Ryosuke moved forward with slow, steady steps. His katana hung at his side, its black edge dimly reflecting the burning dome around them. The air trembled with heat and ash. Behind him, the upper stands still echoed with distant civilian screams as people escaped. But down here, it was silent. Just breath and fire and dust.
Pisces pushed himself up first, holding his chest like each inhale hurt. Gemini followed, wobbling but refusing to show weakness. Her eyes were wide, frantic, but she still forced the same manic grin she always wore. Her hand tightened around her chain and sickle. Pisces spoke, voice strained.
"We know who you are… son of Kael."
Ryosuke stops and narrows his eyes.
"Child...Kael is no father of mine..."
Gemini laughs, but it's obvious she is hiding her fear. She pointed her chain at him. "Bullshit! I bet taking you into him will give us much to be rewarded! Lord Mako will smile with favor upon us! Oh what I would do for him to smile upon us...right brother?"
Pisces didn't answer immediately. He stared at Ryosuke, studying him, weighing him. He pulled out multiple knives from his waistband. "It shall sister. But we must be weary, he is strong. I could see him defeating even Brother Aries or Grand Regent Capricornus."
"You compare this dog to them?!" Gemini snaps at her brother.
"I am just being realistic. Stay behind me, sister."
Pisces steps forward in front of Gemini. He begins to twirl his knives, preparing to throw them. He walks towards Ryosuke.
"Now, Son of Kael. Prepare yourself-"
A gust of wind silences him as it brushes by his ear. The image of the swordsman is gone. All that can be heard is the scream of a girl behind him. He turns instantly as the world slows. He sees Ryosuke in front of Gemini, his sword to the side after a slash. Blood sprays the air as her legs go limp. A kick lands on her stomach sending her flying across the cracked arena floor admits rubble.
"Gemini!" Pisces shouted.
He launched knives in a furious burst. Ryosuke parried and deflected each one with efficient movements, no wasted motion. Pisces dragged them back with his gloves, metal clinking, and flung them again. Ryosuke weaved, cutting through some mid-air, stepping aside from others. Pisces tried to close distance, spinning another volley. Ryosuke forced his way through, leaping high and slamming down toward him.
Pisces blocked with his forearm, but the sword still cut across his arm, drawing a deep line of blood. He didn't scream. He barely flinched. He rolled back, dragging knives into orbit around him again. Ryosuke kept pressing. His cybernetic leg propelled him with bursts of speed, closing and striking with fast, precise blows. Pisces countered with sudden knife volleys, redirecting them back to his hands the moment they missed. Every second he bought pulled him closer to Gemini.
Ryosuke exhaled sharply and dashed again, intent to end it. Pisces grabbed Gemini's gauntlet off the ground in one motion and slammed his hand into the device. A blast erupted from it, firing straight into Ryosuke and blasting him backward through rubble. He tore cloth from his robe and pressed it against the long gash across her torso. Then he checked her pulse.
'She's breathing. She's breathing. Good. Good…'
"Gemini! Stay with me...you idiot sister! Stay alive."
Ryosuke rose slowly, dust sliding off his coat. He didn't rush. He didn't posture. He simply walked forward again, sword loose in hand, expression unreadable. Pisces didn't look at him. He focused on Gemini, pressing harder to stop bleeding, panic clawing at his composure.
'He missed the heart....'
Pisces begins to do CPR on his sister, trying to keep her alive. Ryosuke stands right behind Pisces, his eyes narrowing.
"Child."
Pisces ignores him as he does compressions. Sweat dripping down his brow.
"Please... Lord Mako... save her! We've been good to you! We've diligent, Lord Mako! Gemini is an idiot, I know that! She's crass and crude and violent! But please save her now!"
Ryosuke looks at the scene, his conviction wavering. He thought these children were pure evil and that the only way to make up for the sins of their parents or benefactors was to end their lives. That he could bring them peace in death. But right now, he saw a boy panicking, fighting to keep the only person he had left alive.
"Child," Ryosuke said softly.
Pisces kept going, breathing hard, blood on his hands. After another moment, he finally looked up. He took in Ryosuke's presence above him, the sword wet with Gemini's blood, and his face broke. He bowed forward, forehead touching the cracked floor, right at Ryosuke's boots. His voice trembled.
"You want to free us, right? Son of Kael?"
"Correct."
"Then..." His eyes feel up with tears. The once stoic boy, now a crying child, "Please...free me, not her. Don't kill my sister...please. Spare her. I know she said cruel things, that's just her way of talking. But please don't kill my sister."
Ryosuke looked into the boy's eyes. He knew in every eye, there is a story.
And in those set of red eyes, Ryosuke could read tragedy.