The Red Hand

Chapter 280 – Finding the Survivors.

"Akagi out here making young girls cry." Halifax shook her head in fake disapproval. "Foreshame, Akagi. Foreshame."

"Bite me." Akagi stuck her tongue out. "She attacked me with the sword, and I broke it. Tis just the way the cookie crumbles. If she didn't want it to get broken then she shouldn't have used it to attack me."

{Also, Amakusa isn't a young girl, despite how she looks.} (Akagi)

"Inori..." Amakusa continued to mourn the broken blade while Akagi and Halifax bickered.

"She really means that much to you, huh?" Halifax turned to Amakusa. She had no pity for the Hero girl, but seeing her so distraught over a broken bladed pulled on her heart strings slightly.

"Inori... She was a gift from my father..." Amakusa explained as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I named her after that stupid imaginary friend of my sister... and she's been at my side ever since that day..."

{Fumiko used to run around and play tag with her invisible friend... Looking back... I always thought it was stupid... But now... I'd give anything just to see her play one more time.} (Amakusa)

“Your father?” Halifax hummed.

{I don't detect anything special about that blade. Though there was some kind of magic placed on it to prevent wear and tear.} (Halifax)

"From what I dug up on you, your sister and mother were killed in a car crash when you were young, but you miraculously survived." Akagi had looked into the names of the Heroes and was quite certain that all four had been from Earth.

"So you even know about that, huh?" Amakusa sighed. "Yeah... that's what happened... I was born with a tougher body than the average person, so I ended up with little more than minor injuries as a result of the accident. My family didn't see it as some miracle though, and many called me a Demon child or the like. Some even speculated that I somehow sacrificed my mom and sister in order to survive..." She grew quiet, not wanting to talk about it any more.

{Demon child...} (Akagi)

"I hope that's not your attempt at getting sympathy." Mizumi scoffed, not interested in whatever sob story Amakusa could cook up.

"Now, Now." Halifax put her hand on Mizumi's shoulder. "She's already been defeated, there's no need to keep dumping salt on the wound." She didn't want the Water Spirit to start dragging the conversation down with malice, even if she had every right to.

"I can think of plenty of reasons to do so, but fine." Mizumi shrugged as she turned to leave the room. "I'll head back to Omara and update people on what's going on. I can only imagine what they're gonna do when they find out you've got one of the 'Heroes' in custody." She figured there would be mass civil unrest and calls for blood even though Spirits were generally against such things.

"Mizumi." Akagi called out to the water Spirit just as she and Shinlua were about to leave. "Meet me in my office in about an hour. I have something to discuss with you."

"Okay?" Mizumi didn't know what this was about but agreed before leaving with the Elf.

Once she was gone Akagi let out a deep sigh. "That girl seriously needs a break and a vacation." She rubbed her hands down her face, knowing that the Water Spirit had pushed herself too far. "She's been going at it nonstop since she took over, and the impending execution of the Council has only driven her even further up the wall."

{I can sense a great deal of anger, hatred and other negative emotions in her heart. On one hand I want to tell her to let those fuel her, but on the other I know that's not good for her or the other Spirits.} (Akagi)

"I'd imagine that you can sense the darkness in her heart if I can, Akagi." Halifax bit her lip in frustration. "I never once imagined that Mizumi of all people would come to harbor such intense emotions, especially not ones like this.” She'd never known the Water Spirit to be capable of such anger, though she understood that this was largely because of the current situation.

"I think I'll force her to take a vacation." Akagi said. "I'd rather her not start going crazy due to being overworked and angry, and the last thing we need is Mizumi to go all dark and evil on us."

{As a Demon, such emotions are my bread and butter. I can literally draw power, sustenance and even pleasure from the negative feelings of mortals. But while Mizumi's are very interesting, it's not a good thing to allow such emotions to take over. Being angry occasionally is fine, but Mizumi has been almost constantly so for these past few weeks.} (Akagi)

"I'll leave that to you." Halifax winked. "Mizumi is your responsibility, after all."

{Not to mention that I've got too much of my own baggage to even think about helping somebody else. Then again... Akagi probably a good amount too...} (Halifax)

"Maybe some kitty pets would be good for her?" Akagi thought about the best ways to calm her down, coming to the conclusion that naps, snuggles and pets were the best medicine for the heart.

"They'd be good for you that's for sure." Halifax rolled her eyes before looking to the still sad looking Amakusa. "Here, give me her." She snatched the broken pieces of Inori from Amakusa's hands.

"What are you doing?!?" Amakusa freaked out, but Akagi's glares shut her down.

"Disclaimer, I'm not doing this for you." Halifax held the two broken parts of the blade in her hands. "This blade just deserves better than to be left in such a state." The tip of her fingers began to glow as she ran them down the length of the blade, pressing the broken parts together where Akagi sundered them.

“Eh?” Amakusa watched as the glade glowed for a moment as Halifax's power coursed through it.

"There." Halifax looked over the newly repaired blade. "Issues aside, you seem to care for this blade, so I'm giving it back to you. It may not be as alive as I am, but I can tell that it cares for you." She handed it back to Amakusa, who clung to it.

"Inori..." Amakusa hugged the sword tightly.

"Aww, do you want a hug too?" Akagi snickered as she opened her arms for a hug.

“No...” Halifax sighed.

"Well, how about a good wash? I've got some nice blade oil that you'd like." Akagi made a rubbing motion with her hands as she washed an invisible blade.

"Give me kitty time instead. I'd rather pet you then let you rub me." Halifax rolled her eyes. "Besides, you owe me for all the trouble you've caused. So a bit of kitty is more than adequate compensation."

"Trouble? Me?!? I'd never do such a thing!." Akagi acted offended. "But fine. I don't have anything to do for a while, so let's relax in the living room." She turned to Amakusa. "You shall remain here until Mimi says you've healed. After that, I'll figure out where you'll be staying, and though I don't intend to torture you, don't expect to be treated well, pet." She turned to leave but was stopped by Amakusa.

"Wait!" Amakusa stopped Akagi just as she was leaving. "You're going to Enoris, right?" She figured that Akagi was planning on doing some kind of invasion, and had one thing that she needed to ask of the Demon if that was the case.

"That's the plan." Akagi nodded. "Why? If you're going to ask me not to then you're-"

"I want your help." Amakusa bowed as she pleaded with her "Please..."

"And why should I help the bad pet?" Akagi raised an eyebrow.

"Its... It's not for me..." Amakusa slowly shook her head. "I... I want you to find someone for me... please..."

"And who might this somebody be?" Akagi turned and asked. "I'm not about to go running around looking for some friend of yours."

"She's not a friend she's... She's a Spirit." Amakusa's words got both Akagi and Halifax's attention.

"Explain." Akagi said curtly.

"I... I came across a young Oni girl after one of our battles..." Amakusa explained the story of how she met somebody that had come to be very important to her. "Her name was Alm, and I took her in and protected her."

"Why would one of the Heroes take in a Spirit?" Halifax frowned, thinking that something was off about the story. "You were tasked with their destruction, so why save one?”

"I... I know that... but..." Amakusa took a deep breath before continuing. "I took her in... because she looked almost exactly like my late sister, Fumiko." She gave a self-deprecating laugh, knowing how bad that sounded. "I know it sounds stupid... but I just... I couldn't leave her..."

{I know I was basically just using her to make myself feel better, and I won't deny that on some level I saw he as a replacement but...} (Amakusa)

"Where is she now?" Akagi asked, her expression showing neither compassion nor irritation.

"I don't know." Amakusa shook her head. "Around five years ago she disappeared. The official story is that she ran away, but I know for a fact that the Nobles of the Kingdom of Amdamell took her away." She never had any concrete proof, but some of the information she'd gathered told her that Alm didn't leave of her own free will.

"If that's the case, then she's probably dead." Halifax clicked her tongue in irritation. "Human Nobles wouldn't think twice about killing some Spirit child."

"Either that or they sold her into slavery." Akagi added.

"Please! If she's still alive, find her!" Amakusa pleaded with them to save the girl. "I don't care what you do with me... Just please... save that girl! She... She deserves to be happy..." She'd spent a great deal of time with the young Oni and the two had become almost inseparable. When Alm disappeared, Amakusa flew into a rampage at the Royal Palace, only stopped by Feline's peas.

"My intention was to find all remaining Spirits and bring them under my protection." Akagi continued. "I am their Suzerain, and whether they are in Enoris or Omara, it is my obligation to help them." The fate of the Spirits left behind was something that she'd been thinking about for months. The Demon originally had no intention to go to bat to save them, but once it became clear that a war between Enoris and Earth was coming, Akagi put into motion plans to rescue whoever she could find.

{I've promised Mizumi that I would rescue them now that conflict between our two worlds has broken out and I intend to keep that promise. However, she might not like the fact that my battle with the Gods will take priority over bringing her people home in a timely manner.} (Akagi)

"I know of a few places that we can look when we cross over, and there are a few old friends of mine that might have some leads." Halifax thought that she could help a bit, though still doubted that the Oni girl was alive. "However, most Spirits not outright killed in the war were enslaved, and many were subsequently killed by their new masters. I've seen a few slave auctions as I wandered around the continent, and it's entirely likely that the one you seek is no more." She figured it highly unlikely that one single Oni child had survived, especially if she was taken by Humans.

"Even still, if there's even the smallest bit of hope, then I'm begging you. Please bring her home." Amakusa continued to bow. "I just want to know what happened to her, and to make sure she lives a happy life."

{This girl... She goes between yelling and carrying on to being all sad and depressed to begging me to save some kid's life.} Akagi had honestly no clue what the make of Amakusa. Halifax told her that she would probably be the most 'reasonable' of the four Heroes, but Akagi was finding her to be a pain in the ass.

"Well, you can find out what happened to her yourself." Akagi's words caught both Halifax and Amakusa off guard.

"You're not seriously thinking of bringing her back to Enoris, are you?!?" Halifax thought that was crazy. "She could turn on us, Akagi!"

"Well, she can't. Remember, I made her my pet." Akagi pointed out that her power to manipulate souls outranked the Gods' own power and so no matter how much Amakusa might want to double cross them, she was physically incapable of such a thing. "Also, having her come with was always my plan. She'll have a better sense of the political layout than either of us, and her name and face will be very useful for some of my schemes."

{Not to mention that I want to use her for my own entertainment. I wonder how people will react when they see one of their great Heroes happily wagging her tail for the Demon Lord?} (Akagi)

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