Location: Outside of the Federal Archives Building

Time: 2:31 PM, January 4th, 2108

“Male, you are not doing well. You will reconsider my offer, correct? If you give me what I want I shall preserve your life.”

There was no way I’d be able to do anything to Red and Enki in the condition I was in. Trying to fight anymore would just be a waste of energy. It was hard enough just staying upright, and I was even leaning against a tree.

“You know, for some reason I find myself rather loose-lipped at the moment. What did you want again?”

“You will tell me the location of the artifact I seek, correct? If you comply I won’t let the other humans end your life.”

“Ah, the artifact, of course. Which artifact exactly? There’s just so many of them floating around. I’d hate to point you in the wrong direction.”

“I seek all artifacts, but the one I came to this city to claim is the philosopher’s stone. I know it to be here.”

“Oh? That old thing. I remember seeing it picking up dust somewhere or other. It’s on the other side of town. Best not waste any more time with me.”

“I am not amused by jokes, male. You will tell me the real location, correct?”

“You saw through me, huh? I figured you’d be the kind of guy who’d be easy to trick.”

“Your attitude is doing you no favors, male. You will fix your personality, correct?”

“What’s that about? Trying to correct my attitude? You sound just like my parents. You’re going to bring a tear to my eye, seriously.”

Even I can admit my attitude was overly flippant for someone who should have been begging for his life, but that was my only option. Not because of pride or anything like that. If I thought it would’ve helped I’d have been making a desperate plea with tears in my eyes.

That kind of strategy wouldn’t have worked though. I couldn’t imagine Enki would be swayed by any kind of emotional request, and Red would almost certainly respond with hostility. Our short lived fight, if you could even call it that, made his inclinations known. The moment I started to beg he’d have gone full sadist mode. My best chance for survival was making it seem like I wasn’t worried.

“Enki, don’t bother with this guy. He doesn’t know anything, and even if he did, I doubt he’d talk.”

Red was wrong about one thing at least. If I knew anything about any artifacts I’d have sung like a canary.

“Very well. Do as you please.” Enki gave up on interrogating me without any resistance.

“Try not to struggle too much. I hate it when they die too fast.” A smile started to form on Red’s face.

“How frightening. I’m really not into this kind of play though.”

“Red! Red!”

Sara’s screaming voice was coming from behind me. She completely ignored me and intercepted an approaching Red.

“Red, Sara has to get out of here. Go, go go! Sara can’t keep fighting that lady. Look at what she did to Sara!”

Sara pointed to a small cut along her arm.

“See? See this travesty?”

If that paper cut was a travesty what did that make my condition?

“It’s her augmentation. Sara’s cyclops friend was right. Sara shouldn’t try fighting her in the rain. With all this water around she has an ability that will never miss. What is Sara supposed to do about that? Sara is done. Right? Right.”

“What about Gryphon? He’s still inside trying to hack the computer. If we leave without him and the information this whole thing will be pointless.” Despite his bloodlust, Red was still capable of thinking about the big picture.

“Sara doesn’t care. The ice lady went inside after Sara ran away. She’s probably already found Gryphon. Mission over.”

“No, I’ll finish this. And Enki, I’m willing to bet that other woman knows more about that thing you're looking for than this guy. She had the same kind of smell as me. She’s from a noble family. You don’t plan on leaving her alone, do you?”

“Correct, male. I plan on interrogating that female as well.”

“There you have it. We’re not leaving yet, Duchess.”

“Suit yourselves, but Sara is leaving. No reason for a pure maiden like Sara to die here. The protagonist can’t go down in the first act.”

Sara started running off toward the barricade. I was following her with my eyes, but at some point I lost track of her.

“Trouble in the workplace?”

Red didn’t look amused by my attempt at a joke. I knew I wasn’t the kind of person that should try telling one.

“We may have lost the Duchess, but that doesn’t change your position. Your partner hasn’t even come to your aid.”

She hadn’t. The Chief completely ignored the situation I was in. That gave me more hope than someone like Red could imagine.

“Now, let’s get back to where we left off.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

I put all my remaining energy into rapidly expanding as many barriers as possible, about five meters underground. The ground under Red and Enki shook mildly before collapsing inward.

While the two of them were being pulled down into the earth I started to run. I couldn't move very fast, but that was perfect. If I managed to put too much distance between us those two would have chased after me more actively. And if I just collapsed instantly they’d have quickly finished me off and went after the Chief. Following injured prey was different. I had to play my part perfectly.

Even after climbing out of my artificially constructed sinkhole they weren’t rushing. They knew I couldn’t get away.

But I wasn’t trying to get away. From the moment I walked inside the barricade my ideal plan hadn’t changed.

It didn’t take long for my legs to give out. I crawled forward until my arms gave as well. I forced myself to roll over onto my back.

There he was, with a face of amusement.

“I really love it when they try to run.”

“You know, Red, I feel like I’m starting to see your true colors.”

“Oh, this is just the beginning.”

Red reached down for me, but he never managed to grab me. A hand was holding his wrist, keeping him locked in place.

“Took you long enough.”

Even if I didn’t notice him show up, I knew who it was. The Chief was a lot of things, but she wasn’t the kind of person who’d leave me for dead. She must have received word that he’d finished his business and was on his way over.

Like I said, from the beginning my plan hadn’t changed. All I needed to do was stall for time until Vier showed up. I’m not the kind of person who wins climactic fights. I never was, and I never will be. I’ll gladly leave the starring position to someone else. Let me fade into the background.

“Who do you think you are? Touching-”

As Red spoke electricity arced down Vier’s arm and into his hand. As it reached Red, his entire arm, up the shoulder, exploded.

The fact that I was already covered in mud made it easier to overlook the fact that I was also covered in what used to be Red’s arm.

“Yo, Lec. Who’s this guy?”

Vier’s causal question was overshadowed by the screams coming from Red. He staggered backwards before looking in our direction. His face showed a hatred and passion that someone like me could never hope to replicate.

His screams slowly turned into something more akin to laughter.

“You think this will stop me? I’ve always seen my arm. I remember it well.”

A new arm appeared attached to Red’s body. If it wasn’t for the fact that his shirt was torn you wouldn’t have been able to notice anything was wrong.

“What’s with this guy? Is he part salamander or something? It’s a shame I’m not the type that likes to drag things out. I feel like this guy could be some great stress relief.” Vier was completely uninterested in the details of Red’s augmentation. Something like re-growing an arm wasn’t enough to phase him.

“I’ll just use your augmentation against you. No one can beat me.”

Red’s body started to conduct electricity, just like Vier’s.

“Oh no, what will I do now? Just kidding. He’s not even the kind of person that’s worth remembering.” Vier never bothered to address Red Directly.

The lightning covering Red’s body quickly went out of control. The cracks of electricity and booms of thunder masked any screams that may have passed through his lips. In a matter of seconds his charred remains fell to the ground.

I suppose in a way Vier was just as unsuited to the spotlight as I was. Ending things that simply left things feeling empty.

“Did that salamander really think I wouldn’t be able to control my electricity just because he was the one making it? I’m really getting tired of these people underestimating me. How about you? Wanna go? I can’t remember the last time someone put up a good fight”

Vier pointed a knife towards Enki.

“I will not engage in combat with you. You have shown yourself to be too powerful for this vessel to handle, and I do not wish to risk it unnecessarily. For now, I shall make my leave. Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi.”

A sword appeared in Enki’s hand, if you could even call it a sword. It was old, from a time before swords took the form we recognize them by today. Honestly, it was little more than a piece of long metal.

Enki swung his new sword through the air and a tear appeared in its wake. I couldn’t see into it, but the area around it was being displaced. Enki stepped through the tear and it closed behind him.

“What a boring bunch.” A few sparks flew off from Vier.

“That’s the guy we’re supposed to help Kanon get. Are you going to chase him down?” I wasn’t in any condition to do anything, but Vier was still fine.

“No, I’ve got no interest in chasing someone like him down. He’s a good judge of character. He’ll never fight me. Besides, I can’t detect him around here at all. Wherever he went, it’s too far to track. I’ve got no idea how that weird portal his sword created works.

“I don’t want to hear the man who travels around like a lightning bolt calling any other means of travel weird.”

“Fair point. I’m going to check on Ren and the final intruder. I guess you can take a break or something.”

A break? Yeah sure, let’s call it that.

“I’ll let someone know they need to come collect your body.”

“Don’t wait for me to turn into a body that needs collecting.”

Not wanting to risk it, I pulled out my phone and called for my own medic. With Enki and Red gone, my adrenaline rush was wearing off. Staying conscious was getting too hard.