Iron angel (Book 1 of IA)

[39] Just curses

Soulsteel? Here? How?...

"Ah, you're probably wondering why we are here talking. Cause its fate, fate of you being SLICE! CUT! DICE" Soulsteel waved his hands in the air in a series of chopping motions, and it would have been silly if it weren't for the fact that he already chopped up several people. Instead of bare chested like the last time I met him, this time he wore a dark overcoat, with a custom V cut all the way down to the edge of his abs. For his lower half, he wore a dark leather pants, and combat boots. If I didn't knew him as some magic powered psychopathic killer, he could have just been a male super model.
"No really, the real reason I am here is because I joined the Iron Fist, no. They will change the name into Iron Scissor now that I am in charge." He threw his arms open wildly.

"Now..." he wiggled his finger evilly, "we were about to go on patrol, but we will have to change that now...you in the black armor, what is your name?"
Kuro, expression masked by her helmet, hesitated for a moment.

"Kuro." She said with an impalpable voice.

"Alright, Kuro...never heard of that name. Whatever, I have a reward for you. That boy you brought back, I want you to kill him on the spot."
Upon hearing her orders, Kuro clenched her fists, and I could feel her whole body tremble in fear, disgust and rage.

"Don't get me wrong, this is a chance to prove your innocence, the man you brought back is a spy, A SPY! And if you are one of us, you will kill him RIGHT HERE! RIGHT NOW!"

Kuro was silent, silent for a long time she might as well have been a statue. Then she kicked me hard in the leg, sending me to all fours. I heard the sound of a cocking pistol, then without any warning, two ear piercing shots rang out. For a moment I felt nothing, next I felt as if my legs were run over by a car, though it didn't quite knock me out. With a pained breath I looked up, and no surprise, Soulsteel had that same wicked scythe grin written all over his face.

"He can't run now. This man has more value alive than dead, and we can obtain more information from him."
Kuro said with a cold cutting voice.

"By torture right? I LOVE TOTURE!" Soulsteel said with googly eyes.

"Leave him to me; since I captured him it's my responsibility."

The Soulsteel's smile faded, and the atmosphere seemed to solidify. For a moment, no one said anything, then Soulsteel's grin returned, wicked as ever.

"Huehuehue...Very well I will leave him to you. Show him to the cells...and one more thing..."

I gulped.

"What's your name, little metal arm boy?"

I really wanted to tear his face apart but I had to settle for spitting and answered with a cocky grin:

"Kard. And I am going to kick your ass."
I didn't see anything funny about it, yet that seemed to earn the biggest laugh from Soulsteel.

"HUEHUEHUE! You? Sure! You can bite my shiny metal ass!" he let another series of maniacal laughter, then stopped just as abruptly as he started:

"Tomorrow, we are going to hold a public execution, and Kuro, right? I want you to be the executioner."

***

It was a typical holding cell: small, grey, dirty, moldy, and windowless with nothing but hay bed to decorate it. I didn't see much of the base a I was carried in because of the mist, but it looked like an abandoned mining village. The cell was some sort of dug in, inside a giant stone pillar. The two men who had carried me in had dumped me on the bed and left. Kuro was with me in the cell, she hadn't taken off her armor from earlier but didn't cut the imposing figure she used to.

"He knows doesn't he..." I pressed my lips into a thin line.

Kuro didn't reply.

"He knows we are working together, so why is he putting us..."

Silence.

I suddenly realized. He was doing it on purpose: he was giving us time to plan and discuss; he wanted to see what we will do to try and outsmart him; try to do something against him; try to struggle. He held all the cards, all the power.

This is all entertainment to him...

"Curses." I hit the ground, and my vision began to fog. I wanted to scream, I wanted to thrash around, and well I really couldn't since my legs wouldn't respond. Still I knew it was useless and there was no point. I forced myself to take in several deep breaths while I still could.

"Kuro." I said wiping away tears.

She remained still and sitting in a corner with her head down.

"What do we do tomorrow?"

Silence. Then when I thought she'd fallen asleep she whispered "Nothing."

The situation was truly terrible, my death had merely been delayed and I couldn't fight or run. During training, I couldn't even beat Isa in hand-to-hand combat, let alone when she piloted an MS. And Soulsteel took her down, MS and all, in a single blow. The power disparity between us was beyond words. But still, doomed as I was there was a chance I could help someone else live.

"Kuro. When the time comes," I took a deep breath in, "I want you make the right choice. We don't both have to die, at the very least you can still live."
Kuro turned and stared at me for a moment, her expression unreadable under the mask. Then without a word, she got up and left the cell.

"Kard~" a soft female voice came out of nowhere.

"Rin? What is it?"

"I have an idea."

"Just say it, there's no point anyways." I groaned.

She whispered a bunch of things in my ear, and the next thing I knew I was propping myself up against the wall with my metal arm pointed at the ceiling.

"Laser beam." I said gently. And the thin red beam shot out from my arm. I slowly used it to carve a circle on the ceiling. Dust and debris began to fall, and I had to roll out of the way to avoid a fist sized piece of concrete. Once the hole was complete, I could see a circle of dark sky as a breeze of cold night air rushed in.

"Alright, move to the left by 3 centimeters and leave the rest to me!"
Her hologram gave me a thumbs up.

"K." I small smile appeared on my face.
Knowing I only got one shot at this, I let Rin take over my arm, and it felt as if another person forcibly holding my arm and adjusting it to that position. Before I even know what was going on, a soundless blue light was fired from the projector on my arm for a few seconds, then ended.

Well, that's that...

I let my hand drop, as everything felt tiring. Yet I could not fall asleep, knowing tomorrow I would die.

Time to roll the dice...

Q: Do you make bets often?