12 Call For Hatred (1/2)
[September 21th – Elpida's border, Clogwyn area]
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Nion entered the forest that was separating both countries apart.
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\”You are leaving Lands of Aleksithimia's premises, go back immediately.\” Ordered the operator.
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Nion remained silent.
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\”You are now on Lands of Elpida, 'Mitera system' is now unavailable. If you don't reestablish the network connection within 15 minutes, we will send a rescue signal to your latest location.\” Announced the operator.
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Despite the warnings, her body kept moving forward. As if a 'Mother instinct' that she never thought she possessed had taken over her mind, her only priority was that child's safety.
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The smell of burnt trees and the sound of screams were getting stronger as she approached the village. The tension was increasing as fast as the wind's temperature. Past the area of the fence, Nion has spotted multiple camps that looked ravaged and dead bodies lifelessly lying on the wet grass. She stopped by each and every one of them, hopelessly looking for the child. The stress of not making it on time was rising as her heart was beating faster and faster.
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The air was getting dryer as if she was approaching an enormous source of blazing heat. When she finally arrived in the farming fields that were separating the forest and the outskirts of the village, the horizon of bright red and yellow colors was reflecting in her eyes... The village was covered in flames, the wind was whistling in her ears and the more she approached the village the clearer the sound got; the sound of human screams filled up her ears urging her to haste.
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Flames of fire shined with all its glory; It was almost mesmerizing how awfully attractive the whole scene looked for an outsider. Its warmth along with the welcoming feeling of heated breeze was hiding the contrast with the screams. It was as if the heat was calling Nion to get in, but the more she approached the village the more insecure she felt. Burnt corpses were lying everywhere, the village was engulfed in fire; So warm, so beautiful, yet full of hate, and despise. Almost every house that Nion saw was burned to ashes.
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True to herself and her objective, she kept advancing, calling the child name as loud as she could. However, it seemed like only dead were keeping her company. The situation and her safety were on the stake, yet, she refused the go back, knowing that if she does return there won't be another chance to see the child. Her self-assigned rescue mission and protection of Asta was her absolute priority, she simply could not think of anything else.
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The occasional window was still in possession of its glass but most had broken so long ago that there was no trace of the shards on the warm rotting plank floors. In most houses, the roofs had partially caved in or at the very least they sagged like a disappointing soufflé. Nion kept moving forward and finally arrived in the wide place that looked like the City Hall. In the middle of the area, there was a bonfire twenty meters in height. Groups of masked people were executing villagers in front of it and then throwing dead bodies in the fire, some others from the same group were dragging small kids into cages of their vehicles.
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The heat coming from the bonfire was as hot as lava; Bright yellow-orange, flames danced, flickered knowing they were being watched by the crowd, ready to devour everything that was getting too close. The bonfire was a dragon roaring with fury and spitting charcoal, with the immense heat that was slapping Nion's face more and more as she was trying to approach it. A couple of meters from the bonfire there was a man who was wearing a black coat with a big yellow crest on it. Unlike the others, he had removed his hood; However, this man was wearing an odd mask on his face that made it impossible to see his real face even with all the brightness that was coming from the bonfire.
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The smell of the wood mixed with the smell of burnt human corpses that were thrown into the fire was so strong that it started burning Nion's eyes. Above, the dark black clouds were low and hairy in the skies, dried out, the wind was blowing around the bonfire as if it was trying to appease the man-eater flames. The group of masked men was executing the villagers in gory and sarcastic ways.
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Nion was quietly approaching the hoodless man who acted as the leader of the groups when she suddenly felt a drizzle of rain on her head; It was about to rain.
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Eager to terminate the savagery she was witnessing and free the villagers from their imminent fate, Nion knew that if she engaged herself in combat, her chances to succeed without being noticed by the rest of the masked group were close to zero.
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\”Look at that monkey! Ugu-ugu-ugu!\” The man imitated a monkey sound as he watched a young man screaming of agony as the flames of bonfire kept devouring him alive.
\”SHUT THE FUCK UP!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!\” The aggressor heartlessly yelled at the poor victim. While his other colleague was crying with a laugh.
\”Make that mokey sound again!\” Laughed the other man.
\”Ugu-ugu-uga-uga\” He laughed. \”How long do you think it will take him to shut up?\” He asked his friend who was almost rolling on the floor of how funny he thought it was.
\”Oh my...that was some funny shit out there! Well, I would say, 4 minutes? Wanna bet some cash on it?\” Replied the other man.
\”Right on!\”
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The helpless man had his hands and legs tied together so he could barely move. He looked straight into his aggressor's eyes crying for mercy as his skin begun melting. He succumbed to hysterical screams of pain until his vocal cord burned out followed by quick suffocation.
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Suddenly the spring rain evolved into a downpour. The masked group ran under the cover while dragging their prisoners behind. Some villagers took this moment as an opportunity and were able to untie themselves, as soon as they could move on their own, most of them ran in toward the forest. The hoodless man noticed that some prisoners escaped and gave a hand signal to two of his pioneers to go after them.
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Both men started chasing the escapees. Some prisoners could barely run, as it looked that during the torture they got their \”Achilles\” tendon muscles damaged; Off with an explosive spring, most of the prisoners got exhausted and started rapidly slowing down their pace, meanwhile two robust masked men were promptly closing the distance between them.
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Nion followed the whole scene while remaining in the shadows. As soon as both aggressors crossed their paths with two quick moves she sliced their throats wide open. Incapable to scream or call for the reinforcement because of the slashed vocal cords, both men dropped on the ground, slowly dying in agony and pain. Due to the heavy rain and reduced visibility, the rest of the group had not noticed their disappearance, everyone except the hoodless man who was fixated on Nion.
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The ground had become muddy everywhere Nion's feet squelched into, the smell of the gunpowder was burning in the air, it could taste in the mouth like a deodorant. Ultimately, the screams seized to exist; Only Nion and the hoodless man remained on the empty area facing each other. The rain was still pouring, trying to calm down the intensity of the flames of death.
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\”Oooh...We have a little mouse sneaking around my territory.\” Said the masked man. \”I know who you are... But, what could be possible the reason behind that sudden visit? Come on I know you are there.\”
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Nion left the shadows and faced the man in complete silence.
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\”So it is you who is behind of all this mess?\” Shouted Nion.
\” Mess?! I am not sure what you are talking about... OH, you mean 'the Trash Cleansing', yeah?\” He jiggled.
\”Do you understand how many people lost their lives because of you?\” Shouted Nion.
\”Of course...Not! Why should I care in the first place?\” He laughed.
\”Trash...Huh...\” Mumbled Nion.
\”Okay, well...We also call them pigs if that will make you feel better.\” He laughed again.
\”What's so funny about that...?\”
\”Because you are making me laughing my little mouse!\” He kept laughing.
\”What are you after? Why doing all this?\” Asked Nion, trying to debate with the madman.
\”Why...?\” He asked himself. \”Why...Huh, I've never asked myself to be honest. They are just annoying me, I don't want to see their face around here anymore...I guess?\” He replied. \”Would you take that as an answer?\”
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Nion was about to get ready for the imminent combat as she understood that arguing with that man is pointless.
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\”Well, I guess you don't huh...That's a shame you know! Because I and you are very much alike, Nion or should I call you 'Trascendentium'?!\” He laughed.
\”How do you know that name?\” Confused she asked.
\”Hey, hey, hey! And that's a secret.\” He laughed again. \”But, let me tell you something interesting! Did you know that amoung my mates, my little mouse, are pretty famous!\” Said the masked men.
\”I have no time playing with you.\” Firmly opposed Nion.
\”Urgh, not cute...Not cute at all and that's a shame because I think you are sublime!\”
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Nion started walking towards the man.
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\”Wait, wait! Do you want to fight me? Come on! You don't want to kill me, I am your number one admirer, oh shit, I am actually number two!\” He laughed.
\”Can a 'Dead man' admire though...\” Said Nion.
\”I am waiting for it.\” He giggled. \”Waiting for you to kill me like you did killed hundreds of the same people; oh pardon, that's does not count, you didn't know. Maybe you are trying to 'Forget', in that case... I am 'Sorry' for that reminder; I don't want you to forget.\” He whispered.
\”Everything because of you.\” Nion mumbled.
\”Touché!\” He laughed. \”Now you are triggered! Hey, let's admit, we are so similar you and me, and you know what? I am disappointed with seeing you here... Do you want to know why?\” He asked.
\”I will cut your shameless mouth-\” Yelled Nion
\”BECAUSE NOW YOU WANT TO BE A FUCKEN HERO!!\” He shouted out of nowhere. \”Look at them...\” He disappeared for a brief second.
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