Anari
Everything was blurry for a moment or two. My eyes fluttered open slowly. Clarity came shortly after, while I sat up in a bed with pains that made me grab at my chest and squeeze.
My narrowed gaze scanned the area. I was in a bright, white hospital, with several machines hooked up to my body. A TV hung from the wall, playing some ridiculous kids' show, and another table contained a newspaper, my gear, and an X-ray.
Again. Really?
Platefuls of food awaited my tastebuds. Varieties of fresh, man-cultivated fruits, vegetables, and bottles of water. I pulled the wheely table closer and didn't waste a second to gobble it all down. My stomach had already begun growling.
But after four minutes of bliss, I flopped back into bed with a sigh. The hospital hummed quietly in the background as I stared at the spinning ceiling fan. I began to see things as I blinked- something like hallucinations that caused me to rub my eyes.
It's comin' back to me now. When the chopper got split in half, Kaiten and I ended up protecting Helix and Shin.
I stared at my shaky, bandaged palms.
How am I still alive?
I rubbed my eyes again and groaned as I sat up in a hurry to get outta bed. Bootsteps could be heard beyond the door, and I didn't get a couple more steps in before that door slid open.
A doctor had shown up, and Commander Kaiten did, too.
"Oh, Ms. Anari! You're awake!"
"Yeahh-"
"Can you give us a moment, Doctor? I need to speak with Anari privately."
"Certainly, Commander."
My doctor immediately departed, and Kaiten pulled up a chair. My arms folded before any words followed.
"I haven't been awake five minutes. Can you at least let me brush my teeth?"
Kaiten chuckled. "I thought you despised sitting still."
"Tch." My lips flattened, and I looked away. "Touché. What did you need to see me about? Matter of fact, how long was I out?"
"For starters, we were both unconscious from the crash. I awoke earlier today and made some phone calls. Had Helix check on things, but you've been out of the loop for two days, Anari. A lot's happened in such a short time."
"A lot like..?"
"Lady Zara, as well as Kozuna and Yvira, have been imprisoned within Sand Tower."
My eyes twitched and lit up with a burning glow. "What!? Why? What happened to them?"
"Compose yourself, soldier. I had Helix visit Zara and Yvira. He filled me in on their situation, and I'll do the same for you."
I breathed deeply, my fists balling and ready to punch anything. "Tell me everything."
***
Kaiten went on to explain everything in detail. The situation regarding Zara, Yvira, and Kozuna; Nazun's apparent disappearance; the upcoming trial; and the unknown status of Nikai's transformation. He also had the beginnings of a plan.
This is the second time Kaiten has had to bring me up to speed. And days apart, at that.
Kaiten passed me a newspaper from the table. Pictures of the destruction were everywhere- they took up entire pages on their own. However, there was also distorted imagery of Nazun's whirlwinds and energy form. Nazun himself was far too blurry to be made out by anyone who wasn't present. The one clear person in the images, of course, was none other than Kozuna.
"So, Anari, do you understand the situation now?"
We can't do anything about the Sand Tower problems right now. Not until Kaiten attempts to reason with the clan lord. We also don't know where Nazun ran off to. All we can focus on right now is finding Nikai and making sure he's okay.
I felt my teeth clenching as I read the article.
"A traitor to the Ozukashi Clan, Kozuna Ozukashi, is reported to have gone on a rampage recently, showcasing the power and devastation of what it means to wield a curse seal. He laid waste to the northern district of the clan, killing an estimated seven hundred and injuring thousands more. Clan Lord Izanai swiftly dispatched a member of the High Council, Councilor Livian, to capture a weakened Kozuna, following his bout with the well-respected Commander Kaiten. Along with the young man hiding his curse, two other known accomplices, Yvira and Zara, were taken into custody. As of now, the three are safely secured in Sand Tower. An investigation is currently underway to determine whether there were any other conspirators. If you have any information regarding this event, please report it to your local police station."
This is beyond just "a lot's happened." Everything's REALLY fucking escalated. I may not know what happened after Kaiten and I blacked out, but I know this story isn't true. Every word of it is a lie. This whole thing just feels fishy.
I crunched the newspaper between my fingers. "I get it. Damn it, I get it. I see what's going on."
"Then you understand why this situation needs to be approached delicately, correct?"
"I do."
"Good. Are you okay?"
I shook my head. "Not really. Can I at least see Yvira and Kozuna?"
"Afraid now. Currently, they're not allowing most visitors into Sand Tower due to the ongoing situation. I could get in, but you wouldn't be allowed past the door, Anari."
Typical.
"So, what, are we headed to Zara's lab, then?"
"Yes. Our first order of business is to check on Nikai, that is, if you're feeling up to it."
My brow furrowed. "Of course I am."
Kaiten smiled and took to his feet. "Knew you'd say that. I'll wait outside. Get changed and get a move on, soldier."
"Yes, sir."
***
Kaiten and I caught a taxi to the military sector and grabbed a buggy from there. We hurried to Zara's lab, but like before, we were stopped outside the semicircle. Only that time, security was much higher.
The number of guards had tripled.
"Commander Kaiten!" The soldier saluted Kaiten immediately. "The restricted section is currently cordoned off to nearly all personnel. Are you headed under?"
"Yes, we are."
The guard kinda lifted an eyebrow when he finally noticed me in the passenger seat. "Who's she?"
"Anari Ozukashi, my companion."
"S-she's not on the acceptable list of-"
"Soldier, we have business. You saw her two days ago, correct? When you first stopped her at the gateway?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"I meant to submit the forms for her clearance card, but when we were attacked by a curse wielder, I needed to prioritize my response. Let us through. I promise to have the paperwork filed by day's end."
The guard glared at me, and I glared right back and cocked my head. He ended up rolling his eyes and breathing aloud.
"Fine. But please get those forms submitted today, Commander. I'd rather not get into any trouble."
"You have my word."
***
The door creaked open when we arrived. Several more soldiers stood guard outside the entrance, but they weren't the ones to question us. Not after we'd already gotten through the primary security check. If anything, they saluted Kaiten and me as we walked inside.
But that was when things shifted on a dime. The steely door slammed shut behind us, lights flickered on and off, and the lab was way too damn quiet. All I could hear were Kaiten's muffled steps and mine.
"Shin should be here," Kaiten mumbled, stopping to sniff. "There's a scent of blood in the air."
We both locked in. Kaiten unsheathed a blade, while I pulled my pistol close. We began taking gradual steps toward the containment zone, but there was no noise. No signs of life.
I don't like this…
Kaiten pushed on the door gently, only for it to whine open loudly. He stepped inside first, and I kept close. My breathing suddenly overwhelmed my lungs.
Bloodstains splattered all across the floor, bodies were ripped apart, and machinery was destroyed. But, more importantly than anything, the containment cell had been blown open. Whatever Nikai had transformed into was powerful enough to break free of anti-curse technology designed specifically for seals like his.
All I felt were more chills. There wasn't a hint of danger outside the door, and that meant Nikai was still somewhere inside the lab.
I hurried to check some of the bodies while Kaiten watched my back, but there wasn't much point. Entrails were out. Throats were slashed open. Claw marks had been left behind in the corpse remains, and whatever wasn't a claw mark was a searing-hot cavity. Almost as if someone had lit a flare inside and let it burst. Organs were either punctured or gone, replaced by crackling embers and weak flames.
Everything I didn't want to see was what my frightened, quivering eyes saw.
"C-commander? A-Anari?"
A familiar voice drew Kaiten and me across the room, where we found Shin holed up behind a downed table. He gripped his reddened gut and breathed slowly. Hurt and probably barely conscious, but still alive.
I reached his side immediately. "Shin? What happened? Where's Nikai?"
"T-transformed... Way more powerful than we imagined." Shin gulped between breaths, his eyes sparkling as they met mine. "I've tried to keep quiet, but I know Nikai's still around here somewhere."
"Can you stand? Not fading out, are you?"
"I'll be fine… Better once his damn transformation wears off."
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of what looked like a moving shadow in an already dimly-lit room. And Kaiten noticed it too. He didn't hesitate to take up a second sword in defense of Shin and me.
"Stay behind me, you two." Kaiten stomped forward, calling out in a commanding voice, "Show yourself, Nikai!"
The lights flickered once more, and Nikai stepped out of hiding. However, he was still in the shadows.
His once human skin had become wrapped in what appeared to be pitch-black energy. The majority of him somewhat resembled a man engulfed by black flames, or, more accurately, shadows. Shadows that swayed as if blown by the wind, but didn't go anywhere.
We had no visual of Nikai's physical human form beneath the transformation. His features were obscured- in place of his eyes were blobs of crimson, smoke-like energy. Red-tipped spikes shot upward from his spine. He also looked a bit taller and just bigger in general, not to mention his hands and feet sharpening to the point of forming claws.
My lips parted, and my teeth ground together as I took everything in.
This is what curses can do to people?
I froze in place as my eyes met the red dots acting as Nikai's gaze. I felt my body shut down on its own- completely immobilized to the point of falling over on Shin.
"Agh- don't look him in the eyes! A lot of us learned the hard way- it'll paralyze you!"
"Thanks for letting me know now," I spat out, barely able to move my lips.
"Just play dead, both of you," Kaiten muttered. "This isn't something either of you are prepared to handle."
Hunched over, Nikai appeared to just be brooding, silently and ominously. He stood completely still, just staring at us. There was no emotion to be seen behind the red fog on his face, and if what I was told was true, Nikai didn't recognize any of us. What was he seeing, then?
We were all liable to be slaughtered as ruthlessly as everyone else, but Commander Kaiten stood there, unfaltering. For the second time, I was about to witness Kaiten going toe-to-toe with a curse wielder.
Kaiten crossed his blades as Nikai's claws slowly widened. Out of nowhere, he shadow-stepped behind Kaiten with a wide open claw set on ripping the commander to bloody shreds of flesh. But his claws collided with blades. Kaiten had more than reacted in time.
Was that… teleportation? Into a shadow!?
Nikai's claws quickly moved into a flurry of deathly swipes, striking nothing but the Ozukashi steel of Kaiten's blades. His backsteps lured a shadow-consumed Nikai away from Shin and me, but even then, flames erupted from and coated Nikai's claws. His attempts were no longer just about tearing Kaiten open, but lighting him ablaze as well.
Kaiten broke away immediately. He performed a perfect backflip over a half-broken table and launched it after Nikai with a powerful kick. Nikai practically turned into a shadowy twister with how fast he moved.
He tornado-spun through the table, shredding it down to splinters and ash before rushing after Kaiten, who ducked away and shot through the containment room doorway. Nikai, though? He passed through the wall.
What the HELL?
Shin and I met eyes without moving our heads a centimeter. We were both useless to help Kaiten, once again. And only a couple of days after Nazun's assault, at that. Neither of us could see what was happening in the other room, and the noise died down for a few seconds.
That was, until Nikai came bursting through the wall, leaving embers and flares in the rim of that giant hole he'd created. Nikai almost fell on his spine, but he caught himself. He scraped the tips of his razor-sharp, burning claws against the concrete, dragging them as he skidded back. And by the time he lost impetus, Kaiten reappeared.
"This is excellent rehab, Nikai," Kaiten called out, stepping through the kindled hole in the wall. "A shame other innocents had to perish for your survival."
Jagged shadows separated around Nikai's jaw with a guttural screech that made my ears bleed. His claws dug into the ground before he sprang after Kaiten like a deranged animal. Kaiten held his ground, though. He stepped back and rooted himself deep before quickly curving his sword upward with a rising slash. One with enough strength to deflect both of Nikai's claws in a single movement. And Kaiten's other blade followed up perfectly.
"No control over yourself. Your patterns are easy to read, Nikai!"
He stomped in and hilt-bashed Nikai's skull, forcibly staggering Nikai back. And while Nikai slid and shook his head, Kaiten kept up the pressure. He lunged in with a sword-fisted punch and entered some sort of concentrated, flow state. Kaiten issued repeated, speed-increasing blows to the chest and face before ultimately curving around and launching Nikai with a roundhouse finisher.
In the end, Nikai hit the floor. He couldn't make a move before a blade flew through his shadow-cloaked arm and planted itself in the concrete. He screamed out in agony, and shreds of Nikai's real, non-monstrous voice returned. Finally, the shadows began receding. Still, Kaiten was slow to stow away his remaining swords. He left the third one running through Nikai's limb.
The strength returned to my body once the shadows flowed back into his seal. And while Shin and I could get up, Nikai stayed on the ground breathing heavily, sweating uncontrollably, and gripping the blade. His eyes were bloodshot, and based on his reaction to our surroundings, it was clear the memory of what he'd done was seared inside.
"I- how did I? I-is this- is this my fault? "Nikai gripped his skull wide-eyed and almost began rocking back and forth. "I remember getting shot in Jigen, and the next thing I knew, I was here, and-"
Nikai's voice cut off as he tremblingly covered his mouth. All Shin and I could do was watch.
"Easy, now." Kaiten breathed deeply and smoothly pulled his blade from Nikai's bicep. "Let's get you patched up, soldier."
***
It took a little while to stop the bleeding, but Kaiten did an amazing job of keeping pressure on the wound and wrapping it tightly. His throw was clean and precise- he only hit Nikai's muscles. With proper rest, Nikai would heal up quickly, and Kaiten also tended to Shin's injuries. He was the sole reason any of us could survive.
On the other hand, Nikai almost couldn't blink at the scene of the disaster. And rightfully so. I was left in shambles, too, just from seeing it. I didn't wanna start to imagine what was going through his head or Shin's. The unintentional killer's head, and the one guy who survived the initial transformation.
The three of us ended up sitting on the floor after things had calmed down. Kaiten was left to ponder our next move.
"Crisis averted for the moment," he mumbled to himself. "But there's still the matter of Zara, Yvira, and Kozuna."
"Wait, what? What's going on?"
Nikai looked around at all three of us. He was the one guy who'd been out of the loop. Somehow, more than me.
"Anari and Shin will have to fill you in, Nikai. In the meantime, I need you three to start cleaning this place up as best you can. And get a warm meal in your stomachs. Also, Nikai- don't place yourself in stressful situations right now. We don't need your seal activating on its own again."
Nikai nodded hesitantly. He looked like an overgrown, lost, bloody dog.
Kaiten quickly turned to exit the lab. "I'll check back in later."
"Hold on," I coughed out. "Where are you headed?"
"Got a meeting with the clan leader, remember?"
"Right." It slipped my mind in all the chaos. Work for someone like him never stops. All while we're supposed to clean this place up. Our job almost feels minor by comparison. "Good luck, Commander."
I hope you perform as well in persuasion as you do on the battlefield, Kaiten.