亚洲综合中美

“Igna, what truly happened?”

“Mother,” he said as to not draw further attention, “-come with me,” he shuffled to the veranda. Courtney looked over her shoulder and called Elvira, who excused herself from a crowd of influential figures. They hurdled away from windows, “-Igna, you owe us an explanation,” hands akimbo, lady Courtney didn’t care to hide her mood.

A tired gasp followed into a summary of what transpired. From Undrar to the Shadow Realm, he left no details.

“And to think all that happened in a few hours...”

“Aunt, mother, I have much to attend. Check on Julius and Malley, I’ll be expecting good news of twins being born to the family,” a quick twirl and off the figure disappeared.

A rigid expression remained on the Queen’s visage, Elvira quickly noticed the change and pushed her chest forth and tapped the silence, “-stop daydreaming, what’s on the mind?”

.....

“I don’t know,” she said, “-he’s changed, for the better, I can’t really say. We have much to attend,” her game face locked onto the disgruntled crowd, “-let’s end the ceremony properly,” one foot after the other, Elvira followed with a relaxed expression.

“Leave the intrigue to Igna,” she said, “-I’ve caused much harm than good,” there still laid the matter of alliance between Phantom and Snow, or what she described, “-let’s leave the intrigue to Igna, what do you say?”

“Leave it to him?” she blinked and side-glanced, Igna hurdled with faces she hadn’t seen before, “-I guess the time is nigh for the cursed sword to be drawn. Pity those who tried to entrap us. There’s no mistaking the swirling aura, he means business,” in said instant – Yui, Raphael, Vanesa, and Undrar, gathered around Igna grew reminiscent to when Staxius had his entourage of strong characters. Few of which whomst engrained their names into the annals of history. The Silver Guardians, key mercenaries in the war between Kreston and Dorchester, Deadeyes, founder to the marksmen unit now responsible for the safety of adventurers over the Azure wall. Kniq and the bunch, Serene’s influence by writing the chronicle had truly etched fallen hero’s names into history.

Chilly morning breeze passed, Undrar left, “-duty calls,” she whispered, her mark burnt vividly upon the neck. Raphael walked through a fissure, “-I’m tired, the influx in power’s made my core unstable. It was fun, pops, holla when my talents are needed,” he cheekily winked and left.

View over the capital wasn’t pleasant, trees toppled, powerlines destroyed – the vague view told a greater story. Clouds up high judged from their stand and cast vicious blasts of lightning – accompanying thunder rumbled akin to Vanesa’s stomach.

“Master,” Yui pulled onto his blood-soaked blazer, “-Princess Loftha...”

“Don’t,” the bigger picture gathered onto a chessboard, “-give me the location.”

A notification pointed to the location on the map, the dot blinked at a random hotel cupped amidst the ‘red-light district,’ such was the real identity kept behind a mountain of fake reports and businesses. Wings sprouted, two flaps, and Igna vanished.

‘There he goes,’ blinked Yui, ‘-should get back to work,’ a glance to her side dropped her heart, ‘-where’s Vanesa...’

“What are you doing here?” fired Igna tearing through the clouds, Vanesa held by his trousers, lips dried and jaw open “-don’t bother,” he halted, the momentum carried her into his arms, “-ask like a normal person, next time, yeah?”

“Not my fault,” she watched with very messy hair, “-pops took off without a word said. I’m coming, I don’t care,” she pouted, “-slept the whole battle.”

“Isn’t sleep and food the topmost priorities in thy life?” they arrived at the general area.

“No, I like to fight too,” she yawned, “-are we there yet?”

“About to be,” he landed atop an uncomplete building. Lines went to and fro, buildings, shops, and random assortments of bricks were layered neatly, the streets connected to one another. Multicolored roofs gave a vibrance to the deserted street – carts and supplies washed from the upper districts. The shop turned drug-manufacturing den laid quietly amidst taller constructions, ‘-long time since I was here,’ he nodded and looked to where Yui pointed, a grove of densely packed houses. He stepped off and fluttered into a gentle landing. Vanesa’s shoeless outfit proved arduous – mud and remnants of the flood were yet to vanish. Her roughly shaped lashes flapped, “-right,” the shoulders dropped, “-let’s go,” she climbed on his back, the greenish long hair wrapped into a backpack.

“Comfortable?” he inquired.

“Yeah,” she replied, “-Lady Gophy taught me to use my hair as a weapon,” she giggled proudly, “-I’ll watch our back.”

“Awesome,” he stepped into the street, mild droplets felt gentle, ‘-watch our back she says,’ Vanesa clocked out, ‘-no matter,’ he walked, past many frail windows, empty benches, unhinged signs. Wind gasped – the area whistled. A compound of a few floors laid from the street. A single dark alley read on the map – Vanesa strapped properly and Tharis at a flick’s draw, Igna walked. Rain dripped, flooded drains spilled and carved the gravel path. A light-brown puddle gathered at the alley’s mouth. The deeper he walked, the more decrypt grew the air. Track marks carried other flooded puddles, frequent potholes created a marsh.

A scan showed no sign of life, a simple one-frame blue door stood above iron-stairs, behind which laid an apartment of some sort. Who were they kidding – the infrastructure held resemblance to ‘love-hotels’. Tight hallways heightened claustrophobia; everything was jammed pack. Stairs arduously took the duo floor to floor until one was fairly large compared to the mess below. Vases and stools crashed across a room at the end, ‘-someone threw a lot out the room,’ he observed and checked for minute details. The ajar door blinked, white-noise bottled and lit vague shapes. He stopped and stared, a push revealed chaos – an upside room, blood splattered on the walls, one figure laid on the bed, a trail of blood carried to the window and vanished, the trail stopped, ‘-didn’t jump out,’ he narrowed, ‘-there’s a railing preventing suicide.’ He flicked the lights, rats squealed in pain, a pale faced Loftha rested peacefully on the bed, he moved, the feet heavy, and stopped over her, ‘-they crushed her neck, what a painful way to go,’ the torn clothes and splatter, “-you fought until the very end, didn’t you,” he exhaled, “-Yui,” he sat at the foot of the bed, “-why did you lie to me?”

*-Princess Loftha and Ziu have been found dead. Time of death is estimated to be 45 minutes ago, authorities have been called,* “-why?” he pondered, “-the rooms untouched. Yui...” he reached for the phone but stopped, a shuffle in the corridor changed the target from phone to gun. The nonchalant stranger clopped loudly, its shadow cast upon the less than amiable wall. It turned the corner, “-stand down!” cried Igna.

“Don’t shoot!” he said, “-don’t shoot,” the knees buckled, “-don’t shoot,” he fell, “-I don’t know where I am... I have a screwdriver in my head, can you help?”

“No you don’t,” Igna rushed out the door and slammed the man against the wall, “-Ziu fucking Patek, did you come back to look at the dead girl, or are you going to pillage a dead woman’s integrity?”

“No,” he coughed, “-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he gasped, “-look at me, man, I-”

“Pops, let him down,” yawned Vanesa, “-Ziu Patek is dead. The current host of that body is an entity from the Aapith nation.”

“Fair,” the grip eased and the man dropped harshly, “-need help with the screwdriver?” he pulled slowly and painfully, *AHHHH,* cried the unknown yet known visage,

“-who the hell are you, man?” he asked and coughed blood, the open wound ate itself into full health.

“My name’s not important,” he glared, “-tell me, who and what are you. I don’t care, tell me everything.”

“Okay, okay,” he lowered his gaze, “-I’ll talk, don’t hurt-” Igna moved inside where laid Loftha, a casual seat at the end of the bed, “-speak,” the legs crossed.

“I slept, the next, I wake into a blurred room of blood and screams. There was a man, a priest, he said he worshipped Formle and said Erak’s death will be repaid. Books floated around him, he pressed my forehead and I stumbled through the window and fell. After that, my mind came too, part of me wanted to climb the stairs, I left something important... it’s all I remember, I swear.”

“He speaks the truth,” yawned Vanesa, “-the souls unstable. Should investigate the spellcaster.”

“Since when?”

“Lady Gophy said wit always overpowers brute strength. Its easier to think than to act,” her chin rested kindly against Igna’s shoulder, “-I have the blessing of Tharis,” she held her arms, “-look, pops, you’re not the only one who have favors from strong gods,” she giggled.

“The scales of truth,” he exhaled, “-if my daughter says you’re innocent, who am I to argue. Tell me, what else floats in thy memory.”

“I don’t know, I can’t say,” he shuddered, “-what’s this place anyway?”

A distant voice whispered, ‘-use our power, Igna, use Alfred’s boon, use it to thy fullest desire. Hold out your arm and think, believe in knowing the truth, everyone’s a pawn, stop looking at them as humans, look at them like bugs, Ziu Patek’s killed Loftha, he’s alive. Who cares about the one inside, the outside hurt and possibly molested the princess... what will you do, allow the injustice or find the truth?’ the pupils, kept bicolored, had the crimson side darken, the iris sharpened, the lines felt like stakes, sharped weapons in service to end whoever they looked upon.

‘I’ll bite,’ he held out his hands, five sharp edge lines snapped at the man and impaled the head painfully, uninterested by the screams, *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* the scattered splatter flashed and muted the shouts, ‘-I understand,’ the dark rods transferred flashes of white, Ziu’s memory became his, ‘-the power to freely alter an entity’s mind and take command of their body,’ the rods retracted, he sighed, ‘-Alfred, can the powers grow any more vicious?’ on extracting the memories – the cost came at the exhaustion of his lifeforce, the unstable soul crumbled, he fell, *Once living now dead. O’ thee who’ve lost thine life to mine blade, thee who held regrets in the mortal world, I grant thee a chance at life. Be one with those who are to serve me, Blood-Arts: Ghoul Revival,* an empty shell rose lifelessly, “-you’ll be a great bargaining chip in future negotiations, *snap,* a purple bubbled swallowed it into nothingness. He turned and admired the lifeless princess, “-I’ve saved you before, there’s no returning from death after today. No more changes and the concept of death won’t have meaning. Loftha,” bent over her beaten face, “-why didn’t you listen,” he ran his fingers through her hair, “-the intrigue thickens,” the back straightened. *Outgoing call: Yui,*

“Hello, master.”

“Drop the cheery attitude,” he snarled, “-the room’s untouched. What’s the lie about law-enforcement...”

“Master, I apologize,” she returned, “-I did what I have to. Don’t hold it against me,” the interface suddenly flashed red, *Warning: Projectiles detected,* “-tis all in éclair’s plan. There’s no united front, master, those loyal will remain loyal and do what is must to keep the dream of peace alive and well. We’re compromised,” she said, “-I apologize, they hold all the cards – our only escape is the death of King Igna.”

“My life against the whole of Hidros,” he sat at Loftha’s side and caressed her cheeks, “-Yui, éclair – do what thee must, we play on a global scale, I will return,” the projectiles made contact, “-until we meet again,” a mushroom cloud rose over the capital, Yui bit her lips in frustration, *Communication lost,* froze the transmission, ‘-éclair...’