Tatsumi always woke up at dawn since he had to go to work.

Usually, he would tenderly kiss Akame, Esdeath and his daughters, quickly eat something then go to the forge.

Not this morning.

Today, the family's house was quite active despite the early hour.

Nea and Ryuu, half awake, were eating leftovers of the day before. Akame was packaging provisions for the journey, Tatsumi checking various stuff he wanted to take, and Esdeath was outside.

They eventually achieved their preparations. Clothed, packages on the back, they left the house they occupied for years, with a little twinge.

"Papa, Mama, we will come back, right?" asked Nea, as they were about to get out.

"Of course we will. It's only a visit, a trip", said Tatsumi with a reassuring smile.

"You promise me, Papa?"

"I promise you, Nea."

"But, but, if we're not here to watch over it, won't people rob our house?" Ryuu objected.

"Well… it's not like we have valuable stuff anyway. But I doubt people will take the risk. Everyone knows Esdea… Mama here. They all know that if they dare to touch what is hers, they will dearly pay. So, don't worry!"

Ryuu and Nea nodded. Tatsumi smiled and patted their heads.

By precaution, Tatsumi checked his backpack once more. A purse of gold, clothes, toilet bag, and at his left side, a sword Akame and Esdeath chose for him. A weapon of quality, decorated with fine chased designs, a ruby and a sapphire set on the guard.

A gift of love and affection, to remember how much they cared about him and wanted him safe.

Out of habit, he caressed the pommel and smiled.

"Alright, we're set… so, here we go!" he declared, opening the door.

"Woaaaah, Mama, what is it? What is it?"

"It's sooo huge!"

Ryuu and Nea were amazed by the sight that awaited them outside the house.

Esdeath, her hands on her hips, proudly stood before them, and next to her was a big Danger Beast with a flat blue body and large fins: a manta ray.

"This is… our transport!" Esdeath announced.

"Really?!" exclaimed the girls.

The Danger Beast, which Esdeath had tamed, was resting peacefully. On its back –with enough place for a dozen people–, Esdeath had installed a tent held by ropes tied under the body of the Beast to protect them from the wind.

"So that was her who made that noise yesterday!" said Ryuu.

"Yep. And… her? You want to name it?" asked Esdeath.

"Can I?"

"Of course."

"Mmmhh… Nea, help me. We need to find her a name!"

As his daughters were deliberating, Tatsumi whispered to Esdeath:

"Heh… is it a female, at least? Because if they give it a male name…"

"Yes, it's a female… But you know, the difference between the males and females is a thin one. I bet they would not notice the difference anyway…"

Akame interrupted their talk about the genders of the manta rays.

"I didn't know Air Mantas were living here… I thought they could only be found in tropical or hot regions."

"So did I", Esdeath nodded. "But it appears it's a different species. Anyway, it's the best for us since it's large enough to put a tent on. It'll be a little bit cramped, but since we don't plan to spend our lives in, it should be okay."

"True… By the way, will the tent hold? It looks a little bit fragile to me…" Akame worried.

Esdeath puffed her chest.

"Fumu. Don't underestimate me. My knots abilities are god-tier."

"If you say so…"

Meanwhile, Ryuu and Nea were quarrelling over the Manta's name.

"Cillia!" argued Ryuu.

"Kyaami!" protested Nea.

"Uuuh, what's the matter here…" sighed Tatsumi.

His daughters turned to him.

"Papa, the best name for her is Cillia, right?!" claimed Ryuu.

"Kyaami is way better" pleaded Nea.

(And where the hell did they find these names…) Tatsumi thought, scratching his cheek.

"Mouuu, call her as you wish. We have to go now".

Not letting them the occasion to protest, he carried his excited daughters on the Manta.

As Akame, Ryuu and Nea were establishing themselves in the tent, Esdeath stayed on the head of the Manta.

"You don't come inside, Esdeath?" Tatsumi frowned.

"Well, I have to at least give her a direction. Once she's flying, she won't deviate, but until then, I have to stay there to pilot her. I'll join you once I'm done and I'll check from time to time where we're going" she explained.

"I see…"

"So, where is it exactly?"

"My village? Huh, if you ask me… from here, I don't know. Do you know how to go to the Northern Road?"

"Sure."

Tatsumi was skeptical.

"Even from another continent?"

"Of course. I can orientate myself only with the sun or the stars", Esdeath replied as if it was natural.

"Then, we go there first. I'll guide you after that."

"Understood. Here we go!"

Esdeath manipulated the reins of her singular mount.

With slow but powerful flapping, the Manta moved itself and took off to the sky.

Tatsumi felt the wind fluff his hair.

(Six years later, we're going home…)

Six years ago, Akame, Esdeath and Tatsumi did not reach the eastern continent without troubles. The latter was surrounded by a capricious sea where tempests often raged.

When they tried to cross the sea the first time, their boat did not resist the waves and sunk; they only survived thanks to Esdeath's Teigu. She created flying ice blocks to move them to the coast.

This transport was out of question with their girls, and taking a boat this time would've been too dangerous.

That was why Esdeath looked for a flying Danger Beast large enough to transport all of them; one resistant enough to fly high in the sky and avoid the tempests.

Once assured that the Manta would not deviate from the trajectory she ordered her to follow, Esdeath entered the tent and made sure to close it behind her, not to allow the wind to follow her.

As soon as she entered, her daughters jumped on their feet.

"We want to go outside!" said Ryuu. "We're flying, we want to see what it feels like!"

Nea nodded vigorously.

"Our flight is stable, so I think you can… but only if Akam… Mama goes with you."

Esdeath looked at Akame while saying that.

Akame blinked.

"I don't mind, but…"

"Someone has to watch them and hold their hands. Besides, I'd like to talk to Tatsumi."

Akame seemed to understand this was a talk that could not be held in front of the children and nodded.

"Alright. Come, Nea, Ryuu. We'll see what it looks like to be on… what's her name, already?"

"Cillia!"

"No, Kyaami!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

Tatsumi on his side was preparing the sleeping bags. The tent was not as big as they wished it to be, but it was enough for them to sleep all together.

Esdeath sat on one of the bags and waited for Tatsumi to achieve his task.

Once done with it, Tatsumi sighed in relief.

"Looks like I didn't forget anything… so, how is it going? How many days to reach the Kingdom?"

"Given our speed and my approximative idea of the distance… I'd say a week, maybe more."

"A week in this tent? I was hoping less than that…" Tatsumi smiled bitterly.

"Can't be helped, the aerial way is safer than the sea. We have enough supplies anyway."

"True, but the girls won't like it."

Esdeath sighed.

"I know, but remember that this trip was your idea…"

"Yes, yes. Akame reproached me to take risks by returning to the Kingdom now, since she and you are still wanted… But it's okay. I want to properly introduce my beloved wives and daughters to my village. I also want to show you the place where I grew up. Nobody will know we're here."

"If anyone threatens us, I'll wipe them right away. You're warned."

Tatsumi laughed.

"I'm sure you will."

Esdeath crossed her arms.

"Truth to be told, I wouldn't mind fighting against someone… aah, to meet a true opponent, an enthrilling fight to the death… Killing Beasts is kinda boring."

"You often spar with Akame or me", Tatsumi observed.

"Yes, but it's only sparring. Besides, none of you can seriously take me on."

"Really? So, compared to you, how strong are we?" asked Tatsumi, curious.

During their training sessions, he always felt like she was holding back which was normal given the gap between their abilities, but he never had a clear idea of her full power.

Esdeath pondered, and joined Tatsumi on the sleeping bag. She leaned against him, enjoying his warm and his smell.

"Let's see… Before, I was stronger than Akame and Akame was stronger than you. Now… I'd say that Akame and you are even, and I'm still above you two."

"Oh? Akame and I, even?"

"Yes. You bulked a lot, and sparring with Akame and me trained you a lot too. Akame still has her skill and her talent, but Murasame's curse is slowing her."

Since she used Ennoodzuno during her fight with Esdeath six years ago, Akame was cursed by her Teigu, Murasame.

This curse, taking the appearance of red marks all over her body not only pained her like red hot iron but considerably slowed her movements.

Akame was strong, but not as strong as she was during the war between the Empire and the Revolutionary Army.

"I see… well, it's not like I want to be stronger than you to kill you, now. We're not enemies anymore".

"We haven't been enemies for six years, Tatsumi."

"You're right. And you know what? I do not miss that" he laughed while caressing Esdeath's hair.

"Me neither", she responded, laughing too.

"One last thing. Are you sure the tent will hold? I have the feeling the winds are quite strong, and since we're flying…"

"It's okay. Believe me, you could not tighten more the knots I made."

"I see…"

They abandoned themselves to the warmness of the tent and rested, occasionally hearing Nea and Ryuu's amazed exclamations from the outside.

It took the family eight days to reach the eastern coast of the Kingdom on their Manta.

Whenever they found a small island in the sea, they would set a camp on it, but they happened to spend some nights in the tent on the Manta.

Esdeath, Akame and Tatsumi tried their best to divert their daughters, whom –surprisingly– did not like the fact of being locked in a tent for days.

Even going to the toilets was delicate since there were no toilets at all. They get out of this situation by using a bucket, and Tatsumi had to empty it outside so it would not stink inside the tent.

The eighth day, when they finally reached land, they went to the first town they met to enjoy a hot meal and a true bed. Even if they caused quite a ruckus when they landed, the townsmen welcomed them gladly once reassured about their intentions.

This stopover allowed them to get fresh news of the Kingdom. As far as the people in town knew, it was a new era, wealthy and peaceful.

The Kingdom had made peace with almost of its neighbors and signed lucrative trade agreements with them. Only the North –and the Northern Tribes– remained quite hostile and refused any contact with the Kingdom. Apparently, it still had not forgiven the death of its hero, Numa Seika along with 400 000 Northerners six years ago by the hands of Esdeath.

However, luckily for them, the townsmen did not know anything about the dreadful General's appearance and no one spotted her in the inn where they stayed.

The next day, they came back on the Manta and headed north, to Tatsumi's village.

As they were flying quite low, they could clearly discern the landscapes below them. Tatsumi recognized most of them and knew they were coming closer from his hometown.

Esdeath was holding the reins, Akame was holding Ryuu, and Tatsumi was holding Nea. All of them were warmly dressed (even if Esdeath and Nea did not feel cold, they liked their clothes).

Tatsumi's mood was considerably high.

"I can't wait to see their faces when they will see you" he laughed once again. "Especially that old geezer. He was always telling me that I'd never find a woman!"

Akame tilted her head.

"That old geezer? Who are you talking about?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm talking about my mentor, a former military officer. You know, the one who trained me!"

"Oh, yes, you told me about him" Esdeath recalled.

Akame frowned.

"Tatsumi, if you plan to exhibit us like your trophies…"

Tatsumi grinned in return.

"But you are my trophies. You are my most precious treasures and I want my elders to know how lucky I am. I want to splash them with my happiness! "

Esdeath smiled too, though voraciously.

"Go on. I'll let you talk and boast, and right after, I'll show them who is truly in charge."

"Guhh…"

Tatsumi's face suddenly lightened up.

"I recognize these… We're almost arrived!"

Esdeath pulled the reins.

"Is that so? Better start to slow down and lower our altitude a bit."

"It should be right after this wood. You see, my village is surrounded by woods. It's kinda useful but if you don't know the way, you can easily gest lost… wait, it's here! It's here!..."

At the sight below them, the family went quiet for several seconds.

Akame talked first.

"Tatsumi… That's…that's!..."

Esdeath too was somehow dazed.

"It's…your village…"

Tatsumi felt tears coming to his eyes.

"Yes…that's…my village…"

Nea tilted her head.

"Papa… Mama… I don't see any village. There are only…"

"Ashes. Burned houses. Ruins…" Esdeath completed with a dark tone.

From Tatsumi's hometown, only ashes remained. Debris. Blackened frames of houses. A spectacle of desolation and sorrow.

"Burned to the ground…" Akame muttered.

The festive ambient was long gone by now.

Tatsumi tried to pull himself together, breathing in and out. However, his heartbeat would not calm down, his tears would not disappear, his sadness and anger would not go away.

"Esdeath" he called.

"… yes."

"Land. NOW!"

He shouted his second word, making Nea and Ryuu scarejump.

Akame was about to tell him to calm down but Esdeath did not let her the occasion.

She slapped Tatsumi. She didn't put much force into it, but it was enough to shake him. He held his cheek, taken aback.

Esdeath then spoke with a calm tone.

"Tatsumi. I understand your urge and your feelings. But please, get a grip on yourself. We're not gonna dive into it like this. What if the ones who did this are still near? What if we have been spotted? We need to be careful."

She threw him a sharp glance.

"Don't do it for yourself. Do it for us."

The meaning behind these words was clear as crystal: do not risk Nea's and Ryuu's lives, and do not risk your life because it would pain us to see you hurt.

Unable to speak, Tatsumi silently nodded.

Esdeath, Akame and Tatsumi concerted themselves to decide their course of action.

The plan they agreed on was simple: Akame and Tatsumi would scout the village to find any survivor, friend or foe.

Esdeath, on her side, would remain in the airs on the Manta with their daughters. They didn't want to risk their lives. Although sending Akame and Tatsumi, the 'weakest' on the ground was risky, Esdeath would patrol and come down to pick them up at the first sign of trouble.

"Here. Be careful, Tatsumi."

Esdeath handed him his sword.

They had landed in a glade, near the village, but hidden by the forest. The snow covered it all, due to winter's arrival.

It was beautiful, but also frightening to a certain extent: a cold, dead silence reigned there.

"Thanks. Yes, I promise you."

He gave her a swift kiss then waved at Nea and Ryuu, whom did not understand what was going on.

"I'll be right back, alright?"

"Yes…"

"Why can't we come?" asked Ryuu.

"Because… we have something to check" answered Akame. "So, I want you to wait and behave well, alright?"

"Okay, Mama."

"I love you."

Akame hugged her daughters and jumped down from the Manta, having checked she had Murasame equipped.

Esdeath nodded, and ordered the Manta to take-off.

Akame and Tatsumi, weapons in hand, carefully advanced towards the village.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

(What's that sound?) thought Tatsumi as Akame and himself were walking silently in the snow, between the trees.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

(Did Akame notice?) he worried, glancing all around.

Akame however was totally oblivious to that. Silent as death itself, she was observing their surroundings with an expert eye.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Tatsumi finally understood. This sound, he was the only one to hear it.

His heartbeat.

(Am I that tensed?...)

He took a look at his hand holding the sword and noticed how much he was shaking.

That feeling, that sensation… fear. But he did not fear for himself. Yes, that was another kind of fear.

The fear you feel when you're about to find out you lost things you hold dear.

The same fear that took him when he discovered Chelsea's head on a pole, that day.

He was not used to these emotions, since he had lived six years of happiness and peace.

As they were progressing, he recognized many things, even under the snow.

The silhouette of a hollow trunk where he hid during his games with Sayo and Ieyasu.

A trail he used as a shortcut.

Bushes where he found berries during summer.

They all reminded him of something. A happy past, which no longer existed.

"Tatsumi… we're getting closer."

Akame's voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"Yeah…"

He tightened his grip on his sword.

"Akame… did you spot any house spared by the fire from above?"

"No. Is there a place where your people could shelter themselves?"

"Not that I know… let's go."

Checking their surroundings, they entered the village– or what was left of it.

Immediately after, Tatsumi began to check every burned house. He was looking for survivors and bodies, and found none.

Akame let him do the searches and went ahead.

(If there are no bodies or rests, it means they were not here or managed to escape. Someone who would burn a village would not bother to bury the corpses…) he told himself.

He searched the house of an old couple, always kind to him and found nothing.

The house of his mentor where he learned to forge. Nothing.

Sayo's house. Nothing.

The grocery of the village. Nothing.

Snow, ashes, burned wood everywhere.

(There are no corpses at all. Maybe they ran, maybe they have been taken prisoners? Whatever it is, I have to find tracks.)

But finding tracks was another problem. The first question was: when did the attack occur? It looked quite recent judging by the state of the houses, but what if snow had fell since then, clearing all the footsteps tracks?

(I should ask Esdeath or Akame. They are better at tracking and hunting than me), Tatsumi thought as he found another empty shell.

"Wait. I will find you", he swore, to himself and to his friends.

"Tatsumi!"

Akame called him. But her voice was strange.

(She found someone?!)

Tatsumi ran in a hurry, almost stumbling in the snow. Akame's voice came from the place of the village, in front of the Elder's house.

"Akame! Who–"

He stopped mid-sentence. His brain understood what his eyes were seeing a few seconds later.

"… I'm sorry…" Akame muttered.

A pyre with half burned bodies. Impaled men, women and children, faces frozen in pain expressions.

Head severed. Mutilated bodies. Naked corpses of women. Limbs across the ground. Snow tainted with blood.

Tatsumi's entire village was slowly rotting right in front of him. He recognized a few faces that were not disfigured.

Tatsumi had seen his content of horrors during his time as an assassin. But this time was different. This time, it was his people whom had been butchered. He knew most of them, had grew up with most of them.

And they were here. Murdered, tortured for… for what?

Tatsumi fell on his knees and had to press his hands on his mouth not to vomit. When he breathed again, he grinded his teeth as hard as he could not to scream.

Akame kneeled and softly embraced him, as she knew no word could comfort him.

Eventually, Tatsumi managed to get back up.

"… I'm so, so sorry, Tatsumi" Akame whispered.

"I know… but thanks, Akame…"

Tatsumi wiped his tears.

"I… I have to bury them… I…"

He had troubles to speak correctly, however, Akame understood.

"Yes, but… who could have done this? And why?"

Akame froze and frowned, her gaze directed to the sky, behind Tatsumi.

Tatsumi turned back.

He saw the Manta they rode coming to them, at full speed.

"Did something happen?!"

"We will know that quickly" Akame answered.

The Manta stopped above them, and they saw Esdeath, holding the reins.

"Esdeath!" Akame called with a loud voice. "What's going on ?!"

"Soldiers!"

When Tatsumi heard the word, surprise and anger seized him. His fingers itched him.

"Soldiers?" Akame repeated. "Are they…the ones who did this?" she said, pointing at the carnage.

"I don't know, but they're coming here! From south!"

Akame pondered for a second.

"We better get back on the Manta and see if… hey, Tatsumi, what are you–"

Tatsumi, a dark and cold expression of the face, was walking to the southern entrance of the village, holding firmly his sword.

Akame clearly felt his murderous intent.

"I'll avenge my people" he said, emanating cold rage.

Akame discerned silhouettes in the woods.

Tatsumi pointed his swords towards them.

"I'll bury them. All of them."