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Author's guide:
This is narration
This is a character's thoughts
"This is a character speaking"
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On the evening of June 19, 1789, Dr. Adelaide hurried home through the dim and congested streets of Eichenheim's Kingpin quarter, weary from her clinic duties. Despite years in this tumultuous environment, she remained unaccustomed to the persistent violence. Her brisk pace was abruptly halted by a disturbing scene—a quartet of men ruthlessly assaulting a frail boy.
"Damn brat!" one of the men sneered, landing a punch while two others kicked the defenseless boy. Despite the inherent danger, Adelaide, torn by a moral dilemma, couldn't ignore the brutality.
I can't just ignore this can I? If I do something... they'll come after me... but I need to do something...
"Break it up!" Adelaide exclaimed as she hurled a nearby glass bottle at the men, hitting one of the men in the head and drawing the attention of the assailants. The man restraining the boy momentarily loosened his grip as Adelaide intervened, allowing the boy to escape.
"Hey!" The bleeding man shouted in frustration as the boy slipped away. Adelaide attempted to flee but was obstructed by a fifth man emerging from the shadows, leading to a gasp and a swift descent to her knees.
"Miss."
"Leave me be," Adelaide asserted, rising to her feet.
"The lad... a wretched thief," the man sneered, drawing his knife. "He spoiled our day, and we had plans to set it right. Yet, you've disrupted it. How do you intend to rectify this, huh?" He forcibly threw her to the cold concrete ground.
"Boys, do me a favor and leave her be." Suddenly, a woman in sleeveless eastern attire appeared, confronting the group from behind.
The men turned their attention to her, and one threatened her with a knife.
"Listen here, leave this place and pretend you ain't seen nothin'. What're you gonna do? You're just some wh—" The man's words were abruptly cut off as his throat was swiftly slit.
As the gasping man struggled for breath, the remaining four men faced the sleeveless woman, brandishing a silver sword.
"It's her!"
"Kuro ryu!"
"There's four of us, we can win, charge!"
Charging at her, the four remaining men found the tight confines of the Kingpin quarter limiting their approach, allowing only one to get close at any given moment.
In the end, all five men lay on the ground, encircled by their own blood. The woman in the eastern attire swiftly cleaned her blood-stained sword with a fluid swiping motion, adhering to the traditional Eastern techniques.
"Aiko!" Adelaide exclaimed as she stood up.
"Hello, Adelaide. It's been a while. Up for a chat?"
"A chat... why?"
"It's about that new patient of yours, the Black Heart hunter. We need to talk about him."
"What about him?"
"It's not exactly safe here. Let's head back to your place first, shall we?"
Adelaide gazed at Aiko, her expression a canvas of confusion.
...
After a while, the two women arrived at Adelaide's apartment. Aiko effortlessly settled in, occupying the sofa while Adelaide, concerned, searched for Ijin to check on him.
Surveying the room, Aiko explored a nearby bookshelf in vain, unable to find a book of interest.
"Sorry for the wait," Adelaide said, entering with a tray of tea. She placed the cups on the coffee table and seated herself across from Aiko.
Concern laced Adelaide's voice as she asked, "What do you want with my patient?"
Aiko took a sip before answering, "He's someone I used to know."
"Someone you used to know?"
"He was," Aiko continued, "a member of the Silverbloods, like family to me."
Adelaide scoffed, "You're telling me a Black Heart hunter was once a thug?"
"Are you not going to reconsider your words?"
"No chance you're ending me. I'm the top-tier doctor here, and you need my skills to endure against those Anomalies."
Aiko finished her tea and explained, "He left the Silverbloods without consequences. Our boss offered him an impossible task for freedom."
"An impossible task?"
"To kill a certain aristocrat, and he did it effortlessly, plus he killed an entire army that night."
Adelaide raised an eyebrow at the revelation. "So you're telling me that my current patient is like the boogeyman?"
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Aiko chuckled, "Not the boogeyman. Ijin Yu is the one the boogeyman fears."
Silent tension filled the room. Adelaide, growing increasingly uneasy, asked, "What do you want with my patient?"
"I want you to fix him."
"Fix him how?"
"Get him a prosthetic arm, I'll pay you well, I will also fund and protect your clinic"
"Why help him after he abandoned you?, that's not like you"
"I have my reasons."
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Relentless Slaughter
Chapter 5: The nights grew darker for everyone...
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On the evening of June 19, 1789, two Black Heart hunters navigated the cobblestone streets of Eichenheim's commercial district. One, a young man armed with dual cane swords, and the other, a woman struggling to stand, gripped a Thompson submachine gun.
"Come on, ma'am, we can make it. We're just a few streets away to the residential district, we can make it!," David asserted with unyielding determination.
Rheanna stumbled and sank to her knees, coinciding with the sky's tearful descent.
"Ma'am!" David called out to Rheanna.
Gasping for breath, Rheanna panted, "Maybe you can make it, but I doubt I can."
"That's not the case, we can—"
"Let's stop lying to ourselves, with that thing chasing us around?"
"We don't know what will happen. Might as well try, right?" David attempted to lift Rheanna onto his back.
"David..."
Abruptly, the earth quivered, causing buildings to crack and crumble.
"It's that thing!" David exclaimed.
"David, run!"
"But what abou—"
"I'll be fine!"
"Ma'am, that's—"
"I thought you'd be more optimistic about our situation," Rheanna said sarcastically. "Just go!"
"I'll come back... I swear," David vowed before sprinting away.
Rheanna faced her predicament, devoid of bullets, lacking food, her leg broken. She laughed at her dire circumstances.
No bullets, no food, leg is broken... Oh, Rheanna, things just aren't going your way today, are they?
Rheanna closed her eyes, uncertain of the fate that awaited her in the midst of the crumbling cityscape and the relentless pursuit of an unseen threat. The echoes of destruction surrounded her, blending with the rhythmic beat of the falling rain. In that moment of vulnerability, she braced herself for whatever destiny had in store, her thoughts a tempest of reflection and acceptance...
...
It was a rainy night, the heavens cried heavily. Perhaps mourning the the deaths that were about to occur...
The agonizing scream of a well-dressed aristocrat pierced the air, blood oozing from the side of his body.
Standing over him, a young man gripped a silver dagger, its once-shining surface now tainted with crimson.
The room bore witness to a scene of macabre artistry, as lifeless bodies of the well-dressed aristocrat's guards lay sprawled on the wooden floor.
Armed guardsmen funnelled into the room one at a time, surrounding the assassin, their blades pointed towards him. A blonde woman grabbed the well-dressed aristocrat and took him to another room, some guardsmen followed her.
The young assassin flashed smile across his face as the screams of men echoed in that mansion, it echoed throughout the rainy night and the aristocrat and his daughter were forced to listen as they hid in a hidden room.
When the screams had finally stopped, the aristocrat, his daughter and two guardsmen listened but onky heard silence.
The aristocrat begun to pray as one of the guardsmen bandaged his still bleeding wound when footsteps were heard from outside the hidden room.
And then...
The door disguised as a bookcase was shattered by the young assassin using a single powerful kick.
The two guardsmen rushed towards the young assassin in an attempt to stop him...
In a blink of an eye, they were dead, their throats, slit.
The aristocrat's blonde daughter ran towards the young assassin with a knife in an attempt to stab him. The young assassin struck her in the back of her head, knocking her out of her conciousness.
Desperation etched across his face, the well-dressed aristocrat's attempted to negotiate, "Wait, we can make—" His plea was abruptly silenced as the young man swiftly slashed his throat.
Surveying the now mostly lifeless room, the young man muttered with a mixture of relief and determination, "Finally... no longer will I be bound by idiots."
A voice of a woman laughed as the young man said those words...
...
On the morning of June 20, 1789, Ijin Yu stirred from his slumber, his movements marked by a noticeable limp as he navigated out of the bedroom. Arriving at the dining table, he discovered a note from Adelaide.
The note read:
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I have more business today. I left food for you to eat. Stay safe
-Adelaide
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Ijin partook in the meal thoughtfully prepared by Adelaide. Once he had finished, he hobbled toward the bookshelf, seeking refuge from the lingering boredom in the pages of various books, none of which managed to captivate his interest.
The apartment's door swung open unexpectedly, and Ijin's gaze snapped towards the entrance, where a familiar face greeted him.
"Morning, Ijin," Aiko said with a smirk.
"What are you doing here, and how did you get in?" Ijin inquired.
"That's not exactly important, is it?" Aiko replied dismissively as she entered, closing the door behind her.
Ijin observed Aiko, clad in a long dark coat with black gloves, a cane in her right hand, its true nature unclear to him. Aiko approached Ijin and took a seat beside him.
Ijin pondered at her intentions:
She seems passive aggressive, perhaps she is still mad about that whole ordeal all those years ago.
"What's happening out there? In Eichenheim, I mean," Aiko asked curiously.
"No idea, but it's probably hell right now," Ijin responded.
Aiko chuckled, "What was it like out there before those things appeared?"
"It was decent, much better than here."
"I figured that was the case," Aiko said, her gaze fixed on Ijin seemingly burning with either rage or passion for something.
"You left too soon yesterday... back then... why..." Aiko's voice held a hint of sadness. "Why did you leave me? We told each other we'd leave this dump together, didn't we?"
Ijin remained silent, wrestling with unspoken complexities.
I wish I could say Aiko... I really do... You probably wouldn't understand if I told you anyway.
"Ijin?"
"I had to..."
"Why did you have to leave me? If you wanted to go so bad, you could've brought me along or..." Aiko trailed off, lifting her head. "Do you hate me?"
"That's not it," Ijin replied, his expression unwavering.
"Why?"
"It's complicated..."
"Do I even know you anymore? It's like I'm talking to a completely different person," Aiko's voice cracked with emotion.
"It's been a few years; it's only natural," Ijin explained.
Aiko whispered into his ear, "Don't forget your end of the bargain," before leaving, closing the door behind her. Ijin, left alone, raised his hands to his face, deep in contemplation.
That evening, Adelaide returned, bringing warmth with her greeting.
"Good evening, Ijin," she said with a smile.
"Good evening, Adelaide."
They shared a meal before Adelaide led Ijin to a room filled with medical tools and supplies.
"Sit down, Sir Ijin," Adelaide ordered the Black Heart hunter.
Following her instructions, Ijin sat as Adelaide revealed a metal prosthetic arm from a bag.
"Lend me your shoulder," Adelaide requested, and Ijin complied.
Adelaide placed the metal device where Ijin's arm once was.
"Try it, Ijin."
Initially struggling, Ijin persisted, and after multiple attempts, he successfully moved his prosthetic arm. Adelaide watched as he experimented, encouraging him.
"How is it?" Adelaide inquired.
"It may take me a while to get used to this," Ijin remarked.
"Take it slow..."
"This looks expensive; how did you get this?" Ijin asked.
"It was supposed to be for my brother..."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Well, if there is an afterlife, I'm sure my brother would be happily looking from above to see the things he used to own are helping a fellow hunter."
Ijin paused, then sincerely expressed, "Thank you, Miss Adelaide."
As Ijin contemplated his new prosthetic arm, thoughts of what lay ahead began to take shape.
The nights grew darker for everyone...
Perhaps the aabyss known as despair would consume them all..
But, at the very least, they could strive to search for the light.
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Relentless Slaughter
Chapter 5: The nights grew darker for everyone
Chapter end
To be continued