A/N: Hey! This is my reinako chapter fic that I will (hopefully) be able to keep up with throughout the year (I'm in college so we'll see how that goes). I posted the prologue and chapter one in one sitting because they're both relatively short. Most of the chapters are pretty long, too, so updates will usually be a week or two apart. If you have any questions about the plot as it goes on, I'll be happy to clarify anything!
Also, big shout out to user salvasti who has been helping my brain sort out this fic. Check out her reinako story Hindsight if you haven't already!
She was out of the shuttle before it even touched the surface of the planet.
Her boots took off in a sprint after landing on hard ground, wisps of raven hair following behind her as she charged her way through the empty courtyard. Her heart pounded in rhythm with each footfall. It thudded sporadically in her chest, pulsating through to her head, keeping her conscious amidst the overwhelming feeling roused by her senses. They were beckoning her, pulling and clawing the outside of her brain each wrong turn she made. Despite propelling herself forward, she felt she was running in slow motion. She was reaching her destination, but not fast enough.
She was inside now, her instincts luring her further down the corridors. The halls were devoid of any life, though, it didn't shock her. The very beginning of the invasions started in this kingdom, after all. There were bound to be very few people left, had they made it out alive.
She was drawn to the golden doors at the end of the hall—the throne room. It was ironic, surely, that he had picked this room in particular. It was as if he was mocking her, taunting his rising superiority over her and his corrupt intentions. She was sure that was the reason. The thought sent a new wave of acrimony for him over her, and she found herself bursting through the set of doors, too blinded by anger to even formulate a plan of action—just the mere intent to kill.
She would, too—without a second thought. It was in her very blood to demolish those who wronged her and her people. Fuck, she would kill for less than that given her upbringings, but her morals wouldn't allow her to do so. This, however, would be a justified kill.
She steadily made her way down the carpeted path. Darkness had blanketed the sky, and her only source of light were the stars and the moon that showed brightly through the windows.
It was that gentle gleam, however, that illuminated a figure further down the hall. A beam rested just above the still form of the Venusian princess as she lay unconscious at the end of the walkway. The red gash on her temple told her she was brought here against her own will, and her first instinct was to dismiss her stealth and careful tread and dart over to her. Every part of her brain was screaming at her to ensure she was okay because it was her priority for the love of all the gods.
But as she took that first step forward, she stopped.
It couldn't have been that easy.
She waited a moment or two, allowing her senses to do a sweep of the area, when—what was that?
She turned sharply at the sound of a low chuckle. The sliver of light was just enough for amethyst eyes to make out a second shape in the middle of the room. She waited until the silhouette came into full view, and the hairs on the back of her neck rose at his chilling grin.
"Welcome, Rei," he greeted in mocking formality. "Shall we begin?"
The heavy weight of her sword slung by her side lifted. She didn't wait for him to move first.