Hello everyone, and welcome back. I am sorry for the long wait on updates, I had lost the entire chapter and had to rewrite it all from scratch, which annoyed me quite a bit and lead to me not wanting to write about it for a while. I do apologize for that again, it is entirely my fault.
"Wait! Don't do this!" Yelled a female voice, high pitched and in a panic.
"You only have yourself to blame for your inaction, Sanjouno Haruhime!" A figure clad in the darkest of black responded back while reaching his right arm back, his left currently holding Aisha Belka by the back of her neck in place. "The price for imprisonment with no fight is to lose that which you love most." The person spoke, their voice highly distorted and reverbed.
"AISHA!"
"Haru... I'm sorry..." Aisha whispered with a sad smile while the black-clad man's hand began to thrust forward, ready to end the Amazon's life.
Time seemed to slow down for Haruhime and her eyes begin to widen, her mouth opens but... no sound comes out of it.
12h Earlier
Hunter held a small piece of paper in hand, the words written on it making him completely zone out from anything and everything surrounding him. What was written on it was more important than anything else there could be. Why, one may wonder? Because this list was provided to him by none other than Freya, who had come forth with her end of the bargain and provided Hunter with the necessary information he required to begin his own actions.
The things written on this paper were simple. Names... the names of collaborators that Freya had found out. After he had been told verbally, he received it in writing as well, with her divine signature as to ensure what she wrote was the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
"Ishtar..." Hunter growled out with furious venom in his voice. Yes, he finally had someone to pin his wrath unto. The one responsible for his arrival in Orario and one of the people responsible for the early demise of his second family and patron god. The reason for his most recent suffering.
He folded the piece of paper in two twice and put it away within his left front pocket before lifting his face up and looking ahead. He was at the ceiling of one of the uncountably many houses spread all across Orario, his gaze fixiated towards south-south-east, where the Pleasure District lay. A massive area covering nearly 1/20th of all Orario with its sheer size and spread. The district that houses all the homes of the night, such as casinos, night clubs, brothels... "Many of which's patrons are not there by choice..." he thought, concluding that the number of people trafficked into these dubious professions had to be staggering.
And he would lay waste to it all. Tonight.
However, he needed a distraction. Something to start an upheaval, enough to attract all the Berberas into one location. He knew he had to consult Freya again, but he was not going to do so right away. First, he had to question a prisoner...
Valetta had definetly seen better days. Chained against the wall how she was, with a collar to the neck, her hands cuffed together with special cuffs that seal the powers granted by the Falna. Overall, her mobility was restricted severely and she was almost completely defenseless. If not for her sheer ferocity in defiance, one could have thought her broken and defeated.
With a burst of speed, her cell was no longer with just her, but Hunter stood before her as well. His eyes beheld an ominous glow in the dimmly lit darkness of the cell, a shine of evil within them for what he had in mind for the woman whose capture he was responsible for.
"Heh... thought you'd never show" Valetta spoke, the sheer level of spite in her voice rivaling the amount of rage and venom she had for this man. The one who ruined everything for her.
Hunter simply lowered himself to one knee, looking the woman dead in the eye before he began to vibrate his right arm, swinging it faster than anyone and anything could have followed, shattering the collar around her neck that kept her restricted within her cell.
"You are coming with me..." he snarled with pure fury in his own tone, and then, with another burst creating a blur in the light, the cell was empty, neither person to be seen...
Yamato Mikoto was dead sure of what she had seen. She knew that the blonde Renard she had beheld during the chaos of the Monsterphilia had been Haruhime. But she had only that hunch and nothing else to act out upon. So she had to investigate, and this meant sneaking into the Red Light district to see for herself. Alongside her was Chigusa, her childhood friend and someone who also knew Haruhime since they were little. Together, they were able to, after hours of rigorous searching, able to find a brothel that had a more eastern appeal to it with the shrine gate built before its entrance.
When they scouted the windows to see the self-presenting courtesans, they could not believe their eyes. There she was, Sanjouno Haruhime, in the flesh. Yamato was deathly sure it was her, she would vow upon the name of all that is holy, that was how sure she had been the second her eyes laid upon the girl.
"Haruhime!" Yamato yelled out in a moderately loud voice, getting the blonde Renard's attention. However, her heart broke when the eyes of the blonde looked back with an empty indifference, as if truly not recognizing them. Of course, Haruhime did recognize her two childhood friends, but she had given up all hope of freedom so it did not even manage to phase her to see those two. It would be just another failure to escape, another number to add to the statistical impossibility of her freedom's existence.
"Sorry, who?" The renard spoke with a frail, meek voice, but one loud enough to be heard by the two girls.
"Haruhime! It's us, Yamato and Chigusa!" Yamato exclaimed with a hopeful voice, but her hopes were visibly being squashed when the renard kept acting like they had the wrong person.
"Sorry, you must confuse me with another" she said and slowly got up, preparing herself to retreat.
"NO!" Chigusa yelled while Yamato grit her teeth and shut her eyes in growing despair. Could it truly be? Was the friend they had spent so many years hoping for, praying for, truly not here?
Yamato realized this wouldn't go anywhere and grabbed Chigusa by the arm. "... Let us go..." she spoke, defeat evident in every letter that escaped her lips. Yamato was still sure that this was Haruhime, but for some reason or another, the girl either pretended to not recognize them, or genuinely did not.
But the look of emptyness in her eyes was etched into the far eastern samurai's mind for eternity. Eyes that held no love for life, no will to see another day after this. Whatever happened to this Renard, Haruhime or not, was unforgiveable and her honor demanded she do something about it... but that time to act was not now.
Chigusa was much more reluctant. "No, she is right there! Haruhime!"
As the Renard finished standing up and disappeared behind the curtains covering the back side of the display windows, Yamato pulled Chigusa along and away from there. "Chigusa! I know... I know... but we can't do anything yet" she spoke at first, getting Chigusa to slowly calm down. However, they were utterly defeated and escaped the pleasure district with shoulders slumped and their wills dented in.
While they disappeared, they were not aware that they had been followed. Not until they returned to the home of the Takemikazuchi familia, where they intended to inform Lord Takemikazuchi and Ouka about their fund.
They pushed the sliding door aside and took off their shoes, putting them aside before stepping in and went straight for the living room, where Take and Ouka were drinking tea together and discussing how to further their familia now that Yamato had switched to Hestia Familia for a year.
"Oh, Yamato, Chigusa, welcome back" the God of War and Martial Arts spoke, welcoming the two women with open arms, but his demeanor quickly changed when he saw the expression on their faces. "Come, sit with us" he directed with his hand and Yamato nodded her head, moving to the table before sitting down on her knees before it.
"Lord Takemikazuchi... Ouka..." she began, her eyes lowered down to the table's edge as she dropped her head slightly. "We have made a discovery..." she continued, gulping heavily and readying herself for the words about to leave her mouth. "It's Haruhime. "We found her."
Take and Ouka immediately had wide eyes and dropped mouths at this piece of information. Ouka was happy, cheering about reunion and joyous comradery, but Take was much more perceptive. He saw the way Yamato looked so defeated and figured that 'found' and 'recovered' were not inclusive to one another in this topic. "But she couldn't come with you... tell us everything"
"Before that, however-" A sudden, new voice came and everyone jumped up and immediately got defensive, turning their eyes to the direction of where the voice came from. "Sorry for startling you all. Call me Hunter" Hunter introduced himself as and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I am here to make a proposition you cannot refuse"
"What are you doing here?" Yamato questioned, her grip on her katana tightening, ready to lunge at the intruder.
"Did I not just say what I am here for?" Hunter annoyedly stated before uncrossing his arms. "A proposition. You want to free Sanjouno Haruhime, and I want to burn down the Ishtar Familia. We can help one another... all you have to do is listen to what I have to offer"
Take was the smartest in the room, that much went without needing to be said, so the trio of mortals simply stood firmly and ready with their weapons while the God of War stepped forth, his eyes narrowed dangerously and even a tiny amount of his Arcanum was leaking out from his skin, enveloping him in a dark purple aura that made him appear like a demonic eastern warrior. "Speak your peace, child"
Hunter was not intimidated by the display of Arcanum, but he was nervous, a single bead of sweat trickling down his right side while he gulped before speaking. "I am planning an assault on the pleasure district alongside Freya Familia. In 2 days' time. You can join as a forward vanguard and ensure Haruhime's safety while we burn the district down and destroy the Berbera. It is your only chance to rescue her."
Nervous looks came from all of them upon hearing the information, but Take remained weary and cautious about the whole situation. "Why in 2 days? Why not earlier or later? What's special about the timing?"
"The fact that That is the night of a full moon" Hunter began and stepped back a little to lean against the wall connecting to the sliding door. "Ishtar plans to sacrifice Haruhime to the Killing Stone ritual to siphon her level boosting power for her familia. You have to either delay or stop them while I lead the main attack along with Freya's goons"
Take could not refuse this offer, it was just like Hunter had told him. Too good to refuse... "Very well... we will be ready" he announced, lowering his Arcanum and calming himself down.
Hunter simply nodded and turned around, ready to leave. "Alert your allies as well. The three of you alone won't be enough." With those words spoken, he opened the slide door and disappeared in a blur of speed, surprising the 4 residents greatly.
And so, the two days' wait unfolded.
Yamato went to the Hestia Familia, or more specifically Bell Cranel, seeking his aid. Bell, always a hero by heart, obviously agreed to help them and snuck into the Pleasure District himself, whereupon he came across Hermes making a 'delivery' and gave Bell the key words 'Killing Stone' as a hint.
Bell was soon caught up with the Berbera and, in an effort to escape them wanting to ravage his virginity, accidentally stumbled upon Haruhime, who hid and sheltered him all up until morning. There, Bell came to know her broken heart and lost hope regarding her freedom next to her love for heroic stories. There, he found out that she believes wholeheartedly that she is not worthy of freedom due to being a courtesan, the bane of any hero.
With a heavy heart, Bell departed from the Pleasure District.
The subsequent events that lead to the assault were one catastrophic plan colliding with another plan after another.
Later that day, in the Dungeon, the Hestia Familia was ambushed by the Berberas, their intention being to capture Bell Cranel. The ambush was a success and Bell was captured, although he was meant to be held in one of their primary cells, the captain of the Ishtar Familia, an obese, malformed woman named Phryne Jamill, had other plans. She kidnapped Bell and holed him up in her personal cell, whereupon she had intended to violate the boy and break him, but Haruhime, one of the few people who knew of the cell, rescued Bell before such could occur. Bell had spent a whole day in captivity before being rescued.
Bell's escape however was not unnoticed and he was soon caught up by the Berbera, who demanded Haruhime unless Bell wants to watch his fellow familia members get slaughtered. He had no choice but to reluctantly accept, but not without making a declaration that he will save Haruhime.
Thus, the Hestia Familia along with Takemikazuchi Familia snuck into the Pleasure District in the dead of the night, intent on rescueing Haruhime before she is sacrificed, for the night was the night of the full moon.
Soon after their initial assault, Freya Familia fell upon the Pleasure District with a vengeance, defeating (but not killing as to not ruin the Pleasure District any further than necessary) everyone they came across.
Meanwhile...
"It is finished, Hunter Thraune" Fels' voice came as he appeared from within the shadows, placing a small box down on the ground before Hunter, whom had been laying down within his bed in the Hostess of Fertility's room he rented.
He got up from his bed and walked towards the box, opening it with a gleeful grin on his face. "About time... I was getting impatient" he said as he inspected the contents of the box. He reached into it and took out a mask, a full-head covering with two holes for his eyes to see and small ridges cut where the mouth was supposed to be. The mask belonging to a pitch black suit...
Bell Cranel had succeeded in his primary mission, which was to save Haruhime from being sacrificed. The success was primarily due to the destruction of said Killing Stone, so that Haruhime's soul could not be siphoned into it, thus ruining the sacrificial ritual.
However, Aisha Belka decided to stand in his way one more time, out of personal belief, for she did not want Haruhime to just be given over to someone willy nilly, no, that person, that savior, had to prove their strength to her, and so she put her all into the fight. It was a short fight, but she was satisfied, for with its conclusion and her defeat, she could rest easy knowing that Haruhime was in the hands of someone dependable, someone whom she could trust to have Haruhime's best intentions within mind.
"Aisha was defeated..." One Berbera mumbled as they witnessed the spectacular, if short, fight.
"I can't believe it..." Another whispered.
"Damnit, where is Phryne when you need her!?" One of the more loyal Berberas spoke, infuriated at all the planning being put to waste. The only one who could possibly salvage this situation for Ishtar's benefit was Phryne, due to her Level 5 status.
CRACK
But, that loyal Berbera suddenly heard a loud blur, and her head twitched comically to the side before she abruptly fell to the ground, dead.
The Berberas were in a panic and rushed to the dead companion of theirs, inspecting her.
"Her neck was broken!"
"But how? Who did this!?"
CRACK
Another Berbera fell, dead from seemingly nothing, her neck too having been shattered with a devastating fracture.
The remaining Berbera were now full on panicked, creating a few circles to guard each others. "WHO IS DOING THIS!?"
"Me" Suddenly came a very deep, self-reverbed voice and a figure clad in black appeared within a blue-ish blur.
Hunter was clad in a skintight suit full of black. It had a leathery texture to its surface. It had a zipper on its front side connecting the chest pieces together, on the solar plexus was an insignia of a black lightning bolt. The suit was seamlessly connected on each part, making it appear as if all of it was one single piece. But most uncanny were the eyes, which were just black orbs completely filling out the eyeholes, giving no sign of any irises. It was just black on black, reflecting only the bare minimum of light within them.
Added to the black texture were sparks of blue lightning dancing all over his form every second, flickering to life before disappearing. It was like it blinked all over him.
Overall, his appearance was that of a humanoid demon in black, and it terrified the Berberas greatly, for they could feel the otherworldly power radiate from him.
"You Berberas have put up a fine fight..." He began to speak before disappearing in a blur, faster than anyone could see, react to or even anticipate. Within the fraction of a second, two dozen CRACK sounds could be heard and every unnamed berbera fell to the ground, dead. "But it won't be enough..."
Hunter's black-clad eyes then wandered across the few survivors, seeing Bell, Haruhime and Aisha being the remaining ones. His eyes lasted over Aisha, a growl escaping him, which due to the reverb sounded like more monstrous than humane. With a blur of speed, he appeared where Aisha was, lifting her by the back of her neck to force her to stand, his right hand cocked back, ready to strike, vibrating at inhuman speeds.
"Wait!" Haruhime yelled, shooting up from her unconciousness as she finally awoke from the fatigue from using her level boost. She reached out with one hand for Aisha. "Don't do this!" She yelled again, panic all over her tone of voice. "Aisha was forced to comply with Ishtar's orders under the effects of a charm! She's innocent!"
"You only have yourself to blame for your inaction, Sanjouno Haruhime!" Hunter responded back while reaching his right arm back, his left currently holding Aisha Belka by the back of her neck in place. "The price for imprisonment with no fight is to lose that which you love most." He spoke, loathing in every word he voiced. He detested her for choosing to give up, she, who just like him had been a prisoner of dark machinations. But unlike him, who was waiting for the right moment to be ready, she did not, she simply had given up and left herself to fate.
"AISHA!"
"Haru... I'm sorry..." Aisha whispered with a sad smile while the black-clad man's hand began to thrust forward, ready to end the Amazon's life.
Time seemed to slow down for Haruhime and her eyes begin to widen, her mouth opens but... no sound comes out of it.
Hunter's hand thrust forward and bored through Aisha's chest area from behind. Aisha barely gasped out one breath before the world went black for her.
With a blur, the blackened Hunter disappeared and Aisha fell to ground.
Haruhime rushed to her, thankful that the chain connected to her collar allowed her to reach that distance. She knelt before the older Berbera, lifting her head up with one hand. "AISHA! WAKE UP AISHA, PLEASE!" She cried, tears openly flowing down along her eyes.
On that night, Aisha Belka was murdered...
Hermes and Asfi, who had been watching from afar, could not believe their eyes at the sight. For something so... sinister... to suddenly appear and thrust the heroic victory into a chaos of sorrow and loss.
"Lord Hermes..."
"No..." Hermes gulped down silently before placing one hand on his chin, trying to think of something, anything, that could rectify this sudden situation. In the end, there was nothing... nothing except one thought. "We must alert the other gods. This... is a threat outside my calculations, outside my realms... if something like that continues to roam the streets unfought, it may as well spell the end for us all..."
Hermes regarded the one in black with a seriousness he had never considered for anyone or anything else. "Let us go... we have an emergency denatus to prepare"