End of Everyday: Begin to Rust

The stink hit Coren's nose long before he turned the corner to the warehouse. It was the stink of blood.

Coren sprinted towards the van, the smell of blood getting closer. Was the enemy getting closer or was he getting closer to a dead body? He didn't know. Coren yanked open the passenger side door and hopped in. Reaching his hand into the glove compartment he slammed the emergency lever up and then down, indicating to headquarters that something had gone wrong. As Coren pivoted his body to reach into the back to grab his small blade and gun he was shocked to see that the back left side of the car was smashed in. Shocked, he slowly opened the door, looking over the top of the van. He could now distinctively see where the van had been impacted. Coren breathed as he pulled himself on top of the van, seeing the dead body of his partner.

Maria's dead body lay crumpled, plastered against the side of the van. She sported a long gash from her navel up to her neck and her right eye had been in. The deep red of her blood contrasted the clean white of the van.

The tangy smell of rust made Coren dizzy with disgust. A small sob was building its way up his throat. Was it because he was about her death or because he was scared of what did this to her? A flash of guilt hit Coren before he let out a small sob.

Hopping down from the top of the van, Coren re entered the back to grab his stuff, reaching into the glove box and pumping the lever six times to notify HQ of a ward death.

A sudden banging sound from near the warehouse broke Coren out of his slow pity.

Exiting the car Coren strapped his weapons to his person. His pistol lay in a holster attached to the back of his belt, with his small blade occupying a holster attached to his left hip. His large blade was in a sheath to his right.

Standing in the middle of the parking lot, completely nude, stood a young man that looked to be about in his twenties. Blood coated his hands to his arms. Not noticing Coren peering from behind the van , the man was holding a piece of human flesh between his thumb and index. He watched it, enamored as he rubbed it between his fingers, watching the disgusting way it folded over itself and leaked blood like a wet towel. Coren observed a light smile gracing his lips before he tipped his head up, opening his mouth and dropping the tissue into his gullet.

Swallowing, The nude man wiped his bloodied hands on his thighs in a sense of finality. He turned around, starting to walk away before he quickly turned back towards the van.

Caught by surprise Coren leapt back into full cover, waiting for the man to come and rip his face off. A boyish laugh hit his ears.

"I see you! Come out, I don't bite." The nude man has an amused look on his face as Coren slowly revealed himself.

The nude man reached out his hand.

"My name is Waltz. It's a pleasure to meet you!" The genuinely happy look on Waltz 'face greatly unsettled Coren. His fingers brushed his pistol, ready to pull it out.

Waltz frowned boyishly.

"I'm not here to kill you." he kicked his foot back.

"What are you here for?" Coren asserted.

"To fuck." Waltz spiked his foot back onto the ground, disappearing and suddenly reappearing only a few feet away from Coren.

"Huh-Hokay." Coren tried to process this information as Waltz got closer and closer to him.

Waltz was skinny and fit, it looked like he had combat experience, although he wasn't particularly muscled out. His skin was porcelain white and his body was completely hairless. His hair was even whiter than his skin and lay messy and unbrushed on his shoulders.

"So?" Waltz giggled, still advancing playfully.

Coren was trying to break out of his fear and get a grasp of his situation when he felt something pressed against right thigh. Snapping back to reality he was face to face with Waltz.

Caught off-guard, Coren jerked to grab his small blade, swiping at the spot Waltz penis had just occupied.

"That's a shame." Waltz talked in a boyish tone that pissed Coren off. He had dodged back, penis still intact, when Coren reached for his blade

"Be serious. Or I'll exterminate you. why are you here and who are you?" Coren regrounded himself sternly.

"You don't know?" Waltz tried to maintain his sly demeanor but Coren could sense a hint of something else in his voice.

"No."

"The same reason as you. To find the big bad anomaly and kill him."

"Why?"

"You know nothing."

"..."

"For myself, and you. And everyone."

"Everyone? Uh-huh and that's why you killed her?!" Coren pointed towards Maria's maimed body.

Waltz laughed a little bit.

"You really remember nothing. What a cute baby you are."

"Dying words." Coren grabbed his pistol from his rear, unleashing two bullets into Waltz's chest. He laughed before jumping multiple meters back.

The bullets had been absorbed by Waltz, his chest untouched.

He continued to laugh, waving his right arm around.

"We'll fight, but if I win you're mine." Waltz blitzed towards Coren, seeming to fly on air.

Coren was prepared, deflecting Waltz fist with the blunt side of his sword before swinging wildly back at him. Waltz dodged every single swing with ease, finally counter attacking with a roundhouse kick that knocked Coren's large blade out of his hands.

Without missing a beat, Coren grabbed his pistol again, unleashing six rounds at Waltz. Making a waving hand with his arm Waltz revealed he had caught all six bullets between his fingers.

"You're weaker." Waltz gave a quick tap to Coren's forehead before gliding back multiple meters.

"I'm getting bored. Let's end it here." Waltz was confident and he also noticed Coren's increasing worry.

Waltz was an S-tier threat. Coren knew he couldn't stand a chance against him. He didn't even know if there was anyone at HQ that could stand a chance.

The two fighters faced each other, breathing deeply. A look of joy laid on the face of Waltz whereas a face of worry donned Coren's.

Coren drew his short blade, getting in a defensive stance. Waltz stood confidently, his left arm poised behind his hips. Coren watched as his fist began to glow, collecting power.

Time passed as the two breathed. One breath. Waltz struck, quickly closing the distance between the two, he punched at Coren's face as Coren swung his blade aimed at Waltz jugular.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the two forces met. Waltz quickly readjusted his form to slide behind Coren, releasing the energy in his fist to dodge his slice.

Coren stood, shocked. He had sliced and Waltz had dodged. Why? Coren looked down and a few feet away at his detached right arm laying on the ground, clutching his small blade. Coren knew that Waltz hadn't touched him... so why? The shock of losing an actual part of himself hadn't struck Coren yet. He just stood confused, looking at his arm. The realization of both his loss in battle and the loss of one of his arms finally struck him as Coren felt despair once again. Tears poured from his eyes as he prepared to be cut down by Waltz, pathetically defenseless.

"Don't worry." Waltz cooed softly, pressing himself against Coren's back. "I know you're confused, but we need you back. Everything will be fine, I just need you to remember." Coren recognized genuine pity and emotion in his voice.

"Come back to me, my prince." And with that the warmth against Coren' back disappeared. Coren swung around to look for him but he was already gone. The smell of copper invaded Coren's nostrils as blood oozed from his stumped shoulder. The smell was inescapable. He tried to get to safety in the van. Coren's blood kept gushing out as he began to lose consciousness, stumbling back and forth as if drunk.

Coren passed out, slamming down onto the concrete of the parking lot. His blood continued flowing out of his shoulder. His blood spread across the dark concrete, creating an almost mesmerizing pattern. The concrete was soaked red as the blood suddenly started to take a different, almost yellowish hue. A small amount of yellow liquid seeped out of his stump before completely drying up, the bloodied tissue turning a harsh shade of yellow before hardening into a shell of coagulated yellow blood.