SYSTEM ASCENSION

"Whose head should I send to Natalie first."

A gasp escaped Laura’s mouth. Her heart hammered against her chest as she crawl back.

"You can’t do this to us! We spent time together!"

"I was stupid." Elias calmly said. "I was stupid enough to leave Roche to you, and I lost him forever."

"I did nothing—"

"You led Roche to Natalie right?" Yvonne cut in.

"You have no proof! Why are you suspecting me?"

"You sure can’t hide your tracks well. It’s sloppy." Yvonne tuts.

She gulped. "How long have you been suspecting me?"

"Since the start?" Yvonne shrugged, stepping closer and leaning to her face. "Yunno, I learnt something important. Whenever Elias give a certain look, It’s called watch out for back stabbing bitches! You resemblance with Natalie was damn obvious!"

Laura hand shot out to grab her neck but a dagger flew by a pierced it to the ground.

"Argh! Urgggh! My hand!"

Quil glanced at Elias and back at Yvonne.

’I didn’t expect this. Since the team was formed, Yvonne constantly stares at Elias’s eyes. I thought it was obsession, but she was reading him?’

"I didn’t let anything slip!" Laura yelled. "I did it perfectly!"

"And you fell for my little trap."

Laura frowned at Yvonne’s words.

"Tra...p?"

Her eyes widened. She glanced at Quil.

"The exchanged words earlier..."

"No A rank is stupid not to know the might of an S rank. Yet, I blabbered about how scary Elias can be, and you ran ahead to tell Natalie. Right?"

"You bastard!" She lunged at Yvonne, but a sword pierced her back, nailing her to the ground.

"The injury you came back with," Yvonne continued. "Roche did it right? He clearly used spikes on you."

"It was me!" Lisa was still shaking. "Please let her go. It was me."

Quil observed the situation again.

’She suspected them because of the look Elias gave, and baited them to confirm by saying words that put them in fear. They must have lead her to Natalie when I went to meet elias.’

He narrowed his eyes at Elias, watching the nonchalant reaction of the young boy.

’The problem is, for someone who suspected them from the start, why did he let Roche go with Laura? Did he trust Roche that much, or was he trying to confirm, using Roche as bait?’

He subconsciously moved back.

’He do not look like someone mourning. Was it all an act?’

Right on spot, Elias glanced at him. He flinched, and looked away.

"We should send this one as a gift." Elias raised his hand and tapped Lisa’s shoulder.

She flinched. Her anxiety grew as she try to pull away. She watched as a long sword began to form in his hand.

"No! Wait! I’m sorry! We’re sorry! One more chance!"

Laura scrambled forward, but Yvonne just grabbed her leg and yank her back.

"Let me go! Lisa! Lisa!"

"Laura!" Lisa streched her hand, glancing between Elias and her sister. "Help me!"

The sword was done, and Elias brought it put to inspected it.

She scrambled back, but only the sharp cut of the dagger behind her answered. She was really trapped.

Elias tilted his head. Like he was deciding where to start. He raised the sword in a way perfect for a left-handed person, and swung it.

"No! Wait —!"

The sound that followed wasn’t loud, but it left a clear line on her face. It was too clean of a cut that the sword didn’t have a peck of blood on it.

[Elias Morail]

[Kill count: 207]

Laura screamed. The sound tore out of her and died halfway.

"Li..sa?"

Yvonne didn’t flinch. She just stood, wiping a speck of frost off her custom made boot.

Quil staggered back, perplexed by the unhinged scene before his eyes.

The sword faded at the same time the head slid off, landing beside Elias with a soft tud.

"LISA!!" Laura yelled in horror, her heart hammering against her chest. "You ...you! YOU! I’ll kill you!"

"Aah..." Elias scoffed at the absurd statement. He turned around and sat down.

"Deliver it to Natalie."

Quil’s throat went dry. His back was still pressed to the tree, but he moved when he heard it.

"Wait...what..."

Yvonne stepped out.

She bent down and tugged the head by the hair without question. Her expression didn’t change.

Laura lunged at her.

"Give me back my sister!"

"The rest is laying there." Yvonne kicked her back, then turned, and disappeared into the night with the head.

The cold settled again.

Lisa was still on the ground, sobbing into her hands. Quil stared at Elias.

Elias finally looked at him. His face gave nothing away. No grief, nor rage.

"Why did you send her?"

Elias raised a brow.

"Huh?"

"Why did you task Yvonne with the job?"

"Do you want to go instead?"

Quil stepped closer to him.

"Natalie will attack her!"

"No. He won’t. The second one is still here." He nudged his head to Laura who was crawling over to her sister’s body.

"And if he attack her despite that?"

He shrugged. "She just have to take care of herself."

"That’s the same as putting her in danger!" Quil stepped closer. "She was recently shaken up by the second trial and now you’re putting her in a position where she might kill again."

He tilted his head.

"How do you think Yvonne got over the second trial incident in just hours?"

"Huh?"

"You described a lab by yourself didn’t you? That means you know what happens in somewhere like that?"

"You mean..."

"What made you think the trial was the first time she killed?"

Quil recoiled.

Truly, it was odd how she was barely holding up a moment and was suddenly fighting with Roche in the next.

"Then, what about Roche?"

Elias feinted ignorance. "Roche?"

"You knew they were working with Natalie. Why did you let Roche go with her?"

Elias didn’t answer. He just stared at Quil.

"Answer me?! Isn’t that leading him to his death?!"

No reply.

"You knew he was going to get attacked right?!"

"Maybe..."

"And you knew he might die!"

"Yes."

"Then why didn’t you stop him?"

"..."

"He followed you around. Called you My Lord! You failed him."

He cut the distance and grabbed Elias by the collar, pulling him off his sitting position.

"Natalie didn’t kill Roche. You did. You’re the cause of his death!"

Elias just stayed limp in his hand, eyes locked with each other. In a sudden moment, Quil saw Elias eyes flashed gray for a second.

He released him and rushed back.

’Is his second personality coming out?’

"You keep saying Roche this... Roche that," Elias muttered, dusting his clothes.

"Who the hell is Roche?"

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