Chapter 110 - 108

POV: Asher

Never thought Seiji could be so clingy, insisting on other plans even though we both knew this is the best and most efficient way to getting rid of that snake, and fundamental it is that, right one, we get rid of these two threats before their strength grows stronger.

I can only tense up as I phantom the future it holds for human kind if we fail today, ghouls roaming about in broad daylight while having a unique hive mind that would prompt them all to fight together in tune, such a thing that the humans could never master.

Because one thing is for certain, until this point the Snake had been only testing the grounds, experimenting, learning about her powers, about the reach of her control, and about battles and warfair. 

And if her first attempt already resulted in the loss of a city… then even the Citadel would be doomed with her everlasting growing forces.

I did not tell Seiji, of course, but I was willing to give up our lives if that meant getting rid of this threat, not that I was going out looking for danger, of course, but as every mission I've gone to, completing this one in special is of the utmost importance, so much so to dimmer the value of my own life.

I'm just ready to die if needed, that's all.

I've being always ready to die… they made me that way.

But is funny, I think as I find a good spot on the woods, not far but not too close to the cave, and make a cut along my left arm, enough to smear the cloth with my blood and smell, but not deep enough to render my arm useless, doing everything automatically as I think about the future, something that I'm not used to do at all.

Life has always been so obscure to me that it has always been hard to say how the current day would end, much less if I would see another day, so even though I somehow got this empty title of Captain there is no security in my line of work, and is quite the achievement of mine, or rather stubbornness, for being alive this far even with everything working against that. 

So I was surprised that, amidst the chaotic situation, alone with one of the most dangerous missions I've ever had, without backup, without much to go on, that I choose that moment of all to think about the future.

After the help of that crazy bastard Sean we would never be able to live as before, and if we go back to town, any town under the Citadel command, we would be treated as criminals, so even if we won today, even if we saved the city, in the end our lives as before had ended.

And still, even after seen the fruits of my hard work from the last years go to waste just like that, I did not feel as bad as one should, or rather, I knew that that did not mean as much as it should for me, because in the end I've only been treated as a puppet meat shield, what kind of loyalty could I have to such a place like that?

I knew from the beginning, knew now that, in the end, nothing had really changed for I've always worked for the people, for those who fought to survive one more day, just like me.

Citadel or not, Captain or not, it does not matter if I can defend these walls one last time.

Only that… only that, even if nothing to look for in the future, even if the task at hand seemed to be too much for us few to handle, I still had this strange strength burning inside me, a strong will, stronger than ever before, that prompted me forward.

The will to live.

But I guess is his flame too, mixing up with my own, burning stronger than ever.

And I knew at that moment.

That we are going to win.

That we are going to survive, and no matter how bitter the future is we will live, together, to see another day.

And we will crush these ghouls to a pulp, but not only because I had to, nor for the simple safety of it but because I had something to look forward to.

And that is, a life at this strange kind yet rash creature's side.

A life by his side… is an unexpected future as ever, but strangely thrilling this time around.

It is an odd feeling, but is enough to feed the flames inside.

Even though those thoughts keep playing in my mind as I move away from the bait and further into the jungle, somehow towards Seiji direction, I still notice when our plan works for suddenly I'm not alone anymore and two skinny yet fast paced ghouls dash in the forest towards the cloth, clearly aiming for a wounded prey and disregarding their own movements and boldly prompting themselves towards apparent easy prey.

That reminds me of someone who did the exact same thing back in the day, almost truly having an easy prey for dinner at the end of the day… how much has he changed now uhm… But not in regards to this, I think with a chuckle, still impulsive as ever. 

Is with a small smile from a single chuckle surging from my memories that I pull the gun out and aim at the upcoming threat as the ghouls finally stop to sniff the air and find the fresh source close to them.

The loud bangs resonate even more against the once quiet woods, setting the dark night ablaze, watering the plants with the ghoul's insides. 

After that the smile is gone, replaced by the cold piercing glint emanating from my sharp eyes as even the weather seems to turn a little bit colder in face of such piercing gaze.

For I'm just about to get serious with them, and end this little game once and for all.