Zetsumei no Kodomo

Chapter 13. Sail to Dread Isle

The waters of the Ocean Land were vast...further than ones eyes can see or ever hope to reach. What's out in these unknown is a mystery, and that's the reason why we have people like pirates or explorers to uncover their truth. I stared out in a daze, thinking about the Island we were designated to. What will we find on that land I wonder..rather..who we'll find. I suddenly felt a hard slap on my back.

?? Skull man: Heya boy! What's up!!

I let out a short grunt before turning around in a desolated mood. The man in front of me had silver hair, gold eyes, and dark skin. His chest was exposed for me to see his whimsical drawing of bones on his body. There were a bunch of other guys with him too.

Zael: (annoyed) What do you want?

?? Skull man: Well hey! We're just here ta say hello to the little dude who caught our little Bro's attention. I'm Sternum. Nice ta meet your acquaintance.

Zael: Wait a minute. Did you just say "little bro" as in, he's your little brother?

Sternum: Half anyway. We're all family here, 80 of us in total.

Zael: But, if you're his older brother, shouldn't you be first in line for the throne instead of him? Unless...

Sternum: Ahh..Yeah I wasn't chosen worthy. I'm not the "head," so I became one of Cerebrum's Skeletal Part along with my real bro Rib.

Zael: Skeletal?

Sternum: Yeah. Our Skeletal Part. Er..kinda like the Soul Kingdom's Reaper Generals as they were once called. We're like Cerebrum's main protectors. Me and Rib are the main support, we act as the heart of our Skeletal Unit. Ulna and her sister Radius are the arms. The siblings Femur and Patella, along with Tibia and Fibula act as his legs. We've got others in our system too. But up on top, Cerebrum is our leader. He is our King Er..or Captain in this case.  (Grins) We're just one big happy family. Wha'ddya think??

Zael: (coldly) Utter nonsense. Your lineage is all messed up. Basically anyone born in your bloodline gets a shot at becoming King?

Sternum: Ah. Yeah. Too bad I missed my shot. Hehe.

Zael: Aren't you mad?? Or even Jealous?? You who was born first did not become King. Yet, your brother who's younger received the throne. In normal circumstances of Demon royalties, you would've killed your brother to become king yourself right?

Sternum: (angry) Hey!! That was uncalled for!! That idea never even crossed my mind. Cerebrum's family!! And we don't kill family!! I mean, sure I was disappointed that I didn't became king but I'm also happy that my little bro did. He's my-well....he's our bro after all.

I see now. The people from the Skull Kingdom. They truly value their King as family. Something for me that's too late to understand. They're not like other demon royalties. I've heard from Kuon that my great Uncle Sybil was suppose to be the Reaper king, then the grandfather whom I've never met took that title away from him. I think the same thing happened with mother. It's one of my dead relatives, I think...was his name Ysviel? Anyway, he tried to snatch the throne away from mother. It's unfortunate that he lost though.

In the world I live in, with the role I was given to play, I know every demon prince out there, regardless of lineage, wants to become king. Like them all, I'm the same. We're like male lions from the same pack who wish to stand above all else. Power is granted to those who stand the highest, that has always been an unwritten rule for those who seek it.

It's been days afterwards, we were doing our own thing again. Ughh..it's so boring! There's nothing to do around here and the sun is really beating on my skin!! But just then, I spotted shore.