“That guy was weird,” I muttered after the smoke vanished, “though I wonder if that’s who I noticed before…”
I shrugged soon after as I set my sights on the halberd again. Picking it up to test its weight, I twirled it before swinging at the empty shelf next to me. Tapping the end of the weapon against it, I heard a faint creak before the shelf split and toppled over. Repeating the action, I watched another shelf split before turning my attention to Senshi. I may have kept that guy from attacking her – for the time being – but that didn’t change my mindset about her.
She still went to Cordis but I be damned if she said she was coerced.
“Jayden?”
My grip tightened on the shaft before I headed out the store and into the rain.
“You know, Senshi, you’ve managed to cause me quite some trouble,” I stated as I rested the weapon on my shoulder. “My duties are to simply protect and lead you to Central to have you processed. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get you all there. Throwing Cordis into the mix just makes this all the more complicated.” I grimaced as I said his name before tightening my hold on the weapon again. “Despite everything, for you to side with him so… so willingly?!” I glared at her. “If you had said that he had forced you then maybe this would be easier to understand but he didn’t! You went along so willingly and that’s something I won’t forgive you for, Senshi.”
“Jay–”
“Unless you can give me a valid reason for your betrayal just save it,” I ordered as I started walking up the cracked sidewalk. I heard footsteps behind me. “You can’t, can you?” I looked back at her before sucking my teeth as I kept walking. “Unforgivable.”
The footsteps continued behind me, but I chose to ignore them for the time being. Just keeping her in my company was enough to make my blood boil. If any of this was Cordis’s plan, I should’ve been more willing to let this go but…
Why?
“Jay–”
“Don’t talk to me,” I griped. “There’s very little you could say to make me listen anyway.”
The additional footsteps stopped but I kept walking until I came across what looked like a rundown movie theater. I passed through the lobby seeing overturned railing and stale popcorn littering the floor. Entering the first viewing room, I looked at the lit screen before looking back at the projector as the light went out.
Just being in such a place was a bittersweet moment.
I then focused on the screen again to see an old movie playing before I heard something at the back of the room. The curtains shifting in the corner of my eye had me swinging the halberd to have it catch nothing but air.
“My, you have a new toy but do you know how to use it?”
A shiver worked its way down my spine as I looked at the screen to see the Level Four watching the flickering light. When the projector sputtered, I took a slight step back when I saw that its eyes were now locked onto my position though its body did not follow suit.
“Cordis sent you, didn’t he?”
“Who else would have sent me?” it replied as it turned around completely.
“So, he knows I’m here then?” I asked, not chancing to take my eyes off the Umbra.
It tilted its head. “Do you think he’d send me here if he knew where you were himself?” It then shrugged its shoulders as it shook its head. “He wasn’t particularly thrilled that you managed to get away. He even chopped my head off.”
“You want me to pity you?”
“Your pity isn’t necessary,” it replied as it surged forward, “only your submission!” I swung, watching the Umbra duck before sweeping its legs. It dodged again with a grin before dancing around me. “You don’t know how to wield that thing.”
“Doesn’t matter if I keep you at bay,” I grumbled as I jabbed the speared end into its chest.
“Do you think you can do as you say?”
I scowled as it grinned. I then pulled the spear out as whatever it was made of started to wrap around the end of the weapon. When he grabbed at the halberd, I swung the axe side downwards and watched as its hand fell to the ground. I repositioned the weapon then swung downwards cutting the Umbra in half before stepping back as it sank to the ground. As it started to reform, I swung the blade to watch its head fall to the floor. Gold eyes opened and shifted towards my direction before I swung the weapon downwards.
Having it caught, however, was not anticipated.
“Let go!”
I glared at the hand grabbing the opposite of the weapon before being kicked away. Righting myself, I watched as the Umbra retrieved its head before swinging the halberd as it tried to put itself together. Again, it caught the weapon before brushing it aside and sidestepping another few swings.
“You done?” it finally asked when it retreated a few more steps to place its head on its shoulders. “I do believe that I’ve had my head taken off quite enough today.”
I watched as it seemingly stitched its head back into place. “I’ll do a lot more than take your head off.”
It hummed more so to itself before closing the distance almost instantly. “You’re out of your league if you think that to be true,” it uttered as it sidestepped another swing to get around me. “I could kill you right now.” A blow to the side had me stumbling away before I swung again only to have the weapon knocked upwards. “However, I still have some patience left.” It grinned as it ran its tongue over sharpened teeth “I still look forward to eating y–!”
A shriek pierced the theater as I drove a knife up through its chin. I drove it deeper before being thrown back into the wall as the Umbra stepped back to wrench the knife free. Eyeing it momentarily, it snapped the blade before throwing it aside as it set its sights on me again. I then took a step back as it took one forward.
“Stay back.”
It flexed now clawed fingers as it narrowed its eyes slowly. It took another step as I took two back, tightening my hold on the halberd.
“I don’t think you were listening the first time,” it growled as it leaned in to grab the blade as I swung. “I can kill you right now.” It then snagged me by the throat before throwing me back into the lobby. “It would only take a moment to devour you.” I climbed to my feet as it stepped out into the room. Its clawed hand flexed again as it started to walk forward. Each step seemingly made the room grow darker and darker. “Are you scared yet?”
I retreated slowly as it continued forward. “No.”
Its fingers twitched momentarily before relaxing. I redirected the halberd towards it before it vanished into the growing darkness. Looking around slowly, I backed towards the exit. Gripping the weapon tighter, I nudged the door open before hurrying back out into the rain.
The fresh scent of it brought mild relief before I heard the door creak open. I swung as soon as I turned but caught nothing but air. Focusing on the open door, I watched as a pair of gold eyes appeared in the darkness before turning to run.
Something tangling around my legs had me falling soon enough before being dragged back towards the entrance.
I looked back into the dark to see a menacing grin before swinging the halberd sideways to bar myself from being pulled in completely.
Over the rain, I heard an ominous chuckle. “Are you scared yet?”534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmJ2VVIiBR
“Nu, dearest, you never did answer my question from earlier,” Cordis mentioned as he looked back at the girl. He then twirled the scythe in hand as he looked over each of the surrounding buildings. “Do you think it’s alright to kill for love?” Gold eyes then panned towards her. “Or do you think it’s something unthinkable?”
“Um…”
“What if Vandal killed for your sake?”
She looked uncomfortable. “He wouldn’t.”
“Oh?” Cordis laughed quietly to himself. “Optimistic girl, I think we know the real answer to that. Would that act be unforgiveable?”
“Why are you so persistent on this?”
“Is it wrong to want to know one’s company, dear?” he asked.
Nu could detect the mirth in his voice before looking to see him staring up at the rainy sky. Despite how he sounded, he held a neutral expression as he watched the rain. He then startled her when his gaze suddenly locked onto hers.
“Cordis–”
He hummed in acknowledgement before a smile ticked in the corners of his mouth. “You still haven’t answered the question.” Nu averted her gaze and slowed her pace. “How about this? Would you kill to protect someone?”
“You just rephrased the question,” she replied.
Cordis scowled before smiling again. “Aren’t you a shrewd young lady?” Yet you still haven’t answered the–” Small growls and sputters interrupted the man before the blonde squatted as a few of the weaker Umbra came forward. “What is it?”
“What is it?” Nuallis asked as the blonde just hummed.
“Is that right?”
“What is it?”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Nuallis scowled before watching the man rise to his feet. “What is it?”
Cordis hummed as he twirled the scythe at his side prior to resting one blade beneath the girl’s chin. He almost missed the minor tremble as he turned away from her to set his sight on the building tops.
“They say there’s someone dressed in black prowling around.” He glanced at her momentarily to see a bit of hope in her eyes. “It’s not lover boy though.” A smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth as she looked elsewhere. “No need to be upset, dear,” he chimed as he rested the blade beneath her chin once more. “I already said I wouldn’t hurt you, Nuallis. Lying to a lady such as yourself is unforgiveable.”
“Aren’t you a gentleman?”
Cordis looked amused before giving a playful bow. “Why don’t we see if we can’t find this person while we wait for my friend to return?”
Credit to Pinterest534Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAhdHq1bPU
