HYBRID MIRACLE MEN




The Nanashi case was a sick twist to the heart.

It had been a long time since a murder had caused such a sensation in the countryside, unifying people and separating them at such alarming rate. Given the person involved, the storm was not a surprise.

What was surprising was that the body was almost never found.

The cold, stiff lump was left for five days, out in an apartment in the Aen Djoser district, known for its violent crimes even in a day and ages where crime was virtually nonexistent in Red Ceres, prominent country of the distant planet of Kinmoku. It had been a violent death, though the attacker was very much shorter than the victim, at least in the form the victim had taken. The victim, left for dead, asphyxiated on their blood after several rounds of gruesome torture.

It was very much for the better. He would not have wanted to live out the rest of his life as an invalid, comatose indefinitely.

Where it had been found was a normally uninhabited building, only three stories high. Few people lived there, let alone went near it. It was, however, a place where young children would play.

The children who had come to the building that day had not come into the building to find him. On the contrary, they were playing hide and seek. They had been playing for hours, and the summer air was hot and humid.

The younger girl, the female, first became aware of a slightly pungent smell. Garbage, she suspected. She motioned to her brother that the smell was coming from upstairs. Being taught to help others, they felt compelled to help whomever was having problems. Upon descending the stair, however, the smell became stronger.

The two were undoubtedly frightened. They seemed so when they reported the problem to the authorities. They went up to the highest floor, looked through all of the rooms - the smell was so strong they teared - and, after ten doors, they came to the messy apartment. Blood was everywhere, and the body so mangled and smelly there is no doubt that the sight will not leave their minds for a long while.

Especially when it is considered whom they found.

He had been missing for almost a week. No one knew where he had gone. He went out to look for his son, who was visiting the city. He never came back.

Instead, someone found a way to bring him up into this building, torture him, and kill him. His bloated arms were filled with branding marks and blisters. His eyes were gone, as was much of his hair. His insides lay scattered throughout the room, even as he hung from the light fixture.

It was the sickest sight they ever had to behold. It was a place where no one could hear them scream.

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The body was slowly carted out, a mournful procession of policemen who slowly brought the smelly bag down to the bottom of the building.

"The victim, sir."

Star Fighter knew too well who the victim was. Even with all of the damage done to the body, it was so painfully obvious that it made her sick.

"We must find who did this, highness."
"Indeed."

Star Fighter looked over to the two children, who were huddled together with a policeman. It wasn't fair. There was no breaking it to them easily.

Yet the facts were clear. It was murder. The mission was before those who chose to take it.

The quest to find they who slaughtered Locke and why.