The five of us drifted across the streets of Verthasis.
"Alright, you guys. Don't make a scene, I know you're in the enemy kingdom and all. But-"
"Oi Soke! Is this the capital!?"
"I just said-" Soke groaned. "Yes, this is the capital. So keep it down and observe."
I'm assuming he meant to look around for signs of those Black Rogues. But how could he be certain they'd be located in the capital? The curiosity compelled me to ask.
"How do you know those rebels would be here in the capital?"
"As you would have guessed, I've been here before. And Verthasis isn't like Aurelia, their capital is much larger and majority of the population is concentrated here, including rebel groups."
We listened silently.
"And the population outside the capital is generally filled with minorities. People that were pushed away into small villages that lack general resources. This country's economic stability is far less managed than ours."
His words made me wonder if that king of ours wasn't so lousy at his job after all.
"Alright, remember. Just keep your eyes peeled, we're meant to be in and out with the hostages. And if you see an enemy stay behind me-"
"We're capable, Soke." Kai spoke up.
Soke sighed. "Alright, just be careful."
We drifted across the streets, our eyes amazed at the sight of the towering structures that far surpassed that of Aurelia's.
The city was beautiful, just as beautiful as ours.
That was the problem.
Soke's pace suddenly began slowing down, Kai too. Something was wrong.
"We're being followed."
What?
"I suspect they expected us to come here, and have been keeping watch since."
Kai raised a question in suspicion. "But how would they know we're the cadets?"
"That, is something I'm unable to answer."
How would they know it was us? Were they spying on us in Aurelia?
"We're going to head near the alleys. Lure some in and take them out quietly."
The four of us stayed silent, following Soke's lead as he turned a swift corner.
The crowds of people and vibrant shops dissipated as we grew distant, the feeling of unknown shadows looming over us.
Soke's footsteps came to a halt. In an instant, yellow sparks filled the air, condensing into Soke's signature.
Golden Bow.
Sharp, sudden intakes of breath hissed through the air. In the distance, the huddled figures recoiled, their boots scuffing against the gravel as they stumbled backward, desperate to put space between themselves and the scene.
"Snipe Shot."
A brief moment of silence. Then the surge of light.
"Gagh!" A direct hit.
The other began blurring away, Soke chose not to chase.
Soke dashed across the roof, snatched the limp body, and dropped back down. He braced the man against the brick, head lolling against the grit.
"You're gonna tell us where the hostages are." He aimed his bow. "Now."
The man cackled. "Haha! You're never getting a word out of me, Aurelian scum!"
Why did it have to be 'Aurelian'?
Why couldn't it just be plain old scum?
Why did he have to be so targeted despite knowing nothing?
"Okay then. Guess you're dead then."
Huh?
"Retribution."
Five golden streaks hissed from his string, directly upon the man's face.
Then.
"OKAY, OKAY!!"
He had folded at the mere sight of death.
"I'LL TELL YOU, I'LL TELL YOU. THEY'RE RIGHT OFF NEAR THE WAREHOUSE THERE! I SWEAR!"
"Why, thank you."
Soke's fingers uncurled, the tension in the bowstring began snapping into a violent hum.
What?
No, this is too fast.
The string pulled further.
Stop! We can't just kill him like that. He's a rebel, sure, but.
But!
Further.
Everything can still change. And if we keep on shedding blood like this, then.
Then!
How the hell is that meant to happen!
"WAIT-!"
And release.
Dark droplets splattered across our faces and clothes.
"Why did you do that!"
I stared at the rest of their faces, my own widening in horror.
They stood there, eyes stern, wiping the blood off their faces so casually.
Kai's gaze hardened, his jaw locking into a tight line as his hands balled into white-knuckled fists.
"Akio, he's an enemy rebel that aided in a mass kidnapping."
I felt a lump swim down my throat.
"Still! He gave us the information, you didn't have to just kill him like that-!"
"Oy, Akio! This ain't the time for yer morals to get in the way! We're on a mission, and we needa save those folk. Just, just let it go!"
Let it go?
How was I supposed to do that?
If I let it go this time, then I'd do the same next time. I'd keep letting things slide until eventually I'd rot and die changing nothing.
I can't just keep letting things go!
"Akio. I've said it before, and I'll say it again."
My gaze locked onto Soke's.
"You need to choose."
Kai stayed silent, regaining his posture steadily as he began walking away.
"Come on guys, Soke. The warehouse is right over there."
My heart dropped. Is that your choice?
Kai?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My steps grow away from the rest as I begin for the warehouse.
"Come on guys, Soke. The warehouse is right over there."
Eventually, their feet began trailing mine. I turned back to look at Akio, his eyes concerned as he slumped in between Sorren and Hana.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Akio.
I know. I know he was a human. I know we promised to change lives.
But, there's.
There's more at stake here than changing a criminal.
Twenty people from our country, they need this. They need to be saved more. Priorities have to exist!
Because...
Because that's just the way it is.
The warehouse loomed as we approached, Soke's golden bow a steady glint in the dim light while the rest of us drew in shallow, focused breaths. The heavy door groaned open under his palm, peeling back the shadows to reveal the hollow, cold dark within.
Movement froze. Our fingers quivered as the shadows pulled back, revealing the sight of the room's interior.
There stood a figure, head strung back by a rope. His body swayed from left to right, blood seeping from beneath his clothes.
My head snapped to the right. Hana. Sorren. Soke. All trembling at the same scene.
Except him.
His jaw dropped, a hollow gap in his face. His eyes, now a dull, washed-out grey, fixed on the horror. He stood anchored to the floor until a single trail of salt cut through the dust on his cheek
Something was wrong.
FWOOSH!
Shadows fractured as figures lunged from the corners, coloured sparks filled the room.
"AKIO!"
I lunged at his body, swiping it before the sparks could make contact.
"Oy! What the hell's happenin'!"
We gathered our own energy, my sparks condensing into a katana.
A blaster.
A dagger.
"Mister Soke! This is-"
"Yep!"
Golden bow illuminated the room as Soke released waves of energy.
"It's been a trap since the start! We need to get out, NOW!"
Energy pulses hissed as we pushed back the rebel surge. Our eyes darted between the flashes, hunting for a gap in the warehouse walls, anything that led away from the chaos. We had to leave Verthasis as soon as we could.
SLICE!
My sword bit through the rebel's chest as he crumpled onto the concrete with a heavy, final thud.
Ngh. No. No. Stop! This isn't the time to hesitate!
We need to escape.
"Kai!"
"Soke!"
"What's the deal with Akio!?"
"He's.. it's like he's dazed!"
"Well wake him the hell up then! The more support the better!"
I slapped Akio's cheeks, my palms stinging against his skin as a raw, jagged scream tore from my throat.
"AKIO!!"
Then, silence.
A shadow detached from the warehouse gloom, draped in a deep crimson cloak. Beneath the fabric, the words 'Black Rogue' screamed across his chest. He ran a hand through his cropped black hair, a jagged, self-assured smirk cutting across his face.
"Leaving so soon? Team Soke?"
How does he-
Damn it.
"AKIO!!"
What the hell are you doing!?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
No.
It's different.
That's completely different.
It's nothing like back then.
It's different. It's different!
Just forget.
The image of his body swaying replayed in my mind.
NO! NO!
STOP!
I can't think back to then-!
I can't.
Leave it behind.
Please. Just.
Leave it behind-
"AKIO!!"
My eyes regain their composure, I was huddled in Kai's arms.
What the hell happened?
"Wha-"
"About damn time! It was a trap! Get a hold of your senses, we're getting out of here!"
A trap?? So the hostages aren't in there at all??
White sparks crackled around my fist as I leave Kai's grip, landing on the ground with a firm sprint.
"Soke, where are we-"
"What the hell were you dozing off for! Agh, just focus on losing them for now!"
I turned my head backwards, the sight of a crazed man wearing what seemed to be a Black Rogue jacket swarming after us at an intense speed.
He was strong. I could tell, crimson sparks engulfed his body as he made chase, his gaze landing on me.
"Well good morning sleepy head! Isn't this a great sight to wake up to!"
"Who the hell are you!"
"Ruhen Radion!"
Ruhen, so he's the leader of these rebels. He had influence over a large group of Verthasians.
Maybe. Just maybe-
"Divine Resurgence!"
Concentrated rays of light swim through the air, snuffing out rebels one by one.
"Full Blast!"
A large wave of energy burst out from Soke's charm, it had an immense destructive capability, even drowning out a few of the rebels.
We were losing them. Slowly.
Glowing discs hummed from Kai's sword and Hana's dagger, shearing through the air in a relentless strobe of light and dark.
Almost.
A rebel lunged from my blind side, my fist met his jaw, a white-hot spark snapping as he flung into the corner of an alley.
"Sorren! Do another full sweep, we'll take advantage of that!"
"Gotcha!"
Sorren's blaster released large concentrated waves of energy that scoured the air, the rebels dissolving into the distance slowly. We dove into the lingering blind spots, using the glare of his blasts to vanish from their sight.
But we hadn't escaped from just one.
Ruhen, still making chase.
But, this is it. This is my chance.
I rotated my body as my feet came to a stop.
"Akio! What are you-"
"I need to give something a try!"
"Don't be stupid! Get the hell out of-"
"I'm doing it no matter what you say!"
Soke gritted his teeth, feet landing not far off mine, as did the rest.
"Oh? What's this? Ganging up on a lone Verthasian now that the rest are gone?"
"I want to talk."
"Huh?"
"I want you to tell me why."
Soke and the rest watched in silence, I could feel their gazes on my back. It's ok. This would work, I'll make it work. No matter what, every person out there has a heart. I just need to reach out.
"Why what?"
"Why are you doing all this? Kidnapping those citizens. Trying this hard to kill us. What's the point?"
"What, not gonna mention the sight of a hanging old man? Thought that was what pressed you the most."
My heart sunk, chest racing. My palm pressed against it, calm down.
He's just provoking me.
"We're not all different. Aurelians and Verthasians. I think you fail to understand-"
"Who said anything about Aurelians?"
What?
"You think I care who I hurt? You think I wouldn't do the same to people of my own country?"
How could he-
"I only kidnapped those people because we got info from an associate of ours. About you, over there, Soke."
Soke's eyes squinted in response.
I need to take control of this situation.
"Just stop! What the hell could you possibly be gaining from this?? Are you just going to keep carving away at lives with no finish?? There has to be an end-!"
"Because it's darn fun damn it."
It's...
"What is it? Wrong? Inhumane?"
Fun??
"Who the hell're you to decide what's wrong. I'll tell you what's wrong alright, not understanding perspective."
Perspective..?
"We all see the world differently, and this is how I see it, that simple. To me, what's wrong is satiating. To you, doing what's good is righteous. Isn't that right, mister hero?"
What the hell.
"You're trying too hard, ya see. To be some sort of hero. Trying to change me? Never heard of some half-assed hero like that? Just get back to the fight so I can keep my dopamine up!"
What the hell kind of excuse was that??
Perspective? Don't pull that bullshit on me. What you're doing is wrong, everyone knows that. You're ruining human lives here.
Of course I'm trying to change you. Everyone can change, everyone can do something different. I just have to reach somewhere.
"I don't want to fight you! Just, just goddamn listen! Be rational here! We can stop so much conflict, we can do so much to change-"
"I don't give a shit, alright!"
How could he be so ignorant? Just listen, why can't you just listen!
"Why can't you just understand! What are you even thinking!?"
"Thinking I want to kill all of you right here."
It's useless.
My words can't reach him.
I can't reach. I couldn't even scratch the surface.
"Akio, you realise it's useless now, don't you?"
Soke...
"I..."
"We need, to go. Now."
"Haha! You can try leaving, but my men'll be hanging around the place looking for you for a while now."
I began backing away.
I'm backing away? Why?
Is it really futile? Would nothing truly work?
Can I not reach anything?
Just then, Ruhen lunged at me, crimson sparks flickering in his trail.
"AKIO!" Their shared voices rippled through my ears.
Shit-!
" "
His lips brushed my ear, a cold rasp against the skin as the words fell into the silence.
He stepped back, his silhouette blurring into the haze. As he faded, a slow, curious grin stretched across his lips.
Soke rushed to my side.
"Are you good?"
"Y-yeah.."
I'm good.
I scan the expressions of my friends.
Sorren was worried.
Hana's face was unusually blank.
And Kai's was... troubled.
Visible sweat trickled down his neck, heavy breaths filling the air.
Kai, did you-
Did you think the same?