II

2 0 0
                                    


 This-this is what fear feels like. Isn't it ... Leha? Eden's sight lowered to a hand hidden beneath black leather, it was shaking, and there was little to no control. No wonder sister hated this feeling. She said it quite frequently in the past, before I came of age, and grew a will of my own. Each time aloud, so her siblings nearby heard clearly. Which they were, allowing her words to seep deep and well into their mind.

Eden's mask aimed forward, to what stood midst the damp thin air. How long was unclear, but for a while time felt lazy, crawling to a standstill as both set of eyes had somehow met. A second after it returned, and his sight shifted toward the titan between them. Who? Eden wondered allowed their presence to show.

A roar came from the hollow voice at Eden's left. "Vincent!" The name echoed clearly, falling from ambiguity to humane. The titan turned to the boy with rage hanging on his breath, posture bending slightly over while holding both weapons in a wide and wild stance, facing the eyes across which glowed like a lantern within the fog. Below, the grin only widened.

The two stood still as time did moments before, and for every passing second the thirst for blood continued to grow. And as it peaked, the large figure dashed through the depths of the fog with impressive speed, but halted after several steps as a cloud of air cleared above the boy, revealing the third also with the glow of light for eyes, the wolf swinging it's blades into a vicious horizontal strike. Less then a breath's way from decapitation, the magi ducked near instantly into crouching position. Still low, his body rotated into a sickening spin, each finger extending tightly together as he swung his arm also in similar motion as the blade before, separating the halted fox's legs and torso.

Every motion was felt. Each finger carving through the padded leather, to the skin, tendons and muscles tearing inside the thigh, to each pitch of the scream, reaching for higher and higher chords. The titan's arms never stopped moving, reaching and reaching for air in mid flight. Eden (and the falling wolf) watched the legless man hit the ground like dead weight. The wolf soon after on it's side. Blades clinking across ground as both Axes before. Quickly watching the struggle became unbearable. Slowly the boy walked until he stood over the titan, pressing one of his dark boots on the neck of an already sure dead man, his mask now cracked in half, showcasing faded blue eyes aimed to the hidden sky, seemingly already shrouded by darkness.

Eden as well as the wolf looking up from the the ground quietly eyed the boot. Their eyes never swaying away. "Does regret run with your blood, titan?" The boy spoke with a entirely different accent then before, harsh and sharp as a knife to the throat. Along with words, slowly he added more and more pressure, the urge to shatter the titan's throat portrayed upon his face. Would he really go so far? Eden assumed he wanted to, and knew he could. But still, for whatever reason he chose not to. Pulling his foot away before the fox's breathing had ceased.

His unnatural eyes moved again, finding the now still body steps away. The titan and Eden kept their masks on both bodies, one of the small red lakes forming a slim river, steadily making it's way toward Vincent's empty shell. The last act must have touched the wolf especially. As Eden he looked drowned in thought, especially when it's helmet shot forward late, finally noticing the magi's boots stood now only inches away.

The wolf raised it's chin. Both arms now swirled with dark red lines, each sliding down past forearms, dripping non-stop from his fingertips, gathering near it's fingers below. Two red marks streaked down his left cheek, starting right below the eye, there was no chance this was the first time his skin was covered with so much blood. "Your comrades held the will to even kill children without hesitation. Do you carry that same obligation?"

The titan's grip searched for blade as it tightened, but a kick was all that was needed to send the closest weapon flipping across dirt and grass. All while a glare was formed and aimed above. "If it means protecting our families, our history, our pride, then yes ... yes I do." The wolf said with her true voice, which before held such confidence and intimidation, now only reeked of fear ... but not lies. Astral's face held a disappointing look about it. "How foolish," he said as one of his blood covered arms lazily reached downward. The titan didn't move away, as if she were suck to ground, not even reaching her hands for her second lost blade. Death was evident, but at least she would die protecting-no, at least she would die standing for what she believed in. The arm came to a stop, followed by moving eyes. The heat surging throughout his body was visible as a new look appeared, one formed from quiet anger.

"What do you think your doing?" the boy said in a low harsh tone. The wolf blinked, hesitantly following the magi's eyes. There now dirt staining her black bottoms and dark coat, was the fourth intruder. Eden, kneeling to the boy with her mask off, laying within the blades of grass and dirt.

Broken Utopia: Season OneWhere stories live. Discover now