Another chapter that grew way bigger than expected.

Between the depths and the stars.

Leone and Isamu could smell the smoke long before they could see the city. They had been traveling towards Garu for almost three days. Originally they had hoped to already be in Garu by now but their planned route to the city had been blocked by the huge force that Esdese had brought with her. So they had been forced to slowly follow the army as it marched down the path they had originally planned. Staying a day's march behind the imperial force. Avoiding any contact with the military.

It was already dark when they crossed the final hill towards the city. The sight that met them was everything that they had feared.

The entire area that around the city was filled with small lights. Coming from the many torches and fires that the army that encircled the city had. The city was completly surrounded by imperial forces. Staying a couple of hundred meters from the city's wall. And where the sea started, the navy took over. There were about fifteen ships laying at rest outside of the port. Firing at smaller ships that were moving out from the port.

The city itself was burning. So much smoke rose up into the black night that it was hard to see certain parts of Garu. They could see how Esdese's big flying creature flew around the city. Flying down and knocking some of the taller buidings every now and then.

Isamu drew a sharp breath at the sight. "Gods be damned."

Leone looked down at the scene with a dark expression. They stood like that for a little while before she spoke. "Let's go."

"You can't be serious." Isamu said and gave her a suprised look.

"Did that sound like a joke?"

"Going into that city is a suicide mission right now." he said in a serious tone.

"Probably." Leone admitted.

"You know that this is most likely a trap to destroy night raid?"

"It seems like that."

"And you still want to go down there?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure that you are't insane?"

Leone shrugged with a smile. "Our friends are down there. We take care of each other. Even when the situation grows dire."

Isamu couldn't help but smile. "For being a group of murderes, you sure seem soft at times."

"Having regrets?" Leone said with a teasing smile. "Is your courage already leaving you?"

"Fine." Isamu sighed. "But how will we get into the city? I hope you don't suggest that we try to fight our way through the forces outside it."

"I guess we will have to improvise." she said and looked down at the city.

Isamu shook his head. "I guess that I am insane as well for following you into this."

"Let's go." Leone said again and started to run down towards the city. Isamu following closely behind her.

Akame ran through the smoke and fire. The city was burning all around her as she moved towards the other agents of the revolutionary army. Screams and panick could be heard everywhere around her. She was still wearing pieces of her disguise. Her face was still covered up but that didn't make much diffrence right now. Everyone around her were running for their lives. No one paid any attention to her.

She leaped in through an already broken window as she felt how the giant flying creature passed over the street. Roaring as it did. She did not want to attract Esdese's attention yet. She rushed through the house. Towards it's other side. She passed through an open door and were once again out in the streets. The woman that had been living in the house was lying on the street outside of it. A part of the wall had fallen down and crushed her. A small child was pulling at her arm, trying to get her out from the stones. Probably her child. Not willing to accept the obvious fact that she was dead.

Akame rushed down the street towards the hideout. She passed some members of the city watch that were fighting against the soldiers from the army. Hopelessly outnumbered. It seemed like Esdese's forces were indiscriminate in their slaughtering. Her decision to destroy the city extending to it's police force as well.

Akame didn't have time to engage in a fight until she knew what Najenda's plan was, though. Or if she even had one. But she couldn't risk revealing herself until she knew.

She ran past a coulpe of burning houses. People running out from them in panick. Some of them on fire themselves. She darted past the last corner and then she was in the alleyway that she had been running towards. She felt relief when she saw that the old storage building was not on fire yet. She ran towards it.

She met the people she was searching for in the doorway. Najenda, followed closely by a couple of other agents. Moving out from the hideout.

Najenda's eyes widened slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I don't think anybody followed me here either." Akame said. Her breath slightly labored from all the running.

Najenda nodded. Her expression serious. "Good. I was afraid that you had already engaged with the enemy."

"What is the plan?"

"Our first priority is to help the civilians escape. If they can get out, then we can hide amongst them and get away as well."

Akame nodded.

"Most people are fleeing down towards the dock but I have been told that the port is a death trap. All the gates out of the city are sealed off by Esdese's forces but that is not the big problem. We can probably destroy one of those blockades easily and then hide before Esdese arrives."

"So what is the problem then?"

"The pillager is surrounding Garu with his forces. Even if people escape the city they will not escape them. We need to start some chaos in those forces if people are to escape."

Akame understood where this was going. "I will go and kill the pillager. That should disrupt their order."

Najenda shook her head. "No. You will not."

"I have a grudge to settle with that man." Akame argued. "He killed my subordinates."

"Sorry Akame, you will have settle that score in another life." Najenda said calmly. "Because there is one more teigu user that will destroy any chance we have of escaping. And I am not strong enough to survive a encounter with Esdese."

That took Akame back a bit. "You want me to go and meet Esdese?"

Najenda simply nodded.

"I thought that we had agreed that it was unwise to fight against Esdese as we are now? If you think that we can take her down then that is what we should focus on. If she falls then the entire military will be thrown into chaos."

"I don't like our chances against Esdese. So we will not try to kill her. Our focus is still on letting the civilians escape. But we need to ground her. We have to kill her steed. And that is what you will do."

Akame stood silent for some moments. Then she nodded. "Understood. Kill the flying beast and then escape. What will you be doing?"

"I think it is time that we ask our friend in the depths for a favour." Najenda said and smiled for the first time since they had met in the doorway. "I will call upon it's help to destroy the forces outside of the city."

"Will it answer our call?"

"I hope so." Najenda said. "And if it comes, then I need to be there. It is likely that the pillager himself will come out to fight, if our friend answers the call. That might give us an opportunity to bring him down."

"Will you be able to kill Makeias?" Akame wondered.

"I might. Depends on the situation. Either way, as long as the general is occupied, the people of the city will have a better chance to escape."

Akame nodded again. "I will need some people with me."

"Yeah I figured as much. I have brought some of your trainees." She said and gestured to those behind her. "One more thing, Akame."

"Hmm?"

Najenda reached into one of her pockets and took forth a letter. Sha handed it over to Akame. "These are your orders for after the battle. Only read them after you have escaped Esdese."

Akame took the letter from Najenda. "Good luck."

"Dont die today, Akame." she said somberly.

Akame nodded. "Same goes for you."

Najenda only smiled in response.

Tatsumi watched over the burning city from the the high hill that Makeias's main camp was placed on. The general standing beside him. Eating from a piece of bread. They could hear the firing of the guns down in the port but they could not hear any screams or any sound of battle from where they were standing. Neither could they see it. Because of the high wall rising around the city. Not a single person had escaped through the gates yet. It seemed like Esdese's blockades were doing most of Makeias's job for him.

"I always thought that handling a giant massacre such as this would be a bit more... gruesome." Tatsumi said.

"Scary, isn't it?." Makeias said as he chewed. "If you don't engage in it out of your own interest, like Esdese, a general can order the death of thousands of people and never have to hear a sound of it. That's the horrifying part."

"Conscience not withstanding." Tatsumi said emptly.

"If you have risen to the rank of general, then your hands are already pretty bloody." Makeias said and took another bite of his bread. "If you look at the essence of it, a soldier is a murderer. You may wrap as many fine intentions and righteous causes around that task as you can but in the end you are a tool for fighting. And only children thinks that real fighting doesn't mean death."

Tatsumi gave the general a cold look. "In that case, I guess you aren't that diffrent from the enemies you have pledged yourself to fight."

"Oh no, not at all." Makeias said, unperturbed. "We are all humans after all. There are only a few of us that actually enjoy misery in and of itself." he said and looked up at the beast that flew over the city.

Tom-Tom came walking up to their side. Followed by a couple of his fellow tribesmen. Makeias turned his head to him. "Anything new?"

Tom-Tom shook his head. "Everything seems to be proceeding as planned."

"Goody." Makeias said bitterly.

It looked like Tom-Tom was about to say something but halted himself as a new and unfamiliar sound emerged from the city.

A single solitude horn could be heard blowing. Even out to where they were standing. It's tone high and loud. Almost sounding beautiful. It seemed to be coming from somewhere near the city's port.

"That is the first horn I have heard tonight." Tatsumi commented.

"Probably the city watch trying to regroup." Makeias said. "I don't think that they will be spared from the slaughter so I guess they are trying to put up some resistance. As futile as that may-"

Makeias halted himself suddenly as Tom-Tom and all his guards stopped with what they were doing simultaneously. In unison they all turned their heads out towards the sea.

Makeias looked around and turned to Tom-Tom. "What is it?" he asked. Not having the same perceptive skill that all his guards did.

"Something is coming." Tom-Tom said silently. "From the depths."

"What is?" Makeias asked and looked out at the waves.

Then the answer to the horn came.

Even if it's tone was mellow and calm, it was strong enough to make Tatsumi feel like the bones in his body were shaking. It sounded like the callings of a whale. High pitched but still not shrill. It's volume so strong that Tatsumi could feel it in his body.

And then they could see how it started to emerge.

It began as a wave out in the sea. Barely visible in the pitch black waters. But as it got closer to the city, the wave grew bigger and bigger. And after a while, a big bulk of the creature's back started to emerge from the water. Rising higher and higher.

When it passed the imperial frigates is was so big and and high that it made one of the huge ships topple over as it passed them. Causing two others to be pushed to the side. One of them colliding into a third ship as it did.

The gargantuan creature rose up from the water just ouside of the wall. On their side of the city. Making giant waves drown out the entire shoreline, to then quickly stream back into the ocean as the creature left it. A kilometer from where Tatsumi and Makeias were standing. Fully rising up on the ground with two giant steps. It was the largest animal that any of them had ever seen.

It's head and body looked like that of giant whale. It's head not seperated from the body by a neck and the body itself ending in a giant tail that were dragged on the ground behind it as it walked. The end of the tail was an enormous fin. A bit wider than the body itself. The body had three diffrent sets of giant limbs on it's sides. The lowest set looked like the legs and feet of an elephant. Just a hundred times larger. The middle ones looked more like arms. With elbows and ending in three claw like fingers on each hand. They were holding what looked like a huge metal beam. Thick and large. The final set of limbs on the creature was the biggest ones. Two thick arms that ended in giant crab-like claws. So big that the creature walked with them in the ground as it moved. Just like a gorilla would.

The creature was hunched forward as it rose from the sea. Like a dinousaur. But it still loomed much higher that the wall that encircled the city. Probably three times as high as the biggest house in the city.

The beast was a bit taller than the colossal danger beasts that he and Esdese had fought on that tropical island, so long ago, Tatsumi reflected. But this beast was much wider and probably eight times as long.

"What is that?" Tom-Tom asked silently.

The giant beast took a long and slow step forward and bent down slightly. Then it swung the large iron tool it was holding in a long arc, close to the ground. Lifting it's crab claws to be able to complete the arc. Making the trees that were close to the water fly into the air. The iron tool leveling the forest close to it along with all the troops and soldiers that were hiding in it. Crushing half of them and sending the other half flying up into the air, along with the trees.

After the devastating swing was done, the creature took another giant step forward. Making the ground shake under it's weight.

"Well, I think we can assume that it is hostile." Makeias said as he watched how his forces started to flee from the giant from the depths.

"We have brought no hunters with us that are capable of bringing such a creature down." Tom-Tom said in stressed voice as the beast took another long swing. Clearing out more of the imperial army outside of the wall.

Makeias nodded. "Order a full retreat of all forces from that creature." he said and reached over to grab one of the spears on his back. "I will have to deal with this one myself."

"It seems somewhat intelligent." Tatsumi said. "It is only going after your forces and it dosen't seem to be interested in killing them for the purpose of feeding."

"Indeed." Makeias answered. "I don't believe that this is a mere coincidence. That creature is an ally to someone in the city." he said and looked over at Tatsumi. "Stay behind me but keep yourself far away from the fighting. I don't want to have to look after you if things goes south."

Tatsumi nodded and Makeias turned his eyes to Tom-Tom. "You and your guards will stay behind Tatsumi. I don't want him to run away or try any funny business while I am occupied."

"Understood." Tom-Tom said. "But do you think that you can take that one down on your own?" he continued and looked over at monstrous beast as it slowly got closer to their position.

Makeias smiled. "Size, brawn or fangs means nothing when disease and sickness is your opponents." he said. Summoning his teigu inside of himself.

Esdese big steed roared as it's big legs crushed the top of yet another house that they were flying by. Fying into the building with it's lower body. Making it topple over. Falling down into the fire and chaos down in the streets. Where civilian, soldiers and guards all ran around, disorganized.

The extermination of the city's population had turned rather chaotic. There was not much formation or order among her own troops. Most just running around in groups. Searching for civilians to prey upon or opponents to fight. But that was just as Esdese had intended it. She wanted to turn the city into an orgy of violence, suffering and death. She wanted to drive the entire city into madness. In order for the strongest ones to emerge on top. So that she then could pick those off and maybe find some worthy opponents.

Though she had found no such luck yet. She had circled the city and looked around for something special but she hadn't seen anything yet. Yet she was certain that no one had escaped the city either, since none of the blockades had been broken and Makeias hadn't reported anything. However, the night was still young and they had not even worked their way through half of the city's population yet. There was still plenty of time.

But if it turned out that night raid was not in this city, then she knew a couple of spies, agents and officers that were gonna lose their eyes. And that would just be the beginning.

Though, right now her attention was currently occupied by the gargantuan creature that had risen outside of the city wall. She had heard the horn blow and had steered her mount towards it but had not been able to find it's source when she circulated the port. And then the beast had risen up. In all it's monstrous might.

She had looked at this monster from the depths since it emerged from the sea. Struck with wonder and amazement by just the sheer size of it. She loved hunting and she always went for the biggest and most dangerous game that there was. Always going straight for the top of the foodchain. Wishing to crush and feast on the proudest and most confident of predators.

Yet she had never seen something like that. Some of the biggest animals she had hunted down would barely serve as a snack for that gigantic creature.

"Now there's a trophy for you." she called out to no one in particular. If she hadn't been working she would have liked to try and tame and domesticate it. So that she could study it more before it's end. In hopes of finding where she could find more of it's kind. But now she had more important things to get done.

She pulled at the chain and steered her steed towards the enormous beast. She would bring it down swiftly and then continue to patrol the city.

As she altered her course, the colossal beast brough up one of it's giant crab claws and smashed it through the big wall that encircled the city. The stone crushed down and crumbling under the sheer weight of the beast's limb. The wall collapsed to the sides and left a huge opening and a big dust cloud in it's wake.

Well, so much for my blockade, Esdese thought. Now it would all come down to Makeias's encircling forces. She would seal that opening with some ice but Makeias would have to stop those that escaped through that hole in the meantime.

But as she was thinking about it, black smoke started to rise up from the cloud of dust at the monster's feet. Rising upwards quickly. Suddenly the creature struck down into the smoke with it's big metal tool but Esdese couldn't see what it was aiming for. But she could guess.

She recognized the aura that the black fog emitted and she knew what it meant. Even if she had never seen it before. Makeias himself was fighting the beast.

So now no one is stopping those that try to escape, she thought with irritation. And if you are fighting that creature, then who is watching over my Tatsumi in his temporary weakness?

He should not have left his post, she concluded. She would need to punish him for that. Not anything too severe though. Provided that he brought down the creature quickly and that Tatusmi was still safe.

She was about to change the course of her steed again when the first attack of the night came at her.

They jumped up from several windows and roofs at the same time. All flying towards her from diffrent directions. Taking their chance as her mount flew a little bit lower. There were seven of them. All wearing the same type of hoods that covered up their hair and heads. Leaving their faces hidden in shadow.

Unbeknownst to Esdese, their target was her mount. And six of them were only supposed to act as diversion so that Akame would be able to cut the beast.

Akame herself was flying towards the creature from the front. Aiming to do a small cut in it's wing. Hoping that the fact that she was hard to recognize would make her position less threatening and therefore less likely to get a response. Akame hadn't liked this idea in the slightest. She hated the idea that the people that she had trained and watched over now were acting as a distraction to cover up for her. Even though she was more proficient in combat than them by far.

But she knew that this tactic had the highest chance of success. She knew that she had to prioritize the mission right now.

And just as she had suspected, the response was fast and relentless. With a lightning fast swing of her arm, Esdese shot two sharp pieces of ice down towards the two attackers that were pretending to aim for the beasts head. One of them managed to bring up her weapon in time and deflect the ice. The other one was too slow and the big spear of ice skevered his body. Sending it flying back in the opposite direction of where he had been going.

Then Esdese turned around and gave those coming at her from behind the same treatment. Only that she this time used much larger pieces of ice. Each chunk bigger than a human. Making blocking the projectiles impossible. All three hit their targets and crushed their victims.

Akame watched with agony as her friends were swatted down like flies. She only had a couple of meters left. She was almost there.

Esdese turned her attention to the one who was aiming for the wing that Akame wasn't heading for. She easily dispatched of that attacker as well. Shot down by an ice lance through the stomach.

Akame was less than five meters away from her target when Esdese's eyes started turning towards her. Akame could feel how Esdese gaze landed on her when she had three meters left. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.

Then the last one of Akame's trainees landed behind Esdese. The one that had managed to deflect the attack. She already had her sword drawn. Identically in design to Akame's blade. Esdese turned around with lightning speed. Drawing her weapon and swinging it in the same fluid motion. The girl she was attacking was fast. One of Akame's fastest trainees. She managed to bring her sword up to block in time.

But she lacked the strength. Esdese's long sword was barely slowed down by the blocking blade. Forcing it to the side as Esdese's arm completed the swing. Cutting the smaller girl in half, just below the chest. Sending her flying off the beast to the side. The cleaved body falling down into the city in a shower of blood.

Before Esdese could sheath her weapon, her steed started to descend rapidly. The creature under her already killed by the power of Murasame.

Akame landed in a small alleway. She sheated her weapon and started running. She was the only one that had made it. She had been in this scenario before but it still sickened her to the core. Everyone else had died for this mission. They all knew that this might be how things would go. Since Esdese were very capable with ranged attacks and they would not be able to alter their courses once they had jumped towards her steed. But it still hurt to be the only survivor. It hurt a lot.

Akame ran as fast as she could through a burning house and into a small back street. She heard a loud bang in the distance and found a small consolation in that she had brough the flying beast down. At least she had managed to see to it that her friends sacrifices weren't in vain. All her dear little trainees. Now just more bodies to add on to the endless pile of victims of the empire.

Akame repressed her anger and sorrow and focused on her next objective. She needed to go and help Najenda with the pillager.

She ran over a slightly larger street, keeping close to the ground as she did. She jumped through a window and ran through yet another house. Leaping out from a backdoor and out into yet another small alleyway. She ran to the corner of the empty alley that led out to a bigger road which would lead her to where Najenda would be. She had been in this city for three weeks and knew her way around it pretty well.

She leaned out of the corner and looked around. She could her voices from not too far away but didn't see anyone. She crouched down a little bit. She would have to move fast and stay low. She put her hand on her sheated sword and gathered some energy in her legs.

Then, with a loud bang, Esdese landed three meters behind her.

Most off the imperial forces outside of the city were fleeing from the monster. Many of them having heard the retreat orders. But the giant leviathan was no longer focusing on the forces fleeing from it. The beast was fighting an opponent that it couldn't catch up with. It's small enemy moving fast around it. Spreading black smoke where it went. The enemy had stabbed it in it's legs and body several times. The wounds were very small to the giant creature but for some reason it was starting to lose it's energy nonetheless. It felt weaker with every moment that passed.

Makeias jumped op on the behemoth's arm and then up unto the side of it's body. Stabbing the spear he had in his hand into it with all his strength. Pushing it into the monster until half of it was buried. The beast barely reacted to the spear in and of itself but all the small wounds were starting to matter. Morbus was spreading in it's veins like wildfire. Now it was only a matter of time.

Makeias left his spear in the beast and jumped down. Disappearing into the dark smoke that surrounded the giant animal's legs.

It only took a couple of more minutes before the giant creature started to stumble. It swayed slightly back and forth. As if it was heavily intoxicated. And then, with a deep and low grunt, the beast finally tipped to the side. Falling right through the big wall at it's side. Collapsing down into the city. Crushing two blocks of houses as it did. A giant dustcloud rising into the air around it. Snuffing out most of the fires close to it.

Makeias jumped up on the giant beast's body. He walked over to his spear and pulled it out of it's body. He sighed. "And once again, one of the most astounding things in this world is reduced to a part of the past."

The black smoke started to dissipate. Some soldiers were starting to move closer to the creature's giant body. Some of Esdese soldiers from inside the city. Makeias own troops were still in the retreat. Since no order had been given to return.

Tatsumi jumped up on the giant creature as well. He had remained in the background as Makeias brought down the beast. Shadowed by Tom-Tom and his guards.

He walked towards the general with unsure steps. "Is it dead?"

"Depends on how you define dead." Makeias said and looked at his spear. The blood from the creature that was on it was turning black. Festering so fast that you could see it with the naked eye. "Some of it's organs are still functioning normally. But it's heart has stopped and I don't think that it is conscious anymore."

"Dead then." Tatsumi said and walked up to him."That was... impressive." Some of Esdese's soldiers were moving up on the giant beast as well.

"The beast was unlucky that I was here. There are many teigu's who wouldn't be able to do anything against this creature. It just happens that size is irrelevant when fighting me." Makeias said. "But then again, the ice queen could probably have brought down this monster as well. Speaking of which..."

Makeias looked out over the burning city. "..where is Esdese?"

Tatsumi looked up into the sky but couldn't see Esdese's flying steed anywhere. "I guess that she has chosen to particapate in the fighting personally." he said darkly.

Makeias didn't answer. There was something about his expression that worried Tatsumi. There was something the man was suspecting that Tatsumi was unaware of.

Some of Esdese's soldiers where now approaching the two of them. Having climbed up on the beast themselves. Their uniforms and face covering helmets marking them as Esdese's.

"Soldiers." Makeias said without turning his eyes away from the city. The soldiers behind him saluted. "I have a task for you. Find my second in command and tell him to stop the retreat and reestablish a perimeter around the city. Also spread the word to your own forces to start looking for Esdese."

"Yes sir!" the one closest to Makeias answered.

Tatsumi froze. He knew that voice. He hadn't heard it for two years but he still remembered it immediately. Suddenly he understood. He realized why Esdese had come here. He realized why the entire city was on fire. He realized the true reason for this destruction.

Without a sound, the soldier that had answered Makeias flew at his back. And before the general could react, the soldier shoved a long and thin knife into his chest from behind.

"Hrrrg!" Makeias grunted and swung around. Swinging his spear against his attacker as he did. The soldier jumped back quickly. Avoiding the swing with some centimeters.

Makeias and his attacker stared at each other for some seconds. Then Makeias slowly reached with his hand to his back and drew the knife out of himself. It's blade covered in a black liquid. Much like the one that dripped from his spears.

"A worthy try." Makeias said with grim smile. "But no steel can kill me." He dropped the knife down in front of the soldier.

"Let us put that to the test, shall we?" Najenda said and removed the helmet that covered her face. Behind her, her subordinates did the same. Najenda cast a quick glance down at the body that they were standing on. She had communicated with this creature for a long while. He had been older than the empire itself and was most likely the last of his kind. There was a sadness there but now was not the time to mourn.

"Oooh hoho, Najenda. It's been ages, my lady. Do you remember me?" Makeias said as his dark smile widened.

"I remember a young and hopeful man that was sent off to the borders. You seem to have changed quite a lot since then, Makeias."

"Quite so. War will do that to a man." he answered. "I am guessing that telling you to lay down your weapons is meaningless."

"Yeah. Almost insulting to our resolve actually." Najenda said.

"My apologies, my lady." Makeias said and bowed mockingly.

Najenda matched his smile. "I'm sorry but we have come to assassinate you, pillager."

"As many have before you. Yet here I stand." Makeias said. "Your line of business seems to be filled with unprofessionalism."

"Oh believe me, general. We are not like most assassins." Najenda said.

"Prove it!" Makeias challenged and took a step forward. He spun around twice and then threw the spear in his hand towards them. The spear spinning around so fast that it looked more lika disk than a spear. The throw was aimed a little bit too high to risk hitting anyone of them. But Najenda immediately realized that it was not for that reason Makeias had thrown it.

As the spear spinned around, it sent thousands of small black droplets flying away from it. Spreading out from it like a tornado as it spinned. And Najenda knew that if a single one of those droplets touched their skin, they would be at a serious disadvantages. She knew a little bit about the abilities of Morbus. Yet there was way too many of them, flying towards her and her subordnates. They only had one choice.

"Get back!" Najenda shouted and jumped backwards. Her subordinates doing the same as the blade spinned towards them. But as they did, Makeias was coming at them with his other spear drawn. Having launched himself towards them at a much higher speed than his thrown spinning spear. Flying through all the droplets himself as he got close. Immune to their effects.

Tatsumi watched how Makeias started to fight Najenda and her subordinates. Panicking internally. It was easy to see that Najenda and her companions were being pushed back. It took less than ten seconds for Makeias to kill one of her subordinates. Slicing through her stomach as he spun around. It didn't take too long for the next one to be incapacitated as Makeias kicked him in the head. Knocking him out.

Tatsumi didn't know what to do. Everyhting was happening so fast. It was only some moments ago that he had realized that Esdese had come here to find night raid. And now he was watching how Najenda was being pushed back.

He didn't know if he should help them or not. Could he make a diffrence without Incursio? Should he risk it? If he engaged then he needed to make sure that Makeias didn't survive. Otherwise Esdese would learn about it. Should he try and stop the fighting entirely then. He didn't know how he would do that. His mind raced as Najenda was pressed into a corner.

She was the only one left now. Fighting against Makeias who was now wielding both of his spears. He had taken some heavy hits but it didn't seem to slow him down. He spinned around and kicked Najenda in the side. Making her shriek out in pain. The kick sending her flying to the side for a second before landing and rolling around a couple of times before immediately getting up. But Makeias was already standing over her by then. Kneeing her in the face as she was about to stand up.

And suddenly there were no choices for Tatsumi. Seeing her getting beat down called forth his older nature. That brash and less conniving part of him that he thought he had evolved from.

Makeias raised his spear to strike down at Najenda. But as he was about to swing, Tatsumi kicked him in the side from behind.

Leone rushed through the waves of fleeing imperial soldiers. None of the soldiers bothering with her as she ran in the opposite direction. She was heading straigth for the now fallen leviathan that had fallen through the walll. It was still very far away but she could see what was going on. Najenda was fighting someone on top of it. And while Leone didn't recognize her opponent, she could see that her friend needed help.

What suprised her was that there was someone else there that was helping Najenda fight. Someone that looked an awful lot like a boy she had left down in the torture chambers. Either way, Najenda was being pushed back by her opponent. A tall and vey slender man. Fighting with two black spears. Leone needed to get there fast.

A couple of meters behind her, Isamu followed. Panting heavily. Not really sure why they were heading over. Lacking Lionelle's sharp eyes. But he followed her nonetheless. He had accepted her as his superior. Since he wanted to become a part of night raid.

After some moments they were running alone. All the fleeing imperial soldiers behind them. They ran through the giant hole in the wall that encircled the city. Jumping through the debris and rubble of the wall and the houses that the beast had crushed in it's fall. They were starting to get close to the gigantic body now. Leone was about to call out to Najenda but suddenly halted herself.

There was a single figure standing in their way. Right in front of the leviathan's body. It was an old man in grey robes. Hunched forward. Inhumanely tall and very slender. Leaning on a long wooden staff with what looked like an owl sitting on his shoulder. He had a beard that almost reached down to the ground.

Tom-Tom was obstructing their path.

Leone stopped when he was about twenty meters away from her. Isamu almost running into her as she suddenly halted.

"Whoaw" he said as he stopped himself. "Why are we stopping? What happened?"

Leone simply nodded to the figure in front of them.

Isamu looked at the appearance of the old man. "So? It's just one old man. We can run past him."

Leone didn't answer directly. There was something about the man that made her uneasy. Something about what Lionelle's instincts told her. The man in front of them was completly calm. To a level that Leone had never seen someone be in such a dangerous scenario. She had plenty of friends that knew how to supress and control themselves in stressed scenarios but this was diffrent. The man in front of her was not staying composed, he simply wasn't bothered by the scenario. Completely and calmly balanced. He was so calm that Leone started to wonder if he understood what was happaning all around him.

She took two steps forward. Her eye glued to the old giant. "We are going up on the creature's body." she said tentatively.

"No. You are not." the old man calmly answered.

Leone had a feeling that he would say something like that. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"Stop you." Tom-Tom answered in his slow and raspy voice. Still remining perfectly still.

"Come on, old man." Isamu called out. "We don't want to fight you. Just step aside."

"If you don't want to fight, then I suggest you turn around and return to where you came from. Either way, you will not pass."

"A fight it is then." Leone said and took a step forward. She didn't have time to spare. Najenda needed her help.

Tom-Tom lifted his staff to the side. Then he loosened his grip on it slightly. Making it glide down while staying in his hand. When the bottom of the staff hit the ground, the attack began.

They came from everywhere at once. Leone did barely have time to react as the first blade shot up through the rubble right in front of her. Less than a meter away. The attack was so sudden and fast that the long metal blade went deep into her shoulder before she jumped backwards. It's touch cold and quick.

As she landed a couple of steps back, her assailant rose up from the rubble. He had been hiding under it. All around them they rose up from under to debris and stone. Men as tall and slender as the one obstructing their part. Even the smallest one of them was about twice as tall as Leone. But unlike Tom-Tom, these ones were younger and carried imperial uniforms. Every one of them was equipped with two long and thin swords.

Makeias's personal guards.

Leone could tell a lot of things about their fighting style just by their swords. The swords were too thin to cut through any armor and too long to be able to block an attack without breaking. These swords were made for quick and nimble attacks. They were made to give their users the benefit of range and speed. Which meant that these blades were probably sharp as razors. And their users probably fast as lightning.

"Careful." she said to Isamu and went into a fighting stance as their opponents rose all around them. "Theses guys are fast. If you give them an opening, it will be your end."

Isamu nodded and put his back against her. Watching as their opponents slowly moved closer from all sides.

Leone cast a quick glance up at the fight on top of the beast's corpse but that one didn't seem to go any better than their situation.

"Stay down!" Makeias ordered and stomped down on Tatsumi's back as he tried to get up again. "Calm down, Tatsumi. Get a hold of yourself."

Tatsumi only wheezed in response.

His contribution to the battle had been minimal but he had managed to act as a worthy distraction. Since Makeias didn't want to seriously damage him. Tatsumi knew that he and Najenda had been outgunned in this fight but he had been unsure by how much. What had suprised him the most in this combat was how fast and acrobatic the imperial general was. Makeias usual movements were dull and slow. So it had taken Tatsumi with suprise. Makeias's physical demeanor a facade, just as so much else of the general.

Now most of Tatsumi's energy was spent. Barely having enough strength to stand up again. Najenda wasn't much better off. She was lying ten meters away from him. Panting heavily. She was a bit roughed up but didn't have any heavy injuries. But she knew that Makeias had managed to infect her. She could feel how her own body was fighting against something. Internally.

She coughed roughly. Making Makeias look over at her. He pressed Tatsumi down once more with his foot and then walked over to her.

"I apologise for letting you suffer longer than necessary." he said as he bent down and grabbed her neck. He lifted her body up until her feet were dangling in the air. "I will finish this now."

Najenda smiled grimly down at him. "Take no prisoners, huh?"

"We have been ordered to bring you to Esdese alive if possible. But I know what will happen to you if I do that. And while they call me the pillager, I am not that cruel."

"How noble of you." Najenda mocked.

Makeias was not smiling. "Stay still and this will be easier for the both of us." he said silently.

Najenda felt how something started to seep into her body from the hand that was holding her around the throat. She couldn't tell what it was from the feeling alone. It just felt like something was intruding into her. But she knew what it was. She knew that Morbus was starting to corrupt her.

She felt how it ate away at her energy. She started to feel heavy and sleepy. She felt like relaxing and staying still. Just as the imperial general had told her.

But in the end, she couldn't. She was and had always been a fighter. If she was gonna die, she would do it fighting.

With lightning speed, she reached the small knife that was hidden in her sleeve. She brought her arm up and swung it towards Makeias neck as fast as he could.

But Makeias was still faster.

He brought his arm up to block the attack from hitting his neck. But due to the fact that he was holding his spear, his move was a bit dull. The knife pierced the side of his arm as he stopped it. When the small blade emerged from the other side of his limb it was pitch black.

Najenda grimaced at the failed attack but Makeias barely seemed to register the damage. He was still calmly looking at her face.

"You know," he said in a sad tone. "I really used to admire you. Back when you were still a part of the empire. I looked up to you a lot. As the stupid little boy I was. I wanted to climb in ranks and gain fame in order to impress you."

Makeias yanked his arm with the knife in it to the side. Making it fall down on the ground.

"But when I became a general I was sent to the front. And that is where that foolish boy died. When I returned, you had already betrayed the empire." He shook his head. "Things could have been so diffrent if you had just been a bit more resilient to the cruelties of the empire. Yet now that I look at you, I realize that I still admire you."

Najenda coughed. Bringing Makeias out of his reminiscing. "I'm sorry. I am making this longer than it needs to be. I will let you wither now."

His grip around her throat tightened and Najenda's body became limp.

"Stop." Tatsumi tried to shout but didn't get any force into his voice.

He started to stand up again but he had little strength left in him. His arms shook as he raised himself up. His attention was however brought to the side by a loud and angry call.

"HEEEY" Leone cried out from the battle down in the rubble.

Tatsumi turned his head towards her. He hadn't even noticed that they were there.

It was easy to see that they were having difficulties. Not that they were being pushed back but they had problems getting past their quick and tall opponents. She and Isamu had been seperated in the battle. Standing a bit away from each other.

But that actually suited Leone's idea.

It had been clear to her that it would take time before they could get past these slender and fast giants that they were fighting. They would not be able to get to Najenda in time. They had only managed to kill one of their opponents and there were about twenty of them left. They hadn't even gotten close to Tom-Tom, who hadn't moved an inch since his tribesmen attacked them. Simply watching them with his attentive blue eyes.

So as far as she could see, she only had one choice left. It was a crazy bet to make but desperation had forced her to this. She once again choose to trust her instincts.

"Now!" she shouted to Isamu.

Immediately Isamu shot away five coiling projectiles towards their opponents. The group moved out of the way with ease. As they had done so many times already. But they had not been the intended target.

The projectiles moved past them and flew towards Tom-Tom. Who was standing between the fighting group and the giant cadaver. Tom-Tom had seen where the attack was heading long before his subordinates. He was the quickest one of them all. He easily jumped a couple of meters to the side as he avoided the water projectiles.

But now the way was clear.

Leone clenched her teeth. Please... please remember all that we have been through together. Please.. , she thougth as she reached up and grabbed the blade on her back.

"TATSUMMIIIII!" she screamed and slung the teigu through the air. Following right behind Isamu's projectiles.

Tom-Tom noticed the flying weapon. Not realizing what it was, thinking that it was aimed at Makeias. In a flash he threw his staff up towards the weapon. It hit the mid-sized sword and altered it's track a bit.

Tatsumi would have recognized that blade in any situation. With the last pieces of his strength, he moved up and ran towards the edge of the giant body that they were standing on. The sword was not gonna reach all the way, due to Tom-Tom's staff. He needed to meet it.

Makeias didn't recognize the blade but he had a good guess of what was going on. He would not take the risk. The arm that was not holding Najenda started to do a swing of the spear in it's hand. Intending to send a shower of black little droplets of Morbus in Tatsumi's path. Stopping the boy's chances.

But as his arm moved up, Najenda's limp body sprung into motion. One of her legs moved up and kicked his arm down. Stopping his swing in it's track.

"Tchh" Makeias said with irritation. Fully releasing Morbus into the neck that he was holding.

Tatsumi used every last ounce of energy that he had left in him and jumped off the edge of the corpse of the giant leviathan. Flying fifty meters above the hard pavement. With basically no strength left and no way to catch himself.

But Tatsumi felt no fear. In that moment, everything was so simple to him. Everything was as it had once been. He realized, as he flew through the air, that he still loved his friends. That even after all this time, they were still his family. Even if they themselves hated him. And even if they wished him dead, he would still protect them. And now when death was staring them straight in the face, Tatsumi felt like his decision was one of the easiest ones in a long time.

He reached out with his arm and finally, at long last, his hand grabbed hold of his brother's last gift to him.

"IINNNNNNCCUURRSSIOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A giant dust cloud exploded around Tatsumi and the blade with a loud boom. A blast of power emerging from the figure of the boy. So strong and mighty that everyone with the smallest sense of perception in the city could feel it. Making the wind blow strongly against those standing in the vicinity of him.

Makeias's eyes widened in disbelief as Tatsumi landed a mere ten meters from him. Wearing the evolved form of Incursio.

Author's note:

There we go. The first one out of the three chapters that will be about the battle of Garu. I said that these chapters would be smaller and and be released quickly but I was unable to restrict these scenarios. They needed to breath a bit. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. There is more to come. Hopefully I will be able to keep the next one under control. So that it will be a little bit smaller and be released in 7-8 days.

I would like to thank you all for reading. If it wasn't for your feedback, this story would probably not go on.

Until next time, take care of each other.