Vengeance ought to be spoken through gritted teeth, spittle flying, the cords of one’s soul so entangled in it that you can’t let it go, even if you try. If you feel it—if you really feel it—then you speak it like it’s a still-beating heart clenched in your fist, and there’s blood running down your arm, dripping off your elbow, and you can’t let go. - Laini Taylor (Strange the Dreamer)
* * * *
Two Years Later
January 233
Sera tuned out the sounds of celebration going on behind her, even as she leaned her forearms against the railings surrounding the rooftop of the boathouse, staring out into the darkness of the sea surrounding them.
Behind her, the rest of Aegis were having quite the drinking party; with Laura and even Raul having put together this last-minute party to celebrate Lucie’s eighteenth birthday—the last of them to do so.
Sera felt more than heard Raul slide up next to her, though the latter was silent.
“Not going to join them?” Sera was the first to break the silence, finally turning to face Raul.
“Ness and Neil are currently challenging each other to see who can drink the most. I’m not about to get dragged into that mess.” Raul added wryly, much to Sera’s amusement. He was silent for several moments. “It’s been two years, huh?” He said suddenly. “Since you started Aegis, and we started all this? Honestly, it’s a miracle that the ESA has no idea who we are as of yet.” He eyed Sera carefully who was determinedly looking away from him. His friend probably had some contacts within the ESA that have been helping to conceal their identities. “As for the hunters, they likely at least had some idea you are involved, but they have no idea who the rest of us are. And until they do, they won’t make any sudden moves.”
The hunters after all have most likely learned from their mistake with Blade.
Sera made a sound in her throat. “I told myself that I won’t make the same mistakes that I did with Blade,” she said suddenly. “I wanted to do something right for once in my life. I swore that I wouldn’t look away anymore. No matter how ugly the truth, or how heavy the consequences are going to be, I’m going to do this. That’s why I started all this.”
“I know. We know.” Raul said comfortingly. “You told us that two years ago. You informed us of the consequences. We all know what we’re in for. We’re all Gifted, Sera. And even members of the underground. The hunters will be after us regardless.”
After the whole fiasco involving Ebis Ivanor and the extreme house cleaning that Hayder and even Larissa have done, all of the underground knew that the Premier and the Enforcers were all on the warpath. The house cleaning by Hayder also roots out at least three other spies planted there by the hunters, so it isn’t something unwarranted either.
No one knew what happened to those spies in the end. But knowing Hayder Beck’s reputation, they all had some idea what he’d done to those spies.
That, and with how active Aegis had been for the last two years, assisted by their allies; Sera is honestly only mildly surprised that the hunters haven’t retaliated.
The sound of a very distinctive chime echoed just then, causing all chatter to pause momentarily. All of Aegis recognised that sound, and their eyes were immediately drawn towards Raul’s laptop.
With a frown, Raul immediately broke from his place next to Sera and headed straight to where he had his laptop on the floor next to the stereo that Ness had broken out for the night.
“Raul?” Lucie spoke with concern, watching the other male type away on his laptop, a frown on his face that only deepened the more he stared at his screen.
“We got a request,” Raul responded after several moments, finally looking up.
Sera sighed. The party atmosphere had disappeared in an instant, and grim expressions appeared on the faces of everyone present. Sera peeled herself off the side of the boathouse that she had been leaning against.
“Let’s hear it.”
* * * *
The sounds of whipping echoed relentlessly and continuously in this small, dark basement, as did the cries of pain. After what seemed like hours, a limp body was tossed unceremoniously into a corner, with the steel door slamming shut, thus shutting off the only source of light available.
One of the few still conscious—if just barely, dragged himself over to the corner where he’d seen that man toss the girl, feeling around in the darkness before finally coming in skin contact with a body, though he was alarmed to find that it is startlingly cold to the touch, with his fingers coming in contact with something wet and coppery.
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“Maria, stay awake.” The boy pleaded, shaking her. “Don’t fall asleep, do you hear me? Stay awake! Don’t go to sleep!”
The words if you do, you’ll never wake up, went unsaid.
There was a light sniffle from somewhere in the basement, though the boy couldn’t tell who it was.
“We’re going to die here, aren’t we?” The voice was trembling.
“We won’t.” The boy said determinedly. But despite himself, he honestly can’t find a way out of this predicament that they currently found themselves in. “We’re getting out of here, no matter what.”
There was silence for several moments.
“…Goddess… Please help us…”
* * * *
Walden gulped alcohol straight from the bottle without even bothering to pour the contents into a cup. His apartment, small as it is, as always, is in a mess—with papers strewn all over, and with even empty alcohol bottles all over the table.
Walden growled, his eyes darkening as he recalled those abominations he had down in his basement, and he felt the familiar surge of anger rising in him once more. He threw his half-empty alcohol bottle against the nearest wall—not even caring even as the contents and the glass shattered over the wall.
“Damn Gifted! They should just do us all a favour and die!” he snarled, reaching for an unopened alcohol bottle on his table.
There was silence for several moments; with the only sounds in the room that of Walden’s heavy breathing. Then there was the sound of light chuckling, which caused Walden to tense and reach for a weapon that wasn’t there.
“What?”
The surroundings were starting to distort – reminiscent of a blurred-out background like those one sees in photographs sometimes. Walden felt his limbs, and even his entire body locked up—being entirely unresponsive before he fell backwards into the couch that he had been occupying previously.
The only part of him that he could move was just his eyes.
And then, Walden saw them.
They seem to just melt out of the air in front of him. Though considering that he had likely been caught up in some spatial distortion technique—likely a Gifted’s Gift, it is also probably within the means of whichever Gifted it is to allow them to enter within their domain.
Probably the same Gifted who had used that spatial distortion technique is even one of the three currently in front of him.
They’re young. Likely in their early twenties at most. Two of the trio, Walden doesn’t recognise. But it’s the third one of the trio that he recognised immediately. He hasn’t seen her for years. Back when the now young woman is a mere brat. But he’ll recognise those eyes anywhere.
“Sera…Kroix…” Walden croaked out. His tongue felt almost like a block of lead in his mouth. “The Death…Reaper…”
“He does recognise you, after all, Sera.” The only other female of their trio commented. “As you said he would.”
Sera said nothing, only humming something beneath her breath. “Neil?”
“We’re completely cut off from the outside.” Neil, the only male amongst the trio, assured. From the phrasing, it is obvious to Walden then that he is the Gifted behind the spatial distortion. “No one can hear us until I let it.”
Sera nodded. “It’s been a long time, Walden,” she said simply, turning her attention towards the currently immobile hunter. “I would say it’s a pleasure, but that will be a lie.” Her lip curled. “How the mighty have fallen. I took care of Ebis myself two years ago, and my people took care of the other three who were still alive. Never did I think that the almighty Butcher would fall to such dire straits.”
Walden stiffed. The other two with Sera exchanged contemplative looks before turning their attention towards her.
“Then he must be…” The other girl trailed off slowly, and Sera gave a short nod without looking at either of them, never taking her eyes off Walden. “I see. One of the survivors from the group that tried taking on the infamous street gang, Blade.”
“Must be the Goddess’ guidance that you end up facing him again, huh?” Neil commented dryly.
“Or karma catching up to him.” The other girl chirped in.
“I heard rumours… But to think that you’re alive!” Walden spat at Sera. “You should have just stayed dead!”
Sera was completely unfazed. “Too bad for you that I got a habit of not doing what I’m expected to do,” she said coolly. “Though if you’ve heard the recent rumours about me, then this makes things easy.”
Before anyone in the room even realised what was going on, Sera was right in front of Walden, with the hilt of her dagger sticking out of his thigh, with the hunter screaming even as red blood flowed down his leg and pooled around his foot.
“W-What are you even doing here?!” Walden managed to croak.
“We received a request,” Sera said simply. Her gaze then hardened, and it was something in those mismatched eyes that told Walden he wouldn’t be walking out of there alive. “You never should have touched innocent children!”
“All right.” The other girl in the trio sighed, rubbing at the back of her neck. A cold smile spread across her lips. “Let’s begin.”
* * * *
Raul and the group that was sent with him—namely, Kailey, Lucie and even Laura, were already briefed on what to expect from Sera—considering that they’re dealing with the infamous Butcher himself.
But even they were taken aback by the sight that greeted them when they made their way down to the basement, Lucie had lit up the dark basement with several balls of fire floating in the air.
The Butcher is an infamous name even amongst the underground. One of the cruellest hunters that seems to mainly target children. There were however rumours that the Butcher was dismissed as a hunter several years ago. No one however could confirm those rumours.
The group of four were warned about what to expect. But even they weren’t expecting the sight that greeted them the moment they had some light in the cold and dark basement.
“Fuck.” Raul cussed, his eyes wide at seeing the physical states of the three children currently chained to the walls in the basement, with visible lacerations and gashes on their bodies. From the way some of those wounds looked, it is infected. “Kailey?”
“I’m on it.” Kailey was quick to head to the side of the nearest girl who was unconscious, already tending to her with a grim expression on her face. Laura had headed to one of the other children silently, also tending to their injuries.
“W-Who are you?” The boy who is still conscious and coherent croaked, his eyes wide with fear and apprehension even as he had a firm hold on the unconscious boy next to him.
“Keep your voices down,” Laura warned, her eyes flickering towards the boy before turning her gaze back to the boy she was tending to. Not that she thinks anyone will come down here, knowing Sera and the other two. “We’re here to get you all out.”
“We’ll never leave.” The boy shook his head in despair. “That man…”
“Don’t worry about him.” Lucie finally managed to find her voice. “He’s a little preoccupied at the moment.” She exchanged looks with Raul.
Raul nodded in response. “Zero is taking care of him.”
There was recognition in the boy’s eyes the moment Raul mentioned Zero. Aegis had after all been gaining quite a reputation in the past two years.
“’Zero’…?” The boy echoed. “Who are you?”
“We?” Laura looked the boy in the eye. “We’re Aegis.”