Four Hundred And Fifty-Eight / Side One Hundred And Sixty-One – A Survivor?

Four Hundred And Fifty-Eight / Side One Hundred And Sixty-One – A Survivor?

The door opened to reveal a dimly lit room, with banks of monitors above a set of consoles along the back wall. One was flickering, displaying the image from the camera outside, and several others were dimly glowing a dark grey. The rest of the room was cluttered with old furniture, some clothes, what looked like makeshift weapons, and other detritus.

“Don’t just stand there.” The girl hissed, and I could hear her clearly now the door was open. “There might be others lurking about. And don’t forget, I have a knife!” she reminded me, and with a slight smile, I nodded again, pulling shut the door behind me, which slid shut with an audible thump, and I blinked my eyes a few times, as if to get used to the limited light. For the first time I saw the speaking girl, and had to admit to myself I was impressed. I’ve long been used to knowing pretty girls. Eri, my sis. Shiro, Aimi-chan and Hina-chan... to say nothing of my life now. Bur she’s still a match for many, even now...

The girl hiding, a knife clutched in her trembling hand, was a bit younger than my sis, maybe, and her hair was long, black with dark brown highlights, down below her shoulders, though it was a little dirty and greasy, as if not properly washed with shampoo in a while. Her face was youthful, dark brown eyes crackling with emotion, and she was easily as pretty as Eri. She was wearing a blazer and trousers-style of school uniform, though the blazer and shirt beneath were missing several buttons and were somewhat stained with dirt, but overall she had a beautiful yet slightly boyish look. On seeing me watching, she looked down, before pointing the knife at me warily. “Don’t just stand there looking!” she continued in English. “It’s not safe to mess around. Besides... you promised you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Yes, I can take you away from here.” I repeated. “But do you really think that knife would do anything to me?”

She laughed bitterly, before putting it down beside her, though I noticed she kept it within reach. “I suppose not. Not if you are anything like the two tyrants.” She sighed, seemingly exhausted.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com

“Besides, as far as I know, most of the Chosen here and those slaves are dealt with.” I pointed out, and she looked at me, a little surprised.

“Really? Then... then I can get out of here?” She paused, looking down again, biting her lip. “That’s great, but... where are my manners? I’m sorry, being a good girl isn’t a priority in the Academy... just surviving and retaining any human decency is miracle enough.” She shuddered theatrically. “I should offer you a drink, you look tired.” She rummaged around in the trash next to her, her back to me, and I glanced at her long legs as she produced a pair of plastic cups and a half-full bottle of water. She poured out two cups, looking a little regretful. “I don’t have much, but...”

“No thanks.” I said dryly. “I think I’ll pass.”

“You will?” she said, before nodding. “Oh. Yes. You probably don’t trust me. I understand. The water, of course. I’ve been down here too long, I’ve forgotten how to deal with a normal person, one who isn’t crazy.” She paused. “You are a good person, nameless oppa, right?” she asked.

Sitting down on a pipe-chair something was on my mind now, and I didn’t want to rush matters, though obviously time was of the essence when it came to survivors. “I’ve made my fair share of tough decisions, but I always try to be as good a person as the times allow me.” I said honestly. “So, first up, who are you, and what happened here in this Academy?”

“You don’t know?” the girl said, surprised. She picked up one cup, but before it reached her mouth she frowned, setting it down. “That doesn’t make sense...”

“Oh I know plenty, like what the military told me.” I replied. “But that’s no substitute for knowledge on the ground. I want to be sure I don’t overlook anything. After all, there’s still someone at large, right?”

The girl nodded. “Oh yes, I see now. Let... let me be of help to you! I’m so grateful you came to rescue us from this living hell!” she declared fervently. “My name is Kim Eui, but you should simply call me Eui, since you’ve come all this way. I’m a second year at the Highschool here at Choe-Museon. As to what happened...” She looked upwards, thinking. “All hell broke loose one day. The Chae siblings suddenly took over the school, and nobody knew what to do. Jun-Seo-oppa was not exactly well liked, compared to his sister, but Cho-Hee-unni was very popular. She was almost as pretty as me...” the girl laughed, a touch nervously, toying with her hair with one hand, crossing her slender legs as she sat. “...anyway, we didn’t understand it, but that didn’t stop it. Choe-Museon has always been an institution that prided itself on discipline, rigour and solitude. There’s no internet signals, civilisation is many miles away through dangerous mountains, and supplies are only delivered every few weeks by a specialised firm. Sure, there was one emergency line to the outside, but that must have been destroyed, as the adults failed. Useless.” Her gaze hardened.

“I see, but it must have been hard to survive.” I prompted, and she looked at me gratefully.

“It was, it most definitely was, oppa!” she agreed. “Choe-Museon is special. The warehouses and kitchens had plenty of food and supplies stored, and since it’s a boarding school, everyone had smuggled sweets and other treats into their dorms, and each side, both the girls’ and the boys’ dorms, had their own kitchen and dining hall, though food was brought in from the warehouses so they weren’t well stocked. But... without people to manage it... waste and spoilage set in. The strong hoarded, and when they realised they could get away with that...”

“...they realised they could get away with doing other things too, taking whatever else they wanted, settling old scores, or simply lost hope, right?”

“Yes. You understand humans all too well, oppa.” She agreed. “While the Chae twins were fighting their little proxy war, groups hiding in their dorms or in various parts of the Academy were relatively safe, but then other groups started... rampaging.” Tears formed, glimmering in the corner of her dark brown eyes. “Me... I... I saw terrible things. I saw the boys dragging off girls they liked, even ones they didn’t, and doing terrible things. Some girls preyed on the foolish boys, luring them in and then selling them out... people did anything to survive. Hey, you speak English right, oppa?”

I nodded, and she explained. “I saw you in some of the cameras. Most of them don’t work anymore, the power went down when the government finally acted, though it just made things worse. But this is one of the primary rooms that takes energy from the backup generator, though even that’s almost done.” She looked sad. “The cameras aren’t great. But I read your lips a bit, and I saw some English words. Our Academy has a lot of influence from the great Boarding Schools of Europe, including Britain. In fact, everyone here learns English to fluent level, and we do several books in literature class.” I wondered why she was telling me this, but I wanted to be sure of something, so I continued to listen. “Shakespeare, of course, the Bronte sisters, some American turn of the twentieth century classics. And... a book called Lord of the Flies. Do you know it, oppa?”

As it happened, I did. I’d read it back in the day, apparently it was one of grandfather Jack’s books mom took with her to Japan. “Yes, where kids trapped alone devolve into tribal, insane behaviour without any rules but what they make up.”

“Imagine how much worse it would have been were it a mixed school.” She shuddered. “Oppa... wait, I still don’t know your name.”

“You can call me Akio...” I said, and she nodded.

“Akio-oppa. Japanese? No matter, you’re a hero if you came to save us. Even if it’s too late for most.” She titled her head, letting out a sob. She stood, tottering towards me. “There were so many boys, like animals. The screams, the cries...” She reached out for me, and seeing me hesitating, scrubbed at her tears. “Please, I need human contact. I’ve been lonely and scared for so long, but it ends today. You’ll take me away from here.” As I still looked disinclined to let her touch me, she paused again, her expression so heartbreakingly downcast even I was moved for a moment. Seeing Eri or my sis like that would be dreadful, but...

“I see. You think I’m dirty. That I’m defiled.” She shrank back, and punched over the glasses from earlier, water scattering over the makeshift table. “I get it, I do.” She let out a heartrending wail, tugging at her hair, seemingly mad. “I saw terrible things, but... I kept my purity, I swear it. And I made them pay!” She grinned lopsidedly through her tears. “They had rounded us all up in a room, but... I had been to the Chemistry lab. I was a member of the Chemistry club.” She confided. “So I poisoned them all. And then I rigged some traps to catch those that would come back to their favourite lair. Let the pigs die!” she snarled, before looking at me, eyes lowered. “Wait, sorry, Akio-oppa. Don’t hate me, don’t leave me! If you were in my position...”

“If I saw boys attacking girls, I’d have been less merciful.” I assured her. “Nothing disgusts me more. I have a sister, a lover.” Well, lovers, but that would spoil the mood. Ugh, even with my Split Thoughts, battling the Wyrm while working a complicated task with light element is challenging. “So if I was in that position, I’d have acted.” I paused. “Even if a girl was forced against her will, so what? I’m not a girl, so I could never understand the pain, but I know from my perspective I could still cherish them.” Haru is not dirty, no matter what she thinks. And I’ll be supporting her until the day she finally fully reclaims what happiness was taken from her.

“I see.” She looked at me for a long moment. “You’re a good man, Akio-oppa. And strong too, yes? You made it here, and you said that everyone else is defeated, barring the last?”

“Yes, Chae Cho-Hee, as you called her. Didn’t you see some of the battles over the cameras?” I asked, and she nodded.

“A little, but many are broken and the power is almost gone. So I can’t waste it, but I heard some explosions, and I wondered...”

“And what’s that?” Akio asked, and she opened her mouth to answer, before narrowing her eyes, noticing he was wearing an earpiece.

“Is that on?” she asked, and he took it out, shaking his head. She took it from him and dropped it in a ball of water shining with orange sparks, before feeling paranoid and soaking him with a further bottle of liquid. It’d be a shame if he breaks down, but... I didn’t get this far without being careful.

“Never mind that. I think it’s time. We should be going. But first, go and stop that attack on my Territory, so that I can withdraw gracefully. Then take me out of here as a victim of this mess. Then we can go and start again elsewhere. I’ve done all I can here now.” I can hardly wait to get out of this dingy hell. I won’t miss anyone here, they all served their purposes. I’ll be pitied as a victim, and I can turn the wealthy into my puppets, and use them to find others like us to exploit. Grow strong, and save myself, live like the Queen I am. “While you solve my problems, let the Daeva know we are leaving. No, I suppose I’ll see it when I remove any traces of myself here. It’s probably having fun toying with the invaders since it knows losing much of this Territory of mine won’t be critical.”

There was a long pause, and Cho-Hee narrowed her eyes. “Why aren’t you moving?”

“Sorry, my Queen, but it’s impossible.” Akio said. “I’ll take you out of here, but... I’ve already slain that piece of detritus that you call a Daeva.”

She paused, mouth hanging open. “What did you say? Impossible... but if you are that strong...” her mind whirled. This changes things. If the world is doomed and I don’t have it to take me away... no, I won’t be beaten. She chewed on her thumb, thinking. Worst case, I can live any life I choose, ruling over handsome men, every material desire fulfilled, until then, or maybe even grow to challenge the Gods who mocked us all... “In that case, stop the attacks, you said you could, right? If you slew it, it should be easy for you...”

“I certainly could, but... it’s also too late. Because...”

At that moment Cho-Hee screamed, a horrible tearing pain within her, and for a moment she nearly blacked out, losing consciousness, until a surge of dark warmth spread from her, the well of her power fighting back. “You... you...” she managed, enraged and confused, only for Akio to shake his head.

“...sorry, but I also just destroyed your Anchor. But it’s as I suspected...”

********

“...but it’s as I suspected...” I said sadly. I immediately knew it was her, while I had used light element to mask the glow from my Eye, I easily observed her, and could see Morana’s Divine Favour shining brightly within her. As well as something very interesting that I wanted to analyse. “...you don’t have just one Favour, but two. And the second is abnormal.”

Amber letters burned in my vision, as in the Boundary the disintegrating blood and flesh of the Wyrm drifted down in the dark waters beside me, and below me, at the base of the lake, the Anchor shattered, my attacks overcoming it rapidly.

Your Class, Conqueror, has increased from Level 21 to Level 22. You have destroyed the Anchor of a hostile Territory. Your class, Conqueror is sufficient to claim and extract the Divine Favour within this Territory and its owner. Your Adherence is sufficient to utilise Morana’s Drowning Lake Of Self-Sacrifice, and you have enough compatibility to possess this Divine Favour and make it your own. This Divine Favour has suffered degradation and encroachment. You may possess or consume it but this will entail some risk of harm, and in its current state the Favour is imperfect.

You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased...

As I surged up out of the lake in the Boundary, the battle over, my body was steaming with black mist, Spirit Water counteracting the tainted lake. Likewise in the Material I was similarly exuding expelled curses, though weaving enough light to mask it in the dimly-lit room was a hassle. Worth it though.

The girl Cho-Hee coughed up dark blood, and her eyes were murderous. “How... how did you resist me? And why? My cunning is perfect, and it assured me none could easily find out about my abilities or what I did here. This was the sealed bottle where I would grow my power until it was... time to... leave.” She was radiating hatred, and she reached for her knife again. Ordinarily I would have thought she was done now, but the second Favour, the one that was swirling with the remaining adherence I had lost after my earlier victories, was still fortifying her. And it’s missing something. I can see the areas in other Favours where the mysterious ??????? that my Eye can’t identify should be, but now I have a number of them to compare, I can see it’s almost entirely absent from this knockoff.

“Sadly, my Eye is actually an eye to see through things, and it pegged you straight away. But even without it, you have tells. You look too clean, and far too well-fed. And come on, trying to make me drink, when you knew I knew the water was tainted? You also swallowed my lie about the nature of the trap. It existed, but not like I told you. It was flammable cooking oils, likely scavenged from a kitchen. And I know you’ve been watching on more cameras than just this one by the broadcasting room, since you read my lips speaking English. So a lot doesn’t add up. If you were this Kim Eui, you’d never have such a prime hiding spot in this school without being hunted down.”

“So... all lies, huh?” she laughed. “I was actually in drama club, as well as arts and crafts, and the athletics team. I was the... model pupil. You lied, even to the point of letting me take an eye...”

“I’d just have regrown it.” I laughed. “You’re right, we can grow stronger, smarter. And you’re pretty much a genius, Cho-Hee. You worked out mastering an element by yourself, and your Territory was very cleverly set up. I might learn from that. But... you’re right. You were dealing with people who didn’t know their own strengths, and trapped them all one by one. Even your brother. Don’t you regret his loss?” She’s got a lot of power rising, adherence twisted into her Favour. But I want to see how it works a few moments more.

“Regret him? I only started looking down on him when he grew lazy and arrogant. When we were young, I liked him just fine. But in the end he was a berserk brute. Seeing him cry, wail and beg, then when he realised I’d enslave him anyway, switch to rage and hatred, spitting bile at me... it was so very satisfying. Just as...” she suddenly roared. “...it’ll be when I kill you! I’m not done yet!”

She raced forwards, and her body was wreathed in the same sort of dark aether and adherence as the hand had, and her bodily strength was magnified many times over. Her knife flew at me, but I was still faster, especially since her Chakra network was damaged severely by the forceful Conquering of her Favour. Closing in, she looked at me with malicious eyes, then spat her final weapon, a mouthful of dark, oily blood.

“Too bad.” Spirit Water met it, and they detonated, droplets falling like acid, hissing. “I’ve got a very high tolerance to curses.”

“Fuck you, fuck you!” she cried. “You’re just like all the rest, just like me! You’ve fought, killed, oppressed, taken...” She wasn’t giving up, dark finger-like tentacles shifting from behind her, five of them, reminiscent of the Daeva, Akoman. “...I’m not going to be taken from! I saw enough those first few days, and from the stories I heard!”

The fingers closed in on me, but I merely shook my head, recklessly blasting them with Spirit Water bullets, and as they disintegrated away to dust and mist, she gaped, stunned, before gritting her teeth and attempting to stab my throat. Sorry but your knife before only cut me because I let you. “Maybe so. But... I keep my promises. I’ll take you out of here.” I said, ground erupting to grab at her legs. As she was held in place, I seized her arms, wrestling the knife free, and aether surged, forming a number of delicate shimmering blades that she couldn’t perceive. “But not carrying any of this inside you. You proved unworthy of it.”

She screamed, convulsing again, as I slashed through the makeshift Favour, having bought enough time to study it while I pretended to be her self-sacrificing servant. As it popped free, my Eye identified it as Akoman’s Well Of Blood, Water And Despair, though the description was a mess. I can handle it later. For now... I’m exhausted. The girl fell limp in my arms, and I had to stabilise her Chakra network, despite my exhaustion, with Chirurgery and Ether Healing, else she would have died from the terrible shock of losing not one, but two Favours in rapid succession. With it came a decent amount of muddy adherence, that which she had absorbed before, and that was welcome, as I was beyond exhausted, and now had numerous Favours greedily sucking me dry. I’ll look at them all and make some decisions later. But for now...

My work done, I hoisted the girl up on my shoulder, retrieved my shed armour, and let out a weary sigh. Whether she wakes up or not, when she does... she’ll be an ordinary girl again, though maybe able to use a little water element, perhaps. No guarantees. In any case, she’ll have to face justice, but it’s not for me to punish her for her crimes. Unlike Nie Ling, though... I don’t feel any sympathy at all. Maybe it was as cruel here as she said, and she saw terrible things, like Lord of the Flies, this Kodoku in miniature wicked and full of pain, but... she added to it, dragged in others and stirred the pot, and all for her own power...

“It’s over.” I said, with feeling, leaving behind the broadcast room, burdens in hand, without a backwards glance...