In Takira's mind, she tuned her father's words out of focus. She had been hearing meetings after meetings, speeches after speeches for her entire life. In the bitter light of truth, Eolum Hon had more characteristics of a retired lawyer or a businessman than the forsaken warrior everyone remembers him by. Where was the adventurous version of her father? Was it asleep, waiting for the right moment to be re-enabled? Or had it all faded away with age and time?
Even the last time she had been exploring the remnants of the Gargonian base in the Himalayas, she didn't see her father fight off any monsters.
'Time'
, Takira thought to herself, ignoring everything and everyone around her for a moment.
'Such a precious resource in this world. No doubt, it is also the strangest. So many opportunity costs, too. It is "time" which controls the balance of nature. "Time", which is responsible for us to improve. "Time", which is also the culprit who backstabs our efforts and causes things to decay.'
"
Huh?
" she felt someone else's gaze falling onto her.
It was very difficult – almost impossible – to locate a particular person where there were dozens of them in every direction. According to Takira's instincts, she propelled her vision towards a man of interest.
Before even trying to recognize the person, Takira's eyes analyzed the first impression details.
Oceanic blue fuzzy hair with a short ahoge sticking up. An asymmetrical suit with blue fur lining one side of the collar and blue-white checkerboards decorating the other. An overcoat above it, in the color of a blue hue so dark that it appeared black. This young gentleman was clearly an uninvited guest.
Uninvited, unknown... despite all of that, he produced an aura full of charm. For some seconds, Takira couldn't resist looking away from his face.
To Takira's surprise, the stranger winked at her when he found out that she realized what just happened, much like a prey realizing it has been caught in the web of a spider inbound.
'Wait... is he not alone?'
Takira's senses flared. She skimmed through the crowds again, silently, as she spotted a dark hooded figure newly entering through the main gates.
".
...and thus, the factions Akamine and Arkain are willing to investigate into this matter more seriously
," Mr Hon almost reached the conclusion stage of his notice.
The air grew silent.
"
Death to the followers of Hamadaw!
" the blue-haired 'prince' suddenly flipped the atmosphere. He attempted to cast a spell to claim Mr Hon's soul.
The crowd immediately broke apart like a river splitting in half by some invisible force. Casio Thozor donned a facial expression as if he saw a monster in front of him.
"
Someone, stop that kid!
" Casio summoned an altar from out of the air as his weapon and flung it at the young guy. "
Arkains! Defensive positions!
"
Shwiiiing~
The altar shone bright with light, charging up mid-air. Meanwhile, the usual crowd dispersion effect occurred – ordinary humans without any powers hurried to take cover or exit; the remainder possessed one or two abilities for the least.
The hooded figure stepped forward while retreating people flanked his sides. He unsheathed his weapon – a black spear-like glaive – posed to strike.
He darted forward, pushing the air itself with him and sliced at the Altar of Light.
Clungk-shhhhhhrrt!
The altar dissipated into particles, fading out of existence.
The hood fell off, revealing his dark hair and grey eyes, as he landed on one knee before the blue-haired 'ambassador'. His hair was messy yet styled fashionably in a wolf-cut and modern mullet combination with a wild tail tuft reaching down behind his neck in long choppy strands. The top section was short, voluminous and layered. Uneven wispy bangs obscured his right eyebrow while wind-blown spikes framed his face from above. A dangerous jawline complimented his look with a cool, confident and chaotic envelope of a piercing sharp, calculated appearance.
"
Hey! What are you doing here?
" Eolum recognized the robed person as an Akamine member. Or perhaps someone more familiar from a distant memory's encounter. "
Is that… one of the Failed Heroes? Hey, isn't your name Wan?
"
'Snap! My cover is blown.'
Jinju cursed at himself. '
So he still recognizes me despite how much I have changed? Interesting… but I'll need to catch a rat before I can talk with the cat
.'
"
You there! Come with me
," he called out to the blue-haired prince. "
Before it gets even more serious.
"
Casio's disciples dived and flew down from the top floor, descending like angels of retribution. They conjured their weapons from thin air.
Somewhere in the havoc, Miyura trailed Takira away by holding onto her arm.
"
But wait! Shouldn't we join them, too? We do know magic, Miyu
."
"
Yes, we do. But we don't want to be hurt. Fighting is dangerous
."
Back at the main spotlight of action, Jinju blocked two incoming attacks from the Arkain members. The blue prince grabbed a third member by the neck.
"
No! Sayan Dor, don't hurt people
," Wan advised. "
Let me handle the fighting. Otherwise you will taint your family's name!
"
"
Huh?
" the blue-haired guy (named Sayan Dor) looked at Wan as if he didn't spot him there before. He siphoned the life energy out of an Arkain's body before throwing him fiercely to a wall. "
How do you know my name? And who are you to decide what I do, you Akamine monster?
"
"
Halt!
" Casio bellowed from his side. "
As the head of the Arkains, I order you to stop right now
."
Clang!
Wan safely blocked an incoming scythe attack from an Arkain member beside him.
Casio pulled out a tablet computer and searched up Sayan Dorr. The results he found on a fugitive database made his eyes dilate with anxiety. Sweat formed on his forehead.
==========
Name : Sayan Dorr.
Race : Human.
Age : 20.
Wanted level : 5.
Wanted for : terrorism activities, voluntary acts of violence, unauthorized soul transfers.
Threat level : A-rank.
Info :
- Sayan is adept at the art of necromancy and soulstealing.
- Stay away from him at any costs unless you are immune to the necro (death) element.
- He is known to have a special charm to attract female humans with ease.
- That is as far as BERC knows.
- All other information about this entity would be valuable to the BERC database.
==========
"
Sir, this is a state of emergency
," Mr Hon's butler helped him evacuate while the source of chaos was distracted away from him. "
We must leave immediately. Your enemies are coming
."
"
Hold up, Vamir, where's Takira?
" Eolum checked the corners of the courtyard. To add to his stress, she was nowhere to be found. "
Wh-where is my moonlight flower? My dear Takira...
"
"
Oi, Sayan! Now's not the time for games
," Wan threw his glaive like a frisbee at the chandeliers, ripping them down and exterminating the light sources.
Crash
! ...
Crash
! .....
Crash
!
All three of the chandeliers in the central hall were down. And underneath them, the Arkains remained wounded.
"
I don't listen to the Akamine
," Sayan egoistically replied.
"
Well, from now on, you will!
" Jinju cast magical chains onto Sayan's hands and feet. He clasped Sayan's mouth shut as well. "
Azgerdos!
"
The spell opened a one-way portal to Jinju's planned destination.
He picked up Sayan and ran through the portal just in time to avoid a lethal strike from a surviving Arkain marksman.
"
Phosynchron
!" Casio conjured an orb of light to assist in seeing in the dark. "
Where are they? Where's that necromancer brat and the traitor Akamine
??"
Only the silence answered.
"
Bain, you here
?" Wan communicated via a communication device installed outside his ear. "
Bain Wun-Don, do you copy?
"
Wan hefted Sayan and absent-mindedly walked across the mansion rooftop. He bumped into someone who had been standing there well before him.
The fireworks had already stopped some time ago.
"
Yeah, Wan, I am right heeere
," Bain stood before him, flipping an army knife. "
No need to use the CommPhone. Turns out, they're faulty. They don't work. I'll send complaints to the headquarters
."
"
Not so hard to see that.
"
"
Which is why I exercised my stealth skills a bit and spent some free time climbing up and down walls and windows. And, man, this Hon family has a huge estate under their sleeves indeed
."
He glanced at their 'target' subject on Wan's shoulder.
"
So how did it go?
"
Wan dropped Sayan to his feet and unlocked his restraints.
"
You dimwitted human filth!
" were the first two words spoken by Sayan right after he was set free. "
Why are you after me?!
"
"
We need your help, Dor
," Bain explained. "
The Sirutov faction reported that there's an ancient monster caged beneath the Hon mansion. Figuratively, not many people are aware of the fact
."
"
What?
"
"
Yes. Mr Eolum Hon kept it a closely-guarded secret
," Wan added in. "
With a man of such power, no wonder why he gets so much respect
."
With the mention of his name, Eolum's voice was audible below, shouting commands to the nearby Akamine demon slayers. "
Find my daughter in five minutes or I'll dismiss all of you from the service! The BERC leader's number is on quickdial on my phone. Hurry! Be fast!
"
"
Alright , alright
," Sayan cracked his knuckles with an aggressive grin on his face. "
So you folks need my necro skills to take it down or what?
"
Bain and Wan nodded in unison.
"
Sure thing, then. I guess I'll help
," Sayan brought his hand forward in a gesture for a handshake. "
But I also guess not!
"
Sayan retracted his hand right as soon as Wan was about to shake it.
"
No Akamine will ever receive empathy nor support from the Dor family!
" Sayan grumbled, placing one hand in his pocket. The other hand closed into a fist and trembled with anger. A grudge memory of his past was actively choking him. "
I... will... kill that monster. And also...
"
He opened his fist and threw a splash of steamy death magic towards Jinju's direction. Bain realized that Sayan was standing an inch too close to the edge of the roof.
"
Sayan, behind you!
"
"...
the Akamine faction will be endangered tonight
!" Sayan ignored Bain's warning.
Sayan let himself fall freely from the edge of the rooftop.
Jinju easily deflected the futile magic projectile with a simple wave of his hand.
Both Jinju and Bain hadn't expected what they just witnessed. Their minds were halfway through making alternate plans on what to do now.
And he rose again, holding onto a firework rocket.
But it wasn't truly a rocket.
The object resembled a living creature in the sarcastic likeness of a demon.
Bain equipped the gun he had brought with him. But he soon realized that even a hundred such guns wouldn't be sufficient.
The moon's color turned a menacing red, now blinded by a darkness almost bloating out the visible circle.
A blood eclipse.
"
You really need to improve your eyesight, my fr~i~ends
," Sayan's left eye glowed bright blue, with a luminescent black energy wafting out. "
Because there happens to exist a certain color which you cannot see properly
."