Episode 44 One Thousandth of a Heart
A light breeze rustles Midori’s hair. Her green eyes glow ominously in the chain link pattern of light created by the trees’ leaves and sun. She raises her weapon again, forming a massive golden bow and arrow with it.
Silver takes a guarded step back, raising her own bow in front of her. “You should be dead by now…”
Midori bursts out into a haughty laugh. Without answering, she lets loose a shaft of light from her bow. The energy bursts towards Silver, who sidesteps the attack. The blast of light collapses upon a tree, splitting it cleanly in half with a raucous commotion.
“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it yet?” Midori drawls, quickly loading another flash of energy at the ready.
Perplexed, Silver glances at Wake, who is still on the ground clutching his shoulder, and then turns her gaze back towards Midori. Suddenly, her eyes widen in comprehension. “You don’t mean…” A frown appears on Silver’s face. She lowers her weapon and removes the arrow from it. Instead, she reaches into her quiver and draws out another arrow. Silently, Silver loads the new arrow into the bow.
A green ooze promptly appears at the tip of the new arrow. Silver turns her attention back to Midori. “I see it now. Your speed, your sharp attacks, your ability to recover from seemingly mortal wounds with speed… You’re a Night Lord hybrid, aren’t you?!”
Midori grins. “Hmph. Took you long enough to figure it out. Yes, I am a Night Lord hybrid. However, my ability to use Drain far surpasses the abilities of a normal Night Lord!”
“Clearly.” Silver looks again at Wake. “You were able to recover from a complete collapse of your system by making a wound as small as that. I cannot imagine what you are capable of with a stronger attack.”
With a groan, Wake abruptly stumbles to his feet, though slowly. Still grimacing, he raises his gun again with his right hand.
“Wake, what are you doing?” asks Silver with alarm.
“Giving you backup, that’s what, Silver!” he hisses back. “That’s what a good teammate does!”
“You sound exactly like Tide when you say that…” Silver suddenly trembles. She abruptly turns her face away, even as she continues quivering.
Wake merely gazes at her, a sad look in his eyes. Midori watches the scene with disgust. Walking over to her, Wake places a hand on Silver’s shoulder. “Silver…”
However, Silver slaps Wake’s hand away in a sudden fit of rage. “Stop it, Wake!”
Narrowing his eyes, Wake continues to look gravely at Silver. “Answer me this, Silver. Don’t avoid the question. Why did you choose me as your First General?”
Not looking at Wake, her gaze pointed towards the ground, Silver nonetheless speaks. “Heh heh heh…fine, I admit it. When I found you at Rosie’s, the same place Tide and I grew up as orphans…you reminded me so much of Tide. Which of course is not a surprise, considering you two are cousins by blood.”
Wake steps in front of Silver, and places both hands on her shoulders. His left shoulder remains drenched with blood. “Silver. I’m not Tide!”
Silver’s eyes widen, as she is forced to look away again. “I know…”
In the next moment, Wake himself turns away and points his gun at Midori again. “But…! I’m also your First General, Silver! And regardless of the reason why, I’m gonna fight on your side no matter what!”
Wake pounds his chest proudly with his weakened hand. “But! I’ll only fight for you as Wake, not Tide!”
In awe, Silver can only look wonderingly at the proud figure standing before her. “Wake…”
“Hmph!” A note of skepticism escapes Midori’s lips, drawing both Silver and Wake’s attention back towards her. “You two disgust me. That fool Tide was merely a tool of the Fatalists! To think you would believe so greatly in him…he betrayed you!”
“DON’T YOU DARE SULLY TIDE’S NAME!” Silver roars, flying at Midori at top speed.
Sliding past Midori still at full speed, Silver unleashes a Strafe attack. Four arrows pierce Midori on the side; but she quickly reacts, dashing behind Silver and firing one of her attacks at point-blank range.
Only Silver’s speed saves her. She escapes the brunt of the attack in mere seconds, throwing herself out of the way as most of the energy from the attack digs a huge crater in the ground. Mounds of dirt and rock come flying up into the air. Shrapnel from the explosion sails dangerously into the sky.
On the ground, Silver inspects the side of her leg, which has been slashed open from the attack. Fresh blood pours out of the wound, stinging in the air. Clenching her teeth, Silver attempts to stand up again, but stumbles and falls to her hands and knees.
“Silver!” shouts Wake, attempting to rush over to assist her. However, Midori stands in his way. “Hey! Get out of the way!”
Midori laughs again, a chillingly evil laugh empty of mirth. “You know, now that I think about it, I do see the resemblance to Tide…no wonder Silver chose you as her general. But I wonder. I wonder what if I were to kill her new general? How would she react if I were to do that?”
Wake bites his lip. He glances anxiously at Silver, who is still laboring to stand.
Meanwhile, from the floor, Silver glares wrathfully at Midori. “You…monster!” she hisses. “To even think of such a thing…have you no heart at all?”
Turning her head just enough to look at Silver with her pitiless green eyes, Midori finally smiles in response. “That’s right. I am heartless. I have no heart.”
Without another word, Midori points her charged weapon right in Wake’s face at point-blank range. Rooted to the ground with fear, Wake can merely stare at the overwhelmingly radiant and hot bow in front of him.
“Die!”
Midori prepares to loosen the attack. But at the last moment, several burly hands grab her from behind. Her bow and arrow dissipate into nothingness as two of the soldiers from the Rift World Army restrain her. A number of other soldiers form a circle surrounding Midori, Silver, and Wake as well, hoisting their makeshift weapons in the air and directing them towards the Fatalist.
“Everyone!” Silver cries, eyes widened with wonder at this act of bravery. Wake gazes silently at the scene as well, his gun lowered at his side.
“Lady Silver! General Wake! We’re not gonna stand by and watch her beat you!” one of the soldiers holding back Midori shouts.
“Yeah! This is for the pride of the Rift World Army!” the other agrees.
“Let me go!” Midori gasps, struggling against their grips.
“General Wake!” the first soldier that had spoken howls. “Use your weapon to finish her off!”
Wake is abruptly jerked back to attention, as the two burly men hold back the suddenly frail green-haired girl in front of him. Gulping, he raises his gun and points it straight at Midori’s heart.
The two, Midori and Wake, stare into each other’s eyes for a couple brief seconds. Wake takes a deep breath, before placing his finger on the trigger. “For contributing to the death of Tide, and for hurting Silver…I will kill you!”
Wake pulls the trigger. A bang erupts, as the bullet pierces Midori directly in the stomach.
But even as the attack strikes Midori, several things happen at once. Midori disappears in a flash; several golden bursts of light explode around Wake. Within seconds, the two men that had been holding Midori fall to the ground, their heads disconnected from their bodies.
Fountains of blood erupt from their dismembered bodies, staining the grass a bloody red. Wake jumps back in horror to avoid the streams of blood exploding forth from the bodies.
“G-Guys…!” Silver whispers, her voice choking with the horror of watching two of her comrades beheaded.
Midori suddenly appears right behind Wake, pointing her charged weapon against the back of his head. Her wound has miraculously healed.
“Do you understand now?” she whispers into Wake’s ear. “I cannot be killed!”
—END FORTY-FOUR—
Was planning to release a new IS today, but too lazy to write it up. Plus VuTales ate my draft.