23 Crimson Sword

"Come in." A voice sounded from the speaker in front of the gate that produced a certain metallic click, indicating that the lock had been opened.

The armored gate led to the summit of a hill.

The ridge where a certain Cathedral is known for housing some deadly revenants, and most importantly, the Crimson Sword himself.

Kyle wordlessly entered the property and walked up the old stone stairs beside the road. Tire tracks clearly visible on them.

Normally, any run-of-the-mill revenant who knows about this place would be scared shitless. But this time was different for Kyle.

Named revenants like the Crimson Sword used to be more common a few years ago.

After the Queen Slayer operation, the government, also known as Cerberus, suffered plenty of losses. Everyone did. Even after the whole ordeal, a bloody mist surrounded the city, blocking outside communication, and the miasma didn't stop spreading, not even after defeating the Queen.

And It was up to the provisional government to deal with the aftermath. Limited resources made them reunite as their branches outside the main military complex began to be overrun by the unending lost or frenzy-inducing miasma.

Cerberus was losing some of its grasp on the city's order as it had no other option but to gather around its base and leave certain parts of the city alone. Thus, security became somewhat lax outside of their settlement.

Some revenants had to be let go as the blood spring dried. Others just woke up in the ruined world they had no recollection of as they were in their dormant states, seemingly being forgotten and left behind as unnecessary luggage. And some even deserted from Cerberus either for personal reasons or still sought a battlefield.

Many things can happen to the mind once given a semi-immortal body, a belief in their absolute power or loss of self can greatly affect a person.

Many of these revenants spread outside of the government's territory. Unwilling to be ruled by them.

They fought with each other and stole others' resources constantly. During this time, a young man with agile swordsmanship and fire blood code rapidly made a name for himself.

The Crimson Blade was considered a lunatic as he seemingly fought other named revenants without even any provocation. And when he finally settled down and claimed an area for himself, it quickly turned to hell once the people who held a grudge came to pay a visit.

Literally.

Fire surrounded the Cathedral, using his blood code to its best abilities for crowd control. As for what happened to those revenants, only Louis knows as they had either forgotten or were too afraid to say anything.

But that was a small event in the grand scheme of things.

Cerberus did come up with a bounty system for the revenants who earned a name for themselves, a system that still stands today. Be it for their tyranny or cruelty, none of them really had a good reputation.

Oddly enough, this didn't seem to upset most revenants. Many ended up helping the situation as they could not only fight against their suppressors but also be rewarded by Cerberus. Others simply sought the chaos and went for the named revenants, even if they had a bounty on themselves. As if seeing it like a sign of strength the higher the reward.

However, there are always a few people who are too hungry for power and hold ambitions too high for their own good. But those few knew better than to succumb to greed, they abided their time to strike…

Cerberus finally acting outside of its territory meant that they had gained some stability. But it wasn't just that. The government wasn't just idly standing by all those years, letting hell break loose.

In the end, there was no such fight for resources. It was an execution.

They had trained elite soldiers and recovered plenty of technology with their depth expeditions. Their well-equipped and trained soldiers demonstrated that they could very much deal with them, but fulfilling the needs of the humans came first to Cerberus.

The remaining named revenants had gone into hiding after the small rebellion failed.

Only the Crimson Sword and a newly named revenant are known to be active on the outside while the few crazy enough to keep their activities have either been hunted down by others or the government during their outings.

Louis didn't join the little alliance that the named revenants made to steal the resources that Cerberus was hoarding. And the government seemingly didn't bother with him.

'Well, that answers it…' Kyle glanced at the vehicle near the entrance of the cathedral.

An unmistakable symbol is engraved onto the back of the futuristic-looking prisoner transport van. A western shield with a Cerberus as its emblem. It stood on its two legs, clawing forward as its three heads breathed fire.

A tall African man stood right beside it.

"Kyle Alick, ex-soldier who willingly departed from a shelter with some other revenants that were let go of. No history of crimes aside from the fact of keeping a human from a shelter that was overrun with lost…" Davis stopped reading the records from the tablet in his hand.

"... A heavy crime." He stated as another officer got out of the passenger seat and walked to the back of the van.

Even now, Kyle calmly waited for Davis to finish his report. Strangely composed at what seemed to be the announcement of his execution sentence.

"With the authority given to me by the governor, Gregorio Silva, I hereby postpone your prosecution as your sentence will only be declared after a careful examination of your merit in the new division that is under my jurisdiction." Davis nodded to his subordinate and the latter opened the door.

A rough chuckle was let out by Kyle. Human trafficking was a heavy crime indeed. Enough to be sentenced to death on the spot. Cerberus has done many similar things and has drawn a clear line that nobody should dare pass lest they wish for true death.

The government was no slack despite their seeming ignorance of what has happened outside their territory. After the extermination of most named revenants, they immediately implemented the levy system. Ever since the scene of the strongest revenants outside the government where they were miserably crushed, no one dared to even glare in their direction.

If it's outside of their territory, the government is unlikely to pursue other issues like the abuse of weaker revenants being used as slaves. If the levy is paid, they won't really bother much. It may seem cruel, but the mess that inhibits the ruined city now is far less than the one it did years ago.

It was easy to understand, just pay up and don't get in their way when they do their operations outside their territory.

It was unclear how involved the Crimson Sword was with Cerberus, as he doesn't have a bounty anymore, in fact, it says that confronting him should be avoided at all costs just like the Hunter, another named revenant. But Kyle got an idea when he saw in the near outer facility that he had yet seen any kind of reward for himself.

Could Louis keep the human for himself? No. He was one of the remaining named revenants and if he had a human, he would be an easy target. Many known revenants tried it before and the result was always the same, they were snuffed out and crushed.

The grasp that the government holds onto the city might be somewhat loose, but its surveillance isn't so. How could such a famous man not be monitored by the government in any way?

So Kyle waited a week. If he saw his bounty, it meant that it was some kind of trap, one that didn't make much sense if one thinks about it, but one can never be sure. He lives in a mad world, who knows what people can do?

If the bounty wasn't posted, then it meant that Louis' words were true.

He could walk away scot-free or he could go himself to the cathedral to aid with the blood bead shortage problem in the gaol of the mist.

"Oh-he-hey boss!" One of the revenants inside the van waved at Kyle when the doors were opened…

His eyes widened for a short instant before narrowing sharply and staring at his lackey. They weren't restrained, in actuality, they wore some equipment on them, one that he was sure wasn't theirs. They had radios on their veils and an ankle monitor around their legs…

Kyle came to a conclusion quickly. One that made him sigh and rub his temples, "You followed me and got captured, didn't you?"

"We were just walking nearb-"

"The F*ck You WERE!!" He wasn't having any of their bullsh!t.

"You will be given time until tomorrow for your shelter to register and head out to your first mission. Your radios already have our frequency registered, you can call us, and if you wish to speak in person, come to the east branch." Davis paid no attention to the beating Kyle was about to give his men.

"I do not need to tell you what will happen if you break those bracelets. So, please, act on your best behavior from now on." With those parting words, he entered the van while his subordinate made sure to give Kyle his 'equipment' before driving down the road.

Kyle took a deep breath as he felt his heart at ease.

He had done things he might come to regret, but he couldn't afford to look back. He had a team to take care of. They weren't strong, but they were his comrades. Watching each other's backs after the war. After being kicked out of a government shelter, even when running out of blood beads.

He held onto most of his memories, he clearly remembers the time he was human once. Using the girl as a blood bag wasn't pleasant for both parties. But sympathy nor kindness would stop their sanity from the frenzy in dire times.

It was them or the girl, so he chose them.

He even made sure that she didn't see many of them, only making sure she believed she did. In case she was captured by another group, he could use his unseen members to set a bounty. One where he would likely end up executed with his enemies but not all of his team would suffer.

A leader has to be ready for anything.

"Go back to the temporary shelter to bring the rest to the east branch for the registry, I will talk with the Crimson Sword," Kyle ordered as he messed with the radio until his voice came out from the ones belonging to his team.

He didn't bother with the two men who didn't move from their spots and stood beside him. They already ignored his order not to follow him, so why not go all the way?

….

…

..

.

The sun rose to shine its light on the cold morning of winter. And, like a white blanket, the snow covered the mountain range and its trees as far as the eyes could see.

"Nope." The old man flatly denied the kid's request.

"Why? The whole thing is frozen!" A young child pointed at the frozen lake in protest. The dark blue water under the frost barely showed its contents.

"Let's get ice skating boots!" The kid continued.

"If the devil is handsome, then the lady death is quite the beauty." The old man vaguely answered, stroking the icicles on his beard.

The pair argued near the lake about skating on the frozen surface or not…

"Hahaha!" A strong and dominant laugh reverted through the place. It seemingly had no effect on the forest or the people in it, almost as if belonging to a long-forgotten specter whose power far surpassed common sense.

But the laugh was from no ghost!

It is I, Adam!

"Pft-" I struggled to keep my composure as I stood on the frozen lake, far away from the mini-me and my gramps.

Man, he was childish, wasn't he?

Always crass and direct, but he had something valuable to say, he would play around the subject acting all-wise and all-knowing for his own amusement.

"Seriously, what a jackass. Right?" I asked the black orb beside me, it floated above the ice without much of a response.

And I just stood there tapping my foot on the thin ice, hoping for a reaction.

There was nothing to worry about the frozen water breaking since this was just a space in my mind, to be more specific, a memory of mine.

{...} My friendly parasite just floated beside me, its myriad crimson eyes staring in all directions. Continuing on with its vow of silence for it bears the great curse of knowing it is a €unt…

…I hope it can't hear my thoughts as much as I think it can.

My ungrateful roommate had changed from Cuthulu's stress ball to just a plain black orb that vibrates every now and then, making the space around it tremble.

One of the few things that remained the same was its eyes, which creeped the fu#k out of me since they are identical to mine, and its indifference toward my pleasant presence that I'm kindly sharing with it.

The little bastard just floated there, like always. Not even the beautiful scenery of the winter that I have remembered since childhood doing something to it.

"Still with the 'cold' shoulder, huh?" I metaphorically elbowed it playfully.

{...}

"Couldn't you even spare me an eye roll?!" I glared at one specific set of eyes in the black orb. Ones that resembled some kind of symmetry as the rest just seemed scattered around its body.

{...}

I sighed.

No matter the memory I try to play, or the most absurd environment my head can muster, it will cause no reaction from the parasite. Just the plain *OMiNouS JuDGmEnT* that it likes doing.

"Whatever." I stopped bothering with the parasite for now.

At least the time I have spent trying to communicate with it didn't go to waste. I'm now able to access this 'mind space' through meditation ever since…. um… now, I believe.

I have done some meditation before when the few times that 'man up' or 'it is what it is' didn't do the job. But I didn't think I would reach this level out of nowhere.

Since revenants don't need sleep, most of those hours I used once as a human had gone to meditation attempting to enter my own mind to communicate with the parasite. I mean, having to use teleportation every time just to get some face-to-face interaction was bothersome.

A mind space where you can live past memories and reflect upon your actions? Sure, many can do that.

But, being able to taste the ice cream you like so realistically that you can feel a headache, recreate the feeling of cold and ice touching your skin from a winter morning, and talk face to face with your own parasite living in your chest? That is some spiritual wacko sh!t right there!

Hahaha! Maybe my chakras aligned perfectly after the torture Rin put me through!

"Oh, well. It's not like I'm complaining about getting such a realistic mind space for myself." The weather changed in a blink of an eye and now I found myself on the beach, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.

I could feel my body bathing in the sunlight as the salt in the wind filled my nostrils and the gentile waves of the ocean washed my feet. I felt every warm grain of sand rubbing against the soles of my feet as clear as day.

"Oh, right." I summoned a beach umbrella and snacks for the little bastard that still refuses to give even a word of thanks. Perhaps, I should play some of my memories where I learned basic courtesy for this as*hole.

"Ah, I wish had more time to mess with this." I gazed at the horizon that lacked any clouds. The endless sky and blue sea lead to the end of my sight until they blended together and became one.

Deciding that it didn't look pretty enough, I lifted my hand up in the air towards the distant sun before squeezing my index and thumb, holding it like a marble and just dragging it down to make a beautiful scene with the ocean waves reflecting the setting sun.

"Hm…good. Alright, guess this is it. See you later!" I waved goodbye to the black orb that now wore a comically large beach hat with a collar of flowers and shades covering all of its eyes, still refusing to settle down on the pink blanket-bearing flower patterns I had summoned under its floating round figure.

"Becaurefull with the seagulls, you better not give them any chips!" I closed my eyes.

And just like that, I opened my eyes again to find myself laying face down on the bed of my room…

"Oh, right. Our room, actually" I reminded myself. Feeling a set of warm and gentle hands massaging my naked back. I could feel a pair of legs hugging my waist that I, unfortunately, couldn't feel smothering my skin as I still wore pants. But it was for my own good.

"Yes?" Io stopped and curiously lowered her head to be in my view.

I met her gaze by looking sideways, "you can lay down, Io."

The phantom pain remaining from the 'training' was long gone. Of course, I would like to enjoy the massage for free a bit longer but Io also went through that torture. It would be better for her to rest as well.

"Are you feeling better now?" She still asked just to be sure.

"Yes." I smiled.

"Hm… alright."

Without any hesitation, she did just that… she laid down on top of me… as I was taking on the whole bed…

Good soldiers follow orders I guess.

A pair of warm and soft breasts pressed themselves on my back as the only thing separating the two was Io's blouse, there was nothing under it.

I felt those fleshy bundles of fat rub all over my back as she positioned herself comfortably until I could feel her hair tickle my ear and her breath brushing against my neck, finally settling in a position.

"Adam?"

"...Yes?"

"What's in your mind?"

"... I'm thinking about how… hard things will get from here onwards."

"I see. Don't worry, I'll be here for you."

"Please be. I need you. In this position. Please."

"With pleasure."

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Word Count: 3,124

Yes, I added a 'great pirate era' in Code Vein because I wanted to hahahahaha!

I kind of also needed to explain why there weren't any more named revenants in the setting aside from Louis and Jack. This just made sense to me.