Okumura Syndicate

Chapter 133: Intruder Deterioration

Aster stood alone, having broke through one of the walls with his sword in the deep hole the soldiers resided in order to be alone. He tried to think of an escape, but his thoughts clouded his brain. The fact he was just a glorified distraction, that Edward could've planned this attack alongside, or even manipulated into it. Was he simply designed to die? A weapon whose purpose is to kill or be killed? Was it even worth helping a syndicate that he only got into because of a traitor?

He bashed against the walls, there was nowhere to go, nowhere to be. The mansion didn't even feel like an option anymore, and he couldn't put a single coherent thought together on why he should stay, why he should keep fighting. He tried to scream, but the sheer thought of people knowing he was in pain was his greatest enemy, far stronger than Vox could ever be. If they saw him as weak, things would be over.

He saw himself as a fraud, an imposter that gives others advice that he doesn't listen to himself. He scolded Rou for putting up a front, but his was much stronger. He fought through things, thinking that if he just awaited the answer, he'd be able to solve the problem. Maybe it was his choices, the things he did not do, searching for the author of the book when he could, ignoring the auction and using his own instincts instead of simply being worried for his life, maybe then he could've stopped Vox easily, but now there were complications.

After a few being lost in his thoughts, a new voice came into Aster's mind. The flickering light illuminated his glazed over eyes to see Palette standing before him. "Feeling better?", the ghost asked. "I… I was in a lot of pain, but I think I'm in a better state now." "Aster, is it? Have you chosen the right path?", asked the ghostly man. "I...honestly don't know...", responded the boy, as tears began to fall down his cheeks. At that moment, Palette could tell he was lying.

Demitris went through the wall and approached his friend and the deceased underboss, "Aster, you seem a little off. You okay?", he asked politely. "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?", he answered. Palette frowned at the boy's audacity to hide his emotions before continuing to look on at Demitris. "I'm glad to hear, I can't wait to see what we come up with to bring Vox to the ground!", enthused the auburn haired man. He too was clearly trying to distract himself from something...

Aster stood, his mind was in turmoil, he knew he needed to get out, but the complication was a maze, there was no way he could make it out on his own. "Demitris, can you help me out?", the boy asked. "How so?", he enquired. It was clear that Aster's  mental health needed to take priority over the mission. "I need you to get me out of here. I don't have much time left...I think I'm dying...", the boy stated. "Dying?! Did you hit your head when you fell earlier?", the auburn haired man exclaimed, if all the news today didn't stress him out enough.

Aster leaned back, "Not literally Demitris, it's just, it seems like there's nothing left for me here...", he wallowed. He fell to his knees, "I'm going to die, I don't know what to do." Palette moved between the two soldiers, "You have much to do before dying, all of you. If I were you, I'd batter Vox until there was nothing left of him but a pool of blood, but I suppose self care is more important than revenge, at least for the living.", he remarked 

"You don't have to worry Palette, we'll avenge your death. I have a lot planned for that fae...", Demitris responded in a dark tone. The one eyed man was clearly  trying to lighten the tone of the situation, for Aster's and his own sake. "Do it, take him down!", Palette commanded. "I'm sorry Palette...", Aster whispered. "I'm sorry for everything.", he repeated. "Aster, you're not going to die. You have far more to do...", continued Demitris.

"What's the point, as if I'm worth it. As if my value in the syndicate matters. At the end of the day, the saw me as an intruder, an outcast, a-". Aster was interrupted by Fleur, "You are worth it.", she stated empathetically.  "Fleur? You didn't see me doing anything stupid, did you?", he said, surprised at her sudden entrance. "Nothing you did was stupid...nothing at all…", she responded. 

"You're worth it, Aster. You were the first that wanted change.", she said. "You were the first that wanted to have a voice. You were the first that wanted to stand up for damned people, and for the syndicate. You were the first to choose what you wanted to do and how to do it.". Palette added onto Fleur's explanation, "You know what's beautiful and what's not, Aster. Your friends wanted to find you more than anything else when I met them."

Aster stood in solidarity to people that were genuine with him. Even if deep down he'd never love himself, he felt the people who trusted him keeping him alive. At this point, there were two things to look to, finding a way out of the pit, and planning a way and finding the answers to take down Vox, because the syndicate would fall apart if the fae took over.