The Sokovian Shadow

Chapter 23

TW:
- The Reaper
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I took a deep breath and took note of my surroundings. Tichu was in the rafters, Natasha was next to me, and the Reaper was in front me.

'Sir, if you don't mind my asking...' I began in a flat voice.

'Don't ask questions you already know the answers to, Alita!' The Reaper snapped. I visibly flinched at the use of my real name, and Natasha looked at me, confused. 'Sokovia is gone.' It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway.

'Yes sir.' I regained my composure as he started walking towards me.

'I told you the next time something like those bombs happened, you would join the Guides.' Still not a question.

'Yes sir.' I repeated, my voice steady even though I was shaking inside.

'No!' My head snapped up as Tichu dove from the rafters, straight for the Reaper. The Reapers scythe flashed as he slashed her with it, dealing almost fatal damage to her right wing and side. Every inch of me was screaming at me to run to her broken and bleeding body on the far side of the training room. I wished Natasha could hear me as I mentally thanked her over and over again for running to Tichu and bandaging the wounds. The Reaper continued addressing me as if nothing had happened.

'However, only a handful of lives were lost during the fight.' Hope blossomed in my chest as he spoke, but he wasn't finished. 'Therefore, I'll give you a choice. You can come back to the Inter world as a Guide, or you can be exiled.' The flower of hope in my chest withered and died, but not for long. If I was exiled, I had a fresh start. I could use my blood magic and soul fire in whatever I wanted without fear of the Reaper finding out because it didn't matter anymore. I didn't work for him. I had fulfilled my oath to Oris.

'I choose exile, sir.' I replied without a doubt. Natasha's head snapped up from where she was treating Tichu. She must have thought I was doing this for the twins. But for the first time in my life, I was making a choice for myself. I killed Celes because she pleaded with me to, I made that oath to Oris for him after his death, and every other choice I'd made had been for the good of Sokovia. I was doing this for me.

'Very well.' He seemed surprised, but swept his scythe between us, severing my connection to the Inter World permanently. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders that I didn't even know that I was carrying. I realized that that was exactly what my connection had been; a burden. 'I must say, I'm surprised by your choice, Aorta. I would have thought you would have chosen to stay with your own kind.'

'They were never my kind. I'm too different. I never had allies except for Oris, and I didn't even have him for very long.' I explained. The Reaper nodded in understanding, then turned and started walking towards Natasha and Tichu. My eyes widened as I realized he was going to take Tichu. But she wasn't going to die yet. I unfurled my wings from my back and flew over to land in front of them. The Reaper stopped short when I landed between them.

'Move, Aorta.' He ordered. He knew what I was trying to do.

'No. I'm no longer part of the Inter World; I don't obey you anymore, and I won't let her die when I can do something about it.' I stood my ground, making a list of my weapons. There was no reason to use my soul fire, and my blood magic wouldn't work on him anyway, so I wouldn't use my wings, or my soul steel knives, but I did have a couple of normal knives on my arms. If I could piss him off enough, cloud his judgement...

'You do not want to make me angry.' He warned me.

'Not really, but I'm going to anyway if it means that Tichu lives for now.' I was stalling, trying to predict his first move. 'And besides, you said when you found me after I'd killed the falcon that I could be your equal if I started training young, and I want to find out if I am yet.'

'I was basing that on what your power would be. Since you have none, well, there's no chance of you being my equal.' I'd clasped my hands behind my back and telling Nat to leave via Morse Code. I thanked the four Elders that we were near a door as Nat picked up Tichu and ran out of the room. Meanwhile, I focused all my attention on my opponent.

'You'd be surprised at what I have.' I muttered under my breath before drawing my knives and leaping towards him.

Everything seemed to move in slow-motion. I ducked under his slashing scythe, twirling as I run both knives across his robe. I jumped slightly, using his scythe as a springboard as he swept it towards my legs. I backflipped away from him, and realised he'd somehow managed to cut my arm. I smiled. This works.

I touched the wound gently, then drew my fingers away. I embraced my blood magic for the time being, then separated and crystalized the stream of blood in front of me, creating a collection of razor edged knives. I kept them in place while I healed the cut on my arm from his scythe, then turned to the Reaper, one hand over the daggers to control their motion. He looked surprised, impressed, and a little bit scared. I wasn't surprised. He took a step and I brought the knives back.

We both froze. Then he lunged for me. I flung the knives at him as I dove to the side, rolling to my feet and bringing the knives back to me. He lay motionless on the floor. I reformed the knives into a shield that I held in front me in case he tried to strike as I approached. Which he did; his scythe sank deep into my shield. I liquified the blood around the are the weapon had penetrated my defence and flung it to the wall. Then I created a soul steel knife behind my back and held it to his throat.

We stayed like that for a moment, then I lowered the knife and summoned the blood around the scythe back to me. I clenched my fist after the Reaper had reclaimed the weapon, evaporating the liquid.

'I was wrong about you. You are my equal after all. But you lied to me.' He sounded impressed.

'I swore an oath on my death over Oris Pyro's dead body that as long as I worked for you, you wouldn't find out about my blood magic. I've fulfilled it.' I replied. He nodded in understanding and respect. An oath on your death was the Wraith's equivalent of a human's oath on their life, and was not to be undertaken lightly.

'I'll be seeing you around, Aorta Necros.' He nodded again, and I returned it, acknowledging an equal. He disappeared into the shadows and I took a deep breath. I was free. A grin spread across my face and I took a few steps backwards. I turned on the spot and stopped short. Nat was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed.

'Tichu?'

'Stable for now.' I sighed in relief.

'Can you take me to her? I can heal her.'

'Using the control of blood you neglected to mention?' She raised an eyebrow. I mentally facepalmed. I should have seen that coming.

'I neglected to mention it because I've always hated it. But in all seriousness, how do you think I saved Pietro's life?' I continued walking towards the door as I spoke, pausing by the bleachers to collect Tichu's nest.

'That was you?' I nodded. 'Wanda was almost crying. Actually, no, she was crying. Wouldn't let go of him for 3 minutes, maybe more.' I smiled softly. We continued walking in silence, but I could tell Nat was burning with questions.

'I'll tell you what; once Tichu is healed, I'll explain everything, then answer any of your questions. Including questions about what just happened. Deal?'

'Deal. But I'm going to hold you to that.' She warned.

'I've heard that before.' I muttered darkly. She looked at me curiously, but didn't push it.