Aonaran ⚜ A TPN Fanfiction

59/1 : 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪

[ Back at the Farm ]

Peter crumpled to the ground, his knees sinking into the unforgiving soil, the weight of defeat settling heavily upon him like a suffocating shroud.

   'There is nothing left I can do. They already made the Promise too. I've lost. I've lost!! I've been defeated! It's over...'

As the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears, Peter slowly turned his head, and his gaze met that of a fair girl with ethereal white hair and eyes ablaze with deep red-crimson intensity. Ninelie stood before him, her hostility emanating like a palpable force, sending shivers down Peter's spine. 

   "Don't move," Ninelie's voice cut through the air like a blade, a stern warning that hung ominously between them.

   'No, not yet. Was 41176 the one who made the Promise? I'm sure that was what they said, it's her!' Peter's mind raced with thoughts, distracted as the others closed in, their guns trained on him.

   "I got it. I lose." Peter admitted defeat, raising his hands in surrender, 'Yeah, I've lost. There's no future for me.'

   "Please don't shoot me." Peter pleaded with feigned desperation, his gaze shifting towards Ninelie.

   'But as long as I kill her, the Promise is void. If I kill her, the Promise will never be implemented. I'll bring her down to hell with me if I have to.'

Peter held a knife poised over the back of his left hand, his open palms on display. A sinister determination gleamed in his eyes as he addressed the group.

   'Come die with daddy – my children. Just a bit more! I can do it. If I can get a little closer. I can kill her.'

   "I was wrong! I'll do anything! So please, don't shoot me." Desperation filled his voice as he pleaded.

Peter took three cautious steps, eyes darting between the menacing guns and the knife within reach. As he moved for the knife on his final step, the group lowered their guns, prompting a tense moment.

   "We don't intend to kill you, Peter. We came here to talk to you," said Emma. 

Wide-eyed, Peter questioned, 'Talk? What is this kid saying?'

   "Inviolable noninterference. We won't retaliate or attack the Ratri Clan in any way. In return, we want you to approve our freedom." Emma explained, approaching Peter, "We'll all go to the human world. We want you to approve and not get in the way. To leave us alone."

   "You're going to forgive me? Really? You're going to..."

Ninelie's eyes widened, her expression morphing into one of utter disbelief as she furrowed her brows, observing Emma with a deep frown. She couldn't comprehend the gravity of what Emma was suggesting,'Is she being serious?'

   "I don't want to resolve this by killing you. Hating, resenting, fearing – I don't want to do that anymore. All those feelings – are the things we don't want anymore." Emma said, "We want to smile. We want to be free. That's what we've been fighting for all this time."

   "Let's be free." Emma's gaze shifted to Peter with a hopeful intensity as she extended her hand towards him, "Let's end the one-thousand years of suffering now."

     

Ninelie's grip tightened on her gun as she leveled it at Peter, her eyes reflecting both anger and disbelief, "Emma, you can't be serious," she smiled bitterly, her voice laden with skepticism, "You're really going to let him off after what he did to us?"

Emma, with an earnest expression, attempted to defend her stance. "But people can change! Although a lot of children had suffered, we can–"

   "He made us sick and played with other children's lives." She was on the verge of raising her voice at Emma, "You can't possibly believe that we should give him another chance."

Emma faltered for a moment, taken aback by the sudden discord. "I do think so. It's alright now, Ninelie. All of these bad things will end right now, and we'll be able to go to the world where we really belong," she asserted, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Ninelie scoffed in disbelief, not bothering to persuade Emma, who seemed fixated on reconciliation and hope. Both concepts felt utterly useless in this dire situation.

Peter chuckled maniacally, his sanity seemingly slipping away, "You're going on and on about us living together. You're all nothing but fools – that's why you were meant to be eaten. Actually, the demons aren't so bad. What they've been doing to you – are things that humans have done to each other since long ago. Do whatever you want. You kids win. But remember this one thing. The Human World isn't any different. Because they are a mirror of humanity." A small knife emerged from under his sleeve, "Code solid. You can pass that on to my uncle. Try it if you can. I'm looking forward to seeing how far you can go into the human world."

Ninelie's eyes widened as Peter gripped the knife.

   "Sorry, but I can't go with you kids. I'll enjoy the new world from the depths of hell."

With a solemn gesture, he directed the knife toward his neck, uttering his farewell, "STOP!" Emma's desperate plea pierced through the air as she sprinted towards him, reaching out in vain to prevent the impending tragedy. However, it was too late – Peter had already slashed his neck and crumpled to the ground. Emma, frozen in shock, watched as his face lost its warmth.

Zack rushed over, attempting to staunch the flow of blood, but it was futile. Ninelie, wearing a small, knowing smile, observed Peter's slow descent into death.

Emma, still in shock, gazed at Ninelie as she walked past to check Peter's pulse. As expected, he had none. Gently placing his lifeless hand on the ground, Ninelie cast a disgusted look at the deceased man, 'How can she feel sorry for this scumbag of a human?'

The group fell into a heavy silence, grappling with the reality of Peter's demise. Despite witnessing the suffering of many children, this was one of the first instances they had witnessed an adult's death unfold before their eyes.