Kami no sabaki.
The "sarced" Art created and used by Ludachris and his twin sister –Mayu– to take back the gifts – the shardes of their souls – they had bestowed in a ritual known as Divine Selection.
This ritual, strips away the blessings from those they see as inferior and worth the sacrifice, all in an attempt to gain back, and add on to their ever growing–and ever vast reserves of power. Additionally, the abilities, experience, knowledge, overall power and potential that the unfortunate victims had once had; unknowingly or knowingly natured by the "blessing", is given to Ludachris and Mayu.
And to make matters even worse, souls that are all linked to the God-emperor and the Goddess-emperes, don't simply join the cycle of reincarnation like many others, but are instead, damned to forever be bound to them once they die–be it by the ritual or through them just dying(by natural causes or not) till they deem fit for them to be reborn or resurreced.
Forget screaming and crying, Ichigo wanted revenge.
And she has a simple plan; leave this palace, find Ludachris and Mayu, kill them and all who stand in her way before running off way to some far off land with her brother in tow.
Four. It's been four fucking months! Four fucking months since the kidnapping took place and they are still here in this hell hole(home. That's what's they would have called it)! And to make things so much worse?!
They have become compliance. Stagnating and slowly becoming apart of this hidden kingdom. They still come together to plan a way out. . . But . . . The number of plans they come up with fell down by close to 98.99%. . . And from meeting every night. . . They had only met once. . . In two weeks once they somehow, by some higher force, remember that they are prisoners in this place.
(It twists something within them. This, this place that they call hell, has been more of a home than the place they called home–that place felt more closely to hell than anything else).
She has Sensō no kitsune, now and forever. She could see to that justice done, to show that she isn't lead on by a leash like everyone else here.
As much as she wants to do that, she knows it will be in vain. The difference in power is just that great. And she's isn't willing to lead her brother to a suicide mission. There. . . There are waaayy to many scenarios to go through. . .
And most end with them either dead or in situations far worse than their current one. . .
Satoshi watches on as his older sister paces back and forth like a beast that has been confined in a cage for far too long, sandals thumping on the wooden floors with each steps as she goes through the stages of grief in a random, nonsensical order.
Eventually, Ichigo stops, and begins to take in deep(much needed) breathes in an attempt to come the fuck down; she needs to. The last thing they need to happen is for one to go off the deep in.
She's the older sister in this relationship– a relationship that is probably one of the strongest ones either of the two have, and she needs her barrings. (THAT DAMN TRAITOR! WHAT DID HER FATHER EVER DO TO WARRANT SUCH A TWISTED AND DARK FATE!) She has already spent majority of her childhood in depression, self-loathing and what not. But nows not the time.
Protection. That is what her name Custodia means. And Satoshi is in her protection. Now, and forever.
With most of her anger somewhat sealed away to some dark part of her soul, she takes a seat on the couch right by Satoshi, placing her head on his lap–which to almost immediately he began caress her hair.
"He has too pay." She says in a whisper, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists so tightly that blood was slowly dripping out.
Satoshi nods, still looking like he's still expecting an out of body experience– which she knows is warranted, given what happened to him."Yes, he does."
Even with them putting all of their new found passion into their goal, they can feel something, something like reluctance, at the some place in their soul. And they know why. One grew up with her father being cruelly taken away from here and the other had his father be in coma for most of his childhood. . .
Mix that with someone who knows their likes, dislikes, and has a presence that is fatherly. . .
Now, Ludachris isn't the best, far from it, but he has done a undeniably great job being one. But, it can't excuse the fact that he ruined what was supposed to be an fun, innocent childhood. Nothing would do will ever do.
Making the God/emperor of the the Shugyō pay for the crime of killing/ psychological maiming their family will be hard, if not impossible, be it in a fair fight or in one where the gods have them in their favor. . .
But, they'll make sure it happens.
(As much as it pains them, they have to do it).
=====
It times like these where bunking training is all too appropriate.
Although, he did had to put up with Nia going to gear three on the teasing. How does the aquamarine-haired vixen consistently keep on finding material to tease him?
That answer will forever by one of the greatest mysteries to him– even more so than the location of Alexander the Great's corpse. Now, all he knows is that, finally, ever since he and Ichigo have been kidnapped, is he now on a tour of the kingdom; having the tour around Edō – the capital city – Oh! And that this outing is a date with Nia– something the lass was more than excited for.
The excitement was apparently congetis. No, like seriously, it was. Seeing the normally stoic and serious(yes, hard to believe after all the flirting she does, but yes. She can get serious when doing her job, training Satoshi and Ichigo not withstanding) Daimyo being little more aloof, relax and easy-going is a great, appreciated change.
Whether it be on the levitating bullet train or by the hovering bus or even on foot, the capital city appears to be out of some cyberpunk like spectacle. Bright neon billboards with ads constantly showing things from food to one Hatamoto– who so happens to be an idol–adorn the buildings, casting a dazzling myriad of colors into the air and street below. Somehow, Satoshi noted that it didn't take away from the beauty from the auroras handing, dancing marvelously from the heavens about.
Thought, they could do with a tone down, they are far to bright for his liking– and would have been far worse if he wasn't wearing the glasses Nia provided just for this, along with streetlights(which he thanked whatever city designer that they where normal in terms of color, being softer.), it was a festival of lights. While that was happening, the scents of various dishes wafts through the air from the packed to bursting restaurants.
No matter where he turned to look, the local populace– some draped in more traditional Japanese or German clothing and others in more modern fashion(with bits of cyberpunk in there), where an enigma. Why? Because this place– according to him and Ichigo, is ruled by a tyrant, someone who by that logic, would not care if his people were to suffer in poverty or were to simply die. So why go through the effort of trying to make their lives as easy as he could.
But no. That's not the case. Instead of mass poverty, crime, sickness and a air of melancholy thicker can crude oil, it's more of contentment, liveliness, safety—
(Poles apart back at Rome; where people are constantly looking over their shoulders just in case the person next to them, friends, family or not in all related, decided to put a blade, gun, anything that could be used as a weapon into their backs.)
— and fun. What makes it even more perplexing is that, despite the clear social hierarchy, the rich and powerful mingle with the lowborne, with the latter following their superiors out of respect rather than of fear or might makes right. Another thing that makes Satoshi rethink everything he and Ichigo may know is that, how whenever they passed the many statues of the Kami, they people take the time– no matter how late or how urgent they may be– to bow and touch the obelisk, saying a quick prayer that Nia kindly translated to:
"O father of Shuygō, forgotten son of the God and the holy sprirt that exist within us, please grant me grace and my day be wonderful, thank you"
This, is the prayer for "Ludachris" or should he say Suguru Shinomura(why he didn't flat out say his real name is something on Suguru will know), with only a few words being substituted like father for mother, son for daughter in the case of Suguru's twin sister case.
It futher drives in the fact that the Kami are seen has saviors, deities to be worshipped for their many sacrifices.
Well, it is all good and all, even sparking his own interest in the history of this place, but he has a date right now with Nia at a restaurant she, along with the other Hatamoto and Daimyo occasionally visit. For this lovely occasion, Satoshi traded in his uniform for a plain golden t-shirt underneath a white leather jacket, white jeans and wine-red sneakers. He even styled his now shoulder length hair exactly like how Raider has his own hair.
Safe to say, the spirit was more energetic than a hamster on coffee.
Meanwhile, Nia donned a fine ensemble– a black miniskirt with a aquamarine jock style jersey tied aroun her waist, a form-fitting black sleeveless shirt along with a black lace choker with a gem, aquamarine velvet gloves and red heeled boots, with her hair styled into a French braid.
Arriving to the restaurant – a place that's kinda like their hang out place whenever they get away from work – right by the reception table, the duo are met Becker Yuri; a Hatamoto and chef(when not on duty); the head chef and owner of the branch. Yuri is a light skinned girl with chin lenght sun-set orange hair and teal blue eyes that normally reflect nothing other than neutrality – with a "bit" of boredom – but now, they are reflecting a mocking and playful gleam. Since she's currently off-duty her Hatamoto position in the army, she wore the traditional pristine white chef coat with golden buttons, white trousers and simple orange sneakers.
But that really isn't what he was focusing on even though that did feel so much better than the mocking smile Yuri has on her lips.
Does it help that he has locked arms and holding hands with Nia? No. It doesn't.
"Yuri-chan!"
"Becker-san. . ."
"Nia-chan, and Rose Toy-kun, how was fucking each other silly sessions? Bet you didn't last past 30 seconds~" The 4" 11' tall midget teased in her usual fashion with a mocking smile, swinging her legs before getting off the table. "I'm sure you didn't make past your high score of five huh Rose Toy-kun ~"
As you can see, Yuri had a mouth on her. A mouth that Satoshi had the first hand experience of taking the brunt of when it came to the whole cooking mama but done by a drill sargent in the middle of fucking nowhere classes. He still doesn't know how she became the little sister in this pseudo friend (family) group he and Ichigo have came to know.
(First rule of trying to escape is not to develop bonds or relations with your captor(s). But both Ichigo and Satoshi failed in that. And who can blame them, coming from a place that treated them like shit to a place that treats them like one of their own does that to people. )
Letting go of Satoshi's hand, the aquamarine haired lass strutted her way to hug Yuri, all before adopting a equally mocking smile of her own."It's going splendidly. For starters, we are doing it all night long with the real deal~" She says arrogantly, bending over and gently tilting up Yuri's head by the jaw so she could look her in the eye. "And not with some unfortunate zucchini? Or was it a carrot? Or was it a cucumber~ Kami forbid if it was a beetroot or banana~"
The orange haired girl smacked the hand away, turning away as a blush of embarrassment painted her face. "Tsk. The usual table has been set. Let me go to prepare your food." She walked away, heading to the kitchen to be the Gordon Ramsey to her poor workers as get rid of her embarrassment.
"Try not to assault vegetables~ Or the fruit~"
Flipping the bird, the petite chef continued walking into the kitchen, yelling. "Just go fucking sit in your seat!"
"Fufufufufu~"
After that slight light hearted interaction, the "dating" couple made their way to the table Nia booked for in advance – located on the third floor, right by the window overlooking the the city center and the behemoth of a golden statue of the kingdom's eight-pointed star in the middle of a artificial pond.
Even when the heavens open up, it still finds a way to be glorious.
"So, do you like the place I've chosen?" Nia asks, somewhat shy – something that wakes Satoshi back to reality. "I know it isn't like the high end restaurants you're used too, but, I think it's all about the ambience. Don't you agree?"
"Oh? Yes. This place is great."
"I'm glad you like it." She says, following the nervous Satoshi's gaze to the golden star outside. "I see that you are enjoying view."
"Oh? My bad. I was. . . Distracted by that."
No problem. The great insignia of our holy empire. It is a incredible sight, isn't she? Sure, it's only an added three more points than the star of David the Kerafim proudly desecrate, but," she pauses, taking a sip of water(most probably to get rid of the hostile edge she has when talking about the Kerafim. "it is something of beauty."
"Do you have any idea why they chose it?" Satoshi absent-mindly asks, before quickly apologizing. "M-my bad. This was supposed to be a date, not me asking about the boring details."
"For the eight sacrifices they did so we could live and enjoy our right to live." She answers. "And it's no problem. I know your love for history brings you great joy, right~"
"Is that why they are revering them?"
"That, and the fact they give their all in making sure that all under the Aurora heavens could have a place we can comfortably call home."
The more he learns about the rulers of this world, the more confused he becomes. Why are, these "tyrants", doing so much for their kingdom? That's something straight out a fairy tale.
'[Sire. You've read books about the moral worlds' greatest rulers. That enough should prove not all kings and emperors are all tyrants like faux Desiderio.]' Conquer adds his own two cents.
While yes, he can accept that there are great kings and emperors in history. But it would go against everything he knows is right and wrong if he accepted Suguru as his king.
"So uh, hmm. . . What do you like to do with your free time?" Satoshi immediately tunes back in, surprised that the flirt he's on a date with could sound meek and shy. "Despite how I act, I do enjoy tending to my garden. And. . . This is embarrassing but, I'm sort of what you would call an otakū."
"Otakū?"
"An extreme fan. In my case, that would be with the animemanga and gaming medium." And here, probably for the first time, Nia had a bright pink-red blush spread adorably on her cheeks. "But! Before you get the wrong idea, I do see to it that I do bath. Two times to make sure for situations like this."
Wow. She's really putting herself out there. Being vulnerable with someone she hasn't "known" for no more than four months.
(He remembers the last time he was like that. . . And the result stung.)
But, is she being genuine with her emotions, or are they nothing more than a well done illusion masking the real deal.
No genuine heart can be formed on the foundations of a lie that holds the slightest thang of malice or any other negative agendas.
Before he can proceed with forming some could be, the another real bond, it. . . It needs to be asked.
After all, what's the best way to deal with insecurities other than to address them?
"Are you. . .Are you being friendly with me because it's your duty?"
That struck a nerve, evident in by both the minute flinch of her shoulders and the slight widening of her eyes. It hurted to ask. . . But. . . He wanted to make sure that this whole thing was actually reality, and not some cruel fictitious play.
His heart had been – and currently does – played enough with. Not again.
"No. I'm not." She replies firmly after a awkward moment of silence, placing her hand over Satoshi's, staring softly into his eye. "I wouldn't dare of playing your heart like that. After all, I'm married; I certainly wouldn't want my partner to pull my strings like some twisted marionette nor will I ever be able to live with myself I'd had to do the same to someone I'd give my heart too."
Honorable. Honest. Vulnerable.
That is what he is getting from her little rant. And truth be told, it's refreshing and. . . Welcomed.
"Although, I'd do fantasize us meeting under more desirable circumstances. " Huh? That's not something you hear people say at all. Probably because it does sound completely outta-left-field when you think about it. "After all, it would mean us being a great couple."
"But. . . It thought you just said you are married?"
"That I am. But, both my wife and I have came to the mutual agreement that I have to find a husband for the both of us." Here, her usual teasing voice and smile return."And you have so far proven to me as the best~"
Oh fuck. How can he forget that she's married. She would know most if not some of the in's and out's of being in a healthy relationship.
Something is writhing with the depths of gut, bringing up a stupidly strong sour taste with an acidic kick to it. And it's now narwing someplace deep in his mind, a dark cloud made out of chains that not only weight him down, but spawns in something.
Ah. He knows what he is feeling now. Guilt. That small needle that is now constantly poking his derriere.
"Here's the food for you pre-ordered honry slut and plaything." Yuri announces, followed by a waiter and waitresses who where pushing a torrey filled with aromatic of primarily sea-based food. "Eat your hearts out."
"Why thanking you pickle stuffer~
"No problems."
"So, how's the food?" The fool mouthed chef asks once the duo take a few bites.
"Mrhm? Oh it's gr–" Something is rubbing against his thigh. Then it starts to grip and scratch against it. But what?
It's Nia's foot. Judging from that cheeky smile she has on her lips. It is her. She's the only one sitting opposite of him.
"Mrhm what? I asked if the food is up to your tastes?" The petite chef asks again, this time with her eyebrows knitted into a frown and arms crossed.
"You know, here in Kagami no teikoku, chefs take their job with unhealthy zeal." Nia finally adds, seeing the embarrassed blush on Satoshi's face – which only intensified once she pinched his inner thigh. "So please, do make her day. It's a taxing job with all the laws , regulations and strict requirements they have to follow."
How is he supposed to give an answer when he has to deal with sensual touching really close to his crown jewels? It's not like his a robot that can't feel anything.
"Well? How is it?"
"Wonderful!" Satoshi gets out once he's brought out of his mind, side-eyeing his "playful" date."It's honestly the best food I've ever eaten. . .Although, the portions are a bit. . . Much."
That seemed to do the trick, evident by how Yuri is now holding her head high."My cooking is a cut above the best." Though, that pride was short lived once the registered the last bit of Satoshi's last comment. "And the portions are too much? Have they been starving you and Strawberry-chan up over there in Hell?"
Silence. But it honestly speaks more than any word he'd ever said.
"I knew it. That's why you made such pleasantly sized plate portions. Portions like that wouldn't fill a three-year-old child! Haven't I been telling you that? Or has been constantly sucked dry affecting the grey matter?"
"Now, now. Just because your fruit and vegetable toys no longer brings you any arousal
"How the fuck does that have to do with the conversion at hand!?"
=====
Taking a walk around the plaza after having a filling meal is wonderful. . . Or would be for Satoshi if it wasn't for the tree of guilt – no, forest of guilt that grew when he asked Nia that character questioning question.
"*phew*, I've never been on a date for an eternity. It was great." The aquamarine haired lass said to no one in particular, contentment shining in every word. "Though, I'd wished we could do this eternally, don't you share my sympathies?"
". . ."
"Satoshi? Satoshi?" She calls out, worry spreading on her face as Satoshi retreated to the confines of his mind."Is something the matter? Was. . . Was the date terrible?"
"Could you wait right here? I'll be back." And with a quick use of [Kakureta suteppu]( well. . . A very bastardised version of it) Satoshi vanished, leaving a confused and worried Nia to wait out alone in the middle of the plaza.
The heavens began to rumble as thunder began to make it's way. The local populace began to open up there umbrellas in preparation for the upcoming downpour – the only other weather change than snow and windy and the clear? skies?
What went wrong? Was it the food? Was it her? Did she sink? Not possible; she had four baths prior to this. . . Was it too soon to push the whole relationship?
'Does it have to do with me? I know I can come off a bit. . . Much. . .'
(Did it help that Satoshi had a horrible fallout with his first and last love, she didn't think that the scar went that deep. . .)
The thunder grew louder, reverberating right above the plaza, the others around either took to cover or already had their umbrellas out and ready.
But no sign of Satoshi anywhere. She pushed her [Daiju-kan] to as far as she can; either he's spamming the living hell of the high-speed movement Art, or he's gotten better at hiding it.
'Really Nia. Are you that mental disturbed that you can't find the one man you are courting? Such a disgrace to the Reinhardt family.'
Eventually, she gives up trying to search; she's far too stressed to properly focus. . .
With a deep sigh, she stands with her head hanging low as the heavens opened up.
The rain came down, drenching Nia to the bone with ice cold rai—
— or, that would have been the case if not for someone using their umbrella to prevent the rain from ever touching her.
"Satoshi?"
"It's an start of a apology." Satoshi says, handing over the worried sick lass a. . . A packet of as a blush creeps on his cheeks."I'm sorry for asking that question."
Blinking for a quick second, the lass studied the package to see if it was actually real. Once she realizes that the apologize gift was actually real, she adopted a smile, one of contentment rather than her usual teasing or mocking one. It. . . It suited her. "See, what did I say~ if a girl fails to recognize you as a rare gem of a person you are, then, they don't deserve to even pursue you. I'm so glad that I'd decided to court you. You even started to pacify me~"
Huh? Started? So, she's forgiven him, but not fully forgiven him? Honestly, he should have known better than to assume it's water under the bridge with a simple sweet.
"What? Did you honestly think that buying my favorite sweet was going to be enough?" She says with a cheeky yet adorable contentment smile, intertwining her arm with Satoshi's, pulling him in the direction of a movie theater. "You still have to do a lot more than that for hurting my heart~"
=====
While Satoshi was trying his best in pacifing Nia, Ichigo was punching her stress away with Satoru– who didn't ask if anything was wrong, she was just glad she was of service to her superior/ best friend.
She's glad now to have something that ain't those stupid dummies – they take far too long to reach the point where they are a threat, and by then, there aren't no more than thirty.
And they didn't last longer enough for her to dull this edge that's irritating her.
'What did my father do to deserve that!'
'If my father was such a loyal sycophant, then why get rid of him!"
'Why!? Why did he kill him!?'
'WHY DID HE BREAK UP MY FAMILY!?'
The pressure was building. The container weakening.
Time came to a crawl, the world seemed to revolve around her, and her alone. The center of everything that happens to her.
Cocking her right arm all the way back, all thoughts flew, dragged away by the wind. No thoughts about the training at hand. No thoughts about the twisted fate of her father. Nothing. Nothing, like a blank canvas.
Her body was acting all on instinct.
Her fist made contact. And the colors of the world inverted.
Sliding back, the sliver-haired kitsune blinked, question marks appearing around her as she clenched her fist. "What the fuck was that?" She asked Satoru, hoping the argent haired amazon knew something.
And going off the confusion and awe on her face, she might have."Do you know what you just did?" She asks, pulling up her sleeve to inspect her left arm.
"No, no fucking clue." Uh-duh. Why ask that if she's asking you that question.
"What you just did was a Critical Hit."
"Critical-Hit? Like those in video games!?" Stars where in her eyes as she realized that her life was now like RPG. . . Sort of. "COOL! I knew that life is a game!" Ichigo cried out in bless, jumping and twirling like a child experiencing one hell of a suger rush."Could you explain what the fuck is a Critical Hit?" She turned to Satoru, the stars around her morphing into question marks.
"Hai!" Pulling out a whiteboard seemingly out of nowhere or her , the argent amazon began explaining. "A Critical Hit is an anomaly created by one's own Sonzai-no-enerugī rushes in within a 1000th of a second– causing spacetime around to warp. Once landed, the sudden surge causes colors to invert. The normal use of Sonzai-no-enerugī that one uses when performing Arts becomes as natural as breathing—creating a sense of omnipotence; like the whole world revolves around you and you alone. It's comparable to what state athletes call being in the zone. One benefit of landing a Critical Hit is that one's Dam grows 10 X faster than those who didn't land one. Questions?"
"Question!"
"Yeah?"
"Why the hell do you whiteboard on you?"
"Well. . . I have been assigned to teach you to my best abilities. . ."
"Makes sense." Ichigo replied, nodding in acknowledgement before realizing something. "Wait! How did you get hurt? I can't even make you flinch?"
"That's because of this." Satoru tugged her coat's sleeve. "Well, yes, our strength does make it hard for you or Satoshi Taichō to damage us. But our clothes are made from the titan bones along with scales from – and again, are the strongest scales."
"So that's why I wasn't familiar with their texture! They aren't even normal materials used for clothing."
"Yeah, only the Hatamoto, Daimyo, the Kami and a selected few high ranking individuals from the Shinobi force, Corps, and our generals are given these special garbs. The rank & file are given normal clothing due to how taxing it is to make them– and losing them to the enemy is also detrimental."
"Okey, that's good and all, but it still doesn't explain why your arm looks like it was burnt with oil." Ichigo questions with mild disgust at the state of Satoru's left forearm – with the person in question examining the said limb much like a doctor would do to a patient.
"Because Critical Hits ignore the defensive capabilities of clothing and armor. Meaning that, if you where any stronger, you could have taken my arm off." Satoru says waaayy to casually, as said arm starts to heal; albeit slowly. Real slow.
"Oh shit!"
"And would you look at that, you have another tail." Satoru noted, covering her arm with her sleeve.
Blinking in confusion, Ichigo brought out her new tail, admiring it. "Huh? Oh, I do have another one."
"I think we'll call it a day. We'll continue from here tomorrow. "
"Uh-huh, cool. We'll continue tomorrow after we are done going out."
"What?"
=====
"So I have some secret organization sending me government class documents. Wow."
Those were the words of someone who, at this point, couldn't less for the whole series of events happening in their lives.
At least it beats being bored.
Picking up the floppy disc from within the box that was left on your doorstep when you were out shopping, you found nothing else another than it, this time with the writing "Accursed Artifacts and Accursed Abilities" done with a black marker.
Seconds turned to minutes. Soon enough, four hours pass without you seeing what the contents were. That was a given remembering what happened the last time you watched these disks.
But. . .against better judgment, you went ahead and pressed play once the floppy was inserted.
"Hello there.
"I'd like the begin this message of with an apology for the whole fainting that happened to you last week Monday. That was not supposed to happen. So, in light of that, I'll compensate you."
'I do speak that language.'
"Now, with that of out the way, let's begin with today's subject of choice." The goat avatar said."This subject may be hard to read, but sooner or later send you something more, comprehensive. But for now, do bear with me."
"[Accursed Artifact and Accursed Abilities l](Top secret)"
"Description(Of Accursed Artifacts): Accursed Artifacts(like Accursed Abilities) are physical manifestations of one's body, heart, mind, will and soul taking the form weaponry; ranging from traditional weapons like swords, shields, suits of armor to more advanced weapons like mechas, light-sabbers like weapons with even more unconventional objects like scissors, pens, puppets etc etc.
"All Accursed Artifacts are Molds that have been imprinted on by the one who held the Mold– meaning its possible for two or more people to imprint on it, drastically altering it's form and abilities. They can be used by any and all races for as long as they obtain a Mold to imprint on and it has been documented that those of the same family line will have similar Accursed Artifact names and/or abilities; with twins, triplets etc etc being scenarios where they have a full 1:1 ratio of the Artifacts being the same or quite possibly being able to share one single Accursed Artifact while having their own.
"The Molds themselves are a construct of –the only creator of the Accursed Artifacts; being made of the Shugyō God-emperor and Goddess-emperes' bones.
"Accursed Artifacts, much like Accursed Abilities, all have what is called a Meter; something that allows for both the former and ladder to go from their sealed state to their Daiichidanki(First stage) with a cost of a single level of their Meter along with a awakening chant – a chant that is usually unique to an individual. With a total cost of three, they'll be able to use Shūban(Final stage), a form that further enhances the abilities and powers.
"Then, with a cost of two levels of their Meter, they are able to change their the form of their Accursed Artifact if they have an alternative form– something that only applies to the Shūban as with Daiichidanki, the changes are permanent 98 % of the time. And finally, with a total cost of five, the use of the ultimate expression of one's existence: Ultimates.
"Now, before you ask, each of these forms will be explained in greater detail in the next disc you'll receive shortly."
'Great. . . Looking forward to that. . .'
"Next on this topic are, the Accursed Abilities.
"Description(Of Accursed Abilities): Accursed Abilities.
"Accursed Abilities, are special innate abilities derived from a connection to the ancestor of a race– typically they are usually the leader God or king; with humans in 98% of the cases can't natural gain an Accursed Ability. Like Accursed Artifacts, they do share similares in terms of names and/or powers based of the family line; with the aforementioned scenarios being which they are a 1:1 ratio of being the same.
"However, there are cases where for both Accursed Artifacts and Accursed Abilities to be direct opposites.
"Unlike Accursed Artifacts, Accursed Abilities do not need a catalyst like a Mold to gain power, but instead, by consuming the blood of races able to naturally gain Accursed Abilities or even beings exposed to relics like the Holy Grail, it boost their soul and uses them as a medium and grants them power.
"Like Accursed Artifacts, they too have a Daiichidanki, Shūban, and a Ultimates. Unlike Accursed Artifacts, there is no extra medium under than the user themselves.
"The U.A.F as a whole, from the Senate Council, to the lowest ranking personnel– those of with ties to the extraterrestrial and Supernatural are excused from the list – have gained Accursed Abilities via consuming the blood of the Shuygō God-emperor and Goddess-emperes along with the creator's abilities to write these abilities into the soul shard granted by the Shugyō Leader Kami.
"They grant access to the use of Daiichidanki, Shūban,[Limit breaker stage] and . Ultimates are excluded because every and all beings can possibly possess an Ultimate.
=====
It's uncomfortablely intense in the room.
Sure, they had something to distract them for a while, but reality as a way in waking them up to it. Sure, they are treated far better than what the people they call family do so, but that doesn't change the fact that their new found friends(lover? with regards to Satoshi)are still their captors, wardens tasked with watching over their Emperor's property.
(They could never accept being the children of that mass-murderer playing God. Like who does he think he is actually like the final, indentured word.)
If that's not all, they had recently discovered that they've been falling into a mundane routine. Wake up by four, have breakfast before being taken (individually now) to train before taking a break for lunch and it's back to training before another break, training till it's time for them to head home.
Mundane no?
Tobdistract themselves from such a negative thought, Ichigo started ready yet another manga, adding on the ever growing list of manga and anime she started but has yet to finish while Satoshi decided to prepare a late night snake for the about of them.
Well, they only know it's late in the night (23:55) thanks to the various clocks in the room. The permanent night has made their internal clock rather wonky.
"How was your date with the succubus?"
"Huh, oh, It went swimmingly." Satoshi said, pausing to choose his next words carefully. "She took me out to eat at Becker-san's restaurant before heading for a movie."
"Hmm, so is that why you showed up thirty minutes later than the time for training with that robotic chick?"
"Robotic what?"
"Flora or Fluna whatever her name was."
"Ah."
(For some reason, there aren't any Italian or Turkish food or recipes anywhere within the kingdom. . . It's almost like a ploy to make them forget about their roots back at home.
Scratch that. That's something that is one hundred percent a ploy. A ploy to slowly mold and fit them to the very German and Japanese ways of the Mirāwārudo.
Well, it's a good thing he's feeling for , otherwise he'd had made some fucked up traditional pizza out of spite.)
Ichigo sits on the sofa, reading "Go Go Loser Ranger" with a dull expression, dressed in one of the many provided sleepwear she altered, finally decides to break the silence. "Do you know how do it?"
It didn't refer to the late night dish Satoshi was trying to make.
"Apart from training to get stronger and waiting for the prime opportunity, we don't have a prayer against them."
The silence returns with a vengeance when Ichigo doesn't immediately answer back.
"I see." She finally says, closing the manga with a huff before getting up. "You can leave my food in the fridge. I'm not hungry; good night Custodio." And she walked off to her bedroom, manga left on the living room table.
Eish. She only ever called him by his full name when she's panicked or back then when they where as close as two parallel lines. . . Satoshi keeps his back turned and doesn't rely as he knows that a single misinterpreted word and she'll snap. . . Neither of them can really afford to be alone. . . Because being alone, isolated. . . Is terrifying, if not mortifying.
It's not only just a matter of physical safety, but of one of mental stability. Satoshi doesn't know what he'd do if he was left alone. . . Even if it's just for a while. . .
Kekekeke, just imagine, joining the one who robbed you of your childhood, just cause you couldn't stand against them by yourself. Raider's maniacal giggles have seemed to have rubbed off onto him; he banishes them to damnation before he losses it and starts acting like the said spirit.
'[Huh? What's wrong with acting like me!?']
'[Because you act like someone who belongs in straitjacket in isolation.]'
As much as he wants to engage with his not-so-sane-living-rent-free tenants, he wants some calm in his life.
Time slowly passes by, becoming even slower than a snail, tik-tok-tik-tok was all that could be heard in the kitchen. He hasn't moved from his sitting position, thoughts unable or denied the ability to take form, bringing him in this state of emptiness. It's relaxing.
A muffled noise draws Satoshi out of his transe. Another muffled noise, and a third, then a fourth, all familiar–far too familiar for his liking. Wanting to confirm the source of the sound, he walks out of the living room before walking down the hallway leading to the bedrooms–both Ichigo and Satoshi have their rooms on the west side of the palace, having the best view of the city just past the forest valley– before stopping right by the door that opened too Ichigo's room.
He knew it. The sounds did come from her room.
The sounds that he was hearing were the sounds of sobs being smothered by the pillow –drowning in tears. This. . . This wasn't the first time Satoshi had heard these sounds before –he had first hand experience – back when he and Ichigo were first introduced to each, he heard her crying. . .
Every death anniversary of her father. . .
Her birthday. . .
And the first few years she was allowed to go to school. . .
Satoshi doesn't stop to question his first instincts– it may feel weird, but he rather take the embarrassment than live to know that he left his sister alone. Knocking three times on the wooden frame of the rice-paper door, then enters without waiting for a reply/permission or without a second thought.
Her room, which normally was bright as a phone on light mode, was now dark. . . Uncomfortablely dark, like a moonless night. Despite all of that, Satoshi makes his way to the bed without knocking over any sewing instruments, the maniquin or the original designed and created dresses, trousers shirts etc etc.
The sobs may stop, but Satoshi doesn't. He makes his way over the right side of the bed, getting under the covers. Ichigo tenses, then relaxes, not wanting to seem to be pushing away the one of the few people who stood with her since she was released from prison.
Moment later, the sobs return, they later turn to full out crying–something that Ichigo had learnt to do only when she's by herself or around Satoshi. Satoshi doesn't look behind nor try to say word to comfort his silver-haired sister, that time would come later, or whenever it needed to. For from, he needed to be a solid presence supporting Ichigo through her long-awaited breakdown.
Both make it not their job, but their duty to be strong for the other when they need it.
They came to this hell together, and they will leave this place together, but for now, they'll deal with the challenges this hell can throw at them till the day they can set themselves free.
A tail wraps around his hand, warm and welcoming, radiating a small amount of Sonzai-no-enerugī that said: "I'm fine now. Thank you".
Releasing a breathe he always seems to never know that he was holding, Satoshi finds his eyes becoming heavy, its a task to keep them open. He needs to be sure that Ichigo is well and truly a okay.
Another tail wraps around him, this time around his waist, firmly but gently hugging him. This time telling him to go to sleep. Before another one tells him to sleep.
Both siblings fell asleep at the same time.
=====
Life has returned back to "normal" with in siblings during their stay in Kagami no teikoku. Ichigo and Satoshi never bring up what happened on that night –which was close to month ago, meaning that now it's April– and they have started something they never thought they'll do again.
And that's sharing the same bed.
Now, however wrong it may feel to you, they didn't care. They were brother and sister till the very end. It wasn't anything romantic or of such. It's. . . It's more of a reminder, a reminder that they aren't alone– nor will they never be–like travelers trapped in the wilderness.
A week after learning that they meet the Shuygō God-emperor since learning of the Kami no sabaki; something they aren't looking forward too.
The massive doors slide open with no visible cause; something that Satoshi explained it's likely caused by subtle manipulation of Sonzai-no-enerugī in the the air–all for the purpose of installing fear in those who walk in. She used to be afraid of the casual display of power and control, but today, like many other times she has came in here, feels nothing.
Okay, maybe a slight hint of disgust at the abuse of such might.
The common folk use normal sliding doors, so why can't he? Why does he need such a pompous show to instill fear when just his mere presence causes the flight or fight instincts to go into overdrive.
In telling you to run.
This isn't the first time they had an audience with him. They had plenty on multiple occasions, but they– Ichigo– kept her cool and held her touch. She held her tounge even tighter whenever Suguru expressed any and all fatherly gesters.
Time for the for the weekly audience. Like the many other times, it starts off with Satoshi's report, filled to the brim with so much technical jargon that her brain shuts down– not all the way now otherwise she'll fall asleep. She switches back on when it's her turn, and her report is a tad bit colorful, with techniques that need a fine control over one's own Sonzai-no-atsuryoku still eluding her and the more theoretical side is still a pain, but hey, the more hands-on and combat related stuff– are things she's improving by leaps and bounds.
The praise should leave her cold, should leave her feeling completely indifferent. . . But it warms her, like having hot chocolate on a cold day right by the crackling fireplace. . .
No! No no no no no no no no! Hell no! Fuck no! Not this time! She can't, she won't let herself to feel like that! "Ludachris" or whoever his name is, is the ENEMY! THE ENEMY! Not her mentor, not her father, not her king or even her God! He's only a monster! A mass-murderer! A destroyer of countless families! Her adored father's killer! The one who placed her brother's father in a coma for his practical most of his childhood!
(Rejection creates disturbance.)
It hurted. It really did hurt.
Her mouths twists and her tounge begins to move without her permission, her unruly Sonzai-no-atsuryoku is breaking out of her control. "Why do you give a damn!?"
They turn to look at her– Siegfried with mild surprise and confusion, Satoshi with visible dread and Ludachris with interest. Satoshi tries to call out, even motioning for her to stop, only to be silenced and stopped when Suguru raises a hand.
Satoshi steps down– he has no choice as being neutral is the best possible path for him and Ichigo.
With a light cackle and a face oh so amused by Ichigo's "childish" outburst, the emperor shifts from his normally assumed position of lazily sitting to now leaning forward on his throne, arms resting on his lap – sparking fear from the two siblings as he now, from their perspective, looks like some sort of eldrich horror with the black hair cascading down, bangs covering his eyes has they shine with amused gleam in them. The gleam only matched by the small smile on his lips. "What are you implying my daughter?"
Something goes off in her head, both naginata alright manifested in her hands."Don't act like you don't know! You don't get to act like a father to the one who's actual father you killed!?" Her grip on the spears grows tighter, but she won't draw them; she may be drowning the a churning ocean of fury, but she isn't that far gone to use them on Suguru.
Siegfried takes it as a sign of aggression; and draws his sword. The strike is so fast, she doesn't even register the blow.
But what she does register, is the Aurora forming a protective shield around both her and Satoshi, stopping the snow white Daitō from severing her head from her body.
"No need to draw your weapon, Siegfried. Please sheath your sword." Suguru orders, still revolting smug. The Aurora recedes with a lazy wave of his fingers. Being the sycophant that he is, Siegfried sheathes his sword and returns back to standing on Suguru's right. Ichigo keeps still, her wrath hasn't waned a bit, but she's knows how disturbingly close she was to meeting Lady death.
She would have had dinner with her if it's wasn't for Suguru's 'mercy'.
"Why!?" She cries out. "Why the fuck do you continue to pretend!? You very well know you killed my father! You kidnaped us, confine us to cages! Stop fucking around with us, goddammit! Why do you bring us here?! Why. . . Why. . ."
Why do you treat us like your own children, like your own son and daughter you spent day in and day out watching over them, see to that, no harm befalls them. That, along with other things she wanted to ask, but they got stuck in her throat, tasting like bile that she tries to force back down.
"Why?! Why did you do that!?" She finally got out, sweating in exhaustion as she tries to catch her breath. "Why do you pretend to care! Why!? Why do you treat us like— like that!?"
The auroras are hyenas. Hyenas that are ready and waiting to the prime opportunity to strike, tearing her apart while she still pointlessly frails around– trying to cling onto life. This is what she tells herself. Over and over. Going as far to ignore how the mass of energy around them feels. . . Like an embrace, like one a parent would give . . .
Protective, warm and comforting.
She sneers at them with hateful scorn.
"And what makes you come to the assumption that I'm pretending?" Suguru questions, amused, outrageously condescending but still showing chess player level of patience. "I don't like "playing" with family– that's something only a fool would do. If I didn't think of you as my children, then I'll wouldn't adress you in such a way, nor will a be making time to see how you are doing." The emperor takes the time to lean back, resting his elbow on the armrest, then resting his head on his hand and crosses his legs. "Only the weak resort to harming their own family, be it mentally, physically or emotionally, and I can grantee you, my daughter, I'm the furthest thing from being weak." He ends with a smile– not an arrogant one like they have seen back in Rome from the elite, but one that says he's fully confident in his strength.
Strength that he can utilize whenever it so pleases him.
Ichigo squeezes Blue's pole for assurance. She sees Siegfried–now looking at her with sympathy, but still has his hand hanging over the hilt of the sword.
(She knows that Suguru won't let any letal harm to befall them. She knows she's betting on that.)
"You're a monster. Not my father," Ichigo spits. "and you'll never be. You're just the monster who kidnapped us, killed my dad and left his in a coma for most of his childhood."
The God-emperor watches her with a look that's reminiscent of a parent watching their child throw a temper tantrum for something silly. "I understand the pain you are going through. Having everything about your world turned on its head, to be revealed as nothing by lies told by the hypocrites that some humans preach on a daily basis, will helped and guild them." He says with both patronizing and disgusted. "Four months isn't enough to ground yourself, in more genuine soil. Lashing out at me won't do anything. . . Other than causing more pain for yourself. Hurting a parent that has done a lot for you breakes even the most emotional challenged individuals." Was the hurt genuine? Was the hurt faux? Ichigo could never tell.
As she knew was that her heart and mind were succumbing to something.
She wants to open her mouth to further argue her point, but stops when Suguru raises a hand."Did you know that your father was one of my loyal soldiers? He swore oath that he'll live and die as one of my many spears – an ichibanyari at that. That dying as my soldier was the greatest honor he'll ever obtain." Ichigo's blood freezes as Suguru's glaze fixs on her. "Your father fulfilled his whole purpose in life; serving under me, tying the knot, and having you. That's something you ought to rejoice over. He died allowing you to live and I gained back my strength. Could there have been a better end he could have wished for?
"And as for your father, Satoshi, what he got was just the deposit amount. I've yet to take the principal amount along with the interest."
(She remembers what Suguru first said about Satoshi's father. Was the betrayal that bad that he can't hide the primal hostility?)
Discarding any other thoughts, she focuses on Suguru's last comment. Something that sounds so damn wrong! And she doesn't even know when to start!
"Fucking monster!" She spits. "You're a fucking monster!" Ichigo always assumed that Suguru is cruel. . . But what she thought was far from what she learned. How can her father's life only have such a distorted meaning?
It's sickening.
Suguru's gaze morphs into something bordering pity."I'd like to apologize."
Huh? He. . . He wants. . . He wants to apologize—
"I'd like to apologize. Apologizing for my lack of sensitivity. " He repeats. "I've forgotten that you are young, you and Satoshi. Your heart is still soft and innocent— guard it with your life. There will be people who see that has a prime weapon against you, see to it that only those you can trust without a doubt may see it." Huh? That. . . That was good advice. . . But what does it have to do with the conversion at hand? "One day in the far flung future, you'll understand that, you'll need to close your heart. You two both have the potential to grow and become strong, strong enough that entire kingdoms would– and should bow to you whenever you make your appearance. Once you have obtained enough power, the feeble masses who we both know will never amount to anything, will gladly give up their lives to see you move forward."
So, he's like the others. Like the powerful "heroes" who couldn't care less for those weaker than them.
"Do you actually agree with this!?" Ichigo asks the fourth person in the room, hoping for a somewhat sane reply from someone who appears to be the most sensible and sane. She can't put Satoshi in that position, but she knows that he would agree with her.
Pinky raises his shoulders minutely in his version of a shug."I am His Majesty's advisor, and I'll never advise to anything that will lead to the determent of the kingdom and its people."
Huh? Was a sensible reply too much to ask for!?
A potent sensation of nausea settles in Ichigo's stomach. Bile threatening to make it's way up her throat and onto Suguru's boots.
"I'm leaving." She says, getting up before briskly stomping away. "I'm not feeling well."
"You can leave; the report was as good as over anyway and was good as always. I expect you both to work hard on your training and to make me proud."
With a now neutral face, Siegfried takes them of the room, heading back to the entrance of the palace to see them off.Just as they leave the room, a tendril that glowed like the Aurora s brushes against both of the siblings' hair, in a very parental act.
She forces the bile down. As much as she wants to ruin the emperor's property, keeping her brother as stress-free as possible. That need, took priority over petty vengeance.
=====
With the servants relieved of duty for the day, Ichigo sits on the three-seater couch in the middle of the living room, not saying a word
In one breath, she manifested Sensō no Kitsune; Satoshi steps back– an action Ichigo finds absolutely ludicrous, she would never draw her weapon against him. She would never hurt him. Never. They are family– brother and sister till the end– and she'd rather be casted to damnation before she'd turn her weapon towards him.
In light of that, she turns out spears towards the coaches.
Why here? She doesn't know why, but something needs to be destroyed beyond return.
The large couch turns to a ruined mess as Sensō no Kitsune's larger spear tears right through it, while the shorter one turns the coffee table and the objects on top of it into shells of their former selfs. The TV and the other objects suffer the same fate; torn, destroyed, a path of ruin is all what the road she went down. She might be a "tad" bit violent at times, throwing the first punch at times, but she's never done it with a excellent reason.
'I should listen to Orange more! It feels to good to mindless swinging at anything!' She regrets not having a living target to release her outrage on, something to force her to strike harder, strike smarter.
(Even though Nia does fill these requirements, she's still close to Satoshi and Satoru. By that logic, she's not someone who should take the brunt of her fury).
Four months. Four months. January to April. After these months of merely reacting and obeying orders like a good little toy soldier, she needs to reclaim whatever bit of control over herself, and her life; by force if she has to.
"-dia! Dia! Custodia!"
She can hear his voice. Then, she can't. It's almost like she's hearing static most of the time, it increasing and decreasing in intensity.
"You crazy idiot! You need to stop! Cust-"
The living room lies in shambles, fluff from the couches slowly floating down, broken TV shrieking, AC leaking out fluid and broken shards of wood litter the spear damaged wooden floors. Ichigo spitefully kicks and spits on the rubble a few times before stabbing Orange into the floor, and fires a at the nearby wall, leaving a massive chard hole where the wall once stood.
Then, next up, the Kitchen. Her fury still hasn't waned a bit, so, till it burns out, she'll keep destroying anything and everything her father's murderer has ever given her.
Rising her right hand, she pointed at the kitchen counter with her index and middle finger; forming a baby-blue massive of Sonzai-no-enerugī at the tips – Kakushi Furasshu ,a Shugyō Art that is a total mockery of the Ángeles caídos Art: Luz negra – before firing it at the the kitchen, reduc—
But she doesn't. She dispels the Art once she feels someone embrace her.
"Custodia. . . Please. . . Stop. . ."
". . . You. . . You called?"
She freezes, feeling the warmth of a body wrap around her in an embrace, keeping her mind contained, preventing it from scattering into the wind. Her instincts lock her body in place– even dropping Blue harmlessly into the ground as she hugs the person hugging her, burying her face in his neck.
From the time they accepted each other as siblings, she can always remember Satoshi being there to support her.
"You idiot! Custodia, what are you doing!?"
" . . . " She can't really say nothing for she herself isn't sure. It's. . . It's more like something she did in the spur of the moment, no care for the rules, no care for the consequences, no care for anything(not her brother). Only satisfying her need to get rid of this sharp edge. This cardinal desire to be rid of this stress she's under.
"Please. . . Don't lose yourself to rage. . ." Satoshi breaks the hug, gently shaking some sense back into Ichigo – who still looked like she's experiencing an out of body experience.
With a quick shake of her head, she sees Satoshi, harried the worst he has been since their kidnapping. She doesn't know what she did, but she couldn't look her brother in the eye, so, she turns to look at the shards of glass on the floor. They are too small to see the full thing, but it's enough to catch glimpses of a deep, warm orange Sonzai-no-atsuryoku flowing upwards from her ears along with her scela being orange and her sliver eyes glowing even brighter.
She brings her hand up to feel her ears, only to stop once she notices that even her hand and the whole forearm is coated in the same orange energy, like some form of glowing samurai gauntlets.
"Do you have any clue on what this is?" Asks Satoshi, which she can only reply with a slowly shake off her head.
'[My bad, that would be my fault. You kinda fed me raw, somewhat unrestricted rage and this triggered a passive ability of mine; can't promise it wouldn't happen again if ya lose it. Comes with the territory of being your instincts and Shuygō side.]'
Huh? Passive skill? Like those in some video games? And she's the Shuygō side of her?
'[How to I explain this. . . Kinda? Mostly yeah. Like those certain video games, passive skills are an actual thing. This one you activated is called [Berserker Mindset] and well, when you are under a mental based debuff, this kicks in to increase your strength – like that Pokémon ability Guts right?]' She asks Blue, who nods before going back to ranting. '[So right, with that in mind, your more human side kicked in, allowing this to activate. And yes, passive skills only activate when under certain conditions have been met. And that may have happened a bit too early as we kinds made a clear partition between your powers to. . .]'
Hol' up. Wait a minute. Something isn't right. Is. . . Is Orange going on a rant? But why? Is there something she's been kept out of the loop for or?
But she casts those thoughts side for now. 'I've no problem with that right?' She says to stop Orange from digging herself deeper than she liked her to. 'I don't mind you being my Shuygō side; or Blue being a my human side. I was. . . Shocked for a sec.'
Dead silence. '[Then we cool?]'
'Cool. Like the how your color goes well with my sliver.'
'[Fufufufu,You should what you'd be able to do to your enemies~]' The relief in Orange's voice – that she tried to hide – puts a smile on her lips.
'[I know this conversation is important and heart-warming,]' Blue adds her two cents, somehow flipping through a book. '[but this can be continued another time. Satoshi still needs to be reassured.]'
Snapping back to reality, she soberly looks at Satoshi, eye to eye– as much as she wants to look away in shame."Sorry, had a quick convo with Sensō no kitsune. This whole thing is caused by Orange."
Judging from the look on Satoshi's face, he couldn't decide if this is a good or not – Ichigo knows is leaning to the latter.
Feeling that she's more intune with her surroundings now, Ichigo follows Satoshi's gaze, first to her eyes fall to her forearms, then lastly her tails, shocked by their now glowing form as a coat of Sonzai-no-atsuryoku that she recognizes immediately as both Orange's; coating her forearms and hands in some sort of armour while at the tips of her tails leak out like fire from a camp fire.
But that vague cat-like curiosity soon turns to shocked once she peels her eyes off herself and finally sees the destruction she casted with a more sane mind. Her voice gets caught in her throat. Was it this bad?
Yeah sure, she's taken Sensō no Kitsune to town, but neither of them can really account for the scorch marks or the traces of ice littered all over the place. And she can't remember blasting a huge whole through the wall – that probably- no, that definitely alerted the servants – granting a view of the outside. She looks back down at the shards of mirror on the floor.
She can see her Sonzai-no-atsuryoku flare up from her hair, fox ears, hands and tails in tounges of warm orange and cool blue. It's almost. . . Mystical for the lack of better words. Her lips turn into a small grin of satisfaction
Wait. . . Why is the room shaking? No, the room isn't shaking; it's she who's shaking. She can feel her strength leave her – the leaking Sonzai-no-atsuryoku slowly fading away while standing is becoming a task in futility.
Satoshi's cry and the thumping of heavy boots against the maple floor are the last things she registers before the world turning dark.
=====
He is surrounded by incompetent fools! Total bafoons! How hard is it to look for two teenagers?!
"What do you mean you still didn't find them!?"
Clad in his finest pale-indigo western style armor, is Albert , advisor to the Kerafim Chancellor Desiderio . Albert, for his is age, appears to be no older than 40, with pale blue eyes and short light-brown hair slicked back with no signs of grey ever making their appearance, matching beard that joined to his mustache. He stood at a impressive 6"7', board chest with an amount of muscle that is usually found on wrestlers. Truly, a marvel of a beast.
But currently, he was a father. A father looking for his two children who have disappeared without no traces.
As if they never existed in the first place
Trembling and sweating, the poor young lad clad in dirty, brown rags for clothes, tried speaking, but couldn't find the words. A heartbeat later, he did. "S-sir! The scouts have confirmed on their 2020th expecting trip that they have found nothing. Whatever or whoever kidnapped them knew how to cover their tracks."
Silence falls upon the middle ages style office, gently illuminated by orange-red glow of the candles.
They were searching hard enough? Or, they weren't searching at all– after all, Custodio and Custodia are the last two of the three vile hybrids within the Holy Empire of Yahweh. Such filth wouldn't be missed.
"There must be something! Some piece of evidence, some clue that leds to them or the kidnappers!" Albert swung his armoured arm down against the table, reducing it, and the mountain of papers to an afterthought– making the poor messenger flinch."Did you check the tracking bugs!?
"They have said they been offline ever since the kidnapping. . . Sir. . ." Poor man, he was just relaying the message and now he's getting the brunt of the rage of a helpless father. 'It could be worse. . .' He thought to himself as his superior went through the stages of grief in a random order for the hundredth time this week.
"God damn! You may leave!"
"Yes sir!" Without wasting a second longer, the messenger boy ran out, slamming the door behind him, leaving the helpless and stressed out father to his own negative thoughts.
'They've been offline since the kidnapping. . . That means someone knew of the bugs existence. . . They must have removed them not to have us listening in. . . But who would have been able to done it?'
He begins pacing around the office, going through the list of high ranking members of society that benefit from disposing his children – a bold act knowing full well that they are protected due to his position and closeness with the Chancellor.
'Could it be the ? No. They just obtained their new found ranking . . . They may be insane enough to punish their eldest daughter by kicking her out of Heaven, so they wouldn't try something like this.'
He stops pacing, his attention pulled by the large mirror in his office. He can't remember – or care to remember – why he even allowed that hideous thing to be placed in his office. But he quickly dismisses that before going back to thinking of who could be responsible for his children's disappearance an‐
He doesn't know why, but his gaze returns and sits on the mirror a minute longer than it needed too.
Without a second thought, he begins walking over to it, and began to warp both the mirror and spacetime not in front of it. . . But inside it.
The air becomes stale, a heavy pressure causes the more delicate items in the room such as the plant pots began to crack, the slightly dirty water in cups start to freeze over. A thin layer of ice formes throughout the room.
It's. . . A fairly easy Art to use – its almost like breathing. All he needs now is permission to be allowed. . .
Seconds pass. . .then, an Aurora like effects springs into existence around the swirling the now human size portal with a eerie black glow emitting from the otherside.
Wiping his forehead, the weathered man could only stop to admire a skill he thought he was stripped off nine years ago. "It. . . It actually worked. . ." He says to himself, shocked that what he is doing was still possible. "But. . . Would I be allowed through?"
He only took a step. A single step. And that was needed for the portal to turn into a grotesque eldrich horror maw, Snapping down with an inhumane crunch. Being a seasoned warrior, he brought his hand to his broadsword, ready to strike.
But he knows striking it would prove futile.
"You have a sick sense of humor. . . . ." The Chancellor's advisor spat before relaxing his stance, watching on as the portal closes – the maw twisting into some hellspawn's mocking smile, glass teeth larger than butcher's knife and so jagged that they put certain torture devices to shame.
Licking it's monstrous teeth, the beast laughed before slowly fading out of existence, mocking smile still very much present.
Although, not without leaving a message.
"I'll let you live out this happiness. . . Because I've found the time where you are at your most happiest. . . And I'll waste no time in slowly stripping it all away. . ."
=====
Next chapter; Chapter 4: One step, in the deep end