"The guy seemed to think I was, I don't know. But he picked the fight and lost." Orix said, finishing up his little story. "You didn't hurt him too bad, right?" Asked Ita, looking up from their book. "I broke his arm. I mean, I fixed it after. But I still broke it." Orix said while rubbing his chin with his hand. "Well, happy to hear you've been getting up to more than I have." Ita commented, closing their book and stretching a bit. "Oh? What have you been upto?" Orix asked. "Nothing." Ita replied. "Just, sitting and watching. Worrying about Styx and all that..." They said.
"Ita, there are no signs that Styx even exists in Ryoiki anymore. It's okay." Orix tried to assure. "I know...but then, WHERE is he? You don't think...one of THEM came and took him, right?" Ita asked, putting their book back on the shelf. "That's a question for Omega, not me." Orix said...but then he thought for a second.
"Maybe try focusing on something else. You sure you haven't got anything new going on?" He suggested. "No. No new gods, no universal business...all just...blegh." Ita answered, walking back and slumping into the couch. "Maybe it's time to continue looking into Aria, then?" Orix asked. "Maybe. But not directly- where would we even start at this point? Lazar's dead, Eliza is officially a Severance spokesperson, and we KNOW she's Aria's flesh puppet- Phenos has gone into hiding, as has Parker, and we don't have any other leads!" Ita argued.
"What about Acre?" Orix asked. "I have Vicky looking into him, but he's a secretive man. She can't do more than target his operations until he gets mad enough to confront her himself." Ita replied, sighing heavily. "What we need is a spark, some new blood...but I don't know where to get that right now."
Krant looked down at their new little plaything, Utsu laid unconscious on the ground. His brown hair covering his eyes, his new bomber jacket covered in dirt, and his wrists chained together...and connected to the crane in the top of the warehouse that the raiders used as a base.
"...Wake him up." Krant ordered, and one of the raiders threw a bucket of water onto Utsu's face. Causing him to spring to life. "Aghh...ow..." Utsu mumbled as he returned to consciousness. "Wakey Wakey blind boy." Said Krant. "Oh...you." Utsu replied, facing Krant. "What did you do? Where am I?" Utsu asked.
"Why, you're in our base of course!" Explained Krant, starting to walk around. "Me and the gang wanted to have some fun with you, after all, what else are you good for? You'll never be able to do work in the mills. Your costing US money." Krant explained, looking at the raiders gathered in the warehouse's upper level, and on the ground floor.
"And what fun is that, exactly?" Utsu asked...before he heard a machine start up and felt something tugging at his wrists. "Woah- hey!" he shouted, as a crane like device began to lift him upwards. Slightly above the ground. "We're gonna make an example out of you, kid." Krant said...before whistling.
Raiders ran towards Utsu, swinging at him like a pinata. Banging up his body with pipes, tire irons, and whatever other blunt metal object they could find. Causing Utsu to scream in pain and swing around in agony.
Krant watched from the back, with another raider who was recording the whole thing. Laughing to himself as he watched Utsu swing around and scream in pain.
Krant let the beating continue for several minutes, before pressing the button on the crane. Making the chain go slack and drop Utsu to the ground with a loud THUD. Making the raiders back off...as Krant moved in. "Get up." He ordered...but Utsu just groaned. "I SAID GET UP!!!" Krant shouted, kicking Utsu in the gut. Forcing him to move.
Utsu heard the snickers and chuckles of the other raiders...but...they soon faded away. Everything faded away...Utsu was in a black, quiet abyss...had he passed out again?
"Utsu..." Called a voice in the distance...it sounded old, and wise. "Utsu..." It called again. "Hello...?" Utsu replied, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. "Utsu. Are you going to let these people do this to you? Are you going to let them kill you?" Asked the voice. "I...I can't do anything. I can't fight, I can't see them-" Utsu tried to argue. "Yes you can, Utsu, you have me." Replied the voice...and now Utsu could...almost see it.
YOU ARE READING
Ryoiki: Time and Trust (11)
ActionIn a steel production town on the planet Volca, a blind, 18 year old boy named Utsu is taken hostage by the town's oppressors. In his desperation to escape, Utsu awakens as Ryoiki's god of time. After making his escape, Utsu is sent to live with Vic...
