I slumped onto the concrete, my vision swimming as the world tilted into a grey, pulsing blur.
We'd hidden out in a secluded area at the corner of the Verthasis capital.
"Hey! Soke! When the hell're we gonna get outta this place!"
"It's like that Ruhen guy said. His men are all over the place. We can't get to the tunnel at this rate, we'll have to wait it out."
Kai stood from his spot.
"The hostages. What are we gonna do?"
"Kai, I think we might hafta give up on that."
Give up... on the hostages?
"What the hell do you mean give up! That's twenty people Sorren! We need to save them!"
"Kai."
No.
"Given the circumstances, and if push comes to shove." A heavy sorrow anchored Soke's features.
Don't say it.
"We have to abandon the mission."
Stop. Just stop. It's not over. Kai knows that.
' '
And so do I.
"Soke-"
"Akio, I don't want to hear it."
Rgh.
"You tried. But it didn't work, now we need to make a choice."
There's still time. Even just a bit.
I can.. make it work. I have to.
"For now, we'll get some rest. Sleep through the night and we'll consider the options in the morning."
Sorren and Soke let their heads thud back against the plaster, their eyelids succumbing to the weight of the day.
Hana approached me slowly. "Akio, I'm sure we can.. still do something. Just, just get some rest for now, okay?" She patted me on the shoulder before adjusting her own position next to the rest.
Kai and I settled our backs against the wall, sliding down reluctantly, darkness shadowing our faces.
Remember.
The night is darkest just before dawn.
***
I didn't sleep. How could I?
Things are unfinished. And I have to see them to the end. With or without them.
Something told me he wasn't lying back then. So I'll see to it myself.
I drifted from the group, my boots crunching toward the salt spray until the streams of a river swallowed their voices. I dug my heels into the gravel, jaw tight as the moon's cold, white eye pinned me against the black line of the horizon.
Footsteps grew closer behind me.
"You're not satisfied either, aren't you."
I looked back to find the shade of white hair cutting through the dark. Emerald eyes locked onto mine, wide with a quiet, shimmering worry.
"Kai."
"Akio."
Something told me he'd follow me. We're the same, after all.
"So, tell me. Are you fine leaving things this way."
"What do you think?"
Of course not.
"Of course I'm not."
"Figures."
"Now it's your turn to tell me."
"Hm?"
"What did Ruhen say?"
My eyes widened. A slight smile ran across my face.
"How'd you know?"
"How could I not know, Akio."
A slight snicker left my mouth as I turned my face to the river again.
"He gave me an offer."
I could hear the gravel shift behind me.
"An offer, for what?"
"Meet him at an isolated area just over on the other side of this river. He said it'd just be him. I'd have a chance to save the hostages."
"What-!?"
"Yes. Face him and get a chance to save them. I suppose that's what he saw as an interesting conclusion to this farce."
"Akio... you..."
My head tilted toward the sky, the silver orb shining in the center of my pupils.
"You haven't given up on that yet, have you?"
I locked eyes with Kai, a jagged laugh tearing from my throat as I threw my head back.
"How could I?"
He soon followed, our laughs echoing through the ravine.
"You've always been that way."
"And I'll stay that way."
His steps grew closer.
I opened with the final question.
"Shall we go, then?"
"Soke and the others would be worried."
Yes, yes they would. My eyes glistened at his remark.
"They'd always worry."
"Well, I suppose you're right about that."
This is it.
"Let's go."
I dragged my feet through the current, Kai's rhythmic splashing close behind. As we hauled ourselves off the far edge, a sudden swarm of sparks hissed, engulfing our bodies. I squinted back at the distant capital, the city's lights blurring, we'll be back.
No matter what.
The rhythmic crunch of gravel under our boots surrendered to the muffled thud of soft earth as we surged forward.
As we pushed through, the horizon bled into a jagged line of silhouettes. Row upon row of figures knelt in the dirt, their heads bowed as if carved from the shadows. And there, standing tall against the fading light, was him.
Ruhen.
"You came, Mister Hero. And I see you brought a guest too."
Kai's face remained stern.
"It really is just you."
"Despite what you may call my sadistic actions, I have a tendency to keep my promises. Especially for interesting ones."
That's a start. I can work from that. This will work. I have to give it one last push.
Kai's voice cut through the air.
"Akio said the deal was to fight you and reclaim the hostages. Sound about right?"
"That is the plan, yes. And what's your name?"
"Kai."
"Well then, Kai. And you, Akio. As you can clearly see, we have our hostages here. A wide catalogue indeed, from children"
His finger landed on what seemed to be a child no more than 10. Blood seeped from the crevices of his hair. We clenched our fists. Hold it in.
"To the elderly."
The same finger drifted across the line, pointing at a poor old lady, her face slammed against the floor.
Why? Just, why?
My gaze anchored on Kai; his shoulders were trembling, a hairline fracture in his composure that threatened to shatter at any second.
"Oh, my mistake. Not all 20 hostages are here."
What?
"After all, one of them was used for a little stage performance. I'm sure you remember, especially you, little hero."
Flashes of the warehouse returned to my mind.
You... how far do you intend to take this, Ruhen?
"Let's not waste any time, then-"
I spoke up. "Wait."
"What is it, mister hero?"
"Let's give it one last try."
"What is it you're goddamn talking about?"
"Just stop."
This will be the last straw. If it doesn't work, then fighting is our only option.
"Stop? Are you pulling back from the deal?"
"No, I mean, just stop. We can still put an end to all this bullshit."
"Are you seriously still trying to pull off that changing shit?"
"You haven't killed them yet, that, that says something!"
"Oh? And what exactly does it say?"
Something important.
"That you're hesitant, maybe part of you is holding back."
Ruhen's expression grew into one of irritation as he ruffled his short-cropped hair.
"Just stop! Stop with that! I'm giving you a chance! To save everyone! Stop ruining it by trying to act all righteous!"
"I'll, no, we'll save all the hostages."
My feet edge closer.
"But, what about you? Why can't I try and save you, Ruhen?"
An unsettling laughter filled the air, Ruhen's palms set on his stomach as he cackled away at my words.
"Let me tell you something."
"And what's that?"
"Can you really save these hostages? Are they even capable of being saved anymore?"
What?
Ruhen stepped toward the line of captives, a woman. He caught her chin, tilting her face upwards to reveal fair skin untouched by the chaos. Then, his hands vanished beneath the hem of her tunic. When they reemerged, his fingers were slicked to the knuckles in a deep, spreading crimson.
"I'm sure you already understand what this means."
I flinched.
Stop. Don't say anything else. Just stop.
Kai's teeth gritted, he surged forward, composure splintering. I threw my arm across his chest.
"Wait."
Ruhen continued, walking to an elderly man.
Eyeballs gouged out.
A middle aged man.
Arms dismembered.
A teenage boy.
His face unrecognizable.
Each instance pricked at my heart, uncontrollably. I'm sure Kai couldn't hold it in any more.
Finally, Ruhen walked across to a small boy, presumably no more than 12.
"Well, here you go."
Kai cut in. "What the fuck do you mean!?"
"No need to get so heated, I'm just saying. This boy's untouched, so I ask."
I see.
Ruhen glared at us with an amused face.
"Can you save this boy? Just him?"
It's no use.
"Because I'm quite certain the rest would be happier dead."
There's no saving him.
A violent hum ignited the air as Kai's sparks condensed, his jagged-edged blade forming.
My own energy reacted in response. White sparks flooding the air.
"Great! Seems you're in the right spirit now, boys."
Ruhen's eyes scanned me.
"Hey, don't tell me." His palms climbed up his face. "You don't even have a charm."
Rgh.
He began snickering. "You don't even have a charm, and you're out here playing this good guy! What do you expect to do, huh!"
"He's plenty without it. I suggest you focus on the battle at hand." Kai interjected.
"Fine, then."
Crimson sparks lashed out from Ruhen's skin, flickering intensely before surging toward his hands. The air around his forearms curdled into a thick, bleeding red, the energy hardening into jagged, crystalline talons. Claws.
"Let's get started."