12 Call For Hatred

[September 21th – Elpida's border, Clogwyn area]

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Nion entered the forest that was separating both countries apart.

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\"You are leaving Lands of Aleksithimia's premises, go back immediately.\" Ordered the operator.

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Nion remained silent.

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\"You are now on Lands of Elpida, 'Mitera system' is now unavailable. If you don't reestablish the network connection within 15 minutes, we will send a rescue signal to your latest location.\" Announced the operator.

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Despite the warnings, her body kept moving forward. As if a 'Mother instinct' that she never thought she possessed had taken over her mind, her only priority was that child's safety.

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The smell of burnt trees and the sound of screams were getting stronger as she approached the village. The tension was increasing as fast as the wind's temperature. Past the area of the fence, Nion has spotted multiple camps that looked ravaged and dead bodies lifelessly lying on the wet grass. She stopped by each and every one of them, hopelessly looking for the child. The stress of not making it on time was rising as her heart was beating faster and faster.

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The air was getting dryer as if she was approaching an enormous source of blazing heat. When she finally arrived in the farming fields that were separating the forest and the outskirts of the village, the horizon of bright red and yellow colors was reflecting in her eyes... The village was covered in flames, the wind was whistling in her ears and the more she approached the village the clearer the sound got; the sound of human screams filled up her ears urging her to haste.

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Flames of fire shined with all its glory; It was almost mesmerizing how awfully attractive the whole scene looked for an outsider. Its warmth along with the welcoming feeling of heated breeze was hiding the contrast with the screams. It was as if the heat was calling Nion to get in, but the more she approached the village the more insecure she felt. Burnt corpses were lying everywhere, the village was engulfed in fire; So warm, so beautiful, yet full of hate, and despise. Almost every house that Nion saw was burned to ashes.

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True to herself and her objective, she kept advancing, calling the child name as loud as she could. However, it seemed like only dead were keeping her company. The situation and her safety were on the stake, yet, she refused the go back, knowing that if she does return there won't be another chance to see the child. Her self-assigned rescue mission and protection of Asta was her absolute priority, she simply could not think of anything else.

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The occasional window was still in possession of its glass but most had broken so long ago that there was no trace of the shards on the warm rotting plank floors. In most houses, the roofs had partially caved in or at the very least they sagged like a disappointing soufflé. Nion kept moving forward and finally arrived in the wide place that looked like the City Hall. In the middle of the area, there was a bonfire twenty meters in height. Groups of masked people were executing villagers in front of it and then throwing dead bodies in the fire, some others from the same group were dragging small kids into cages of their vehicles.

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The heat coming from the bonfire was as hot as lava; Bright yellow-orange, flames danced, flickered knowing they were being watched by the crowd, ready to devour everything that was getting too close. The bonfire was a dragon roaring with fury and spitting charcoal, with the immense heat that was slapping Nion's face more and more as she was trying to approach it. A couple of meters from the bonfire there was a man who was wearing a black coat with a big yellow crest on it. Unlike the others, he had removed his hood; However, this man was wearing an odd mask on his face that made it impossible to see his real face even with all the brightness that was coming from the bonfire.

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The smell of the wood mixed with the smell of burnt human corpses that were thrown into the fire was so strong that it started burning Nion's eyes. Above, the dark black clouds were low and hairy in the skies, dried out, the wind was blowing around the bonfire as if it was trying to appease the man-eater flames. The group of masked men was executing the villagers in gory and sarcastic ways.

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Nion was quietly approaching the hoodless man who acted as the leader of the groups when she suddenly felt a drizzle of rain on her head; It was about to rain.

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Eager to terminate the savagery she was witnessing and free the villagers from their imminent fate, Nion knew that if she engaged herself in combat, her chances to succeed without being noticed by the rest of the masked group were close to zero.

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\"Look at that monkey! Ugu-ugu-ugu!\" The man imitated a monkey sound as he watched a young man screaming of agony as the flames of bonfire kept devouring him alive.

\"SHUT THE FUCK UP!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!!\" The aggressor heartlessly yelled at the poor victim. While his other colleague was crying with a laugh.

\"Make that mokey sound again!\" Laughed the other man.

\"Ugu-ugu-uga-uga\" He laughed. \"How long do you think it will take him to shut up?\" He asked his friend who was almost rolling on the floor of how funny he thought it was.

\"Oh my...that was some funny shit out there! Well, I would say, 4 minutes? Wanna bet some cash on it?\" Replied the other man.

\"Right on!\"

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The helpless man had his hands and legs tied together so he could barely move. He looked straight into his aggressor's eyes crying for mercy as his skin begun melting. He succumbed to hysterical screams of pain until his vocal cord burned out followed by quick suffocation.

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Suddenly the spring rain evolved into a downpour. The masked group ran under the cover while dragging their prisoners behind. Some villagers took this moment as an opportunity and were able to untie themselves, as soon as they could move on their own, most of them ran in toward the forest. The hoodless man noticed that some prisoners escaped and gave a hand signal to two of his pioneers to go after them.

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Both men started chasing the escapees. Some prisoners could barely run, as it looked that during the torture they got their \"Achilles\" tendon muscles damaged; Off with an explosive spring, most of the prisoners got exhausted and started rapidly slowing down their pace, meanwhile two robust masked men were promptly closing the distance between them.

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Nion followed the whole scene while remaining in the shadows. As soon as both aggressors crossed their paths with two quick moves she sliced their throats wide open. Incapable to scream or call for the reinforcement because of the slashed vocal cords, both men dropped on the ground, slowly dying in agony and pain. Due to the heavy rain and reduced visibility, the rest of the group had not noticed their disappearance, everyone except the hoodless man who was fixated on Nion.

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The ground had become muddy everywhere Nion's feet squelched into, the smell of the gunpowder was burning in the air, it could taste in the mouth like a deodorant. Ultimately, the screams seized to exist; Only Nion and the hoodless man remained on the empty area facing each other. The rain was still pouring, trying to calm down the intensity of the flames of death.

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\"Oooh...We have a little mouse sneaking around my territory.\" Said the masked man. \"I know who you are... But, what could be possible the reason behind that sudden visit? Come on I know you are there.\"

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Nion left the shadows and faced the man in complete silence.

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\"So it is you who is behind of all this mess?\" Shouted Nion.

\" Mess?! I am not sure what you are talking about... OH, you mean 'the Trash Cleansing', yeah?\" He jiggled.

\"Do you understand how many people lost their lives because of you?\" Shouted Nion.

\"Of course...Not! Why should I care in the first place?\" He laughed.

\"Trash...Huh...\" Mumbled Nion.

\"Okay, well...We also call them pigs if that will make you feel better.\" He laughed again.

\"What's so funny about that...?\"

\"Because you are making me laughing my little mouse!\" He kept laughing.

\"What are you after? Why doing all this?\" Asked Nion, trying to debate with the madman.

\"Why...?\" He asked himself. \"Why...Huh, I've never asked myself to be honest. They are just annoying me, I don't want to see their face around here anymore...I guess?\" He replied. \"Would you take that as an answer?\"

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Nion was about to get ready for the imminent combat as she understood that arguing with that man is pointless.

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\"Well, I guess you don't huh...That's a shame you know! Because I and you are very much alike, Nion or should I call you 'Trascendentium'?!\" He laughed.

\"How do you know that name?\" Confused she asked.

\"Hey, hey, hey! And that's a secret.\" He laughed again. \"But, let me tell you something interesting! Did you know that amoung my mates, my little mouse, are pretty famous!\" Said the masked men.

\"I have no time playing with you.\" Firmly opposed Nion.

\"Urgh, not cute...Not cute at all and that's a shame because I think you are sublime!\"

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Nion started walking towards the man.

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\"Wait, wait! Do you want to fight me? Come on! You don't want to kill me, I am your number one admirer, oh shit, I am actually number two!\" He laughed.

\"Can a 'Dead man' admire though...\" Said Nion.

\"I am waiting for it.\" He giggled. \"Waiting for you to kill me like you did killed hundreds of the same people; oh pardon, that's does not count, you didn't know. Maybe you are trying to 'Forget', in that case... I am 'Sorry' for that reminder; I don't want you to forget.\" He whispered.

\"Everything because of you.\" Nion mumbled.

\"Touché!\" He laughed. \"Now you are triggered! Hey, let's admit, we are so similar you and me, and you know what? I am disappointed with seeing you here... Do you want to know why?\" He asked.

\"I will cut your shameless mouth-\" Yelled Nion

\"BECAUSE NOW YOU WANT TO BE A FUCKEN HERO!!\" He shouted out of nowhere. \"Look at them...\" He disappeared for a brief second.

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The man brought a young woman to the scene. He grabbed her by her hair while she was struggling then stabbed her legs with wooden sticks. The woman screamed in pain and agony.

\"LOOK AT HER NION!\" He shouted to Nion. \"What do you see? Do I look like her?\"

\"LET HER GO!!\" Yelled Nion.

\"ANOTHER NOBODY!! He yelled.

\"LEAVE HER ALONE!!\" Nion continued begging him to free the victim.

\"I don't understand, why do you care about them, tell me?\" He grabbed the woman by her long black hair.\"

\"You are insane!\" Said Nion.

\"INSANE?! ME?!... I don't think that you've ever seen anything insane...\" As he finished his phrase he grabbed his victim by the neck as if she was weightless.

\"Oi, oi, oi! 'Insane' is a strong word! You should not be using it like that. Insanity is like an art of delusion and pleasure that nobody understands.\" The hooded man was taking his time as hi slowly was tightening her throat, enjoying the sight of his victim being struggling in the mid-air until she completely lost her voice and dropped her arms as the sign of losing consciousness.

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\"LET HER GO!\" Shouted Nion.

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\"Huh...? Hey, you! Wake up! I am not done here!\" He started shaking the woman with both of his hands. \"Hey, hey, hey! Don't tell me you are already dead? What the fuck...Already...?! Fuck--\" As the sign of a complete disappointment, he grabbed the woman by her hair and projected her body right into the bonfire flames that were at least 25 meters away.

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Nion stood immobile astonished of what she just witnessed.

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\"I am waiting for you! Why don't you attack me?! Come at me, let's end this fucken chit-chat bullshit and slaughter into pieces!\" He waved his arms as if the whole body of his was experiencing something rather orgasmic.

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He lowered his arms as a sign of boredom. \"Sign... You see, I got a serious dilemma here... A citizen from the lands of Aleksithimia has trespassed into our country, disturbing our peace and on top of that, killed two of my men.\" Said the masked man. \"Do you think I am an idiot and haven't realized why you keep your distances from me?\"

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\"Where is peace? WHERE?!\" Nion was boiling inside from anger and frustration.

\"What is wrong with that? They invaded my lands, I am just getting rid of the nuisance, the same way you did just yesterday. There is 'nothing' you will do about.\" He whispered.

\"You are letting your man throwing innocent people into the bonfire, crucifying and assaulting their woman? Is that what you call peace?\" Shouted Nion.

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\"YES! My peace.\" So, you are saying that protecting my country from these savages who came here out of nowhere, occupied \"my\" lands and now are trying to reclaim it as a part of their home... is wrong? Our elders were fighting for that every piece of land that you all are stepping on with your dirty boots. Y'all's presence in this country is soiling our sacred ground!\" Said the masked man. \"Now think very carefully. I don't care what you came here for, but the fact that you just killed two of my men irritates me. And I do not like being irritated! I will give you the offer of your lifetime, go back to your country and never come back!\" Ordered the masked man.

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\"All of these people are running into my lands because of you!\" Said Nion.

\"Well, that problem is now solved!\" He pointed onto to bonfire.

\"That is savagery!\" Nion shouted.

\"Maybe you wanted us to conclude some sort of a peaceful agreement!? Don't make me laugh!\" He laughed. \"They illegally occupied my country! You want us to become friends maybe? Tell me Nion, what makes you different from them, coming to my lands and telling me what is right and what wrong?\" He asked.

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Nion remained silent.

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\"You and I are very much alike, both protecting our homeland and its policies. I just made your country a favor by burning these pigs alive, so their little adventure ends here. Yet, you still act as if you cared...\" Said the masked man while he began to advance towards Nion.

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\"Yesterday, when you killed that woman...Urgh, what was the name of that bitch...Pipopo, Papipa...AH! PIPOLA!! Aah! You know who I am talking about, huh? That one with two kids, does it rings any bells?\" He laughed.

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\"Shut your mouth...\" Nion said through her teeth.

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\"You killed that \"poor woman\" right in front of her kids...Tsk tsk tsk.\" He made a hand gesture to his man to surround their uninvited guest. \"Tell me where was your heroic spirit yesterday, huh, lady Justice? How did you feel killing unarmed woman, huh?\"

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\"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!\" Screamed Nion.

\"Look at you...And you are giving me moral lessons, how dare you?!\" He laughed.

\"ENOUGH!\" Shouted Nion.

\"ENOUGH OF WHAT?! COME ON, SAY IT!\" He laughed sarcastically.

\"I AM NOT A MURDERER!!\" She shouted back.

\"THEN WHO ARE YOU?!\"

\"I...I...\" Nion could not find the right words.

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From the beginning, this conversation was nothing else than a one-sided emotional abuse. Nion was still too young and naive to understand that she was simply being manipulated by the man. The stranger himself knew exactly what he was doing as he was enjoying every bit of their conversation, switching topics, portraying his adversary as the villain, showing no empathy and certainly no pity at all. In truth, he was just bulling her, instilling fear and guilt in her heart, meddling the confusion to fog up her mind and soul... And he was good at it.

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\"Poor kid, he was crying in my arms.\" He mocked her.

\"Where is he?\" Nion shouted out of exasperation.

\"What do you want from him? Wanna finish him off as you did with his brother?\" He giggled.

\"Where is he?!\" Shouted Nion.

\"Who knows...Maybe he is dead by now...Maybe not...\" The masked man was orchestrating with his hands by making strategic orders to his man to take positions.

\"Then I will make you spit it out by force!\" She menaced him.

\"Oh, oh... Scary, scary!\" The masked man removed his long jacket that was hiding the big yellow crest-like ornament that was covering his chest like some sort of armor.

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Nion got surrounded by his men, they were more than fifty assassins armed to the teeth just waiting for their leader's signal. While Nion got distracted by surroundings, in the blink of an eye their leader closed the distance between them and was standing right next to her. Surprised of such quick movement as she could not see him coming, Nion found herself at the mercy of the man with the yellow cross armor.

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The masked man grabbed her chin and started whispering into her ear.

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\"Our lovely discussion ends here... I really like your guts woman! You are a fearless warrior, I respect that. Now, let me offer you two outcomes of this beautiful evening:\"

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\"One: You are getting out of here with your tail under your legs without ever coming back to my lands, and I will close my eyes to the fact that you trespassed and most importantly, killed my men. Two: We can end this right here and right now, like real warriors would do, but I don't think you will...\" He smelled Nion's face. \"Because you smell, fear...\".

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\"Know that if you try to do something against me, just makes sure to kill all of us, because if only one of us escapes, we will make sure that tomorrow my prosper would be aware that Land of Aleksithimia has infiltrated our lands and during the pursuit, two local citizens were killed.\" He said.

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\"Ah! And since you are here, let me tell you something interesting... Regardless of today's outcome, tell your prosper to be ready because a new war is not far away from your door, in the end it ended already 10 years ago - I want some 'Action'!\" Said the masked man. \"Either way, we are going to make our move sooner than you think. And when it will happen, I know someone who will rejoice in himself to see you...\" As he finished his sentence he removed his hand.

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\"I will never forgive you what you've done! You'd better watch your back!\" Nion spat right into her aggressors' face.

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\"Eh... We're all going to die one day, but you know what? You can die tonight.\" He laughed. \"Just kidding! LET HER GO!\" Shouted the masked man.

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The rest of his men were eager for blood, as to their disappointment, they started insulting, and whistling at Nion like a pack of hyenas who could not wait to devour the lion's prey.

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Nion was aware that she didn't stand a chance against so many foes and more specifically their leader who intimidated her like she never been before.

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The whole group of aggressors was following her with their eyes until she entered the forest and disappeared...