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Suddenly, something slammed into the grass only ten meter away from them. Chunks of dirt tossed up, but it was mostly without any sort of flare, unlike previous displays. They all leaned a little curious what it was.
Out of the smoke filled crater, rose a weak looking Seiji. Blood covered his face and dripped down his arms. The papers around his arm soaked up some of the blood. For a battle only going on for no more than ten minutes, he seemed in surprisingly poor condition. No one knew why, but he looked ready to collapse.
Yumi leapt out a little trying to stretch towards him while something invisible seemed to hold her back. “Seiji!” She had nothing to help in his fight. It had to be done alone. There was no one else.
He threw out his arm to stop her. His eyes stared forward, while he struggled to keep his breathing under control. “I’ll be fine, Yumi! Don’t worry about me!” Settling what he to do, Seiji marched back off into the distance towards his fight. After a few moments he started into a jog then run, which easily surpassed an Olympic runner. He remained in sight the entire time until becoming too distant.
The look on Seiji’s face bothered Yumi. She could tell there was something wrong with him. Something blocked him. ‘Are they that powerful? Is it someone that Seiji can’t beat?’ She wondered about sending in Fumiko to help him with the fight. Unfortunately, Fumiko’s state was not suited for combat. ‘She’s still shaken by the sudden release of her new power. It killed a lot of men and women…’ Yumi knew she needed to get Fumiko back, but did not know what she could that would not end up making things worse for her. She seemed the most-levelheaded of the group and ready. ‘Reality is harsher than we expected…’
Chapter 224 – Clouded Minds
A fresh mind and body restored the balance to the fight Saki began. In spite of such facts, the battle did not improve any for Chiharu. Her opponent remained hidden. All the attempts to smoke them out proved empty. It was a stubborn individual and skilled.
Chiharu dodged or deflected the next round of arrows. ‘They’re getting more accurate and harder to stop. Impressive, they’ve maintained such a pace for hours already. This must be the difference of those from the Omega Division.’ Even as someone she needed to defeat, she could admire their skills. They had a very simple setup, but it was so well honed that there was no waste. It was completely efficient. A talent given the chance to refine and sharpen. The combination was deadly.
Her current situation would leave her falling into the same trap, fatigue. She needed a way out. However, everything about them defied what they knew about them. ‘Normal conventions won’t work, they’re on a completely different level than we’re used to…’ Chiharu did not know how to bridge the gap. She had no information to form a strategy only failures. They did not add to enough to give her a clue. ‘With their power anything is possible making it impossible for me to analyze the situation logically…’
Things dragged out in the battle. Yumi wanted to do something with each minute it continued. The slow arrival of Saki brought a little bit of hope to the situation. She rushed out to help her back. “Saki! Where’s Yuki?” Glancing around, she had hoped the sign of Saki meant that they finally caught up with Yuki’s group.
Saki grinned a bit, clearly tired. “Still a one track mind when it comes to him,” she teased.
“I didn’t mean it like that! Are Ayumi and Haruo with you as well?”
A small laugh came up from Saki. “No, I’m the only one. I stayed behind.”
“Why?”
“Yuki had somewhere to be. I could protect him. That was enough…” Saki slipped in her walk and stumbled to the ground. She caught herself in time before falling flat. It took more effort than it should have to stand up.
Watching Saki, Yumi grew concerned about the battle Chiharu and Seiji went into. ‘If Saki’s this exhausted from the fight…’ She helped her back to safety.
While letting Saki recover a little, Yumi looking around the scene trying to see how the battle faired for Seiji and Chiharu. All she could see was that things did not change. Each minute they spent the harder things would become. She turned back to Fumiko. ‘We’re going to need her… I have to push her even if she doesn’t want to…’ Yumi pulled back to Simonides and Nerine, their only resources. “Do either of you know anything about who they’re fighting based on what you’ve seen?”
Nerine shook her head. “I can’t see what’s going on. I’m not sure without more information.” She tilted her glance over to Simonides with hope.
“I haven’t seen enough to narrow anything down. I know they use arrows as their primary weapon, but that’s not enough information.”
Yumi knelt down to Saki. “I’m sorry to do this, Saki, but can you think of anything from your fight that could give us an edge?”
It was not something she could help with too much. Saki knew as much. She shook her head slightly while still trying to find something. “No…they aren’t like the others…” It did not make any sense to her. Images of her fight replayed trying to understand it.
‘This might be something…’ Yumi probed further. “How do you mean? What makes them different?”
The heavy breathing dissipated for Saki. It felt like her chest was no longer trying to break her ribs. “They aren’t where they should be.” She lifted her eyes up towards them seeing that her words did not give enough context. “They’re invisible. I’ve seen it done before with both that old man Yuki fought outside of the school and Ayumi. But when I struck the center of their field nothing happened. It was like they weren’t there.”
Saki’s words raised Nerine’s curiosity. She leaned over. “Are you sure you hit exactly the center? Maybe you missed.”
Saki’s eyes narrowed sharply when confronted by Nerine. It came from two different sources. She did not know who the woman was, but the uniform made her out to be an Atlantean. It made her realize that there were two Atlanteans with Yumi. The second reason was her doubt of Saki’s abilities. Hesitation sealed up her lips.
“It’s okay, Saki. They’re allies. A lot has happened, but I don’t have time to explain it all now. Please tell us what you know. It’s very important.”
She still had some doubt the whole situation, but Yumi’s earnest look convinced her for the moment. “Yes, I’m certain. Even Seiji tried.” Saki immediately received from looks of doubt over trusting Seiji. “I’m serious. They aren’t there. It doesn’t make sense.”
Simonides stood back up. He looked over at Nerine, ideas already moving. “Even as someone from Omega, they can’t break the basics of how their power works.”
“Exactly, there is no one that can relocate the center of their field. It’s always under our feet.”
He lifted his hand to his chin in pensive consideration. “Which means there are only two answers.”
“Either they have a very specific law set that deflects incoming attacks while maintaining the illusion of nothing. It’d be hard to detect a difference.”
“I’m certain there was nothing!” asserted Saki. She focused on her fist. The attempts she made to locate her opponent always felt the same. The two Atlanteans seemed to doubt Saki, no matter how certain she sounded. “I would have noticed the difference. I can tell…”
Simonides and Nerine exchange a couple of looks in silence. They still had a second option, equally possible. “It might be them, sir.”
“They are known to use arrows and ranged projectiles. It fits with what we know.”
Yumi stepped into their conversation. It was clear they knew something. “You know who we’re dealing with don’t you?”
Nerine nodded to her. “It might be the Twins, two Omega agents.” The Twins were well known among other MPs, not for their deeds (most of those remained secretive), but for their unique talent. “They are the only MPs that can break the rule with their field.”
An exception to the rule they just stated made Yumi a little suspicious. “What are you talking about? I thought you said no one could.”
Wrinkles wove into Nerine’s brow. The struggle her had came out in her face too easily. “This is going to get very technical very fast if I explain and even I don’t understand functionally how they do it. I just know the theory, what makes them special.” Her disclaimer did not relieve her of the stares. “All MPs generate their field at their feet and the Twins are no exception to that. However, according to the theory if someone with exactly the same frequency, density and strength of mental energy as the person next to them their fields would merge rather than clash. The two fields would weave together becoming one and as a result exponentially increasing their power.”
“And you’re saying these two can do that?”
“Yes, it requires complete precision as well as identical frequencies. Something that was only considered theoretical until they appeared.” Nerine glanced back toward the forest. She felt a bit of fear if they were right. It was not someone that she wanted to face, the power of two minds. “When a field merges the accepted rules change. It is still a sphere shape, but it is no longer centered since there are two MPs.”
“So where are they?” The reality of such a pair made Yumi’s mind spin. Any sort of plan on locating an invisible person had to be completely rethought. They faced something their experience could not calculate.
Nerine stared deeper at the forest. She did not like the answer she had give Yumi. “It’s variable. It would be based on the density and their known strength, but even if you know that this sort of field completely changes standard placement. They will still have a place they can only stand, but it is on a circle rather than a point.”
None of them liked the situation as they began to understand it. All of them cast their gaze back in the direction of Chiharu’s battle. They could not do anything to change their position into an advantage. The reality actually made things even worse for them.
Yumi’s pierced hand tightened responding to her emotions. “The two could be anywhere on that circle at any moment.” She could know for certain, but it was safe assumption to make. The Twins were Omega members, meaning they would have refined their powers to account for such situations. Each thought made the situation seem even worse than the moment preceding. “The only way we have a chance of finding them is with luck.” The odds were against them.
As reality settled in for her, Yumi glanced over at Fumiko. Several thoughts came to her, but she had to dismissed them.
‘You’ve got the right idea. Luck is something the ignorant rely on.’
The voice made Yumi’s eye widen for a moment. It felt familiar, yet different. She glanced over at the others just to be sure. ‘It wasn’t them. But it’s not the same voice.’
‘That’s right. Masa isn’t the only one in here.’
‘Masa?’
‘Explanations are for later. I came to give you an out. You already thought about it, but were missing a piece.’ Suddenly, flashes of ideas or words blew through Yumi’s mind. She struggled with all of it. However, something stood out in front of her among the vortex of chaos. It made her step back unsettled by it. ‘You would have come to the conclusion eventually, but you don’t have the time. So I’ll give you this freebie.’
The thought made Yumi’s body go cold. She understood finally, what the voice gave her. It was an idea or more closer to a piece. The last piece to the puzzle for their victory. Yet she could not accept it. ‘I can’t do that! It’s cruel to do!’
‘Reality is cruel. You’re the one that asked for all of this. Don’t ask if you can’t handle the weight of the consequences of your wish.’
‘I didn’t wish for any of this!’
‘Yes you did. It is all your wish. You’ll come to understand in time.’
‘I don’t want to understand! I don’t want any of this!’
‘Lying won’t shield you from the truth. If you expect to lead, you must be willing to get your entire self steeped in filth. Nothing you want can be attained by remaining above it all. This is your reality. You will become dirty. White turned to black and gray as far as you can see. But you will have what you want. It is the only solution to your impossible victory.’
Yumi bit her lip. The voice forced her to hear everything she said. There was no averting her eyes. She saw a cloud rise in the distance along with a low rumble. Seiji’s battle raged on. All Chiharu could do was remain on the defense against her hidden pair of Atlanteans. At her side, Saki still tried to recover from her long fight. ‘Chiharu will end up like Saki in time. And something’s wrong with Seiji.’ Everything seemed turned against them. Her only solution was one she could not take.
‘The longer you delay the worse the situation becomes. You know Chiharu’s stubborn and not as physically strong as Saki. She’ll make a mistake and it’ll cost her. You know what you must do.’
‘I can’t! I couldn’t look at myself if I did it!’
‘What’s more important to you? Your friends or yourself?’
It was an impossible question to answer. The voice stymied Yumi. Any answer felt wrong to her. A no-win situation she never wanted. Yumi squeezed her hand feeling the cold metal against her skin. She needed an answer. She wanted a third option. There had to be another path to take. ‘…I…’
To be continued…
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2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
Yumi bit her lip. The voice forced her to hear everything she said. There was no averting her eyes. She saw a cloud rise in the distance along with a low rumble. Seiji’s battle raged on. All Chiharu could do was remain on the defense against her hidden pair of Atlanteans. At her side, Saki still tried to recover from her long fight. ‘Chiharu will end up like Saki in time. And something’s wrong with Seiji.’ Everything seemed turned against them. Her only solution was one she could not take.
‘The longer you delay the worse the situation becomes. You know Chiharu’s stubborn and not as physically strong as Saki. She’ll make a mistake and it’ll cost her. You know what you must do.’
‘I can’t! I couldn’t look at myself if I did it!’
‘What’s more important to you? Your friends or yourself?’
It was an impossible question to answer. The voice stymied Yumi. Any answer felt wrong to her. A no-win situation she never wanted. Yumi squeezed her hand feeling the cold metal against her skin. She needed an answer. She wanted a third option. There had to be another path to take. ‘…I…’ Yumi’s head lifted up realizing what she needed. ‘I just need to get her to move! There’s another way!’
Fueled by her new resolve, Yumi rushed over to Fumiko’s side. The moment she saw the vacant look in her eyes she knew it was not going to be easy. ‘I can’t give up. She’s the only one that can do it!’ She tried just talking to her and making physical contact, anything to build a connection. However, nothing seemed to be getting through to her.
The troubles Fumiko faced through their time in Atlantis did not go unnoticed by Yumi. She did not know what the original cause was, but she saw Fumiko being very quiet and distant from the group after Skoupa. It seemed that rescuing Yori gave focus to her and the time in the camp gave her some confidence. However, it all shattered with the release of her new power. All of the deaths on her hands, accidental or not, was too much to handle. It was going to be hard to break through it.
‘You’re being too soft.’
“Come on, Fumiko! We need you!” Yumi tried shaking her a little. Her hands struggled to keep from tensing up. The voice egged her on in a direction she could not accept. ‘Shut up! I’ll do it my way!’
‘You’re out of time.’
Resisting was all she could not. Ignoring it did nothing. “I know you’re hurting, Fumiko!”
‘You only need a single word.’
‘I won’t do it!’ Shaking Fumiko a little harder, she tried to get through to her senior. It surprised Yumi a little to see Fumiko so broken. The appearance she gave made her seem like the strongest one in the group. She had everything together. She tried to be the glue, the mother figure that held everyone together. It was just a façade. ‘Besides you don’t even know it’ll work.’
‘Humans are very predictable creatures. Everything I’ve seen of her makes me certain I’m not wrong.’
‘You can’t know. We aren’t so simple!’
‘On the contrary. The excuses are complex, but the reasons are always very simple.’
“Don’t let it win, Fumiko! You’re stronger than this!”
’Sweet words aren’t what you need right now. The girl needs to be motivated. She needs a reason to stand. You know what will make her stand.’
An explosion of earth shot into the air towering above the forest. It was no doubt Seiji. Yumi tilted back in the direction of the fight. The trees made it difficult to see what happened to Chiharu. She struggled in an impossible battle with her only chance of winning resting on too much luck. Her hand tightened up frustrated. Everything continued to get worse. Yumi looked back at Fumiko. A split second considered the alternative, but dismissed it immediately.
‘Accept reality. You wished for this, you can’t turn away from your wish. This is the reality.’
‘Things are getting worse for Chiharu and Seiji. I have the answer, yet…’ Yumi rested her folded legs in the grass, knees pressed to support much her leaning forward. She faced Fumiko no longer leaving part of her turned away in fear or uncertainty. The choice had to be made and committed to completely. Yumi leaned in whispering in her ear. “Fumiko…”
Chapter 225 – The Crawling Fear
Suddenly, the light came back to Fumiko’s eyes. She stood up. The expression on her face was no longer devoid of life. A painful look of guilt, fear and resolve stirred together in Fumiko. She looked down at Yumi. “Where is she?”
“…in the forest. I need you to burn everything as far as you can. It’s the only way.”
Fumiko looked down at her hand. It shook a little, but since held fast. “I understand. Where’s my staff?” She glanced over her shoulder at Yori holding on to it for her. He passed it to her, where it suddenly glowed red for a brief moment. “I’ll handle this.” With her decision made, she ran off into battle.
Yumi watched her fade into the distance until the trees hid her. Her entire body shook. It was a disgusting feeling, yet she made the choice. It was something she had to live with. ‘Who’s Kimiko?’
‘Likely the source of her guilt. The reason she acts strong, but is actually weak. The hand always strangling her neck until she can’t breathe.’
‘I just made that grasp tighter…’
‘But she’s alive again and will save your friends.’
‘Ends justify the means…’
‘…always…that’s the world you’re destined for…’
Yumi turned away, unable to watch any longer. A massive column of fire rose behind her expanding to become larger. She caught the uncertain looks of Simonides and Nerine as the fire she started.
Everything happened so quickly and secretively, he did not know completely what to make of it. “What did you tell her?” Curiosity infected him deeply, despite the signs he saw from the troubled Yumi.
She walked away from it all and past the Atlanteans. “Exactly what she needed to hear. The thing she fears the most. Repeating the same mistake.”
Nerine stared a little in confusion at the cryptic words. Yumi put more distance between them. She needed space. ‘What happened between them?’ Like Simonides, she had curiosity, but she had to withhold it. It was not the right time to probe deeper.
“I see the strategy,” commented Simonides, looking back at the disappearing forest.
“Sir?” When Nerine took a new look at the scene she started to understand as well. The flames had engulfed the entire forest. A massive inferno raged stretching across more than a hundred meters of ground. Nothing could escape. “If you can’t find them attack all points at once.”
“Yes, it’s simple, but effective.”
Gray smoke filled yet another shallowly dug trench. It was not anywhere nearly as impressive as the one Saki made using Seiji. It was merely a few centimeters of the top of the earth shaved off. Mostly just grass went missing. It did not change the fact Seiji laid amongst it. A couple clumps of grass fell on him.
“Losing again,” Chiharu commented, appearing standing near his head. She stared down at him with a narrow expression. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
He glared over at her. “Don’t have a fight of your own?”
“It’s been handled. Unlike this one.”
Her tone of voice was more than enough to tick him off. Seiji jumped up to his feet and leveled his finger down at Chiharu. “I didn’t lose, brat! I already beat him!”
Lifting her eyebrow in doubt, Chiharu examined him quickly. Blood streaks painted his face and arms. Significant parts of his body looked bruised and torn. The papers on his arm frayed looking ready to fall off in a few places. “I didn’t think it was possible for you to have incurred even more brain damage.” She leaned around him to see his opponent in the distance.
The man he fought still stood though looking a little roughed up. She glanced back at him with even more suspicions. “You don’t have enough brain cells to see one move ahead, let alone plan your certain victory in the future.”
“Huh?” It actually made Seiji back off a little because he did not understand Chiharu. He tried to figure out what she implied with her words. Unfortunately, thinking did not get him anything but more trouble. A lost cause for him, Seiji passed on by it. “He’s already beat, he just won’t give up!”
“So knock him out.”
“I tried several times, he just gets back up.” In their talking, the Atlantean closed the distance to attack. He wielded massive stone fists five times larger than even him. They hovered next him moving with his motions. Chiharu easily dodged it, but Seiji seemed to hesitate taking the impact directly. It sent him flying again to cough up dirt.
Chiharu appeared at his side once more staring down. “Why didn’t you dodge? He’s not very fast.”
Annoyed a little, Seiji knocked his fist into the ground creating a little crater under him. It pushed him back up to his feet. “If you didn’t distract me! I would have!” He charged in ignoring Chiharu’s comments. The two exchanged a few blows. Seiji had the clear advantage knocking the man down several times. Like Seiji said before, the soldier stood back up with a little more blood on his face determined to keep fighting. “Stay down already!”
The stone fists threw out punches at Seiji. “Like I keep telling you, the only way you can beat me is if you kill me.”
Seiji’s hands shook suddenly. He tried to keep them from being noticed by tensing up. “Stop saying that!” Charging in, he tried to knock the man down, but completely missed. Everything about his movement was off leaving him completely open. The counter sent Seiji flying back to Chiharu. “Damnit all!” shouted Seiji, standing back up. He staggered a little trying to back to his feet.
Reading his movements, Chiharu tried to figure out what was wrong with him. “This should be an easy fight for you. The guy’s hardly worth our time.” The next attack from the Atlantean Chiharu stopped the movement of the man’s attack with a single hand. Grass blew over behind her from the sudden halt as the displaced force needed to travel somewhere. She effortlessly tossed the man away leaving him to tumble a few times before skidding to a halt in the grass.
“Taking over my fight now?” Seiji stopped in front of Chiharu. He tried to hold his stature over her as a sign of his condition to fight. “I’m not done with this fight!”
Her eyes narrowed a little getting a bit of a read on him. “The fight’s already over for you. You’re holding back.”
Seiji’s hand jumped out grabbing Chiharu’s garb. His hand wrapped firmly around the loose bit of leather and chainmail. “What did you say, brat?”
When she went to grab his wrist to break free, she paused. Her hand held on to his wrist just enough to stay in contact. ’He’s shaking. Is he scared?’ Glancing over at the Atlantean starting to stand, Chiharu grew more questions in her head. ‘Of him? He’s worthless. Why is he like this?’ She looked back at him to try to see in his eyes what scared him so much. It was supposed to be a talent of assassins to be able to read others, intent and emotion. Unfortunately, her skill remained unrefined. “What’s bothering you?”
Annoyed, he slapped away her hand and dropped his hold. “Nothing.” He walked over with the intent to continue the fight despite his apparent odds of doing so remained low.
A few more exchanges had the Atlantean falling over and standing up. Seiji could put him down, but not permanently. Nothing he did ended the fight for good. Then Seiji hesitated again and flew away from a well-timed strike.
Chiharu stepped in next to him again as he rose. “If he keeps standing you only have one choice. He’s already told you how to win.” She looked away at the soldier. “Kill him.”
Seiji paused for a second standing up. His body went cold. It lasted for a second then his muscles tensed in response. He forced himself to stand up. The shaking did not stop. No control could bring it to an end. He took a step forward. “Don’t say something so casually! Like it is an easy word.” Seiji started marching towards the man again. “You sound so comfortable with it.” An uneasy feeling churned in his stomach.
She had nothing more to say to him. Chiharu disappeared from his sight. A moment later, she reappeared behind the Atlantean. Two kunai appeared, one in each hand. Their blades buried into the man’s flesh in his arms. The quick motion made his arms drop to his side useless. His rock fists fell to the ground unmoving as well. In the next action, Chiharu wrapped her arms around his neck in a sleeper hold. He passed out quickly and jumped back up, however she remained locked on him. No matter how many times he revived, he could not outlast Chiharu’s strength. Eventually, he had to given.
A few minutes later, Chiharu’s work finished. She retrieved her blades and walked back. “It’s over, weakling.” A tone of disgust lined her words.
Seiji held his head down feeling as if he lost something he did not understand. The battle was over, but it felt like something worse only began. He dropped to his knees. It was all out of his control. Everything unraveled too quickly. ‘…damn…Damn! DAMN!’
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
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2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
Evening fell again and an exhausted Nerine needed a break. It gave everyone a chance to sleep, despite many not being able to do so. There was a lot of restlessness among everyone. It seemed that only Simonides and Nerine slept with comfort. The Japanese teenagers had more than one trouble on their minds. Until recently, the Atlanteans were all trying to capture them, possibly kill, yet they were allies. Not being uneasy about the situation seemed like stupidity.
Saki looked around at their camp, she volunteered for the watch. It seemed a pointless effort since most of them were not even at camp. As much as she wished she could have stopped them, Seiji, Chiharu, Yori and Fumiko all had determined looks of wanting to be alone. Only Yumi remained and she looked embroiled in problems of her own.
Their allies seemed asleep giving the two some sense of privacy. “…Yumi?” whispered Saki, trying to stay quiet. “You asleep?” She already knew the answer, but did not know how else to start the conversation.
There appeared to be no reaction from Yumi initially, but after a few seconds her eyes opened. She did not say anything to her. Silence was not something that Saki expected from her. Yumi felt like a different person, even earlier when she saw her giving orders. “Is everything okay?”
A difficult question to answer, but an easy one as well. Yumi knew she did not hide her turmoil well, such was the weight of it. She remained silent, her mind triggered to the last exchange she had with Fumiko.
Both battles ended. Her friends were safe. Yumi should have felt happy, but it only made her feel worse. The sight of Fumiko against the wall of flames crushed her chest. She did not need any words to know that Fumiko woke fully from her depression. She understood everything.
Fumiko returned to the group. She stared down at Yumi, her height seemed to be even greater than normal. No words exchanged only stares, but it was all they needed. A few seconds later, Fumiko broke their lock and sat back down. A wall was between them.
“I’m fine,” Yumi replied with certainty. It was certainty that she did not want to speak about it to Saki. It was not a matter she needed to concern herself over. She dropped a wall clear enough for even someone like Seiji to see. Yumi tilted her head over to Saki. She remained on her back appearing like she wanted rest. “You’ve got questions.” It was a redirect, but Yumi also saw it in Saki’s eyes. There was more than just one question in her.
Nodding, Saki shifted a little closer to Yumi to let her voice grow even quieter. “What happened while I was away?” She held back on the questions earlier not feeling comfortable with asking in front of the Atlanteans. There seemed to be an agreement with Yumi and Saki did not spoil it with her suspicions.
Yumi knew the question was coming. It was the first question anyone would have seeing that Simonides and Nerine accompanied them. She could not get into the full details. “After rescuing Yori, we fought them one last time. The battle ended with them following us. The bigger concern is the group known as the Omega Division becoming active.”
“I heard about them from Ayumi. They’re supposed to be really powerful.”
The mention of Ayumi made Yumi’s face narrow a little. The mystery of which she knew nothing about her objectives. It was only her word that she had. The truth could be something completely different. “Our other concern is Ayumi.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Things don’t match up. The more we learn about the real one from them the more suspicious she becomes.”
“She’s always been a little mysterious, but I think that’s just the sort of person she is. She’s been through a lot and opening up to people isn’t easy.”
Convincing Saki was going to be difficult. She spent the most time with Ayumi next to Yuki. They trusted her more than the rest. ‘It might be part of her plan. Only Haruo is with them now.’ Yumi did not like the set up. “Why did leave you Yuki behind? Weren’t you going to protect him?”
“I did protect him! I stayed behind!”
“But you can’t protect him anymore, you don’t know where he is.”
“Ayumi and Haruo are still with him. He’ll be fine. It was something I choose to do.”
“Did you?” Yumi agreed that it was something that seemed likely for Saki to do. However, it did not feel right to her. It was very convenient for Ayumi, whose target was always Yuki.
“Of course! Why would you think otherwise?”
“Besides I don’t know who she is anymore. We don’t know how many lies she told us and where the truth begins. All we know is that Yuki is important to her plans and now Haruo is the only one left until she’s alone with him!”
Saki wanted to slap Yumi for suggesting such a notion, but stopped herself. “Ayumi’s not the enemy!” There was nothing else she could say to her. She had only her feelings to back her up and Yumi had suspicions. She could not convince someone so certain something was wrong.
“I don’t know who the enemy is anymore. Things aren’t that simple anymore.”
Chapter 226 – Confronting Hades
Away from camp, Seiji slumped against a lonely tree in the dark plains. He could not look at the sky. His head hung down. Sweat dripped slowly down his jaw line. His breathing ran shallow, but not from fatigue. The reason lied in a different place.
His hand started to shake again. The bandages glowed briefly until his free hand grasped tightly to his forearm. It stopped the shaking, but sweat built up on his back. He tried to get it all under control. The voices kept echoing in his mind.
‘Stay down! You’ve already lost.’
‘You’ll have to kill me. Not until one of us is dead is my mission complete.’
Seiji shook his head trying to get their voice out of his head. He just needed to push it away. The further away it was the better he would be. ‘I thought I had this under control. Damn him, why’d I have to get so unlucky with my opponent.’ He did not think it was so powerful. The feeling would not go away. He needed to suppress it. Seiji knew he lost the fight because of it.
‘I’m going to kill you! You bastard!’ his words echoed in his mind from his fight with Cosmas. It sent a shiver down his spine. His arm lost control once more. He fought over shaking. It threatened to dig deeper into his core.
“Still afraid?” a voice asked like a whisper. It took Seiji a minute to actually hear them, too distracted by his own problems. They might have called out to him earlier, but he could never be certain.
He turned his sharply the instant he realized there was someone else with him. It was Chiharu, the one he wanted to see the least. The cold and condescending look in her eyes hardened all of his features to mask out his problems. The shakes disappeared. “What do you want?” he barked roughly, casually wiping off the sweat from his face.
“Get your head on straight.”
Seiji tried to stand up, but his legs suddenly lost their strength. All he managed was a piercing glare at her. “What was that again, brat?”
She started to turn away from him, as though finished with her berating. “I won’t fight with a coward.” Chiharu began to walk away.
‘Damn legs, move!’ Slamming his fist against his leg did nothing to get them moving. He was not about to allow her to leave with insulting him. The last resort for him was lunging for her. He managed to drag himself over to her surprisingly quickly in the moments between seconds. Seiji latched onto her ankle stopping her. “I’m not letting you leave after saying that! Who the hell do you think you are?!”
Her eyes narrowed and looked down at him. “Don’t touch me.” She kicked his hand to break free, but he stubbornly held tight. “Tch,” she muttered as her lips thinned a little. Another stronger kick did not break her free. All she achieved was dirtying his hand. Chiharu was stuck. “You’re pathetic.”
“Get off your damn high horse, brat! You’re always looking down at everyone.” Seiji had enough of her mouthing off. He did not plan to hold back. “You think you’re better than everyone here. That’s why you call Yuki a weakling. Never once have I even heard you say any of our names!”
Chiharu jolted away from him a little in surprise. She thought about it never considering it before. ‘He’s right…’ The tight hold on her leg snapped her out quickly. Her features sharpened back up. Her pride would not allow her to show him such a weakness. “Prove yourself worthy to stand next me before you start complaining about such trifles.”
Seiji’s hand tightened up more on Chiharu’s leg as his anger started to take control. “Damn you! I thought after everything you actually saw us as friends. But you’re just the same brat from when I met you!”
He continued to hit nerves in Chiharu. She tried to kick him again to release her leg. It did nothing. “I don’t need friends! It’s a pointless luxury.”
“It’s not pointless!” shouted Seiji before he threw Chiharu to the ground. The surprise forced retaliation out of her. She kicked him wherever she could. He blocked what he could, but she got some good hits on his face and arms. “Would you stop treating the entire world like your enemy for one second?!” He crawled up through the grass to face her directly. They struggled over position and freedom. Neither gave up any ground.
Chiharu ground her teeth together. Her emotions ran hotter than she realized. She could not remember feeling so strongly. It was always him that brought it out of her. Her voice shouted with him keeping his volume and intensity. “What would you know about me?! You who live in a comfortable home with no fear of attack in the dark hours of the night.”
“What does a little kid like you know?!”
“Do you know what it’s like to wake up find both your parents murdered? Do you know how it feels to live in the uncertainty that they won’t come back to kill you? Or how it feels to lose the only person that means anything to you?!”
Seiji found himself suddenly getting before than he bargained for with Chiharu. He hit a switch in her. He could not say anything.
“When you’ve lost every family member and know they’re out their plotting your death try and tell me the world is not your enemy!”
“Chiharu…I…”
“As long as you still have a family don’t even start to talk like you know! You know nothing! Nothing!” Chiharu panted a little from being worked up so hard by him. Her emotions unfortunately remained hot. Just staring at him made her angrier. She could not stop herself. “You in luxury have no place next to me! So go and nurse those fears of yours. Be weak and live such luxury. Pretend the world is filled with kindness and good people all you want. Naivety is luxury. The real world is filled with death. Either kill or be killed! If you can’t kill then get the hell out of here!”
Her words jumped straight through him. His eyes widened for a moment. All of the fear returned in his body. The strength in his legs returned with a spark. He stood up clutching Chiharu. “You’re wrong!” Seiji threw Chiharu up against the tree with enough force to make the wood groan.
Using all of her strength and flexibility, Chiharu reversed the hold on her and countered with a grapple using her whole body. “You don’t want to admit your afraid!” It had Seiji moving through the air. She sent him flying. When she finished she landed on her feet staring across at him.
Seiji stood up, wiping the dirt from his face. “You don’t understand what you’re talking about either!” He charged for Chiharu both hands out to grab her. She dug in her feet and grabbed his hands. It turned into a battle of strength.
“You think because I’m a child still that I can’t know! I’ve more experiences than you could have in two lifetimes!” Chiharu groaned a little with his strength starting to overpower her.
His teeth ground together and bared through his lips. “No, you don’t understand! It’s not what you think, but how could you know?! You’re so comfortable with death that you wouldn’t see it!” Seiji pushed harder to try to topple Chiharu, but she seemed to find reserves to hold out against him. “It’s not a fear of killing! I’m afraid of how comfortable I am to kill!”
“What?!” Chiharu’s eyes widened in surprise. Her body froze for a second losing any ground she had against him. She did not expect such an answer. He beat her in the contest. Recovery was impossible. She did the only thing she could and converted her collapse into a throw. He went flying only stopped by the tree.
Chiharu walked slowly over to him slumped over. He said what he did not want to say. Now out, he lost his will to fight. She panted heavily from the struggle. “I was right, you still have such a luxury. You’re not afraid of killing…like me…”
He looked up at Chiharu, trying to see if he heard her correctly. The shock in his face covered up any self-pity he had. “What did you say?”
She dropped herself down against the tree, opposite of Seiji. Chiharu did not want to look at him and she doubted he wanted to do the same. It was a private affair. “Was it the last fight?”
“Huh?” He tried to look around the tree at Chiharu, but realized she did not want to be seen. It felt better. They seemed closer even with a tree between them it felt like nothing was dividing them.
“That you realized your fear?”
“No,” he answered shaking his head. “It was the first time it preventing me from fighting, but not the source. It was back at their camp rescuing Yumi’s brother.” Seiji lifted his head to look at the stars. It was a surprisingly clear night. “When Nerine was threatened I wanted to kill him so badly. All I could think about then was killing him, not even about saving her. I just wanted to see him dead with my hand crushing his heart.” The thought made his hands shake again.
“I didn’t know I was capable of such darkness. In the past, I fought to get stronger and challenge myself, but out here it is different. Many of them here are fighting willing to kill or die for the country. I don’t know if I can fight them knowing if they push me far enough I will actually kill them.” Seiji tightened his hand up against his legs to keep it under control. “You’re right I’m not used to this sort of world. But I’d rather not have such a luxury as to being willing to kill.”
A stifled laugh seemed to escape Chiharu’s lips. “You continue to defy my expectations. The willingness to kill is important to have when something you care about is on the line. Your fear is something you’ll have to overcome yourself, but if you’ve held yourself back all this time you’re probably fine.”
“Maybe, but I’m just a high school student. It’s not the sort of thing I should have to think about.” Seiji remembered the slip Chiharu made. He paused in thought. The subject could be sensitive, but he felt in such an atmosphere no other time would seem right. He took the chance. “What about you? You’re afraid?”
“That’s something you don’t need to know,” she answered quickly. Chiharu went silent for several moments. Her back pressed a little more into the tree. “…is what I would normally say. I guess it’s fair to ask. The truth…I’ve never killed anyone before.”
“What?! But you keep saying you’re an assassin and you were trained to kill people!”
“I know. What people say is not always the same as reality.” She went silent again, her memories catching up to her. “There was a chance I had to kill someone, a few actually. But the one that mattered I failed to go through with it. When they killed my grandfather, I couldn’t kill his murderer when I faced them. I couldn’t avenge his death, because I was too afraid.” She laughed a bit. “I was trained since I could stand in the ways of my clan in the art of killing, yet I couldn’t do it. Who ever heard of an assassin too afraid to kill their target?”
Chiharu fell into a bit of self-pity in her silence. Memories and images flew through mind. It made her think of things she preferred to ignore. “I call him a weakling, but I’m just as weak.”
Seiji stretched his hand out behind him finding Chiharu’s hand in the grass. He placed his hand on top of hers. “Hey, you’re still a kid. You’ve got plenty of time ahead of you to get over it!”
“You know you just encouraged a child to murder.”
His face went red. “Hey, I just said what I thought you wanted to hear. I’m not like Yuki who’d say you shouldn’t kill and you should find a different path. The path you’re following is important to you. I might not agree with you killing people, but it was what you want to follow and I think knowing what you want to do is the most important for yourself. The rest will come when you need it.”
“I guess you’re right.” Chiharu smiled to herself. “We just have to overcome our fears.”
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
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2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
Another day passed. Each passing day made it feel even more likely for them that Glykeria’s comment would become the truth. None of them were pleased with the situation. No further orders came to them. It meant nothing by waiting on something likely never to happen. Their strength held in reserve as a pointless effort. Others were granted the entertainment.
The five members of the Titans all had different views on the subject. Their feelings on the matter ranged as wildly as their personalities. It was only through power Rheia remained following the General’s orders. Power commanded and kept order, it was the only way with individuals with such extremes. Like Demosthenes to her, she held the Titans in check through the same means.
Rheia dropped her hand on the stone long table. The recent intel from the field agents tracking the intruders faded away. Their failures gave them some thoughts on being able to do something, but the signs remained clear. “That ends the meeting. Report back in twelve hours.” She leaned in her rigid chair as though it was comfortable. “Dismissed.”
“Boring!” shouted Glykeria with a tune in her voice. She darted around the room in an erratic pattern before breaking for the door. The massive stone door made no sign of budging for her. In the last second, a small break in one of the doors cracked and a makeshift door appeared swinging open for her. It was just the right height for her to make it through. Once through, it closed behind her and any sign of it disappeared.
Following behind her, Nereus walked away from the table. “Their continued successes may make them worth some small notice.” There seemed to be a bit of curiosity in his voice as he made for the door. The stone forcibly made an inelegant opening for him. It did not seem to want to touch him or perhaps the opposite. Behind him, the stone returned to normal.
Ourias remained disinterested during the entire meeting. His pace out of the room nearly caught him up to Nereus, despite being slower in acting. “Doors are nothing,” he commented mysteriously. The material of the stone seemed to shift and alter into a mist-like form as he passed through.
“Doesn’t really matter much if they show up or not. It won’t change anything,” Teris remarked on his leaving. He disappeared suddenly from sight in mid-stride not taking any concern for the door.
Her fist tightened up shaking a little. “They better show up.” The aggravated tone in her voice marked something deeper insider her. She stood up sharply and made for the door. Her gaze went somewhere else, not giving the door any mind as she approached. When it came time to meet the door in an unforgiving fashion, she simply passed through it as though it held no form to her. She acknowledged none of it, making for the hallway in a brisk pace.
Chapter 227 – Walking Titans
Even though she left not much later than the other Titans, none of them were in the empty hallway. It was nothing that concerned her. She already knew where she stood with all of them. She knew too well their positions, repeated attempts made no change in it. She was stuck.
Eventually, the halls began to fill with members passing through. They were all eyes she recognized. They knew her. Many kept a wide margin between her.
Such behavior barely even made her notice anymore. She dealt with such fear for so long that she simply accepted it as her way of life. In the past, it annoyed her to no end. It pushed her to rage. Something she never realized, but the reaction they had of her currently was likely the result of her emotions to how she acted in the past. Unfortunately for her, the damage was long done. The effect she had on people could never be undone. It left her in an endless state.
The morning routine for her brought her just outside the main building of Omega. It was a large complex housing hundreds of soldiers, all gifted with the power. Among the Capital, it stood as one of the three most recognizable structures, only the Palace and Academy had equal prominence. The Omega Division complex was smaller than the academy, which had to support thousands, but stretched high into the sky. Its engineering was impossible with the materials it appeared to be made from, just another sign. However, it was not as majestic as the sprawling Palace in form or beauty. It was like a giant needle ugly, but always present stabbing towards the heart a millimeter at a time.
Outside, Rheia turned immediately once she left the threshold. She then started walking up the curved foundation of the build until she was completely horizontal. The walk up the wall was as though it was just the ground for her. About ten meters up the wall, she stopped. The view of the courtyard gave her an unobstructed sight on everyone passing through.
Gravity did little to stop her. Her spiky mess of hair stayed in place with the same look of waking up in the morning, mostly because it was actually the case. If someone looked at her from the right angle, she would have been mistaken for standing on the ground.
Below her, she watched with deep intent at the others passing through the halls of Omega. None of them escaped her sights. A fight between two bickering agents over a mission broke out to the side, few carried about (even less for Rheia). Several ran out, given the state of emergency in the country, they were likely just assigned to hunt down the intruders. Some were just not strong enough, which seemed a bit ironic for the elite of the MPs in Omega. However, the intruders’ strength had been measured and only the veterans deployed.
At the gate of the tall walls surrounding Omega, a young man stepped up to the imposing presence of the Omega Division. He had a clean and prepared appearance looking to make a good impression. However, most of his attention stuck to the giant structure. It was something always seen at a distance during the academy days. Those days reminded him of his friend, which pulled his eyes back to the stone path. It was fortunate for him, as someone waved to him. “There you are, Taras!” He rushed over to his friend’s side.
Taras threw out a hand to welcome him. “You made back safely!”
“Yes, is the news true about the South Gate?”
He shrugged a bit, since most of his intel was rumors. “Heard they were wiped out by a group of rebels.”
“That’s crazy! I never would have imagined I’d be living in another rebellion.”
“It’s a little surreal thinking about it. But that’s why they have Omega, right?”
“Have they already deployed?”
“The halls aren’t as crowded. But enough of that talk.” Taras stepped up alongside his friend. “How you doing, Elias?”
Elias tried to open his mouth for an answer, but failed. Something whizzed by his leg almost knocking him over. It took him a moment to regain his balance with the help of Taras. “What was that?” The blur he saw did not give him any clear sign of what bumped him.
Craning his neck around, Taras looked for what struck his friend. The sight of a bright pink haired child jumped out amongst the subdued colors surrounding them. He knew immediately. “That’s Lieutenant Commander Glykeria, one of the Titans, or rather one of her dolls that hit you. She likes use the courtyard in the morning to play.”
“A Titan?!” It took him back to see a Titan already. They were the elite, so he did not expect to see them around like one of Omega agents. “I heard stories about them, but to actually see them this close.” However, Glykeria’s appearance gave him an odd feeling. “Is she a new member?”
“No, I heard she’s one of the more veteran members. I think she’s been with them for ten years or so.”
“Ten years?” He looked closer at her, questioning his friend’s knowledge. “That can’t be right.”
Taras looked at Elias closely with words in his eyes. “Think about it.”
It did not immediately pick up to him what Taras implied, but it did not take long. “Oh, really?” Taras nodded to him. There was not a lot more that needed to be said. It made sense to him, but it seemed that Taras knew nothing more with the short answer. The sight of her running off to the main building distracted him from his friend, still piecing things together. It surprised him to see her suddenly climbing the wall of the building with only her hands, her feet dangling free with no support.
Glykeria climbed the wall as though it was as natural as walking. When she made it up to Rheia’s position, she stopped and let one hand go free. Her body remained unfazed as she appeared to be leaning against the wall with only the one hand keeping her attached from falling. “What’s up, Ray!” Her bubbly attitude pulled no response from Rheia. “Looking for fresh meat?” She glanced down at the ground.
Rheia caught sight of one she did not recognize entering the walls. ‘A new member…’ Her eyes narrowed as everything focused in on the new MP stepping through. A young man bright eyed still filled with eagerness. Their voices carried to her, despite the impossible distance.
“So Elias…you finally made into Omega,” his friend said with some excitement. “I knew you could do it!”
“Still can’t believe it.” He seemed a little embarrassed. His eyes glossed over everything. It was too much to take in with his mindset. “After I got dumped out in the North Gate, I thought I’d never be able to get in.”
Taras laughed a bit and grabbed him with a hardy hug at his shoulder. “Now we can do missions together here like we always dreamed, Elias! Just remember, things are more cutthroat around here.”
“Uh huh…” Something caught his eye. In all his staring, he discovered Rheia. It was an unusual sight, even if he understood how she managed it. He hardly expected to see someone just standing on the wall staring like a hawk over everyone.
“Something wrong? Getting nervous?”
“Who’s that?”
“Oh stay away from her, that’s Commander Rheia of the Titans.”
The man’s eyes grew in surprise, not expecting to find the infamous Rheia out among everyone. Her name was enough to make him start to sweat a little. Despite only be the third most powerful MP in the country, he was more afraid of her than the others in front of her. “Are the stories true?”
“Worse, she’s killed several of her teachers from what I heard during her early days in Omega. She regularly almost kills anyone that challenges her. So don’t even think about her, Elias.”
A small gasp came out of his mouth. The rumors seemed true. He remembered the Academy always a buzz with stories about her, usually ones meant to scare children. “Is it true what they say? She accepts anyone’s challenge regardless of rank?”
“Yes, that’s why I said don’t even think about her. You know why she’s standing up there, right?”
“Huh?”
“It’s an open challenge. She’s asking anyone that can meet her up there for a fight. There’s too many idiots and cocky bastards in here that can only think of the glory of taking her down.” His friend looked over at him checking on his condition. It seemed he was not afraid enough, more curious. “You know why she asks them to fight up there?”
Elias turned his head back down to his friend, distracted by the sight. “Why?”
“It’s a test she’s giving. Most of us don’t have laws setup in our fields to stand like that. So you have modify your field just to fight her, which will throw anyone off. Then if you’re not smart, you have a ten meter drop if you’re lucky. Most end up with broken backs or bodies just from slipping up in the first ten seconds, if they last that long.”
The more he heard the more it amazed him. She was unlike any other MP he knew. “Is that her fighting style?” Despite her name being widely known, few actually knew what her law set was actually. No one lasted long enough to discover it.
“Of course not! It’s just a test. Though no one I’ve seen has lasted more than twenty seconds against her, except one.”
“Who was that?”
“Sergeant Commander Nereus of the Titans and he’s only the 8th strongest of them.”
“What?! I thought the Titans were all really close in strength.”
“Most of them are, Commander Rheia is the exception. Even the 2nd strongest of the Titans doesn’t even compare to her.”
“Scary,” he remarked, despite his curious of her still growing.
His friend grabbed his shoulder tightly. “So just listen to my warning, don’t even think about approaching her. She’s out of your league, everyone here in Omega in fact. She won’t even think for a second about killing you if you consider challenging her.”
The young man nodded to his friend, understand his worry. “Alright, I get what you’re saying.”
“Good, because I want you to live a good long life. We’ve got missions to do!”
Rheia’s brow lowered a little when they finally started moving again. It looked to be another fruitless day for her. However, she would remain waiting against hope.
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
Don't know how to roleplay, but want to learn? Visit Here!
2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
A pointless meeting. It was over. Nothing was ever going to happen. That was the reality. The others wished or hoped against reality. It was pointless. Nothing would change. Accepting the facts as they always had been was the only way. Nothing would happen.
He only kept going because it was an order. She commanded it. The look in her eyes was very clear. He saw how much she wanted it. They were but trash. ‘Rheia should not be giving them even a moment of her attention. They aren’t worth our time.’ All of the forces sent against them would be enough. Nothing would change.
“Nereus!” shouted a familiar voice through the stone walls. They purposely made their voice difficult to pinpoint by making it travel through the walls. “I’m going to take my rightful spot back today!”
Nereus ignored the voice even though he knew exactly who it was. He continued his slow walk through the hall. Only one other person was in the hall making it the usual perfect timing to stage an ambush without having interruption. However, the hallway closed off suddenly. The stone grew out in uniform shapes seamlessly to seal off his path forward.
A ripple came out from his feet. He tested the area making evaluations. Passing him with no interest in the quarrel, Ourias made a brisk pace for the blockage. “A wall of stone is but like a mist in the forest, without form.” The stone suddenly change form to turn into thin particles of vapor. He passed through without interruption. A few seconds later, it reverted to stone again.
His eyes narrowed a little, already working out the factors. ‘How strong is that man?’ thought Nereus. The words themselves were meaningless against a like person. His field gave him strength and the real reason it worked. However, the distance he affected it from was more than Nereus believed the man capable. ‘He’s only ranked twelfth among us, but he made easy work of it. Their strength should not be very disparate.’
The matter required more thought, but it was not something afforded for him. Several extrusions from the wall shot out for him. However, they came to a halt a meter away stopped by something. It was almost invisible, but a ripple ran through the impossibly thin surface. It was water. “You would better spend your time challenging Ourias than myself. It was not I who took your seat.”
“Silence!” they shouted again. Rumbles ran through the stone reacting to their voice. “You’re the reason I’m no longer a Titan!”
Another barrage came after him, but it had the same effect. The difference was clear. “It was the 8th seat I took, not the 12th.”
“You displaced me!”
“You were the weakest. It’s only natural. It is the way the Titans work.”
“Arrogant bastard!”
A bit of his eyebrow raised. Nereus began walking forward forcibly using his field to make a path for him. “Despite the number of times you call me arrogant, I only speak the truth. It is just the way things are. Until you become stronger you will not be able to join.” There was no condescending tone in his voice, just matter of fact. He did not seem to hold any ill-will towards the man. And why should he, he was not his equal or comrade. He was at least alive, unlike so many others. “I’ve given you your opportunity. Good day, Seilenos.” Nereus had nothing more to say to the man and left.
Chapter 228 – Peak Walkers
Outside the confines of Omega, Ourias walked through the crowded streets of the Capital. He forewent his uniform, preferring more simple cloths, a tunic and pants. Amongst the smaller structures he felt a little more comfortable. The giant needle behind him of Omega still cast a long shadow. But under the cloth overhangs and sandwiched buildings, he felt like he could hide a little from their sights. It was better being outside.
He went up to a storefront, it was just a table with a handmade goods. Inside, he could see it was their home. Many of the shops in were just like it. He browsed through casually not completely sure for what he searched. The middle-aged woman smiled at him waiting for him.
It took him a few minutes, but he found it. “I’ll take this one,” he answered, picking it up. However, when he started to hand it over someone bumped into him. It was enough force to turn him part way around and lose hold of the item. He looked back to see what happened.
Two MP users stood behind him. The one that bumped into him looked annoyed at the disruption. It did not help that Ourias showed no sign of fear towards him, unlike the woman. She immediately recognized his white uniform and started to try to pull away. “What you looking at old man?” they barked, leaning in to invade his space.
Ourias no longer held any interest in them. He saw where it headed fast. ‘Typical…’ His eyes looked down in search of what he dropped.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought!” The young man started to walk away with his friend following up. It seemed like they would let things go.
However, when Ourias moved to pick up the trinket, acid bubbled moving for his hand. He was able to get away in time, but the trinket was almost completely ruined. The acid destroyed the paint and carved into the metal making it two pieces.
The same as before, just enough to scare, but not to actually harm. There was never a danger of that. Even they knew not to act so reckless.
Ourias stood up holding the remains of the accessory in his hand. He started to dig around for coin. “How much was it?”
The frightened woman needed a little more time to recover. She could not answer him immediately. It took Ourias helping her back to her feet to be able to speak. “Are you hurt, sir?”
“Just a little startle, nothing more,” he replied, shaking his head. He played it all off. “How are you?”
“Oh fine!” She tried to look brave. It was a common occurrence, but it did not change that each encounter could turn dangerous with the slightest of mistakes. “If I didn’t feel so damn much about the home I’ve lived in my whole life I’d pack up and leave. Adelpha is always telling me how nice it is outside the Capital. They’re still out there too, but as long as you don’t live in the border towns it’s much better.”
He smiled a little, seeing that she looked to have recovered. “I’m same. If it wasn’t for my family I’d be out there too.” Ourias passed over the trinket to the woman.
“It’s broken! I’ll get you something else.” She started looking over her table in search of something better.
“How much?” he insisted. His free hand held out a few coins.
The woman jumped up to her feet. She tried to refuse him. “But sir, it’s broke! I can’t ask you to pay for it.”
“It was my mistake, I’ll pay for it.”
She could see the stubbornness in his eyes. There was no chance of her convincing him otherwise. “Two brass.” Unfortunately, her answer did not go over well for him. He could see through her lie and insisted further. “Fine, it was four silver.”
“Thank you,” he smiled, handing over the coin for it. Ourias walked off. Once out of sight, he closed his hand over the broken accessory. “It returned to its original form as though the acid never touched it.” Lifting his hand, the trinket was no longer damage, returned to its original condition.
A distant explosion broke the peace he held. Everyone around him ran off frightened at what happened. He tilted his head back in the direction of the explosion. Smoke rose from damage on the spire of the Omega complex. ‘Teris again...’ Ourias turned away no longer concerned.
Coughing escaped through the heavy clouds of smoke. Nothing could be seen through thickness. The explosion left everything ringing. Light broke in through the hole carved out roughly by the blast.
Sifting through the smoke, a young man fumbled around in search. “Where are you, sir? Are you alright?” He could not find the one he sought. The smoke was still too thick for him to find anything. In his search, he did find the table, which he knocked over by accident, at least the remains of it. He stumbled around trying to recover his stance. “Captain Lieutenant!?”
Another couple of coughs turned his head. He found a direction to move. Broken glass crunched under foot as he rushed over to the sound. Some of the smoke thinned enough for him to make out a shape. “Captain Lieutenant Teris! Sir!” He came rushing to his superior’s side finally discovering him propped up against the wall, next to him the wall stopped with a startling view of the city below.
Teris grimaced a little as he looked up to his approaching aide. “Didymos…” The more smoke cleared out the scene of carnage unveiled itself. Blood dripped on the walls and pooled out across the floor. He seemed to ignore or not notice this fact as he pushed off the wall trying to stand. The moment he stumbled and almost fell, he realized something was wrong. “Oh right, my left leg and arm were blown off.”
“Sir!” yelled Didymos, running out to help Teris up. “You’re missing your leg and arm!”
His face went a little flat hearing his aide. “Yes, thank you for repeating me.” A chair materialized in his surviving hand allowing him to setup a place to sit. Didymos immediately started healing the damage. “You’re an idiot, Didymos.”
“Eh? Sir?” Didymos tilted his head up away from his work.
Testing his restored arm out, he confirmed everything worked correctly. “You have power used it when you need it. If there’s smoke in the room create a law to remove it. I wouldn’t have had to hear you shouting like a blind fool.”
His aide blinked a little not expecting to be berated by his superior, who nearly seemed to have killed himself. “But, sir—“
“You panicked and that’s a mistake. In the time you tried searching for me, I was able to administer a numbing agent and a clotting agent to slow the bleeding. You’re an Omega agent, you need to be able to act calmly and rationally even in dangerous situations or you’re useless. You’ll just get yourself killed.”
“Yes, sir!” It was the only thing he could say. He knew Teris was right. It was his mistake. The work on Teris’ body finished quickly. Freed up, Didymos could look around at the room. It used to be a laboratory for Teris, a well-reinforced one too. “What happened in here, sir? It looks like a bomb went off.”
Teris scratched his head. His mind was already sorting through the failure and understanding what went wrong with it. Didymos’ word eventually caught up to him mixed among his thoughts. “I was working on a new compound. I got the proportions wrong.” He stood up already better. “Like I always say, one failure is another path explored.”
“But, sir! It could have killed you! With the power you have, you could have made what you wanted perfectly the first time!”
The tall Atlantean looked back down at Didymos. His face narrowed a bit turning serious. “You can’t let your powers do everything otherwise you never learn anything.” He pushed his hand through the air causing it to ripple. Everything up to his elbow disappeared before he retrieved it along with a spherical vial. He took the cork top off and drank the contents. “Like this, in lame men’s terms it’s a restorative. The average citizen wouldn’t know it any different from the stuff people peddle on the streets. It actually increases the production of red blood cells to make up for the blood I lost. As a side effect, it boosts alertness and energy with making you very hungry and causes dehydration. So I know to drink plenty of water and snack frequently.”
Teris tossed the vial carelessly behind him. It vanished into particles before ever hitting the floor. “I know the exact composition of this and all the effects.” He walked around the mess towards the only thing in the room that did not look affected by the blast. Almost nothing remained in the room, yet the tall closet in the corner looked brand new. He opened the doors, shelves empty. “If I had the materials, I could create it by hand. The same goes for everything in there.” Teris motioned with his hand causing a large rift to open up next to him. Suddenly, vials started to pop on to the shelves filling it. “To use your powers means to understand them. If you don’t understand what they do you can’t use them to their fullest. This is basic field theory.”
Didymos had a little trouble still accepting Teris’ lecture. He understood what he said. It was commonsense, but he could not agree with the results. “But, sir! You destroyed your lab! Almost killed yourself! Maybe some knowledge is too dangerous. You’re one of the Titans, if we lost you—“
“Didymos!” snapped Teris, cutting him off. The unpacking finished and he closed the closet. He started to walk over to the hole in the wall. A ripple came out of his feet. “It’s just a title. It doesn’t rank my importance any higher.” The wall began repairing itself. “Besides, I knew how much I was using and the worst possible outcome. I wouldn’t have died. If you remember one thing from me. There is nothing, nothing, too dangerous to know. Growth is not possible without more knowledge.”
“Even if it is something you shouldn’t know?” He should not have said anything. Didymos knew it, but his mouth moved anyway. It was one too many questions.
Clapping his hands together, the lab started to rebuild itself. His wall returned to being the same clean white special reinforced concrete mix. “Of course, each has its uses. Knowing what you shouldn’t is even more important, because you can see when someone is going to come after you. If you know too little or just enough, it’s worse than knowing nothing or too much.”
Everything was fixed. Teris returned to his table with vials of his materials once more. He was ready to resume, undaunted by his failure. It did not take his eyes to know Didymos tried to sneak out. “Didymos.”
He froze, feeling caught. Thoughts of helping with the experience ran through his mind. Sweat dripped down his face. “Yes, sir?”
“It’s important to remember what I said. The times we live in hinge on you taking that to heart or else you won’t survive the future.”
Didymos felt relieved, but a little disturbed. He did not expect such an ominous warning from his superior. The almost deadly seriousness of his words made him take it to heart. “I understand, sir! I’ll carve your words into my mind.”
“You do that.” He began to lift the vial. His aide reached for the door wanting to leave quickly. “Didymos.”
Another chance, he dreaded it even more. “Yes, sir?”
“Close the door on your way out.”
He nodded and flung the door open. “I will, sir!”
Teris grinned a little. “Now this is where it started last time. So if I take this instead…”
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
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2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
It had finally happened. The lengthy journey of days had the end goal in sight. It seemed almost in reach. There was not going to be anything more to stop them. All they had to do was just going forward and cross the finish line. That should have been all that needed to be done.
Of course, nothing could be easy.
If it was easy, Yuki’s friend would not have to fight their entire way through Atlantis just to stop those wanting him dead. However, the ease or challenge of reaching the Capital was not important. The important matter for them was that they were stopped, again.
Yuki brought their traveling disc to a halt. “Damn, I thought I threw him off our trail.” The past hour had him trying to out-run or just simply out maneuver against their pursuer. Every time it seemed he succeeded the man showed up again. Escape seemed pointless.
“It was bound to happen, especially with how many we’ve been avoiding,” commented Ayumi. She leaned a little forward examining her surroundings. The risk for others was very high. They slipped past or escaped so many that she stopped keeping track of them past twenty.
Some frustration seemed to bubble up in Yuki. He looked back at the way they came. “You were doing so well, Ayumi! We only needed another twenty minutes and you wouldn’t have hit twenty-four hours!”
Sweat dripped down Ayumi’s head hearing his response. “That’s what you’re upset about? Our record being broken?”
“What?” he replied, almost completely obviously to the danger. “The travel is boring unless you make a game out of it.”
She could only sigh, dropping her head into her hand. “So much for maturing…”
“Huh?”
“Never mind…” Ayumi did not know why she should have expected anything different from him. But the comedy act had to come to an end. Their pursuer did not enjoy the lighter tone. He launched an attack quickly in the form of a purplish orb of energy. She lifted her arm up to deal with the attack, but Yuki appeared behind her. His arm stretched out matching her.
The particles of his power spread out in front of Ayumi. It deflected the orb away into the sky until it disappeared. Immediately, Yuki counterattacked swiping at the man. The particles hardened into an edge that sliced through the makeshift barrier setup. Their pursuer went down in an instant. “It’s done,” he declared.
Ayumi looked up over her shoulder at him. It caught her a little by surprise the face she saw. The moment the attack happened Yuki changed completely. It was not even just him becoming serious. She could see something else in his eyes. “Yuki?” In the past, he hesitated and did not strike immediately, but it was different. “I could have—“
“Wait…” Yuki looked around the area again. The disc they sat on disappeared forcing them to stand on the ground. A ripple came out from his feet wiping out everything that surrounded them. Rocks, trees, even the hills. He forcibly made everything a flat plain of grass. His eyes narrowed. It was as he thought.
Surrounding them on all sides, more than a dozen MPs carefully spaced out in a manner that avoided each other in a meaningful way. Their fields still would have interfered with the other, but none of that matter. Yuki’s field nearly wiped all of their fields away.
She guessed as much. They were all ones they tried to escape and thought to have avoided. ‘It was just simply a trap. They wanted us to think we lost them and that he was the only one. Even Omega knows how to work together when they need to do so.’ Unfortunately, the numbers were too great. She looked around for any weakness in their encirclement.
Looking over at Yuki, a heavy shadow fell over his eyes. His features hardened in preparation to act. She could easily read his plans. Ayumi stepped out in front of him. “This is more than we can handle, Yuki. We need to focus on escape.” Reason needed to be the source of their action, not emotion. However, convincing Yuki out of his plan appeared difficult.
“Maybe for you, but not for me.” Mists of energy began to build up around him. The volume grew larger with each second.
“You’ve improved, but don’t get cocky! These are Omega agents most likely. They aren’t like the border soldiers you dealt with.”
Yuki pushed Ayumi aside to stand in front of her. Determination lowered over his eyes like a veil in front of a deeper emotion, covering it away. “My fight with Vangelis showed me a few things. It’s only been a couple of days or so, but I’ve got a better handle on this now.” Gesturing with his hand, he closed his fist.
Suddenly, in the distance the terrain he cut into began to restore itself, as his field shrank. It sped in towards Yuki quickly covering meters. The distance slowed down after covering more than twenty meters. The border of his field pushed and released struggling to keep a hard line.
Ayumi measured out the distance roughly. ‘It’s not a completed a fold, but he’s getting very close…’ She stared ahead at Yuki’s back, insisting on being front of her. ‘If he manages to complete even a single fold, doubling his power from what he already has…’ Yet, doubled or not, she saw it did not even matter. Yuki’s power was still on a completely level than the grunt Omega agents.
In mere seconds, Yuki wiped out the entire encirclement with his mist. He made the elite of Omega look like children on their first day at the Academy. ‘His power is already…’ Ayumi stifled as much of her surprise as she could.
Yuki turned away looking back at Ayumi. He dropped his field and started walking past her. “Don’t worry, I’m here,” he whispered to her, placing a hand on her shoulder briefly. The disc they rode on appeared again, though the design changed a lot from their previous. It had harsher lines and less detail work.
Everything caught back up to Ayumi in a few moments. She shook it all off her and started to follow him. The peace was brief though, when she discovered that they were still not alone. Several more MPs came out of hiding determined to stop them. “Even more…they must have emptied the entire building for us.”
Pausing, he looked over his shoulder. The ready-to-attack look did not have enough time to leave. “Seems they didn’t understand my message.” Yuki started to turn, but Ayumi stopped him.
“This is pointless, Yuki. They are a different breed, intimidation is not going to work with them. Many are people that actually enjoy the challenge brought on by someone strong and you just flaunting your strength is only going to entice them further.” Ayumi searched through the area again. She had a bad feeling about the situation. In the distance, the Capital had finally poked over the horizon. “We’re closer to the Capital, meaning all of those stationed in the Capital are finally reaching us. We’re only going to keep getting overwhelmed by numbers and not make any progress.”
“What are you suggesting then?”
Ayumi looked at Haruo, silent the entire time (maybe forgotten?). “Haruo remains behind to hold them off. His animals can let him take on several at once.” She immediately glanced over at Yuki to see his reaction. The last time with Saki was a struggle.
It was only a second, but it seemed longer. Yuki looked over at Haruo. “You’re right. You good for it, Haruo?”
The silent one had little reaction to the surprising acceptance. He started walking towards Ayumi. Haruo stared at her in silence. The lack of any sort of emotion made it difficult to read if he was upset with her or not. It easily made them want to read him as angry, but they waited for his response. “Move.”
Chapter 229 – Silence Doesn’t Stand
Ayumi loaded back onto their transport, Yuki already waiting. They looked back at Haruo. His broad back seemed willing to be the wall to hold everything back. Even the tide of soldiers fast approaching did not sway him. Several lights expanded out around Haruo, signs of his animals.
She sat down holding carefully to the edge of the disc as it began to move. “We’re still going to have trouble getting out. Last time, there wasn’t anyone else, but not this time. This close to the Capital, the area is going to be crawling with MPs.”
He nodded to her. “Then we’ll just need to make it difficult for them.” The disc started rising into the air. Below them, flashes of lights and explosions went off. The fighting started. Yuki had to dodge a few projectiles tossed at him as he got into the air. They were not making it easy on him. The disc rocked around buckled by the attacks. “Ayumi can you keep them off us, while I fly.”
Given the situation, she had to look at him a little in disbelief that he would ask such a question. However, Ayumi saw he was serious. The look on his face told her he had a plan, but likely one she was not going to like. “What exactly are you thinking?” she asked, immediately regretting it.
“…well…”
Haruo kept his animals moving around the area holding back the attacks. He had to keep some of the soldiers from trying to go after Yuki. It was a little more intense of a situation than he was familiar with. The numbers was not something outside of his experience, just not all of them having powers. He had to play more defensively with so many attackers. ‘Saki never ended up returning. It’s likely this is where I’ll stay, with these numbers.’
Another of the attackers revealed their power. Water spread everywhere making it difficult for his wolves. ‘I wonder how many I’m able to maintain… I haven’t tried to stress this power yet.’ He directed the wolves away, letting the birds swap in for them. Their agility and flight made the water almost pointless. ‘I still don’t even know how it functions. I only know how to make it work, not why it works. It’s very unsettling not understanding this…’
He tossed another few items into the air triggering lights. Tigers grew from the light along with a squirrel. The size of the tigers made the squirrel almost impossible to see. It scurried up the leg of one of the tigers before the group charged off. ‘That’s everything on me. I don’t feel tired yet…’
Kneeling down, Haruo dug his hands into the grass and dirt. He tore back chunks, crushing it in his hands. Light suddenly grew from the thin slits between his fingers. A moment later, he tossed everything in his hands out in front of them. A pack of huskies materialized along with several flocks of sparrows. The count of animals out on the field just tripled. Their light did not glow as strongly as the other animals. ‘Hmm, that felt a little weird. I might be hitting a limit, but it is as I thought. I can do this as well, but it seems it’s not as powerful. I wonder why.’ Questions continued for Haruo as he explored his power in the middle of a battle.
“This is a really bad idea!” shouted Ayumi, back up to Yuki. As she believed, she did regret hearing him out and even more going through with it. Unfortunately, she did not have much of another plan.
“What?!” yelled Yuki, unable to hear it.
“I said, I never should have agreed to do this!”
“What?!”
“I hate you so much right now!”
“Can you talk louder? I can’t hear you!”
“Nevermind!” She heard him shout again, but ignored it. Ayumi had worse things to focus on. She looked down at the ground. It was a good twenty or thirty meters away and they were still interested in stopping them. Yuki had to dodge again, it sent her swinging around. Her hand gripped onto the rope harder.
Yuki’s plan, Ayumi suspended herself underneath the disc with only a rope attached between them. The rope was real and Yuki held onto one end while Ayumi tied the other end off around her waist. It anchored on the disc for more security. Ayumi’s purpose, she had to use her powers to deflect any incoming attacks to give them a better chance of escape.
The dodging Yuki still had to do made the ride for Ayumi rough. Her field damped the effects, but she had to be careful with Yuki above her. Most of her power was only pointed down, due to Yuki’s field overcoming much of her above. “Next time, I’m coming up with the plan and you’re doing this!” She projected an ice wall below her to halt a fireball. Throwing out her sword and spinning it around in front of her deflecting smaller projectiles coming at them.
She started to notice fewer attacks. It seemed the bulk of the MPs dropped out of their range. The show still made them an easy target for anyone coming for them. Ayumi hoped it would end soon.
Calmer skies, allowed Yuki a moment free to level out the disc. Unlike on the ground, he had a better view of the Capital in the distance, their goal. He could only see a thin shape before. From the sky, he could see so much more. It was still far away, but the Capital was huge judging the distance. He saw a massive spire along with a couple other large structures. Everything else blending in together, but it still looked beauty. The white of the Capital shined brightly against the sun, catching the edges with a glow ever so slightly. “It’s like out of a book…”
Ayumi caught the distant glow of the Capital. She deflected a couple of attacks, but could not help but stare for a moment as well. “It’s been two months, but I’ve returned…finally. Things will be different this time.”
Haruo looked up to the sky, freed for a moment. He caught sight of Yuki leaving in the distance. Their escape did not go smoothly. Yet it seemed that they would succeed in time. ‘Ayumi…what’s your end game? You got exactly what you were wanting since this all began. You’ve got Yuki by yourself and the rest of us isolated.’
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
Don't know how to roleplay, but want to learn? Visit Here!
2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
-
A complete disaster. That was what it felt like from what she could sense. Earth torn apart. Grass burned away until only a dry cracking earth remained behind. Trees up rooted without care. It was a disaster. A tainted mark upon the land. Another scar they used to mar the countryside.
It made her angry. Even though she could not see sensing it was enough. Her muscles tightened up just thinking about what they did. Everywhere they went they left behind a path of ruin. They had to be stopped. The killing would not end until then. ‘They’re savages. There’s no reasoning with such wanton death and destruction.’
Athene marched deeper into the warzone. She could still feel some of the heat that scorched the earth. The wide sweeping devastation soaked into her mind the more her power allowed her to see. Every crumble under her foot and burnt smell poured inside her, trapped as an indelible memory. It strengthened her as she went towards the future. A future she could see clearly without the need of her eyes.
As she started for the edge, she found something. It broke up the flat ground. Her powers only provided a rough shape of everything as her mind could not handle all of the information. She knelt down with some curiosity. The peripheral disappeared around her. Everything focused in on what was at her feet. It was still difficult for her to make out the form. The pattern was irregular.
She picked up one of the smaller pieces. Rubbing her thumb over the surface revealed it to be brittle to the touch. The outer layer chipped off easily with a slightly hollow sound to it. It seemed strange. She thought it was a branch from a tree that miraculously survived, but it was not. Her mind started to fill in more of the blanks. It was not long before she understood. ‘Bones! They’re were inside the inferno!’ She immediately dropped it. The rest of the person was mangled remains that she felt grateful for once of not being able to see such horror. ‘Those bastards! They killed another. Their crimes only continue to increase against them!’
Searching around the burnt remains, she found a second person. They were just out of reach from the first one she found. ‘They must have been trying to reach each other even while burning. But they ended up just out of reach dying so close.’ Athene turned her power off briefly and activated it again. Two trenched appeared in the ground. ‘Least I can do is bury you together, at each other’s side. Maybe you’ll find each other in the next life.’
Athene went around the area to look for any more signs of dead soldiers. She remembered Abeiron’s words. ‘Omega’s on the move. There might be others around here. Maybe even one that’s still alive.’ Near to the most identifiable fighting, she found nothing. Expanding her powers, Athene saw uneven destruction further away.
It took some time to cover the new ground, but it was worth it. She found someone still alive, unconscious yet alive. A little of her power was all she needed to get him awake. “You fought them, right?” She dispensed with any sort of introductions.
“Huh? Right, that child knocked me out.” He was in his own world, catching up events.
“Hey! You fought them, right?”
Looking at Athene, he had a suspicious glance checking her over. After he finished, the tone in his voice changed as well as his stature. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Her hands tightened up. He clammed up over a difference of branches. “I don’t care about what orders you have. Everyone’s involved now!”
“Go back to whatever base you belong to woman.” The man started walking away from Athene breaking off any further discussions.
Athene was not about to let things end. A ripple came out from her feet. Stone ripped up from the ground on all sides blocking any path out. “Now listen here!” Dark shadows fell over her eyes. Her face developed harsh features to accent her emotions. “I don’t give a damn about any sort of orders you got you Omega bastard! I only want two things answered from you! Did you fight them? And if you did, how long ago was it?” She took a few heavy steps towards the man. “Now answer! Immediately before I extracted it personally!”
Chapter 230 – Alone on the Void
The explosion from the Omega spire caused enough panic in the Capital to make travel difficult. However, enough back alleys existed to make it easier. After a few minutes, the smaller less used roads ended up almost completely empty, the citizens already fled the area. It gave him enough to make it back.
Ourias leaned up against the corner of a house. He stared into the distance with his sight focused on a house. It smashed up against the rest in the neighborhood. Everything was falling apart with little signs of repair or maintenance to keep it from collapsing the rest of the way. Yet, the condition of the homes did not seem to affect the mood. Children ran around playing with no regard. Adults worked out of what they could keeping life continuing.
He watched for an hour unmoved. Every so often, he would smile at something and then force himself to hide it. Something kept him from move either forward or backward. He wanted to leave, but could not bring himself to do it.
It was another hour before anything happened. One of the kids in the neighborhood chased after a ball, kicked too far by their friend. The boy ran after it. He stopped a house away from Ourias, finally catching up to the ball. Because Ourias’ attention was on something else, he did not notice the kid until it was too late. He slipped back behind the wall of the house, a futile attempt.
The boy turned around and ran back to his friend. “There’s a Whitey here! Whitey!”
As though an alarmed sounded in the street, everyone ran off in different directions. It only took three seconds for them all to vanish from sight. Silence fell upon the entire area. An eerie quiet, everyone knew.
Ourias poked his head back out. He sighed to himself. It was a sight he was familiar with, yet one he hated for different reasons. ‘Five years ago that was me.’ He started walking into the street. A few curtains still not shut quickly closed upon his appearance. ‘The moment one of them showed up…each time hoping nothing would happen. Until that day turned out to be me…’
The sudden desolation of the street made the walk feel longer than it actually was to the house. It only took a minute, when it seemed more like an hour. Each step was painful. The roles reversed. He was the one that sparked fear in others by his mere presence. Nothing needed to be said. The sight was more than enough for anyone to flee.
Worse for him, he could not disguise himself. Every one of them knew him too well. He tried it before, but it only made the situation even worse. The images of his children crying in the corner the moment they saw him as though he had tricked with a horror fueled nightmare. They burned the images into the back of his eyes never to forget. He could fool some, but not everyone. Not the ones that mattered to him.
For his mistakes, he had to live with the walk. For his misfortune of such a destiny, he had to struggle to hold on to the important things.
He cursed it all.
He knocked on the door.
Child’s voices leaked through the weak walls of the house. “He’s here! It’s the Whitey!”
“Whitey’s here!”
“Don’t answer the door!”
“He’ll go away.”
Ourias pursed his lips into a thin line. He lowered his brow a little, hardening himself.
Another knock.
He was not leaving. He was committed.
Scrambling feet faded into the distance. They tried to get further away from him. However, he persisted. The third knock brought the echo of a different set of steps. They reached closed until pulling the wood door open.
A young woman, just barely hitting her thirties, appeared in the threshold. Even before she appeared, a hard lined scowl carved deeply into her face. “What do you want?”
“I wanted to see you. Did I need more of a reason?” He glanced around over her shoulder in search. The way she stood in the doorway made it clear she did not invite him inside.
His response only made her scowl worse. “Don’t you have to some mission or some other place to be ruining someone’s life?”
A twitch flickered in his eye for a moment as he tried to refrain from showing any reaction. “I’m not on a mission right now. As a Titan I choose what I do.”
“Must be so nice for you.” She was not even trying to hold back her venom. The longer he talked the worse it seemed to grow.
Ourias wanted to reply immediately, but he felt himself getting dragged along at her pace. He had forgotten how many times they fought like this. Each time pushed the dagger in a little further. “I became a Titan so I could be with you again. I’m doing this for you.”
“I don’t need your help. I didn’t need it for the five years you were gone out of our life without so much as a letter! I sure as hell don’t need you coming back now! I’ve already told you the fifty other times you’ve come crawling back here, yet you keep showing up.”
“I live here too. They’re my children as well. I want to be their father.”
“They don’t need a father that never shows up! And when he does only terrifies them!”
He had a response, but he knew it was pointless. It was a mistake he made not realizing the consequences. Every time he tried it only came out as an empty excuse. It was just more fuel to the fire. “I’m still their father, even if I’m different. My heart hasn’t changed.”
“No, you’re one of them. You’re just the lap dog to the King and his whims. You only cause fear and bring tragedy.”
“I’m the same man that loved you before all of this. Please let me in.”
“You’re not welcome here.” She began to close the door. “I don’t care if you show up every day for the rest of your life, nothing will change the differences between us.” The door closed immediately after. It was the final word.
Ourias sighed. ‘That went about as expected. It’s not like one more visit is going to change her so easily, not after I’ve left her alone for so long.’ He pulled out the accessory he bought from the woman earlier. Walking over to the closed window, he placed the item on the ledge. ‘You’re wrong. I’ll keep trying and prove to you I’m the same man you fell in love with.’
He still had hope. It was the only thing he had left.
Glancing around the neighborhood, it felt less welcoming than before, which was difficult to achieve considering how it started. He knew when to leave. Ourias stepped away from his home. Unlike before, the walk away was over too fast. He tilted his head to look back one last time.
He disappeared.
A few hours passed quickly for him. Eventually, he made it back to Omega. The flow of agents went more out than in as to be expected. They continued to recall more to throw into the defense of the Capital. Only a wide search net could find them.
Ourias walked up the wall, noticing Rheia still standing alone unmoved. The height she had gave a good view of the Capital and Atlantis. He leaned against the wall with only the air to support his feet. “Still challenging?”
“Of course,” she answered immediately, “The invitation is always open.”
“I see.” He expected such a typical response from her. Their time together was short, but she seemed the easiest to figure out of the Titans.
“Another failed visit with the wife.”
His eyes slid over to glance at her briefly. She never even made eye contact with him. ‘It’s a little unsettling how much you know.’
“You keep trying anyway, even though you know how it’ll end up every time.” Rheia stopped stared at the entrance. Her head tilted back to look at the city. Slowly, she began to move higher up with no action. Ourias matched her pace. The higher they went the better the view of the countryside became. They could see the sun painting the mountains and trees in a soft white glow and green as far as could be seen. “That’s why I picked you.”
“Oh? I thought it was because I defeated the twelfth seat,” he joked.
“I could see it in your eyes when I saw you walk through those gates down there. The eyes are very important. They tell you everything.”
He was getting more out of her than he expected. Small talk was not something he planned from her. A change of scenery was all he wanted. “You pick everyone in the Titans that way don’t you.”
“Naturally. When I see their eyes I know.” A strange smile seemed to come across her face in a rare moment not fueled by aggression.
Ourias had some curiosity listening to her. “What did you see in mine?”
“Infinite determination. Nothing was going to stop you. You would achieve exactly what you wanted no matter how dirty you had to get to reach it. It’s your power. You have zero ambition, even more so than someone like Teris. You only wanted the seat on the Titans to see your wife again. That’s why you lost your second fight even though I know you could go much higher.”
“Is that so,” Ourias said, keeping a poker face through her surprising insight.
“But even for that lack of ambition, I know you’ll fight when they come.”
Her comment made him even more curious. She did not have the same view as the others any longer. “You believe they’ll reach the Capital?”
“It’s the eyes. I could see it in that boy the General’s claimed. Nothing’s stopping him.” Rheia seemed finished and started walking down the wall. “So prepare yourself for the fight. They’ll be here soon.”
A glance down at the back of Rheia told him enough. Ourias stared back out at the horizon. ‘You’re out there. And you’re coming. Rebellion or destruction. None of it matters to me. Whatever you’re planning I will stop you. I will protect them!’
To be continued…
Curious? There's no limits but your own imagination.
Don't know how to roleplay, but want to learn? Visit Here!
2007 and 2009 Best Writer of TFF and 2009 Most Creative Co-Winner
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