“Wake up Roy, you’ll be late to school!“ His mother shouted from the kitchen below.

Roy rolled out of the bed and got ready. He didn’t bother to make breakfast or pack a lunch- he’d buy food at school. Sprinting out the door, Roy shouted goodbye back at his mom. The bus was already waiting when he got to his stop. As soon as the driver saw him, the doors flew open, and Roy stepped onto the steps of the sleek white bus.

“Ayyye, Roy! How’s it going man?!“ A boy named Creed, who was sitting in a seat near the back, asked.

Creed was shorter but more muscular than Roy. He had slightly darker skin than Roy and had black dreaded hair slightly lighter than Roy’s. Roy greeted him back and dropped down in the seat next to him.

“So did you see the fight last night?“ Creed asked.

“ Nah man, I already told you, our power has been buggy lately, and the company still hasn’t come to fix it yet.“ Roy replied.

“There’s no way! You missed that fight?!“ Creed exclaimed, now up from his seat.

Roy looked at him and asked frantically, “Wait, what happened???“

“You’d never believe it! Kagu fought Diego Stefonzo and won with a third round knockout right to the gut!“ Creed informed Roy.

“What!? I thought they weren't fighting until Christmas Eve?“ Roy replied, still insanely shocked. “After all, they’re two out of the best three fighters in the world!“

Creed was just as shocked. “I know dude, it was insane!“

Diego Stefonzo was the second best fighter in the world at the time. He was a heavy hitter that hailed from Spain. Unlike Kagu, Diego trained in boxing, not martial arts. For a long time, his hits were so hard that nobody could last one punch! That was of course, up until he fought Kagu, whose martial art skills let him parry every single hard hit thrown by Diego. Either way, both boxing and martial arts are very common fighting styles used in Saturn’s Arena.

The two boys finally reached the school , and they got off the bus. The boys split ways as Roy went to the cafeteria to buy breakfast. From there, the school day went just as normal as every other day, but today all Roy could think about was the fight.

“If Kagu won, that means he would’ve moved up to place 2 in the world!“ Roy whispered.

“Still thinkin about the silly fights you watch?“ A girl named Violet said. Violet had medium length, almost white, blond hair and she was a few inches shorter than Roy. She lived in the same neighborhood as him as well.

“They aren’t silly! Man, you wouldn’t understand it like Creed and I do.“ Roy replied. “Those guys are inspirations to use. Plus, those fights are cool as heck.“

“Yeah, I get what you mean, but still, you’re silly if you think you could ever be like them.“ Violet teased Roy.

“Yeah yeah, whatever you say, but one day, you’re gonna be shocked as you see Creed and I battle it out in that arena.“ He responded.

“I’ll believe it once I see it.“

 The school day was finally over, so Creed and Roy walked outside to catch their bus. There was something weird though. Something…off, and Roy felt it too.

“Hey Roy, you feelin what I’m feelin?“ Roy asked as his nerves started to tingle.

“Nah…what are you talking about?“ Creed responded, feeling a little weirded out. “C'mon dude, let's just go home. My mom’s making pasta tonight.“

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, let’s go.“

Creed was quite wrong actually. Something was coming…and it was coming with a bang.

 “BOOM!“ 

Roy and Creed spun around. Debris was falling off the top of the school building. “What the heck was that!?“ Creed shouted over the chaos.

The two boys ran for cover behind the bus and gathered their thoughts.

“What the heck is going on man?“ Creed shouted, in shock and fear. Roy was just as confused as he was. He took a minute and looked around. There were people running in every direction, and there was debris falling everywhere off of every building. Then…he saw it. Off in the distance, standing on top of the tallest building in the city…a man, with his arms raised in the air. From what Roy could see, he was commanding and controlling the chaos. Still, he couldn’t make out who the man was.

“Snap out of it!!“ Creed shouted as he shook Roy’s shoulders, “We’re gonna die, so let’s get the heck outta here!!“ Creed took Roy's arm by the wrist and tugged him along. The two sprinted for a few minutes. Rocks and debris flew over their heads as they ducked down to avoid them. The two were sprinting as fast as possible, weaving between falling trees and beaten roads. Finally, Creed spotted a bridge with a bus fallen over beneath.

“Quick! We can take cover there!“ Creed shouted over the mass noise of destruction.

Roy was still in shock, and his voice just couldn’t speak. Creed let go of Roy’s arm and sprinted. “Follow me!“ He shouted. Roy started to run, but then he stopped. Something was off, just like before the destruction started.

…

He looked around for what was off. All he could see was destruction…and Creed running.

Creed running! That was it! Roy looked over at Creed, who thought Roy was right behind him. Creed was a few meters from the bridge and bus. Roy saw this all, but he still couldn’t see what was wrong. “What the heck is going on?“ Roy thought, “Something has to be happening!“ Roy started getting anxious. He spun around but nothing was off. He couldn’t miss it or mistake it now…not with the current situation. Finally, Roy calmed down for a minute.

“Whew,“ he took a breath. Then…he saw it: the man from on top of the building. But how?! He had just seen him minutes earlier! There was no way he could’ve gotten here this fast, or so Roy thought. Creed finally noticed Roy wasn’t behind him. He turned around and stared at Roy. The man above started to make a move. Roy tried to speak, but it was as if his lips were dry of words. The man above reached at his waist: at a hilt for a sword. All Roy could do was mouth one word. “N-n-no.“ He whispered…finally getting some words past the barrier of silence. The man leaped down from the bridge as the wind flew through his cloak and hair.

“NO!“ Roy was finally able to scream as the man hit the ground below. Then…the one thing that could’ve hurt Roy most happened. The man whipped out a rapier from his hilt and put it right through Creed’s stomach. Creed’s eyes stared at Roy. They were full of fear. “No no no NO!“ Roy screamed, his eyes raging now.

“Nothing.“ The mysterious man finally spoke, “There is not a single thing this city and its citizens can do to stop us…to stop me. There’s nothing this WORLD can do to stop me. Now…DIE!“

The man rushed at Roy. Roy couldn’t move. His body was in a state of shock. A state which did not seem like it would be changing anytime soon if the man were to stab his sword through Roy. “I…don’t want to die.“ Roy thought, “first Creed, and now me. There’s nothing I can do to stop this.“ A tear rolled off Roy’s eye, flowing over his cheek. The sun reflected off the drop. The same sun that would light up Saturn’s Arena when Roy was younger. Roy…would never accomplish his dream.

Roy closed his eyes, waiting for the impending doom…but it never came. He opened his eyes. Standing there, deflecting the sword was another man: MASTER KAGU.The same man from the amazing arena battles had deflected the rapier with a katana!

“WHAAAAT?!“ The man in the cloak shouted. “So quick…“ he thought.

“Now, you shall pay for the sins you have committed,“ Kagu said, bending down. Suddenly, he rushed forwards, with the katana faced backwards. He sliced out the blade as he passed the man. Roy heard the sound of metal clashing again. The man had barely deflected Kagu’s attack, but still had saved himself.

“You shall not defeat me,“ The man said. “I am Sir Charles Xavier, and I shall not lose to some silly arena fighter.“

“I have no time for your foolish words,“ Master Kagu quietly said under his breath.

“If you have something to say to me, say it to my FACE!“ The man said as he rushed at Kagu. The blades struck each other again. Roy watched as they clashed together in a beautiful fashion. It would be almost perfect, with each swing perfectly attacking and defending each other. Kagu was shocked….he had never seen someone this good with a sword since his own master. “The knight fights the samurai,“ Sir Xavier said, “a battle in which I will prove the knight’s large gap in strength.“

“A large gap indeed, for your skill is light years behind mine.“ Master Kagu retorted as he took a hard swing. The blades continued to clash as Roy finally got up.

“He’s finally standing,“ Kagu thought. “Run kid, and get out of here as fast as you can!“ He shouted.

“I…I can’t! My friend…he’s, he’s hurt!“ Roy shouted.

“Oh he isn’t hurt, my friend…he’s gone.“ Sir Xavier said, “My rapier took his life the same way I would’ve taken yours had this man not shown up!“

“You’ll die for that,“ Kagu said as he sliced at the knight’s head, chopping off a piece of his hair which once so eloquently wisped in the wind.

“And you’ll die for that,“ Sir Xavier responded.

Roy started to make his way towards Creed, but between the two fighting and the destruction of the city still going on, it wasn’t easy. Still, he somehow managed to make his way towards Creed and the bus. Roy rushed to Creed’s side as he lay motionless on the beaten ground.

“Creed, Creed stay with me!“ He shouted as he put his arm around Creed’s back, lifting him slightly off the ground.

“...Please...don’t yell,“ Creed said as he coughed up some blood, on the verge of death. He smiled, “I’m glad you’re alright.“

“No…no. I’m not alright. Who am I going to fight in Saturn’s Arena once my dream comes true! Who’s going to train by my side as we work to reach the point of our respected idols! Who’s gonna sit on the bus with me as we talk about the silliest things!? Who Creed, WHO!?“ Roy whispered with such emotion that it still felt like a shout. He stared at Creed, who lost his smile for a second. Creed coughed some more blood up, but then took another look at Roy and smiled.

“Roy…Roy, promise me one thing,“ he croaked as he slipped farther into a point after this life. 

 “Do it…become the strongest in the world.“

A tear fell down Roy’s cheek as Creed’s eyes slowly closed. Creed dropped from Roy’s arms, now completely motionless. As Roy fell to his knees, Kagu and Sir Xavier were still battling it out in the background. It didn’t matter to Roy anymore, not at this moment at least. His best friend in the entire world…was gone, but then he remembered! There was still one thing he had to still do.

“I promise, I won’t let you down, Creed,“ Roy whispered under his breath. He stood up, fist clenching, and gazed over at Sir Xavier and Master Kagu. Then, with rage in his eyes, he sprinted towards the two men, eyes fixed on Sir Xavier. He got a little close, then he slid between the clashing of the two blades, turned around behind Sir Xavier, and leaped into the air. Sir Xavier was shocked. “Where the heck did you come from!?“ Xavier deflected another attack from Kagu, and then turned around as fast as possible. He looked up above, and all he could see was a flying kick coming right towards his head. He whipped up his sword, and blocked it with the flat side of the sword. “You think a silly KICK can stop me!?“ Xavier shouted. “No…but he can,“ Roy whispered as he flipped off of the sword. Just as he did, Master Kagu put his katana right through Sir Xavier’s back. With that, the battle finally came to an end. For now, the katana has beaten the rapier. 

End Vol 1