NOVEL NEXT X70: Blood-red Gold
Eliza sat idle. Eyes glanced across the room towards the pale-faced Obadiah… Something was very wrong, the gunfire in the distance was loud… but ceased.
If push comes to shove, they might kill her… Her crimson eyes glanced down to a remote on the table. Steel crashes echoed through the office… Something was barging close, but unable to get by.
Eliza took a deep breath and rose to her feet, trying to lunge across the table. The guards instantly stopped her, but not before Eliza was able to snatch the remote, hiding it and clicking the button. In a matter of seconds, the banging stopped – and the visceral cuts of blood and flesh reverberated down the hall – straight towards them.
"FUCK!" he shouted, standing up. He frantically snatched his pistol and aimed its muzzle at Eliza. He primed the receiver, with a plasma link formed between the firing mechanism and the magazine. Huh?
"No… You can't kill me, they'll kill you if you do!" Eliza shrieked.
Obadiah grunted. "You're not the first innocent woman I've butchered!" He seemed adamant about keeping Eliza in front of him, even as Eliza felt his hands quivering. "That damn fool of a Marquis and Senator were right! And you walked into this mess!"
Eliza's mind raced with thoughts as she stared down the muzzle of the gun. Her body refused to move. And then, all gunfire around them ceased… "Dammit… Dammit, please, just… Let me go, please… I'll negotiate, just…"
It was a bold fib. Eliza was spurting anything to get Obadiah to move the gun away from her. Eliza had, obviously, no intention of negotiating for Obadiah.
Help was coming right?!
Eliza quickly turned towards the door. No sounds or movements. Kazuki... Is he really coming? Eliza looked down at Cyrus' corpse... Before any contemplative thoughts could enter her mind, she felt steel press against her head.
Obadiah had slinked beside her, ripping her up from her seat.
"GUARDS, PROTECT me!" he shouted. "Fuck! Fuck! It's over for all of you, and me… Contract-Breaker! You hear me?! Enter and she dies!"
Silence permeated…
"Do you hear me, boy! You little Prince!" Obadiah bellowed at the door.
Yet again, silence permeated.
The guards aimed at the door, as they all prepared for what was most definitely coming. The lights in the office started to flicker on and off, to the tune of distant explosions.
"No..." Eliza muttered to herself. Eliza was being used as a meatshield! Would… Kazuki even bothered to save her?
After all, after everything, Kazuki's main objective has been the investigation… Eliza knew that it could persist without her, but that thought alone made Eliza buckle.
What lay in front of her was nothing but the product of her own foolishness…
The thoughts of her own demise were reminded to her constantly by the gun pressed against her head. Eliza looked down at the floor, seeing the sickly trail of blood that leaked from Cyrus, faded into the carpet.
Obadiah tightened his grip on Eliza as another explosion was heard, placing her in front of him - directly in the light of sight for the door.
Muffled footsteps… It was getting closer! Was… Is it Kazuki?! Or Lady Antiar?! It has to be someone… just anyone… Archius, Chloé, Yuki, Noah, Nihara, Lilly, Quinn - just anyone! Eliza's heart jolted up as the guards were all shaking. Fear capsized her heart.
She heard the faintest of noises outside. This single noise panicked all. Obadiah pressed and dug the muzzle of the gun deeper into Eliza's skin… She could feel the cold steel, but a moment away from death.
She started to hyperventilate, but tried to keep her breathing intact… Slowly, it subsided - but Obadiah was different. He was whimpering... Not a word was uttered in the room. She had to do something! Eliza slowly pulled herself together, clenching her hands.
This will not be where she falls! She can't fall... She can't die. But if that door opens, she dies… If she moves, she dies.
Eliza had to move, she had to fight and gamble…
A memory flickered into Eliza's vision: praying to the Goddess. To save her from death during the P-1 Incident, to save her from Matt Oria-Tessie's thugs, to save her… now?
But… Eliza knew her faith in that was faulty, Kazuki said it himself over a year ago. She was reminded of sitting, covered in tears, the dead thugs littering the bedroom.
Kazuki stared at her.
'Why did you make me do this?' the memory asked.
Eliza muttered back, "Because… you always have my back, right?"
It was obvious. And the memory flickered away just as the fragmented face nodded.
That was what Kazuki said back then… But here? Would he come? Now?
Of course, he would. Eliza knows Kazuki is a man of his word, but… he lies to her. Always seems to be lies with him. Lies made up almost everything of what Eliza knew of her friends. Archius was an intelligence specialist, and Kazuki was a mercenary.
So, Eliza thought, why would he come to save her now?
Then, a thought coalesced in her mind. He has never faltered in protecting her - why?
Liz could hear something knock up against the blast door. She had to believe… No: she had to know that Kazuki was coming. If so… Eliza needed to give him the perfect opportunity…
Eliza lifted one of her heels up.
Obadiah grunted, peering down for just a moment. Just then, Eliza pressed down her shoe. She stamped on Obadiah's foot... Twisting around, she narrowly ducked under a bolt...
Agh! A ringing sound gnawed into Eliza's senses. She couldn't hear anything. Obadiah grunted in pain but tried to aim again. Then, she flung herself against Obadiah, grappling.
She saw the muzzle again as Obadiah raised it against her, his desperate face filled with fear.
She saw a reflection in his eyes. Her face wore the same fears... That of death. Eliza continued to struggle! Struggle, dammit! Eliza was slowly losing her strength and grip. Obadiah was slowly pulling the pistol down, aiming at Eliza.
Eliza grunted with adrenaline-heated blood, pushing the muzzle away as bolts blasted into the walls behind her – burning away at Eliza's ears with each gunshot.
"SIR?!" One of the guards looked over, as the guards quickly turned, aiming their guns at Eliza. "Permission to open FIRE?!"
"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE FUCKING DOOR!" Obadiah bellowed orders at them. "She's mine, don't you ever think of pulling the damn trigger! And you, Contract-Breaker, I swear I'll fucking kill her if you enter!"
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The struggle continued, as Obadiah was slowly gaining the advantage. "You damn Contract-Breaker's whore… I'll send your daddy a good message," Obadiah sneered.
Eliza kept pushing her arms, but even at her best - Obadiah was taller. He was larger, with more mass to press down against Eliza's smaller figure. Her eyes glistened at the lowering muzzle.
For a brief moment, Eliza was able to see down the muzzle, seeing the dark empty abyss – and the thin visage of a bullet… aimed directly at her!
Obadiah slowly tightened his grip, allowing Eliza's face to shiver in defeat. Obadiah chuckled slightly, before he lightly shoved the muzzle forward, aiming for Eliza's left eye and—
—the blast door crashed on its hinges.
Bang! Eliza's mind was whistled away by a thousand loud noises.
Bolts withered amongst the smoke. Eliza thought herself dead, only to see a burst of blood in front of her, a plasma-throwing knife had slashed Obadiah's hand completely off!
Relief echoed in Eliza's mind as Obadiah's hand was completely severed, the pistol dropping.
"Kaz?" Eliza murmured, slowly turning towards the door. For a moment half-second, Eliza saw the glowing, permeating heat of the Champion's Sword through the smog.
Before even noting what had happened, Eliza saw a blur. And then, as if by force of nature, all the guards were crippled. Eliza watched as their arms and legs were gashed, blood spurting out as they all collapsed – grunting and groaning.
Screams and shouts were quickly silenced into pained groans and grunts. Only then did Obadiah fall to the ground/ Eliza stood idle, and a sense of relief poured down onto her…
Obadiah immediately scrambled away, crawling.
The figure Eliza saw slowed down. She could see it! It was a suited man... Wearing a vest-plate. He turned to her, and Eliza's worries melted away.
Kazuki Izumi Geminorum-Ryzaku stood before her. He was slightly bleeding... Their face was hidden by a respirator; steam and smoke left his lips and nape. In one hand was Lady Antiar's Champion Sword… Kazuki had won.
His hand was shaking for all to see. His body swayed from left to right. Kazuki didn't seem all there… What was probably the conjunction of Kazuki's overclock and mind had created this…
"Kaz?" Eliza muttered one word. Kazuki remained silent, taking another step forward. Eliza knew she shouldn't… what good was she?!
Still, Eliza closed her eyes, gritting her teeth as she slowly unsealed Kazuki's gas mask. Eliza dropped the gas mask at the grizzly sight.
Kazuki's face was covered in bruises and cuts. Blood dripped down from his forehead. Gashes were along his cheeks and nose. Still, the Contract Breaker was alive; though the spark in his golden eyes had a mundane core.
Eliza was beholden to something that she helped… create… A steam-covered demon, marching to the drums of death - yet also smiling at her. It was both eerie and comforting.
Upon further inspection, Eliza noticed that his face was adorned with scars that sat beside his eyes, fragmentation scratches... All sense of stress within Kazuki seemed to have disappeared, whilst Eliza slowly started to take in what had just happened…
Adrenaline was wearing off, and she looked around… Dying people, dead people… Obadiah was crawling on the floor with one hand.
Eliza found herself losing control of her body. She collapsed, catching herself on the table as she took a deep moment to breathe.
"Safe..." Kazuki uttered one word. 'Objective Secured. Moving to secondary concern.'
He turned away from her, back to the guards. He walked up to each one and executed them. Unlike the regular methods Eliza would have expected, a simple bolt to the head, Kazuki instead stomped on their necks. The guards squealed and reeled in agony before their lives were snuffed out.
Eliza was witness to this horrific scene… Even as she knew they deserved this more than anything, Eliza couldn't help but hold some level of empathy for them – forced into this mess by Obadiah…
Her stomach churned at the sound of death, so close to her… Before, Eliza had been able to distract herself… But this was too close, the smell of iron and death clung to her nose… And she closed her eyes - holding it all in as last scoffs and coughs were silenced.
Eliza tugged at Kazuki's sleeves, stopping his movements. Kazuki glanced at her, enraged at what Obadiah had done.
Yet Eliza's face was pale, her eyes staring into the lifeless, golden husks. "Kazuki, are you…?" Eliza was going to ask a question, but found herself unable to – just how does she even approach him?
After everything that happened, Kazuki paused, as he gently flicked her hand off him. Eliza flinched slightly from the force, causing Kazuki's eyes to gleam away.
"Stop," Kazuki demanded. "I'll… do you… justice."
Justice… Eliza frowned. "Kaz?" she asked. Kazuki gently nudged her out of the way, this time ensuring not to hurt her…
Obadiah was the only one left. For a brief moment, Eliza saw rage burning in Kazuki's soulless golden eyes.
The man's stump had already been cauterised from the heat, but not before he bled a pool, as he kept crawling backwards.
Eliza squealed and looked away when Kazuki threw him across the room, slamming into the window. Eliza slithered down to the floor, her rose-red eyes only caught mere glimpses of what Kazuki was doing to him…
"Where's your little prince now?" Kazuki scoffed, as Eliza heard several gunshots.
Eliza expected that Obadiah would be dead, but as Eliza glanced back, meekly, she saw that Kaz had kneecapped him.
"You're a stain on everything that brooch is supposed to uphold. Honour. Merit. Self-Reliance."
The crooked old fool croaked in agony, as Kazuki leant down.
"All your money, all your wealth and you lose to a cripple little Prince," Kazuki snarled. "All your influence. You lost to a crippled little Prince. All your friends are in low and high places. And you lost. To a crippled little Prince."
Despite Kazuki's relatively short stature, he seemed to grow by a whole ruler when he glared at Obadiah, as Eliza continued to watch – both in horror and shock.
However, most definitively of all: she wanted to avoid the piles of dead bodies coating the sides of the room. Eliza could briefly see one in her peripheral vision: their eyes still open, but diluted, dead, lifeless, with their neck twisted in a way that made Eliza shiver.
"My conquests and victories paved my pockets with blood and gold… Your poultry wins won you a bullet."
The Arbiter of the AGENCY ripped off Obadiah's brooch. Eliza then watched as Kazuki continued the torment. He tore off many accolades and colourful decorations adorning his formal tunic and aristocratic cloak. Kazuki felt his lips curl in delight at the sight of this justice.
"Kazuki?" Is this what Kazuki really is? Wait: of course! Eliza realised in horror that who Kazuki was was of knowledge to her, what he is… was left undesirable in her mind.
Kazuki Izumi Geminorum-Ryzaku was a mercenary warlord.
And Eliza quickly realised that they did not relent.
The man was crying, begging. "Please, please, PLEASE!" Obadiah's voice broke and cracked. "pLEASE! I'll do anything!"
"Then die!" Kazuki slowly raised the Champion's Sword. Eliza dared not think of what lay in Kazuki's mind as Kazuki closed his eyes.
A voice broke the grunts and silence. "Kazuki! You have done enough!" A heavily accented voice beckoned Kazuki. Eliza turned to the voice. The Marquis Fer-Charelota! "Good Prince, heed my words."
He gave both Kazuki and Eliza some quick glances. He looked down at the floor, stepping around puddles of blood soaking into the carpet.
Sighing, the Marquis rushed to Eliza's side, grabbing onto both her arms with his own. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Eliza slowly nodded her head, closing her eyes and focusing on breathing. Focus... Focus on breathing, she thought. "I'm… fine…" she choked out. "I just need… I'm… tired."
More footsteps sounded in the hallway outside, as Eliza placed her hands up to her face. The Marquis bolted towards Kazuki.
A second person entered the room, giving Eliza a pat on the back. "Hey, we weren't late, were we?" It was Archius.
"No…" Eliza replied. "I think?"
Archius looked towards the dead bodies in the room, and his eyes caught Cyrus' carcass, lying by the side of the room. "Shame," he said. "I preferred him to the others."
"How can you be so calm?!" Eliza groaned as she fell to her knees, grabbing onto the table, whilst avoiding the ponds of blood seeping across the Jugurthinian-woollen carpet. "I did this…" she said.
"In due time, you'll forget," Archius coldly replied. "We always forget. Except him." Archius' eyes turned to Kazuki, being spoken to by the Marquis of all people.
"How?"
Archius sighed. "Time. We're young, Liz, at least I'd like to think we're young. We have time on our hands. A lot of time, I don't care if you caused this – because there'll always be a bigger perpetrator."
"What?" Eliza looked up into Archius' dark emerald green eyes.
"You're just one small part in this mess, a single piece used by one side of the Board. Of course, you'll worry and worry and worry because it's what you do, so just let it all bleed away, and we'll move on from this, alright?"
She was so close to death… She's alive?! Following Archius' advice, Eliza slowly allowed her heart and soul to quiver. Her eyes started to water, as the Marquis provided her with a handkerchief.
Eliza wiped the tears away… but it did not stop a torrent from starting.