Chapter 14: Rupture.

The rain didn't stop.
The Butcher's body was rushed to the scouts' headquarters, covered by a gray cloak.

The scouts gathered around the old forge, the place where he used to sharpen his axe before each mission. Isz kept his gaze fixed on the cracked weapon, still stained with blood. Harpya, head bowed, couldn't utter a single word.

Isz slid to the door, his elbow touching the cold wood, and discreetly left the room.

Harpya: -What do you intend to do?

Isz: -I'm going to end this charade before they end us all.

Harpya raised his gaze, firm.

Harpya: -Don't be reckless, Isz. If our suspicions are correct, you'll have problems in the future.

Isz, with a cold look, leaves the forge and goes to his quarters to get all his battle equipment.

Isz angrily heads towards the priests' dome and is stopped by two royal guards on the way.

Royal guards: -Sir, we won't let you pass. No one is authorized to enter the dome meeting. If you want to speak with Priest Gray, you'll have to wait.

Isz ignores the warning and pushes the soldiers away with his hands.

Royal guard: -STOP NOW!

Isz: -If any of you with those B-relics think you can defeat me, step forward.

With a look of anger and contempt for the soldiers, Isz waited and said: -That's what I thought. Isz heads towards the dome without hesitation.

Helena spots Isz, the air cuts through the street like a blade, and says: -Mary, is that Isz? What's he doing here? And why did the guards let him in with weapons?

Helena addresses Isz.

Isz: -Get out of the way, this isn't your business.

Helena: -Wait, Isz, you can't go into the dome.

Isz ignores the warnings until he hears the sound of a dagger being drawn from its sheath.

Helena: -Isz, don't force me to do this, regardless of your reason I won't let you pass.

Helena looks at him with a firm gaze, but still confused by the situation.

Isz stops and says: "Even you, Helena?" Isz brandishes his spear and says that if Helena intervenes, he will kill her right there.

Helena: (thinking) "He's crazy, what happened? Could it be war trauma?"

Isz: "I didn't imagine you'd become a church whore too, what a disappointment. I thought you had matured, but I see you're one of them too."

Helena, with a frightened look, gives one last warning, when Mary suddenly appears and tries to immobilize Isz. Mary takes a blow and is knocked down. Isz points the spear at Mary's neck, who looks terrified.

Helena realizes that Isz is not bluffing and assumes a fighting stance.

Helena: "Isz, I don't want to have to do this. Do you really want to fight?"

Isz: -I ask you the same question, I've lost many friends over time, another one won't be any different from the norm.

Helena looks disappointed and notices that Isz doesn't have his handkerchief and thinks: "-Why Isz... I can't help you, I have to stop him before it's too late."

The rain was heavy and dripped onto the spear, hammering the metal with a sharp sound.

Isz lunges forward alongside Helena, a sound of tearing flesh is heard. Helena falls to her knees and clutches her hand, incredulous at what has just happened.

A storm of anger, fear, disappointment, and sadness rages across her face.

She raises her eyes to Isz and sees an empty stare, only a cold determination, an old wound that no one else could heal.

Mary tries to intervene, but thinks she won't be able to do it alone. A guard fiddles with his weapon, but Mary tells them not to make any sudden movements.

Helena presses her palm with her other hand, trying to staunch the bleeding, the rainwater mixing with the red.

Isz keeps the spear pointed, his body rigid like a sentinel. The rain runs down the shaft to the tip, dripping onto the ground.

Isz, staring into Helena's eyes, says: "Don't come after me, I won't hit your hand with the next blow." The silence that remains is sharper than any blade.

Isz heads towards the dome and is unexpectedly bound by chains.

Alphonse: "I heard you were back, Isz, but I didn't imagine our meeting would be like this."

The guards advance to try and immobilize Isz, but are electrocuted and tripped. Isz quickly reaches Alphonse and almost lands a blow, but Anna appears and knees Isz in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees.

Isz uses the ground for support and kicks Anna, throwing her far away, causing her to hit her back against the wall and crack it.

Anna: (thinking) "-That's strong, why is he attacking the dome? Where's the butcher to stop this kid?"

Isz feels his body heavy and realizes he's been caught by a spell from the Grand Alchemist Jako.

Jako: -Don't even try to move, Isz. You're in deep trouble, kid. Who do you think you are attacking this place? We were in a meeting and heard all that noise.

Isz is arrested and sent to a small prison.

Mary goes to comfort Helena and unexpectedly licks the blood from Helena's hand, whispering with a mischievous and seductive look.

Mary: -Does it hurt, Helena? I'll take care of that wound.

Confused, Helena replies (stuttering): -T-thank you, Mary.

Mary: -Isz must have his reasons, he was never explosive, he must be injured too, I wanted to lick his wounds as well. Mary stares at Helena.

A guard watches the scene and Mary asks: -Are you alright, guard? If you're injured, I can lick you too.

Startled, the guard just shakes his head and says he has news to give, the scouts found the butcher dead.