“I want that woman dead, Nikolai. She's not joining Black Dawn,” Tahlia said, folding her arms across her chest.
“Obviously,” Nikolai groaned. “Perhaps I'll keep her in mind if you ever die.”
Tahlia's eyes widened with fury. “What?”
“I think you did the right thing by saving Sierra,” Romeo said, voicing his opinion. “None of White Shadow deserve to be killed.” Tahlia scowled at the young man for expressing himself as such.
Nikolai laughed and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “My boy, I concur. The Tianzu are the biggest threat any of us face, and we need all the help we can get.”
Juliet buried her head in her hands. Hearing Romeo side with Nikolai was a worry. He's being brainwashed without even realising.
Nikolai's head snapped over to Juliet's direction. “What's the matter, young one? You seem distressed. Are you concerned for your friends' safety? Or are you concerned for your own well-being?” Before she could even answer, Nikolai continued his dialogue. “In that case, I think we should step up our efforts with your training. The best way to ensure your survival is to better yourself.”
Juliet felt trapped. She couldn't stand to be in the great man's presence for another second. She got up and ran to the door of their hotel. She pulled it open, only to find Nikolai standing on the other side.
“Going somewhere?” he asked as he strode back in through the doorway. “I thought you agreed to join Black Dawn? Or was that all a farce?”
“I never joined you!” she screamed back, trying to run around him. He held an arm out and blocked her path, then closed the door shut.
“I see. Perhaps I was just foolish in hoping you'd come to see what Black Dawn actually stands for.”
She looked up into his eye sockets. “I'll never be a part of Black Dawn. I only joined this group because you threatened to kill me if I didn't,” she muttered.
“So I recall,” Nikolai laughed. “Then allow me to propose this to you: I'll allow you to leave, but only in the event that Roman here agrees to join you.”
The words certainly came as a shock to Juliet. She didn't quite believe the offer, but wasn't going to waste any time by questioning it. “Agreed,” she said, turning to her Athenian compatriot. “Romeo, let's go, now.”
Romeo stared at her from across the room. He remained in his position, not moving an inch. “Go where?” he asked. “We can't go back to White Shadow.”
“Of course we can! We'll be safe with Skye.”
Romeo rolled his eyes. “Juliet, I have a great deal of respect for Skye. He's doing everything he can to end this war, even though I don't condone some of his actions. But don't think for a second that we'll be safe with him. How many times were we almost killed back in Athenia?”
Juliet had to hold back her rage. It amazed her how quickly he'd allowed Nikolai to alter his perceptions. “Please don't do this. Do you really want to stay with Nikolai? Do you want to stay with a man who purposely takes his time watching others get killed?”
Nikolai smiled and took her question as a compliment. He turned his attention to Romeo and awaited his response.
“Yes, I do,” Romeo said, much to Juliet's horror. “I told you yesterday it's no secret that both groups are using us. We're just expendable fighters to them. But Nikolai told me his plan for Athenia, and I honestly agree with it. All White Shadow wants to do is kill Nikolai out of fear that he'll run the country too strictly, whereas Nikolai's actually trying to fix what Paul and Archibald did.”
“He's right, my dear,” Nikolai agreed. “I'm not selfish enough to run Athenia for my own gratification. After all, if I did that, it would merely lead to me wanting more, which would subsequently result in me trying to rule every sovereign state and union on the planet.” He towered over Juliet and studied her bold eyes. “But in actuality I'm just trying to right Athenia's past wrongs. I know Skye and Ren well, and they'd never allow someone like myself to run the country.”
He knelt down so that he was level with her. He smiled gently. “I'm not one to say that another's beliefs are incorrect,” he continued, “but if you could understand my pain, then you would know why I'm so passionate about this cause. Yes, I admit that I like to have a little fun by slowly eliminating the Tianzu, and yes, I also authorised the deaths of anyone in White Shadow who stood against me. But defending oneself is a natural instinct for all species.”
“No!” she screamed, not holding her rage back any longer. “You're a murderer! And you're not fooling me by saying that you're trying to control Athenia for the right reasons!”
“Then open your mind,” he urged. “It frustrates me to no end that the most developed nations in the world, Athenia included, seem to be filled with pompous imbeciles who complain about the most trivial things. Our societies have never been safer, but with this safety comes a lack of gratitude for life, and therefore a false sense of entitlement. As such, if I try to impose just a hint of control over one's rights, I'm condemned. But Romeo sees what I'm trying to do, and I'm asking the same of you.
“It's not that I necessarily want people to live in fear, but rather I want them to know the consequences of what happens when they forcefully instigate unrest. Paul instilled these ideals in the Athenians, which led to protests against foreign nationals such as myself, which then led to deadly riots. I don't wish to be seen as a scoundrel of sorts, but my first duty is to make the island safe for all. Sometimes too much freedom can be a bad thing for society, whereas a certain level of control leads to harmony.”
Juliet backed away from him. “I don't want to hear any more of this. Romeo, I'm leaving, with or without you.”
She looked across at him, her eyes pleading for him to join her. He needed to be saved from Nikolai and the toxic environment surrounding them.
Romeo shook his head. “I won't go. I want to stay here and help Nikolai fix Athenia. You've been brainwashed by Ren.”
Juliet took a deep breath and bit her lip. “And what about the Tianzu? Are you going to help him kill them?”
“Kill, or be killed,” Nikolai interrupted. “There's no law which rules against defending oneself. Murder is a barbaric crime, but vanquishing those who are actively trying to kill you is no such atrocity.”
“I don't want to kill anyone,” Romeo said, siding with neither Nikolai nor Juliet. “But I'm not going to stand by and let them kill me either. I'm going to stay here and train so that I can defend myself.”
Juliet felt disgusted and betrayed. She'd only known the young man for less than a week, but had only ever been accommodating to him. To hear him admit he would stay with Black Dawn on his own accord made her blood boil.
“Then I'm leaving, Romeo. Stay safe.” She tried to leave the room, but again was stopped by Nikolai as he appeared in front of her.
“I can't allow you to leave,” he said. “Our agreement was that you could leave only if your friend was joining you.”
Juliet hung her head, defeated, knowing there was no way out. She cringed and let out a vicious moan. “Fine. I'll stay for the time being. But don't think for a second that I've joined Black Dawn. My loyalties are to Skye and Ren.”
Nikolai scoffed at the mention of their names. “I do love Skye and Ren, but I certainly don't agree with their cause. They're investing all their time and effort into finding President Denning. Ask yourself this though, Jacinta: what would happen if they were successful?”
She paused and briefly considered her answer. “Then justice would be done.”
He couldn't help but laugh upon hearing her response. “Indeed it would. That man deserves to be erased from existence. But think harder. What would happen to Athenia? Do you really believe it would suddenly bring harmony to the streets of the Shangwu district?”
She said nothing, partly because she didn't wish to engage in another exhausting debate, and partly because she knew she was unable to fight back.
“The answer is no,” he said on her behalf. “The damage has
been done, and killing Denning will solve nothing. In fact, it would harm Athenia. What the country needs now, more than ever, is a hero. A leader. And that's why I'm working tirelessly to have him fix my country.”
Again, Juliet said nothing. She stared at the floor, trying to ignore his words.
“It's challenging, isn't it?” he asked. “Choosing sides, that is. Don't think I'm a stubborn man; I admit my views on the world are controversial. But I'm only doing this because I want to see peace restored to Athenia. That's all.”
Tahlia watched on, for once intrigued by the conversation taking place. Her eyes suddenly widened. “One of the Tianzu is dead,” she said.
Nikolai cocked his head. A childish grin spread from ear to ear. “Is that so?” He paused and expanded his mind outwards, confirming it for himself. “So it would seem. I'm no longer able to sense the masked man.” He laughed softly to himself. “Well done, Skye. I believe congratulations are in order.”
“Nikolai,” Juliet said, changing the subject, “if Romeo came with me, would you have actually let us leave?”
The towering man paused and pondered the question. After a moment, he shrugged. “I'm unable to say. On one hand, I don't quite care whether you're here or not. But on the other hand, I'm keen for Black Dawn to replace its diminishing numbers.”
Juliet bit her tongue and kept her thoughts to herself. Instead, she retreated to her room and slammed the door shut behind her. She had to find a way to escape Black Dawn; joining them was clearly a mistake.
Nikolai strode over to the window and gazed down at Nishihama. The police were out once again, no doubt trying to find the mysterious group of fighters who were terrorising the streets of their city.
Romeo joined him by the window. “What's our next move?”
“For now, we wait and we rest. It was an eventful evening. I can sense Skye and the others moving throughout Nishihama. Perhaps I'll meet up with him tomorrow.”
Romeo gazed upon the beautiful neon of the large metropolis around them. “I meant what I said a moment ago—I'm not killing anyone. And I don't consider White Shadow my enemy either. I'm only doing what's best for myself and for Athenia.”
“Understandable,” Nikolai accepted. “You should do whatever is in your best interest. In war, those who are selfish are the ones who ultimately survive.”
Forty-four
The four White Shadow fighters walked hastily with Daye leading the way. The night was still busy, with countless residents and tourists roaming the evening streets.
“Are you actually here? Or is this an illusion?” Skye asked. His question was answered when a local walked straight Daye without even seeing him.
“Where are we going?” Sierra asked.
“Totobashi Station,” Daye replied. “It's only a few minutes from here. It goes straight to Kitadera.”
Skye looked to Sierra, half expecting her to mention something about Tahlia, but she said nothing of the sort. He was both pleased and impressed to see she was finally assisting them at long last.
“We need to hurry,” Delta reminded again. “The Tianzu aren't far behind.”
“I doubt they'll find us,” Charlie said. “They can't track our location.”
“You should still be cautious,” Daye said. “They'll be furious once they discover Karatsu's body, to say the least. It's been quite some time since the death of one of the Tianzu. It may also prompt them to take the train to Azuma-jo to inform Raien. You can't risk them finding you.”
Hearing this shocked Delta. “Raien's in Azuma-jo?”
“He is. The Shizuno Tianzu are divided into three pairs and scattered across Nishihama, Kitadera, and Azuma-jo.”
Delta was relieved to know they were finally aware of the enemy's whereabouts, but also felt frustrated that she'd wasted three months painfully trying to locate them on her own. Every time they got close, they never seemed to be able to actually find them. If they had been told the information earlier, the situation might have been very different.
“Karatsu,” Skye said to himself, repeating the name of the man he beheaded. “So now there are five.”
“There are,” Daye said. “Although the Tianzu on the mainland greatly outnumber the five here.”
Skye winced in pain. He lifted the bottom of his shirt and inspected the wound in his abdomen. It had started to heal, but the blood wasn't stopping, and the throbbing was an unwelcome distraction.
No more words were exchanged. The group continued moving as quickly as they could, but not so fast as to draw suspicion. A police siren was heard in the distance. The foursome quickly dispersed and stopped walking. Skye stood in the entryway to a restaurant, whereas Charlie and Delta looked at items for sale at a stall. Sierra simply stood still and looked away. Skye watched on as the vehicle drove past. No doubt the authorities would be looking for a group of foreign nationals.
“The Tianzu have arrived at Karatsu's body,” Delta warned.
They picked up the pace, walking as quickly as they could and without making eye contact with any passersby.
Moments later, they were walking into Totobashi Station and into a sea of people. Daye kept leading the way, making his way toward the Kitadera maglev platform.
“We'll take the maglev,” Daye suggested. “It requires us to change trains, but it's also the fastest way to get there.”
“We've been to Kitadera several times,” Delta said. “We never found any of them.”
Daye turned and faced her. “Not surprising. Kai and Hana live in Kitadera, but they've been in Athenia with myself for the past three months. The others occasionally travel there, but it's no easy task locating them by conducting a random search, especially if you're only able to track within a limited range. These cities are larger than all of Athenia.”
A man frowned when he saw blood seeping through Skye's shirt. Skye looked away and kept moving.
Delta gasped softly. “The Tianzu are coming this way.”
The group stopped walking and looked at her.
“What should we do?” Charlie asked. “We can't fight them. Not like this.”
“Quickly,” Daye urged, having sensed the Tianzu's movements himself. “The platform's up ahead. There's an automated train every few minutes.”
The group pressed on, heeding Daye's advice. They had to get out of the city immediately.
After some further navigating, they arrived on the platform. It wasn't overly busy, as most people were now returning to the city, as opposed to leaving.
Delta gasped again. “They're moving quickly. I think they're running.”
Daye looked at the group solemnly. “As I feared. They must be travelling to Azuma-jo to regroup with Raien and Kitsune.”
“Well, if they're bound for Azuma-jo, they'll be going to a different platform. They won't even know we're here,” Skye said, hope returning to his voice.
Delta closed her eyes and shook her head. “It's the same platform. This train goes to Azuma-jo via Kitadera.”
Skye groaned, shifting his position nervously and staring at the empty track. With every passing second, the three Tianzu were closing the distance between them. It wouldn't be in the clan's nature to attack White Shadow in such a crowded and public area, but they may just disregard their etiquette in the event of finding the group who had murdered one of their own.
The train still hadn't arrived. Charlie looked down at his comm. “Hurry up,” he murmured, his heart beginning to pound.
“Daye, are you sure we'll be safe with this man in Kitadera?” Skye asked, beginning to question the odd plan.
Daye nodded with certainty. “The Tianzu hold him in a high regard. They'd never attack his quarters. Once you're there and safe, we'll tell you everything you need to know.”
Sierra stood patiently and watched the entrance to the platform. She revealed her kunai and dangled it above the ground.
“Put that away!” Skye hissed, staring wide-eyed at the people around them. Thankfully, none of them noticed. “Ha
ve you lost your mind?”
“They're in the station!” Delta whispered.
Charlie cursed and stared into the distance. The train was nowhere in sight. “Are we going to make it?”
The seconds continued passing. Sweat began to bead on their foreheads. The situation was becoming increasingly dangerous. The Tianzu had very nearly managed to end their lives earlier. In their fatigued state, they wouldn't stand a chance against them.
“They're almost here,” Delta said.
Lights in the distance caught their attention. The automated train was finally barrelling down the track toward them.
“Hurry,” Skye prayed. He turned and looked down the stairs to the underground tunnel, but the Tianzu weren't in sight yet.
The train started slowing down. Charlie's heart was pounding so hard his body began to shake.
“We're not going to make it,” Delta admitted. “The train is usually stationary for at least half a minute.”
The train ground to a smooth halt. The dozens of civilians and tourists on the platform politely stood aside, allowing the arriving commuters to exit the train, then began climbing aboard themselves in an orderly fashion.
Skye slowly turned around. They were too late. Kai, Hana, and Shin ascended the stairs and stopped before them. They appeared exhausted and dishevelled. The looks on their faces indicated that they indeed had no idea White Shadow would be present.
Kai stared at the group, wide-eyed. He raised his arm, ready to summon a deadly ball of energy, ready to nullify the Tianzu's biggest threat and claim revenge for his fallen comrade.
Skye saw the rage in his eyes. Kai glared at the group with malice, not seemingly bothered that they were in such a public place.
Kai stopped when he noticed Daye standing beside them all. Hana and Shin saw it too.
“Daye,” Kai began, “what are you doing here with them?”
Sierra looked down and watched as blood from Shin's bullet wound began to pool around his feet on the concrete. He tried to remain composed and hide his agony.
Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets) Page 65
