The Game's Not Over

by ShandraGuptaHAHAH

Six years has passed. Drakos is split between two sides; Pro-Demon Killer and Anti-Demon Killer, which caused chaos between them. Astrid, a part-time assassin and a part-time house wife is having trouble balancing her life. She seeks help from her friends who tells her to move one. Will she give in to their suggestion? Or will her heart say otherwise?

38. Chapter 38

[Normal P.O.V]

Hayden felt stupid...

When he and Nadia snuck into the city to grab some supplies-and by grab, he meant steal high-quality masks from a nearby store. Apparently, masks would help conceal their identity from the government agents. The muffled voice was a bonus feature that worked well in his favor. So, when he hung back to grab a couple more supplies, he decided on a whim that they should split up to cover more ground.

Worst mistake of his life...

If he hadn't gone with the original plan, he wouldn't have to create a nonsensical and moronic plan such as approaching one of the government agents. What's worse is that he only chose to act when that same agent was alone and so no one else could see him. It's not that he specifically chose that person to be his witness or something. But maybe he found her interesting enough that it had influenced his future choices.

When he arrived on the scene, he couldn't budge from his position because the scene was far too hectic for him to show up. A war was occurring right on the beach; blood being spilled, fire enveloping the surface, flesh being torn. It was horrific to see but Hayden remained indifferent to the situation. He has faced and done worse, but even back in that situation, he couldn't comprehend everything that's going on. One minute, the government agents were throwing grenades and the next, they were running away from electric bubbles.

It honestly baffled him how this war strategy works. He could understand a few bits and pieces, but most of the time he spent was wondering why they used literal piles of bodies as cover, whilst setting it on fire. But during this short period of time, he would often glance at one specific person that drew his attention from everything else.

He didn't know what prompted him to just stare at this woman wade through ranks of enemies with a simple double-bitted axe. Even without the surprisingly good support from behind, she was able to repel hundreds of them from even looking at her backup. It was as if she had eyes on the back of her head. She used that axe like how a majorette twirls her baton or how a rhythmic gymnast would perform with an apparatus. It looks so smooth and fluid, that he almost forgot she was literally slaying people.

Hayden was so immersed in her 'performance', that he completely zoned out and failed to remember his original task. Only when the electric bubbles started imploding did he snap out of his hypnosis and followed the agents' retreat. He swung and leapt through the trees as fast as he can, trying to catch up to them in the most ninja-way possible. He had nearly tripped over one of the vines, nearly costing his own life and probably one poor agent.

When they stopped and Hayden was finally driven to a halt, simply hanging on a tree branch to listen to their conversation, he was forced to swing by the other direction once again after finding out that the same woman he was... observing, was on her way to apparently fix something that might affect the tide of the battle. During all this, Hayden learned that being raised by apes and monkeys does help when it comes to swinging in trees.

After that bit, everything went downhill. His first dumb move was approaching the woman in the creepiest way possible; answer her rhetorical question with an unplanned suggestion. He almost got his arm chopped but by gods' grace, he was able to dodge it. From then on, he proceeded to make some stupid arguments and just outright vacuous statements, right until he brought down the sledgehammer and simply exposed the fact that he is a very dangerous and wanted vigilante that would've extinguished the insignificant and scant amount of trust she had in him.

The only reason why he fumbled was that he was, still is, honestly intimidated by her. No, Hayden wasn't scared of her by any means but for some odd reason, her presence unnerved her more than any criminal or person he had faced. But other than that, he was also a bit drawn by her in a strange way. All of this, mixed up with the terrible situation he had put them in, was causing a war to break between his heart and mind. So much so that it had forced him to reveal his somewhat true identity.

Unfortunately, his unforeseen confession elicited an outburst from the blonde, causing them to draw more attention than necessary. But he, himself, couldn't react properly to the situation. During that nerve-wracking moment, never has Hayden experienced this much panic before in his entire life. He has faced and taken down multiple organizations, the worst of the criminals, even unknowingly kill a superhuman. The reason why was completely lost to him. He just felt a sudden rush of anxiety surge up his body, soaking his bones with the shivers.

Fortunately, the woman was far calmer and composed than he is, focusing on what's more important and that's the guys wielding pairs of khopeshes around masterfully, but not as good as the blonde's interesting way to handle her axe. She was the first to attack, slamming against a trio with her body, whilst tearing through their flesh and minimal armor like a rhino on the charge.

Hayden snapped out of his frozen state and realized what needs to be done. He followed with a swift set of moves, dodging more than attacking but when he does, he made sure to get them where it really stings; in this case—their hearts, which are barely covered by their golden armor. What's the use of a set of armor if they're not going to use it to protect their most vital parts? It almost felt like child's play for Hayden, to the point where he almost let out a laugh which he immediately covered with a subtle growl, earning him a strange look from the woman.

They tried to make as little noise as possible, simply going for the jugular and ease their suffering by killing them instantly. With a quick strike to the neck, they'll bleed to death without making a single noise or have their entire head lopped off, promptly disabling every movement in his body within a second. Blood splattered across the tree barks and the strands of grass below, even on their clothes but both were too occupied to care. There were still a few more left who aren't smart enough to call out for help.

Astrid hooked the blade of her axe around one of the warriors, yanking it down and proceeding to rip through his neck like a tree branch. Her head flew off somewhere the blonde doesn't care. She lunged forward, plunging the edge of her axe in another, making sure to have it embedded right into his flesh before violently tearing it away. A scream was about to escape his lips but Astrid was faster. She clapped her hand over the warrior's mouth and brought it down to the ground, along with his entire body, with so much force, she nearly cracked his skull.

Hayden was doing just as good, making precise yet random strikes that rendered the warriors physically motionless and speechless. The sword was like a helicopter blade, continuously slicing through the air, except their uses are completely different. He brought his arm up, miraculously blocking a khopesh swing.

A poisonous glare seethed through the slits of his mask. The yelp that he elicited from the warrior brought the tiniest of the smirks on his lips. With a single thrust, he dug his blade through the man's abdomen, painfully twisting it in his flesh before yanking it out and then driving it in another warrior's chest. Red dripped down their lips and wounds as they felt their lives being stripped away by this demonic being. Sadly, that same being opted to end it faster than they expected. All they felt was a cold, harsh sharp pain in their necks before everything went dark. Soon, they dropped to the ground, heads rolling over to the feet of the one responsible.

Hayden looked down at the bodies and for a small moment, a flash of pity tickled his heart, which didn't go unnoticed by Astrid who has been watching the vigilante work his way through the group. Even with the mask, she could almost see the somber aura he was emitting. If she didn't know he was the Demon Killer, then she might've sympathized with him. Sadly, her beating heart felt no pity for a mass murderer. She brought her axe down one last time, finishing off the last of the warriors on her side.

The masked man dashed across the trees at a blinding speed. His eyes locked on the muscular form of the last warrior, feet crushing the dirt beneath him as he launched himself at the man. But instead of using his sword, he extended his hidden prosthetic out, and once his boot connected with the warrior's face, a sickening crack snapped across the entire forest. The man's skull structure contorted into something completely different as Hayden pushed his foot further until he landed on the ground, the warrior's face still stuck under his prosthetic.

No one could've survived that. Astrid could almost feel her face scrunching up in disgust when she tried imagining what the poor man's face looked like after that. If she had any doubts about his Demon Killer identity, all of those were washed away by this single brutal scene.

"That's the last of them..." He announced, slowly lifting his foot away from the face and placing it on the fresh dirt. He gazed out towards where they came from, anticipating an army to just rush in but nothing happened. "Looks like there won't be any reinforcements."

Astrid has to thank whoever the god of luck is because, for some bizarre reason, they were able to repel the attack without attracting any more attention. Both knew exactly what to do and dragged the bodies out of sight, piling them on top of each other behind a sea of bushes. It won't be long before they find out that they're missing twelve soldiers in their army. So she needs to act fast if she's going to do this without any conflict. But first, she has something to do.

The vigilante was throwing the last body on the pile when all of a sudden, he felt a crushing pain on his stomach. Hayden doubled over and fell to the floor, hands instantly flying to his injured ribs as a groan of pain left his lips. "Ah, fuck!" He moaned, trying his best to ease the pain but that punch was actually stronger than he realized.

"Get up," Astrid demanded in a cold tone. She didn't realize that she put up her General Haddock front. It almost came to her like second nature. "Get the fuck up, Demon Killer."

Hayden shot a small glare at the blonde, but he has to admit that kind of deserves it. Still a bit wobbly, he stood back up using the tree beside him as support, only to feel another powerful strike plow through his chest. The bulletproof vest he had strapped on did nothing to stop the pain from transferring to his body. Hayden fell back to the ground with a pained moan, heavy breaths heaving out of his body as his chest rose and fell rapidly.

The former general simply glared at the fallen man, a burning fire flickering across her azure blue eyes. She still had her fist raised in a pulled-back position, expecting the Demon Killer to just pounce back and attack her. Although she won't admit it, her punch probably caused more damage to her hand than to him. But seeing the person the agency has been conflicting about for the past years brought an elated joy in her heart, covering the aching pain in her fist.

Hayden propped himself back up with his elbows, albeit it caused another series of needle-like pain to pierce his chest. Luckily, the mask covered most of his grimace but he can't stop the obviously pained groans. "Still call that communication?" He said sarcastically. Hayden didn't know what prompted him to sass this woman, but it almost felt good to see her eyebrow twitch in irritation. He didn't need to see under the mask to know that her lips had curled up into a sneer.

Astrid's pride may not be as sensitive as it was back when she was in highschool, but something about a mass-murdering vigilante out-sassing caused a vein to pop in her forehead. She thrusted her hand to his collar and brought him up to her eye-level. The blade of her axe lurked dangerously near his neck, but Hayden remained unfazed and matched the glare the blonde is giving him.

"I should just kill you right now for all the things you've done." She seethed out. That pulled a sensitive string in Hayden's heart, but he masked it with a nonchalant scoff. Astrid, however, was not amused by this. "Is this some kind of joke to you? We're in a fucking war yet you're not taking any of this seriously!"

"I'm the one who offered my help! I'm trying to help you yet you spat on it like a true government puppet!" Hayden retorted. Again, he didn't know what possessed him to say this. It was all at the moment and he just wanted to counter the bullshit she was spouting.

Astrid didn't take this too kindly and pushed the axe against his throat, slightly digging into his skin and drawing blood. "I don't need your help." She growled, eyes practically piercing through the man's mask and skull.

"Then who's the one not taking this seriously? Here's a perfectly good opportunity that you can take who's willing to help you, but you won't even try listening to my offer. Put aside your personal feelings and just listen to me!" The vigilante pushed forward, forcing the blade to dig deeper into his flesh but he barely flinched at the pain.

But the former general refused to back down. Who gave this man the right to judge her actions when he, himself, has done far worse in his life? It infuriated her to her core that this man is trying to make her forget what he has done. What she hated more than idiotic and ignorant people are hypocrites... and standing right in front of her is the biggest one of them all.

"You have no idea what the fuck you're saying! I didn't kill hundreds of people, including those who had nothing to do with the situation. I didn't cause chaos across the entire globe for my personal reasons. And I didn't kill two of my best friends in cold blood!" The venom lacing her words was enough to kill a parade of elephants. The rage bubbling inside of her leaked out of the pot, burning across her body in a fiery storm that consumed the inner workings of her heart.

She had hidden her anger for the Demon Killer during all these years, burying it deep down in her personal cemetery just to remain objective towards the whole conflict. She never took sides and simply observed the entire situation unfold from the sidelines—just like Shatter. After some time, the grudge eventually thinned out and she decided that it was not worth her time, trying to build her anger up towards someone who she'll probably never meet.

But seeing the person right in front of her unlocked the buried chest in her heart and all the suppressed rage for the vigilante exploded like a bomb. All she wanted to do was rip his voice box out of his throat and gut him like a fish. Her hands were ready to just tear him into pieces, but the image of Jack's mangled body appeared in her head and that desire faded. She has done it before, mutilate and brutalize someone to the point where you couldn't recognize them anymore.

Although Astrid doesn't regret it, the guilt and the disgust she has for herself lingered in her mind at all times. During that moment, she felt like she wasn't any different from the Demon Killer. Both driven by personal reasons, they spilled blood in the vilest and most inhumane way possible. She may be wrong and that the Demon Killer is just another cold-blooded murderer who finds joy in killing people. But her mind went back to the time where he was just staring at the dead warrior he had just maimed, the overflowing pity she sensed he was emitting almost convinced her otherwise right there and then.

Killing this man would result in nothing but more guilt. All she can do is enjoy his silence after she berated him. She lets go of his collar and grabbed the scarf around to gently hold it on his wound. "I'm sorry for lashing out. But I don't need your help. I can't trust you and I hope you can understand that." Astrid said, an oddly gentle tone in her voice after she released her pent-up anger.

Hayden watched the emotions swirl across the deep blue sea in her eyes, washing over to his like waves. It's almost like the guilt was transferred to him by an invisible wire that's forcing him to keep on staring at the woman. Of course, he knows that he has killed people that may have effects on other people. Some were intentional and some weren't, but the act is still there and he can't do anything to take it back. But this is his first time seeing someone he has directly affected, other than Camilla.

If Hayden didn't hate himself before, then he definitely loathes himself now. What only frustrated him, even more so, was the fact that he was in a similar position before. Tobias, the one who took him in and the one who drove him to what he became right now. Instead of letting it go, he let it bubble inside of him and killed other people that didn't apply to his fucked-up mindset. He has long figured out what is considered normal, but it was already too late. He had racked up a number of bodies that would make Harold Shipman fall to his knees.

Hayden doesn't even know how many he has killed before all this Demon Killer schtick happened. He was someone before; someone with an identity—someone who has killed. Blood of the innocents and the guilty stained his hands and yet, he still wishes to take down one last person before he can finally rest. It wasn't a vendetta anymore but it's more of a promise. After his job is finished, he'll allow the world to decide his fate. Just one more...

After a short silence, Hayden released a small sigh and wrapped his hand around the blonde's, eliciting a look of surprise from her. "How about we have a deal?" He suggested. When Astrid quirked an eyebrow up, he continued, "Once all of this is over, I'll hand myself over to your agency. You can do whatever you want to do with me, just as long as I get what I want in the end."

Astrid narrowed her eyes, "And what is that?"

She then watched as Hayden lets go of her hand, raises his with a finger out, and followed it point out across the beach. "The horse's head." He stated firmly and Astrid returned her gaze at the masked vigilante.

It was a good offer—a very interesting and fruitful one if he takes a step further. But that doesn't erase her distrust of him. He may not be the deadly and cold person she thought he is, but she still can't accept his help without proving that he'll stick to his word.

"How do I know you won't just backstab me and run off?" She asked with an arched brow.

"Well, for starters, I have nothing else to lose." Upon seeing the blonde's deadpan stare, Hayden let out a soft chuckle through his mask. "But if you're not convinced..." He suddenly grabbed the head of her axe and thrusted it to his neck, nearly embedding it in his flesh but the blonde, out of instinct, was able to stop it before it could slice through. "...then you can kill me right here, just as long as you can promise me that you'll kill the bitch who's starting this whole thing. I can give you all the information you need. Just tell me that you can do it."

To say that Astrid was surprised will be a huge understatement. Seconds ago, she was seething with rage and couldn't stop herself from putting her hands on the vigilante. But now, she's literally stopping him from chopping his own head with her axe. The tables have turned slightly to the left and Astrid couldn't help but think that this is quite the peculiar development. Plus, she needs to resolve this faster because she just realized how strong the guy actually is.

She has to admit that she was caught off guard by this. If someone told her that the Demon Killer would just offer his life to her in exchange for a request, she would've kicked them to an asylum for being mentally ill. But here she is, putting every muscle in her arms to stop her axe from meeting the Demon Killer's neck while contemplating about his offer. In the end, she decided that another promise would practically break her back from all these other promises.

"Fine, I'll trust you. Just let go of Stormfly then we'll be on our way." She relented as Hayden released his firm grip, nearly causing Astrid to fumble back. "I can't believe you're willing to off yourself just like that. I expected a lot more from you but it seems to me that you're just some edgy teen."

"I have no idea what that means but I'll just agree with you. Also, Stormfly?" The masked vigilante inquired.

Astrid shot the man a small glare, "Yeah, I named my axe. Got a problem with it?" She immediately hugged her axe defensively, caressing the blade like it was a pet.

"No, of course not. I think it's a great name for an... axe." Hayden raised his hands and chuckled sheepishly. "I'm just wondering; why would an axe need one?"

"I like naming things. Now, shut up, and let's go!"

---

Zythid felt tired...

It's been going on for hours and frankly, he doesn't know how long he can keep up with this ongoing war. The next wave that came up was certainly much stronger and more trained than the previous. Apparently, their enemy-Sleipnir-has a few more tricks up their sleeves. They actually had a sensible formation that almost stopped their division from defeating them. A shield wall that reflects and amplifies the moonlight's rays caught them off guard, resulting in a lot of unexpected deaths.

To be fair, when the ships docked to the shore, Zythid expected a normal group of soldiers to rush out of the amphibious warfare ships but never in his life would he have expected an entire army of Egyptian warriors, wielding all sorts of ancient weapons like khopeshes, mace-axes, bronze-tipped spears, all the while carrying a mirror-like shield that's lined with a golden frame.

With that, they were able to use the moon's light to reflect a much brighter and harsher version towards their division. Not only did it burn their eyes, but it distracted them long enough for them to launch a rain of composite arrows at the group of unprepared agents. Most were able to protect themselves with their SD-armor plates, but there have been a few unlucky ones who got them straight in the head.

They eventually defeated them after the twins threw a specially-crafted bomb towards their way. Once the triangular implosive flared up, a rippling wave of air washed through the half of the beach, completely shattering through the army's ranks and breaking their shields into a thousand shards by the sheer power of the compressed air in the bomb. It was like a hurricane in a bottle and once opened, it released the winds from all four corners of the world.

Fortunately, the twins had reminded them that something big would happen before, albeit being a very poor one. They took cover in the forest as they watched the wind tore through the lines. The huge gusts of air spiraled across the sand, carrying some of the grains along with it, which added more damage to the enemy. It continued spinning and twisting until he carried on over across the sea and nearly reaching the fleet but it faded before it could even touch the surface of one of the ships.

Zythid always wondered if the twins were secretly geniuses. There's no way that they're able to create such complicated and powerful bombs while having an IQ lower than LeBron James's jersey number. Not to mention, their ability to handle the twin-barreled Howitzers that they nicknamed, Barf and Belch. Although it may sound stupid, it made perfect sense once people realize how the twins designed the artillery gun according to their desires.

Sadly, despite the twins' effort, the bomb was merely strong enough to break through their defense and not actually defeat the entire army. So Zythid still had to lead their division to battle, which lasted a lot shorter than he would've imagined. He found out that they were a strong force to reckon with if they held on to their formation. Individually, they were nothing more than common fodder. Although they were hilariously outnumbered and these warriors far exceeded the strength of the last wave, finishing them off was no problem.

However, the day proved that it wouldn't be ending any time soon because right after they had slain the last warriors, they spotted two more ships sailing towards their way. When Eret announced that they needed to regroup and prepare for another way, all of the agents in the division simultaneously let out a heavy grown. Zythid was honestly impressed by their synchronization. They had tried this once during the winter but they ended up butchering the 'A Christmas Carol' song worse than anyone could've imagined.

The next wave was harder than the last ones combined. It was a full-on ambush, rows of Sleipnir's soldiers rushing out the doors of the ships and lunging at them like ants circling a crumb of bread on the floor. It was a disorganized attack, but they all fit in the battle as perfect as puzzle pieces. They went off in their own groups, firing back as much force as the agency's division did. They may have the defensive advantage as well as the battlefield manipulation—which helped as well—but their overwhelming numbers proved to be a big problem.

They had tried their best to repel the attack, but they were losing their agents one by one. It started as shoot-out; Drakos' agents would hide behind the trees and boulders to gain some cover and clearly having a much larger set of skills that dominated the amateurs on the field. Plus, their enemies are practically exposed and easy targets because of how grouped up they are. They maintained their position and according to their remaining equipment, they have enough ammunition and firepower that will last them for a few days.

It felt like they were defending their castle against an entire army of invaders. They had built a stationed machine gun on the side, using it to mow down rows of Sleipnir's forces. But they were slowly adapting to the situation. They would use the bodies of their comrades as cover, holding them up like ballistic shields as they returned fire with their guns. Sometimes, the bullets would just pierce through the flesh of their dead allies and in the process, hit them as well.

But Sleipnir's strategy proved to be succeeding since they were able to take out Drakos' main gunners, leaving the machine guns unoccupied. They tried to replace them and not only was it less effective, but they were easier targets due to their exposed positions. The replacements were now lying on the ground, bullets riddling their chests and faces. Zythid tried to remain confident during all this but it was slowly fading.

Eret got himself injured due to his overconfidence. He had tried to climb over his cover to get a better aim and view of his targets. While it worked and it did decrease Sleipnir's forces rather quickly, a sniper hiding on top of the ship barely missed Eret's head and instead, shot him in the shoulder, causing him to fall from his cover and curl up on the ground in pain. Medical assistance was immediately assigned to him but Zythid also made sure to prioritize the rest of the injured.

The Thorston twins, for the first time in their lives, are slowly losing tricks up their sleeves. They have used up all of their bombs and devices, causing mayhem and destruction in the perfect Thorston fashion. But now, all they're doing is throwing pebbles and random scraps at the army. Zythid almost rolled his eyes to the back of his head. He literally had to guide them to the rack of guns just standing right next to them.

"Oh, that's where that was. Thanks, Zyth!" Tristan exclaimed giddily, clutching the rifle like a kid during Christmas.

"Hey! That was mine" Racquel argued, yanking the gun out of her brother's hands but the dreadlocked blond refused to let it go.

Zythid tried his best to leave them alone but he knows that even in the midst of battle, the twins will always find a way to start a fight. They could be stranded in the desert with no food nor water, and the Thorstons would challenge each other on who can die faster. It would always be a worldwide mystery as to how they could be so smart yet so stupid at the same time. In the end, he grabbed another gun and shoved it harshly on the female twin.

"Use your heads, dumbasses." The midnight warrior grumbled.

The twins tilted their heads in confusion. "But I thought we're going to use these guns?" Tristan replied, lifting the rifle as if Zythid didn't know what the fuck he was talking about. He suppressed the urge to throw their lanky bodies at the enemy, hoping that their stupidity and annoyance will be enough to repel them.

Instead, he swallowed his bubbling emotions and took in a bit of refreshing air, mixed with the smoke from the gun barrels and the sea breeze. "Just get in line." He softly said, but tired was the right word to describe his tone. The twins ran off and the midnight warrior is left with no other orders to give around.

He crashed back against the boulder he's leaning on, releasing a heavy sigh that caused the person next to him to quirk up an eyebrow. Zythid failed to notice her obvious presence due to the amount of thought clouding his mind. "What's bothering you?" She question, a tiny bit of concern lacing her voice that he ludicrously missed.

The midnight warrior turned and for a second, he flinched upon seeing the voodoo mask still on her face. After realizing that it was just the vigilante he just met a few hours ago, he allowed his shoulders to loosen. He still couldn't get over the strange mask that didn't match the clothes she's wearing at all. He could only describe it as a low-effort and low-budget Halloween costume.

Zythid doesn't want to admit it but the vigilante has been a huge help for them. She easily understood their strategies and adapted to their battle style, maybe even honing it along the way. Her presence on the battlefield, along with the rest of the officers, greatly shifted the result of the fight. He found himself a little bit relaxed after realizing that she was also a very deadly threat to Sleipnir's forces. He would've never expected her sword to spring out and form into some type of whip that cut through the enemy ranks like butter.

Although she was an unlikely, helpful ally, Zythid felt frustrated about her tendency to stray off their formation to simply rush the army with vigor. Sure, she succeeded in ripping through the lines and heavily dwindled their forces down to the point where they can just gun the remaining survivors down. It was like controlling a raging spirit with a rope made out of jute. It ruined their flow in battle, but it resulted in their win faster than they anticipated.

"What do you think, Nadia?!" He replied in a snappy tone.

She had given him her real name because she apparently trusts him enough to not spread it around and gossip. Also, she explained that her name has no history nor records in any system in the world. She basically doesn't exist so trying to figure out her identity would be a waste of time. But it wouldn't hurt to try later on, just to confirm if it's true

Nadia turned to him and scoffed. "Hey, I was just asking. What else do you want me to do?" She replied testily.

"Exactly. There's nothing you can do! There's nothing I can do! THIS WHOLE FUCKING THING IS FALLING APART!" Zythid cried out, eliciting a few scared looks from the agents around him. Rarely does the midnight warrior show anger, but it would always earn a couple of surprises when he would lash out.

Nadia, however, wasn't affected by his tone at all. She brushed it off with a shrug and returned her gaze to the ongoing battle behind her. She held an automatic assault rifle in his arms, occasionally shoving it out in the open and blindly firing it in the hope to at least gun down a few of the poor bastards. She isn't as used to guns as she is with melee weapons, but she knew enough to use them like how a soldier would. After a continuous blast of her rifle, she chucked the empty magazine out and reloaded another in a matter of seconds.

"Calm your tits, man. I have a plan but I don't think you'll like it." Nadia replied, regarding the midnight warrior with an anticipating gaze.

Zythid wanted to argue that he's the one in charge of this division and that she doesn't know how things go around here but he held his tongue. He knew that for the past few hours, no one has given him an effective plan nor has even come up with one. So he can't just let this opportunity slide, despite the lack of trust he has in the platinum-blonde. For now, he'll set his pride aside and consider her suggestion.

"Fine, what is it?" Zythid replied reluctantly. For a second, Nadia was surprised that he even acknowledged what she said but a smile slowly crept up from underneath her mask.

Even with his hesitant agreement, she can't help but doubt it. "You sure? Because my plan mostly involves us two. I would've asked Eret to come but he's injured. It'll be reckless as hell and we have a high chance of dying. My strategies are completely different from yours so I'm going to need you to follow me. So, you in?"

A heavy sigh escaped the midnight warrior, lips curling into a frown under his visor. "Just tell me the plan before we rush them with guns blazing." Zythid flashed her a strained smile, but Nadia appreciated it nonetheless.

She didn't really felt the need to ask for his assistance because she knows that she could do it without him. Although it would more difficult, this is not her first time wrangling her way out of a desperate situation. Nadia can admit that Zythid is a well-trained and skillful person—though she worked with better; like Hayden. But she still considered him a very strong individual. Unlike her and Hayden, they didn't have a relationship built in battle and instinctive trust back then. She became fully aware of his skills but this part is entirely different. If they're going to pull this off. she's going to need his complete cooperation.

Thankfully, Zythid agreed to her offer, much quicker than she had expected. She thought she would have to make up a fake speech about stuff that won't matter in this situation but she's glad to be proven wrong. However, her trust in him still wavered and doubts continued to flood her mind. The only reason why she and Hayden worked together is that they were both similar free spirits who think of completely different ideas that would eventually meet in the middle. They almost have the same mind but not at the same time.

She isn't so sure if she would be able to do the same with Zythid. But she's willing to try, just as long as the end product resulted in their win. Taking a small glance behind her to scope out the scene, she returned her gaze back at Zythid, who is waiting for her to relay the plan.

"Okay. Essentially, we're going to rush in guns blazing. But...!" She raised her voice when she saw the midnight warrior open his mouth to retort. Nadia could already hear the complaints and counterarguments he has formed, but he needs to hear the plan in full detail. "The most important thing is how we rush in. We basically use their lack of vision to our advantage. You see those piled-up bodies and barricades on the beach that they use as cover?"

Zythid followed her gaze and found himself staring at the lack of compassion the enemy had at using their own comrades' bodies as their meat bags. What disgusts him the most is the fact that he would probably do the same in this exact situation. He hated relating to the enemy. But she got what Nadia was trying to say. Piles of these bodies were scattered across the surface of the beach, formed in a disorganized and lazy manner. It's obvious that this is a desperate attempt to shield themselves from Drakos' firepower. The barricades were a lot stronger, but they contradict a lot of the positions the body piles were placed in, making it impossible for them to move forward.

This is when Zythid realized that both sides are at a stalemate. While they may not have enough firepower to eliminate them all due to their unnecessary heavy defense, Sleipnir's forces have no room to move and attack them, unless they wanted to be mowed down by their stationed guns. It's almost like they were back in the 1900s, during the World Wars when the Allies performed an amphibious assault on the beaches of Normandy—except it's scaled into a little bit smaller and chaotic.

"So, you want us sneak through by using their cover as ours and just jump them?" Zythid asked, pretty certain that he got the gist of the plan before he even heard all of it.

"If you say it that way, you make it sound easy," Nadia replied lamely, the tone of her voice betraying the mask she's using to cover up her deadpanned stare. "No, I'm going to need you to tell your guys to direct their attention to one side, and then we can go. And for your information, we're actually heading for the ships instead of outright attacking them. If it's still there, we can use their turrets to our advantage."

Zythid blinked. "They have turrets?" He whirled around and zoomed it across the ship with his visor. Sure enough, two multi-barreled stood on top of the amphibious warfare ships with a couple of crewmates who are waiting to use it. It could be useful if they have the advantage of both front and back, but there is still one more problem.

"As much as I love to consider that plan, the barrier prevents any projectile from piercing through," Zythid replied in a matter-of-fact tone, regarding her with a pitying shrug.

"Of course, I know that! That's why I need you to turn it off." Nadia said nonchalantly.

The midnight warrior spun his head so fast, he nearly snapped his neck off. For a moment, he wondered if she was joking but he realized that Nadia is a lot more serious than that. "There's no way in hell I'm doing that." It was a simple answer, but underneath that one statement lies a burning determination. "That barrier is the only thing stopping them from raining hell on us. Didn't you see what they've done just a few hours ago? If that shit hit the beach, the sea would've expanded."

"Which is exactly why this is the perfect time to disable it. The reason why they sent an army is that they couldn't bombard you with their artillery. The turrets won't fire either because they know they can't. But if we disable the barrier for at least a few minutes, we can catch them by surprise from the back. It's basic science!"

Ignoring her last comment, Zythid took this time to think about her plan. On the outside, it looks so simple and effective, but as he glossed over the details in his head, he grew more frustrated as more problems and doubts popped up in the plan; most of them ending with their deaths. But he has to commend Nadia for coming up with a plausible plan with an actual strategy as to how they would reach their goal. Most of the suggestions he received were either half-baked or downright suicidal. The latter was due to the twins' daredevil plans.

But even though her plan was better than the rest, that doesn't make it any more effective. It just so happens to be the one that's the most thought-provoked and interesting out of the other bad plans. But in the end, they have no other way to get out of this situation, and Nadia's grateful enough to bless them with a good-enough plan, albeit it being rushed and out-of-the-blue.

"I can't say I like this plan, but do we have any other choice?" Zythid asked, a mixture of a questioning tone and a groan filling his voice.

Nadia perked up, "Nope, that's why we're going with my plan." She beamed mockingly.

He could practically see the shit-eating grin under Nadia's mask. Although he can't be sure, he trusts his gut more than the mask. "Fine, I'll tell the oth-"

The words died out on his tongue when he spotted a tiny object flinging across the air and curving down towards them. Soon, his gaze followed it as it landed on the grass that's right next to them. After further inspection, he later found out that it was in fact... a grenade. Most of Zythid's mind at this point is leaning towards the negative thoughts creeping up, but his body represented the positivity that remained in his body. Although his reaction was as bland as porridge, his body tried its best to ensure that the panic didn't affect his physical capability to stay calm.

Nadia also noticed the grenade and judging by how her body stiffened, she shared a similar hidden reaction with the midnight warrior. The longer they stared at the spherical object, the tenser the air got. Both have no idea why neither is reacting like any normal person and are just fixating a curious gaze on the grenade. But as seconds flew by, the bones and muscles in Zythid's body decided that enough is enough.

As slow as his mind is processing the situation, the man quickly picked the explosive off the ground, and in one swift move, he flung it behind him. It didn't take long for a resounding explosion to discharge rather stridently across the beach. In the span of the five seconds the detonation lasted, the trembling anxiety pumping through Zythid's veins were on an all-time high. He has never felt his heart rock through his ribcage this strong and fast before. To think that they had escaped death, barely missing it by an inch.

Judging by the cheers from their side, it looks like he had unintentionally dealt a great deal of damage to the enemy forces. Nadia was the first one who snapped out of her daze to slip a peek over their stony cover, marveling over the accidental destruction Zythid had caused. The initial shock has already worn off the mercenary's shoulders and heart. It could be due to her almost daily near-deaths she experienced that she later grew numb to, or it could be another product of her EDD's work.

Either way, she's glad it existed.

She slid back down the boulder and craned her neck to the side, shooting the midnight warrior a mirthful look. "Hey, you alright there?" She asked, snapping Zythid out of his clouding thoughts.

Reality slowly came back to him and his nerves finally calmed down from the raging storm it was pooling underneath his skin. "Yeah, I just... never been that close before... if you know what I mean. I'm aware that there have been lots of times but... I've never seen it in front of me like that before." Zythid replied distractedly, eyes fixated on the ground where the grenade used to be. Some of his mind is still drifting, which is the reason why he's unexpectedly opening up all of a sudden.

"Hey, we all have those moments. But you're alive so that's great." It's safe to say that comforting another person isn't exactly Nadia's strongest suit.

But fortunately for her, Zythid completely ignored it and found a new motivation as the revelation sank in. That near-death experience just unlocked the truth and that in order to win this battle he'll have to take risks. If any more of those reached them, they probably won't have enough time to throw it back out. The midnight warrior awakened the Night Fury persona within his soul and gathered up all the necessities needed to keep this act up. If he's going to pretend to be the responsible leader like the one he's impersonating, he might as well go all out, starting by winning this fucking battle.

"And I'm planning to stay that way. Alright, let's do your plan." He finally agreed with a much more confident and determined voice.

Nadia's eyes simply crinkled as her lips curved into a smile. "I've been waiting for you to come around. Glad it didn't take long."

---

Astrid felt conflicted...

On one hand, a very dangerous individual with an infamous history of heinous acts is right beside her, running along with her as they sneakily passed through the trees and bushes in order to survey the area. On the other, this man was nothing but helpful and cooperative to her orders. He would occasionally suggest a few ideas to the plan and would add more details to her observation. All the doubts in her original thoughts were instantly proven wrong.

If she closed her eyes and forgot about the fact that he's the Demon Killer, she wouldn't be able to notice anything peculiar. His presence is oddly satisfying, just like how she would feel if she's on a mission with Camilla or Zythid—complete tranquility, knowing that her comrade is skillful enough to sync with her during these battles. She hates to compare them but the man sticks out like a sore thumb and she can't help but notice how different he actually is from what she first expected.

Not only does the mask prevent her from reading his emotions and thoughts, but it only allowed her ever-growing curiosity to bloom even further. What is he like behind the mask? It's a lingering question in her head that accompanied her nervousness around the man. She has met a couple of vigilantes before—some she even befriended, but none of them had a reputation like the Demon Killer's.

So, going on this journey with an individual like him makes it a lot harder to relax. But she tried to push those thoughts away and redirected her focus on the task at hand. They've already circled the forest, but they've found no openings or opportunities whatsoever. It seems that the enemy realized that Drakos can't return as long as they don't have their gear, which they're fully aware of now that they have confiscated said gear. They're determined to hold this beach until more reinforcements come.

Fortunately for them, they still haven't realized that the shield is down but it won't take long before it would dawn on them. So, they have to hurry and enable the barrier before all hell breaks loose. But it won't be that easy since the entire beach is literally overrunning with Sleipnir's forces.

"What's the plan?" Came the deep yet muffled voice of the Demon Killer. Just like his unlikely but temporary ally, he had leaned against a tree to hide from wandering groups of the enemy that are keeping an eye for Drakos' agents. But since the duo hasn't been found out yet, it seems that they weren't doing a great job as of now.

Astrid turned to him and took a second to get used to his presence before answering. "I'm not sure how but that right there..." She pointed at a spot on the shore, just right in front of the door of the warfare ship. It may not be clear as she thinks it is, but that's just because they informed her of where it actually is. "...is the device that pulls the barrier up. I know it's hard to see it but it's right around there."

"You mean, deep into enemy territory?" the demonic vigilante quipped, but his tone was anything but humorous. His gaze raked over the entirety of the beach, grimacing under his mask the longer he failed to spot a good opportunity.

"It was our territory first but I get what you're trying to say. There's no way we can just rush into battle." Astrid replied, just as fixated on the situation.

"Can't sneak in either. There isn't much to hide in and they practically cover the entire beach."

The blonde hummed and shook her head in disagreement, "I won't necessarily exclude that choice. We can disguise ourselves as one of them. Besides, I won't be the only female there so I can blend in really quickly. That way, you can also get that stupid mask off your face..."

The vigilante snorted, shaking his head in amusement at her pathetic attempt to uncover his identity. He knows that he's a bit dense or maybe even ignorant at some times, but he's not stupid. "I like the way you think but hell no. I don't even know your name and I think it should stay that way. Just like my identity." He said, nearly chuckling when he saw the blonde agent roll her eyes. "But not to stray from the main topic, I don't think your disguise plan is a good idea."

Astrid scoffed, "Why? It's not that bad. We can just grab two of them and steal their clothes. Then, we can sneak past them, fix the barrier, and get out before they even notice us."

"But like you said, the device is deep in their ranks. Won't it be a little suspicious that two of their 'allies' are trying to find something under the sand?" He retorted. Astrid wanted to argue but she realized that he has a point. They can't exactly be discreet about it since a lot of them are standing on top of where the device is. They'll have to answer some questions and if they can't, it's over.

"Can't we just cause a huge distraction and draw most of their attention while one of us just bolts for it?" The masked vigilante suggested.

"Unless you have a death wish. One turret will turn us into dust before we can even leave this forest... and there's four of them."

He let out a disappointed sigh. "Then what's the plan? Rushing them is out of the question. Your last idea is also fucked. What's next?"

Astrid's eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. She racked up her mind of ideas and other solutions, ones that she can use to build on the foundation of their plan that will bear good results. But then, a figurative lightbulb just lit up on the top of her head. "What if only one of us will sneak in and the other can attract some attention to divert their focus from the beach." She suggested, regarding the masked vigilante with raised brows. "I have no problem sneaking in and I'll probably do a better job than you."

"That's not actually a bad start. I can make a distraction long enough to lure them so that you can do whatever you need to get that shield up. I'll make sure to keep a distance away from the turrets." He replied, mimicking her previous expression of deep thought. "Just being there, I can actually attract enough attention. You see those guys right there? They're from Camorra..."

The blonde followed his gaze to a couple of well-dressed Europeans—the only ones who had the decency to wear a tuxedo in a war. "They're the ones who gave me that awful name and now everyone, including you, calls me the Demon Killer. If they see me with my sword, they'll recognize me and they won't stop until they catch this so-called demon." The man hissed out. Astrid didn't fail to notice his distaste and resentment in his tone. It's not her business but she can't help but feel curious.

"Will you be alright?" She asked, feeling a little bit obligated to ask and the Demon Killer isn't that dense to not notice it.

"If this plan goes well, it'll be fine." He replied in a colder and sourer tone. It seems that a few of his own words got to him. But it shifted into a much more laid-back tone after a short second. "After I grab their attention, that'll give you enough time and seclusion to fix that device."

"Then after that, I can radio the rest in and we can take care of the rest. Our only problems are the turrets and lack of equipment. Once we have that, we can win and avoid any more conflict." Astrid agreed, finding it hard to resist the smirk creeping up her face, albeit it is impossible to see anyway due to her mask.

She's actually quite impressed that they somehow landed on the same idea and after drifting into different directions. It's not what she would expect from a man like him. To be frank, she felt silly for drawing all these stupid, imaginative thoughts in her head as to how the Demon Killer would look and act. She visualized the infamous vigilante to be a demonic being spawn from hell, but all she sees is a grumbling, sarcastic piece of shit. She thought his voice would gravelly and rough as the skin of the Empusa, but what she hears is a nasally but deep voice that doesn't suit his image at all. It's a welcoming surprise and it helped her feel a little more relaxed over time, knowing that he's not the cold-hearted murderer she thought he would be.

'But again, you can't be too sure.' a voice in Astrid's head whispered, and in an instant, she locked those feelings away and kept her act up to remain professional. After this war, she'll go by with her life and he'll spend the rest of his life in the bars of Drakos.

A nagging thought in her head tried to tell her that it seems a bit unfair but she argued back that this was part of their deal to keep what little trust they have in each other strong. That thought never spoke since and she's glad it stayed quiet. That way, she can get this over with and go back to the normal world.

Once the plan was set, the two put it into action. First, Astrid tried to find a lone soldier, specifically a woman so that it would suit her perfectly. It didn't take that long to spot a tall, Dutch woman who probably hailed from the Netherlands, walking aimlessly along the forest who is unfortunate enough to not see the creeping blonde under the bushes. After stealing her clothes and slipping them in, only to realize that her height, albeit being taller than the average, still pales in comparison to the woman who originated from the country that's famous for their towering height.

Of course, when the leather garments hung over her shoulders rather loosely, the taller of the two couldn't stop himself from chuckling, which earned a sharp glare from the blonde. Eventually, Astrid was able to make the clothes fit by cutting a few parts off and folding sleeves. Finishing it off with a crown-like band that would adorn her head, she took the risk and unlocked the straps of her mask with a hiss, releasing her mouth from the metallic beak.

When she looked back up, she was surprised to see the Demon Killer simply staring at her for no reason at all... or so she thinks. Despite the mask, she could almost see through the carbon fiber and watch the inner workings of his mind just grinding gears and shifting pistons. It was uncomfortable that she would've expected, but the curiosity continued to urge her to question more about the vigilante.

"Is... something wrong?" She asked and whatever he was thinking about, her voice snapped him away from it and he looked around his surroundings as if he was confused as to why he's even here in the first place.

"N- no, I'm just thinking..." He replied with a slight stutter, but he tried to cover it up by rubbing the back of his neck. "You're not half bad."

That comment earned him a questioning gaze from the blonde, but there wasn't a trace of annoyance nor anger in her eyes. The shock of receiving a compliment from the Demon Killer soaked through all of her bones and rendered her frozen that didn't last too long. But instead of feeling embarrassed by it and blushing, Astrid simply shot the taller man a quirked brow of interest. The man seemed to be regretting what he just said—maybe it was a slip of his tongue that he failed to keep in check.

"Thanks?" She replied, grinning hesitantly while said person averted his gaze and continued to do his nervous habit of rubbing his nape, something that oddly reminded of someone but her subconscious pushed it away before it reached her actual thoughts. But then an idea sparked in her head and a more confident smile graced her lips. "How about I take a look under yours to see if you aren't bad either?"

The suggestion ripped the masked vigilante's thoughts away from reality and brought him back to earth. "Ha, ha. That won't happen..." He replied sarcastically.

"Why not? It's coming off anyway after you turn yourself in." Astrid retorted.

He shrugged, "I'd like to keep it as a surprise, I guess."

"I hate surprises..." She grumbled under her breath.

The Demon Killer threw his head back and let out a somewhat loud chuckle, nearly scaring the shit out of the blonde. "Don't worry, it won't be as terrible as you think, but it certainly won't be a treat either." He said after calming himself down.

"Oh? So I won't be seeing a Prince Charming anytime soon?"

"Nope, the only the charming would be the mask after I take it off."

'Self-deprecating humor. Another thing I didn't expect from him.' Astrid thought while silently laughing. She would've loved to stay and chat but there are still more important things at hand. "You better go. We shouldn't waste any second."

The vigilante nodded in agreement. "You're right. I'll be off now. Good luck to you, milady." He said jokingly, still playing on with the Prince Charming scheme but he was already off before he could see the reaction on Astrid's face.

She was left staring at his retreating form for a good minute until he actually disappeared from her vision. Her feet remained rooted in the ground, unable to move after that single word caused a stream of memories to just slam against her face like a wrecking ball. Her mouth felt dry and for a second, she couldn't breathe. It's as if the air knew exactly when to vanish in order to leave her gasping for air.

It wasn't until they got a good breathe in before Astrid finally snapped her gaze away to contemplate her thoughts. She couldn't help but curse herself for even allowing that word to trigger the past she's trying to move on. She knows that it wasn't intentional and that he was just trying to joke around, but the nagging thought in her head was getting louder and harder to control. Some of it is starting to get past her subconscious and affecting her real thoughts. But Astrid, yet again, forced herself to bury those away and return her attention to the mission.

'Am I that pathetic that I'm starting to see things that aren't there?' She thought to herself, rolling her eyes in disappointment. 'Gods, I miss you more than I thought.'

And with that, the plan is set to motion. It turns out, it went smoother than expected. Astrid waited behind a couple of trees until she heard a rather loud commotion occurring on the other side of the beach, causing most of the army to shift their attention to that direction. Using this opportunity, she leapt out of the forest and tried to casually walked past the enemy. Fortunately, none of them minded her presence and mistook her as one of them, but the trophy goes to the Demon Killer who is having a great time attracting a lot of attention from the army.

She had left her axe back at the forest so that it wouldn't attract any wandering eyes. A double-bitted axe strapped onto her back will certainly raise some questions and that's exactly what she's trying to avoid. If luck is by her side, she won't need to fight and she'll be gone before anything bad happens. Not that Astrid has any problem with facing an opponent as fodder-like as them, but it would only bear more issues in the future.

She finally reached where the device is supposed to be and by the grace of the gods, no one bothered to even protect this spot, which is actually essential to them since it leads to their ships that have their door open for anyone to come in, someone like Astrid. As much as she wanted to, she has her priorities straight and she's determined to finish it before anything bad happens.

Kneeling to the wet sand, not even bothering to keep the borrowed clothes clean, Astrid used her bare hands to dig under the mushy grains of the shore but as she slowly got deeper, she began to notice that the device is not supposed to be buried this deep. She had already dug out a sizeable hole that's too big and deep for the barrier to function. So, if it isn't here, where is it?"

"Looking for this?"

A voice pierced the cool, breezing air, one that sounded as sinister as the dark depths of Ginnungagap. Without even a trace of fear, Astrid leisurely left the sand below and opted to keep her gaze ahead as to not attract any more attention than she did. She's been caught red-handed, an agent that infiltrated the lines of the enemy, but even without a weapon in hand, confidence bloomed across her entire body and her hands slowly balled up into fists.

As calm as ever, she craned her neck to the side, enough so that the person behind knows that she's referring to him and is well aware of his presence. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She replied rather dully.

She heard the sounds of their footsteps clanging against the surface of the metal door, slowly descending from the ship to the beach. "Oh, are you sure about that?" he asked cynically, the voice inhumanely masculine but shrilly, as if he was talking through holes in his throat.

"Yes, I'm quite sure. I just happened to drop something on the shore. Is there something wrong with that." Astrid shot back, matching the playfully dangerous tone of the one behind her.

His footsteps were growing louder, the metal surface bending under his feet as he finally left the door and settled on the shore; the marsh sounds of his steps digging under the wet sand reached her ears. "No, there's nothing wrong with that." The cunning tone in the man's voice crept under Astrid's skin like a parasite in need of a host.

Vexation was merely the last thing in her mind, but she couldn't help but tease a few droplets in, causing her fists to turn white the longer she held them together. It increased in pressure when she felt his presence just hovering behind her. The smell of seawater and salt reached her nose and it scrunched up in unpleasantness. She could hear the trickling of water down to the sand and she could only imagine where it came from.

Ever so slowly, she felt a thin, almost skeletal hand on her shoulder. It was dripping wet, as if he just got out of a dip from the sea. She felt his presence near her ear, the pungent smell of his breath ghosting over her cheek. "But I just like to wonder..." His voice was unnecessarily irritating; like a knife grating over a rough boulder. "May I see who this is under your beautiful golden ha—"

He couldn't even finish his words before Astrid has had enough and just whirled around to give one of the most powerful punches to go down in history. She might've heard... or felt his jaw crumble to pieces upon her fist. It was so strong, she might've seen a sonic boom explode over the impact. The body of the unknown enemy flew far and deep back into the ship, disappearing in the darkness over the lack of light.

Astrid panted, the adrenaline subsiding slower than she expected but nonetheless, she's glad it gave her enough strength to knock whoever that was to next week... maybe even next month. But of course, all things have their drawbacks and one of them is the aching pain in her knuckles that felt like something is pulling the bones apart from her hand. It was painful but fortunately, it wasn't as bad as she thought.

"But shit! That still fucking hurts!" Astrid hissed out.

She bit her lip, cradling her hand but her attention was diverted to somewhere else. Sitting on the surface of the fallen door, laid a circular, flat device with a single sunken button in the middle. Her eyes instantly lit up and she dove down to grab it, inspecting it thoroughly for any mishaps or malfunctions. When she found none, she dusted a couple of sand grains off of the device and then placed it in the hole.

"Well, here goes nothing," Astrid muttered to herself as she pressed the button.

A surge of power hummed through the device, causing the multiple blinkers lining across the edge to light up. The button on the middle starting opening in half and allowing a small barrel to peep through. Out of the hole, a glass-like beam shot out and blooming across the entire sky; panels of transparent energy began folding out as the device continued to project a brighter source for the barrier. Soon, the shield collapsed and lined itself across the shore, secluding the beach from any outside threats.

A smile broke out on her face, one filled with delight and relief, "That was close. I need to inform the others." Astrid let out a breathy chuckle. With that, she buried the device with the sand again but leaving a sizeable hole for the projection. Taking out a small hand-held communicator. she flipped the switch and connected with Camilla's line, immediately relaying the success of her mission and telling her to move in right away.

"Status received... how was it? Did you run into trouble?" Camilla asked from the other side.

"Not that much. I had some help..." Astrid replied, her gaze shifting to the ongoing commotion on the other side of the beach. From what she can see, it looks like he's still alive and kicking... literally. She watched as a poor Egyptian warrior flew out of the crowd and landed on the sand with a permanent footprint embedded on his face. "Speaking of that help, I think I'm going to need him to stop before he gets himself killed.

Although she doubts that. She believes that it's the other way around and she better stop him before he finishes them all and leaving none of them for her fellow agents.

"Wait, you had help? Who is it?!" Camilla exclaimed rather loudly, causing the line to static noisily. Astrid moved the communicator from her ear, scrunching up her face into a frown.

"Well, yeah. But don't freak out, okay? He said he's the Demon Killer..." The blonde replied with a sigh, expecting a loud outburst from her friend but to her surprise, she was met with an uncomfortable silence that lasted too long for her liking. "Camilla?"

"Uh, y- yeah... D- did you... how...?" Camilla stuttered, but Astrid didn't seem to notice her nervousness since she's still watching the battle with said Demon Killer, who is having an amazing time crushing the enemy ranks by lane. He managed to create a pile of bodies underneath his boots, occasionally kicking those who dared oppose the king of the hill and diving under to avoid the random gunfire. But Astrid could already see the fatigue affecting the man; his swings are a lot slower and dragged, his movements are limited to short strikes and random waves.

She wondered if she should give him a hand or leave him. It would technically be a lot better rather than risk him breaking their deal and running away. But her heart scolded her for even thinking of that and she decided to listen to it just this one time.

"I'll tell you later. Just hurry up." Astrid said hurriedly.

"No, wait—" But it's already too late. The blonde turned off the connection and pocketed the communicator back in her stolen coat.

Astrid pondered whether she should retrieve her axe or focus on assisting the Demon Killer first and swing by later. She decided that it might be bad if she doesn't return in time, unconsciously placing a stranger—a minacious stranger—first over her beloved Stormfly. When she did realize it, she was already in the motion of pushing through the moving crowd of Sleipnir's forces, slipping through their lines easily due to her disguise.

Inwardly groaning for her mistake, she didn't bother to dwell on it as she yanked an AK-74 from one of the Camorra guys that the Demon Killer mentioned and emerged to the front, catching him by surprise after he lopped one guy's head off.

"Uh, blondie? What's the problem?" The masked vigilante expelled a huge breath of relief, despite covering it up by pushing his chest forward and acting nonchalant about it.

Astrid rolled her eyes at him and simply aimed the gun at the unsuspecting gangsters, blindly firing with one swing of her arm. Bullets flew everywhere, piercing flesh and air all at the same time. Bodies fell and blood stained the sand but none of them came from either of the two. The blonde shot the Demon Killer a glare and gestured for him to move, nodding her head towards the side.

The vigilante got the signal and gave up his spot on the hill to join Astrid as she continued to gun down more of her enemies to create a path. Some tried firing back but the Demon Killer greeted them with his blade, slicing off limbs without a single hesitation in order to keep themselves safe. The rest who didn't come to see the commotion noticed their running forms and began to move in.

"Faster! We can lose them in the forest!" Astrid shouted over to the vigilante, who nodded firmly.

Together, they maneuvered away around the incoming army, managing to safely dodge the life-threatening shots the enemy tried to take but they still couldn't avoid a few bullets that tore through their flesh—but not enough to slow them down. Astrid passed through where she hid before, grabbing her axe along the way before bolting through the forest as fast and random as they can.

Trees and bushes blew past them as they leapt over fallen logs and dodging huge boulders that stood in their way. They made sure that they made their tracks as disfigured and irregular as possible. They don't want an entire army following them just after they narrowly escaped them by barely an inch. Their voices couldn't be heard anymore but it can't hurt to play it safe. After all, they're still in the middle of a war.

Astrid noticed the heavy breaths from the Demon Killer and the few coughing fits that escape his lips. She turned around and she was bewildered when she saw that he was farther than she expected, merely resolving to speed-walking to catch up. He seemed to have sustained an injury in his left shoulder, judging by the hole in his coat and the blood dripping down his fingers. If this goes any further, Astrid has a feeling that he might collapse. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, she couldn't just let him suffer like that after he helped her.

"Let's stop here. I think we lost them." The blonde announced, coming to a full stop to lean against one of the trees and allowing herself to catch her breath as well. While she may not have been wounded that much, it's still pretty tiring to run for a long time with the pressure of being caught on her shoulders.

The Demon Killer wasn't faring any better. He held onto the surface of a boulder, taking shallow and fast breaths through his mask. His wounded shoulder continued to ooze out blood, but he barely acknowledged it. Astrid, herself, received a few wounds from the bullets that grazed her cheek and arm, but it wasn't as serious as his. The Demon Killer slipped his sword back in his coat, lifting his head to take one cool deep breath to relieve his body.

Astrid couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Remove that damn mask. You can't breathe well with that thing on your face." She berated. When he made a move to retort, the blonde miraculously silenced the man with a sharp glare; one that she would use on her children that surprisingly worked on a mass murderer. "If you say that cliché line about being fine, I'll knock you out."

"Why? Are you that worried about me?" He mocked jeeringly, not able to stop the adrenaline from the heated battle from affecting his attitude. He didn't mean to sound condescending, but he did feel a little annoyed about her persistence to get his mask off.

The blonde wasn't amused. "If I say yes, would you listen to me?" She replied scornfully, causing the vigilante to wince. "Besides, I'm going to see it by the end of this war. Why wait?"

"Maybe because I want to treasure my identity for at least a little while before spending my entire life in your prison? What's with you and your obsession with my identity anyway?"

There was no malice in his tone; he had already accepted his sins and he wishes to pay for them as well. It was a rhetorical question. He was merely being a sarcastic and humorous—albeit dark—twit, but Astrid took it to heart and it tugged out a little sympathy from her. But like always, she pushed it aside despite her mind protesting that she should hear what her heart had to say.

"I couldn't give less than a shit about your identity. It's not like I'm biting my nails or shifting my feet out of excitement to see your so-called horrendous face. I'm just worried that by the time this war is over, you'd die out of suffocation... bitch." Astrid mumbled that last part, but the man heard it loud and clear.

The Demon Killer still seemed a bit reluctant, totally unfazed by the threat. "I wasn't going to say that I'm fine, by the way. I was actually going to say that you're right." He replied, earning him a pair of nonplussed eyes from the blonde.

She blinked, "Really?" Silence was what greeted her and ever so slowly, her expression fell to a frown as she came to the realization that he was trying to slip away. "You're lying."

"Yes... yes, I am."

"Just get that fucking thing off your face!"

The masked vigilante flinched at her tone, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, fine! Geez!" He exclaimed with a scoff. "That's the last time I'm making a joke with you, Mrs. Grumpy." Ignoring the pointed look she was giving him, he first unlocked the clasps holding the mask on his face before slipping it off.

Once his unruly auburn mane popped out, Hayden opened his vivid green eyes and was greeted with a wider version of the forest, rubbing the light stubble on his chin while pursing his dry lips. It was kind of hard to see through the eye slits and he would always wonder how he was able to fight all those mobsters from Camorra. Dodging all those bullets wasn't easy, but the bulletproof vest helped. He also wondered how Nadia is faring; after all, she picked one of the most ridiculously extravagant masks in the store.

But Hayden had to admit that the grumpy blonde was right. He knew all along that she was because even though the mask has a proper breathing system, it was still a Halloween mask and it doesn't help in battle other than hiding his face, which was supposed to be the main idea until he blew it and confessed who he is. He could've removed the mask long before the fight started but he just had to stay mysterious, doesn't he?

Taking a deep breath, he held the mask in his hand and stretched out his arms to welcome the... unusually thick, revolting air that seemed to be mixed with smoke. He scrunched his face up into a frown, nose twitching in repugnance. "Ugh, what is that?" He muttered loudly, his voice much clearer and the nasally tone more evident.

Then, he heard the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground and his eyes turned to see the same grumpy blonde with a much more expressive face other than the usual scowl she would wear. Her axe laid forgotten on the dirt; her gaze fixated on the auburn in front of her. Said person was a little unnerved about her open-eyed stare but maybe his little joke about being hideous is actually true. He's not vain enough to examine his looks but he initially believed that he looked average at best. Apparently, he's wrong.

Hayden faced the blonde with an unimpressed look. "Are you happy now to see my beautiful face?" He declared sarcastically, rolling his eyes inwardly at even the thought of being this egotistical.

However, the woman didn't respond in the way he thought she would. A blush rose from the agent's neck and up to her cheeks, painting her as red as the blood on his shoulder. There was an unmistakable spark in her sapphire-like eyes, gleaming brighter than the stars glittering across the night sky. He tilted his head, perplexed as to why she suddenly turned into a tomato.

"Uh, are you okay?" He asked, approaching her with hesitant steps. A nervous chuckle rumbled in his chest as he turned his head with a strained, crooked smile. "Is my face really that bad?"

"Hayden..."

The auburn halted, gawping at the form of the blonde agent. His mouth opened to move but the words failed to leave. He closed it for a moment, pressing it into a thin line and licking his upper lip before opening his mouth again, only to let out a choked, "Excused me?" A rough sound escaped his tight-lipped maw as he cleared his throat to get a better voice.

"Um, what are you—"

Of course, the gods won't give him the chance to redeem himself because as soon as he opened his mouth to talk again, the blonde crossed the distance between them and pressed her warm, soft lips to his. Hayden's eyes bulged out as the woman continued to mesh her mouth with his, swiping her tongue between his lips with rising vigor. Clenching her eyes shut, her hands cradled his jaw in a tight hold, preventing him from moving away—not that he was trying to, but her hold felt like it had a sense of possession as if she thought he would disappear. She grinded her body against his, allowing him to feel her curves through her thin, but rough garments. The metal buttons sewn on her coat poked through his shirt, but his mind is too preoccupied to notice.

He could taste a sweet, ropy flavor of candy on her lips, smell the salty breeze of the raging seas right beside the beach off her face as he gazed softly but shockingly through his half-lidded eyes at her smooth, pale skin. Hayden didn't even realize that he had his hands on her waist, almost automatically. Unconsciously, he added a little bit of pressure in his fingers, eliciting a voluptuous moan from her. She licked his bottom lip again, devouring his mouth hungrily as she wasted no time search more for his taste. When Hayden didn't open his mouth because of the mere shock of it all, the blonde plunged her tongue in his mouth forcefully, catching the auburn by surprise.

Plunged like some writhing worm into Hayden's now gaping mouth, it all but overpowered his senses as it sought some comfort in the inner workings of his maw; it made contortive sweeps of his mouth's vault, gathering all that she can taste. Her fingers dug against his jaw with a much stronger hold, refusing to let go for at least an eternity. It slowly softened when Hayden hummed into her mouth, somewhat telling her that he won't leave. The velvety, battle-hardened skin of her hands slid sensually down to his neck, tracing her finger in circles against the surface.

The kiss slowed down into a much more passionate state; her tongue retracting and simply resting on Hayden's lips, occasionally licking them. His eyelids are just barely holding on to the edge, using all the strength to his body to stop himself from returning. Although he thoroughly enjoyed this... act of passion, he's still confused as to why. He refused to respond as long as he is left in the dark. But as of lately, it's just becoming harder and harder to suppress the urge. He already had his hands on her, but he's asking himself why he's not pushing away.

He doesn't know this woman! He only met her almost an hour ago. But for some odd reason, his body and heart were drawn to this strange blonde, who was a grumpy, distrustful agent before but is now claiming his lips as if he's her lover. It's bizarre and a little bit creepy but yet again, he felt connected with her and even though he has his fingers hovering over her skin, all he wanted to do is press them against her waist and respond to her with the same amount of zeal she's giving him.

It almost feels like he knows her...

Fortunately, the woman finally felt the need to breathe and disconnected with his lips with a supple pop, leaving her gasping for air as she locked her gaze at him through half-lidded eyes. Her chest rose rapidly along with her breaths; her hands remained around his neck, still holding him with a cloud-like touch. A red, rosy blush tainted her cheeks as well as her lips, still wet with desire to conquer his mouth but the effects of the passionate, sensual kiss she gave him are evident on her face.

For a moment, Hayden could only stare at her, admiring her beauty that he never got to appreciate before. When he saw the mask off her face, he thought she was attractive at best. But now that he felt, smelled... tasted her, he could see her in a new light and it's affecting him emotionally and physically. He can't take his eyes off of her and it's driving him crazy! Who the hell is this girl?

These are the questions that filled his head as he just gazed deep into the pools of crystalized water in her eyes, causing him to fall into a trance that he didn't want to leave. He only snapped out of it when he felt her fingers flex against his neck—quite hard if he might add. Okay, it's getting a little painful now and he's not sure if...

Hayden zoomed out of his steady, intent look and found himself staring into a pit of blue flames sitting in black sand. He watched the embers flickering off the burning wood, sizzling in the air as it collapsed to oblivion. The fire began to grow bigger and bigger until it consumed most of the area around him. He could feel the immense and smoldering heat of the flames; its tendrils licking the skin of his face, almost like peppering him with feather-like pecks that stung as painful as an ant bite.

Then he realized that he isn't staring at a growing pit of fire. He's actually watching the anger burning in the blonde's eyes. His own eyes widened and he unconsciously took a step back but she held him tightly by her hands. She had her lips pressed into a thin line; no scowl, no frown, and no emotion except pure rage adorned her face. The redness on her cheeks was no longer from the kiss but was from the boiling wrath that's waiting to erupt.

Dread filled Hayden's face as he could only imagine what's coming. "Da, da, da, I'm dead..." He chuckled anxiously as he watched the blonde erupt.

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Holy shit! 14, 000 words! But I guess it's worth the length to finally see that long-awaited hiccstrid reunion.