SEKIREI- HEART OF DARKNESS CHAPTER 30- TYING UP LOOSE ENDS.
"NOW I BECOME DEATH, THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS"
-Hindu scripture
Three men stood atop one of the many tall buildings in shinto teito over looking the battle taking place before them, there capes and sash's danced in the wind. The youngest one spook up. "Well this is all very amusing, nothing like a good battle to kill some time...so are we gettin in on this scrap or what boss?"
The "Boss" of their little group was an older man, late forties early fifties but still in peak physical condition, his grizzled old face and eye patch were a clear sign of years of battle experience. "Orders are too hold position Harper, you know that" Boss said as he rolled his eyes, "I know i know but im tired of waiting, i just wanna ice these assholes and get out of this damn country already...come on Will you agree with me right?" The one identified as Harper replied.
Will, a middle aged Latina man, shifted slightly and rose to his feet from his crouching position, "Kids right boss, we had a good opportunity when we wasted those two old people, we could have killed Jun then"
Boss turned to his two younger charges with a little impatience, this kind of attitude is what got all the young ones killed. "No we didn't, those sekirei proved to be a MUCH harder threat than we anticipated, if were going to do this it HAS to be at the RIGHT time"
Harper raised his hands in submission, "I know its just...im eager for revenge, what with the way Jun betrayed us like he did" Harper said with a solemn tone, it was always a serious matter when a fellow Reaper needed to be killed. Boss shifted nervously at the mention of Jun, one of his former comrades was now his target, Boss knew that regardless of their past Sora was a target just like any other.
"I understand but this job requires patience, we cant just rush in, if we do were dead" Boss reminded his younger partner. Harper set up on his sniper rifle and focused in through the scope at the battle, "Man these sekirei are HOT, you see the boobs on that one?" Will smacked Harper in the back of the head. "Stop leering and give us some good intel"
"Yeah Yeah, man you guys are no fun...just so you all know, im seriously not happy about working with that little brat Mikogami, kids a serious dirt bag"
"You can manage until the mission is complete, once it is you wont ever have to put up with little egotistical maniac kids ever again" Boss said lazily, he did agree with his young friend though, working for this kid was getting to be a major drag...but orders are orders.
Will turned to Boss, "What about those four operators we killed, i say we trace back who hired them to get an edge over Jun"
Boss rubbed his grizzled chin in contemplation, it would give them an edge over Sora and ANY edge would help right now with Sora having so many sekirei guarding him. "Very well, i think one of them is still alive see if you can get any info..." Boss ordered as he put on his combat helmet, the reaper issue gear came down over his face and linked up with his armors systems, telling him all sorts of useful information like his ammo count, tactics, and a whole database of other combat data.
"Roger that Boss, ill be right back, cover me Harper or i swear im gonna fucking kill you when i get back" Will teased as he too put on his helmet and leaped off to the building where they had there last battle.
"Yeah i got your back..." Harper added lazily as he continued to peer through his sniper scope, the young reaper remembered back to the fight he had earlier with Yume, the sekirei of light. He had gone against Boss's orders and engaged the sekirei and her partner, a sekirei that could manipulate shadows, the fight was brief but intense, he would have won too but Yume was able to find a loop hole through his ambush. For the first time in a LONG time Harper felt FEAR, real fear, these sekirei were STRONG and he and his comrades needed every advantage they could get to defeat them.
20 MINTUES EARLIER, ROOFTOPS OF SHINTO TEITO.
"ALRIGHT! SORA IS ACROSS THE BRIDGE I REPEAT SORA IS ACROSS THE BRIDGE!" Emile yelled as he turned back toward his comrades. Vlad was busy pouring down hot lead onto MBI guards in the street below, Riley and Mina were on ground level mopping up stray soldiers before the reinforcements arrived.
"Emile, can you cover Sora from your position?" Vlads thick Russian voice cracked over the radio. "Ill try but hes moving so fast..." Emile trailed off when he noticed someone standing to his right on top of a bill board looking down on his position, this person was certainly NOT a civilian. The figure was wearing what seemed to be some kind of battle armor with ornate decorations and trophy's from previous kills, the figures cape billowed in the wind with its symbol being displayed proudly.
"Heads up, looks like we got contact to the right of my position, dude looks dangerous watch yoursel-"
CRACK!
A second figure from behind snapped Emiles neck, killing the man instantly.
"Emile? EMILE!? Shit...Emiles down, we got contact on the roof!" Vlad yelled as he refocused behind him, he saw the dead body of his comrade and was filled with rage. Vlad eyed his enemy for only a second before opening fire with his machine gun.
"DIE YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Vlad yelled in anger as he began spewing bullets at his unknown target. The figure moved with inhuman speeds, dodging the bullets and moving with the speed and grace of what could only be described as a GHOST. The target weaved in and out of roof top cover, moving closer and closer to Vlad every second.
"DAMN IT! HAVE SOME OF THIS YOU FUCKING FREAK!" Vlad threw a grenade at the strange target. The grenade exploded and appeared to have done its job...
"This is Vlad, target has been eliminated, Emile is down, i repeat Emile is down" Vlad said over the radio as he reloaded his PKM machine gun. Vlad turned around...to see the target right in his face.
The face of the mysterious man was covered with a combat helmet, the helmet was shaped in the design of a Japanese ONI demon, with large teeth and an exaggerated face painted in a bright red. "OH FUCK!" Those were Vlads last words before the Red faced assassin stabbed him through the heart with an advanced combat blade. Vlad fell to the ground...dead.
The first figure jumped over to the roof top with his comrade, both men surveying the dead bodies of the men they just killed. "Nice kill Harper, blade through the heart works every time" Will commented, his mask was also shaped like the face of a Japanese ONI accept it was painted a bright Yellow instead of red.
"Thanks, this Russian knew what he was doing, he was pretty good for a human..." Harper said as looked over the edge of the building at the two other targets. A young pup and an older lady who looked like she REALLY knew what she was doing.
"Are we gonna take those two?" Harper asked his elder as he turned.
"No, Boss said he wants them" Will commanded.
Down below on the streets Riley and Mina retreated back into a building to escape from their unknown attackers, whoever these guys were they were WAY better than anything Riley OR Mina had ever dealt with. "FUCK! what do we do Mina!? Emile and Vlad are dead...i KNEW we shouldn't have taken this job, it was fucked from the start!"
Mina didn't say a word, she surveyed the street in front for any signs of movement, it looked as though the two attackers were holding back...why?
Mina signaled for Riley to stay put, she stepped outside with her duel swords at the ready. Mina heard a shuffle and turned to see a figure standing in the middle of the street, the figure had a long sword and appeared to be challenging Mina to single combat instead of a sneak attack like his comrades. The figure was wearing Black leather armor with various pouches and clamps for ammunition and other combat tools, everything from the neck down was pitch black. Everything accept the figures mask, which was a bright blue color and shaped like the face of a Japanese ONI demon.
Mina looked up to see the figures two comrades sitting on various ledges observing the coming fight, all three assassins had the same Black leather armor and capes with their own individual symbols that represented themselves. The two that were watching from above had demon ONI masks, the smaller one had a red mask and the taller one had a yellow mask while the one she was about to fight had a blue mask.
Mina smirked, she KNEW this was the end, there was no way she could defeat all three of these...super soldiers. Mina steeled herself, she was facing death and she was READY, all her life she was an assassin and in that line of work one must be prepared for death at any time. Mina gripped her duel swords and entered a combat pose while the blue masked super soldier did the same.
"FOR MY FAMILY! FOR MY HONOR!" Mina yelled her "death call" and charged Boss.
Boss's melee weapon was a long straight sword, a good weapon against the double blades of this assassin. Mina locked blades with Boss and pushed him back with her initial strike, Boss blocked her two handed strikes with the broad side of his long sword and twirled round for a big hit, Mina ducked just as the massive blade came swinging over her head, she could FEEL the weight and heft of the giant sword as it passed over her. With Boss's super human ability's he could out pace any normal human but with Mina being in peak physical condition she could as least keep up with Boss.
After Mina ducked Boss's massive attack she followed up with a quick strike to the mid section, Boss planted his blade directly in front of him to block the deadly strike. Boss pushed out with his massive sword to knock both Minas blades to the side, with Mina exposed Boss came down full force for the kill shot.
BANG!
A bullet ripped through Boss's chest, the large man dropped to one knee, he looked to his left to see Riley with a hand gun. "Step away from her NOW!"
Boss looked up to Harper and Will with the 'Why didn't you deal with him look' Will and Harper just shrugged and jumped down to capture Riley. Riley tried to fire but the two Reapers were on him before he even knew it, they disarmed him and knocked him out, they would use him for information latter.
Boss turned back to Mina, who was using this opportunity to strike, Boss activated his healing factor and healed up his gunshot wound, he then blocked Minas strike. Boss decided to end the fight then, with his super human speed and strength he twirled around and brought his sword around for a big strike, Mina tried to block but the massive sword went right through her blades like they were nothing...taking off her head in the process.
Minas dead body slumped to the ground and Boss stood victoriously above his fallen opponent. As in Reaper tradition Boss leaned down to take some trophy off his kill, he decided on one of Minas boot knife, it was a trench knife with a knuckle duster attached to the hilt. A VERY nice trophy.
PRESENT TIME.
Will returned with the captured Riley in hand, He sat down the young man against the ledge of the roof top they were on and slapped him HARD to wake him up. Riley awoke with a jolt, he came too and struggled to get his eyes to focus, but when he did he saw three large black clad figured standing above him, each one wearing a combat helmet shaped like a demons face and each one with a signature color, Blue, Yellow, and Red.
"Oh shit..." Riley muttered when he remembered what these guys were capable of.
"Oh shit is right, now im going to ask you some VERY simply questions and i expect you to give me some VERY simple answers, im sure i don't need to tell you what will happen if you choose NOT to cooperate" Boss said with a cool air as he crouched down in front of Riley.
"f-fuck you, im not telling you shit!" Riley yelled defiantly.
"Haha, that's real admirable of you son but believe me the people who hired you DON'T care about you, it would do you best to not drag this out longer than it has too"
"Fuck you freak! im not some snitching coward, DO YOUR WORST!" Riley was scared shitless, but he stood strong.
Boss huffed, he REALLY wasn't in the mood to torture anyone...but...he needed the info.
"Listen to me BOY, just give me a name, one single NAME and ill let you live, i promise"
Riley shifted, he really didn't want to be a rat but at the same time...he still wanted to live.
"a-alright...Sanada...Sanada Nishi...that's who put me in contact with Sora Indigo"
Harper and Will looked to each other, so it WAS true...JUN changed his name to SORA...oh there fellow Reaper was always so full of surprises.
"Sanada Nishi...alright...thank you young man" Boss said as he stood and circled back around behind Riley.
"s-so your going to let me g-AH!"
SNAP!
Boss let him go alright, to the other side.
"So we have our first lead, are we going to to destroy Soras connection network now?" Harper asked. Boss turned and jingled his old dog tags in between his fingers before responding. "Yes, we'll take him apart one ally at a time, the only way to destroy someone as powerful as him is to destroy everything he loves and cares for"
"Well put Patrick"
All three Reapers turned to see...Slain...the best Reaper there was. All three Reapers immediately tensed up upon seeing their elder comrade, Both Will and Harper bowed in submission as a show of respect for their elder, a common custom with Reapers. Boss didn't bow down, he stood his ground, he didn't like anyone using his real name accept his mother...especially this guy.
The tall Reaper stepped out of the darkness, he was wearing the standard Reaper uniform. Black leather armor with various metal segments for added protection, various customized features and of course a sash with Slains custom symbol, a stylized skull. Like his other Reaper brethren Slain had combat helmet shaped like a Japanese ONI demon, Slains mask was a pearl white color with some white feathers attached on the top of the Mask like a Native American Indian head dress.
"Slain...what the fuck are YOU doing here? the higher ups didn't need to send you, we have the situation perfectly under control" Boss said with venom in his teeth...he REALLY didn't like this guy.
"Well it seems the higher ups disagree with you, they thought you could use an extra hand in this matter considering the power base young Sora has been able to build up" Slain said with a feminine voice, the older Reaper had a very un nerving presence and the aura he let off was not a pleasant one to say the least.
Slains mask had a big smile type design to it, making it look like a demon with a big toothy grin...VERY unnerving.
"Me and my boys can handle it just fine, we've gotten a dynamic down and we don't need you to come along and ruin it" Boss said angrily through gritted teeth.
"Oh calm down you big troll, i wont mess up any plans you've so carefully laid, think of me as a silent observer"
Boss eyed the creepy man before huffing and relaxing his clenched fists, "Fine"
Everyone seemed to relax and alot of the tension left the air. "Haha great, now as too your two pups there..."
Slain walked around to the two bowing Reapers, "Come little one, stand and let your elder inspect your virgin flesh"
Harper looked around, praying Slain wasn't talking to HIM...he was. Harper nervously stood up and faced the much taller elder Reaper, The white masked man circled the younger Reaper before wrapping his strong arms around his chest and pulling him close. Slain lifted up his white mask a little only to show his lips and the lower part of his nose, but Boss could see the two large scars that ran beside either side of Slains lips...the scars came from the lips up the side of the cheek...forming a big wide smile.
Slain pulled Harpers red mask mask up to reveal his young and beautiful face. "My you are even better than i hoped..." Slain teased as he licked his lips and brought Harper close. Boss and Will looked at each other, Will leaned in to whisper in Boss's ear. "Is this normal Boss?"
"This is normal for Slain, believe me just be glad he isn't horny...Harper wouldn't have a chance, come on...lets move on and let Slain have his fun, Harper will catch up with us latter"
"Right Boss"
Boss and Will jumped off into the night towards the red light district, looking for their next target...Sanada Nishi.
Slain giggled, "Well it looks like your comrades are giving us some privacy...lucky me!" Slain teased as his hands drifted across the young mans tight body. Slain was known for his rather...sadistic...nature, well that was being kind, the man LOVED violence and pain...and he LOVED young sexy men almost as much as young sexy women. All the young Reapers were warned about him, he was like a snake that would lure you in with sweet words and a comforting touch. Harper squirmed and tried to wiggle his way free..."No no no, bad boy...you mustn't run away little Harper, i can show you things you've NEVER even DREAMED of" Slain whispered seductively.
"m-master Slain...please...this isn't the time, were on a mission that has a level ONE priority" Harper pleaded, he knew there was no way he could get free physically so he only had one option left.
"Your quite right Harper, though afterwards i think me and you should have some...bonding time...what do you think?"
"T-that...that sounds nice Master Slain." Harper shook nervously against the taller man, his body gently quivering from fear.
"mmmmmm, you know i can SMELL your fear little one, its my specialty...its why im the BEST"
"of course Master Slain, i would love nothing more then to be at your level someday"
Slain raised one of his sharp eyebrows, this boy interested him, not just as a sex toy...that's what he was supposed to be originally. But now...he may have just found a new apprentice. "Tell me something child, what are you plans for the future?"
"I want to rise up fast and serve our masters to the best of my ability"
"hahahaha, that's a GOOD answer, the kind of answer i was hoping for...stay with me and you'll rise up fast" Slain spook with a forked tongue, luring the naive boy closer and closer. Harper wasn't some dumb kid, he knew what this snake was doing but he could use him to rise up fast...putting up with his strange tastes would be a small price to pay for a seat at the high rollers table. "i...i don't know Master Slain, i-"
"Hush, let me tell you this Harper, that man you follow...'Boss' as you call him, hes a LOSER, the man has been a Reaper longer than i have and he still hasn't reached the Headhunter rank. I know because i too served under Patrick, i was in the SAME position you were in...and look where i am now"
Harper relaxed in Slains arms, the man may be a snake...but he had a point.
"I can tell your thinking things over, that is good, it shows that you have intelligence, that you don't just blindly follow orders, i LIKE that in a fellow Reaper. What do you say me and you partner up on this job, if you don't like my methods by the time we are finished then fine...but i promise that if you give me a chance ill show you what a REAL Reaper is capable of." Slain whispered as he brought his hands down to Harpers crotch and gently stroked the lump under his leather combat pants.
After a moment of silence Harper considered what Slain was saying. "Alright Master Slain, just for this mission"
"hmmmm, of course child...come, let us go and wipe this little traitor off the face of the earth"
Slain and Harper jumped off into the darkness after Will and Boss towards Sanadas hideout.
ROOFTOPS OF SHINTO TEITO. 45 MINUTES AFTER BRIDGE ESCAPE.
"So Shiinas gone huh" Sora was standing on the ledge of a building over looking the battle ground. The battle was over and Akitsu came clean with the news of Shinnas death. Minatos sekirei has already left, they came and helped back up Sora and his sekirei then left when the battle cooled down. When the fighting was done Akitsu pulled Sora aside and told him everything...
"Yes Master, he died saving my life and taking out three enemy sekirei, his last words were his love for you Master" Akitsu said solemnly with her head down. Yume and Homura were huddled together comforting each other while Yahan was trying to get closer to Sora. Karasuba was off in her own little world, she loved shiina so this hit her HARD.
Soras fists clenched into a tight ball, his sharp nails digging into his calloused palms almost drawing blood.
"This is NO time for grief, regret, or depression we have to be STRONG my sekirei, Shiina would not have wanted us to pity him, he would have wanted us to continue the good fight. Come my sekirei, raise your heads in CELEBRATION! you may be asking what there is to be celebrating...we celebrate Shiinas LIFE! a life that was taken FAR too soon but a life that brought nothing but HAPPINESS and JOY to all our hearts!" Soras sekirei rallied around their master, each one with hope in their eyes as they looked to their Master for guidance.
"Look into my eyes my loves and you wont see sadness or regret...no...you'll see JOY at the memory's that wonderful boy brought us! unfortunately this isn't a fair world, its a mean, nasty, brutal, merciless world that will BEAT YOU DOWN AND KICK YOU WHILE YOU DOWN...but that dosent mean we have to QUIT! it dosent mean we have to LIE AND DOWN AND TAKE IT! THIS IS A WAR MY SEKIREI!...and fighting a war means death...thats a HARD motherfucking fact of life but its one thats as true as can be. Im not going to waste ONE tear on Shiina, instead im going SMILE and LAUGH and REJOICE at all the FUN we had together, That BOY died saving Akitsu...he had the heart of a WARRIOR...let him be an inspiration to us all...let him be a shining light...a token of good will, not a painful memory"
Sora looked to each of his sekirei, instilling hope and strength into each of them with his words and actions.
"Sora-sama is right, this 'game'...this sekirei plan...its a horrible twisted insane dance of death, Our brother Shiina paid for that with his life. But his sacrifice meant that we have another sister still with us now...wherever Shiina is im sure hes happy and content knowing that his Ashikabi ALWAYS loved him. Not only his Ashikabi, but his fellow brothers and sisters, we ALL loved that boy...and as Sora-sama said...let him be a shining example of what the power of love between a sekirei and Ashikabi is capable of. Remember our brother with Joy comrades, THAT is how he would have wanted it"
Yume confirmed Soras hope. The mood was lifted, the sekirei looked to each other with a new found joy, a joy of what their bonds truly held.
"Come on boys and girls...lets go home...our mission is complete" Sora said with a lazy wave as he turned towards home. The sound of MBI helicopters roared in the background, they were coming to clean up the battle and cover up the evidence that anything ever took place here.
Soras sekirei followed in lock step with their Master, all of them with hope...if those two Haruka and Kuno could escape this crazy game...
Then maybe beating MBI wasn't so far fetched after all.
ALRIGHT. THAT WRAPS UP EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO IN THIS ARCH. NEXT ARCH THINGS ARE GOING TO GET CRAZY. REAL CRAZY. LAST SHORT CHAPTER BEFORE WE GET BACK TO THE NORMAL LENGTH.
IF ANYONE'S WONDERING, THOSE FOUR REAPERS ARE GONNA BE MAJOR VILLAINS IN THE STORY TO COME. THINK OF THIS CHAPTER AS THEIR INTRODUCTION. THERE CHARACTERS AREE FROM SORAS PAST WHO ARE GONNA OPEN UP ALOT OF FUN DOORS FOR THE STORY MOVING FORWARD.
ENJOY AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.