Chapter 8: severed head in a box.
Okimodo sat down on an ornately decorated bench illuminated by a dim flickering lamp that emitted red light.
“It’s already ten minutes past nine?” Okimodo sighed observing the train station clock dangling from a pillar to his left.
The station he was currently seated at was called Levis Borough east. It was named after the city Borough it was located in which was one of the twelve total boroughs in the city of Triyesta. Levis Borough was among one of the wealthier boroughs in the city and the home of many of Okimodo’s father’s friends and associates. Naturally the pub his father and Ivan had taken him and Shipo to was also located within this borough, a few hundred metres away from the train station. Ever since Okimodo was a toddler his father had been coming here to drink with his friends and business partners much to his mother’s displeasure. The railway line that served the area also ran up the city’s mountain with a station not to far away from the Azurai clan residence and was particularly close to where Chaiseky lived. In truth it wasn’t really necessary for Okimodo to take the train, but doing so would allow him to avoid walking up the mountain with Shipo who he was not in the mood to talk to anymore.
The island platform was relatively quiet due to it being late in the evening. Around Okimodo there were only about five or six people waiting to take the train, some heading in the same direction as him and others heading in the opposite direction. They seemed to be in a tired daze with the exception of a couple chattering away to Okimodo’s left. A light soon illuminated the island platform completely overpowering the dim lamp. Clicking and clacking could be heard as the train emerged from around the curve with sparks erupting from the overhead wires. Okimodo stood up as the commuter train rattled into the station before coming to a screeching stop. He wasted no time and followed after the other passengers entering the stainless steel vehicle before slithering through the narrow passage in between the rows of seats.
The train was only two carriages long with around twenty people onboard allowing Okimodo to have plenty of seats to choose from.
He sat down by a window seat on the left and stared blankly at the outside station. Eventually, Shipo disappeared from his mind as he thought about how much fun he would be having at the right of passage with his friends. The train began to rattle once more as it pulled out of the station and began the gradual climb up the mountain.
Before long the train reached another station where he saw someone he recognised board the train. This man was a shang rokai named Guyus and he was someone Okimodo had looked up to for years. Overall he was a plain looking young man in his late teens whose only unique trait was that he kept his hair short as opposed to the long flowing hair that most Azurai clan men had. Immediately his eyes locked on to Okimodo followed by a wide unserious smile. He held a large wooden box under his arm that radiated a yellow glow through its joints.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Guyus asked as he sat down in the row ahead of Okimodo, placing the wooden box down next to him. “It’s rare that I see you taking the train.”
“I know right.” Okimodo sighed. “I felt like taking the scenic route back to the clan residence.”
“The scenery is very much beautiful.” Guyus laughed. “When it’s actually day time of course. What’s the real reason you’re on this train?”
“Remember the demon that was harassing the towns on the northern island?” Okimodo asked changing the subject so he wouldn’t have to rant about his brother. “Have you caught it yet.”
“Boy do I have a surprise for you.” Guyus chuckled before reaching into the large wooden box he had placed down next to him, no longer daring to pry into Okimodo’s business.
“What the?” Okimodo was stunned by what he saw.
Guyus held up the severed head of a gaunt old man with messy white hair. The man’s eyes glowed bright yellow as he glared at Okimodo with an enraged expression as if he could attack anyone at any time. What was even stranger was that the severed head didn’t seem to be leaking blood at all despite appearing to be recently killed.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Are you sure that it’s dead?” Okimodo asked curiously.
“I think so...” Guyus chuckled. “Not to sure how it works with demons to be honest, earlier it kept on hurling insults and curses at everyone so I cut its tongue off.”
“What happened to the rest of its body?” Okimodo asked.
“Since we all attacked the demon at once there was a conflict in my squad about who could be credited with the demon’s defeat.” Guyus explained. “We ultimately decided to split the body up amongst ourselves evenly and I got the head.”
Okimodo poked the old man’s eyes and was amazed when he blinked and winced in discomfort. “So you’re going to hand it over to the clan treasury then?”
“No not quite yet.” Guyus explained. “I’ve been carrying this head around all day, it’s a really good conversation starter for picking up women. I plan on taking it to the right of passage ceremony where I’ll set up a stand where people can pay to throw things in its mouth.”
After hearing that Okimodo couldn’t help but laugh out loud, attracting the gaze of a nearby woman seated on the right side of the train.
“Oh my gods.” The woman shrieked upon seeing the severed head.
“Hey calm down lady.” Guyus laughed, holding the severed head up high for the woman to see. “This is a demon not a human.”
“Really?” The woman asked calming down slightly.
“You better believe it.” Guyus laughed. “Why don’t you come over and take a closer look.”
Okimodo couldn’t help but stare in awe as the woman came over to observe the severed head. To think that such a method actually worked for picking up girls.
Okimodo eventually became the third wheel as Guyus started to spit game on the woman, executing every pick up line like a true expert. Okimodo wasn’t even upset about being ignored as he felt as if he was watching a master at work. In a sense Guyus was very much a master as it was him who taught Okimodo most of his tactics for picking up girls.
After about Five minutes the commuter train pulled into the next station which was where Okimodo got off. After exiting he watched the two Electric carriages slowly start to pull out of the station knowing that Guyus would soon find himself in a predicament. Through the window he saw Guyus still sitting down, consumed by the conversation he was having with the woman before suddenly turning to look at Okimodo with a pale expression when he realised that he had missed his stop.
The train disappeared around a curve leaving the almost empty railway station caked in darkness save for a few flickering lamps. Okimodo looked up seeing the numerous lights of the Azurai clan houses wrapped around the steep mountain side above him. Even further up above those was the statue of Heshea that dwarfed them. As he turned to look in the opposite direction, he saw countless amber lights scattered across the black horizon far below with larger clusters of lights representing the central business district and wealthy boroughs. It was a sight just as beautiful in the dark as it was in the light of day.
Okimodo closed his eyes as he resonated with Heshea. He got down on one knee channeling as much energy as he needed into his feet. He leaped up into the air torpedoing up towards the Clan residence where he landed on one of the rooftops. He walked over to the other side and jumped down before knocking on the front door.
After a few minutes a beautiful Azurai girl with bright green eyes opened up before jumping into Okimodo’s arms and kissing him on the cheek.
“I’ve missed you Okiee.” The girl whose name was kaiya said, addressing him by one of the nicknames the Azurai girls often addressed him by.
“It’s only been two days and you already miss me.” Okimodo laughed spinning her around in his embrace. “Kaiya you told me you’d try to be less clingy.”
“And I told you that my sister’s off limits.” An irritated voice whined from further in the house.
Soon a boy with messy black hair and eyes just as green as kaiya’s emerged into the corridor.
“Shut up Chaiseky.” Kaiya yelled before sticking her tongue out at her brother.
“It’s not like that Chaiseky.” Okimodo smiled deviously. “We’re just friends and friends are nice to each other, there’s nothing wrong with that. Isn’t that right Kaiya?”
“I guess…” Kaiya pouted. “Of course my brother has to be a cockblock.”She mumbled under her breath.
Chaiseky squinted at the two of them before motioning for Okimodo to enter. “Let’s head up to my room, the gang is already waiting.”
Okimodo steps into the light of the corridor revealing the wound on his chest. Both Chaiseky and Kaiya stare at him mortified.
“OKIEE!” kaiya screamed hugging Okimodo like her life depended on it. “Who did this to you? I’m going to kill them a swear on my ancestors.”
“Hey relax.” Okimodo said stroking her hair gently. “It’s just a training duel wound.”
“Just who the hell were you training with?” Chaiseky’s expression was as pale as milk. “The grim reaper?”
“Ivan Smirnov.” Okimodo immediately began to brag. “I shattered the sheath of his white guillotine, and Shipo forced him to kneel.”
“Shipo forced him to kneel?” Chaiseky was amazed. “So that really did happen, that Sutari kid wasn’t bullshitting.”
“What are you talking about.” Okimodo raised an eyebrow.
“Sutari said that he and Ioseph saw you and Shipo fight Ivan.” Chaiseky explained. “Naturally I thought he was full of crap so I didn’t take it seriously.”
Okimodo was at a loss for words. He could never have imagined that Ioseph and his big mouthed little brother were actually be spying on his fight with Ivan.
End of chapter 8.