Its been too long! Here we are again, happy 2017! Gosh it's been over a year since I last updated, but don't lose hope! I'm finding very little time to write, so I hope you can forgive me. I won't write some long AN, you deserve real content. So without further ado, I proudly present... Chapter 8 of there was always another way!
Disclaimer: I don't own any anime or manga, let alone this one. All I own is this story.
'Kill the Boy! Now!' the tall man screeched, retreating back into the crowd of men as fast as he could, clutching his splintered arm. The Garrison was still for only a moment, before 70 swords drew from their sheaths. The Specter wielder grinned, silent as the wind, as he drew one long finger and pointed it at Tatsumi. Almost as if he was the one giving the orders, the Garrison charged Tatsumi disjointedly, confident in their strength in numbers.
Before even one of them could lay a sword upon him, snow swirled up around him as he whipped Incursio round and darted to the side. Not missing a beat, the Specter Wielder pointed his pale limb at the spot tatsumi landed. The men were instantly on him, and this time Tatsumi could not avoid their strike. The first 3 that got to him, found their sword strikes parried by a seemingly invisible steel blade, Tatsumi's eyes hidden beneath his bangs, face drawn tight with calm fury.
The first lost his leg, and as he fell was kicked into a tree nearby, impaled on a low hanging branch. The second man got himself gashed open, right through his armour, a deep wound that leaked his soul from his body. He was dead before he hit the ground. The third man was decapitated mere miliseconds after the second man was gouged open.
Tatsumi yanked the man's shield from his corpse as crimson flew through the air. One soldier keeled over and retched as the head landed at his feet. He fell moments later, a flurry of grey and black death slitting his throat. The stolen shield smacked into a soldier attacking from behind, knocking him over. A boot to the head kept him on the floor. A pike wielder made a futile thrust in the general direction of the rage filled boy, but in an instant he found himself disarmed and with a pike pole through his neck.
Tatsumi carved up another 5 men in mere instants, as the specter wielder's eyes grew wider, his fingers trembling as he pointed to tatsumi's direct location. He slowly backed away, long, thin fingers pushing more and more men forward. Finally Tatsumi looked up at him, and the two locked eyes. Not breaking contact, Tatsumi easily cleaved another 3 men, relieving them of their limbs.
Esdeath watched from her perch in a tree, eyes half lidded, panting. She was vaguely aware of a hiss in her mind, but the quiet hum of steel, muscles shifting like a well oiled machine, contrasting with the screams of dead men, blood spattering over the floor in jets of agony, they had her full attention. Tatsumi was furious. He was dominating, a weapon for killing all who stood against him. It was all she had ever wanted. She watched, hungry as a lone blade, legendary in its power, reached new heights of destruction and pain. Tatsumi stood in the middle of it all, not even shifting his feet, just parrying and cutting through flesh and bone like butter. He had his eyes locked onto the teigu user, challenging him to fight back. The man was terrified.
Finally, the men's wills broke. Those yet to die, covered in their comrades blood, turned to flee the gore, flee inevitable death at the hand of a demon they failed to comprehend. As the general himself turned to run, Tatsumi parried with such force that a blade snapped off at the hilt. He spun in the air, foot darting out. The blade tip impaled the general through the back of the thigh, and right out the other side of the leg. Esdeath smiled cruelly. Without even a seconds thought, Tatsumi held his sword high, and uttered his first word of the battle. 'INNNCURSSIIOOOOO!' He roared. As if this had unsealed his lips, as smoke flew from his form and Incursio appeared to him, donning itself upon him, golden armour radiating deadly majesty from the sun, he spoke. 'You who dare abuse your power- power no longer yours, you who took from everyone with no second thought. You who tried to kill those I loved. Did they try to run? Did you spare them? You will die like the empire you served!'
Neuntote appeared, and with one swing and a dash, the remaining men collapsed in a pile of red.
On the ground, shaking, was the teigu wielder. Tatsumi stood above him, impassive. The man looked at him, terror flitting through his eyes, as if his fear itself would not face the golden demon. 'You' Tatsumi pointed Neuntote at him, the tip of the spear tickling his throat. The man gurgled in fear, an inhuman noise. For the first time, Tatsumi could see that the man was incapable of speech. He had no tongue. Suddenly, the figure began to flicker. Tatsumi knew what this was, and began to brace himself, but a most curious thing happened.
Instead of seeing what who he feared most, the figure would not settle. It warped and changed grotesquely. Features of Sayo, akame, and Mine spun together in a shifting mass, with no definable person. Beneath his helmet, Tatsumi grimaced, scowling. The figure flickered for a second, revealing the man beneath the disguise, before forming as a solid, definable figure. Tatsumi froze, for an instant. Then the mans head lolled on the floor, dead. Without missing a beat, Tatsumi turned to the fat general whimpered. 'Pl-please, I'll do whatever you want! I have gold, I can-' Tatsumi picked him up by the throat, dragging him to his own height. He held him there for a moment, then threw the man right through the nearest tree. Incursio vanished away from him, and the glow from Tatsumi's eyes faded as he looked at the bloodshed.
Esdeath appeared beside him. 'Tatsumi, that was magnificent! That was-' As she reached to embrace him, he stepped forward, and away from her reach.
He crouched in front of the man with Specter, and with a quick twist he pulled from the corpses head. The teigu immediately affected him, remembering him from the last time they had shared an encounter, causing him to feel shaky and unsteady. Tatsumi dropped the hateful teigu back on the corpse gingerly, before taking off his jacket and wrapping Specter up in it, careful not to allow skin contact between him and it.
"The damn thing probably hates me by now. I've killed two of its users consecutively." Tatsumi muttered to nobody in particular. Esdeath paced forward as Tatsumi rose, trying again to obtain his attention, to convey her pride and her want.
"Tatsumi! that was amazing! You have managed to grow stronger still, despite us constantly being on the move. You didn't even really need Incursio for that battle, and it makes me-" as she reached out to touch him he stood up, not looking at her. She grabbed his shirt "- only further convinced that you are the one for me. Tatsumi, Listen!" He stopped moving, and she took the opportunity to grab hold of him with both hands, gently.
The stench of blood still permeated the air as Esdeath wrapped her arms around the boy, face flushed. Her breath tickled his ear as she pressed herself to him. "Tatsumi... that show... I'm all wound up. Won't you spend some time with me?" In response, he placed a hand to her hip, and seeming tingles of electricity sparked from his touch, making her sigh.
Suddenly, he wormed from her grasp, and turned. A warm smile formed on his lips, and he patted her shoulder comfortingly, blissfully unaware as to what she was feeling, as thick as ever. "Thanks, Es. I couldn't let them hurt anyone I cared about. But..." His eyes grew cold, as she stood breathless. "I'm wondering if I went overboard. I didn't even give those men time to plead their cases. There was no justice in that."
She smiled fondly, eyes still pleading for his company. "There is no such need for justice. They were weak, they died. That is their place, in the ground where they belong."
Tatsumi moved his hand off. "I can't agree with that. I'm an assassin, not a soldier. I'm not supposed to fight on my feelings. Those men deserved trial." Esdeath rolled her eyes, and smiled in exasperation.
"No, Tatsumi, they didn't deserve a trial. They were weak, you were stronger, and so you chose their path, as it should be. The weak have no right to decide their destinies." She stated easily, as if it were obvious."
Tatsumi looked distasteful. "Esdeath, your morals are as skewed as ever. We had no evidence that all of them were willing to fight. I could have slaughtered someone innocent."
The Ice Queen frowned. "Again, with all this nonsense? Listen to me Tatsumi, the weak deserve everything that comes to them. They grow strong or they die, much like you. No man in the Empires army was guilty, Tatsumi. You can be sure of that. Now if we're quite done here, come with me." She tugged at his shirt gently. He didnt budge. Pulling harder, she began to snarl slightly. "Tatsumi, come."
The boy scowled, and tore himself from her grasp. "No Esdeath, I have other things to attend to." He rose his hands slightly, gesturing to the teigu in them.
"Tatsumi..." Esdeath was still flushed with desire, but now it was mixed with a darkness, an anger. Why wasnt he listening? He stepped back, and turned away.
"We can talk later, for now I have to go deal with this Teigu." He began to pace off down the road, stepping over corpses, knowing full well that danger beasts would soon come to scavenge the corpses.
Esdeath stared after him in shock, her hands shaking. "Tatsumi, get back here! Now!" She commanded him, outraged. She made no move to go after him, he would come, she knew he would. He didnt turn, he just kept walking, further away. With each step, Esdeath grew more angry, more bitter. What had she done wrong? She had given him time, she had given him support, everything she had given him. Why was she not the most important thing in his life yet? Why?
"Tatsumi... please?" She begged, hoping he would prove her wrong and come running back. He paused for a moment, then raised a hand as if to say 'wait.' Then he padded round the corner, and out of view.
Esdeath snapped.
She crumpled into a herself, voices hissing and spitting in her ear. 'How dare he? How dare he refuse you! Bring him back, drag him to us! Show him who he belongs to! Do it!' Esdeath pushed her fingers to her face, and as she did, her eyes slowly turned pitch black, the blue fading into the madness and hatred.
Suddenly she flew up, hands outspread and everything froze, jagged shards of icy pain flying in all directions, destroying everything they touched, the stench of blood still lying thick in the air. This was the first time Esdeath had ever lost control of teigu, her wild laughter carrying through the forest, ice not far behind.
Hours Later
Tatsumi and the chief stepped from the chiefs hut, their long day of organising finally completed. Those who had died from the village were buried, and more importantly, Specter had been dealt with. It now sat upon the forehead of the chief, accepting him as its new user almost immediately. Tatsumi saw that the chief could wield it immensely well, and combined with his wisdom it would bring about a prosperous future for his town. However, Tatsumi was worried. Esdeath had not been seen since he left her in the forest, and he was beginning to worry.
With a little caution, he snuck out of the village when none were looking, and travelled back down the path to where he had left her. Rounding the corner, he froze. Everything, within a 20 metre band was nothing but sharpened icicles and blood. Nothing lived, nothing breathed. "Oh god... Esdeath!" Tatsumi looked around. Either side of the had been path, there was a ring cut in the trees. Tatsumi picked right, and sprinted down the pathway. He cared little for his balance on the ice, he was confident he could manage, however he was not prepared for the sharp spikes on the ground.
As he ran, he felt his shoes begin to tear and break apart, but he pushed on, fearful. What could make Esdeath react like that? What had happened to her? Blood began pouring from his feet, causing him to slide more, but he was growing desperate. "Esdeath! Es where are you!?" He received no reply. Not even a bird cried in response. Suddenly, there was a path. He looked about, confused. This did not make sense. There was only one path to his village, as far as he was aware...? Unless...? He looked aghast.
"A giant circle, pointing out the village... Why? Esdeath! Where are you?" A voice hissed into his ear.
"I'm right here" Tatsumi whirled, only to recieve a savage punch to the gut. He flew back, managing to grab ahold of an ice spike and right himself, eyes wide in astonishment. Esdeath stood before him, eyes completely black, darker than night, spread wide in madness.
Her smile was terrifying. It was full of rage, seething, oozing insanity. "Why, do you suddenly care about me? Do you need me for something?"
Icy horror clenched at Tatsumi's heart as she spoke. Her voice was inhuman, a hiss of contempt. "N-no. I came to make sure you were okay, I got worried and-" in an instant she was upon him. Her cold hands found his throat and lifted him clear into the air. He grabbed at her hand, desperate to pull her off. She wasn't choking him as such, which was a good sign.
"Did you now, little Tatsumi? Spare a thought for poor old me? After relishing in the attention of that pathetic village of yours? How dare you? After all I've done for you, why won't you love me back the way I need?! I gave up everything, but you don't care!"
She hurled him into the ground, causing him to cough up blood. Manacles of ice chained him to the floor, and her foot came down on his chest.
"You decide now Tatsumi. Me or them. Choose wisely. Hagel Sprung!"
A massive ball of ice, more than Tatsumi had ever seen her create before, hovered 50 foot in the air. "Esdeath..." he realised her intention with horror.
"That's right. I made myself a nice little bull's-eye. What's it going to be? Will you fight to defend them, or surrender to me, and give me what I deserve?"
As the days turn to months, turn to years, we break and we crumble. Some may even fall, and the greatest superpower always has a weakness. Before your world comes crashing down, accept your fate but know in your aching heart- there was always another way.
A/N: there we are. It's been a long time, hopefully worth the wait I really pushed to get this done today, although I guess that was yesterday now.
Question- do people want to see the scene where the elder gets his teigu? Up to you guys, I didn't see it as very interesting so I left it out.
Anyway, that's all for now, hopefully I'll be back before next year huh? Until next time, that's me out. thanks for reading!