Corruption of the World [2]

"So, what is it's name?" I looked at Scarlet who was controlling{driving} the dragon, "His name is phoenix of course, it's a common name for dragons." she looked down bellow and continued.

"Come to think of it, people below us doesn't seem to notice us or something, why is that?" I tilt my head and Scarlet sighed hard as if she's annoyed, she released her hands from the dragon's rope, "Scarlet, the dragon!" I pointed at phoenix and she just keeps approaching me, "W-wait, sorry all right?! Just don't kill me...", she was silent and kept getting closer and closer to me.

(S-she's too close!!!) we were too close that we could here each other breathe, "Don't ask anymore questions or you'll be dead here." she threatened me like a tiger talking to it's prey, "Y-yes ma'am...." I was trembling from fear, she walked backwards and sighed

"It's okay, I won't kill you, since it's Hollow's orders." she turned back and continued to control phoenix. "Sorry, I wasn't able to defeat George and his army" I looked down below, and laid out a big sigh

"People can't see us from below because we're too high up from the ground." Scarlet suddenly spoke, I looked at her and she was acting normal, I smiled out of relief, if I get into someone's nerves then there's no way I'll be able to save everyone from hatred to one another.

{Flashback:

"Why do you want to join US-- the deathbringers?" Hollow slammed his sword to the ground making a loud thud, "I want to save everyone from evil people, even if my work would all be dirty, I'll do it for the sake of everyone!" I bowed to show them that I'm begging

"A kid like you, is never appropriate to join organizations like this, so, how did you know that this is the deathbringer's hideout?!" Hollow shouted as he was pissed off, "Back then I met a suspicious yet kind man, he showed me to his secret base, and even welcomed me there, and I noticed your organization badge and address." I bowed once again.

"I won't force you to not join but, if you win against someone from our turf, then you're fully welcomed, Adam." Hollow smiled and chuckled, "Sir, who would he be fighting against." a man from his back spoke

"Of course, it would be ME!" Hollow stood up and took out his mask, then threw his long coat on the ground, he cracked his fingers and beckon over me.

"Shall we start, Adam?" Hollow smiled and pulled his arms away from his chest, and released the arms by punching the air, without me getting hit, the air starts clashing towards me. (Such strong wind from only his punch....)

I got blown slightly away from Hollow, <I don't sense any soul energy from his fist, which means, the gust of wind was natural because of how strong he blew his punch> Shade explained into my head.

(Tch, I should start countering his attacks...) I stepped on my side, hopping side and side to get closer to him but not straight forward, I continued using the strategy so that Hollow will lose his sight on me, and then, he did. I clasped both of my hands to cast the water spell.

(If I used the fire element, it would damage their hideout.....)

My clasped hands pointed towards Hollow from behind, "Poseidon's wrath!" by my command, water came out of nowhere and washed up most of the members away, but as I looked at Hollow, he was just standing there.

I added more and more water to push him away without hurting him, but I wasn't able to succeed, instead, my soul energy is drained, I can't move my body anymore.....

*Pant pant pant*

My breath was heavier than usual and my body is trembling and aching, without any effort coming within my soul energy my body can't move, (Why is this happening Shade?) I asked him inside my thoughts and he replied, <You're drained of soul energy, without even a tiny bit of it, your body will be left unconscious>

"Ah...I'm...done for..." I stumbled down towards the ground and all I see was black.

*drip*

I opened my eyes and everything around me was black, I looked below and nothing was there, (Am I dead?)

"Ah, that's right, five years ago, I've also visited the soul society; then that means…..my body's unconscious?"

How am I able to go back? How am I going to do it? Shade isn't here, I don't know what to do without him, I mustn't think about that! For now, I need to find a way to go back towards my body--!

"HUH? A light?"—

"Oi. Wake up kid." As I opened my eyes, I was there laying on the bed, and with Hollow and his comrades behind him.

"What happened?" I sat up and looked at him, "You messed up really hard, Adam…" he stood up and puts his hands in his pockets, and smiled, "Just kidding…..Welcome to the deathbringers, Adam Grey." He raised his hand to shake mine.

End of flashback…}

Wind came in towards me, I could hear the woosh of it, "Seems like George and Hollow are fighting against each other, I held my head up high, "What do you mean?" Scarlet asked

"Ehhh, I thought no one should ask any questions?" I chuckled and smirked at Scarlet, she snapped and glared at me, "What'd you say???" I could feel immense anger around her.

"Urk! I-it's just a joke, Scarlet, don't take it seriously.." I walked backwards to avoid violence from her, "OI! Both of you, Hollow called….." Astro interrupted and sat on the plank, "What did he say?" I asked

"I used my telepathy skill in order to hear him afar, and he said: I won't be seeing you all for a while, well, excuse me. That's what he said." Astro looked at us, "What's with atmosphere, Scarlet, do you want to kill somebody, like now?" he asked

"Why?" she asked back, "Well, we got some work to do remember?" he stood up and took a piece of paper from his back, "We are going to assassinate the head master of Gakuen group: Brendan Dolm." I widened my eyes from what I've heard.

"Did you say 'Dolm'?" I asked, Astro nodded and spoke, "Yeah, he is George's brother." Hearing those words felt hatred in my heart, I gripped my chest as the pain when I saw my family came back.

"When will we do that?" Scarlet interrupted, "We'll start the operation on the next two days." Astro nodded, Scarlet sighed and went back on driving the dragon, "Say, Astro....you and Scarlet seems like you're close." I drifted back at Astro abd he scratched his neck.

"Oh that, hehe, you see me and Scarlet wer--" just as he was about to finish, Scarlet threw a knife at him, but it seems like she purposely missed Astro so that she can't kill him, "I knew it...." Astro chuckled

"Say one more word about me and you're finished." Scarlet cracks her fingers, both of us sat down quietly and nodded, Scarlet sighed then walked away.

(Come to think of it, I have seen every members of deathbringer's faces except Scarlet's)

I stood up and looked down below the city, "I can't believe that I ran away from everything, I have never been able to save Hollow back when George pushed him to the ground." I sighed and stretched my arms.

"It's almost night time, I'll go get dinner ready." Astro told Scarlet and she nods, the dragon went low towards the ocean and Astro went down to dive, "We're going to eat fish?" I looked at Scarlet and she nods.

She was quiet as if she was worried about something, "Scarlet, how and why did you join the organization?" I yawned and looked at her, "How about you? Why would a twelve years old boy who is a valedictorian would join us? she asked back

"I want to know everything that's connected to the life of a certain someone" I crossed my arms and put my chin towards the fence, "I see." Scarlet replied, "Hey, you haven't answered my question." I looked at her.

"It's unnecessary to ask each other stupid questions." she replied, "What?! I am just curious, why would you say that?" I jolted and stood up straight to look at her, "Curious huh, I've never felt anything before except anger and rage." as she spoke I looked at her calmly, and sighed.

"I see, thank you." I closed my eyes and smiled, "For what?" she stretched her back and looked down towards the ocean, "For telling me the reason even though you doesn't seem to open up to others." I shrugged.

"Doesn't matter anymore since you were curious." she went towards the chair and sat, I was always curious about her, where she lived, who're her parents, and I like how long her brown hair is, it's the same as my little sister.

As I was thinking about Ellie, Astro came out of the surface of the ocean, "Puah. I caught a big one." he handed me the huge tuna, and I put the dead fish aside, then I pulled Astro back on the boat, "Ah. Astro....how did you manage to wear your mask underwater?" I pointed at him.

"Oh. That's true....I don't know either." he held his mask and laughed, I smiled back and helped him cook the fish, as we all sat down facing the campfire waiting for the food to be fully cooked, Scarlet suddenly asked, "Shadow, if your mask has been covering both of your eyes, how can you see us?"

"Eh? Ah, well it was designed the same as the man who I met, it has two holes that you can let you see, on the outer surface of my mask it is designed to be more hidden so you can't see were I was looking." I took off my mask and handed it to her.

"Here, you can see it yourself." she just sat there and spoke, "I won't, I already understood so no need to make me wear it." she crossed her arms and sighed.

(Uh. I was so close on seeing her face.) I sighed and put on my mask

I looked back at Astro and he was smiling, "I didn't know you had such beautiful hair and eyes." he took a piece of the tuna and put it on my plate, "We met when I first joined remember?" I raised my brow.

"Yeah well, the lights were on that day, and this time it was dark and the campfire is the only light source, then you're bright blue eyes shone." he was smiling and ate peacefully, "You're weird." I sat back.

We ate our dinner, and went to sleep. As we already turned off the campfire, the stars on the sky lit up, I looked at everyone and they were fast asleep except Scarlet as she was driving the dragon, I smiled and stood behind her.

"When are you going to sleep?" I asked her, "I don't sleep." she replied in a hurry, "I see, well you should try to get some rest." I smiled and she shrugged, "I can't do that, Hollow instructed me to guard and look after the members here." she continued, "Well, I won't sleep either." I sat beside her and put my jaw on my hand.

"You mustn't, we need you tomorrow so don't even try." she said calmly, "Man, fine." I stood up and stretched my arms, I could tell that she was relieved, "But….can you do me a favor?" I looked at her, then she nodded.

"Can you take of your mask?" I smiled, then she was quiet, "No." she finally spoke, "Eh? Why?" I asked, "Just NO, if you don't want to sleep, I won't force you to." She turned back and sighed.

I scratched my neck and smiled, "Okay, I'll sleep, so don't stress yourself." I smiled and went to bed, I closed my eyes and finally slept.

The next day, I woke up with Astro beside me snoring out loud that I could hardly sleep last night, I sat up and looked around me, (They're still asleep?) I sighed and stood up. I went to the cabin where Scarlet is driving the dragon.

She was still there fulfilling her duties, "You still haven't slept?" I looked at her and yawned, she looked back at me and spoke, "You're awake earlier than I thought…." She stood up and went to the table to make coffee, "Of course, I wake up early every day." I put my hands on my waist.

"I see." She spoke and handed me a hot coffee, "I figured you'd wake up early to check on me though." She sipped her coffee and looks at me, "Why is there something wrong with that?" I asked as I felt some annoyance aura from her.

"Nothing really, I was just assuming." She blew her hot coffee and took a sip, "So, did something happen last night? Did Hollow came back?" I asked her and she was oddly quiet, "No, he didn't come back for the whole nine hours." She put her cup on the table and headed back to the chair.

"Shadow, you need to concentrate to your mission on assassinating Brendan Dolm." She looked at me and tilted her head, "I will, but why do sound like you aren't coming with us to assassinate him?" I stepped forward, "I need to find Hollow." She clenched her fist.

"I need to find him, or I'll be….." she stopped, "What's wrong?" I stepped forward once more, "Nothing, don't mind it." She cleared her throat and drove the dragon, "I see, if you ever need help someday, call out my name." I looked down below, and I heard her laughed just a bit, "Pfft. Ehem. I don't need anyone's help." She looked at the sky.

"Well you might, sometimes even strong people needs help at something's you know." I smiled, she looked back at me and she nodded, "Fine." She tilted her head and looked back ahead.

I smiled and closed my eyes to enjoy the breeze, "Huh? Shadow….you're already awake?" I saw Astro from behind while wiping his eyes and scratching his neck, "Ah~ I am still sleepy." He yawned and makes some coffee.

"Shadow, have you seen the spoon holder?" he looked around with his eyes fifty percent closed and fidgets all around the table, "Um…Astro it's right there in front of you…" I pointed at it in front of him, "Oh. Thank you Shadow." He chuckled and took a spoon.

(Seriously, the deathbringers aren't something dangerous and all filthy, the members are all hilarious and idiots.)

"Well Astro…." I poked at him from behind and he looked back, "Hmmm?"

"Scarlet said that only the two of us are going to assassinate Brendan Dolm." I smiled and pointed at Scarlet, but Astro's reaction is way more surprising than mine though. "Whaat?! Why would you do that Scarlet?" he whimpered and knelt in front of Scarlet.

"Stop kneeling in front of me and at least listen to what I say!" Scarlet slapped Astron on the face and he stumbled down, "Someone needs to find Hollow before it's too late…." She sighed and puts her hands on her forehead.

"But…We need some power of the team you know?" he stood up and held his cheek where he was slapped, "I know, and Shadow can manage that." She crossed her arms and looked at me, "Really Shadow?? You'll do that for me?" he stepped forward near my face.

"Yeah I know." I scratched my neck and sighed, "We need to figure out a plan though." I looked back at Scarlet and she replied, "Tell Astro about that, he knows any strategy to use." She sat back and didn't mind our business

"So Astro, what's the plan?" I sat beside him and he was silent, (He really is serious when it comes to strategy and games.)

"I know!" he smiled and looked at me. "We could attack him broad daylight!" he face was beaming but I frowned, "Isn't it much simple and easy if we attack him at night?" I raised a brow, "That's what THEY also think, they already knew that if someone assassinates Brendan it would be at night so he recruited more guards to patrol at night."

"I already know that but wouldn't it be too much hassle if we attack at broad daylight?" I frowned, and he just laughed, "It's so much fun right? We could pinpoint whatever they're thinking?" he looked at me with an eerie smile on his face, I gulped.

"So what's the final strategy?" I raised my eyebrow, and he replied, "It depends on the situation, if they caught us red handed…let's annihilate all of them, and if we succeeded on going into Brendan's office then we are going to assassinate him without getting noticed or getting caught by his guards." He lifted his point finger and smiled.

"Let's get training.....Adam Grey." he smiled while looking at me.

Shiver goes down into my spine.

P.S.

< > - this symbol is Shade's thoughts/ sentences shown over the past few paragraphs

( ) - this symbol is the representation of Adam's thoughts

{ } - this is a symbol of flashback representation