The city holding its breath, my arms and legs crossed, eyes closed, everyone wondering what was about to happen next, these were the most important seconds to pass of this city's history.
It's been seven hours. The sun was beating down from the very top of the sky, and all I could do is wait. Even if she didn't hear my yell; I've created enough of a spectacle that she had to have heard it by now. I could see a few brave spectators peak in from various corners of the square, curious as to what was going on. A couple of reckless young teenagers barged into the square at one point and wanted me to show off my Tetsu. However, I ignored their request and kept waiting until they got bored.
Huh, this is a familiar feeling isn't it? It's just like that time when I was waiting in that small, smelly, beat up building. That time Thork sold me out. I click my tongue in annoyance, even though I don't hold it against him, I can't help but be a little upset.
I could hear the sound of clacking metal from behind my back, I turn around, and in the distance, I see a group of one woman and four heavily armed guards marching towards me. They were making a wall of shields protecting that single person, using presumably the same heat resistant metal that Yesenia's knights were wearing.
Should I test it out, see just how heat resistant it is? The thought quickly runs through my head, but I decide against it. I would like to believe that they are smart enough to send more than just 5 people to take me down. Especially when I'm in such an advantageous position. So they're probably not here to fight... Maybe... a negotiator or scout of some sort?
I then ponder the situation a little longer. Eh, I guess I'll just fire a warning shot then, make it clear that I'm not interested in talking to whoever they are. I then point my finger at the group aim a little bit down to the ground just ahead of them. A bulge of tetsu forms on my hand, funneling itself into that one finger and then boom. A wave of fire washes over the ground in front of them and quickly dissipates, leaving behind a little bit of scorched soil. I then turn around to drive in the message that I wasn't interested. The sound of marching stops as a result, but just as quickly, it resumes again.
Uh oh, I think I'm being just a tiny bit underestimated. A hint of annoyance began to form. I turn back around and take my foot off the statue, the tetsu in my body turning to wind. Just as I was about to launch myself right into the middle of their little crowd, a loud crisp voice rings out.
"We are only here to give you a warning! If you do not step down from that statue and surrender peacefully. Every last soldier in the city will descend into this square and butcher you. Everyone is already in position; you have 20 minutes. We would prefer to end this with as little bloodshed as possible." The woman shouted before the group took their leave. I stand there frozen with one foot off the statue, then I quickly settle down and begin to think.
I probably should have expected that the higher ups wouldn't take too kindly to me popping up out of nowhere after reportedly being captured and creating a ruckus in the middle of the city. I took a deep sigh and looked to the sky. How did I end up in this situation... All of this easily could have been avoided, if I had just chosen some decisions better. I then close my eyes and clench my fist. This song and dance will end soon, after this, I can finally start doing some good for once in my life. I don't think I can ever repent for being the way I was a year and a half ago, but at the very least, it's a reason to live.
The full 20 minutes pass without a single peep from the other side. I'm pretty interested in how they're going to approach this, if they'll actually follow through with their threat or if it was just a bluff. I stand up. In any case, I have to be careful of their speed, this square is quite large, but I imagine that the people in this world can close the distance in an instant. I look up, there were quite a few clouds lining the sky today. I then take off my shirt and spread it out over the top of my head, grabbing both ends of the shirt like a parachute. This shouldn't tear right? It looks pretty expensive. I was wearing the clothes provided by Yesenia back when I was unconscious, she is, or was a princess after all, so I'd imagine that the shirt would be high quality as well. Thinking about it, what even is her role in this country? It's hard to believe that someone as important as her can act as independently as she is right now. Random thoughts like these flitted through my head, perhaps trying to distract myself from the current situation, perhaps I was just curious, but strangely enough, I didn't feel very nervous right now. I was just focused.
As I had this thought, an arrow whistles straight towards the back of my stomach. Just before it hits, a strong gust of wind to the side knocks it off course. I take that as a cue to leave and violently rocket into the sky, rising higher and higher like a balloon. My body was about as light as a squirrel right now, allowing me to use my shirt like a paraglider as I artificially blow wind into the shirt. A couple of arrows fly by but none of them hit me or are thrown off course the by winds that were circulating me right now.
From down below dozens if not a hundred people appear out of nowhere to storm the square but stop and watch as I escape into the sky.
Soon enough, as I reach the clouds, the massive city soon spreads out in its entirety, it looked just like an onion, every district vastly different from each other, spiraling out, ring after ring. However, it soon fades as I disappear into the clouds, my vision clouds up, I feel tiny of droplets of water soak into my clothing and an increased sensation of gravity as the added weight of the water drags me down. I quickly switch to fire and release a burst of heat causing all the water around me to evaporate. I then take that opportunity to escape above the clouds into the clear blue sky. I stop pumping air into the shirt and drift around the sky, carried by the natural currents. I start to casually whistle; for now, the world was just me and the great sky.
I navigate my way through the sky being careful to always stay above a cloud so that the people down below be able to track my current location... Ah man, what do I do now?
Once I get down, the instant someone sees me I can just disappear into the city in the time it'll take for them to reach my location, but now... How am I supposed to link up with Gleek? I'd imagine that the two that were silently watching me aren't the happiest right now either.
I slip my shirt back on and begin falling to the ground. There's only one place I can think of right now. I thought about it as I sliced through the air. I was doing my best to manipulate the air resistance, my weight was back to normal, making it so that I would accelerate towards the ground as fast as possible. I fall through the clouds, leaving me visible to the entire city, almost immediately, I feel a sharp sting on my arm as an arrow shot from thousands of meters away nicked me. Jeez! Their strength and vision are just too much! I bring both my hands behind my back and wind-blast myself faster to the ground.
Shit! Shit! Shit! I begin panicking as I realized that I about to collide at high speed with a crowd of people walking across the street. I immediately lighten my body and hold my hand out to slow my fall but realized too late what slowing my fall would entail.
I cringe as I blast the people with a massive waterfall of air to slow my momentum. They were scattered and tossed across the ground like a pile of leaves, adding unnecessary casualties to my ever expanding list. I wanted to see if they were okay, but the intensely flashing alarm in the back of my head was telling me to get out of this street right now. Or else the soldiers would catch up and create potentially more casualties. I bite my lip and then disappear into the corner of the streets, holding my head down to cause as little of a panic as possible.
I cursed myself relentlessly for thinking that doing what I did was a good idea. I should have been patient and carefully scoured the city. It turns out that self-importance, thinking I can do whatever I want was still there. I've never changed. I suppress the urge to look back at the people I hurt and continue on, quickly making my way through the districts, 3rd district, 4th district, finally reaching the 5th district.
I'm here. The beaten up house I stayed in with Thork's gang. The streets here have long been deserted, from my few days staying here I learned that the people that live around here are very good at detecting and avoiding trouble.
"You better be in here Gleek." I murmured to myself. For the first time I began to doubt my instincts about Gleek. Her movements and general aura of deadliness, some situations not adding up, the things she told me, and most importantly her eyes; her eyes were of someone who had experienced great pain, the same observation I had made about that assassin. Could I have been wrong about that as well? Flurried thoughts stormed my mind as the calmness I just held began to fade away. Is the assassin even still in the city?
"What are you just standing in front of the door for? We only got a couple hours left until you make your decision right? Come on let's finish it here." I hear a female voice from behind me. One of two that I recognized since I came to this world. I let out a small sigh of relief as my doubts clear then turn around and smile.
"Yea. Let's finish this Gleek."
"Huh, you don't look very surprised. Did you figure it out already?" She looks at me curiously
"Yea, why didn't you meet me at the square though? Why appear only after I ran away?"
"Cause, my chances of getting killed by something if things go south are much higher there you know? I had to wait until you were forced outta there. Trapped in the middle of the city, everyone watching us. Those two pretty strong knights were also secretly watching us right? It made me kinda sad... It's like you chose a horrible spot for me on purpose, as if you've already decided on what you wanted to do."
"I..." Wait... Huh? Was that the reason I did all of that? To trap Gleek in an inescapable situation just in case I chose Lyster? No wonder she didn't come; it would be stupid of her if she did.
"It doesn't matter. I just want to talk with you one last time, and if you want to stay here, then I guess we'll be enemies from here on out, but just to give you a head's up, I will try to kill you right here and now if that's what you decide. " Gleek said.
"Sounds fair." I respond simply. I can't hang on the fence like this forever, once I choose I'll have to jump off the fence and prepare myself for the fall, at least she was courteous enough to tell me beforehand.
Gleek and I then entered the house and sat down on the ground, cross legged from each other.
"You're probably expecting me to expose all the rotten dirty parts of this country and why they deserve to be taken down by Oliviand; unfortunately I have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. The worst part of this country from what I can tell is the unfair treatment between each district."
With that being exactly what I was expecting, I simply nod my head.
"If you want to know what I'm fighting for Oliviand, it's because I don't want this war to go on any longer. I already told you didn't I? I don't care who wins, I just want the dying to stop." Gleek's voice shakes a little bit on that last part.
"It's rich coming from me right? A person who's life revolves around death." She gives a sad chuckle. "But I mean it. If I have to kill a few to stop many from getting killed then that's what I'll do. I originally snuck myself into this city a couple months ago to take you down when you arrived. I suspect the same thing happened to the other tetsudo when they arrived, but then I saw you attacking the castle guards yourself and declaring that you'll only fight for who you wanted to, so I decided to make contact with you instead. I then pulled some strings and lured my group into you, so we could meet again, and then well... I need to ask you a question."
I already knew what she was going to say.
"I already told you that Thork was going to betray you well before he did, so why did you stay?"
Indeed, Gleek had brought me aside the day before I got ambushed and told me exactly what was going to happen, asking me to make my escape and pleading with me not to hurt Thork for it.
After a little pause, I smile. "If I wasn't there when I got ambushed, you guys wouldn't have gotten the bounty right?"
"You..."
"I didn't plan on getting caught, but I guess things just happened." I said. "Nothing I can really do about that you know?" Yea, now they can live out the rest of their days without having to worry, so I'm satisfied with that.
"So you got brought in and Yesenia won you over with her words huh?" Gleek said.
"Yea, that's mostly what happened." I said, not trying to hide my current leaning.
"Did you know that one of Oliviand's Tetsudo is already missing? And the other one has set out on a very dangerous journey to The Eye of his own volition, and he might not even make it out alive. If Lyster get both of their Tetsudo while Oliviand loses both of them, this war will be far from over and will take many more lives." Gleek said with a hint of anger as she stood up and gripped a short heavy-looking knife alongside a long thin curved blade from seemingly out of nowhere, I remain sitting on the ground, unintimidated by her actions.
"That's all I have to say to you. Please make your decision now." She said, staring at me intently.
"You know... you don't seem to be the type of person who would really care about the lives of strangers." I started. "Thirteen people? You could easily have easily snuck past them with a little extra effort, then targeted me and me alone when I came to this world. You hate death, but caused it unnecessarily huh. I think you're hiding the real reason you want to end this war. Tell me I'm wrong."
Gleek held her head down. "What? Is saving the lives of millions of people not good enough for you? Why should you care about what I really think, they're just useless feelings that won't change anything."
"All things considered you're probably right; it won't change anything, but I would appreciate some honesty." I told her.
Gleek sat there silently for a couple seconds. "I had a sister... She's gone now. I don't know what happened to her, who killed her. All I know was that it was because of all the fighting. That's all there is to it."
"Alright thanks for that." I said as I got onto my feet, my decision been made.
"I've been thinking recently. You know, a lot about my life and stuff. I've gone through some pretty nasty stuff, and I've been obsessed with the word 'good' ever since. How can I do good, how can I never do bad? How can I only do good? That's what I've been searching for this entire time, and I've been stuck trying to figure it out."
I smile. "But just now I realized something. Perfect good is impossible, every good action will carry bad actions alongside with it, and that's just how life works."
"So thank you Gleek for being honest; I'm going to also be honest with myself. " I say as I stretch out my fingers and throw my shoes off, this way I could utilize all of my tetsu release points.
"This is how it ends up huh?" Gleek shakes her arms and legs then takes position. Her longer sword resting on her shoulder and her knife pointed towards me.
"Yea, sorry for stringing you along and wasting your time. That's just the kinda person I am." I say as I throw myself back. Gleek takes a ferocious step into my space as I do this. She takes the sword off her shoulder and swings down, just barely nicking my chest, leaving a big hole on my shirt. Of course, her movements had been slowed down and my movements boosted by my wind. Otherwise, there would be no way I could dodge it with my physical prowess.
Gleek then tries to chase me but misses me by a wide margin, tricked by a little mirage I had created that threw any observer's depth of field off. Given this opportunity to counterattack, I throw a kick to her stomach while transitioning from wind to fire, turning my foot into a deadly high-speed torch.
It connects the flat of her knife, with lightning speed she was able to whip it out in time to block my kick. However, from what I could tell it did severely burn her hand, making her grip very wobbly and unsteady.
She backs away as she rips a piece of cloth from her sleeve tying the knife to her injured hand. Then with a lightning fast reaction times she immediately gets out of the way of an oncoming horde of fire tearing through flimsy wooden walls. She immediately goes on the offensive once again. Jumping over my head and bouncing off the walls trying to aim for my back, I manage to follow her with my eyes and turn around in time however.
As I reach out my arm, she thrusts her sword harmlessly into my stomach as my body turns into fire. I grab her face ready to burn her into ashes; however, she unexpectedly kicks me off my feet which were tangible at that moment, throwing me off. Losing all feeling in my legs, falling to the ground, she tries to thrust her knife into my neck but quickly retracts it as the metal of the knife turns malleable and fiery-red. Smothered by the intense heat emanating from my body, she jumps to safety, outside of the house.
I then land, my back bouncing on the soft pebbly ground. My ankles completely destroyed. I lie there, staring at the ceiling not trying to get back up because I simply couldn't. Wooden planks cracked and burned and fell from the ceiling. The house was slowly burning up as a side effect of the heat I was radiating.
I get off my back and turn off my heat as it was simply a waste of Tetsu at this point. Ten seconds pass, my eyes flicker from left to right, I create a barrier of air around me, ready to repel any sudden attacks.
Twenty seconds pass, I blow aside a piece of timber that threatens to smash in my face as it falls. That's strange, I wonder if the two knights got here already, or maybe she just decided to stop and run away by herself. Did she think that she couldn't take me down or something? She definitely had a good shot of doing so.
I cough as the air inside the house slowly gets replaced by the toxic smoke of the fire. Smoke was heavier than air so it filled up the floor of the building first. I quickly sit up and point my fingers towards the gaping hole in the house, then I flush all of the smoke out of the house.
The bones in my legs begin to ache with pain after adrenaline gradually leaves my body which was screaming at me to take a rest.
A sharp crack resonates through the air bringing me back to my senses. I guess I'll have to get on with my life or this burning building might be the one to take me out. I floating off the ground via a cushion of air, I float outside of the house, seconds before the entire thing comes down into a roaring bonfire. The flames begin to lick other structures in the vicinity spreading even further. I quickly condense water into my hands and douse all the fire in the area leaving behind a calm subtle mist.
I take a look around for a couple more seconds. She's gone huh? Disappeared into thin air, there still should be a couple of minutes before the knights presumably see the burning mess I've made and make their way over here. So that must mean that she simply didn't want to fight anymore. An ambush is also possible… Yes, I should stay vigilant for a bit longer, she might be waiting for me to drop my guard.
However, nothing ever came. There was no explanation; she simply ran away. She couldn't have been scared of my powers right? Why…
Nah, I knew why. I could tell from the expression on her face once more. She didn't want to kill me, probably held back a fair bit during that fight too, and I also knew that I most likely had the same expression on my face as well. We're enemies now, but… I guess we're still friends.
I smile to myself as two figures approach in the distance. I wonder if Gleek and I will ever play another game of Ranma.
"I'm presuming you're on our side now?" Crux was the first one to speak.
"Yea, but Glee- The assassin is still alive and well. I don't know where she went since I couldn't really chase after her." I said, pointing to my mangled ankles. My pain tolerance had gone up significantly in the past couple of days.
"Useless…" Rainel murmurs to himself, but the sense of tension he once held towards me was now gone.
"After all that's said and done, the outcome could have been worse." Crux hoists me onto his shoulders and begins walking away. "This isn't the end isn't it." I quietly say as Crux carries me. Even though I've made my decision, there were currently only three, debatably four people in this city who accepted me right now.
Crux nods. "It's on Yesenia's shoulders now.