"Vincent Sparks, alias of Kyuga Mazda. He is expecting you soon. From now on, you are His and my property. You cannot resist or disobey, or else your Soul will be confiscated."

  This hooded figure, the same figure that put an end of Thousand Leaves: Megami Duvet and Ghost Assassin: Evto Mugen.

  As Vincent was trying hard to not bleed to death, the hooded figure approached Heios. The two locked eyes for a few seconds before he spoke.

  "Vincent Sparks is now property of mine. And don't try to fight me, because you will end worse than this pathetic, squirming waste of air he so lovely calls himself the King of Destruction."

  "..." Heios stayed silent, and was observing the person carefully. "Who are you? How did you know his name-"

  "I know everything, I hear everything. I keep walking, and I never stop." The hooded figure grabbed Vincent by the head, and proceeded to drag him across the ground. He didn't make any noise, he just let himself be dragged.

  "Hey, HEY! You can't just do this!" Heios yelled out, walking towards the hooded figure before breaking into a jog to stop them.

  "I warned you, Heios Kroos."

  "HEIOS! NO!" Aria yelled, running to catch up to him.

  The hooded figure turned around, disappearing from plain sight. It was as if they teleported, and Heios couldn't see them. His eyes couldn't catch up to them, and he was left in a state of confusion.

  "Heios!" Jasper yelled.

  "What the hell was- UG-"

  And Heios too, had a hole in his stomach. Just like Vincent, the hole was made from a fist that was piercing through his stomach, and he too was left to bleed out on the ground. Aria ran to catch up to them, but she was too late. The hooded figure made sure the wound wasn't fatal. Which was one of the reasons why Jasper wasn't crying out like Aria did.

  And that's why he was the first one to notice something different about the hooded figure. They had no Soul-Residue, no Soul-Aura, and no Soul-Energy. Nothing was being emitted. It was as if this person had no Soul. It isn't impossible, since there are millions of people in the galaxy without a Soul, but everyone has Soul-Energy.

  But this person... has no Soul nor Soul-Energy. THAT is impossible. Even without a Soul, you have Soul-Energy.

  "Hey!" Jasper called out. "What the fuck are you?"

  The hooded figure looked at Jasper.

  "Nobody."

  And having said that, they were walking away.

  Aria squatted next to Heios, holding his body up. Noticing he was okay, she was relieved. "... That looks bad..."

  "I know... but it's like they... purposefully missed my vitals..." Heios said, coughing.

  "The ship, guys! Come on!" Jasper said, having hoisted Satono onto his shoulder, looking back at Aria and Heios. Heios was trying to stand up, but couldn't, so Aria decided to help him up. "The canyon is unstable, we need to go, now!"

  "... But Kyu-"

  "Forget about him already, Aria! He was our target too!"

  "Tch..." Aria turned to look at the ship. She was angry, confused. She felt betrayed and hurt, and she was about to explode. But she had no other choice but to leave.

  The hooded figure was dragging Vincent, leaving the others behind. Vincent was left to his own thoughts as he was dragged. He was trying to figure out what was happening, and who this person was. But he couldn't come up with anything. His head was spinning, and he couldn't think straight.

  Uprising of Kytron failed to bring Vincent in, or kill him. They had to retreat to their headquarters and wait for the next orders of Lord Veyron.

  = = =

  "Dark Intrinium's getting closer at you and you're not even thinking about fighting them?"

  "Why do you so persist on killing Vincent Sparks when Nextellar are protected and supported by Dark Intrinium?"

  "Why not fight them? Why bully lone wolves?"

  "You're stupid. You're detestable. You will listen, you deviant dog."

  "You're nothing short of a murderer. A killer, a mercenary programmed to bow down when ordered."

  "From all your Thousand Leaves that get plucked off, you are no different."

  "Maybe we should all run away like rats and stay in hiding for the rest of our lives!"

  "That's a better idea than fighting the ones that can't be beaten."

  "They're the ones that caused us this pain. Why not get revenge?"

  "We've been trying for years. They won't stop. They won't surrender. Why can't you accept that they won't stop?"

  Wake up.

  Wake up!

  "Megami, wake up!"

  That voice can be recognized from a mile away. That was Ken Magami, alongside Haruto Stradale. They were both tasked to locate Vincent Sparks and act as bait for Evto Mugen and Megami Duvet.

  However, the mission failed in the worst case scenario.

  Both got critically injured and needed quick medical attention.

  Megami woke up, her vision blurry. the redness of her vision was gone, something that she saw before passing out. The hole that she received in her stomach and chest. Both were vital. It's a surprise that she was still alive.

  "W... E- Evt-" Evto was still passed out next to her, but was alive and stable. "Where... am I?"

  "Rest up a bit more, Ms. Duvet..." Strad said, "Those injuries are no ordinary injuries. It'll take some time for them to fully heal..."

  Megami groaned and sat up, looking around. The place was dark, except for a small lamp on the side. "Where... are we...?"

  "We are in a small cavern in Mauve Canyon. We have an underground cabin that we are using to rest and recover from what just happened," Strad replied.

  "You guys were unconscious when we found you, all drowned in your own blood. We thought some kind of animal attacked you, but wild animals are not match to Soul-Wielders like us. So my next suspicion was that someone else must've ambushed you."

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Megami tried sitting up, but groaned in pain and laid back down.

  "Gah... you're... you're right about that... We did get ambushed."

  "We both thought you two died... but we could still sense some Soul-Residue from both of you. But then we got ambushed too, by the same people. One of them were a rare kind, though. One thing I noticed is that they did not have any kind of Soul-Residue, Soul-Aura or any of those. Tried arresting them but they were way too quick for the naked eye."

  "... That person..." Megami groaned, the holes disappeared but the pain was still there. Ken had been transferring Soul-Energy to her. "They were the one who attacked us."

  "No Soul-Energy, No Aura, nothing... What are they?" Strad stood up, rubbing his head.

  "..."

  Everybody went quiet, as if they were all thinking the same thing. Who was that person? What did they want?

  "... A condition..."

  "Huh?" Strad looked at Megami.

  "They said... their reason of lacking Soul-Energy was something because of a... condition... They said so."

  .:. "That's why it's a condition, Megami Duvet. I must not stop, ever." .:.

  Megami shook the voice out of her head. It made her shiver, and her heart sank into her chest. She was confused and scared, she didn't want to think about that voice. She wanted to forget about them and how they almost killed her.

  "They even got Ghost Assassin in a state like that... Now that's crazy..." Ken crossed his arms. "So, are we gonna... fight them?"

  "Don't be crazy... If we're reduced to such a state, there's no telling what you'll look like after they're finished with you. Besides, we don't have any kind of idea what they really are. I'd rather flee and... forget about Vincent Sparks."

  "That's right! Vincent Sparks! We tried finding him too but he was nowhere to be seen." Ken sighed and looked down at Evto. "What if they killed him?"

  "We've all felt those increments of Soul-Energy expansions. Those were undoubtedly Vincent's. He might be here still, or long gone, but... I'm not going to risk it."

  Megami sighed.

  "For all we know, he might've already been killed. That person was after Vincent Sparks anyways. If they're gone, then they've completed the mission for us."

  She sat up, this time without pain. The lights were dim, and she could barely make out the place's surroundings. But she could see Evto laying down on a bed next to hers, the same holes she had on him. "How long have we been out?"

  "3 days. You've been out cold for 3 days. I was surprised that they didn't go for the head." Strad sighed and sat next to her.

  "Hah, real funny..." Megami tried to move, but the pain in her body was still there, preventing her from moving too much. "We need to go back, right now."

  "Not while Ghost Assassin's still passed out like that. And besides, with injuries like that, you'll only slow us down. We're staying until Ghost Assassin wakes up and gains consciousness." Ken said.

  Megami stood silent, thinking about the person who reduced her to a state of vulnerability.

  How cold their arm felt when it pierced through her,

  How cold she became as she was losing blood,

  The way she needed to stay conscious to make sure nothing in her body failed,

  And the feeling of her life flashing before her eyes.

  And yet, she's still alive. Maybe miracles do exist in a world where an intricate gift was given from time. She felt like a whole different person after the incident. She had a new sense of purpose, but didn't know what exactly it was.

  Did she die? That was her next question. However, it didn't feel like she was slipping away. But she did fall unconscious. Her life didn't flash before her eyes. She didn't see a white light. So she didn't die. But she could've. She was lucky that Ken and Strad came to rescue them in time, or else she really would've been in big trouble.

  She was lucky. Both Megami and Evto were lucky.

  "If Vincent Sparks is taken by that person, he could as well be pronounced dead. I don't know what their motives are, but if it involves Vincent, we should just stay put and forget about it." Strad sighed and looked at Ken, who seemed to be lost in thought.

  "I overheard a pack of Dark Intrinium soldiers from Civil Defense who were traveling from the other side of the canyon to here. They were out to find Vincent as well. I should've just gone after the pack and killed them..." Megami shook her head.

  "Yeah and make us a target for Dark Intrinium as well." Ken got frustrated, looking at Megami with furrowed eyebrows.

  "We already are, you idiot. Dark Intrinium's been supporting Nextellar for a while now, and there have been talks about Nextellar declaring war on us soon. I overheard that too. We should've killed them off already, but we've been focusing on other things instead. Like finding Vincent Sparks."

  Megami rubbed her head, sighing again.

  "Dumb fucking council we have... Dark Intrinium is our biggest threat and yet they're scared of a man who makes a little bit of noise..." Megami balled her fists, shaking.

  Ken and Strad were silent, staring at Megami.

  "... We'll have to go back to Headquarters ASAP. I don't care what you guys say, I'm leaving with or without you guys." She stood up, holding herself from the bed.

  "Kgh... fine." Ken stood up, and so did Strad. "Strad, you pick up Ghost Assassin. I'll help her."

  Ken went to Megami's side and held her, wrapping an arm around her. "I don't like you, Duvet... but you bring up points I can't ignore..."

  Strad carefully picked Evto up and held him in his arms, following the two.

  = = =

  Blood.

  Blood.

  All he saw was blood.

  Blood, all over his tracksuit.

  Blood, all over his mouth, his wound.

  This wound ached like crazy. It ached for it to close.

  "Kg..."

  He couldn't even utter a single word. The pathetic worm he was. Even if he tried his hardest to utter a single letter, he couldn't do it.

  If he did, he could have risked vomiting out more blood. He was slipping in and out of consciousness as well. As he was, he could think of one single thing.

  He was glad that his Soul was staying put during the fight.

  Otherwise he would've self-destructed right there, with no chance of return. Not that he cared much about that. The Soul does anything it wills, and it can make that possible.

  It is an intricate gift from time, after all.

  However, no intricate gift from time mattered at the moment, as he was being dragged by a woman who punched a hole in his stomach. That's right. A woman. They had the voice of one. Who was this person? And why do they seem to jump in at the worst times?

  The same woman who neutralized Megami Duvet and Evto Mugen of the White Eye, and Heios Kroos of the UoK in one singular punch. They seemed more than just a capable fighter. No, they were a warrior. They have gone through more than anyone could imagine.

  In what thousand Hells could they be so strong if they haven't had the experience to back the fact?

  Moreover, why the hell do they possess no Soul-Energy? Normally, everyone must have Soul-Energy, but only a few million people in a galaxy of trillions of people have access to their Soul and the arsenal of powers it holds.

  Everyone has Soul-Energy, even the ones who can't access the Soul, so they can't seemingly not hold something that powers them. That gives them life, makes them bloom in a darkened galaxy of destruction and death.

  But no. No Soul, and no Soul-Energy could be sensed from this woman. There isn't even a dust of Soul-Residue visible. It's like they're an android, or some sort of alien race that has no need for a Soul. But no android has the capabilities to move that fast or even to be that powerful.

  They would break. They would be shattered to dust.

  So, what are they?

  How could such an anomaly be possible?

  Then, Vincent felt a kick to their head. He also suddenly felt better, as if the wound closed up. He also didn't feel any kind of liquid seeping out of his wound, which means his suspicion was correct.

  He was being taken care of.

  "Get up, you worm."

  He heard as the woman kicked his face again. Vincent felt his face contort in different ways as it was kicked.

  "'The King of Destruction', huh?" They broke into laughter.

  Vincent was dizzy but eventually stood up. He looked at the woman, and noticed they looked...familiar. They were the one who saved Vincent, and also impaled him with her arm. But that was besides the point.

  "You..." Vincent looked at the woman, who sat down on a tree trunk, looking at him intently.

  "... When I was fighting Heios... and the others... Were you the one who saved me from his attack?"

  The woman took a small stick and fiddled with it, looking at him with a menacing smile. A femme fatale look that made Vincent want to die, but he held his composure.

  "Not me, that was one of my pathetic worms. I was dealing with another pathetic worm. A worm called...Megumi Duvet."

  "...From White Eye?"

  The woman nodded, crossing her legs, the beige pants beneath her blackened robes scrunching as she did so. "You've made quite a name for yourself, Vincent Sparks. Naughty little boys like you love a little attention, don't you?"

  "The fuck you just call me?" Vincent squared up, ready to attack, but his wound still ached. He knew if he did attack he could risk a lot. Not to mention how badly she put him down in just one attack. She was unamused, and looked at him in the same way as before.

  "You wouldn't hit a vulnerable woman, would you?" They teased.

  "Oh, but you're not some 'vulnerable woman', you're a... I don't know what you are. I don't sense any Soul-Energy from you, or whatever. But I know one thing."

  Vincent pointed a finger at the woman. "You are a special figure. You don't wield a Soul from what I've gathered."

  She stood up from where she sat. The black robe on her swayed a little as the wind blew. She took one step towards Vincent. Vincent immediately noticed one thing. This woman didn't hold eye contact with Vincent, better yet, she was facing every part of his face but his eyes, as if she didn't know where the eyes were.

  That didn't make any sense. How wouldn't you know where the eyes were? It was the first part of the body that anyone looked at.

  "First of three: I own you. If I didn't save you, you would've been dead and scattered to atoms. Second: Refer to me as Miss, and I might not crucify you in a desert in Oremga and see those disgusting aliens pick you apart. And lastly..."

  The woman took out her hand and placed it on his shoulder, squeezing it to the point it ached. She held his head with the other hand, caressing his face gently.

  "Any questions you ask about what I do and what I am, will result in you dying before Him. Do you understand that?" She threatened him.