“This is giving me a bad feeling…”

Marenix said, eyeing the surrounding buildings as he followed Alisson. It was early in the morning, and there was only a little activity around.

“Then you have a good instinct. Just stay near me. This may be a valuable learning experience.”

Alisson responded, striding forward toward a large building before them. A couple of Kitsune were at the front, and patted them down for weapons and armor before they entered. As Alisson had agreed with Versatsu, he didn’t bring anything, only his apprentice. They entered to find a large room wherein a group of men stood, facing them, armed. At the head of the procession stood Versatsu, his arms crossed. The men behind him were not the diplomatic type that Alisson had been promised; these were muscle.

Alisson kept his stride until he was a mere meter before Versatsu, which seemed to make the men in his company flinch a little.

“You bought me out here, so what will it be?” Alisson started. “It doesn’t appear you have many orators among your ranks for discussion.”

“Alisson, you should know I’m a sweet talker all the same…”

Alisson averted his eyes, already bored. “Using clichéd lines with prostitutes isn’t a skill.”

“I’m a happily married man thank you very much!” Versatsu puffed out his chest. “With kits on the way…That reminds me, you haven’t gotten around to claiming that mate of yours…right?”

Versatsu grinned at him.

“Enough of this small talk. Irinian or Kitsune, your type never ceases to create issues and words where none existed.” Alisson crossed his arms, taking a deep breath.

“Hey, hey…It’s just a warning, considering what’s probably happening to her…She might already be bearing someone else’s kits…You understand?”

Alisson closed his eyes. An idea surfaced in his head, and he let his arms fall loosely to his sides.

“…What do you mean to say?”

Alisson asked with trepidation. Marenix looked up at him with eyes of fear.

“You know what I mean, Alisson…Let’s cut the bullshit.” Versatsu raised hand and motioned for his men to close in on Alisson and his apprentice. They formed a circle quickly. “I did some digging about you and that girl, Alisson…I couldn’t find anything about her, but I’m going to assume she’s your mate…What kind of guy just throws their mate to the wolves like that? After all, you don’t seem to be a very popular guy…”

Versatsu kept talking, and the men kept drawing nearer, weapons at the ready, while Alisson remained motionless.

“…To the wolves…What do you mean?”

Versatsu sighed and shook his head. “You don’t gotta act aloof with me, Alisson. It’s obvious. You threw a little body double to the wolves instead. But you know what that equates to? A mighty fine bait for the real thing.”

Alisson’s hands clenched. “I don’t know what your implying…” He spoke through his teeth.

“Give up. Celis has been caught and soon you’ll join her.” Versatsu raised a finger at Alisson. “You’re something a whirlwind of destruction…Or so the rumors say…But I know you’re not invincible.” Versatsu frowned, continuing, “I know the truth. It’s just calculated risks and stage play for you. You lost to Lady Salchyon in a one-on-one duel back in your homeland…And she’s an idiot. You’re not all that strong in a fight. Without your fancy weapon, your team, you’re just like us…”

Alisson remained silent for a long while, his fist shaking as it clenched.

“What’s wrong? A fluffy Kitsune tail got your tongue?” Versatsu asked.

“Celis is…Celis is going to be ok…”

Alisson muttered to himself.

“Oh, that’s what it is…Sorry to break it to you Alisson, but it’s all over for her. Killing you here and now would probably be a mercy instead of letting you see her again. Someone needed to replace all those clients that tailless Kitsune could have been servicing…”

“No…no…”

“M-master?” Marenix shakily asked. “Are…you okay?” Marenix tugged on Alisson’s side, but he was met with no response.

“Pfft…He’s broken now. Mages, at the ready. Men, move in.”

Versatsu commanded. A couple men behind him raised their arms up, spells at the ready, hands pointed at Alisson.

Alisson moved quickly enough to surprise the nearest man, grabbing the sword out of his hands. He ran toward Versatsu with unstable steps, raising the sword in a slow, wide motion.

Versatsu cracked into a grin, already moving to dodge the attack.

…

This is bad, this is really bad…I think Alisson has totally lost it. I shut my eyes tightly. They were getting closer now. Should I do something…? Run? Fight back? Alisson said to just stick near him so…I…I need to trust him! I need to believe in my master! But…My legs tensed as the thought to run grew in my mind.

Before I could make up my mind, Alisson moved in a blur, grabbing a sword from the nearest thug and running at Versatsu. I broke into a smile.

Then, something my eyes couldn’t follow happened. I thought Alisson had moved fast at first, in grabbing that sword but…This was different. The motions Alisson made beforehand were like he was moving in gelatin in comparison.

In the next moment, Alisson’s foot slammed into Versatsu jaw, having dropped the sword. He brought Versatsu head straight into the ground with his leg, and planted his boot on his forehead.

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He leaned in close to Versatsu head, like a predator examining its freshly caught prey. Versatsu was still conscious, wincing, shaking, and about to call out when Alisson stood and kicked his foot into Versatsu’s head for a second time, finally knocking the large Kitsune unconscious.

“Alisson watch ou-!”

I wasn’t able to finish my sentence when the mages that had been at Versatsu’s backside unleashed their spells. Alisson waved his hand and used one of his barrier spells. A blue film stopped the overwhelming barrage for only a moment, but it was enough time for Alisson slip around the spells and rush toward the mages with inhuman speed. Within a second, they were on the ground. In a flash he lifted a sword from the mages, pointing it at the rest of the men, who were in shock like me at my sides.

“You still wish to fight?” Alisson muttered.

One finally broke out of their trance and thrusted their sword at me. I thought I was already dead, but before I could even close my eyes to wince to preparation for the pain, Alisson’s fist blew into the aggressor’s jaw, and he fell limply toward the ground. The sound Alisson’s fist made was like an explosion, I could have never imagined such a sound from a punch. Alisson grabbed the scruff of my neck and threw me to safety. I rolled across the floor like a useless sack of potatoes…

I could hear screams and cuts as I shook my head and looked up at Alisson, getting my bearings.

But the fight was already over by the time I laid eyes on him.

…

“I can’t believe it…You…Master…”

I looked on at Alisson in awe. He looked away with a frown. “Mongrels. Common trash like this is not something to boast about having toppled.”

“But stripped of your weapons, surrounded and put at such a disadvantage…And what about Celis…? Shouldn’t we go save her and Ashlynde!?”

Alisson broke into a smile. The room was still other than the two of us. He looked out the lone window, beaming the early morning sun into our faces. “I don’t think we’ll need to worry about them, Marenix. Come. The loyalists will be here shortly to place these men under arrest.”

Alisson stepped over the large body of Versatsu and walked toward the door. I followed, my mouth furrowed. “Why arrested? They’re bad people…why did you…Not kill them?”

Alisson sighed. “Senseless murder gets us nowhere. If they are to die, let their own people and laws do it. They are lucky that I had the strength to spare them.”

“But what if…They all just get released from jail…? I thought the legal courts here were all stacked with Irinian sympathizers…”

We exited the building, and Alisson looked at the surrounding buildings. “That will no longer be the case after today.” He rose a hand and pointed toward one of the towers off in the distance, while withdrawing a pocket watch that ticked loudly when he opened it.

“If our comrades are on schedule…”

A row of detonations suddenly circled and crawled up the building, causing it to start collapsing instantly. I heard the explosions a moment thereafter, and stepped back, my mouth agape.

I swallowed heavily. So that’s what it looks like…

“With this, the Queen makes her verdict known. We are now responsible for passing judgement.”

…

That day would live on in infamy in Irinian history, and in pride in Kitsune history. Buildings were brought down, men were chased through the streets, quietly picked off by assassins or ran through with spears by dozens of kitsune, workers rebelled against their bosses, bosses rebelled against their workers, families were suddenly fractured, wives were separated from their husbands, and human-kitsune half breeds were taken away. Alisson did what he could to stop the bleeding.

But the buildings being evacuated didn’t stop the people who had evacuated them from simply being killed on the streets, or rounded up and sent to the newly made pens for holding prisoners. Things gradually settled as the night fell, though there was still blood to spill in the city, and his comrades would work diligently through the night.

“So Celis, how went your tasks?”

Celis bobbed her head. “All according to plan.”

“And of Utsuru?”

Celis averted her eyes. Alisson tilted his head with a frown.

“I knew you would give me that look…So I kept her safe. She’s fine. But…She’s a little, er…Traumatized.”

“To be expected.” Alisson nodded in understanding.

In the days following, the city became unrecognizable. A public execution would be held for the Kitsune who turned their backs on the Queen. They were branded traitors, and there was no longer any sympathy remaining for them. Humans were simply rounded up and killed. The underlying rage at the defilement of their culture had finally boiled over. Many Kitsune opposed the bloodshed, but in the face of being labeled a traitor, they kept their mouths shut, or were perhaps taken over in the bloodlust like the rest of their kin.

Within only a few days, the Queendom had spiraled into radicalization. Where once there were factions of political thought, now there was only one way to act. Absolute loyalty to the Queen. It wasn’t too dissimilar from the situation in Sidonia. He didn’t think the Queen and her loyalists would go this far, but the push of the Nekomata toward radical action probably didn’t help.

For all that talk that Tsuhara gave about doing things democratically, and without blood, they certainly didn’t seem remorseful at this outcome.

Alisson sat at a balcony at a table with prominent loyalists and Ardinand. In the street below, the gallows hosted the executions. The loyalists raised glasses to the Nekomata, having been told of their involvement and efforts to help them, and now him and Ardinand were welcomed as heroes; All prior suspicions and doubts had evaporated, and Ardinand’s shadowy movements had been forgiven and ignored.

Alisson raised a glass of wine all the same, but didn’t drink anything. He looked out across the gallows below with an uninterested frown. On one hand, it was all senseless killing…But on the other, Alisson sympathized with the Kitsune. He probably would feel the exact same if his people had been in this position; These traitors and humans deserved this to a degree.

“This grace period will be fleeting, but I don’t think the Kitsune realize that yet.”

Ardinand spoke up behind Alisson, leaning over the balcony with him to watch the street below.

“Has there been any word from Sidonia?” Alisson asked.

“The 5th is still on standby, and Irinian assets are still immobile. It’s only a matter of time until they marshal armies to storm the Queendom. Whether or not the Kitsune can hold on their own until the 5th arrives, is the gamble this time.”

Alisson nodded. With Sidonia’s strategies there was always a gamble.

“Barring something crazy,” Ardinand continued, “We’re to wait in the Queendom, hold down the fort, and help them where we can.”

Ardinand was about to continue when the cries of a man below cut him off. The next Kitsune shoved onto the gallows was a familiar one. The no-longer-captain Versatsu.

“You fools! All of you!” He looked around like a wild animal. “Irine will kill you all! Why forfeit peace and prosperity for war!? The tides of time will prove you wrong!”

Nobody around seemed to pay any mind to his words. Alisson stared on dully.

“Pride is a fool’s vice! The Queen will lead you all to hell! She and Sidonia are warmongers! Tyrants! Can you not see that!? You are giving up a republic in favor of a dictatorship!”

He was struggling with the guards to be tied up, so instead they pushed him onto his knees, and a headsman approached, readying a large axe.

“You will drown in blood like you drown in your own ignorance! I didn’t raise my kits to die for your wars damn it!”

He kept struggling until the axe fell, and his head rolled across the gallows floor. With that, the executions came to a close.

“Overall, I think it’s a good job we’ve done, Alisson. Mission accomplished.” Ardinand flashed a smile at Alisson. Alisson tepidly returned the smile to his comrade, and Ardinand continued, “The only hiccup were a few escapees, it looks like one of the nobles caught wind of the plan, and fled with a chunk of his men the day of. That’s probably why Versatsu had so few men when he tried to ambush you. I just wonder how they could’ve known…Not like anyone tipped him off or anything…”

Ardinand idly mused.

“Another question that may be lost to time.” Alisson spoke softly, looking out over Versatsu’s limp body down below.

***