Chapter 16 - A Way Out : Part 3

The human world was still the same as it was. There was no knowledge about the dark arrows- or what the demons called the cursed arrows. Only a few acknowledged the danger that lurked within the Livedam city.

Because humans lived in a lie. They lived behind the deception of peace. There were no physical wars, unlike a certain world. Instead, they went through mental wars of falsehood and truth.

The news would only show what they wanted to show. The higher-ups would only tell what they wanted to tell. That lead to Valerian, the person who knew too much yet he could not show nor tell.

And now, he was stuck with his sworn enemy while trying to stay alive just because he found the key to the mental wars that humans went through.

"Help me, you jerk. I'm not your damn servant." Valerian spat behind his mask as he fought with the guard who just would not give up.

A knife flew by Kiaran's head and the mercenary easily dogged it. A smirk displayed behind his mask as he watched the mess in front of him. He leaned on a wall with his hands crossed on his chest.

"Nah, it's interesting to see you suffer."

Valerian glared at the mercenary before he kicked the guard's head and shot the other guard's shoulder behind him. His blond hair went with the breeze as he ran to a wall and did a backflip. He landed on a guard and knocked him out cold.

The lieutenant's chest heaved up and down as he looked around, only to find guards laying on the ground. He brushed his hair that covered up half of his green eye, though the hair came down again after he took his hand off his face.

A clap rang in the room and Valerian found himself glaring at a certain annoying person who did that. "Nice show, police boy."

The lieutenant straightened his pose, despite his staggering breath for carrying the whole 'knocking out the guards' thing, he made his way to his sworn enemy and gripped the mercenary's collar, making the mocking blue eyes meet with the glaring green one.

"I bring you along not for you to watch me fight, mercenary." Valerian brought Kiaran even closer to his face. "I bring you along to help me save my brother." The lieutenant gritted his teeth and shoved the mercenary back, walking away from him.

The mercenary tilted his head and put his hand in his trench coat's pocket. "And I agree to help you by coming along," He darted, blue eyes glinted playfully while trying to keep up with Valerian's walking pace.

"I don't see the point that you're making here, police boy."

The lieutenant snapped his head towards the mercenary, a spark of annoyance built up within his sharp eyes. "You-"

"I bet you didn't notice the black roots mirror back in the room we got in the first time." Kiaran cut Valerian off.

The mercenary went and walked ahead, leaving the confused lieutenant. He turned around and faced Valerian, slowly walking backward as he explained more.

"And of course you didn't notice a voice calling your name too, though there was no one around other than the guards and us." He continued, hands still tucked in his pocket.

"I've been observing our surroundings and find a room with the same exact mirror that has my murderer's right shoe." He pulled out a white shoe from his trench coat and threw it to Valerian who scrambled to catch it.

The mercenary pointed in the direction of an underground prison in the building. "Which means that they already got out of the prison cell."

"But where did they go, you may ask?" He came closer to a room and put his hand on the door. Valerian nudged the door a little and it revealed a room with black roots mirror.

Two sixteen years old boys standing in front of them as the door finally wide opened. "The room with the black roots mirror. I'm finding a pattern here and I am right, as always."

Playful and triumphant blue eyes looked over the lieutenant, mocking him. When the same blue eyes diverted the gaze over to the mute murderer, a dangerous glaze bloomed in them.

"I believe you have some explaining to do," Kiaran spoke to his brother, his tone was so cold that it made Aster shiver even though the words weren't for him.

The lieutenant could not care less about the situation. He was so glad to see Aster alive and well. Valerian threw his body to his little brother and hugged him tightly, making the younger blond startled.

Aster was trying to hide his red face at his brother's doing. "You're being too clingy, Val. It's disgusting if I may add." He said that even though he returned the hug back.

"Shut up you gremlin child." Valerian tightened the hug and put his head on top of Aster. They stayed like that for a while, they were rarely in a good term with each other you see.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into my mess." The older brother uttered as he let go of the awkward hug they were having.

Valerian examined his little brother closely, he was taller now. When did he get that tall? He was so caught up with his work that he did not notice how Aster was getting bigger.

"You're right, I'm sorry for myself too. Do you know how much I suffer because of you? You should feel bad, really bad." Aster grinned at his older brother.

Valerian gave Aster a disappointed look. Though, his lips tugged upward a little at Aster's childish behavior. "Somehow, I'm not sorry anymore."

✵✵✵✵✵✵

Axel and Kiaran were already away from the brothers' sweet reunion. Even though it was actually Kiaran that dragged Axel away from the room.

Axel almost fell down because of how fast Kiaran was dragging him, stumbling as he tried to keep up. He grimaced at how tightly his brother gripped his wrist. They stopped when the mercenary made sure no one could hear them and let go of Axel's hand.

A cold slap suddenly hit across Axel's cheek.

Axel put a hand on his slapped cheek and struggled to look at his brother's glowering eyes. He could feel his cheek burning as his heart beating rapidly. "K-kiaran I was-"

Another slap was thrown onto his other cheek.

"First, who gives you permission to talk?" Kiaran snatched Axel's hand that was holding his cheek and gripped it.

Kiaran's blue eyes stared down at Axel's as the boy trembled. "Second, why did you come out of the house alone? Didn't I tell you to never leave unless it's school or a mission?"

Axel felt his breath caught in his throat. "I'm sorry, there's just- there was this weird thing happening in the house, then all of these happened and maybe it kinda makes sense because I keep hearing-"

Kiaran's grip on his wrist tightened, making Axel wince in pain. The hallway they were in was too quiet, only the sound of Axel's staggering breath was heard.

"Again, I didn't give you permission to talk." Kiaran's sharp words rang across the empty hallway.

Axel snapped his mouth shut, making his lips bled a little. He was cowering against his brother, sweats formed on his forehead as doing so. His hands trembled, eyes closed as he looked away, waiting for another slap.

Silence surrounded both of them for a while. Kiaran's hand stayed still on Axel's wrist as they danced with the hushed silence. Axel did not dare to open his eyes as he waited for Kiaran to do something.

Suddenly Kiaran let go of his brother's hand and sighed. Axel opened his eyes slowly only to find Kiaran looked so distressed and-

and sad?

Why would his brother be sad? Axel did not want that, he did not want his brother to be sad. Was it because of him? He did something bad again, didn't he? He just wanted his brother to be happy.

Kiaran smiled sweetly at Axel. "You know I just want to protect you, right?" He brushed Axel's black locks.

Axel nodded at his brother. He frowned a little when he saw Kiaran sigh wanly. "Now you're making me the bad guy here by slapping you." He muttered quietly.

The younger brother jolted at the statement, he frantically waved his hand, trying to tell 'no'. "It-it's my fault, I'm the one who didn't listen to you. I actually deserve that. You're- you're not the bad guy."

Kiaran's once glooming face suddenly turned into his usual self after hearing Axel's words. A wicked grin bloomed behind his black mask.

"I like it when you are being self-aware of the situation." He ruffled the younger's hair.

"Don't ever get out of the house and disobey me. You know it's for your own good, right?" The mercenary chimed in as he ruffled the inside of his trench coat.

"Yes, brother." Axel obeyed, fluffy hair fell down on his forehead as he lowered his head towards the mercenary.

"That's nice." He smiled at Axel one more time before offering him a white choker. "Use this voice changer for now."

Axel looked up at Kiaran with a quizzical look. "I'm allowed to talk?"

"Yes, just for this situation with the lieutenant." Kiaran opened his mouth to talk more but the sudden gunshot near them made him shut his mouth.

"Hey, Mr. mercenary?!" Aster ran towards the hallway, screaming. "My brother kinda needs your help, his shoulder got shot!" He shouted while running away from the guards that were chasing him with an axe in his left hand.

Kiaran's face turned into a playful glint at the news. He moved to the side, letting Aster move past him. He looked over Axel once again and nodded. Axel's face went hard as he nodded back.

The mercenary ignored the three guards in front of him as he ran towards them and bounced on the right wall over the guards' heads.

He flipped to the ground, ignoring the guards behind him. "Oh no, police boy! Are you dying without me?" His voice faded away as he disappeared into the corner, leaving Axel and Aster alone.

The three guards froze at the sudden scene. They contemplated whether to chase the mercenary or the two people in front of them.

Axel's eyes went dull as he watched the three guards in front of him. He brought the white choker to his neck and wore it. The choker made a click sound as his blue eyes kept staring at the three guards.

Aster who was standing behind Axel noticed the strangeness within the mute murderer. "Yo, murder boy, why so stiff?"

The mute murderer took out his crossbow and aimed it at the left wall. "Shut up and stay still." The sudden voice of Axel made Aster startled.

Aster gaped at the masked boy beside him. "Holy shit, you can talk!" Axel rolled his eyes at him and focused on the guards again.

Apparently, the guards decided to go after the two boys again, and before they reached them, Axel crouched to the ground and snatched Aster's remaining shoe away.

"No, no, no! Not my shoe again!" Aster complained while Axel threw the shoe in the air.

The mute murderer took out the sword in his left thigh with his right hand while still holding the crossbow on his left hand. He quickly sliced the shoe that still flew in the air into three pieces and kicked them all, making them fly into the three guards' eyes.

"What the hell?! Come on!" Aster upon seeing his shoes got sliced off exclaimed in disbelief.

While the guards were taken aback by the sudden attack, Axel shot his crossbows to the left wall, making an arrow of stairs. He jumped to the first arrow and bounced to the next arrow and the after too.

When he reached the end of the stairs of arrows, He flipped to the air and shot the three guards' left neck before landing. The guards fell down to the floor as Axel landed. Axel did not wait for Aster as he followed where Kiaran's went.

"Wait for me, murder boy! Hey!" Aster stumbled upon the guards' body as he tried to chase the mute murderer down.

When he finally caught up with Axel, he could feel his breath ragged. "What was that about? You seemed like a different person now." Aster commented.

"You're like trying to be someone else and be all obedient and shit even though you can actually talk now." He added as they walked side by side.

"You were more expressive earlier when we hadn't met the mercenary." The blond boy continued while putting away his axe and went with his bow again.

"Is it because of the mercenary so you have to be all professional and be like a robot because you're his murderer or whatever?" Aster asked and it did make Axel stop at his track.

Axel frowned at him. "No, I'm just-"

He was just being like a little brother should. He should always listen to his brother. Kiaran always cared about him and maybe went overprotective earlier. It was his own fault, though. He should have stayed at home.

The best Axel could do was obey and kill those Kiaran told him to. Kiaran said that's enough to pay him back since he was a little.

He was just paying his brother back for everything, for being there when father and Adreanna were not.

Aster didn't know the mercenary and him were brothers, maybe that's why he asked that. If he knew they were brothers, Aster would understand. Because a younger brother should obey the older one.

They arrived at the battlefield room, more than a dozen guards were already on the ground. Drops of blood were everywhere as Valerian and Kiaran danced around.

It was the same room they were in before with the same black roots mirror. Aster tried to shoot the guards with some arrows. He missed so many times, but at least he managed to shoot one or two guards.

Kiaran only dodged around, taking an opportunity to make a guard accidentally hurt the other guards. While the lieutenant shot around, making sure no one died because of his own hands. Though, he only used one hand because of his bleeding right shoulder.

Axel took out his crossbow and shot at the enemies in front of him. His eyes went sharp as he calculate the surrounding. He was always like this every time he was on a mission. A murder machine

Suddenly the building they were on shook violently. The walls were rumbling as everyone tried to stand still.

A guard yelled at the door, screaming to retreat. It seemed like the building went into a self-destruct. Aster went over to his brother and helped him. The lieutenant still tried to help the guards that were still alive to get out of the building despite the fact that they were fighting earlier.

Axel's eyes widened as he saw the black roots mirror that was about to crash to his brother. His vision turned white as if blinded by everything. Adrenaline rushed in his veins and his brain only screamed to save his brother.

The white vision in his eyes he was having suddenly turned black as he pushed Kiaran away and let the mirror crash onto him.