The hum of the airship made my ears ring. Working on the outer railings was always the worst, up here the engines roared so loud I could barely hear my own thoughts. And of course, it was always the same stupid tasks: open this valve, close that one. I get that I'm just an intern, but why do I always get the crap jobs? Standing up, I leaned against the railing and wiped the sweat off my forehead. The West District of Novum Caelum stretched far out beneath me. They say power is earned. Nah, I personally think that shit's inherited. The rest of us? We're just expected to clap along for the show. Everywhere I looked, banners of Senator Whitlocke flapped in the wind, her perfect face plastered across them like she was some kind of saint. But that smile of hers never touches her eyes. It's fake. Calculated. Disgusting.
Having to adjust these damn glasses up my crooked nose all the time also gets on my nerves. Really wish I could see a bit better without them. I shifted my eyes over to the large crowd below. Senator Whitlocke was giving a speech, though I could barely make out more than small bits of it. "Strength means nothing if it does not lift others. The strong must stand beside the weak, for what is greatness without responsibility?" Her voice carried over the square as she looked around at the crowd, then down at the woman on her knees, ready for execution. My stomach turned at the sight. How could anyone stand there and watch, just to see someone die? Whitlocke's lips moved again, and this time the massive speakers cut through the air more clearly: "This woman is an example of what will be done to these disgusting Veil users that take advantage of the we-" I was bumped to the side by a man hauling some heavy gear, but I caught my balance quick. He glanced back with a hurried "Sorry kid, didn't see you there!" Before I could even snap back at him, he vaulted straight over the railing. My eyes widened. Was this guy insane? Who in their right mind jumps off the side of an airship?
I took a quick step to the railing and looked down, spotting that same guy plummeting toward the ground. Then, out of nowhere, he seemed to sprout wings of his own. He soared like a bird. A wingsuit?! That was fucking insane. Those things were dangerous as hell, and I'd only ever seen the pros fly them. He nosedived at breakneck speed, straight toward the execution. This couldn't be real. I had to pinch myself just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. The guards beside the Senator finally noticed and opened fire. But the guy slipped through their bullets with ease, almost superhuman in the way he moved. From where I was standing, he looked like a decent Veil user, but it's not like I could tell a good one from a bad one.
He quickly pitched his body up, zooming past the woman who was about to be executed and picking her up with ease. It was amazing, I had never seen anything so incredible in my entire life. I heard my name being called in the distance and knew who it was. Her voice was always so sweet, like a beautiful tune that never quite ends, one I could hum for hours. "Silas! Silas!" She bumped into me slightly before looking over the railing with me. "That guy's a total idiot, isn't he?" I said, my voice monotone as usual. I often struggle to express my emotions in situations like these. "I agree! I could've sworn you were going to jump off with him. Sometimes I can't read you with those dead eyes of yours." I sighed at her words, she always teases me for no good reason, but I like that about her. "I almost did. Maybe I should become a crazy anarchist." Her face dropped slightly at my words, and I couldn't help but notice her eyes flicker with a challenge. "Don't say things like that in a world like this, and for people like us. We'd die doing something like that."
Before I could open my mouth to say something, something whizzed past my face at incredible speed. I looked over to see what it was… a bullet hole had appeared in the side of the ship. Were they really shooting at us?! I grabbed Winnie by her sleeve, dragging her as I ran forward. The shots continued as we sprinted, covering my head slightly. The wind stung my eyes, but I had to keep moving. Winnie swatted my head away from her sleeve, her independence shining through. I understood that she didn't need me in moments like this, I think I often need her more. I stopped in my tracks, narrowly dodging a bullet as it whizzed past my face. My eyes widened in distress; I couldn't believe this was really happening to me. Winnie pushed me forward slightly, as if to tell me to continue, and so we did. As we reached the end of the railing, I heard a loud bang, and the smell of fire clouded my lungs. I let out a chesty cough. From what I could tell, the airship was tilting forward, which meant… this thing was on its way down.
Winnie's quick thinking shone through, "Silas, we have to jump to that building! It'll only be close enough for a second or two, but I trust you can do it!" My eyes widened as I looked at her, she was really being serious but she believed in me. She trusts me. I have to do it. We both climbed over the railing, getting ready for the jump, the building quickly coming into sight. "It's now or never, Silas!" Winnie said as she readied herself to jump. My legs felt loose for a single moment, like I was water. The movement of my jump was clean and swift. I soared through the air effortlessly, landing on the building with ease. It was almost unexplainable. Turning around, I noticed Winnie had cleared the jump with the same efficiency as me. "No turning back now," a smirk across my face as the thrill got to me. Patting my tool belt, I checked if everything was there. I couldn't afford to lose these; they cost way too much just to throw away. Looking around for a moment, I noticed a fire escape staircase leading down the building. "There, let's get off this building before they think we're part of that rescue mission." Winnie walked out in front of me. "Good call." She sounded nervous. I couldn't get a read on her face, and I guess that made me worry as well.
As we took the first steps down the stairs it felt like I was being slammed into the street below, my legs buckled under the pressure. Turning the corner after Winnie she stopped in front of me and further ahead blocking our path were four Senate Bodyguards. I always heard stories of these guys and apparently if they came to get you, you were as good as dead. Fear settled in, my legs struggled to move, those crimson and bronze uniforms were the telltale sign of death. "Snap out of it!" I was snapped back to my senses by Winnie, thinking on my feet I vaulted over the railing swinging my body slightly so I could land on the fire escape's next level. My body began to do that thing again, it felt loose and fluid like I was unstoppable. Winnie followed after me and so did the bodyguards. As they ran down the stairs to meet us again I readied myself sending a head kick at the first guy that turned the corner, he stumbled into the railing, Winnie was quick as ever and pushed him off the side, he plummeted to his death. "One down, three to go!" she shouted. As the next one turned the corner I stepped back slightly, the other two followed close behind him and then Winnie vanished from sight.
The bodyguards looked as surprised as I was, but before they could really dial in what just happened, I shot my right hand at the one in front of me. He slipped out of the way, my punch making his hair sway backward slightly, and what almost felt like instinct to me, my body rewound with increased speed, a slight afterimage left in what was once my place. It felt so natural. From my original position, I swung a left hook, connecting clean with his chin. "What a comeback," I muttered to myself. Truth be told, I didn't really understand it. I thought about undoing my mistake, and then it was gone, like it had never happened. My left hook made his head snap to the side, but before I knew it, I was screaming in agony. "Shit, I think I just broke my hand!" I forget that real fistfights aren't like videogames, and I actually have to pay for my consequences here. Wish I could rewind the damage too. I saw him drop to the floor unconscious, a knife strapped to his waist. I quickly bent down, stupid of me really, and pulled the knife, but before I could stand up straight again one of the other bodyguards kicked me straight in the face, my glasses snapping in the process.
"Fuck you!" I shouted, stumbling back and holding onto my face with my free hand. Once I got back to my senses I couldn't really see what was in front of me, my vision was extremely blurred, but I had to dial in before it cost me my life. Sliding the leather sheath off the knife, I placed it in my hand. Earth grip. I knew this had an advantage at a closer range, and these guys were storming me, so I'd wait and counter them with ease. Extending my left hand out in front of me slightly, the blade sat in my right hand comfortably, my body felt loose, I got that feeling again. The bodyguards stormed towards me, the first one throwing a wild hook. "You can't be serious, did you even try?" I taunted as I ducked underneath, then slashed at his stomach. As I readied myself to take out the next one, Winnie formed behind him, her body pitch black for a moment as she appeared from his shadow, putting him into a headlock. "Finish this guy off!" I swiftly switched the grip of the blade into a Heaven Grip, stabbing him near the liver. No way someone could survive that.
The fire escape platform shook slightly as I dropped to my knees, looking down at my hands. My palms covered in blood, "Did I really just kill a person." Looking up to Winnie now my eyes as wide as a tunnel opening, "It was us or them Silas you had to make a choice." She sighed at the sight of my weakness atleast that's what it seemed like. "Their blood is on my hands too so don't dwell on it too long we have to keep moving." I moved over to grab the sheathe sliding the knife back into it, then tying it around my waist, better to have something than nothing. "Yeah you're right..." Why the hell was my voice shaking? I'm looking like a total wuss infront of Winnie right now.
We took the next opening to get off the fire escape. It would be easier for us to just hop from building to building, since they sat so close to each other, making our way south also seemed like the move; that's where we stayed, and I could feel the wind picking up between the gaps. "Winnie, let's split, I'll meet you back at the house." Hopefully I wouldn't regret sending her on her own, but she can handle herself better than I can. "Alright, I'll catch you then, be safe." She dashed off to the left, vanishing from sight. I continued down the path I was already on... My boots skidded on the concrete roof. I felt a similar pressure to before; it felt like I was being slammed into the building. "Dirty drains like you have to pay for tampering with the Senate." His voice was so commanding it made my ears shake just hearing it, but the real question was, where was he? His cold hand touched my shoulder. I swung my body around, sending a heel kick to his head, but he simply blocked it with his hand. My hair blew in all directions due to the impact, and so did his dreadlocks.
Dashing backwards, I looked up at this guy now, and boy, was he big. I didn't know they made Senate uniforms in that size, clearly tailored to fit him perfectly. His shoulder cape blew in the wind, making his figure look bigger than it already was. I was sweating just being in his presence. I grabbed onto the knife I took earlier, drawing it and gripping it in the familiar Earth Grip. I inched forward, then dashed forwards, slashing at his neck. Sparks flew everywhere as I thought he blocked me with a weapon, then when it cleared, he hadn't even moved. My knife was pressed up against his neck, but it felt like iron. Dashing back again, I needed a moment to take that in. What in the hell just happened?! "Drains like you can't harm me, my Veil negates anything you could possibly throw at me." He chuckled slightly, sending shivers up my spine. "Not to mention, I've already seen your next five moves." Whatever that meant, it didn't matter. I had to deal with this guy so that Winnie could get back safely. I had to become the decoy.
We both dashed forward at each other, he drew his longsword, wielding it with one hand. We clashed blades, neither of us letting up for a moment. But it was clear who was winning. I couldn't keep up; even though my body felt loose, it just wasn't enough. It felt like I had a limit to what I could do. Just before I would strike him, his face would have a certain look on it, like he was watching something before it happened, and then he countered me perfectly after that. I understand it now. A feint to the left, then I dashed in, slashing at his eyebrow; and it worked?! The cut was shallow, but it was a start. "You are lucky that it's impossible to perform protection and enhancement simultaneously, but that won't happen again." What the hell is protection and enhancement? Doesn't matter, I have to focus on the bigger picture now. "Luck my ass, admit it I'm slowly reaching your level."
It was time to rinse and repeat that strat of mine. I feinted low this time, trying to get at his chin, but something felt off, he didn't fall for the feint. He stepped back, the cape covering my vision for a moment. Once he came back into sight, he was pointing what seemed to be a gun at me. But the barrel's exit was weirdly large for what seemed to be an ordinary gun. Everything happened so quickly, I didn't even think to rewind what I had just done. I didn't even make an attempt. It was over before it even began. I didn't even hear the shot. It must have been so close that it blew out my hearing. I stumbled back, my vision even more blurry, but I smelled the gunpowder.
I looked down to my right-hand side. Where was my arm? I stretched my left hand over the side of my torso. It was missing as well, a semi-circle blown out of the side of it from what it seemed. The blood is so warm and its everywhere... How am I even thinking this much? Is this how it is in everyone's last moments? He walked over to me, slowly lowering his gun. "For a second I thought you could've been on par with me." He put his hand on my shoulder. "But I guess not. The weak are not worth saving. They are nothing but stains on this Earth." He gave me a slight push.
Barreling towards the alleyway below, I slammed into every single pipe on the way down, crashing into a pile of trash. My vision faded even more, but I swear I saw a glimpse of Senator Whitlocke when I fell. But they say you see things in your last moment. What a shitty way to go out, laying in a pool of my own blood. I'm sorry Winnie. Will that ringing ever stop...?
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