Even Gods Lie

Chapter 18

The night began to grow late when a panicked guard barged into the Cat-folk's government building. A confused receptionist tilted her head as the guard staggered toward her. 

"The leader... is he in?"

The guard's tone told her whatever news he was carrying was urgent. She nodded hurriedly as she stood from her seat.

"I will take you there."

The guard nodded in gratitude as the receptionist left her desk, and began to walk in a hurried pace toward the leader's office. The receptionist rapped her fist on the door twice, before the gruff voice of a man came out from inside.

"Come in."

The receptionist opened the door for the guard. The guard hurriedly went inside the room and saluted him.

"Report, sir!"

Forusu was visibly irked, though it was not exactly a surprise. It was past midnight, and he was already well on his way to leave the office. A sigh escaped his lips as he nodded toward the guard.

"Then? What urgent news do you bring?"

The guard lowered his hand and showed the rectangular box in his free hand to his leader.

"An unknown person threw this box inside the guard station. The content was..."

The guard swallowed his spit, as if he was afraid to say anything more. Seeing this, Forusu nodded, stood from his chair, and took the box from the guard. Sitting back on his chair, he carefully studied the box. It was an ordinary 10 cm wide and 40 cm long wooden box. The weight of the box indicated that there was indeed something inside. He turned to look at the guard and noticed the unusual amount of sweat forming on his forehead.

"What was inside? Did you see it?"

The guard nodded after several seconds had passed, strengthening his suspicion. The box does not smell dangerous, so he knew that the guard was not trying to assassinate him. In the end, he grabbed the box's lid, and opened it. Forusu peered inside the box, and the content was enough to make him forget to breathe momentarily.

"T-This is..."

The content of the box was an arm. It was preserved well, for it shows no sign of rotting, and it does not smell of blood. Though what surprised him the most was not that. Upon closer inspection, it was the left arm of a woman, and the clothes that got cut off was stitched to the arm. On the wrist was a simple bangle made out of woven flower stalks, and three four-leaf clovers pinned on it. Forusu slowly raised his head toward the guard, and started to speak in a deep voice.

"Set up perimeters on our roads... I want whoever sent this box brought to me."

The guard saluted to Forusu, before hurriedly leaving the room. Left alone in the room, Forusu picked up the arm from the box, and gently ran his fingers across it.

"I see... so you failed..."

Forusu held his daughter's arm close to his chest as his face contorted in deep sadness.

"Good job coming back... my beloved daughter..."

Fighting the tear welling up in his eyes, Forusu held his daughter's arm closer to him.

Somewhere nearby...

"So it arrived safely..."

I sighed softly as I looked at Forusu. He is hugging Shirula's arm as if it was the most precious jewel.

"Is it really okay like this?"

I turned toward the voice behind me and saw a one-armed woman. She removed the hood from over her head as she gazed down toward her father.