The Wielder of Death Magic

“Hey, you look nice, come in, come in, I’ll give you a special discount,” said a lady backed by four others. They eyed those passing, bystanders who but fixed the ground and shuffled along.

“Look at this one,” said a lady wearing a skimpy red dress. Her upper half was without undergarments for the breasts were visible through the thin fabric.

“Are you new around here,” said another licking her lips, “-come, I’ll give you a discount.”

“Would you do me a favor?” approached the man with white-crimson hair. The emotionless eyes landed upon the lady in red, her mouth unwillingly opened.

“You’re hot,” said she trying to touch his chest.

“Please,” he held her hand, “-would you do me a favor?”

.....

“Anything you want,” she winked, “-come on, follow me,” tugging on his hands, they quickly climbed the stairs beside which laid couches and tables. The place filled at a steady pace – the ladies found customers in haste.

“Do anything you want,” she jumped onto the bed, “-I’ll undress, or do you want the honors?”

“I want to get violent,” said he cracking the knuckles, “-you said anything I want.”

“Violent huh,” she pulled herself against the back of the bed, “-give me a moment.” A drawer opened to show pills and injections, “-I’ll take one of these. I don’t like pain; this will channel it into pleasure.”

“Wait,” he held the tablet, “-is this the drug sold by the DG?”

“Yeah, it’s the new pills everyone’s been talking about...”

“Then it’s done,” he grabbed the lot, “-what’s your name?”

“Suzanne...” her eyes narrowed, “-what are you doing?”

“Sorry Lady Suzanne,” he bowed in courtesy, “-I came here with the intent of deceit.”

“No rough play then?” she sighed to hide her face in the pillow, the frizzled hair gathered around the left side.

“No...” said with an inviting tone, “-are you interested in selling?”

“Selling what?” her head rose, “-I’m already selling my body, what more does a girl need to sell?”

“Nothing corporal, I wish to buy... information.”

“Information. Go on, I’m listening.”

“Firstly, could you put on some better garments. In no way is it insulting, I just wish to speak to you as a normal person, not a lady of pleasure.”

“Is that right?” she scampered to a broken-down cupboard, “-you’re the first man to tell a lady to dress up as opposed to going ham.”

“I do my best to respect people who are working hard. There’s no shame in what you do. Actually, it takes a lot of strength to choose or be forced into this lifestyle,” said he in earnest.

“Oh...” she returned with a proper dress, “-don’t know what to say. I’m so used to people shouting insults and spitting. You’re not from here, are you?”

“No,” he smiled, “-I come from a faraway continent.”

“So, what do you want to buy?” asked she with her legs crossed.

“Information.”

“About what?”

“About the happenings of this brothel. I heard the sellers of DG come here regularly. Anything you can tell will be of great help.”

“Oh, well, we don’t ask questions. Whatever happens in here, stays in here – we don’t know one another in the outside world. Tis the harsh reality,” her chirpiness changed into one normal and vaguely serious.

“I see,” he took out the pills, “-how much do you charge for a night?”

“Depends on what you want. Ranges from 4 to 10 Exa.”

“Is that it?” asked he stunned by the cheapness.

“What do you mean, 4 Exa is plenty of money to live here,” her tongue clicked.

“Are you bound by the brothel, sold by parents or lover, even a slave-trader, what’s your story?”

“You’re starting to piss me off,” her brows firmed onto her words, “-I was taken since my fiancé couldn’t repay his loan. I told him to not make a deal with the underground, ‘-we’ll make the money back easily,’ he said, what a fool.”

“How much of a long did he take?”

“More questions?” she stared at the ceiling with a ‘-back off,’ type of sentiment.

“Heed me well Suzanne, if you answer my questions, there might be more waiting at the end of the conversation.”

“And what does that mean?” the visage contoured in a way to show disgust similar to how a child would react after sniffing excrement or things of bad scent.

“You’ll understand later.”

“Fine,” she gave into the man’s will, “-I’ll tell you what you want. The debt I have to repay is 1000 Exa. It’s a fortune for a small lady like me in a less than profitable village. In my five months of doing this job, I managed to chip away at only 40 Exa.”

“What of Vil, is he the owner of this brothel?”

“Yeah, a member of the people who resell the pills.”

“Good,” he stood, “-shall we go meet with Vil right away?”

“W-what do you mean to meet with Vil?”

“Here,” he threw a 50 Exa note, “-consider yourself booked for the night. Now, tell me where Vil is.”

“5-50 Exa,” her hands trembled, “-don’t disrespect money like that.”

“Shut it,” the door slammed open, “-take me there right away.”

“So much for respect,” mumbled she stepping out of the chambers.

Down the stairs and onto the ground floor, the ladies and men were busy enjoying one another’s company. Neon lighting strained the eyes; heavy make-up and puppet-like stares on those who danced. Farther inside, they came across another staircase leading to a basement. Two guards presided over with arms crossed.

“No entry from here, little lady,” said one of the guards.

“The end of the line,” said she turning to Staxius, “-let’s go back.”

“No,” *Smack,* a singular punch dropped both onto the ground.

“WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!”

“Shut up and follow,” said he with a merciless gaze.

*Click,* “Ay, come on, I said not to allow anyone inside yet,” voiced a man holding down a nude-teenager with his mouth gagged by undergarments. A video-camera filmed the tragic scene over a luxurious white couch.

“Oh shit,” said Suzanne looking away, “-disgusting...”

“Suzanne,” said he stepping off the couch with a large member, “-why have you come here,” he slowly pulled-up the trousers, “-do you want another 1000 Exa added to the debt?”

“N-no, sir...”

“Then come here and finish what the boy couldn’t complete,” he reclined into the office chair, the lady ambled whilst casting gazes of, ‘-look what you’ve done’. She knelt to slowly undo the trousers.

“Stop,” said Staxius, “-Suzanne, are you dumb?” asked he giving the injured boy a once over, “-I paid to have you for the night, why are you going to ruin thy mouth for one who hasn’t paid?”

“Who the fuck are you?” asked the man wearing a hat, bright shirt with his enormous belly. The face held pimples and scars; the large, circular nose with smaller eyes, chapped white lips, and the scent of a dog in heat.

“A customer,” said he walking to the table, “-are you in the Dark-Guild?”

“Y-yes,” said he staring back.

“Suzanne, get here already,” ordered Staxius.

“Do you realize what trouble you’re in?” smirked Vel, “-this place and everything inside is mine. You’ve come as a customer, behave like it, and turn back.”

“You misunderstand,” *-crack,* the table flew to crash against the wall behind. “-I didn’t come as a customer.”

“Then?” quietly crossing his arms, “-why did you come here for?”

“What Godfather does thee serve under?”

“Godfather?” inquired he, “-what do you mean by the godfather. I’m a member of the Dark-guild, that’s the extent of what I know.”

“Fool,” he shook his head, “-you’re a fool to pretend to be one of us.”

“One of us?” a whiff of fear flashed across his face, “-it can’t be,” he took out a pistol. “Member of the DG or not, a single bullet and none be the wiser.”

“Let’s getaway,” said Suzanne, “-messing with him is going to be trouble.”

“I’ve not forgotten about you,” snickered Vil, “-you’ll be working as my plaything starting later. It’s going to make a killing on the Arcanum.”

“Go check on the boy,” whispered Staxius.

“What will it be, Vil?” he thundered across, “-answer my question or else.”

“Oh, shut it,” he laughed, “-the DG, what a joke, such a dated organization with dated narcotics. Our pills are far better than Angel’s Dust and God’s Ale. Besides, who cares, Snow will soon return to Hidros, our defeat will not be forgotten.” *Smack,* the man went crashing against the same wall, *click,* “-you misunderstand,” said Staxius holding a gun, “-the DG isn’t dated,” *BANG.*

.....

“MY LEG!” he screamed.

“Suzanne, close the door.”

“W-what, why?” she did so with fear in her step.

“You,” pointing at the boy, “-come here.”

“Y-y-yes s-sir,” said he limping across the room, “-how long has this man mistreated you?”

“A v-very l-long time sir,” sniffles came as he tried to gather the memories.

“Well,” giving an evil smirk, “-do you want revenge?”

“W-what?”

“Revenge,” he laughed, “-Vil’s nothing more than a pretender of being in the DG.”

Blood soon flowed about the room, “-don’t think of me lightly,” a press of a button had the upstairs turn into chaos. Countless heavy steps dashed into the room. Heavy men with guns and knives, “-MR. VIL!”

“We have guests.”

“What are you waiting for, KILL HIM!” screamed the injured Vil.

*BANG, BANG, BANG,* ‘-look at them,’ thought he standing still, ‘-slow and inconsequential.’ The gang ran with killing intent. As fast as they move, time slowed to a stop by the speed of the godly-vampiric body. The bullets came at a snail’s pace, he could pluck them out of the air as if water-bubbles. ‘I’ll have this,’ listlessly taking a knife out of one of the guards, “-a slice for you... another for you... and you,” one by one, the cuts inflicted were deadly and aimed at arteries.

“They are so beautiful, aren’t they?” said Staxius resting beside Vil.

“What?” he turned with a petrified expression.

“Be careful,” said Staxius holding his head, “-the bullets could kill you.” Three projectiles scraped his cheeks. “The rainfall of blood is hauntingly beautiful.” Two seconds later, the guards fell without any knowledge of what transpired.

“Adete, come out and have a feast,” said he casually strolling to the camera.

“Food, thanks,” she smiled, *Blood-Arts: Bloody Mary.*

“Boy, have you made up your mind?”

“Y-yes sir,” returned he furiously trying to hold the tears, “-I want revenge.”

“Good answer,” smiled Staxius. Suzanne’s desolate distant visage fixed at the slaughter; the bodies were cut so severely it couldn’t be said humane. The redness channeled into a crystal that flowed with Adete’s command. She made several apple-shaped orbs to take to the Shadow Realm.

“Going to use them as puppets?” asked she on her way out.

“No, they’re weak, there’s no point,” returned he tinkering with the video-camera.

“Good, it’s working.”

“W-who a-are you s-sir?” asked the boy sitting on the couch.

“A traveler,” he winked, “-did he have any toys or torture devices?”

“Yes...”

“Go fetch them, I’ll have our star be ready for the night,” quick to grab his collar, “-Vil, you’re going to become a celebrity tonight,” and so he was flung across the room.

“éclair, can you take over the broadcast?”

“Yes, why?”

“Send it to the Kingdom of Konak, this is a declaration of war against Snow.” Soon, the bodies of the fallen were stuck on the walls as if decorations – ‘-don’t fuck with DG,’ was written in their blood and at the center; Vil.

“What now sir?” asked the boy who seemed to enjoy the coming show.

“Go ahead and do what he did to you. Be as vile and crude – the more he screams, the better I’ll reward thee in the end.”

“What if he dies...”

“He’s not going to die,” smirked Staxius sitting with the feet atop a smaller table, “-I’ll make sure he doesn’t,” he puffed with a cigar in hand.

“It will be my pleasure.”