Deus Didymus: Rend

Chapter Sixty-Six: Guilty

"Kim Jinju, you are under arrest for the murder of Primordial Zenith's guild master."

Jinju stood above Zenith's dead corpse, glaring daggers into Yeeun. Vapor seeped from her lips, mixing with the surrounding mist. She dug her feet into the red carpet bisecting the marble floor of the Primordial Zenith's guild hall, rage seething from her icy gaze.

Yeeun pointed her glove toward the white rabbit, priming its crystal. "If you comply, I will hold back when detaining you."

"I must rescue Shin," Jinju panted.

With a heavy sigh, Yeeun lowered her shoulders, shaking her head.

"So be it."

Kami slapped Chulmoo's back, rubbing Sumin's crown with his other hand. A large grin spread across his face as two screens of light hovered in front of the two adventurers.

"You guys did it!"

Jinju sat atop a branch, leaning against the tree's trunk, "You seem awfully excited, Shin."

Sumin high-fived Chulmoo, bouncing atop the grass. Her hands hovered over the cards splayed in front of her, anticipating the results of her choice. "I wonder what my skill will be..."

Chulmoo swiped the item card from his screen, eyeing the flat plane as it turned into a cross pein hammer.

"Woah!!"

Kami folded his arms, closing his eyes, "I think this calls for a celebration."

"Let's go to a bar!!" Chulmoo proposed.

Sumin raised her fist, matching Chulmoo's expression, "Yeah!!!"

With high spirits, Chulmoo lead his party to a large bar. He lugged four large mugs to his group's table, sporting a cheerful smile.

Kami extended his mug with a proud smile, "To leveling up!"

Chulmoo and Sumin bumped their mugs with Kami's splashing its delectable contents into the air.

"To leveling up!!"

Jinju quietly sipped her beer while she watched her party members devour a platter of chicken. Despite trying her best to hide it, a small smile pushed at the corner of her mouth.

As Chulmoo detailed processes he took in forging Kami and Jinju's weapons, the latter took a step out of the bar. She wandered behind the building, heaving a sigh against the wall.

It reeks of sweaty men in there...

The small woman took a deep breath, turning toward the stars. In the time she spent in the dungeon, she forgot about the nocturnal artwork displayed above her. Amongst the animated painting of twinkling stars, an ephemeral twinkle caught her eye from a nearby building.

In careened through the air, slicing shallowly into Jinju's cheek as she tumbled out of the way. Jinju reached under her cloak, grasping her blade while a tall figure lumbered in.

"As expected from the White Rabbit, you're more nimble than I thought you would be."

Jinju molded two ice shuriken underneath her sleeves, remaining quiet. Her lips sat slightly parted, allowing a puff of vapor to escape as she exhaled.

"It's a shame. You're always the one caught up in harm's way because of the people around you; though I'm not after you, I need to use you as bait."

"Bait?" Jinju questioned.

"Don't take it personally."

Talon darted down the narrow path, splaying his bladed gloves. He swept at Jinju, forcing her to spring backward. She flipped through the air, flinging the ice shuriken from her sleeve.