Chapter 481: Crossroads (1/2)
'A gun and a sword,' strapped to the belt and loaded around his waist, Igna limped to a run. The body had yet to recover – the night wouldn't end just yet. Over the distance where the moon touched the shadowy walls of the castle-walls came gunfire. 'I found them,' thought he hiding behind a wall. Group C accidentally walked into a closed alley. The roofs were malevolent. Shady figures dashed about from roof to roof. Some thought it be cats, others, the assassins, what was real was their predicament. Leonard's injury showed no sign of stopping. Lampard's stamina of carrying waned, Rena's troubled mind disarrayed per the death of a comrade. Jen had it worst, the was face naught but an inanimate object molded by regret and terror.
”Lord Goldberg,” said they dropping off the roofs – four silhouettes veiled in black. If not for the fruitless shine of a neighboring window; they would have come as ghosts, ”-give up this unnecessary effort. We're here to take you back home. Come, and I promise none of your friends will be hurt.”
”Is t-that a promise?” added the fatigued tone restlessly. Listless were the blinks and slow were the breaths – fever, increased heart-rate, the wound took its toll.
”Yes,” smiled the supposed leader, ”-we're here to only take you back. Nothing more, nothing less, what is it you decide?”
'No way,' thought he watching threw the walls, '-they're highlighted as Black, on the threat-level. I can't fight them; this is a fruitless endeavor. If I die there might be no telling what happens. I need to survive and save them, but how… I'm so useless.'
”Listing possibilities,” voiced Éclair, ”-Call on the support from Lady Courtney, use Phantom's influence to remediate the situation. Second, fight and escape, and thirdly, leave and forget they were your friends.”
”I appreciate the help,” said he sarcastically, '-calling on support from mother seems viable. I don't want to do that. I also made a promise to lady Haru about not fighting. My sword isn't strong, I'll lose if it's a defensive battle.'
”Ok, we yield,” said Lampard putting a strong foot forth, ”-promise me Rena and Jen are set free. Assassins never return empty-handed, bring my head to the leader if that's the price. I want the girls to be free.” Under normal circumstances, they'd argue against the idea. Alas, tiredness and stress from the run made for a puppet-like behavior. Leonard lost his resolve, Jen her sanity, and Rena her clarity. Only Lampard stood as the wise one, a wise amongst fool.
”Why should we agree to those terms?” snickered the attackers, ”-we could take all thine heads and leave. Why compromise.”
”You sure about that?” he placed Leonard into a headlock, ”-I'll be damned if we die. I don't care, I'll kill him if you don't let those girls go. I know well they'll be fine – I'm ready to take the karma for slaying a companion.”
”Don't be harsh,” said the leader, ”-we'll agree to those terms. Let the young master go.”
”He's injured.”
”Don't move and leave him on the ground.”
”Ok,” placing the boy down, ”-I'm sorry for this,” whispered he backing away. The lonesome response was a weightless grin. ”Jen, Rena, wake up. We might be set free.”
'The deal looks like it's going to be ok,' through the walls – one of the figures reached for a hidden dagger. 'A TRAP!' he turned the corner a little late, the dagger left the man's hand for Leonard's throat.
”Calculating trajectory,” flashed across,” -aim here,” an 'x' highlighted the path. On steady feet, the trigger pulled and the pistol shot back with recoil – a heavy mass of energy cut across the air to interrupt the blade. ”Igna, accept my spirit into your body for this instant. The backlash will be severe – allow me to control you.”
”Will we win?”
”Yes.”
”Then, I accept.” The closest made for his neck while the others took for Group C. A dazzling flash of light followed with the body dropping into a profound sea of greenish-blue. Water bubbles ran to the surface as he sank. Peaceful blue turned dark-crimson and finally, black, inky black. There in the realm of no questions and no answers silence permeated within. Nothing, simply nothing, no thoughts, no emotions, no sense of self, only the batting vision saw and not at the same time.
'Silver-ranked adventurers,' the eyes reopened to a slow world.
”Welcome back, master,” whispered a familiar tone.
”Who is this?” asked an emotionless voice.
”Thy loyal and humble servant, Éclair, my lord.”
”Éclair,” holding his temple, ”-I see; my memories are separate from the actual host. I'm me but not, what a conundrum. How is this possible?”
”Master, the details do not matter at this moment. I forcefully pulled thy conscience from the dormant Death-Element. Please, the time-limit isn't much; deal with the pests before young Igna is corrupted.”
”You called onto me for this pettiness,” the dagger halted inches from the heart. ”Who even are you?” asked he pinching the blade – a look of regret spun into the attacker's gaze. ”Doesn't matter,” a kick had him break the opposing building.
”What's wrong with that kid?” turned the leader, ”-go on, tend to him.”
”On it, sir,” they rushed.
'Really?' a side-step dodged the premature attack, '-have they become this weak?' countless strokes and combinations stacked atop one another. In no way did he seem phased or troubled, slight motions sufficed. 'Time limit is running low,' *slash,* a spin,
*-bang,* a gunshot; hunters became the hunted. Two heads fell and another one blown away.
”Thank you for saving Igna, master.”
”Mention not, I shall return to the long slumber. I can't wait for the day where our memories join, the day where I make my return to this world accompanied by the ire of a decade brewing inside. Lucifer and Zeus will pay, all who stood in my way will pay, heed my words, Éclair, I will return strong, I will be calamity reincarnate, I shall destroy the heavenly domain for revenge.”
Senseless sight kindled, life pulsed, and consciousness pulled by a man in silvery-black hair. 'What happened?' a bloodied blade, a steaming gun, and four people dead.
”Enemies have been exterminated. Igna, what I did was to ensure your safety and those of your friends. It's one time only, next time, it will be the death of those around you. Heed the warning well, tis up to thee to protect, not those around.”