Chương 22: The Touch of Death
It didn't take long for Vlad to reach the collapsed zone. What met him was dust and rubbles all over the place, you could barely see something in there, but he managed to spot a boy next to a wall right beside where the stones poured outside.
'What the hell just happened here? Let's see if I can find the kids. I hope they didn't get killed by this incident.'
When he saw Inorra in the distance, he breathed out a bit relieved, thinking in his head.
'Good, Inorra seems to not be eaten by the rocks. Let's see where Kipset is. I can't see him in this entire mess.'
Quickly getting close to where Inorra landed after being thrown by Kipset at the back wall of the gallery path. Seeing the state Inorra was made his eyes get even colder while on his shirt, the black mark began to swell up, growing bigger than its former pea-size.
Inorra had many wounds and even broken bones from the stones that flooded him and Kipset. What Vlad could notice out of the ordinary was slight swelling in his head, but luckily it wasn't covered in blood.
Getting to the boy, he placed his hand on his nose and could feel him breathing, sign that his situation outside of his broken arm wasn't so devastating.
"Inorra, wake up. Little brat, wake up already."
Vlad began shaking Inorra without causing any harm, constantly calling on him with "Wake up" until, at long last, the boy reacted.
Inorra started waking up a bit confused, but as he opened his eyes, the pain also followed him.
"ARGH. MY HEAD HURTS LIKE HELL! Zag, what happened?" asked Inorra, still under the influence of the hit he suffered.
"That's what I should ask you, kid. Fast, where could Kipset be?
It took some more seconds for Inorra to get some clarity, but what followed after that, along with his splitting headache, was Kipset voice, who sounded in his head, telling him his farewell.
Releasing a scream of pain, the young boy followed by crying and telling Vlad panicked.
"I remember that there was a rain of stones hitting us from above than I got hit. Kipset most likely got me out from that storm, so he should also be around here.
Maybe he got caught by the stones. Find him Zag. I don't want to have him haunt me all my life."
"Don't worry, boy, neither I want to have you on my conscience for getting killed in such manner. You did well. Now calm yourself." said Vlad to Inorra while whipping his tears from his face.
Still crying, Inorra nodded his head, sobbing a little bit and following by saying in a quilty tone.
"I'm useless. I couldn't help Kipset one bit. I had some guesses about this day and even felt that Glim would do that, but that bastard used a cheapshot on Kipset."
As Inorra started talking a bit about the situation, Vlad's who moved toward a closer zone of the path that had a lot of stones from the collapse of the gallery zone, had a cold expression on his face.
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There seemed to be layered upon layers of stone, but if there was someone inside, Vlad couldn't know before trying to search. Like a maniac, he began lifting rocks and dropping them, clearing a space to see if someone was there.
After some layers of stones started to shrink, a small voice, like a mosquito, was heard saying.
"I'm here, Zagreus. I'm still breathing, but I can't move or even feel my body. Hurry, I don't think I can keep myself clear-headed for long. Hurry, I got sick of those stones already." the voice finally stopped.
"Heh, so there you are, little shit. You messed up big times, brat. What have I taught you? To get yourself beat by some rat? At least, tell me before getting yourself done by some cheap trick, did you pummel the shit out of the snake, or did those breaking holds I taught you?"
Asked Vlad while picking stones and throwing them in the distance, while hitting a talk with Kipset to keep his mind busy and stay awake.
"Yes, brother, I did everything you taught me, but I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I suddenly froze and moved to break his bones, but I think I messed something and give that bastard space to move for a brief second. He strayed some of his blood in my eyes, blinding me before going for my balls.
Hah, pathetic, am I right, brother?" asked Kipset from the tomb of stones that was grinding him down.
Meanwhile, Vlad, who listened to what he said while also clearing a path for Kipset, only commented coldly.
"So you guys still have a problem with that part? Killing, is it? Don't worry, brat, since it seems my first method of training didn't work as I intended, I will teach you what it looks like when I'm going in a draconic fashion."
"Shit, you make me want to faint already."
"That's what you deserve for being weak-willed, boy. Be thankful for your luck that you managed to survive that entire ordeal."
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He shoveled using his hands, not minding the opened skin and blood that he started spilling on the cold stone floor. Not bothered by the pain caused by his hands, the changes around the rubble began to shift.
The abundance of stones initially there decreased until Vlad could see small parts of Kip's hand lying there, still covered by rocks.
"I almost got you, stupid brat. Are you still awake?"
The hand that stuck out from the stone rubbles seems to jolt a bit, and not long, a voice got heard. "Yea, I'm still here. I can sense some coldness running on my fingertips."
"Good, it means that you didn't fucked up so badly. You still got a chance of recovering. Damn, I still wonder what is wrong with that little brain of yours. Do you think that brat is a good person? Just kill him. Nothing would have happened to you. You would slowly get used to that feeling."
"Well, sorry for not being a crazy guy like you who thinks of death like it's something casual."
"Ohh, you are in the mood to argue with me?"
"No, sir. Just get me out of here."
After a short time, Vlad finally spotted Kipset, who was stuck between the stones. Getting a hold of him, he swiftly pulled him out of the tomb that would have sealed him if not for him.
When he pulled him out of the spot he was, all Vlad had left to do was slowly place him down close to where Inorra was and just looked at him as he stared back with a guilty face.
"Anything else to add, aside from that, I wasted my time in teaching you guys how to protect yourself?"
"Not at all. We're just weak. That's why we're in this state." replied back Kipset, feeling weakened from all his wounds and at the same time frustrated that he was done in this manner.
"Sigh, just go sleep already. You're safe, better converse your energy on healing now."
After seeing Kipset, Inorra could only drop his head in guilt when he saw him in a bloodied state. Even Vlad suffered a bit when rushing to get Kipset out, visible because his hands were now dripping blood without stopping.
"There's no need to feel guilty for this incident, Inorra. What happened is in the past. What matters now is to learn from this experience and no longer fear taking other's life if your own is endangered."
When he said that, Vlad ripped some of his clothes to bandage his hands. After that, he rechecked on Kipset, and turning to look at Inorra, who had a dejected expression, he reminded him again.
"Kid, stop blaming yourself. It's not like you lost a war or doomed your own country to slavery." ended Vlad in a harsh tone that made the whimpering boy to man up.
"Now that you calmed a bit tell me. That guy Glim, how long has it been since that incident between you three?"
Inorra tried to raise his head a bit but only managed to do it for a brief moment.
However, what he saw, was a Vlad that he had never seen. His expression looked chilling cold, yet remaining calm while looking at him.
"I guess it's been some minutes. Haven't you seen the snake when you got down?
"No, I hadn't seen him when I got here from the upper levels. That sneaky rat actually knew something that I would go after him and probably choose to hide before taking to the upper floors."
'That little rat shouldn't be too far from me. You rat shouldn't have too much success of getting out with the chaos that happened inside the mine.'
As he thought that, seeing to prepare to go for Glim, he turned to pat Inorra's face that wasn't hurt before saying to him.
"You did fine in surviving this ordeal. Don't worry. You're not useless or anything you imagine yourself to be. You only need time to mature yourself.
Now stay quiet there and wait for the old man to arrive and take you out. You better listen to what he says."
Ended Vlad by saying that, then turning to walk away from the incident going towards the upper floors to find the fleeing bug.
"No, Zag. Don't do anything stupid. There are too many people in this entire scheme." said Inorra, scared of what Vlad was trying to pull off.
"Inorra, you still don't know much about me. While I appreciate your worries, sometimes it is better to keep them only to yourself." said Vlad in a cold and mature-looking tone while beginning to walk for the upper floors.
As he began distancing himself, the dark mark on his chest began to grow and even turn in another shape compared to the usual circle, like it was a sigil.
However, Vlad didn't feel that or could see it because of his shirt, yet as he walked up, his face began turning colder.
It was a sudden switch of emotional states that only the ones who suffered a lot in life would probably achieve, but it was clear that this shift marked the end of certain people.
Incurring the wrath of the Impaling Prince wasn't something to scoff at or treat lightly.
Walking up, quickly memories began to resurface in his head, along with the darkening of his green eyes that made his cold expression even more frosty.
The flow of memories was something specific, as if someone wanted to show him something. He could see himself walk in a forest of impaled bodies of turkish soldiers or the impaling bodies of the Ottoman representatives who demanded a higher tribute than the regular one.
To top it off, their bodies were impaled while their turbans were pinned down by nails for disrespecting him in not taking their turbans in his court.
'Heh, aren't those memories quite specific? Those were good times indeed. Come mind of mine show me Mehmed face after he escaped death by a hair length.'
The mark on his chest pulsed a bit unnoticed, and Vlad soon could see precisely what he wanted to see.
*** It was the scene of him trying to assassinate Mehmed the Conqueror, the famed and ambitious Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Still, as if something or someone didn't want him to succeed, he assassinated 3 Important Pashas who were settled in a war tent similar to what he knew Mehmed would prefer. ***
' I could only retreat, but the shock and fear in Mehmed's face still remain ingrained in my memory.'
'Thanks, whoever is there showing me this.'
--- "HAHA, NO PROBLEM, MORTAL. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO HELP YOU AWAKEN YOUR POWERS. JUST GROW UP, QUICKER BEFORE THAT THING REACTS TO US, MY DEAR MASTER" --
Yet this genderless voice remained unheard as if it was stuck in a void.
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Vlad's face remained the same cold as he climbed up without rushing himself.
With his dark-green eyes giving off some intangible dark lights, the torches inside the mine slowly started to sway hard under Vlad's steady steps, which seemed to release some dark smoke whenever he was passing.
The dust covering the floor in every direction all of a sudden lifted. It looked like some strong gust of wind entered the depths of the mine, disturbing the silence of the depths.
Walking up to the upper floors, he met the rushing Nius, who sensed the weird feeling he got from Vlad, along with the cold and a bit of some dark smoke getting released from his feet.
--"TSK, IS THIS OLD MAN AGAIN. HE'S QUITE ANNOYING TO INTERFERE AND STICK SO MUCH WITH MY MASTER." --
"Boy, don't tell me it was what you guessed when we were talking on the upper floor?" he asked, but there was no response, only the boy staring at him.
"Lad, are you there? Tell are those two rascals still alive?"
Finally, Vlad, who looked calmly at Nius, responded a bit coldly.
"Yes, old man. Kipset requires more treatment, so I hope you got your fish ointment prepared and some cold presses for Inorra. Don't ask. You'll understand once you see him."
Not bothering to chat with the old man now. Suddenly he stopped not far and asked the old man while facing the upper floors.
"Old Nius, have you seen a tanned kid with small squinted eyes and a sharp nose?"
Taken by surprise by this question, old Nius asked back.
"Hmmm. Right, I've seen one like what you described. That kid had a bloody face, bruises all over his face, along a limping arm. Is that the culprit for the collapse? Or there's also that Belpel guy in this scheme?"
"Obviously, he is also there, but I heard he is strong, so I will not court death too much. I will just kill who I have to kill and quietly let myself see Mayer."
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When old Nius couldn't see Vlad anymore, he turned to walk down towards Inorra and Kipset. While doing so, he started thinking about the feeling he had when facing the boy going out of the mine.
'What was that dark smoke coming from his feet? I saw it for a brief moment before suddenly stopping. Is this brat really a devil fruit user, a really strong and unique one?'
'Also, could it be that the kid also has some sign of awakening his Conqueror's? But it didn't really felt like the genuine one, like what I use. His is a bit slower to be felt, as if it encroaches you and shallows you alive, like Death.'
'Kid, who are you to have such mysterious and unique feelings about you while you're only 12 years old. I'm going senile, or I'm too focused on training that I no longer can appreciate what is spirit and power?'
'Sigh, this brat really hides his things really well. I wonder what his future would look like, compared to us old washed geezers.'
As he was thinking about his glorious days as a royal guard, Old Nius reached the collapsed zone and could see on a corner two boys down. One bigger was sleeping soundly while the other looked down, with a sad expression on his face.
"What's with that face, brat? Did you really mess up so badly? I can't see it on your body. You still have all your limbs.
Hmm, maybe some broken bones and wounds, but that can be healed in no time. Cheer up. Do you want to turn like that mate of yours that just rushed out? Cold and sad?" said Nius while looking at Inorra, who just turned his head to look at him, turning a bit better from hearing his words.
Noticing that it was old Nius, he calmed down and switched to look at Kipset, who was lying down beside him.
Old Nius could only sigh when he reached to check on the boys, especially when checking Kipset.
His body was a mess. All of his leg bones got broken, his body had injuries and bruises all over it. Looking at Inorra, who was now looking at him as if to ask about Kipset's state, Nius only said.
"Kid, your mate will live to see the next day, so don't worry. From what the other rascal said, he was awake when he got him out from his tomb."
"Thanks, grampa Nius."
"Nah, don't thank me. I enjoy helping out young prospects like you. Now, can you get up and walk?"
Moving his legs for a bit while he sat on his butt, feeling them respond, Inorra nodded and started getting up, slowly beginning to move towards old Nius.
"Good, then let's go, kid. I will take you to my shack for some quick treatment before taking you home. Also, a reminder for you, little boy, keep your mouth shut. I don't want to hear screams, not that I can hear them." ended Nius trying to lift Inorra's spirit a little with a joke.
Inorra kept nodding his head, and after Nius took Kipset effortlessly in his hand as if he weighed nothing, he walked to the upper floors at a slow pace to have Inorra slowly get the motion in his system.
'It's a good treatment for those types of accidents, little boy. I can easily pick you up and go out, but I'll rather let you treat yourself alone. Walks are always good for depressions.'
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In another section of the mine, a young man started walking up the mine floors with slow steps, like he paused the time from ever passing.
It really felt weird to see only one person in a crowd of hundreds of people who were fleeing for their life to walk calmly as if nothing was going to happen to him.
Passing the miners fleeing in panic, he turned to look at the guard who seemed familiar to him.
'That mutt is the one who annoyed me 2 years ago.'
The guard didn't notice at first that Vlad was approaching him. He only picked on Vlad's silent steps only after he was already meters away from him.
Seeing the boy getting even closer to him in a slow manner, he shouted in panic.
"You there. Stop where you are. I repeat, step back, or you'll get punished."
He said the word "punishment" with half the mouth, but before he could even grasp what was happening, Vlad already reached him, delivering a strong leg strike in his stomach.
Following that, he grabbed his throat and just stared at the guard who was kneeled on the cold floor.
Having grabbed his throat, he started struggling to get out of his hold, but to no avail.
He could see Vlad's green eyes that had some dark lights in them being released gently away. The guard felt only despair as more seconds passed, and he couldn't get out of this choke.
He was not able to push aside the boy's hand, who was holding his throat hostage. Feeling that the world around him started to blur, he could only let some tears of fear for what was to come.
Still, right when he was ready to embrace death, the grip on his throat loosened, and looking at the boy's cold face, he suddenly heard Vlad say.
"Do you remember me, you arrogant mutt? It seems I managed to survive those two years, and we meet again. Ohh, why are you trembling so much, you know, fear of death? Don't worry. The journey down is a peaceful process. You'll feel nothing, just the eternity of your life passing before your eyes."
The guard looked at Vlad with a pleading expression, as if he would soon die from asphyxiation. Seeing that, Vlad lowered his grip a bit to let the guard take some air.
"I'm looking that scary? Well, it doesn't matter what you think now. I want some simple answers from you. After getting them, I will let you go unharmed. However, don't try to lie to me. You don't want to see what happens when people lie to me."
The guard used his hand who was holding Vlad's, to signal that he was going to answer.
"Good. Then let's start."
"The first question. Are you working for Belpel?" a simple question where the guard started trembling when he heard his boss' name.
He could only respond to the boy's questions. "Yes. I'm on Belpel's faction."
"I see. Did Mayer come visiting the mines today just to see me?"
Not knowing what to say, he tried to lie about this aspect. "I don't know anything about this. I'm just a low-ranked guard who does what he's told by the higher-ranked guys."
Believing that the boy couldn't feel him lying, he just told him what he felt was more believable to a young man. What he didn't know was the fact that Vlad, who took over Zagreus Vladi's body, was an experienced man who saw so many liers that he was sick of them.
Still looking coldly at the guard, Vlad strengthened his grip on the guard's throat again, saying. "Wrong. You just lied here. Your eyes gave you out. You have one more chance, or else you'll meet Hades, and believe me, you don't want that."
Even more fear started to show on the guard's face, he never heard of someone telling out if one was lying, but Vlad truly caught him red-handed. Trying to nod his head while Vlad was choking him, he finally got a second chance.
"Fine, fine. I'll tell you everything I know. I value my life more than this shit job."
.....
A/N: Hmmm, this chapter has many hidden things around. The genderless voice? What's with that?
Not even Nius can state or describe what that dark energy about Vlad is. It is a devil fruit as he speculated or it is something else?
Well, it remains to be seen and found out.
Hope you liked this chapter.
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