Chapter 11

He awoke.

For once, he was able feel decent pain. His face ached from being hit, his muscles protested every time he breathed; his legs, were they not bound, would not be able to hold his weight should he have attempted to stand.

He was alone, arms tied with rope around the back of the chair upon which he was seated. Amber eyes surveyed the dank space: at the end of the small room, a wooden door stood. He presumed it was locked. The walls were dripping with mould, splattered with dirt, and blanketed with cobwebs.

Mere moments later, as if he had sensed Ginti's conscious state, Oculus and two Supernova soldiers entered the room, Oculus unlocking the door and tucking the key into the pocket of his brightly-coloured shirt.

"Ginti." The old man's voice scraped into his ears. Ginti grimaced. "Why haven't you dissected me yet?"

Wrinkled, calloused hands rested on bony hips as Oculus stood over his hostage. "You must not be familiar with the buildup to a war," He clicked his tongue. "This is scare tactics, Ginti: a last attempt to ward off opponents. I have someone they care about, so they will hesitate to attack."

The redhead scoffed. "Nona doesn't give a rat's ass about me; she'll just march on forward."

"Oh but she does care - you're one of her main allies. I doubt Nona would want anyone other than herself to be martyred for this pathetic cause."

Shaking his head to drain the salty sweat away from his eyes, Ginti looked up with a frown. "So your entire resolution is based upon a hypothetical rescue mission? Good luck with that." Raising a violet eyebrow, Oculus shrugged, and made to leave.

Can't have that, Ginti thought. "Hey! Why don't you fight me like a real man?" Oculus paused. The soldiers stood obediently at his shoulders. "Because I'm not a man. You are not the person I need to fight."

The stocky Arbiter pushed a laugh from between bloodied lips. "Hah, sounds like something a chicken-shit coward would say. Too scared to confront -"

Oculus snapped his fingers; a soldier pounced towards Ginti, his dagger glinting. Ginti summoned all his strength, and kicked the soldier up under his mask, shoe digging into his throat. With a strangled yelp, the soldier fell to the side as the second took his place. Ginti kicked the second in the chest, knowing that it would not hurt him. The momentum caused the redhead to fall sideways to the floor; shuffling fast, he pulled his bound arms over the back of the chair. A blur of red and purple: the first soldier swung his blade again. Ginti put up both arms, used the rope binding them to stop the dagger, then sliced his hands free of the bondage. A sudden agony in his left knee told him the other had a blunt weapon; he went down.

Oculus seemed thoroughly bemused by the entire charade. "We won't kill you yet, my boy," He warned, "but we can immobilise you-" His words were interrupted by blood spraying onto the nearest wall. Oculus's snake eyes widened as they observed a soldier collapsing to the mouldy ground. The other took up a fighting stance, standing opposite the Arbiter now clutching some kind of shard in his palm.

"What - how -" Oculus could barely form words. In response, Ginti offered a triumphant grin. "Needed an excuse to use this thing. Turns out it works pretty well." Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a small knife. It looked to be made out of blown glass or hard candy: bright marble colours swirled within it.

"Remove the weapon, soldier!"

The remaining combatant charged Ginti, his dagger barely scratching the other's shoulder as he evaded, used his elbow to plough the soldier into the wall, disorienting him. Moving as fast as his adrenaline-powered body would allow, Ginti wrapped his hand around the thing's forehead, pulling back and feeling burning rage smash his reason to pieces as he drew his own weapon across the chink in the armour below the jaw. Soldiers gotta be able to look around, after all.

Dropping the bleeding corpse to the ground - why blood? Ginti questioned - he held the shard before him protectively, his back to the exit. Oculus glared back.

"How many of those do you have?" Ginti gestured to the lifeless or unconscious figures which lay around them. Oculus said nothing, but a dark chortle escaped his dry, cracked lips.

Checking that the pathway was clear, Ginti backed up through the exit. "Your time is up," He whispered, cold fatigue finally seeping through his torso.

But Oculus still heard, and though he remained static, his eyes followed the redheaded Arbiter as if he were an inhuman predator. "And just like that, we have a war."

Ginti escaped before he was once again bound by conflict.

"We must find him!" Nona stormed through the corridors of the Tower, interrogating anyone they encountered regarding Ginti's whereabouts. She and Clavis had been taken aback when they found the empty Shanti dolls and no sign of the grumpy Arbiter. She concluded straight away that Oculus was the culprit, but they had checked his topmost quarters and found no sign of either he or Ginti.

As she and Clavis searched, praying it was not too late, Nona had organised with Castra and Quinn and respective allies that they would begin the project they called "Mass Emotionalisation". Shifts of willing Arbiters would be admitted to the lower quarters where the implant machine was, to receive their transformations. However, it had started slower than expected, as the implants took great meticulousness to construct.

If Ginti has been eradicated, we will lose morale before the fight even begins, she considered, peering into different rooms. Suddenly, she detected a strong emotional signal, coming from above, but moving. "Clavis."

The younger Arbiter looked to her, concerned.

"I think I sense him."

She spun, facing a nearby set of elevator doors, "He's -"

The doors pinged open and a bulky, bruised figure tumbled out, landing on all fours.

"Ginti!" Nona rushed to him, examining the damage caused by Oculus. "What happened?"

"Nona, give him time to rest," Advised Clavis, "we should get him to his own quarters."

"Urgh…" Ginti managed, wincing as Clavis wrapped an arm around his waist to hoist him up. But Nona was relentless - he wasn't dead, so at least they would be able to get information on the escalating situation. "Ginti, where is Oculus now?" The Arbiter shrugged weakly. "He has a secret dungeon, in his quarters…" He coughed before continuing, "he probably has an army."

Nona's pale eyes widened. I knew he would conjure up something convoluted like this.

"I think I started a war."

The cogs in Nona's mind began to spin and lock, pieces of plans rattling around her head. "No, Ginti. This has been a long time in the making. We need Decim."

Just as she finished her sentence, an alarm blared, red lights flickering all over the construction; a sudden clanging sound echoed and multiplied around the Tower, followed by the sound of metal slamming on the ground. Nona's chest felt tight, and she resisted the urge to panic.

Facing the others, she announced, "He's put the Tower on lockdown."

Akise,

I was thinking about your suggestion, and seeing as next Monday is an inset day for the school, would you like to go ice-skating then? I know it's early summer, but the Arena is still open. Let me know.

Chiaki x

Decim had stared at the text, having just sent off yet another application to a local bar. He had been certain he could rely on his former bartender skills were he summoned for an interview or trial shift, and he was growing desperate to start earning his own money. After all they had had no need of wages in the Tower.

Hesitantly, his fingers had hit the keypad. Yes, that would be adequate. This time, now that he had had plenty of informal conversations, he deleted the response. How might a non-Arbiter phrase it?

Can't wait! Let me know the details nearer the time. Decim

Wait. He had rubbed his forehead as if he should have been able to massage away the migraine which was brewing inside his skull. She does not know Decim. She understands Akise.

Having made the correction, he had sent his reply, and with that their excursion had been arranged.

It was already the early hours of Monday morning, and since he had spoken to Toru, nothing noteworthy had happened. As a matter of fact, Decim was unnerved by how quickly he had adapted to the human life. Being alive did not hurt so much anymore; it was not as uncomfortable as it had been. Decim had even managed to bury the mystery of Akise Nakamori.

He wondered how Nona and the others were doing. The last time they had spoken felt so long ago, and something had definitely been off. As Nona herself had stated, she was being watched. Decim had never taken interest in the politics of the Tower, especially as he had not worked for long before meeting Chiyuki, but if there was something happening there, now, which could threaten everyone he had ever known, he wanted to be able to fight with them. He hoped to be back in time for Nona's call that evening.

Until then, he lay in bed, and a random set of memories - his? Akise's? - flickered before his eyes. He saw Chiyuki gliding across an ice rink, her dress swirling around her slender, elegant form as she twisted and twirled and flew through the cold air. Her skates were the only sound he could hear; he could smell the freshness of the ice and even caught the scent of her floral shampoo as her long, ebony hair flowed around her smiling face. He noticed, just then, that the cold, quiet light of the rink did not seem so cold anymore. A vicarious pleasure coursed through his once-still veins, and he felt his cheeks lift in a delicate smile of his own: a reply, to the one she offered the world.

Chiyuki slowed to a halt in the centre of the ice. She opened her mouth, and a beeping sound came out. Beep-beep-beep beeep, beep-beep-

Startled, Decim awoke, his neck stinging from the awkward position in which he had fallen back asleep. He shut his alarm clock up. 10AM.

Time to go.

"You'll catch a cold!" Exclaimed Chiaki, her voice muffled over the thick scarf she wore.

Decim's eyebrows furrowed. "But it isn't even autumn yet -"

"It's cold on the ice!" She hurriedly removed her scarf - only to reveal a second, thinner scarf underneath - and draped the former around Akise's shoulders.

He had been unsure of what to wear, but he had not fathomed that a single thin coat, longsleeve, jeans, and gloves would not be sufficient. He begrudgingly pulled the scarf tighter around his neck, despite the sun shining brightly upon them as they made their way towards the Makomanai Ice Arena.

They paid for their session and collected ice skates, and Akise couldn't help but notice how natural this entire process was to Chiaki. It almost seemed like a sacred ritual for her: perching elegantly on a bench, slowly undoing her shoelaces, then reverently easing her feet into the rigid skates.

Decim had considerably more difficulty, somehow managing to tighten one skate far too much, resulting in him giving a yelp as he moved and stumbling to one knee. Giggling, Chiaki knelt by his asphyxiated foot. "You've been so serious lately, I forgot how funny you are."

Akise chuckled in response so that she would believe he had done it for comedic effect, and they gingerly headed towards the rink.

There were a few other people to share it with, including a mother and her young son, whom she was teaching to skate. Lifting his chin, Decim stood back to take in the admirable scene: the arena, filled with hundreds of seats in neat rows. A coliseum at the centre of which the sparkling battleground of brittle ice was embedded. Bright banners and decorations adorned the seats and upholstery, advertising an upcoming regional competition. But this was not what captured his attention; it was the glistening chandelier which was suspended high above the centre of the rink which stole his breath. It reminds me of home. Of Quindecim.

It outshone the surrounding standard lights, it stole their illumination and reflected it tenfold, prisms of light emerging from every pointed, dangling crystal. The arms of the chandelier were spread wide, curling up and away from those down below: a magnificent ringmaster overseeing the circus of human existence.

"It's gorgeous," Chiaki exhaled softly. Decim focused upon the reflection which danced in her eyes. "It is."

With one swift movement, Chiaki glided off the side of the rink into the centre, her legs carrying her with confidence across the slippery surface.

Clinging to the barrier still, Akise dared to move one foot outwards; he slipped and caught himself before he ended up doing the splits. Humans...are not meant for this, Decim thought to himself as a whoosh of refreshing air brought Chiaki to a halt before him. She folded her arms, grinning. "Have you never been ice skating before?"

Still balancing his body against the welcome solidarity of the barrier, Decim searched all the memories he could find, but saw no sign of ever setting foot on ice before. "I...don't think so."

Gently, she took his gloved hand in hers, her eyes bright and cheeks rosy from the chill in the air. "I'll help you." She tugged him away from safety, and he felt like a toddler taking his first steps: clumsy, imbalanced, unstable, most certainly lacking the grace which Chiaki so naturally possessed. "Toes outwards," She instructed, "imagine your feet are stuck to the floor so you have to slide - bend your knees a little - that's it!" Decim had managed to move a couple of metres without slipping, centring his weight in his stomach instead of his head, Chiaki matching his pace, her watchful gaze monitoring his progress.

Gaining speed, they followed the rink anti-clockwise, and for the first time, Decim was able to experience what is was like to fly without leaving the ground. Dark strands of hair obscuring his vision, Decim glanced over at his friend - to discover that she was skating with her eyes closed, relying completely on her skills to prevent her from falling.

Humans truly were astonishing.

Opening her eyes, Chiaki eased her hand from Akise's and strayed towards the centre, her scarf trailing behind her refined form, her heart beating with exhilaration.

"Chiaki -" Decim wobbled, his body uncertain, his knees shaking as he sped towards the other end of the rink. He heard her distant laugh as he used his forearms to break his impact with the barrier.

The world shook.

Screams began to erupt, echoing around the vast arena.

Turning himself around, Decim felt the earth move again - a deep, shattering rumble. The rows of seats rocked back and forth, and the foundations creaked in protest.

"ALL PERSONS EVACUATE THE BUILDING," A voice boomed through the speakers, "EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY-"

Decim's pale eyes landed on Chiaki. She had been shaken off her feet; she sat in the middle of the ice, drained of colour and voice, desperate. He began to move; the ground rattled again. He, too, collapsed to his knees.

I can't leave her. I cannot leave her!

He heard glass clinking; looked to the ceiling. The chandelier was coming loose.

"Akise, go!" Chiaki tried to lever herself up, but the tremors were so strong that she could not find her balance. Decim recognised resignation in her expression.

"Chiaki!" Scrambling to his feet as fast as possible, Decim cursed his incompetence as he dug the blades into the ice, pushing himself forward, and he heard a thunderous crack, and the chandelier was falling, plummeting, covered with splendorous daggers -

I love you. Their eyes met. There were two voices crying out in Decim's mind as he reached her, pushing her aside with all his might -

The alarm split his head apart -

"AKISE-!"

The sound of splintering crystals drowned out all noise -

He

Always

Returned

To

Darkness.

A/N: I am still alive. I apologise for the somewhat lengthy hiatus, but I finally had time to work on this - I fully intend on completing it. If anyone out there still follows this story, I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions!