Her name was Sakura Rose and her life was about to change in just a few days. At the age of only 12 years, she already lived without arms on the cold and dirty streets of Rose. A life without money, without food and without a roof over your head.
At the age of 14, on a cold winter night, she traded her right leg for a warm and cozy night in a very fancy house. The owner of the house had a strong desire to cut off certain body parts of people and also as Sakura was usually called, demons, and to get excited by them.
That very night, not only was one of her legs chopped off, she was also dragged out of bed in the middle of her sleep, brutally beaten up and raped. The next morning, before the sun rose, she landed on a stinking garbage heap, but the only thoughts that went through her mind were. [I survived!]
Now at 17, she lives on the edge of the marketplace, hoping every day to get even a small crumb of food that is not rotten.
In the middle of the water town lay the marketplace which can be entered from all four directions and is surrounded by many high and noble houses. Even when it was mostly cloudy, only the rich families lived around the marketplace.
There was a total confusion. A large number of people visited the marketplace and the merchants offered a variety of goods. From freshly caught fish from fishermen to clothes and fabrics of various kinds from distant countries. Also precious goods such as jewelry and precious stones were also there.
Sakura lay leaning against the wooden wall of the noble houses. Her eyes looked directly at the marketplace, but her gaze looked directly into the void, because a reason to live on for the demon child of the water city there was no longer. Sakura was despised by everyone and although she was a demon, no one gave her death. The inhabitants of Rose had rather the joy to torture her, because she had no rights.
A large number of people passed Sakura every day and did not even notice her. But when the residents did, the people spat or kicked her as she passed. An unpleasant feeling came up in Sakura, being kicked every few minutes, wincing and thinking again that she had done everything wrong.
Every day, every day, the idea of taking her own life came to her. But Sakura did not do it. She wanted to show everyone anew that she could do it. Survive. Survive in a cruel world in which she was born. Always with the hope to please everyone. But today was another one of those days that didn't have to be. If Sakura had been standing just a few meters away, the day might have ended differently, because a mother and her innocent little girl, who was just ten years old, passed by her.
The little child looked into Sakura's empty and sad eyes as she passed and felt pity for the big girl and tugged at her mother's robe several times.
"Mother, mother. Look over there. The tall girl is all dirty and looks Sad!"
The mother stopped and looked at Sakura. Then she bent down to her daughter and spoke in a worried voice.
"My little darling. That filthy thing is not a big girl, nor a girl, or even less a human. No, this is a disgusting demon and demons cannot feel sadness or any other emotion. They are just cold and heartless creatures that only consider enslaving, raping or preferably killing all of us humans and destroying everything that humanity has created."
The little child became terrified and began to cry. She hid in her mother's arms and looked for protection in them, because one kept hearing very bad things about monsters slaughtering villages and eating children and demons are even more dangerous than monsters. The mother comforted her crying child and stroked her hair.
"You don't have to be afraid my little one."
With an angry look on her face, she turned around, took out her fist and punched Sakura right in the face. Totally startled, she hit her head on the ground. Blood came out from under her hair at her temple. Repeatedly, the child's mother kicked Sakura, who, except for painful moaning sounds, did not make a single sound. In a loud voice, the mother spoke.
"You have scared my little one so much that she has now started crying and no one has permission to make my child cry. So, don't think you're going to get away with it!"
Continuously, over and over again, the woman kicked Sakura, who was lying on the ground. Most of them hit her stomach and she began to spit blood. Then the crowd of people, who were still trading and buying at all the stalls, gathered around the lying Sakura and cheered the kicking mother on. With loud shouting the demoness was insulted and mocked, while the mother was cheered on. More and more blood poured out of her mouth. Partly she swallowed her own blood and spat it out again, gasping. Thus, she also found it harder to breathe and cried into the ground. Shortly after, the mother stopped again and continued to kick Sakura with her boots. Then she turned back to her daughter who saw all the suffering and talked into her.
"And now you my dear child. You don't want that dirty thing to come to our house at night and hurt you or me. You have to show this monster how strong you are. So that you don't have to fear it, but it fears you!"
The voices of the crowd grew louder and louder around her. Everyone cheered the little girl and encouraged her to raise her hand. The little girl gathered all her courage, wiped her tears and gathered it again in her, little fists and punched into the face of this vile demon. Again and again she also kicked with her feet into Sakura's face, which had long been dirty and smeared with blood. The girl looked deeply into her eyes, which were full of tears and pain.
"Remember my name 'Yoshida'! One day I will join the Holy Axialt Church to rid the world of you lowly monsters so that I and other children will never have to be afraid again and when I have destroyed them all, with my own hands, I will find you again and tell you about each and every one of my journeys until my journey with you will end..."
Once again she gave a fierce kick to her belly and then, scared and exhausted, ran back to her mother and hugged her tightly. Her mother patted her head with full pride and together they warped behind the crowds of people. Sakura couldn't watch them for long and lost sight of both of them.
Meanwhile, the people began to throw old, rotten fruits and vegetables at Sakura. Even stones and glass bottles were among them. More and more the people added their pain. After the last objects were thrown, she was verbally insulted a few times and gradually the crowd dispersed.
Sakura could only feel pain, pain all over her body. She could no longer even move her muscles full of pain and so she remained lying on the cold and damp floor. Again and again only this one thought came to her.
[What have I done wrong again? I just sat there quietly, as one always wanted me!]
~All will come to an end~
[Can't this voice from nowhere, finally disappear or am I already talking to myself? ha ha haaa..]
Then Sakura fainted from loss of blood, while the market still went on in full march, the seagulls flew in the air and the sun reached the highest point and so shone over the marketplace.
A few years earlier
Sakura was still a little girl at the age of nine. She wore her black hair braided into a pigtail. A white and black maid outfit adorned her body. She stood upright in the middle of a large dining hall.
Through two heavy and high wooden doors one could enter the hall. To one side were five gigantic windows that went almost from the floor to the ceiling. Uncovered, they flooded the hall with cheerful rays of sunlight. A large red curtain was attached to them, which could be drawn from the left window all the way to the right window.
The red curtain was embroidered with rose bushes at the edges. Small branched branches twisted in the pattern together with small prickly thorns and at each end of a branch, a full-grown golden rose was embroidered. In the center of the curtain was also embroidered a golden rose in the middle of hot ashes.
On the opposite side, stood a magnificent fireplace. Inside it was made of stone and outside it was covered with an old and dark wood. Above the fireplace hung a painting with a name under it. This name came from the very first king of the Rose family. Keaton Rose.
And in the center of the hall was a large and massive wooden table, with seats where theoretically thirty people could have sat down. The table was clean and not a single object was on it. A loud creaking sound filled the room. The door from the north of the room opened and two guards entered. They stood parallel to the door and an elderly lady walked in. Also her brown hair true braided together, made into a braid. She wore a simple dress, a dress not too noble to put the queen in the shadow, but also not too ignoble to fall down a bad impression of the level of a maiden or even a slave. In her right hand she carried two books and a long, thick stick.
Sakura kept her eyes on the floor and her hands behind the floor. This was a sign of oppression, but at the same time it represented respect and reverence. "I am glad that you have appeared. I hope you had a pleasant outbreak? Lady Nagaoka."
Nagaoka walked up to the table and placed her books and cane on the table.
"Thank you for asking, Sakura, but now you are to sit at the table. Our topic today will be once again, the proper use of cutlery at the table setting." Sakura lowered her head and raised it again at the same time. She walked around the table, took the bell Lady Nagaoka took out of her pocket and stood in front of the chair that was just behind the big fireplace. She took the bell with her thumb and forefinger and waved it.
Shortly after, a servant came over to Sakura at a quick walk and waited for her announcement. "Push this chair in for me as soon as I sit on it." The servant bent down and as soon as Sakura sat on her chair, the servant pushed it in for her. A multitude of maids entered the hall. Together they set the table for Sakura. A large plate in the center. Four spoons were placed over the plate. Six knives to the left of the plate and seven forks to the right. Another in turn brought the soup and placed this on the large plate.
Everything in the Rose house had its perfect place and its very own servant or maid. Alone a girl only for all forks would be still too little, but for more servants there was no place. After the table was set, all six servants lined up in front of the window.
"Before we start, why don't you tell me what our national emblem means? As I instructed you, you should have learned it." With a stern look, the teacher looked at Sakura. "Of course I have done this, Lady Nagaoka. This crest symbolizes the fall and the rise from it in our past. It is to show no matter how many times our kingdom must fall, from the ruins we will always rise again and receive new strength."
"That is correct! At least something times. Now show me how to eat properly in our house." The lady stopped behind Sakura and looked at every smallest of her hand movements. Time. Sakura took a lot of time this time, because she was afraid of getting into trouble again, because the pain from the last lesson was still clearly noticeable.
[The last spoon is much smaller than the other spoons, this one is for dessert. The first one was a very special spoon. The first spoon was a very special spoon, it had two prongs in the front to pick something and at the same time retain a certain amount of liquid. Then it had to be the second spoon, because the third spoon was for the main course.]
Out of that decision, Sakura then took the second spoon, lowered it out into the bowl, and took some soup out. Just as she brought the spoon to her mouth, something pulled down on her hair and she toppled down from the chair. Her head hit the floor and she was slightly paralyzed. It took a small moment for her to regain consciousness and start crying, but immediately Sakura's hair was pulled again and she was dragged to the maids feet.
Sakura started crying and wailing. The tears just flowed out of her. Lady Nagaoka then shouted at her. "Why do you always have to embarrass me like this in front of lower houses? Am I not worth anything, so that you can treat me like this? Why don't you learn what I teach you and take it to heart!"
Again she pulled her hair, but this time upwards. Little Sakura cried tirelessly and the maids only looked to the side. Did not say a word. Her feet were hanging in the air and her body was only hanging on her hair. With the other hand, the lady showed Sakura the spoon very close.
"You managed to choose the right spoon after a long time, but you didn't notice that it was damaged! You should have called one of the maids and let them get you a new spoon!" Only a few small shuffling words came out of Sakura's mouth.
"I'm so incredibly sorry. I'll do my best not to disappoint them in the future." Nagaoka let go of the hair without saying a word and Sakura collapsed back onto the floor. The lady managed to open her mouth with a little force. Then she placed the notch of the spoon at the edge of Sakura's mouth and slit her skin. The screams were unbearable and echoed through the entire room. The screams were audible even to the hallway."
You've disappointed me enough, but if it's going to be like this I'll have to beat it into you a few more times!" Sakura begged for forgiveness, but in vain. The first palm already hit her face. Again and again until her nose began to bleed and she wet her own pants.
The soldiers in front of the door and also the maids were not allowed to intervene, because it had been forbidden by the king to interfere in the education of Sakura, no matter how bad it should have become. Even if Sakura had been murdered. At that, Nagaoka had let go of her and moved away from the room.
[Why, why, why was I born into this world? Why can't I finally die.]
~ A female voice from nowhere "This is not the way that was meant for you! ~
In the kingdom of Darrateus, the port city of Brumium was located at the easternmost point of the country. This was considered one of the most important trade routes across the sea towards the sea city of Rose, which led from there to the other two continents.
The festival of Brumium is considered a very great spectacle in the country. It heralded the transition from summer to winter. First it starts as a small festival in the middle of the 7th month with the first market stalls and some duels in the arena until it becomes from day to day on the last day of the 8th month a huge festival that leads to the gates of Brumium.
Fighters from all over the world arrived, and for the winner there was a whopping 5,000 gold to be won. This was enough to provide for his whole life. It was the 48.7.3262 and therefore the 23rd day of the festival at noon. Citizens and other high-ranking people were slowly gathering in the Coliseum to witness the spectacle, the first fight of the day. The sun was at its highest point, shining on the sandy battlefield.
From the northernmost gate to the battlefield came a fighter and her name was Miriam. A green cloak covered her body. On the coat was embroidered a small round circle which in turn had a triangle inside it and in the center of this triangle was a black magpie with red eyes. The face was also covered with cloth.
Her duelist was the winner of the previous day, who came through the southern gate and slowly approached Miriam, who was waiting in the middle. The people cheered. A huge muscular blond man now stood not ten steps away from Miriam. Only a pair of short trousers covered his hairy body and in his right hand he held a huge battle axe, which was three times the size of Miriam's head. Both now turned to the west, where the Lord of Brumium sat. He raised his hand and the fight was on. Miriam immediately took up her position to watch her opponent.
Meanwhile, the well-built warrior looked Miriam down and up.
"You seem to me a petite, small, weak thing under that cloak! I will quickly defeat you and then take you as my trophy in front of the people!" Miriamˋs eyes just looked at him contemptuously. He flung his battle axe upward, caught it again, and pointed it at Miraim. "Shall we begin the fun?"
Miriam jumped backwards, throwing her cloak and face cover behind her, revealing a young woman with dark brown hair tied up. She wore a black top with a skirt of the same color, white stockings that went under the skirt and half boots. A chain was attached to her skirt with a bag at the other end. "Let's go!" and Miriam grabs her bag....
In a long underground tunnel, ten men dug their way through. Two torches explained to them the wall through which they still had to dig. The leader of this group was Benimaru. He wore brown clothes and his green hair and face was smeared with dirt from the earth.
"So guys! If we're not mistaken, the first fight of the day starts now and most of the guards should thus be gone. Let's get to the pikes and dig through the wall! Let's not disappoint our master!"
Benimaru grabbed a pickaxe and punched into the wall and the rest of the men did the same. Blow after blow slammed into the wall until finally the wall collapsed and fogged everything. The fog lifted shortly after and out came a small treasure chamber. Gold, gems, paintings and artifacts stretched across the room. Benimaru grabbed one of the two torches and went into the room, barricading the door to make sure no soldiers could get into the treasury while they were inside.
"Let's go men! Miriam can't delay the fight too long. Grab everything you can and let's get out of here!" They agreed and set to work....
And another hard, painful day came to an end. The sun was already hanging down close to the horizon and reached with its last rays only through the western entrance of the market its light inside. Almost not a soul was to be seen on the market and those who were still there dismantled their market stalls and stowed them away. Sakura gradually woke up from her unconsciousness. Her whole body ached from all the kicks and punches she had received in the afternoon. She felt dirty and wet and noticed all the trash that had been dumped on her. She had never gotten used to eating rotten food, but there was nothing else she could do to survive. She just had to be careful that there was no glass between the rotten stuff. Sakura swallowed again, trying to breathe as little as possible, and like a pig, she crawled around and ate the garbage just like one.
[Well, the good thing about being beaten up today, the dried blood in my nose doesn't smell too bad].
she thought to herself as she tried to eat as much as possible. Still, it didn't stop her from choking it all out. The taste was awful and she had to spit out a piece every now and then because there were little pieces of glass in them.
The sun rays that shone on the marketplace slowly weakened and were a sign for Sakura to slowly crawl to the pier to get some warmth. Despite the pain, Sakura moved her left leg and upper body to crawl forward.
She crawled through the alleys towards the pier, which she could already see from a distance. She crawled and crawled on the wooden floor further and further towards the pier. Then Sakura passed a tarverne with drinking blods standing outside. A few shady characters came out of the tavern drunk. Swaying, laughing, they hit the ground together with their butts. When they tried to get up again, they saw Sakura crawling around.
"Oh who do we have here? Isn't that our disgusting demon mascot?"
Somewhat disparagingly, the foremost of the men addressed her. All the others laughed disparagingly.
"Not so talkative again today, are we? Wait I'll help you stand up!"
He stood up himself shakily and walked towards her. He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her up, then stood her on her left remaining leg. Sakura did not feel comfortable with this. She quickly started shaking on her leg because she simply lacked the muscles to stand on it. Another of the men now stood behind Sakura and held her tightly so that she would not collapse.
"You are always a burden on one's leg. Here, let me help you move forward."
With a strong kick he pushed her forward. Both fell down. Sakura felt a sting through her entire body as it hit the ground. A short scream came out of Sakura. The drunken men retreated laughing into the alley toward the marketplace, leaving her alone.
"Why?"
That was the only word that left Sakuraˋs mouth. She recovered briefly for a moment and then crawled on while the laughter grew louder behind her.
She made it to the pier in time before the sun set. As every evening, all the merchant ships had sailed away and at most could still be seen on the horizon. On the pier it was dead quiet. Just as she had wished. She crawled further until she could lean on a box with her back and looked at the horizon. The sun had found its end and went into the sunset. The sky rang first beautifully orang and then went into a purple. Her thoughts circled back and forth.
[I would so like to be in another place and not in this cursed lake city. I would love to get out of here and start a new life where I would be respected and appreciated. That would be so nice!] A few breaths later, her thoughts darkened again. [As if such a thing would ever happen. In my condition I'm lucky to get anything to eat and how am I supposed to earn money to buy a place on a ship. I will die here in the end. Only when is the question!]
Shortly after that she felt sick from all the rotten food she could slowly smell again and threw up on herself. All the bits and pieces were now stuck to her.
[But that I survived the last 5 years was actually a big miracle and I can consider myself lucky that I am still alive!]
And again the voice in her head spoke ~They should be happy to stay alive~.
[Probably]
The last rays of the sun shone over the horizon and Sakura fell asleep.
Benimaru's men poured as much gold and gems as they could carry into their buckets and walked down the tunnel while Benimaru himself looked around. He washed his way through everything, knocking everything over. Two men, however, put their buckets on the ground and came back in through the wall to Benimaru.
"Why aren't you up and away yet? I'm just going to look for a suitable gift for Miriam and then I'll be on my way too!"
One of the men patted Benimaru on the shoulder and said casually, "We know you, but shouldn't it be much faster with three of us? Besides, we shouldn't stay here any longer than we have to!" and the other "And I don't feel like explaining to Miriam why we're leaving you behind in case you get caught!"
"Well then, search diligently!"
After a short while, one of the men found a snow globe, in which a small coliseum was floating in the air and circled by clouds. "Leader! I think I found a suitable gift." and lifted the snow globe up into the air.
"You're my man, now get out of here fast. Mission accomplished!" Together they ran through the wall, taking the buckets of gold with them, and ran after the torchlight at the end of the tunnel....
Meanwhile, the fight between Miriam and the winner of the day before the festival started.
Miriam reached into her bag and pulled out a silver armlet with a blue stone in the center. The chain wrapped tightly around her hand and a cool aura surrounded her body. They summoned some ice spears that appeared in the air and flew towards the warrior. But the warrior shattered them effortlessly with his axe and charged unstoppably toward Miriam. He swung his axe at her, but Miriam narrowly escaped the attack and immediately summoned more ice spears, which raced toward the warrior. Again he smashed them without much effort. He stopped and spoke to her, "Is that all you can do? I feel slightly bored, so you better give up before you die without much meaning!"
"This is exactly why I detest fighting inferior beings. You're always thinking about the obvious, how easy everything is, but you don't notice what's going on around you," Miriam countered. The warrior looked around and saw several scepters decorated with gems stuck into the ground.
Purple circles of magic formed under the warrior, pulling him to the ground so that he fell to his knees. "You fucking bitch," he gasped, exhausted. Miriam calmly approached him, drew her dagger and was about to slit his throat. But it seemed she had underestimated his strength, because the warrior plunged his head into her belly with all his might. Miriam's magic went out and he reached for his axe. With a single swing, he cut through Miriam's body and he fell to the ground.
The audience cheered the warrior and he pulled the upper part of Miriam up and just as he was about to present her to the audience, a katana pierced him through the chest and burst into flames. The scepters that were stuck in the ground disappeared in black smoke and the dismembered body of Miriam also disappeared. "Didn't I say two minutes ago that not everything that seems obvious is obvious?"
The audience was so surprised and started cheering even more than before. This fight was a highlight in their eyes, although it was so short.
Miliam really enjoyed the cheering. She was about to walk towards the king, when suddenly a bright purple flash crossed the sky. A silence reigned and a female voice was heard. "The individual Rose has been reborn!!!" then it became quiet again until the spectators spoke among themselves about what had just happened. Miliam pulled the sword out of the burned body and ran out of the arena.
The seagulls flew in the sky over the freighters. It was still early morning and the first freighters from the west arrived at the harbor and docked there. They put the sails back together, placed the planks down to the jetty and fastened the ship with ropes to the wooden beams. The men who came from the ship immediately started their work. Some brought new goods from the ship, silk and spices, but also normal things that can be used for the household or food. The other troop of men went already once down around the old and empty crates already once on the freighter ship again up to load. Among the men were also a young guy at the age of 16 years. Blond hair and a milk bubby face. He was assigned by his captain to a few crates.
So he made his way to the crates and was surprised at what he found behind them. He even got scared at the sight and fell over backwards. It did not occur to him that there was a person behind the crates. He got up again and went to the person lying on the ground. When he looked closer at the person, he recognized a young woman. It had been Sakura. Tattered clothes that was full of dirt and vomit. He grabbed her by the shoulder and jiggled her.
"Hello, can you hear me? Please wake up!"
A little more he shook her until Sakura finally woke up. She slowly opened her eyes. When she saw the blond young man, she bit him and crawled her body a few steps backwards.
"Don't be afraid of me! I don't want to hurt you."
Sakura could not trust him, for ages no one wanted to do nothing to her and so she tried to increase the distance to him. The young man rummaged through his jacket pocket and pulled something out.
"Here this is for you. I'd had enough to eat this morning."
He approached her and handed her the bread, but it was only then that he noticed Sakura had no arms to take it in her own hands. He hoped that she had not noticed his little misdeed and held the piece in front of her mouth. Still very anxious, but grateful, she accepted his gift and bit off a large piece. He looked at her and thought Sakura looked cute with her mouth full. He could even see a very small but still very recognizable smile.
Meanwhile Sakura had the fresh, tender and totally fluffy bread between her teeth. This was the first time after an eternity that a person showed such kindness to her. Her heart literally began to beat around and she smiled a little more. From the distance a loud and grumpy call was heard.
"Atras! If you keep killing time with that brat, she won't be the only one napping behind my crates!" Atras looked worried at first, then turned to Sakura.
"I'm really very sorry, but I have to get back to work."
Sakura looked sad that this nice young man had to leave again, this one she liked for some reason. Maybe because he was so nice to her or it is his way. Maybe also his outside speaks a tiny little role.
"But please don't worry. From now on, I can come visit you once a week and bring fresh bread, if you would like it?" She beamed with her face like it hadn't been in a long time. The muscles were already too weakened for that, but she did her best.
"V-very much! I'd would make m-me very happy, i would be very p-pleased!"
Atras smiled at that, left the rest of the roll next to her and went back to his work, not wanting to feel the wrath of his captain. He pushed one crate after another onto the freighter and every time he came back from the freighter to get the next crate, he smiled at Sakura, who had been blushing for a long time. If her head could do that she would probably smoke out of her head. All the time she looked at him with shining eyes. She liked to look after a person again. Gradually the ocean was covered with sun rays and more and more ships were heading for the sea city to sell their goods as well. The freighter Atras had been on was also now loaded and unloaded. Then the crew prepared for departure again. They removed the rope from the jetty and the ship slowly floated along. Atras looked in Sakura's direction waved and called to her.
"Goodbye! See you again soon Sakura !"
Sakura tried her best to shout something to him but it didn't work. Her voice organs were too weak for that. Both looked at each other with a smile, until Atras waved at her one last time and then had to go back to work, because the Capitan was already getting angry again. Sakura saw this and smiled a little. She had not felt such joy for a long time. She watched the ship for a while until it disappeared behind the horizon. Then it pulled her already again back into the reality. Gradually it became also noon and her stomach began to growl.
Slowly Sakura crawled in the direction of the marketplace and the closer she approached the more people piled up. At the same time, her uneasy feeling grew. At any time someone could attack her again. But so far no one had called her stupid or anything else like that. Sakura thought about whether that had something to do with this young man from this morning. Because so far no one had done anything bad to her. Maybe she also thought that today is finally a day where she has times luck. There should be such a thing. Sakura was even so motivated that she thought that maybe a new life begins. With full thirst for action, she crawled further to the marketplace, until she finally reached it. Sakura moved to her place where she sat and waited every day.
Not long after, a man came and threw some bread in front of her feet without saying a word and went on. For Sakura a clear sign that everything is getting better now. Maybe the people noticed yesterday that they were a little too cruel to her.
Time passed at the market and a sudden horn began to play. At the edge of the market, the royal guard of the country came to clear the way for their princess of the House of Rose. Sakura could not believe her eyes when she saw one of her sisters again after years. She had not intended to, but she felt ready to subdue her sister. Crawling towards her, she even managed to get through the guards, as they were more busy keeping people at a distance. A little further and she managed to be behind the princess.
"Dear sister. Please take me home with you! I beg you and I will..." The princess turned around, saw the monster of misery and started screeching for the guards.
"Guards! Guards! Throw the monster into the water. Make it go away!"
Sakura couldn't believe her eyes as she was carried away by the guards. Down the path to the jetties. This was how it had to end. She should have stayed away from her family after all. Sakura was still a millstone on the leg of her family. She resisted all the way, but couldn't do anything about it. Arriving at the jetty, the guards held Sakura across the water.
"Finally, that no-good kid is out of the game."
Sakura was about to ask for forgiveness, but by then it was too late. She fell into the water and sank down into the endless darkness surrounded by cold....