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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 night of June 21, 1789, as the remaining supplies run out, the citizens of Eichenheim who reside in the Kingpin quarter begun to riot. Setting multiple buildings ablaze, they loot their neighbours without an ounce of remorse. The Silverbloods along with some volunteers attempt to halt the riot but to no avail.
As the flames grow and consume the Kingpin quarter, Aiko suzumiya is deep in thought, she sits on the edge of a rooftop overlooking the Kingpin quarter, three of her men standing behind her.
The three men talked amongst themselves about the chaos that was unfolding when they hear someone climbing up the ladder, the only entrance and exit to the rooftop they were standing on, this would interrupt their conversation. They look towards the noise to see Ijin and Adelaide.
One of Aiko's men brandishes a silver dagger and approaches the two, "The hell you two doing here?"
Aiko looks to Silverblood as he continues, "I don't know if you can tell but this place is of-"
"Shut up, leave them be", Aiko orders the Silverblood,
The Silverblood looks back at Aiko as he puts away his silver dagger and stands in silence.
Aiko lights up her smoking pipe, the smell of tobacco flying in the cold night air, "Leave us, go some place else" Aiko orders her men.
The three Silverbloods leave Aiko, Ijin and Adelaide behind and head down the ladder. Adelaide remains behind near the ladder but Ijin walks up to Aiko and sits beside her.
"That fire will not only consume the Kingpin quarter, it will also attract Anomalies", Ijin Yu said as he looked at Aiko's solemn face.
Aiko giggles quietly in a soft voice, "It seems that history does repeats itself"
"What does that mean?"
"Oh... right... I really never told you did I?"
Aiko gestures with her right hand expensively to the slums thst were before them, "This... All of this... many centuries ago, this used to be more than a slum... it used to be some kind of temple. Hell, there's still untouched catacombs that were once part of a what once was a temple down below, they are so expansive, they reach the industrial district"
"What happened?"
"Well... someone set the temple ablaze, causing not only it to burn to ash but the surrounding district too"
Ijin nods his head, "How do you know this? Where did this information come from?"
"Some folks came here, they were those folk that try to figure out what happened in the past"
"Historians and Archaeologists?"
"Uh yeah... I think... They came here, they demolished a building and began digging into the dirt. Eventually they found those catacombs I mentioned. I was sceptical of them, thinking they were no good. So I interrogated one of them and that's how I found out"
"What's the plan?"
"I'm still thinking of one"
"How's that arm?", Aiko said, pointing to Ijin's prosthetic arm.
"I'm still getting used to it"
"Well you better get used to it quick", Aiko said as she handed Ijin a silver sword, "Take it, it's a gift from me to you"
"What do you need me to do?", Ijin asked as he inspected the silver sword that was given to him.
"I've lost five of my men down in the sewers"
"What happened down there?"
"I don't know, but a scout of mine found their bloody decapitated corpses, it may be an Anomaly", Aiko explained as she gave Ijin the sheath for the sword.
Ijin nods his head and sheaths his new sword. Ijin stands up and leaves Aiko to watch the flames consume the Kingpin quarter. Ijin walks towards the ladder when Adelaide stops him for a moment.
"Where are you headed to?", Adelaide asked with concern.
"To the sewers, there might be an Anomaly down there that I need to kill"
Adelaide with a eyes filled with concern asks Ijin, "Are you sure you're ready?
"A wise man once told me: In life's unfolding script, readiness is our ongoing rehearsal; we practice, yet time orchestrates unexpected scenes, prompting us to step onto the stage of action", Ijin said.
Adelaide sighed heavily, "Fine... just... come back safely"
"Do not fret, I will", Ijin said before heading down to the streets.
And so Adelaide and Aiko were left alone on the rooftops. Adelaide looked to Aiko before approaching, standing behind her, she glares at Aiko.
"Are you gonna push me down to the streets below?", Aiko asked with a cheeky grin on her face.
"I'm a doctor and a devout pacifist, do not insult me by assuming I would do something to bring myself down to your level"
"A devout pacifist... pfftttt, hahahahahahHahaHAHAAHAHHAHA", Aiko laughed loudly.
"What's so funny?"
Aiko looked at Adelaide in the eyes, revealing to Adelaide Aiko's exhausted face that seemed to indicate that Aiko had not slept for an entire day or two.
"Pacifist?, you're not a pacifist, the only people who have a choice be pacifists are the ones who are strong, everyone else doesn't have a choice. What you are is weak and innocuous", Aiko said with a giggle.
"How am I weak?"
Aiko stood up and closed the distance between her and Adelaide, "There's a difference between being a pacifist and a weak person claiming to be a pacifist. A pacifist refuses to kill while the weak can't kill"
"So what if I can't kill, does that matter?"
"You couldn't save your brother Adelaide, you watched him die, why? It's simple... it's because your weak", Aiko said with eyes filled with mischief.
Adelaide's eyes fill with rage and anger, "Shut up, you don't know anything"
"Hit me then, prove me you'renot weak", Aiko said mockingly.
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Relentless Slaughter
Chapter 8: Not a Reganō
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June 21, 1789, 11:32 P.M.
Ijin Yu descended down the stairs leading towards the sewers beneath the Kingpin quarter. As Ijin continued to descend he hears footsteps from behind him and sees a dark haired burly man, he carried two lit lanterns on his waist and brandished a silver dagger with his right hand.
"Do you need something?", Ijin asked the man.
"Kuro Ryu sent me, she told me to help you in any way I can", the man explained.
Ijin thinks for a moment before speaking his mind, "Come along then"
Ijin and the man continued to descend down the stairs until they find a rusted iron door. The two men push the iron door until it is open. They walked through the door and find themselves in a dark location. The floor was wet and there was a foul stench that surrounded them.
"Welcome to the Kingpin quarter's sewers mister Black Heart hunter", the Silverblood said as he handed Ijin one of his lanterns.
Ijin accepted the lantern and put it on his waist. Ijin walked onwards into the darkness while the Silverblood followed. The sewers were never pleasant to navigate, the foul stench, the dilapidated state of it and the lack of light made it one of the worst places to hunt an Anomaly in. But the Kingpin quarter's sewers were on another level. The sewers in the rest of Eichenheim were somewhat maintained, there were catwalks where people could walk and the disgusting sewer water was mostly maintained, in the Kingpin quarter, that was not the case, the entire sewer was submerged in knee deep foul smelling water. The catwalks that once stood had rusted and were destroyed.
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"You got a name mister?", the Silverblood asked.
"Ijin... Ijin Yu"
"Ah... an easterner, much like Kuro Ryu"
Ijin Yu, trudged on while the Silverblood continued to try and make small talk.
"Mister Yu... what's it like out there?"
"Where?"
"Out there, y'know"
"Outside of the slums?"
"Yeah... what's it like out there"
Ijin thought for a moment, "It ain't worse than here"
"What does that mea-"
"GRUEEEGGGHHHHHHH", the conversation of the two men was interrupted by a horrid scream.
"What the hell was that?", the Silverblood asked.
"That's our target, I think", Ijin said, unsheathing his sword.
Ijin trudged carefully along towards the direction of the scream, his sword prepared.
"Hey, we just gonna walk towards danger?", the Silverblood asked with concern in his voice.
"Trudge carefully, we can't turn our backs towards it, that thing will kill us if we do"
The two men trudged along until they found a headless corpse floating in the water. Ijin examined the corpse.
This corpse seems to be from a man judging from it's large frame A pretty recent death, perhaps a day old? His apparel is soaked in blood and water but it's clear he is wearing a dark coat similar to a Black Heart hunter's. A sheath on his waist and, his hand...
The corpse's hand was closed, Ijin opened it, revealing a beautiful heavily decorated necklace, Ijin began examining the body further.
A dark coat that's too expensive for any slum dweller to own. A sword sheath on his waist, perhaps a longsword.
Ijin examines the sheath.
The sword sheath looks expensive, it seems to have silver engravings along it's edges...
A long dark coat, a sword sheath with silver ornaments and engravings and a holy necklace...
No doubt about it, this man is an Anomaly hunter from the church. But... what the hell is this man doing here?
Ijin looked into the darkness beyond him before looking to the corpse once more.
He seems to have been killed by a ghoul. Damm it, just my luck, out of all the Anomaly types, it just had to be a ghoul. A ghoul... in a dilapidated sewer.
"GrueeegggghhhhhhhhHhhH", another scream echoed, this time in just in front of the two men.
Ijin and the Silverblood prepared themselves for the worst, the two get into a fighting stance.
As water dripped down from the ceiling, a humanoid figure with scarlet red eyes hurled towards Ijin. Ijin performed an upward slash, cutting the ghoul's right arm off. The ghoul landed some distance behind the two men.
"What is that thin-", the Silverblood said just as the ghoul attempted to claw him in the face. Ijin pushed the man aside and performed a downward slash, cutting the ghoul's head into two. Ijin's movements were slow, the water slowed him down much to Ijin's frustration.
This water is gonna be the end of me.
Ijin's thoughts run throughout his head as the ghoul stammered and jumped back to a safer distance.
The ghoul began to heal it's wounds, Ijin closed the distance and attempted to stab the Anomaly but the water slowed him down and his attack missed.
"Dammit" Ijin cussed out before being kicked by the ghoul, Ijin is launched backwards into a cold concrete wall. Ijin attempts to stand when he begins to cough up blood. The Silverblood, seeing that the situation was hopeless had begun running into the darkness in attempt to flee the danger.
The ghoul approached Ijin and began punching, kicking and clawing at him. Ijin attempted to block the incoming attacks with his prosthetic. The ghoul continues it's vicious attacks against Ijin, eventually landing a kick in Ijin's face, causing him to black out...
...
...
"Why can't thou just accept thy identity?", a woman's voice asked.
"Why?"
"Why insist that thou art one of them?"
"This is the third time thou hast died this month"
Ijin Yu wakes up in dark place. He looks around to see he is in a body of water that is wide as an ocean yet as deep as a puddle. Many thoughts run through Ijin's head.
No...
It can't be...
Why am i here?
"Thou has perished again", a soft voice of a woman echoed.
"Death loves to linger around thee... doesn't it Ijin?", the voice of the woman continued.
"Why?, why did you bring me here?", Ijin spoke into the darkness of the void that surrounded him.
Only the silence responded to Ijin's question. Ijin looked around frantically, with eyes filled with worry and concern. Ijin runs toward the sound of the voice for a long time, but nothing is found, there is nothing here, only darkness, that is until he hears footsteps coming from behind him, Ijin turns around with a great haste and sees a woman gazing towards him.
"I didn't want to see you", Ijin said with a hint of anger in his voice.
The tall slim woman had long dark hair that reached the water below her feet. Her skin seemed porcelain smooth and her eyes were black like the void of nothingness. She wore a white tunic similar to what the ancient people wore. She looked like a goddess from tales of old...
No...
More like a demon...
"Thou hast perished a bit too many times, it's quite pitiful really", the woman said in a condescending tone, "I've had to resurrect thee three times now, what happened to thee ijin?"
"Sierra, I don't need your help anymore"
"That's not nice Ijin, doesn't thou miss the times when we were together?"
"I do not miss those times Sierra"
"Oh Ijin... thou makes me feel sorrow with thy words"
"Get me out of here, leave me be! I'm not one of them!"
The woman named Sierra grins as she approached, "If thou refuses thy identity, thou shall perish much like your comrades"
"No... I'm not one of those!"
"Thou are an Reganō, thou are a kind of... Anomaly, that's what you call your cousins isn't it?", Sierra smirked at Ijin's disgruntled face.
"Ijin... It's the truth, thou art unable to escape the truth."
Ijin stood in silence, looking conflicted and confused. Thoughts ran quickly in his mind, he sat down thinking about what to do.
All those years ago, that slaughter. That sin I committed, I will not do it again... I don't want to..o.I don't want to accept her offer. But if I don't accept her offer, I might die...
"If thou wishes to see thy comrades have a chance to live, thou must also live, and if thou wishes to live then thou must accept that thou art a Reganō", the woman said as she held Ijin's face with her soft hands.
"Will that tragedy happen again, will I commit another sin?", Ijin asked as he looked Sierra in the eyes.
"If thou had not ran from thy problems, if thou had fought them head on, thy problems would have ceased their existence", Sierra explained as her forehead touched Ijin's forehead.
"You avoided my question Sierra"
Sierra stared at Ijin in the eyes, Sierra's eyes, a dark abyss that consumed Ijin for a moment. After a few moments, Ijin snapped out it and said, "Answer my question"
Sierra was silent for but a moment but spoke after a few moments, "I assure thee, if thou art careful, tragedies such as the one when thou were young, those shan't happen once more, thou shall not commit another sin, if thou are careful that is"
Ijin glared at Sierra with eyes filled with frustration and determination.
"If... if a tragedy like that happens again... I will choose death... I would rather die than continue. If I commit another sin, I ask you to never resurrect me... ever", Ijin said with conviction.
"I understand..."
Sierra held out her hand and offered it to Ijin, "Does thou accept my accord?"
"Yes", Ijin said hesitantly, accepting Sierra's hand.
Ijin and Sierra looked at each other for a few moments. Suddenly Ijin's head grew heavier and it became a challenge for him to stand. Eventually, Ijin fell to the water beneath his feet and it all went black...
...
Ijin woke up in a dark wet room feeling strange, he stands up and feels around with his hands.
It seems that my legs are still submerged in water, I feel liquid all around me. I must still be in the sewers... I need to get out of here. What happened to that Silverblood?
Ijin trudged along in the darkness for a few moments before hitting a cold concrete wall. Ijin stood there for a few moments before hitting the wall with his fist and listening. The sound of his fist hitting the wall echoed throughout the sewers.
Is that it?, Ijin wondered in his head as he trudged towards something that resided in the darkness.
Ijin approached something that floated in the water, he grabbed it and felt a slight sense of relief, he had found his sword.
"GRUEEEEGGGHHHHHHH", the ghoul within the sewers screamed out, it seems to have heard Ijin.
"Hast thou missed this feeling?", a soft voice of a woman echoed in Ijin's head, "The feeling of power... I still can't believe thou had willingly given up on this feeling"
Ijin prepared himself for a fight, he got into a fighting stance and aimed the tip of his sword towards the abyss beyond the darkness that surrounded him. Suddenly, there was a sinking feeling within Ijin's mind. His intuition told him that the ghoul was hurling towards him. And so, using pure instinct, Ijin cuts the darkness with his sword.
Did I even hit anything?, Ijin wondered just as he hears the sound of a ghoul screaming out in agony, he smelled the odor of burning flesh.
Ijin hit the concrete wall to his right and listened to the sound, echoing throughout the sewers. Using the echoes as navigation much like a bat, using the information he had gathered, he realised that the ghoul was burning up in the foul waters just in front of him. Ijin closed the distance with great haste, the foul knee deep water that once slowed him down no longer affecting his movement.
Ijin stabbed into the darkness, hitting the ghoul somewhere on it's body.
"grrrRuRuuEeEEgGGGHHHH, the ghoul screamed out in agony as Ijin continued stabbing it. It's blood splattered everywhere, the foul-smelling water splashed around, Ijin continued his attack against the ghoul until it stopped screaming.
Time to leave this god forsaken hell hole.
Ijin trudged through the water for a long period of time until he found a corpse. It was familiar, Ijin made a noise using the walls, using the noise as his way seeing. Ijin assumed the corpse belomged to the Silverblood that was with him. And so...
Ijin trudged on in the foul waters for some time until he found his way back to the entrance...
...
On the rooftops, Aiko sat in silence with a small bruise on her cheek. She looks to the flame that had engulfed the entirety of the northern end of the Kingpin quarter.
"Aiko...", a voice of a man said, Aiko looked behind her too see Ijin, soaked in blood and foul-smelling water.
"Damm Ijin, you look and smell horrible", Aiko remarked with a cheeky grin.
Ijin sat down on the edge of the rooftop, a meter away from Aiko.
"I killed it",Ijin said as he looked to the massive flame.
"I assumed you had died"
"Well... you assumed wrong then"
Aiko stood up and began heading towards the ladder which lead down to the streets.
Before taking the stairs down, Aiko looked to Ijin and said: "Before I leave you here, I'd just like to say one more time, Ijin... You smell like crap, go and take a bath or something", Aiko then disappeared into the streets below.
"Despite not seeing her for many years, I still hold some affection towards Aiko", the voice of Sierra echoed in Ijin's head.
"What do you want Sierra?", Ijin asked in a quiet tone, much like a whisper.
"Reminiscing about a time before the present"
"Do that in silence"
"Why must thou be so rude?, Ijin... we are one... you ar-"
"Sierra... I am not an Anomaly... I am a human being"
"We both know the truth Ijin, why must thou deny it?"
"I... am not a Reganō
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Relentless Slaughter
Chapter 8: Not a Reganō
Chapter end
To be continued