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Kafka finds the new recruit's personality interesting. First time they met, he was a mess, his facial hair was grown but tangled and messy, his nails dirtied with soil and blood, but the thing she remembers the most was how empty his eyes were. He was akin to a puppet or a soulless body. Perhaps that was due him trying to get killed but his immortal body rejecting death itself.
Kafka laughed at the pitiful man in front of her, her hand cover her nose and mouth to avoid inhaling his awful battlefield scent. So, this is the guy Elio wants me to Spirit Whisper? He matches the role of a puppet, alright. Kafka smiles at the thought and says her greetings first to check if the immortal corpse still understand human language.
"Hey, you alive?” a meaningless question for the immortal man in front of her.
He looks up to her, his dead golden eyes glints for a milisecond in her eyes. Its like she saw the soul that left him went back inside to speak to her.
"Unfortunately..." he managed to speak out as he looks down again, remembering his curse of immortality he despise so much.
"Join us. Elio seems to have an offer you'dmight want to check out."
"A cure to immortality?”
"Maybe, he didn't tell me much about the details, you'd have to meet him yourself," Kafka shrugged her shoulders, as much as she wants to lie, she knew she'd be dead meat if she lied about such thing to him and just handover the problem to Elio instead, "So what do you say? Would you like to come with us?"
"What would you get from me? Sooner or later the mara will completely take over me and I won't be able to follow any of your commands."
"Elio doesn't give us commands, he gives us script of the future."
"And is this a script too? In this script do I follow you?”
"That depends on you," Kafka shrugs her shoulders once again, further confusing the man in front of her. She'd never thought this once soulless corpse is one that would be skeptical about joining them.
"What if I kill you here right now? Then his script would be useless," the man that smelled like battlefield stood up. His blade that he was cradling all this time is being held by his right hand in a unique stance. His face no longer had the face of corpse but that of a killer. The monster that's slowly eating him away finally shows his face.
Kafka gave him a smile before saying something that confused him, "You won't because you will-"
"Haha, you're not even scared? I hope you'd at least put up a fight,"
"-Listen to me, don't let the mara strike," Kafka's lilac eyes deepen her stare in the golden eyes in front of her. She loved how shocked he looks, freezing in place. The monster in him actually subduing to the woman's words. How?
"Now, will you come with me?”
--
"What's your impression of him, Kafka?”
"Seems like his blade is the only belonging he had left. Truly a man of the battlefield."
"He'd be your partner from now on," Elio said, already deciding an important decision for her, "I trust you know why?”
"Well, you'd want me to mentor him with all the basics too anyway, two birds with one stone, huh Elio?” Kafka smirks, she knew right from the script she was given about the man that they will indeed work together for a very long time.
"I trust Blade with your supervision, Kafka."
"Blade?"
"That's what we'll call him from now on."
"Odd name but a fitting one," Kafka first thought of him as a doll or living corpse but with her in thr equation, he might be more akin to a weapon or 'blade' to her.
Elio then dismisses Kafka and tells her to start her 'supervising' right from now. It seems Blade has yet to remember some human things, even his name. She realized her role and his nickname made her seems more like a swordmaster more than anything.
"What should we do about him Kafka?” Sam asked her, the automaton leaning against the cold metal wall of the hallway.
"Elio told me about his new name. We're told to call him Blade," she stopped to tell him about the new information from their so-called leader.
"Unique choice of name, but perhaps fitting for his current state. He has no other use than to fight."
Kafka then walks by, passing Sam. She heads towards her new companion in another room. Blade, everyone agrees it's a fitting name for him but how does he thinks of it? Kafka thought to herself, curious about his reactions to the name. Kafka had asked him about his name when they first met but either truly forgotten about it or refused to tell her. She guessed it is part of his awful memories that flares his mara up.
Kafka opens the door, seeing the new crew member, Blade sitting down the floor with his new look, hugging close his blade.
"Hello, Blade. From today onwards that shall be your name and I will be your mentor," Kafka said, her lilac eyes stares at his golden ones.
"Blade?"
"Yeah, Elio chose it for you, what do you think?”
"Fitting," Kafka smiles at his answer. He doesn't seem to hate the name.
"Come with me now, Blade. As your mentor I have to teach you the basics. Also your tour guide of our ship," Kafka's back faces his, trusting the man would follow her along. And he does, she's surprised at his obedience. For a man who once wanted to kill her, he sure acts like a dog now.
--
"Bladie,"
Blade glares at Kafka. His eyes full of bloodlust, "Call me that again and I'll be answering you with my sword."
Kafka chuckles. At times like this, he was more akin to a cat than a dog. A lot more cat-like than even Elio, Kafka thought while still smiling at him.
"Oh, don't be too tense, Bladie," Kafka closes her eyes but she could feel his bloodlust near her and his blade near her throat. She smiles at him, almost like she's challenging him. But he is one to know to back down from her. What is the point of threatening a woman who doesn't feel fear?
"Stop calling me that," Blade said as he withdrawed his sword and looks sideways to avoid her eyes, "Kafka."
That word right there, her own name spilling from his mouth is the reason she does this to him.
"Oh? But it's my nickname for you, darling?" he sent her a glare once again, a little more tone down than his last threat.
"You're lucky you're you, Kafka."
"Lucky 'cause of my Spirit Whisper, Bladie?”
He doesn't answer, instead he walks away from her. Kafka isn't surprised this how Blade is when she teases him further. But it's still fun to do it, his reactions is always worth the trouble.
--
"Bladie," he has gotten used to that nickname by now. However so far, he only lets Kafka calls him that. Whether it's because she's the one keeping him from being mara-stricken with her Spirit Whisper or because something else entirely is still a mystery. Most would think is the former, but Kafka thinks is the latter.
"Kafka," his voice is now much gentler when he calls out to her.
They're now back at their ship after a mission. Many would think as partners they would mostly be apart after finishing a script but Kafka and Blade spends more time on the ship together. He'd often come to her room watching the vast galaxies together whenever he can't sleep. However, Blade isn't one to open up so he lets Kafka do the talking instead.
She'd tell him about her preference, the time she met Elio, the times she worked with Sam. Blade never told her but he always feels at ease listening to her rambling about anything to him. Sometimes those ramblings of her puts him to sleep.
"Can't sleep, Bladie? Do you want to sleep with me again?” Kafka smiles, her tone teasing him again.
"No," he said but walks to her bed and sit on the edge, facing the window showing cluster of stars near their area. He stares at the sea of stars and back again to his partner. She's looking at the stars too. Her lilac eyes glimmers from the view.
Kafka's room plays classical music on repeat. It helps her sleep, it helps him sleep. Her room is filled with a faint scent of lavender, he always get drowsy from it.
"Kafka," Blade tries to start the conversation this time, "what did Elio promised you so that you join the Stellaron Hunters?”
Kafka chuckles, "Curious, Bladie?”
Blade clicks his tongue, he was being genuine but it seems she still enjoys teasing him no matter what.
"Well," Kafka noticed his displeasure and proceeds to answer his question, "He offered me something I want, something I need, Bladie. It was an interesting proposal."
"Fear?"
"I'll let you fill in the blanks," Blade noticed how she cut the conversation short. He realized she doesn't talk much about her desire.
"Then, if it has been fulfilled, what would you do?”
"Hmm, perhaps I'll find a peaceful planet," Blade looks at her attentively, his eyes seems soften at the thought of her living a peaceful life after all the problems they run into as Stellaron Hunters, "and then die, I guess?”
Blade freezes at the thought. It's hypocritical of him to think badly about her dying when all he wants to do is that permanent rest. But he realized, how his world would crumble the moment her life ends. His body feels cold, he's afraid of the thought even though he knows it will eventually come for the both of them. Because she is a mortal and he's not. He just wishes Elio's promise of giving him his permanent rest comes quicker than Kafka's.
"What's wrong, Bladie?" she notices how empty his eyes look, like the first time she met him as if his soul is crying, "oh dear, are you sad thinking about my death?”
Her hands extend to cup his face. Her thumb softly massage his cheek. He dives into her touch, "Everyone I knew eventually leaves me, Kafka. Be it by death, betrayal, reincarnation, or my own memory failing to remember them."
"Are you scared of forgetting me? I didn't know you're so affectionate, Bladie," Kafka smiles, she teases him again.
Blade sighs, "None of that would happen if Elio gives me my rest first."
"And what if he gives it to me first? What then, Bladie?"
"I'll be happy for you, weren't you going to spend your days in a peaceful planet?”
"But I won't be around to help with your mara, Bladie," Kafka once again rubs her thumb on his cheek.
"Perhaps Elio would find a cure at that point," Blade said with a sarcastic tone to his words, "Or he'd ask me to hunt you down and bring you back to join our journey."
Kafka chuckles, "Heh, it would just sound like you have attachment issues with me, Bladie."
Maybe I do, he thought. Maybe I've become attached to you, Kafka.
Perhaps being her partner made him this way. Perhaps it was his dependency with her Spirit Whisper. Perhaps it's because he enjoys spending leisure time with her. Perhaps because he knew he would miss her teasing despite hating it.
Or perhaps... Because she cares for him like how'd she lessen the chances of him getting hurt despite him being an immortal. Like how she'd protect him in his most vulnerable state. Like how she speaks gently with him.
And perhaps, because how much he cares for her wellbeing too.
"Bladie? Are you okay?” Blade snaps back to reality. Kafka's worried face inches away from his, "You're crying, Bladie."
Cry? Blade then felt how warm his cheek felt after she mentions that. A tear indeed dropped from his eyes.
"Kafka-"
"What is it, dear?"
"-promise me, you won't die first," He kisses her hand, the one that was rubbing his cheek.
"Bladie, I-"
"Please, Kafka," Kafka couldn't promise something like that. She knows, he knows as well. But his desperate begging is making it harder to tell him that. She couldn't say it knowing he's mentally unstable.
He'd always been emotional but she had never seen him in such state. This must be what she and the people of her homeworld had always lack from others, fear. Blade is scared of the idea of losing her.
"Okay, Bladie. I promise," Kafka releases her hand from his lips and replaces it with her own mouth instead. Blade is taken aback at first but immediately reciprocates, deepening the kiss as his hand reaches for the back of her head.
That night too, Blade sleeps in her room.
--
"Scared, Kafka?”
Scared? It was a meaningless question for someone like Kafka. She came from a world where no one understood the concept of fear. But this time...
"This was how you were going to reveal it to me, Elio?”
"There was a reason I put you two as partners, Kafka."
Kafka chuckles, "So our relationship had been your script all along?” She sounded a little broken-hearted from the fact.
"Yes and no. Him being your partner, yes, but anything else is out of my control."
"You got me, Elio. I am scared of going, is this how you people feel?" Kafka said her mind only thinking about her companion, "How would he survive without me, Elio?"
Elio went silent. He does not give her an ounce of information about Blade's future without her. For once, her worry overflows. Elio not telling her about his condition means him not wanting her to be distracted for the mission. But also might mean his future would be very uncertain.
Kafka sighs, "Let me at least say my goodbye to him first."
--
Kafka runs her hand through Blade's bareback. He shivers at her gentle touch. She looks softly at his scars.
"Kafka?” Blade called, looking back to her. She seems to be in a trance looking at his back. In a late response, Kafka snaps back and continues her treatment on his scars.
"Hey Bladie," she suddenly speaks. She takes a look at each of his scars she could see on his back, "How did these scars leave their mark on you? Your body could heal itself but some scars seems permanent."
"Some scars keep being remade, thus it just seems they never really close," Blade closes his eyes, he does not want to remember. But he wants to tell her, "Some scars were pierced by the people I trusted."
"Mental scars?”
"Physical but I guess the people who give them matters too."
"Hmm," Kafka smirks, she felt a bit mischevious, "How about I make you a scar too, Bladie?”
"What?” he looks back at her ridiculously.
"So I'd have a permanent mark on you too, Bladie," Kafka winks.
He turns away from her, his ears getting red, "You can mark me another way, Kafka," He covers his face that slowly getting warmer.
"Oh my, Bladie?” Kafka chuckles. It's always so cute when his intentions are clear with her, "But..."
Kafka's eyes turns cold. Her tone clearly not joking as she says, "I'd want to leave a permanent mark on you, Bladie."
"...Then do it, Kafka," Blade told her, his stares at her. He is as serious as her.
"Oh my? I'm just kidding, Bladie. I just patched you up why would I add another one from myself just for me to patch you up again?” she chuckled. Sometimes, it's hard to understand her intention. No matter how much they've been partners.
Blade sits up as Kafka finishes her treatment on him. He took shirt to put it back on. Kafka looks fondly at the tall man's back once again. She thinks to herself, will I leave a permanent scar on you too?
"Goodbye, Bladie," Kafka said in a whisper.
"You said something?” Blade asked her to repeat. Seems like he didn't quite heard her.
"Good night, Bladie," Kafka said, raising her voice this time for him to hear. She smiles at he says the same to her and leaves to sleep on his own room.
--
I should've stayed with her tonight, Blade sighs as he walks to his chamber still regretting his decision to leave her room. Some where in him really wants to stay with her tonight. But..
He sensed that Kafka wasn't in the mood. Almost felt like she was pushing him away. He feels uneasy for some reason. She have been like this the moment Kafka was last called by Elio. He's certain it's a mission Elio can only trust Kafka with, so he doesn't want to pry. However, it keeps bothering him.
He'd have to ask Elio next time.
--
"What kind of script you gave Kafka?!"
Blade a high pitched yell. It's Silver Wolf's voice, the kid Kafka told him to mentor when she entered the crew. Her voice came from the room he's heading to, Elio's room. Elio called for him, it seems Elio got a solo mission for him. It's a coincidence, he wants to ask him about Kafka's misson as well.
Blade enters the room, everyone looks at him. The mood feels sour between them.
"Blade, you're here. Let's get to the-" Elio said not minding the girl that was yelling at him a few momentd ago.
"Blade!" Silver Wolf intervenes their conversation, "Have you heard? Elio gave Kafka a script and-”
Silver Wolf shakes as she tries to rely him the news. For some reason he got cold feet, his heart beats fast, please don't.
"Blade, as I was saying. You will go to retrieve the Stellaron from-" Elio spoke again, ignoring the trembling young lady.
"And according to the script, that place is Kafka's final resting place.." Silver Wolf's tears started to drop. Sam who had been silent this whole time in the corner of the room moves to console the shorter lady.
"Blade. Kafka was tasked to help a certain local to make contact with the Stellaron," the automaton finally started to speak, "That contact will result in a worldwide earthquake of a magnitude never before seen on that planet and Kafka won't be able to survive that destruction."
Please. Don't.
"And Blade," this time, Elio speaks, "Once the earthquake finish, you will take away that Stellaron."
Blade doesn't say a thing. He walks back from the door he came through to find a pod that would send him there. Elio yells at him saying it's not the time yet, but Blade doesn't hear a thing. His mind is only filled with only one thing,
Kafka
--
The moment he arrives on his destination, he looks at his surroundings. The buildings were all still intact, perhaps he's not too late yet.
Blade doesn't know where Kafka is. But their minds get connected often through her Spirit Whisper that he could often sense her whereabouts. She's somewhere on the tallest building in the city, some where close to the Stellaron.
Just then, the massive earthquake strikes, buildings around him crashes to the ground. People screaming and yelling and running. His ears are ringing, his body went cold.
Please don't let it be too late
A chunk of a building is falling above him. Making it's way through the ground. His legs doesn't stop. He won't die but he can't afford to slow his way down again. But fate laughs at him telling him,
You'll never reach her in time
Ah. He's familiar of this laugh. Fate's laugh, one he heard a long time ago. Just like the time he lost his friends and mortality for good. Once again they're here to challenge him, he laughs back, using every power his battered body has to get out of the messy pile of fallen building chunks.
His body is a bloody mess, he hopes Kafka will be patient enough treating his wounds.
Kafka
Blade is close to the tallest building. Even after the earthquake, the building remains the tallest. The top chunks of the building fallen off, scattering besides the foundatiom of the building, crushing everyone else in the impacts. He could still feel her presence, faintly.
You promised me, Kafka
--
There she lies, in front of him. Blade found her lying on the balcony of the 4th floor. For some reason this building still has a visible structure enough to sustain a 4th floor. Even though, most of it collapsed already.
Under her a pool of blood, her blood.
He freezed at the the sight. His mind isn't processing well, the monster inside him at bay. But his feet advances forward, to her side. Her wounded body becomes much clearer in his view. Her wounds wasn't created by the earthquake. Something no, someone did this to her. The person that contacted the Stellaron, Blade made a deduction. The monster in him smiles. His breathing becomes ragged.
How dare they?
But none of that matters more than the woman in front of him. He cradles her weakened body. She's still breathing, he saw her chest pumping what's left of her blood, but it's getting weaker.
"Kafka,"
Her eyes flutter open, "Bladie," She smiles and with one hand cups his face. Her weak hand rubs on his cheek. His hand catches hers. He nuzzles her bloody hand, letting it leave a trail of blood on his face.
"I'm sorry, Bladie," Kafka breathes heavily, her eyes are struggling to open, "I don't think I can keep the promise."
Blade begins to shake, "You're cruel, Kafka," He hates her for not telling him anything. He hates her for breaking their promise. He hates her for leaving him. Tears wets his cheeks, her hand gently wipes it away.
"You're crying again, Bladie."
Blade tightens his grip on her hand, "Kafka, please-"
"-please don't go. Don't leave me alone," his real feelings spilt out. He holds her head closer to him. Unwilling to let her go at any circumstances.
"I'm sorry-"
"Don't. Don't say it, Kafka," He sharply interrupts her apology.
Kafka caress his cheek once again. What would he do without her? How will he keep his mara in check? Ah. It seems her love for him made her understood worry, understood something as foreign as fear to her kind.
She pushes his head near her for a kiss. Her mouth is bloody but Blade doesn't mind. Their kiss felt like an eternity, each of their feelings calling out to each other, wishing the other one would not leave them. Kafka breaks the kiss and whispers in his ear,
"Listen to me, don't let the mara strike after I'm gone," Kafka uses her Spirit Whisper on him, one last time. An attempt to save him even temporarily.
"And...." Her breathing slowed. Her body's temperature slowly decreasing. Time's running out and there's only one thing left she wants to tell him,
"I love you, Bladie," Her eyes closes, her body becomes limp, her hand slips from his grip.
"Kafka!" Blade yells but to no avail. She's dead. Her soul no longer resides in her body. She disappeared for good.
"No, Kafka, hey," in a desperate attempt he tried to talk to her. His arms pull her closer, his face desperate to get a response, "Kafka don't joke around, please."
Kafka.
Kafka.
Kafka.
Please, don't.
Blade went silent. The only sound he could hear is the sound of his phone ringing. The Stellaron Hunter's group chat is loud, probably messages from Elio telling him to finish his mission. But he doesn't want to.
He doesn't text anyone else other than Kafka or the other Hunters. That phone too was a gift from her, he'd used it whenever he's away from her. Because he barely used it for anything, Kafka would fill it with pictures of her and the rest of the Stellaron Hunters members. He used to find it annoying, but now it will be the only thing keeping him sane.
--
Blade carries Kafka's lifeless body with him. He walks with her in his arms, her blood stains his shirt. His phone still ringing from messages and calls from Elio, probably telling him finish up the mission. Blade doesn't know anymore.
But he knows Kafka would want him to finish the job. Like a good boy, Bladie. He wants to hear her praise him and calls him with the silly nickname she made for him.
He makes his way to the Stellaron, Kafka still in his hands. He stands there, thinking about Kafka's voice ordering him to do something. And how he will do it without fail.
--
He gains the Stellaron and goes back to the mothership. Even then he never let go of Kafka's body. His other crew mates are shocked to find out he's back.
Silver Wolf hides behind Sam, perhaps they thought he'd gone insane by now. They're right to think that way but perhaps Kafka's Spirit Whisper on him still has it's effects.
He heard Silver Wolf gasp at the reveal of Kafka's body. The younger girl too was close to the woman in his arms. Tears fall down her eyes as she immediately turns to Elio, blaming him for all the events.
Blade leaves them after giving Elio the Stellaron. He walks towards the one place that feels like home. Kafka's room. He placed her body on her bed. Her room smells like her. Her favorite classical piece plays in the background.
Blade sits on the floor with his back facing the walls. He grabs his blade close to his body. He takes out his phone, the one Kafka gave him. He plays all the video Kafka saved in his phone. He replays it like a broken record. Hoping that, he would never forget her.
Ah. It seems she suceeded. She left a permanent mark on his heart.