"Euppph - Eupph!" Behind chained mouths and bound hands, the cries of the captives were muffled and silenced. Not a whisper escaped the lips of the cartel members caught by the shadows of the Reaper.
Kaguya, Nikki, El Rey Sol, about a dozen other assistants, managers, and a handful of lesser idols all sat in tightly packed groups at the edge of the construction site on the outskirts of ward 17, a half-finished tower made for a perfect place to lie and wait. Chains and rope kept them in check physically. With pairs of azure eyes from the shadows that held them in suspended fear.
The one they feared most of all was the single pair, perched in the steel beams above. Those eyes held stronger than any chains or shackles.
The faint motor of a car caught the ears of all bound and unbound. Mai had arrived. Although there were no backup or extra transports for the group of more than 20. Mai was warned of this number, yet…
"Master... She hides a secret; she has sold us out to another shadow." A whisper from Saku. The spies sent to watch Mai found the meaning to her unease. The blood tooth cartel had their teeth sunk in deep around the detective's neck.
"We will see how she plays it. Be alert for any change Eren spoke, a grim acceptance that would befall any that stood in the way. No matter who they were.
"Were, are you?!" Mai called out, her gun at the ready as she stepped into the large concrete pillars at the mouth of the construction site.
*Thud*
Almost a silent descent as The Reaper hit the concrete floor; dust scattered and settled as the shadow stood to meet Mai.
The lights of the car shone bright into the construction site, illuminating those chained and bound at the back of the ground floor.
"This one." Pointing to Hanzo.
"This is El Rey Sol? Looks like how I pictured." Mai chuckled. The fat man was near drained of colour, his wounds from the night had only been cauterized by the fox spirit through her fox fire ability. Field medicine, to keep him breathing for the moment.
"You came alone... Where are the other RCU members?" The Reaper looked around. He knew the answer already; the two-faced detective had made a deal with a devil.
"I can handle this. You can... leave-"
The Reaper stood tall before her. Shadows doubled his size, and a visage that seemed to loom over her shoulder.
"..." Azure eyes told her everything she needed to know. He saw everything.
"My mother... They said they could help her... She's dying… And I-" A reasoning that just maybe would have brought some sympathy. However, she knew the Reaper, she had studied his motives as part of her long investigations; once scorned there was no mercy to be had.
"Someone... wants to speak with you." She moved out of the way, letting a shadow enter.
The same suit that the reaper eyed in the dome had emerged as a silhouette from the periphery of the car's headlights. Still the same pitch-black three-piece suit though the reaper had a face to add to the ensemble. A man no hair, no eyebrows, nor a distinguishable expression or mark, nor a wrinkle on that ghostly pale skin. Stood in front of the headlights, he was a tall man to begin with. But the silhouette only added to the looming height.
"I am La Sombra... You are Eren Heart also known as the… Reaper." Spoken in monotone without inflection. A man that looked as human as any other yet there was scarcely a trace of humanity beyond his skin.
"He said your name, our name. Cut him down where he stands." The ring gestured from next to La Sombra with a flick along the pale neck.
The reaper should've ended this as he spoke his hollow words. He never allowed people to speak his name without death to follow. But a force held his hands if front of him, bound by the shadows he once commanded. Confined to listen and wait for the moment.
"I take your silence as willingness to listen; I offer the same choice I have already made with detective Mai Kaizaki." The pale man moved slowly into the construction site. Movements like a stilted marionette; not a single twitch of the muscle or even a breath.
"..." Eren still had no words for the pale man. Only an unwavering gaze that pierced the night.
"Your actions have proven to the blood tooth cartel many holes within or territories. So easy was it for tear apart or empire were so few could ever hope to breach our walls. I offer my hand to you, a place amongst us. We ask that you join with our shadows." La Sombra now within arm's reach, holding out a gloved hand. As if they were equals.
*Schick*
The reaper broke the hold over himself, a slash with his bone whip swiped through the pale figure. Yet, nothing more than a haze of dust remained in its place.
"I will require your answer soon Eren... We offer our hand to begin anew; a fresh start in a world clean of your sins. Of which there are many from what the detective has informed me. The imposters behind you will not see out the night. But you... to rise from the ashes one must cleanse all." His voice came from another part of the construction site. Rising from the shadows.
"Once more... Join us. Or all that have been graced by your shadow will not see the next moon rise." La Sombra once again came into vision.
A threat this time, one that the ring warned on. This was the fall that was made apparent.
"No. By next the next moon rise the cartel won't exist." The Reaper was not about to be swayed by some freak with no fear.
"Very well... You have chosen your path-
*Foom* *Foom* *Foom* *Foom*
The Reapers shadow soldiers all emerged from the shadows, quickly surrounding La Sombra. Their blades pulled back to cleave the shadow.
"It matters not. Fates sealed have become." The pale man looked up to the moon above.
*Twang* *Twang* *Twang*
Blades brought down quickly; although he vanished into the shadowed haze again.
"Make your final arrangements Reaper. Before the next moons rise you too will be part of the ashes." A final warning from the pale man.
He was gone, a darkness that lurked and waited for the fall.
"No." The reaper said defiantly. There will be no fall for him or anyone else!
---
The reaper summoned shadow wolves, quickly they assumed the hunting process, sniffing with frantic pace. Their double iris darted around at blinding speed. Looking beyond what the human eye could see.
"You won't find them that easily..." Mai spoke out; brought to chains with the other criminals.
"What do you know?" The Reaper stood over her once more.
"A psychopath killer like yourself, he follows through with his threats. He controls the shadows just like you can, but his ones won't let you hide." No smirk or sarcasm, a fear in her voice.
The reaper scoffed at her comparison. Only he controlled the shadows, all others were pretenders.
"And you gave up my name to this man. My life for the life of your mother."
"…Yes." A hesitant response to the being that loured above her. She could have said it was under duress, but she chose this path. Her mother's life was worth more than a killer.
"And if he gets to my sister. What then? Will your guilt wash away with the sins of others?" The anger behind his mask, barley controlled by the mask's runes.
"If we were swapped you would do the same thing. I know it."
"...Yes." The Reaper agreed, leaving Mai to her own thoughts and chains. The reaper couldn't blame her for that feeling. The only difference is that Eren could fight back and protect those he cared for. Mai only had a badge that could not hold back the dark.
"Awoooo!" The wolves howled, the sound of a dozen wolves crying in the night. Bounced all through the ward.
"The Silvermane will come by soon for you and the others." The Reaper left the group in the dark; the answer to their affiliation now known.
Not even the shadow soldiers would watch over them. They were needed elsewhere, and returned to the shadows from where they came.
The reaper departed after two wolves, at a pace that would leave most winded and worn out after the first 100 meters. The Reaper ran alongside the beasts, following the trail closely.
Moonlight peaked through the clouds, as a torrent of shadows made their way through alleyways and streets. Eyes wide in search of a prey that could not be seen or heard.
"Find him." The Reaper ordered harshly; the wolves obeyed without question. With virtue and vice being deployed, this La Sombra will be found.
"Master... Master?" The reaper was too deep in thought to listen to the voice of Saku.
Thinking of his sister, the threat made would many others long dead. But La Sombra still lurked somewhere. Somewhere in the shadows for far too long.
"Master!" Saku's voice finally broke through.
"What?"
"I have dispatched Guren to your sisters' side. You have my word that nothing will touch her." A confident tone, Saku looked up to her master as they walked along an empty street.
"What good is the word of a skeleton that is bound by chains?" The rings illusion appeared uninvited once more. A question posed to the Reaper and Saku.
"Enough! If you have something to say just speak it." Eren stopped; turning to the illusion with a glare that broke through the mask's visage.
"You begin to slip off the edge into oblivion. That thing has already pushed you of your feet. Allow me to take control; I will follow through on your threat to end those who would stand before us." A face that grew with a sadistic smile; a mad desire hidden just beneath.
"Begone you foul spectre. Your abilities pale in comparison too-"
*Fwoosh*
With a finger flick, Saku was sent back into the shadows. Banished from sight.
"We do not need the obsequious sycophant, your power is mine, my power is yours. By my oath as your bound spirit; the blood tooth cartel shall not see next moonrise, all those you have touched by your shadow will survive true." A bow; as though a pledge from a loyalist mischief to a king sat upon an empty throne.
Eren felt it; through shared connection the ring was genuine.
'Can he really... Would it be wise to allow this power to roam free?'
He looked upon him, paused in the middle of the desolate street.
"...I-"
"Master! We found him?" Megi rushed to his side. Sensing the foul bargain about to be made.
"Inside a nearby Idol studio... Quickly." Any thoughts about transferring power vanished, leaving Megi to lead the way. Both the Kitsune spirit and her master made way to the location. Not far from where they were.
Inside was as cookie cutter as all the rest of the other idol agencies around this part of the ward. No signs that any cartel members were inside or even around. All seemed at peace. A silent night that would be soon shattered.
"He is waiting in the front." Megi looked to her master. "What is your command?"
A long pause. As the reaper thought carefully about the words to come.
"Surround him, occupy all the shadows around." With a single command, shadow after shadow to swarm the building from all side. Vanguards, marauders, crows the coffers were emptied to block any escape.
The reaper could feel them all, each one had taken up residence in the shadows of the Idol building. The prey was trapped inside now.
"I will watch the exit." Megi went into the shadows, appearing by the door. Azure eyes gazed into the building. Nothing would escape.
He entered; La Sombra simply stood by the front counter without emotion; eyes cast towards his fellow shadow contemporary.
The Reaper stepped in, cautious as to what he had planned.
"Predictability, a sin of the vindictive." The pale man said in monotone.
A blade was taken from the reapers shadow; ready to cleave the man in two where his shadows had failed.
"Already, those you left behind have been reclaimed by us. A promise of cleansing puts many on the path of ruin, a promise of fire to a man's heart puts him on the path of madness." Words spoken without inflection. This man could read The Reaper and the man behind the mask like an open book.
"You will never get the chance. The shadows are mine." The Reaper, Eren growled out. Synchronised in his desire for a blade through the heart of the pale shadow.
He charged forward in a single dash; blade aimed at the midpoint of La Sombra.
Though La Sombra stood motionless as the blade came down to its target, but just as the blade was about to cleave the pale man in twine. A blinking in the corner in of his eye, caught the reapers attention.
*FAWOOOOM*
An explosion erupted behind La Sombra. The reaper managed to get his ward up in time to save himself from the blast. Thrown out viciously through the front doors and into the street with force enough to break bone if not protected.
He bounced along the street of the ward for several skips until he crashed into the opposite concrete building. Concrete and glass shards rained upon him, tearing at his leathers, leaving deep gashes across his arms and legs.
"Master... Master..." Megi emerged from the shadows to his side; she herself eluded the blast by diving into the shadows before it struck.
"..." He could not speak; that blast had knocked the wind from his body. Leaving only pain behind.
"You are not the lone master of shadow Eren…" What felt like a final taunt from the disembodied voice of La Sombra. The wreckage should've wiped that monotonic expression of the face of the Earth.
"The offer still stands Eren. Think on it, or receive a taste of the cleansing to come. Just as you climbed up our chain; I shall climb down yours. Until there is nothing left…" The voice faded into the burning fire.
"We... need to get back to... those..." Breathlessly Eren spoke, helped up by the Kitsune spirit with a tight grip.
***
Back at the construction site; chains that once bound were unlocked and left empty.
Baelor, Jiro and Akira circled around the construction site. Looking for any trace of these captives. Having been called upon to take in these captives.
But the reaper had left them in the dark before they could be watched.
"I'm sorry master Reaper; they were gone when we arrived. Only the detective was left." Baelor spoke with solemnity; knowing full well what the next logical steps for the cartel were.
"..." The Reaper kept silent. Looking up to Mai, no longer chained. Just sitting up on the 5th floor of construction site, embracing the early morning breeze.
"Emi." The Reaper whispered. One word was all that was needed. Baelor signalling to Jiro to begin to make some calls. No harm would come to her; not by the cartels hand.
The Reaper moved to where the girl sat. Perhaps some answers could come from her.
"Where are they? Where do they take prisoners?" He stopped before the detective. A single question for the one who sold them out. A feeling of guilt was present on the face of Mai. The Reaper could feel it even beneath the mask.
"I don't know..." Mai looked down, not wanting to meet the eyes of those she had betrayed. Her mother's safety had been guaranteed. Hers too, but only from the cartel. Not from what was before her.
"Your mother lives, whilst you will spend a lifetime in jail." Baelor said from behind the reaper.
"Yeah..." Nothing more to say. Most people would go to extremes to protect loved ones. Eren was no different; as much as he wanted to despise Mai for this betrayal, she was just doing the same as any other person who would do anything to save another.
Although the ring wasn't as understanding.
"Your entire life on the brink. A monster that knows your name, a shadow over all that you love. It's not fair that she lives off corruption whilst the good die young." The visage once more, growing more powerful by each word that escaped its lips.
Eren remained silent, thinking upon his words. Honeyed and tasteful the longer the words marinated within himself.
"Yes, it's not fair that she can get away with these crimes." The Reaper agreed. What other choice was there? Mai made her bed, now she must lie in it.
He stood over her once more.
"What do you want me to say..." She said with a quizzical gaze upwards.
"..." He had no words for her, instead picking her up in one swift motion.
"Eren?" Baelor could see a change in the reaper. But before the elf could intervene; the drew a blade from the shadows, plunged deep into the sternum of Mai. Before she was tossed down the height.
An instinctive urge to hold on as she was thrown; only to miss the black armour. Falling five stories, and landing on her car roof with a loud thud. The car caved in, windows shattered and glass went everywhere. Mai's neck at an unnatural angle and her blood that spilled over the sides of the dented car.
Akira and Jiro rushed to her side. Although any help was useless. She had died upon impact. No healer of any rank could save her from those wounds.
"Eren... What have you done?" Baelor looked down from the top of the building; seeing Mai's body sprawled out over the car.
"Protect Emi." The reaper vanished into the shadows of the city, leaving Baelor alone on the floor.
Turning to the sun that began to peek above the horizon.
Baelor shut his eyes to the glare of the sun.
"May the gods forgive us... For what we must become." He turned away from the edge and walked into the shadows.