(Malik)
(Meanwhile)
(Inside Malik's Office)
After deactivating the earpiece, I sighed anxiously and leaned into my chair.
I had faith in Kiseki.
I knew how capable she was, I've seen it myself.
She can do this.
Pushing doubts aside, I decided to bury myself into my work and keep myself busy.
About thirty minutes later, there was a knock on the door, pulling me away from my focus.
"Enter." I simply said, returning to my paperwork without a second thought.
"How has the search for Jaeger members been going?" An icy calm voice spoke, causing me to snap up to see Esdeath taking a seat in front of me.
"I've got three candidates picked out for your review. One of them is an applicant, the other two are individuals that I think would impress you, one of them being my older sister." I explained to her as she started pouring wine in glasses for both of us.
"Your sister? The captain of the Guard, right? I heard about how you two taking down Zanku the Executioner together. Speaking of which, how are you able to command Hekatonkeiru in addition to her?" Esdeath asked, leaning back into her chair. I was suspicious of her intentions. The Empire's Strongest doesn't do visits, so something was up.
"Seryu and I both have an extremely high affinity with Hekatonkeiru, so as long as our orders don't conflict, Koro will obey both of us as if we both own it." I explained, sipping from the glass she offered. "Enough talk, Esdeath. Why are you here?" I narrowed my eyes at her. We both hated when others would try leading us on, so cutting to the point was more our styles.
"A straightforward bunch, we are." Esdeath downed her wine and stood up. "Walk with me, Minister." She suddenly declared.
"Is that an order or a suggestion?" I asked with a raised brow.
"Minister, we both know I can't order you." She simply said with a smirk and started walking off
Sighing, I got up, finished my glass and walked after her. "Where are we going, General?" I asked at her side. The two of us got stares from the other politicians, bureaucrats and military officers but neither of us paid any mind. I got used to the stares years ago and Esdeath simply didn't give a shit.
"You and I haven't sparred since I left for the North. I'm positive that your swordplay is rusty." She gave a smirk as we made our way to the back gardens of the Palace.
"If I recall, your sparring partners end up tragically expiring during the match." I rose a brow in suspicion.
Esdeath simply chuckled and smirked at me "Accidents happen, dear Minister. I trust you're a bit more careful than the others before you." She tossed me a saber as I activated Soth and caught the sword, getting into position.
We both circled each other, sabers raised as we gauged each others. Of all the people I've ever met, Revolutionary or Imperial, Esdeath is the last person I'd want to fight seriously. This wasn't the first time we sparred and I quickly learned that she didn't use practice swords, preferring real, cold steel. A scar on my shoulder taught me that lesson the first time we sparred.
"Say, where is that Northerner aide of yours? She always seems to stick by your side whenever I see you." Esdeath quirked a brow as she made the first swing, which I parried, countering with a slash to her side, the General easily blocking.
"Kiseki is out running an errand." I simply said, the clash of steel ringing throughout the garden and attracting an increasing number of spectators. It wasn't everyday that you saw The Empire's Strongest and The Black Hand engaged in combat, practice or not. "If things go well, Night Raid might loose another member." I continued with a smirk.
Esdeath chuckled, increasing the speed of her strikes, forcing me to speed up as well to keep up. "Are you implying that a simple aide of yours can challenge and defeat a member of Night Raid?" She inquired with a smirk. Her tone wasn't accusing, simply amused. Power always intrigued her and hearing about how a nobody Northerner girl can take on Night Raid was right up her alley.
"If I'm going to have an assistant, I'm making damn sure that they can keep up with me." I simply said as I countered a feint with a slash to her chest, and of course she blocked it. "If things go well, you and your Three Beasts can take the credit." I stated as our blows became faster and faster, the impacts starting to create a gust around us.
"I don't need charity, Malik. If I want glory, I'll take it myself. If you succeed, you can have this victory. Very soon we'll be able to both share glory through the Jaegers." She grinned, the battlelust beginning to kick in. Its been ages since she's had a decent fight as a spike of ice shot out in front of me, causing me to curse and sidestep and counter with a tendril of shadows.
She ducked down as the ground beneath her froze and shards of ice flew out towards me. I grinned as well, my own battlelust kicking in as pillars of darkness sprang up, shielding me from her attack and launching at Esdeath.
The very next moment, Esdeath vanished from sight, and with blinding speed rocketed towards me. I rose my gauntlet up to block and counter with my saber, but frost sprang up and locked my arm into place. I hissed at the biting cold, but the ground beneath us blackened as tendrils of darkness lashed out, grabbing Esdeath's leg and hurling her across the garden.
To the outside perspective, the two of us looked like we were going at each other's throats. But to us, we were still sparring. It was akin to a dance, flirting even. And no one dared get in between us, lest they got caught in the crossfire.
"I hear you're now looking for romance, Esdeath." I stretched, watching the icy haired general get back up from the crater she left in the stone wall. "Feels a little out of character, don't you think?" I chuckled, raising my saber at her.
"Come on, Malik. Everyone seeks companionship, myself included." Esdeath chuckled, a bit of pink dusting her pale cheeks. God, she really did have it bad. "And if I remember correctly, you still want to be general." She retorted, causing me to huff playfully.
"Tell you what, let's make a deal since we're friends. I'll play matchmaker for you if you help me with this Minister rut that I'm currently in." I grinned with a chuckle. It could be the adrenaline, but I'm actually really enjoying myself. No wonder Esdeath lives for war and bloodshed.
"Oh? We're friends now?" Esdeath smirked as more shards of ice flew out towards me, which I blocked with a shadow infused swing of my saber. Of course we both knew I was the closest thing she had to a friend. She only respects strength and power, and I proved myself after helping take down Najenda three years ago. "If you're going to help me find love, I'll send you an extensive list of what I desire." Esdeath basically agreed to my terms without a second thought.
Man, she's really hung up on this romance thing.
"Say, Malik, have you ever been in love before?" Esdeath, suddenly asked, catching me off guard. Two names immediately flashed in my mind after asking that.
Mine and Chelsea...
"You're open. I'm finishing this" Esdeath grinned, bloodlust returning in her eyes. Ice formed next to her, creating an Ice Soldier, her saber and the golem's lance aimed at my chest as they both sped towards me.
Shit!
"Black Purge!" I was forced to call out one of my stronger attacks. Spar or not, I was in serious danger.
Friend or not, Esdeath wouldn't hesitate to kill me.
The entire ground of the garden blackened, and like swampy mud, Esdeath's feet sunk into the shadows as a dome of darkness formed around us.
"Survive this!" I called out as countless tendrils shot at Esdeath from all directions while she was blinded by the dome.
Her hand twitched.
Shit!
I only had a moment to react before...
"Mahapdama!"
...Time froze to a halt.
Next I knew, Esdeath swung her saber across my chest.
Instead of blood, her saber cut only air as I emerged from her shadow, my saber pointed to her neck from behind.
"This fight is mine, Esdeath." I declared as the dome around us faded away, panting a bit. I haven't exerted myself like that in a long time.
"Think again, Malik." Esdeath simply chuckled as ice froze to my feet and started creeping up my body.
"...Alright, we'll settle for a draw." She laughed a bit as the ice melted and I put my saber away from her throat. Seems like she even worked up a sweat herself.
"Come, Minister. Let's walk around the capital for a bit. We have much to discuss." Esdeath and I sheathed our sabers and walked away from the gardens side by side.
-xXx-
(Kiseki)
(Imperial Dragon Ship)
Bulat was panting heavily as we circled each other, one hand clutching the wound across his chest.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" I chuckled, Magus circling around my hand. The light of the orb glowed a light green and as swift as wind, I drew my shortsword and rushed Bulat, tossing the orb into the air.
Bulat raised his spear, Neuntote, at me as I approached and dodged a series of slashes at him as I held my hand out, Magus solidifying into a orb of dense metal and shot right to my hand like a bullet, smashing Bulat in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground.
"Even if you are near death, I can't afford to take a hit from you." I chided, Magus' lights turned brown, infusing me with the strength of the earth, and I swung, intending to kill. "I have to survive this and return to my boss." I said to mostly myself.
Bulat rolled away from the swing, but I followed up with a brutal kick to his chest, sending him skidding across the deck and into a wall. The boy, Tatsumi, gave out a battle cry, charging with his sword. He was painfully amaturish.
I sidestepped away from his downward swing and Magus came down on his back like a heavy stone, causing him to collapse with a sickening thud. He might've broken a rib.
Pointing at Bulat, Magus turned metal again, forming a point. The sooner this ended, the better.
I have to survive.
The Boss would be lost without me.
Night Raid cannot stay alive. One of them has to die.
Magus returned to my hand as a wicked ring of blades appeared around the orb like a buzz saw. Bulat staggered back to his feet, leaning heavily onto his spear. Stone formed around my arm as I reached up to block a sluggish swing from Tatsumi. Whirling around, I hurled the boy across the deck of the ship, Tatsumi hitting the wall with a sickening crack. I spun around, the stones on my arm shooting out in a cone at Bulat. Most of them bounced off that demonic armor, but some managed to hit his wound, ilicting a cry of pain out of him.
"I don't enjoy this." I assured the man staggering to his feet. "But you're a soldier, so I expect you of all people to understand what I must to do. I'll relieve you of your pain, Bulat." The metal orb twisted around until it became a floating spear of arcane metal aimed right at Bulat's heart.
Bulat nodded solemnly. deactivating Incursio and stabbing the sword into the ground, looking at Tatsumi on the ground, who was slowly regaining consciousness. "If I die, will you spare the boy?" He bargained.
I nodded. I only needed one dead. "We're not like the Empire. I will honor your sacrifice and spare his life."
Bulat nodded to me as Magus shot to him, the metal spear running him through the heart, ending his suffering.
It was a mercy.
"Bulat!" I heard the boy yell from behind me.
"T-Tatsumi." I heard Bulat, my eyes widening in surprise. He isn't dead yet?! "T-Take my sword, and fight for everyone. Incursio...is now...yours." He collapsed, blood pooling from his chest.
Bulat, the Hundred Man Slayer, had finally met his end.
"You!"
I heard the cry of rage from Tatsumi, running to the sword.
Shit!
Magus once again turned metal, the ring of blades appear around it as it launched towards the boy's outstretched hand.
Tatsumi managed to grab hold of the sword and held it up to the sky.
"Incursi-"
It was all he could manage as Magus sailed through the air, slicing through Tatsumi's wrist as the sword fell to the ground with a clank.
It took him a few seconds to register what happened as he stared at his amputated hand before letting out a blood curtling scream of pain.
Time to be the villain.
Walking to Tatsumi, Magus returning to my hand, I picked up Incursio and ran it through his chest, causing him to gasp in pain.
"Come back and face me when you're stronger." I whispered into his ear and kicked the boy overboard and into the river below.
Gathering the teigu from the Three Beasts, I hopped off the boat and blended in with the city crowd.
My mission was complete.
Time to return to the boss.
A/N:I've returned after years of inactivity. I mainly stopped writing to get my feet on the ground as an adult entering the workforce. Now that I'm managed to find somewhat of a balance, I can get back to writing again.
I've thought long and hard about the future of this fic and I've come to a decision.
This isn't a romance story.
This is the bad end.
Malik doesn't end with Mine and he has to face the consequences of his actions.
I want to frustrate you guys as much as possible with what I have planned.
Depending on how well this story goes, I might write a parallel story where Malik joins Night Raid.