The Ancient Revelation: Rewrite

Akio slowly leaves the Shining Generals' headquarters. The main office in the entrance is empty, everything is dark...

The grandfather clock ticks slowly. Akio looks back on it again, before averting his gaze again to the painting of the first Shining Generals. He can't help it. Their power is a level that he longs to reach, but it's still too far away.

Exiting the building, Akio walks along the streets, illuminated by the streetlights and the moonlight. The city's quiet. It's been a while since Akio has taken a walk at this time. The serenity feels weird, but Akio doesn't mind it.

Before going home, Akio decides to his favorite spot: the olive tree. It's been only two days, but he feels like it's been forever since he sat there, looking over the vast, beautiful sea. Perhaps it's even more beautiful in the moonlight.

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I slowly walk up the hill, smelling the flowers around. Their aroma continues to be as calming as ever. Step by step, I look back behind me, at the city. All these buildings, full of people, yet lifeless from the outside...

Finally, I reach the top. The olive tree awaited for me, as always. I lay down on the bloody bark, looking at the sea. Indeed, it does look more beautiful in the moonlight, as its reflection dances with the waves.

Ah, the tranquility. The smell of the sea reaches up to here, my favorite smell. I take it in, as the atmosphere of the cold night becomes warm. The memory of battle slowly fades from my mind, as the stardust in the wind flutters.

Suddenly, I feel a weight on my left shoulder. I look, but there's nothing there.. before out of thin air, Aoi appears. She's not with me, but her presence...

I let out a warm smile. The moon dances along with the stars, illuminating the black sky, as I raise my head up, a tear falling.

Yes...

In this moment...

I am happy.

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Akio's hair becomes black, his natural hair color, pupils slowly turn silver, before reverting to brown, as he goes to sleep.

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I open my eyes to a black void, painted crimson by blood. Looking down, I see my hands and body, soaked in the blood of myself and those whom I've faced and killed. In front of me stand those who've become victims of my power.. and the man that trivialized me.

To my sides, I see my friends and family, my comrades. All except for one...

As I turn around, I smile. In the opposite end of the void is a beautiful space, surrounded by cherry blossom trees and the very olive tree I've grown so attached to in the center. I slowly walk towards that space, but an invisible barrier is stopping me.

I feel my body burning, flames blocking my left eye.. but I try to push through the barrier. The blood splattered all over me tries to hold me back, yet I resist...

Finally, the barrier breaks. The shards scatter themselves amongst the wind. Now, I start walking towards it...

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Akio's orange hair turns black once more, as his orange pupils become brown. The blood on his body disappears, his open wounds heal, as his outfit is replaced by a black tie. All possessions he wears fall to the ground. Akio's leaving the battlefield behind, for now...

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I continue my slow walk, looking behind me, to the people I care about. They smile at me, as I smile back.. and the darkness covers them. I turn back to the front, as everything becomes dark but that small space.

Seeing the pink leaves fall to the ground, I feel at ease with each step I take into the circle. Suddenly, a figure appears at the foot of the olive tree, wearing a cyan dress, black heels and a white corsage1 on its right hand.

As I come closer, the figurine becomes more and more apparent: it's Aoi, her hair raven black and her eyes sapphire blue, as she holds a white rose1 in her mouth. She wears a warm smile, stretching her right hand out. When I finally reach hair, I grab her hand...

With synchronised steps, we start to dange.. tango. Our slow dance illuminate the void, leaving light blue and orange marks with our silent steps, one by one. We dance through the cherry blossom leaves and the leaves of the aging olive.

Afterwards, we step outside the circle, as the dark void becomes white. Yes, now.. the world has become our dance floor. With each step, the white floor is filled with our colors. The now-white canvas is painted with love, tranquility and unity.

Our dance continues uninterrupted, as we get farther away from our starting point, the olive tree. As pigeons dance in the wind, carrying olive branches, the sky is painted blue. The sun shines bright, and the waves of the see come at our feet, but the dance does not stop.

As we get further in the sea, the pigeons' dance stops, as they descend further and further...

The olive branches have turned into wreaths, as they're placed atop the heads of Aoi and myself. Our outfits get soaked with water, and we step further and further into the sea...

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Akio's pupils become silver.

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Aoi reaches to me, as I open my mouth. With a kiss, she passes the rose unto me, as tears fall from her face.. and we're submerged in the water.

The dance.. does not stop. In the serene underwater environment, we continue our flutter, the marine life complimenting our moves, and as I close my eyes...

The image I see right now.. it starts repeating, as if flipping pages in a book. The color turns to brown.. as finally, I only see a page of a book.

On this page, only one word is visible:

"Peacemaker"

With a gasp, I open my eyes in the real world. I witness the beautiful blue sky, illuminated by the sun's light, complimenting the sea.

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Akio's breathing heavily, having sweated. His hair and pupils turn orange again.

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I abruptly stand up, allowing myself to utter one word:

"Peace..keeper."

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