Fallacious Anathema
"There are only two types of human being, those in the light; and those in the dark. By stepping in the dark, you will lose the sight of truth and be blind."
"I know you know," Honoka watched as she continued, "but this is the thing you need to remember before you walk away from the light."
"Nothing you can say will change my mind, if that's what you're thinking," Honoka frowned, finally retracted her voice, "Do you doubt my resolution that much?"
"I respect your resolution and your life choice," she countered, "But it's not wise to throw your life for the dead."
"How could you just let them go? They've killed even innocent babies in their criminal missionaries."
"Perhaps because it is a fated end for all human being."
"Please note that my family may still have lives today if that massacre didn't happen."
"Please accept the fact that there's no more possibility of that now."
"Shut it," Honoka snapped, stiffened her back while walking out of the room. "I'm going, and no one can stop me."
"Honoka," she called, stopping her dead on her track.
"I would kill you too if that's what I want," from Honoka's voice, she could detect the empty threat and lie. She was silenced however, a tint of fear was dropped in her heart.
Her eyes followed Honoka's figure as it started to disappear from her sight.
"So, once you step in, there's no way back. Either you'll die or be affected by their bloodlust." The brown-haired guide explained," that's to be expected by applying for the exam. Once you pass, you are officially accepted in the organization. I wish you good luck, rookies."
Number 800-809 have last entered the room, she noted. They're all young leaves, around 12-28. Her aquamarine eye tracked down the last applicants of the exam for a second, and walked out, disappearing in the shadows.
"Please watch where you're going. The exam is about to start, young lad."
She turned her heels, greeted by an old man with long beard, single ponytail, walking towards her calmly.
"President." She greeted, "I'm just on a stroll, forgive my impudence."
"I believe you refused the offer to be the exam protocol this year." He laughed, caressing his beard along the way, "is there anyone you've had your eyes on this year?"
"No, just that this year's exam looks like the one a decade ago. The number of applicants and even the exam protocols."
"Is that so? I assure you that it's none of that."
"I believe it may just be the beginning then."
The President laughed at her deadpanned face, while clutching his stomach. "Very well, Ms. Eli. You've a mission to be here, don't you? I gave you my permission to pass now."
Eli bowed her head in compliment and strolled out from the dead alleyways.
As the light drove her out to the city, she flicked her eyes around, a small figure gesticulated her fingers in an outrageous speed, sending a small red crystal off to kill her stalkers in silence and leave.
Recognizing the figure, she opened her phone while walking near to the airport, typing a message for Honoka.
It only contains a sentence.
'I've got their information with me.'
The Association has made it clear that Cryteia Project is in the top list security and downright sacred project for the intellectual, science and database division; all of the defense squad. The goal of making a superhuman being by playing with human's life is against morality, and it's an almost impossible course to achieve. A lot of sacrifice would be made in the experiment, yet this is all because of the high demand from the counterparts of the kings.
Eli worked her way into the laboratory, lightly nodded at the colleagues who've arrived before her. Taking her coat and other safety equipment, she gestured the others to follow her to the meeting room. They sat in a circle table, all facing the other.
"It's unfortunate indeed that even the gene modification technique had proven its failure in increasing the content of calcium of the bones or even increasing brain capacity. We couldn't afford more damage to the current test subject however, but the demand and the protest from the King had been notified to you, I presume? He had deliberately wished dearly that we could finish this as soon as possible to strengthen the army, as the violent movement from the rebels and from the undergrounds had barely moved inches to the kingdom."
"I believe our project itself is pretty monstrous. We already had difficulties to afford some volunteers for the experiment. Furthermore, we might also create another threat for the kingdom as we're not making robots but fully capable and independent superhuman." Hanayo countered as she showed the statistic of death caused by the experiment and the constant failure resumes.
"I get the gist of it," Eli replied, she pressed the button to enable the circular screen to show the blueprint of her idea along with the detailed focus and hypothesis of each trials and possible error result, "I figured that with this plan, we will use a certain person to make this work."
"Who perhaps you have in mind?" Rin grouched, her golden iris focused on the physical development idea while noting down the substances needed.
"Nico."
Her colleagues snapped their attention at her, eyebrows furrowing in disbelief and their eyes widening in shock.
"Isn't she a minor? Why would we use her for this sick experiment?" Umi protested, slamming her fist on the table. "I don't get your mind on this, she might be a strong one, but she's still 17 years old! As a fellow blacklist-investigator, I could not accept your idea of sacrificing my colleague. She still has future awaiting her."
"I second what Umi-chan had said," Kotori voiced, "And your plan for leveling up human skill in this blueprint is too drastic and dangerous. One misstep may cause extreme stress, hallucination and mental disorder, not to mention she could create a second person in herself! With her current power status, she's dangerous enough to fight even class S criminals; and if we failed on this, we could create an immortal enemy to the underground police organization."
"If we're not ready to lose, we never will gain." Eli countered, "And I've managed to bait her here anyways."
Umi growled dangerously, her eyes flickered to the door, "Eli, what did you do?"
"I just give a simple message to Honoka." And the door creaked open just as the meeting's end signal rang, a figure with orange hair and flawless matured body steps in side with a child-looking girl on her side.
"Honoka," Eli greeted. "It's nice to find you here; as expected you won't come alone."
The small officer moved in front of Honoka in defensive position, her scarlet eyes flickered emotionlessly to the other room occupier.
"The information, as you called me for," Honoka growled in outrageous uncertainty.
"In exchange of Nico," Eli offered as she rummage through her papers to take the clipping Honoka wished for.
Honoka stares at Nico approvingly who nodded in response. She walked mechanically towards Eli with caution, eyeing the concerned members of the project around her. Eli passed the clippings of information to Honoka as Nico's barely a feet away from them, and motions her to leave. She looked at Nico before, her eyes shone with discourage and hesitant, though she retreated soon after.
"I still need you; don't die," was her last word before her figure left the room.
"What do you need me for?" Nico inquired, "I believe you've just baited her to get me. The catch?"
"Sharp," Rin cringed, and waved his hand nonchalantly, "Eli thinks that it's a good idea to have you help us with the project."
"The Cryteia Project, wasn't it? And why do you think I would agree to join you?"
"It would help her to get her hands on the revenge she lived her life for, after all, inducing a demon to your aid is much more prominent in power that you alone," Eli deadpanned, looked amused at the changes in Nico's features. Her fist paled, her scarlet eyes squinted so slightly that if anyone haven't been trained to see it wouldn't realize the danger she emitted. The corner of her dry lips twitched, and slightly opened showing her gritted teeth.
"…. Please proceed then." She sighed reluctantly, glancing superficially at the floor. They noticed her shoulders slumped, but they only need her approve and they've got it; none else mattered.
The process's painful, she noted, as she had rested her body after the electric-infusing operation. She never would guess the answer why there's even the part where she need to summon the devils, but for Honoka she'll endure it. She taught herself to survive the torture of the experiment for her beloved anyhow. Honoka has none to lies on other than her, and she had no heart to leave the pride-driven friend of her. Their connection is more like some kind of sisters, and that's the most powerful issue that had usually been used against her will, but she gave in. She have more than the power and ability to refuse, but her caution to whatever would hurt Honoka would gradually relent all those selfish thought. She knows Honoka's life had been dedicated for revenge, and even when it's not right, she have solidify her life goal just to help her alone and support her with all she could. Although she knows how hard the truth had been slapped to her, face that even once Honoka have not even defended or protect her, she still relented to her belief.
The hardest part has yet to come, and her adrenaline stopped at the thought of selling her soul to the devil. Why was she the one being chosen in this project? What would happen if she becomes the puppet of the darkest being? What would happen to Honoka? What's the worst thing that would affect Honoka by this? Will this experiment help Honoka's revenge plan and how much does it helps as it ruins? Her blood run cold as she thought of the possibility of failures and mental disorder as what was becoming the side effects on this experiment. She wouldn't want any possibility to become a murderer, no, rather she don't even want to think that this experiment would make her be a dangerous foe that could kill Honoka when she got lost on her mind and control on her own body.
Her muscle twitched. It's coming, the last part of the operation plan. She's religious, and she knew they knew it. Do they? She's dubious of it now. The light left the room. Eli's figure swayed outside of her operation cell, ready for the last step of her plan.
She gulped. Eli had entered the room with a silver blade in her hand.
If Eli missed, she may die.
If she died, Honoka would not survive this world.
She couldn't let herself to even let that happen, her gaze burns holes to the blade.
She don't know what to expect as she saw Eli stabbed herself and made a ritualistic circle around her before her last breath. Her breath hitched as she saw the candle that Eli brought with her started to weaken it's flaring flame.
The shadow's creeping towards her, she noted.
The room's dark, she felt her bile rose. The shadow had created a figure in front of her, it looked like it's swallowing Eli's soul while grinning maniacally.
She stays fearless, but anxious to her situation.
She could be damned, but she won't let Honoka to be.
"You're the demon they've summoned." Her voiced cracked, betrayed her fearless stance. The demon noted her fear; not for herself, but for someone else, and his cold amused chuckle filled the room.
"What's your wish, human?" It roared so loudly that her ears twitched in displease.
"They asked me to ask you for strength, unbelievable strength that would protect and destroy at the same time. I wished for your presence as my 'partner' with unrivaled loyalty, however, in exchange of my soul, for your dinner somehow." The way her voice does not tremble had her sense of relieve, not wanting the demon to know her anxiety. "Maybe too with the flawed souls that dies in the process. I wished for you to be a presence that could obey all my command."
"Once you have a contract with a demon, you wouldn't be able to enter the Heaven above." It laughed so hard that she noted the wall to cracked slightly.
"I'm aware." She replied, watching the demon carefully as it shaped itself like of a human. Her eyes eerily scanned the slender body of a woman with pale complexion like hers and pretty demonic face with a suit in amusement. "So demon does look pretty decent," she commented, stifling her chuckle.
"I'll be acting as your servant until your soul's delicious enough to be devoured." shee declared, smirked in contentment as she nodded meekly as a reply.
The lab was blown to ashes a second after.
It was started when she asked him to protect her. Demons should not feel anything, she remembered, but he felt it. A distinguished feeling of longing and seeing her face makes his heart clenched. She felt like her stomach turned and her desire to purr in pleasure was unbearable, she could not just take her own eyes off that women.
It does not goes oneway either; she could see her attraction to him. But the other was infatuated to her, to the point she won't be lying if she stated that she's starting to obsess over him. Nico wasn't pleased, she noticed that much, but she relent as long as no damage was created. Honoka is protective of her, she noted, and Nico being the friend (or sister, she found herself wondered overtime) she is, she couldn't do anything when Honoka had defied her opinion.
When Nico brings the two together, true to be told it was not a friendly event.
"My lady, may I be honored to deform such an inane woman?" She once asked her, which she replied with a dread straight face.
"The only thing that I would excuse you to do is perhaps to make yourself into some bits of Maki."
Nico forced them to bond with the other, off telling Honoka that Maki would be her all-time butler. Days had escalated quickly to mend; she was quick to notice her adoration towards her after a few weeks. Nico doesn't look pleased by this and would let them do anything as long as, "up-right not disgusting", as she worded it. She told her that their contract now would be more of her being totally loyal to Honoka and not of her, which she just lightly took as a command. She had his time enjoying her time listening to the ever so amusing friends; she would took amusement that Nico have no idea of romance at all.
"Nico…"
"Yeah?"
Looking flustered, Honoka fidgeted in her seat, looking up from the documents she's dwindling with, before continuing, "How would you play with Maki?"
Nico choked on her tea, her eyes slanted in amusement, "do you really need to ask something as absurd as that?"
"Just answer me, you're much more precocious than you look." Honoka's voice muffled by the pillow she used to stuff her beet face on.
"Hmm… maybe like how Hitler would play with a Jew, I supposed."
"I never know that there's another meaning in what I asked; what am I expecting from you anyway?"
"I don't get you, Honoka. Stop procrastinating and do your job."
Her new master is definitely someone amusing, she stimulated in his mind, while it's as easy as a siren would attract some males she had got Honoka in her mercy, her relation with Nico was nothing more than a nemesis who've been tied knot together by force. She knew if she might be no use or even disobey her, she would be more than capable to mutilate her despite her status as a human. The experiment had succeed in taking her on toll to gain inhuman strength.
Her soul's getting much more piquant by day, and she was never a patient demon. She fantasies over devouring her soul whenever she got the chance to slip from her sight, however her appetite had craved for it as of now. She took notes how Honoka has been immersed in her; although she might be inane and her soul looks bland, Nico had been selfless for her all the time. She loves Honoka as much as he wanted nothing but to eradicate that woman.
The information that had been used to lured her to give Nico away was about a certain political party, she mused. Honoka's parent was one who's in charge of the dirty works they needed, and they were disposed as soon as they were credited dangerous for the party. She was an orphan ever since, and was nurtured by her ideas to take the path of revenge, with Nico as her sword and shield.
As her desire won over his pride for the soul, she manages to make sure Honoka had made her her confidant during Nico's momentary leave. She softly and stealthily creep to get her trust while pretend to be a guardian angel. Putting herself above all as the insurance for her life, she nurtured her till she's spoiled rotten, rooted deep in her hand with no exit.
"My highness," her smooth and velvet voice sliced through the silence with the sound of soft sips of tea that she just poured in the china. She then started to tells her fabricated story for her; like a little sweet tooth boy given a delicious treat, she had sucked all as truth.
When Nico came back from her trip, she was not expecting that the mansion would be soaked with anger and disappointment. She walked on the velvet carpet of the hall while glancing at the paintings on the wall, and lightly knocked on the oak door on the end. Honoka sat on her armchair, gesturing her to come to her, but she could sensed how tense the room was. Nico jittered at the unusual atmosphere of the room, and walked to Honoka in hope to calm herself and feel secure.
"Isn't it nice to come home after visiting the party, Nico?" Honoka's voice successfully stopped her on her track.
"…. How did you know?" Honoka took her reaction as another partake in her disappointment.
"I never know you would backstab me; thank the Lord that he had sent my angel, Maki to tell me the truth." Nico was stunned as she saw Honoka's mouth twisted to a grin.
"You're the one who kill Mama and Papa, aren't you? You do good to keep your lies undetectable for 3 years. I trusted you so much before."
"What are you talking about? Honoka, this isn't funny. You know more than anyone I wouldn't do that," her soft voice contrasted to her best friend's dark accusing tone.
"LIAR!" Honoka's word screeched in the room, "if it's not for Maki's ability to find proofs that you've been stabbing me from behind, I would still eat your lies."
Nico glared at Maki who's holding Honoka's shoulder in comfort.
"Forgive my mistake in making a demon your butler, Honoka. She had brainwashed you, hasn't he? I would eradicate her if you wish," she managed to kept her glare on the scarlet butler while trying to soften her voice to calm Honoka. Honoka snorted as her response, and gestured to Maki to approach Nico.
"Kill her."
The girl didn't budge when she attacked her; she did not move an inch or glared at her to defend and stop the attack. She only stared at her with pleading eyes just before her head flies to the edge of the room.
Honoka stood from her chair, approaching Nico's corpse in amusement and pure disgust. Nico's luggage laid out on the floor, completely safe from the attack. She opened it carefully, only to find heads of her enemy and some documents to clear her parents' criminal records.
Her eyes widened eyes frozen in it's place as she was beheaded too by Maki. The demon smirked, lusciously licked her lips to devour the last soul, mockingly bowed after her meal and left.
Nevertheless, she's satisfied to be able to devour such a full meal after sewing her meal plan for 4 years.