13 This is war

As soon as they saw the man's head fly, they knew they were dealing with someone formidable. Too little, too late though. Raven had started walking faster toward their encampment as the flames hugged her blade. Though they still had numbers and thus thought they would prevail in the end. There were battle cries all over the Revolutionary front as the vanguard charged the quiet Raven.

One man closed in on Raven and swung his saber at her, only to have her effortlessly sidestep him and grab him by his face, moving his body so that the gunshots from the Revolutionaries further away hit him. After using him as a bullet shield, she snapped his neck to end his pain and met the group charging her with their swords brandished. Taking the closest one to her, she weaved between them and blocked a strike before cutting them down, one by one.

It soon became a simple process for her. Sidestep, slash, kill, block, behead. Once more, she found herself killing numerous soldiers. She didn't hate them, so she made it as painless as she could. Though after the fortieth kill, they wizened up and kept out of her immediate area. They began to simply fire at her in hopes of stopping her there and then. She ignited her body and a sort of crimson flaming aura shielded her from the fire.

The Revolutionary army froze after the smoke from the gunfire cleared. The Vanguard intent on keeping the long ranged soldiers safe. Raven picked up her pace and ran into their formation. With the addition of her flames, she ignited those she struck with her sword on fire. Chaos and panic ensued as the flaming bodies were sent flying into their allies. Soon enough, there were burning and flying bodies scattered over the Revolutionary Army.

Those who were reloading had been interrupted when their comrades flew into them violently. Their bodies used as weapons against them. That wasn't the worst of it either, soon after they landed, they all exploded. Crimson flames had begun to spread all over the army like a crimson inferno. Raven was still butchering those she ran into, even the ones who tried to run. Her face had changed whenever she faced those brave few who saw all this and still chose to fight her anyway. Without her knowledge, a challenging smile grew on her face as she fought the brave ones.

Jumping from person to person, she stabbed, sliced and incinerated them. In their desperation, they tried to charge her. She blocked and dodged their swings before cutting their throats and turning the ones around her to ash. Her smile grew wider. However, it was not one worn in malice. The challenge and thrill of it all fueled her budding enjoyment, as much as she would deny it.

Esdeath was watching on the hill opposite with Liver, Daidara and Nyau. She was, for lack of a better word, enraptured by the display. Raven was mowing them all down in an impressive display of skill and raw power. The explosions of crimson flames littered the battlefield and, to Esdeath, it sounded better than the music nobles were so insistent on listening to. What especially got her attention, was the smile Raven was wearing when some decent warriors actually stepped up to fight her. Though now, it was quieting down.

The army had been routed. They were fleeing but the exploding bodies were still being launched into them. The lone woman was running after them and cutting them down with a rather neutral expression now. As the last squad made their way into the woods, they heard the explosions stop, finally.

All that was left was a group of fifteen. They kept running, despite the creeping exhaustion catching up with them. The girl in the very front, Chelsea was only ordered to observe the battle in the back, to get intel on Esdeath. She had never expected another monster in human skin to decimate their army and chase down every soldier. They managed to get into the forest, so she assumed they should be somewhat safe.

That assumption was proven wrong a second later when two of her men's heads were pulverized by Raven, who had landed on them from above.

"Split up!! At least one of us has to live!" Chelsea commanded and all the soldiers split up.

From there, she continued her mad sprint deeper into the forest. Occasionally, she would hear a scream and would count down how many were left. After five minutes, she heard fourteen screams and came to a stop near a large tree. Panting, she looked behind her and saw Raven walking toward her, cleaning the blood off her blade.

"Haa.. Haa.. Y-You couldn't just.. let us go..?" She panted and tried to joke to alleviate her fear.

"I gave you all three warnings. You didn't take them. Which is already generous enough" Raven said with despondent eyes.

"So you'll kill.. everyone, is that it? They had families and-" Chelsea was interrupted by Raven, who grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the tree behind her.

"That is something THEY should have considered. I'm sure they did.. thinking fighting would lead to their families being happy or safe in the Empire. I feel for them.. That's why I let them have three chances. They had time to consider that and they threw it away. On top of that.. This IS war. Why would I let my enemies live? That's a sure-fire way to getting yourself killed later. I regret having to do this, yes. But I am not a fool. I accept the weight of the lives I've taken. The families I split apart. That just comes with the cost of war. You? You will have a big impact on the future of this Country. So I won't kill you here" Raven then dropped the coughing Chelsea, who looked up into her red eyes.

"I plan to change this place from within.. No more children should have to die.. No more commoners should be used as toys for the wealthy.. No more fat pieces of shit to warp a child's mind with his selfishness.." She angrily declared.

"I know I will have to kill many to do it. Some who don't deserve to die. For them, I can only warn as I did today. It's not pretty.. but the alternative is your war, which involves a lot more innocent deaths. All I need to do is rise to General and change things within. Starting with that fat bastard. Feel free to tell your superiors, especially Najenda about our little 'conversation' here" Raven then sheathed her blade and walked away from the pale, but still very alive girl.

"What.. the.." Chelsea muttered before shaking her head and continuing her run as her head spun.

~I..Is she an ally or an enemy!?~ This question would play on repeat in her head for the next few days.

After fifteen minutes of walking back, Raven met back up with Esdeath and her followers. As soon as she saw Esdeath's face, she really felt the urge to run. For some reason she couldn't place, she was making such a pure expression of affection and love. Directed at her. Raven moved around but her gaze was still on her, which made her a bit uncomfortable. This was supposed to be reserved for Tatusumi.

~I thought she wanted a young boy with a pure smile who lived away from the Capital and could fight..~ Raven rubbed her brows in consternation as she thought about the possible troubles this would bring.

Raven witnessed Esdeath's love for Tatsumi. She knew though, that the relationship they would have, later on would have a ton of issues. One being that she was likely, what the anime watchers would call, a 'yandere'. She thought Esdeath beautiful but with those issues, it would be hard for anyone to have a stable relationship with her unless they lived alone on a tropical island.

"Well done.. Very well done.." Esdeath quietly but excitedly praised.

"It was the mission.. I'm done now, so let's return quickly" Raven looked away from Esdeath as her brow twitched from being looked at so intensely.

"If you insist. Stop by my room when we do get back though. I want to talk" Esdeath grabbed her shoulder and basically commanded.

"..Right then.." Raven felt a headache coming on.

-A day later, Night Raid HQ-

Najenda was busy. Very busy. She had just received a detailed report from Leone after she returned from the Capital. The most important part being her encounter with Raven, who she was still evaluating. She knew she was part of Esdeath's elite squad but had a feeling she was different from them. That she had no real allegiance toward the General.

But then the Revolutionary HQ sent one of their Teigu users and top soldiers, Chelsea to her. Chelsea's report made Najenda's head spin. What Raven was capable of was scary. It was like adding another Esdeath. But then Chelsea got to the point where Raven talked to her and Najenda really had to consider if they could possibly get Raven to their side. She said she wanted less innocent lives taken and seemed angry when she was speaking about the corrupt nobles and August.

"And that concludes my report.. If I may? I am quite tired after all this.." Chelsea requested, suppressing a yawn.

"Yes, go ahead and take a rest. I have to think" Najenda excused her and sat back in her chair, sighing.

Before she could get comfortable, Akame burst into her room, showing more emotion than she had seen her show so far. Najenda raised her brow, waiting for the shaking Akame to start talking.

"We can't.. we can't kill my Mother! I need.. answers" Akame practically pleaded with Najenda, whose eyes widened in response to her plead.

"Raven is.. your mother?" She asked in clear surprise.

"I'm sure.. Her age.. her looks.. even her weapon of choice.. I.. we have to be related.." Akame started assuring herself.

"I see.. Okay.. maybe this CAN work then. If she knew you were opposing the Empire.." Najenda thought out loud.

"Please, send me to meet her" Akame requested with a hopeful light in her eyes.

"I'll consider it. I just really need to think all this over. I promise though, I'll get back to you" Najenda assured Akame, who wordlessly nodded and excused herself from the room.

~Mom.. soon. Maybe I'm being too optimistic but maybe we can actually be a family..~ Akame thought, clenching her fists.

-The Capital-

As soon as they returned to their assigned barracks, Esdeath had pulled Raven along to her room and quickly closed the door behind them. Raven shivered when she felt the odd 'thirsty' expression coming from Esdeath. But contrary to her expression, all she did was sit down on her bed.

"You were exceptional out there. Raven, I'll ask again. I want you. Be my woman" Esdeath bluntly asked.

"I'm not going to question why you feel that way or what could even trigger it.. I'm pretty sure I already know why. I'll just say this. My heart belongs to another" Raven stated, folding her arms.

"And what does she have on me exactly? Power? Looks? Personality? I think we would suit each other quite well" Esdeath calmly responded, though Raven could see an ice cold anger in her eyes while speaking.

"No. You're plenty beautiful, I don't care about power and believe it or not, who I love can be considered quite villainous. Though I understand why she ended up that way. I love her because she knows me best, helped me through some very dark periods of my life and had been consistently there for me until..." Raven trailed off but then cleared her throat, keeping the death part to herself.

"I was hurt she had been with someone else when her memories of me were gone. And hurt more when she got back with him when she chose to go back to him after they returned. But I understand. Imagine being alone for so very long.. apart from your first love, with no one around except monsters. So I understand. I love her despite the hurt. I do hope you find that in someone else, Esdeath. I think something like that could change you for the better" Raven finished and proceeded to the door, hearing Esdeath speak one last time.

"Hm.. Well I'll just have to make you love me more then" She said with a competitive and possessive grin.

~I just hope she doesn't meet Salem..~ Raven sighed, imagining the apocalypse that would ensue from their fight.

[Author note!! READ THIS! Schedule is changing. OCRS will be uploaded 3 times a week, Branwen 1 per week and a new FATE Fic 1 biweekly. Though those chaps will be longer than 2k words]