Chapter 185:

Chapter 185: The Stalkers

Beyond The Stars


Author's Note: This is the beginning of the 8th arc. This is the Chaos Tournament Arc.

Chapter 185: The Stalkers

Narrator: In the middle of Harmone is Reign City where Harmone’s government is located.

*Zeth is in the office of Harmone’s governor. Zeth is speaking to a man that has well-kempt gray hair and wears a suit and tie*

Narrator: Governor of Harmone – Drane Hoff.

Zeth: Governor, I need you to put out a search order for a man who calls himself RAG.

Governor Drane: You could have given this request to my secretary. Was it really necessary to demand to see me personally?

Zeth: Yes! This is urgent! I can’t have peace of mind while not being sure how long it will take for the search for RAG to start.

Drane: Okay, okay. I understand. But first, we need to know what he looks like.

*Zeth pulls out a picture of RAG*

Zeth: Here, take this.

Drane: Thank you. I will pass this along to our Missing Persons Department.

Zeth: Please keep me up to date.

Drane: We will contact you if we find out anything related to RAG’s disappearance.

Zeth: Thank you. I will be leaving now.

*Zeth leaves the office and looks around the main room of the building*

Zeth: I’m starting to feel uncomfortable.

*Zeth leaves the building entirely. It’s night time and it’s raining, Zeth pulls up his umbrella*

*Zeth looks around*

Zeth: I have this strange feeling that I’m being watched.

*He brushes that thought off and starts walking down the sidewalk of the city*

***

Narrator: Elsewhere in the city.

*Sasha is sitting on the roof of a tall building and she is just staring, looking out towards the rest of the city. She is trying to come to terms with who she is as she looks out with her Dark Divine eyes*

Sasha: (Talking to herself) This is who I am. No amount of wishing otherwise will change that. I really am the daughter of the Dark Goddess.

*She thinks of the two times she has been called the devil’s spawn, first by her step-parents and then by Kogen*

Sasha: (Talking to herself) Is my power… is my blood a curse?

???: No, I wouldn’t say so.

*Sasha is alerted. She looks behind her and sees nothing*

Sasha: Who’s there!?

*She looks forward again. A silhouette appears behind her. The only parts that are not a silhouette is the woman’s long dark black hair and the bottom half of her face*

Woman: It’s me, your older sister, Hamura.

*Sasha’s eyes open wide*

Hamura: (Smiling) I can feel your fear, my sister. You don’t need to worry though.

Sasha: What do you want!?

Hamura: I was sent here by mother to retrieve you and bring you home. But I’m not going to do that.

Sasha: If you’re trying to trick me, I’m not going to buy it.

Hamura: No, I’m being honest.

Sasha: Then why would you disobey the Dark Goddess and risk severe punishment?

Hamura: Because, my sister, I’m over 100,000 years old and am seeing something I have never seen before. Something I believed would never happen again.

Sasha: And what is this that you have never seen?

Hamura: From behind the scenes, I have watched you. What I have never seen is the mixing of light and dark.

Sasha: You mean…!?

Hamura: Yes, your little love interest with Zeth. When I’m curious about something, there is nothing that will stop me from finding out. Not even mother’s orders.

Sasha: You stay away from him!

Hamura: Relax. I have no intention of harming him. I want you to stay with him of course. I even hope that he consumes Crimson. Let’s say your love goes somewhere. What would a baby that is of both light and dark be like?

*Sasha’s eyes open wide and she blushes. She then swings her fist behind her, trying to hit Hamura. She hits nothing more than a shadow*

*Hamura reappears farther behind her and Sasha gets her first look at Hamura in the conversation. Hamura looks similar to Sasha with various scars and has Dark Divine Eyes. She wears a dark gray uniform that also has dark red in it too. The uniform has demonic markings on it*

Hamura: My interest in a divine being that is both light and dark couldn’t be higher. Would that divine being be the ultimate being? I want to see.

Sasha: Mind your own damn business!

*Hamura smiles*

Hamura: We shall see each other again. Farewell for now.

*Hamura completely vanishes*

Sasha: (Talking to herself) How dare she get all up in my business and whether I love someone or not…

***

Narrator: Back with Zeth.

*Down on the streets, Zeth is crossing a street to continue walking on a sidewalk with his umbrella still up*

Zeth: Damn it. That feeling is coming back.

*The mysterious boy appears behind Zeth and his glowing orange eyes stand out in the darkness and rain*

Boy: Hello, Zeth.

*Zeth is alerted and turns around to see the boy*

Zeth: You!

Boy: I’m here to tell you what happened to your friend.

Zeth: What did you do to him!!?

Boy: I’ve taken him hostage.

Zeth: What did you have to gain!?

Boy: To force you to participate in the Chaos Tournament.

Zeth: Chaos Tournament!?

Boy: Yes, a team-based tournament. You will need to gather five other people to be teammates. Get five other people and then come back here and I will lead you to where the tournament is.

Narrator: Sasha had a conversation with her curious sister and Zeth has encountered the mysterious boy who is forcing him into a tournament.

Chapter 185 END

To be Continued in Chapter 186: Setting The Stage