The water swayed gently as we reached our destination...the morning fog slowly cleared as the old oil rig came into view. It's lights dancing around the water before they all focused on our little tub. To my shock, the legs of the rig began moving through the water, like a robotic elephant slowly making its way to us. Its trunk, or more accurately, its crane, scooped us out of the water and dropped us on the rig's helipad. Candra stepped off the boat and immediately rushed behind the incoming soldiers, all of whom were headhunters. Fur coats and all sorts of animal print tattoos. Some tattoos even had hooves, and others had claws. (Maybe we should come up with a gimmick of our own.)
I stepped out of the boat and looked at them all, "I came in peace, all I wish for is to pass some information on to your leader, Berkah."
"That's Lady Berkah, show some respect." A brolic man in a pink feathered jacket yelled out.
"I'm sorry, Lady Berkah. This is important, Candra can vouch for me."
"Commander Candra, is that true?"
She took a deep look into my eyes, I turned and smiled at her. "Remember my conversation with Vesta, she didn't want me to go, but this was the only way I could achieve my goal and not bloody my hands." She sighed and stepped forward.
"He had the opportunity to take my life like he originally planned to, but he chose to spare me; it would be wrong for me not to offer him the same. Please hear him out." They mostly seemed to relax after that and told me to wait there while the leader finished her affairs. I shuddered from the crazy winds all around me. It seemed like there would be no end to them, but at least the crashing waves made for quite the ambient tune. The rig looked completely run down and new all at once. This place clearly wasn't normal. Some parts had been replaced, while others seemed to have been around since the sixties. Then I noticed it, a demon head symbol...the same one my grandpa uses, splashed across the office head. (Why the hell is that there?)
Boots could be heard coming up the steps, I stood at attention as black hair bobbed up and down. The underside of her messy bob cut shimmered silver. She turned her glittering eyes and smiled at me, her face had a nasty deep cut, it looked like a fire burn, but as deep as a blade, (almost as if she was cut by a flame-shaped sword). As she stepped onto the helipad, her body came into view...pure muscle. She was slender, yes, but built like a demon. The same burn scars danced all over her body; these were mostly shallow, however. She was extremely tall, over seven feet, wearing boxing shorts and a warrior's waistcloth around her hips, draped towards her left leg. She wore a tank top and had bandages wrapped around her wrists and fingers like a kick boxer.
"So...I heard you wanted to face me. Brave of you, alright, let's run it." She immediately dashed towards me with the intent to kill. I barely dodged her and struggled not to fall off the edge. "Wait, wait, no I ju-" she dashed at me again, but this time went low. I jumped and tossed disks all over the helipad. As she twisted to punch me from below, I teleported away and got in a ready stance. "I just want to talk. Not fight."
"KOCK ME DOWN AND EARN IT." She rushed at me, ready to strike, but I teleported behind her and tried to chop her neck. As my hand went towards her, she twisted again and kicked my wrist away, then punched my face, sending me flying. I pivoted off my hand and landed in a ready stance. I looked at my hand as it was throbbing in pain (she actually broke it). Shocks of pain blitzed through my body as I slowly tried to position my hand in the least painful way possible. Berkah got into a ready position, preparing to charge again, my body jumped into Overdrive as I darted around the little arena. Like a dancing thunder cloud, I swiveled around her, left, right, above, behind, and everywhere. She closed her eyes, I made my last pivot, and rushed towards her lower left leg. (If I can break it, I'll win.) Just as I did a sweeping kick towards the back of her knee, she jumped in the air, twisted, and drove the back of her heel into my cheek.
"Got you!" I yelled triumphantly
I caught her leg as I spun to my feet and slingshot her off the helipad. She just barely landed on her feet before tumbling to the floor.
"I won, so now you have to listen to me," I said as I winced in agony.
"Haaa, fine. What do you want?" She asked as she signaled someone to bring her water.
"I was recently hired to do a job, to assassinate your second in command."
"Okaaay, and you are telling me this way?" She said as she drank.
"Because the person who hired me is none other than your other subordinate, Lycoris." Those words seemed to get her attention. Her foxy yellow eyes narrowed at me as if trying to read my face, as if she was looking into my past, seeing all of my memories, searching for a lie.
"Lycoris has been by my side since before I was born. You best not be making such an accusation without proof." In that moment, it hit me... she's young, really young. Her height and scars threw me off, but now, "I can get you the proof, I'll set up a meeting with Lycoris and you can hear it all for yourself."
"Surely this information isn't free."
"I need a hacker."
"And when I find your proof lacking, I'll kill you and your friends." She waved her hand as the helipad opened up to reveal an underground helicopter. She stepped into it and motioned for me to follow.
The hideout felt cold due to the storm from outside and the early morning sun. At this point, school was an afterthought...I don't have the time anymore. The double doors swung open as the eldritch being stepped in, his bony fingers crackled as he balled them into a thumbs up and smiled oh so hollowly.
"Well done, children, news of your murder is spreading like wildfire. The traitorous hag is dead." He chanted gleefully.
"The only traitor here is you. When I killed her, she thought I was looking for info. She was ready to die to keep her secrets. Nobody that loyal would betray their friends. You set us up."
Lycoris took a few strides towards a chair as he sat down. "She had to die." His usually jovial personality was replaced by a more serious tone.
"So you did lie."
"I did not, She's a traitor. I may have lied about selling information but that is the truth."
"That's enough!" Lady Berkah walked in with Candra at her side, Lycoris shot up to attention as they walked closer to him. "How could you try and kill one of your own?"
"My Lady, sh-"
"She what? Hmm?"
"She works for Ash Deamont."
"Ash Deamont?" asked Yato.
"He's the leader and founder of the Peacekeepers," I answered, "not much is known about the guy other than is name. Some don't even know if he really exists, much like our fearless leader Lord Aamon."
Lady Berkah stepped closer to him, "You
..you will stand trial for your actions here today, the old Wolves will decide your fate." She stammered in her words as she turned away. Two warriors ran to grab him, he struggled against their advance.
"The Old wolves are part of the problem, and you know that!"
Hisashi stepped back as he moved closer to Vesta. "Those corrupt geezers won't think twice about killing someone like me... please! Kamala."
She looked back, as her mouth crumpled a little and turned away, "It's Lady Berkah, learn some respect."
Lycoris broke free and dashed for Candra's neck, looking to break it. Just as his fingers neared their mark, a knife lodged into his head. Life drained from his eyes as he crumbled like a rag doll. A blade made of blood jutted from his head. I turned to face Vesta, but she wasn't the culprit. Hisashi dashed over to Candra and grabbed her hands.
"Hey, are you okay?" Candra, still stunned, nodded slowly.
"Grab the body and cremate him and spread the ashes." Said Lady Berkah as she looked away and towards the exit.
"But ma'am he's a traitor." Answered the warrior.
"Did I stutter?"
"No ma'am!" They all said in unison as they began extracting Lycoris.
"Phantom Lord, take your prize." She walked out leaving Candra with us. The solemn silence was too much.