“Always feels good catchin’ a big fish, ey boss Jack?”

“Right you are. Especially when the fish is wearing platinum all over. It brings a tear to my eye. What stupid fish.”

“Haha! When d’you reckon Big Daddy gets ‘ere?”

“Hey! You know he hates being called by his real name... even his parents ended up 6 feet under for naming him that! Always, and I mean ALWAYS use his initials!”

The thug looked worried for his life after Jack said what he said.

“Anyway... forget about him for now, and go help the others. You might have been here to wait for B.D., but you’re going to help me right now.”

“... Yes boss Jack. I’ll... I’ll get right to it!”

The thug wrapped in black leathers and a cloth mask joined the others in surrounding the cage of blades.

Jack watched on as Jill stood beside him.

“Uhhh. Jack! I want dat wittle redhead’s outfit! I fink it look good on me!”

“Jill, you wouldn’t fit. You’re too big!”

“JILL NOT BIG! JILL JUST BIG BONED!” She screamed while slamming her hands on the ground.

“Of... of course Jill, of course...”

…

Sin heard Rai’s words, and looked at the woman herself. She began to feel something odd in her Domain.

“... I see... you feel that disgusting energy?” She whispered to him.

“I do. It’s just like the Daemon that I fought... necrotic...”

“You think she’s a necromancer? I can feel the necrotic energy, the black magic... but I can’t tell.”

Rai shook his head.

“I don’t know.” He said. “But I know that she does more than remind me of that Daemon... it’s like maggots are crawling underneath her skin and eating away at her body, but she’s got a mask on...”

“The more I look at her, the more I feel what you’re feeling... I don’t want to kill anyone unnecessarily though Rai. Before, at the tailors’ square, I was panicked and didn’t want to kill anyone at all. You were right back there though...

I’ll kill if I have to.”

“Hopefully we won’t have to kill anyone but her...”

The air thickened.

Sin felt it.

The electricity.

Rai called forth Ghost.

Ghost’s black blade was slick in the shine of Zenith’s moonlight. Its diamond holes filled with a ferocious red and orange screen. Flames flickered to life in its cracks.

“Are you ready?” He asked Sin. Rai’s voice crackled.

Sin steeled herself. Rai’s inverted eyes gave her power. The power to push herself, and the motivation to grow past her inhibitions. She would fight, and try not to kill. But if the worse came to worst, then Sin would do what she needed.

…

Jack noticed something off. The air was different now...

The hairs on Jack’s arms raised.

*SHATTER*

*Squelch*

*Thud*

“You okay Jack?” Jill asked.

Jack stared, wide-eyed, at Jill’s arm...

Or, the stump that was left of it.

“Your... your arm! JILL, YOUR ARM!”

“I protect Jack! Jill give body... for Jack...”

*THUD*

Jill toppled over. She fell to the ground, lifeless.

Jack didn’t notice the hole in her chest until now. Jill’s blood spattered all over Jack’s suit. His white hair was matted by it. Her body that was already cold, felt cold even in metaphor now.

Her last moment, she’d used to save Jack...

Jack whipped his head around to the long haired boy.

He winced.

Rai stared right at him with inverted eyes. He had two fingers outstretched in Jack’s direction, with remnants of lightning arcing from each. Jack figured that one finger aimed for him, and the other aimed for Jill. Jill lost her arm for saving him, and died from the other shot.

The girl next to the boy quickly glanced at everyone else’s positions. But Jack didn’t have time to think about her.

Somehow, his cage was gone. Completely gone.

It was almost like it had never existed in the first place.

I didn’t even feel it get destroyed! Shit!

Jack panicked. If Big Daddy came now, Jack would be the first to lose his head. Especially for letting Big Daddy’s daughter die just like that.

“K-... KILL EM!” Jack screamed.

A low, crackling, sound came from the legs of all of the men.

They grunted and yelled, but none of them were able to move.

Their feet were frozen in place, attached to the ground.

A cold mist emanated from the girl’s hands. Jack knew that she was the one to cast that spell.

SHIT! WHO THE FUCK...

*Bang*

An instant.

A cold point rested against Jack’s throat. The boy who was just stood next to the girl was now right in front of him, with a black sword against his neck.

…

Blood dripped down Ghost’s blade from the tiny hole poked out of Jack’s neck.

It evaporated into nothingness upon reaching the cracks that bore into Ghost’s mana channels. The latent flaming mana sizzled Jack’s dripping blood to ashes that drifted away in the wind.

“Will you let us leave?” Rai asked. Electricity arced off of him, into the wooden decks, leaving a scorch mark.

“Y-... You killed Jill! B-B-B.D won’t be-”

Sin interrupted him.

“Just shut the fuck up, will you? You assholes came at us, s-so we had no choice!” Sin shouted from where she stood.

Even though she said that, her heart was pounding, and her nerves were through the roof.

“Wha... FUCK!” Jack shouted.

“Boss! Don’t give in! B.D. will kill em, just keep em here!” The thug from earlier said from where he was frozen in place.

Rai pushed Ghost further into Jack’s neck, causing a steady bloodstream to flow from the hole he’d made.

“We’re leaving. Don’t try to find us, or I’ll actually kill you!”

Jack audibly gulped. He nodded profusely.

Before Rai could zip him and Sin out of there, a barrier formed around them all.

“Gahahaha! Who’s leaving?! My daughter’s murderers?!?!”

*SLAM*

“I don’t think so.”

Rai flew into one of the men. He was punched so hard that the world around him went fuzzy.

All he heard was a muffled screaming.

Rai slowly looked up from where he’d fallen. There was a pair of legs, stuck in an icicle. The body that they belonged to was no longer attached to them. Their bones were shattered. Blood spouted out of the detached legs.

SHIT!

Rai had to get back to Sin. He was blindsided by someone strong. Even though Rai was using 10% of his mana capacity right now, he didn’t notice the man’s presence at any point.

Sin stared at the massive man, wide-eyed.

He didn’t even pay attention to her.

The man looked over in Rai’s direction, then tilted his head.

“Was that it? He’s that weak? You guys lost to THAT?! Fucksake, and you let Jill die too.”

*Thud. Thud. Thud*

The man’s footsteps reverberated around the ports deck. He walked over to Jill’s body.

“Tut tut tut. Now, this just won’t do.”

He reached into Jill’s chest through its open hole.

*Squish, squelch*

B.D. moved his hand around Jill’s innards, clearly searching for something.

Sin nearly puked right then and there.

“BOSS! THIS-”

“Don’t interrupt me, Jack. Any more than this, and you’ll become the toilet for the whole crew. So shut the fuck up, please and kindly.”

“Y... yes boss.”

Jack scrambled as he clutched his neck, using what rudimentary healing magic he could to try and close the wound that Rai made.

After a while of rummaging, B.D. stopped for a moment.

“Ahhh... there it is.”

B.D. pulled out a rock of some kind from Jill’s body.

Upon doing so, Jill’s body withered into a shallow husk. The blood from her insides dripped from B.D.’s hand as he looked at the rock curiously.

“Not damaged... That’s good. Would’ve been really bad if it was.” He turned to Jack. “You won’t die today, Jack. Consider yourself lucky.”

Jack didn’t have time to think about B.D.’s words, as he had to keep his wound closed.

Sin watched as B.D. took out the rock.

Isn’t that supposed to be his daughter?! How could he defile her body like that!

And that rock... it’s disgusting! It’s got even more necrotic energy coming out of it than the woman had around her earlier! It feels so... atrocious.

*Flicker*

Jill’s husk of a body lit aflame.

“Rest for now Jill, I’ll find you a new body soon. Then you can get back to doing your job!” B.D. broke out into giggles.

Rai’s suspicions were correct...

But...

I can’t stand how he’s treating his daughter.

I can’t stand it!

“You.” Sin said.

“... Huh? Did you hear something, Jack?”

“HEY!” Sin shouted.

B.D. turned around, scowling.

“You just call me? What does a little bitch like you want with me?”

“You... you stored her soul in that rock?”

“Duh. You wet behind the ears or something?” B.D.’s lips curled into a malicious grin.

“Shouldn’t all daughters live for their daddies?”

Sin’s eyes widened.

She felt nothing but rage.

Rai finally got his senses back fully. He zoomed to stand just in front of Sin.

“Don’t! He’s too strong for us Sin...” Rai said.

“Fuck off Rai! I’m killing him!” Sin hissed. Her runes flared.

“Ooo. You’re that lightning kid! But... aren’t you a little slow for a lightning affinity user?” B.D. smirked at Rai. His attention was firmly off Sin.

Rai felt a pang in his chest.

This huge man was faster than him... somehow. Or, he had a technique that nullified Rai’s speed. It was the same as earlier, when he couldn’t feel the man’s presence. Either way, Rai felt like he was countered.

Unless... I use the Dance...

“Sin... I want this fight!” Rai said.

“I said fuck off Rai! I’m killing him!” Sin yelled.

*Slam*

*Crunch*

“I’m not so nice that I’d give you time to decide. Fucking stupid kids always think they’re hot shit!”

B.D. had grabbed and slammed both Rai and Sin’s heads into the ground.

“Hey... Isn’t this fun?” He asked, to no one in particular.

*SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM*

“This really is great! You two are just like Jill! Why don’t we fix you two up and use you both at the brothel! Well... after I finish teaching you both a lesson, that is!”

*SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM*

“Hopefully you live long enough...”

Over and over. He drilled both of their heads into the ground.

*Squelch*

“Huh?”

B.D. looked down. The black sword that the long haired kid was using had somehow lodged itself into his chest.

Then it ignited.

Fire began burning B.D’s insides.

He simply sighed.

B.D. froze Ghost’s blade over completely without even holding it.

“You’re too weak kid. Come back in ten years, if you can live until then. Maybe you’ll be a... match for... me... when... you-huff... huff...”

Air refused to enter B.D.’s body. He couldn’t breathe.

With the lack of energy to supply his arms, B.D. lost his grip on Rai and Sin.

Sin floated up from the ground. Her face was lit up by her runes. Her wrist tattoos had turned into glowing runes as well.

The rose on Sin’s dress glowed bright.

B.D.’s eyes widened as he saw how little damage the girl had actually taken.

Rai pushed himself up off the ground and clicked his neck.

He had taken hardly any damage either. The remnants of soft earthen rock at the back of Rai’s head dropped to the ground.

“Thanks for that, Sin.” He crackled.

“Get your own defensives next time Rai!” She boomed.

B.D. couldn’t believe his eyes.

He hadn’t used a spell, and was basically toying with them until this point... but now...

He regretted not taking them seriously.

“Lehhh... mehhh...”

“Ah... I can feel it now...” Sin whispered into the cold atmosphere.

She scrunched her hand into a tight fist.

Big Daddy couldn’t feel it anymore.

His heartbeat. It was gone.

*Thud*

He fell over, onto to the ground, limp.

Every single one of the thugs around the area was speechless. Their boss had just died in front of them. The one who was separated from his legs had bled out, and died where he lay. But he definitely would’ve been shocked as well, had he lived.

“You... You did it Sin...” Rai broke the silence.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Jack screamed. He fell to the floor, slamming his fists into the ground. The blood from his neck continued to flow.

Sin dragged the rock out from under B.D.’s body.

Rai sliced it cleanly in half with Ghost.

As the rock’s pieces fell to the floor, Sin glanced at Rai. He nodded.

*Boom!*

They left.

…

Rai grabbed Sin and ran across the city with her. It took him nearly 10 minutes to run that far, but he wanted to be as far away from the ports right now as possible.

He found a small park just a ways away from the red light district. There weren’t any other people there, so all of the benches were free. Rai ran over to the benches and sat Sin down on one of them.

Sin was shaking.

“I... just... k...”

Her throat tightened up, and she froze.

The reality of the situation was just hitting her now.

*Slap*

Sin slapped her own cheeks.

“I had to! Sindyl Raven, you had to! And... you wanted to! Live with that now...”

She sounded deflated. But Rai knew that she was going to be fine.

He’d killed someone as well. This time though, it was a real kill.

The only reason Rai acted fast was that he felt a disgusting mana coming from the woman, which was similar to the mana he felt when facing against the Daemon. Rai figured that Jill’s mana was too similar to the Daemon’s, which meant it was dangerous to let her live. That was confirmed by the rock that Sin dragged up from under B.D.’s body having a stronger necrotic signature...

But what mattered right now was something completely different.

They were alive.

For Rai, that was enough. He was already convicted in his mother’s words. He had to live. And if he had to kill to do that, then he would.

“Sin...” Rai said as he leaned back against the bench.

Sin took a deep breath as she came to terms with her choice.

“... Yes?”

“We’re alive. That’s what matters...”

“Yeah...”

Sin sat in silence for a while. Rai did the same. They both mulled over the whole situation.

After a little while, Sin broke the silence.

“... I was... angry. When I heard how that guy treated his daughter... I really wanted to kill him Rai...”

“Well, you did kill him... and you don’t have to explain yourself to me.”

“I know... but... why did it feel... good?” She whispered.

“... Maybe because you felt like you just did the world a favour? You just got rid of a disgusting person... and I... I feel the same.”

Sin looked down at her hands. They weren’t shaking as much now.

“... You do?”

Rai nodded.

“I can’t say I want to kill... but it felt good. The relief from destroying that rock was also really satisfying...”

Sin smiled softly at him.

“Come here.”

She opened her arms.

Rai leaned over and hugged her tight. Sin nuzzled her cheeks against his.

“We’re alive...” She whispered.

They’d been through a lot today.

“Well... apart from the uh... the whole mess at the end... did you have fun on our first full date?” Rai asked.

“What do you mean?” Sin asked. “The night’s not over.”

“Eh? I’m pretty sure it ended when we killed those guys and had to lea-”

“Shhh...” Sin put a finger up against Rai’s lips. “Come on, let’s go to the penthouse. I’ll... I’ll show you... what I mean.” She blushed.

Rai stared at her confused for a moment. Then, as Rai put it all together, his confusion quickly turned into excitement.

They went to the Secret. There were more guards than normal outside, but neither Rai nor Sin cared.

Sin turned the both of them invisible, and snuck in with Rai. They went to the VIP reception area, where Naam sat at the desk, mulling over some papers.

She’ll probably think it’s a malfunction.

Sin pushed the button.

*Ding*

Naam looked up at the doors.

No one came out of them.

“What the...”

Then the doors closed, and the lift went up.

“fuck?”

Naam shook her head. She thought that she was probably just imagining things because she was exhausted from working for about 12 hours straight now.

*Ding*

The doors opened.

No one was stood outside the penthouse door.

Sin dropped the invisibility spell.

There’s no one else here... and dad’s not in the building either... we should be safe...

Sin pulled Rai into the penthouse. The dim lighting automatically turned on.

Wordlessly, Sin brought Rai into his room.

She held him close to her as they stood beside the bed.

“I’ll... ask you once! Only once...”

Sin took a deep breath.

“Do you want me?” She whispered.

Her cheeks were completely flushed.

Rai gently caressed Sin’s cheek, as he leaned around her other side.

“More than anything.” Rai whispered into Sin’s ear.

He kissed her slowly, savouring her taste.

Rai stripped Sin’s dress off of her, and she did the same for his suit.

The scent of roses filled the air.

Their night, most definitely, was not over.