"The answer is simple, assassin of Night Raid."
Raryu raised a hand up to his face, with two fingers he covered his left eye.
"Your sword's curse does not work...on those whom are already dead." He grimly spoke, pulling back his two fingers to reveal a shocking truth to Akame.
Looking back her now with a different colored eye, Raryu calmly studied as even the poker faced Akame couldn't help but gasp at what she now seen.
The agent of Clockwork's left eye changed into an all too familiar shade of yellow.
The shade and pupil shape she had seen on many members of this rival organization.
The all to familiar eyes of a snake.
Akame stared into that eye far what seemed like an eternity. Her mind filled with questions at this unbelievable event yet she struggled to suppress these thoughts in an effort to retain her composure.
"Already...dead?" Akame said in disbelief, taking a half step back. "How?"
"I would offer a full explanation, but with the arrival of the Ice Witch we are short on time." Raryu calmly said, covering his left eye with two fingers again. "The short answer without context is: I am Serpentine's current master."
That statement in itself created more questions than answers, but as the muscular man said they were short on time.
"Do not fret over Esdeath or her Jagears. We shall deal with them accordingly" Raryu stated, lowering his hand. His eye returning to its usual color. "You of Night Raid should focus on falling back without delay." He turned around, returning to the balcony.
"You all must survive. For the sake of the future..." The tribesman voice trailed off, seemingly leaving the sentence unfinished.
Akame backed up once more. Her gaze upon the back of Raryu's neck. "We have standing orders to slay all members of Clockwork." She stated, not too sure if she can cut the man's head clean off in one slash and obtain the desired result.
"As we have been informed." Raryu soundly replied. "You are free to try and carry them out. However, in this current situation doing so will only grain you four enemies instead of two. Following orders is the duty of a soldier, an assassin is to slay their targets at the most advantageous time, give their lives to do so if need be or live to assure their assigned goal."
"Tell me, assassin of the Revolutionary Army, will attempting to slay me here and now accomplish your goal? Will you be able to kill me, General Esdeath, and your sister all on this very night? Will you be able to save your comrades as you do so?"
Akame paused for thought, taking several precious moments to process. As she did, General Esdeath slowly approached her old comrade Najenda. Leone moved to intercept the fierce figure.
She dashed forward, aiming to punch Esdeath square in the face. The Partas survivor flashed a smile, throwing a hand upon the tiled floor. Ice raced forward from the spot of her touch with medium sized spikes racing out towards Leone and Najenda.
The two jumped up and back from the attack, just as the general intended.
Esdeath jumped up, kneeing the unsuspecting Leone in the gut. She then moved around to Leone's backside, using her back as a springboard to close in on Najenda.
"There are so many things I want to ask you!" She said, delivering a cross chop to the leader of Night Raid's neck.
As her master cried out, Susanoo tired to break away but Natala kept him engaged by thrusting his blade at his half turned body and locking weapons with the humanoid once more.
Leone hit the floor as Esdeath grabbed the unconscious Najenda with both arms, wrapping her round in a cold embrace. "Traitor or not, I have missed you my old friend." She whispered, stroking the back of the former general's head.
Esdeath landed on the ground, crouching down and laying Najenda down upon the floor. Her hand playfully parting some lose hair on her former friend's face as she spoke these next words: "We shall get reaquanted...in the torture chamber."
The lion featured Leone stood up, roaring a challenge to General Esdeath. The blue haired woman slowly rose to her feet, turning halfway towards her foe. At first, Esdeath looked unamused. Then she smiled at the act. "You're a bit loud for an assassin."
Without waiting for a reply, the general dashed forward. Leone replied in kind, throwing her left fist forward once she closed within striking distance. Esdeath tilted her head, dodging the blow before returning a counter; a upper cutting palm to Leone's chin.
She staggered back, allowing her opponent to draw her sword. Esdeath pierced through Leone's right shoulder, center of her chest just below both breasts, and the left side of her waist. The latter winced in pain, dropping to a knee as her left arm reflexively covered her right shoulder.
Esdeath watched with keen interest as these wounds healed themselves at a much faster rate than any normal human.
"Oh?" She spoke with honest curiosity. "Your regenerative powers are interesting. I wonder...does the rate of recovery differ depending on the part of the body?"
Esdeath rose the tip of her sword to Leone's throat and with a sinister grin, she finished with: "Let's find out."
Esdeath spoke off each act she committed to the lion like woman as she began to cut her apart.
The sadistic woman stabbed, slashed, and even cut off various parts of Leone's body with the coldest of glares. By the time Esdeath paused to check her work, she had cut off Leone's right arm and breast, left leg, stabbed an eye, and left various cut marks and holes all over her.
Leone shouted out in agony, her brain slowly switching to subconsciousness as the pain became overbearing. This defensive mechanism would leave Leone completely helpless to whatever other cruel punishments Esdeath had in mind for this foe with surprisingly high vitality.
"I'll see how long you can last if I keep giving you what should be fatal blows." The commander of the Jagears said aloud, patting her free left hand with the blade end of her sword.
"Even with this impressive vitality of yours, I doubt you can survive if I cut off your head or heart...So what should I try next?"
It was at that moment when General Esdeath felt murderous intent directed at her. She jumped back, dodging a blow from an invisible foe: Tatsumi.
The young man had jumped down from the balcony as the Ice Witch tortured his "big sis".
Did he witness Akame try to assassinate Raryu earlier? Perhaps, but that didn't matter now.
His friend was in trouble and Tatsumi couldn't just sit and watch.
"To think you were baited by something like this...Not the professional type are you?" Esdeath jeered at her invisible foe, more or less looking exactly where Tatsumi currently is.
'How could I when sis was getting mangled?!' The young man mentally screamed, dropping his invisibility before shifting into a combat stance.
General Esdeath smiled. "Ah Incursio!" She said with honest glee. "I've always wanted to try fighting you!"
Akame witness all as best she could, mostly through hearing the event transpire. This wasn't good, her hesitance allowed two of her comrades to be rendered out of commission while Tatsumi engaged the greatest threat of them all.
"It is not too late." Raryu said, sensing Akame's woe. "You can slip down, grab one of your comrades and flee, or disengage now as originally ordered. Either is an acceptable option in this current situation."
"...What will you do?" Akame asked, not expecting an answer.
"What I always intended since the moment I was resurrected." Raryu stated, gripping the guard rail before him with such strength that chunks of fine wood broke under the force.
"I shall kill General Esdeath."
Several minutes after...
Kurome focused her gaze between Esdeath and Natala, keeping alert on all the active parts of the battlefield.
Occasionally, she glance at were the merc Walker once was not fully sure if or when he'd pop up next.
Thus she kept Doya watching that way, but this meant the young assassin couldn't deploy any more usable puppets to help Natala fight against Night Raid's humanoid Imperial Arms.
She could involve herself directly, and normally she'd have done so by now, but Kurome was trying to pace herself.
Brave face or not, she knew that if she strained herself and lost consciousness again Esdeath would have to fight all these foes alone.
And after that mess outside the city, Kurome didn't want to be a burden again.
Not that the general could and probably will win, its a simple matter of pride and professionalism for this teenage assassin.
As Kurome lamented at her body's current condition, she hear Doya's twin guns fire at a new figure upon the balcony.
She turned her attention to an all too familiar figure. While not completely whole as there were several holes in his body from the shots Doya delivered, the dreaded form of this clockwork agent remained mostly whole.
"Feeling left out I see." Pyro called out to the young assassin, flames restoring his body to its unmelested form.
"Great, what are you doing here?" Kurome said with a tisk.
"Now don't be like that!" Pyro smirked, extending his left hand towards Natala and Susanoo. "I've come to spend some quality time with you!" He launched a spew of fire, separating the two.
The humanoid turned his head toward the Clockwork member.
"Go on now. Help your master and her friends." Pyro said to Susanoo without so much as a glance. "I'll keep my dear sister and her corpse puppets busy."
The humanoid paused for a moment, glaring at the dark, spiky haired man before rushing off towards his master.
As Susanoo raced off, Pyro jumped over the balcony and landed on the ground kneeling. Quickly shooting back to his feet, Pyro smiled at Kurome before taking two steps towards the young girl.
"Why do you insist on calling me your sister?" Kurome asked, raising her sword with both hands into a striking pose.
"Why do- really?" Pyro raised an eyebrow. "Do you seriously not remember?"
"Honestly, I have no idea what you are talking about and its getting annoying that you keep insisting that we're related!" Kurome tighten her grip on her weapon ever so slightly to sell her point. "The only sibling I have is my big sis Akame! We have never seen you before in our lives!"
Pyro let out an overexaggerated sigh, placing a hand on his left cheek. "I know we only meet a few times when you were really young but this is getting old!" He said in an exhausted tone. "You and Akame both...seriously...You're gonna make your big brother cry."
"Go ahead and cry but that doesn't change the fact that you aren't our big brother!" Kurome aggressively stated once again.
The Clockwork agent shook his head, his fingers rubbing the scar upon his chin. "...How about a shared event to finally jog that memory? To prove that I am right in saying that the two of you are my sisters."
Kurome glanced to her left, the flame wall separating her and her puppets from the rest of Night Raid and Esdeath. As for her puppets, Doya had her guns trained on Pyro but dared not to fire yet as she recognized that her bullets had no effect.
Even though she was dead, some common sense remained.
Natala was staring at Kurome, slowly moving towards her as he kept Pyro in his field of view.
The young assassin let out her own sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. "Not that I have a choice."
Pyro let out a laugh. "Yeah well, humor me." He walked forward, Natala quicken his pace in response settling at Kurome's side before the powerful Clockwork agent stopped a few paces from the pair.
"This is a story when we were all very young, where you were still a bit of a crybaby and Akame had to watch over you like the good guardian angel she is."
"The three of us were playing at this small creek near our hometown. There was this one rock that all the kids liked to jump off of because it was deep enough to slid down part of the stream if you pulled it off right."
Pyro held his arms out as he continued his tale.
"I dared you to jump off that rock, despite Akame's protesting. It took a bit of convincing but you decided to jump to prove you were brave to the both of us. You jumped, and landed on your behind. Unfortunately, some prick threw a glass bottle into the creek. Right were you landed."
"You're upper leg got pretty bloodied from this one large shard in particular, and you balled you eyes out. Am I wrong?"
"Yeah I remember that. I even have the scar to prove it." Kurome answered, frowning.
"Ah ha!" Pyro held one hand up to his face in glee. "Then-"
"That's why I still don't believe you. In fact I'm positively sure you are full of it now." Kurome cut the man off. "There were four other kids there that day besides my sister and I. No way you were one of them."
"There where others?" Pyro tilted his head, crossing his arms. "You sure about that?"
"As positive as I am that you aren't my sibling."
Pyro let out another sigh. "Let's try this again then...How about the time Akame took you out to see those fireflies?"
Kurome's eyes widened a bit. "How do you know about that?"
"I. Was. There. Sis." Pyro smirked. "I remember how much your eyes lit up with joy as you danced around the forest. Akame had a hard time keeping up with you to make sure you didn't get lost."
"...What were you doing then?"
"Watching and laughing as I say you ran about Kurome."
"Really?" Kurome smirked as she came to a realization. "Then do you remember what happened next?"
"Of course!" Pyro placed his hands on his hips. "We..." The Clockwork agent frowned. 'Wait...' He mentally said. 'What did happen next? Why can't I...'
"Drawing a blank there?" Kurome teased. "Let me help you remember then. As I was dancing around, I slipped on some mud and fell. I was covered all over my back, cried, and as sis tried to pull me up I dragged her down with me. We both laughed once I saw Akame's mud covered face."
Pyro leaned his head back. "...Really? I don't...recall that happening." A slight pain echoed in his mind, shocking the grown man. His eyebrows twitched in surprise.
"You really had me going there for a minute." Kurome said, regaining the man's attention. "No one but the two of us knew about that night or so I thought." She smiled. "Seems like you or whomever planted those memories in you was shying on us like some shady pervert."
Pyro's eyes widened at the thought. Memories planted inside him? Couldn't be! Though he knew the Conqueror's Hand could do such a thing...
"No..." He answered, hushed at first but grew louder as his desperation grew. "No...No! YOU'RE WRONG!"
A silence fell between the two as Natala reflexively moved into a combat stance.
"Then go on." Kurome said after some time past. "Share another memory then. I'll prove to you that you're full of it."
"Fine!" Pyro said a tad too forcefully than he would've liked.
He glanced down, mind racing. Pain started to cry across his brain, he banished it as best he could as he tried so damn hard to find a memory that can prove once and for all that what he was talking about was true!
His mind was fuzzy, memories once clear were now blurring. There were few left clear enough to chose, and thus Pyro settled on the most important one.
"...Then...the last time the three of us were together." Pyro said in a low tone. He looked directly into Kurome's eyes.
"Father decided to have me stay with a foster family, though a foster family I was sold to so you all could eat for a few more days."
"I remember the two of you holding each other's hands as I was loaded up into a carriage. I peeked out the back window until you faded from my sight."
Kurome let out a sight, closing her eyes as she relaxed her arms a bit. "Not much of a clincher for a final argument." She reopened her eyes. "Though now I really know what's going on with you."
The young girl gave him a rare sad smile as she felt an urge of pity for this man whom so desperately tried to hold onto his claim of being her older brother.
"You poor dope. Looks like you were planted with false memories after all."
Pyro's heart sank after hearing these words. His hand fell upon the right side of his face.
"That can't-"
"It can." Kurome cut him off. "All of the memories you shared as proof were different that what really happened. Those times you said you were with us, all those experiences, all lies."
"You weren't there. Period."
"But...No...That's..." Pyro took a few steps back, turning towards his right side. His mind felt like it was breaking apart. He was loosing his sense of self, unraveling string by string.
"That last memory you shared though wasn't all lies however." Kurome stated. "Its thanks to that I know who you are now."
Pyro turned his head towards Kurome, the latter continuing before the forward could reply.
"Turns out you are related to us, or so you're mother said many years ago." Kurome smiled, rubbing salt into a growing wound. "Your mother; a prostitute, came to our home claiming that her child was his. She begged to let us take you in before she moved to a different town."
"Father wouldn't have any of it. Though he didn't exactly deny that he slept with her or that you might've been his child. I remember momma yelling at him for days on end." Kurome's eyes shifted to the side as she spoke that last part, but returned back to Pyro afterword. "We really did see each other the next few days during the various attempts your mother tried in vain to convince our father to take you in."
"You do look like us to a fault, I'll give you that."
"Turns out you are nothing but a bastard huh?"
Pyro's eyes widened at the word. Bastard.
Bastard. Bastard. Bastard.
This word solely echoed in his mind, quieting all others for as long as they lasted.
And once this word too quieted in his mind did everything truly break apart.
Pain screeched and echoed internally. It was like multiple shards of glass scratching up against a chalkboard while breaking windows with a sledgehammer to gain more glass to scratch upon the chalkboard.
Pyro's mind was all noise, fragmentation, and unbearable pain.
"WHAT THE FUCCCKKKKKKKK AAAAAHHHHHHH!" Pyro pulled at his hair. He backpedaled, half-stumbling as he raged in pain.
The colors of his eyes were highlighted in a blinking pinkish light: The very same light as seen in the eyes of those under the Conqueror's Hand mind control.
Memories shattered before his mind's eye. fragmented, discarded, and strangely reformed in a different manner.
Familiar memories played out in a new light. What was once considered true now revealed to be lies.
They all played so fast that he couldn't focus on each part.
All flew past in but a flash. A blur of light.
All but one.
My mother, crying upon the doorstep of some man's house. She pleaded with him, begging with all her might for him to take me in. I was confused and didn't understand why.
Mother kept insisting that I was this man's son. That I was the product of a single night so long ago. The man didn't deny this, but kept insisting that they could not take another mouth to feed.
As this played out, I saw two sets of eyes peaking through the gap at us. Two sisters, the same two I have seen countless times from afar as I ventured throughout the city.
To know that these two whom I have admired for so short a time where the daughters of the man whom maybe my father filled me with joy.
Thus I couldn't help but wish to be apart of this family.
In that moment, I thought to myself..."Wouldn't it be nice to have a pair of younger sisters?"
Pyro's eyes lit up like the spark of a raging fire. He tilted his head back, throwing his arms to his sides as he roared in pain and anger.
Flames raged out of his body for all angles, setting everything around ablaze.
"Oh...this isn't good." Kurome said, understating what she had wrought.
Doya quickly dashed away from the flames, Natala moved himself in front of his friend and master. Kurome cursed herself as she underestimated the repercussions of breaking whatever spell Pyro was under.
"Gotta find a way out before this whole place burns down." The young assassin stated, looking for a path to escape.
The upper balcony, least the part that Pyro and the merc Walker were on, were now covered in flames so that ruled that way out.
She could try jumping over the flames but that was no guarantee she'd get through unscathed. Besides, Night Raid was still on the other side. Kurome knew she couldn't afford to be a liability to Commander Esdeath.
So her eyes darted to behind Bolic's throne where the rat bastard disappeared.
"There has to be a hidden escape route or something that coward used." Kurome said to her two puppets. Doya and Natala moved accordingly and the three rushed behind the throne.
Doya searched the obvious places; behind the curtains and the walls. Natala checked to floors, probing with his feet and weapon.
Eventually, Natala found a hatch. He swung it open with his blade. "Good job Natala!" Kurome said before rushing down the path. "You and Doya can rest now. I'll call you when I need you again."
Natala managed to get a nod in before he and Doya disappeared as if they never existed.
The young Jagear ran down the vast network of tunnels Bolic had prepared. It took her a few minutes to find the hints place upon the walls to indicate which way the exit laid, but once she did is was smooth sailing.
The only time she stopped was when she discovered the electrocuted, blackened remains of the barely recognizable remains of High Priest Bolic.
"Damn...I guess they really did kill you huh?"
Several minutes before Pyro appeared...
"I shall kill General Esdeath." Raryu stated, his usually calm, deep voice straining with mild rage. He glared at the subject of his burning hatred now squaring off against the young Tatsumi.
Akame, standing behind the massive man simply stared into his muscular back.
Raryu tilted his head back. "We will allow you of Night Raid to withdraw safely, on that you have my word." He returned his focus forward. "Go now. Aid your friends. Withdraw to see your revolution begin on the morrow."
Akame held her ground, taking one last moment to go over all the option in her head. After, she simply nodded, turned around, then headed off.
Raryu, instead of jumping immediately off to engage the bane of his existence, waited. Tatsumi's growth as a warrior would benefit from this encounter with the Empire's strongest general. Even if it was for the first and last time.
Tatsumi couldn't help but feel dread. The overwhelming pressure he felt from General Esdeath, her blood lust and aura would send many running.
She had no openings, her stance was simple yet perfect. The young man was at a loss as to where and how he should attack.
This was what it meant to face the Empire's strongest.
Esdeath smiled at first, eager to fight a new opponent she had been wanting to fight for sometime. However, there was a bit of a issue she couldn't help but frown at.
A wave of uneasiness held her usual aggression back. It wasn't like the fear she felt before, but rather...
'Odd.' The fearsome Ice Witch though, placing a hand on her chin. 'I cannot attack him for some reason...no more like I don't want to attack him.'
Esdeath studied Incursio's form: A simple stance with his legs spread out, one arm held read at his side while the other was held out towards her.
'He has far too many openings for me to exploit. Strange...this is a first for me.' The fearsome Esdeath was quite puzzled at this. It truly was a day of firsts for her. 'Who is he?'
As she pondered the reason for her hesitation, Najenda started to stir. Slowly, she rose up to her knees, gathering her bearings. The leader of Najenda looked ahead, taking in the situation and cursed under her breath.
"Even if it was for a short amount of time, I allowed myself to get knocked out." She muttered. "How pathetic. I've grown too soft since I left the Imperial Army." Najenda focused on her old friend before her squaring off against her subordinate.
"I might have grown weaker, but that monster Esdeath is far stronger than I remember." Najenda held out one hand, searching for her Imperial Arms Susanoo. She found him still in a dead lock with the tenacious dead puppet Natala unable to break off and come to her assistance.
Najenda allowed herself a slight smile. "Always the caring one aren't you?" She said, focusing herself to unleash her trump card. "Since it's come to this, there's no point holding back huh?"
"Under normal circumstances, I would agree." A voice replied, followed by the sound of something landing with a loud thumb next to her. "However, given that we are here, it would be a wasteful effort."
Najenda turned her head towards the noise, caught completely by surprise. The large form of Raryu towered over like tree in a massive forest, glaring down at Night Raid's leader.
"Best to save that trump card for another time, or not to use it at all for it will prolong your life. Thus giving me ample time for the moment I decide to end it."
Raryu reached down, grabbed Najenda by her shoulder and partly threw her up to her feet. The two glared into each other's eyes for several long moments before the muscular man continued.
"Go, Leone will be taken care of. The rest of your subordinates will withdraw in time. We shall delay any pursuit." The massive man released his grip upon the woman and nudged his head.
Najenda held her gaze upon the tribesman. "You know we have standing order to assassinate you from the leaders of the Revolutionary Army. Yet you still choose to help us, why?"
Raryu held eye contact with Najenda for a few more moments. He turned away, focusing his intense glare on Esdeath. Raryu stepped forward, only answering the other object of his vengeance when she tried to reach out with her artificial arm.
"You wish to know why? Then go now. Start your revolution and witness the truth about those you've sworn your allegiance to."
Najenda raised her eyebrow, but before she could ask Raryu already left to fight the object of his revenge.
Just then Akame appeared by her side, whispering Najenda's name to gain her attention.
"I'll carry Leone out of here boss." Akame stated. "Can I ask you to lead the way? I'll deal with any trouble on the way."
Najenda let out a sigh. "No problem. We need to hurry and withdraw."
Akame nodded, then went over to pick up the mauled body of her friend. She scooped up the cut off limbs and parts placing them in underneath Leone's body as Akame pull her on her shoulder.
With a nod, Najenda lead the two out the frost covered, burst open doors General Esdeath destroyed during her dramatic entrance.
Tatsumi and Esdeath continued to stand against one another as both couldn't make the first move for very different reasons.
At this indecisiveness was what Raryu walk into, standing beside Tatsumi as the young man held his battle stance all this time.
Tatsumi, used to the tribesman's repetitive habit of sudden appearances, gave the man a slight nod but otherwise remained focused on the threat before him.
Normally the young man would say something, however he wanted to keep his identity secret from Esdeath for as long as possible.
Raryu caught on and said nothing to Tatsumi, or rather he was too focused on the object of his vengeance to care about anything else.
"We meet again." Esdeath acknowledged the tribesman and recalling their previous encounter. "Funny, I never expected I'd see you here."
"This will be the last time if fate allows!" Raryu harshly replied, anger washing over the muscular man and clearly shown from the veins popping up and pulsing violently. "I shall avenge my clan, even if its the last thing I do!"
The tribesman held his fists up to his face, much like a boxing stance. This was the first time he had ever made any sort of proper fighting stance, aside from when he wielded his spear.
The sight of such a thing surprised Tatsumi, as it really portrayed the serious nature of this standoff.
"Oh?" Esdeath smirked, turning her head slightly to the side. "Vengeance is it? Which clan would that be? I've crush quite a few so I am afraid I don't know which particular one you mean."
"It was a conquest that was the first and last collaboration work of yourself and Najenda. The subjugation of the Ban Tribe." Raryu's every word was filled with poison.
Esdeath mouthed an "ah", smiling at the found memories of that day. "That Ban Tribe, I remember then quite well! That would explain your seeming obsession! Your rage directed at me that you tried so carefully tried to hide when we first meet!"
She spoke in a lower tone as the fearsome general continued. "I see...I thought is was Night Raid, but the wounds left upon them make sense now...You were the one that killed my Three Beasts."
"Mostly." Raryu said with a rare show of pride. "Half of my targets slayed in a single day made all the years I've spent in shame, all the decisions I have made up till now worth my full effort!"
"Then I congratulate you on a job well done!" Esdeath stated with a smile, holding her hands out wide. "So come, claim your price! See if you can take the revenge you rightfully claim!"
And it was in that moment that Susanoo appeared behind the general. Esdeath spun around, quickly moving her sword to block the Tengu's opening strike.
"Not a bad sneak attack, I'll give you that." She said with a smile. "Too bad you can't hide your presence too well assassin."
Susanoo simply let out a tisk, realizing how strong this opponent truly is.
"STAND ASIDE HUMANOID!" Raryu roared, throwing himself forward. "THE ICE WITCH IS MINE!"
Raryu threw a volley of fists at the general, all of whom she dodged with ease. Susanoo backed off for most of the assault, waiting for the right moment to join in. Raryu's blows were filled with anger yet weren't wasteful. Each was carefully calculated, and aloud no room for any joint attack.
Clearly he wanted to keep Esdeath to himself.
As soon as the opportunity presented itself Susanoo threw in a wide swing with his Wolf Fang Mace at the center of Esdeath's person.
"Nice try." Esdeath stated jumping over the weapon and kicking the humanoid with a backwards kick. "Though your coordination is severely lacking."
"Who says we were acting in such a manner?!" Raryu shouted, smashing his first directly at Esdeath's face. The latter moved her fist up to catch the blow, forming several layers of ice to absorb the force behind it.
Raryu's fist smashed through all the ice Esdeath formed, however these did exactly as the general planned at took much of the kinetic energy out of the attack.
Esdeath caught Raryu's balled up fist as if she had causally been tossed a ball.
"So you defended yourself with several layers of ice." Raryu calmly, yet still with rage, stated.
"Indeed." Esdeath replied matter of fact. "I estimated how much of a buffer I'd need to put up to nullify the power in your fist. Seems I was correct."
"And now you are mine-"
Raryu punched Esdeath's arm that held his other hand, freeing it from her grasp but not in time to fully prevent what she intended to do.
Raryu backed away, half frozen arm dangling at his side.
Esdeath laughed. "Good instincts I suppose, but not quite fast enough."
As she finished, Susanoo once more tired to hit the general from behind. With a smirk, Esdeath turned her body and delivered a solid kick to the humanoid's chest. "And you never learn do you? Though I appreciate that tenacity."
Tatsumi decided to join in the fray at that time, launching himself with fists pulled back at the fearsome Ice Witch.
Esdeath righted herself and turned to face Tatsumi. She gave the one she'd been wanting to fight for sometime the grandest of wicked smirks.
The young man threw his opening fist, then followed with a hook, then a third punch. All of these attacks were easily dodged by Esdeath, whom maintained her smile all the while.
Susanoo managed to recover himself and join in on the attack. The two coordinated well, unleashing a series of punches, kicks, and other blows against the Empire's Strongest General. Even with the addition of one more fighter Esdeath avoided every attack with ease.
Esdeath ducked down from the last blow, pulled out her sword, and slashed multiple times into Susanoo's chest. As she did this, with her free hand Esdeath smashed her palm against Tatsumi's armored chin in an uppercut.
Both foes reeled back their receiving blows. Instead of taking advantage, Esdeath simply held her ground and smiled.
"How fortunate that I do not have to focus on guard duty." General Esdeath said with glee, arms opening wide. "I can enjoy this fight as much as I want!"
"Perhaps, but you do not have all the time to enjoy it." Raryu soundly replied. The Ice Witch focused her gaze upon the tribesman, head tilted with curiosity.
"What do you mean?"
A loud roar from behind provided the answer. Esdeath turned around to see the man she fought previously, the one called Pyro, setting everything around him ablaze.
He was screaming in pain, at what was anybody's guess. The Partas survivor let out a tisk. "So I can't play this fight out any longer huh?"
General Esdeath turned back around, pulling her hat down to cover her forehead. "Looks like I need to wrap this up." She muttered.
A massive ice spiked ball began to form behind her, growing larger and resembling a blown up puffer fish only more ice spikes.
"This attack is for the humanoid." The Ice Witch said glaring at the recovering Susanoo. "I'll pummel you down to your core, freeze it over, and hang you up as a trophy!"
She launched her hand out, the spike ball behind her exploded into many different individual ice shards all seeking towards their intended target.
Susanoo spun his weapon round as fast as he could, deflecting as many of the incoming projectiles as possible. Despite his best efforts there were shards that made their way through.
One the attack was done, the humanoid's left shoulder was mostly separated from his body, his right leg pierced below the knee, and his lower right waist was taken clean off. The organic Imperial Arms regeneration powers quickly went to work, but not fast enough in hopes of defending against the General's next move.
Esdeath smiled, impressed by the show of resistance. She place a finger upon her chin, wondering what particular more she'd want to try next when Raryu shouted out.
"PYRO YOU FAILURE OF AN AGENT!" Raryu shouted as loud as he could. "I KNOW NOT WHAT CAUSES YOU THIS SUFFERING, BUT TOUGH IT OUT! DOES YOUR PRIDE NOT ALLOW YOU TO SEE THROUGH THIS TORMENT THAT WARPS YOU AND PREFORM YOUR DUTY AT THIS CRUCIAL HOUR?!"
"Sh-shut the FUCK UP!" Pyro screamed, hands grasping at sides of his head. "All the voices! The screeching! ALL JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
"THEN MAKE IT HAPPEN WITH YOUR OWN HANDS?! OR ARE YOU TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO TRY AND STRIKE AT THE VERY THING THAT CAUSES YOU SUCH MUCH DISCOMFORT?!"
Raryu beat his chest with his free hand. "THEN DO SO NOW! STRIKE AT THE SOUND OF MY VOICE PYRO AND PROVE YOUR WORTH!"
"STOP TALKINGGGG! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
For a moment, one singular moment in all that pain and mind breaking madness, Pyro managed to focus his flames on a singular point and strike.
A massive flame wall launched out towards Raryu. Esdeath moved out of the line of fire moments before the wall raged past. The tribesman held his ground up until the last moment, than side stepped enough so that only his frozen arm was hit by the flames.
They did as the massive man intended, burning through Esdeath's ice. However it also burned his newly freed arm to a blacken mess.
Tatsumi's eyes widened at the site of this, almost spoke and broke his cover when the tribesman cried out.
"Now Night Raid! Flee while you can! I shall hold off this Ice Witch and enact my revenge!" Raryu shouted, gripping his blackened arm. With a yell and much effort, Raryu crushed the area where his burnt cells meet his live ones and cast aside the useless limb.
The tribesman extended his armless side out, yelling once more as something crawled under his skin towards the open wound.
What was crawling underneath emerged in the form of a massive snake roughly the size and length of his arm. It hissed, black scales and yellow eyes morphing into an familiar shape and form.
Raryu looked down moving and flexing his newly grown arm, breathing heavily as he went about this task.
"Well now..." General Esdeath said with a hint of pleasant surprise. "Regeneration? With a snake sprouting from your body to replace a lost limb? Yet you aren't an Imperial Arm...How fascinating."
"The powers I have gained far outweigh the suffering I have endured since the day your army all but wiped out my tribe." Raryu soundly replied, casting his new arm to his side.
"I swore to myself to slay all those responsible, no matter what the cost I had to pay!"
"Well spoken!" Esdeath smiled.
Raryu clenched his hand, throwing himself at the grand prize of his vengeance. He threw one fist forward, far sooner than one normally would as he was still several steps away from Esdeath.
A shockwave of force and fury raced forward, catching the Ice Witch by pleasant surprise. She aloud the shockwave to hit her, knocking her off her feet.
Raryu rushed in, throwing his other fist at Esdeath's head. Like before, she held out her hand to block the incoming attack, ice blocks forming layer after layer to act as a buffer. Only this time she added several more layers as her instincts told her too.
Each thick ice block broke through like this glass to the force behind the tribesman's fist. The last layer broke, Raryu's fist smacked into Esdeath's fist and threw it back. The tribesman bright up his left leg and kicked the general in her gut.
She drifted back a few feet, easily recovered, and face the tribesman with a smile. "Were you holding back before?" She ask, rolling the hand Raryu hit before several times.
"Who's the fool whom uses all the strength from the start against an opponent they wish to make suffer?"
Esdeath let out a laugh. "You wish to make me suffer? Well then, why don't you come try again?"
"Gladly." Raryu replied, throwing himself forward once more. Esdeath held her ground, keeping a mindful eye on her current foe while she checked on her other pray.
Najenda was nowhere to be seen, as was that lion-like woman with the incredible vitality. Incursio and the organic were heading out the same doorway Esdeath had frozen and busted open.
'I could continue playing with this one.' The Ice Witch thought, returning her full focus to the Ban tribesman before her. 'However that would mean I'd have to give up on those two from Night Raid. Normally I wouldn't mind letting them go so I can fight them another day, but that person in Incursio...something about him made me hesitate to attack.'
'It would be a shame to let him leave before I find out why.'
Thus, Esdeath decided that now was the time to use her newly created trump card.
"Everything freezes before me." General Esdeath spoke these words as she placed her hands around the red crest on her chest, closing her eyes. The crest glowed, resonating with the Danger Beast blood within her.
She crossed her arms in the shape of an X before saying the name of the technique she unleashed.
"Mahapadma."
As soon as she spoke these words, everything stood still. Friends, foes, the raging flames and everything else were frozen in place. Everything, aside from her.
"I have frozen space and time." Esdeath said aloud, fully knowing that no one would hear her.
"This is an ability I made with the sole purpose preventing Tatsumi from ever escaping me again, as well to ensure that I'd never be defeated by any opponent."
As she said that last bit, an image of the man -if one would call it that- whom was the source of the first time she felt fear popped into her mind, causing the general to break into a cold sweat.
Esdeath took in a deep breath, exhaled, and continued her explanation.
"Mahapadma is an ice hell in a certain religion I've heard of. It's unlike any of my other techniques, but it's name suits perfectly."
"However, it costs quite a bit of stamina to use so I can only activate it once per day." She pulled out her sword, pointing its tip toward the frozen form of Raryu. With smooth motion, Esdeath thrusted her sword into the macular man's chest.
"Not that it really matters."
She also thrusted her sword into Raryu's neck and forehead for good measure. One couldn't take half assed measures with such a strange healing factor that they know little about.
Time and space began to move once more as General Esdeath released Mahapadma. Raryu continued forward, eyes wide in surprise as this hole in his chest seemed to come out of nowhere.
"I wonder if a unique regenerative ability like yours can save your from mortal wounds such as this?" Esdeath asked, stepping aside and allowing Raryu to sail on by without incident.
He crashed, rolling on the ground before stopping in a hep upon the floor.
"I thought so." Esdeath said with a smug smirk, turning toward the fleeing members of Night Raid. "Unless you are an Imperial Arms, there's no way a living thing can survive strikes to the heart, throat, and brain."
"Then I find myself fortunate that I can no longer count myself among the living."
With eyes wide by the words of a voice that shouldn't be speaking, General Esdeath spun back around to see Raryu standing upright with his wounds healed.
Healed wasn't exactly the right word. It was like the blows Esdeath inflicted never happened in the first place!
"Oh?" Was all the general could say in this moment of surprise. "Your wounds are healed? What sort of ability is this?"
"This is the power of those who's lives you have tormented!" Raryu roared, pulling his arms up in a wide fighting stance. "This is the power of the countless souls whom have been slain by your hands! Those countless individuals whom you have snuffed out in your sick desire for endless battle and war!"
"I AM THE ANSWER TO ALL THOSE KILLED BY YOUR HANDS! THE ANSWER IN REPLY TO YOUR DEMONIC NATURE!" The tribesman yelled even louder. "AND UNTIL YOU FALL BY MY HANDS I SHALL NEVER CEASE IN MY GOAL OF TOTAL VENGANCE!"
Esdeath found this statement amusing. It was a first for her to hear such a speech in such form. Yes, Esdeath has heard all types of so called heroic speeches and even those honestly proclaiming their vengeance.
This man however, was the first to claim he was the answer to all those killed by her hands. To be a counter force of her might.
In honestly light, this survivor of the Ban Tribe had some ability to back that claim up.
"If that is true, you should be my greatest opponent yet." Esdeath replied with glee. She pulled out her rapier, aiming its tip towards Raryu. "Don't disappoint my expectations now."
"You sadist. Enjoy this battle then, for it will be your last!" Raryu dashed forward, even faster than his already fast for a buff man speed seen thus far!
General Esdeath sidestepped the tribesman's opening right hook and dug her sword into the left side of Raryu's neck. The latter let out a rough huff, grabbing the general's rapier with his left hand and with the clench of his fist shattered the blade into three pieces.
The Ice Witch jumped back, looking at her broken sword with a frown. "That was my favorite sword..." She stated, shrugging with a sigh as she threw the remains aside.
"The first of many things you own that I shall break." Raryu stated matter of fact like, pulling the piece of steel still imbedded in his neck and casting it aside.
Just as before, the wound healed up in practically no time.
Now seeing it with her eyes, its was like the man was never hurt in the first place. General Esdeath couldn't help but find herself greatly interested in her foe.
Night Raid would be aloud to escape this time. After all, they were destined to meet again during the final battle if not earlier.
Right now was the greater fight, with a far more interesting foe.
The fire raging thanks to the tormented Pyro continued to grow as the man flailed about. About half of Bolic's audience chamber was now ablaze, the fire starting to spread to other parts of the palace.
Right now it mattered little to either Raryu or Esdeath.
What is a raging fire next to the burning desire of vengeance?
"Bold words, but are you strong enough to keep your word?" Esdeath put her hand under her chin, smiling as she wanted to goat her opponent further.
Raryu let out an amused huff. "You say that as if I haven't already."
"You've proven yourself a worthy opponent." Esdeath lowered her head a tad as she spoke. "You haven't proven that you are the stronger one."
"Then allow me to correct that false assumption!"
Raryu threw himself forward again, aiming to punch in Esdeath's face. The latter threw up a clear, massive ice wall once the tribesman closed in.
Raryu's right fist made contact with the ice wall, massive cracks raced out from the point of impact stretching all over the "front" facing side. He pulled back his left fist, throwing it forward as he pulled his right hand back and smashed it into the same area as his other blow.
This attack made the cracks twice as big, edges of the ice came off as crunching sounds came out loud and clear. A third blow cracked the entire block of ice in half.
Raryu ran across the stable half, three steps and a jump, aiming at Esdeath's face once again.
General Esdeath held her hands out, two massive ice balls formed on her left and right. These attack rushed out towards the tribesman as the Ice Witch took a backstep.
Raryu smashed each of these balls in turn, breaking off bits of them as her blows diverted their course and made them crash into the ground.
This act however slowed him down. The Ban tribe survivor landed on his two feet, rushing toward Esdeath without missing a beat.
The general snapped her fingers, sending various ice shards towards the macular man as she rushed forward to meet him in kind.
Raryu didn't bother to defend against these projectiles. All either broke again the impact on his skin or imbedded themselves in.
Esdeath turned and kicked Raryu in the head, the latter pushed the leg away with his arm and threw his free hand forward.
Despite being off balance, Esdeath redirected the blow before bringing her leg down. She threw her open fist and stabbed at Raryu's muscular neck, specifically his Adam's Apple.
The large man coughed, but otherwise showed the attack had little effect. Raryu tried to grab the hand that struck him but Esdeath managed to slip away and strike another high kick to the side of Raryu's face.
"You are truly resilient aren't you?!" Esdeath roared in amusement a moment before the blow hit.
"As I stated before!" Raryu threw his arms wide, aiming to grab the object of his vengeance. Esdeath easily evaded the attempt, summoning more ice shards to impale the massive man.
Like before, these shards either shattered or stuck themselves into Rayru's skin. Like before, they did little to stop the unrelenting rage of this man consumed by revenge.
"I shall not stop until all those responsible for the destruction of my tribe meet a similar fate!"
"Noted." Esdeath smirked. She held out her hand, a massive ice meteor appeared above her. With the flick of a finger, this massive piece of ice slowly drifted towards the tribesman.
Raryu held his ground, spreading his feet out as he assumed a martial artist-like fighting stance. He focused on the ice meteor with unblinking eyes, standing completely still as it approached till it was just within arm reach.
With all he had, Raryu threw his fist forward. The sheer force behind this massive blow shocked even the mighty Esdeath as the entire ice meteor broke up into millions of small ice balls and shards.
'Is he...getting stronger as he fights?' Esdeath thought quickly recovering from her shock. She threw up another ice wall both to confirm this and to buy some time for her next idea.
Raryu threw himself forward, punching through the thick was with two blows this time.
Esdeath placed her hand on the ground, a freezing ice rush raced towards her opponents with various ice spikes popping out like a spear wall.
Raryu tackled the oncoming attack head on. He held his hands out, weathering the rush of frozen death even after and holding his ground even as massive ice shards pieced his body.
Ice froze around the tribesman's body, keeping him in place. Raryu tried to move but his body couldn't respond just right.
Esdeath summoned more ice around Raryu to secure him in place, slowly walking towards him. "Even recklessness as tenacious as yours will get you so far."
Ice crunched beneath with every step forward on this mostly flat and straight path.
The fearsome general came to a halt well within arms length, smiling at her foe. Esdeath extended her hand out, a moment after ice started to encase them from just below her elbows stretching down to her fingertips and a few inches further.
She held up her sharp, ice sword hands for Raryu to see them clearly. "Seeing as you destroyed my sword, I needed to improvise my own blade to cut you into pieces with."
"You think cutting me up will kill me?" The Ban Tribesman asked with a surprisingly calm tone.
Esdeath chuckled as she replied in turn.
"Are you suggesting it won't? You're starting to make me believe you really can't die. Besides, we won't exactly know for sure until we try."
With those words, Esdeath moved into action. She stabbed both her ice sword arms into Raryu's upper chest. She brought her arms down, connecting in a V as she cut into Raryu's stomach. Esdeath turned her hands and pull her hands clean through the left and right.
This happened all in the span of a second.
Esdeath started to slice her way through Raryu's chest layer by layer, cutting through the muscular man with relative ease. She moved onto her arms and legs, cutting vertical, horizontal, or both in any number of elegant motions.
Esdeath saved the neck up for last, dicing up each part into the smallest pieces she could cut.
When she was done, whatever remained of Raryu would be comparable to single strings of spaghettis or barely bite sized snacks amongst the cut clean shards of ice.
The Ice Witch banged the two ice swords together, freeing her arms as they shattered with ease leaving little refuse let. She wiped off what little ice remained on her as she surveyed her work.
"A bit short of my expectations to be sure, but that was very entertaining." Esdeath said with an earnest smile. "You were a very interesting opponent, survivor of the Ban Tribe."
A cry of pain drew the general's attention. Pyro had his head tucked in his arms, thrashing about this way and that. He wasn't throwing fire anymore, mostly anyway, but it didn't really matter.
The existing fire had spread too far without anything to keep it in check. Windows had burst open, the walls were pulsing angry with flames. It was only a matter of time before this building is burnt to the ground.
Of course, Esdeath could probably freeze it all and end the problem. With Bolic dead, or at least assumed dead, there wasn't much point in saving his palace is there?
"I suppose I should clean up." Esdeath let out a disappointing sigh. For an opponent that could match her to be degraded to this sorry state...
Esdeath took a few, slow steps towards Pyro. She tipped her head low over the front of her head with her index and thumb.
"Utterly disappointing."
"We are not done yet, Ice Witch" A voice both deep and primordial spoke out from behind.
"Try as you might, whatever means of punishment you inflict upon this vessel will proof fruitless. For it is impossible to kill someone whom is already dead."
General Esdeath spun around, eyes wide at the sight she witnessed before her.
Snakes.
Hundreds if not thousands of snakes all piled up in a moving ball pile growing larger and thinner by the minute.
On top of this pile, slowly regaining his form, was the upper half of Raryu glaring down at her.
The snakes were slithering into him from below, each one seemingly causing his body to slowly regain his original form.
"This is...unexpected." Esdeath managed to say aloud. In all her years as an Imperial General -nay, in all her years alive she had never seen anything like what was going on before her now!
"I have stated numerous times, that I will never stop, never rest, until those responsible for the fall of the Ban tribe all meet a similar fate." The half formed Raryu replied, his voice drifting between his normal deep tone and the even deeper, primordial voice from before.
"So you truly are an avenger." Esdeath stated, regaining some of her composure. "A ghost come back from the dead to haunt me! Ha, this is really a first time experience!"
"It is more accurate to say, I have made a deal with the devil." The tribesman soundly replied. "I have come back from the land of the dead to avenge my fallen brothers and sisters."
"I must say, this is an unexpected -or should I say once in a...dozen lifetimes?- experience! To think that someone would come back from the dead to fight me!" Esdeath stated, finding the concept of old foes coming back to fight her once more delightful.
"If I knew such a method was possible- no if I knew how to preform such a feat, I could fight my more enjoyable opponents as many times as I wish!" The sadist let out a laugh. "Perhaps I can...entice you into sharing how you revived from the dead?"
Raryu simply stared at his foe in disbelief and disgust.
This bane of his existence, the main focus of his vengeance and chief architect of his peoples' destruction thought process was something he would never understand. Never choose to understand, and if all possible ride the world of this very "logic"!
In his loathing, the tribesman thought of something he should've brought up earlier. He knew that when they ran into each other the day before Esdeath didn't recall when they first met but now...after everything was said and done...
"You don't remember me, do you?"
Esdeath's smile dropped as she looked into the eyes of the reforming man. She placed a hand on her chin, studying Raryu for a full four seconds before replying.
"Aside from that familiar feeling, I cannot say I recall you before recent events."
Raryu closed his eyes. "No doubt you have forgotten the majority of those you have killed. It's little surprise you don't remember me."
As he said this, the tribesman's body was mostly completely regenerated. All that was left was half his legs.
"I only remember those foes that left an impression on me." Esdeath casually replied. "Since I can't remember you, I guess you simply weren't that impressive."
Raryu let out a single laugh. "Indeed...I did fall in a most simple way. A second effort by your hands...however I spoke my heart out and you listened before putting me to the sword."
The last snake disappeared into the Ban Tribesman's body, the last piece missing falling back into place completing his resurrection.
Raryu took his first few steps with his newly formed legs, moving closer to his hated enemy.
"Perhaps...if I repeat them now. You will remember." He spoke as he moved, all traces of that other voice fading to where ever it came.
Without waiting for a reply, Raryu continued.
"I stood in your path among the last of my tribe after you and your forces cut a bloody path right through our village. I, naïve and with spear in hand, found you amongst the carnage and death. I said to you, the architect of my people's suffering, these choice words."
Raryu stopped within 6 feet or so of Esdeath, pausing a moment before saying the very same words he said to her many years ago.
"Fiendish lap dog of the Empire! Architect of my people's suffering! Know these words and etch them into your very heart! Ice Witch, I fight knowing that I will die. I fight because it is my duty!"
"And before I meet that destiny, let me share with you what I see of yours!"
"You are a slave to your violent urges! You will kill, pillage, and destroy throughout this world until you find yourself against a foe that you can never crush, never kill, or bend. Then, in that very moment, you will finally share in the feelings of all those whom you've killed today!"
"You will know what it means to fight one that no matter what you do, what trick you device or any such tactic or strategy you conduct, you will lose!"
Esdeath listened with all patience, humoring her foes as she usually does. It was both funny and a means to arm herself with phycological warfare. If she could pick apart her opponent's resolve, it made for another set of options for her to ensure the strong devoured the weak as it was always meant to be.
This time, these words did stir some old memories within the back of her mind. The Ice Witch definitely heard these words before...but from who she still couldn't quite picture-
Suddenly an image snapped to the front of her mind of a young, and quite pathetic looking tribesmen. His skinny arms barely able to hold a spear, his skeleton like frame gave the impression that he had one foot in the grave.
Yet despite his pathetic and quite sad state of being, he had enough strength of will to defy those whom he knew would kill him rather then just roll over and die.
There was a modicum of respect in such an act that even Esdeath could admit to, despite such an act being utterly foolish.
"You're that boy whom looked like he had some horrible disease." Esdeath stated her sudden revelation. "My men were too afraid to go near you, so I had to put you down myself. Honestly, it looked like I did you a favor."
Raryu aloud himself a slight smile. Yes, at the time his body had deteriorated thanks to a genetic illness the Ban Tribe thought they had purged from their bloodline.
They decided not to kill him as a reminder to all within the tribe and banned him from mating. Given the suffering he had gone through at the time, Raryu agreed with this as he didn't wish anyone else to go through the same pain as he lived with.
Raryu's strength of will however, prolonged his life by triple the length as all other recorded lifespans of those that contracted this bodily disease before and served as an example of the Ban Tribe's determination.
Thus, it was little wonder why he too stood along side his fellow tribesmen and fight against the Empire on that faithful day...
Instead of confirming or denying Esdeath's memory about who he once was, instead of saying how his current form would've been his if he never was cursed with bad genetics, Raryu finished the last few words his past self spoke to Esdeath before he found himself cut down by her "mercy".
"And when that day comes, -the day you find yourself set against such a foe- you will remember the words I spoke here today...and you will know DESPAIR!"
The same primordial voice from earlier roared aloud with that last word.
Raryu threw his hands forward, from his elbows down morphed into the dark and dark purple forms of numerous snakes. Endlessly hissing as they rushed out towards Esdeath.
The general quickly threw up a wide block of ice, but the snakes swerved around or over them with ease. This horde pilled themselves upon Esdeath, however unlike in a similar event the other day these snakes didn't bite their target only smothered her.
General Esdeath found herself crushed under the weight of an ever growing horde of snakes that smothered her head to toe.
She struggled, cursed, and even managed to spring up ice from the ground to strike at the horde, and yet no matter what she did Esdeath just couldn't stop them.
The snakes continued to pile on, suffocating the Ice Witch and pinning her limbs one by one. It wasn't long before Esdeath simply couldn't move and found herself with limited air to breath.
"Even the mightiest of foes fall helpless should one steal their breath." Raryu stated as he watched the target of his vengeance disappear beneath the snakes of Serpentine. "Defeating you with this goal in mind is far more manageable than trying to overpower an ever growing monster such as yourself."
Esdeath didn't speak her reply, she knew better then to waste breath in a situation like this. Her arms and legs were immobile. She could still call upon her powers but they didn't work as well as she'd hoped.
These weren't ordinary snakes after all.
Esdeath's mind raced to formulate a plan.
She could create a layer of ice beneath herself, lifting her up in with enough speed to get some of the snakes tumbling toward the ground.
The problem with that however is the nature of the gamble. Sure she would get some of these snakes crushing her off but there is no guaranty it'll be enough to get some oxygen or to free her libs.
She could always try crashing them all against the ceiling, but that could just accelerate the problem she found herself in. Besides, these were clearly no ordinary snakes. Esdeath had no way of knowing if crushing them was an feasible option.
Then there's the growing problem of constantly added snakes which would slow down both attempts significantly.
She could launch an all out attack around her arms and legs to push off the snakes pinning them down, freeing those if for a moment to carry out another step. it would have to be carried out almost simultaneously, and relied on Esdeath regaining her breath as soon as possible.
But would she be able to generate enough power behind a simple attack to break through the almost bone crushing forces of these ever pilling snakes?
Another option was to wrap herself in ice "armor" like she tried long ago when Fuyu was her partner and fellow general.
The problem with that plan is that her cells would freeze and die if kept in such a form for too long. The most she can do within manageable levels is to freeze certain limbs to use as temporary weapons like she had done earlier.
And it would help if she had more air before doing such a move, so that was cast aside.
The only option she knew would work is the one she couldn't use: Mahapadma.
If she could freeze time itself, Esdeath knew she'd have time to do any number of things to free herself.
Too bad its a trump card that can only be used once a day. Besides, it did require her hands to activate anyway.
With few options and the time running out to contemplate them, Esdeath let out as slight a sigh as possible to save what little breath remains.
This was a boring way to die.
Completely unsatisfying.
A way she never imagined it to happen.
But that's the way of the world.
The weak perish at the hands of the strong.
'At least I won't give him the satisfaction of giving into despair.'
Esdeath thought, closing her eyes with a smile.
Though there was absolutely no possible way she could know this, Raryu was aware of everything Esdeath was doing. Through the snakes of Serpentine, the undead tribesman received information like a relay.
"So you accept your fate?" Raryu asked, not expecting a reply. It was...disappointing. He hoped to see this witch writhe in agony before her death.
No matter. The prime target of his revenge will be slain by his hands.
And then all that remains is the one he can allow to live a bit longer...
The vast hive of snakes moved faster, pressed deeper upon their target to smoother her that much sooner. Their hissing increased to an all time high as their mirrored the joy of finally killing one that caused so much suffering.
That turned into a costly mistake.
Raryu turned his head as he caught something in the corner of his eye: Pyro, face portrayed in pain and rage as he emerged from the raging flames that have engulfed much of the palace at this point.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP WITH THAT NOISE!" He screamed, throwing both arms towards the pit of snakes.
A massive wave of fire shot out towards the horde, setting many a blaze and others to ash upon contact. They screamed in pain as they began to reverse back towards Raryu.
The tribesman winced in pain, letting out a single cry of aggravation.
Esdeath didn't even hesitate at this unexpected, golden opportunity.
She waited until the pressure on her right arm was lessened, then launched a ice block nearly point blank to push the remaining snakes off her right side and into the fire that blazed above.
With her right side completely free, it was easy to free herself of the rest.
Once this was done, Esdeath rolled to her feet and dashed to gain some distance from the raging fire that consumed many of the snakes that once covered her.
General Esdeath took a moment to take in the situation before her: Pyro unleashing a fury of fire against the serpents that once threatened to suffocate her. The surviving serpents retreated to their host Raryu with all swiftness.
It was a sight ideal for her to take both of them out...if they were normal opponents.
One proved unable to die, and the other proved nearly impossible to injure.
If she hadn't used her trump card, she would test those odds with the latter case.
Honestly, Esdeath knew she didn't have the stamina to fight both these difficult foes and win. Thus, Esdeath with a tang of disappointment, wisely choose to retreat.
Besides, there was a good chance these two would take themselves out. No need to risk her life unnecessarily.
There were greater conflicts to fight after all, ones she look forward to with great anticipation.
The general left soon before Pyro stopped his fire. The man grabbed his head in pain, screaming for the noise to stop.
Raryu recovered the last of the snakes that he could, hands reforming to their original form.
Anger shook through his entire body.
His vengeance, stolen right from under him!
Years culminating in a single moment wasted by one man going through a mental breakdown thanks to the shattering of an illusion designed to keep him from despair at the loss of the only family he ever known!
The same rage he let loose upon the architect of his peoples' downfall,
The same fury that enabled him to be reborn as the user of Serpentine,
All gathered in his stomach,
And unleashed it all upon his ally.
"PYROOOOO!" The old, ancient voice of Serpentine roared out of Raryu's mouth.
He ran towards Pyro at full speed. The tribesman knew that he probably couldn't harm the man thanks to his Imperial Arms, but it mattered little for the point.
His revenge was spoiled, and in must be answered in kind.
Pyro turned towards the raged filled man, lowering his hands from his head.
Fireballs formed in both palms and with the flick of his wrists where thrown towards Raryu.
The following dawn...
Esdeath gaze on at the burned remains of former High Priest Bolic's Palace. Former, as Kurome confirmed that Clockwork's claim of the Prime Minister's mole death to be true.
Death by high voltage. A fitting way to go for a rat.
Members of the Path of Peace scurried about looking for any remains of those trapped within the flames. This process was overseen by Lord's bodyguard Rook.
The leader of this religious sect took to the public in the city square, delivering a service morning the loss of those whom died that night.
The fearsome Ice Witch ordered her Jagears to withdraw back to the Capital ahead of her. Seryu was distraught by the loss Drake. A loss that didn't affect the group's battle strength too much by itself, but the moral took more of a toll then she predicted.
Actually, its more accurate to say she didn't notice how important the man really was. Mostly because she couldn't care less about him.
So...this is what it means to lose someone you love...
Esdeath would be sure to make note of that.
Aside from that note, Esdeath wanted to take in the sight of her loss. A rare occurrence upon her amazingly impressive track record.
"A failure huh?" She stated, biting her thumb nail. "How disappointing."
Here in Kyoroch, the unofficial Imperial Capital of the East, Esdeath had learned many lessons. Lessons that will make her stronger.
And become more like the monster that presented to her the first taste of what many call fear.
The Imperial Capital, several days later...
In a secluded room inside the Imperial Palace, several hooded of various shapes and sizes gathered around the son of Prime Minister Honest.
These figures where not dressed like members of the Sons of Nors like those he had been affiliated with. Rather these various individuals were guests invited by Syrua on his journey to the island nations in the East.
Each powerful and unique in their own way, each caught the interest of this twisted among twisted men.
Raven wasn't in attendance, he was delayed another day or two on his way back from Kyoroch after finishing personal business.
"I welcome each and everyone of you here, to my Capital!" Syura said, legs crossed as he sat upon the thrown modeled after the Emperor's own seat of power.
"The Entire Empire is our playground, each citizen a toy for us to indulge ourselves in. I look forward to our future playtime together."
And with an egotistical smile, Syura finished of with these choice words.
"Now then, lets have some fun."
And thus ends another entry of Akame Ga Kill Clockwork!
Man this ended up longer than I thought it would be.
But how about that huh? End of the Unrest in the East (Kyoroch) arc and a teaser for the last major arc before the end game with the 1st gathering of the infamous group Wild Hunt!
Yes this was a big event in the Akame Ga Kill Manga, and honestly one of my favorites just because of how the group added a whole new dark layer to an already dark series.
Yeah we gonna have fun with Wild Hunt, and the additional members that'll be thrown into the mix.
We've added move members to all the other factions so far, why not add more to Wild Hunt?
That said, Wild Hunt is going to be one of the two major focuses of this next arc. What the other focus is? Well I've dropped hints before haha.
Back to this entry, we finally get more on Raryu's secret of undead immortality and his past interaction with General Esdeath.
Funny how death can change a man.
Also Pyro's "brainwashing" has come undone, causing the man great mental trauma while revealing the truth behind his memories.
What will happen with this these two after their cliffhanger encounter? You'll find out soon enough :)
And with the end of this chapter marks a temporary hold on this story. One of my other works is moving into a new, grand phase and will require much of my limited time for the foreseeable future.
That said, Akame Ga Kill Clockwork WILL CONTINUE until its completion, or if I die before reaching that goal.
It's only a matter of time I assure you all, so be patient and wait for good things to come.
Thank you all for reading up to this point and look forward to the start of the new arc!
