Rogue

Chapter 30

Hyrein and Mira separated from the group to report to the higher-ups of Aftokrator. Akira had them under severe threats, holding Ranbanein as her guide and Viza as collateral. The girl knew damn well that they needed the old man for the country's sacrifice as they'd failed to retrieve their Golden Chick. She would hate to have to take the life of her mentor herself, but she needed to maintain her security first.

She sat in the corner with her scythe resting across her lap, silently staring at the two men in the room with her. They were waiting in Ranbanein's home for the return of his older brother. There was palpable tension in the room as she stared them down like prey. In fact, they felt like prey as her threatening gaze never left their figures, not even to blink. Akira sat silently, waiting, prepared for the worst in case Hyrein returned with backup. She didn't think he would, but there was always that possibility.

It took almost an hour for Hyrein and Mira to return from reporting their failure to the higher-ups. Within that time, not a single word was spoken between the three that waited. No one wanted to break the silence and risk setting off the ticking time bomb in the corner. For all they knew, she could change her mind at any moment and run off with their Black Triggers.

"Let's go," Hyrein commanded. Everyone was up and out of the room, surrounding the blonde on all sides as they walked. Her cloak was equipped, concealing her identity from anyone they might come across on their journey to visit Ikei, the best surgeon in the country, having successfully transplanted horns in thousands of Aftokrator's people. He was their top pick, having been the only one who had removed horns before without leaving permanent brain damage. He was very good at what he did, though it meant his high ranking kept him close to the wealthier houses. "Nobody stops to talk to anyone. Just keep your heads down."

Keeping Ikei working near the top houses meant it wasn't exactly going to be easy to sneak Akira in and even harder to sneak her out. And that was if he even agreed to the surgery and didn't report any of this to the higher-ups.

There was a knock at the door. The balding man with a silver mustache opened the door, his lanky stature giving him a somewhat frail appearance for his age. Upon answering, he found the country's top combatants at his door, all with sour expressions on their faces.

"And what do we have here?" He scanned the group, finding them all standing tightly together. "I've heard you've already reported on your mission, so head home. Any outstanding issues can be dealt with tomorrow after you've rested. I'm closing up for the day, anyway."

"Ikei," Mira pleaded. "We have a slight problem..." Before the man could try shooing them away again, Akira shoved forward, slowly removing her hood underneath the door frame. The man swallowed thickly just at the sight of her. Panic settled in his stomach, taking a step back away from her.

"The Enomoto girl?! What is she doing here?" He took another step back and frowned at the others with distaste for their betrayal on Aftokrator. "How dare you bring her here to my practice!"

"Shut it, old man." Akira glared at him, her patience running thin with these people. She had always imagined that she'd come back one day when there was peace and she was no longer deemed a fugitive. However, the experience she was having now put a sour taste in her mouth. She no longer yearned to return home. "I need you to remove my horns." The man sputtered, blinking like he'd just heard the most absurd request.

"Remove your horns? Are you crazy?" Ikei turned his back on the group and rubbed at his forehead. "Doing so at your age could have huge risks of permanent damage."

"I know you can do it. I've seen you do it before."

"That was in an emergency situation―"

"This is an emergency," she lied. "Take them out or everyone in this room dies." Everyone behind her seemed to gulp in fear. They knew very well that she wasn't afraid to uphold her threats. However, the man still scoffed with a disbelieving grin on his lips.

"You're crazy if you think I'd ever betray my country to help the likes of you. I'd much rather die than be a traitor to Aftokrator. Proudly." Akira rolled her eyes at the man.

"Death by my hand is neither brave nor peaceful. What awaits you in the grave by my blade is far worse torture than anything the living could experience." His smile seemed to wipe from his face. "Meeden has a tale of two afterlifes; Heaven, where souls find peace in their rest and Hell, where they suffer torture for the rest of eternity. The afterlife you can expect is much," her eyes began to glow, "much worse."

Akira stepped toward him and offered her hand for him to take. That green flame lit up once more, warming her eye with a satisfying burn. "If you're set on your sacrifice, at least take a look at what your future holds." The man stared at her for a moment. He was unsure of her motives and questioned if she was planning on killing him on the spot. The girl cocked a brow, a tiny smirk thinning her lips.

Ikei hesitantly stepped forward and rested his shaking hand in her palm. Akira's smile grew a little bit wider, her eyes narrowing as she leered at him. As soon as they made skin-to-skin contact, his vision completely changed with one blink. Instead of being in his office, he was out in the open, a gloomy sky up above. The clouds seemed to have a greenish glow to them.

There was screaming and crying echoing all around him. As he looked around, he realized it wasn't mud he was standing in. It was a puddle of blood. And the more he glanced at his surroundings, he noticed the piles and mountains of bodies. However, they didn't seem to be dead as they all screamed in agony, some reaching out to him for help while others wanted to drag him under.

He spun around in his spot as the cries became louder and louder. There were bodies as far as the eye could see, making him shiver. Suddenly, hands of rotting flesh and bone began grabbing at his ankles, anchoring him into the puddle of blood.

Ikei ripped himself backward, back in his office with his hand pulled from Akira's grip. Sweat had formed across his brows and he was panting for breath. The others looked at him concerned, his eyes darting between each and every one of them in a panic. For a second, he really felt like he'd been in that hellscape, he wasn't sure if this was real or not. He looked down at his ankles, seeing dirty handprints on the bottom hem of his trousers.

He looked to the others to see if they saw what he did, but they just looked worried for his sudden startled appearance. It all must've been just a dream, but then why did he have handprints where he was grabbed?

Ikei finally looked back at Akira. Her smile was long gone and she looked at him expectantly. After staring agape for a moment, he gave a small nod.

"I-I'll do it." The blonde offered him a soft smile for his cooperation. She didn't want to have to threaten her way in here, but she needed the mark of the devil gone from her body.

Mira and Hyrein were both shocked at his compliance. Part of them didn't wanna know, but what could she have possibly shown him to make him change his mind so quickly? Just like with Konami, the scene she showed him lasted less than a second in real time. "Everyone out," he said, shoving the group back outside and closing the door with just him and Akira. "We'll start immediately."