Snow built up on the riverside caking the entirety into an icy shield warring off the scavengers of flight. Naked trees cowered, dying for the season. Homeless found the nightly air deleterious to both hands and feet. Steel roofed shops and homes burn brightly past encased panes warming the conditions. Huddled masses herd to the innards of inviting big box markets, coffee shops, and the well-advertised eateries.
This sight wasn't all too uncommon in the city of Corodone. Kage had gazed over it many times silently remarking on its hideous nature. A commonality to the cold depths that ached within the city. Corodone had not been outfitted with the multi-layer structure that the dazzling metropolises possessed. This decrepit mirror of shadows sat on flat concrete land until the coast drew the earth to the ocean. Along that expanse of tainted sea lay the lower districts composed of old construction sites left abandoned while apartment complexes were still made from weathered bricks. Meanwhile, the streets flooded with the grime of its inhabitants with the police surveying at most once a month never attending to their duties unless instructed upon. It was the home for those that would defile the sky upon death. Little more.
The thought barely held still in his mind. Nerves were what stirred him this day. Upcoming exams, unfound ideals, and constant endurance training occupied his mind in recent years; however, all he could imagine now was the coordination of this operation.
White backdrops would leave the fresh blood quite emphasized in this weather. Especially with the drawn-out silence one unwittingly wandering about could hear the noise of a scuffle. On another day in another situation, he would surely decide on the season change to begin again. That opportunity had been lost.
Creaks came from the windblown scrap metal swaying with the breeze. Icicles hung both over and below toppling to the ground. Distant cheering could be heard, the sounds of children at play in the park. Kage found the impoverished parts of Corodone to be peaceful around midday. Winter froze the hands which caused unneeded slips when least expected of them. For a beginner this would be difficult to traverse, Kage made to balance that negative with the cramped space of the alleyway they surveyed.
Frostbite licked his lips, conveying to Kage that the time had almost come. Slipping on his leather gloves, zipping up the dark gray jacket and clasping the belts into their place, finally stuffing his face into the black balaclava devoid of all characteristics except for two sockets for his eyes and two dozen finely pricked holes in use for the transfer of oxygen.
Blue breath fogged his vision, running the sweat from his body. This was imbecile. His better judgment was being lost on such a nonsensical plot. Goosebumps paraded away up his legs and along his arms questioning the motives to the sanity behind his latest actions. They were not like him. Too brash, too bold, and too dicey.
A nudge came at his shoulder, looking, he saw Daniel raise two fingers then point their tips down at the frosted street dotted by imprints of dozens of differing pairs to heavy boots. A pair of men dressed in burley coats, stuffed pants, accompanied by puffy red hats and black mittens exited from a bar. Their exit was not sudden but took nearly an hour since they arrived, yet neither appeared the least bit intoxicated as they made their way to the alley just beneath Kage and Daniel's toes.
Then, the sliver of red leaked from the shortest of the two's pants trailing their escape from the area. Scoping their path back to the bar, Kage caught the recently established "CLOSED" sign dangling at the door.
"You have shortie." Kage commanded. The two of them clambered from their spots patting off the flakes that covered them during their surveillance.
Coughing out the saliva from his throat Daniel responded, "A-Al-Alright then. I'll make my w-w-way around like w-w-we planned."
Quickly gripping his arm, Kage warned, "He has a knife." Daniel was stone still. "From what it seems he just killed a man in that bar." He shivered clenching his fists. They trembled not with fear but something else. "He's alert and will notice you as soon as you enter that alley. You sure you still want to do this?"
Brushing off his hand, Daniel took a few steps forward. "Y-Y-Yeah, I-I-I need to get some r-r-real experience. Oth-Otherwise, I'll just be left behind." Gazing back, a wide grin spread from cheek to cheek. "Nothing to worry about." He masked himself then took the rails on the ladder sliding himself down.
Wind kicked up tufts of the whiteness creating a misty fog that dared anyone to see further than a foot or so before their face. Kage clutched the railing throwing himself over the edge free falling onto the balcony of an apartment. No windows could be found that pointed out from this angle, leaving the four of them perfectly alone. The tallest of the two was trudging through the snow, hands deep in his pockets muttering under his breath of some "incessant bitch". Kage's face screwed itself due to the man's speech.
The trail of blood had ended as they entered the alley. It seemed the amateur had realized his mistake thus wiping the evidence from his pant leg. Both men were close together as if they were expecting some form of retaliation. The taller one knew of the dangers within an alley with this particular one holding all the hallmarks of a disaster in waiting. A trap to be sprung from above, dark corners whence predators gaze wearily for prey, all camouflaged by this vast whiteness. The snow fell so fast that footprints from only minutes before were hidden beneath a new layer.
His eyes were beady, sharpened like daggers scrutinizing each detail. Kage would be discovered in a matter of moments. It was now or never.
As silent as a leaf flowing through the air, Kage flung himself from the balcony's edge. Small droplets from the sludgy puddles on the walkway left a sparkling trail soaring through the air. Luck had been on his side with the sun's glare killing his shadow.
No aura was present in the two men.
'Regular'; however, this did not excite Kage. Anyone could be dangerous with the right technique, weapon, or mind. All this did was make it clear to him that these two had fought through the depths of the darkest corners of underground work, maintaining life to their late 20s, possibly early 30s. Although humans had no aura, they could still sense an Evolved's presence. Therefore, the amateur felt Kage, but it was too late. Untrained and inexperienced to combatting an Evolved prompted the delayed reaction on the draw of his gun.
The heel of his boot smashed into the taller one's face cracking the nose and welting the cheek drawing scarlet fluid from the edges where his yellowed teeth met his gums. Flying through the air he crashed into the chain linked fence on the other side. The man's tongue flung out, haphazardly, licking the cold steel. Eyes rolling and breath shortened the man was rendered unconscious in a single hit. Immense streams of blood spewed from his nostrils caking all below them a red mess.
"FUCKERS!" The amateur now had a hand on his gun. The barrel nearly raised to point down at Kage's temple. A miscalculation on his part. Handguns were illegal and not even those in the black market sold them in fear of bringing the Military Police upon them. These men were not some small-time hustlers but hired killers.
Kage's mind spiraled into a deep process of untwining the rope. Thin and strung to the beat of hammers squeezing against one another. The amber trigger was almost pulled. Before so, Kage had never discovered their origin. The wedding shoes slightly varnished, a coat tailor made of different splotches of linen and cloth only to have insulated innards and a hidden pocket that carried knives and a revolver.
The man was indeed amateur, it had not been an act. One could tell by the way he grasped the gun. Single handed was the grip as if this was his audition for an upcoming action film. Either eye remained open with no focus on the target ahead. Then it became abundantly clear. An insignia etched on the barrel of the revolver depicted a double headed dragon spewing flames shook Kage's hardened fixation.
He could not die. Lisa would be left behind. His dream would be a failure. The foundation in his body and brain gone to waste. He still hadn't given his gift to Lisa. Maybe she would then smile, laugh, or appreciate him. A beautiful grin may spread along her soft cherry lips. Smoothed of creases and glistening with moisture. Kage wished to see it.
"Argh!" Two arms came up underneath the man's armpits, suplexing him into the hardened concrete. A singular tooth fell from his lip dipping into the snow. The gun went along with the man; however, his uneasy grip on the handle let it loose, falling with a 'thud' and 'BANG!' The whizz of a bullet just grazed the edge of Kage's leg, cutting out a patch of the pant. Luckily, a quick glance showed no affliction. The gun must have been a cheap overseas imitation, owing to the sudden discharge.
Daniel shoved the man's face into the snow applying pressure on the back of his neck, legs and arms. Cutting at the joints so the man would feel the looming threat that these bones could easily be dislocated.
Nodding toward Daniel, he spied the sharp glint of something metal in his pupils. A wavy blade darted through the wind just poking the cross section atop Daniel's nose. With no time to spare Kage caught it around the jagged edge. The blade spiked with curvatures made it more of a cleaver than a knife. Rusted splotches along its shining appendage gave worry to a deeper poison on the surface.
Wincing, Kage managed to stop the irritated scrunch of his face. He couldn't limit his perspective with such a mundane action.
The cut stung. Terrible pangs not only tremored his muscles but dizzied the brain. Bright flashes crossed his vision like a pigeon blasting off into flight leaving in its wake a trail of brilliant feathers distracting oneself. Swirling lights sluggishly left his vision devouring the edges to the apartments. Crows came down tearing apart the pigeons. Their beaks raw with violence tainted by the hands of some sovereign being that cracked open their mouths throwing out the gore from within.
Shaking his head Kage knew his eyes had gone bleary now on the cusp of failing. His breaths ragged, stoking the air around him into a flame that punched down on his lungs. All too late had he realized the air was choking him.
But, beyond it all he heard softly spoken words. "Thou are not of the timely bubble to distinguish between man and villain. Shant thee be of a failed, death awaits." The words dark and grim yet spoken with a maternal presence that brought with it a kindly suffocating stillness. It was the subtle chastisement of a mother to her child. Fingers porcelain in nature and terribly cold lifted Kage's chin. "Recount the numbers to thine birth, then shall thee ever coming duty be borrowed with fruitful goods. Possibly the fall of stars will not occur."
Her presence was gone and returned; he was to the man before him, drawing another blade from his coat's innards. An equally thick and deadly weapon, this time, tossed to the cross section above Kage's nose. This time, he was ready for it.
Flipping the blade in hand he countered the soaring dart knocking it to the snow. The poison grew a flower the color of a violet bud. Hopping side to side he ensured that man would have difficulty in any further shots. Too clever for this beginner's trick the man instead threw up another gripping it horizontally so that the blade dug into the sleeve of his coat.
A hospitable aroma floated in the air, as if long lost friends were reuniting for a final prowl. Man and blade were one with this man. The stance was practiced as well as precise. Any skilled man would be killed once the technique was enacted on their soon slept corpse, but an Evolved might stand a chance.
Kage peeked at his opened palm. Blood ran splotching the snow. These were the repercussions to his lack of awareness. Despite his words, he partook in diverting half his attention to Daniel while he made short work of this man's partner. He could only hope now to end this quickly… from there he would have to decide.
"Come on ya weakling brat. Lets fookin' dance!" The man bellowed, shifting his feet parallel, preparing with a counter stance. Kage took the initiative and sprung to action. Dodging the slice to his innards from another concealed blade, he closed the distance lunging forward with his lame left, currently in hold of one of the daggers.
Sparks pranced from the man's eyes as a toothy grin pronounced a sense of victory. With the stance in play the man sidestepped the lunge slicing diagonally across Kage's chest the black cloth cleanly tore leaving the blade to perfectly open up the skin to its hallucinogenic fluids.
The pain: unbearable enough so that Kage dug his upper teeth through his tongue spraying speckles up his nostrils. A raspy green steam wafted away from the wound. His eyes dilated, focusing then refocusing again and again in constant interplay.
A counterattack this trained had become nothing short of a reflex to the killer. So much so that the number of men that fell ill to it could not be counted on thrice the number of fingers he possessed. Bosses to mercenaries, and the toughest of bodyguards, all had their own level of difficulty to them but in the end the snake bit again taking their life as its own. For fifteen years this cycle repeated, over and under and each time it excited the heart when a new challenger dared approach. However, in all that time an Evolved was the last thing he wished to encounter.
The man suffered through the impending will he conjured in his mind. Or better yet, final words of, "Fuck You!" to his executioner, with the middle finger raised nearest high. But it had not been so difficult. The Evolved was just a boy. An arrogant child that deluded a sense of grandeur to being a special one amongst thousands, or was it hundreds? He never had been great with the maths. He relished the gaze of fear before the child's eyes, yet a dark coldness filled his insides.
Odd…
A sectional from the man's neck flung through the air, hit the fence yonder, tumbled through the chain-link into a puddle caused by a melting icicle, but smashed by a pedestrian's foot in another alleyway none too similar.
Yet, his mind had not reached his body. Even as the fluid draped itself like a silk towel over his chest an act of confusion played his muscles for a fiddle. Three fingers touched the missing part only to be glazed in its cherry juices. In a slump, the gentleman succumbed to the gripping reality of his situation spitting blood like a faucet into the snow. However, he had no time to think as a fist came bearing down toward his cranium.
Ears ringing with this pounding, his eyes fell off their tracks instead, rattling mindlessly in their sockets.
'CRACK!' Nostrils upturned uniquely giving him a greater sense of smell, just as the bone poked farther than before.
'CRACK!' Cheeks swelled up in a way that appeared a tumor had manifested.
'CRACK!' Impending doom shaped as a cloth torn fist splattered by a nemesis' taint came with no end in sight. He wished he could hear the boy's words. His mouth wide enough for a grapefruit gave a shower to the man's face.
'Oh well… it'll be over soon.' The Evolved can kill quicker than anything. His face still wrought the man's gaze while he slept. Drowned by his own blood due to the aura separating one from the other.
"Demons."