Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifice ❯ Kingdom of Despair ( Chapter 39 )

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Sacrifice

Chapter 39: Kingdom of Despair

By: Melissa Norvell

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The group walked on a dirt path through what looked like a calm country side with rolling hills and a beautiful, wide lake on the right of them. The water sparkled in the sunlight on that partially cloudy light. No one had a word to say to each other and Azmy looked down at the ground before her and frowned.

'I've caused everyone so much trouble…' Vivid flashbacks ran through her mind of how she fell from the railing of the House of the Dark Bride with a knife pointed to her chest. Then when she had fallen through the floor of their apartment in the City of Plants and when she had been attacked by the tree and finally, when the tree fell on her as they attempted to escape the City of Plants. 'I'm nothing…' She recalled angel feather of both colors that flew through the air with blood splatters as the Crimson took Hiroshima's wings and nearly his life. It had been so real and fresh in her mind, like a movie that played in painfully slow motion. His body jolted and the look of horror on his face was pure human suffering even though he was a divine being. She had put him through pain, even though she felt so close to him. '…but a burden…'

"This village isn't very populated. I haven't seen a house anywhere yet," Undine's low voice cut through her thoughts.

"We're probably on the outskirts," Fife replied.

"We've been walking for hours," Ko stated. It had been odd that even now they had not come across at least one house yet.

"I don't like this place," Undine felt rather uneasy at the fact that everything had been so quiet and nothing could be seen as far as life. Birds didn't even dare to chirp around the area and she'd not seen any wildlife at all. There was something wrong with this village, but what?

"It looks just like a normal countryside. Nothing to be creeped out about," Ko didn't see what was so wrong with it. It was normal looking- just uninhabited but they were only on the outskirts of the town.

"I agree with Undine," Chichiri replied. "It's really silent here." Even he could feel the dead air around him and somehow, a thick layer of tension hung around them and made it hard to breathe and the air felt unusually hot with the morning sun. They had stayed up all night without a wink of sleep, minus Hiroshima.

It was silent until Keiji broke it when he saw something lying in the road ahead. It looked like a dark lump against the light colored sand of the area. Azmy peered ahead and commented that it looked like a person and she wondered if they were alright.

"They don't appear to be moving," Undine replied as everyone ran towards it. They didn't know what would happen or if anything bad was to come of it but all in the same, they didn't care either. They all stopped a couple of feet from it and realized that it was a corpse. The man's side had been slashed by a long sword and the cut was clean and precise. Hardly any blood was present.

"Someone killed them," Fife informed, "but who, I wonder."

"Great, we walked right into the destruction," Ko thought that she had gotten away from things like this at least for a little while but she was wrong. "Here I thought that I was going to be able to rest easily."

Green eyes scanned over the corpse and concentrated on the lack of blood and extent of the wound. The technique and clean, precise cut only brought one person to his mind that had skill enough to kill in such a fashion. 'Odd…There are no drips of blood around the body that would indicate a weapon being used. There's only one sword I know of that leaves no traces…'

"We should keep going," Keiji advised to the group.

"What?" Ko asked.

"I think I might know who's been killing these people and if I'm right, then we should be able to find Hiroshima," the green haired male did have a suspicion that the legend may have been behind everything. No one else could make a cut as perfect and free of blood as he and that demonic sword, the Crimson. Every other sword would have left blood but that sword absorbed it.

"Then let's go," Tsurugi replied as they advanced further and further into the town. They ran along the dirt roads as they turned into paved slate bricks. Soon they came upon houses that were a ways apart but still there was no life to be seen. Chichiri glanced around and made a statement that was a little obvious.

"There's no one here."

"They may have all been killed," Undine informed. If they had found one dead person then more than likely there would be more.

"Who kills this many people and leaves without a trace?" The blonde asked.

"Hiroshima does," Fife stated simply and smiled. It was neither to incriminate nor give praise to him. It was a pure fact that Hiroshima could kill that accurately and that much.

"Hey, you're right," Chichiri looked over to Fife. "When we first came to Saesugawa he killed everyone in the Rose Hip Club like they were nothing."

'Hiro-kun…I hope you're alright.' Tsurugi looked up the shortening road ahead. Everyone finally ran into the main town square as more dead slowly popped up in their visions. Children, women and men alike littered the ground. Upon running through the carnage, Azmy stopped as a dead little boy, who looked no more then twelve caught her eyes. She stared into his hazed eyes and a feeling of deep sorrow rushed through her blood.

"How horrible…" The short-haired girl looked as if she wanted to cry. "How could someone kill a child like this?"

"You shouldn't say things like that," Tsurugi told her. If it had been Hiroshima who killed them then he had a good reason why, even if no one understood it but him. Azmy shouldn't say things like that. It's precisely what they think about him.

"Why? Don't you feel sorry for them? They died without even getting the chance to grow up." Large, expressive eyes burnt into his own with sorrow, like a most lamb that needed advice so he decided to state a harsh but true fact.

"Everything dies…even angels. I don't fear death. I have died many times and been reborn again and again. This type of thing happens," the blonde angel didn't want to seem as if he were being cold to the child but he could not be brought back to life now. Feeling sorrow for something that had already left the mortal plain was respectful but not needed at a point like this.

"Let's keep following the trail," Ko stated lowly.

"I'm actually not the one lagging behind this time," Fife stuck finger up with his typical smile. Usually he was the one behind but he'd been on top of things as of recently. They headed to what looked like a large castle. There were guards and civilians alike that littered the floor and faded off into the blackened entrance. The group stopped there and stood at the castle gate.

"It seems to stop here," Undine informed.

"Does that mean that they went inside of this place?" Chichiri asked.

"Well the trail leads in there but do you honestly think it's a good idea to go in there?" Ko looked to her other team mates for answers and opinions regarding the matter.

"What if Hiro-kun is inside?" Tsurugi asked.

"Well, if whatever it was that killed these people went inside the castle, it would be safe to at least assume that everyone inside the castle is dead," Keiji stated.

"It's bad to assume," Fife told him.

"They may have all went into hiding. They usually have a room where royalty can hide away or a secret escape route that is taken in case of invasion," Undine informed. Maybe the royalty had all fled to a place that had been safe from the slaughter. If anyone was alive in the village then maybe they could get some questions answered.

"I just hope they aren't still in there. That would suck," Chichiri said.

"We'd probably get accused of killing everyone," Tsurugi replied.

"I say we go in, even if we get accused…" Azmy looked sad at the fact that they may be accused of something like that but she didn't care if she could keep people from dying.

"It's our best bet," Undine replied as everyone followed her into the dark depths of the castle, unaware of what they may find.

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Hiroshima lay on the ground, unconscious with the dead bodies of the citizens around him. His once white wings were pitch black and an even blacker fog hung over his form. Its voice echoed through his head as it praised him.

'Good job, my child. We shall rest until the time arises to kill once more.' It then dissipated into the darkness.

Everyone walked through the long rooms with stone floors and walls. It looked like a medieval castle from a videos game, except that it was dark and a few still-lit candles hung on the wall that produced a golden glow which placed linings on their figures. It made them look like simple silhouettes against the darkness as they ventured further and further into the depths of the castle.

"It's dark in here. The only things I can see are those candles on the walls," Ko stated.

"I feel like I'm in the medieval days," Fife said.

"Well, obviously someone either is here or was here shortly or the candles would not have been lit," Tsurugi remarked.

"I wonder if anyone is alive in here," Ko mused aloud.

"If they were, they aren't now," Undine told her.

"So you don't think anyone survived?" Tsurugi asked.

"It's highly unlikely. Whatever was here was very thorough," Undine replied.

Azmy gasped. "What's that?" She pointed through the darkness to the multiple corpses and Hiroshima's form, which lay amongst the carnage, sprawled out on the ground. Undine ran over to him. She recognized who it was instantly. Everyone else followed shortly after. When they reached him, the long-haired girl held up his head and caressed it in her hands as she moved his torso onto her bent knees.

"Is he alive?" Ko was a little worried that he too, might have been killed by whatever had killed those people. He had blood soaked clothes and he was out cold although no physical wounds could be seen.

"Yes, he's fine. He's just covered in blood," Undine told them.

"Hey, weren't his wings cut off?" Chichiri pointed to the four black wings which cascaded from his back.

"Well, it's been more than three days," Tsurugi told him.

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" The blonde was a little confused at that off statement.

"Angels grow back their wings eventually, unless special conditions apply," the dark-winged angel sat beside of his mate and patted his cheeks lightly, "Hiro-kun, wake up."

"Nugh…" The man beneath him grunted as his eyes slowly opened to see his allies staring down at him. "What the hell are you guys staring at?" He asked with slight annoyance to his voice. He didn't like being stared at. He felt like something on exhibition.

"You, lying on the ground," Chichiri told him.

"Are you alright?" Undine asked.

"Does it look like I'm dying?" Hiroshima shot sarcastically.

"Well, you are covered in blood," the blonde commented on the angel's condition.

"Where am I?" The legend glanced around the room. He hadn't remembered anything dark and littered with corpses. The last he knew he was in the City of Plants, so where the hell was he now?

"Some castle on the outside of the City of Plants. We found all of these dead people lying around and we followed the trail back here," Azmy told him.

"Did you do this?" Keiji asked. Why else would he be there if he didn't? What purpose would he have for going to the next village if not to do something behind their backs?

"What if I did?" The spiky-haired man questioned. What? Were they going to incriminate him or something? It wouldn't matter anyhow; they already have unbeknownst to them on several accounts. What would it make any difference if they showed compassion now?

"It figures that you'd do something like this," Keiji shot.

"Do you have a problem with me, kid?" Hiroshima asked defensively. He didn't like being blindsided like that, especially after he'd saved his life.

"I have many problems with you."

"Don't forget who saved your ass," the legend stood up. There was a silence before Keiji replied.

"I never asked you to save me." It was low and subdued but the same answer he'd given to everyone who had saved him. It was almost as if it was some kind of excuse for him not to grow an attachment to anyone. Well, Hiroshima would tear down that façade quickly.

"You're a dumbass, kid. What? Is that your defense to everything? 'I didn't ask you to save me.' Well, just because you don't want people to do something doesn't mean they'll listen to you. You do not control other's actions. Besides, if I hadn't saved you then I would have gotten blamed for being on their side," Hiroshima remarked.

"You're the one who said you hated humans when you were talking to Flora," Keiji seethed. He didn't like being teamed up with someone who hated humans, considering he was one and it would have been easy to just backstab him because of that sheer fact.

"I do. Humans are the reason I have this curse," he narrowed his eyes.

"Don't blame other people for your own misfortunes."

"Practice what you preach, you hypocrite."

"Hypocrite?" Keiji was offended. How dare Hiroshima call him a hypocrite! He didn't know anything about him to make such a judgment!

"Yes and you know what I'm talking about," the angel narrowed his piercing light blue eyes. It was almost as if, for that very moment in time, he had bore a hole through Keiji's soul and read his every sin. He felt very vulnerable. Before he could get the opportunity to argue back, he heard Undine call out for everyone to watch out as what looked like white feathers stuck into the ground all around them. Keiji jumped out of the way of a few that had managed to land in his place.

"Don't let them touch you," Hiroshima instructed.

Undine asked who was there and the answer came to her in the form of a mysterious figure, who ran at them with incredible speed. It ran until it found itself right in front of Azmy, who looked upon it with a feeling of unknown and fear before it flipped back and landed on a nearby ledge.

"Who are you?" The figure asked as light from one of the windows revealed the man's true form. It was a ninja dressed in the traditional Chinese ninja outfit that consisted of a sleeveless collared shirt of light blue, gold and white with poofy pants and socks pulled up to his knees with small, black shoes and a giant red scarf that adorned his neck and hung loosely around it. Beneath that was a cape that was the shape of bird wings and a pure white in color. He was young, no more than in his late teens with short black hair and deep blue eyes that held a strange kindness in them despite his affiliation.

"Don't you think it's a little rude to bum-rush someone in an intimidating manner and then question them?" Undine asked.

"You do not have proper authorization here. You really should leave," the ninja informed.

"We don't even know where we are," Ko replied.

"This is the palace of Princess Abame Serenande. No one is allowed in here. You really should be lucky that she doesn't execute you on the spot, especially after you killed nearly all of the Nighthawk Ninja."

"But there are more than ninja here, there are common people here as well," Fife told him.

"They do not matter," the man narrowed his steely dark eyes.

"How can you say that? What kind of Princess doesn't care about her own people?" Azmy couldn't stand it when human life was disregarded.

"The people here aren't important to Serenande-hime. The only thing important to her is the power of military force that she has over this land," the man informed.

"Dude, how can you support someone like that?" Chichiri wondered how anyone could side with a woman that was so cruel and didn't care about her people.

"I have no choice," the black-haired man covered the bottom half of his face with his cape. "I must kill you all." His voice became cold, instead of unemotional and informative.

'What does that one human think he'll do against all of us?' Hiroshima thought. After all, it was one against many and he had faith in his team mate's abilities.

"I'll take him one-on-one," Undine took a step forward.

"What? Why you?" Ko was a little offended that Undine would try to claim all of the glory for herself.

"Until now I've simply been in the background. Now is my time to step up and prove myself useful to everyone. Now you will see…My true magical capabilities. Do you accept my challenge, Mr. Nighthawk Ninja?"

"My name is Zangetsu," the ninja held a feather defensively. "I'll definitely call your bluff."

Three stories up, shrouded in darkness a woman in a long, light pink decorative oriental dress with a long, flowing bottom and deep purple hair that was pulled back halfway and kept in a bun that was held together with a golden ribbon and two chopsticks stood on a small balcony above. The other half of her hair flowed behind her and stopped mid-butt. Her face was framed by two shorter pieces of hair that were cut short at the mid-cheek and straight bangs that were all even in length. Her eyes were narrow with many long, thick black lashes and red in coloration. Her skin was the color of milk and her thin lips the color of red satin. She leaned on the rail as she gazed upon the group of people on the ground and thought to herself.

'Well now, it seems that Zangetsu has got quite the fight on his hands. There are eight of them, all different strengths. From sensing them, that one seems the strongest.' She looked to Hiroshima, who seemed to be observing the fight before him. 'But they shouldn't underestimate him; Zangetsu has been highly trained and infused with countless amounts of magic. Not even the strongest ninja in the country could beat him. I can't believe that this girl wants to dare challenge him. Surely she can see that this situation is more than one-sided.'

"If I have anything to do with it, this fight will be her last. I cannot let them live and just as these townspeople that I sent my ninja to kill, they have seen and heard far too much for me to let them live now," the woman said to herself as the battle before her began to heat up. If they defeated Zangetsu, then perhaps they could come to fight her but only if they could find her first.

To Be Continued…