*Somewhere on the outskirts of the Clover Kingdom*
"DAMMIT!" Filled with rage, the boy struggled as metal chains coiled tightly around his body. Tensing his body, the thick chains slowly dug against his skin like poison.
"ASTA, YUNO!" The boy shouted.
Asta, stuck in the same predicament albeit with more chains to take in account his toned physique, struggled just as much. He also helplessly watched Yuno battling another mage in the distance.
*CLANG CLANG*
In the distance, the ground shrieked, sprouting a cyclone of metallic chains.
In the eye of the storm a black haired boy holding a green 4-leaf grimoire stood tall. The book fluttered through pages akin to a butterfly flapping its wings.
He scraped past the uprooting chains. Grazes that seemed small drew blood and the calm smile plastered on his face grew somewhat urgent.
"Just take it easy, I'll do it one step at a time." He reminded himself.
Yuno, slipping past what feels like endless chains, swiped his hand over his book. The book shone as grey crescent blades of wind darted forward, directing it at a man with long hair in the distance.
*WOOSH*
The blades thinly fitted through the crevices and the slits of the existing maze of chains.
"Is this the 'supposed' power of the 4-leaf clover? Honestly, it seems kinda…weak?" The long-haired man, Revchi Salik sighed, as he observed the incoming blades.
Revchi slightly pivoted tilting his body.
He was a former Magic Knight, of course this was child's play.
His gaze focused on assessing the concentration of mana within the blades and the sheer accuracy of Yuno's attack.
"Creation Magic: Chain wall"
A veil of chains erupted from the ground in front of Revchi in a curved manner, mirroring that of a tidal wave.
Revchi paused for a moment as the wind bombarded his defence, the aftermath of the gale brushed against his purple orca cloak.
Revchi's calm mask cracked, slightly frowning.
Yuno, feeling the fatigue in his calves, found a singular moment to barely slithered past the maze of chains and dashed towards his trapped brothers.
"ASTA, REUE" Yuno shouted, fluttering through his grimoire.
Revichi, stretching his shoulders, let the veil of chains disperse into the ground.
Facing forwards Revichi lightly stomped on the ground, hand outstretched, the grimoire responding to his will.
"Quick on your feet aren't ya?" The chained-magic user yawned, snapping his fingers instantly as he gazed to Asta and Reue's direction.
The chains coiling around Asta and Reue sprang to life. Continuously wrapping their heavy body around the trapped boys crushing their ribs.
"Magic Binding: Iron Chain Formation!"
"AHHHHHH" the boys screamed in unison
"ARGH, it feels like a-." Reue gritted through his teeth as drops of blood accumulated and slid down his cheek.
Reue struggled to stand. His knees shaking with each movement as if he'd buckle any second.
The chains grew tighter by the second, slowly crushing his ribs. Each mere moment the chains dug deeper into his skin, it branded it like fire.
Though for some reason, he'd still try to move, albeit struggling.
"Just a step is enough to make a difference." Reue struggled, stumbling in the process.
"JUST A SINGLE STEP! WEAK BODY MOVE!" Reue internally screamed and forced his body to forward as agony filled his veins.
Each movement left desperate trudges into the ground as he made his way to the ongoing fight.
"ARGH LET ME OUT" Asta, not doing too well, struggled beside Reue.
"NOT GIVING UP." Asta yelled, squirming.
"IS MY MAGIC!" Asta continued to push forward.
Yuno froze, though he was familiar with the sight of unyielding determination.
The despondent look in his brothers' faces, strengthened his will.
Yuno's will to win.
"Bastar-" Yuno glaring fiercely at his struggling brothers turned slowly to face the former Magic Knight.
Yuno's 4-leaf clover glowed brightly, matching his determination.
"I KILL YO-" Yuno shouted.
However, the earth trembled instantly, sprouting a sharp chain that pierced Yuno's left shoulder.
"!" Yuno's eyes widened.
Following up multiple chains with viper heads bearing two large fangs danced around Yuno.
"Creation Magic: Dance of the Pitless Viper!"
"ARGH!" Yuno stumbled on one leg, swaying side to side, taking on the onslaught of attacks.
Yuno planted his fist in the ground, enduring. Small cuts appeared and streams of blood cascaded down his tired clothes.
"Got ya." Revchi smirked. His book fluttered through pages as his footsteps dug into the earth.
Each step trudging closer to the struggling Yuno, fighting his creation of metallic vipers.
"DAMMIT!" Reue stumbled as he attempted to drag himself to the bloodied Yuno, desperate to provide any assistance.
"YUNO!" Asta yelled, squirming more viciously.
"Two useless maggots." Revchi stopped, quickly glancing at the two chained boys.
"One without any magic." Revchi's index finger pointed at Asta, commanding the chain to fully tighten and restrain any movement.
"URGJ" Asta grunted with blood starting to seep down his mouth and paint the dry grass..
"The second though has mana." Revchi glanced at Reue, gesturing a similar motion with his finger.
The chain still coiled around Reue forcing him straight up on two feet.
". . .." Reue helpless, tried to twist his body someway to get out.
"Also has no grimoire." Revchi looked at the two boys with a disgusted look.
Though Revchi was a former magic knight encountering a multitude of strange situations, this takes the cake.
"Though strange, the amount of money will never change." Revchi thought to himself, continuing his brisk walk to Yuno.
The pungent smell of dread wafts closer.
"It looks like you took the luck of your two so-called brothers to get a four-leaf clover." Revchi said aloud to himself, conducting a brief mental analysis of Yuno.
Yuno, though still facing the metallic vipers. The strength with each strike gradually lowered. As if it just wanted to hurt Yuno enough to stop fighting back.
His grimoire matching his will, fell to the ground, using his own body to shield his head from the rein of attacks, Yuno closed his eyes.
"It's not true…" Yuno muttered under his breath. Under normal circumstances, Yuno was smart and analytical, easily assessing this as a psychological tactic.
But this wasn't an everyday occurrence.
Yuno scrunched up his face and lost sight of the path to victory. He slowly loosened his guard with each metallic thump, as if accepting this as some form of karmic punishment.
"STOP IT!" Asta shouted, attempting to wiggle towards Revichi, but had no luck loosening the chains.
Reue stared blankly at the situation. A thousand pictures ran through his mind.
Memories of youth and genuine smiles plastered on the faces of people in the church. His brother's declaration to be the wizard king.
However, these images burned with a salient episode of not receiving a grimoire.
"Turning 15, everybody should get a grimoire, right…?" Reue muttered under his harsh breath.
Reue felt alone, outcasted. A boy with mana but no grimoire. Though sad, he wasn't alone in what seemed to be a distant memory, he noticed Asta never received one too.
A strange kinship formed between him and Asta, a sad but subtle understanding.
He was happy for Yuno, however Reue also wanted to reach the top and fight.
Maybe, just maybe he could dream to become the Wizard King too.
Reue yearned for recognition, he had a burning feeling inside his heart.
For some reason, though restrained. Reue grew a subtle smile with a tinge of melancholy as his vision turned slightly hazy.
The injuries seem to be kicking in.
The excessive amount of pumped adrenaline seemed to be wearing off.
It hurt.
The constraints of the chains and the piling mental fatigue.
He looked in the distance, as a cruel mist of impending death slowly blurred his sight.
Asta struggled.
Revichi swayed Yuno's treasured grimoire in the air, waving it as a trophy.
Yuno bluntly took the onslaught of attacks.
Reue could feel the thread beginning to snap. Not of anger but of vitality.
He tried to focus forward, reminiscing of the bittersweet memories he had gained.
His vision was hazy, but for some reason his gaze focused on a star.
A colourful star. It was a flickering star to be exact.
No one else seemed to take notice, as if it never existed.
Non-sensical, Reue subconsciously reminisced about a tale told by the church.
In particular, a story of a devil bringing ruin to the clover kingdom.
Reue tried to dismiss the thoughts as he instinctively moved closer to the star.
Reue murmured to himself, each word straining his lungs.
"I want to do it all over again..." Reue, hanging on an outstretched thread, felt a small ember burn brightly into his heart.
His gaze slowly hardened, as the star glowed.
Reue drew closer, it was a small movement but still brought him closer.
Seeming like an illusion the star slowly hovered towards Reue.
Reue felt a refreshing breeze, somehow it felt like everything was going to be just fine.
Nudging his head forward with what little strength in order to reach out to the star in front of him. The chains restraining him grew weak.
"Please just this once-" Reue fully outstretched his hand, gritted his teeth and twisted his body slightly as the star came near.
It shined brightly, like splashing a blank canvas with a myriad of colours. It was the type of blinding putting your mind at ease.
"Answer my prayer." Reue muttered, touching the star with his naked hand.
*Back in the mysterious realm*
As I touched the star, a bright light shined.
The space around me warped. Sounds I couldn't fathom how to describe ringed in my head.
I thought back to the still dazzling bright star and the images of the figures fighting.
Closing my eyes I prayed. I'm not sure why but I did, maybe because I was slightly religious in my past life, but it seemed like the right thing to do.
Clasping my hands, a very knowing feeling filled my body as I embraced the warmth of the bright light of the star. A feeling I was all too well familiar with.
"Regret".
"That's why this time. "
A surge of blasphemous aura spiked. My skin grew streams of abyssal black and crevices containing a myriad of colours to create an illusory madness.
I felt it, a strong bond, destined to share a kinship.
"Whoever calls out reaching for help. I won't make the same mistake."
"To atone for my sins of being weak."
"I'll make sure this time, I'll never regret a thing in my life."