Wanted
Disclaimer: I do not own Claymore.
xXxXx
The man in black attire, Orsay couldn't believe what he was seeing. The six claymores carrying out an order of ending the life of Teresa - the organization's current number one soldier, all fell to their knees in one fell swoop. Teresa stood where she was, completely unscathed from their combined assault. One of the advantages of being the strongest claymore of all the others, six to one merely meant nothing.
"Forgive me," Teresa said, apologetically. "But I don't feeling like dying just yet."
"What is the meaning of this... Teresa?" The man in black demanded.
"The reason's very simple," her mouth tilted, almost a grin. "I've found a reason to live. From now on, I'm going to live for the girl."
Her answer surprised him greatly; for a claymore to say something like that was very uncommon. This may have been the first time, Orsay had to hear such a thing, a claymore willing to go on living for another person. It was difficult for him to comprehend.
"You will regret this," he finally said.
"I won't." She answered him almost immediately. "I have no reason to."
Orsay briefly closed his eyes when Teresa and the little girl name Clare walked pass him and heading off to an unknown destination. The council wouldn't be too pleased if they heard Teresa was still alive. There was no other option but to send stronger warriors to take care of the number one rank warrior who had gone astray.
"This has become troublesome," a man's voice interjected. "To think that the strongest among us, Teresa of the faint smile would rebel..."
"There's nothing to worry about." That was a lie. "Summon numbers two through five... and have them subdue Teresa."
"That won't be necessary," another voice suddenly said. Both men looked towards the person that spoke. "The council figured this would happen ahead of time and decided to take this matter in a different approach."
"Isa... why are you here and what do you mean by that exactly?" Orsay asked the young woman also in her black attire.
"I think you already have a good understanding what all of this means," she answered him, evading the question.
"Don't toy with me, young one. Just because Rimuto favors you doesn't mean you can say whatever you want," he said sharply. "Now, for what reason are you here and what exactly do you mean?"
Isa gave him a challenging glare, before conceding. "To put it simply," she began. "I'm here to inform you that I'll be taking charge of this 'Teresa' matter and use the claymore that is under my supervision."
"You can't be serious!" Orsay stared at her, shocked. Knowing all too well what that meant. "The council simply would not allow it."
"Well, they just did," Isa said offhandedly, finding it amusing despite the seriousness of the situation. And seeing the shock on his face was quite rewarding. You just didn't catch that kind of expression on his face too often.
"You don't know what you're getting yourself into," he stated dryly.
"Perhaps," Isa admitted. "However, I must say, I'm quite intrigued in how Efrem would fare against the organization's number one soldier and I'm certain the council feels the same."
"Of course," Orsay nodded, still wondering why the council would go in such a direction. Hastily, deciding to use the highly classified male claymore that was one of it's kind. Not many knew of his existance, only the organization's council members and the trusted handlers. "How is he, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Efrem? He's doing wonderfully," she said, in a thoughtful tone. "He has gotten strong and displays tremendous capabilities of a number one rank soldier... thus becoming the perfect warrior that will possibly rival Teresa of the faint smile."
Orsay closed his eyes again. "I see," he said, accepting her words. "Then I will leave it to you. I'll be expecting some good results."
"Yes, of course. He will, most definitely," Isa answered, trying not to sound too proud. "I have to inform him of this matter too."
"Where is he now?"
"Up north. Doing some reconnaissance on Isley and his army for the time being," her voice sounding hollow and distant in his ears.
Orsay looked at her curiously. "Will he be alright, for him to be in a dangerous area like that?"
"It shouldn't be a problem. He mastered cloaking his yoki and is capable of defeating any above average awakened beings without releasing any of his yoki." Isa gave a deep sigh, and looked up at the sun. "I should be on my way, we're suppose to make rendezvous point in the city of Teo. We only have a week or so to complete the mission before we depart."
"Depart? Where to?"
"The mainland." Isa merely replied; turning as if she adjoured the meeting and not looking back.
Astonishment all over again. "The mainland?!" The other man exclaimed, half-believing it. "That's--"
"Quiet." Orsay said, silencing him. "How come I wasn't aware of this?"
Too many damn questions, Isa thought bitterly as she abruptly stopped her in track. "With all due respect," she said, before continuing. "It's not any of your concern."
Orsay didn't say anything else, simply because there was nothing left to say. "This is probably the last time you will see me regradless if Efrem defeats Teresa or not," Isa waved her hand at no one in particular. "Farewell."
Both men looked on til the point they could no longer see her anymore. Orsay then, turned his attention to the injured claymores, slightly disappointed by the whole outcome. The claymore assigned as the leader came up to him. "Our deepest apologies, sir," she said, bowing her head. "We simply weren't strong enough."
"Not a problem," he said, uninterested. "Take a day to recuperate yourselves and report back to your assigned locations."
"We will. Thank you, sir." The claymore said, feeling adsurdly grateful.
What a miserable day this has been, Orsay finally concluded absentmindedly... in regards to Teresa and being kept out of the loop on the organization's next move had left a bad taste in his mouth.
xXxXx
In the northern lands of Alfonse, heavy snow fell like volcanic ash and started to accumulate on the hard frozen ground. A hooded person stood behind a large tree overlooking a small canyon, quietly gazing down at the male and female awakened beings. It was an odd sight seeing a male and a female together. Normally, most awakened beings avoided fraternizing with those of the opposite gender. Not a minute later, five regular yomas joined the awakened beings.
The gathered group started conversing together, quite obvious they were planning something unpleasant. Not far from here lay a small town full with people. The north was the 'White silver king's' territory, however, this group didn't seem to care who it belonged to. The hooded person unexpectedly made it's move by jumping down and landing close to them. The two awakened beings noticed some movements in the corner of their eye and looked in that direction. The yomas followed suit by turning in the same direction too.
"A human?" The female awakened being with a slender humanoid form said, puzzled.
The hooded person stood from it's crouch position and directed it's attention at the perplexed group. The unknown guest then started to make it's way towards them, seemingly unafraid of what was in it's path. Both awakened beings tensed, while the yomas were glancing amongst themselves, unsure what was going on.
"Stop right there!" The male awakened being broke in sharply. "Identify yourself?!" His awakened form resembled that of a minotaur with two huge menacing horns pointing upwards.
"My name is Efrem," the advancing intruder firmly announced. "I will be your executioner."
"Don't be rid--"
He quickly vanished from their line of sight and dispatched two of the yomas by cutting them from shoulder to waist with a claymore before the remaining group could even register what was happening. The attacker was already on his third and fourth kill when they realized two... no four had gone down. The male awakened being growled loudly and kicked the last yoma in front of him. "Kill him! Turn his body to shreds!"
Unfortunately, the yoma didn't have the slightest chance to do as told as a sharp blade entered it's chest and fell down lifeless. "Damn you, you bastard!" The male awakened being bellowed and attacked. It lunged foward for the kill with a deadly swipe, but found nothing at the other end and spun it's huge form as quick as it possibly can to reengage, only to find that his left arm had been sliced off. "Argh-! Impossible!"
The intense pain of having an arm cut off was quickly replaced with a new pain coming from his lower body and saw a thorn-like tentacle had pierced through his leg. "Ugh-! What are you doing, Jillia?!" The female awakened being immediately retracted it's tentacle, "S-sorry, I wasn't aiming for yo-- Graham! Look out! Above you!" Graham's two mencing horns instinctively shot out to intercept the attacker in mid-air but was parried off and severed with ease. "What in the hell are you, you freakin' demon! A claymore?! Not possible!" At lease it's voice didn't shake.
"I am death," the still hooded person said, before thrusting the claymore into the male's wide open mouth in a split of a second. The male awakened being's huge shoulders shook violently at first, then crashed to the snowy ground dead. "Graham..." the female awakened being name Jillia said, so softly that she could barely hear herself. "... no, this isn't real."
She took a step back in fear, realizing the only one left was her. "You have nowhere to run," he said to her, still looking at the dead male's body without remorse. "Just accept the fact that you're going to die like all the rest."
The awakened being Jillia didn't detect any yoki coming from him, so what was he? Not a claymore, right? Right? Then why was he holding a sword that very much resembled a claymore. "Y-you're a male claymore aren't you?" she asked, hoping it's not true.
"It doesn't matter what I am," he replied turning and close the distance between him and her.
"Halt! Stop! I'll kill you!" She cried out frantically, but had no sting to it. "I'm warning you!"
"Why should I stop for a monster like you," he asked her, not expecting an answer back. "Don't worry. I promise to make your death quick and painless as possible."
That did it for her as she unleashed everthing she had at him. Her amazingly fast tentacles started obliterating everything in sight except they weren't hitting the actual eluding target. "God dammit! Why won't you die!" Jillia shouted, vehemently. "Just die will you! Die!" Not long after, she was able to get a clear view of him and fired her tongue from her mouth at high speed but to her dismay; she missed again. Why was that?! Her tongue went through a boulder instead. Jillia shrieked loudly in complete frustration and angrily destroyed the large rock by coiling it's tongue around and crushing it. Jillia hurriedly retreated her long extended tongue back into her mouth but was startled to see him standing in front of her unharm. The female awakened being froze in place and didn't dare move an inch.
"This pathetic attempt of making it out alive ends here," he said, looking at her nonchalantly. "Didn't I promised you a quick death... Jillia?"
She flinched for some reason when he said her name. "You're the one that's truly a monster," she told him plainly, while the thought of dying grip her awakened form. No words were spoken to counter what she said. His only reaction was a meaningful smirk before disappearing from her sight once more, only to see him reappear, bringing in that claymore for the kill.
It was moving too fast for Jillia to evade it in time. The heavy blade cut the upper part of her head right off. Her body remained standing like a statue for a moment, then timbering backwards and coloring the fresh fallen snow in her blood.
Efrem sighed dejectedly and stabbed the claymore in the snowy ground to check himself. Paying no heed at the deceased body of the female awakened being next to him. It was rather disappointing to see them go down so quickly. Doing the reconnaisance on Isley and his army was more exciting than doing something like this... his silver eyes sailed across the dead bodies of yomas and awakened beings.
But looking at it on the positive side, he saved a small town from getting wiped out. Efrem retrieved his sword from the snow and looked towards the south. It was time for him to head back and meet up with his handler Isa in the city of Teo. This next mission that she has for him better be a promising one, he thought as he slowly disappeared in the thick falling snow of the north.
To be continued...