IRL troubles are responsible for this monstrous delay. I apologies.

I hope that you are still there and still interested.

Between growth and decay.

Akame had to move at her highest speed in order to avoid the barrage of ice chunks that Esdese was sending after her. She jumped through the window of a wall that had once belonged to a house. Now being the only part of the structure that was still standing. She zigzagged past some other ruins and remains of structures and buildings. The crushing ice attacks always coming down just a few meters behind her. Destroying all the remains of the houses.

"Come on! Come on!" Esdese shouted excitedly. Swinging her arms in swift motions. Sending more ice against Akame. "Can't you even handle this?"

Esdese knew that Akame was mainly a close quarter fighter so she had taken control of the battle by using her proficiency with projectiles. Now the entire area around them mostly consisted of demolished buildings and ruins. All the fire in their vicinity had been snuffed out by the debris or the ice. They were basically the only ones nearby. Most other people had either fled or been crushed under Esdese's attack. Her constant bombardment made it difficult for Akame to get close to her.

Not that Esdese disliked the idea of accepting Akame's challenge in close combat but first she would have to earn it.

Akame's agenda was a bit diffrent though. Her main objective was not to defeat Esdese but to escape her. Najenda had deemed this fight too unfavourable for them so Akame had accepted her plan. Even if she wanted to avenge the friends that Esdese had killed and taken from her. Getting away was easier said than done, though. She had tried to escape a couple of times but Esdese always catched up to her quickly. Akame had concluded that it would be hard to get away without some kind of distraction. But she hadn't been able to find one yet.

She stayed low and moved between some piles of stone and then jumped over a still intact wall. But when she landed, Esdese was standing fifteen meters in front of her.

"Catch!" Esdese shouted with a smile and summoned the biggest projectile yet towards Akame. A ice block as big as a house. Akame was forced to jump up in the air in order to avoid it. And when she was midair, Esdese sent a hail of ice spears towards her. She managed to deflect most of them but one of them scraped the side of one of her thighs. Making her blood trail down her leg. But when Akame landed, she was thankful to feel that wound was nothing serious.

They both stood still and watched each other for some seconds after her landing. Akame's hands on her sword and Esdese holding one arm up in the air to her side.

"Are you afraid to fight me up close? I thought you were a formidable warrior? Not a coward." Akame tried to taunt.

"I am strong enough to deal with you in any way that I please." Esdese said calmly.

"So you just choose to try and kill me with ineffective ranged attacks. "

"You talk the talk." Esdese said with a threatening smile. "But you have yet to walk the walk. If you manage to come close enough, I will reward you with my sword."

They stood and looked at each other for some more seconds. Then Akame dashed off. She didn't try a direct approach, since she was confident that Esdese's attacks would force her to change her path either way. Instead she moved to the side while she closed in on Esdese. Alternating her speed every now and then in order to make it harder for Esdese to appreciate where she was gonna be in the next moment. So that she would have a harder time to know where she should aim her projectiles.

And it seemed to work. Most of the ice attacks that Esdese threw at her were either landing behind her or were directed so far in front of her that she could easily avoid them. When Akame had almost run a circle around Esdese she was about eight meters away from her. Then she changed her course. Going straight towards Esdese. Spending a lot of energy to accelerate even more and make her movements even more erratic.

Esdese choosed to continue with her ice attacks. Flinging spears and blocks towards her. But none of them hit their target. Akame's movements were still too hard to read for Esdese. Even if she was learning Akame's tricks at a dangerous pace. But now Akame was less than two meters from her and Esdese had not drawn her weapon yet. Akame thought that Esdese's arrogance had given her a chance but quickly learned elsewise.

When she started to swing towards Esdese, ice shot up from where her opponent was standing. Several long and sharp spikes shooting up towards her. Akame only bearly managed to back off in time. Since she had to both stop her momentum in order to not impale herself on the ice and then had to move some steps back as the ice quickly grew. One of the thin points of the spears sliced the side of her face as she jumped backwards.

"Well done!" Esdese complimented. Akame looked up from the spikes and Esdese was right in front of her. Weapon drawn and swinging towards her with both hands. Having pursued when Akame backed off from the ice spikes.

Akame brought up her weapon to block the attack but she had no proper stance since she was still moving backwards. The strength of Esdese's attack made her fly to the side. Esdese gestured with her arm and a new set of spikes rose up towards Akame from the place where she was going to land. Akame did however notice this in time and drove her sword into the ice. Using it to stop herself from flying into it.

She landed on her feet beside the ice after she had managed to stop. Esdese was already walking towards her. One hand holding her weapon and the other one placed on her hips. Swaggering towards Akame at a leisury pace. Akame raised her sword towards Esdese and took a fighting stance.

"Those were some quick moves." Esdese called out. "I had a hard time reading you for a moment there. But you have not suprised me yet."

Akame didn't answer Esdese. She simply focused all her attention on Esdese's movements while she tried to think of a diversion. The best way to distract Esdese would probably be to move their fighting to a diffrent area. Her best chance to get away might actually be to get some more people involved in this fight.

Esdese was starting to get dangerously close and Akame started to get ready. Taking a deep breath as she gathered her energy.

But before either one of them could move, a loud boom could be heard in the distance and just a heartbeat after that they both felt how a huge wave of power washed over them. Coming from the west part of the city. Where the leviathan had fallen through the wall.

Both of them shifted their heads towards the direction of the source by instinct.

Akame was unsure of what the feeling came from. She thought she recognized it from somewhere but she couldn't quite place it. She had forgotten what it's origin had been the last time she felt it.

But Esdese recognized the feeling the wave of power gave her. She had felt it so many times before but never of this magnitude. She could almost taste it. It teased her. It made her want to go and find it's source. She wanted to beat it into submission and then pour all her love into it until the day she died. The battle had made her excited but now she could feel how she was starting to get turned on. Just by the wave of power that showered over her perceptive instincts. Making them wake up and stand on absolute edge. The thing she had so patiently been waiting for had finally started to happen. The bud had finally started to bloom.

"Oohhhh..." Esdese sighed with a longing smile. Her cheeks red and her eyes dreamy. "Tatsumi..."

"What the fuc-" was the only thing Makeias managed to say before Tatsumi's fist connected with his chest. He had been fast enough to block Tatsumi's spear with his own much thinner weapon. But since he was holding Najenda, he couldn't block Tatsumi's punch. The hit sent the general flying off from the side of the giant corpse they were standing on. As he did, he dropped Najenda's limp body. She landed on the side and tumbled down the same side which Makeias was flying down from. The opposite side of where Leone and Isamu were fightnig Tom-Tom and his men.

But Tatsumi didn't have time to help Najenda right now. Now he was seriously fighting the pillager. And he knew that if this fight became a battle of attrition then Makeias would always win. He needed to bring the general down as fast as possible.

Makeias flew down towards the streets with his back first. But before he could crash down on the pavement, Tatsumi was there. Makeias did however notice this and swung with his spear in the air. Sending down a rain of black droplets towards Tatsumi. But Tatsumi didn't avoid them. Letting the many drops hit the armor of Incursio.

As soon as the black drops landed on the white armor they started to sizzle. As if they were being dropped into a hot frying pan. Tatsumi's teigu easily repelling and destroying Morbus attempts to infect it. Incusio's defensive abilities were now so strong that Morbus didn't stand a chance with such small quantity.

Makeias didn't have time to act suprise as he involuntarily flew down to the waiting Tatsumi. When he got close Tatsumi swung his weapon at him but Makeias once again blocked it with his thinner and longer spear. But he was unable to block the kick that Tatsumi threw against him as soon as he blocked the weapon. The kick hit him in the side. Sending Makeias flying away through the street before he had landed from Tatsumi's first attack.

Tatsumi followed after him just like last time. Not stopping for a second. He knew that the moment Makeias got a chance to recuperate, his own chances of winning would sink dramatically.

This time Makeias noted that Tatsumi followed him. He drove his own spear down into the ground to alter his course. Tatsumi did however realize what the general was trying to do and threw his own spear. He didn't aim for Makeias body since he knew that the general would most likely block it. Instead he aimed for his long and ruined cloak. His spear pierced the cloth and nailed it to the ground.

Makeias entire body was yanked to a halt by his coats fastenings around his throat, just before he was about to push himself to the side. And before he could regain any form of control of his movement, Tatsumi was on him again. He kicked Makeias again but this time he had time to block. He brought his spear up and blocked the kick with it as if it was a staff. But he still wasn't touching the ground and Tatsumi's attack tore off the part of his cloak that was nailed to the ground and flung him to the side. Smashing him into the wall of a house on the side of the road.

They had moved twenty meters away from where the giant leviathan's body had fallen down and crushed the blocks and houses. Najenda had now rolled down the side of the giant creature and was lying in the street beside it. Face down and unmoving.

Tatsumi grabbed his spear and drew it up from the ground. He looked over at the general and realized that he should have left the spear.

Makeias was lying on his stomach. Using his elbows to raise himself up. He was coughing heavily. Tatsumi's kicks and flying into the wall had made him lose his breath. But his eyes were glued to Tatsumi and he was still holding his spear.

"..cough... cough.. To me... cough... Morbus..." he said as he started to slowly stand up.

Tatsumi brought up his spear and jumped towards Makeias but it was a little bit too late.

"All shall wither!" Makeias exclaimed as Tatusmi got close. And as he said that, smoke erupted from his mouth, nose and wounds. Immediately engulfing the general and spreading out in all directions.

Tatsumi halted himself and jumped a couple of steps back. He knew that this was not just a smoke screen. The smoke was spreading fast and it was moving against the wind. He had seen how it had risen and enveloped the legs of the giant leviathan when Makeias had fought it.

He moved back a couple of steps more but the smoke was following him and it was getting faster. He was about to make a jump backwards when Makeias suddenly flew out of the smoke right in front of him. Appearing less than two meters away from him. Holding his hands around the end of his spear. Swinging it against Tatsumi as if it was a golf club. Tatsumi brought up his own weapon to block but the strike had all of Makeias's momentum and strength behind it. The hit sent Tatsmui gliding almost ten meters backwards. His feet digging up bricks and stone as he drove them into the street to stop himself. But when he finally came to a halt, the smoke had engulfed Makeias again. Hiding his position.

Tatsumi understood Makeias's tactic. He knew that Tatsumi would avoid the smoke so he used it as cover in order to make these big, clumsy and incredible strong swings. Attacks that Tatsumi would easily be able to predict and avoid, if he could see them. But now he would only be able to see them the moment before they hit him.

He needed to get rid of the smoke as soon as possible. When the black cloud once again got close to him he raised his weapon behind him. Intending to swing it to create an wave of air in an attempt to repel the smoke that way. But as he was about to swing, Makeias flew out of the smoke to the left of him. He passed Tatsumi and then swung at his back. Tatsumi had no chance to block the attack since he had taken a stance to swing the smoke away.

The side of Makeias spear hit him in the back but did not pierce his armor. It was strong though. It sent Tatsumi flying forward into the smoke. When he landed on the hard pavement he immediately rose up. He couldn't see a thing.

His first instinct was to just jump away in some direction. Out of the smoke. But he stopped himself as he realized something. Makeias had jumped out of the smoke just before the attack. So Makeias was clearly able to see through this smoke in some way. Which meant that it was wiser to take a defensive position than just move around aimlessly.

He raised his weapon and tried to detect any incoming attacks. But he couldn't feel any. After a little while, he heard Makeias voice on his left side.

"You never looked like a traitor to me, Tatsumi." the voice said calmly. Tatsumi quickly turned around to the voice but he still couldn't see anything.

"I always thought that you were a bit too simple minded to be able to play the sly game that I now realize that you have been playing."

Tatsumi was unsure if he should try to attack in the direction of the voice. It didn't seem like a good move. Then again, most of his alternatives looked rather bleak at the moment.

"Not that I care but you have pretty much betrayed Esdese at this point. So in a sense, you really are a traitor."

Tatsumi took a risk and striked towards the direction of the voice. But the moment he moved in it's direction, Makeias attacked him from the other side.

Wave watched in horror from the bridge of the fleet's flagship as his crew ran around under him and reloaded the weapons and saw to it as everything was proceeding as planned. There were a couple of officers standing with him on the bridge and Kurome was standing two steps behind him. Relatively unfazed by the situation.

The small fleet had been struck with a bit of chaos when the giant creature had risen up from the sea beside them. It's ascension from the depths had knocked one of the imperial frigates over and made two other ships crash into each other. But they were now starting the get the situation under control. The two ships that collided had been helped back to a sustainable condition and small boats had been sent out to help the crew of the ship that had fallen over. Now order had returned to the fleet.

Not that Wave had given much attention to the problems of his fleet. The horrifying view of the city's port held all his attention.

The situation at the port had more or less become what he had predicted that it would. It looked like a scene out of a nightmare. The fire burning bright behind the people that were fleeing down into the water. The water so dark with blood that you couldnt see a feet down into it. The port and beach were so crowded that people couldn't move around much. Panic was widespread.

At the north side of the city, people were trying to get up from the water but they were being pushed down by the crowd that were pushing and moving to get away from the slaughter behind them. The imperial force had cornered the north side and were driving the crowd down into the water. Thousands of people were trampling and pushing each other down under the water as they tried to get away from the soldiers that were killing those in the back.

The waters close to the city were filled with so many bodies that you had to push them away in order to swim anywhere. The imperial frigates had deployed many small boats with archers and riflemen that were shooting down anyone that managed to swim too far from the coast. Causing the people in the water to flee towards the beach. Only to be trampled down by those fleeing down into the water.

The south side of the port wasn't much better. That was were most of the boats had departed from. Some filled with families and people fleeing, some filled with old people and children and some were just driven by boat owners trying to get away. It made little difference. Most of the ships had been shot down and sunk as soon as they got close to the blockade.

The remains of the ships and their passengers were now slowly being washed up against the beach again. Some few survivors clinging to the burning wood and ship remnants. Most were immediately pushed down into the water when they reached the port again as other people wanted to use the wood as boats and rafts to get out from the city. Even if most of them had seen what had happened to the boats. They still preferred those chances as opposed to what was happening behind them. And of course those rafts were shot down and sunk as well. The wood and people blown to bits by the imperial artillery. The scraps slowly washing up to the shore again. There to be grabbed by new people. And the process was repeated. The pieces of wood getting smaller and bloodier everytime. Most people were just clinging to planks as they swam out at this point.

Wave watched it all with gritted teeth. He was at the end of his strength. His tolerance for cruelty and violence had since long been passed and he now only repressed himself by pure power of will. He tried to think of Kurome. How sweet her hug had been and how happy she had been when he told her that he would try to endure this. He tried to think about her smell and her beautiful eyes. But it didn't help anymore.

He watched as a mother tried to hold on to her unconscious daughter as she swam back to the shore. Using a piece of wood to stay afloat. Only to be shot in the back by one of the imperial riflemen. Mother and daughter were both pushed of the plank and into the water as soon as they reached the crowd that was slowly being pushed down into the water. Other people starting to fight over the piece of wood. He watched how a man of the city watch desperatly tried to organize a distribution of the rafts evenly. Only to be thrown up into the air as one of the artillery strikes landed near him. His lifeless body landing twenty meters out in the water.

"This is fucking insane..." Wave whispered. None of the officers around him heard him but Kurome did. She had been watching him closely during the entire evening. Not bothered with what was happening in the city. She had just been afraid that Wave would do something that would get him executed. And now her fear was rising.

Wave straightened up a bit. Looking out over the bombarding fleer. His fleet. "Enough." he said a little bit louder. "Did you not hear me?"

Some of the officers stopped with what they were doing and looked at his back. He was about to shout out when he felt two slender hands grab his arm. He looked over to find Kurome standing beside him, looking him in the eyes.

"Don't. Please don't." she pleaded in a whisper. Her eyes were scared and her hands held on to him desperately.

Wave smiled at her sadly. It hurt a lot but he already knew what he had to do. He raised up his other hand and stroked the side of her face. "I'm sorry." he said silently and Kurome's eyes widened.

Then he turned around and took a step away from her. His arm moving out of her grip. Kurome stood and looked at his back. Still holding her arms out in front of her. Tears were filling her eyes. She would not allow this to happen. Her arm went down and grabbed her sword. She would not let Wave leave her. She would not lose him like she had lost Akame. She would not allow it. She would make him stay with her. Forever.

She bent down slightly and got ready to strike.

Wave took a step forward and filled his lungs with air. But at the last moment, he stopped himself.

Ahh, what a hell, he thought. If I am gonna die, I might as well do it without regrets.

He turned around and before Kurome had time to process what was happening, he had embraced her. Pressing her close as he kissed her on the lips. Determinately looking into Kurome's suprised eyes. Showing her how deep his feelings actually were. After some moments he moved away. Before Kurome could properly answer to his advance. He looked at her, smiling and only now did Kurome realize that there were tears in Wave's eyes as well.

"Thank you for everything, Kurome. I love you."

With those words he let her go and turned around. Leaving her standing shocked behind him. Still trying to process everything emotionally.

"ALL HANDS CEASE FIRE!" Wave roared at the top of his lungs. Loud enough for everyone on the ship to hear him. "ALL HANDS CEASE FIRE!" he repeated. He had never felt so sure about an order in his entire life.

"But, sir." one of the officers behind him said. "Esdese's orders were-"

"Esdese is not the one who supervises this fleet. I am. Are you disobeying a direct order from you superior, soldier?" Wave asked the man loudly.

"No. Of course not, sir."

"Signal all the oher ships to cease fire. We are withdrawing. Raise the anchors and set a course for open waters. Immediately." Wave ordered harshly. Making the officer run away to comply. The other leaders of the small fleet looked unsure and unconvinced. Some of them saw this as nothing short of treason.

"I will take full responsibility for these actions." Wave explained loudly. "You lot don't have to worry about anything but following orders." he called out to the rest of the officers that were staring at him.

As soon as he said that, a single officer behind him drew his gun. He aimed his weapon at Wave's back but as he was about to fire, Kurome's swords stabbed him right through the chest. The gun fired but missed Wave with a couple of meters. Wave turned around quickly to see Kurome standing over the now slain officer. Holding her drawn sword by her side.

She looked kind of shocked herself. She hadn't decided about what to do yet when she saw the officer draw his gun. She had just reacted by instinct. Protecting Wave just as she had done so many times before. She had struck down the officer almost by reflex. But now that bridge was crossed and she had little choice in what road to take next.

Wave gave her the warmest smile she had seen for days and nodded to her. She returned the motion. Her eyes still wide from shock. Everything was going so fast.

Wave turned around and looked out over the ship. "THIS FLEET IS WITHDRAWING FROM GARU! LET ITS PEOPLE FLEE!"

Leone and Isamu had almost defeated half of the men Tom-Tom had brought with him into the city when Akame arrived at where they were fighting.

Akame leaped of the roof of a building and landed between Leone and Isamu. Attempting to cut down one of their tall and slender opponents as she did but her target avoided her attack by jumping to the side.

Leone smiled at her friend as she rose up. "Haven't seen you in a while."

Akame returned the smile. "I'm so happy to see that you look so healthy. I was afraid that you would be much worse off after all that time in the torture chambers."

"Hmph, don't underestimate Lionelle's abilities!" Leone said and puffed up her chest.

Akame nodded. She looked around. "Your opponents seems to be pretty fast." Akame said and looked at the men that were surrounding them.

"They are quite tenacious." Leone said and followed her gaze. "Fighting them is a troublesome business. Since you can't give them any openings. We haven't even been able to reach their leader." Leone went on and pointed towards Tom-Tom who was standing a bit away from the battle. Leaning on his staff. His eyes following everything they did.

"Never mind that. We need to retreat from this city. Quickly." Akame said.

"But what about Najenda?" Leone asked.

Akame didn't have time to answer as one of the buildings at the side of the street that they were standing on suddenly collapsed loudly. Falling down on the street as the dust rose up. Esdese flew through the dust and landed on the street. Right behind them. On the opposite side of where Tom-Tom was standing.

Esdese slowly rose up. Holding her weapon by her side. "Well, look what we have here." she called out loudly with a smile. "My lost little kitty."

Leone scowled at Esdese. Her expression much darker and more humorless than usual. She still hadn't slept an entire night without dreaming horrible dreams about her time in the torture chambers.

"I was a bit annoyed when you ran away." Esdese continued. "I will make you apologize for that a hundred times over, little kitty."

Her tone of voice and foreboding smile made shivers run down Leone's spine. Her instincts were telling her to submit at once. The more bestial part of her brain had been molded by Esdese's "training". But Leone quickly supressed her instincts. "Come and get it, ice bitch!"

"Ohh I will." Esdese said and slowly started to walk towards them. "I will."

"We can't take on Esdese and these people all at once." Akame said silently to Leone. "We need to retreat. Now."

"But what about Najenda?" Leone repeated. Her eyes not leaving the great general.

"Najenda gave me specific orders to escape from Esdese. That will be impossible as long as we stay in the city. We need to withdraw. Najenda can handle herself."

Leone felt a bit uncertain. She had seen the fight up on the creature and it hadn't been a too reassuring sight. But Akame had a point. Orders were orders. And Najenda had Tatsumi with her. Now wearing that strange armor.

"Ok, so how do we do this?" Leone asked as Esdese got closer. The ring of Tom-Tom's men closing in around them.

"I have an idea." Akame said.

Esdese walked closer to them. Satisfied that her entire plan for catching night raid had paid off. "By the way, little kitty. I believe you have something that belongs to me."

Leone only glared at her in response.

"A certain powerful weapon that you have stolen. Where is it?"

Leone caught on to what Esdese was talking about. "Incursio belonged to Tatsumi. Not you."

"Ohh but you are mistaken, little kitty." Esdese said. Now getting dangerously close. "Tatsumi belongs to me. You stole from him and therefore you stole from me. My sweet little mate was really sad after that." Esdese took a deep breath as her smile widened. "I am going to make you hurt so, so very much for that."

Leone shrunk away unconsciously. Her instinct's still traumatized by what she had suffered at Esdese's hands. But her mind was still defiant. "Too bad for you. I don't have it anymore."

"Where is it?" Esdese asked. Her voice a bit harder.

"Why don't you ask Tatsumi? Last time I saw it, he was wearing it."

That made Esdese stop. She looked at Leone for some moments and then her eyes turned to Tom-Tom who was standing on the other side of the group.

"Where is Tatsumi?" she called out in a demanding tone.

Tom-Tom looked at her some moments then he answered in his slow and raspy voice. "He is on the other side of the dead monster. Fighting general Makeias."

Tatsumi was running out of energy. He needed to end this quickly.

The battle with Makeias had already drawn out for far too long. And things had slowly started to turn in favour of the imperial general. As Tatsumi had known that they would do if he didn't finish it quickly. He was still faster than Makeias but only slightly. Makeias had managed to block his spear everytime but he had still taken a lot of punches and kicks. But he didn't slow down. He seemed to just shrug off hits and wounds that would incapacitate most men. Tatsumi could guess that it was related to Makeias' teigu but he was still unsure about to what extent Makeias teigu affected the general. Tatsumi knew little of Morbus.

They were moving around down in one of the streets beside the giant dead body. Still fighting close to Najenda, who still hadn't moved since she rolled down from the beast. There was fire and smoke all around them but not any other people.

Tatsumi had taken quite a beating himself. Makeias's black fog had given the general a couple of nasty hits on him. None that had managed to get through Incursio but Tatsumi had still taken some damage. And unlike Makeias, Tatsumi could feel how he was starting to slow down.

They were both now moving around too fast for the black fog to keep up with them. Makeias's trick no longer useful. He had abondoned that plan among with many others during this fight. He was only using one of his spears. The other one was lying on the street some meters away from them. He had grabbed Tatsumi a couple of times but had not been able to hold on long enough to use Morbus to immobilize him. Incursio was still protecting Tatsumi from the corruption of Morbus. For now. Makeias was confident that he would get through soon enough. And Tatsumi had started to realize the same thing.

They jumped back and forth across the street for a while. At one moment one of them pursuing the other and in the next one retreating backwards. But Tatsumi was searching for the right chance. He needed a moment when Makeias was pinned and stationary. Tatsumi still hadn't shown just how much force he could put in his swings. Not being able to do so since Makeias was too fast. So if Tatsumi could get the right opportunity, then he might be able to overpower the general by mere suprise. At least if Makeias believed that he had been using all of his powers all along.

But he needed to do it soon. Since Makeias was gaining more and more ground by the second. But luckily for Tatsumi, the chance came before he had lost all his energy.

Makeias had noticed that he had the upper hand and chose to give the younger boy a chance to step back from his actions. Mainly because he didn't want to kill him. Tatsumi was still one of his most important pieces. Even if he didn't know it himself.

Makeias stopped for some seconds as Tatsumi jumped backward in the wake of their last engagement. He looked at the boy. "Stop this folly, Tatsumi." he called out loudly.

Tatsumi halted himself. He looked at Makeias as he went on. "Deactivate Incursio. Lay it down on the ground and I promise you that I will act as if this never happened. There is still time for you to correct this foolish mistake."

Tatsumi recognized that it was a good offer. Probably his best chance as well. Since he was losing this fight. And all it would require, was that he abandoned Najenda and let one of his friends die again.

"And tell me Makeias, what will happen to Night raid?"

Makeias gave him no smiles or jokes. "They will die. All of them."

Tatsumi crouched down into a fighting position again.

"You are only dooming yourself with this, Tatsumi." Makeias said loudly. Frowning as Tatsumi prepared to resume the fight. "Night raid will die. With or without your involvement. Maybe tonight, maybe in a week or maybe in a year. But they will all die. They are on a side that has already lost in a war that leaves no prisoners."

"And I am to take your word that you will simply ignore all you have just seen?" Tatsumi mocked.

Makeias put his fist against his chest. "I am a soldier, Tatsumi. The only thing that is constant to a soldier is loyalty. I think you can at least understand that, as a fellow soldier."

Tatsumi lowered his weapon slightly and straightened up a little bit.

Makeias smiled faintly at him. "I am loyal to my ideals. I keep my word." he said and reached out with an open hand towards Tatsumi. "Let's stop this. None of us stand to gain anything from this fight."

Tatsumi looked at the general and slowly walked up to him. Raising his own hand in respons. "You know what, Makeias. As stupid as it may sound, I actually believe you. I really think that you have your own strange sense of honour. Most soldiers and military leaders seem to possess one."

Makeias smile widened and he reached out a bit further with his hand. Tatsumi was now only three meters away from him.

"But you forget one thing, general." Tatsumi said. His smile under the helmet was almost apologetic. "I am not a soldier. I am an assassin."

And then Tatsumi vanished. Makeias eyes widened in surprise as Tatsumi simply disappeared right in front of him. He had never heard about Incusrio's invisibility. But he could still feel that Tatsumi was somewhere in front of him.

He quickly leaped backwards and filled his lungs with air. If Tatsumi was going to disappear from vision then he would make Tatsum unable to see him as well. He would summon the black smoke again. But before he got time to do that, the one of his spears that were lying on the ground suddenly flew at him. He deflected it with the spear he was holding but it flew into his general's coat. Sending him flying into the wall of the house behind him. The blade pinning him there for less than two seconds.

But that was all the time that Tatsumi needed.

He appeared some meters above the general. Descending at him extremely fast. Swinging his spear down at Makeias with all his strength. Putting all his hopes into this attack.

"Uoooooooooooooooh!" he shouted as he brought forth all the energy he had left.

But Makeias was still fast enough. He brought up the spear he was holding in his hand just in time to block Tatsumi's swing down at him.

The entire world seemed to stand still as their weapons collided. Tatsumi's giant blade halted by Makeias' long and thin spear. Makeias mustering all of his own strength to stop Tatsumi's attack. The two combatants stared at each other as the moment passed.

Then, with a loud "crack" Makeias' spear broke in two. Shattering into many pieces. Tatsumi's giant weapon cut through the wall behind Makeias as it went down and then hit him in the shoulder. Some centimeters from his neck. The sharp metal cut quickly through cloth, flesh and bones. And when Tatsumi's swing came to a halt, his blade had went all the way down to Makeias stomach. Severing his entire chest in two. The blade still stuck into the wall behind Makeias. Having cut through it as well.

Makeias' broken spear fell down to the ground and a silent sigh escaped his mouth as his head slouched forward. The last air escaping his now destroyed lungs.

Tatsumi took a steadying breath. He looked down at his shaking hands as he lightened his grip on his weapon. This had taken a lot of strength from him.

He was about to relax when he heard the silent sound.

"I..."

Tatsumi quickly turned his head up towards Makeias face and found it staring down at him from less than four centimeters away. His eyes were pitch black. Without pupils or whites. Black tears were pouring down his chins and pouring out of his nose. His teeth were black when he spoke.

"I am..."

Tatsumi immediately started to pull back but Makeias' hand reached up and grabbed him.

"I am decay.." Makeias gurgled as Tatsumi tried to get free. "..INCAAAAARNAAAATEEE!"

Suddenly the black, thick liquid erupted from all of Makeias' wounds and openings. Spraying out of him as if someone just had opened a container with a lot of pressure within it. Just like a bottle of carbonated liquid which had been moved around too much. Morbus spraying out through his wounds as if from a fire hose.

When Tatsumi finally managed to get free and jumped back, the front of Incursio was black and not white. Totally covered in the liquid of Morbus.

Tatsumi could feel how it started to eat through the armor. How it started to break down Incursio's defenses. His teigu had easily repelled Morbus when it came in smaller quantities. But now it was covered in the liquid and Tatsumi could feel that its resistance was futile.

He tried to rub the liquid off from his arms but it was as sticky as glue. That which he scraped off from his arms immediately got stuck on his hands instead. He could feel that if any of that liquid managed to reach his skin, then it would all be over.

He only had one choice. Incursio's back was still untouched by the corruption. Tatsumi jumped backward and then dismissed Incursio mid-flight. The teigu disappearing into thin air. Leaving a few centimeters between him and the liquid as the armor vanished.

The black liquid fell down on the ground with a wet sound and the sword landed a couple of meters away from it. Tatsumi himself fell over on his back. Having lost all his strength now that he had dismissed Incursio. His momentum made him roll over backward until he was lying on his stomach.

He lay there for some moments and gathered his breath. With great effort he managed to put his elbows on the ground and raise himself slightly.

And then he heard a step. Silent and a bit unsteady. And then a second one. And then a third.

Tatsumi looked up in shock and horror as Makeias walked towards him.

The imperial general looked horrifying. One of his legs and most of his body were coverered in thick black liquid. It still pured out of his mouth and nose and wounds. The tears that poured from his eyes were made of the same liquid. It dripped down on the ground with every step he took. Tatsumi's attack had cleaved his chest in two. The cut had hit Makeias in the shoulder and then moved slightly inwards towards the center of his body. His chest opened up by almost four decimeters down from the shoulder, because of this. Half of his uppper body was hanging loose to the side. But he still walked somewhat upright. Resulting in that the hand on the side that Tatsumi had severed almost dragged in the ground as he walked. Hovering a few centimeters above his feet. Due to the fact that half his chest was swinging loosely at his side.

Yet his steps were determined if a bit unsteady. And his gaze was firm. He was holding his other spear in the hand that wasn't hanging by the ground. Having torn it out from the wall as Tatsumi struggled with Morbus. His face was turned to Tatsumi and when he spoke, his voice was a gurgle.

"Now I can understand what Esdese sees in you, Tatsumi." he gurgled slowly. "Your possibility for growth is not strong, it's unbelievable. Now I understand why she wants you. You have the possibility to grow enough to match her."

Makeias was getting close to Tatsumi but he couldn't move much to get away as the general continued. "But I am beyond strength. I am the way of all flesh. I am decay. And few humans can stand against me."

Makeias was now standing over Tatsumi. Looking down at him. Tatsumi meeting his gaze. "Because time will always bring decay." Makeias said. He then turned his face away from Tatsumi and over to Najenda. She was still lying on her stomach over by the creature. "And now the time has come for Najenda. The leader of night raid."

"No.." Tatsumi wheezed as Makeias took a step over towards his friend. But he was literally out of energy. He had already been tired when he fused with Incursio. That had given him a boost but now he couldn't even get up anymore.

He felt despair bubbling up inside of him. Was he going to fail again? Would he have to watch his friend die again? Panic ruled Tatsumi's mind when an all too familiar feeling washed over him. A presence he knew all to well made itself known. Proud and strong. She rarely hid her presence in battle.

Makeias perceptive instincts were heavily reduced in his current state but even he could feel it. He turned his head to the side and there stood Esdese. Ten meters away from him. Holding her sword in one hand and the other one hanging by her side. She was looking at the scene in front of her. A bit unsure of what was going on.

Makeias horrifying appearance was enough to even make her raise her eyebrows. Even if she was more surprised than appalled. But most of her attention was on Tatsumi. She had really been looking forward to seeing him wielding all the power that she had felt all the way from the other part of the city. But now she could see that he had been defeated. And there was only one there that could have done that.

Her eyes narrowed as they returned to Makeias. The other general meeting her gaze with his black eyes.

Tatsumi himself had already reached his conclusion. He knew what he needed to do. He would take away Esdese's hestiation. He would not give Makeias a chance to explain. Makeias might have thought that killing Najenda would be a mercy. Giving her a quick death instead of a drawn out one in the torture chambers. But Tatsumi didn't care. If Najenda was in the torture chambers then he could save her from there. As he had done with Leone. There was still hope. Just as long as Makeias didn't kill Najenda now.

He raised himself up on his arms as much as he could. Shaking heavily as he did. He looked at Esdese and her eyes returned to him when he moved. He tried to look like he was fighting and struggling. He knew that Esdese found few things in this world cuter than him when he was strained and defiant. He called out to her. Trying to sound as pleading as he could.

"Help me, Esdese! He is going to kill me!"

Author's note:

Now that was a long delay! Almost two weeks too late. The reason is simple. Two days after the last chapter was released, my laptop was stolen. It was an old machine, not anything fancy. So it was not a big economic loss. Nor did I lose any parts of this story since I have all that saved online.

However, I did lose almost two months worth of work on a project that I am a part of. So I have been forced to redirect a LOT of my time to recreate that which was lost. Since it's deadline is in July. Which has slowed down all other aspects of my life.

I am starting to get things back in order, though. So the next chapter will be released in 10 days. Hopefully.

Once again, thanks for reading. I have recieved questions about what has been going on and worries from people that want to see more of this story. And every single one of those words have egged me on and motivated me to keep up the pace. So thanks a lot. There is no greater reward for a writer than knowing that her/his story has managed to engage it's readers.

Until next time, take care of each other.