Edit: Sorry my friends. There is going to be a short delay. The next chapter will be released today(24/1) or tomorrow(25/1). Sorry.
When the unplanned trumps the planned.
The fight between the two large groups had moved into one of the tunnels that connected to the negotiation room where the combat had begun. What began as a corridor had slowly turned into something looking more like a large mining tunnel. The walls and ceiling made by earth and stone. Held up by large wooden beams that stood along the walls.
Makeias' forces were very slowly withdrawing backwards as the fight raged on. Slowly pulling back from the warriors of the revolutionary army. Not yet turning into a full retreat. Figthing as they moved backwards.
Wave, Tom-Tom and Liza were in the front line of their side. Helping to keep the situation stable.
They were by far more powerful than most of their opponents but they were still being pushed back by the sheer number of the opposing force. The reinforcements of the revolutionary army far outnumbering any small reinforcements they had. Causing them to slowly fall back. The opponents greater numbers not allowing them to make a full retreat.
And there was always the question of the two night raid members that were hiding in the opposing force. Every now and then they darted out from the attackers when an opening presented itself. Their side's superiority in this battle allowing them to play it a bit safer and stay in the background until the opportunities appeared.
And it was working. Fatigue and the constant pressure were causing Wave and his friends to become more and more sloppy.
Wave kicked a woman that was attacking him with a spear in the stomach. Sending her flying backwards. But the line of enemies were so close to him that before he had even finished the kick, a new attacker was on him. Hitting him over the shoulder with a long halberd.
The sharp clang of metal hitting metal ran through Wave's head, and while the attack had failed to pierce his teigu's armor, the pain was still nothing to sneeze at.
"Son of a bitch!" Wave roared and grabbed the man's arm.
He then swung around while keeping his strong grip. Spinning around with the man swinging around in his grip. Wave moving as if he was going to throw a discus. His steps taking him into the enemy group. Knocking away dozens of enemy soldiers with the man he was holding as he spun around. Until he finally let go off the man. Sending him flying further into the enemy group. Knocking over ten more soldiers. Most bones in the man's body broken.
But Wave's attack had taken him into the enemy group and now he was unprotected. He had barely started to regain his balance before Leone suddenly dashed out from between some of the soldiers on his left side.
Wave managed to catch her fist in his hand but he had neither the strength to stop her punch or the proper stance to stand his ground. His own hand was pushed along with her fist as it hit him in the chest.
The hit strong enough to send him flying back into his own group. Knocking over several people in it before he finally came to a halt. Rolling over on the ground a couple of times.
The soldiers on his side were quick to fill up the hole that was created by him flying into them. The struggle immediately resuming.
Wave grabbed his dizzy head with a hand as he started to sit up. He noticed a large shadow suddenly falling over him.
"Are you okay, little Wave?" Tom-Tom asked in a deep and troubled voice as he crouched down beside him. When he crouched, the old man was still almost as tall as Wave was when he was standing.
Wave shook his head violently for some moments. Trying to regain some focus. "Yeah. Just a bit dizzy. Any sign of Makeias yet?" he asked. The fighting continuing fifteen meters in front of them.
"Not yet. Neither he or Kurome have returned yet." Tom-Tom said. Slowly standing up as Wave himself got on his feet.
"Shouldn't they be here by now?" the younger man asked as he looked at the fighting.
"Probably. But their absence doesn't have to mean anything yet. They are not that late." Tom-Tom said. He reached up with his elbow in the air and after some moments the owl teigu, Noctuaz came down and landed on it. The big bird returning to him as soon as he moved away from the battle.
Wave nodded. "We might have to think of a way to retreat on our own if this continues"
"Yeah. Our chances only seem to get slimmer and slimmer." Tom-Tom said. "I don't think we can wait for the general to return much longer."
With a silent "swosh" Liza landed beside them. One of her legs crouched down and the other straightened out to her side as she glided the last meters towards them.
"Excuse me, but we are fighting a battle here. Haven't you noticed?" she barked angrily at them. She was bleeding from her temple and was breathing heavily. Her hands and feet were covered in blod.
Her fighting style was furious and unrefined. Liza rarely bothering herself with pacing. As such, she had caused some terrifying attacks. Tearing her way through enemy soldiers at a faster pace than any of them. Dealing a great blow to the opposing group's moral. But fatigue was making itself known. Even to her. Causing her to become more careless in her fighting style. Which had resulted in her receiving a punch to the head. And while her strength and speed was inhumane, her endurance was nothing special. So that single hit was nothing she could laugh about. The single normal punch being enough to make her stumble for some moments.
"The front line will not hold without the two of you." she said loudly. "You need to return immediately."
"We know, Liza." Tom-Tom said. "But just fighting without a purpose will lead to our demise right now, Liza. We need to decide on a plan."
"Whatever you need to decide on, you need to do it fast. Because th-" was all Liza had time to say before she turned her head to the battle again. Her instincts warning her of the incoming attack.
She had barely turned her head in that direction before a a small cloud of projectiles were hurled from behind the line of warriors of the revolutionary army. A mix of arrows, spears, shurikens and throwing knifes. All shot and thrown in unison.
It only took a second for the projectiles to descend upon them.
Wave jumped up in the air. Meeting the projectiles head on. Deflecting and knocking down as many of them as possible. Liza caught the one spear that was heading for her head with a hand and Tom-Tom simply swiped away all the attacks that were coming for him with a single gesture with his staff. But even so, the projectiles were many and when Wave landed, most of those standing around the three of them were lying dead on the ground. Leaving the two rows in the front without support for some moments. As the warriors behind the three of them rushed to fill in the created gap.
Tom-Tom's quick deflective movement caused the teigu on his shoulder fly away a little bit. Landing on Liza just after she had thrown the spear back at the other side. Wave landed beside Tom-Tom.
"We will have to decide fast." he said. "We are approaching a breaking point."
"Agreed. We should join the front lines for a little while longer. We will take a decision as soon as-". This time it was Tom-Tom who interrupted himself. As a soft and mellow wave of energy hit him from the side. It felt like a deep humming echoed through his body. Tuneless but still containing feelings. Feelings of calmness and peace. Wave could feel it as well.
They both turned their head to it's source in unison. Both looking at Liza. The owl on her shoulder almost thrice as big as her head.
The little girl's eyes were unfocused. Her arms hanging on her sides. She was swaying back and forth. Looking like she was about to fall over.
"Liza?" Tom-Tom said and moved over to her. Wave following him. "Is everything alright?"
The girl didn't answer as Tom-Tom crouched down in front of her. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Can you hear me, Liza? What is happening?" He lightly shook her shoulder as Wave walked up to her side. He was about to ask her again when he froze. His gaze had wandered over her appearance. Searching for what was happening and finally his eyes had landed on the owl. Discovering the most important clue.
Noctuaz had closed it's eyes.
Tom-Tom felt his jaw drop slightly.
"What is going on?" Wave asked. "Tom-Tom? We need to return to the battle."
"It is synchronizing..." Tom-Tom said silently. "Look at her eyes, Wave."
Wave immediately saw what Tom-Tom was referring to. Even if it was faint, Liza's brown eyes were turning darker. Her brown pupils slowly turning black. "What is going on?"
"They have found compatibility." Tom-Tom said and slowly rose up. His mind reeling in suprise.
He had been wrong. They had tested Noctuaz for years after Makeias had recieved it. They had tried to make it work with thousands and thousands of people. Desperate to try to harness the unimaginable power that a full synchronization with the teigu would give them. But in the end, their results had been insignificant. At best they had managed to make the bird talk to a few people. And when it did, it only spoke gibberish.
In the end they had given up. Not only because of their own failures but also because they knew that the empire must have been trying to make that teigu work for decades, if not more. They would never have sent them the teigu if there was even the slightest chance that it would work. So Tom-Tom had decided that the teigu actually was dysfunctional. But now he realized that he had been wrong.
The teigu had never been broken. It had always been working. It had just never found it's way to someone who was compatible with it. Through all the ages. But now it had. Through mere chance.
Noctuaz, the all-knowing sleeper, had finally awoken. It's endless wisdom being transferred to Liza. Knowledge about all that had ever been, was or could be.
Wave didn't know anything about just how significant Noctuaz power was. He knew nothing of it's omnipotent knowledge. But he knew about teigu synchronization. He knew how badly teigu synchronization could go if it failed. He had seen peolpe who had gone crazy or had gotten heartattacks simply because they weren't compatible with the ancient weapons but still tried to use them.
And Liza's current state did not look like a success to him.
"It looks like it is frying her mind! We should take it off immediately." Wave said and reached towards the owl. But Tom-Tom stopped him by putting his staff on Wave's hand.
"No. Let her take it. She can handle it." the old man said. His expression stern as his eyes remained on Liza.
"Are you crazy?" Wave shouted and gestured towards Liza. Her eyes were slowly moving up behind her eyelids and a trail of drool was moving down her cheek from her mouth. "It is turning her into a vegetable."
"Liza is strong. She can handle it." Tom-Tom assured. Even if his face showed worry.
Wave was suprised to hear that. "Have you no regards for her safety?"
"Wave!" Tom-Tom said. His voice harder as his staff moved up and placed itself on the young man's chest. "I regard this girl and her brother as my own children. They mean far more to me than they will ever do to you. Now let her weather this. Trust in her."
Wave hesitated for a moment but then lowered his arm and nodded. "Fine, but she is in no condition to fight like this. She needs to be evacuated."
The old man nodded. "Liza is now more valuable than any of us. We must move into a full retreat. And you must escape with her to Makeias."
"We will not get far if we all fall back." Wave objected. "We can probably assume that they are just as fast as us. They will slaughter us as we flee."
Tom-Tom put a giant hand on Wave's shoulder and smiled at him. "Not everyone will retreat."
That stopped Wave in his tracks. He looked up at the old giant. "Are you serious?"
"If she gets to safety, then Makeias can not lose anymore. If you get her to safety, then the rule of the prime minister and Esdese will end. Without fail."
"There might be other ways than this. All of us might be able to disengage from this fight together." Wave protested.
"Are you willing to take that risk?" Tom-Tom asked and gave Wave a kind look. "We have been given a chance here, Wave. A chance for peace. True peace. We can not allow any risks."
They looked at each other for some long seconds. When Wave didn't say anything, Tom-Tom added "I have lived long enough, little Wave."
That made anger flare up in the younger man's eyes. "That is not the truth and you know it. You're just submitting to the cruelty of our situation."
That actually made Tom-Tom chuckle lightly. "But the situation isn't that cruel for me, little Wave." he said. Causing Wave's eyebrows to rise slightly. "I am very old. And I can not think of a better way to go, then to be able to give my life to secure peace for the coming generations."
Wave's face grew bitter. "Damn you."
Tom-Tom only chuckled again. "I believe the words that Makeias uses are "Don't hate the player. Hate the game.""
Wave opened his mouth to say something but halted himself and closed it again. Tom-Tom simply patted his shoulder. "Go. Before Liza recovers from the synchronization. Then she will refuse to leave."
Wave clenched his teeth. "I will stay with you. The others can escort Liza out. You don't deserve to go out alone."
"Would you leave Kurome behind then?" Tom-Tom asked in a friendly tone. Once again making Wave halt himself. "I have loved, I have laughed and I have lived, Wave. Now go!"
Wave looked at him for some seconds. Then, without a word, he grabbed Liza's hand and ran away through the crowd. Liza stumbling after him. Tom-Tom looked at him as he ran away for some moments. "Goodbye, little Wave."
It took almost two minutes after that before Liza regained her consciousness fully. It was the sharp whistle that signaled a full retreat for Makeias' warriors that brought her out of her haze. Finally being able to focus on something again. Even if the weight of Noctuaz's knowledge still strained her mind to an extreme degree. She still felt very confused.
But when her eyes finally focused again, the line between pupils and whites were gone. They were now exactly the same as the big owl that sat on her shoulder. Completely black, with small white spots shining in them. Looking like a starry night sky.
She quickly took in the situation all around her. She was running through the large tunnel. People all around her running as well. It took her some heartbeats to realize that someone was holding her hand. Leading her on. She looked up and saw that Wave, fully equipped with grande chariot, was holding her hand. Running through the crowd while guiding her.
The entire group had started to retreat in unison. Everyone abandoning the combat. All turning on their heels and starting to sprint. Eveyone leaving on their side of the battle when the whistle was blown. Only leaving a single figure standing. And even without hearing or seeing it, Liza knew who it was. She knew everything.
"No!" she said and drove her heels down into the ground.
Wave didn't hesitate for a second. He immediately turned around and scooped up her legs. Lifting her up with a hand behind her back and legs. "Please don't struggle now Liza." he almost shouted as he started running.
"Tom-Tom is staying behind." she shouted.
"He can handle himself." Wave said. Trying to sound calmer than he was.
"You've got to be joking." Liza said and started to squirm in his grip.
"Understand your own worth in this situation!" Wave shouted. Anger coloring his voice. "Understand why Tom-Tom is doing this. Understand why it is necessary."
"I don't want him to do this." Liza shouted back and started to struggle even more.
"Do you honestly think that this is about what you want? Grow the fuck up!"
That actually stopped Liza. She tried to think of something. She knew how this would end. She should be able to tell if there was a better way. But she had a hard time finding the answer. Her head was so full. It was very hard to fousing on any singular part of her thoughts and knowledge. She grabbed her head with both her hands as she tried to think about the situation. She should be able to tell what to do here.
As soon as it became clear to those fleeing that Tom-Tom was remaining behind, the long and slim warriors from his own tribe immediately turned around and moved back towards him. His closest warriors returning to him as fast as they could.
Tom-Tom noticed it without looking back at them. Focusing on those quickly approaching him from the front. Having already knocked out the warriors that had served as his initial opponents. But many more were now approaching him. Since he was the only one still standing in their way. The tunnel still a little bit too narrow for people to be able to run around him with safety. Since he was so fast.
"Cut down the beams!" he shouted when his men got close. They immediately scattered in diffrent directions. Racing towards the large wooden beams by the walls. The pillars that made the tunnel steady.
As soon as they reached them, they started to hit the wooden structures that held up the roof with their thin swords. But it was not going fast. Their battle proficiency coming from their speed. Not their strength. Their hits did not cut deep into the wooden pillars. After some moments, some of their swords broke. The thin blades not meant to break through this kind of resistance. As soon as that happened, those with broken weapons started to throw themselves against the pillars. Violently tackling them. Damaging themselves more than the wood.
Meanwhile the opposing group had reached Tom-Tom in earnest. Several warriors attacking him at once. But he was still fast enough. He hit the one closest to him with his staff. Knocking the man out with a hit to the head as he avoided the attack of the next warrior. After that he crouched down in a spinning motion. Using the length of his staff to swipe away the feets of all those coming at him from diffrent directions.
He started to straighten up as his spin came to an end. Ending up facing the opposing group again. And there she was. Leone. Flying straight at him.
He managed to get his staff up in order to block her punsh as she came towards him. But she was too strong. Usually he would have tried to move away from her attack instead of blocking it. But Leone had been waiting behind the warriors he had just swiped down. Striking as he was recovering from that move. He did not have time to move out of the way.
His staff broke under her strong fist. Splintering into many pieces as her fist went through it. Hitting Tom-Tom straight in the chest. Sending him flying backwards.
He landed on his back and rolled around a couple of times before he came to a halt. His long grey robes tangled up around him.
He hadn't come to a halt before some of his men immediately left the beams and bolted to his aid. Leaving three of them left to keep working on the beams.
But they didn't manage to get too far before they were bombarded by swift and deadly projectiles. All made out of water. Flying at them from the group behind Leone.
He had stayed hidden but now Isamu had finally made his appearance. Moving out of the group of warriors.
He was in a pretty bad condition from his fight with Kurome. His torso was covered with deep lacerations. His shirt in shreds. His neck still had the wound from when Kurome had pierced it with her sword. But he was still keeping it together. Using Black Marlin to prevent his blood from flowing out. Keeping himself on his feet and even being able to perform successful attacks. Even if he himself was suprised that he actually managed to hit his intended targets.
Back in Garu, he and Leone had been fighting Tom-Tom's warriors and during that fight, they had had a hard time even landing the most basic of attacks. Their opponents evasion and reflexes so superb that it took them the whole battle to even just kill a few of them.
But things were diffrent this time. Tom-Tom's men were completely focused on getting to their fallen leader. They didn't put much effort into trying to avoid the attacks. Knowing that if they would commit to avoiding Isamu's attacks, they would probably be too slow to get to Tom-Tom in time. Most of them choose to place their hopes in that his projectiles would miss or that the attacks weren't that strong. None of them wanting to slow down. All of them wanting to reach Tom-Tom before Leone did.
But their bodies were not built to withstand these types of attacks. Their bones shattering as their slim bodies were thrown to the side by the teigu's powerful attacks. And when they finally reached Tom-Tom, only two of them remained. Immediately attacking the approaching Leone as Tom-Tom started to rise up on shaky arms.
Fifty meters behind Tom-Tom, in the front of the group that was escaping , Liza clenched her teeth. "He is losing the battle. We need to aid him."
Even though Liza couldn't see it, because of grande chariot, Wave's teeth clenched in a pained expression. "This was his wish. Let him have this honor."
"To hell with his honor. He is going to die!" Liza screamed.
"This was his choice!" Wave shouted back without looking down at her. "Besides, we don't know. He might make it through this."
But Liza knew. She knew what was going to happen if they left now. And she could not accept it. Tom-Tom had to survive. If he died here then there was no chance for Jack to make it out alive. She knew this thanks to the power of Noctuaz.
She drew her elbow up, into Wave's jaw. The force of the blow forced the older boy to stumble a bit. His grip momentarily weakened during this and when it did, Liza wriggled free. Her feet had barely touched ground before she bolted off. Back towards Tom-Tom. Noctuaz leaving her shoulder momentarily as she started to accelarate. Flying up to the ceiling.
"Dammit!" Wave screamed and threw himself after her but he was off balance due to her hit and his finger only managed to grace one of her heels before he landed on the ground and she was out of his reach. "Stop!"
Liza already knew what this would mean. She knew that this was the only way now. She felt the fear and pain rise inside her. She felt remorse that she wasn't stronger. That her body wasn't large enough. She felt sorrow, since she already knew how this was going to end. But she pressed it down with her unwavering determination. She was only eleven years old but she had done so many horrible things already. If there was just one thing she could make right with her life then it needed to be this.
She would not fail her little brother.
That was the one thing she couldn't back down from. The only thing she really had left. And she would never let go off that.
Tom-Tom believed that his time had come to give his old life for the young generation. And while he thought it was a good way to go, Liza wouldn't allow it. Jack needed to survive all of this. And Jack would need Tom-Tom to do so.
She quickly closed in on the battle. Noticing how Tom-Tom's men finally started to get through the wooden beams. Making them fall down. One by one. She knew that she didn't have much time now. The tunnel was soon going to collapse.
None of those fighting noticed her approach. Both were too focused on each other.
Leone had, with the help of Isamu, managed to kill the two men that had jumped in to help Tom-Tom. The warriors not able to fully use their evasion since they didn't want to move out of her way. Now she and Isamu were trying to finish the old man off. But it was easier said than done.
Tom-Tom had managed to get up on one knee. Holding the remains of his staff in one hand and using the other for hand-to-hand combat.
Leone knew that she needed to get this done quickly. Since they had vowed to not let Makeias' forces escape. But Tom-Tom was still extremly fast. She had gotten a good hit on him since he had been unprepared. But now she had his full attention. And Leone's knew, both from instinct and from experience, that a fighter that is backed up into a corner, will be all the more desperate and all the more vicious.
Attacking him head on might be very dangerous right now. Considering how much faster he was than her. Even if she knew that she had broken some of his ribs.
But she had an idea. They would utilize the same strategy as they had back in Garu. They would time up their attacks.
She would coordinate her attack with one of Isamu's stronger ones. If she could attack just before Isamu's projectiles would hit Tom-Tom then she would force him to choose one thing to defend against. And the other one would finish him.
However, Liza knew Leone's stratetgy. And she knew how she would counter it.
Soone enough, Isamu mustered all the strength he had left in him and shot away three coiling projectiles towards Tom-Tom. His strongest attack yet. As soon as he did Leone jumped towards Tom-Tom from the other side. Directing a powerful kick at him. Tom-Tom turned towards the approaching Leone. Well aware that this was probably it for him. Thinking that the timing was good. Since the tunnel was just starting to collapse all around them.
But as he was about to bring up what was left of his broken staff, Liza passed under his arm.
She was leaping to the side of the fight. Not really looking at Leone and Isamu. She already knew exactly where they were. She knew exactly how she should move to make this work.
When she had moved a little bit to the side, she jumped back towards Leone. Intercepting her from the side. Spinning around as she did. Not needing to look to know where she should aim.
Liza kicked the leg that Leone had directed towards Tom-Tom when she reached her. Leone could do little to avoid it since she was midair. The kick setting her off course. Sending Leone flying in a direction a bit to the side of her intended target. And then Liza just let her momentum do the rest.
Tom-Tom's eyes widened in panick as he watched how Liza's body was slowed down by her collison with Leone. Her momentum putting her between him and Isamu's projectiles. Her back turned against him.
"NOOOOOOO!" Tom-Tom screamed in pain and horror as Isamu's projectiles hit Liza. Crushing her chest in and sending her flying backwards. Right into his arms. Causing them both to fly backwards as the ceiling collapsed all around them.
When the ceiling fell down it blew dust and sand in all directions. Taking the sight from all those around it. Making Wave momentarily blind as he rushed towards where the collapse was happening.
When he finally found them, the old giant was on his knees amongst the debris. Bent forward. Sobbing loudly as he held the body of the broken little girl to his chest. His grey clothes and beard red with her lifeblood.
The fight between Tatsumi and Dorothea had escalated quickly.
The combat had moved them through the long corridor that they had met in. The battle between them leaving the room around them in ruins. Luckily for Tatsumi, most of this level of the palace had been evacuated for the meeting. So he didn't have to worry about Dorothea getting reinforcements for a little while. Even if he knew that his time was limited. Sooner or later someone would notice. He didn't have much time.
Yet the fight was not really going in his favour. He had been suprised to find how powerful his opponent was. He had believed that he might be able to kill her without fully activating Incursio but now he was fairly sure that he would need it in order to finish this. But he needed the right timing. The fight needed to end as soon as he activated it. Because the moment he did, anyone with decent perceptive instincts in the palace would notice it.
He swung down at the advancing Dorothea but she had gotten a bit to close. She managed to reach out with an arm and grab the handle of the spear. Stopping the attack in it's track. Her strength much greater that his at this stage. Tatsumi made a move to kick her away but before he could complete the move, Dorothea swung around. Still holding his spear. And since Tatsumi was unwilling to let go off his weapon, he was flung around with it.
Dorothea spun around and threw him and his spear in the opposite direction. Tatsumi's back hitting one of the walls. He had been suprised by Dorothea's strength when the fighting had begun and he was still adapting to it. But it was hard since the corridor didn't offer much in terms of area to move around in. Their fight had been very close and personal.
He started to rise up but Dorothea moved towards him quickly. He threw his spear in her direction as she approached. But she managed to avoid it. Even if just barely. The spear cutting away some hairs from her head as it passed by her. But now he was unarmed. Having no choice but to engage her in her own specialized field.
He managed to rise up a bit before he had to block her first strike. Using his elbow to ward off her punch. After that their fight turned into a brawl.
Tatsumi was a little bit faster than Dorothea but she was so much stronger than him. Every now and then they managed to hit each other but Tatsumi was clearly the one taking the most damage. Parts of Incursio being chipped of with each hit.
Tatsumi had started to realize that this situation was very unfavourable for him but he couldn't manage to get away. Dorothea was pressing him against the wall with her offensive.
Soon enough he started to lose his energy. After a little while he failed to block a vicious jab at his face and took it head on. Being sent to the side by the force of it. Falling down on the floor.
Dorothea smiled at him. Catching her breath for a second. "Well, I won't say that this was disappointing but I certainly expected you to be more powerful. Everyone assumed that you had some monstrous powers hidden since Esdese always favours you so." she said as she walked up to Tatsumi. He himself turning over towards her on the floor. He only stared at her.
"I won't even have to use any of my tricks to defeat you." she said and wiped of the sweat from her forehead. "But just beating the crap out of you like this isn't all that bad. It gets the blood going."
She kicked against him but he managed to throw himself to the side, avoiding her foot. But as soon as he was starting to get up, he had to block another hit from one of her fists. But even with both his hands, the hit was too strong for him. Causing him to fall back down on the ground.
"Not even Esdese can punish me if I kill you in self-defence." she called out loudly and kicked him in the side. Causing Tatsumi to roll over a couple of times. Ending up on his stomach. Unmoving.
Dorothea slowly walked towards him. "You know, I must say that our meeting down in the dungeons left me a bit... dissatisfied. But now.." she said and bent down towards him. ".. now I can continue from where I was before Esdese interrupted me."
Tatsumi started to rise up but her hand grabbed his neck and pushed it down to the floor.
"Ever since I tasted you blood, I have not been able to forget it. The taste and power of it. The potential." she put down a knee on his back as she bent down over him. Her small frame holding him down.
She chuckled lightly. "After all the trouble and struggles that the great general has made me face, it will be so rewarding to deliver the dried up husk of your body to her. I wonder how she will react? Will she be sad? Or will she just shrug and move on with her day?"
Tatsumi tried to struggle but her other hand came down and grabbed his shoulder.
"Ohh don't worry." she said silently as she closed in on him. "It won't even hurt much. I think."
She pressed him down against the floor. Tatsumi had no idea of how she planned to get through the armour with her teeth but she probably had a plan. He could not risk it. He only had one option now.
"Thanks for the meal." Dorothea said as she opened her mouth and moved her head towards his neck.
But as her lips were about to land on the cold armour, Tatsumi called upon the power resting inside of him. He called upon Incursio to grant him all it's strength once again. And Incursio responded.
The blast of power caused by his transformation pushed Dorothea from him. She flew a meter up into the air as the strong wind and dust blew against her. But before she could fly further away, Tatsumi's attack hit her. His big spear slicing her horizontally across her chest. The weapon reappearing in it's new form in his hand when he transformed.
It was a quick and silent slash. His blade went between two of her ribs. The only bone it had to cut through was the one connecting her ribs in the front. Yet when the silent slash was done and his blade exited the other side of her chest, Dorothea's lungs were almost completely ruined. The wound cutting through half her chest from the front. Leaving a deep horizontal gash in her clothes and flesh.
The loud and brutal fight had ended in a silent and almost graceful stroke.
With a silent thump, Dorothea landed on her back. Only two meters from where Tatsumi had risen up.
She gasped, trying to speak, but only blood came out of her mouth. The only sound she made a gurgle.
Tatsumi turned to her, now standing up. Wearing the fully evolved form of Incursio. He looked down at her and nodded mockingly. "Yeah, that sounds very interesting. But I am in kind of a hurry now. You will have to excuse me." he said and turned around. He looked at her over his shoulder. He considered finishing her off. But he didn't have the time.
A part of him suspected that his opponent might not be truly defeated. But his purpose had never been to kill her. Just to get past her. He knew that Dorothea was the kind of person that kept many tricks up her sleeve. If he would go in for the kill then she might utilize some hidden ploy to get back up.
He didn't want to engage in anymore fighting right now. His path was clear. He had to get to the prime minister. Now.
He dashed off. Accelerating down the corridor. Leaving Dorothea there on the floor. He could feel that she remained there as he left. He refocused himself on the path in front of him. For now he was truly against the clock.
He could already feel that general Gallus had started to quickly head for this level now. The general presumably increasing his pace because he had felt Incursio's transformation. He didn't have much time. And even if it was faint, he could tell that someone else had noticed him.
He could feel her presence even now. How her attention turned in his direction. Thankfully, he could tell that she was pretty far away. But he could still feel that she was heading for him now.
Unbeknownst to Tatsumi, his lover had actually been heading down towards the dungeons. Thinking that that would be the first place he would go. To try and save some of his friends. She had been talking to the captain of the dungeon guards when Tatsumi activated Incursio fully. Asking the captain if he had seen Tatsumi when she felt it. All of her instincts starting to scream at her. She suddenly knew exactly where he was. She bolted away mid-sentence. Leaving the room before the captain of the guards could even react.
All of her instincts as a hunter and a fighter completely homing in on that all so familiar feeling as she quickly reached her highest speed. Esdese had located her mate.
Makeias moved silently through the long tunnels. Avoiding any combat that was going on.
He wanted to get back to Tom-Tom and Wave soon. He needed to aid them. The situation had grown out of hands a bit faster than he had expected.
The path of peace had informed them that night raid would be getting reinforcements almost immediately but Makeias hadn't thought that there would be so many of them. They had prepared for this and had their own reinforcements incoming. But as it looked now, they would have to retreat. The enemy feinforcements were arriving in a greater number than he had expected and faster then they had thought they would.
He needed to get back to the negotiation hall, where he assumed that they still were. He could help even the score slightly. Hopefully giving them a chance to pull back. Until they had reached their own reinforcements. A point of worry for him was of course Murasame. He wanted that teigu. He had intended to go back and take the teigu when he was sure that Akame was dead. But it seemed like he wouldn't have time for that. Now he would have to leave it there.
But it made little diffrence. The garden would remain completely unapproachable for at least a day or two. He was the only one that could enter it now that it had been completely overtaken by the corruption. He intended to take this entire base as soon as they had united with the troops that were on their way. That had always been the plan. He could get the teigu after that.
And they would not only strike at this location.
While none of the members of the revolutionary army in this base knew about it, Makeias' forces had attacked all the remaining hideouts of their organization as the meeting began. He had been informed about all of their locations and defences by the path of peace. If everything went as planned, night raid and the revolutionary army would be no more after this day.
Makeias quickly moved past another doorway. Hearing loud noises from it. He didn't know how far the fighting had spread or if Wave and the others had moved away from the room. He would have to go to where he had left them and find out.
He moved a little bit further after that. Silently running for almost two minutes before he met Kurome.
She came running past a corner, her sword drawn and her breathing quick.
Makeias halted himself as she approached."Ahh hello there, Kurome. Good to see you. Is everything all right?" he asked silently.
Kurome nodded quickly. "Where is Akame?"
"You don't have to worry about that. She has been dealt with." Makeias said and started to walk towards her.
Kurome froze at those words. "Dealt with? What do you mean?"
Makeias gave her a questioning look. "Well, I think you can use your imagination."
Kurome's eyes widened slightly. "Is she dead?"
"She should be by now." Makeias said with a shrug. "Though I am a bit unsure. She might still be struggling with Morbus. But it doesn't matter. She will be dead within a minute or so."
Kurome just stood there and stared at him for some moments. Makeias looked at her. He noticed that something was wrong but he couldn't determine what. "Kurome?" he asked and moved towards her.
When he started to get close. She raised her sword in his direction. Her arm shaking slightly. Makeias stopped immediately.
"Are you sure you want to do that, Kurome?" he asked with a friendly smile. "I know that she was your sister but you were on opposite sides in this battle."
Kurome just stared at him. Holding her sword against him.
"Come on, Kurome." Makeias continued with his kind voice. "This is folly. We are allies in this conflict."
She remained still for ten long seconds. Then she finally lowered her weapon. A dark look on her face. "I should have been there."
Makeias smile got a sadder tone to it as he took the last couple of steps towards her. "I hate it when things doesn't go according to plan. But you know, they rarely do. At least not in every detail. So the only thing you can do is to have a lot of plans. You can have Akame's body later if you wish. I will make it so that people can touch it again."
Kurome simply nodded to him.
"Though I will take the teigu." Makeias continued. "I might come to need it in the future."
Kurome looked like she was going to say something but halted herself in the last moment. Her eyes moving past Makeias face. Looking over his shoulder.
Makeias was unsure if that was the thing that saved him. Or if it was the single footstep he heard behind him. Or the silent sound of cloth flapping in the wind. But whatever it was that set off his instincts, he immediately acted on them.
He threw himself to the side in the last moment. Barely avoiding the stab from behind. His jump was so sudden and desperate that he had no way of catching himself. Landing on his side on the ground. He heard how Kurome gasped after he had landed.
He immediately turned around as he did. Rising himself up on his elbows.
And there stood Akame. Alive and well.
She lacked her coat but otherwise she looked completely fine. Still wearing her mask.
"How..." Makeias said as he slowly stood up. For a moment just looking completely suprised. But when Akame didn't answer him, his usual demeanor immediately returned. "Out of all the people I had hoped to never meet again, you are certainly at the top, Akame." he said and smiled.
"Don't worry." Akame answered in a blank voice. Her serious eyes focused on Makeias. "This will be the last time we meet." she said and slowly raised her sword.
"So you said last time." Makeias said and took his spear from it's fastening on his back. "But this time I hope that you are right."
Kurome stood some meters beside Akame. Her eyes darting back and forth between the pillager and the crimson eyed killer. It was easy to see that she was unsure of what to do.
"How did you escape the garden?" Makeias asked. "I will admit that I was sure that I had defeated you."
Akame slowly moved into a fighting stance. "Your tricks will not save you this time, Makeias." she stated coldly.
"Wanna bet?" Makeias said and smiled. His skin growing paler by the moment.
Even if he was acting calmly, Makeias was well aware of how bad the situation was for him. He had been certain that he had solved the problem that Akame was. He knew that if this was going to be determined by close combat, then he would lose. Akame was an extremely capable fighter and he only had one of his spears. If he had some luck he might be able to create a situation where he could trade a hit for a hit with her.
Usual such a situation was beneficial to him. Since he could rely on his monstrous endurance to make him come out on top in such a scenario. But in this fight, such a trade-off would mean his death.
But he did have one more trick. He looked at Kurome and then back at her sister.
"Maybe you should withdraw, Akame. You are outnumbered." he said and nodded towards Kurome.
Akame cast a quick glance at her sister. "I wouldn't be so certain about that." she said.
Makeias was about to ask what she meant by that but before he could, Akame bolted for him. Forcing him to shoot out gas from his mouth and nose. Hoping to obstruct her vision as Akame charged at him.
Author's note:
Well... That took longer than I had expected. The few of you that has been with this story since the beginning might remember that I had a similar break during this time last year. And it was for just the same reasons last year. Celebrations, alcohol and exams. Nothing that I really can avoid. But maybe something that I should have been able to forsee.
Though I will say that I find it suprising that so many people who have never displayed any deeper interest about this story before suddenly came out and said that they were disappointed in me. I mean... you have never written a word about this story before. Frankly, I didn't even know that you expected anything.
...but yeah. I did promise to deliver on certain dates. And failed spectaculary. Sorry about that. Future delays will be more reasonable. Like before.
So now we are back on track. We will return to the usual release pace. Which is about three chapters every month. So expect the next one in 10 days.
This is the second out of the four chapters that act as a finale for this arc. The focus will now turn more to the capital.
The latest chapter of the manga completely overturned my expectations. I was so sure that the manga would go the way of the anime in the coming chapters. Everything had been framed that way. It was a really pleasant suprise. Even if the anime might have spoiled the end of the manga, we don't know that for sure anymore. The tension is back. At least for me. And it does also help that this actually resulted in one of AGK few happy endings. At least for now.
And it verified some important issues in regards to Kurome and Wave in Bent but not Broken.
As always, thanks a lot for reading. Now the story will continue as planned. Thanks for all the comments/feedback and messages that I have recieved during this long break. And yes, even you who said that you were disappointed. The fact that you care is what keeps me writing.
Until next time, take care of each other.