With wide eyes, I gazed over at the powerful woman before us. My blood ran colder than icewater, and I was shaking uncontrollably, almost as if I was actually freezing to death.
I... I could not even begin to fathom how completely and utterly fucked we were. This woman had more power in her pinky finger than I had in my entire body. I'm pretty sure she could breathe on me and I'd die.
Yet... she hadn't attacked yet. She was just standing at the mouth of the cave, giving us a half-disgusted, half-inquisitive glare. She was sizing us up, quite possibly calculating how easily she could kill either one of us.
I glanced back over at Yuri, only to meet her equally terrified gaze. I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but I could guess it was pretty similar to my thought process.
"...Yuri and Alexander Aera." She stated eventually, her words ringing with an almost tangible power. "I have been searching for you."
Well no fucking shit, sherlock! There's not a chance in hell that we'd just randomly stumble into a Heavenly Knight, for fuck's sake! God, if I hadn't been so scared at that moment, I would've been pissed beyond belief.
"I..." I found myself speaking, despite the fact that I was wholly against saying anything. "I don't suppose there's a way we could resolve this...peacefully?"
My words echoed through the cave, showcasing just how silent the world around us had become. The chirping of birds from outside the cave had all but vanished, as had the monotonous buzzing of insects. Hell, it seemed like even the wind itself stopped blowing, clearly afraid of the power held by the dragonkin woman.
"Actually, there is." Granberia said, her tone mostly neutral, but lightly shaded with contempt. "If you allow yourselves to be taken prisoner, I can guarantee that you will not die this day."
I winced, shaking my head internally. There wasn't a way in hell I'd let something like that happen. Being taken prisoner by a Heavenly Knight? Even if Granberia herself wouldn't... do things to me, it was likely that other monsters would. Hell, it was a likely possibility that I'd be imprisoned in the Monster Lord's Castle. Such a thing might even be worse than death.
The heavenly knight watched me for a while, her cold yet furious eyes seemingly boring into my very soul. When it became apparent that I wasn't going to say anything, she sighed.
"Surrendering is likely the best option for the two of you." She continued, turning to directly face me. "I have orders to bring you in alive, but they don't mention your mother at all."
I felt a lance of fear strike my heart, nearly rooting me in place. She was threatening to kill my best friend in the whole damned world, and I couldn't do anything about it.
"Alex!" Yuri whispered to me, her voice barely even audible. "You need to run! I'll distract her!"
I cringed at the idea, imagining how that scenario would go down. No matter if I escaped or not, Yuri would likely die. The very idea of something like that sent a sick, almost painful feeling roiling through my stomach.
But... I didn't have any other choices. To fight would be suicide. Yuri knew that, and yet she offered to cover my escape anyways. The thought of that brought tears to my eyes. She would genuinely sacrifice herself to save me. Why?
I mean, let's all be honest, I'm not a great person. I'm a mean, spiteful bastard who regularly kills people (I mean, those people generally deserve it, but still!). I probably didn't deserve to be loved like Yuri loved me. And yet, despite that, she was planning to fight an unwinnable battle just so I could get away. It was... heartwarming.
It also broke my fucking heart.
"I can't just leave you to die!" I whispered back at her, feeling tears brim in my eyes. "I wouldn't be able to go on without you!"
Granberia allowed her sword to dip slightly, taking on a bemused expression as she watched us quietly communicate. I doubted she could hear exactly what we were saying, but she probably guessed that we were planning something. I ignored that, since she wasn't intervening. I wasn't sure if it was wariness or honor that kept her from acting, but I didn't really care. I was going to use all the extra time I could.
"And I can't without you!" Yuri countered, her eyes beginning to brim with desperate tears. "Besides, you're still young! You've got a whole life ahead of you! Please, just run!"
Before I could say anything else, she charged forwards, her blade extended. Almost lazily, Granberia brought up her great-sword, blocking the attack with such ease that I felt my heart practically sink past my intestines, and out my asshole.
"I warned you..." The dragonkin woman sighed, bringing her blade up into a combat stance.
What happened next, Yuri didn't see it coming. Hell, I didn't either. That bitch was just too fast for either of us to process.
Suddenly, I felt a warm, coppery liquid splatter against my face, sending me stumbling backwards as I tried to blink the stuff out of my eyes. The smell of red wafted into my nose, something that would normally bring me comfort. However, at that very moment, all it did was send a sharp pain through my heart.
Something heavy and warm hit me in the chest, causing me to fall over onto my back. Bringing up a hand to clear the crimson liquid from my eyes, I was met with a sight that would haunt me for the rest of my days.
Laying on its side, barely more than a foot from me, sat Yuri's head.
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. The woman who'd taken me in, looked after me, and loved me like her own son... was dead. Just like that. She'd been snuffed out completely and utterly, like a cockroach crushed beneath someone's heel.
In that one moment, it seemed as if time itself had ceased to have any meaning. All I could hear was the pounding of my heart, and all I could see was my dead friend. A whirlpool of emotions roiled within me, each one so black and vile that, under normal circumstances, I'd have been shocked into silence. At that point however, I didn't really care. I was so unbelievably angry. My entire body was shaking as I stared at the severed head, to the point where it almost felt like I was having a seizure.
"She should've listened to me." Granberia said, her voice cold. "Now, will you come peacefully, or do I have to drag you kicking and screaming?"
I said nothing, still unable to tear my eyes away from Yuri's head. There was a strange wetness around my face that I suddenly realized was tears. I was crying, and honestly, I didn't mind. This felt like an appropriate time to cry. My heart burned with a horrible, nauseous mix of bone-crushing despair, and incandescent rage.
I was brought out of my grief-stricken trance by the sound of Granberia's approaching footsteps. Glancing over at her for one second, I was greeted with the sight of the dragonkin woman absolutely drenched in Yuri's blood.
It was that sight which finally pushed me over the edge.
*LINEBREAK*
Ten minutes earlier...
As Granberia approached the cave which housed her targets, she found herself reflecting back on her mission. A few days ago, she'd been planning her trip to Ilias continent, to hopefully put a stop to those troublesome "heroes" which seemed to crawl out of the woodwork. It was around then when Tamamo came to her with a mission. The old fox wanted her to hunt down a couple of criminals, and bring one of them in alive. It seemed like such a minor job at first, and Granberia almost laughed it off. She would have, if the kitsune hadn't explained just who she would be hunting.
"Yuri Aera..." The dragonkin woman growled, glaring towards the cave she was approaching.
Granberia hadn't been alive during that killer's reign of terror, but she'd grown up hearing the stories. Yuri's lust for violence was as impressive as it was horrifying. Her murderous spree spanned across almost the entirety of Sentora, sending fear into the hearts of both humans and monsters alike. She was infamous for her cruelty, brutally dissecting those weaker than her, and ambushing those she couldn't beat in a fair fight. Such dishonor and outright malevolence made Granberia's blood boil. Killing her would be an honor the Heavenly Knight would gladly accept.
Of course, that was only one of her objectives. Her other, of course, was to capture Yuri's son, Alexander. Honestly, after reading the packet Tamamo had shoved in her face, Granberia had wanted to kill him too. He'd committed several murders, and, most recently, eaten the Harpy Queen alive. The report was sickening, to say the least.
Alas, Tamamo wanted him brought in alive, for "interrogation purposes", whatever that meant. Granberia didn't really see the point in all that, as there was no reason for the man to know anything important. She'd indulge the old fox however, because otherwise she'd never hear the end of it.
Upon stepping into the mouth of the cave, her eyes locked onto her targets. In one quick motion, she drew her blade from its sheathe, glowering at the pair. They were both terrified, shaking as they held their weapons. Still, they stood defiantly, showing that they weren't going to give up just because they were afraid. If they hadn't been some of the most despicable pieces of shit she'd ever seen, Granberia might've respected them for it.
She offered them the option of surrender, knowing they likely wouldn't take it. The dragonkin would rather have not offered at all, but she was duty-bound to at least make an attempt.
Predictably, they didn't take it. Instead they wasted time quietly whispering to each other, trying to communicate privately. Granberia could hear them perfectly well, though it didn't really matter if they knew about that or not. It wasn't like they could escape.
Though, Granberia was quite surprised when Yuri offered to be a distraction so the man could escape. Such an offer was quite selfless, and not at all something she'd expect from the scourge of Sentora. Even taking into account the fact that the man was the elf's son, it still didn't make sense. From what she'd heard growing up, that woman held nothing in her heart but excessive cruelty. Seeing her decide to sacrifice herself... it was certainly odd. Odd enough that Granberia almost questioned her orders for a second. She managed to banish her doubts however, gripping her sword ever tighter. So what if she'd softened up slightly? Yuri still committed countless murders. She deserved to die, no matter how different she acted.
The dragonkin let out a sigh when the elf dashed towards her. She knew better than to expect much of a challenge, but she was just so slow. Blocking her strike was as easy as taking a breath. Still, even if it was laughably weak, a blow was still a blow. She'd tried to kill a Heavenly Knight, and so she had to die.
With a lightning-quick slash of her sword, Granberia cut the head from Yuri's shoulders.
It was quite a strange feeling, realizing that such an infamous criminal was dead by her hands. Some might feel pride in such a feat, but Granberia only felt disappointment. To her, it was proof that finding a proper challenge was almost impossible. According to records, Yuri had never been a pushover, so it wasn't like she was picking on some weakling elf. She was just so far below the dragonkin in terms of power that all her strength and skill was meaningless.
She was brought out of her slightly depressing musings by the sound of quiet sobbing. Pausing for just a moment, she turned her attention to the source of the noise, finding it to be her other target. His eyes were fixed on his mother's severed head, which had landed rather close to him. His shaking, crying form seemed so very small in that moment, more like a boy than a man.
Granberia froze for about a fraction of a second, feeling the smallest amount of guilt begin to gnaw on her insides. Seeing someone so full of despair like that... it made her feel like a bully. In that one moment, there was nothing but pity in her heart.
'Gah, what am I thinking?' Granberia thought to herself, shaking her head. With all the effort she could muster, she crushed the doubts in her heart. So what if the man was crying about his dead mother? That woman was a serial killer! He was too, so it's not like he deserved any sympathy either. If anything, he needed to die as well! The only reason she hadn't struck him down yet was because her friend and colleague wanted him alive.
"She should've listened to me." Granberia said, desperately trying to match her inner feelings with the cold and callous voice she used. "Now, will you come peacefully, or do I have to drag you kicking and screaming?"
Alexander still didn't look at her, almost in a trance-like state of grief. With a sigh, she stepped towards her remaining target, her hand outstretched to grab his shoulder.
Evidently, the sound of her approach had gotten his attention. His head snapped to her, sharply gazing at her bloodstained form.
Locking eyes with him, she felt herself pause for just a moment, taking in the sheer hate that swam in those dark orbs. She'd never seen such dark emotion before, and it was strong enough to temporarily shock her into silence.
"You..." He growled, slowly climbing to his feet. His face was twisted into an enraged snarl, showing off his sharp, inhuman teeth. Shaking angrily, his toned muscles seemed to ripple with newfound energy.
A blood vessel popped in one of his bulging eyes, dying it a dark red. Blood slowly began to seep from it, mixing with his tears to form a reddish streak running down his cheek.
Granberia blinked, sensing a massive buildup in the man's energy. It wasn't anything close to her own power, but that didn't change the fact that it was absurd for a human. A typical monster would've been wary, or perhaps even scared of such an opponent.
Granberia, however, was interested.
It had been a long time since she had any semblance of a challenge (Her matches with Alma Elma didn't count. Her spars were an entirely different kind of battle.). Even though the man likely couldn't actually hurt her, she still wanted to see how strong he was. So, she took a few steps backwards, letting him finish powering up.
Stray lightning seemed to crackle off of his toned muscles, showing his obvious lack of control over his energy. She could practically hear his bones creaking from the stress he was putting his body under. Still, he continued to exert more energy, either unaware or uncaring of his body's destruction.
"You... Fucking BITCH!" He roared suddenly, sending a deceptively quick haymaker for the side of her head. She moved to intercept the blow with her hand, eyes widening as the force of his fist drove her back a few inches, her feet digging into the stone floor of the cave. Clearly, he was more powerful than she'd initially expected.
She retaliated by kicking him away, sending him flying backwards. He rolled to a stop about ten feet away, got up, and rushed back towards her, hands outstretched as if to grab her. When he was in range, she slammed the flat side of her blade into his exposed ribs. It was a blow that would have killed a normal human, but all it did to him was send him off balance. He recovered quickly, sending another punch towards her face. She grabbed that one, but was unprepared for the strike to the gut from his other hand. While it didn't knock her over, it certainly did hurt, which was a rather novel realization for the dragonkin. It had been so long since she'd felt real pain, after all.
A wide, almost feral grin split across the Heavenly Knight's face. This was the closest to an actual fight she'd had in a long, long time. She was going to milk it for all it was worth.
Grunting, she headbutted the man, before kicking him in the chest yet again. He practically ragdolled, coughing up blood as he bounced along the hard floor. Still, after a moment, he rose again, battered and bruised, but no less determined to end her life. Grabbing his sword, which had been flung away from him at the start of the fight, he rushed towards her, letting out a shriek of animalistic fury.
She blocked his first strike, silently relishing how the blow clanged against her blade. Alexander followed up with a flurry of diagonal slashes, of which she either dodged or blocked. Eventually, the red-headed man made an unfortunate mistake, and overextended. Granberia took full advantage of the opening, catching his blade with her own, before knocking his own weapon out of his hands. Suddenly, he was weaponless, in very close proximity to his opponent. A normal person might've tried to make some distance, or even surrender. After all, such a position was highly unfavorable.
Alexander was not a normal person, and as such it would be foolish to try and predict his moves as if he was a rational individual. This was made abundantly clear to Granberia when he leapt towards her, head-first. She raised her unarmored forearm to block the apparent headbutt, only to hiss in pain as his teeth clamped down on her arm.
For a moment, she was too stunned to do anything. After all, something like this had literally never happened to her before. A human had just bitten her hard enough to draw blood, and was loudly drinking said crimson liquid.
Honestly, she wasn't sure which was hurting worse: her arm, or her ego. Seriously, how had he even pierced her flesh? She was a dragonkin! His teeth should've shattered on contact! The fact that he managed to do so either proved that he was stronger than she thought, or that she was getting weaker.
It was only when the man started making really appreciative noises that Granberia decided she was over this whole mission. That, for whatever reason, was the final straw. She just wanted to knock him out, and take him to Tamamo.
Wrenching her arm out of his mouth, she unceremoniously dropped her sword, and started choking the life out of him. He bucked wildly, snarling and roaring like a trapped animal. He clawed at her arms, and kicked at her legs. These actions, while largely ineffective, hurt just enough to be annoying. They also displayed his lack of knowledge/care on what he was doing to his own body, seeing as how his limbs were cracking and breaking under the force of his own energy. It was... kind of sad, in a pathetic sort-of way. She'd have pitied him if he wasn't a depraved lunatic.
With agonizing slowness, Alexander's struggles began to grow weaker. His eyes began to grow foggy and distant as the strength was seemingly sapped from his body. After what felt like an eternity, he eventually succumbed to the lack of oxygen, growing limp in her grasp.
Adjusting her grip so that she was holding him by the shoulders, she was temporarily stunned by how destroyed his body was. The man's bones were practically shattered, and were in fact sticking out at multiple different angles. His skin was split open in several spots across his entire body, where muscle had bulged and flexed to the point of tearing itself apart. His breathing was ragged and wet, as if there was some kind of fluid in his lungs.
Granberia wasn't particularly medically talented, but she didn't need to be a doctor to know that this was very bad. She estimated that she had ten minutes to get him patched up before he bled to death.
...Good thing she came prepared.
With hardly any care whatsoever, she slung the dying man over her shoulder, before reaching into a leather pouch that was strapped to her side. She felt around for a moment, before pulling out a small Harpy Feather.
Quietly muttering the incantation that Tamamo had taught her, Granberia gave one last glance to the severed head of Yuri Aera. Her face was locked in an expression of shock, as if she only realized what happened a tenth of a second before her death.
"...Good riddance, you damned maniac." The dragonkin thought angrily, as the world began to shift around her.
*LINEBREAK*
Upon waking up, I wasn't quite sure where I was. I was staring up at a ceiling made of rough, black stone, which was entirely unfamiliar to me. Looking to the left, I found a wall constructed of black bricks, which were likely cut from the same kind of stone as the ceiling. To my right was a hallway, blocked off with sturdy-looking metal bars, and a heavy-looking metal door.
...I was in another cell.
Admittedly, it took a rather long time before I realized what had happened. I was quite exhausted, so my brain was understandably... foggy, to say the least. I'd probably been conscious for about a minute before the memories of recent events hit me like a freight train.
Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, the image of Yuri's severed head flashed through my mind, sending a sick, hopeless feeling throughout my entire body. My throat closed up, and I let out a strangled, grief-stricken gasp. My heart was practically beating out of my chest, as I came to the most depressing realization of my life.
For the first time since I arrived in this world, I was completely and utterly alone.
My dearest friend and companion, someone who I'd relied on for literal years, was just... gone. She tried to sacrifice herself for me, and it all ended up being worthless. She died for nothing.
I began to feel hot tears stream down my cheeks, as I was hit with wave after wave of crushing despair. Despite my best efforts, I began to cry in low, choked sobs.
It was here, at my lowest point, where the rage began.
It grew slowly at first, seemingly forming in my stomach like a sticky, black ball of hate. I thought about how much I wanted to kill that dragonkin bitch, how much I wanted to hear her scream as I tore her insides apart with my teeth. It was an electrifying thought, one that sent shivers down my spine, and more importantly, began to fuel that ooze of hate in my stomach.
Suddenly, the bundle of bad emotions popped like a firecracker, consuming my sadness and replacing it with a horrific, scalding mix of bitterness, hate, and rage.
A loud, painful roar tore itself from my throat. My body practically moved on its own, trying desperately to get up. Alas, it seemed like my hands were shackled to a sort-of metal circle that hung from the wall. How I hadn't noticed that earlier was anybody's guess.
Of course, I wasn't just going to let some shackles keep me trapped. Reaching deep within myself, I grabbed hold of the energy which roiled within me, and-
A horrible, buzzing pain seared through my arms, arcing along my muscles like some kind of electric shock. Instinctively, I let out a screech of pain, feeling my power practically spill away from me like loose sand between my fingers.
As soon as I lost grip of my power, the pain faded away, leaving only the slightest uncomfortable twinge of soreness. Blinking the stars out of my vision, I idly pondered what in the fuck just happened.
"Ooh, I haven't seen someone zap themselves that badly in years." A condescending voice rang out, giggling at my misfortune. "Don't try that again or you'll fry yourself to death."
I blinked, still not quite sure what had just happened. Turning my head, I caught a glimpse of a tall, smug-looking kitsune with reddish hair, a razor-sharp grin, and EIGHT tails.
A small part of me tried to remember this woman's name. I distinctly remembered seeing her in the game, but... for the life of me, I just couldn't remember.
Ah well, it probably wasn't important. Besides, I didn't really give a damn. I was more angry than I'd ever been in my life, and I was gonna take that anger out on whoever I could.
"...What the fuck was that?" I asked, my rage burning hot enough to dispel my disorientedness. "And also, who the fuck are you?"
The woman chuckled, her tails swaying lazily behind her as she approached the bars of my cell. God, everything about her just radiated smug energy. It made me want to bite her face off.
"Those shackles are magical, sweetie." She explained, taking on the tone one would use when explaining a simple concept to a very stupid child. "If you try to break them, they shock you with your own energy."
...That was actually a really good idea. Damnit, how was I supposed to get out of these?
"You didn't answer my second question." I growled, deciding on a whim to verbally abuse this woman. "Are you deaf, fleabag? Who the fuck are you?"
She didn't take the insult well, if her sudden scowl was anything to go by. As she glowered hatefully at me, I felt a tiny twinge of nervousness run down my spine. I was probably going to regret saying that later. Oh, whatever, it wasn't like I cared. Watching that bitch's smirk drop right off her face at the word 'fleabag' was cathartic as hell.
"That is no way to speak to the woman who healed you." She growled, her tails waving threateningly around her. "And for your information, I am known as Yao."
Looking over at the now-named kitsune, I could tell that she was quite agitated, much to my inner amusement. Normally, I wouldn't try to provoke someone who could snap me in half, especially when I was in such a vulnerable position. This was not a normal situation, however.
"Oh, right!" I gasped, my exaggerated tone filled with barely-hidden mockery. "You're Tamamo's personal bitch!"
She snarled at me, her mouth opening to let out a nasty retort. However, after a second or two, an expression of confusion briefly flashed across her face. It was gone a moment later, replaced by a much more neutral, guarded expression. Even in my anger-induced haze, I knew that was probably bad.
"How do you know who my master is?" She asked quietly, a dangerous edge to her voice. "You're just some random human. You shouldn't know that I serve mistress Tamamo."
...Oh. I just outed myself.
Ah, whatever. I was probably a dead man anyways. I guess if there was a time to stop worrying about things, it'd be now.
That didn't mean I was just about to willingly open up about everything, mind you. Granberia killed my best friend, so I'm going to be an obstinate piece of shit to anyone even tangentially related to her or her coworkers.
"Kill yourself" was my succinct and immediate reply. I didn't think Yao expected that honestly, if the way her eyebrows shot up into her hairline was any indication. Chuckling darkly at her reaction, I rolled my eyes with all the disdain I could muster.
"What, did you actually think I'd explain myself?" I spat, sending her a fierce glare. "I hate you. I hate you and everyone you work with. If you were on fire when I was walking down the street, I wouldn't even piss on you to save your life."
Yao let out a strangled growl, her expression flashing between incredulity and anger. She struggled for words, momentarily unable to form a response to what I said.
"Now, that's no way to talk to someone you just met." A rather young voice echoed from down the hall, accompanied by the sound of quiet footsteps. I glanced in the direction of the sound, but I couldn't quite turn my head enough to see who was coming.
"Go to hell!" I called out, watching with some worry as Yao's eyes widened dramatically. I figured that was probably a bad sign.
When the woman stepped in view of my cell, I understood. The diminutive figure sported golden hair, and sharp green eyes. Her nine tails twitched angrily, wildly waving around her as she fixed me with the coldest glare I'd ever seen.
As the Heavenly Knight Tamamo stepped towards the bars, I felt a sudden chill go down my spine.
"I have a lot of questions for you, young man, especially since you seem to know things you shouldn't." She stated, her voice calm in the 'I'm-going-to-silently-rip-your-spine-out' kind of way.
...Uh oh.
*LINEBREAK*
Tamamo frowned as she gazed at the foul-mouthed man. Having heard what he'd said to Yao, she was now even more suspicious than she'd been previously. It seems he knew he'd screwed up as well, as he was starting to look a bit nervous.
"...Well, if it isn't the old fox herself." Alexander said suddenly, masking his apprehension with a wide, hate-filled grin. It was the kind of grin you'd see on someone who enjoys making people suffer. "I didn't know they let geriatrics like you out of the nursing home."
Tamamo felt herself bristle at the man's insults, before a sudden realization stopped her cold.
"...How would you possibly know that I'm old? I look like a young girl." She stared at the man, who was starting to look nervous again.
"Well, you're Tamamo. You've helped raise a lot of Monster Lords over the years." His reply was as quick as it was shaky. "I've read about you. You must be pushing two-hundred at least."
What he said wasn't impossible. She certainly had watched over and cared for the last few generations of Monster Lords. Still, where would a human who lived in the middle of nowhere get such information? Something wasn't adding up.
After a moment, she decided to leave that line of questioning for later. There were more important things on her mind, after all.
"How were you hidden from us for so long?" She asked, her voice cold and demanding. "My information networks span all continents. We should've learned about you much sooner."
The man blinked, genuine confusion crossing his face for less than a second. It was gone almost immediately, replaced with that sarcastic, angry expression that he'd been wearing previously.
"I dunno." He shrugged, dismissive. "Maybe your network just sucks shit."
Tamamo resisted the urge to snap at him. That is what he wanted, after all. He clearly wanted to see her lose control, as foolish as that was.
"You truly don't know?" She asked, digging further. "You're saying that you have no idea how you managed to stay hidden?"
The man rolled his eyes, but nodded.
"Yeah. What's with all these asinine questions, anyways? It's not like I know anything important." He said, his tone mocking. Still, there was something about the way he articulated that statement. There was a sort-of panicked lilt to it, like he was hiding something...
Glaring at the man, she opened the door to his cell, and stepped in. Standing over him, she watched as a jolt of fear went across his face. It was gone less than a second later, but that didn't change the fact that she'd seen it.
Reaching down, she grabbed the laying man by his collar, and brought his face close to hers.
"What. Do. You. Know?" She growled, her voice rippling with dark energy.
He looked up at her, silently debating something in his mind. Then, after a moment, an expression of resigned determination came over him.
"Fuck. You." He responded, his voice brimming with venom. "I don't know shit, and even if I did I wouldn't tell you anything!"
He was snarling, looking up at her with animalistic fury. She responded by slapping him across the face, his head cracking to the side from the force of the impact.
"I could just as easily hypnotize you and force the answers out." She stated simply, her voice like chips of ice. "I will give you one last chance to tell me what you know."
Alexander roared at her, his face lunging forwards, likely intending to bite her. She stepped back, just barely out of his reach.
"You're nothing but a damn disgrace!" He roared at her, clearly trying his hardest to hurt her emotionally. "I've never seen such a pitiful excuse of a kitsune in my life! I swear, that when I get out of this, I'll wear you like a fur coat! You hear me, you fucking failure of an Ancestor?!"
...
Tamamo looked over at the man, her eyes as wide as dinnerplates. He was panting and heaving, his face red with rage.
"What did you just call me?" She asked, her voice filled with a mixture of anger, and unbridled suspicion. The man blinked, before grinning again.
"What, is your old age affecting your hearing? I called you a failure of an ances... Oh."
All the color immediately drained from Alexander's face upon realizing what he said. He glanced nervously at Tamamo, wincing at her intense stare.
"I-I mean, because you're so old, clearly you have children who think of you as a failure...?" He said sheepishly, his sudden excuse sounding like the weakest thing she'd ever heard.
Affixing him with her hardest glare, Tamamo eyed the nervous man, her heart racing. How did he know about her past? There shouldn't have been anyone alive who knew she was one of the six ancestors!
"...We're about to have a very long conversation, young man." Tamamo growled, her eyes shining with dark energy.
The man stared up at her, mouth agape. It was clear that he was struggling for words.
"Well... Guess I'm fucked." He eventually muttered, accurately describing his situation.
Despite her best efforts, Tamamo felt a smirk stretch across her face.
"Yes." She nodded, preparing her hypnotization spell. "You are indeed."
He didn't even see it coming.
A/N: Oh Alex, you and your big mouth.
Sorry for the delay and the roughness of this chapter. Some... personal things happened in my life, which I'd rather not talk about.
I pulled the Harpy Feather Teleportation thing from MGQ: Paradox. Sorry if I got it wrong, I'm only really familiar with the VN.
As usual, if I missed anything important, feel free to let me know. It's almost 4 AM as I write this, and I am very tired.
