*ೃ༄
Hokuri went to his workplace after lecturing in Warmadewata University in Bali, he went to the headquarters of Trilaksana Organization; a research-scientific organization sanctioned by United Nations in focusing on exterminating Phantom Beasts in all around the world. The organization itself isn't just focused with exterminating and research of Phantom Beasts, but they also established to maintain order, hunting down war criminals or bioterrorists of Phantom Eruption and surveilling the public. Their tactics includes violence, wiretapping, intimidation and most likely torture to punish the bioterrorists--they are widely feared and respected by public despite their methods--not to mention they are clean from any corruptions. It is because they always obey and carry out their orders perfectly and efficiently--no matter who gave the command.
Hokuri was the Deputy Secretariat General after he got promoted, he was one of the Board of Directors in Trilaksana Organization and a senior researcher--he is a highly skilled American scientist who specializes in genetic engineering. He also have a master degree in Marine Biology from Tokyo Metropolitan University. He encountered one of the board directors, Kaname--the Director-General who was his colleague and there's other board directors who are mostly Executive Generals like him and Hifumi who was the Deputy Director.
Kayla Mahalini Effendy or Kayla; the Indonesian Secretary-General of Trilaksana and subordinate of Kaname, she also part of the board directors like them. She has a silverish white shoulder-length hair with bangs almost covering her magenta-violet mixed eyes, fair complexion and appears to be in her early twenties. With a service cap, she wears a Prussian blue double-breasted coat and black cape with an icon of Trilaksana Organization. She wears black tights, black boots and black gloves. With bracelet on her left hand she has from her older brother Karuna-as a protective charm.
"Hokuri! Good see you here~!" Hifumi greeted him with a playful grin under his fan, making Hokuri rolled his eyes--he hates them so much that why do they exist in this organization? Hifumi is known for his skillful use of the hypnotic voice, a type of mental manipulation and he serves as a secretary of him. Both of them wear business clothes as a disguise for their true identities, and their identities as 'secretary general' and whatever that is--all of them were nothing but a façade to public.
Kayla is cold and calculating, not letting anything get in the way to her goals. However, she's actually timid and nice once she knows her superior or equal, she doesn't dare to stand against her superiors and just following their orders. However, if one pisses her off for a couple time... she will certainly reveal her anger behind her friendly appearance. Out of all colleagues, she only respected Kaname who was known for his cunning and merciless personality--while not fearing of him at all. The reason she joined Trilaksana was because she wanted to dedicate her entire life to protect the world from the biohazard and serve the superiority of their organization--a patriotic and loyal comrade who believes that the Trilaksana Organization can create a better world without violence and she's willing to follow them.
Aliyah Taslim; twenty-eight years old Director of Human Resource Department, the eldest daughter of the Taslim Family. She has a long blonde hair that tied in twin braided ponytails on her shoulders, her bangs almost covered her blue-green eyes with two side bangs fell onto her cheeks and the chin. With pair of dark blue ombre eyes and porcelain complexion, she wears an attire consists of black dress with black tights and heels, with the golden furs on her white coat draped over her shoulders.
There was Luca Fernandez Christiadjie; twenty-one years old Indonesian Program Director and Damien's younger brother stood there , he always seen charming and hardworking as he has a different principle that was the opposite of his older brother. He has similar features like Damien and his mother Ravina from his silver-white short hair with black streaks and sideburns underneath his long bangs, ruby red eyes and alabaster complexion. The only difference is that he has a laidback and carefree demeanor, no grumpy at all--except he cares for his mother and brother a lot and he often visit them just to spend times together as a family. He wears a standard Trilaksana Organization uniform consists of white formal shirt with black tie underneath his dark Prussian blue blazer and black vest, dark Prussian blue pants tucked in black heeled boots and black gloves to keep his hands warm, a black cravat-like bow tie that match with his ensemble.
Kaname still plotting on how to get rid of Byakuya and Kyouka, those Shinobu siblings are so annoying that his pride as part of Ayatsuji clan--doesn't give him a chance to wipe them out of existence when they met in Trilaksana Organization. Fortunately, Luca managed to calm him down when the man almost causing havoc in here. "Chill down, Kaname. I won't mess this up if that's what you need to hear," he told him with a relaxed smile under his fingertips.
Why is he here again? Maybe he's bored.
Hokuri observed his behavior and he doesn't want to get on his nerves, because he is a very short-tempered person when things don't work out as planned. Kaname is quiet and stubborn, and he have a kind of sinister feeling around him--that cannot be mistaken for normal. "Fufufu, Kaname! Don't be a grumpy cat!" Hifumi teased, when his colleague ignore his attempts of provocation he sigh and shook his head. "Don't make an enemies with him... believe me, you don't wanna go that far..." Hokuri reminded his colleague.
"Can all of you stop arguing? We need to pursue this meeting."
Alda Iskandar; twenty-eight years old Indonesian Executive Director of Trilaksana Organization and their boss scolding them lightly, frowning as she approached them. She has a long black hair that tied into a bun and leaving her bangs loose on her lashes and dark brown eyes-including her cheeks and she has porcelain complexion, with purple-black and silver hairpins on her tied hair and red-purple moon orchid ornament on the side; with the golden dangles hanging and a red-purple eyeshadow on her eyelids. Wearing a dark Prussian blue sleeveless cheongsam with batik patterns underneath that has open cleavage and purple teardrop crystal beads, underneath her silver collared qipao-like black dress with a black furred shawl around her shoulders, wearing black tights and black high-platformed boots with silver back heels; in addition of long black fingerless gloves. Her long white cape has both black furs with gold-silver platinum accents, it has a symbol of Trilaksana Organization that took form of an eye with three triangles around it.
Alda is motherly, humble and understanding, she has a heart of gold and patient at most. Despite her loyalty, she is known for being the most loving and maternal person in her Department with a fair heart and merciful nature, yet there's several people noticed her being both strict and yet mischievous when it comes to commanding them. Kaname was afraid of them since the day he met them for the first time--he even hated them when he first saw them, he joined them because of someone he respected in there--Alda herself. The leader saved him from his lowest state after he lost his parents due to the fire, making him gaining his trust towards her. She was the one who rescued him and taught him about Phantom Beast extermination organization called Trilaksana which means Three Universal Patterns; which consists of Impermanence, Suffering, and Selflessness.
He didn't know whether he could trust people anymore; they are humans too, who can lie to others if needed just like him. But after meeting with them multiple times, Kaname learned that all their actions were for a reason. He knew that it wasn't all about him, he never imagined that he was important enough to be saved by Alda herself--it was only natural for him.
And when he met Kayla--the youngest member of Trilaksana who became his protégé due to her lack of experience within both field and skill and strategy; he finally began to realize that everything he knew about Trilaksana was just a cover-up story, an illusion to hide their true nature from the public--that they are more than what meets the eye. Not even when he met Hifumi--the Deputy Director he met after he joined Trilaksana, he still has doubts about trusting them since his past experiences made him paranoid; but after several weeks of getting close to them, he realized that he was wrong about them.
They began their meeting, Kayla assisted Kaname in meeting minutes when the board of directors started the meeting. "We need to seize the weapons that involved the dangerous chemicals produced by Scarlet Armband Army, which produces a toxic reaction that extracted from the Phantom Beasts to neutralize it but in a nonlethal way--used in tranquilizing effect as a defense," Hokuri warned him, in which Kaname nodded.
The executives of Trilaksana also known as the disciplinary officers for both researchers and scientists, ensuring they will follow the scientist's code of ethics and not doing scientific crimes like plagiarism or stealing data from other scientists-and other ethical violations. However, it is also their job to protect their members against danger, as well to prevent any illegal activity that can harm the organization itself and others-although they are only allowed to use their authority if necessary. The current leading executive officer was Alda herself, not only known for her motherly figure but her strictness towards everyone in Trilaksana Organization--she is the one who introduced them to Trilaksana and the most powerful person among the board directors and executive officers.
The rest of the board directors are Executive Generals, they were responsible for managing all business operations of the company including management and planning of the research facilities, capital investments, financial assets and debts--as well training the new employees. They are usually assigned to many things in the organization, such as keeping the environment secure against enemies and make sure everyone follows the rules in order to maintain peace in Trilaksana. However, there are some cases where they will send someone as an executioner for punishment if necessary--which is usually Hifumi who is currently busy dealing with his own affairs.
In this occasion, it was Alda who summoned one of the investigators who had went for their expedition to East Timor who were to bring all of them good news, and a message to them. She prayed that the information was clear and believable. "All of you can rest for today, Hokuri will be on your desk since his business have been resolved. Oh... Hifumi?"
"Yes, Madame?"
Hifumi responded, yawning while fanning his black-red fan to shake away his sleepiness. The eldest in here nodded to him in return before leaving the room with Kaname and Hifumi. "Don't break anything, don't destroy the documents. Don't use poison on yourself just to make yourself wide awake. Alright?" Alda ordered, reminding the Deputy Director and the others that everything is fine and Hifumi have to focus in work, as long as he behaved. "Yes, I understand."
Alda nodded, before she headed back to her office where she worked--it was large and spacious office, containing rows of bookshelves as well as other equipment needed to conduct research or other activities related to science. Most of them are filled with lots of thick documents and notations with paper files. She hummed, thinking of what to do with her day as she gets in her chair to write some essays, reports, and other work-related matters. For hours of sitting down with documents, the director needs coffee break.
When she stand up from the chair, she was about to leave her office until she stopped--feeling a pair of hands covering her eyes from behind her back. He was a the thirty-years old Indonesian director of the Secret State Service (or Secret Police) in Indonesia, Lastier Iskandar--who was her husband despite not having children. His eyes were closed and he always seen smiling, regardless if it's sincere or a mask to cover up his darker side. He has a shoulder-length black hair that slightly neat but wavier to the end on his right shoulder--similar to wolf's cut but has streaks, with bangs almost covering the side of his forehead to his closed eyes and cheeks as he has alabaster complexion and wears frameless glasses. He happens to wear a high-collared black coat-like uniform under his long black trench coat with black furs draped over his shoulders and wears black knee-length boots and black pants, it's unknown about the true color of his eyes since he always closed them.
Lastier is mysterious despite being a gentle-mannered and humble man, but deep down he has a grandiose of ambition that nobody can predict and when he opened his eyes; all hell will break loose--he is known as"The Black Hand" by the public in Indonesia--due to his dark nature and secretive behavior. But when he's with Alda, he was a kind and gentle man-who often show concern and care towards his wife even though he never showed it in front of anyone else. He's also a very intelligent and skilled individual, being able to run everything behind the scene--he has a keen intellect that rivals Alda's own and an expert marksman with deadly accuracy.
"Lastier... I know you're here," she said, feeling his hands uncovering her eyes as she turned around to face him. Alda already knew him well, he was being so sneaky while walking up behind someone. But when it's only herself--she finds it cute when he had something he want to do with her. "I've come to check on you for a little bit," he answered with a kiss on her forehead that made her blushed a bit.
Alda sometimes doesn't know how to deal with his sweet moments, he really love her that way. "How was your work for today? Did you get enough sleep this morning?" she asked in worry, the high-ranking official gave out a small chuckle. He had always looked after her for quite some time, because she tends to neglect herself due to her work as a leader and high intelligence of a genius. "You tend to forget yourself sometimes, dear wife. Aren't you getting enough nutrients?"
"Well... you know that my goal is not to satisfy me. But if it's for our dream, I won't hesitate to do it," the latter respond with a soft smile, before Lastier took her hands with his own larger hands. For Alda, that was enough proof that he cared for her--but not enough to make her forget about her tasks as the head of the Institute. "How about your work?" she asked him back, they always try to have their work together because somehow they're been spending their time outside working... no rest at all. So both of them have to ease their mood when they're away from their responsibilities for the moment. "Just finished it," he replied.
"Why don't we go to have dinner together in my room, just the two of us..." Lastier suggested, which he nodded. Alda felt her face warm from his face, she was so glad that the office is in a private place.
By the end of the day...
They lived in a mansion that built next to the beach for relaxing themselves, because the environment there helps a lot for them to have a refreshment just to ease themselves. Of course, he treated her as a husband would--dating and courting the beautiful leader and spending their time together alone. Alda sat next to him while watching the beach and the tourists form the distance, the wind ruffles her black dress in the air as Lastier look at her under the moonlight. He never gets tired of seeing her underneath the skies every single day, she was so beautiful that he always gets the image for himself--it was like a gift from god that granted for him.
"Do you need something from me?"
Alda asked him curiously, before her eyes widened when he brought her a huge bouquet filled with her favorite flower; a white roses along with beautiful iris flowers. Her eyes lit up as she smile brightly, accepting the bouquet from him. "Lastier... this is..." she blushed deeply, trying to avoid the sight of her flustered face from him but he can't. "No words can describe how much I love you, there's no words can make you impressed of a lot of things..." he said, caressing her fair and soft cheek that made her leaned against his touch.
He isn't lying when he said that there are no words to describe how he loved her, she was one of a kind who can win his heart with a simple task--to get close to him and changed his life forever. "Some officials are trying to intimidate me like usual because I'm siding with the victim, but I get rid of them easily," he said, dropping the ID card and evidences that stained with blood on the floor beneath the couch. Alda wasn't surprised because she know that their job always faced with several dangers, including if they had to put down those who stands against them and corrupt officials. "Is the one who dared to hurt a victim?"
"Died before I had a chance to make him pay..." he whispered, before he opened his eyes--revealing a sapphire-blue eyes towards her that made her stunned at how beautiful his eyes are. Most of all, whenever he's really mad or has his eyes open and filled with murderous intent--his normally friendly and carefree personality became dangerous. It's like having a cold dark hand shoving itself down your throat, constricting all the muscles while gently tightening his grip. Alda is always the one who can calm him down, no one dares to meet his eyes as they fear of what was behind of his sweet and well-mannered nature.
"Don't take your hatred on people like that, even though they've earned it. But, if their soul is beyond salvation then it's better that way... try not to make me worry, you know," Alda told him, reaching for his face as she looked away to avoid eye contact. Every time he gaze to others is like a nail on their coffin--because he always killed his targets when his eyes were opened. No wonder that even his criminal profile created by them is known by everyone, because of how horrifying his eyes are. "At the end, your soul is beautiful as always," she said with a smile, making him hold her closer to his chest as they watched the waves crashed onto the shore, watching it fall and listening to the sound of it.
"We got an invitation plus mission to the party, we must retrieve the data on Violet Lotus Hotel that has a full report of their transactions between themselves--regarding the experiments of Phantom Beasts."
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
Lastier informed, holding out the invitation card and envelope that contained a letter written inside the invitation card for the both of them. It wasn't hard for them since they have the records of every guests that may be corrupted or war profiteers. Alda began to read the information from the invitation card, her fingers stroking the paper texture in a slow and cautious manner as she listened. "It's after our dinner... let's get changed for a while," Lastier added, glancing at his wife's dress before smirking as he let her think about their mission tonight--yet again, as lovers they always fulfill their married life with the promises of a healthy relationship to each other.
In the hotel ballroom...
Alda put her arm around her husband's arm, the host leading them to meet several of their business partners at the party. Among them were some top political figures, world leaders and other influential figures. Her husband looks more handsome in his formal attire, a three-piece tuxedo. She wears a black dress with batik straps and slits and white furred shawl around her arms, black heeled shoes and black long gloves above her elbows and a black handbag with gold ribbons and embroideries. "Hold onto me," he spoke to her as the lead walked further into the back doors of the ballroom. At first glance, the room appears to be a completely normal restaurant, filled with guests who were eating and chatting animatedly. "Let's put an act for today," Alda suggested, that made him almost smirked. "Hmph, I'd say you're not bad yourself."
As they entered, they are met with a pair of elevator doors that opened and closed automatically. The doors opened, revealing several floors that went down to the lobby of the hotel below. There were stairs in the corner leading up to a flight of stairs, both of them didn't hesitate to walk forward, allowing the doors to close behind them before they continue downward. "Hey, what are you doing two doing here!?" one of the police officers yelled, before Lastier opened his eyes at him--making him stopped and shook with fear by the sight of him.
Then, both of them continue to make their way through the stairs to the VIP lounge, where there are high-ranking guests and several staff were resting or having a discussion with their clients--who noticed the couple that entered. "Hmm?" They glanced at them with curiosity, clearly intrigued by the couple who came to enter their sight. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Alda started with a gentle and professional voice as she greeted the guests--before both of them smiled and began to nod. "Ah yes, that couple! Please, do come in. We have a lot to discuss, don't we?"
"No."
They were confused at the couple's response, Alda took a step towards the room's entrance before stopping, allowing her eyes to focus as her vision came into a picture. She extended one of her hands towards the inside, placing it on top of one of the guests' heads--before she twisted them around, using their neck in a powerful grab--snapping the collarbone and spine, causing them to crumple on the floor before she released them. At the same time, Lastier pulled a blade from the inside of his coat jacket, flipping it towards the door and cutting the rope as he moved, slamming into the door just as it was about to close behind him--the doors flying open and breaking off their hinges as he flung himself through, smashing into the closest person he saw, grabbing their head and launching himself into the air as a swing went, putting them in front of him and using them as a shield, throwing the body into the ceiling before dropping to the floor and sending the floor crumbling down to the ground below, crushing them before they could react.
Their silhouettes were dark as a shadow, even with the dimmed lighting in the ballroom. All of a sudden, they glanced at each other for a while--exchanging different ideas.
As a young gentleman came up to them and grabbed their shoulders, the couple made their move--as Alda spun on her right foot and brought her left foot into the gentleman's solar plexus, putting all her weight on it before lifting herself off her left leg and planting the heel of her right foot into his chin with an axe kick--breaking his skull with an audible crunch. Their eyes were shimmering in their respective colors, Alda being dark brown and Lastier were sapphire-blue; they could barely contain the excitement that bubbled up within them, watching these guests and political figures fall back as their bodies were slammed against each other with enough force to put them through solid concrete without making any noise.
"Let's retrieve those research documents," Alda added, wiping her boots before walking away along with Lastier whose smile returned, snatching the documents filled with crucial information they needed and continued their search.
They were going to make sure that every single one of these politicians and authorities went down with them. No one could stop them, or even suspect them from doing such a thing--after all, they are seen as a lovely couple, even though deep down--they are filled with the despair that consumed both of them without any regrets at all. "Let's go back home, darling."
Lastier said, holding her smaller hand in his big one as they returned to their mansion--reflecting of how cruel their organization was just to conceal all the dark secrets it holds from the public. Trilaksana Organization has tortured every criminals and traitors in its ranks in order to ensure that their actions would never be questioned or their deeds questioned--and every time, nothing happened, nothing. Those who were accused of corruption and murdering civilians were executed by the members in order to save humanity from calamity and tragedy, to bring chaos upon the society itself.
Trilaksana Organization controls every aspect of the world economy, all facets of business are under the supervision of its executives--which ensures the company never loses its power. They have connections throughout the globe, funding projects that are deemed necessary and investing in research that has revolutionary potential--such as the one being developed by Hokuri's research. Many important members of the organization live their lives according to their rules and ideas, using bribery and extortion to keep those in power docile. They are opposition to World Government around the world, because there has been cases of them committing genocide on World Government agents or sub-ordinates that fail to follow their guidelines.
So the real purpose of Trilaksana was this: create a world without unnecessary violence and suffering, protecting mankind from Phantom Beasts and be one with nature. Despite Alda's maternal and gentle disposition, she has dark nature of her own--like any other leaders of Trilaksana which involves using force or violence to cause one's enemies into submitting themselves to them. They tend to act individually when committing atrocities, always leaving no witnesses behind. Lastier was one of them, he also one of the Nine Dragons of Indonesia--a term that aimed at nine large entrepreneurs of Chinese descent in Indonesia. Not only he was secretly the director of Secret State Service, he was a businessman and owner of Iskandar Group--a conglomerate that focused in human resources industry like oil mining and production, energy and infrastructure.
When both of them managed to get some data records, Alda feel slightly upset that after they're returning back to their place--first is her dress is slightly dirtied by the blood splatter, they have to clean it once again. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I need to clean my dress..." she answered, sighing while he adjusted his spectacles. "It seems like I have to go to dry cleaning service, fortunately I have one worker in my organization that specialize in clothing--she sometimes come here to clean our dirty clothes with detergent," she pointed out.
Seven months later...
In the nighttime, there were many people who are panicking while they tried to seek for help, there were several Phantom Beasts roaming around the city and the hospital. As the main source and cause of the eruption, many locals and tourists are trying to escape from them as almost half of them got killed. "Sir! Over here!" Kayla shouted, before she slain the Phantom Beasts with her glaive on her hand--cutting their heads off. "Who did this?" he asked stared at the hospital with the firefighters spraying the water from the hoses, she explained to him what's going on here. "An unknown stranger made an explosion in the hospital, we're under attack by the Phantom Beasts--I suspected it was the that criminal's doing."
Hifumi explained when he watched the Trilaksana Forces with the firefighters came to the rescue, before he was fanning himself. "At the same time when Yogyakarta and other regions in Indonesia went under attack as well, we're looking for the attacker... Luca told me that he will handle the Indonesian reinforcement," Hokuri stated with stern expression, before he growled. "Not only that, Warmadewata University's campus also got attacked recently and some facilitators are injured even the students!"
Kaname was wide-eyed that this happened, before he listens to him when he elaborated the whole situation. "Go summon the enforcement Kayla, while the national armed forces handling this-help them," he ordered as she she saluted him, just as her superior commanded she began to do his task. Kaname narrowed his eyes, suddenly reminded about someone. "Is it…?"
"Exactly, that bastard just broke into my lab!" Hokuri snapped, once some of the Phantom Beasts are captured by them. "I thought he went back to America long time ago?" Kaname asked, before Hifumi let out a soft sigh. "We thought so too, but Madame informed us that we have to capture him real quick or else he will send another Phantom Beasts."
"What about the person who sent him?"
Aliyah asked him, knowing who the culprits are. "I believe they are the ones behind everything that happened recently," she told him while her eyes glanced back on the news on the television where they saw the attacker's face displayed on a screen in the high building. Alda stepped forward, frowning slightly before she stated. "They planned this from the beginning, they are... the alliance of those bioterrorists, Legion Revengers."
Kohaku eyed the Phantom Eruption for the first time, narrowing his eyes as he was trying to find out who was the attacker until he saw his three friends are here. "Kayana! There you are--!" Andrew paused when Kohaku stepped back, shocked that he saw them in here. "W-What are you guys doing here? Get away, this is dangerous!" Kohaku snapped, before Julian patted his shoulder. "Chill buddy, we're here to look for you! Don't you remember?" he reminded.
What the--Kohaku look around before he growled, brushing off his hand from his shoulder. "I'm serious here, I don't want to see you guys get killed because of me!" he hissed, they had no idea of his secret before they realized that he must be kept safe from their clutches--Andrew was actually nervous around the Trilaksana's members especially from Kayla, the Secretary General of Trilaksana; which is why they have to be careful here. Not to mention, Kohaku didn't want to tell them that he's an assassin of Secret Garden because one; the contract he's bound, two; he didn't want them to know about the unofficial paramilitary organization, and three; he was afraid that they won't know how to react.
Shania has been suspicious over Kohaku's activities whenever he was done with master degree's classes and even after the thesis hearing, he always goes out in the nighttime and came back from dry cleaning service for his clothes was covered in blood--he don't wants to get more suspicion since they knew that Kohaku is hiding something from them. They may be his only best friends in high school until uni, but sometimes there's things that is need to be keep secrets in case if it will have a consequence. "Kayana, look...we just want to make sure you're not hurt," Juan reassured him.
Juan always being the supportive, honest and loyal friend in class and after they graduated--so he often asked him a favor to repay the kindness he received from them. Even though it's nothing serious, he feel like he had already done it before. His friend was often been the supportive and comforting one in the group, also giving him advices that they're even appreciated from his perspective. Kohaku was thankful of them, but... there's something was holding his mind and he have to leave. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine..." he said, noticing that Misuzu is here too.
Andrew was about to take a step closer, noticing something that was on Kohaku's coat and Kohaku instinctively stepping back from him. "W-What are you doing?" he asked with a shock tone of voice, as he was defensive when Andrew keep staring at him while touching his sleeve shirt. Did he knew? No way... "Umm... Is this blood?" Andrew asked, making Kohaku gasped in surprise as he didn't expected his friend would found that out.
"STOP!"
Kohaku snapped, he became hysterical and paranoid in front of his best friends, having to see a wound on his arm that he received after Damien ordered him to kill one of their informant while interrogating them--and he did it without thinking of the possibility that Kohaku got injured badly. He was already informed by his best friend Byakuya that he'll be on his way here with Kyouka, Kiryu and Nadya--while Sherry is eyeing on them from the distance. "I'm just injured from the crash... that's all," he muttered, sighing softly as he saw his friend walking closer to them.
"Kohaku, we've been looking for you..." he stated, patting his shoulder gently to comfort him as Andrew startled--because he suspected something, while he still doesn't know about Kohaku's current job. Kohaku looked down with slight frown when his eyes widened, facing Andrew for a while. "Please, you have to get out of here--if I stayed any longer than this, I'm..." Kohaku's sentence was cut when he sensed a gunshot from the distance--which hit the man's back. Everyone was either shouting or screaming in panic, making Kohaku snapped. "Get off me, now."
Everyone heard an unfamiliar voice within the crowd, Hifumi clicked his tongue--annoyed as he was hiding somewhere. Luca stood behind him and the other Trilaksana members, as they had to ensure everyone's safety by evacuating as quick as possible. "Hey, can you like leave this area?" Hifumi said, crossing his arms while a smug grin etched on his face. "Oh, Kohaku... you can leave the area. Damien gave me permission to let you go, not these jokers over here."
'No way! Damien, you got to be kidding!' Kohaku screamed in his head before he left with a brief nod, Julian was about to ran towards Kohaku but stopped by Kayla who landed in front of him, holding her chained glaive--glaring at them, especially to Juan who was just standing there staring at the blood on Kohaku's sleeve, trying to grasp the situation. "Ah ah, you have to leave if you want to stay alive. These Phantom Beasts are roaming around and there will be upcoming attacks from Legion Revengers and Scarlet Armband Army, you know..." Hifumi warned, yawning a bit as Luca was nodding in response.
Andrew was sighing deeply, getting more concerned of his friend since he suspected there was more of the circumstances of their friend's behaviors when he's in his college life. Shania clenched her fists, she was also anxious as she was worried over him. Juan was quiet, trying to figure of what Kohaku's job is--how come it's so sudden to see him actually being more secretive and suspicious? And he's also the suspect of the potential vigilante that Damien had mentioned. "Let's catch up on him," Andrew whispered to the latter, as Julian was nodding in response. "Wait-y-yes!" Shania followed as they had run into the street when Kayla and Luca weren't looking at them.
Few minutes later, they got closer to Kohaku as they haven't gotten themselves tangled in mess--seeing Kohaku was looking for something as he jumped onto the platform near the building that gives him easy access to approach the rooftop. "Wait!" Andrew called out, panting from exhaustion as Kohaku was confused of his friends followed him here.
"Guys, go away! This is the only way to escape from the Phantom Beasts--!"
"Well no shit! Now tell us, who the hell did this? You--you've been acting really weird like you don't want to see us?"
"I don't know, that's why I'm trying to find out who did this shit--"
Kohaku paused, almost spilling his mission before he saw an unknown black figure that he never seen before--it appears to 'skin-walk' as someone... that made him shudder in fear. "It's been a while, Kayana Sahanaya Tirta..." he said, that voice... that fucking perpetrator's voice--Rihan Pratama; his former professor escaped from prison...? No, he saw that figure took a form of him and there are wounds on his body. He killed him... and took a form of his appearance, the gravity suddenly made all of them unable to move except Kohaku.
The skinwalker appeared in front of Kohaku and put his hand on his neck, pinning him on the wall as he was eyeing on him. "My my, look at you...you've become the good little helper of Secret Garden for only six months--such talent," he insulted, while Kohaku tried to break his grip as his eyes widened upon seeing his face, turning pale. "I wonder if you remember me, Kayana... that I'm doing this as your rapist who made your life hell just so you would learn?" he said as Kohaku's head lowered, the malevolent skinwalker noticed. "Look up."
"..."
Kohaku closed his eyes and refused to obey his orders, it makes his skin crawls as he could felt the breath and he smells so bad. "Stop! Don't hurt him!" Shania yelled, watching his hand shining in purple color and extracting something from Kohaku--a dark purple orb that made Kohaku yelled in pain. "I'll go easy on you, so you will return the favor."
It was painful, Kohaku can't endure it because it was too much for him--he felt like he was being poured by a spiritus with a burning flames on his body--but with the combination of being pierced by sharp weapons that is too much to bear. It's like a torture for him, it was worse than that.
Rihan had to admit that even if his life is nothing but empty void, he can't stop the fire that burns within his blackened soul--the hunger that had started gnawing at him since the day he was born, a flame that still smolders deep in his chest. He was always looking for something more, and as he gazed in Kohaku's purple irises, something clicked into him. Kohaku felt his hand leaving his chest as the light dimmers, he was panting in exhaustion before he fainted on the ground as he released him.
Juan growled as he was about to ran towards Rihan, only to be met with his fingers swipe towards him--creating a cut mark on his chest. He looked at his hand and watched blood trickling down onto the ground, trying to process his sudden attack. "Ah ah, I'm just a skinwalker--don't mistook me as someone else," he said with a maniacal grin on his face, before he saw Andrew charged against him and he smirked--Rihan swiped his fingers towards him and Andrew blocked his hands by grabbed him and pulled them, drawing blood when the skinwalker's fingers cut on his palms. "Damn, you're good..." Andrew spat, before he had to hold the stomach when he was kicked on his abdomen by him.
"I would like to kill all of you, perhaps just half of you?"
Rihan stated, wondering which one he should be executing--before he glanced at Misuzu and he swung his finger; slicing her torso until blood was coming out. She screamed in agony, collapsing on the ground--almost dead when Julian rushed over her and his eyes widen--seeing how bad her wound is. "You're next," he said, making a gesture towards Juan as he sliced his chest until the amount of blood was flowing, causing him to fell on his knees due to the dizziness and he coughed his blood.
"Y-You... bastard..."
One more, Rihan turned to Misuzu and ultimately executing her by slitting her throat--killing her slowly before finally her eyes rolled up while she was drowning in her own blood. Julian gasped in horror, his eyes filled with terror that he couldn't look away from him even when he already knew about the darkness on his gaze, only in different tint in how similar yet contrast. "It's done," he said, turning around and vanished into a shadow like he was a real demon.
Shania, Andrew and Julian are the remaining that witness him executed their two friends mercilessly--only the three of them are still alive. It's a battle that they cannot win, especially when this skinwalker manipulates their bodies but leaving his wounds. They ended up falling on the ground by shock, until Sherry landed on the ground with her eyes widened a little--before narrowing. "So, it was him..." she muttered, before she kneeled in front of Kohaku and carried him with his arm around her shoulders and hand on his waist--making Shania questioned her. "Seriously... who are you?" she asked the mysterious woman.
There was a short silence between them.
Even if the tragedy still ongoing.
Sherry simply let out a grim smile, before she let out a sigh as she glanced over to Shania. "Too bad, I can't reveal my true identity. I wouldn't want to blow off my cover. At least now it's make sense, let me take care of Kayana. That skinwalker has extracted a phantom beast energy into his hands, I'll get him at the safest place possible," she explained, before she take out her black umbrella and dematerializes from that area. No words have been spoken, they don't know how to approach the situation. Three people witnessed how easily that woman dealt with Kohaku's friends who pursued him, before the Trilaksana members assisted them in.
*ೃ༄