Unfair World (1)

"You wait here."

"…!"

The girl scowled. Hope pulled back from the door and stared off absentmindedly again as he thought of a plan. Huh. He was getting too used to eliminating humans. Was he adjusting to this city's mindset faster than normal?

Well. Situations did demand it.

Hope started to recall some historical mentions from his officers that armies were used for overseas wars. Whatever grudge the Quadrants had in the past, it wasn't worth dwindling the numbers. 

For the past couple of decades, their lives were against the monsters. 

For the most part.

And…

'For the glory of humanity.'

'For the glory of humanity!'

'For the glory of humanity…' His mother's memory voice breathed last. 

"…"

Hope dismissed the voices as he went over the rough plan forming in his mind. 

"Hey." The girl hissed under her breath. 

Hope side-glanced at her. The light seeping through the door's crack cut across her face like the slit of dawn. 

"What are you doing?" She asked.

'Mmm...' Hope held back a sigh before answering.

"My job."

"Umm...ok…But you can't expect me to stay back—"

"You do just that."

The girl's eyes turned moist and began fueling with anger. She cautiously spoke soft but it was apparent she was about to lose it.

"What? You seriously expect me to just sit back and watch–"

"Yes."

The girl froze.

"Watch."

At that moment, the girl's eyes slightly clouded over.

She lowered her head and didn't speak again.

Hope looked away. It was uncomfortable staring at her for too long. And…he didn't want to think about 'why' on it. But also, Hope didn't know how exactly sensitive his Flaw was. He silently cursed that the Spell didn't provide a much more descriptive rule about it. 

Hope's hand gripped tighter on the pipe.

Nine vs one. Interesting odds huh…

'Well that didn't stop me before. But…'

Hope took a deep breath.

And then…

'Fucking hell.'

…Hope leaned back against the door.

***

"And you cut the fellow just for that?" 

The conversation continued. 

"Fucking shitheads. I'd cut a little squint if it weren't for that–"

Kwiiik!

A whistle went through the air.

Before any of them could distinguish the source of sound, a man stiffened completely as he was mid-drinking.

A blade pierced through his eye. Slowly, his body teetered back.

Then collapsed.

"Holy shit!"

"What hap—"

Fwwssh!

Another ghostly breeze brushed in as the door creaked open.

A loud bone snap as pipe and head made contact—blood splattered out. As the next guy standing by turned his head to look, his neck snapped immediately the other way.

Thud!

Two bodies dropped at Hope's feet.

All six other men scrambled back.

"The fuck!"

"Who are you?!"

Hope spun the pipe in his hand as he nonchalantly looked up. 

[You have slain a dormant human.]

[You have slain a dormant human.]

[You have slain a dormant human.]

"…"

No Sleeper yet huh…

Hope raised his pipe at the men.

"I suppose I'll find out for myself which is not a Sleeper…"

He then pointed at the Fat Guy.

"…and which is."

One of the men's eyebrows shriveled in anger. "What fucking fool do y—"

Hope raised his foot.

The men's eyes widened.

"Shut up."

Kwang!

Hope kicked the barrel, and fire spilled out.

The men shrieked.

"Put out the fire!"

"Shit! Don't let it spread–"

"Get him!"

A few of them started to summon their weapons—the shimmering lights flashing out of their hands. Although none looked threatening, there was definitely more than three Sleepers Hope was up against. 

But they lived in the gutter for most of their lives.

And Hope had his share.

But that just meant he knew how to play unfair as well.

"Come on!"

Hope's eyes snapped to the figure. 

One man stepped forward, but Hope was already moving before the man's foot hit the ground.

Hope's arm whipped around till the hard edge of the pipe struck the man's neck. Bone crunched and the body dropped, his head twisted at an unnatural angle.

[You have slain Drea-]

!!!

At that moment, Hope's wounds rippled pain from his actions.

But with another movement catching his eye, the pain and his memories' voices diminished. 

"Damn you!"

Step.

Hope swayed aside as another man slayed with his sword. The blow was wild, a sight of power wielded by a man driven by emotion. 

Swsh!

But the reverse stroke flashed towards Hope's head. 

Hope dropped and the blade striked air. Immediately, Hope kicked and scythed the man's legs out from under him.

Before delivering a killing blow, Hope reached and suddenly grabbed the embers from the barrel's flames. Without stopping, he turned to his left and shoved it at a charging man's face. 

"Mmmph!"

Hope still had his gloves, but the familiar feeling of heat burning through fabric, then flesh, tingled his memories as the man's face brimmed a scorching red.

Slam!

The next second, Hope slammed his head to the ground till the head split open.

[You have slain Dreamer—]

!!!

Kuok!

A kick speedily found Hope's chest and threw him back.

Hope dropped the pipe. 

Trash crumpled underneath him as he rolled across the floor. The damn person's foot hit square where the Fallen's claws were marked. 

And that speed was a little faster than normal.

Hope coughed and struggled to breath for a few seconds.

But a few seconds was all it took.

"Argh!" 

The man swung the pipe Hope dropped and barely missed Hope's ribs. He swung again, and again.

A Sleeper with speed…That might have served a problem before. Or maybe more specifically for someone else lacking in skill.

But after fighting up against that masked Awakened and the damn Fallen Creature?

Grab!

This didn't matter as much.

To the man's surprise, Hope caught the pipe on the rebound with both hands. And with a quick jerk, Hope rammed the pipe's into the man's throat. The damn hunter choked, gagging as his knees buckled.

Before he could recover, Hope ripped the pipe from the man's hands and swung, bringing it down like a hammer on the back of the man's skull.

Clatter. Clatter.

The pipe broke.

Hope's breathing became a little faster, the air sawing out past his mouth.

He tossed the pipe aside and staggered slightly forward. 

[You have slain Dr–]

Bsscch.

Sparks swirled in his hand and the [Ashen Shield] was summoned.

'Two more.'

Technically there were three. 

But Fat Guy would get a pass for now because of his Aspect.

***

The girl watched in shock. 

The first three men dropped to the ground. And the soldier stood over them. The firelight in front so that his back was a sinister silhouette.

Watch, was what he said…

But he moved so quick that she couldn't quite see what he was doing.

'Watch...'

There was a tumble of shadow.

Watch...

A grunt.

Watch...

Then the silent screams of pain.

She thought there was light in his eyes. That they caught the firelight and reflected it back, as bright as a humming blue hour.

And then he threw the pipe aside.

She heard it ring and roll in front of her. 

She could reach out and touch it if she wanted to…But she could not move.

But it was as though the pipe was covered in fresh black paint, glistening in the light.

This was what she wanted wasn't it?

Yes…yes it was.

But what could one do after bringing in a greater monster to defeat other monsters?

The gun felt heavy in her hands.

She was going to help…

But what was the point?

***

Hope yanked a man's arm forward and brought his broken shield up in a swift arc.

CracK!

The edge met the man's elbow with a sickening crunch.

The impact reverberated through Hope's arm, but he held firm. His eyes cold and unblinking as the man screamed for one second.

Slam!

Then shut the next.

[You have slain Dre–]

'Aspect of…thicker skin?' Hope looked over. 'Or something.'

Hope paused as he felt the essence absorbed. His core brimmed with a chilling satisfaction as he walked over to the second to last man crawling away.

The fire had dimmed after their first attempts of putting it out.

Hope's set of Dreamer eyes did not mean he had night vision. But if he compared it to his mundane human days, it was an improvement.

How was this man's set of eyes now?

"Huuuu…" Hope let out a deep sigh. 

Blood trickled in the air. His. Not just these hunters.

The wounds reopened and were tugging on his movements with each second.

How annoying.

Stomp!

"Ack?!"

Hope hammered his heel down into the man's sternum. A strangled cry was barely let out. But the ribs had cracked, and its splintered ends were driven into his heart.

[You have slain a Dreamer…]

Huh. A useless aspect. Whatever it was, Hope didn't come across any inconvenience.

"…"

Hope flicked the red hat off of the guy.

'Well.' Hope looked away. 'Next target…'

"Sniffle! Sniffle!"

'Hmm.'

Hope stared at the Fat Guy that was on the floor.

Blistering series of slashed and burned marks marked his legs. Slowly they were healing but…

"P-please! Just kill me! P-pleasseee…sob…sob…"

Hope dismissed his shield and slowly walked forward.

"Why would I kill you?"

He bent slightly down and pulled the pocketknife from a man's face as if he were pulling a weed. Sweat gleamed on Fat Guy's face as he watched the muffled steps stalk forward in the dark with the dying embers behind. 

"Although…"

Hope placed his foot on the man's swollen belly.

"You are about 5 seconds away from becoming a memory if you don't do what I say."