1. Kill The Innocent

Chapter One – Kill The Innocent

A young, black haired, and bare footed girl ran. She ran amongst the tall grass plains. She wore rags of the poor with the clothes beginning to drop off of her do to its size. She continued to look back and took shelter behind a lone bolder. The sky was grey with clouds.

The weather around this time of year was chilling, not weather a little girl like her should be in. But she had no choice. She was being chased by imperial soldiers. 4 to be exact. She held her breath as she heard clanking footsteps amongst the grass right behind her. Teth, Gride, Zush, and Raku were the names of each soldier.

Teth: Are you sure she went this way?

Gride: Affirmative.

Teth: Remind me again on why we're chasing this child.

Gride: Because we can have fun with this one. Look, just help me find her!

Teth: We'll be wasting time. We've wasted too much already by chasing after her!

The girl hearing this began to sweat profusely. Running away at this point could only mean two things. One, she could escape by somehow out running 4 trained imperial soldiers. Or two she can stay here and be found within minutes. With those two options the girl knew that escape was impossible. The thought of what they have planned for her made her tear up. But then her hair was grabbed viciously and she was picked up by her head.

Zush: I got her!

Raku: Finally, Now the party can start.

Gride: I call dibs on first. I chased her first!

The disgusting soldier said while pointing a thumb at himself.

Zush: But I actually found her!

Girl: Please stop! Let me go!

She cried and she kicked as tears and snot dripped down her face.

Raku: Shut up. You'll need your voice to scream.

The men all laughed as something zipped behind them in the tall grass.

Teth: What the shit!

Gride: There shouldn't be any danger beasts out here! Not without us knowing!

The men all looked in the same direction. As the ring leader Gride looked back at his squad to bark an order. But a small harpoon like snare nearly instantly wrapped itself around his throat as he let out a choked scream and was thrown back and was dragged into the tall grass. He screamed for help but was silenced.

Zush: What the-!

Teth: Get in formation!

Zush dropped the little girl and the formed a three-man phalanx. Then a man rose from the tall grass in the opposite position. The man's appearance had a human figure, but his garbs completely concealed his identity.

Raku: YOU! I've been hearin' about you!

Raku then broke the phalanx and attempted to stab at [Name] with his sword. But he parried and kicked his kneecap through the back of his leg. Completely disfiguring the man. He started crying and began holding his leg.

Teth: Blitz him!

The men charged and [Name] somersaulted right over them. Zush then spun around to slash [Name]'s head off but he ducked, lifted his knight's mask, and threw a white dust in his eyes. He fell and curled up into a fetal position. Teth then swung and swung with skill and precision. The steel sword zipped and whizzed past [Name]'s Head. [Name] then quickly used a disarming tactic and snapped his arm within seconds. Teth screamed then looked to [Name] and yelled.

Teth: WHO ARE YOU?!

[Name] then landed a massive palm strike and landed it on the soldier's chest. He went flying and a hand print was left on the unconscious man's chest. Zush was up and walking around swing with his fist.

Zush: MY EYES! I CAN'T SEE!

[Name] then turned him around and head butt the man unconscious. [Name] then looked and saw the girl curled up and had nothing but fear in her eyes.

[Name]: I'm not here to hurt. I'm here to help.

He walked closer to her, crouched, put his hand out. After about a minute, she didn't grab his hand. She jumped on him to hug him. It somewhat shocked [Name]. But she broke the embrace and bolted in the direction in which she initially ran from.

[Name]: What. . .Little girl! Don't run that way! It's not safe!

He then bolted after her and headed after the barley clothed child.

[Name]: It's not safe! Litt—

Kasumi: It's Kasumi! And I know! It's my village.

[Name] then jumped in front of her from a great distant behind. He grabbed her arm.

Kasumi: No! No! Let me go!

[Name]: You'll be killed instantly!

Kasumi: I DON'T CARE! My family's there!

He then crouched to her face and held her cheeks.

[Name]: Listen to me! I'll go, and when I come back. Then I'll tell you if you can come with. So stay here.

Kasumi: Bu—

[Name]: STAY HERE!

She gulped and nodded her head.

Kasumi: Yes sir.

She said in a fearful and surrendering tone.

[Name] then whistled as a black horse zipped passed her head. And before she knew it [Name] was out of sight on his steed. He was almost magic with his fast movement. She then wiped her tears and stated.

Kasumi: No one tells me what to do.

So she wiped more tears and began to run after them, back to her village.

[Name] horse was the fastest in the empire. Why? Even he didn't have an answer. But [Name] thought to himself, what was more puzzling was this. Why would the empire raid and destroy a village within their own jurisdiction? Surely they have boundless supplies already.

Was it taxes? Or did they have an imperial arm of some kind. Whatever they did or didn't do, no entire village deserves this. He reached the village in a matter of moments. His horse stopped outside of the village's walls. He then used a grappling hook to reach the top of the wooden walls. He used a small scope and scouted. Some rounding up bodies for burning, and other's conversing.

[Name]: Only sixteen men, and all armed? This is going to be easy.

Two soldiers were walking conversing. [Name] then popped up behind them and smashed their heads together knocking them out. He then jumped atop a wooden hut and stood atop. He then took a few small balls. He then threw it into the crowd of men. He then almost took every single one of them out. However, one, who was clearly the squad leader. He was huge, massive with bulk and muscle. Colonel Atle is the name.

[Name]: Why? You have everything you want. Yet still you hunger for more violence and bloodshed.

Colonel Atle: There's much you fail to understand outsider. I've heard of you. As have rest of the empire. You do nothing but the same. Where ever you are, people are devastated. So I left the empire with these men and we're looking to start a new nation. One that doesn't have a damned woman as it's finest general! Then in a few decade's time. We'll tear down this "empire".

He said this as the entire wooden village burned to the ground. [Name] was cold but the flames surrounded the small village soon as the heat licked at his skin. But something told him to look behind him, and so he did. He saw Kasumi running through the fire bathed entrance and into one of the burning huts.

[Name]: Kasumi!

Then [Name] was nearly knocked out. With the butt of the colonel's sword. Atle tried to stab [Name] but only got dirt as [Name] rolled out of the way. He then kicked the colonel's leg, but the he didn't feel a thing. He then bent down and grabbed [Name] up and threw him across the village and crashing through a burning hut.

[Name] burst out of the hut and fought hand to hand with the massive man and was kneed to the gut. Then axe handled to the back. Then he was picked up by the collar and was face to face with the colonel.

Colonel Atle: You're finished [Name].

Then with an incredibly sickening crack! [Name] nearly caved the colonel's face in with a head butt.

[Name]: You don't get it colonel!

The large man staggered back and his face spilled blood all over the dirt. [Name] grabbed a fist sized rock. [Name] rushed and slid between his legs, stood up and bashed the rock into his temple from behind. Spun around and then threw the rock into his face, smashing it in the process. Atle fell, and [Name] stood over him.

[Name]: You're not taking the empire down. Not today, and not ever.

He said as he smashed his fist down and knocked the colonel out.

[Name] then recomposed himself and remembered Kasumi. So he ran as fast as he could and into the door way of the burning hut. He saw her sitting there in the middle of the floor. An enraged [Name] then walked up to her and yelled.

[Name]: DIDN'T I TELL YOU—

He stopped once he saw a severed male head lying in front of her. The male body was strung out on the floor and a woman's nude body was also strung out and was heavily mutilated. He then instantly got a pit in his stomach as he was overcome with dread.

[Name]: I'm sorry. But we can't stay.

He said as he picked her up over his shoulder and ran out of the collapsing hut. The hut then completely fell apart as soon as he ran out.

A minute later. A shell-shocked Kasumi rode on the back of [Name]'s horse. [Name] of course rode the horse and headed away from the destroyed village and to the Empire. Where [Name] lives and where Kasumi will live too.

A Few Days Later

In the execution arena 20 deceased bodies had stood crucified wearing nothing but hardened and darkened skin. Being completely nude; they only wore the decay of death.

Imperial Palace – Meeting Room

The sun had almost completed setting, as the last shades of light gleamed through the meeting room.

The Jaegers all sat in the meeting room. All of them waiting to briefed on the recent events.

Kurome sighed.

Wave: What's this meeting about?

Kurome: Don't be a dunderhead wave. It's about what happened to those rogue soldiers.

Wave: Well what's there to know. The General and her troops went and got them back.

Kurome: That's not all.

Wave: How many were killed and how many survived when the general attacked?

Kurome: She didn't really have to attack anything.

Wave: What?

His voice clearly evidently filled with disbelief, Bols raised his hand and excused himself.

Bols: Sorry for cutting in, but the reason why we're here is because the troops that defected from the empire were attacked and brutality before General Esdeath and her men even arrived. But all of them lived and were brought back.

Seryu: What's surprising is that these people were already injured. What or who took these guys out? Another army? Night Raid?

Kurome: Nightraid kills remember? Not a single life was lost on the traitors' side.

Wave: Well in that case, I'm totally lost. It couldn't have been that vigilante.

Seryu: That's who I think it is for sure.

Wave: Come on Seryu.

Then everyone quickly sat properly and stopped talking. They heard heels clacking against the floor as their field commander and general Esdeath entered the room.

Esdeath: At ease Jaegers.

Wave: General Esdeath! Permission to ask a question?

Esdeath: Go ahead.

Wave: What do you think happened out there? Do you honestly believe it's that new vigilante' guy?

Esdeath placed her hands on the table and shut her eyes. She smiled and stated.

Esdeath: I'm for certain it was him/her.

Wave: But—But. You mean to tell me that someone of that caliber was able to defeat 20 of your finest men without an imperial arms?

Esdeath: As strange as it may seem, you'd be correct. Danger beasts, nor Nightraid as daring as they are. Would be willing to step on imperial grounds, assault defecting troops, and risk exposure by letting them all live.

She stopped smiling and placed a hand on her own chin for thought.

Esdeath: Their skill level in hand to hand combat must be unparalleled to that of an average human being. This is a little enthralling to say the least. It really is a shame, the village that got massacred was filled with awfully nice people.

Bols raised his hand.

Esdeath: Speak Bols, you're always welcomed.

Bols: Thank you general. . . But. . .What does this mean now?

Esdeath: Well this means one of three cases may be a reality.

She then puts a finger up for each claim.

Esdeath: One, The empire may have gained a new protector. Two, Nightraid might've gained a new enemy, and three either way you spin it; the Jaegers have a new person to hunt down. Preferably alive, keep that in mind if you do come across them. Dismissed.

Everyone then got up and filled out of the room murmuring to one another. As Esdeath stood in the room alone. She thought to herself.

Esdeath: Who knows, there might be a fourth case to consider.

Her pale face gained a pink blush to it for a few moments.

Esdeath: I'm getting ahead of myself. . . This spot is reserved for another.