Chapter 8

And thus, It Begins

To say I’m having a bad day would be the understatement of the year. The fire was quickly spreading, growing more ferocious as it consumed everything in its path. But that’s trivial compared to the man with the shining sword. He emerges from the blazing inferno as if he was taking a stroll through the park. His once pristine white uniform was now burnt and torn, revealing a muscular scarred body forged from countless battles and intense training.

“How foolish. Did you really think that alone would be enough to absolve you of your sins?” Even though his hostility was aim solely at me, everyone was shivering in fear. Even the emaciated woman was cowering. She threw herself in front of her child to shield him from the so-called “hero.”

“Theft, obstruction of justice, destruction of property, attempted murder, and affiliation with a dangerous gang. These are all the crimes you’re guilty of. The only way to free yourself from these sins is to pay with your life. However,” Dante abruptly stops walking. “Since you did such an outstanding job of keeping me entertain, I’ll let you go.”

“R-Really?”

“But,” Dante turn his attention to the bystanders. “They’ll have to pay for your sins.” The already frightened crowd grew more terrified. Some of them try to move their trembling legs in a futile attempt to escape. But the palpable malice emanating from Dante froze everyone in their tracks, including me.

“Are you saying if I leave…”

“Everyone here will die in your place.” Dante coldly finished my sentence. “You have five seconds to choose who should pay for your sins. Them, or you.” He slightly adjusts the sword in his hand, preparing himself to cut down everyone in the area.

Suddenly, everyone shifted their terrified gaze from Dante to me. Tears stream down their pale faces as they silently begged me for help.

He’s not seriously planning on killing everyone, is he? Isn’t he supposed to be a hero?

“Five.” Dante begins his countdown. He calmly surveys the surrounding making sure no one would run as he waited for my decision.

He’s definitely serious. But so what if he plans on killing everyone? They’re nothing more than strangers to me. Besides, I can’t die. Not now. Not till I get my family store back.

“Four.”

That’s right, that’s the only thing that matters. That’s the only thing that should matter to me.

“Three.”

“Please.” The emaciated woman grabs my cloak to get my attention. “Please, if you plan on running away, then take my son with you.” She grabbed the arm of the little boy that was hiding behind her and practically tossed him at me.

“Two.”

“Noo!! Mom!” The boy immediately pushes himself away from me and ran back to the woman. “I’m not leaving you; I’m staying here!” the boy clung to his mom so tightly it looked like she would have to tear her clothes to free herself.

“One.”

For some reason watching the two sob while hugging each other made my blood boil. Was it because I was envious of the boy? Well, whatever it was I couldn’t stomach looking at them anymore.

“Go,” I said while turning my back to them. I could feel them silently staring at the back of my head, which only annoyed me more. “Go!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. My voice seems to have broken them free from their shackles that kept them in place. They quickly fled the moment I gave them the orders. Leaving me, Dante, and the emaciated woman and her child behind.

While still clinging to her son, the woman looked at me, there was a mixture of sadness and confusion in her eyes. Even though we just met, I got the feeling if I left her alone, she probably throws herself at Dante and order to give her son and me a chance to escape.

“Go and take your son as far away from here as possible.”

“But…”

“No buts. Sacrificing yourself isn’t going to help your son. All it’ll accomplish is turning your son into an orphan. If you truly want to help him than live and watch over him. Do you understand?”

“….” The woman looked down at her son that was still clinging to her. “Yes, I understand.” She gently wraps her arm around her son while holding the burnt gold coin close to her heart. “Thank you.” She whispers softly. She grabs her son’s arm and takes off running. She repeatedly glances back at me as she fled. I force a smile on my face and wave at her, I doubt my gesture help alleviate the crushing guilt she must be going through, but it seems she understands that she needs to worry about herself since she never looked back at me again. Thus, I was left alone to deal with the ‘hero.’

“So, you chose to sacrifice yourself to save everyone else. How admirable.”

“Shut up.” There was a myriad of emotions rampaging in my heart; the most notable was without doubt anger. “Did you enjoy tormenting me? Playing with everyone life like their toys?!” My body trembles as my emotions spill out of me. “You’re no hero; you’re just an asshole.”

Dante’s cheeks twitch slightly it looked like he was trying his hardest to stop any form of emotion to show on his face.

“I never consider myself a hero. That undeserved title was forcefully thrust upon me. But what about you? Aren’t you pretending to be a hero for sacrificing yourself for people you don’t know?”

“Sacrifice? When did I say I would sacrifice myself? I sent everyone away so there wouldn’t be any witnesses to the crime I'm about to commit.” I pick up a metal pipe that was lying on the ground and swung it around lightly to test if it was useable as a weapon.

“Is that so? Well then, show me what you’re capable of, Catherine.” Dante held his sword in front of him, with both hands firmly on the hilt. Despite the fire growing ever stronger and closer, his eyes were focused solely on me, watching for any movement I might make.

It doesn’t look like running away is an option. Even if it was, I have no intention of going anywhere until I at least hit this self-righteous bastard once.

I dash forward, charging straight through the fire and ash that rain down from the burning buildings. “Step one!” I shouted as I ripped my cloak off my body and flung it at Dante.

Given Dante’s height, I should be able to hit him even if I couldn’t see him. It’s a half-baked plan I’ll admit, but it’s the only way I can attack him without getting cut in half.

I swung the metal pipe with all my strength at the torn black cloth that separated him and me. I gritted my teeth to prepare myself to feel my weapon smash his bones. But strangely, I felt nothing. I smack the cloak out of my way, thinking he might’ve jumped backward, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“That wasn’t a bad plan.” His voice came from behind. I quickly turn around to see him slowly putting his sword back in his sheath. “But you need to be a bit faster. In battle, hesitation, and indolence lead to death.”

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Suddenly, the metal pipe in my hand fell apart in pieces, and I felt a cold breeze past through me after seeing his sword cut down multiple people. I knew exactly what happened to me. For some reason, his sword doesn’t cut people, instead after a few seconds, severe wounds manifest on the person that was attacked by his sword. The wounds seem to vary from individual. I still don’t understand why everyone suffers different injuries; all I know is that I only have a couple of seconds before I’m cut into pieces.

I lunge at him again. Dante’s eyes widen in surprise when he saw me rushing him again. Just like I thought He always drops his guard after he cut his opponent.

“Did you really think I give up just because you cut me!” I thrust the broken pipe that now had a sharper edge to it. The cold steel sunk into his body so easily it felt like I was putting the last piece of a puzzle in its rightful place.

“I did it.” Was what I was going to say, but my victory celebration was interrupted by a bone-chilling laugh. I stood frozen, unable to comprehend what was happening. It was only when I saw his hand move I regain control over my body. I quickly jumped away, leaving the pipe embedded in his body, but that didn’t seem to bother him at all.

“Well done, you’ve far exceeded my expectation. “Calmly, he reaches for the pipe I stab into his side. He pulls the metal object out and tosses onto the ground. Throughout the entire the process he didn’t show a hint of pain, if it weren’t for the blood seeping from his wound, I would’ve never thought he was injured.

“Looks like times up.” The moment those words left his mouth, my body begins to glow. I knew immediately his sword ability had finally activated. I gritted my teeth to prepare for the inevitable pain, but it never came. Instead the cuts and bruises I got from desperately trying to escape vanish.

“I knew it.” A smile spread on Dante’s face. The animosity and bloodlust that was emanating from him disappear.

“What did you do to me?”

“Relax, my sword can’t hurt a kind soul like you. Its design to only harm the wicked. Dante gently placed his hand on his sheathed sword. “But even with this information, you still don’t trust me, right?”

“Of course not. Who in their right mind will trust someone who dropped a building on them?”

“Fair point.” Dante let’s out a sigh and rubbed his gray hair. After a moment of silence, he opens his mouth to speak, but the words he planned on saying to me never came out, his face contorted in panic. “Move!” He shouted.

Perhaps it was because I was still on high alert, but before those words left his mouth, I instinctively threw myself to the side. A burning pipe that was loosely connected to building slams into the spot I was a moment ago. The flames quickly spread across the ground, devouring everything in its path.

“This could be bad,” Dante mumbles to himself as he slowly backs away from the raging fire.

“Could be? “If we weren’t in such a dangerous situation, I probably would laugh. We’re past the point of “could,” this IS bad.

Suddenly one of the building engulfs in flames explodes. Fire and shrapnel flew in every direction, further spreading the wildfire.

“Stay behind me.” Dante steps in front of me. His hand becomes a blur as he deflects every shrapnel that flew in our direction with his sheathed sword.

“Ah, um.” I almost reflexively said thank you, but the word got caught in my throat when I remember just a few seconds ago we were trying to kill each other.

“The fire.” Dante starts, unfazed by my tongue getting tied. “It seems whatever chemical was in those jars is causing the flames to spread at an alarming rate. If this keeps up…”

“I know, I know.” All it takes is a glance at the wall of fire for anyone to see how dire the situation is. The only thing we can do now is evacuate the town but seeing how fast the fire is spreading, I don’t think it possible to get everyone out in time.

“How many people are going to die because of me?” I stare blankly at the flame, pointlessly wondering how I could’ve prevented this. I should’ve just given him the coins. No, I should’ve never taken it in the first place, it’s because of my greed that so many people are going to die.

“No one going to die.” Dante approach the sea of fire, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Don’t tell me…. can you stop it?” Even though I saw his monstrous strength multiple times, a part of me doubted he could put out the flames alone, that grim expression on his face only made me doubt him more.

“I don’t know, it’ been a while since I had to do this.” Dante let’s out a long and heavy sigh. He plunges his sword into the ground and bowed his head. “I wonder, will you fight by my side again, Minos?” The moment those words left his mouth, the sword begins to glow faintly as if it was responding to his question.

“Thank you for standing by my side again.” For a moment, I thought he was talking to his sword until I saw the woman standing behind him. It was as if she was always there the whole time, but only now I can see her.

Putting aside her sudden arrival, her appearance is just as unnatural. She was hauntedly beautiful. The blindfold that covered her eyes added more to her mysterious allure. Her white gown, which loosely hung from her body gave her an almost angelic appearance. Almost angelic. The black halo that hovers above her head destroyed the pure image I had of the woman, and the pure black wings only added insult to injury.

A beastman? Was the first thing I thought she was, but I quickly dismiss it. There’s no such thing as a creature that possesses a halo. It was something you only find in a religious book or a fantasy story. And yet there was one right in front of me.

“Let’s end this quickly, Minos.” The woman silently nods her head and reach for her blade that hung from her waist. Her sword was uncannily similar to Dante’s. From the black and gold design of her sheath to the white hilt.

Slowly, she drew her sword from her sheath and then with just a single slash from her blade, the fire vanished. A moment later, every structure that was engulfed in the flame were suddenly split in two as if they just realize they were cut.

“Whatever, I don’t care anymore.” After everything I have seen today, I found myself becoming apathetic to the superhuman feat everyone somehow seems to be capable of. “At least the city isn’t going to burn down.” Exhausted, I fell to the ground. I fought the urge to fall asleep by thinking about what Scar told me before everything went to hell. From what Scar said, Crook has no intention of giving me back my family store. Regardless if I pay him or not.

Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. Perhaps deep down, I knew he wouldn’t honor our deal. And like an idiot, I closed my eyes and acted like everything would go well if I listen to him.

“I’m so pathetic.” I wanted to curl into a ball and probably would’ve if it wasn’t for the angelic creature looming over me. She looks down at me, her gaze somehow piercing despite half her face covered by a blindfold.

“W-what?”

“…” The angelic creature continues to stare at me silently. Her wings gently rose up and down as she breathes, it was almost mesmerizing.

“If you’re looking for the money, then I’m sorry to tell you it got destroy in the fire.”

“We didn’t come here for the coins,” Dante interjected. He pulled his sword from the earth and lightly swung it around to free it of the dirt that stubbornly clung to it.

“Then what did you come here- oh.” Before I could finish my sentence, the answer I was looking for pop into my head. “You came here for the Crooked Man, right? I would take you to him, but after all the noise we made, he probably long gone, by now.”

“Is that so?” Dante took a deep breath and placed his sword back in his sheath. The moment the sword went in, the angelic creature standing next to me vanish.

“W-what?”

“While I do find it unfortunate that he might’ve got away…” Unfazed by his partner disappearance, he continues to talk.

“I didn’t come here for him; I came for you.”

“For me?!” I tried to stand up, but my body refuses to listen to me. Even if I could run there’s no way, I could escape from him.

“Relax, I didn’t come here to harm you.”

“So what were you doing earlier? Were you just joking around when you kept swinging your sword at me or destroying every building that I was on? I bet it must’ve been funny watching someone as weak and pathetic as me desperately trying to survive, huh?!”

“Tell me, Catherine…” Dante begin. Despite me practically yelling at his face, he remained calm and composed which only angered me more.

“…If you’re truly worthless than why is The Crooked Man so hell-bent on keeping you in his gang?”

In an instant, my scalding anger vanish. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. All I could do was stare dumbly at him, hoping he had the answer.

“Don’t you find it strange that not only is charging you an absurd price for your store but every time you get close to acquiring it, he sends his goon to steal it from you.”

“Maybe he just hates me.”

“He would’ve never spent so much effort on you if he hated you. He sees something in you. Something so valuable that he’ll never let you go, regardless how much gold you offer him. And I can see it too. Everything you did here today is proof you’re capable of much more than you think.”

“So, he was testing me this entire time? I should’ve been angry, but instead, I was filled with an overwhelming curiosity. Why would anyone go so far for a lowlife thief like me?

“You possess a lot of potential Catherine. If you let me, I can give you the strength to break free from the Crooked Man’s grasp.” With a gentle smile, he gave me his hand.

Of course, I didn’t believe him. You must be insane to believe a person that nearly destroyed half a town chasing you, regardless if they’re testing you or not. But even if he is toying with me it’s not like it’s going to affect me much. I spent a good portion of my life dancing in The Crooked Man’s palm, so dancing in some in someone else hand is no big deal. Besides, he’s the hero of Morning Star, if there’s anyone that can get me out of this predicament it’ll be him.

“Fine, whatever you have planned, I’m in.” The smile on his face widens as I reach for his hand.

“I promise, Catherine…” Dante grabs my hand and easily lifts me to my feet. “I’m going to show you just how bright you can shine.”

And thus, begins the tale of a little star name Catherine.