Ludus

viii

VIII

"The Initiation"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Jakien groaned at the contrasting views between the two heads of the group. "Can there be a day when you don't fight?"

"Jakien, hush." Kavias flashed an intrigued look at the pugnacious duo. They've always fought over petty ideals especially concerning the past, but this was different. Now they were butting stances in terms of intelligence —a challenge between the better leader.

Moonlight didn't enjoy it when people fought —compared to Kavias— but he, too, couldn't help but sit at the edge of his seat.

Aria and Grey both remained completely calm yet stern, a 180 from how they normally fought. This wasn't based on emotion —it was based on the good of their gangs, and both would die for the ones they led.

"We bring Bruxias, they'll see it as a threat and start fighting. We are too far settled in the exposition to be failing because of unnecessary aggression. Think of the amount of casualties we would cause. I will not allow any of my members to die because of that." Grey's deep voice harshly implemented while he tapped his finger onto the cold metal of his gun.

"And if they bring their Bruxias?" Aria retorted, her mellow voice dripping with perspective. "What happens to us? We get ambushed and all killed for good?"

"We can defeat them with just the two of us, Darkens."

"We can defeat them and save ourselves, but that doesn't guarantee that we will be able to save the humans that accompany us. They said five per gang, the only exception for a Bruxia being the ruler. Doing the math, they bring their Bruxias and we lose 8 men." Aria interjected, she was almost positive about the conclusion.

"They find out we brought Bruxias and they'll fight without resolution." Grey refused to endanger his gang —they attempted to avoid quarter conflicts as much as possible since some of their members were claimed as Wanted in the royal palace. "They'll then recognize the escaped prisoners and turn us in."

"You really think they can beat more than two Bruxias?" Aria rhetorically questioned to emphasize her point. "Humans against Bruxias?"

"They know how to kill us, Aria. Humans don't necessarily want to expiate all the shit they've put Bruxias through." Grey crossed his arms, his gun still in his hand. He wanted nothing more than to come out alive —though he was reckless, he wouldn't dare put himself in a situation where his members could possibly get arrested again and sent back to the palace.

"Which is why we bring Bruxias."

"No that's exactly why we shouldn't bring Bruxias," Grey insisted, aggravated with how Aria wasn't understanding his point. The audience appeared to be noncommittal to the leaders —unwilling to make an actual stance since both made sense in their own way.

"We have a greater chance of living when we bring Bruxias." Aria insisted, her abomination for Grey wasn't even in question now since she was primarily focused on not taking any risks. Humans were cruel —all Bruxias were part human themselves.

But humans couldn't stand the idea of being a minority, and fear led to a path of severe destruction that ironically ruined humanity itself.

Aria wasn't about to commiserate with the human leaders of Asterian and Moonsei especially since she knew they had access to weaponry specifically created to murder Bruxias.

"They aren't going to murder us, Darkens."

"Oh since when were you an optimist?" Aria scoffed, recalling the times two years ago where he would doubt his own lifeline —a reckless way of living life to the fullest, though admirable in a way, completely endangering.