I walked forwards in pace with those around me. I only had one mission, and that was to defeat the intruders. I had been given an army of others like me. I only had to look out for two particular intruders. A boy with the power of Re Itsuwari and a girl trained to protect him. Both were from the once-righteous kingdom of Baî.
"Exxo, you will be in charge of taking down this boy and his follower." The 'Mistress' as the others called her, handed me two simple square photos. I stared at the first one and took in the main details of the face in front of me.
Male. Shaggy dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Lean figure. Approximate height of one hundred and sixty centimetres.
I flicked to the other photo, I frowned and scanned the picture as I did with the other. Female. Short brown hair. Brown eyes. Approximate height of one hundred and fifty-seven centimetres.
I nodded and handed back the photos. The woman ripped them up and I felt a faint sort of loss as I watched the pieces fall to the ground. The two halves of the boy's face landed to stare blankly up at me.
"Understood," I said, pushing that emotion away and focusing on the task that my master had given me.
I turned to face the small portion of my army. Ones who would burn alive if it meant my side of the battle won. "Search the perimeters at every moment. If there is one part of this building that isn't being monitored then you all will pay the price when we get assassinated."
I strode off, holding back surges of unwanted anger. I didn't know why I was angry. I just was. I didn't have somehow to be angry at, that was why I went to the training room and began to take out this sudden wave of emotion on something less valuable and less alive.
I let out another round of punches and growled furiously as I wondered if anyone would come and inform me of captured intruders. The boy's face came into my head again. Something inside me stirred. I hissed and pushed it down.
If another side of me was going to appear in my head and tell me something about being manipulated I wasn't going to have it—I had my orders, and I was going to obey. I had to obey.
There wasn't anything else out for me but taking command and completing it. If I tried to think past that, to imagine what it would be like…it just went blank.
"Exxo, we have urgent news." I turned, a drop of sweat ran down my temple and I felt my heart beat thud in my chest. Loud and consistent.
"What is it?" I replied, wanting to know immediately. If it was an extremely valid piece of information then I would need to act as soon as I could.
"The boy and his associate were spotted not too shorter than two hours ago were spotted exiting the Devil's Haven. This area is located North-West of the Carolina District which occupies—"
I glared and held up my finger. "I don't need a full detailed report—What were their appearances?" I said carefully, tempted to turn around and throw a hard hit against the punching bag.
"The boy was wearing a dark green faded sweater with jeans. The girl had a black t-shirt and tight pants." They informed me immediately.
I nodded and gritted my teeth. "They've got a plan," I muttered, I looked up and stared at the three young boys and girl in front of me.
"Prepare for an attack at any time," I said stiffly, I couldn't fail the Mistress, I wouldn't allow it. If I died that would be more acceptable than coming back to stand before her empty-handed.
I strode past the fifth division set up around the edges of the main sections of the building. I was impatient, the tension hadn't stopped growing inside of me ever since I laid eyes on that photograph.
And even if they attacked, I hadn't fought anyone that was actually trying to kill me before. I didn't have experience. The others following me did. But I was told to lead, no one else besides me, not to lead with my men—but lead ahead of my men.
I wasn't allowed to ask for another's intelligence or their opinion on the situation. Maybe if I proved myself, I would be allowed to interact with the people putting their lives on the line under my own order.
One of the young male generals came to my side. "Exxo, I have been reported three sightings of—" I shushed him loudly, I sensed two heartbeats, the pulsing of their blood called to me.
"They're here," I said quietly.
I gestured for everyone to take positions, and I ducked behind a large pile of neatly assorted boxes containing shipments from different places across the country.
I looked down at my hands and grimaced as I imagined what would happen if I froze up mid-fight. Would they kill me instantly? I supposed that they would have to, but the Mistress wouldn't like it if I gave up because of an unknown emotion that overtook me every time I fought someone I didn't know.
Someone I had nothing to do with. Someone I was ordered to kill. I sighed and flicked the small ring around my thumb, a tiny blade appeared in the band of metal. I closed my eyes and swept my palm over the small knife. I felt a sting of pain and then tiny splatters of blood covered the floor. I opened my eyes and located their positions once more.
Muttering a small command under my breath, the blood swirled and spun into a large ball. One more time. I muttered the command again. The blood hardened into thick, straight sticks. I grinned and murmured a new command.
"Whip them."
The blood became more agile and silvered over and around the boxes I was hiding behind. I use this opportunity to peek around the boxes to see the two people I'd been shown in the photographs. The boy was pale and looked like he hadn't slept in a few days. The girl seemed on edge, her hands were constantly twitching. As if she needed to walk in front of and protect the boy with her life.
I grin slightly, if that were the case, killing them off would be easier than before.
"Hiro I—" The girl started, muttering under her breath.
"Jae, not now." The boy replied, walking forwards carefully.
The girl's heartbeat was pounding, if I wasn't used to that around here already, it would've made me dizzy. But the boy's on the other hand; he was an average rate, slow and steady. He didn't seem scared, on edge—he wasn't afraid. I frowned in confusion but still didn't rein back the two silent attacks I was controlling. They walked carefully past the dark descent that held all the power mains on its walls. They eyed it warily.
With a single slash, I watched as a streak of red swept underneath them and—only the girl fell over. The boy had jumped and was still standing. I gaped, but only on the inside, afraid that the men hiding behind me would notice my uncertain judgement of this male character before me.
He helped the girl up to her feet and continued forward. I realised that if he went a few feet further, some of my men would be attacked. I go to stand up but a light tug on my elbow had me back on the ground. I looked over and saw one of the generals.
"You need to attack when nearly all of us are dead. They won't expect it." He mouthed at me. I looked at the others hiding and a pained expression flashed across my face. I bit my lip and nodded. Trusting their judgement more than my own.
The boy was still walking forward, the girl behind him, trembling. But I knew it wasn't from fear this time—she was angry. The five men hiding spring out and raise their guns to shoot. The girl walks forwards and pulls out a long, thin sword. She places her right foot at a certain angle and the left one follows. In a matter of seconds, the five men were charred corpses lying at their feet.
I blinked and watched as six men prepared to attack the girl again. I understood why the general had asked me to wait. They were powerful, and the fact that the girl had struck first meant that the boy was even more dangerous than her.
One by one, the girl completed the same stance, facing different directions and carefully slashing the sword in a new, more complex pattern. Each one is indescribably prefect. She was a sword master.
Then it was the general and his troop of ten to attack. This was the most people to attack them in one go. I crossed my fingers and wished them luck. Even if they died in the end, I hoped that they would last longer than the rest.
The general walked forward and managed to get a small scratch as I realised he wielded a sword too. The girl seemed naturally surprised. Maybe she might actually fight today. Before I killed her at least.
His men were in a stable formation. Five were firing from behind and in between the box piles. The other five were on the front line, they each had swords of their own, they managed to get in a few swipes at the girl while one successfully hooked his blade into the boy's forearm before the girl screeched in anger and three of them were ashes from that small outburst.
I gritted my teeth. I wanted to fight.