Ultima Ratio

Chapter 84: Vox Dei

Akira wanted to run. No, she needed to. She needed to hold Danya's hand tight and do everything in her power to get them as far away as she could, as quickly as she could.

At least, that's what her mind screamed for her to do as death smiled upon her. But her body refused, stuck in limbo between fight and flight. Part of Akira wondered if Verus Rex had managed to control their bodies to bend to his will. The rest of her knew that to be true, but he didn't need technology to accomplish such a feat. No matter how much Akira wanted to make him pay for destroying the world, for harming Danya, she couldn't even raise her gun at him, as if the slightest movement would draw his merciless wrath.

If Garza knew the effect he had on her, he didn't show it. In fact, he didn't bother to acknowledge Akira or anyone else except for one person.

"My little dove," he repeated, his radiant smile firmly in place. "I always knew you would find your way home.

If Danya heard him, she didn't say so; she didn't say anything at all. With her gaze fixed on Garza, Akira had no idea what story her expression told. All she had was Danya's trembling wrist under her fingers, and no amount of soothing strokes of Akira's thumb against her skin could stop the reverberations of fear.

"Victor..."

The sorrowful whisper made Akira flinch in fear. Only after a second did she realize it wasn't Danya that spoke.

Instead, Victor stepped forward, his helmet retracted as he faced his counterpart with his own wide eyes.

"What have we done?" His words were laced with the same horror that buried deep into Akira's bones.

When Garza glanced at Victor, his smile fell into a frown. "What have I done, you mean. We're not the same person, dear child. Maybe we were at one point. But that life is nothing more than my distant past."

Garza smirked, slowly shaking his head; his golden crown shimmered under the harsh lights. "You could never have achieved what I have. You are weak—too weak to even kill me. I should know. I suffered the same way when I tried to kill you."

His smile widened once more. "But I've changed since then; of course I have. For me, it's been centuries since that fateful day. And over time, I've learned. And now," he gestured his right arm at his trophies lining the walls, "I know all that I need to."

He lowered his arm with a sharp click of his tongue. "Unfortunately, there's only so much my own knowledge can obtain for me. You may not realize this, but a drawback that immortals must face is the constant, neverending waiting. I could have all the power I want, but that doesn't help mere mortals move any faster. Case in point..."

When he nodded at them, Akira heard vicious rustling from the others behind her, followed by a menacing growl.

"Shut the hell up, you pretentious asshole," Quyen hissed, audibly fighting against restraints.

Garza chuckled, and the smile that accompanied it was one a human might have as they watched a dog chase their tail.

"I'm not being at all pretentious," he said with a pointed nod. "I'm simply stating the facts. Honestly, did you not think it was strange that you found me so easily? If so..." He shrugged with an exaggerated wince. "I suppose it's my fault for setting my expectations too high."

"Why?" Akira asked, her tone low and her voice quieter than she anticipated. Her grip on Danya's wrist tightened as she tried to gather her courage. "Why did you want us here?"

Akira could guess what the answer was; she was just waiting for Garza to admit it himself.

As soon as she spoke, Garza's dark brown eyes snapped towards her, his sharp gaze and slight smirk holding her in place.