Lungmen
There was a haunting silence between the two, contrasted by the clash of steel made from their blades. One blade had an aura that was solid enough to cut through, the other was still in its sheath, but held beautifully against its opponent.
Ch'en and Y/n mimicked the nature their weapons. Like the fierce Chi Xiao, Ch'en's attacks kept coming, performed quickly with no sense of stopping anytime sooner. Like the elegant Ya suyi, Y/n's moves were reserved, his eyes calculating and even had a hint of playfulness, like he was toying with her without using his full capability. You could say that Y/n was like a sword still hidden in its sheath.
In terms of strength and speed, Ch'en was superior, but that didn't make the battle any easier. Y/n had the upper hand when it came to form and intuition, watching every movement of Ch'en's body to predict her next move.
Ch'en: I wasn't told you knew your way around the sword.
Y/n: We never touched upon that during our years working together. But yes, I knew the basics.
Ch'en: Yet you have a student under your wing?
Y/n: I taught him all I knew, the rest he took from others around him.
Ch'en: Then show me how much of the "basics" you really know!
Cuts ran along his arms as Ya suyi tanked Chi Xiao, the latter blade roaring at what was presumed to be anger from Ya suyi refusing to shatter.
Switching it up this time, Y/n took a turn in the offensive, purple flames bursting around his arms, black scale-like armour grew from his skin. With Ya suyi in one hand and a pistol in the other, he took a swing at Ch'en, who dodged and weaved like a piece of string in the wind, each time she dodged, he would aim and shoot at spots where he predicted to where she would move, earning him a few bullets grazing her body.
Y/n: Elusive as always...
Ch'en: My Chi Xiao will devour you even before your bullet penetrates my body.
Y/n: It's a test of endurance then, seeing as that sword of yours will also worsen your... condition.
He placed a lot of emphasis in the last word of his sentence, Ch'en caught the oddity and immediately knew what he meant.
Ch'en:...
Y/n: As your Assistant Head, having access to your financial records can reveal a lot of secrets. Swire bought over 10 purses this month, Hoshiguma purchased a phone before filing a complaint to the company that the phone was too fragile to hold. Yours was interesting, a large sum of money was being taken out weekly to Mama John's, and I don't think you were that into pizza to eat it every week nor were you going through the hassle of buying it in secret. So my next guess was obvious: you bought drugs.
Ch'en: Then how did you figure out my relationship with Talulah?
Y/n: Oh. Wei told me.
Ch'en: What...?
Y/n: Nothing!
Y/n blocked another slash from Chi Xiao, but blood gushed from his armoured arm like he had been hit, the rush of adrenaline temporarily numbing the pain. He shot three more times a different places, preparing a fourth shot before nothing, a fake out meant to bring Ch'en into position, he swung Ya suyi at her shoulder. Due to the blade being sheathed, he did not cut through her but merely bruised her shoulder.
Y/n: Got'cha bitch. Even you can't perfectly control your own speed.
Ch'en: Tch. Crafty bastard, you were good with a gun but I never expected you to be decent with a sword.
Y/n: Like I said, you never asked.
He stepped back as Ch'en slashed at him: one step back, dodge, one step back, dodge, one step back, dodge. It was a pattern Ch'en immediately figured out, yet whenever she did something different, Y/n would follow suit.
Y/n: I gave you this proposition because I recognize your predicament. In the future, you would oversee all of Lungmen, but would the common folk really accept an infected, as their leader, just a few years after the shit Talulah pulled?
Ch'en: I don't fucking care.
Y/n: They'll soon dig out your relations with Talulah, rallies will appear requesting your resignation, riots will start, Lungmen will be sent into a state of disarray. The mere utterance of your name will start fights! Your name will go down as one of the most controversial figures in Yan's history!
Ch'en: Shut up!
Chi Xiao let out torrents of red energy, energy much more powerful and destructive than before. Y/n stood in place though, Ya suyi tightly gripped in his shaking hands like a wall. Ch'en sprinted at him with lightning speeds, both blades, Chi Xiao and the other that was coated in Chi Xiao's energy, their aura made the air vibrate.
Ch'en: Chi Xiao!
Y/n: I can help you with reaching Talulah.
A blast of air exploded around Y/n, his breathed heavily as Chi Xiao almost gouged his eye out. Ch'en panted, it took all she had to stop that attack, what he had planned better be worth it.
Ch'en: Explain. Now.
Y/n: Originally we were going to kill Talulah-
She pointed Chi Xiao at his neck.
Ch'en: Like hell you are!
Y/n: Please, let me finish. Originally we were, but after learning that she was your half-sister I decided to try to recruit you instead. It was purely a coincidence that you were my boss in the LGD prior to my discovery.
Ch'en: You want me to save Talulah? What am I supposed to do? Ask her to remember all the fun memories we had as kids?
Y/n: That's a part of it yes. What I want you to bring out the real Talulah. At this point you must know what I mean.
Ch'en: You are claiming she's being possessed by someone else.
Y/n: Bingo. And we need Talulah to regain some control of her body if she wants to survive the extraction process.
Ch'en: You talk about an extraction process.
Y/n: This beauty right here.
Y/n held up Ya suyi.
She stared at the blade and at him with an incredulous look. Ch'en didn't expect Y/n to be this insane.
Ch'en: That blade, is going to save Talulah.
Y/n: Hey. If your sword can only be unsheathed at specific moments then my sword can cure someone from the influence of a Deadly Sin. So are with us or not?
Ch'en kept Chi Xiao at his neck, even if it ached her arm to do so. Thoughts ran through her mind like a mental highway as she pondered while staring at the ground by her feet, it would be 10 minutes later when she would look up at Y/n and answer him.
Ch'en: I'll- huh?
He was on the ground, legs crossed, staring at her from below with judging eyes. Y/n clambered back up when he saw that Ch'en was ready to answer.
Y/n: Could you be any slower! Another minute more and we would have left you out here.
Ch'en: I've reached a consensus.
Y/n: What is it then?
Ch'en: As you said. I'll help you bring out Talulah, you help me get to her. After that I will not be joining you but instead I will return to Lungmen, along with Talulah.
Y/n: Ugh, finally. That can be arranged, but you can change your mind anytime. Shake on it?
Y/n held his hand out, the Lung stared at his smiling expression then at the outstretched hand.
Y/n: Shaking my hand isn't going to electrocute you or anything.
Ch'en: *sigh* Fine.
Ch'en stretched her own hand to meet his, the two having a firm and awkward handshake. After all that,
Y/n continued smiling and clapped his hands together.
Y/n: Onto the next step then! Which is to safely make our way to Chernobog. That should be easy. Mephisto, call off everyone, tell them to move to Rendezvous point B to prepare for our return. Also, get Ch'en something that wouldn't make her stand out too much.
Mephisto: Affirmative.
As Mephisto contacted everyone. The wind picked up, dust blowing everywhere as a giant shadow obscured the dim sunlight before a spotlight shined down upon them. Everyone looked up to see a black heli, Rhodes Island's logo was stamped at the side, making it recognizable to everyone.
Ch'en: Was this a part of your plan!?
The sound of heli blades slicing the air made them all hard of hearing, Y/n shouted back at Ch'en with the same volume.
Y/n; No! They should have been dealing with the East District riots, I didn't expect them to pull up on a chopper!
Ch'en: Well what are we supposed to do!??
Y/n: We run away! Mephisto will go first then the three of us to fake the impression that he's are retreating because of reinforcements has arrived, them we'll make our way to the Western District through the slum passageways!
He raised his voice, loud enough so that Mephisto and Phoenix could hear the plan. The two nodded, Phoenix running to Y/n's side as he signalled them to run.
From the sides of the helicopter were ropes being thrown over the edge, three figures revealed themselves, two rappled down the ropes, this third one jumped off and landed. One of them was the Doctor of Rhodes Island, Wendy, the leader of Rhodes Island, Amiya, and a feline Y/n hadn't seen before, this one had dark blue hair and blue eyes, a giant case strapped on her shoulder, she took it off to reveal a chainsaw.
"Yo, LGD. Guess you need our help- huh?"
The feline was the first to land on the ground with ab earth-shaking crack, her voice was cutoff when she noticed no one was on the roof anymore, the door containing the emergency stairs wide open.
"Hey! Don't just run away, get back here!"
Wendy: Blaze! Mind your surroundings! Intel says LGD Headquarters is still infested with Reunion!
Amiya: Doctor, please stand behind me as we move through the building!
There was that feeling again, that itch that she couldn't seem to scratch off, it was mostly prevalent on her horns. There was that flashes of red too, coupled with her gaining a sudden appetite for anything. It left Wendy to hold her face that was protected by her helmet.
Amiya: Doctor! Are you okay?
Wendy: Yes, yes. I must be airsick...
This feeling, she could control it for now. But she didn't know how long she could hold on.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It all started with a bang, as they always say.
Everything that could go wrong, went wrong.
*crash*
A watchtower was toppled to the ground. Metal pipes and pieces of charred wood scattered the clearing.
A groan could be heard, it came from a patch of blue hair that shifted itself up. Once her eyes adjusted to the dark, it would seem her memory kicked in too. Mostima rushed to the rubble to find her squadmates. Phoenix, Sathariel, Sophia-
Mostima:...
Right, she was gone. Sophia had been shot in the head before everything went down, now that they were without a leader. Mostima took the mantle of leader.
But what about the others? Surely they must be alive? Mostima searched the rubble for anyone else remaining, the emotions bubbling inside her would be released when she knew it was okay to do so. For now she must stay calm and collected.
Mostima: Come on, come on. Sathariel, Fiammetta, where the hell are you!?
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted movement under a piece of. Hope filled her mind as she went to the pile of rubble, and lifted the heavy wooden beam up.
Mostima: Sathariel!
There he was, his upper body visible to her, but the rest of his lower half was under a mountain of wooden beams and metal poles.
Y/n: Close enough... hehe... Hey, can you get Birdie out first? She's knocked out cold but she's more injured than the rest of us.
Y/n nudged to his side, where Phoenix lay, her eyes shut and blood flowing down the side of her head, he had used himself to shield her as best he could before the collapse. Mostima pulled her out and inspected her body for any injuries, thankfully Y/n protected her well, only coming out with a few cuts and a bleeding head.
It was his painful chuckle that reminded Mostima that Y/n was still trapped under a pile of destroyed rubble. A few hours later, and another dozen cuts on each of their hands, Mostima pushed most of the rubble that crushed his body, until there were only one piece left.
Y/n: Heh, I'm going to be laughing a lot tonight. Heheh, heh.
A thin steel pole punctured his torse, penetrating his lower body and painting the ground red. Usually this was easy to remove, but the pole was unusually long, and the end of the pole was warped and curved from how much weight it had been put through.
Mostima: It's going to be fine. We can get out of here.
Y/n: Hahaha... hahahaha...! Mostima, what killed Sophia- hahaha, was a bullet of air. Someone was targetting her.
He struggled to speak his words when all his mouth wanted to do was laugh his pain out. His own breathing worked against him, everytime he inhaled and exhaled it would move his body, the wound rubbing against the metal pole and causing more pain and laughter.
Y/n: What I'm... trying to say is... If you hear anything- hahahahahahaha! In the woods, grab... Birdie and... run. I can handle them...
Mostima: I'm not leaving you here.
Y/n: Then please, tend to Birdie first.
She reassured him and went to treat Phoenix with the medical supplies that she had scavenged. Y/n exhaustingly tilted his head forward to see the state of his body, quietly chuckling to himself.
Y/n: Hooo... Deep breaths, haha... Deep breaths... Azeth, do it.
Azeth: I'm going to enjoy this a lot.
Two Phantasms slithered itself out of
Y/n's arm, their ghostly visage gripping the pole on both sides of his body, before it snapped, making it easier to pull him off as he collapsed into the ground giggling and grunting.
Mostima: What was that?
Y/n: Not the right time to ask, hahahahahaha! I need you to pull the pole out!
Mostima: Right! We'll go on 3-
Her hands tightly held the shaft of the pole, and Mostima braced herself, just as Y/n also braced himself for what's about to come.
1...
"This is..."
2...
"On second thought, hehe, maybe-"
3...
A disgusting squelch, followed by screeching laughter that made everyone who could hear it shudder in fear.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Y/n: Shit... ha...
His head felt light, while his eyes drooped, threatening to close. Beside him was Phoenix, still out cold, but at least her head was cleaned and bandaged. Y/n stared at the wound of his own, bandaged enough that he would last until they find proper medical help.
Y/n: Birdie. Birdie. Phoenix. You up?
No response aside from her light breathing. Y/n sighed and pushed himself up, everything in his body aching, requesting him sit back down. But he did not listen, one hand pressed against his wound as he limped along the rubble of the watchtower, finding something of importance.
Y/n: Where is it... Where is it...
What he was trying to find was his weapons, the bow from Archetto, and the two pistols Sathariel used. It was nowhere to be found.
Y/n: Crap.
Mostima: Sath! You shouldn't be walking around in those wounds!
Y/n: I'll be fine. Phoenix should be your priority.
Mostima had his arm wrapped around her as he brought him back to the makeshift camp that she made from the remains of their tower, a fire weakly burned, boiling a thermos of river water taken nearby.
Y/n: We will have to move to a safer place soon, our shelter won't last.
Mostima: Agreed. But we won't get far with you and Birdie in this state.
Y/n: I'll be fine. We'll take turns carrying her. Have you seen any of my weapons?
Mostima: Here.
As she laid him against a destroyed wall, she handed him his pistols and bow. Y/n knew the bow would take too much effort than usual just to use, so he had it tied to his bag along with the quiver of arrows.
Mostima: I... also found this.
It was Sofia's rifle, it was intact aside from a cracked scope. Mostima was about to put it away before Y/n stopped her.
Y/n: I'll use it, it'll be better than lugging it around without using it.
A sniper was much easier to use than a bow, but in terms of experience, Y/n had more with the latter. But a sniper was a good alternative, a decent walking stick too.
Y/n: We should move as early as possible.
Mostima: We'll go in an hour. Just sleep and recover for now.
Y/n: Al... Alright.
He wanted to say something, about the missing member of their team. In a way, it was his fault that Sophia was gone, Mostima must be thinking the same thing.
Y/n: Mostima... About Sophia...
Mostima: She's gone, Lemuen's gone, how will I tell Lemuel when I get back... Who even killed her...?
He assumed Lemuel was Exia, Sophia's little sister.
Y/n: The wound went clean through, but it wasn't an arrow.
Mostima: It's not a bullet, we would have heard something and a Sankta becoming a fallen would certainly attract a lot of attention. It must be some form of Arts then.
Y/n: Anyone you know that would do this to her?
Mostima: No. Sophia is known and feared throughout our peers and is our batch's most promising student, no one can snipe her down that easily with those eyes of hers.
Y/n: Maybe Asbeel?
Mostima: Unlikely, his Arts has no connection to anything that happened.
Y/n: Will you be okay?
Mostima noticed Y/n's worried look, she tried to laughed it off but that only made the expression beneath her eyes even more tragic. His lips was zipped right after, he wasn't the most capable when it came to comforting people.
Mostima:...You should recharge. I'll wake you up when it's time to go.
Y/n: 'Kay... Don't push yourself.
Mostima: I won't.
Y/n laid against Phoenix's head and closed his tired eyes, immediately h went to a dreamless sleep.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mostima: Are you still okay carrying her? We still got more ways to go until we reach base.
Y/n: She's not that heavy, but I'll tell you when I need help.
Two days. Two days felt like a week to them. Phoenix was still unconscious as she was being carried by Y/n, who's wound was still healing but the bleeding was being stopped by Azeth's Phantasms. When he woke up from that sleep two days ago, he had decided to drop the Sankta disguise since Mostima knew the truth already, he still kept the halo and wings in his bag for when they reunite with the other Sanktas.
Mostima became their leader ever since they buried Sophia, she took after their late friend, knowing their capabilities and limitations and giving out tasks based on said capability and limitations. Since Y/n was still injured, she took responsibility for most of the work, like reconnaissance, foraging, mapping, and keeping watch, it was unusual for someone as laid back as Mostima be this meticulous with her tasks, it was almost like Sophia's spirit possessed her.
Y/n did the more minor tasks, like cooking and taking care of Phoenix. He did all these with relative ease, it reminded him of those days where he took care of an old friend of his since they were children.
The blue-haired Sankta looked at her map, black arrows made from markers stained the torn paper as she tried to pin point the location. When she did, she looked at the sky full of dark, ominous clouds and looked back at
Y/n.
Mostima: According to the map, just ahead should be some old Sarkaz ruins. Hopefully we can find shelter and stay there for the night.
Y/n: We should collect some rainwater too, we're running out.
Mostima: Then let's continue moving.
With nothing but a small knife, Mostima cut through oversized weeds, hoping that they were going the right way. Y/n laid Phoenix next to a rotting tree, pouring the last of his water into a metal cup and helping her drink it.
*cough* *cough*
Her body lurched forward, loud coughing that took Mostima's attention away from her task and at Y/n, who was patting Phoenix's back.
Mostima: Birdie!
Phoenix: Where...?
Y/n: You've been out for two days while we have been trying to walk back to base.
Mostima: Can you stand?
Phoenix pushed herself off the ground, managing to stand on two feet before collapsing to one knee. Y/n rushed to her side and helped her up, once again he carried her on his back.
Y/n: Careful. We don't want the worst case scenario of losing your legs happening. Mostima, we should hurry and get to shelter so Birdie can properly rest.
Mostima; Mm.
In a few minutes, they were deep in the forest, Mostima slicing up oversized weeds to provide a path for them,
Y/n powering through the ache in his torso as he carried Phoenix and his own bag.
Phoenix: I'm still processing what happened to Sathariel.
Y/n: Do you hate me for it?
Phoenix: Yeah, I do. But, a part of me is happy that you're here too, maybe it's because I've been given a second chance to do what I couldn't when he was still around.
Y/n:...
Phoenix: Sath was the reason I met so many good people, Mostima, Sophia, Miss Hildegard, Sister Belle, even Asbeel before he turned out like this. Things would have turned out very differently for me if he hadn't talked to me that day outside the cathedral.
Y/n was silent the whole time she talked, her raspy voice was right up against his ear so he couldn't just simply tune her out.
Phoenix: I still remember that night Belle disappeared, Asbeel started hating Sathariel after that, we never knew why, we just hoped he would come to his senses after a while, but he never did.
Sensing the awkward silence, Phoenix cleared her throat and changed the topic to something else.
Phoenix: I'm not that heavy, am I?
Y/n: N-No. You're pretty light.
She wasn't heavy, but with the addition of his bag of gear, and that he was still injured and starving, walking was like a challenge. It also didn't help that he was being distracted by his own guilty thoughts.
Phoenix: Question.
Y/n: Ask away.
Phoenix: How did you feed me?
Y/n: Mouth-to-mouth.
Phoenix:...
She groaned into his shoulder.
Y/n: Hm?
Phoenix: Embarrassing...
Y/n: There's nothing embarrassing with that, it was a matter of whether you live or starve to death. And frankly I want you to live.
Phoenix: Please shut up... It's embarrassing...
Y/n: *sigh* I'll shut up. But you should rest.
Phoenix: All right... and thank you, for taking care of me.
Y/n felt her rest her head on his shoulder, soft breaths and quiet snoring could be heard from how close her mouth was to his ear, it gave him a ticklish feeling that left him smiling.
It would take them the whole day until they reached the ruins Mostima was talking about. Rain heavily poured on their heads as they arrived, most structures were as she said, ruins. But one ruin in particular wasn't completely in ruins, the walls were still intact with engravings in an ancient Sarkaz writing system only the oldest of Sarkaz knew, the roof had holes where the rainwater dripped in, that's what Y/n used as an easy way to collect rainwater.
Once they had a fire going, Y/n removed his jacket from a now wide awake Phoenix, she was still weak and could barely stand, so he moved her closer to the fire to warm her up. Mostima had went out earlier to fish in the rain, while Y/n stayed back to look after Phoenix and boil the rainwater.
Phoenix: Are you not tired?
Y/n: I don't feel safe.
Phoenix: I can keep watch. I'll yell out to you when there's danger.
Y/n: I'm a heavy sleeper.
Phoenix: You have dark circles around your eyes.
Y/n: It's makeup.
It was as if he had an excuse for everything. Phoenix groaned as Y/n half-heartedly responded to her suggestion to sleep for the nth time. He kept himself occupied her tapping his burning stick on the floor, creating a unique, hollow crushing of wood sound.
Y/n: Wait, hollow?
He pressed his ear against the floor, tapping his stick again to hear echoes from down below. The floor tile he was tapping on had engravings, just like the other tiles, but this one was different, it had an arrow that pointed to right, where more tiles with arrows pointing at specific directions were.
Y/n stood up and followed the arrows, his charred stick bonking against these marked tiles. Eventually, he came to the other side of the wall where the arrows ended. He tapped while pressing his ear, nothing. He tapped again, this time much harder but no echo, but the tile moved.
Phoenix: What are you even doing?
Y/n: Looking for a secret passageway, it's so typical for a place like this to have one that I'm an idiot for forgetting. Aaaaaaaand, this should do it!
With a mighty swing, the stick hit the tile with a resounding crack, the stick was snapped in half but the tile went completely in the way. Mechanisms came to life as the walls and floors moved next to Y/n, just like he said, there was a secret passage.
Y/n: See? Secret passageway, a staple for abandoned ruins from a forgotten civilization. Now to wait for Mostima's return-
Mostima: Guys!
Y/n: Well, speak of the devil.
Mostima quickly grabbed the pot and doused it all over the fire, the stone room now pitch black with their source of light now gone. The light of the two moons softly lit her worry-stricken eyes.
Phoenix: Hey, what happened out there!?
Mostima: Shhhhhh! We have some visitors incoming.
Y/n: Shit.
They scrambled for their bearings, Y/n packing up their belongings into their bags while Mostima carried Phoenix this time around.
Y/n: How many are there?
Mostima: Twenty, spread out.
Y/n: Anything that could determine who they're affiliated with?
Mostima: No, but they're clearly Sarkaz.
Y/n: That makes things more complicated. Without any proper mapping of this place, I fear we won't be able to make it out without alerting someone.
Phoenix: Why don't we try that passage?
She pointed at the passageway that was recently opened, Y/n searched his bag for their remaining flashlight and shined down the tight walk space, seeing a flight of stairs that led further down before smoothing out.
Y/n: You two, go in first and see if there's any way we could close the door to the passageway. I'll check if they've come close yet.
Y/n dropped his bags and loaded his two pistols, placed his bow and quiver on his back, and wrapped Sophia's sniper on his shoulder. He went out into the rainy yet clear night, the light of the two moons of this world he was in refracted by the rain.
His footsteps splashed against the muddy dirt, but no mud stuck to his clothes. Figures walked past and around him, murmuring something that Y/n got close to eavesdrop on.
"...site of the Artifact has been located, it should be somewhere in the vicinity."
"We found three pairs of footsteps coming from the eastern side, still fresh. How will we deal with this?"
"It's up to her."
Y/n: Her?
He had heard enough, so he silently went back to where Mostima was. He found her crouching bebind to a wall, just next to the opening, where she waited for his return.
Mostima: Well?
Y/n: They're searching for something here, and they know we're nearby or at least passed by here.
Mostima: What do we do next, guns blazing? Or hide it out?
Y/n: It's us three against twenty possibly armed and dangerous people. If we hide it out, they'll eventually find the passageway, it doesn't take a genius to open it.
Mostima: We'll find a way.
Y/n: Yeah, there is.
Mostima/Y/n: I'll sacrifice myself.
Both blinked at each other. Y/n in bewilderment, while Mostima in surprise.
Mostima: I'll grab their attention and life them to the opposite side of the ruins, I can give you enough time to escape with Phoenix.
Y/n: No. I'll fight them while you hide. Once I take out enough of them they will have to retreat, by then you can safely escape.
Mostima: Are you crazy? You'll die fighting against twenty men!
Y/n: And you won't? Listen Mostima, from the two days I've been stuck with you, I can confidently say that you have the potential to become a good leader, it's just that you don't take a lot of things seriously until it's too late. I need you to live, you're the only close friend Phoenix has left, Sathariel and Sophia are dead, so please, you have to be there for each other.
Mostima: Sath...
Y/n: I had a great time meeting you, and the others, it was nice while it lasted. Tell Birdie I said sorry for feeding her mouth-to-mouth.
Mostima reached for a hug, Y/n grew a surprised look before softly smiling and reciprocating the gesture, patting her back.
Mostima: Dumbass. Don't get dramatic on me, I'll see you soon.
Y/n: I'll meet you at base if I get out of this.
Mostima: You better, or Birdie's gonna be pissed.
He chuckled quietly, before getting up and equipping his bow. Mostima frowned and picked up her gun, making her way to the passageway.
Y/n: Hey, don't go tripping and shattering your halo now. No one will be carrying birdie if you've fallen.
Mostima: I won't... Good luck.
Y/n: Mm.
As we went out, he intentionally made his footsteps loud, jumping into puddles as if he was a kid playing in the rain. That grabbed the attention of those nearby, who reported the disturbance to everyone, now all of them were going to his location.
Azeth: You think you're going to die here?
Y/n: Depends, do you want to help or not?
Azeth: Hm. Out of pity, I'll maybe give you a hand or two. You have a plan or what?
Y/n: Yeah. Hold up my halo and wings for me.
Azeth:...
The red pair of halo and wings that belonged to Sathariel hovered around his body. The bright red circle flickered to life as it nestled on top of his head, the shard-like fragments flared as it positioned itself in patterns that resembled a pair of wings.
Y/n confidently strolled to the opposite side of the ruins, random firing arrows that ricocheted and detonated, randomly hitting spots that would attract the enemy's attention while damaging some at random. There was a steadiness in his movements, the calm expression written all over his face as he shot an arrow into an enemy chest moments after spotting them, like he knew they were going to appear there.
A shadow fell over him, covering his face from the light of the moons. Y/n saw the blinking red light and immediately acted, placing his bow aside in one hand and shooting the bomb with his gun, the bright flash incapacitating him.
Y/n: I can't see or hear. This bullshit!
He placed his weapons back and traded them for a small knife. Feeling for any sort of contact from anyone, he felt just the tip of someone's shoulder brushing up against his, so he grabbed it, pushing their backs against his chest so he could trap them in his arms, where he could easily stab them with the knife. Another one down.
By the time his vision came back, Y/n was surrounded by two figures, both were Sarkaz at first glance, but after a closer inspection, one of the Sarkaz looked off.
The bigger Sarkaz swung at him with a dagger and sword, Y/n used his smaller stature to dodge and weave his attacks, managing to move behind the Sarkaz's before pushing him forward.
"Ines!"
The next Sarkaz was the one that looked off, based on their figure Y/n could tell it was female. She was much quicker than the last one, he had a hard time dodging her, one moment where she was about to strike his shoulder, Y/n was forced to trigger black armour to grow from his shoulder in a burst of purple flames.
Y/n: Ugh, might as well. Sorry for waking you up Sloth.
Purple flames grew from his shoulder to reach his fingers. Black armour and claws grew from it, replacing his flesh. The armour deflected both Sarkaz's blows, and allowing Y/n to counterattack.
His claws ejected from his hand, the sharp fingers connected by a metal chain dug into the female Sarkaz's torso, Y/n felt the claws lock in place before waving his arm, throwing her towards the larger Sarkaz who he struggled to hold a standstill with.
Y/n: Haah... Haha...
Drops of sweat dripped down his forehead, while dropps of blood dripped down his body. Blood loss led him to be more fatigued than usual, but he was determined to take everything on.
Y/n: Wh... Who else?
An object touched his foot.
When Y/n looked down, if was a bomb with a smiley face drawn onto it.
Y/n: OH SHI-!
*Boom*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That was easier than I thought~! Since I was the one who took him out, doesn't that mean I'm stronger than Hoederer and Ines?"
A white-haired Sarkaz with red horns giggled as she skipped her way to the fallen Sankta. She curiously admired his charred appearance like a child in a candy store, where the candy was the guns on his person.
"Jackpot! Three-in-one, if I kill him now then all three these firearms now belongs to me~. My collection is growing so fast!"
Ines: W. No.
W looked at her battered squadmate, Ines, with an annoyed look. She crouched and held the head of the Sankta before staring at the Sarkaz eye to eye.
W: What now? You fall in love with him of something? He's not bad when it comes to looks but he will be nothing but a nest for maggots if a few weeks.
Ines: It's not that.
"W, she's here."
The larger Sarkaz spoke, his voice was hoarse and deep, beffitting someone of his line of work. W's eyes widened, she dropped the Sankta's unconscious head and turned back, bowing to the new person that arrived.
W: My queen.
It was a lady in with pink hair and eyes, in a long white dress with black crystalline designs on one side. On each of her fingers were black rings. The most notable part of her, as with any Sarkaz, was her black horns.
The rain seemed to avoid her as she ambled to them. Her eyes never leaving the Sankta next to W.
"You noticed it too, didn't you, Ines?"
Ines: Yes.
The Sarkaz went on her knees, her elegant dress becoming stained in mud. W tried to stop her, but closed her mouth when she saw her hold the head of the unconscious Sankta in her delicate hands. She smiled when she opened his eyelids, watching as Y/n's iris turn red for a moment.
"What an interesting body you've taken for yourself, Michael."
She let go of his head, turning to her men as they had surrounded the her.
"Let's depart. We have found someone more valuable than the artifact here."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Flashbacks. Flashbacks. Flashbacks.
Not gonna lie, the next chapter, which spoiler alert btw, are flashbacks, is perfectly timed since I'm still reading through chapter 8.
Seriously baffled at my own past self for reading this chapter in a day.
Anyway, goodnight to y'all, I'm in your walls.