Chapter 1: Kill The Darkness
In a forest pathway, a horse carriage is walking along.
The ground starts to crumble and a creature emerges before them. The horse gets up on its hind legs and whinnies, startled. "Whoa!"
The creature takes the appearance of a giant, dark brown, cockroach-like beast. It has long antennae, giant claw-like hands and red eyes. "I-It's an earth dragon!" The earth dragon growls and swipes its claws at the horse and the couple. The man and woman hold each other close, bracing for the end.
The arm of the earth dragon suddenly gets sliced off and blood splatters. The severed arm flies through the air and the earth dragon is bleeding out non-stop.
The girl who sliced off the arm lands on the ground, with sword in hand. She gets up to her feet. "A first-class Danger Beast, an earth dragon." She turns to face the beast. "A worthy opponent." She is fair-skinned, with waist-length, cherry red hair, tied into a high-ponytail, that curls slightly into a loose ringlet, and vivid green eyes. She also wears light green eye shadow around the far upper corners of her eyes. She's wearing a brown jacket, over a tan vest and a white shirt, with a red ribbon tied at the collar. She's also wearing a red plaid, mid-thigh-length skirt, black tights and black dress shoes. She's eighteen-years-old, her height appears to be 6'0", her weight looks to be 144lbs, and her bust size seems to be a 36DD. She is quite muscular compared to most girls her age and she appears to be right-handed.
The earth dragon turns toward the girl, rears back its head and growls.
"You're angry, huh?" The earth dragon strikes at her and she dodges. She leaps into the air, with her sword raised. "It's over." She strikes down, swings her sword several times and lands, kneeling down on one knee.
The earth dragon is still at the moment and then blood suddenly sprays out from its wounds. The beast collapses backwards, not moving. The earth dragon is dead.
The girl then stands up, as the couple run up behind her. "That was amazing!" The girl sheathes her sword and looks at them from the corner of her eye. "You actually took a Danger Beast down single-handed!" "An impossible task for a young woman to do all alone." The girl smiles and turns to face the couple. "Of course! For me, that was nothing. Defeating it was a piece of cake! By the way, I'm Zina." She crosses her arms over her chest. "A name that shall be famous throughout the imperial capital. You should remember it." Zina says, proudly. "So, you're saying you want to make it big in the imperial capital?" "Yes! To win success and fame in the imperial capital, it's every young girl's dream!" Says Zina. The couple look at each other. "The imperial capital isn't the place of hopes and dreams that you think, child." Zina opens her eyes and looks up at them. "It's definitely lively, but there are monsters even worse than that earth dragon." Zina puts her hands on her hips. "What? You mean there are Danger Beasts in the city, as well?" Zina asks. "It's the people. Humans, but their hearts are those of monsters. The capital's full of people like that." Zina smiles and picks up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. "I appreciate your advice, but I can't turn back now." Says Zina. She turns away from the couple. "I... No, we… We're going to make it in the imperial capital, and save our village!" Zina says, confidently.
Sometime later, in the capital. "Wow! Awesome! So, this is the imperial capital." Says Zina. She's walking through the streets, passing by many different people. "If I make good money here, I could buy the entire village! I should head for the barracks!" Zina thinks to herself.
At the barracks. "You're an applicant, too? Fill out this form and bring it back to me." Zina is looking through the form. "This means, I will be starting out in the infantry?" Zina asks. She lowers the form and looks at the military officer. "Obviously." Zina slams the form on the desk. "Who has the time for that?!" Asks Zina. The military officer looks up at her, shocked. Zina unsheathes her sword and shows it off. "Look at my technique. If I show promise, would you start me out as a commanding officer?" Zina asks, pridefully.
She suddenly goes flying out the door and into the street.
"Get out!"
Zina looks back at the military officer and sits up. "What was that about? Why not test me out?" Asks Zina, angrily.
"Don't be ridiculous! Due to the recession, we're flooded with applicants! There are limits as to how many we can hire! And besides, women aren't exactly profitable for war or being imperial officers!"
"Oh, really?" Zina asks.
"If you get it, scram, you damned brat!" The door slams shut.
Zina is then left to sit alone in the street. "Do I cause a scene and make a reputation for myself? But I might get caught." Zina thinks to herself.
Someone suddenly walks up behind her. "Hi!"
"Hmm?" Asks Zina. She cranes her neck and looks up.
A girl with olive skin, long, mid-back-length, dark blue hair, that becomes lighter in color at the tips, and flows in a loose and messy manner, with a few locks sticking out and a small cowlick on top of her head, and sky blue eyes is standing there. She's wearing a navy blue jacket, with cerulean blue lining and silver edging, unzipped halfway to show a black crop top. The coat has midnight blue, short sleeves, a thick collar, that completely encircles her neck, and two, long, silver-trimmed, rectangular tails. She also wears fitted black pants. Around her hips and over the tails of her coat is a black belt, which has two pieces of midnight blue material, trimmed in silver, attached to it. The first covers from her right hip to the back of the belt and is folded over the belt, and the second is attached from the left hip and almost around to the other piece of material. She wears knee-high, black boots, with silver caps on the heel and toe, with the toe cap attaching to a silver strap across the front of her ankle, and a silver zipper on the upper half of the front of the boots. A single, small, buckled strap is on the upper outside of her boots, and a cerulean blue bandana, tied around her right knee. A pair of black, fingerless gloves, with long, midnight blue cuffs, reaching to mid-forearm and blue bracelets, with a black design, complete the outfit. She's the same age as Zina, eighteen, her height appears to be 5'8", her weight looks to be 128lbs, and her bust size seems to be a 36E. "Something seems to be troubling you. Want me to lend you a hand?" Zina is almost awestruck with this girl's attire. "S-So, this is the capital..." Zina thinks to herself, bewildered. "What's wrong with you?" Zina seems beyond words. "Drawn by dreams of making it in the capital, you came all the way from the country?" Zina stands up, facing her. "How did you know that?" Zina asks, surprised. "I knew at once. If you've lived in the capital long enough, you can identify outsiders. Anyway, I know a quick way to get hired for government services." "Seriously?" Asks Zina, bewildered. "Want to know how?" Zina nods. "Then treat me to a meal!"
Sometime later. The blue-haired girl that Zina just met is gulping down some type of alcoholic beverage. Her cheeks are all blushed with red as she sets the jug down, she has several jugs and bottles of different types of liquor. Zina has only a glass of ice water, with a look of shock on her face. "Drinking during the day sure is fantastic!" She hands a bottle over to Zina, she appears to be right-handed. "Have a drink! Let's have some fun!" "Just tell me how to get hired by the government!" Zina says. The girl pours some more alcohol into her glass. "Well, that's simply having connections and money." She finishes pouring her glass and lifts it up. "M-Money?" Asks Zina. "I know a guy in the military. If you give him cash, it'll be real quick!" Zina looks down at the table. "I get it." Zina says. She then rummages through her bag and sets a big bag of coins on the table. "Would this be enough?" Asks Zina. The blue-haired girl is still red in the cheeks and looks very pleased with the loot in front of her. "Oh, absolutely!" Zina sits back a bit and crosses her arms over her chest. "On my way here, I collected some rewards for slaying Danger Beasts." Zina says, pridefully. The blue-haired girls expression seems to turn darkly impressed. "So, you're strong. You'll be a commanding officer in no time!" "That's right! I'll leave it to you!" Says Zina, proudly. The blue-haired girl gets up and turns to leave, with the bag of coins slung over her shoulder and a subtle wave. "I think your encounter with me will serve as a valuable lesson." She then walks off. "I'm gonna go take care of this. So, wait there for me, alright?"
Zina waves back. "Alright!" Zina says.
The waitress looks over at her, she obviously knows something she doesn't.
As the time passes by, Zina sits in her seat waiting, patiently.
The ice in her glass of water has been melting and customers come and go as the time goes on until it becomes night.
Zina is still waiting.
The waitress is cleaning off one of the tables and looks over at Zina. "Young lady, we're closing soon." Zina turns to look over her shoulder at her. "Oh, I'm just waiting for someone." Says Zina. She smiles, innocently. "Sorry to break it to you, but you've been swindled." "Eh?" Zina asks. It takes her a minute to grasp what the waitress said and stands up, mouth open, in disbelief. "Huh?!" Asks Zina, bewildered. "To think you would be so trusting in the imperial capital at a time like this." "Th-That's fraud!" Zina says, still shocked. She picks up her bag and sprints towards the door. "I'm reporting her!" Says Zina. "It's no use." The waitress places a hand on her hip. "The one who got swindled is at fault." Zina has the face of absolute disbelief and shock.
A little bit later, out in the streets. Zina is rummaging through a bag and shaking it out. "After paying for that meal, I'm completely broke." Zina thinks to herself. She clutches the bag in her fist. "That girl! Is this the valuable lesson you were talking about?!" Zina thinks to herself, distraught. She then lowers her head and walks on. "No one from the country would lie like that." Zina thinks to herself.
She soon comes to a stop and sets her bag down. "Oh, well." Zina thinks to herself. She's now wearing a white winter jacket, with black lining and black fuzz around the edges. Zina sits down and leans her back up against the wall, holding at herself to keep warm. "Guess I'm sleeping outside. I can sleep anywhere." Zina thinks to herself.
A horse and carriage suddenly drive by. The person inside gasps, slightly. "Stop!" The horse carriage comes to a sudden stop before Zina, who hasn't noticed them yet. "Again, young master?" "You know I can't help it. It's my nature."
The young man walks up to Zina, who looks up at him. The young man looks to be seventeen, with fair skin, short, light brown hair, and hazel eyes. "If you have nowhere to sleep, would you like to stay at my home?" Zina's expression seems to be skeptical. "I don't have any money." Zina says. The young man chuckles. "You wouldn't be sleeping here if you did, would you?"
The two guards walk up, standing at either side of the young man. "Young Master Aidan can't ignore people like you." "You should accept his generosity." "What would you like to do?" Asks Aidan. Zina blushes, slightly. "Well, I guess it's better than sleeping outside." Zina says, shyly. "It's settled then!" Says Aidan, happily.
Sometime later, at a very huge mansion. Inside the living room, Aidan's mom and dad are seated around. Aidan gets his facial features and hazel eyes from his dad, while he gets his light brown hair from his mom. "Oh, Aidan's brought someone home again." Aidan's dad says. "My, it's simply his habit. I wonder how many there have been." Says Aidan's mom. "Mom!" Aidan says, chiding.
Zina is looking around the room, taking in the sight. She then turns her attention towards the family. "Th-Thank you." Says Zina, nervously. She glances over at the two guards in the room. "There's no need to be nervous. I bet you're hungry." Aidan's dad says. "Those guys over there are really strong. Maybe it's because of those guys that they don't feel threatened, being kind to a stranger." Zina thinks to herself. She clasps her hands together, feeling hopeful. "It's nice to know there are kind people like this, even in the imperial capital." Zina thinks to herself. "Thank you very much for taking me in!" Says Zina, gratefully.
A short time later in the night, Aidan, his parents and Zina are sitting around a coffee table. Zina is sitting across from Aidan's dad, while Aidan is sitting across from his mom. "I see. So, you want to gain military success, and save your village?" Aidan's dad asks. "Yes, Sir." Says Zina. "But you know, within the imperial capital, it is peaceful. However, this country is surrounded by three different races. You could be assigned to the international border to fight and it's especially harder for women to get in, they're not exactly known for having any battle experience or being trained in any form of fighting style." Aidan's dad says. "I've prepared myself for that." Says Zina. "I see, what impressive spirit! This is exactly how the young should be." Aidan's dad says. "Did you come from the village all by yourself, Zina?" Asks Aidan. "No, with two others. The thing is..." Zina says.
Flashback, to the village she comes from. Zina and two others, a girl and a boy, possibly the same age as her, are getting ready to be on their way. The other girl is fair-skinned, with short, chin-length, orange hair and turquoise eyes. She has the same white winter jacket, with black lining and black fuzzy edges, as Zina does. The boy is fair-skinned, with short, spiky, ash-blonde hair and blue-green eyes. He's wearing a black winter jacket, with white lining and white fuzzy edges. "Alright! We'll be on our way, Chief!" Says Zina. "Right. You've had the ability to fortify one another's strengths. Take that ability, and grab your chance for success." "Leave it to us. We'll bring wealth to the village." "That way, we won't starve to death! Well, it'll probably take ten years for the name Irayna to become known." "Irayna will probably get the guillotine for breaking the law." "Hey, Serge! Stop saying things that might actually happen!" Irayna says. Zina is looking over her shoulder at her and Serge, smiling. "It seems you all have enough spirit. Now, Zina..." Zina turns to face the Chief of the village. "Here's my last parting gift." He hands Zina a stone figure. "Take this with you." Zina takes it from him. "When in need..." Zina looks up at him. "Sell it, right?" Asks Zina. "No! Keep it close to you and God will surely help you." Zina clutches the stone figurine, tightly. "Yes. Thank you, Chief!" Zina says. She, Irayna and Serge then take their leave, waving goodbye. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "And we left with high spirits. But soon after, bandits attacked us and we've been separated ever since." Says Zina. "Oh, dear." Aidan's mom says. "They're both strong. So, I'm not necessarily worried, but Irayna is unbelievably bad with directions. I wonder if she'll even be able to find where we're supposed to meet." Says Zina. "Very well, then." Aidan's dad says. Zina looks up at him. "Hmm?" Asks Zina. "I'll put in a good word with a military acquaintance and I'll request a search for those two, too." Aidan's dad says. Zina smiles, hugely, and stands up from her seat. "Really? Thank you so much!" Says Zina. "My intuitions are usually spot on. I think you'll see the two of them soon." Aidan says. Zina blushes, slightly. "Aidan..." Says Zina, gratefully.
Later in the night. Zina's looking out the window of the room she'll be staying in, smiling. "I'm lucky. In the end, I was saved by kind people." Zina thinks to herself. Her smile then disappears. "Now, it's just Serge and Irayna. I hope they both got to the capital safely." Zina thinks to herself.
Morning, the following day. "Next, we're going to that store!" Aidan says. The guards are carrying bunches of boxes. "Please wait, young master!"
Zina's mouth is hanging wide open, the boxes tower higher than the carriage. "For a guy, his shopping is pretty intense? The sheer amount is getting silly." Says Zina. "It's not just the young master, some men are like this." Zina looks over at the guard. "Really? The guys I know choose what to wear right away." Zina says. "But anyway, Zina." "Yes?" Asks Zina. "Take a look at that." "Huh?" Zina asks. "Over there, you can see in the distance the imperial capital's center, the palace." "It's huge! Is that where the great empress is, the one who can change a country?" Asks Zina. "No, it's a little different than that." The guard leans in closer to Zina. "There is an empress, but she's only a child. The prime minister controls the empress from the shadows and she's the reason why this country rots." "The min..." Zina says. The guard covers her mouth before she can finish. "Don't say anything suspicious. If anyone hears us, they'll have our heads." The guard takes his hand away. "Then... my village also suffers from heavy taxation because..." Says Zina. "In the capital, it's an accepted practice." Zina's face changes drastically into anger. The guard looks away from her and over his shoulder, pointing a thumb behind himself. Zina's face soon changes back to normal. "And there are others like those women over there." Zina looks to what he's pointing at.
On the wall are wanted posters of four different women, Kariana, Natayla, Raven and Jewel, respectively.
"Death Night?" Zina asks. "They're a group of assassins made up entirely of women that're terrifying the imperial capital. As the name suggests, they attack their victims at night." Zina's expression turns serious. "They mainly target high-ranking executives and the capital's upper class. Prepare yourself, just in case." "Yes, Sir." Says Zina. "Also, could you do something about that?" "Huh?" Zina asks. She turns to look behind herself.
The other two guards are having trouble with a humongous box that Aidan purchased.
"What kind of training is this?!" Asks Zina, exasperated.
Nighttime, at Aidan and his parents mansion. Aidan's mom is walking down a hallway, with a diary in her hand. "Now, then… Maybe I'll write in my diary today. I just can't stop this hobby." Aidan's mom thinks to herself. She giggles.
A sudden transparent blade, with glowing light pink outlines, slashes and blood splatters everywhere. Aidan's mom has been sliced in half.
The girl that killed her is one of the girls from the Death Night wanted posters, known as Jewel. She's holding a transparent, upper-class dueling saber, with a glowing light pink outline. The sword has a single-edged, slightly curved blade. The sword's hilt sports a wide, crescent-shaped guard, that envelops Jewel's hand, purposefully protecting her hand and fingers from any angle. The hilt has a spiral design etched down it that stops at an orb-shaped pommel. Jewel is fair-skinned, with long, thigh-length, pink hair and bubblegum pink eyes, she wears glasses. Jewel's wearing a short, long-sleeved, magenta jacket, with a golden zipper, magenta pants and thigh-high, black boots, with golden detail. She also wears a black, semi-transparent undershirt beneath her jacket, along with golden spaulders and golden vambraces on both arms, as well as a similar golden belt. The tops of her boots are edged with a similar golden band, and her heel and toe are likewise protected. She has a small wooden box, with golden metal bands covering the edges, slung over her shoulder. Jewel's the same age as Zina, eighteen, her height appears to be 5'6", her weight looks to be 114lbs, and her bust size seems to be a 38C. Jewel, along with her clothes, is covered in blood. The saber that she's holding soon vanishes, as if it was never there to begin with. "My apologies." Jewel says, softly.
Zina suddenly awakens and sits up from the bed. "What's going on?" Asks Zina. Her facial expression soon changes to a serious one. "Murderous intent?" Zina thinks to herself. She then runs out of her guest room, remembering the wanted posters from earlier. "It can't be..." Zina thinks to herself.
She suddenly freezes and looks out the window, seeing five different figures, standing on some sort of wires, in mid-air, in front of the red-colored full moon. "That's..." Zina thinks to herself.
The first one she notices seems to be a young, seventeen-year-old girl. Her height appears to be 5'1", her weight looks to be 106lbs, and her bust size seems to be a 32A. She has a pale complexion, with white hair, long to her lower back, that's pulled back into an off-center, bun tail and pinned, with an icicle-shaped tiara, and icy blue eyes. She also bears a crooked scar down her right eye. She's wearing a short, glittering dress, with a color gradation of blue to pale blue at the hem, a sweetheart neckline, and a white, tulle petticoat. A white ribbon is wrapped multiple times around her waist, and over the dress is worn a slightly sheer, long-sleeved, blue shrug, fastened at the collar, with a large, sapphire broach, that has three pendants dangling from it. Completing her attire are dark blue, wedge heels and sapphire drop earrings. She seems to dress and look the part of a high-class citizen. She has a silver-gray, standard-sized rapier sheathed at her right hip.
The second one is wearing a fearsome, full-face, white mask, that resembles the face of a raven. The mask has four eye slits, further enhancing her inhuman appearance. She is fair-skinned, with long, knee-length, wavy, raven black hair, with red highlights and a small portion of her hair tied back, and blood red eyes can be seen through two of the four eye slits of the mask. She's wearing a long, white coat, with dark gray lining, and a sleeveless, black crop top. The crop top has rectangular and diamond shaped cutouts around the neckline. Additionally, she wears a white belt, over black, fitted pants. She wears thigh-high, black, heeled boots, with gold-colored edging around the top. The right boot has a belt wrapped twice around the thigh. Her height appears to be 5'6", her weight seems to be 120lbs, and her bust size looks to be a 34DD. She has what appears to be a katana sheathed at her left hip. The scabbard appears to contain a rotary chamber.
The third one, who's standing in the middle of the five of them, is facing opposite of the other four and is looking over her shoulder. She's wearing a dark green, full-bodysuit, with white gold armor over her torso and arms, with spikes down her right side, elaborate white gold greaves, that start below her mid-thighs, continuing downwards into her boots, and a pair of white gold cuisses, that begin mid-thigh and end slightly above her knees. Her high-heeled boots are dark green, with white gold trim, and reach up to mid-calf. She also wears a white gold circlet headpiece, that can be seen above her ears and under her bangs. A pair of small, teardrop-shaped peridots hang from her circlet on thin chains and a dark green visor, with white gold trim, hangs over the upper half of her face, obscuring her eyes from view. She also sports a large, white gold gorget around her neck and a green, ankle-length drapery, that appears to be wrapped around her waist. She has light, mint-green hair, tied into a low-ponytail. She has a pair of green revolver sickles sheathed at her lower back. Her height appears to be 5'8", her weight looks to be 123lbs, and her bust size seems to be a 34D.
The fourth one is twenty-two. She has olive skin, with short, shoulder-length, purple hair and lilac eyes. She's wearing a white, sleeveless top, that forms a tiny heart shape, with a diagonal cut through it, between her cleavage and collarbone, underneath a zippered, blue-black jacket, with violet stripes along the sleeves and the violet bands of the jacket are tightened on her upper arms. She's also wearing a white, detached sleeve over her right elbow, fingerless, violet gloves on each hand, a violet, pleated skirt, that creates some flair and goes slightly past her mid-thighs, and has two wide loops at her waist for her violet belt, and knee-high, violet socks, which are just visible above her calf-length boots, that are white, with violet laces. Her height appears to be 5'3", her weight looks to be 111lbs, and her bust size seems to be 34DDD. She has what appears to be a grenade launcher held within both of her hands, which seems to be manipulating the wires they're all standing on.
And the fifth and final one seems awfully familiar and so does her clothing. She has olive skin, with long, mid-back-length, dark blue hair, that becomes lighter in color at the tips and flows in a loose and messy manner, with a few locks sticking out and a small cowlick on top of her head, and she has golden yellow eyes. She also has wolf ears, wolf paws for hands and a wolf tail. She has a pair of blue, dual-ranged shot gauntlets, that cover her hands and forearms, acting as arm guards.
Zina is looking at all five of these definitely different women through the window. "Death Night! Just because they're wealthy, you'll target this place, as well?" Zina thinks to herself.
The guards are rushing outside, preparing to protect the remaining two family members.
Zina watches them from inside. "What do I do? Do I back them up? Or should I guard?" Zina thinks to herself.
The purple-haired woman turns to the one wearing the fearsome, full-face, white mask, that resembles the face of a raven. "Our targets are those three guards, Raven." Raven is another one from the Death Night wanted posters. "They shall be eliminated." Raven says. Her voice seems to be slightly muffled by her mask, but she's still understandable and she sounds pretty menacing. Raven then back-flips off of the wires and descends to the ground, landing down to one knee.
The one wearing the dark green and white gold armor descends after Raven, landing directly on her feet and she stays behind her.
The guards run towards Raven and the armored woman, stopping at a supposed safe distance from them.
Raven then stands up to her feet, her blood red eyes can be seen through two of the four eye slits in her mask.
Zina is still watching from the window.
The guards aim their swords at Raven and the armored woman.
Raven's hand soon goes for her weapon, preparing to unsheathe it, revealing that she's right-handed. The armored woman reaches for her revolver sickles and unsheathes them, she seems to be right-handed. "Listen, don't touch that sword." Says the armored woman, trying to give them fair warning.
The guard scoffs and charges towards them, sword raised.
Raven tightens her grip on the hilt of her sword and the rotary chamber on her scabbard starts to spin until it lands on the red. She then unsheathes her sword, which has a red-colored blade, and charges towards the guard.
While mid-sprint, the guard almost seems to land a hit to Raven, only when the blade comes close to hitting her, she seems to burst into flames and split from herself, leaving behind a fiery copy of herself. When the guard's sword makes contact with the fiery copy of Raven, it explodes on him and catches him off-guard. The real Raven then charges at him again and slashes at him, with her now normal colored katana. At first, it looks like nothing hit him and then blood suddenly starts gushing from his neck, symbols are appearing from the wound in his neck and spread through his body. "A fitting end for someone like me, whose true nature is rotten..." He gasps his last breath and falls forward to the ground, dead.
The armored woman then slashes through the other guard with her revolver sickles, killing him.
"What's with these bitches? They're monsters!" The remaining guard turns to run away and easily gets shot through the head, killed.
The shot came from the rapier that belongs to the white-haired girl, revealing that she's left-handed. She and the purple-haired woman stayed on the wires up above. "How pathetic, running when facing the enemy." The white-haired girl says. "Though, who wouldn't run in these circumstances?" Asks the purple-haired woman. She appears to be right-handed.
Zina backs away from the window, awestruck. "Completely annihilated in an instant…" Zina thinks to herself, in disbelief. She then runs off down the hallway. "I must at least protect Aidan!" Zina thinks to herself.
Meanwhile, somewhere else in the house. Aidan's dad is being held up by his neck by the blue-haired wolf girl. "H-Help… I have a son..." Aidan's dad says, gasping for air. "Calm down. You'll be with him and your wife on the other side." Says the blue-haired wolf girl. Aidan's dad looks down at her, struggling. "Even my son… Have you no mercy?" Aidan's dad asks, gasping for air. "Mercy?" Asks the blue-haired wolf girl. She glances up at him with her golden yellow eyes, showing that this girl also has fangs. She then readies herself to punch him and prepares her right gauntlet. "What's that?" The blue-haired wolf girl asks. She then punches at him and a shot is fired from her gauntlet, shooting him through the temple, killing him, instantly.
Somewhere outside the grounds from the mansion, a remaining guard and Aidan are running. "Hurry, young master! This way!" "What's going on?" Asks Aidan. "We must get to the storehouse! It'll be safe there!"
"I found you!" Zina says, breathlessly.
Aidan and the guard turn to look behind themselves.
Zina has found them and is trying to catch her breath.
"Zina?" Asks Aidan. "You came at a good time. We're going into the storehouse, and waiting for the authorities. In the meantime, you fend them off."
Zina has caught her breath by now and steps back a bit. "That's impossible..." Zina says.
Raven suddenly lands some distance behind her, landing down to one knee, with her katana now sheathed back in it's scabbard.
Zina jumps a bit and turns to look over her shoulder at her.
Raven glances up at Zina, through two of the four eye slits in her mask.
Zina turns to face her and unsheathes her own sword. "I guess, I have no choice!" Says Zina, seriously.
Raven then stands up to her feet, hand already on her sword. The rotary chamber in her scabbard starts spinning and stops when it lands on the purple. Raven then unsheathes her sword, the blade has now turned purple, and she sprints towards Zina.
Zina prepares to defend herself.
"You're not a target." Raven says. Zina seems surprised and shocked, as she seems to split from herself, leaving a copy of herself behind where she once stood. Raven then bounds off of Zina's head and seems to split from herself again, leaving another copy of herself behind where she leaped from as the first one vanishes.
Zina looks back over her shoulder.
The guard is shooting at Raven, but she's able to dodge the shots and leaves a copy of herself where every shot hits, while sprinting, avoiding the shots and getting closer to the guard. "You're a target though." Says Raven. As one of the shots comes very close to hitting Raven, she seems to split from herself again, only this time her copy turns into a solid stone statue of her. She back-flips away in time to avoid the shot and lands a short distance behind the stone statue of herself. The bullet hits the stone statue instead and it shatters from the shot. Raven then sprints towards the guard again and stops short of him, catching him off-guard. The blade of her sword has now shifted to it's normal color. "Eliminate." Raven thinks to herself. She then slashes at the guard and slices him through, sending blood splattering.
Aidan tries to back away and trips over something, falling back on his butt. Raven walks up to Aidan, while he looks up at her, terrified. Raven readies her sword for the final blow. "Eliminate." Raven says.
"Hold it!" Says Zina. She sprints towards Raven and swings her sword at her, only for her to split from herself and have her clone take the hit instead.
Raven lands at a respectable distance from Zina, facing her, with her sword sheathed in it's scabbard. "You aren't a target. There's no need to kill you." Raven says.
Zina is standing in front of Aidan, her sword at the defense. Aidan stands up and stays behind Zina. "But you plan to kill this boy, don't you?" Asks Zina, matter-of-factually.
"Yes." Raven says, bluntly.
Zina seems quite peeved by her bluntness.
"If you get in my way, I shall kill you." Says Raven.
"That doesn't mean I can just run!" Zina says, angrily.
"Is that so?" Asks Raven, seriously. The rotary chamber in her scabbard begins to spin until it lands on the dark blue. Raven then unsheathes her katana, the blade has now changed to dark blue, and she raises it up, aiming it at Zina. "Then I shall eliminate you." Raven says, seriously.
Zina seems quite terrified at that remark.
The blue-haired wolf girl walks down the path, walking towards where Raven, Zina and Aidan are. "So dirty!" Says the blue-haired wolf girl. She's shaking the blood off of her gauntlet and wolf pawed hand. She stops when she notices the scene before her. "How unusual, Raven hasn't finished them off yet?" The blue-haired wolf girl thinks to herself. She then recognizes Zina. "Huh? Wait!" The blue-haired wolf girl says. She puts a wolf pawed hand to her head. "Jeez, how unlucky can one girl be?" The blue-haired wolf girl thinks to herself.
Zina is looking Raven up and down, her sword at the ready. "This isn't someone I can defeat in my current state. She must possess a special gift, too." Zina thinks to herself.
Raven is obviously scrutinizing her, as well.
"But, I can't worry about that. If I can't even save this one boy, how will I save an entire village?" Zina thinks to herself.
She and Raven give each other one final look over and sprint towards one another. "This girl isn't the only one who has a special gift." Zina thinks to herself. She lifts up her hand and Raven's katana seems to rattle. Zina then pulls back her hand, as if pulling an invisible string, and Raven's sword comes flying out of her hand and goes high into the air. Raven seems unaltered by this and continues sprinting towards Zina. Zina raises up her sword and slashes at Raven, as she comes almost directly in front of her. However, as the blade swings and slices through Raven, no blood splatters and she seems to vanish in thin air.
Zina's mouth is wide open, in bewilderment. She then looks up above her, Raven has regained her katana and descends on her from up above. Zina regains her composure and blocks Raven's attack with her sword. Raven suddenly seems to split from herself, leaving a solid ice statue of herself behind. Zina's sword is stuck in the ice statue of Raven and she can't seem to pull it free. Raven then stabs Zina in the chest, the katana's blade has returned to normal. Zina falls to the ground.
"Zina!" Says Aidan.
Raven is standing over Zina, with her sword still aimed at her.
Zina smirks, slightly, and stands up, facing Raven. "You won't even lower your guard and come near me?" Zina asks. "I didn't feel any flesh." Says Raven. Zina reaches into her jacket and pulls out the stone figure the chief from her village gave her. "Everyone from my village protected me." Zina says.
The blue-haired wolf girl has been watching this whole fight. "To survive after taking one of Raven's hits, that girl's pretty good. She seems to also be gifted with a special talent, like the rest of us." The blue-haired wolf girl thinks to herself, impressed.
Raven readies her sword for the finishing blow. "Eliminate." Says Raven.
Zina gasps and puts her hands out, in defense. "Wait a second, aren't you girls after money?" Zina asks, trying to reason with her.
Raven sprints towards her.
"Let him go! It isn't like we are at war, yet you are willing to kill an innocent boy?" Asks Zina, still trying to reason with her. Raven stops directly in front of her and slashes at her. "It's no use, she isn't listening to anything I say!" Zina thinks to herself. The blade comes very close to piercing the skin of her neck.
Only, the blue-haired wolf girl intervenes and grabs Raven by the shoulder, pulling her away from Zina before she can deliver the fatal hit. "Hold on." The blue-haired wolf girl says. Zina seems surprised by the sudden interference. Raven sheathes her katana and looks over at the blue-haired wolf girl. "What are you doing?" Asks Raven. "We still have time, right? I owe this girl a favor. I figured I'd repay it." The blue-haired wolf girl says. She smiles and winks at Zina, slyly. Zina is dumbfounded at first and then recognizes her from the day before. "You're that girl from yesterday!" Says Zina, accusingly. "That's right! You said something about killing the innocent, didn't you?" The blue-haired wolf girl asks. Both Zina and Aidan's faces change drastically, hers confused, his scared.
The blue-haired wolf girl walks towards the storehouse. "Will you be able to say the same thing after seeing this?" Asks the blue-haired wolf girl. She then breaks down the door, her arms crossed and her expression serious. "Take a good look. This is the imperial capital's darkness." The blue-haired wolf girl says.
Zina walks up beside her. Zina's eyes widen and she gasps, awestruck. "Wh-What the heck is this?" Asks Zina, tragically.
The sight before them is bodies of men and women who have been either hung, tortured or locked in cages, like animals. "They lured people from the countryside with sweet words, torturing them, raping them and playing with them until they died. That is what this household really is." The blue-haired girl says.
Zina walks in further and notices a naked man, hung up by his arms, in shackles and chains, with whip marks on every inch of his body, he's dead. "Serge… Is that you, Serge?" Asks Zina. "Is he someone you knew?" The blue-haired wolf girl asks.
Aidan turns to try and walk off while she, Zina and Raven are looking over this horrific sight in front of them.
Only, the blue-haired wolf girl catches Aidan before he can go very far, grabbing him by his hair and making him look her in the eyes. "Hold on. Aren't you asking for a bit much, trying to run away like that?" Asks the blue-haired wolf girl.
"The people of this household did this?" Zina asks, sadly.
Aidan and the blue-haired wolf girl look her way, she's still holding him by his hair. "That's right. Since the guards kept quiet, they were just as guilty." Says the blue-haired wolf girl. "That's a lie! I didn't even know this place existed! Will you believe the one who saved you or these people?" Aidan asks.
"Zina..." Zina looks to her left and sees a girl in a cage, reaching through the bars for her. She's naked, with whip scars on almost every inch of her body. "It is you, right, Zina?" Zina's expression changes drastically to horrified and shocked. "It's me…" "I-Irayna?" Asks Zina, shocked. "That boy invited Serge and me to his home. And after we ate, we lost consciousness… And when we came to, we were here… Th-That boy and his father took turns whipping me, torturing me and raping me! Th-Then that boy tortured Serge to death and even went so far as to castrate him!" Irayna says, tears flowing down her cheeks. She then sinks to her knees, still grasping at the bars of her cage, and cries even harder.
Aidan smacks the blue-haired wolf girl's pawed hand away and backs away from her and Raven. "What's so wrong with that?! You're all worthless bastards and bitches from the country! The same as cattle! I'm free to do whatever I want to them, aren't I? And that man! Even though he was just cattle, his hair was spiky yet smooth! Who does he think he is! When I struggle with my unruly hair! That's why I made sure he suffered as much as possible! And that woman! She should be grateful anyone paid that much attention to her!" Says Aidan, angrily. The blue-haired wolf girl and Raven are watching him have his little tantrum. "A family of sadists, disguised as Good Samaritans! Sorry for getting in your way." The blue-haired wolf girl says. Raven goes for her sword, ready to unsheathe it. "Eliminate." Says Raven.
"Wait." Zina says.
Raven loosens her hold on her sword and she and the blue-haired wolf girl bring their attention over to her. "Don't tell me you still want to defend him?" Asks the blue-haired wolf girl, seriously.
Zina walks past her and Raven. "No..." Zina says. She lifts up her hand, her sword rattles and bursts free of the ice statue of Raven, shattering the sculpture and her sword flies to her hand. "I'll kill him!" Says Zina, angrily. She slices Aidan through and blood is sent splattering. Aidan gasps one final breath and he falls back to the ground, dead.
Zina straightens herself, looking down at the now lifeless body that was Aidan. Zina's sword has blood dripping from it. The blue-haired wolf girl has a pawed hand to her chin. "I know that she despised him now, but she killed him without hesitation." The blue-haired wolf girl thinks to herself. Zina sheathes her sword. Raven is looking on, silently.
Irayna is holding at herself. "That's Zina for you… That felt great!" Irayna says. Blood suddenly starts gushing out of her mouth and she holds a hand over her mouth, the blood running through her fingers.
Zina turns, looks back at Irayna and runs over to her. "Irayna!" Says Zina.
The blue-haired wolf girl bends two of the bars apart. Zina then takes Irayna out of the cage and sets her down, holding her close to herself. Irayna has blood running down the sides of her mouth. "Irayna..." Zina says, concerned.
"It's the final stages of Lubora." Says Raven. Zina looks over towards her. Raven then tilts her head and reaches for her mask. The blue-haired wolf girl seems surprised by this. "Huh, she never removes her mask until she returns to base. She never lets her victims or strangers see her face behind the mask." The blue-haired wolf girl thinks to herself, surprised. Raven removes her mask, lowers it from her face and holds it in both hands, she's human. She's the same age as the purple-haired woman, twenty-two. Raven opens her blood red eyes and looks directly at Zina. "The mother of the house enjoyed drugging her victims. And she wrote about it in detail in her diary. She cannot be saved." Raven says. Zina gasps. "Zina..." Says Irayna, weakly. Zina looks down at her. "Irayna!" Zina says. Irayna looks up at her, meeting her in the eyes. "Serge… He never gave into that bastard. Even to the very end, he was so cool… So I have to have a cool end..." Says Irayna, weakly. She soon goes still and Zina gasps.
"It seems she kept herself alive by will alone." Raven says. Zina has tears in her eyes and hugs Irayna's lifeless body to herself. "What's going on in the capital?" Asks Zina, tearing up. Raven turns to leave and places her mask back on. "Let's go." Raven says. "Hey..." Says the blue-haired wolf girl. Raven looks over her shoulder at her. "Why don't we bring her with us?" The blue-haired wolf girl says. Raven turns to face her completely.
The blue-haired wolf girl grabs Zina by the collar of her jacket and drags her behind herself, while she and Raven walk out of the storehouse. "Our secret base is always short-handed! She has luck, courage, and even skill! Wouldn't you agree? And she's obviously gifted just like you, me and the others!" Says the blue-haired wolf girl, addressing Raven. "What are you doing? Release me! I have to bury those two!" Zina says, yelling. "Oh, I'll bring their bodies to our secret base later, so don't worry." Says the blue-haired wolf girl. "Huh? Let go of me!" Zina says.
A little bit later. Raven, the blue-haired girl, and Zina, who is being carried by her and trying to get out of her hold, are standing on the roof of the mansion. They're meeting up with the white-haired girl, the purple-haired woman, and the armored woman, who are still standing on the wires and have been waiting for Raven and the blue-haired girl to return. "You're late! What were you doing? And who is that?" Asks the white-haired girl. "Our new friend!" The blue-haired girl says. Her wolf ears, wolf paws, wolf tail and fangs are gone, her eyes have returned to their normal sky blue color, and her gauntlets have changed back into their bracelet form. Zina looks up at her. "Huh?" Asks Zina, confused. "Oh? Did I not tell you?" The blue-haired girl asks. She drops Zina and she sits up, looking up at her, the purple-haired woman, the armored woman, the white-haired girl and Raven. "From now on, you're one of us. Congratulations on becoming a member of Death Night!" Says the blue-haired girl. Zina has the face of shock and confusion, and then she shoots straight up. "Why is this happening?!" Zina asks, exasperated. "Give up." Says Raven. The blue-haired girl and Zina both look over at her. "Once she's made up her mind, Paige won't give up." Raven says. "As expected, you know me so well..." Says Paige, addressing her. She then turns to the armored woman. "Natayla, I'll leave her to you!" Paige says. Natayla is another one from the Death Night wanted posters. Natayla walks up to Zina and carries her by her waist. "Let go of me, I have no intention of becoming an assassin!" Says Zina. "It'll be alright, I promise it will get better." Natayla says. "Wh-What will?" Asks Zina. "The mission is complete. It's time to return." Raven says. She then leaps off the roof and takes off.
The white-haired girl follows after next.
Then Paige.
Then the purple-haired woman.
And then Natayla, with Zina held against her waist. "What's up with this turn of events?! What's going to happen to me?" Asks Zina.
They soon all disappear into the night.