Kigeist Act II

Chapter 8. Ashes and Snowfall

“Do not take what isn't yours.”

The loser slumps in his spinning seat. The smoke, fresh from the muzzle, pitilessly carved to the pierced floor.

Sachiko and Riko manifest in the lingering mist, seeing Maku atop the table.
“Our work is done. Now we will return to Brushchev.” Maku hops down and joins his companions on a stroll out of the building.

“How were things with the old man, Sachiko?”
“Had me nervous, in all truth. He was only slightly weaker than Ganzo, despite being dumped all the way on the front lines. We can expect as much from one of the great families. He had technique, too,” she sulks.
“It gets me thinking, now that we've encountered a few Elderly wielders. Just how long have our kind been hiding away?”
“Well,” Riko begins, “from watching, I can tell you his abilities were much more formidable in his springtime.”

“Men on the ground have confirmed the total recovery of Block 213, including the booking offices. It appears your mission went well.” The squad once again stand before Noble Brushchev. An agent approaches them, and offers a suitcase with both hands. Riko accepts it. “You can keep the suitcase. It's top of the line from our company. Consider it a gift for a job done very well.”
“Thank you, sir.” Riko ponders. “Clever. We can't open the suitcase or gauge how much or what is inside. He's liable to give us another mission, which we can't accept or reject on the pretense of pay.”
“Maku… That weapon on your back.” Maku draws his axe. “Ah, it is of the cometanium, isn't it?”
“Yes sir,” answers Maku.
“Suffer me asking where you could possibly buy such a thing.”
“This was the last gift from my father,” Maku states candidly.
“The last?” Brushchev replies with piqued empathy. Maku glances up at his sister.

“Our parents were murdered by the government's troupe of wielders, called the Special Forces. We were kids. They tried to take our father alive, from whom we derive our powers, and our mother was branded treasonous, for the act of giving birth to us. They tried to lie and manipulate, and dress up what was ultimately forfeiting our freedom.”
“I have heard many tales like yours.” Maku pressed forth his story.
“Our father never even used his powers. We lived in peace in the suburbs, just like anyone else. They are deceitful. Through the city's health order during the infection in 2056, every citizen was charged to provide bodily samples for viral testing. What happened instead is that they illuminated those who were concealing their powers by methods unknown to us.” Sachiko gripped her brother's arm, and Brushchev looked on, uncertain. “They crowded around our door. Father saw the van, and mother rushed us up the stairs. They got their heads in the door before she could join us. Reluctantly, she descended the stairs. 'It's eight o'clock, shouldn't your children be home with you?' They pried. We listened to their voices a final time as we made our way up our home. The stuttering, bumbling fear. The confusion. The bargaining. 'Oh, please just grant us our lives.' Our last look on our parents. And they were pathetic. Victimized. They thought that they could live as they see fit? So what have my sister and I been doing for the past ten years? We made it to the roof. Father was honest with us, so Sachiko at least understood what was happening. This axe,” Maku thrusted, “it flew up from below and stuck into the roof. It was heavy, but I carried its weight, as Sachiko carried me. We hopped from rooftop to rooftop. For the city.”
“…I have heard many tales like yours. The government is a common adversary of ours.”
“We turned back. Their hideous van had morphed with a giant cross in the air. On the cross was father.” Sachiko covered her mouth. “What was it? We could hear the lame screaming from where we were. We journeyed into the city, lit with spotlights. It was the night of the hunt. Crawling, climbing upside down, until we found a place of momentary respite. We lost our perfect life, with our only option being to turn to people who took it from us. We chose to sink into fear and hatred just like the rest.” Maku's eyes blazed with vigor. The sound of rifles being turned on him was unignorable. “This city, this world… It works fine for the people. But it doesn't work for us. And for that alone will those deceitful ones be brought out of the shadows to suffer the weight of their self serving cause.” Maku trembled.