First Opium War

Chapter 11: A Twisted Demon

Inside the walls of Japan's Empire, Kenzou stood near Fumiko leaning against her tall dresser. They knew the battle raged outside and knew that Akihiko was out there. Kenzou feared the loss of his brother without receiving his forgiveness, and that hurt Kenzou the most.

          Moments later they heard a knock on their door which startled both of them.

          "Akihiko?" Kenzou asked curiously.

          Fumiko didn't know what to say but she hoped it was Akihiko who decided that going to war wasn't worth it. But when Kenzou answered the door it wasn't Akihiko; but Walter Bertrand with four soldiers of his special squad standing behind him.

          Kenzou gasped at Walter's uniform. "The Harvesters!" He thought.

          "Kenzou?" Fumiko whispered quietly, wondering who he'd seen.

          Walter stepped inside shoving Kenzou to the side and barged in allowing Fumiko to witness their intruders. The soldiers apprehended Kenzou by wrapping barbed wire around his wrists behind his back, enjoying Kenzou's shouts of agonizing pain. Fumiko backed up slowly along her large mirror pretending not to go for her sharp hair pin on the desk beside her.

          But Walter's intimidating gaze made her make a change of plans and now quickly rushing to grab her weapon. "If you're here to visit Master Shen then you need to go further upstairs," she spoke nervously.

          Walter held a cigar between his mouth. His hands were in his uniform's pockets. Instead of paying attention to Fumiko's plea, he observed the decorations in the room. Fumiko didn't recognize her chabudai behind her - a short legged, Japanese table. She tripped, landing on her side resulting in a sharp pain in her stomach when she landed. The pain shot through her stomach to her groin.

          The fall caught Kenzou's attention. "Fumiko!"  

          Walter faced his soldiers who held Kenzou. "Damn pillocks!" Walter shouted at his soldiers. "Can you please shut that damn plonker's mouth! I cannot hear myself think!"

          A soldier took a pistol from his holster and pressed the barrel against Kenzou's head. "Still now, boy! Just like a dog!" Yelled the soldier.

          Kenzou decided that the warning was too much to risk, and with deep breaths he calmed himself more. He's never seen a gun before but staring at one pointing directly at you was scarier than he realized. Unfortunately, he was unaware of how much damage one could cause; but he remembers the sounds of their guns in the distance where the battle raged on.

          Walter stood near Fumiko who was in pain as her hair pin laid flat in front of her.

          Walter turned his attention to Fumiko who squirmed away. "I couldn't help but realize the beautiful art pieces in this room... They're such delicate designs."

          "My baby...i-it's coming!" Fumiko cried. "I can't!"

          "Sadly, we're only here for Hideo Shen. I see no reason in helping someone who doesn't care if I live or die."

          "The emporer! I know where he is! Please, let us go...I-I'll take you to him... I'll give you my weapons at the forge!" Kenzou frantically expressed his desire to escape.

          In an attempt to save Fumiko's life he was willing to sell out Hideo Shen's whereabouts.

          Walter laughed. "I already know where he is. And now that we've met that means you two will adhere to be liabilities." Walter laughed over and over then glanced back over to Fumiko. "I bestow thy words of Athena and Moloch to besiege you through sacrifice. Perhaps his corpse will help you with your labor!"

          Kenzou shook his head continuously. "No...no, no, no...we won't be burdens...I can help you!"

          Walter shook his head in pity then stood and went to exit the room. "How can you help me when you're dead?"

          Kenzou started yanking and pulling as he already knew what fate awaited him. One of Walter's personal guards shot Kenzou in his head, his blood shooting across the floor and onto Fumiko's face.

          "Akihiko!" Fumiko screamed as loud as she could which was faint due to the pain she endured when she fell.

"A shame...he didn't even have final words for Moloch's new baby." Walter spoke callously as he left the room with his guards, leaving Kenzou in a pool of blood, and Fumiko laying there at the start of a miscarriage.