The Zodiac Spirit Guardians

Tears of the Reaper

"Lady Akira!" Rayce shouts in childish ecstasy. Steele releases me instantly and shoves me away with a firm arm. I glance over to the newly added, and very annoying, blonde boy sprinting and skipping over to Akira.

"You took my words the wrong way, that's your fault." My tone spits at Steele even though he was right. My face is stained with an expression of pure fury. I glide back to the cabin, too infuriated to think about what I'm doing.

Ezra had gotten away with doing what I've been wanting to do since the beginning of this whole failed plan, which was: leave. But because he has abandoned us before, he apparently has the privileges of doing it again. And of course, trying to leave while under the watchful eyes of Steele Nuxanos, without getting choked first, is impossible.

Now I can't control the stomping motion I'm performing on my way back to the mansion that no one lives in, just to get away from all of them. There's nothing I wouldn't give to hide out in one of these closets and barricade the doors shut, hoping they'd forget about me. Although, the agony that follows desertion would only send me into a psychotic craze. But maybe that craze would be better than being stuck with Akira for the rest of my life.

The other Zodiac spirit guardians like to call this agony the "Treachery Treaty". Our bodies know the exact moment we begin seriously planning to ditch our duties to Akira, and when it does, it sends searing pain to the metallic tattoos on our neck. A blazing fire catches inside our symbols and spreads through our bodies, burning our skin without physically damaging it. All the pain is felt though, even five times as much as a third degree burn. It's enough to instantly make anyone reconsider abandonment.

Never will I ever be able to comprehend how Ezra lived with that level of pain for as long as he did. Just hours alone is pure suffering, and days would be worse than the torture of flaying.

He lasted weeks.

I yank open the backdoor to the cabin, expecting to slam it behind myself and hurry up the stairs, but Kappie stands in my way, "Where are you going?" He asks smoothly, black eyebrows pulling up to a curious expression. I narrow my eyes and look past his head to the staircase behind him.

"I forgot something inside..." I say, defeated, knowing Kappie will not let me pass him even if it takes all day. "Nevermind..." I spin on my heels, feeling a migraine creep in.

Kappie grabs my arm with a firm hand, "Haruka," He begins what I know will be another grueling lecture of my inability to prioritize Akira's life before my own. Big whoop. This is pointless. "I know how...hard it's been since this whole thing started." I roll my eyes and gaze at his multi-colored irises with a disapproving look. "It's been hard for me too." He admits, not convincing me for a second.

"I doubt the hell out of that." I respond with a bitter taste in my mouth, "You would kill your firstborn for that girl without hesitation-"

"No, you're wrong." His eyes narrow in anger, an emotion I haven't seen on his face in a long time, "The girl she is now is-" He covers his mouth with the back of his palm and shakes his head. I know the exact word he would've used just then: weak. Kappie sighs heavily before continuing, "I keep reminding myself that this is what I've trained my entire life for, to protect a helpless person." He forms fists on his hips and looks over my head to the ash haired girl, "But I miss her and how she used to be. She was admirable and powerful, the girl I'd slice my right hand off for." Scarlet and violet eyes click back over to me, "We must remember that the old Akira is still there, somewhere, lost in the confusion and amnesia." He runs a firm hand through his hair, "The girl she is now needs a reality check." He looks at me for a long moment, then pushes past me, quickly laying a hand on my shoulder, to join the others outside.