Chapter 21: To Your Aid

It had been a few weeks since Tatsumi and I had that deep conversation on the balcony. Things were going well. Everyone was training and strategies were being put into place.

"Haji, do you have the reports for the week?" Haji and I, after walking into Damien's trap, decided it would be in our best interests to place scouts in each of my realms looking for any signs of Damien and what he might be up to. Every week we were left with stacks of paperwork we must go through by hand to get caught up.

Scouts were great and helpful, but I was the only true person to be able to track Damien when his spiritual pressure popped up.

However, I couldn't be everywhere at once and train the team. Plus, at that moment and time if I did find him there wasn't a lot I could do in that state.

Haji barely looked up from his own stack, "Yes, I am still going through all of them. Prevalent signs of: random, possible, sightings based from the description you've provided, but nothing substantial, Miss."

"Are the ones of importance laid apart from the rest for me to have a look at them now?"

"They have been placed on your desk, my lady."

"You're the best, Haji." A compliment left again acknowledged, Haji didn't quite know who to response to praise so he pretended to not hear it. It was rather humbling and at times down right funny.

Anyway, back to the scouts. So far, nothing concrete came from the reports. It seemed like Damien decided to work under the radar. I had no idea what he could be up to, but it couldn't be good. That was why the scouts were so important, the minute Damien resurfaced we would have a better chance of knowing and planning accordingly instead of being left in the dark.

There was no more room left for surprise meetings.

I was just about to head to my office when Haji called out that there was something I needed to see… from a scout in Magnolia.

…

"We have to go to Magnolia right now."

"The hell we do."

"Zero…"

"Don't you 'Zero' me. You're crazy." Not like I've heard that one before… It had become his catchphrase, really.

I was losing my patience, "Zero." I warned, he was going to end up pushing me too far.

"Nu uh. Not going." He said so much like a child throwing a fit.

I looked at the others to back me up but all Haji had to offer was silence.

Letting me fight my own battles, I see.

Here we all were, Zero and me bickering like school children, in the middle of the foyer, only minutes from practically walking out the door for our first mission.

Tatsumi tried to minimize the disagreement, "Maybe she's right…" but Zero shut him down with a backwards glare.

I couldn't believe my eyes, Tatsumi stepped back just from Zero's scowl.

How did Zero become the leader of their little group?

Who would have called that one? I snickered inwardly.

I sure as hell wouldn't have.

No matter, I'm still the ruler over all.

My voice dropped and my foot was down, "Zero, this isn't a request. I simply gave you the courtesy of knowing my next move before I made it. Don't act like we're in a place where I value your opinion."

His purple eyes shined in my direction. I felt his anger flood the air, but he bit it back, "Fair enough. But Damien is crazy strong, and you don't even have any substantial information that he is in Magnolia."

I shoved the newspaper up and into his massive stone-like chest, "This isn't evidence enough? Those are my people, dammit Zero."

Zero didn't immediately respond, only looked at the article title that nearly had me in an uproar just a few moments ago. "King Damien has declared today: Beheading Day" It read.

Haji received it attached along with a report and had brought it to my attention.

Seeing the evident fury lying semi-dormant in my dark blue eyes, Zero understood I planned to go with or without him.

Sure, my stubborn Saint would go… but not without first saying his peace, "This isn't because of him, is it?" I shot a look at Haji for telling Zero about such a personal matter, but the older man's look of slight surprise confirmed he wasn't the one who told.

But how did Zero know…

It wasn't important who told, "No." I snapped shortly, "It's not, the paper says the one to be executed is a strong, well known and loved person in the community. Probably, the old mayor, or another politician even. Someone who can be used as an 'example',"

I clenched my fist into a tight ball, "I can't let someone my people care about be harmed because of me… This isn't for them, it's for me. It's a warning for me, Zero and I don't appreciate it. Damien is not a king over anything, especially not over my people. I will not let him rule for a second longer. They need someone's help and I will go. Now, are you in or out?"

…

"What is the plan?" Zero inquired as we stood on an edge of a cliff just outside the city limits.

In front of us laid Magnolia, in the aftermath of a beautiful sunrise, it almost looked like a proud and strong city that wasn't being commanded by a lunatic. Almost.

It had been months since I had visited… Had that much time really slipped through my fingers?

I peeled my eyes away and turned back to face them all.

"The execution is set to take place soon, which means he should be getting into position soon. If I know Damien, he will want a front row seat to watch his plan in motion. Haji, Zero, and I will push ahead. Using the roofs as our cover. Stay high and stay fast. Most importantly, stay near me. No one will see us coming. We strike when we have confirmation of the prisoner and Damien himself."

"What about me?" Tatsumi looked surprised I hadn't initially included him in the attack place.

I looked at those big emerald stone eyes and simply smiled.

"You will stay close too, but I won't make you engage. Per our agreement. Promise me, if something goes wrong you will grab the prisoner and get out of there. We can take care of ourselves, but if we lose this politician we might lose the people. Everyone got it?"

…

"Peasants! Gather around, the almighty King Damien commands your attention!"

The court yard filled quickly with my people, so many terrified eyes and tear stained cheeks… That wasn't how it should have been.

Most looked starved and bruised…even the little ones. My heart burned looking at them below us.

I kept an eye out for Damien to appear.

"There he is…" I whispered. I felt Zero start to move up, but I reached over grabbing ahold of his sleeve, "Not yet. We don't have eyes on the prisoner."

It was understood we wouldn't engage with Damien unless needed, only shake his grip over this city.

We were well aware we could be walking right into a trap, and couldn't risk being caught.

I would simply undermine Damien's authority. He wouldn't be able to rule this realm without his established fear. I was taking that away that day.

The people would fight if I gave them something to fight for.

I watched as Damien came to the middle of the raised stage from a gaudy "throne" just off the side. He was wearing a horribly fake crown and instead of a scepter, he held an axe with a curved blade at the top. I noticed it was slightly stained red and my blood boiled.

I could barely stay still.

"My useless and utterly replaceable servants, you are gathered here today to witness my wrath and impenetrable control over each and every one of you. Take what you see here today as a warning of what will come if you try and go against me: you will fail." He chuckled like he had just told the world's best joke.

Sickening.

I didn't think it was possible to grow more outraged, until I saw the true and present fear on my people's faces. They were truly afraid of his threat. What had he done to them?

Why hadn't I done something sooner? I am just as much to blame as Damien for not doing anything to stop him.

My train of thought was derailed by two guards dragging out someone, the prisoner.

The man in their arms was bloody and had been beaten, from what I could tell, repetitively and ruthlessly. His clothes had torn and were long gone from his weary body. All that remained were a pair of blood soaked pants. His chest had been deeply cut and prodded; you could see muscle peeking out from behind the open flaps on skin.

It was disturbing. I grimaced.

For only a politician, he appeared to muster great pain tolerance to withstand…such horrendous treatment. My people were strong, but Damien shouldn't have been a test for them to prove themselves.

I already knew their worth.

No one could make out the prisoner's identity for there being a cloth bag over his head that was also stained red with his own blood.

It didn't matter who this man was or is; he was one of my people. Those who I swore to protect and I had let him down. I let them all down.

Just as much to blame as Damien. It echoed through my mind.

The prisoner was thrown against the wooden block in the center. His hands were tied and he couldn't stop his momentum as he slammed against the solid wood with a gut wrenching thud.

My plan of attack suddenly changed when the cloth over his head was yanked off.

"Oh my god…"

The black and sticky hair fell from its confides and gathered on the wood. It was then I noticed the dried and crusty blood attempting to cover the guild mark on his left arm.

If it hadn't been for Haji's immediate death grip on me, I would have moved up, rushed to his side, and blown our cover.

Somewhere far, far away, I could hear my oldest Saint's attempt at a comforting voice but I couldn't take my eyes off the stage.

I did this.

I felt like weeping, and I struggled to stay in control.

Blackness… oh, how badly I wanted to give in.

The small rational side of my mind, warned I would put the others at risk by surrendering to the darkness inside me: they weren't in position yet.

I removed Haji's hand without looking back and the executor moved up beside the man.

He elevated the blade high in the air and over his sprawled-out body.

Fragile, and unprotected… he laid like no one would come to his aid.

His body: covered in dried blood and open cuts.

Rage, so much rage, radiated inside my body.

I felt Zero tense when I did not go to make a move. Impatient as always, I thought. There was nothing more that I wanted to do than move up… but if I moved too soon I couldn't guarantee saving him. The guards would remove him quickly and kill him somewhere else where I couldn't intervene; I wouldn't let that happen.

The slanted blade rose higher and higher, I nearly lost sight of it in the bright sun above.

Damien was almost giddy with excitement.

Finally, the executor held his position for a breath, then slammed the axe down.

Until it met my barrier, of course.

I would come to your aid, always. I swore.

I froze the blade midair just above his exposed pale neck.

The executor pulled back and tried again but it stopped in the same spot as before.

Damien was infuriated. Quickly storming across the stage, cursing, snatching the axe away. He ruthlessly shoved the guard back, easily crushing all the guard's ribs by doing so.

Time to up the ante.

My barrier was still there this time, but I added a thick layer of recoil. When Damien tried to bring that blade down he was thrown back and across the stage like a rag doll.

I was done laying dormant.

I couldn't hold back my boastful laughter. It came out evil, and that was exactly how I felt, evil, "Just what do you think you're trying to accomplish, bastard?" I yelled out smugly drawing the attention away from him.

I was standing triumphantly on the roof just across from his "ceremony" with a smile plastered on my lips and my arms crossed over my chest confidently. My nails digging painfully into my arms to keep myself from giving in to my desperate need to run to him.

Rogue, my heart called out.

I let the fury swell, and I let it encase my being.

If I focused too hard on him, I'd surely get all of us killed.

But just as I had wanted all the heads in the crowd turned back and up toward me.

I held my gaze on Damien. The pure anguish in Damien's eyes was more than enough for me, but that was only just the beginning. I would get up close and personal, then he could see what my eyes held after he made the grave mistake to go after one of mine.

I gave in and glanced over at the man leaning against the block of wood.

Rogue could barely look up from the wooden block when he heard the estranged familiar voice, and found me.

I am so sorry, Rogue, I whispered.

The fury was muddled and attempted to be replaced with nothing but guilt.

You came… I trust you to take care of the rest.

There was no smile or even a slight expression of recognition on his face.

I had to look elsewhere out of shame. I chose back at Damien. This was all because of him.

Wrath came slamming back into me. He'd pay, I'd make sure of that.

At a lower octave speaking to himself, "I should have known you'd make an appearance… you always do come for the pitiful, don't you?" Damien scoffed and raised his voice, "Why Alexandria, I'm killing a pathetic Saint, what the hell does it look like I'm doing?"

Damien tried to bring that blade back down on Rogue again, like the first time was only but a fluke, and he was thrown back once more.

With the back of my hand I sent him flying backwards on top of the recoil into several stone walls.

My laughter must have been contagious because the crowd began to chuckle like this was a skit Damien and I had rehearsed.

"Guards!" He bellowed, and I took it as my cue. I jumped down from the rooftop and behind Rogue. I held out my arms and used my body to shield him from the incoming backup.

They were not taking him away. I would not let them. No one would touch him ever again.

I'd destroy them all if they tried.

Haji and Zero not a second behind me, touched down in front of me.

Hundreds of civilians ran from the court square afraid of getting swept into the impeding fight.

I projected another field, this time in front of us. It kept the majority of his men, trying to attack, at bay. Zero and Haji took care of the few stranglers.

I should have begun to fight right that second but my heart commanded my body, make sure he is ok it demanded; I took my eyes off my enemy for only just a second.

Sometimes there are things more important than the battle, sometimes there are people who need you to do more than fight…

"Rogue? Can you hear me? Hold on. You're going to be alright, okay? Just stay with me for a second more." I cut the binds on his hands, and his arms fell slack by his sunken sides.

He hadn't been eating, I realized brokenly.

I gently turned him in my direction, and lifted his body off the cruel block. I softly pulled back the blood-encrusted hair from his face. He seemed to lean into my soft fingers tracing his cheekbone.

Up close, I could easily evaluate the swollen eyes, busted lips, and deep bruises. They tortured him… He wouldn't have made it much longer… It's a wonder he was still alive.

I wanted to take him and run far away from here… from everything… from anything that could ever hurt him again…

But there was something I had to take care of first: I'd get revenge on those who dare to do this to him… Then, I'd make sure no one would ever get hurt like this again.

No one.

Thank you. I knew you'd come.

Beneath one swollen lump of skin hid a beautiful garnet colored slit of an eye.

How I've missed that color. Nothing in the world, not matter how hard it tried, shared the same shade.

I begged, "Rogue, stay with me. Please…" His eyes seemed to sparkle and smile before he lost consciousness.

He slumped against me but I supported his weight, I wouldn't him fall, "Rogue!" I was frightened and shook him, but he did not respond.

"Tatsumi! Get him out of here!" I yelped panicked, and held Rogue up until Tatsumi showed. I shifted him gently onto Tatsumi's back. Wearing incursio, I knew he'd had no problems carrying Rogue.

I saw the stern lines on Rogue's forehead soften… he was no longer in danger: he was safe.

"Take care of him." Tatsumi nodded and I watched till they were gone from my sight.

With Rogue, out of immediate danger, I let my wrath free. Doing this to one of my people was one thing… but to one of my Saints…

Someone was going to pay and pay with their life.

I turned back to the fight at hand.

I knew Damien's helpers weren't human, but something else. Using rational thought, that I certainly lacked at that moment, would have told me: he created these things and had by doing that he was momentarily weakened…

I had not grown any stronger. My emotions for what Rogue went through were the only thing feeding my power.

But right then, I simply did not give a damn.

A few of these artificial men started to leak past the sides and I engaged, enjoying it thoroughly. Some I kicked off the high rise, some I picked up and threw into more of them, and some I completely obliterated.

Their ashes smelled like burnt rubber; I relished in it.

My eyesight became more focused on the thought of Damien, black blurring the sides of my vision.

Only red remained.

The only thing I cared about was revenge and I was going to make sure I got it!

"Stop being a coward, Damien! Face me!"

I was getting closer to his retreating form.

Coward.

I was closing the distance quickly and showing no mercy to anything that stood in my way.

More black flooded my vision, but the red shined brighter.

Most his things had been taken care of and Damien was losing the upper hand, quickly, I might add.

I stood him down, but before I could make contact… Zero wrapped an arm around my waist and yanked me back against him, "We were not to engage, remember? You and I can argue later, but right now you need to stop being stupid!" His rare booming voice right in my ear, and his arm felt like a harness across my chest.

It felt secure, no room for movement… but not safe. I felt trapped, and I did not like it in the least.

Black magic sparked off me as if it was huge bolts of electricity. It cracked like thick leather whips in the air.

I was losing my grip on reality. I wanted blood.

Destruction.

Murder.

I'm sure it must have hurt Zero for keeping such a firm hold on me… but at that time I failed to notice.

"That was before! This is now! Let me go!" I screamed, thrashing around.

I hadn't used my magic to rid myself of Zero's annoying arms holding me back but I was getting close… No one would stand in my way.

If I had been of a stable mind and body, I would have noticed what Zero had: more were coming to Damien's aid. A lot more, and fast. We would quickly be outnumbered even as strong as the three of us were…

There was no reason to risk it.

The winds picked up around us, and the sky turned an ugly shade of gray. Dark, intimidating clouds and their menacing claps of thunder filled the air; they blocked out the sun's rays and were moving toward us. The air grew chilly, almost painful to breathe it in, just like a December morning.

But it felt like everything I could have ever wanted. The world was feeding me power.

Zero's grip only tightened stubbornly around me, but not without noticing the change in the atmosphere. He was growing anxious and had to talk me down soon, "This wasn't a plan of attack, this was a rescue mission, Nikki! We aren't ready."

I felt his large stone chest pressed right against my back, impossibly, it felt colder than the air surrounding us. It reminded me of that night in the forest... His words…

The sky only grew louder and darker; I squirmed in his grip, I wanted to get away from the pain his hands reminded me of, "Get your damn hands off me, Zero!" I shrieked, "He has to pay!"

"Pathetic," Damien snickered and I stalled not seeing the skies had too, "I will destroy you all, and you'll be the last Alexandria… After you've watched all who you claim to care for slaughtered right before you and there will be nothing you can do about it." He shrugged, "I do hate you missed Rogue's torture; you surely would have loved all the wonderful sounds he made. I'll set up a time in the near future where you can hear it again in all its glory. Truly a sight you can't miss!"

I was out of Zero's grasp before either noticed and near Damien when my fist connected with Damien's jaw. All the power I could muster after using projecting those fields wrapped around the punch.

It was a great deal of power that I didn't know I still had in me.

It sent him to floor, the wood crackled, just as the air did and rain began to pelt against the ground. The droplets were thick and heavy, beating against my head.

The wood splintered under the force, his body crumpled, and I enjoyed every glorious second, "You EVER touch a single one of them… and I'll show you what true torture is really all about."

I should have pummeled him, I should have bashed his head in, I should have killed him when I had the chance.

I might have been captured but not before I took his life and my power back.

I might have been lost in something, that in that moment I couldn't explain… Who knows I might have been lost forever, giving in to that power…

It would have been all worth it… Damien wouldn't be able to ever hurt anyone again.

But that was a mistake I would regret forever; I let Zero grab me again and pull me away. Damien bellowed for more guards, but I picked up on how injured he sounded. It gave me such delight.

His stupid men wouldn't catch us; we were too fast. Haji followed beside us as we ran from Magnolia that day back to our safe house.

For the first time, we were all together. A complete team, I wondered how long that would last.