Arc 4:
Part 1: Duty
"Fuck you," a young man said.
The other stood before him, not realizing how much of what he said had struck a chord.
He only studied the younger one as his eyes began to water, looking as if he was trying to remember something long forgotten. They weren't too far apart in age, but he had always considered him younger in terms of looks.
Though, right now, all he could focus on was the sopping crimson that his younger brother was drenched in.
"Atlas…"
"Fuck off, Ares."
There was an awkward tension that followed. And then the one named Atlas turned around, shadows devouring his eyes along with the red. "I'm not going with you."
"But Asura said—"
"I don't care. I need to think."
Ares held his tongue. Though he was the brasher of the two, in this moment, he let himself be the opposite. Anything for his brother…
"If you ever see me again… It'll be there." Atlas said lastly before disappearing without a sound or warning, vanishing like the ethers took him. All that remained were his crimson footsteps in the dirt and the crunched dead leaves he left at his wake.
Ares only remained. His face was solemn after all they had been through—him especially. But he never let others know of the pain in his heart. The pain he swore he would suppress for the rest of his Keeperforsaken life.
But knowing the Keeper, he would keep him alive as punishment instead…
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send?'" he spoke to himself. "And I said, 'Here am I… Send me.'"
***
Come back home, Greed…
**Present. Somewhere on the way back to the Valley**
Greed:
I felt the cool wind on my face as I had begun to wake. My eyes were blurry and my eyelids were so heavy. It felt less painful to keep them closed than open, even as I now lay wherever I was, conscious. Awake. And writhing in pain.
I had heard a woman's voice in my head… or maybe it wasn't? I didn't know. It sounded familiar and unknown at the same time. Perhaps I was not fully awake just yet.
It took me a moment to remember what had happened. To let reality sink in again. Sleeping was a way to escape that. It was something I did not want to face just yet…
Through the opening and closing of my eyes, I noticed I was buckled in the passenger of a moving vehicle. The roof was gone, forever convertible. It had a missing windshield, and a goofy rooster charm on the rearview mirror, with only endless grass and hills that filled the view to my right.
To my left was a guy I had never seen before. He had tattered earthtone and brown clothes on and he had a half black and half red mohawk. His voice, when he spoke, was a mixture of rasp with a hint of alto. And to me it seemed to echo, aiding my unwelcomed headache.
"Don't worry Captain! We are almost back to the Valley. Just a few more hours," he said as his words sounded in and out of my hearing. He was friendly at least, but why had he called me Captain for? He's not a Black Wolf…
"Don't push yourself. What happened back there… I'm sorry for all of it. I was only there at the end, but I can tell something big went down. I saw it from miles away…" He was silent for a moment, then went on, "I doubt I would have been any help had I been there though, my magic's not all that powerful… To be up against two Apostles, I would have been wiped out in an instant—not that you'd care—you don't know me." He was silent again; I was too tired to even reply or give a mere head nod. "A-And don't worry, you don't owe me anything. So if you're wondering if I'll ask a favor in return, I will do no such thing. But I…" he hesitated, then finally found the courage to finish his sentence, "I owe my whole life to you. I will do anything for the Black Wolves!"
I stared at him for a long while, squinting my eyes as if that would have helped me see better. But I mustered the strength. And I felt bad for him when I finally responded, "Who the hell are you? And where—" My scattered mind dropped the compartmentalized topic and started searching frantically for my friends.
"Where…" I said as I felt a strain on my shoulder, my arm, my whole body. Everything was aching as I dreadfully managed to say, "Where are… my friends?"
He breathed in and out deeply as he replied, "In the back. I put them under covers for now to protect their bodies. I figure you'd want to bury them in a nice spot when we finally get back to the Valley."
I widened my eyes finally as I said, "Ryo!"
Looking back, I saw him there. He wasn't in a bag as I had thought. Instead, he was under a blanket, and I could tell... his arms and the lower half of his body was gone… There's no way he'd be alive after looking like that.
"Fuck." I clenched my teeth attempting to make myself bleed just looking at him. But what were those headphones…?
"He's still alive," the mohawk guy said, which surprised me. "but... he's in critical condition. Not only did he use up all his mana and lost all his limbs and lower half, but he had a deadly poison in his system. To be frank, he'd be dead by now had I not regulated the poison in his body. That's why I am rushing to the Valley so he may be treated and still make it. Hopefully…"
"Regulated?"
"Yeah, with my magic. But that's not important, you shouldn't be doing anything right now, Captain, let alone talking to me. I am just your humble pawn. Please let me take it from here. It is the least I can do for you in your time of need!" he said, though I still didn't fully understand.
I was too exhausted to question the headphones Ryo was wearing as he slumbered…
I turned back around in my seat, and I placed my head back, recalling the last pleasant memory I had of them all…
Zeno, Snow, Rex. They were all sitting around the campfire, bantering and having a good time. I sat with them, about to pull out the meal packed from Jo and Code, and Ryo was there salivating over my food.
I remembered the conversations we had, the promises that were made. I remembered the determination in Rex's eyes. The reassurance in Snow's words. The peace in Zeno's tone. And the safety in Ryo's smile.
We had all promised to make it out alive… but here I was. Barely able to move, in a vehicle heading back to the Valley, Ryo torn to shreds, and three corpses in the back… This mission was an utter failure.
I closed my eyes, finding sleep once again. Sleep so I may escape this painful reality. I might as well. I couldn't move any more than I already had…
And then found the previous thought I dropped and asked, "Who are you?"
The nameless guy gave a nervous laugh and said, "I'm—" before I passed out entirely.
***
The one with the mohawk smiled serenely as Greed closed his eyes and proceeded to rest.
The fact that they had been traveling for over two weeks after he had sustained such wounds was impressive enough. He had made some stops to spoon feed soup to him and Ryo and make sure the mana was charged on the headphones used to 'regulate' Ryo's life. Everything he did was purposeful and full of care. And he asked for nothing in return.
He said, only to himself now as he continued to drive onward,
"I'm just the guy who created your social media page, is all. No one important. But you…"—his eyes gleamed when he recalled—"you don't know this, but you saved my life that day. And for that, I am forever grateful."