Marko Tenkou

Chapter 16

Marko Tenkou Ch.16

Time seemed to have stopped at that moment. Everything was frozen in place, not a single thing or person moved. And then, something did. A drop of blood hit the floor, followed by repeated drops in the same location.

Despite time returning to normal, nobody moved at all. They could only look on in both amazement and shock of what they saw. Holding the blade of Shani's scythe in his right hand was Hero. He seem hurt nor his body had sustained any injures, aside from the cut on his right palm.

He had stopped the dark blade just an inch from Marko's neck. "Are you alright?" he finally asked, snapping everyone back into reality.

"H... Hero..." she couldn't respond properly, too shock by his sudden recovery. She only slowly nodded her head to confirm her condition, much to Hero's relief.

The scythe suddenly disappeared. Hero looked back at Shani to see why she would rid of her weapon. He was surprised to see she had a horrified look on her face.

"W... What have I..." Shani fell to her knees, shocked by her own actions. "Why did I just try to..." she looked at her hands, trembling frantically and looking upon them in regret. She couldn't believe these hands would try to take a life away, but her memory knew the fact well that she had just attempted to kill Marko.

Fearing of any confrontation, she used a shadow to dissolve her body to sneak away down the hall from the others. "Shani!" Marko called out, but she was already long gone.

About five minutes later, Marko, Titania, and the three heroes sat down in the living room. The nurses had ran off to search for Shani.

"So, Hero," Umetaro said, gaining everyone's attention. "How are you feeling? Any disabilities?"

Hero shook his head. "Nope, I'm just fine. I felt a bit paralyzed, but after gazing upon the short skirts of the helping nurses, I miraculously regained my health."

"Is that what you call a jump-start?" Titania joked. "I wonder what would happen if Marko had done something if you're in a death state."

"Then I'll simply come back from the dead!" he laughed. "Not even the chains of Hell shall prevent me from a gaze from her beauty!"

"I'm glad to see you're fine, Hero." Marko could only smile to see him fully recover. She allowed him to have his fun just for awhile.

"Hero," Dei stood up and walked towards Hero, making him flinch that he might request another match or attack. "Good match." he extended his hand out, requesting a handshake.

"Huh?" Hero looked at him with a confused look. "You're not going to beat me up again?"

"What?" it was Dei's turn to have the look. "Why would I do something like that? A man should congratulate his opponent for providing an entertaining duel. I had my doubts, but you showed me a thing or two on how not to judge by appearance."

"Oh, um, thanks." Hero shook his hand. "Thank you for the match as well. Now I'll have to better myself to become stronger than you."

Dei laughed heartily. "Good luck with that, kid."

One of the nurses returned. "Did you find her?" Dei asked. She shook her head, confirming they hadn't.

"What are we going to do?" Titania asked aloud.

"We're going to help find her." Marko answered, shocking everyone that she of all people would put up such an offer.

"Didn't she try to kill you?" Umetaro questioned her reasoning. "She might try to do it again."

"I know she did and I'm not to thrilled by the fact." she admitted. "However, it wouldn't be right of me to just ignore her in her time of need. If anyone is going to be there, it might as well be me."

Umetaro smiled to himself, pleased to see her take responsibility for her actions. "Alright then, we'll assist you."

"Why?" Shani asked herself, hoping for an answer.

"Why?" she asked again, but once again no answer was given.

She had isolated herself in the attic. It was completely dark with no signs of light to be seen. Her father would always tell her not to go up there since it was most likely invested with rodents and spider webs.

She didn't mind her surroundings at all. Even if there was a rodent crawling at her feet, she would feel right at home there. She felt like she belonged there. Deep in the darkness, alone.

Darkness was her best friend. Since her mother passed away five years ago and her father lost his fame, it became her company. It was a place that made her feel safe, despite the feeling of loneliness nagging her.

It didn't surprise her in the least that she had a power associating with darkness. She knew everything there was about it. She and darkness were one and the same. Never wanted, alone, feared of. When she stepped into the light, it pained her.

So it shouldn't matter to her what others thought of her or she shouldn't care about others in general. So why was she hurt when she about to hurt her mortal enemy, Marko? It should've brought her joy that she was about to rid of her existence.

But, it didn't. It made her feel horrible. Horrible that she would try to take a life away.

"So why? Why did I try to kill her?"

She didn't know the answer. She probably didn't want to. All she wanted now was to be alone. To avoid hearing complaints or opinions from the others. She was hugging the darkness around, hoping it would comfort her heart like it always would do when she felt depressed.

"Hello there, darkling." a voice greeted her. She quickly looked around to see Suit standing in front of her. Somehow, she was able to see him clearly despite the darkness, almost like it ignored his presence.

"Who are you?" she asked, curious of his identity.

"I'm like you," he answered. "A fellow walker of the dark. My name is Suits."

"Leave me alone." she ordered, losing interest in his existence.

"But why? We're both the same. Darklings like us should stick together. Don't you agree?" he insisted with a smile.

"We're not the same. I want to be alone." her voice rose with irritation behind it.

"You're right." he realized. "I am a true darkling, one who bathes in his soul. You... are a puppy, one who thinks darkness helps her heart. In truth, you hate the darkness."

"You don't know anything about me." she glared at him, ready to call her scythe at any time.

"Oh, but I do. I know what true loneliness is like." Suits chuckled at her glare, amused by it even. I can show you..." a dark smile ran across his face, one darker and sinister than the darkness itself. "What true loneliness is like, my little naive puppy."