Chapter 13: Humanity

Arata hovered beside the palace's balcony, his eyes narrowing at the plumes of smoke that rose in several districts of the capital. "Who would dare to attack the capital?! Do they not fear the emperor?!" Honest yelled angrily breaking the silence.

Heavy footsteps echoed across the room, the angered Chief commander inspecting the young emperor with a frown.

"I am glad you are here, Chief Commander," Arata uttered, nodding in respect.

Returning his greeting, Budo gazed out the window, his blue eyes hardening at the chaos before him, "Were you able to observe the cause, Arata-sama?"

Arata shut his eyes, inhaling deeply and going still. Sighing, scales formed from the edge of both eyes to the top of his cheeks, his cerulean irises darkening and his pupils stretched out, becoming slit, the tip of his ears growing small pointed edges. He stared at the capital, turning back to give his reply, "Though I am not entirely sure, I believe the assailants are by the northern and northeastern regions of the capital and another set," another blast shook the capital as Arata pointed west, "is there. Am I correct, R-Terra-san?" Roland held his gaze, silently nodding in confirmation."

"So, this is the plan, your majesty, you and the prime minister are to return to a safe space in the palace."

"Understood," the young emperor replied, his fear evident in his green eyes.

"Chief commander, I leave their safety to you."

"it is already my duty Arata-sama. But as much as I wish to crush the ones who dared to do this, I trust that you young'uns would handle it well."

Arata smiled coyly, his gaze malicious, "Of course, Chief commander." Turning to Roland, he stated, "The palace and immediate surroundings, can I ask you to handle them?"

"As you wish, Arata-sama."

Another explosion midair, sent powerful shockwaves about as the two blue hairs stared it down, "General, it would seem that some of the Yeagers have engaged the assailants, so I ask this of you."

Esdeath glimpsed at him straight-faced, "What is it?"

"Please take a few soldiers and have them secure the affected areas before you regroup with the Yeagers." Esdeath remained silent as she climbed the window frame. Leaping off, she replied, "Very well." Watching briefly, he shot into the air, speeding to the location of another midair attack.

Wave leapt through the dust, throwing an armored kick, his imperial arm; Grand chariot, protecting him from the blast that tossed him into a nearby building. He shook his head, looking over his unscathed armor, a dull throb stemming from the back of his neck. Glancing around the house, his eyes widened at the woman and four children who huddled together, shivering in fear.

One of the children ran to him disregarding who Wave assumed was her mother's screaming. "Kid, go back to your mom now ok. I'll take care of that bad lady okay?" Wave hastily prodded the little girl to her mother.

"Run! Don't let her near here!!" Wave yelled, sprinting out of the house.

"Oh, so there's an audience♥," a playful feminine voice sang, a red flash parting the smoke.

The projectile hit him square in the chest, the blast leveling the building completely. Wave stood with a grunt, looking back to spot blood spreading from beneath a cluster of rocks, a dismembered arm, one he recognized as the little girl's own spurted out blood from the stump as he accidentally leaned on it.

At that point something snapped in Wave's mind, his pained scream startling Run, "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!" Run glanced from the enraged Wave to their opponent, finally getting a good look at her as his imperial arms; Mastema, flapped behind him, keeping him airborne.

She had lilac hair tied in a low ponytail, with the tips curling and extending far past her shoulders. Her irises were a bright purple but her pupils were an ominous crimson. She was someone that could be considered beautiful, from her euphonious voice to her shapely body, she was eye candy, that was if one was willing to ignore that her pleasant laughter was at Wave's anger and the death of an innocent family, that and the thorny black bow and blood red arrows she drew that sent shivers down Run's spine.

"Uh…are you mad at Ellie-chan?" she asked in a melodic tune enraging Wave further.

"Wave! Wait!" He yelled and charged, Run's warning falling on deaf ears. 

"Ellie-chan will give you a special gift so, show her a good time 'kay?" she winked and nocked her arrow, releasing her bow draw soon after, a crimson arrow whizzing through the air at Wave.

That's so like him! "Trump card: Kami no hane!" Run's feathered wings took an ethereal appearance forming a shield before him as he flew between Wave and the arrow.

Sparks flew as the arrow spun, pushing against the ethereal barrier.

"Hm, you should accept your gift with open hands, shouldn't you? Pierce through," "Ellie" sang, the arrow glinting and tearing through the barrier and the duo's shoulders. The two fell into the rubble of the home with the family they had failed to protect, Wave freezing as he inspected the hole on his armor, flinching when he tried to touch it.

Not only could my trump card not deflect it, but it also pierced through Grand chariot?! Run moved cautiously to the stunned Wave, his gaze still on the archer.

"Those wings were supposed to reflect Ellie's attack, right?" she asked, tapping her cheek curiously, "Well, it doesn't matter. Run now, you little bugs, and give Ellie here more to smile about♥," she giggled, nocking three arrows and drawing the string.

"Move!" Run yelled and grabbed Wave, flying off as arrows raced after them, occasionally blowing up any structure in their path. The feathers! He spun around, his white wings spreading as multiple feathers fired off at the arrows, creating a chain of explosions and clouds of smoke. "Snap out of it Wave! We have to get her away from the civ-"

"No, no, Ellie-chan will take care of boy blue here," she gently but swiftly held onto Wave's arm, throwing a high kick and hauling Run into a stampede. He groaned, rising as his jaw clenched at the sight of deep red spots on his formerly pure white wings, a few entrails falling off them.

Closing his eyes briefly, in respect of the dead, Run hopped to his feet, deactivating Mastema and turning to the frightened crowd, "Everyone of you, stay close and don't rush, I promise you that none of you will be harmed."

"Just like my wife you just murdered?!!" the crowd parted for a crying man who stared down Run, "how the hell can we trust you?!!"

Run scanned the mass, noting the doubt and fear they shared. Activating his imperial arms, the large white wings curled and obliterated a large piece of rubble above them, "The only thing I can say is that none of you before me will get harmed." Just hold on Wave.

"Ellie" twirled and threw Wave through a story building, a groan escaping him as the wound on his shoulder ached horribly. Timing it as she rushed at him, he planted a firm kick on her stomach knocking her back and sprinting to hide in an alleyway, inspecting his injury. "Ellie" patted the dust off her outfit, her usual cheery smile replaced with a mock hurt expression, "And here Ellie-chan thought that coming closer would show the bug her affection, but if he prefers her as an archer," she lifted her bow in the air, a dark red mist surrounding it as she pulled on the string, "an archer is what he would get." Letting go, a distance of about five hundred meters was blotted out by black, several twinkles appearing amid the darkness as arrows rained down, raising clouds of dust by the destruction of every building in the vicinity.

Wave stood slowly, shrugging off the arrows that were on his back, a dull throb the remainder of their contact. This set didn't pierce through my armor. He sighed, staring at the child he shielded at the last moment, his heart dropped as he looked up, a sea of dead bodies surrounding him after the attack.

"Wave!!" Run's yell alerted Grand chariot's wielder of his presence, a single positive thought surfacing amidst the despair that clouded his mind. "Run to that uncle there, alright?" the boy nodded, scared, running to the blonde Yeager and the group he had used his trump card to protect.

Dust parted as an arrow sped through, Wave's gauntlet deflecting them. "You'll pay you piece 'a shit!" he ran at her, his arms shooting up to repel the approaching arrows. Sliding, he darted aside, kicking up the remainder of a wall and jumping at it. Using the debris as a foothold in midair, he shot forward, throwing a punch that knocked "Ellie" back into the wreckage. Flipping back and hopping playfully, "Ellie" sighed, "Ellie-chan has no idea why some bugs are so mean." Pouting, she drew her string and aimed at the sky once more, a denser mist surrounding the thorny bow.

Shit! I have to protect them. "Trump card: Kami no hane," violent coughs shook Run's body, blood dripping from his nose as his wings became partly ethereal. That's understandable, I've used it twice in a row. He clutched his chest and yelled, Mastema's trump card fully activating as blood dripped down his nose and lips, his eyes reddening. I can't change the empire if I can't keep my word, now can I?

Bright white branches of lightning flashed across the sky, fiery red explosions sending tremors across the capital. A blade sparked in front of "Ellie's" eye, vanishing almost immediately as an arrow landed harmlessly beside the child Wave previously protected. A powerful gust of wind cleared the dust, Arata's white trench coat flapping behind him, "Thank you Wave-san, Run-san, you can rest now," he stated quietly, clenching his scythe in his right hand, the occasional streak of lightning running through.

"You are quite smart, archer," Arata took off his trench coat and blazer, placing them in Wave's arms, "you attacked the child because you were unable to defend yourself at the time."

"Ding ding, correct♥," "Ellie" winked cutely and made a finger gun at Arata.

Sagging his tie and folding up the sleeves of his white shirt, Arata tugged his waistcoat, keeping it in place, "You do irritate me, but before I kill you, I have a question," his deep blue irises widening, his slit pupils reflecting his malice. "Why do I sense the aura of a beast beyond that of the world-class danger beast from you?"

AS EXPECTED OF MY HOST. YOU ARE RIGHT, HUMAN. THAT NASTY SMELL IS THAT OF ARMAGEDDON, HOW A HUMAN CAME TO WIELD A FRACTION OF ITS POWER, BAFFLES ME.

Smiling coyly, "Ellie" crossed her arms, "Ellie won't tell!"

"It is Armageddon, is it not?"

Wave and Run turned to the two, shocked and afraid.

"Who knows?" she stuck out her tongue, playfully.

"Your name is Ellie, correct?"

"Yes, Arata-chan♪." He paused, glaring at her. So she knows.

"I do hope you last long enough to tell me what I need to know." Two horns protruded from the back of his head, twirling and curving, their pointed tips facing themselves before his forehead in a crown-like manner, their silver scales reflecting in the midday sunlight. Blue and white lightning ran from the scythe up his arm, an azure aura coming off like steam.

"Oh, Arata-chan is so cute when he's serious, but-" Ellie's hand shot up, her bow clashing with Arata's scythe, the force throwing her back.

"That blow was supposed to take your mouth, ah," Arata leaned back as he hovered in place, his widened eyes narrowing, "you would not be able to speak then."

"Arata-chan you meanie," she pouted, nocking an arrow and drawing her bow, a crimson mist floating around it.

                  …

Haruma slid back, spinning his spear in his hand and striking a crystal pillar, frowning at the small crack that formed. Hopping back and side-stepping, he evaded two pillars that sprouted from the ground, neatly dodging the projectiles that fired off them. "How long will you continue to keep your distance, Order of the Abyss," Haruma commented, nonchalantly fending off another barrage of crystalline pellets with his spear. She sealed the dome from beneath to protect her from the spikes, smart.

"I have you where I need you," Kanae smirked, crystal dust floating around Haruma. Clasping her hands, the dust stuck together, dropping and encasing him, forcing him to kneel. His eyes widened as an outer layer shrunk slowly, spinning at an outstanding speed.

Got you- Immense pain was felt in her trunk, Kanae's expression morphing from one of satisfaction to surprise. She reluctantly looked down, her eyes widening further as she stared at the large black spike protruding from her stomach, blood dripping off it. Another jutted out from between her ribs, a scream escaping her lips as she dropped to the ground on her side, her body shaking violently. Kanae shivered when a slimmer thorn emerged from the area just below her ribs, blood spilling out her mouth, another intense cough shaking her body.

"Trump card: Inpeirā no noroi," Haruma muttered, dusting off the crystals shards as he rose, "your internals are no different from any other person, shrine maiden."

Tatsumi's eyes slowly opened as he came to, surprised at the quiet except for a faint husky voice, He tried to stand, a migraine objecting to his movement. His confusion became anger and pain as he observed the scene before him, Akame's bloody face and unmoving form and the shivering Kanae who had numerous spikes sticking out of her, a pool of blood forming by her body.

NO! NO!! NO!!! Rising to Haruma's surprise, he stabbed the ground with the very sword that grants him Incursio's ability, ignoring his undone transformation. "INCURSIOOO!!!" He cried out, a larger form of his armor rising from behind him.

Ho? Haruma's eyes brightened in amusement.

Your body is still alive, isn't it, Incursio? Tatsumi gripped his blade's hilt tightly, the ache in his head refusing to cease. I don't care how agonizing it'll be. He glared at Haruma, his eyes burning with resolve and rage. Give me all the strength you can. I will not let anyone else die because of me!!

The armor leaned forward, another pair of eyes appearing above its original pair, cross-slit pupils present in all four of them. The mouth guard opened, revealing a set of razor-sharp teeth and claws that grew from its hands. It opened its palms on either side of Tatsumi, growling deeply as a wave of air swirled around him, the ground cracking and breaking from the energy released.

"Very interesting, Incursio," Haruma chuckled, turning away from Kanae to stare down Tatsumi.

His armor slimmed down, taking an aerodynamic form and having two longer horns, two eyes formed on both sides of his head with cross-slit pupils, similar to Tyrant, the danger beast that Incursio was created from. Hooked claws formed on his fingers and toes along with his cape being replaced by two black tassels with fuzzed ends dangling off them, He clasped a black halberd with two large blades at both sides tightly, his cross slit pupils holding Haruma's intrigued gaze.

"So you evolved?"

The ground caved in as Tatsumi closed the distance immediately, Haruma frowning and hopping back, avoiding the sudden attack. He sprinted ahead, clashing with Tatsumi, Haruma's spear's barbed tip fending off the blades on his halberd. He's certainly faster but…

They slid back, Haruma flicking his wrist, the spikes jutting out of the ground. Parts of his armor opened up as razor-sharp teeth emerged, clutching the tips of the spines tightly, preventing them from stabbing Tatsumi. Grabbing ahold of one, Tatsumi yanked the spike out of the ground and threw it at Haruma, dashing after it.

Evading the thorn and running at him, Haruma discarded his spear, obstructing Tatsumi's downward swing with his left palm, slamming his hand into his midriff.

"That was the attack you used on Nii-san, right?" Tatsumi stomped hard, Haruma flipping back to narrowly avoid his swing that came right after.

Looking from his palm to Incursio, noting the absence of the razor-sharp teeth, Haruma contemplated, "Incursio, it's adapting, isn't it?"

Tatsumi flinched at his accurate assumption, assuming a stance with his halberd held firmly. "Firstly, the fact that you were the first to react after Hono Hijiri's fall, secondly, the spines that your armor bit and thirdly," Haruma pointed at him, "the fact that you are still standing after receiving the Hono's art that ignores defense. But I wonder."

Tatsumi rushed at him, swinging at Haruma who skillfully sidestepped, the force tearing apart the ground in the swing's path. Inpeirā no noro. He stumbled forward to find a spike between a set of teeth on his armor.

It stopped it?! Could Incursio be fusing with the boy? Haruma's broadened eyes, narrowed as he looked at his spasming palm. I don't seem to have much time left. "Seems I'll have to brute force my way through," crystal-coated knuckles smashed into Incursio's face, knocking him back.

He's still that fast?! Damn it! He ran at Haruma, his eyes widening slightly as Akame silently rushed in from his rear, her hand on her blade's hilt. The two swung at him, Tatsumi throwing a punch at his face while Akame spun to a squat, swinging at his legs.

Hopping sideways, Haruma evaded both of their attacks, rushing at Akame and grabbing the back of her shirt and tossing her at Kanae's dome. Twirling midair, Akame landed gracefully, keeling forward as numerous slim thorns jutted out of her right foot.

"Akame!" Huh? He's disappear- A heavy blow to Tatsumi's side, knocked him airborne. Jumping after him, Haruma landed an uppercut, tossing him higher. Landing and leaping once more, Haruma threw a kick on Tatsumi's midriff, sending him crashing into the ground.

Gems rained down, Haruma flipping back to avoid them, "You've still not had enough, Order of the Abyss?" Kanae gritted her teeth, yanking out another spine from her body, blood spilling out right after.

"The Order has such wonderful tenacity, here you are, losing all that blood but you're still conscious. You really are monsters," Haruma simpered.

Quartz points shot out of the ground, Haruma jumping with a spin, the attacks crashing into each other. "Imitating me, are we?" he tilted his head considering, "I know I said killing you Orders would be troublesome but I am genuinely curious about what aboutuld happen if one of you died."

"Trump card: Inpeirā no noro," he flicked his finger down, a spike protruding from the middle of Kanae's chest, her expression that of surprise as she crumpled on the ground, her breath slowing.

"KANAE!!"

"Shut up," Haruma dropped, his foot stomping down hard on the middle of Tatsumi's back. "You would be fast enough to go against the Esdeath that had battled Hono Hijiri as it seems Incursio has partially fused with you, but," he raised his foot, tramping down once more on Tatsumi's back, a crunching sound and his scream bringing a smile to the silver head's face.

YOU DONE THINKING IT THROUGH?

Longest sentence you've said without cursing.

FOR SOMEONE WHOSE SQUAD IS PROBABLY DEAD, YOU'RE ODDLY CALM.

It's definitely not cause I trust em or anything.

FUCK IT. I'LL GIVE YOU THE POWER YOU NEED AND I WON'T CONSUME SHIT, JUST KICK THAT RETARD'S ASS.

There it is. But there's a catch isn't there?

HAH?

The powers won't last long if you don't consume something.

NO SHIT. KICK HIS ASS IN 10 MINUTES OR I'LL DO IT MYSELF AND KILL THOSE USELESS ASSASSIN SHITS AS WELL.

…ten minutes' enough.

Haruma's fist collided with the ground, his smugness giving way to surprise at Tatsumi's absence. Looking up, he sneered at the shattered cocoon that imprisoned Hijiri, "So you've done it, Hono Hijiri."