The W1RLD

Written by: The Masked Eidolon

Edited by: Leon the Man

Enjoy 🙂

Chapter 15 - Broken Mask

Rico donned his authentication glove and showed it to the guards outside the castle.

"I scheduled a meeting with King Virgil and Senior Adviser Yossi today."

"You don't need to flash that silly thing with us, Rico." one of the guards said with a grin, "We'd recognize you any day."

Rico returned the smile, "Thank you."

"Of course." the guard said as he opened the door, "King Virgil has been waiting for you."

Rico entered the palace and walked down the long corridor leading to the secure meeting room. When he arrived, he entered the passcode, 46290, and opened the door. There, Virgil was sitting on the centermost chair, while Yossi was standing beside him.

Rico knelt down, "My king."

"At ease, Rico."

Rico stood back up, "I have urgent news."

Virgil was displeased, "You killed our prisoner again. Did you manage to get at least some idea of his motivations?"

Rico frowned, "I got more than just mere motivations out of him. I learned about the existence of an organization that is planning a coup d'etat on the Virgilian government. They call themselves the Dark Knights, and Fred Wilkins was a very important member."

"What?" Yossi exclaimed, "That's impossible! Every human being left alive was pulled out of the rubble by King Virgil himself."

"It's not that implausible, Yossi." Virgil corrected. "In fact, I think I may know who is behind this. But before I make any assumptions, carry on, Rico."

Rico continued, "Fred Wilkins told me that the fire of the western slums was their doing, which is disturbing on its own. But he also told me that they have a spy in the military, going by the code name of 'Sun God.' Our first priority should be to find and kill this spy, which is why I request an official search order for the western slums."

"So you think they might have targeted the western slums to build some sort of base?" Yossi interjected.

"Precisely. I may be able to find information leading to the identity of the spy if I go there."

"Alright, then. Your search order has been granted." Virgil said, grabbing a sheet of paper with a red stamped seal on it and handing it to Rico. "I assume you will be leaving immediately?"

"Actually, no. I'll be heading out at 6:00 PM. They may have guards stationed in the slums, so attacking later will tire them out and make them easier to defeat and capture."

"I see. That's a good plan."

"Then I'll be off. I have a new apprentice to check on."

Virgil wasn't finished with his questions, "One more thing, Rico."

"Yes, my king?"

"You told all of this to Lieutenant Stone without my permission, didn't you?"

Rico's face turned red, "Erm-"

Virgil sighed, "It's fine. I'm not angry."

Rico gulped, "...everything except the spy."

"Oh? Do you suspect her of being the spy?"

"No, nothing like that. I just don't trust her to keep her mouth shut about topics like this."

"Ah. Well, you should get going, Rico." Virgil remarked. "Yossi, I want you to inform all of our officers about the situation with the Dark Knights. Just don't tell them about the spy yet. That is between us for now."

"Consider it done." Yossi replied as he and Rico left the room.

"Hey, how about we go get some grub after you're done informing the officers?" Rico suggested to Yossi.

Yossi grinned, "I'm game. Nathan's?"

"Where else would we go?" Rico replied with a smirk of his own.

"Fair enough. Meet you at noon!"

"See ya!"

The two separated, each going to do their own respective duties.

Virgil, however, stayed in the meeting room for an extra couple of minutes, pensive as an owl at midnight.

"Sister... could this be your doing?"

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The two combatants glared at each other in the arena, if you could call it an arena. It was a large space in a rustic bar covered with a mat that designated where the fighters would be battling, and there was a tape through the middle to determine each person's starting area. The crowd of around fifty cheered as these two rivals would face each other head on for the first time.

"Are you ready to RUMBLE!?" the announcer yelled through his microphone.

"Yeah!!!" the crowd exclaimed.

"Alright! At the left side of the ring, we have Cadence Cunningham, who has the most devastating blows in all of the Virgilian empire!"

Cadence punched his fists against each other, as if reaffirming this statement.

"Those who he fights don't get out of the hospital for weeks. And when they finally do, they don't think of him as a man anymore. They believe him to be a DEMON."

"Cadence! Cadence! Cadence!' The crowd cheered.

"At the right side of the ring, we have Simon Novader, who has a form more precise than a machine!" the announcer roared. "Those who do battle with him say that his skill matches that of Darth Vader!"

"Simon! Simon! Simon!" The crowd rallied.

"Now, this legendary duel will commence, and all of your questions will be answered. Will it be Cadence Cunningham, or will it be Simon Novader!?"

The crowd was evenly split on cheering for their favorite boxer. The bar was so loud that even the people across the street at Charlie Lawson's anime shop could hear the hollering.

Meanwhile, Rico Jacobson and Joseph Yossi were in the back, drinking their alcohol.

"This is the best." Rico said with a clumsy smile on his face, "A glassful of beer, no worries about work, and the fight of a lifetime to watch!"

"Hell yeah." Yossi responded as he finished off his glass.

"3! 2! 1! Go!" The announcer bellowed.

The cheering quickly stopped and the two fighters circled around each other, unsure of when to make the first move. Suddenly, Cadence went in for a wide punch, but Simon managed to dodge and fire a counterattack. It connected with Cadence's shoulder, but it seemed as though the champion was unfazed.

Yossi was ecstatic, "Ha! That fool took a clean shot at Cadence, and it did nothing!"

"Well, that's why we put our money on him." Rico confirmed.

Cadence and Simon were back to circling around each other, when, this time, it was Simon who went in for the attack, opting for a left hook. Cadence put his right arm next to his face to block, but Simon was ready for it and changed the direction of his punch so that it hit Demon's chest. It was a powerful blow and knocked Cadence back quite a bit, but when Simon dashed forward to capitalize, he was met with a nasty uppercut, and fell to the floor.

The crowd went wild with cheers. This was what they had come to see.

Simon immediately recovered from the blow and used a leg sweep to put Cadence on the floor, but Cadence predicted this and jumped. However, he didn't predict that Novader would go for a shot to the chest afterward, and was completely surprised when the attack hit him.

"Oh, come on, Cunningham!" Rico and Yossi exclaimed in unison.

Dazed, Cadence used a kip-up to try and take down Simon who was currently rushing him, but Novader simply dodged to the left and unleashed a mighty backhand punch on Cadence, knocking him down again, and out of bounds.

The announcer reacted to this at once, "Round One goes to Simon Novader!"

Half of the bar cheered, and unfortunately, Rico and Yossi were not part of that half. At that moment, Nathan Aparrot, the barkeep, walked up to the pair and started to refill their drinks.

Nathan grinned, "Well, well well, I win again. You two better pay up!"

"We'll get you next time!" Yossi predicted as he handed the money to Nathan.

"Sure thing, pal." Nathan responded as he flipped through his newly collected cash. "So, I take it you guys are having the usual?"

"Yup. Fried parrot with a side of gumbo." Rico ordered.

Yossi looked at the menu, "Actually, this time, I'd like to have my baked parrot with a side of cheese instead of Texas toast."

"Oh? Opting for something new, eh? Well, you're not the only one..." Nathan said with a hint of laughter.

Rico was intrigued, "Does this have to do with your new advertisement?"

"Yeah. You know how it is, we do a little trolling now and then." Nathan said, "I think it's coming around here right about now."

"Wait, that actually got approved by King Virgil?"

"Yup." Nathan responded.

"Really!? Well, this'll be fun to watch." Yossi added.

"You bet." Rico emphasized.

As the boxers were getting ready for the next round, peoples' eyes were glued to a marching band outside that had just come into view of the bar. They held blue and yellow banners in the air that read "A Parrot's Parrot Restaurant (Food - Sport - Grog)," and they were playing a very infamous song.

That song being Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley.

As soon as the trio heard the entire room's shouts of disdain, they burst out laughing. Rico, Yossi, and Nathan had effectively rickrolled the entire Virgilian empire.

"Just like old times, eh?" Yossi quipped.

"Just like old times!" Nathan mirrored.

The announcer was unsettled, "Well, with that commotion out of the way... let us begin round two!"

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Ethan looked at the knife in his hand, then at the dog. He had killed many a wolf or wild hyena during his time in the jungle, but this dog, it just looked so pitiful. It was no real threat at the moment, and since his food supply was already secured by the Empire, there was no logical reason for him to kill this poor canine.

Yet, deep down inside him, Ethan knew that he had to do this if he was to become a warrior. He'd be facing off against real humans in the line of duty, people with families and friends waiting for them back at home. Those kinds of people wouldn't think twice about killing him if it meant saving their own life.

Ethan closed his eyes, and felt the handle of the blade in his hand. If the dog was out of sight, maybe it would be out of mind as well. He trudged closer to the puppy, but found that losing his sight didn't help him at all. He could still hear the horrified whimpers coming from it.

Ethan opened his eyes again, and the sight of the mutt scarred his vision. He dropped the knife and went back outside the hut, for he knew he needed more preparation if he was to commit such a heinous act.

"Hey, you!" a voice from the distance called.

At first, he had no idea who the voice might be, but he soon realized that it was Rico's friend, Alex Stone, and she was holding a wrapped sandwich.

"You've been in there all morning, and you haven't eaten anything." she observed, handing Ethan the club.

Ethan took the delicacy, "Thank you."

Alex started to turn back around, but before she walked away, Ethan had one more question to ask, "Hey, are you in the military?"

Alex stopped, "Yeah. Why?"

"That means you had to pass this test as well, right?"

A hollow smile started to appear on Alex's face, "No. I was never cold enough to pass that test. But, don't worry, even if you fail, all it means is that Rico himself won't train you."

"Oh, I see."

Alex grimaced, "Personally, I think you'll pass. All that time in the jungle must have hardened you."

Ethan was unsure, "I don't know about that. This examination is so much different than anything I've ever done before."

"How so?"

"This dog... It's so innocent. It's never harmed anything in its life. There's no reason to put it down."

"So, you want a more peaceful solution?" Alex prodded.

"No, that's not what I meant. I know I have to do this, but I don't know if I have the guts to."

"Why do you think you have to do it? Like you said, there's no benefit to killing the dog."

"That's because it makes me see the reality of war. In a real battle, it's kill or be killed, no room for hesitation."

"Huh. That's an interesting way to put it. But I, for one, don't see any shadow of war here."

Ethan widened his eyes, unable to form a response.

Realizing that she had accomplished her goal, Alex formed a wholesome smile, "Just some food for thought."

"I'll see you later." she claimed, walking back to the house.

Ethan sat down on a bench beside the bloody shack, "Yeah, see you."

Putting aside his ideals, he had to acknowledge that fact. The Virgilian Empire didn't seem to have a shadow of conflict. Yes, the so-called "Dark Knights'' may be planning a coup d'etat, but they were a small terrorist organization, and would most likely be defeated by the time Ethan himself joined the army.

Ethan unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite out of it. The taste was heavenly, seemingly like life in the empire.

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The clock struck seven in the Dark Knights' laboratory as the doors flew open. Dane Porter walked inside the room at a brisk pace, the sheer force of how he opened the doors providing the momentum to close them.

Alex Stone was waiting for him. "Right on time." she quipped.

Dane was irritated, "Is it true that Virgil now knows of our existence due to Fred Wilkins's capture?"

"Yes, that is true. They discovered the real culprit behind the arson attack on the western slums, so I sent Neon and Mox to guard the train tunnel entrances. But you don't need to worry, as your superiors have already handled the situation. Soon, the Inspector will be dead, and we'll have a new member. Did you really have to schedule an entire meeting with me to hear this?"

"No, Alex, that's not why I requested the meeting. I requested it because this could have been easily avoided."

Alex gazed at Dane suspiciously, "How so?"

Dane was even more frustrated, "By not sending a completely new recruit on a mission that was clearly too difficult for his skill level. Having our members prove their worthiness is essential, but what you did was just stupid."

Alex paused for a second, "Yes, I do acknowledge my end of the blame. But whining about it after the fact isn't going to help us. Go back to your post at the recruitment office."

"You misunderstand me. I'm not here to merely criticize you, but to forcibly remove you from your position as recruitment manager. That duty no longer falls to the Sun God. It falls to me."

Alex was appalled, "Excuse me? Since when did the Head of Recruitment have the right to do that?"

Dane smirked, "Since now, Alex. You've blundered one too many times for me to simply look the other way."

"Looking the other way is your job until you become an executive, Dane."

"And how has that worked out? Virgil knows about us, and our top executives, instead of leading as they should be, are forced to guard the train tunnel entrances against the Inspector, who may very well never come."

"So you decide to start a mutiny? This won't help the Dark Knights recover from recent losses."

"I'm removing an incompetent leader. It will in the long run."

Alex had no response to this.

"I'm in charge now. So back off where you're not needed."

Dane started to walk away, but Alex had other ideas.

"Dane..."

Dane turned around, horrified by what he saw.

Alex had grown approximately 6 inches, her hair was slightly shorter, and tiny horns had erupted from her head.

"Do you feel in charge?"

Dane was frozen in shock, but after a couple of seconds, he finally managed to choke out the words, "Q-quit your posturing and just transform already. I can take you."

Dane then put his right hand on his sword, and he and Alex glared at each other with the hostility of two tigers fighting over some fresh meat. Neither side was ready to back down, and they both knew this confrontation would have a violent end.

Just as Alex was about to strike, Jared Keith, the Dark Knights technician, barged into the room. "Sun God, you wanted me to upgrade the train tunnel entrances so that they would explode if a member of the Dark Knights wasn't detected?"

Alex immediately turned back to normal, "Yes, that's what I ordered. Any problems?"

"We don't have enough energy crystals, because we used them all on making Mox and Neon's energy sabers."

"I see. Tell one of your men to go to my homeland, Japan, and fetch some more."

"Japan?" Jared queried.

"Yes, there should still be an abundance of them there."

"Understood." Jared said, leaving the room.

A short silence ensued, as the tension between Dane and Alex had not yet quelled.

Dane spoke first, "This isn't over. I'll have you know that our people don't oppose my leadership. Some even say that I should be promoted to the rank of Sun God."

With that said, Dane left the laboratory, but Alex stayed for a minute. She took a small bamboo object out of her pocket and studied it. It was the mekugi pin of Dane Porter's katana.

"Let's see how well you can fight me without a stay pin." Alex said as she smiled, threw the pin into the incinerator along with the other garbage and turned it on.

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After a long and arduous walk to the western slums, Rico thought he might be as tired as the Dark Knight guards stationed there, if there were any. So far, though, all Rico saw was deserted buildings set aflame years ago, apparently by a secret organization that longed to get rid of the Empire.

After seeing what he saw here, Rico actually had a hard time believing that this organization even existed. The fire had one common point of origin, meaning that an arson attack would have to have been extremely well organized, and there was no sign of anybody else but Rico prowling the grounds of the slums. He was just about to give up his search when he saw a figure that seemed like a human shadow in the distance. The person, if it really was a person, and not just a conveniently shaped burnt stick, was dressed in all black, and it seemed as though they were looking in the other direction.

Rico quietly crept up to the figure, being careful to hide behind any kind of wall or support beam he could. When he finally got close enough to ascertain whether this was a real person, he realized that it was, and he knew he was onto something. After closer inspection of the man's garments, they read "Dark Knights" in a darker black than the rest of his clothing, and he was wearing a white clay mask which concealed his identity.

This pretty much confirmed the existence of the secret society Fred Wilkins spoke of, and Rico suspected that this may even be the alleged "Sun God." Rico took out his energy saber and crept closer to the man, with the intention of knocking him out by hitting him with the hilt of the saber. Unfortunately for Rico, the man noticed, and turned in his direction.

Rico, startled, dropped his saber and gave the man time to jump away. Rico picked up his energy sword and ignited it, but it was too late and the mysterious Dark Knight was already a safe distance from the Inspector.

"Who are you! Why are you in the western slums!?" Rico asked, fully expecting the stranger to just bolt away.

Instead, he took out an energy saber of his own, ignited it, and ran towards Rico. It was not the brilliant blue color of Rico's, but a dark, sinister, purple hue.

"My orders were to kill you, Inspector." the mysterious man said.

Rico was incredibly confused, "What?"

He then promptly charged Rico, with a full arsenal of attacks. First, an overhead swing, then a sideswipe, a diagonal strike, a diagonal cut, an upper to lower cut, a swing pullback, and finally, a mighty thrust.

Rico managed to evade or block all of these attacks by the skin of his teeth, but one thing was clear. This man was no mere amateur in the art of the saber. He was a seasoned master, with years of battle experience. Rico hadn't fought a foe like this since the World War, and he reveled in the fact that he would get to face someone so skilled.

Rico was very much impressed, "I see that you are not to be trifled with. But due to the fact that the Dark Knights sent such a powerful warrior to guard this area, there must be something important here, is there not?"

The stranger was unfazed, "Nah. We figured that killing you while you searched the western slums was more to our benefit than just leaving you to flounder around and annoy us."

"And how'd you know I was going to search the slums? Sun God give you that info?"

The man froze, "You know about the Sun God?"

Rico grinned, "We know a lot more than you think, buddy. Shame you won't get to report back to HQ."

Rico then unleashed an attack of his own, twice as deadly as his assailant had. The man in black simply couldn't fully evade all of the sword swings, the Inspector was much too precise for that. Although, it was quite the shame that the attack the stranger couldn't block was the attack Rico had aimed at the man's mask.

It was split in two, and crashed to the floor, revealing the stranger's face.