As Sakido knelt in that abyss, he felt something sinister, something arcane crawling over his very soul. He was staring directly at his inverse counterpart. Himself with black hair, red eyes that had pupils that resembled a dragon, they were reptilian. His teeth were sharpened and they shone with a grin, his attire consisted of a dark coat, the color continued all the way down.
Sakido stared in disbelief, his mind couldn't fathom this sight, this place, even the dread that came with being in such a place. There was nothing as far as the eye could see, just an ever expansive blackness. Only a never ending thin puddle of water covered the ground. It splashed as Sakido's counterpart sauntered towards him. As he approached, Sakido felt a wave of anger, dread, detestation, and resentment, as the figure inched its way closer. A familiar chill ran though Sakdio's spine and chilled him to the core. How could he have so suddenly completely switched locations?
Sakido attempted to speak, but it was as if his tongue was cut, it was as if his limbs were weighed down, as if the laws of physics themselves had derailed completely. He felt as if he were dreaming. "Could I be dead?" He thought to himself "Is this it? No, this can't be..."
Sakido was suddenly interrupted by his same voice, yet a distorted edition of it.
"HehehahahaHAHA!" The figure laughed manically "You're not dead, only dead to yourself." It lectured to him.
Sakido attempted to speak and managed to speak out some words, as it felt as if some pressure had let up. "Wha-what do y-y-you m...ean?"
The figure began, "Sakido, look at you, a member of the Answisen Royal Family, the top of the top. Yet here you are, quarreling on the street with thugs and your past friends, how quotidian, how distasteful."
Sakido gathered his strength to ask "Who,what, are you?"
The figure laughed a gentle, yet sinister laugh. "I'm what you don't want to be. The part of your soul that you push aside. The temptation that you so righteously push aside."
The white haired boy starts "I don't h-have this t-temp-tation."
The figure grins a haunting smile "Oh, but doesn't everyone? There's a wild, carnal lust inside us all isn't there. Your precious society has taught you to reject me. So, subconsciously, here I reside. Until now, you've been brought to me, I can sense why."
Sakido was beginning to grow enough power to break much of the hold that was over him "I don't reject you, I embrace you when I have t-to."
"You may think so, but you'll find that in order to continue in your life, you'll have to use much more. More...MORE...UNTIL IT CONSUMES YOU!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA" The figure laughed a harrowing laugh full of cynicism that made Sakido wince.
"I don't need your fucking power, I want to use my own" Sakido said reluctantly.
"HA! But, it is your own, you fool! It's power that you've amassed! That you've curated, now it's yours to take! You haven't realized? You created me!" The figure said with austerity in his voice
Sakido attempted to get up off of his knees and attack the figure, but in that attempt, the figure, somehow telepathically sent him back down. This time Sakido had his hands cuffed in black chains.
The figure walked over to Sakido, kneeled down to his level, and grabbed his hair to look him in the eyes. "You look here you impotent fool. You may not desire what I possess now. But everyone in their life lets their desire win...in the end."
"It ruins them." Sakido struggled to say.
"It EMPOWERS THEM! It's THEY who are too weak to control it, too ignorant to direct it in the correct ways." The figure lectured once more. It then continued "Have a taste of yourself, and then see if you return...craving more."
The figure plummeted it's hand directly into Sakido's chest, black goo spilling out in the place of blood. As he seized Sakido's heart within his chest, Sakido began to emit a dark and vibrant blue aura, this time beaming with much more ebullience than before. His eyes had turned that same color, and his pupils had now resembled his newfound dark mentor. As much as he resented this phenomenon, he was given no choice, but to accept it. As he opened his eyes, he found himself back in the field of battle, facing Lieutenant Hiru's blades once again.
He felt dreary, as if he had awoken from a deep slumber. He peered up at his enemy, his blurry vision then began to clear. He could feel newfound power, assumedly due to the power transfer from the figure that possessed his mind. Hiru noticed the change within Sakido's eyes and demeanor, and began trying to interpret what this change meant. Even with his multiple lacerations, Sakido stood up without much trouble, only staggering, and walked toward Hiru. Hiru decided to just watch these events in some sadistic voyeuristic manner. Sakido then suddenly stopped where he stood, just pausing silently. A mass of energy began to gather with the palm of his hand, it seemed to form a shape, although it took no figure. Sakido then closed his palm and shouted, causing this energy to disfigure and ignite, sending this wave of energy that temporarily stunned the movement of Hiru's blades. Upon reaching Hiru, the resounding blast had scorched his skin and burned a sleeve of his outfit off, resulting in the skin underneath to be severely burned and blistered. Hiru did not give much of a reaction, but gritted his teeth and closed an eye in pain.
He then said with a factor of surprise in his voice "Your Ketsui is fucking dangerous. How the hell is it so powerful for your age and experience? It comes from your willpower, but an insect like you? Having that kind of Ketsui? It's impossible. Within both Freiheiten and Answisen, warriors with Ketsui are regarded as elites. No rank and file soldier could ever dream of power such as that. That's not yours. It can't be! "
Korihime stepped up to Sakido instinctively and put her hands upon his back, upwards near his right shoulder. Since being given this power from his mental enemy, he was empowered like he had never been. She spoke softly and told him "Sakido...I'm scared, I'm really having a strange feeling. We should leave. Don't try and fight him, you won't win. He's far more powerful than we both know.
What proceeded was that his wounds from Hiru's blades began to heal. They closed and were sewn together by a white light.
"What the hell?!" Hiru screamed "You can't heal through my Seishin, I've only fought one man who could!"
Sakido remained silent until his wounds were healed, he then lifted his head and spoke "Why, why are you doing this? Look at what you're doing. You're here to steal and presumably kill this girl, over what?"
"Over my command." Hiru replied sharply
"And this is what would compel you to take a life? The life of one who you don't even know. To kill many, over one command." Sakido replied
"Oh, believe me, boy, I know enough. That girl there beside you, is an artifact, one that holds immense power, and once it's Mizumi's hands, it's over, for all of us." Hiru stated with a subconscious fear in his voice
Sakido then inquired "Who is this Mizumi? What is she going to do with Korihime?"
Hiru lowered his sword and replied "It's none of your concern anymore. You're in the way of my task!"
With these words. Hiru raised his blades from the ground, he balled his first and they rapidly flew towards Sakido. With his Ketsui activated, he was able to see the blades course and ending point before they reached it. This allowed him to parry what he could and dodge what he had to. This amplification gave him speed faster than even he himself could conceive.
Hiru, in confusion, retaliated "Ketsui doesn't give any speed, only a Seishin can! But, you haven't used an incantation, I see why they want you dead. There's some Answeisen experimentation in you. You and that girl are disgusting creatures."
Sakido was able to flicker behind Hiru and swing his blade, but not before Hiru could effortlessly parry Sakido with his blade and slice his chest upon the clash. Sakido was cast backwards and struggled to get back up. The pain from the attack was consuming him, but he had to keep fighting. The white haired boy then asked "So, instead of containing power, you'd rather destroy it? Why not use it for yourself?"
Hiru replied "I don't decide what's done, I just follow the orders."
Sakido then asked "So why? Even if you don't agree with them, why do you comply?" The Lieutenant then reproached "Listen you little fool! What would be the point in serving nothing? To continue nothing? At least the Freiheiten Kingdom desires to rid the world of its oppressive shackles. To create a world in which there is no absolute power, no more tyranny, no more voices unheard. It's gone on for far too long. Both in our realm Kurotsuchi, and yours."
Sakido then responded "You clearly don't care about what they're fighting for. You've killed an innocent person, and are trying to kill two more, those voices don't have a chance to be heard. It's not fair what you're doing!" Upon hearing this, Hiru stated "Regardless of what we fight for, Captain Tsurugi told me to complete this mission, and regardless of our goal, I'll make him proud." Hiru said while peering at his blade.
"So you want to be the servant of someone higher than you? Is that your idea of a higher purpose?" Sakido asked. The Lieutenant was severely angered by this irreverence and protested back "Fool! You could never imagine what it's like! To have nothing to look for in life. To make your way through the waste of your kind, feeding off of their filth. I was given purpose, Captain Tsurugi gave me purpose...I am forever loyal to him. And in return, loyal to Freiheiten." After a pause, Hiru continued "And that's why I'll cut the precious skin off of this 'Korihime' and present it to Tsurugi as a gift."
Sakido, appalled by this egregious gesture laconically stated "You...you're fucked. I'm done with talking. I'll kill you!!!"
Sakido charged at Hiru only to be dodged and sliced again. The ground began to rumble as yellow energy covered the ground, more blades spawned and started spreading through the ground. Once appeared they did not move, they only remained as a spike. Although, the blades could be removed and used as projectiles. Sakido was unsure of how to get a hit on Hiru, he knew that if he failed, both he and Korihime would die.
The boy began flickering around the area, attempting to approach Hiru and avoid his flying blades. But each time Sakido tried, he was hit, and what resulted was a blade through his flesh. This fight was a massacre. As Sakido continuously tried, he was cut down over and over. Even more cruelly, Hiru allowed time for Korihime to heal Sakido, just for his blood to be drained once more. This man could take down armies, no, countries, no, the entire world with a power like this, what else existed where Sakido used to reside?
There seemed no use trying to fight, for each time Sakido tried, he would get pierced with more swords. Each time, Sakido was able to overcome and heal through the insurmountable barrage of blades.
Hiru announced the words "Blade Formation: Zeile (Line)" After he said this, the swords that had risen from the ground, connected in pairs of twos. A yellow light attached the bottom of each sword together as they formed horizontal lines, and they flew towards Sakido at a breathtaking speed, even at which his Ketsui was having a difficult time to track. "Kasten!" Hiru yelled as the swords that were floating spun upwards and the yellow beam connected the bottom and the end of the blade to each other, forming a box shape with the beams. These seemingly electrically charged blades were coming at Sakido in waves of hundreds as he attempted to jump through and duck under certain ones. He was touched by multiple beams that burned him der through his skin and caused immense pain that his adr blind hardly allowed him to feel. This time, more than ever, he felt his life on the line, he was convincing himself that he could win, but it was more than obvious that this fight was over before it began.
"Rakete! (Rocket)" Hiru announced as the blades shot across the ground, nearly amputating Sakido's legs. "Nach Oben (Upwards!)" Hiru shouted as they flew from the ground, slicing the sides of his body as they flew upwards. Sakido was again losing blood rapidly, and so far hadn't even laid a hand on Hiru. He was using thousands upon thousands of blades, and his yellow beams, Sakido assumed this was this aforementioned Seishin, were becoming the biggest nuisance. Sakido's stamina was drained, the power given to him by his inner self wasn't enough, maybe he didn't take enough, maybe he didn't desire the victory enough, but on his knees, Sakido fell, awaiting execution.
"Umgeben!(Surround!) Hiru shouted as the blades swarmed Sakido as shark fins surround a mariner lost at sea. They began to form around him and encapsulate him within a sphere. The thousands of blades all pointing towards him.
Hiru then, with a shred of psychotic sympathy asked "Since you've been such a patient opponent, is there anything left for you to say?"
Sakido had blood running down his face. His hair was covered with his. Blood as it ran into his eyes along with sweat and tears. His clothing was tattered and his body was shredded. His flesh was visible and whole pieces of skin hung from his arms and torso. The pain was unimaginable, it was a pain so unspeakably painful, that even screaming couldn't help.
Korihime was pinned down under a sword, a sword that was working it's way into her flesh, she cried both for Sakido and herself. Her tears motivated Sakido, but there was nothing he could do, he was beaten horribly.
"Sakido!!!" She cried "You have to win, you have to beat him! Get up! Please!" She then let out a shrill scream of pain as the sword dig deeper into her abdomen and broke through the thin layer of fat that guarded her vital organs.
How could one imagine what Sakido felt in this moment. How shameful his defeat was. Waves of pain, feeling like a burning fire charring his skin every second. Feeling his own body torn apart, the screams of one he cares for in his ear, the thought of the ones he loves most losing him. The thought was overtaking him.
"Ichika..." He stated "I've...failed you." Tears poured down his face as he thought "All that you've ever done was pardon me, and excuse me when I was at my worst. You've always held out your hand, even when you didn't have one to hold out. I've always been...one to push you away. How...how could you care for me like this? Why do you endure the pain that comes with our love? And now, how will you endure this...?" He had to come to terms that these were his final thoughts.
"You'll never be more than a servant, you've fulfilled your task." Sakido gathered his strength to say to his executioner.
"What did you just say to me? What was that?!" Hiru responded, visibly agitated
"I said that all you do is in the name of someone better than you." Sakido replied. Hiru then screamed "You think you know everything! You think that you've figured something out! That's how it works in this world, you fool! The vagabonds die! The followers live! It's not about our philosophy or revolution! It's about living or dying! How long would one last if they decided to abondon everything they disagree with? They would go without sustenance, shelter, interaction, for all of these things are provided by the very system you protest! My captain saved me, he saved me after I was left with nothing. You may have lost your home, but I lost everything I had. The Answeisen ordered an attack on a military camp that the Freihetien were stationed at. My village was very close to that camp. The Answeisen didn't only burn that camp to asche (ashes), but invaded my village and slaughtered us. They assumed we were affiliated with them. I watched as those...animals tore through the flesh of them, the townspeople I had grown up with. Collected crops with, tended to our livestock with, made memories with, they were ripped apart like they were nothing more than cattle in a Schlachthof (slaughterhouse). I had lived with my grandfather since I was very young, I watched them split his head apart with their blades as he protected me. I remember feeling the warmth of human blood for the first time. I remember tasting it that night....as long as we allow for tyrants like that to rule, bloodshed won't end. I only kill
those who threaten Freiheiten, or humans, as they have bastardized their own species enough already, ridding the world of them is no detriment." As Hiru said this, tears were pouring down his face, he dropped his sword and fell to his knees. "I can't do it, I can't deal with more death! King Kiba promised that if I fulfilled his wishes, than our world would be safe from unnecessary death! I just do what I'm told! I just...I want it to end. As long as the Answeisen search for ultimate power...they will cause more death...more destruction...and more tyranny. So...I have to kill you here and now! And then her! To keep you out of their hands, so that less people can be controlled!"
As he yelled this, the blades gained their spark back and primed to their positions once again, the thousands upon thousands of different swords pointed at Sakido.
"PLEASE DON'T!!! JUST LET US GO!!!" Sakido had finally broken, couldn't take anymore of this lingering taste of death. The bitter taste that simmers on the tongue and stings far too much to fade so quickly.
"I have to do this, IT'S FOR THE NEW WORLD!!!" Hiru shouted with fervour in his voice.
"Ausführen! (Execute)" Hiru announced as the blades all primed with yellow energy.
"NO!" Sakido violently screamed, Korihime's screams were so loud that they drowned out even Sakido's wails.
Just as the swords flew inwards to eviscerate Sakido, they all stopped just before him. He expected to die, yet was surprisingly still kneeling.
He looked up to see a womanly shaped figure dressed in black standing above him with her right hand out in front of her. He noticed her dark blue hair falling out of her hood and realized that it was a woman that he had seen before...the woman from THAT night.
At that moment, his injuries had gotten the best of him, and he fell unconscious.
Characters Introduced In Chapter 5
Name: The Latent
Association: The Residual Desires That Sakido Pushes Away