside-down heart. You can see the stockings coming out of her flats and the wrinkles on her face, revealing her age; she must have been at least 70. Though the fire in her eyes was still bright, her eyes were normal except for the antique ruby pupils. Her skin is a medium brown, and her voice is sweet and caring.

Mrs. Sakura: Hello, all in attendance, and welcome to another beginning ceremony for New Dawn High Academy. We are pleased to have you all here to celebrate the school's 67th anniversary of its founding. As you may know, this is where we welcome the first-year class and congratulate the people who have brought us such young and capable children. First, we would like to welcome Vermillion Nova! Coming from the House of Nova, he is part of one of the highest human families in fame, stature, and politics. Known for being mighty and fierce fighters, he was shown in the practical exam as he defeated all his opponents without breaking a sweat. He also managed to get a perfect score on the knowledge-based exam, earning him a perfect two hundred overall score.

A young boy wearing a black biker jacket with purple seams and spikes protruding from the shoulders. His shirt was also black, with purple flames from a winking skull. His eyes have a black ring on the outer part and a purple pupil, and his shoes look long and partially worn out. They were white but had skulls with the same fire on the outside. His hair was cut down on the sides and back with braids growing, but swooped to the side, some covering part of his face. His skin color is the color of caramel. Vermillion is sixteen, standing at 5'5” and weighing 127 pounds.

Next, we have Tatsuya Takeda, who comes from a branch of the House of Frode and is from another respected family. Surprisingly, he only scored 70 on both exams. Given his family's high societal position, we must question scores like this.

 After the rest of the class is named, applause is given, and they move on to the exhibition match. This match is customary as it marks the start of the ceremony. It is held between the two strongest students, and the scores from the practical and knowledge-based exams are used to determine which students will fight each other.

Mrs. Sakura: We shall hold our exhibition match as tradition dictates. Our first contestant, as you may have guessed, is Vermilion Nova. Since he scored a perfect two hundred, he is the first participant in this match. Next, we have Tatsuya Takeda.

There is a confused silence as everyone questions why Tatsuya.

 Mrs. Sakura: He barely scored enough to get into the Academy. That must be what you are thinking. I oversee the exam process, and young Tatsuya here purposefully scored low to avoid the exhibition match.

 Anger erupts from the crowd because he should not have been allowed. Even if he could have scored higher, he did not. This seems like a case of might makes right, and the power behind the Tatsuya family is behind this. A blinding flash of light engulfs the area. Though the light is warm and tranquil, a male voice begins to speak as the light dims. The man is shown in light clothing, a pair of tan dress pants finely creased the length just above his ankles and slightly below his waist. He has a white dress shirt neatly tucked into his pants and a cream-colored vest with all three buttons connected. His pupils were a beige color, and his skin was light brown. It’s the same human from the VIP section. He motions for Ms. Sakura to give him the mic, which she does with a smile.

Male Voice: Mrs. Sakura is the school's dean. As such, she is entitled to make certain exceptions for the good of the school and to maximize our students' efforts, thus bringing out the best in them. I apologize for the sudden inconvenience this has caused. If there are any complaints, I will happily address them after the match.

Mrs. Sakura: Tatsuya, can you please come down here? The boy reluctantly entered the fighting area. She smiled as if to say enjoy as she walked away, a barrier forming as she left. The two boys approached each other, Vermillion staring intensely, never breaking eye contact with Tatsuya. However, Tatsuya seemed nervous and unwilling.

The bell rang 20 minutes past the clock. Wasting no time, Vermilion rushes forward in a flash. He closes the distance and fires a thunderous punch. Tatsuya dodged by a hair, ducking to the left side. The punch was so fierce that it sent hairs flying and cracked the ground. Tatsuya then dashes to the left, keeping his profile low. He tries to reset the distance, but to no avail, as Vermilion is close on his trail. Vermillion opens his palm and swipes up; sensing danger, Tatsuya jumps to the right. Four lines tear through the ground and bounce off the barrier. Mrs. Sakura smiles. Tatsuya dashes, doing his best to avoid the slashes, but Vermillion is relentless in his pursuit. He swipes an open palm toward Tatsuya, meaning to shred his top half. Without looking, Tatsuya ducks the attack and lowers his frame, narrowly escaping. The crowd is livid as they see this as an insult. The thought crossed most of their minds that Tatsuya was not worthy of being in this match. Tatsuya finds himself on the defense of an airtight offense. Just as Tatsuya was cornered and what most thought and was glad to think was the end of this charade, Vermilion paused.

Vermillion: Tatsuya, was it? (He puts his hands in his pockets.) What's the deal? If all you can do is run, I see why you scored so low. I don’t know what it is, nor do I care. You have ten seconds to get your head in the game, or I’ll be sure not to miss next time.

Tatsuya looks surprised and then turns into a smile.

Tatsuya: My mother made this; she poured her heart into it. I’d hate to ruin it. He discards the tie, throwing it to the side.

Seventeen minutes on the clock again, wasting no time, Vermillion swiftly closes the distance and lets loose a right jab. Tatsuya dodges the punch and, with a slight move, fires his own, though it is dodged; Tatsuya, with a slight lean, connects a hook to the body. Vermillion takes the hit, wincing slightly as he throws a right low kick that staggers Tatsuya before throwing a series of kicks to both sides, ending with one to the stomach that knocks him back. Tatsuya rolls backwards, flipping up to his hands. Vermillion rushed forward, trying to land a kick to the face; Tatsuya ducked, sweeping his legs. Vermillion fell to the ground. Tatsuya tried to stomp his head. Vermillion rolled to the right, dodging two more stomps. Tatsuya decides to kick the ground with the third stomp. Now, with dirt and debris in his eyes, Vermillion is caught off guard as Tatsuya throws a rock, causing Vermillion to look the other way. He comes in with a lariat. Noticing the shift in the smoke, Vermillion puts his defense up, but is still run over by the bigger opponent. As Vermillion tries to get up, Tatsuya kicks him in the chin. Using that momentum, Vermillion flips up, kicking Tatsuya in his. When Vermillion lands, he goes straight for Tatsuya, who tries to hit him with a left jab. Vermillion ducks before landing a flying knee on Tatsuya.

Tatsuya stumbles back, and Vermillion takes the chance to launch a follow-up; he thinks, “This is about right. They all fall eventually.” But to his surprise, Tatsuya was there to meet him. He used the momentum of his falling back to wind up a punch. Vermilion tries to block, but is unsuccessful as Tatsuya punches Vermilion, landing a clean hit. He curved the punch, slamming Vermilion's head to the ground, causing him to pop back up, but Tatsuya was not done. He stomped his stomach with such force that the ground crumbled. Preparing to end the fight, he brings his fist down, aiming to crush Vermillion's head to the ground again. His fist makes contact, the ground erupts, and the crowd is surprised as Tatsuya is swept off his feet in a barrel roll motion. Vermilion got on top of Tatsuya. With a wicked, bloody smile, he threw a right hook that cranked Tatsuya's face to the side. In his usual fashion, he gave him no time to recover. Throwing a left, cranking his head to the other side, and causing blood to come out. Finally, Tatsuya was able to put his guard up. Taking a few thunderous punches, he tried to use his knee to knock Vermilion off, but Vermilion stopped it by pushing off the ground. Just when his guard began to break, Tatsuya suddenly began to glow, and with no warning, a blazing inferno erupted from his body and engulfed them in a ferocious fire. Vermillion flew out clearly in disarray {10 minutes on the clock}.

Tatsuya stands up, smiling. Vermilion takes this time to remove his jacket. Still on fire, Tatsuya stands there, returning the courtesy he was given. “Round two?” Tatsuya remarks smugly. Vermillion says nothing and shoots him a smirk. Both rushed in, landing a punch, but to Vermillion's surprise, the punch scorched the side of his face. Tatsuya followed with a front kick to the stomach. The kick leaving smoke and a slight burn from where he was hit. Vermillion was clearly in pain and staggered back. Tatsuya pushed forward, sweeping one leg and grabbing Vermillion. He judo-flipped him, slamming him to the ground. Vermillion sent a wave of string, forcing Tatsuya to retreat. Vermillion was getting up, and it was clear he had taken damage but was not ready to stop. Tatsuya launched an array of fireballs at Vermillion that he dodged or cut with a string as he tried to close the distance. Tatsuya manages to hit Vermillion, but he does not falter this time, leaning into the punch. This surprised Tatsuya. With the opening made, Vermillion throws a right uppercut, aiming to return the favor. Vermillion grabs Tatsuya's leg and swings him around. As he lets him go, strings are attached to Tatsuya. This causes a bigger wind-up before Vermilion suddenly retracts the strings, reeling him in quickly. Tatsuya tries to burn the strings but finds he cannot burn them instantly. These strings are thicker and do not cut, which makes them more durable. Vermillion smiles, finally happy that he found an opponent who can dance with him and sometimes take the lead.

Vermillion lands a solid punch to Tatsuya's face. Tatsuya uses the ground to catch and stabilize himself, but he feels intense pain as he touches the side of his face. Noticing that blood is coming off, he looks up at Vermillion, who smugly asks, “Round two, boss?” The two hesitate momentarily, taking note of the others’ power while trying to catch their breath as if signaled. They both rushed forward, deciding a staring contest would get them nowhere fast. They clash in a series of blows that begin to break the ground around; Tatsuya notices that Vermillion's hands are covered in strings, each attack slicing and dicing.

Astonishment and fear swept the crowd, their silence saying, “At this rate, one of them was bound to kill the other.” They both sent a flurry of blows at {5 minutes} on the clock. Vermilion was slightly more trained, landing more of his hits and defending more, though it did not matter; just being near Tatsuya was burning his skin, so it came down to whether Tatsuya would bleed out or Vermilion would burn out. Unfortunately, this question will not be answered as the stadium was extended from under them, moving the two apart. Mrs. Sakura had stopped the match at the four-minute mark when the man from before came out. This time, the fairy was with him. She was in a dress that appeared white but sparkled in the sun. It covered most of the top portion, leaving the shoulders and cleavage of her breasts showing. Her long, sandy brown hair covered her shoulders and breasts; one could only wonder. The rest of her hair flowed down her back; she wore long earrings that ended with a diamond at the bottom and two smaller ones on top. Her eyes were multicolored; her skin seemed smooth and unblemished. She was light-skinned, and her heels glistened in the sun. Though the most beautiful thing about her was her wings, they were utterly captivating. Even though they reflect the sun, they change color with the angle. A rainbow is the only thing that they can be described as.

 She began to speak, her voice light as if the heavens were singing,

Female Fairy: I can't believe you let these boys fight to this point! She scowled at the man.

Finely dressed man: They seem like...

 The man tried to reply but was cut off.

Female Fairy: I don't care. This is irresponsible and a danger to these children. What if one of them had gotten hurt?!

The man continued to walk, not knowing when it was his turn to speak. They entered center stage, and she gestured for both boys to approach her. When they got close enough, she began to speak.

Female Fairy: You boys were marvelous, even if a bit reckless.

 She gave both a pat on the head and rubbed their cheeks, and in seconds, the wounds began to heal, and even their clothes were replaced by a dazzling light. Usually, these types of injuries require hospitalization to recover appropriately. She then handed Tatsuya his tie. He looked back and saw that his tie was not there anymore, and while Tatsuya was amazed, Vermillion was awestruck; he would notice an enemy, even in the middle of a fight; there was no way she recovered the tie. “She couldn't have gotten around them. Maybe it was teleportation.” Vermillion thought. He was snapped out of his thoughts as the well-dressed man started to speak.

Well-dressed man: I hope everyone enjoyed the show (he felt an intense glare as he continued). Both boys are from royal families. But many people do not know these two families have been fierce rivals for almost three decades, even out of politics. Our records show that this is the first time that we have had a person from both families enrolled at the same time, and so this is a historical event for not only the school but everyone else here. So, I hope everyone understands the importance of what we have here.

 With that, he passed the mic to Ms. Sakura.

 Ms. Sakura: Can we please give the boys a round of applause as they take their seats?

Both boys left the crowd and cheered. Going wild, the sound could be heard miles away.

Ms. Sakura: I want to welcome the Five Rulers of the Mortal World. First up is the King of the Humans, Arthur the Sacred Light. The man stepped up, waved his hand, and took a bow. Next, we have the beautiful Queen of the Fairies, Titania, Daughter of Nature; she did the same, only crossing her legs and pulling the sides of her dress. Up next is Atlas, the Invincible Fortress King of the Giants. He nodded. Introducing Akira, the Knowledge Seeker and King of the Elves; he got up and waved his hand swinging from one side to the other before sitting. Last but certainly not least, we have The Calm and Vicious King of the Dwarfs, Isamu.