ARC 4
< 3D: 12H: 43M: 24S>
Reiji was desperate, sleepless nights hauled over the table, staring into an open hand. Bargaining with his inner voices, as they debated what next, the pressure had mounted to nearly unbearable levels.
*Knock* Knock*
"Come in." Hiro and Shinya entered, each a silent bow.
"Boss. He has arrived just as you requested. Do you truly wish to have an outsider interfere with our operations?" Hiro questioned.
"There won't be a guild to operate Hiro, unless drastic measures are taken."
"...Come in." Hiro called, A towering figure entered, long black hair grazing the head of the door. Built like a lumbering ox, muscles stacked and bulky. A tank top that hugged his strong frame, long black tattoos snaked up and down his arms. Eyes nearly hidden by a black fringe. Hands that could engulf another man's head.
Not another word uttered. An unsung glare, fixated upon the crimson bandit.
"Panic; the blood juggernaut himself. Who better to catch someone of his pedigree." Panic, an infamous ranker from the motherland of Russia. Silent and deadly, words often forgone in place of action.
"Have you been informed of our problem?"
"Да, is in paper." Producing his contract to work under the crimson bandits.
"Good... good." Reiji massaged his head.
"Shinya. Show him our prime suspect." Panic read slowly, one hand holding the suspect photo and the other raised above to block the glare. Reiji waited; eager in anticipation, every moment before any declaration filled him with dread.
"Да." Panic affirmed. A grim sigh washed over Reiji. The weight lifted ever so slightly, but the burden of his future only kept at bay momentarily.
"This one we believe is either the Reaper himself or at the very least connected to him. Later tonight we will go and visit him. Hopefully ending our torment once and for all."
Panic returned a vacant gaze. Perhaps nothing was going behind those eyes; a great unfeeling warrior. More muscle than brain.
"You're dismissed. Hiro escort our guest to the barracks, get him comfortable."
A deep bow, Hiro left with their foreign ally. "Shinya. I need you to do one last thing for me. Go into the underworld of Eosar; hire them."
"Reiji, you're sure? Our coffers will run dry if we continue to throw around our wealth." Shinya dissented.
"Shinya, my friend. I have always trusted your keen insights, especially in regards to our funds. However, they are always focused on our long-term investments. They aren't of any use to us now if we're all dead by the end of this week."
"Then why are we going after Jun Jiao? Why the double security of Panic and this other group."
"Not for a second do I believe that someone such as Jun could even pull off these massacres. This is to kill two birds with one stone. If not our prime suspect, then we will at the very least draw him out. For that, I want the pack."
"... It will be done, Reiji." Shinya conceded, departing the office. Respect for his leader, like the countdown, dwindling by the hour. A leader at his wits end was a liability, which if persisted, would lead to ruin. Now however was not the time to act rashly; After all is cleared away then it would be his time to act.
***
< 3D: 8H: 22M: 19S>
Eosar:
The world of Eosar; much like Earth was a vibrant ecosystem. A central interconnected hub that serviced many gates; connecting many worlds beyond. Everything one could ever want was for sale. All could be bought with coin or trade. Lusty eyes to exotic species. Adventurers to goblins to dragon-humanoid hybrids. Seemingly a city of endless fantasy.
Eosar was one giant complex of towers reaching into the sky, built like a labyrinth. Maze of inner workings, dead ends, shops, guilds. Each new level gave its own set of laws, governed by powerful guilds.
However, like all societies. Eosar had its own underworld. A mass of criminal guilds, the foundation of Eosar. Dark markets littered its walls; both open and secretive.
'I hate this place...' Shinya couldn't stand the stench of rot. Back home it smelt of tobacco and alcohol. Eosar's underworld however, foreign smells that couldn't be described to its disgusting origins. Lingering within every corner; festering until the aroma melded into the walls.
Home there was a food chain; a natural order where in humans towered over all others. Here there was no order, no structure, not a hierarchy. Lamias, goblins, orcs, beastkin, all watching the hooded figure navigate the abyss with esurient eyes.
Shinya finally came across his destination, hidden within the walls. It looked like an abandoned bar, however inside the establishment was a bustling crowd. People of all species came to drink together; the clinking of glasses and yelling patrons. It was far deeper than the outside façade.
In the back was his goal. Shinya proceeded cautiously through the mass of bodies. Eyes covered beneath his cloak.
*Sniff* *Sniff*
"That scent..." A guttural whisper. Shinya walked swiftly to the voice.
"Ahh, welcome second master. So good to see you once more. How may I help you?" A large wolf, hooded obscuring all features save for his snout, red fur poking through. Like a werewolf, tall, stocky build; a beast to give pause to any brave warrior.
"I am in need of your services once more." Shinya gave the wolf a light bow. A dark smirk in return.
"Sit, we are always happy to be of service to such a valued customer."
A case was put onto the rickety table, golden light reflected under wolfs cowl. His sharp paws tracing over the golden currency.
"You need someone dead of great value to you?" Asked the wolf, eyes returned to Shinya.
"Our guild has angered a figure. Yet we do not know why or who he is."
"And you want us too..."
"I need your pack to track this individual down. Kill him."
"Hmmmm, and this is all you have brought."
"Excuse me?" Shinya questioned.
"Second Master, as you sit before me, I can see in your heart, fear has taken you. We could smell it as you descended the steps to our world."
Shinya was annoyed by the wolf's observation, though not wrong. Many within the guild fear the countdown, including Shinya himself. However, he came prepared for the wolves' cunning.
"Half. This is your upfront payment. If you can successfully complete this request then another payment will arrive."
"Ahhh, well. We do appreciate a discerning client. Very well-"
"With one condition; after your contract is complete. You will execute the CEO of the guild Reiji Kikuchi."
The wolf paused; then a wicked smile curved on his toothy lips. "Cunning, you would do well as a Lycan, second master... Or master. I expect more payment for this?"
"Yes, thrice the price upon execution."
Just like that a bargain had been struck. Two souls had been condemned to death. What came next Shinya wasn't fond of. The wolf split its paw open with a slice, turning to Shinya for the same.
A blood pact was formed and sealed. "A pleasure doing business with you. Let us begin." He stood, towering all in the bar.
*AWOOOOOOOOOOO*
A howl pierced through Eosar. Howls joined from all directions, within the bar even some patrons joined in chorus.
"Soon, all of your home will be filled with our songs."
Wolves of all shapes and sizes descended. Taking off to the gate of their target, blood red their unifying factor. Black wolves, white wolves, grey. All sprinted after one target. Swift and smooth, racing on all fours.
***
<3D: 3H: 8M: 53s.>
Within Eren's home:
Eren lay awake, night swept over him yet dreams escaped him. Plaguing him since he returned home, never getting more than three hours of rest a night. A blessing and a curse; starting at the roof was not an appealing activity.
*Shuffle* *Shuffle*
Movement outside; quiet, light steps. Coming from above. Hair raising on his neck, something was wrong. Someone or something lurked on the roof.
"Are you sure?" "Yes. The scent ends here." "There is nothing here, the alpha said the human scent would lead us."
Three wolves argued, each nose glued to the ground, sniffing erratically.
"Wait, someone's coming." Ears twitching at the light steps of footsteps approaching.
The reaper landed softly. Masked, whip armed. The wolfs salivated at the sight, their swords readied for a fight.
"He is here... quickly alert the alpha-"
*Slash*
One fell, throat gashed.
"Awo-"
*Stab *
A knights thrust from behind muzzling the other, dropping them too.
*Gurgle* *Gurgle *
The Lycans never stood a chance, long shadows of sombre silence allowed the knights to crawl out from their void. Three bodies slumped, whilst one struggled for life.
"What are you doing here?" The reaper spoke.
"*Gurgle* H-hired... by S-second...master *gurgle* Kill - Reaper... F-find and *Hack* *gurgle*" Blood pooled as it sputtered.
"Where?"
Weakly, pointing to the sky, "F-follow the... *Gurgle gurgle* Moon."
*Gurgle, Gurgle* *Stab*
Eren put the wolf down. 'Three wolves, a scouting party, hired by the guild. They are getting desperate, slipping up, giving themselves away.'
Eren stood, devouring the scouts remains. Shadows engulfing their forms until they fell into the dark.
The screen revealed.
'That's different. It must like variety rather than quantity.' The reaper watched the ring glow.
Time to go wolf hunting.