A little bit later than planned, despite this being a shorter chapter.
But I am starting to get things back under control. Finally.
Between life and death.
Makeias barely managed to deflect Esdese's first swing at him. He had been suprised when Tatsumi first attacked him after he had summoned Incursio. Unprepared for the younger man's incredible strong and quick growth. But he knew how fast and strong Esdese was. He was a bit more prepared. In mind if not in body. When he had sparred with Esdese before, he had learned that while she was much stronger than him, he was about as fast as her.
Or rather, he had been. His body was more damaged than it had ever been before. The remains of his lungs and chest were spasming heavily. Instinctively trying to draw air into him. Unable to do so. Also making his throat contract and tighten violently. Not that he needed air anymore. Now he was completly relying on Morbus to keep him alive. It was now the only thing that kept him from immediately blacking out. But the spasming and contractions made it harder for him to move. And the excruciating pain didn't make it easier to focus.
He deflected the first attack and then jumped back quickly. Parrying her next attack as she followed him. Both of them moving past where Najenda and Tatsumi were lying on the ground. Ten meters from each other. The two generals moving past them. But Makeias had just barely been able to match her in their earlier match. And now he couldn't use one of his arms and his speed was severly reduced. This would not be a long fight. And they both knew it.
Esdese pressed her attack without mercy. Not giving the other general the slightest chance to catch his breath or slither his way out of this one. Her face an image of wrath and anger. She had had enough of the pillager. All of her small annoyances with the man had bubbled up into her when it became clear to her that he had tried to kill Tatsumi. She now remembered all the reasons why she disliked Makeias. All of her anger at him waking up when she heard her partner call out for help. She was not smiling or playing around in this fight. Only focusing on bringing Makeias down. She simply would not tolerate the pillager to exist any longer.
By the fourth attack it was clear to Makeias that he would be unable to block one of her swings pretty soon. He pushed back a bit faster with one of his legs. Sending himself spinning backwards as he moved away from her. His arm and almost half his chest swinging out from him as his massive wound created a tornado of the black liquid from the spinning. Sending the corrupting fluid flying away from him in all directions.
But Esdese simply swung her arm in the air in front of her and suddenly all the liquid heading for her froze. The frozen droplets of Morbus harmlessly bouncing of her as she approached Makeias at breakneck speed.
Makeias continued to move backwards but not fast enough. She caught up with him quickly and they once again started to swing at each other. Makeias retreating and Esdese following. Makeias was racing for solution in his head. He was unsure of how he would be able to get away from Esdese when he was like this. And he knew that he probably couldn't win this fight. He had one trick that he had prepared especially for her but he didn't want to use that right now. He wanted to save it until he could use it to destroy her. Not spend it just to get away.
But he soon realized that he didn't have a choice.
He blocked one of her kicks with his still functioning arm but was forced to move backwards in order to avoid the swing of her sword. But he wasn't fast enough. His body was heavily unbalanced because of his injuries.
"Hah!" Esdese exclaimed with a smile as the top of her sword sliced through his throat. Cutting through half of his neck. Making black liquid spew out from the new wound. Esdese smiled with satisfaction as Makeias slowly started to fall backwards.
Makeias's vision was getting darker. For some moments his sight disappeared entirely as his mind tried to understand what had just happened. For some moments he wondered if she had cut off his head entirely. He didn't understand what was going on. But he could feel it.
He had been close to death many times before but never like this. He could feel how the grim reaper breathed down his neck. It was getting hard for him to control his body.
Is this it? Makeias thought. Is this where it will end?
Despair and panick started to fill him. Had he come this far just to be killed by Esdese? After all his work, planning and sacrifices. Was it still just going to end like this. Was he just going to become another name in the long list of Esdese's kills. Fear and desperation grabbed hold of his entire being. And from deep within his desperation, Morbus answered.
Just as he was about to fall backwards, one of his legs moved back and stopped his fall. Esdese's eyes widened and she jumped a bit backwards. She had been sure that it was over.
Makeias straigthened up slightly. His head swaying around as he did.
There is too much left for me to do!
It was hard for him to control his body but he wasn't fading away. At least not for now.
Esdese looked at him with a smile. "You're really tenacious. It would probably be fun to torture you." she said as Makeias tried to gather himself. "But I think not. This city will be your grave, pillager."
Makeias had a hard time speaking. Since his throat was open. He was almost completly covered in the liquid of Morbus. Looking like somone had poured a barrel of oil over him. It poured down on the ground around him. He knew that he probably wouldn't survive another attack from Esdese. He needed to get away.
Black smoke shot out of all Makeias's wounds. Expanding so fast and violently in all directions that Esdese was engulfed in it just after some seconds. But she wasn''t bothered. She simply held her breath and closed her eyes. Focusing all of her attention on her perceptive instincts.
She could feel where the pillager was almost immediately but when she did, her expression became filled with fury.
She turned around quickly and swung her sword through the air with all her might. Using both of her hands. Her swing was so strong that it created a gust that blew most of the smoke away from her. Returning her vision to her. And when she opened her eyes she was met with the scene that she had already detected.
Makeias had backed away and moved around her. Now he was standing beside Tatsumi. The one of his legs that wasn't drenched in Morbus was placed on Tatsumi's back. He held his spear down against Tatsumi's throat.
Esdese looked at Tatsumi who met her gaze with uncertain eyes. She tried to send him a reassuring gaze but it didn't get across since her face still held anger.
She turned her eyes to Makeias. "That was a mistake." she said coldly to him.
Makeias words was almost inaudible as he spoke. His voice a gurgling growl.
"For all... the things... you know about pain... Esdese.. I still don't think... that you understand despair."
Esdese didn't answer. Her instincts on absolute edge. Her eyes glued to his still funtioning arm as she slowly took another steep forward. Makeias made her stop her advancement by stomping down a bit harder on Tatsumi's back.
"I know... that you have suffered... before... but I don't think... you know... what despair... is... now stand down... or I will show you.. what I mean..." Makeias gurgled. His head barely staying in place.
Esdese looked at him for some seconds. Then she straigthened up and took a step backwards. Makeias opened his mouth to speak but Esdese interrupted him.
"Mahapadma!"
Makeias stumbled a step forward as Tatsumi suddely wasn't under his foot. He straightened up and suddenly Esdese was standing three meters closer to him than she had been a moment ago. It took him a heartbeat to realize that she was holding Tatsumi in one of her arms. Pressing his weak body against her side. She had her weapon sheated along her back.
Makeias looked at her with an empty expression. Understanding what she had just done. She grinned at him. Her smile sadistic and triumphant. Then she slowly raised her free hand and showed it to him. In it she was holding a small knife. It looked black and almost rustic.
NO!
Makeias dropped the spear and reached up with his hand and grabbed the middle of his body, just under his chest. It wasn't there. He looked up at her again.
She was holding the knife that had been stuck into his chest for almost three years. The knife that an assassin had stabbed him with. Not realizing what it was. She was holding the weapon that had given him the powers of Morbus.
Makeias eyes were wide in shock as he fell down on his knees. His still functioning arm falling down beside him. Esdese dropped the knife down on the ground in front of her. Tatsumi smiled at Makeias in a sad and apologetic way.
Makeias was completly terrified as he searched inside of himself for Morbus. Internally calling for the power of the teigu.
...
...
...
And Morbus answered.
Makeias couldn't help but smile as one of his oldest theories was confirmed. He had never dared to test it himself, since he thought he could die if he removed the knife from his body. But now he knew.
His teigu didn't take the form of a weapon. Morbus, the all corrupting infection, wasn't a dagger. The teigu itself was a disease. It had just resided in the knife when he was stabbed with it. Now it had moved from it and lived inside of his body. Integrated into him in the same way as Esdese's teigu was with her.
But that only made his situation marginally better. He only had one choice now.
Esdese's and Tatsumi's smiles both lessened as Makeias raised his open hand in the direction of Tatsumi.
Everyone was silent for a second.
"Fall!" Makeias ordered and closed his hand. Activating one of his oldest tricks.
"Gaah!" Tatsumi suddenly shouted in pain and grabbed his right hand. Esdese turned her face to him in confusion. Unsure of what was going on.
Makeias slowly rose up. Still holding his hand in Tatsumi's direction as he awoke the infection he had placed in his hand the first time that they shook hands. During that first meeting they had in private so long ago. This was his trick against Esdese. This was the weakness he had found. Tatsumi. He had wished to save this until he could use it to give himself a chance to destroy her. But he was out of option at the moment.
Tatsumi pulled back the cloth over his arm and he and Esdese's looked in horror as the veins in Tatsumi's hand were slowly turning black. They could see how it moved up from his hand and started to crawl in all directions. Moving up into his arm.
Esdese turned her furious gaze to Makeias but was met with black, rage-filled eyes. Makeias using his arm to hold his head in place.
"I HATE YOU!" Makeias screamed. Sounding more lika a beast than a man with all the gurgeling and growling. "I HAVE ALWAYS HATED YOU! EVER SINCE YOU DESTROYED ANY CHANCE WE HAD TO FIND PEACE IN THE NORTH WITH YOUR GODDAM GENOCIDE!"
Makeias's facade was gone. His true feelings laid bare. "BUT NOW YOU WILL STAND DOWN! OR I WILL TEACH YOU ABOUT LOSS IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE!"
Esdese looked at him for a second and then turned over to Tatsumi. She grabbed his arm with a cold expression on her face. She started to draw her sword with her other hand.
Tatsumi immediately realized what she was gonna do. "Don't" he shouted and grabbed her wrist. He bent over his arm. Putting his body in the way.
"Get out of the way, Tatsumi!" Esdese exclaimed and pulled his arm to the side. Swinging his entire body after it. But Tatsumi still held on to her wrist with his healthy arm. Making it very difficul to manage a clean cut without damaging both his arms. Esdese was getting desperate. She needed to cut off his arm before the infection spread to his body. She pulled his arm away from him again but the result was the same.
"Tatsumi!" she said in a hard and demanding voice. A painfilled expression on her face. She really didn't want to do this but she had to. There were few acts in this world that were less appealing to her than reducing his beautiful strength and potential. Lessening his chances to grow strong enough to match her. But if it stood between that or loosing him entirely then she would cut off his limb any day. She knew several cripples that were still respectable fighters. Najenda was a good example. And Esdese would take whatever she could get when it came to Tatsumi.
Tatsumi didn't answer her. He stood hunched over his arm with his back towards her. Holding on to her wrist.
Esdese raised her sword behind his back. Intending to render him unconscious with a hit to the neck with it's hilt.
But due to the fact that Tatsumi was holding on to one of her arms, he could feel when the attack was coming. He managed to shift his body enough to make the strike miss it's intended spot. Instead hitting him in the back.
The hit was strong and made Tatsumi grunt in pain. Esdese clenched her teeth. She had not felt this uncomfortable about anything for as long as she could remember. "Let go Tatsumi. It is the only way!"
"No it isn't!" Tatsumi protested. Clinging to her wrist.
"What then?" she demanded in a stressed and irritated voice.
He turned his head to the side slightly and looked at her. "Give me some time."
"Fine." Esdese said angrily.
She lightly tapped into the power of her teigu and froze Tatsumi's entire arm. All the way up to the shoulder. Tatsumi wheezed from the extremly agonizing sensation. But both he and Esdese could see how the blackness stopped spreading inside of his now frozen arm.
"This is only prolonging the inevitable, Tatsumi." Esdese said harshly. "The arm has to go."
"No it doesn't." he said and looked at her in defiance. Daring to move away from his arm for some moments. "Incursio can repell Morbus. It has done so before."
Esdese gestured with the arm that was holding the sword in the direction where Incursio was lying on the ground. Ice spikes shot out of the ground under it. Sending the sword flying towards them. Tatsumi caught it with his free hand.
"I need more energy to summon it effectively. Keep my arm frozen until I have regained some power." he said and looked at her.
"This is foolish Tatsumi. What if it doesn't work? Would you risk your entire life just for that arm?"
"It will work! Trust me." Tatsumi said in desperate defiance.
Esdese slowly shook her head while she looked at him. "I don't like this idea. It's too risky."
"Liar." Tatsumi said. "Then why haven't you just closed the hand that is holding my arm? You could easily crush it to pieces now that it is frozen."
"There are few ways of amputation that are less safe than that." Esdese answered. "A clean cut and then freezing the stump is better."
"You want this to work just as much as I do." Tatsumi stated. Holding up Incursio.
"My wishes are not relevant when determining the safest option."
Tatsumi and Esdese stared at each other for a while. No one saying a word. Then Tatsumi slowly let go off her wrist.
"I trust you, Esdese. So please trust me." he said and looked up at her. "It will work."
Esdese looked at him for a second and then sighed. Once again he had used her own affection to manipulate the situation. She couldn't mutilate him after he so clearly stated that he trusted her not to do it. Especially when he removed his hand and gave her free passage to do so. Now she simply couldn't. Not when Tatsumi wanted to put his bets on something that was likely to work. It would damage what they had together too much.
"If I see the slightest sign that you are getting worse in any way, then I am taking the arm. Even if I have to break it to splinters."
Tatsumi smiled faintly at her. "It will work!" he repeated.
Esdese let go off his arm. Moving her hand around his back. Steadying him up with it. Only then did she realize that she had forgotten something. She immediately shifted her gaze from him to the area around them but it was already too late.
Tatsumi followed her gaze and understood what she was searching for but he was nowhere to be seen. The pillager was gone.
"Tchh" Esdese clicked angrily with her tongue. "A weasel to the very end."
"Can you sense him somewhere nearby?" Tatsumi asked. His own perceptive instincts muddled by the pain and exhuastion.
"No, he has fled away." she said with irriation. "But it doesn't matter. I will hunt him to the end of the world for this."
"Could you take me to a medical tent or something?"" Tatsumi asked. "I need something to boost my energy so I can summon Incursio properly."
"Of course." Esdese said. "I just need to check something first." She slowly laid him down on the ground. Being very gentle and careful with his frozen arm. "Don't try to move it around. Just stay as still as possible." she ordered in a kind voice. Then she rose up and turned around. Walking over to the giant beast, where Najenda was still lying on her stomach.
Tatsumi took a deep breath. This would probably be a bit ugly. He knew that Esdese was going to play around with Najenda a lot. But it was still preferable to the fate Makeias would have given her. Even if he was sure that both Makeias and Najenda would disagree. But they didn't know what he did. They didn't know that he was the one that had freed Leone from the torture chambers.
He had done it once. He could do it again, Tatsumi concluded as Esdese walked over to Najenda. Her sword drawn. She put her foot under Najenda's shoulder and flipped her body over so that she was laying on her back instead. Esdese was silent for some moments.
"How boring. She has already been dead for a while."
Tatsumi could almost feel how his heart skipped a beat at those words. He slowly turned his head to look at Najenda. Holding his breath.
Najenda looked really peaceful. Her eye was closed and her mouth shut. Her head leaning slightly to the side. Yet Tatsumi could immediately see that Esdese was right. Najenda was very pale. Unnaturally so. Her chest was still and her body didn't react to anything in the slightest.
Esdese looked down at the body. Her expression was hard to read.
"Despite all your high ideals and noble goals, you still just end up like this. Food for the crows. Now your body will rot here. In a couple of months, it will be hard to recognize who you once were. And in fifteen years, no one will remember who you even was or what you were trying to do. While I will continue to enjoy myself and destroy your dream. Because I was stronger than you. I was always stronger than you. And now you are just another body for the piles. My victory in our vendetta is complete."
Esdese sighed. She trailed the tip of her sword over Najenda's face, absentmindedly. Cutting through the pale skin.
"Yet this still feels utterly disappointing." Esdese said. Bitterness creeping into her voice. "I had so many ideas. So many plans for you. Yet now your end just became so.. so.. boring."
Tatsumi had to look away as Esdese let the tip of her sword pierce Najenda's remaining eye. Destroying it utterly. "I wanted to take your other eye from you long before you died." Esdese said. In a strange way, she sounded sad. "They called you my rival yet you died before I even got a chance to properly fight you again."
Esdese stood there silently for some seconds and then bit of irritation crept into her face.
"Weakling." she said lowly and shoved her sword down through the remains of Najenda's eye. Piercing her entire head. She then drew her sword up and swung it through the air before sheating it, making the blood fly off it with the swing. She gave Najenda one last look and then turned around. Leaving her old enemy to become a part of the past. Letting the crows and insects have her body.
She walked up to Tatsumi. She took Incursio which was hanging loosely from his hand and then wrapped her arms under his body. Starting to lift him up.
She didn't notice how one of his hands clawed and scraped the earth as he was being lifted.
No, he protested in his head. Too devestated to even speak. Just leave me here... please... Just let it end...
He looked at Najenda with tearfilled eyes over Esdese's shoulder.
This is where I should be... please... I belong with them... Just let me lie down and die beside them... please...
Esdese herself was unaware of Tatsumi's thoughts and despair. Her own mood being rather dark at the moment as well. Not realizing how cruel this moment was for Tatsumi. But it wouldn't have made any diffrence to the situation if she knew. She would not him go. He belonged to her.
She bent down slightly and then jumped up in the air, over some houses. Leaving the scene behind them both.
On a hill in the woods outside of the city, the remains of night raid were meeting with the other agents that had escaped the city. They could see the whole city from where they were standing. The fire and smoke still rising from within the walls.
"Is this everyone that escaped?" Leone asked grimly. The group they were meeting consisted of less than fifteen people.
"We are not certain." a young officer from the revolutionary army answered. "There were many of us that ran for it when the wall fell. It was very chaotic. There might be others that haven't made it to this meet-up place yet. We should wait and see if more people come here within an hour or so."
"No." Akame said silently. "The imperial army will have noticed that the blockade is broken now. Esdese have some of the best hunters in the world in her service. They will start moving out of the city soon. Searching for us. We can not stay here unless we are prepared to fight again."
"There is also the question of what has happened with the forces that surrounded the city." the officer said. "Even if our beast from the sea scared some of them to flee, most were still holding the formation around the city. Yet now they are nowhere to be seen."
"Yeah." Isamu said. He was standing a bit in the background but was still participating in the discussion. "We had a strange experience in the city as well. They seemed to be withdrawing."
Akame and Leone knew what he was talking about. The situation had looked very grim for them when they were cornered between Esdese and Tom-Tom's men. But then Tom-Tom had revealed to Esdese that Tatsumi and Makeias were fighting each other. After that Esdese had stayed long enough to be certain that the members of night raid wouldn't be able to escape Tom-Tom until she returned. When she was sure of that, she immediately left.
And it had seemed like they would still be there when she returned. While Tom-Tom's men would probably never beat anyone of the three night raid members, they could still prevent their escape. Since their agility and extremly well developed instincts made it almost impossible to rush a fight against them. Since you couldn't give them any openings.
So for a while it seemed like they would have to fight Makeias's personal guards for almost an hour before they could kill them all. But strangely enough, they didn't have to.
Just a couple of minutes after Esdese had left them, Tom-Tom had suddenly shifted his head up towards the sky. Then he had knocked his staff into the ground once and quickly moved away from the premise. Jumping up on the rooftops. His gray robes swaying behind him. And as soon as he was gone, his men slowly started to move away. Running away three at a time. Until they had all fled from the night raid members. Leaving them free to escape the city and move to the meet-up point.
"The forces might just be waiting for us a bit further away." the officer said with worry.
Akame was not so convinced. "I think we can assume that they have left this area. It seems like there is a schism within the forces that Esdese brought here."
"The big question is Najenda." Leone said and looked at the officer. "Have you heard anything from her yet?"
The officer shook his head. "Not a word from her or her group after they engaged the pillager."
Leone sighed. "So first Najenda fights the pillager, then Tatsumi attacks the pillager, then all three of them disappear from our sight and lastly Esdese goes away to find them." she said and shook her head. "I do not like the sound of it. Not one bit."
Akame suddenly remembered the letter that Najenda had given her when they had met down in the city. She had said that it contained directions of what to do after she had brought down Esdese's steed. She picked up the letter from her pocket and walked a bit away from the group to read it.
"Then should we wait a bit longer until we are certain of what is going on." the officer said.
"A bad idea." Isamu objected. "The city is almost completly burned down. The army will start to move out from it soon."
"We have no clear course of action without Najenda." the officer said. "We have no straight chain of command without her. She is the one with the most contact with the leaders of the revolutionary army."
Akame read through the letter while the others kept discussing the situation behind her. When she had read it through, she looked out over the city. The hill was high, so she could see most of Garu from there. She could see where Esdese's steed had crash landed. Destroying a couple of houses as it did. She could see where the wall around the city had been breached by the leviathan. It's body now lying in the ruins of houses. She could see the port. Where small rafts and boats had started to escape. The imperial fleet had for some reason moved away from the city. Now being far off in the distance.
She took a steadying breath and calmed herself. Taking full control of her feelings. Supressing them. She lifted the letter a bit and then opened her hand. Letting the wind grab the paper and carry it away. She looked at the letter as the wind blew it towards the sea.
She swallowed hard. Goodbye.
She turned around and walked back to the group.
"Since we don't know if she is dead or not we have to assume that the command-" the officer was saying when Akame interrupted him.
"Najenda is not coming back."
Silence followed that statement. Most eyes glued to Akame. Leone was the first one to say anything.
"Are you sure?" she asked silently.
Akame nodded soberly. "Najenda is not coming back." she repeated.
The group was silent for another five seconds until the officer spoke up. "Is this it then? Is this the end of of night raid as a group?"
"No." Akame said determinately."Night raid will survive this."
"With two members?" the officer questioned. "That is folly. It's better to disband the group so that you can serve the revolutionary army separately."
"Three members." Isamu said silently.
"Night raid will not be disbanded." Akame said sternly. "This group still has a purpose to fulfill. And we now have one more reason to do so."
Leone nodded. A hard expression on her face. Isamu smiled encouragingly.
"So what now then?" the officer asked. "The leader of our organization is gone. We have no clear directive of what to do."
Akame once again took the initiative. "We will reorganize with the revolutionary army. Night raid will recruit some new members immediately. We already have some candidates."
The officer nodded. "Who should I tell the military leaders to contact when handing out missions? Who will be your leader."
Leone put a hand on Akame's shoulder. "I think that just became pretty obvious." she said and looked at Akame with a sad smile.
Akame looked at her friend with a sad but thankful expression. Isamu stood a bit behind them. Trying to be as supportive as he could, even if he still was an outsider to these people. Akame turned her head to the officer.
"Let's move out. Esdese's hunters will soon come running after us."
The officer nodded and the group started to move out. They walked through the last of the night. Until the sun started to rise again. No words were spoken.
Tom-Tom and his men had waited in the forest for almost four hours when he finally reached them.
He walked out of the bushes slowly. One of his hands now almost touching the grass. The men around Tom-Tom backed away in fear from the horrifying appearance of the pillager. The grass withering with his steps. No one moved towards him until Tom-Tom spoke up.
"Move, you dolts! Help your leader!" he shouted.
Finally the men around him started to move to the destroyed form of Makeias. But it was still Tom-Tom's own tribesmen that reached him first. Rushing to his aid as soon as the initial shock wore off. They grabbed the general with careful hands as he slowly collapsed.
"Bandage his body together." Tom-Tom commanded as he came up to Makeias's side. "Put his parts back where they should be. Morbus will keep him alive."
The giant men gently put Makeias down on the grass as some of the soldiers ran to fetch some bandages.
"Tom-Tom..." Makeias said weakly when they had put his head back into it's normal position.
"Yes, general?" Tom-Tom said and kneeled down at Makeias's side.
"Where are our forces?"
"The army has demobilized and scattered. Just as we had planned. Thousands of small units are now awaiting our command." Tom-Tom reassured. They had all known that this day would come. They had prepared for it. But Makeias appearance worried Tom-Tom. He had seen Makeias get his chest pierced by a spear and he had watched how the general had gotten his throat slit from behind. But he had never seen the other man this damaged. Even Tom-Tom was suprised to see his friend walking around.
"Sorry for asking this Makeias, but will you survive this?" Tom-Tom asked silently. Afraid of the answer.
He thought that Makeias's eyes shifted towards him but it was hard to tell. His eyes were black and he couldn't move his head in any direction.
"I am not sure that I am alive anymore." Makeias said and Tom-Tom could hear the fear that was hidden in his voice. Makeias noticed that Tom-Tom had detected his fear and tried to reassure his friend. "Don't worry, I am still here. Even if my flesh is ruined I am not fading. Not yet."
Tom-Tom nodded. Makeias was unable to mimick the gesture. His still functioning arm came up and grabbed Tom-Tom's.
"Send the message to Kai in the main encapment." he ordered.
"What message, sir?" Tom-Tom asked. He knew what Makeias was reffering to but he needed to confirm it. There could be no mistakes now.
Even in his destroyed state, Makeias was still able to smile. "The time has finally come. Tell him to unleash the wolves."
Tom-Tom returned his smile. "So our hour is here. At long last."
"Let Kai know. Let the officers know. Let the world know. Leave nothing but ashes."
The sun slowly rose over the blue sea. There was not a cloud to be seen on the blue sky. It looked like it was going to be a great day.
Kurome was standing in the front part of the small fleet's flagship. Looking out over the vast ocean as the men around her worked and went on with their duties. Wave was resting, down under deck. But Kurome couldn't sleep yet. Her mind still hadn't recovered from what had happened during the night. She was still trying to process what this all meant in the long run.
She stood there for a long while as the fleet slowly moved towards it's new destination. When the sun had risen fully, Kurome spotted a single piece of paper which was drifting with the wind. Being carried ten meters above the waves. It passed in front of their ship and then continued it's journey out towards the sea. Kurome looked at it as it flew away from them. Slowly disappearing from her sight. She wondered what it was. After a little while it was too far away for her to see it anymore.
The letter danced upon the wind. Fluttering back and forth. It's message momentarily visible every now and then.
"To Akame.
I am writing this as a precaution. It might not be necessary but I am the leader and the leader needs to prepare for everything.
I am most likely not going to survive a fight with the pillager.
I know some of the abilities of Morbus. My best chance to bring down the general will be to somehow set him on fire. But it will be hard to do and if I take one heavy hit from him, then it will be over. My chances of surviving this are slim at best.
But that is fine. As long as I can give you and the others a chance to escape.
Night raid must not fall. Even if the revolutionary movement's chances are gone, night raid must live on. For as it is right now, we are the only ones capable of bringing down the rule of the prime minister and Esdese. If they fall, then there will be a hope.
As long as night raid exists, there is still hope.
As long as you live, there is still hope.
Which is why I am writing this letter.
Akame.
When I am gone you will be the leader of night raid. I trust your instincts more than my own. Let them guide you and the rest will solve itself. I leave my dream to you. I believe that you can succeed where I failed. I am confident that, even if many of my decisions might turn out to be mistakes, this one will not.
Lastly I would like to let you know that it was an honor to fight this battle with you as my friends. I could not have asked for better subordinates. I am sorry for leaving everything to you. I had hoped that I would be able to walk this road with you guys for little while longer but this is now the only choice that remains to me.
Know that even if I am leaving this terrifying task to you, I still wish nothing but happiness for all of you.
Your friend. Now and forever.
Najenda"
The letter flew high over the sea. Drifting off into the blue sky.
Author's note:
There we go. The last of the three "Between" chapters. This concludes the Garu arc. Four chapters of build-up then followed by three chapters of action, violence, death and heroism. Now we have had the introduction arc, the great general arc and the Garu arc. Next chapter will start the prime minister arc.
I wonder if anyone had realized that Makeias placed some of Morbus in Tatsumi's hand all the way back in chapter 3. It was very obvious that he was doing something back then. But the trick was that the abilities of Makeias's teigu only was revealed a couple chapters later. So if you reread it you immediately realize that Makeias infected Tatsumi at that moment. But when you read it for the first time it is harder to understand what was going on.
And hey, this story now have 300 followers! Even though it is an ultimately meaningsless number, I still feel the need to express some gratitude for reading and follwing this story, Thank you.
The next one will come in about 10 days. Hopefully.
Take care of each other until then.
(Short edit: I don't like to talk about the specifics of this story in author's notes but after the previous chapter I have recieved quite a lot of complaints about how Morbus seems to be too overpowered. And after releasing this chapter, I realize that it might emphazise that impression. So I will just say this, while Morbus is meant to be a very flexible tool , it is not amongst the most powerful teigus out there. It's offensive abilities were outmatched by Incursio. It's control over others are far less potent than, for example, Yatsufusa (Kurome's teigu). It does make Makeias very tenacious but his defeat is almost guaranteed against opponents like Akame or Esdese. It is only steel that has a hard time killing him. It is fused to his body but I will remind you of something that has been touched on briefly in earlier chapters. Morbus doesn't give you powers. It trades them to you.)