The Purge
Chapter 52: Conleth

“Levels are just numbers. In this world, strength is just an illusion. There are more important things.”

Kirito; Sword Art Online

Imogen was covered in Frost.

I couldn’t help myself. With her nagging me every time, I’d know her voice anywhere. She looked me in the eyes before she let herself fall unto the ground. I see in them the hurt that I’ve caused and there is nothing more haunting than leave them alone in the hands of people who wanted us dead.

“I left them back there.” I told Bri after we settled Imogen inside.

She looked back at me with sad eyes. I leaned my head on the wall and I squeezed my eyes shut.

“I abandoned my team.” I felt the tears burning at the brim of my eyes but I don’t want to let them fall. “You don’t wanna know why?” I turned to her.

“I don’t have to ask. I already know.” She said as she wiped a tear across her face.

“I did this to her. God knows what happened to the rest of my squad.”

“You think it’s still worth it?” she asked.

I looked down at Imogen. “I don’t know.”

“I knew that you would break me.” She sat beside me. “With you I allow myself to be weak; to slowly fall into shattered pieces. But still I couldn’t help myself. I let myself go just to let you in. Now, I don’t know if I should let you go so that I could hold on to myself once again.” She was looking down at her hands; they lay weakly on her lap. She glanced up at me. “Just tell me if you want me to let you go so that I could prepare myself. I just don’t think I am strong enough.”

I grabbed hold of her hand and I intertwined them. “You know what they said about how galaxies are formed? Collapsing gas and dust clouds. Life’s not always fair, Bri. But good things can happen.”

“I’ve destroyed you. And I will continue doing that if you keep on loving me.”

“You think I don’t know that? I knew that the first time I saw you. The moment I stepped in the hallway and you came into my life… I knew I would be a disaster. But you kept on pushing your way into my mind and then you went down here.” I placed her hand on top of my chest where she can feel my heart beating. “It’s not mine anymore. I knew my heart was yours from the very first day and I can no longer run away. I was a goner.”

She tried letting go of my hand but I gripped tighter.

“Bri, I choose you. I always will. And if there’s anything in this world I’d let go of, that wouldn’t be you.”

“I’m sorry.” She said. “I’m sorry if I can’t do anything about it.”

I smiled at her. “It’s the things we fight for and struggle before earning that have the greatest worth.” I leaned in to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you such pain. It’s your fault you kept your feelings for me.”

She gripped hard at my shirt and she raised her eyebrows. “Oh really? I did? Behind this strong posture is still a girl who still wants to be pursued. I just wanted to know if you’re really worth it.”

I raised a cocky eyebrow back at her. “Am I?”

“I don’t know.” She fired back at me.

I let her go and we both leaned on the wall looking at the space ahead of us. After a few moments of silence I looked back at her. She looked back at me from her periphery.

“What are you looking at?”

“This strong and beautiful girl.”

She smiled. “What about her?”

“I just want to tell her good night and that I love her.” I replied. “You think she will ever answer back? You know I’m waiting.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “If the boy promises not to try and save her life again.” She turned to me. I frowned at her. “We can’t truly keep promises, can we?”

I leaned back. “I guess we can’t.”

I woke up with a knife on my throat.

Imogen’s blue eyes burned with hatred and I struggled to keep my calm or else the knife’s edge will bite my neck.

“Good morning.” I choked out.

She leaned her head to the side, amused. “I’m glad you still have your manners.”

“Well, I have a good heart.” I teased.

“Filthy.” She crinkled her nose.

“Gee, what’s your problem?”

“Oh you don’t see what the problem is? Allow me to put a light on the subject by turning that problem into an apocalypse!” she raised the knife up, ready to butcher me. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain that never came.

Her hand hang suspended in the air. Behind her, Bri has her hand lifted blocking her attack.

“Put away the knife, Imogen.”

“Are you crazy or are you just an idiot? You blocked my movement and you want me to throw away the knife?” she sneered at her. Bri rolled her eyes skyward and gave her a moment to move. But not enough to let her give me the death blow. Bri threw her on the wall and she crumpled to the ground.

“Keep rolling your eyes, bitch! By some miracle you might find your brain back there!” she spit at her feet.

“I am not your enemy, Imogen.” Bri told her calmly.

Imogen gritted her teeth and she lashed out at her. Ice sailed at Bri like a whip. It left a wound on Bri’s cheek. Seeing the blood run down her face made Imogen continue her attacks.

“He belongs to me!” she shrieked.

“People just get interesting when they start to rattle the bars of their cages.” Bri blocked her tantrum.

The rest of the squad came rushing upon hearing the commotion.

“When starting a war, bitch, make sure you choose the right fucking bitch! Cause this bitch doesn’t yield!”

“My name is Bri Tyranica!” Bri pushed her off the glass window and it shattered upon impact. “Best for you to remember that!”

“Cat fight.” Chivas made a growling sound.

“Oh my apologies. I didn’t mean to offend you. That was just a bonus!” Imogen attacks by allowing sharp icicles emerge from the ground. Bri moved to avoid them immediately.

“I only accept apologies in cash!”

“Mind your attitude, bitch Tyranica!”

“I don’t need your attitude as well, Imogen! I have one and trust me mine’s much worse!”

“Thank heavens I don’t trust you!” Imogen traded her knife for a long sword while Bri didn’t pull out anything.

“Aren’t you just glad that two hot girls are fighting over you?” Chivas asked me.

“Enough sarcasm. You need to stop them now.” Athren said as he scowled at me.

“I don’t want to hurt any of them.” I prompted as my hands hang loose on my side.

Athren shook his head at me and took over. He was able to block Imogen’s sword with his Katana. Upon sword contact, Imogen leaped back.

“This isn’t your fight, lonely swordsman. So back away and mind your own fucking business.”

“My commander’s errand is my errand. My sword protects those I want to protect.” Athren moved swiftly. Carried by the wind he leaped at Imogen and she blocked his attack with her own sword.

It was a dance of blades. Imogen’s attacks were a fierce combination of sword fight and martial arts. She was raised in Asia just like Athren. It saddens me to think that I don’t even know much of my commander than that of my previous team. In the Trance I only saw her training with the twins that was why maybe they spoke the same language. While Athren uses the wind and his swords to fight. He pulled out the other pair to fight off Imogen’s agility and swiftness.

It was like watching an RPG. My display was showing me their stats how every hit brings minus points to their life bar and scores show. Fascinating it may seem, having displays sure made it easier for them to channel each other’s attacks.

Imogen touched the ground with the tip of her finger and she let it slide to Athren carrying a line of sharp frost. Athren avoided the blow by hitting her attack with a strong lash of wind. Icicles shattered on the ground.

“It was you. You created that Frost.” He accused her.

Imogen raised an eyebrow at him. “Me? Wow. Am I the one to blame for every frozen catastrophe?”

“Who else would create such bad weather?”

“Your beloved Republic!” she rages on with a big amount of water turning into shards of ice as it rained down on Athren. He enveloped himself inside his thick hurricane and he blew off her attack.

“Not bad. I’ve been looking forward to this day.” She said. “The best Samurai in Asia they said. Maybe because you’re the only one left.”

Athren lunges at her but again she met his blade with hers.

“What’s the matter, Athren? Can’t handle my sass?”

Athren spoke in Japanese and Imogen smirked back at him pushing him off to make her counter attack.

“I don’t speak Japanese, you idiot. I grew up in China!”

“Well I don’t answer to bullshit!”

Their fight raged on until Athren was able to over throw her weak ankle and she fell on the ground.

Athren took her sword and pointed it right at her. “Yield.”

Imogen glared at him. “Never.”

She set off a blaze of ice at him and Athren stumbled backwards. She withdrew her sword and drove it straight at Athren. But Bri’s bullet warded it off and it split into two. Imogen cursed at her and she ran off. But she didn’t get that far. She stumbled on something and upon seeing it, she screamed.

I stopped dead on my tracks as I realized who it was. Lying dead on the ground was Mei Fang. Her eyes were open and her throat was slit. Much worse was that there was a gaping hole at her chest. It was just like the Addonexus I’ve seen back at Battle Camp.

“Mei! No!” Imogen sobbed. “Who did this to you? Who did this to you?”

“I did.” Ai Fang moved out of the shadows. Slowly she wielded her stigma at our shadows and we cannot move.

“Ai… what…?”

Tears fell from her eyes but she kept smiling maniacally at us. She shook her head but she was horrifyingly forced her feet towards us. She raised her chained sickle with one hand and the other was holding her sister’s heart. It was still dripping blood and pumping with life. Light was coming out of it like the raise of the sun.

“Ai, gaosu wo, shenme shi cuo de.” Tell me what’s wrong.

More tears fall from Ai’s eyes as she shook her head. “Qing jieshu ta. Wo buneng zai renshoule.” Please end it. I cannot take it anymore.

“What is she saying?” Bri asked her.

“I don’t know.” Imogen sobbed. “What is wrong with her?”

“She’s compelled.” Chivas said.

Ai moved towards Bri’s direction. She raised her sickle towards her.

“Ai, please stop!” I shouted at her as I tried to get off her hold.

She continued to cry. “Wo buneng wo buneng wo buneng!” I can’t I can’t I can’t!

“Ai! Kuai ting xia!” Ai! Stop this now! Imogen commanded. “Wo mingling ni xianzhai yao zuzhi zhe yiqie.” I command you to stop this now.

“Wo buneng.” I can’t. Ai cried as she stood in front of Bri. “Please help me, dajie.”

Ai raised the sickle at Bri and I broke out of her hold. I ran towards Ai, flame in hand I moved to defend Bri. But Ai turned to ice just before I get to her. I turned towards Imogen who has her hands out in the air. She crumpled her fist and Ai shattered into pieces.

“How is this happening to us?” Halley asked.

“The—” Bri started but she pursed her lips shut. “She must have caught it along the way.”

“It’s Zenith. It’s the Republic.” Imogen spat. “Don’t lose your heads! Think! It’s not yet illegal!”

Athren bent at Mei’s heart on her sister’s hand. It was still pumping and was glowing with life. He took it in his hand and slowly its life started to fade until it completely went out.

“Why did you do that?” I asked Imogen.

“Because it’s what a friend would do.” She said. “You don’t leave them to torment.”

“I’m sorry, Imogen.”

“No.” a stray tear found its way down her cheek. “You abandoned us! For her!” She pointed at Bri. “It’s your fault my team is dead!”

I tried to hold her but she was dodging my hand off of her.

“When you left they wanted us to kill you. But we refused. So one by one they slaughtered my squad.”

“Imogen,” Bri started “It’s not Conleth’s fault. It has always been their plan.”

“Speaking up because you’re guilty now?” she sneered at her. “You didn’t see your team members die, Bri, so shut up.”

“I may have not seen one of them die, but I carry with me the guilt of not being able to protect them when I should have. So don’t lecture me that I don’t care about the deaths others. Because as a commander you should know that no matter how hard it is, we do not yield to emotions.” Bri snapped.

Imogen shook her head. “Don’t we? You’re thicker than I thought. There are more important things in this world, Bri. And once gone, those things cannot be replaced. You either die here as a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a monster.” She wiped her tears off and glared at me before turning her back towards us. “I will not be part of your personalized down fall, Bri Tyranica.”

I watched her walk away with my strength. She left the guilt in me.

I abandoned my team. I am no better than the monsters I slay.

And we stood there as the Frost started to form once again, slowly enveloping Mei’s body in its chills and we moved back to find shelter.

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