Lozo's throat had started to hurt. From the smoke around him, the flames that relentlessly dried the earth of its moisture then to the fact that he was screaming… all of these aided to his devastatingly sore throat.
"Jumbo… " a condescending voice said. It was relaxed emotionless just and firm… self-sufficient in relaying its owner's latent power. Yet Lozo had only one thing in mind for it… slit its throat.
"Jumbo, what a disgraceful state you're in… get up before he arrives. "The voice continued.
The voice's owner was a mystery. He was shrouded in smoke, not disturbed by the flames, that covered his face. Its hair flutter in the breeze revealing a stretch of obsidian strands every time it shifted. In his head Lozo could create a mental image of the entity obscured by the smoke. His heart raced for his mind was set. His blood veins visibly inflating and deflating under the pressure his blood pumped and was currently weighing. He was going to face the man who in one had wielded a shimmering marble like light gray blade and in the other carelessly held his by what remained of her burned hair.
" Hinari! " He shouted once more, this time launching at the figure.
The figure's eyes turned toward him. With a blink his blade was in the air, ready to strike down the incoming human projectile… Lozo.
"Aaaah! "Lozo screamed as he picked up more speed and reaching out to his sister. He didn't seem worried of the blade that was currently striking down towards his head with a distant hum. The figure raised a brow.
HUMM!! CRASH!
The blade struck with a swift hum! It struck the air with surgical precession in a clean cut that scythed through the ground below and sliced its way towards the building in its path. Like a swiftly cut birthday cake the building split into two then four then eight… but at this point the building couldn't take anymore and came down with a crash! It was to be expected… the building itself had already given up to the fire.
As for Lozo, his fate was already sealed. The strike was cleanly launched for his head and he had foolishly set his head for decapitation. Blood spurted to the ground coloring it with a dark red. But there's more.
None like the building Lozo wasn't static. He was swift like a fish in water… something he was taught to do in the very same building that had died to the slash meant for him.
' Old man JI always said to keep a could head in dire situations. Your state of mind might be the very difference between whether you come out alive or die on that very spot. " Lozo remembered.
Lozo sighed as his legs rested onto the ground.
" I guess this is what he meant… " he said short of breath, dropping onto one knee. He needed to. One his belly was bleeding and more of his blood gouged out with every second. And the second thing, he needed to set Hinari down into a mud pile.
Earlier Lozo had already seen Hinari's condition but as his eyes coursed through her semi-conscious body his devastation had never weighed heavier… Sometimes… the dark can be kind.
" Big brother. " She said in a desperate cry with the little energy her fading body could muster.
" Hinari… " Lozo said his previous angered voice withering into a soft voice, the start of his silent cry.
Almost half of her body had succumbed to the flames leaving dark scorch marks on what used to be her fair and soft skin. Her clothes were in tatters, scorched black which lead to more of her skin being exposed to the toxic night air. Her body was hot, a mental image of her possibly boiling blood. And worst yet not the least her touch, it had grown cold.
" I'm sorry… " Lozo said his voice muffled in tears.
He released his hand from his bleeding torso an ran it across her face. Drips of blood landed on her skin with a sizzle, that him more than his torso.
Behind them a threat rose.
" Smile… Joyeuse. " The condescending voice said as its hand dropped with another quick slash.
Just like the previous slash this one traveled across the air at a tremendous speed, slicing the earth beneath it in half. The slash clashed and collided with another burning building sending it down to debris. Dust rose over the flames as black particles of what had remained of the charred wood.
As it settled the figure's eyes rose. Things had gotten interesting.
' How did we… ? ' Lozo asked as he watched the building collapse.
His eyes blinked rapidly trying to shake of the unnerving feeling, he was about to die.
" Looks like his suspicions were right. You… you're an Harmatia right ? " The figure asked turning towards Lozo's new location.
Lozo was speechless. He was currently trying to evict the image currently haunting his mind, the image of him and Hinari lying, slit, after being caught in that attack. He knew too well that he didn't dodge that attack, come to think of it he didn't sense it coming. And with that suddenly the man standing before him had become unfathomable to him. His brain was no longer able to comprehend him.
" What are you ? " He asked as his hyperventilation started to peak.
The man's eyes narrowed.
" Currently none of that is of your concern… " he said before stopping to look at the blade in his hand.
" Why ? the figure asked. He looked like… like he was talking to his blade.
"Why did I say that? Why did I ask him that?" Lozo asked, his inner thoughts now spilling out.
"Wait! Why is my inside voice talking out loud?! Why am I saying everything I think out loud?!" Lozo gasped, his breathing no longer under conscious control.
" Is this… fear ! "
Lozo had only experienced this level of uncertainty only once before.
Fear is a natural cycle for man. They experience when in danger, when doing something they know is wrong or when doing something new. For who are strong or think they are strong, they might try to hide it stoically. Whether to impress or a self value that they hold. But a time comes when even the strong meet their undoing and in that time their fear shows.
And for Lozo, apparently his fear shows when his inside voice starts talking out loud.
" Is that even a reason? " The figure muttered to his blade.
The blade hummed.
The figure shifted his eyes back to Lozo.
He could see clearly that the boy was trembling. And in his hands his loved one.
' I'll make it quick. '
" Why did you do this, huh ? Is this a joy for you… the so called saints… huh ? " Lozo said. It was more of ranting than saying words.
" Hush. " The figure said.
Lozo fell quiet.
" My only wish is to serve my Lord. Any in between are insignificant in my eyes, "
" And yes, so is this small village of yours. " He added on seeing Lozo try to ask another question.
" Don't worry, only you and the girl in your hands are needed to suffer and pay for the sins of this land. Only you two are Harmatia. " He added as he lifted his hand, blade in hand.
The blade hummed again.
The figure's eyes rose to it. He frowned before saying.
"Also, there someone who wishes to meet you before your departure… "
"Meet my joyous blade… Joyeuse! "
Lozo's eyes rose to look at the blade in the figure's hands. It hummed and vibrated as though joyous to strike them.
Lozo sighed.
'All of them are the same. ' He thought.
———
" Now smile… " the figure ordered.