Good Talk
2512 Words
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Sayuri walks in the street, putting in her blazing glare. Hyun is beside her with a smirk on his face. He is thirsty for blood. People scream from the vicinity, not daring to see what will happen. For they know that this will be a destructive fight. At the distance, the three masked deities recognize their presence.
“That vampire is Hyun,” says the one in the middle, with a red cape and red mask. “Watch out for him. And this presence… that girl is Miyamoto, Shizuku!” He is in disbelief.
The one on the left with a blue mask is calm about it and confirms, “She survived.”
“Well, it wouldn't matter,” says the white-masked god on the right. “We will finish the job, right here, right now.” He cracks his knuckles.
“Don't get too careless,” says the red. “Although her presence is the same, it seems likely that she has become more powerful than the last we saw her.” They look at her sword covered with a huge amount of violet fire. “Try to guess how many souls she has absorbed with that sword of hers.”
“I'm guessing she has killed thousands already,” says the blue. “Among them would be a few gods. She could be the culprit of the mysterious death of the notorious, God of Pigs.”
“Yes, and we just heard that Cleopatra is dead. Now that we found her here, the answer of who killed Cleopatra could be her. And that Hyun, we have to crush his brain to kill him.”
The white-masked man grits his teeth behind his mask. “We can still take them on!” he asserts. “There's three of us and two of them!”
“I wouldn't say that. Look there,” he nods to the far behind of Sayuri where her companions are. “Apparently, she found comrades.”
“Looks like they won't help,” says the blue. “They are sure that those two are enough to defeat us three.”
“Well, they are wrong as hell!” yells the white.
The concrete road gets a c***k from the stomp of her last step. “Where is he?” she asks as she and Hyun stop walking. How dangerous her glare, is now clear to them in this close distance.
“Why would we tell you that?” scoffs the white.
Hyun laughs and mocks him. She narrows her eyes at them and swings her sword to the side. The slice goes through a building. Its remains are minced even more. The fire melts concrete and metal. “Imagine that as your flesh and bones, so you have a clear picture of what will happen if you don't answer me.”
Intimidated, they lower their stance and pulled out their relics. It is clear for them that this will not be resolved without a fight. The red one has a war hammer for a relic, a dagger for the blue, and a club for the white. Shattered became of the ground after she kicks into a blinding speed. In a split second, they manage to block her strike simultaneously. Through the debris of buildings they go. Their eyes widen after witnessing the power behind that strike. Their knees begin to waver but they shake it off.
The white mask attacks. His club expands into the size of a whole building. Like a meteorite, it descends upon her. Pools of violet fire were her eyes as he kneels and pulls back her sword to prepare for a strike. She hits the club. With the loud clang of steel, the white mask could not take the weight so his club goes flying back up to the sky. The blue mask is already in range just as she falls to recover her stance.
The tip of his dagger is an inch away from her back but Hyun grabs the dagger with his bare hands. The god misses and absorbs the downward strike from her using his gauntlet. He goes feet deep into the ground. The red mask also comes to aid his allies. He swings his war hammer. She blocks it but it is stronger than she expected. She loses grip of her katana. Hyun is there to absorb the rest of the blow. He goes deep into the ground.
After dodging the attack, she squeezes her fist and prepares, “Fist of Eight!”
His eyes are wide open when he swings his war hammer while hearing what she said. It is fist against the hammer. The collision creates a shockwave that sends them away from each other. Her sword comes back to her just as she lands on the ground. Violet fire coated it and wells up from her eyes. Hyun repairs himself and ready for another beating. The other comrades of the god are already charging to attack them, not giving them time to rest.
She bends her knees and prepares, “Sword of Eight:”
“Sword of Eight?” asks the red. He realizes they are in grave danger. As if his soul already left his body when he screams at his allies, “STOP!!!” but he is too late. Hyun shackles them with his web-like blood.
Sayuri disappears. They are in confusion when nothing is happening. Then a sound of sheathing a sword they hear behind them. The red-masked man turns around. Her back is facing them.
“Millenium s***h!!” she roars.
A second later, a violet slice illuminates the air above the area they are fighting on. The radioactive smog glows violet. She slowly turns and glares at them over her shoulder. The bright violet glow of her eyes is the last thing they see before they die. Well, not all of them. That is if she did not spare the red-masked man. Unlike his comrades, his head is still intact on his shoulder. Only a burning slice at his right side of the body. Their blood pour out and Hyun feasts on them. The spared god collapses on the ground. His mask and war hammer are cut into two. His relic is good as junk now.
The head of the white-masked man rolls near to his face. His dead eyes are still twitching, still feeling the pain. The painful dread makes the red-masked man faint.
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It's been a week since we rescued the first batch of people. The toxic radioactive fallout is spreading throughout the globe. The temperature drops suddenly, making the whole world plunge into darkness and winter. The majority of deaths were caused by radiation sickness, hypothermia, starvation, and murder. Everyone is barely holding onto their lives. Even gods have it hard. They lived in such luxury before but now, it's a hard cold floor as a bed.
Darius and I are fine lying on the ground. We can sleep just fine but I can't. I'm worried about my family. I can't hold back my tears while looking at the ceiling and thinking about them. I don't want to lose any of them. I want to sleep to stop thinking about it but then my mind won't let me. I'm making myself suffer! Damn it! And my friends… I hope they're safe too. I don't want to lose her. I should go and search for them.
I sit up and look at the faces of the demigods and humans around me. They are sleeping just fine unlike me. I wish I can sleep like them. Looking at their calm faces, I feel warm. They find this place safe enough to sleep soundly. I want to keep it that way until and even after I find my family and friends. I stand up and tiptoe my way to the door. Just as I exit the room and into the passage that connects other chambers in the bunker, I find Lady Mila. I didn't sense that she was here—which is odd.
She is leaning against the wall next to the door at my right. She is wearing a black battle suit—a high-tech one. It's fitting for her and she looks almighty. Whereas I, only wear a jacket and jeans. They're not much but they keep me warm.
“Lady Mila,” I bow. “you're awake.”
“And so are you,” she says to me.
I look at her eyes and I can tell that she is very tired. “What're you doing here, my lady?” I ask.
“Making sure everyone is safe.” She is about to yawn but she holds it in. She's trying so hard to hide it.
“Aren't you tired?”
She raises her eyebrows, eyes open wide, and dews on her eyelashes. She denies, “No, I'm fine.”
I couldn't help but smile because admire her dedication. But she needs to stop overworking herself. “You're not, my lady,” I retort.
“I am!” Her voice echoes in the walls of the corridor.
“Shh!” I hush her and point at the room full of sleeping people.
“I'm fine!” she whispers.
“I'll take over for you so you can rest.”
“No, it's a job entrusted to me by Lord Seok.”
“He survived?” I exclaim.
“Yes, and-” She yawns. “asked me to watch the bunker while he is out handling other fortresses.”
“Even if he did, he didn't say you cannot rest, did he?” She shakes her head indefinitely. “Okay, so let me…”
“Okay,” she says, turning her back to go to her quarters.
“My lady… uh…”
She turns back to me and asks, “What?”
“Let me… take you… to wherever your quarters are.” She looks at me and I can see her mesmerizing black irises so I look to the side.
Wait… why am I getting chivalrous all of a sudden? She doesn't need me, she can handle herself! Damn, I regret it! I'll just take back what I said.
“Uh…,” I stutter like an i***t. “n… ne… neverm-”
“Okay,” she nods, rubbing her eyes.
Yes! She didn't take it weirdly! I'm safe! Time to get out of here as calm as I can. Man, my chest is pounding hard and I don't know why. It's because of our fight—I'm sure. After that fight, it's been awkward between us.
I turn around and start to walk away but “Hey, where are you going?” she asks. I look over my shoulder and I can see her confused.
“To uh… to start patrolling, my lady.”
“But you said you will take me to my quarters.”
I misunderstood! “What? But you… I said… uh, no… you said that I… uh… but… don't…”
What language am I even speaking?!!
“You changed your mind?” she asks and stops rubbing her eyes as if her drowsiness is gone because of disappointment.
“Uh… okay,” I nod.
“What do you mean?” she asks in a whispering angry voice. “Be clear and decide now! I'm tired!”
Ah, she's not hiding it anymore and the usual angry tone. That's so her. Somehow, it eases me. “I'll take you to your quarters, my lady,” I bow.
She turns around without saying anything. I follow behind her. We didn't talk for minutes we walk in this long passageway. I think it's for the best since I can't talk properly. Otherwise, it will make everything awkward. As if at this moment, I'm a mute person.
But… It's getting awkwardly quiet! I should say something, man… Uh, what do I say? What is there to talk about? Oh! Lady Aurelia because I haven't seen her for a while.
“How's Lady Aurelia, my lady?” I ask. Yes! I said it normally.
She doesn't turn as she says, “She's sleeping. We share the same quarters. She has been working really hard lately.”
“I can see that,” I agree.
“Her power is needed in every part of the world where our allies survive in their fortresses. The Masked League is everywhere so she and Eleanna are the good choices in sending immediate aid. They are doing a great job every time but it takes a toll on their power. The prayers are limited so they aren't as powerful as they were before. That's why I can't just rest and forget everything as I sleep.” She pauses for a moment. “How about you?” she asks me and finally looks at me over her shoulder. “Are you tired? You've been out quite a few times.”
“Not at all, my lady. In fact, I'm ready to go anytime. The same goes with Darius.”
“Right… you two are amazing.”
Did she compliment me? I should return it. “Not that amazing, I think… my lady. There's no one amazing than you and your sisters.”
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Mila hides her reddening face by facing forward.
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“Thank you,” she says in a whisper. Then her volume returns to normal as she says, “Well, this is it.” She turns to look at me with a faint smile.
I realize we are already in front of her door. I can hear Lady Aurelia's snoring. It's clear how tired she is. “Have a good rest, my lady,” I bow.
“Thank you, Leo.”
“You're welcome, my lady,” I bow once more. “I'll take my leave now.” Finally, I turn slowly to where we come from.
I hear her closing the door and she is already inside. I sigh in relief like my lungs are being released from being tired up.
Good talk… good talk…
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Inside her quarters, Mila is looking at her sister, sleeping on the floor in her futon. Her saliva is pouring from the corner of her lips. Instead of going into her futon as soon as possible, Mila is putting her palm on her chest, feeling it pounding so hard. She has been trying to hide it the whole time.
“What is this?” she asks and swallows.
Back in the ruined city of Ra, the red-masked man has just regained his consciousness. The first thing he sees is Jasper's smirk.
“Oh, ho, hello…,” says Jasper in a jestful greeting. “Would you be so kind to tell us where the next biggest masquerade party will be held?”
His chuckle shivers the man's spine.
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- Writer
