Hiro Chronicles Chapter 4

Chapter 4
The rescue part 2

Nine years ago, two months before the Rebellion War, nine-year-old Ace was leading a six-year-old Hiro to the back of the castle. He was curious about where they were going.

"Where are we going, Ace?", he asked.

"You'll see.", Ace said with grin.

When they made to the back wall, Ace began to feel around on the wall to search for a button while Hiro was bewildered about what he was doing.

Hiro: What are you doing?

Ace: Just wait.

Then he jumped and able to reach a button above him. When he pressed it, a part of the wall slowly rose up revealing a tunnel. Hiro was surprised to see it.

Hiro: What’s this?

Ace: Cool, huh? I found it yesterday.

"Does anyone else know about this?",he asked.

"Just you and me.", Ace says.
Just then they hear a roar-like sound echoing from the tunnel that shocked them both.

Hiro: W-what was that?

Ace: Don't know. It might be a monster in there. Wanna check it out?

Hiro: Can we beat it?

"I know we will!" Hiro says with confidence.

Hiro: I-I don't know about this.

Ace: Come on, Hiro, you have to be brave. You always said that you wanted to be brave like Uncle Sol, right? I'll be with you the whole time.

When he said that, Hiro felt a little confident and nods and says, "All right, I'll go.”
                        * * * *

In the present day, Hiro led Dani and Snow down the light dimmed tunnel. It was the same as he remembered; the marks on the wall that he and Ace made in case if they ever got lost because the tunnel felt more like a maze. As they were walking ahead, there some unanswered questions.
“So how did you know about this tunnel?”, Snow asked.

Hiro: I use to play in here all the time when I was little.

Dani: Did someone show this place?

Hiro: Yeah, my cousin brought me here to teach me how to be brave. I'm surprised that Nero didn't know about this place.

Dani: What's with this King Nero?

Hiro: Nero is no king! He’s nothing more than a tyrant! Because of him….

“Because of him, that the town is chaos now?”, Dani asked.

“Not only that….”, he began.

Snow: What happened to this place, anyway?

Hiro: Nine years ago, Eden was once a beautiful city. It was known as the “City of Light”. Everyone was happy and living their own lives. That is….. until the Rebellion War.

Snow: Rebellion War?

Hiro: It began after King Caesar and his family was murdered by that snake Nero. He became the king of Eden. Nero increased the taxes to the point where everyone started to lose their homes and their jobs. To make matters worse, if no one paid the taxes or when people tried to speak against his actions, Nero would arrest them and put them dungeon and execute them with no trial. Since then he ran this city under to a point where Eden almost became the slums. One day my mom and dad gathered a group of rebels in efforts to save Eden from Nero. Nero had his guards ready to fight the rebels. The rebels did all they can to fight, but…….

Dani: It.... didn’t go well.

Hiro: They lost. My parents and all the rebels and most of the civilians were killed. A lot of dreams faded that day. After the war, Nero cast all the people whose families were involved in the war out of Eden.

"That’s sad to hear.", Dani says with concern
Snow: Yeah.

Hiro: Well anyway the door's up ahead. Be ready there still guards all over the place.

"Don't worry, bro. If anyone get in our way, we just have to bash some heads.”, Snow says as he cracked his knuckles.

Hiro: Uhh....sure, all right.

Dani: *sighs* Why is it every time you say "Don't worry" I get worried?

Meanwhile in the cold damp Dungeon Hall below the castle, Nero and his guards were on their way to Lily's cell until he stops to the cell before hers. He peered the cell door and sees a thirty-eight-year-old blue furred humanoid wolf known as Lupus with a white tattoo of a paw on his right shoulder, who looked beaten up and chained to the wall with a look of despair. Nero enters to have his final word with the Lupus before he got to Lily.

Nero: Roku Etro, my old friend. I almost forgot that you're still here.

Roku avoided Nero eye contact in annoyance. It was also was sign of disrespect to Nero, as he was offended to a point that he punched him on face and kicked him on the stomach hard enough for him to cough out blood.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU, YOU WORTHLESS HOUND!", he yelled.

He grabbed him by the neck and says, "Tell me, are you here to look for Sol or Luna? If you are then I'm afraid you're too late. Both Luna and Sol are dead. If only you’ve seen Sol’s face when I put an end to him; it was priceless.

Suddenly Roku spits in Nero's left eye just after he was finished speaking. Nero was disgusted that someone like him was showing much disrespect to him and wiped the spit from his eye.

"I cannot wait to see you hang in the Gallows. NO wait, I prefer you to have your head on my platter. That's it; your head will be lopped off by the Executioner."

Roku: I'll kill him before he does. Then I’ll be coming for you!

"No matter. I going to see if my future bride agrees to my terms.", Nero says as he leaves.

Roku: Don't you think people will say something about a guy your age marrying a fifteen-year-old girl.

"Their opinions don’t matter to me. Sit tight until my ceremony ends. Afterwards is your execution.", Nero says as he leaves Roku's cell.
He proceeds on to Lily's cell to hear her decision about his proposal. He enters and sees Lily sitting in the corner in despair. She glared at him the moment he entered her cell.

Nero: Have you considered my offer?

Lily:....

"Remember, if you choose wisely, more than one life will be spared.", Nero says.

The last thing in the world she wanted to do is to marry Nero the tyrant. She rather die than to marry the man who caused everyone to lose hope within themselves. However if she refuse, her l and Hiro's lives were in danger. She didn't have a choice.
"I...... will marry you.", She says reluctantly.

Nero: Glad to hear it.

Lily: Only if you leave him out of this.

Nero: So be it. The guards will take you to the throne room for the ceremony. Guards, if you please?

The guards took Lily out of her cell while Nero stayed behind. Suddenly a dark portal appears in front of him. The masked boy emerged from the portal. Nero wasn't surprised to see him, but a little surprised about the girl.

Nero: Shadow, what brings you here?

Shadow: Just checking on things here.

Nero: I see. By the way have you seen Lars? He's been gone for a long time.

Shadow: That loser couldn't cut it. The Soul Eaters controlled him to very end. So I put an end of him.

Nero: What a pity. He was my best guard. Then again, He was nothing more than guinea pig.

Shadow: Best be careful what you say.

"No matter. I have a wedding to go to." Nero says as he leaves the area.

"Best of luck.”, Shadow said as he stepped into the portal.

An hour later, Hiro, Snow, and Dani found themselves in the cold damp Dungeon Hall. They noticed that there were no guards around. Aero didn't really care whether or not the guards were there. He was more worried about Holly. He looked through the cells hoping that she was okay. Each of the cells was either empty or filled with bones of the innocent. Snow and Dani also looked through hoping their captain was there and okay. The more she looked through the cells, the more Dani became horrified to see how Nero treated them when they were alive.

"What kind of king would do this to his own people?", she asked.

"The one that lust for power.", Hiro says.
They continued looking through the cells to find their friends until Snow looked around the corner and he was surprised to see a muscular man in black mask carrying a big axe, standing by one of the cell doors.

"Psst. Over here.”, Snow whispered.
Hiro and Dani looked around the corner and saw the same thing he was seeing.
"The executioner!", Hiro says softly.

Dani: That means either Lily or the captain is behind that door. All we have to do is to get past that guy.

Snow: No problem. He doesn't look that tough anyway.

Hiro was confused about Snow's overconfidence about the executioner.

"A big scary dude wearing the mask of death and carrying a huge axe don't look tough to you, Snow?", he asked.

"WHO'S THERE!?", The executioner says with a booming voice.

Hiro: Crap! He heard us!

"That's fine. I whether like the direct approach anyway!", Snow says as he runs ahead to fight the executioner.

"Hey, what are you doing?! Is he always like this?", Hiro asked.

Dani: You have no idea.      

The executioner looked around for intruders, however he was ordered not to leave his post. Suddenly he heard someone yelling, "Hey big and ugly! Over here!"

He turned around and Snow surprised him with a punch powerful enough to make fall hard on the ground.

Snow: The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Hiro was surprised to see this happening. How could someone Snow's size was able to take down some as big as the executioner that easily?

Executioner: You'll pay for that!
He quickly got up and swung his axe at Snow, but he dodged just in time. When the axe landed, it was stuck deep in the floor.

"Aww to bad.", Snow taunted.

Snow punched him again; hard enough to break his jaw and lose consciousness.

"Whoa.", Hiro says as he and Dani walked towards him.

Snow looked through the cell door and was surprised to see a beaten Lupus chained against the wall.

Snow: Yo, Dani, look at this!

She looked the cell and was shocked to see who's in there.

"Captain Roku!", she yelled.

Suddenly she pulled out her trident and it started to glow with a blue aura. She swung her weapon and sliced the door in half. Afterwards, she and Snow checked to see if Roku was okay.

Meanwhile Hiro searched through the cell doors to see if Lily was there. One by one, and still no one sign of her anywhere.

“Are you looking for a girl name Lily?”, Roku asked as he approached him.

Hiro: Yeah-

Hiro was surprised and happy to see Roku.

Hiro: Uncle Roku?

Roku smiled and says, “It’s been a while kiddo.

Dani and Snow were confused about how he knew the captain.

Snow: Uh captain? Why did he call you uncle?

Hiro: He’s my godfather.

Roku: That’s right. As for the girl, Nero is planning to marry her at this moment.

Hiro, Snow, and Dani were shocked and at the same time disgusted that a man his age is marrying a fifteen-year-old.

Hiro: I know that man is creepy, but he just went up ten levels of creepy. How do we stop that wedding?

Roku: I have plan for that……It will be a wedding he won’t forget.


In the throne room, the wedding begins. Nero waits for his bride to walk down the aisle. The only crowd in the room was the armed Elite Guards without Lars leading them. Moments later, Lily, wearing a bridal dress, walked down the aisle very, very, slowly. One of the guards persuaded her to pick up the pace with a gun to her back. She finally made it to the end facing Nero with a minister.

Minister: Dearly beloved…..

Lily:  (You got to be kidding.)

Minister:…We’re gathered here today in the presence of the witnesses to join King Nero Lionhart and Miss Lily Highwind in matrimony. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together- Let them speak now or forever hold your peace.

The room was silent. Lily wanted to object to this farce, but she remembered what Nero said about what will happen if she refused. Most of the guards thought this wedding was wrong. Even The Minister felt that this wedding shouldn’t take place. He was hoping that someone would say something.

Minister: Uh…anyone? Speak up at any time. Come on we got all night.

However everyone knows about Nero’s bad temper.

Minister: Uh…Let us…..uh…. begin. Now, Your Majesty, do you take this lovely maiden as your wedded wife?

Nero: I do.

Minister: Well…uh…do you miss….take King Nero as your lawfully wedded husband?

Lily: I…I……I

Before she could answer, a round object rolled down the aisle near them.

“What is this?”, Nero asked.

Suddenly an explosion of light filled the room. Lily was the only one who covered her eyes in time. Suddenly she felt someone was pulling her.
“Let me go!”, she yelled.

“It’s me.”

She recognized that voice. She opened her eyes and sees that it was Hiro.

Lily: Hiro!?

Hiro: The one and only.

“Wait hold on a sec!” Lily said as she ran back to Nero. She saw that he drop the pendant. She picked it and noticed that Nero was still blinded by the light. Holly suddenly kicked him in the groin, hard enough for him to howl and scream like a female opera singer.

Hiro was surprised that she did that. “Whoa!”

“Shall we go?”,Lily asked.

Hiro: Have I ever tell you that you’re awesome?

Lily: Thanks. Come on!

The two ran as fast as they can with everyone blinded by the flash bomb. They can hear Nero in a high pitched voice yelling, “Get them! GET THEM!”

The made it to the hallway. They could hear the guards approaching them.

“This way.”, Hiro said as he led Lily to the dungeon to find the secret tunnel. Suddenly a black-purple fog appeared in front of them. Dozens of Soul Eaters appeared to stop them.

“Not Now!” Hiro said as he summoned his sword. At the same time Lily was confused about what was going on.

Lily: What are they!?

Hiro: Soul Eaters!

He used Fire Blast to destroy most of them.

“How did you do that?” She asked.

Hiro: Long Story.

He wanted to keep fighting, but he had a feeling that more will appear. If he keeps fighting them, it would be so many that he couldn’t be able to protect Holly. Suddenly, the Soul Eaters were slowly being frozen in ice. Suddenly Snow smashed them to pieces.

“You two okay? ” Dani asked as she and Campion ran towards them.  

Hiro: Yeah.

Snow: We better get out of here. The Soul Eaters multiplying by the minute!

“The four you won’t be going anywhere except the gallows for your execution!”, Nero said as he and his guards approached them.

Just the sight of Nero infuriated Hiro. Nero sees the look in his eyes.

Nero: That glare. It looks so …familiar.  

At an instant, Hiro ran towards Nero hoping to end his reign as king and revenge for everything he had done. However the guards blocked his path and pointed their guns at him, Lily, Dani, and Snow. They were ready to fight the guards until Nero shouted ‘Let them go! Drop Your Weapons!”

Hiro /Lily/ Dani /Dani: Huh!?

Guards: HUH!?

They were all surprised to see Roku has gotten Nero in an arm lock with his sword against his throat.

“You heard him. Let them go or your king will die.” Roku says

The guards did what they were told.
“Let’s go.” Roku said as he dragged Nero with Hiro, Snow, Dani, and Lily followed behind.

Minutes later, they all made it to the dungeon.

Roku: Do you remember I said that I was going to kill your executioner before he kills me. Look inside, Nero!

Nero looked in one of the cells and was shocked to see the Executioner lying in a pool of his own blood. For the first time ever since the war, Nero feared for his life.
“W-what are going to do to me?”

Roku couldn’t believe it. This man is the same man everyone in this town was afraid of. “You’re pathetic, you know that? You have no problem dealing with life, but when it’s yours, it’s a different story.”

He opened the cell door and threw Nero in the pool of blood and slammed the door. Nero couldn’t believe what just happened. His anger turned to rage.

Nero: You all will rue this day!  

He turned his attention to Hiro and Lily.

“I’ll start with the two of you. You and people of Redtail will suffer my wra-
Roku grabbed him by the neck and says, “This is my warning to you; If come after any of us, including them, I’m going to finish what Sol started by killing you; got it!?”

Nero: You’ll regret those words.

“Let’s get out of here.”, Roku said in frustration. He leaves along with Snow and Dani. Lily was going to follow along too, but she noticed that Hiro was glaring at the cell door. She knew how much he hated Nero. She grabbed hold of his hand. He looked at her in confusion.

Hiro: Something wrong, Lily?

She smiled and said, “No nothing wrong. Hiro, let’s go home everyone’s waiting for us.”

He smiled and blushed.

Hiro: Y-yeah, let’s go.

Hours later, they all made it to Willow Forest. The stars were shining down to light them a path. They were all quiet since they left Eden. Aero was more worried about the heated argument he had with his uncle earlier. Then Dani tries to break the silence.

“We haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Dani North.”’

Snow: I’m Snow Ballad. The big silent one is our captain Roku Etro.

Lily: I’m Lily Highwind. Thanks for helping us earlier.

Dani: You should be thanking Hiro. He was so worried about yo-

“H-Hey, don’t tell her that!” Hiro exclaimed while Lily was snickering at his reaction and at the same time was touched that he would go that far to save her from Nero.
Just then they hear footsteps coming their way. They thought it might be the Guards or the Soul Eaters until someone shouted “Someone out there?”

Hiro recognized that voice. “Uncle Taro?”

Taro came running towards them. “You guys all right?”

Hiro: Yeah.

Taro: Who are they?

Lily: They’re the crew of that ship.

Taro: We’ll continue this when we get back to Mugen. You all can stay the in my house.

Roku: Thanks.

As they followed Taro to Redtail, Hiro stayed behind thinking of a way to apologize to his uncle about earlier.

???: You better go to them, kid.

He turned around and was surprised to see Shadow leaning against a tree.

Hiro: You! What are you doing here?
Shadow: It will be the last time you’ll see them again.
“What are you talking about?” Natsu asked.
Shadow: I mean it will be the last time you will ever see your friends, again.
“First off, you leave them out of this. Second, if you’re here to pick a fight, then you got one right here.” Hiro said as he was ready to fight Shadow.
“Grow up. Do you really think you can take me on? As if.” Shadow said.
“What!”, Hiro yelled in anger.
Shadow: You’re far too weak to fight me.
Hiro ran at him and was close enough to strike with his sword, as soon as he got close, Shadow disappeared into thin air. He looked around to find out where he is.
“Behind you.”
He turned around and was shocked that Shadow was standing behind him.
Shadow: The only thing you need worry about is how to leave this world alive.
He summoned his portal. Just before he steps into it, he had one last thing to say.
“Remember that warning, because that day is coming sooner than you think.”

He left Hiro stunned with his warning.
Taro: Hiro, where are you?
“I’m coming.” He says as he head home with Shadow’s warning in mind.