Kiel braced himself as Yukira's words cut through the tension like a blade. He lifted a slender twig in a feeble attempt at defense, only for Yukira's sword to slice through it with ruthless precision, severing it down to his trembling fingers. The tiny fragment fell unnoticed to the ground, leaving him exposed.
In the next instant, Yukira's blade pressed cold and unyielding against his throat, the sharp steel promising death with its mere presence. Kiel opened his mouth, but no sound emerged—his plea was trapped behind a wall of silence. The blade hovered dangerously close, each breath a potential final moment.
A chilling numbness spread through Kiel, the realization that death was mere inches away rendering him paralyzed. He stood motionless, every muscle rigid with the weight of impending doom. Panic surged within him, sweat beading on his brow as he fought to maintain control. He felt like a statue chiseled from fear.
Astra's voice cut through the heavy silence, firm and commanding. "Let him go—"
Yukira's gaze remained unyielding, her sword unwavering. Her voice was as frigid as the blade she wielded. "Claive espionage 101; nothing is ever as it seems," she intoned with a chilling calm, her eyes locked on Astra with cold resolve.
The steel of Yukira's sword dug into Kiel's skin, the cold bite sending a shiver down his spine. Blood began to bead from the shallow cut, a stark reminder of how perilously close he was to the end.
"Let him go... NOW!" Astra's voice pierced the night, fierce and commanding. She dropped into a combat stance, her muscles coiled like a bowstring, ready to unleash a storm of water-based attacks. The air around her crackled with the energy of her readiness, a stark contrast to Yukira's icy composure.
Yukira remained resolute, her stance unyielding. Her gaze swept over Astra and the others, her expression a mask of chilling detachment. "Oh, so now I'm the MONSTER? The villain?" Her voice was controlled, every word measured and deliberate. "Well, wahaha! Have you forgotten what this creature is? Let me remind you. This... thing is a category class 5. It has a codename for a reason. The word 'doom' is literally in its name."
Her words hung heavily in the air, laden with the gravity of their situation. Astra's water strands shimmered menacingly, each one a testament to the raw power she was prepared to unleash, but she held back, her gaze fixed on Yukira with unwavering resolve.
"The way you talk makes it sound like he's already guilty," Astra said, her voice calm but edged with determination. "Look, we don't have all the facts. He didn't choose this. It just happened. They label Kiel a threat, but he's had countless chances to harm us, and he hasn't. That means something. Let him go, Yukira. I won't ask again."
Yukira's eyes narrowed in disbelief, her demeanor shifting from cold detachment to incredulity. "You'd fight me... for him?" Her tone was laden with scorn, a scoff escaping her lips as she folded her arms. "And you know what he did? He fled from Foundation security, leaving them all unconscious. How's that for 'not taking them out'? That comes with serious consequences."
Kiel's eyes flickered with desperate urgency as he tried to communicate with hand signs, but no words came. He watched the tension thickening, feeling the air grow heavier with every exchange, aware that a single misstep could ignite an explosion.
"Shut up!" Yukira's command was sharp, her frustration palpable. Before Kiel could utter another sound, she struck him with a powerful knee to the stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground with brutal efficiency. The atmosphere crackled with tension, prompting Orenji to step in swiftly. Yukira's combat skills were undeniable, but they only deepened Kiel's growing suspicion of the conflict's true nature.
As Kiel writhed in pain, Yukira pressed her blade to his throat once more. A flicker of realization crossed her face. "Back up, it talks too?"
Kiel responded with a series of urgent hand signs, his expression pained yet resolute. His gestures conveyed a clear message; Yes, 'he' can.
Yukira turned to Astra, her gaze sharp as she took in the awkward expression on her face. "What?" She snapped. "It's not like I can say 'it' out loud. Oh, wait, I can, and you know why? Because 'it' isn't human!" Her frustration was evident, each word a pointed attack. "Ugh, you can't just—
How can you still defend him? He drained all those people of their Taiji, killing most of them. You can't excuse him just because he looks harmless. Claive espionage 101; things aren't always—"
"… what they appear," Astra interjected smoothly. "Yes, we know. You keep reminding us. And I'm not giving anybody a 'pass'. Did it ever occur to you that this might not be the case here?"
"The creature—this thing—broke out of containment, and that's when everything spiraled out of control. It all es-ca-la-ted!" Yukira's voice was sharp, each syllable imbued with conviction. "I don't know about you, Katsuragi, but I can sleep a little better at night knowing that I did the right thing!"
Astra's eyes flared with disbelief as she stepped closer, her voice thick with emotion. "How can you say something like that? You call this—" she motioned to the chaos around them, her voice a raw critique of their actions—"the right thing? He's just a kid, Yukira. Same as us. We don't need to go that far. We don't get to make those kinds of decisions. What are we? Judge, jury, and executioners?"
Her words were a piercing critique, each one highlighting the moral weight of their choices. The tension between them was palpable, a taut wire stretched to its breaking point as they faced the harsh realities of their situation.
Yukira's face contorted with disgust. "You know what I think? Maybe we should be the ones making the hard calls. It drains people's energy, feeds off their Taiji. Why can't you see that? He's the one responsible, plain and simple. Black and white, Katsuragi. You need to wake up and face the truth! Around here, curiosity isn't just foolish—it's fatal."
Astra's eyes flashed with frustration, her voice steady but laced with irritation. "Yeah? And I'm pretty sure he didn't do any of that without a damn good reason. So why don't you drop the self-righteous act and help us find out what's really going on?"
The air between them crackled with tension, each word a challenge to the other's convictions. They stood locked in a battle of wills, neither willing to yield as their principles clashed in the midst of chaos.
Orenji noticed the sudden gleam in Yukira's eyes, a hardening of her expression that sent a shiver down his spine. The cold energy emanating from her made him want to step back, sensing the danger in her stance. Her green eyes narrowed with a sharp intensity, and he knew her next words wouldn't be kind. She looked lethal.
"No!" Yukira snapped, stepping closer to Astra, her voice edged with biting coldness. "Because what's happening is something we could stop right here, right now. And I don't need a lecture on morality, especially not from someone who's still grappling with her own demons. Pathetic—"
Her words cut off abruptly as if the weight of them hit her all at once. She stepped back, her eyes widening as she registered the brief flicker of pain in Astra's eyes before it was quickly buried. Yukira's chin lifted slightly, her gaze locked on Astra in brooding silence. The regret was instant, a sharp pang in her chest as she realized she'd crossed a line she hadn't intended to.
Astra's body went rigid, shock evident as a flash of genuine pain crossed her eyes. Her fists clenched, then relaxed, as if she were wrestling with a personal demon. Yukira could see the struggle, a vulnerability she hadn't expected.
"Alright, let's all ease up on the throttle here," Orenji interjected, positioning himself between the two girls once more, his voice steady but firm.
The argument had devolved into a clash of wills, each word pushing them further from resolution. Despite the simmering frustration, Yukira couldn't help but respect Astra's unyielding loyalty. It was a rare quality—one that, once given, was unwavering.
With a measured breath, Yukira turned away from Astra, redirecting her attention to the Kaiju. Her sword, steady and resolute, returned to its threatening position at his throat.
"Wow, aren't you just the grand station of disappointments," Yukira remarked, her voice sharp and cutting. She advanced with a predatory grace, her eyes blazing with fierce pride and barely restrained fury. "I expected something far more impressive, but I suppose you'll have to do," she continued, her words tinged with a dark satisfaction. "Now, to see what makes you tick."
Astra remained rooted in place, utterly stunned by the scene unfolding before her.
Astra struggled for breath as Yukira's blunt words stung like a swarm of angry wasps. The sting of betrayal was sharp, more painful than losing her mother. To be attacked by someone she had considered a friend was almost too much to bear.
Yet, in a matter of seconds, Astra's composure returned. Surprise flickered briefly in her eyes, but she swiftly masked it with a steely resolve. She would be damned if she let Yukira see her weakness. She buried her hurt deep within, locking it away behind a façade of calm.
"Fine," Astra said, her voice cold and unwavering. "If that's how you see it, then do what you must. End it, Yukira."
Yukira's expression hardened as she regarded Astra with a mix of contempt and determination. Her gaze then shifted back to Kiel, the Kaiju now a mere target of her ruthless resolve. The blade at his throat gleamed with a cruel promise.
Kiel, resigned to his fate, felt a deep weariness settle over him. The relentless chase, the constant battle for survival—he was exhausted. His eyes, once filled with defiance, now mirrored a quiet acceptance. He had fought, evaded, and pleaded, but now, standing at the precipice of his end, he felt a profound surrender.