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Everything hurts.

A pressure is kept strong against his chest, like an immense weight is put on him, slowly and inevitably crushing him while his ribs crack in the process, bones pierce into his lungs as they let out a gurgle as air and blood mix together. The taste of iron leaks out his nose and mouth.

Useless. A voice screams at Copen. You're no longer a hunter, just a toy for the wolves.

Sputtering and coughing, Copen collapsed to the nonexistent floor. Everything is dark and empty, hard and cold. Like a cruel void. Is that the afterlife? Did he finally die? No, if he was then why does he still feel pain? Why is he still suffering? Black liquid spews out from his mouth after wheezing, a frantic cough or two following as his body jerked and folded in agony. Pain was rising in his chest, it felt like something was eating his insides, teeth gnawing at his unseen organs.

I'm nobody's toy. Copen reminded himself, not sure who he is even talking to, but continues trying to regain feeling in his body. Starting by pressing his forehead against the invisible ground, finding some mild comfort in the coldness as he tries to do the same with his shaky hands, ignoring the way they tremble as he pushes down the urge to call for help, because he knows nobody will. Desperate for progress and stubborn as ever, he shakily attempts to push himself up, only to fail several times.

Still playing coy then, but look at where you are.

Where was he? Well, here, wherever this is, a realm absent of heat and light, most likely the same realm where the venom inside him is trying to make him submit, just another obstacle of the day.

It doesn't matter where I am. Copen grunts out as some strength starts to return to his legs, one of them slowly but surely raising high enough so his knee hits the ground and he slightly rises up. I will wake up from wherever this is, escape the fortress and make right what went wrong.

"Make right?" Spoke a mirthful voice behind him, deeply amused at the words. "How? By fighting? Do you think it's that easy? But that aside, how will you fight without a weapon?"

Turning around with some effort, Copen sees the other him. He is just squatting there, mimicking the trite posture of a delinquent that's nowadays so out of style it's only seen in parodies, the fact he had a cruel smile and was watching Copen bleed appeared a lot less intimidating with that in mind, though the way he was holding's Copen and waving it tauntingly quickly changed things.

"Still, even with some pellets, how will you defeat a god?" They ask with derision, their voice clearer than before. "You poor, poor little pathetic thing. Look at yourself~ Can't even push away a woman as she tongue-fucks the hell out of you, all the while squirming because of broken ribs." The thing that only looked like him stepped closer, "Perhaps it's better to be merciful. Here, let me."

Copen didn't say a thing, not even widening his eyes in horror as the faker removed the safety of the gun and pressed the edge of it against his forehead. Metal cool against his sweaty skin.

With one quick movement, Copen jumped up with new strength, barely avoiding death as a deafening noise comes out from the missed shot, before he wrestles for the gun back.

Next thing he knew, another bang sounded.

Copen jolted up with a sharp gasp, instantly reaching for a weapon he no longer possessed.

Was it a nightmare? He deliberated grimly, before deciding that the answer is 'Maybe not'. The supernatural is a thing after all but it did little to calm his pounding heart. Still the more surprising thing was that he felt no pain, no sting from his many bruises, no flinch when he moves any part of his body. If anything he felt as refreshed as one would be after taking a long hot shower after sport.

His contemplation however got interrupted by a squeal, "Eep! Y-you startled me!" a young woman dressed in white robes said as she reeled back by his abrupt awakening. And had Copen not noticed that she was holding a white towel, wet from being dipped into the small bowl with steam of water now spilled across the floor, then his first instinct would have been to have swiftly broken her neck.

Nurse, civilian, do not kill. Are the fast thoughts that come to his mind before he can decide to attack her anyway as he's not visibly restrained. Instead he moves to the next best thing while waiting for the aggressiveness to leave his body and that's by observing the room: He wasn't in the same room that he assumed was his own personal prison anymore, most likely because he escaped. Instead this room with it's tatami floor, paper door and walls has a traditional Japanese household vibe to it, something that shouldn't be possible unless he got relocated or Zonda herself used her septima to once more mess with her surroundings, Copen had not forgotten how she had transformed the throne room into a dimension of crystals and mirrors, and so stays on guard.

"Where am I?" Copen fishes for info, at the same time addressing the new person. If Zonda expected him to just run out the room the moment he wakes up just so he can be assaulted again then she's got another thing coming. At least that was the plan, for the moment he spoke he realized how incredibly dry and hoarse his voice sounded, causing him to swallow saliva. Likewise the memory of what happened made his eyes glint with such anger that the spiritually inclined could feel an aura of malice reeking over his body, not that he himself knew about that part. Nor would he have cared.

The woman, and that is the only thing Copen deigns to notice about her, stared at him in silence. Dumbfounded at his swift recovery and composure, clearly expecting him to not wake up so soon, again Copen didn't care one bit about how some civilian felt and prodded at them to say anything through a simple "So?" that though said at a normal volume had the intensity of a snarl and shout.

That did the job, with an overly grand flinch, the stranger finally recollected herself, dropping the wet towel back to the bowl before properly positioning herself in front of Copen's bedspread.

The woman, whose appearance Copen made sure to forget out of spite in his current mood, gave a gentle and welcoming smile, or at least a strained attempt at one. Still her voice was meek and soft.

"Welcome. You're in one of Eden's temples, named the Paradise Capriccio or Paradise for short. Our gracious founder turned Goddess, Saintliness Zonda, has brought you here as one of her lambs. We were told to take care of you until you wake up: She said you had a condition that makes it easy for your body to obtain injuries. But it seems you're also the type to recover quickly, do you perhaps have a self-recovery type of septima or something?"

There was loads of answers in that sentence alone, and it brought Copen many questions too. While he'd love to question all of them, he decides to focus on the most important one of them, "Lamb?"

"Yes!" The woman perked, nodding her head, clearly excited about whatever that means from the way her eyes sparkled. "Our kind Zonda had the perfect idea for world peace, if humans and adepts cannot coexist….why not find a way to turn humans into adepts too? And you're the first one!"

Her joyful energy doesn't match his at the revelation, even so, he holds in his true reaction, at the most having his eyes twitch in annoyance. "What...an honour...by the way do you have water?"

His throat was parched and he was not in the mood to debate with anyone that's so blatantly indoctrinated with Zonda's nonsense, but at least he can use the girl for as long as it's an option.

"Oh, of course." The woman gave him a cup of water, as expected. Copen hesitantly took it before drinking it all the way in. The odds of the content being spiked were low, especially when he didn't receive any signs of deception from this girl in anyway. But if he dies, then well, he dies, the end.

"So when are you going to tell Zonda that I'm awake?" Copen asked after drinking. But the woman gave him a clear bewildered look in response, did he make a mistake by calling Zonda by name?

"Even for a guest that's too intimate!" She replied scandalized, so that was the problem, she acted as if he called the Buddha his 'buddy' or whatever, then again Zonda is clearly seen in that light. "Please call her by her proper titles, those being Saint, Kind, or even Lord Zonda. Thank you!"

The way she angrily pouted and planted her hands to her hip made her look like a mother about to scold her child, of course, Copen appreciated none of it, only wondering what kind of sins his past lives committed for him to be stuck in some cheesy comedy bit inside the fortress of his enemy.

Luckily or unluckily, the sound of a door creaking open caught everyone's attention.

"Master Tenjian!" The woman greeted, quickly prostrating herself to a bow.

Dressed in a white civilian suit, in his unarmored form stood a familiar young white-haired man.

Tenjian, the frozen blade. Or to be more precise, his mirror-copy. In Copen's mind that just makes him some twisted puppet pretending to be what Zonda remembers the person as instead of a true incarnation. Still just like the original, his expression was a stoic, cold look that looked imposing and authoritative even though his eyes are shut like an owl. The faker politely gave a small nod in greeting to the servant before turning his cold look Copen's way. "Good evening, our 'dear guest'. Have you been well?" His voice rumbled, scorn and blatant indifference dripping out like venom.

Copen stayed silent, returning the scorn with his own look of disgust, as if he saw some bug.

Tenjian didn't deign that with a reaction, instead moving on. "I trust that you have been. One of our handmaidens, Amber, has been taking good care of you during the time you refused to wake up after a 'discussion' with the founder. From what our physicians told us, you were stuck in a two day coma due to your septima reacting to intense signals of stress. But you are fine now, aren't you?"

"Every moment that I have to look at your face and hear your voice is a moment that makes me wonder why I haven't fallen unconscious again." Copen snapped back, not believing a single word the adept said. He couldn't afford to. "Go ahead and kill yourself, if you care that much for me."

"How lively...the words of weaklings are." Tenjian remarked at his response, stare flickering in disinterest while 'Amber' audibly gasped at Copen's rude words. "Unfortunately that's not my decision to make, and speaking of the one that does. Master Zonda is currently occupied with negotiating the surrender of China's government alongside the welcoming of the many new adepts that have risen from the shadows. I'm sure you're happy to know that China is now an adept country. But you must be patient, your questions will be answered at a later time."

Copen narrowed his eyes at the blatant mockery, the frozen blade was practically boasting about their achievements while at the same time saying he doesn't have the guts to leave the room.

"Oh, I'm so 'happy' for them. Go ahead, gather them around. That simply means I don't need to bother finding them once I escape and come back with all my tools to hunt you monsters down."

"Escape?" Tenjian repeated, a scoff alongside a slight twitch off his upper lip holding back in a smile of pure disbelief. "I'm afraid your frail human body would never get out of this fortress."

"I can walk just fine, right now." Copen contested, knowing he shouldn't but the word 'frail' really heated him up. "Get me a gun or a kitchen knife and believe me, there will be swift redecorating."

Tenjian's blue eyes shined with a familiar glint, that of barely withheld blood lust. Copen could tell that if it wasn't for Amber's presence then the adept would have frozen over the room and beaten the shit out of Copen in order to take care of the frustration he feels just talking to him. Instead Tenjian briefly shook his head, vexed. He faced towards the handmaiden, avoiding the conversation from escalating. "I must go attend some other crucial matters. I trust you will take care of the guest in the meantime."

"Yes, Master Tenjian." A-the handmaiden complied obediently, bowing once again.

"Good." The Eden knight swiftly moved out without sparing Copen another glance, shutting the doors silently. Copen could see a glimpse of a stereotypical japanese garden as the man did that.

Copen's jaw clenched. If being belittled was one thing, than being ignored was outright another.

"Dear guest," the servant called him out of his stupor. A worried look on her face. "You shouldn't talk to Master Tenjian like that, especially to Saint Zonda. They've both treated you with great care so far."

Copen scoffed, shooting his glare her way. "Great care you say...you have no idea."

"I actually don't." She frowned, Copen raised an indifferent eyebrow as it was obvious she was about to say more. "This hostility of yours must be stopped. I don't know your circumstances...but why don't we just calm our thoughts? You're troubled. Lost and unhappy about something. Maybe this clouded judgment of yours is what leads you here today. Master Zonda is not the type to neglect someone who needs help. That's why she must've brought you here. It's Fate! If you'll allow yourself to relax, perhaps she'll grant you fortunes, miracles, and most of all happiness."

The woman's behavior completely changed as she said that, her eyes shimmered in enlightenment and Copen could only see genuine worry for his well being within her insanity. But even so….

That wouldn't spare her from his wrath once the match was set alight. "Happiness? Happiness!?" Copen snarled as he loomed over her, quickly backing her against a wall to get in her space. "I was perfectly happy once you know. I had parents and a sister who loved me only for all of those things to be taken from me by monsters like you." Seeing her try to escape made Copen grab both of her arms and keep them against the wall over her head to keep her immobilized. "My father was crushed in debris and died a slow painful asphyxiating death while my mother died with her body set aflame after a detonation septima user assaulted the mall she was in. My own sister was kidnapped by your lovely knights and sacrificed so your dear Zonda can usurp the heavens and lead my very race to extinction! And the only reason I am still alive, talking to you, is because the lustful bitch wants to see me crumble down, turn me from man to toy and I'm supposed to accept that? You think I'll find happiness by submitting to the woman that broke my hands and orally raped me!?"

"You are a fool for even suggesting that, no more than a miserable pawn whose throat I could crush here and now and I'm sure your Saint would just send another servant my way." He threatened, shutting her up the moment she looked like she was about to speak up. "Let me make one thing clear: I, Copen Kamizono, am a hunter and your race is my prey. Break my tools, splint my bones, violate my skin and slurp every drop of blood I leak, it won't change a thing, for as long as I can move, as long as I can even think, there will not be a day where any of you can consider yourself safe from me. Happiness is something I will never feel again, but neither will any of you monsters."

Copen finally let go of her, watching with disdain as the girl fell back-first against the wall and instinctively rubbed her sore hands as she looked up at him in tears and fear. "I'm leaving." He announced, before turning around and marching towards the door, part of his robe dramatically fluttering behind him. He only just noticed that he was wearing a kimono and again didn't care.

"W-wait, wait, wait!" The servant quickly grabbed onto part of his sleeve, head kept down and feet firmly set against the ground. "I must've overwhelmed you. I'm sorry. You just woke up. Confused and scared. I'm not really good when it comes to welcoming guests." Again, she acts as if he's crazy.

Honestly, were Copen a lesser man, he would've just kicked her hard in her stomach and then made a break for it. "I don't care." He instead sighed in frustration, swatting her hand aside. But it barely budged her in the slightest. Either he's gone weak or the woman is that stubborn. "Let me go." He warned her one last time. "And I'll be out of your hair, it's like I was never here."

The girl pouts again, distressed. "Please, stay. I'll get in trouble if I let you go outside and then something bad happens to you. Master Zonda doesn't like it when someone gets hurt in our home. It will be our responsibility." Ah, now Copen understands. Since outright containment didn't work, they're playing the pity card to him, hoping that a gentle hand would work better than a closed fist.

Copen however, is perfectly capable of being cold as ice. "Say one more word and I will kill you."

She flinched at that, good, not wanting to waste more time. Copen went ahead and opened the door.

"Already trying to escape? My, you're so eager, tiger." Only to meet face to face with yet another Zonda copy, this time the male version, also unarmored. His eyes are filled with curiosity and unhidden lust as he trails his gaze over the clothes on Copen's body and how they're a bit tight. They were made to show off his body after all, not to be flexible or agile, so it only limited his movement but also was barely see though and tight enough that Copen's abs and muscles could be seen from a close proximity and from the way Zonda kept blatantly looking, those neat little features must have the sight shown an outright 10 out of 10 on Copen's figure. The pervert.

"Zonda!" Copen immediately took a step back, body posture ready for any incoming attack.

"That's me." He pleasantly agreed with a welcoming gesture of his arms. Muscles flexing in a display that reminded Copen the adept could easily break every bone in his body with a push. "Anyway I've come to take you to dinner, after all what host wouldn't do so for a guest?"

"You're no host, you're a fool playing with fire. Moments away from being burned."

Zonda returned a good-natured chuckle at that, as if Copen told a funny joke. "Ever the comedian, do you ever stop being this cute?" A grin grew on his chin, contrarily to Copen's ever so increasing frown. "Everything's fine here." He continues, except this time the words are aimed the servant, "You can go be elsewhere, I'll be accompanying our good guest myself now."

"I'm not your guest." Copen repeated, not bothering to even look the servant's way as they bowed and left the room. All of his focus on his archenemy. "And you'll never be my host either."

"Hmm? Are we perhaps lovers then?"

"No."

"Boooring." Zonda complained before he clapped his hands together. "I know! How about a nickname then? Something like that is sure to lower the barrier between us, bit by bit, until…"

"You know what nickname I have for you?" Copen quipped flatly.

Zonda beamed, eyes sparkling. "What?"

"Disgusting whore."

"Marvelous!" Zonda applauded, a reaction that Copen could only blink at. "It fills my heart with love to hear you accept the activity of giving each other nicknames! Oh, Darling, how happy I am!"

The word 'darling' alone was enough to squeeze a bitter knot in Copen's insides, but the outright flamboyant joy of Zonda's male form made him have to hold in the urge to spit in disgust.

"I do have several in mind." Zonda crooned. Suddenly bursting into Copen's personal bubble, the distance between them now so minuscule that he could feel the man's breath fanning his face. Copen naturally recoiled to the side, leaning away a feet back. If Zonda took one step closer, he would've pinned the boy to the corner. But he doesn't, yet, since it's clear he'd rather enjoy watching Copen squirm in unease with his back pressed against the wall like a sadist. "You'll love them, my darlings love it when they being addressed sweetly frolicking."

"Then go play with them, because I'm not that kind of person, nor do I share." Copen scoffed.

"So you want me all for yourself then?" Zonda challenged with mirth, then continued after a mild giggle from receiving a death glare. "Fine, if you want to be that way, then why not play a game?"

"Game?" Copen asked with disdain.

"Something I came up with on the spot. Since you refuse to dine with me and share nicknames, I think we'll just have to make this more interesting. Weigh our favors on the table."

"What kind of favor?" Copen asked, brains running gears to see how to take advantage.

"Whatever you want." And oh, if that isn't the gift that keeps on giving. While Copen doesn't believe he'd actually let him go, the mere fact he can change his circumstances by just a bit is sadly an opportunity he cannot afford to waste. Of course, Zonda can't know that so he replies with.

"That's oddly generous for someone like you." Half-genuine skepticism.

"Believe me. There are other things I wanted to do with you right now, but I want to get to know my darling first." He softly caressed Copen on the cheek with one hand, the move making him rigid.

"I don't believe you." Copen scowled, pushing the hand away. "You're not that stupid."

"Well, even so. Are you really not going to do anything then?" Zonda asked knowingly.

"That depends on how sick this game is…"

"All right, then what do you want?" Zonda asks, quite politely. "For me, I want you eat me everyday. It's been so lonely lately, and I want company~"

Breathe in, breathe out, Copen did his best to calmly respond, "I will not engage in oral sex." because the man definitely said 'eat me' and Copen is not fool enough to fall for those tricks.

"What? Oh my mistake, I meant eat WITH me everyday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner." The man corrected, eyes shining with mischief. Tongue pulled out and one finger leaning on his chin.

"Then I'll ask for the freedom to move around this place without being assaulted for it."

"If that's what you wish." Zonda doesn't appear to be upset or offended, nor does he even jokingly refuse that offer which only worries Copen even more. Is this perhaps the kind of place he can't leave by foot? Did she isolate him somewhere else or are they still inside the fortress but transformed? Copen didn't know, but he did know he had to win now. Whatever the game was.

"The game is simple." Zonda started to explain. "As you said, you're not easy to fluster, right? Hmm, well I'm going to try and prove you wrong….For the entire night, I'll try to seduce you for fun, and the challenge is for you not to react, at all. If you manage that, you win, and if not, I do."

"What's stopping you from assaulting me then? Do you believe me to be daft?" Copen countered.

"Oh, you have every right to just push me away. Just don't let out an obvious emotion, mhm~"

Some game this is, this is clearly just an excuse for Zonda to flirt slash harass Copen at his leisure, but the door of freedom barely held open is too tempting a sight to not reach out for either...

"Fine." Copen resigns in defeat, words forced out. He's not the type to just sit still after all.

"Great! I'm so feeling the love!" Zonda exclaimed. "Although we're not going to stand around in this room while we play. Oh! I can show you around. So you'll know your way around the place IF you win. Hm? Wouldn't that be fun?" he continues to tease the keys of freedom like Copen's a dog.

"Let's go then." Copen still agrees, voice flat and face stoic. There's no reason to assume the game hasn't started yet so he puts his every focus into deadening his emotions, lest he loses early.

"Sure." He sings, smoothly sliding open the door and he gestures to Copen gentleman-like. "You first."

Copen withholds a sigh, cooling the anger before it shows. The worst has yet to come.

AN: In case you're wondering, Zonda doesn't just use the male form for appearance.

It's also to weird out Copen during this 'challenge' as he's pretty sure he'll gain more results from Copen that way and Copen would definitely remain emotionless out of sheer spite if met with her female form. At least I think that.

Next chappy will naturally have naughty stuff alongside actual more information on where he is. Until then.