Madness and Torment: Brunaulf and Beatrix's Past (3/4)

Brunaulf POV:

A 12-year-old Beatrix sat in the lotus position as she meditated. Dead bodies were scattered around the new Underground member who had recently gained access to Ki. The black sash was replaced with a thick eyepatch that hid more than just her right eye.

Beatrix opened her eye slowly. Her thin lips spread into a wide smile as she gazed down at her work. She suddenly winced, quickly placing her hand over the eyepatch while dropping to her knees. Her breathing became erratic as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

"Ha... Haha... Don't worry... Don't worry..."

She mumbled to herself while caressing the eyepatch.

"Mum... Dad..."

The blood drained away from her face, leaving it ghastly white. Beatrix gripped her chest while the strength left her body as she flopped to the ground, passing out from the mental overload.

Her eye flashed open hours later. She slumped her back against the cold stone wall and let out a sigh. Beatrix pulled out a black card that had two silver stars embedded in it, proving that she had a lot more worth than her current strength implied.

"!"

Her gaze shifted to the door that opened as a man wearing luxurious clothes stepped inside. He clicked his fingers, summoning henchmen that moved the corpses out of sight. One of the men brought in a golden chair, dusted off the seat and bowed towards the man before leaving.

His fist rested against his cheek as he took a seat on the expensive chair. His foot laying flat on his knee while he smirked at Beatrix.

"You look as stunning as the day I first saw you."

Beatrix glared at him but didn't say anything.

"Good job by the way, I never liked those guys. Here's your payment."

He flicked his finger, and a small pouch of gold tied neatly crashed against Beatrix's face, bloodying the side of her mouth.

"..."

The man left his seat and crouched down. He grabbed her by the cheeks, examining her eyes closely. Beatrix smacked his hand away as the man signalled for the men hidden in the shadows to not move.

"That aggressiveness... Oh how I wish to tame you. You don't need to be a part of the Underground, be mine instead. Whatever it is you're so desperately seeking, I will find it for you. You will gain money, prestige and power. What more is there to life than that?"

He stretched out his hand towards Beatrix. She stared at it for a long time before spitting the blood that had accumulated in her mouth on the floor.

She got up and walked past his outstretched hand without saying a word. Once she reached the door, Beatrix glanced back at the man.

"You are nothing more than just a client. Do not forget that."

She slammed the door shut as the man roared with laughter.

The scene changed.

Beatrix stood over a cliff; the air around her was incomparable to before. Her body had developed drastically, and she looked significantly older. Her curly hair reached down to her waist while the attire she wore emphasized her femininity.

She pulled down on the cap covering her head as her lips curved upwards. Her eye bulged as a tremendous amount of Ki erupted out of her, tearing apart the trees in the vicinity while flames scorched the earth.

"Fear not. I will kill everyone responsible for your deaths."

Beatrix placed her hand over a small rose eyepatch while the scene panned into the sky. A stream of red blood dyed the path leading up to the mountain cliff. I saw hundreds and hundreds of dead bodies floating within the bloody river.

"M-Milady...T-This is too much..."

The scene zoomed in again as Nana cried out to Beatrix. Tears swelled in the corner of her eyes as Beatrix glared at her.

"Too much? Was it too much when they decided to blow up the city I lived in? Was it too much when they took my parents away from me? Answer me, Nana."

Nana bit her lip and cast her eyes down to the ground. She gripped her shaking arm tightly.

"I'm not telling you to give up on your revenge... But doing things like this... How does that make you any different from them?..."

Beatrix's eye shook. She clenched her teeth while quickly stroking the rose eyepatch, mumbling inaudible words to herself. I felt the conflict within her and the confusion that came with handling that pain.

"Enough."

Her mind became frighteningly calm in an instant. Beatrix gazed down at her hands before looking ahead at the beautiful scenery.

The two of them stood silently for a few minutes as only the sounds of nature could be heard.

"Let us return, Nana. We have much work to do."

"...Yes, Milady."

***

Beatrix POV:

After the second target was beheaded, Brunaulf would rush to a nearby alleyway and vomit profusely. His body convulsed as he gripped his arms. His fingernails pierced into his flesh while he rocked side to side under the night sky.

The third target, the fourth target, all the way to the tenth target; his reaction once everybody left was the same. The boss changed the tools Brunaulf used for each target, making the boy get his hands dirtier and dirtier. He made the killings longer, showing Brunaulf how to get the most out of the experience.

I watched Brunaulf dash into the alleyway again, vomiting out the contents of his stomach. His breathing abnormal as his fist smashed against the stone-cold wall. He shifted his gaze up towards the sky; the madness in his eyes beginning to stir.

'Brunaulf...'

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him. I knew it was just his memories, but seeing how he became so broken—it hurt. He walked through me and headed back inside.

The scene changed.

"Congratulations!~ Your performance continues to get better and better! Today, you'll be able to visit your sister for a few hours. See for yourself how she's doing."

The boss poked Brunaulf in the chest as he walked away with a bounce in his step. Suited men escorted Brunaulf through the network of alleyways till they arrived at an estate.

He ascended the floors in silence. They reached the second highest floor of the building, where four suited men stood on guard outside of an apartment. Their heads dipped once they saw their colleagues approaching.

"Three hours."

The men tapped his shoulder lightly as he opened the door and stepped inside. The room was bright, and a sweet scent drifted through the air. Flower pots graced the ledge of the window, adding colour to the dull surroundings.

A young girl twiddled her thumbs while looking outside. Her dark green hair reached her waist. She spun around instantly once she heard the door close, and her eyes widened.

"B-Brother...?!"

She lept off the stool and dove straight into Brunaulf's wide-open arms. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, refusing to let him go as she cried tears of joy mixed with the bittersweet truth of their reality.

"...You look well. Nothing has happened to you, right?"

He peeled her face away from his chest and examined her closely. His eyes swept over her body, making sure no harm had come to her during his absence.

The tension in Brunaulf's chest eased slightly once he confirmed the boss had indeed kept his word.

"Nothing... When I go out they watch me closely... T-They... Buy food for me... And anything else I might need..."

She looked away while biting her trembling lip. Her eyebrows curved upwards as they quivered.

"Brother... What are they doing to you... That I can live like this..."

A sharp pain stabbed through Brunaulf's heart as his breathing accelerated. He forced a smile while stroking her head lightly.

"Does it matter? You're alright. That's the most important thing."

Brunaulf unclasped her hands tightly locked around his back and pointed to the flowers that had begun to bloom.

"Tell me about those flowers. How did you manage to grow them here?"

She smiled bitterly at her brother's attempt to change the topic. I watched her run to the front of the small room as they both sat down and talked for hours.

"Time's up."

Brunaulf got to his feet and placed his hand on her cheek. He forced another smile before turning around.

"Stay safe. I'll be back soon."

He left the room, not waiting for her response as the suited men escorted him back to their base.

"Well? Did I lie? That's VIP treatment right there! And guess what? You deserve it!~ So... Get back to hunting."

The boss slapped a piece of paper against Brunaulf's chest as he walked by.

"This target may be a little difficult, but you can still skip, right?~"

He smirked as the suited men left Brunaulf alone in the warehouse room.

"Heh... Hehe..."

Brunaulf chuckled to himself lightly before pulling the dark hood deep over his face. I felt an uncontrollable rage swimming within him as he gnashed his teeth together.

"Power..."

The scene faded as Brunaulf disappeared down an alley.

His descent had truly begun.

Scene after scene flashed before my eyes as I watched Brunaulf descend further down into the spiral of madness. 20th target, 50th target, 100th target... I saw him torture and humiliate the targets before severing their heads from their bodies.

"More..."

He had stumbled across Ki and had practised daily, forming his own Ki Center within a year. The boss continued to sing praises for Brunaulf as the protection his sister received only increased further and further.

"Brother... Lately, you've been looking worse and worse..."

She placed her hand on his cheek that was covered in plasters. His lifeless eyes gazed at the ledge that had been devoured by the flower's growth.

"...To survive here, you need power. Power is everything in this world."

She furrowed her eyebrows and placed her forehead against his.

"Stop it... Stop talking like that..."

A single tear rolled out of Brunaulf's left eye as he clenched his teeth. He rubbed his sister's shoulder gently before moving away.

"Wait a little longer. This will soon be over."

I watched her hands clasp together tightly, trying her best not to shake as she saw Brunaulf off.

"You're out early today, you still have plenty of time."

The suited men dipped their heads as Brunaulf put his hands in the hooded cloak. His lips curved upwards while he relished in the feeling of standing above these men.

They once took turns beating him till he couldn't lift a finger, yet now they hung their heads low when he passed by. He concluded that power was key—with power no one would ever get in his way again.

"Heh... Give me the next target."

"Right away, Master Brunaulf."

One year later, Brunaulf's growth exploded. He reached upper Nagi in the blink of an eye. He got up from the cold floor and smiled.

"Kehehe~"

His eyes turned into half-crescent moons as the sides of his mouth rose even higher. He splayed his hand, creating a torrent of wind that rocked the building and exploded the doors to the warehouse.

The suited men rushed down in a panic, under the assumption that they were being attacked. The large warehouse was flooded instantly, only separating to make way for when the boss himself arrived.

"Who attacked you, Brunaulf?"

Brunaulf's body trembled slightly. An inaudible sound escaped his lips, but it gradually grew louder.

"Kehehehe~ Welcome, Welcome~ I'm glad you could all join me today for this very special announcement I'd like to make~"

The boss cocked his head to the side as a thin smile spread across his face.

"What's the meaning of this?"

Brunaulf snickered. He turned to face the boss, revealing his bloodshot eyes full of such madness that the suited men standing around flinched.

"Meaning? What was the first thing you asked of me right here?~"

The boss shifted his gaze to the blood-stained chair before looking back at Brunaulf. His lips curved upwards, followed by his eyes as he released his Ki.

"Say Brunaulf, have you ever killed someone before?"

Brunaulf's smile reached the bottom of his eyes while his Ki erupted explosively. He directly broke through to Uso as he confronted the boss.

"Kehehe~ I'm looking at them right now."

The two charged at each other, cackling away as they traded blows.

The scene faded.

Brunaulf kicked open the door to the apartment and strolled in. He was covered in blood from head to toe.

"B-Brother...!! W-Who..? A-Are you hurt...?"

His sister looked at him with a mixture of dread, concern and confusion. The blood didn't seem to be his because it wasn't.

"Kehehe~ It's finally done. Let's witness the end together."

He pulled out a head from a brown bag and placed it on the table. She recoiled backwards, vomiting on the floor as she gasped for breath.

Brunaulf's smile vanished. He peered down at her, displeased with her reaction.

"Get up and watch carefully."

She struggled to get to her feet; her legs like jelly as she stumbled all over the place. The head that was placed on the table was none other than the boss. His eyes still curved upwards with a wide smile even after his death.

"Brother... I'm scared..."

She shivered, and Brunaulf clicked his tongue in annoyance. He raised his fist and squashed the head flat into the table like a cake that had been dropped upside down. Blood and brain matter splattered across the room as Brunaulf's eyes lit up.

"Do you see? This is power!"

He smashed his fist down on the table again and again while cackling away. His sister watched on in fear, unable to move a muscle as the extent of damage done to Brunaulf went far beyond what she could ever imagine.

"I've decided to join the Organization. We're moving. Pack your things and get ready."

"...Brother... I don't like this..."

He cocked his head to the side and glared at her.

"Remember this well, my little sister. Never question me, and never get in my way. Do as your told."

She shrieked and quickly turned around, packing whatever wasn't stained by blood in a hurry. Sweat dripped down her neck while her hairs stood on edge.

"Kehehe~"

Brunaulf giggled to himself as he smashed the table even further. I watched his sister glance at the vines that had entangled the flowers, choking them of their life.

She turned around and didn't look back.