“See, I told you that bring them out. These ones are mine.”
“Hah, I’ll check the other side then.”
Two armoured men were waiting for them in the alley with their shit-eating grins.
It was them—those bastards from Bereene! They must have set the buildings on fire to flush out anyone hiding in them.
Kichirou yelled: “Run!”
There was nothing else they could do.
As fast as they could, they ran down the alley. At this point, Kichirou had no idea which direction they were even going anymore. The only thing that weighed on his mind was the sound of those metal boots getting closer and closer.
Soon Kichirou could see a clearing up ahead. A glimmer of hope, if they could just make it there.
But the sense of dread fell like a boulder in his stomach as a man wearing that same hateful emblem came into view, towering over yet another unfortunate soul.
None of them spoke a word as they turned into another alley, but the silent sentiment still grew within their hearts. There was no way out of this.
With a loud thud, a hand slipped out of Kichirou’s sweaty grip.
He turned to see Avi on the ground, her lower lip covered in blood. She must have bit herself when she fell. However, that was the least of his concerns, as a silver gauntlet grasped her blond hair and lifted her up forcefully.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as the reality of the situation settled in. With one hand she grasped at the hand that held her hair, and with the other, she reached out to her last shred of hope: “Please... Please help me...”
Without even a second of hesitation, Kichirou let Schnee’s hand go and mustered as much gravitas as he could in his voice: “Schnee, run!”
It was utterly foolish, no sane person would ever attempt such a thing, to throw away his life for the life of a stranger he had met only a few moments ago.
And not only that, he had also effectively abandoned Schnee to her own devices.
But just like in all those films, anime and manga, this was his moment, his ordeal that must be overcome, no matter the cost. This was his moment to be the main character wearing that thick plot armour, to save the damsel in distress.
“You, let her go!”
The raider must’ve been bemused :“Well at least this one has some balls, if you want her back, then come and get her!”
Kichirou charged in without any sense of hesitation, but his movements were sluggish. The weight of all previous events had caught up to him, stepping into the range of his opponent's sword at this point was nothing short of a death sentence.
Knowing that well in his heart, he still charged in.
The raider didn’t just wait around, he let Avi fall back onto the cold stone pavement and stepped in, putting Kichirou well within his range. Then, he raised his sword with both hands and chopped down before Kichirou could do anything about it.
It was a forgone conclusion, anyone with eyes could see it, in order to win a sacrifice had to be made. The sword bit deeply into Kichirou’s right arm.
This was his opening, after grabbing the sword by the blade with his other arm, he leaped forward and kicked the raider square in the chest with the force he could muster.
The raider was sent crashing into a building, his sword dropping right infront of Kichirou.
Kichirou felt the shockwave of the impact from his legs all the way to his arm, it felt as if his entire body was shaking.
“What?...” the man struggled to get up with all his bulky armour.
“You son of a bitch I'll get cha...” his sentence was cut short by his very own sword that pierced his throat. He clawed at his throat desperately with the last of his strength. There was a look of sheer horror in his eyes as he fell to the floor, throbbing for a few more seconds before his body became motionless.
It’s funny how when the shoe is on the other foot, there‘s no reason to feel guilt or pity towards someone like him. As his childhood hero would say: “Only those who are prepared to be killed should kill.”
Who was it that decided that he could take the life of another? A higher consciousness? God? Then who was it that decided that the Avi and those poor townsfolk would lose their lives? The only answer is power, those without power and those with power. Their worlds all revolve around one thing which dictates all, power. The difference truly is like heaven and earth, one simply lives in the graceful hand of the other.
The only way to live in this world is to have the power to live freely, and without fear.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Kichirou took a deep breath, there was another much more powerful foul presence in the air.
“Avi get out of here.”
…
“And you.” Kichirou turned to face the building which the raider laid, and spoke aloud: “You can come out, there's no point in hiding.”
“Hoh so you’ve noticed me.”
A man, in a familiar assassin's outfit, appeared on the roof of the building watching over them, as if he was weaved from the surrounding darkness. Quite literally in that fact, as pieces of the surrounding shadows from all the nearby buildings pieced him together bit by bit.
As the sinister shadow gathered his voice could still be heard.
“I’ll cut to the chase, where's the girl?”
“That's none of your concern.”
“In that case you can die.”
Though his face was almost entirely covered, somehow Kichirou could stil tell underneath it all the man was smiling. Smiling at the fact that he could reap another powerless soul.
A cloud of dust exploded.
It was over in an instant, Kichirou never stood a chance.
His body along with the floor beneath him crumbled in an instant like a piece of paper trying to stop the full force of an boxer’s punch. He couldn’t see it, his brain couldn’t comprehend it, but the reality was simple, this person was in another league—much like Swizze. Blood spewed wildly from the new hole in his chest as he laid on the floor, coughing blood profusely.
How ironic... not even ten seconds later, pathetic even in the end...
His vision quickly blurred as the darkening sky became a single puddle of black. He heard Avi's scream fade into the distance.
Then there was nothing but darkness, a wandering soul floating freely in the ever expanding emptiness.
So this is the end? A pitiful end for a befitting of his pitiful soul. It wasn’t all bad, atleast at the very end he was able to be the person he wished he was. Even if it had all been in vain in the end.
“Do you wish to live?” It was a gentle, feminine voice, like a mother who was speaking to her own child.
Huh?
There was nothing but darkness, but this voice, it was from within his own consciousness, speaking to him.
Who are you!?
“Do you wish for power?” The voice continued to ask.
Yes. Enough power that I would never again suffer the sinking feeling of helplessness.
“Do you wish to hold the world in contempt to your will?”
Yes! To correct everything that wrongs this world, to erase everyone whose unworthy of the gift of life.
“And what will you give in turn?”
A different voice replied this time, this one belonged to man. It was dark, angry, and condescending, much like how he had imagined a higher being—they would be cynical bastards.
Nothing.
“Hahahahaha,” the voice laughed uncontrollably, the high pitched laughter echoed in that eternal darkness.
“A greedy bastard you are, very well. I shall grant you your wish. But at a cost, one which you will come to know in time.”
Then a spec of light appeared in the center of Kichirou’s universe. The darkness which surrounded him receded, clearing up his vision bit by bit. The darkening sky suddenly came back into view, but there was something distinctly different than what he had seem prior, it was a dreadful feeling like none other.
He wasn't right there on the floor where his body had lain, there was a small but noticeable distance between him and his physical body, as if his soul was still weighed down towards the depths below.
Kichirou stood up and reached for where the hole had been on his chest, half expecting it to be fully healed, but there was nothing there.
His hand went right through his body.
As he slowly withdrew his hand, it was covered in a black smoke, similar to soot coating his hands—tainting his flesh.
But none of that mattered even in the slightest, for another sensation coursed through his body, the likes which he had never felt before.
The power of the known and the unknown. He held out his hand and a black krystalized sword appeared in his grasp. It was as if someone had injected all these spells and abilities into his soul.
“Now, maybe you can tell me, where is...” the assassin jumped back as he saw the man he had just slain standing once more.
His mood was different now, the confidence that exuded from the assassin was nowhere to be found, replaced with an uneasiness that could not be put into words.
The man that he had slain only moments prior was on his feet once more, not only that but his aura had completely changed. It was like nothing he had ever sensed before this, all his senses were screaming for him to run away.
The hunter had become the hunted. Kichirou could sense it, the assassin before him was uneasy and afraid and he was savoring every second of it.
[Summon Sluagh], with that instant cast spell, black sludge-like birds spewed out of Kichirou’s chest. Just a drip at first, then more, the flow grew to a rabid burst as hundreds—if not thousands flew through his chest.
The assassin was quick to notice the pot of flowers on the window sill beside him withered away into ash.
He didn't need to be right next to them to feel it. Each one of those birds radiated a lifeless energy which seemed to drain the living soul from its surroundings. Their combined presence was staggering as all signs of life vanished in their proximity, any life that was unfortunate enough to be too close to them fell to the ground in an instant.
“Who are you?” The assassin called out, as he staggered several steps back.
Kichirou cared not to answer and proceeded slowly towards the assassin.
He had yet to receive the payment for this job, but not only that, running away now would also be at a cost to his reputation. No matter what it is however, it was not worth more than his own life.
[Shadow Step]
The assassin vanished from sight, entering the realm of shadows for a short duration, allowing him to walk through physical objects.
He could maintain the skill for about two seconds before his body materializes again in the real world, giving ample time for him to put some distance between them.
His body reentered the physical world half way across town in another dark alley.
[Stealth] he erased his presence before walking slowly towards the edge of town, chances of him being spotted were next to none, no one should be able to follow him after the Shadow Step but better safe than sorry.
No one mentioned someone like that would be in town, gah I’m gonna rip them a new one after this. I’ve never even heard of something like that, if he’s on their side, things are gonna get complicated from here, we will need the support of …
His body froze and his thoughts were cut short as he caught a glimpse of movement at the edge of his peripheral vision.
It was a damned black bird.
How could it have found me? I’m even covered by stealth! No, it can’t see me can it?
Even though his ability should have rendered him invisible to wandering eyes, the bird's empty gaze was locked right on to him.
The assassin didn’t move, or rather he couldn’t move. Fear itself was acting as a powerful chain that locked up all his movement.
It was a terrifying new experience, he had never faced an opponent in which he was utterly hopeless against. In all his life, he was always the faster one, the stronger one, never did he have to run away so shamelessly away from a battle.
It was the perfect image of a still life, he didn't dare to move, but neither did that strange bird. A drop of sweat fell from the tip of the assassin's nose, breaking the stillness.
He stared at the bird hoping, praying that it would not have noticed, but his prayer fell on deaf ears.
“CRAAAAAAA—” The bird cawed.
A swarm appeared out of nowhere like a blanket of pitch darkness over the night sky, slowly closing in.
“Wait wait wait, we can talk about this. I’ll tell you everything I know, you must wish to know what we’re after right?”
But the darkness did not answer.
No, this can't be happening, I can't die like this!
He screamed as he felt his life essence drained from his body, and it came to a sudden stop as he lost the strength to vocalize his fears.
This was death, his eyes laid open in fear, his facial features were frozen in shock like those before and those after him—all who were taken by death itself, well before their time.
Darkness fell upon every raider that had dared to set foot in this town, and each and every one of them fell from where they stood.
Kichirou closed his eyes and felt Avi’s warm embrace.
Yes. That’s how things should be.
Tears streamed from his face as he ran.
I’m sorry…
That look on her face before she died, one which he would never forget.