Chap 20 – Frozen Blood
"You're holding someone against their will?" Kirito asked; his voice full of surprise.
"It's not that we want too…" Selka replied softly. "…its just that, well, Ronye believes him to be of some use... even though she constantly threatens to let the nikuya have him."
"Who exactly is he?" Kirito asked while glancing upon the shadowy figure.
"I think once you see him…" Selka knelt beside the prisoner. "…you will know."
"Selka." Ronye said gravely. "You made a promise."
"Selka?" Kirito looked to the smaller woman; receiving a curt nod in reply.
"Yes, yes, I know." Selka brushed the other woman off. "But we're not advertising him to a complete stranger. This is Kirito."
"Fine." Ronye said with a huff while crossing her arms under her chest. "Do what you want."
"Kirito, as much as I'd love to get reacquainted, now is not the time…" Selka chewed nervously on her lower lip. "…however, did you mind answering one question?"
"Not at all."
"Is Alice here too?"
"She is, but she's back at my base camp."
"I'm glad she's here." A smile formed on the nun's face. "Luminous Element." Selka called out. A soft light appeared in her hand; illuminating the prisoner's face.
Kirito's eyes widened as he crouched down for a closer look. The young man's facial features highly resembled that of a certain flaxen haired boy; although his hair was a light shade of blonde and laid messily upon the prisoner's head. His eyes were a light green; their overall shape a bit narrower than what Kirito was used to seeing. The boy in question had a lean build, similar to how Kirito's best friend's had appeared at seventeen years of age. Kirito tilted his head as he continued to innocently scrutinize the prisoner.
The young man wore a woodsy colored cloak over an oversized cream tunic. The shirt had sage accents around the large neck hole and at the edge of each quarter length sleeve. He sported dark umber crop pants and wore medium brown lace up boots. The prisoner's arms were tied behind him, his hands locked within cold steel by a glowing padlock. The young man was forced onto his knees due to the short chain which connected him to a thick wooden pole. Kirito furred his brows; trying to find reason for this boy's predicament.
"Is this really necessary?" Kirito asked while glancing first at Selka then at Ronye.
"We don't do things the way you remember." Ronye said indifferently. "Tell him who you are and why you have ended up this way." She spat at the boy. The prisoner stayed tight lipped, earning him another hit of sacred power.
"Enough Ronye!" Kirito ground out.
"Perhaps we should leave." Selka stood up. "He may open up to Kirito without us being here." She then politely shoved Ronye out of the tent and followed suit.
"Tell me your name." Kirito said directly while bringing up a weak version of luminous element.
"Why do you care?"
"Because you look a lot like a friend of mine." Kirito simply answered. "And if you are who I think you are then we have a lot to talk about."
Silence floated between them before the prisoner spoke, "Eion." Kirito remained calm on the outside but on the inside, he was fighting off the urge to ask a thousand questions. This was his chance to learn what had happened to his best friend; however, he didn't want Eugeo's son to think he was some type of stalker. So, he decided to start with Eion's earlier statement.
"You said you were looking for your dad?"
"That's right."
"I don't mean to pry but why wouldn't you know where Eugeo is?" Kirito asked guardedly.
"You say my dad's name so casually…" Eion cocked his head, studying Kirito. "…do you know him?"
"I...did…" Kirito paused while searching for the right words. "…a long time ago. We were best friends and each other's swords."
"Each other's…swords?"
"Yeah. I usually wield two swords, but after meeting and training Eugeo, I realized I only needed my Night Sky Blade." Eion's face reflected skepticism. "I know it sounds strange but your dad and his Blue Rose Sword, well, I relied and depended on them just as much as they did the same with me. And thus, Eugeo become my second blade and I his."
"You…taught my dad how to use a sword?"
"I did." Kirito stated proudly. "He was about your age when he asked me." Eion scrunched his brows, not understanding how that was possible. If his dad really was trained by this guy then Kirito must be an Integrity Knight. But if that's true then why hasn't he seen Kirito around the cathedral? Eion stared hard at the black-haired boy, making Kirito uneasy.
"So, ah…how'd you end up like this?" Kirito pulled at Eion's chains.
"Somehow they learned who I am." Eion pulled at his restraints.
"And that matters why?"
"Everyone hates my mother."
"But you're not her." Kirito said determinedly.
"I'm more like her than I want to admit." Eion said while attempting to flex his fingers.
"I refuse to believe Eugeo didn't play a part in your upbringing."
"My dad was very much a part of my childhood." Eion openly admitted. "We did everything together but then one day, he didn't recognize me. I can't shake the guilt of what I did wrong. That's why I'm heading to the Obsidia Palace. I going to find my dad and get him to remember me."
"He's more like Eugeo than he realizes."
"I just wish I didn't run into your friends." Eion narrowed his eyes. "Every minute I'm detained here means another minute my dad's held by the Zombie King."
"Wait…what?"
"My mom….she traded dad to Renly, in exchange for protection against his undead army."
OOooOOooOO
"Those absurd weapons." Alice muttered to herself while staring intently at the ground; her feet pounding the dirt. "I don't care if Kirito does say guns are more effective, I'll always prefer my Osmanthus Blade." She continued onward, unaware that she had put quite some distance between herself and the camp.
"Well, well…" An unfamiliar male voice said. "…look who we found." Alice stopped and glanced up. Before her stood a filthy man dressed in rags with a plastered cocky smile on his face.
"Get out of my way." Alice ground out.
"That's no way to talk to your husband's colleague." Another man, just as dirty as the first, replied from behind Alice. "You better apologize." He belittled the blonde girl.
"I'm not apologizing." Alice spat. "And I'm not your…" She was quickly silenced by the man's hand as it cupped over her mouth. His other hand snaked around Alice's narrow waist; locking her hands against her sides.
"I can't believe it." The first man said while scratching at his head; a look of bafflement on his face. "Here, I thought a nikuya got your wife but after seeing this pretty little thing, I guess Stacia must have felt sorry for these two needy men and brought her back to us." He pulled at the fabric near his groin; for it had become tight and painful.
"Where have you been hiding, huh?" The second man spoke cruelly while pulling Alice tight against his body. "Did you think you'd be free of me?" Alice squirmed within his grasp; for clearly this man was confused. "Were you hoping I'd never sink my cock into your pussy again?" Alice screamed, but it only resulted in the man's fingers imprinting upon her cheeks. "It doesn't matter…" He started to kiss along her throat; his erection pressing up against her rear. "…what does is that we've found each other." Alice continued to struggle; however, due to her new avatar and its lower stats, she was at their mercy. "No time like the present for a good fuck." He laughed. "…or two."
Alice kicked out her legs; but the other man quickly swatted them back down then leveled a knife at her neck. "Don't be giving us trouble." The other man said. "Otherwise there may be an excessive amount of your blood covering up your pretty breasts." He flashed a lecherous grin as his eyes lingered on her chest.
"Get her to play nice, will ya?" The man in back said. "Then we can have our fun."
The other man flipped his knife and hit Alice on the side of her head with its hilt. Once she had slumped against her captor, he took hold of Alice's shirt; pulling the rounded collar to beneath her breasts. "So beautiful." He said while cupping both bare mounds, his fingers digging into Alice's soft breasts. He then lowered his head to lick a rosy nipple before taking the breast into his mouth, sucking hard upon it as his hand played with the other one.
The man behind Alice dropped his hand from her mouth to her graceful neck. He then placed his thumb and forefinger on Alice's jaw, turning and holding the girl's face toward him. Next, he planted his mouth on hers, kissing her, at times, delving his tongue into Alice's moist cavern. As he explored her mouth, his other hand traveled down to between Alice's legs; his fingers passing beneath her pants and under her panties where he roughly shoved two fingers inside her most intimate of places. Alice emitted a moan, although it was not made from pleasure. Moments later, the man removed his hand from Alice's core; only for it to work to move onto springing his cock free. "Pull her pants down." He called out to his friend. "I'm going to explode here."
The other man reluctantly complied; annoyed from having to leave the softness of Alice's breasts. He did; however, find excitement upon seeing Alice's slender thighs and her abused womanly folds. The man got to his knees to run his fingers along her sweet flesh. "You better make it fast." He growled. "I'm as fucking hard as you are."
"She's my wife..." The first man grit out while pushing his cock deep inside Alice. "…so I'll…" Before he could finish what he started, a gunshot was heard. "What the?" He looked down and saw his friend fall to the side, blood spraying out from a bullet to his head. Seconds later, he succumbed to the same fate.
OOooOOooOO
"I know Administrator is self-centered…" Kirito said with a scowl. "..but for her to actually trade Eugeo...He didn't go willingly, did he?"
"He does whatever mom tells him." Eion replied bitterly.
"That damn Piety Module."
"If I tried anything, I'd end up like my brothers."
"You have siblings?" Kirito asked, although not too shocked to learn this.
"Yeah, but they are…different." Eion replied sharply; signaling to Kirito not to push the subject. "Can you get me out of here?"
"I will." Kirito stated with resolve. "Who has the keys?"
"The one named Royne, but you'll also have to get the special ingredient. She carries it on her hip in a small satchel."
"Alright, I'll get them." Kirito stood but not before he noticed Eion squeeze his eyes shut and scrunch his brows. "Are you okay?"
"It's just a headache," Eion bit out. "I've been dealing with them since I was a kid. They only happen when I leave the Cathedral. At first, the headaches started out as a mild throbbing sensation, but this is the farthest I've been out and…I'm having a hard time with it." His breathing became ragged.
"I'll find you something to help." Kirito said before his thoughts turned internal. "He must have a variation of the Piety Module in his forehead. Guess it's not too surprising to learn that Administrator forced restrictions upon her own son. I better hurry." Kirito ran outside the tent, in search of his former page.
OOooOOooOO
Alice stirred awake but winced upon feeling an ache between her legs and a tenderness in her chest. She grit her teeth; waiting for the pain to pass, then curved into a ball upon a wool blanket. Loose strands of her golden hair billowed as a warm breeze passed through the open sides of a canopy. Tears gathered in her eyes as she remembered the two men and what they threatened to do. Did they follow through? It certainly felt like that did.
"You're lucky I had a long-range weapon." Sinon said while entering the shelter; her hands occupied with shining her rifle. "If I only had a sword, the pain you're experiencing would have been a lot worse."
"Those men…" Alice spoke softly. "…they were convinced I was someone else."
"They were delusional." Sinon explained as if it were everyday common knowledge. "It's not unusual for people who've been through and experienced so much carnage to seek others who look and remind them of their deceased loved ones."
"I think that woman's better off dead." Alice muttered.
"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner…you wandered off quite far. I'm just glad you have such heavy footsteps."
"It's my fault and I'll deal with it." Alice wiped her tears then sat up with a determined look. "Let's find Kirito. Hopefully, I stomped off in the right direction."
OOooOOooOO
As soon as Kirito left the tent that held Eion, he knew there was trouble. He could hear the loud grunts and angry growls of the nikuya as they entered the camp. Kirito cursed as people ran wildly past him. He quickly picked a direction, looking for Ronye. Thankfully, it didn't take long to find her; for Ronye was gathering additional weapons inside a nearby tent. Selka was next to Ronye, sporting an anxious expression, in her hands was an abundance of medical supplies. "Ronye! I need the key."
"What are you talking about?" Ronye said while remaining focused on her current task.
"I need the key to free Eion…" Kirito said bluntly. "…and whatever the special ingredient is."
"You can have the key but NOT the blood."
"This isn't up for discussion." Kirito said firmly while extending his hand, palm up. "Give me both items."
"Absolutely not. You don't know what he's capable of."
"Eion needs to be able to fight and defend himself. If he's not freed of his chains, he'll only divert my attention. You know how I am about protecting the people I care about." Ronye wanted to deny him but after a few seconds of Kirito's intense glaring, she grudgingly gave into his demands.
"Pour the blood over the symbols on his irons that should restore his sacred arts."
"Thank you, Ronye." Kirito smiled at his former page. "I'll keep an eye on him, don't worry. "Selka, do you have any chamomile tea? Or maybe a pouch full of Rosemary and Lavender?"
"I have all those things." Selka said while placing her pile down. "Let me find them." She rummaged through the provisions. "There's warm water in this water skin." Selka handed the bag to Kirito. "Hold it open." Kirito did so. "How bad is the headache?" She asked while opening the small bottle of chamomile.
"It seems bad." Kirito replied; his eyes glancing to where Eion's being held.
"I see." Selka stated while shaking the bottle; golden flowers spilling out. "It's for him, isn't it?" she whispered while placing a string with a tiny pouch around Kirito's neck. The raven-haired boy gave a slight nod. "The fumes will help him too." She kissed Kirito gently on the cheek. "Take care of Eion."
"Time to go, Selka." Ronye spoke sharply. "Kirito, meet up with us as soon as you can."
OOooOOooOO
The sounds of the nikuya and the panicked members of the camp were getting closer. Eion kept quiet and remained still; remembering how the nikuya were drawn to sound. "Where is that guy?" He thought to himself as fear began to settle in.
Suddenly, Kirito slipped inside the tent. "I got them." He immediately went behind Eion; first pouring the blood upon the irons then opening the padlock. While Eion was getting to his feet, he moved his fingers and arms, felling the rush of sacred power once again back in his veins.
"Drink it." Kirito tossed Eion the water skin. "It'll help with the headache." Eion did as instructed. Next, the raven-haired boy shoved the smaller pouch and string against the boy's chest. "Put this around your neck." Again, Eion compiled. "We're going to help Ronye and Selka."
"Why would I help them?" Eion scoffed. "They imprisoned me and sealed my arts."
"If you plan on going up against Renly, which I assume you do, you'll need Ronye's skills." Kirito said plainly. "She's a good fighter, trust me." Eion glanced away; annoyed that Kirito was right. Ronye did capture him fairly easily, but it wasn't his fault. He just lacked experience when up against a swordsman. "And Selka," Kirito continued. "…she gave you those remedies. You're going to thank her for them."
"Yeah, right." Eion stated sarcastically then turned to leave.
"Your dad would never turn his back on people who needed help." This statement caused Eion to freeze up. Kirito then walked up to the boy and placed a hand on Eion's shoulder. "I know you inherited some impressive abilities from your parents."
"…"
"Please use them to save my friends."
Eion let out a deep breath before whirling to face Kirito. "You know, you certainly have a way with words."
"So, I've been told." Kirito smiled sheepishly.
"Alright," Eion replied. "I'll help but I'm going to do things my way."
OOooOOooOO
"There's so many of them!" Selka called out as she looked at the ever-growing swarm of zombies coming towards her and Ronye. Nikuya were everyone; crawling like contortionists over boxes, fallen tents, people and even each other. Their expressions creepy with their wide solid white eyes and bloody mouths hanging open; some even had little to no hair upon their heads. Their blood-stained, torn clothes ranged from the refined materials of a noble to the linens of the everyday commoner. All were blindly reaching out to grasp at their next victims.
"We have to keep fighting." Ronye said while slashing her sword. "We can't show Kirito that these things can get the better of us." Suddenly a twelve by twelve foot fire block appeared in front of the women. "What is that?" Ronye eyed it cautiously. Barely a second later, each side of the fiery slab extended, reducing any zombies in its path to ash. Ronye and Selka raised their arms; shielding themselves from the intense heat. Once that was done, smaller fires burst forth from within any zombie who missed their date with the larger flame.
"Amazing!" Selka said while dropping her hand. "Whatever sacred art that was, it must have taken out at least twenty-five of them."
"Eion." Ronye grumbled unenthusiastically as she caught sight of her former prisoner. He was standing beside the largest tent; his mouth set in a grim line as his hands and fingers guided the fire they created. "Kirito has no idea what he has done."
"Ronye! Selka!" The raven-haired boy shouted while firing off bullets into another round of zombies. "Get back!" The two women glanced at each other before splitting up and heading for safety. Kirito shot nikuya after nikuya, there seemed to be no end to them. Once his bullets had been depleted, Kirito pulled out his Night Sky Blade. "Now, you're all in serious trouble." He smirked before racing into a group of undead, mangled bodies. "Nova Ascension." Kirito slashed and whipped his blade around, his movements fast and precise as he took down multiple zombies with this one attack. He then followed it up with an Enhance Armament. Streams of purple and black light pouring from his blade into the nikuya.
Eion's flames dimmed as he stared in awe at Kirito. True, there were similarities between his dad and Kirito's swordsmanship skills, but the black-haired boy, he seemed to possess an extra something. Eion made a mental note to ask Kirito about it later; for whatever it was, it made the black swordsman even stronger.
"Eion!" Selka called out while dashing behind him. "Help!" The young man made a "z" with his finger, the action resulting in three water bursts. They mimicked the same pattern as it sliced apart the nikuya. "Thank you." she huffed out. "I'm at such a disadvantage when my sacred power runs out. But yours, it seems as if it were just blessed by the light of Stacia."
"…"
"I am going to get the Osmanthus Sword."
"A nun can use a sword?" Eion was stunned.
"I'm more confident with a dagger but there's no way I'm letting any nikuya closer to me than necessary. If…if a nikuya ever bit me," Selka said with a tremor in her voice. "…I pray someone would…"
"Kill you?" Eion easily finished her sentence.
"Yes, I couldn't live knowing that I could and would eventually hurt the people I love." Selka said honestly; causing Eion to look at her, a distant expression on his face.
"I'll never forgive you." A sixteen-year-old Eion spat as he entered his mother's bedchamber.
"What's wrong, Eion?" Administrator asked innocently while looking up from her labtop upon her bed.
"You know what I'm talking about." He snapped while helping himself to a seat beside the Pontifex.
Administrator calmly placed her computer aside then faced her son. "You're here because of what I did with your father. "
"Of course I am. I don't understand why you would give dad to the zombies if you love him."
"As I've told you many times," Her hand quickly found itself upon his leg. "…the Pontifex must look out for the Pontifex." Administrator said with a sweet, yet devilish grin, her hand gliding along his thigh. "You'll understand that someday."
"…"
"Don't look so sullen, Eion." She softly caressed his cheek. "Your father has already given me what I needed. You…" Pontifex leaned in and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. "…and your brothers."
"Eion? Are you alright?" Selka lightly shook the boy's arm, bringing him back from his memory.
"I'm fine." Eion muttered.
"I left my sister's sword near the dried-up river bed." Selka said guilty. "I was sharpening it on some rocks but when I heard the zombies, I panicked and forgot all about it."
"How can you forget a sword?" Eion quirked a brow. "It's like this big." He held his arms out the length of what he believed the Blue Rose Sword to be.
"I know. It was a stupid mistake." Selka chastised herself. "Alice is going to be so upset with me. But I still have time to get it. With all the commotion going on at the front of camp, I'm hoping the back is clear. Eion, if I'm not back in a few minutes, please come look for me."
"Uh…sure." Eion said; although his light emerald eyes were focused on where Kirito was and what was happening near the swordsman. The nikuya's number had grown tenfold and the black-haired boy was surrounded. Kirito was about ready to deliver another attack when an unknown female voice hollered in the distance.
"Duck, Kirito!" Sinon called out. The black-haired boy hit the ground. Seconds later, he saw the zombies around him fall, each with a precise bullet hole in their head. "Nice shots, Sinon!" He yelled to his sniper comrade while standing back up. Kirito spun around saw and was met by a golden knight. "Alice!"
"Die bastards!" Alice shouted as she fired off her pistols; the bullets hitting the nikuyas randomly and messily. She didn't care though; she was going to protect Kirito one way or another. Blood poured out, hitting the blonde girl in the face and splattering her clothes. "Alice?!" The black swordman blinked his eyes in disbelief. This was certainly a side of Alice he'd never seen. He kinda liked it.
"Vorpal Strike!" Kirito was back in the fight. He wasn't going to let the girls take all the credit for stopping the zombies. After another twenty minutes of adrenaline-filled fighting, the last nikuya fell.
"I don't know how you two found me but I'm glad you did." Kirito smiled warily at Alice and Sinon. "I severely misjudged how many zombies there were."
"You okay, Kirito?" Sinon asked; her face projecting worry for the boy.
"Just a few nicks and scrapes, other than that, I'm ready for another round." Kirito raised his sword but grimaced as a sharp pain ran through his arm. "Well, maybe I'll take a rain check on that."
"Your injuries are nothing to joke about." Alice scorned Kirito.
"It's quiet." Sinon said while placing her rifle in the holster upon her back. "Do you think anyone else survived?"
"The others, they have to be alive." Kirito said firmly. "Ronye! Selka! Eion!" The raven-haired boy called out while taking a few steps in different directions. "Where are you guys?" Kirito was exhausted but he had to find his friends.
"Selka?" Alice said with disbelief. "She's here?"
"She's with Ronye, or at least, that's where I assume she is." Kirito answered.
"What do you mean, you assume?" Alice glared at Kirito, her hands on her hips.
"I kinda lost track of her with all the chaos. But, I'm sure she's fine. Eion probably helped her if she got into any trouble."
"Eion?" Alice blinked in shock. "Eugeo's kid?"
"Yeah, strange huh?" Kirito said. "I mean what are the odds I'd run into him?"
"And where exactly did you find him?"
"He was…here, in this camp." Kirito kept his answer short; he didn't want to bring up the fact Eion was in chains and a prisoner of Ronye's when he came across the boy.
"So, the child born from Eugeo and Lady Pontifex was just walking around?" Alice asked dubiously. "Odd place for someone like him to be."
"What are you implying?"
"Kirito, he was raised by the Pontifex. Surely you don't expect him to possess traits only like Eugeo?"
"He's not a bad person." Kirito said flatly; not wanting to think the latter about the boy.
"How can you claim that?" Alice asked. "You only just met him."
"We can discuss this later." A thick fog of tension floated between Alice and Kirito.
"I may not know this Eion person or Eugeo or even Lady Pontifex for that matter," Sinon interrupted. "…but standing here talking about them isn't going to help the people who need us now."
"You're right, Sinon." Kirito said exhaling a breath. "Let's split up and look for survivors."
"I'm with Kirito." Alice said, her tone shutting down any form of debate.
"We'll check out the largest tent." Kirito said. "Sinon, you check the smaller ones." Kirito said.
"On it." The sniper ran off in one direction, Kirito and Alice in another.
OOooOOooOO
"You may have Kirito fooled, but not me." Ronye pointed her sword at Eion's chest; it's tip just inches from piercing his flesh. She had the boy pressed up against a burnt tree beside a large tent.
"What are you talking about?"
"I've heard the stories about you and what you can do."
"Have you now?" Eion taunted a very serious Ronye. "Do tell. I'm rather curious about what people have to say about me."
"There's plenty." Ronye began. "First, there's the rumor that you could enact sacred arts without speaking the verbal commands. This speculation has people believing you're more powerful than the Administrator herself."
"That has yet to be proven."
"Then there's the rumors on how Administrator has kept a tight lease on you, molding you to become just like her. For what purpose, I wonder? She'd never give up her throne." Eion narrowed his eyes, growing agitated with Ronye. "And then there's the one about you having no clue about what's really happening in your mother's realm. You just stay safe, high up in the cathedral while people are being forced to fight the nikuya. Most of them never even come back. But does your mother do anything about that? Of course not." Eion glared at Ronye as she stated fact after fact. "But you know what's really amusing…the strange rumor about you not knowing how to use a sword."
"That's ridiculous. I know how to use a sword." Eion scoffed, although his words were a lie.
"Mom, I'm ready to be a swordsman..." An excited ten-year-old Eion said. "…just like dad."
"Swordsmanship is not your calling." Administrator casually replied.
"But I want to help dad fight the zombies." Eion pouted; his little fists balled at his sides.
"Your father has the assistance of the other Integrity Knights." Administrator strode over to Eion then bent down in front of her son. "Their numbers are growing again, so time spent with your father will be limited." Eion looked sad. "You won't have time to miss him. You'll be too emersed in perfecting your sacred arts."
"But…" Eion felt his face turning red, tears welling in the corners of his eyes. "…I want to be like dad. He can train me. I'll learn really fast, just like I did with sacred arts." Eion pleaded. "I promise. Please mom, let me try."
"Your future, without swordsplay, has already been determined." She smoothed the fabric of the robes that covered her son's pale skin.
"But…"
"Do you remember where I put you when you turned eight?" Eion's eyes grew wide with fear. "Your expression tells me that you do."
"No, mom." The little boy's voice trembled.
"Shall I put you back there?" The little boy shook his head. "Do you want to join your brothers?" Eion shook his head quicker. "Then don't bring this up again."
"Does anything link you to your father…" Ronye ridiculed the boy, snapping Eion back to the present. "…or are you simply your mother's prodigy with your father's face?"
Eion snarled in reply as he gripped Ronye's blade. "I'm done listening to you." The steel in the woman's hand turned red, heating to an extreme temperature. Ronye shrieked before dropping her weapon; her hand glowing a hellish color and in excruciating pain. Next, Eion grabbed Ronye's upper arms, pulling the woman up against him.
"Since you seem to know me so well," Eion whispered into Ronye's ear. "…I'll act as you believe me to act." Ronye squirmed within Eion's hold, her skin feeling as if it were on fire. "You have such a small frame. It'll take less than a minute to reduce you to ash."
"You wouldn't?" Ronye felt the blood drain from her face.
"Care to test that theory?" He asked coldly.
OOooOOooOO
"Ronye! Eion!" Kirito waved from afar. "Come on, Alice." He took ahold of the blonde girl's hand and raced towards the duo.
"Don't even think about telling Kirito what transpired here." Eion said harshly. "…because if you do, you won't live to see another sunrise." He released the woman; causing Ronye to stumble a bit.
"Kirito." Eion said with a smile, his expression looking so much like Eugeo. "Glad you're alright."
"It'll take more than a few nikuya to stop me." Kirito said as he sheathed his sword. "How about you two? Any injuries?" His grey eyes roamed the two in question.
"I'm fine, but Ronye, she seems to have suffered some burns." He connected gazes with the woman. "She must have gotten a little too close to my sacred arts."
"I'm alright, Kirito." Ronye lied.
"You sure?" His former page gave a quick nod.
"Wow," Alice sized up the young man while Eion did the same with her. "…he really does look like Eugeo."
"And how do you know my dad?"
"We've fought together." Alice replied indifferently, not providing any further details.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" A woman's scream rang out.
"That has to be Selka." Eion said. "She must have run into trouble while retrieving her sword."
"Hang on, Selka!" Alice dashed off in the direction of the cries. "I'm coming!"
OOooOOooOO
Alice was hysterical upon seeing her baby sister pinned beneath three female zombies; one nikuya had her leg, the other two, held each of her arms. The trio of zombies had sunk their teeth into Selka, giving the nun very little time left as a human being. The Osmanthus Blade lay just out of the woman's reach.
"Selka!" Alice cried out. "Selka!" She staggered a few feet forward but soon found herself held back against her will; for someone had stopped her. "Let me go!" She flailed her arms and legs. "I can still save her!"
"No, you can't." Eion ground out as fought to hold the tough blonde. "Kirito! Do something!"
The black-haired boy was frozen in place. He never expected to witness someone he cared about fall to a zombie. Things had just gotten very real.
Suddenly four shots rang out and within seconds, Selka and the nikuya were dead. It had to be Sinon, the shots were just too perfect.
"Thought I'd never see the day; you'd freeze up like that." Sinon said while jogging up to Kirito.
"…"
"You personally knew her." Sinon stated with sorrow.
"Yeah…"
"Selka! Selka!" Alice wept uncontrollably; the tears streaming down her face.
"Calm down." Eion said as he let go of the blonde.
"Calm down?!" Alice said in almost a laughing matter. "How do you expect me to do that when I just witnessed a bullet going through my sister's head?!"
"…"
"She didn't deserve to die like that. She was kind and…and…." Alice fell against Eion's chest; her fists pounding on his chest. "I never should have left her. Never…." The boy had no words, so he just wrapped his arms around Alice and rubbed her back in a soothing manner; for that was how he'd comforted his only childhood friend when Kimi suffered.
"Alice," Kirito began, but he had no idea what else to say.
"Kirito," Sinon spoke, "there's nothing for her to do but cry."
End Chapter 20