Chapter 19 -- The Asagi

AIO: Contradiction and humanity are much more linked than we imagine.

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Reach: I-Ishi!

Vork: ?!

????: ?

Ishi walked slowly. Eyes devoid of life.

A dark kind of sadness...

Acceptance of this hateful existence.

Ishi: ...

...

Ishi: Hm?

His eyes brightened slightly.

Ishi: "Reach."

He felt a sense of relief.

Ishi: "You're..."

Ishi: "...Alive."

...

Reach: "I'm hard to kill."

Reach almost chuckled.

Tomo smiled, which cheered him up a little.

The air was filled with the burning remnants of several buildings.

The invaders stood on either side. Weapons in hand.

????: "Hm."

One with spiked dark brown hair and light brown eyes spoke.

????: "Kill them all."

Ishi had regrouped with Reach, Tomo, and Thorn.

Vork was to the side, no longer attacking...

????: "We'll start with the demon."

Thorn: Demon?

That same invader lifted their arm to the side.

Extra fingers burst out of their wrist and knuckles.

They formed a large fist, instantly raining down on Vork.

Vork: "Gh?"

SHOONK.

Vork ripped their head off, advancing in the opposite direction.

Reach: ...

The momentum of the headless invader continued as it fell forward.

Vork reached the first line of invaders, who attacked using a combination of different sharp brown weapons.

Vork stabbed one through the gut with his bare hands, before getting stabbed by another in the arm with a spear.

Vork: "Guh.."

Vork broke the spear in half and used the far end to pull the invader closer; cracking his temple with a headbutt.

The second group of invaders rushed to support.

One caught eyes with Tomo on their way over.

They seemed fearful, yet blinded.

All that could go through Tomo's mind was...

'Why.'

- - - -

Vork stood with corpses all around him.

His hands and teeth - bloodier than we've seen.

Tomo: ...

He locked eyes with the four, breathing heavily.

Reach: ...

Vork grinned, then exhaled in frustration.

He spat on the ground.

And began to leave...

Reach: He's not going to attack anymore?

Reach glanced at Ishi, who mumbled.

Ishi: "Vork.."

Reach: ?

Reach: "Vork?"

Reach looked back at Vork.

Reach: I see.

...

Reach: So, it's true?

Reach: They're... Afraid of Ishi?

Tomo wasn't paying attention.

He was... Upset.

...

Tomo: Despi.

His feelings changed to pure sadness.

Reach took note.

He placed his hand on Tomo's head.

Thorn: ...

In the meantime Vork scurried away.

Thorn: "So... Should I go kill him?"

Reach: ...

Ishi: ?

Ishi spoke, not having seen Thorn or Reach in combat.

Ishi: "Do you know... What Vork is?"

Reach: ?

...

Ishi: "He is... An Asagi."

Thorn was intrigued.

Thorn: "An Asagi?"

Thorn: "That sounds familiar."

Reach: ?

Ishi continued in his soft-spoken voice.

Ishi: "I don't know everything... But..."

...

...

Ishi: "All of history points to them."

Ishi: "They're the first generation of disease-holders."

Reach was mildly stunned.

Reach: "W-What?"

He took a natural interest, as a profound disease-holder himself.

Reach: I learned so much from Dad... But did he ever mention these... 'Asagi'?

Thorn thought to herself.

Thorn: "Hmm..."

Tomo scratched his chin, apparently switching gears.

Tomo: "Ah yes... The Asagi..."

Reach: "Eh?"

Ishi looked in the direction where Vork had fled.

Ishi: "The Asagi."

Ishi: "They're... A lineage of people."

Reach listened intently, appreciating Ishi's increased talkativeness.

Ishi: "They share the same red hair and cream skin."

Ishi: "Some can even live for centuries."

Tomo: "W-Wow..."

Reach: Does Tomo know the Asagi or not?

Ishi looked down at his hand, repeatedly clenching his fist.

Ishi: "But most importantly... They're all stronger than your average human."

Reach: ...

Thorn: ...

Ishi coughed - inhaling nearby smoke.

...

Reach: "Let's move away from here."

The four began to walk.

Reach: "Ishi, how do you know all this?"

Ishi: ...

Ishi: "I've been here most of my life."

Reach: ...

Ishi: "You hear things... You meet people..."

...

Ishi: "It seems it is common knowledge in some places... The Asagi."

Reach: "Hm."

They settled in an open dirt area.

Tomo and Ishi sat on a rectangular piece of metal - akin to a bench.

Ishi: "The information I have is only so reliable."

Thorn: ...

Ishi looked down at the dirt with his elbows on his knees.

He spoke with sincerity.

Ishi: "History is often written by the victor."

...

Reach was silent.

He valued getting to know Ishi better - including his perceptions on reality.

Reach: He's very... Thoughtful.

Ishi looked at Thorn.

Ishi: "I do not know you well, but..."

Ishi: "Do not fight Vork alone."

Thorn chuckled.

Thorn: "You don't need to worry about me."

Thorn: "Or him."

She clonked Reach on the head.

Reach: "Oi."

Ishi: ...

While he didn't show it, Ishi enjoyed both their company and dynamic.

Ishi: ...

Reach: "How about you, Ishi?"

Reach: "What do you want to do?"

...

Ishi: ...

He did not respond at first.

Reach: "Last night, you said... You should do something."

Ishi: ...

...

Reach: "Do you have any ambitions?"

Ishi: "N... No..."

Reach swapped to a more targeted question.

Reach: "What about..."

...

...

Reach: "...Revenge?"

Ishi glanced up.

He connected eyes with Reach.

Reach: ?!

A hint of dark red sparked in Ishi's eyes.

He spoke with no hesitation.

Still quiet, yet this time somehow haunting...

Ishi: "I already got my revenge."

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He slowly looked back down.

Reach and Thorn didn't know what to say.

...

Reach: ...Wh... What was that?

Reach gathered his voice.

Reach: "I... I see..."

Reach's eyes widened.

Reach: This guy...

...

Reach: ...Is interesting!!!

- - - -

The four would soon descend once again, into the storm of night...

[Chapter 19 -- End]