Mutations

Chapter 3 : The Grand Promise

"AHHH!" the demon had shouted until he was burnt corpse. "How dare they trick us." Goro's Yaku tattoo had stopped glowing. "Sir?" A hunter from AB appeared in front of Goro, "Yes?" He asked, taking out the cigar from his coat. "Group X has requested for medics." The hunter spoke while bowing. "X? As in Maia's Group?" He puffed out a smoked and looked at the five dead demon corpses from Group F. "Had she figured it out?" He thought to himself. "We will proceed to Cryptic, sir."
The hunter stood up as Goro nodded. Goro was alone again in the temple, the bells chimed a soothing hum as the ashes from his cigar fell off the tip. "Maia..." He thought as he closed his eyes. Goro was assigned a mission by Zeta to find the Sigma roaming in Bison, "Sir." Goro bowed as Zeta, whose blue eyes had laid on him. Zeta stood tall, holding the Sigma head. "It will grow a new one eventually," Zeta said as he let the head drop onto the floor. Goro stood up, Zeta walked closer. He was such a stoic man. "It should be hungry now. It will die shortly after, the shock will curse its heart." Zeta gave Goro a floral pin. "Sir?" Goro asked, "Wear this, not the outside, the inside to protect your heart from its lies." Zeta placed in pin inside Goro shirt. "Report to Bison, and bring its remains to me, if any. It probably is trying to give his seven hearts as we speak to those he deemed suitable." Zeta turned around quietly and walked away from Goro, who stood staring at him.
Goro was on his journey to Bison to find the Sigma rumored to be there and his Group. "How tiring." Goro muttered as the Group smelled fresh blood, "It's here." One of Goro's group members said a bit frightened. Goro gets into position, and so do the others. In the middle of the forest laid a dead woman; they waited a moment to see any signs of demons nearby before investigating the body. "Disgusting." Goro heard his Group say; he touched the women's head to turn it slightly and saw a Sigma mark on her neck.
"Goro! We found something a bit far down." Goro went to go investigate. "The door is sealed." One of the members said after trying to cast an enchantment. "So, it's here?" Goro muttered before taking out his sword and slashing the door in half as his Yaku tattoo glow. "You go, Goro!" One of the female group members said as she entered the hut. They all stood silent as they saw a child lying on the floor. "Is she okay?" Goro approached the child sleeping on the floor. She looked fragile; he turned her neck and saw no marks. "She's not possessed just sleeping," Goro told the others as they nodded. "Go call the medics and keep looking around. I'll stay here just in case it comes back." Goro's group members nodded as they split up and left. The sound of the flare in the distance made Goro sighed as he sat next to the child. "Hmm?" He saw something glow inside the child but wasn't sure what it was. He ignored it; he thought it was the sleep deprivation getting to him. Goro waited until the medics arrived as the pin faintly glowed from inside his shirt.
"AGHHH!" Saki screeched in pain from Unmei blades coming out of her and into his hands. "Lily, stay with Sushi," Unmei told the little girl. As both Cedric and he stared at each other, "What?" Cedric asked, "Why is she here?" Unmei asked. Saki began to attack as they both jumped and dodge. "How should I know," Cedric said, slashing Saki as she yelled. "You would," Unmei said as he swung his blades towards her back again. "You still feel sorry for her. Is that why you're holding back?" Unmei shook his head in disappointment, "She murdered your parents, yet you feel sorry, look at Sushi. Is she gonna be next?" Unmei shouted while using Karma to tie her down. "Don't be so cocky and later not do what your best at. Bragging?" Unmei pulled Saki into a lock as the threads on her pierced her skin, she screeched.
Cedric's eyes were full of rage. As he looked at Saki, he saw the genuine person she was; his sword began to glow with dark fire. "I am your servant." Sushi voice whispered in his mind. Unmei wrapped a thread over her neck, Cedric jumped up and slashed her neck in half as Unmei pulled all the lines at once. All that was left of Saki was her burning red eyes reverting back to normal. At that moment, Cedric saw the Saki he once loved smiled gently while a tear came out, "I'm sorry, Ceddy." said Saki, before the rest of her body burned with dark flames. The fog in the forest faded as Cedric dropped to his knees and yelled in anger. Unmei stared quietly at Cedric, who was still grieving. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Maia and Alwen rushing over panting. "Is everyone okay?" Alwen asked, huffing. They looked at Cedric, who looked down and covered his face from his tears. Maia looked behind Unmei and saw Aka's daughter with injured Sushi. "Sushi!" shouted Alwen as she went to go observe her. She Sushi had been slashed with poison, Cedric uncovered his face and turned around before rushing over to Sushi. He hugged Sushi gently before placing his hand to heal her with the rest of the energy he had left. Sushi eyes faintly open as everyone sighed in relief. "Grandma!" An old lady walked over a bit scared. "The villagers were hiding near the river, where there wasn't any mist," Unmei said as he nodded at Lily to go to her grandmother. The rest of the villagers came out, some carried the wounded as Group X waited until the medics arrived. The sound of a carriage awoken Emilio, his body had been bandaged as he saw Dawn sleeping. He smiled gently and closed his eyes again.
Several days later, everyone celebrated the proper return of Group F and X. "Was it a Sigma?" asked a lady. "No, it was an Alpha," answered Alwen happily. Cedric was drinking his booze at the Tavern, avoiding talking to anyone. "So, you saw her?" Giovanni asked. Cedric gazed at him, coldly, "You knew she was there." Cedric answered. "I told you, Cedric, work on your agility," Giovanni said, smiling. Goro entered the Tavern, and everyone bowed. He nodded as he walked over to Cedric and sat next to him. "You did good, boy." He said, "I remember when I first found you, you were ready to be strong." Cedric looked at Goro. "How depressing is life, right? The things we love turned into ash after you finish smoking. Then again, I always get a new cigar I don't always have to use the same one. Understand, boy?" Goro asked as Cedric stood up and bowed. "Thank you, Sir." He responded. As Goro patted his head and he flinched in surprise. "Lighten up, you are here to be strong, no, isn't that what you promised me?" Goro asked as Cedric responded confidently, "Yes." Sushi brushed up on Cedric as he patted her gently. "Now, who is paying for Alwen tab?" Giovanni asked. "ALWEN!" Everyone shouted as she hid behind a wall.