Burning City

"Why is it always me?" Amon would always say. He would always repeat those five words to himself. Again and again, he would question why, why was he suffering? Again, and again, he would wonder what did he do to deserve this? As he grew older, Amon simply brushed it off. He thought, "life doesn't promise you anything when you're born", nothing was owed to him, and he wasn't the only one suffering. Around 6 billion humans live around the entire world, all of whom suffer in different degrees, some worse than him, so what right did Amon have to complain? What made him special compared to all these other people? Poor, unfortunate, misfortunate souls, who asked for nothing, but got misery.

"Such is the life of a White Rose, because fate dictates so.".

Fate. It was his fate to lead this life that amounted to pain, suffering, for no rhyme or reason. It was Amon's "existence", simply for being naturally born with ashen white hair that blends with the clear clouds, and blood-red eyes, ones that could be mistaken for a demon's. That was it. That's it. There existed no other grand excuse for it, no one even tried to justify it, because they always replied the same thing, over and over, with no changes or paraphrasing. It was pitch perfect each time, note for note, as if everyone universally knew it, just because it was common knowledge.

"Because fate dictates so.".

How can you fight fate? There is a great futility in fighting the fate foregone and concluded for humans. It has no form. No defined shape, location or "identity" beyond a pre-existing force of the intangible and unseen timeline that already put your life in stone. Your end goal. "Fate" is a nothingness that, in a technical, logical way, cannot be truly opposed, because the way someone's life ends is still "fate". The way someone is told their life will go is "prediction".

Fighting fate is a waste of time.

Amon never tried to fight fate. Not so much because he had no will or whim to do so, but because he didn't know how. How do you fight fate? Do you just spend life in a way you desire? That is simply what everyone else does, but it's not "fate" that prevents you from doing that, it's just obstacles that naturally need to be overcome. Instead of accepting the "fate of misfortune", Amon decided to not acknowledge it. "I'm born to suffer? Says who?" Why should he believe some superstition? That's how he kept on living. Soon, he forgot the name "White Rose", but at the corner of its mind, it kept creeping up every time things went the wrong way, every time he felt that, for no particular reason, life decides to just be cruel.

Only mere hours ago, Amon felt great joy. "I was an idiot" he said to himself, realizing his dream came true finally. In Hargeon, Fiore, he had a family and friends waiting for him to return, eagerly awaiting, worried for his safety. His family is there. "I want to go home.".

And yet, that's not what fate dictates.

"I remember, where all this hate came from now. How could I forget?" He concluded, a burning sensation covering his back, arms and chest. Amon's throat was burning, despite the cold, damp temperature of the room, rendering his fingers and toes "stiff" and difficult, even painful, to move. "But I can't hate this country anymore. It's not this land, it's the people." Amon's gaze was directed into the ground, seeing the fresh blood begin to dry over his feet "It's you, and everyone related to you." His words were directed towards Algea, who simply stood infront of him, a grin across her face. She placed her hand on his head, lifting his head up, to come into eye contact with her "Hating a country is a childish thing...but hating you...and everyone like you...".

Amon's train of thought was cut off by a horrible shock of lightning running from the top of his head to his entire body, causing him to let out a scream, or atleast he would, if it didn't sound like a silent, dead animal, barely a sound coming out, his throat becoming so pained he could barely let out a whimper. The shock ended, rendering Amon's open wounds and scars burnt and viciously lacerated, stopping the bleeding, but leaving him simply giving out pained whimper, trying to give out a sound, any sound.

But only silence stayed.

Fiery Hell on Earth
Erza sprinted through the streets, rushing through the storming rain and the smoke from the fires. She passed through buildings burnt black as coal, abandoned or still in the process of evacuation, the Rune Knights assisting in holding off the unseen attackers, the assassins, as well as leading the civilians to safety. "Run...Run, run...! I have to keep going!" Erza thought to herself, knowing full well she couldn't save everyone, and thus had to prioritize Amon's life. Takeko gave her more than enough reason why.

"Amon won't die," Takeko explained to everyone "but he is most likely held prisoner by a horrid woman, and will suffer and agonizing life if we don't do anything about it. He might not be the same...".

Algea, known only as the Sadist for her extreme cruelty, a torturer and the most likely person to be holding Amon prisoner. It wouldn't be the first. He was held by her once before, a few years back, and was trapped, tortured and brutalized for nearly a year. Takeko managed to find and save him, but he was severely damaged, mentally and physically. This encounter could re-awaken severe issues and make them worse.

Amon's life won't end, but it will, more than likely, become meaningless if he ceases to function.

"There she is!" An assassin called out, alerting others of Erza's presence "There she is, the woman, the redhead who accompanied Amon! She has a reward on her! Get her!" As Erza's next step was taken, tens of assassins popped out of the shadows and corners, some jumps outside of windows, from dark alleys, and from the rooftops. They all came down towards her with their weapons.

"Get out of my way!" Erza exclaimed, summoning a large steel club, striking a multitude of assassins at once "What sort of assassins just jumps out at their target anyway?!" She said, smashing the assassins into a nearby building "You people are awful assassins!".

She continued to break through the assassins who came at her, knocking them away with every blunt weapon she could summon from her arsenal, even using her hands to strike them, sending them flying in several directions. "Zakura...should we?" A ninja asked Zakura, who stood atop a building "We were told by Francesca to...".

"I know what she said." Zakura responded "Take out the assassins. Help her." Zakura ordered them, as the ninjas leaped off, vanishing into the shadows.

Erza leaped forth, kicking an unfortunate assassin into the face with both her feet, sending him crashing through a wall. She regained her posture when she landed, rolling on the ground before bursting into a sprint once more "How many are there?! Is the entire country's league coming after me?".

"Fear not!" Zakura exclaimed, landing behind Erza "I, the Silver Ninja, Zakura, will hold them off, me and my fellow ninjas!" Zakura declared, beginning to unsheathe his katana from his back "Behold, the majesty of the Dragon!".

"Thank you, Mr. Zakura!" Erza thanked the Machias, rushing out of the scene.

"Hehe, being complimented by a cute girl isn't so bad..." Zakura said.

"Zakura please, focus..." One of the ninjas called to his master, regaining his focus.

Erza quickly halted, opening her map, looking at it to find the location of the butcher house. The rain drenched the map, making it unreadable, causing Erza to toss it away in irritation "Dammit..." Erza summoned a pair of swords, using them to climb a building to its rooftop, getting a high viewpoint of the city "Butcher house...butcher butcher...!" It was then, Erza quickly ducked, a barely visible wire cutting through the concrete around her, before vanishing again "What?!".

"Apologies." Arachno's voice echoed, but his location was unknown "I can't let you interfere. You're a thorn on my side as it is, what with being a righteous good doer.".

"Show yourself, you coward!" Erza shouted at Arachno, keeping her swords at her side, and her guard up.

"Aren't you the one who criticized these assassins for revealing themselves?".

"Don't try to humour me now..." Erza said, her rage building and patience running out "Do you intent on toying with me...?".

"Nonsense." Arachno said, his hand patting Erza on her shoulder as he gently appeared behind her unnoticed "I already won.".

Erza grip weakened, and her knees lost their strength, causing her to fall on her knees, breathing heavily as her arms went limp. Arachno walked infront of her, adjusting his glasses, as the rain drenched his suit "It's amazing how easy it is to get you people." Arachno said, revealing blood dripping from his wires, as a stinging pain came from a scratch on Erza's flesh, her shoulder specifically.

"Where...is he...?" Erza asked, gritting her teeth, forcing herself to remain conscious, despite feeling her mind go numb.

"Oh, Amon? Don't worry. You'll never find him." Arachno said "Even if you did, he won't be coming back.".

"Where is he...?".

"Heh." Arachno turned around, shrugging his arms "Trust me, when you find Amon, he'll be nothing like the man you knew yesterday. He'll be a husk. I know Algea's methods, and they are...very well-crafted, I'll admit." Arachno snidely said, turning around, only to be greeted by Erza's fist onto his cheek, dropping his glasses off the rooftop and down to the streets, shattering them.

"Tell me..." Erza weakly grabbed onto Arachno's shirt "T-..." But she was interrupted by a chakram cutting into her stomach "Urgh...!" She stepped back, falling on the ground, as the poison acted with greater force.

"Are you always this much of a nuisance? I understand determination, but he is, after all, like me. He's an assassin, who killed people for money, under a client's order, and arguably deserves what happened to him." Arachno coldly said to Erza, putting his hands in his pockets, standing over her "Just let him die.".

Erza dug her fingers into the concrete floor, using it as a stepping stone to move her body and kick Arachno's feet, tripping him on his back. She quickly pinned him down, raising her fist at him "Am I supposed...to listen to scum like you then?".

"Why won't you stay down? You have poison running through your whole body, working to paralyze you." Arachno calmly said to Erza "Just give up." By mere inches, Erza's fist missed Arachno's head, crushing a hole through the floor "I'm taking that as a no.".

Erza raised her fist again, her breathing getting heavier and slower, and her movement even became stiff, a product of the cold rain with the poison "Just...tell me where he is...so that we can go home...!".

"...No." Arachno replied "But, I'll do you a favor. I'll take you to him.".

"Eh?" Erza said, dropping her guard for a moment, which Arachno immediately took notice off, using the opportunity to pull his wires around Erza's neck, pulling onto her, forcing her off him.

"I wasn't lying either." Arachno said, as Erza struggled to breathe with the wires strangling her "I may be an assassin, but...I appreciate people who put up a good fight." Arachno's words went unheard for Erza, as she lost consciousness, the poison, cold and strangulation finally getting to her.

Fresh Scars
A familiar situation took place. A painful bright light met Erza's eyes in a dark damp room, from a single light bulb on the ceiling. Her first instinct was to get up, but magic-sealing stones above her ankles put her back in her place without much effort, catching Erza by surprise "Wha-...?" Her wrists felt a rusted feeling on them, cuffs keeping them together and preventing her from using her arms "What is this...?" Footsteps were heard "Who goes there?!".

The light bulb was grabbed, directing the light directly at Erza, causing her to squint her eyes in pain for a moment, before adjusting to the light. The figure released the lightbulb leaned towards Erza, kneeling to her level, at which a hand extended to her, a ball of lightning lighting up the scene for her, revealing to Erza her situation. A simple wooden chair, chains on her ankles keeping her from standing up, and her top missing, exposing the scar on her left abdomen, near her stomach, as well as the claw marks on her back "...!" Erza's immediate response was a furious blush, greeting her teeth at the pink-haired woman, at Algea.

"Heh." Algea chuckled, standing up "You came here for Amon, right?" Algea said, closing her hand, vanquishing the ball of lightning, grabbing the lightbulb again and directing it at the other side of the room, a small distance infront of Erza, revealing Amon.

His gaze was directed at the ground, a variety of scars on his body, with signs of them all being lacerated in order to close them and stop the bleeding. Most prominently were the ones on his chest, neck and nape. Blood around his seat was dried, including on the walls near him and on his body. His clear, blank hair had streaks of red upon it, caused by his own blood drying. Notably, however, he had no chains on him, only his arms remaining tied behind his back by rope. He simply sat there, and telling whether he was conscious or not was difficult.

"Amon!" Erza called out to him "Are you okay?!" He didn't respond, instead opting to completely avoid eyesight as much as possible "...Amon?".

"Hahaha~" Algea laughed, crushing the lightbulb in her hand, the shards of glass falling on the ground, a blast of lighting firing through a sealed window, allowing the outside lights to get inside, despite the heavy clouds and rain "Do you see~? Amon doesn't want to come back." She snidely said, grinning with her teeth exposed, kneeling down towards Erza again "But you're here, trying to take him away, right?".

"You..." Erza's eyes brimmed with rage at Algea, as she tried lunging at her, but was held back by the chains "What have you done?!".

"Hmm~" Algea calmly hummed, before thrusting her hand onto Erza's scar, the glass shards stabbing into her arm slicing open her scar, causing Erza to scream in agony, the closed scar fresh open again, with blood sipping out "I won't have you take him away. I've learned from last time!" A vicious full charge of lightning run from the inside of Erza's wound throughout her body, encouraging further screaming on her part "You're a damn nuisance~! I should just kill you here and now!" Algea exclaimed, increasing the voltage of her lightning "This is what you get! For interfering!" The thunder shot through Erza's abdomen, blowing a hole through her, the chair and through the wall behind her "In my reunion, with my dear, beloved Amon." Algea stood back up, her hand now covered in her own and Erza's blood, leaving the latter still recovering from the shock, traces of crackling electricity still coming off her body.

"You...!" Erza coughed, blood dripping from her mouth and down her chin "Unhand Amon, this instance...!" Erza said, threatening Algea as she pulled on her chains "What has he done to you? Whatever it was! It is not worth petty vengeance like this! It isn't...!" Erza was cutt off by her own injuries getting the best of her, forcing her to stop and pant. Her eyesight also became blurry.

"The demon drugs are kicking in..." Algea said "They reduced a half-breed like Amon to a weakling human, how will they affect you, I wonder?".

"Just..." The chains began to crack "Let! Him! Go! Or I'll...!"

"...Kill me?" Algea finished off Erza's threat, causing the latter to halt "Heh. What's that?" Algea placed her hand at her ear, as if to mock Erza "You're going down that dark alley already? So soon? I guess the most virtuous people suffer the most in these situations..." Algea grabbed Erza by her face with her blood covered hand, lightning crackling "You should be more weary of that attitude. The righteous don't make it long here. They get eaten pretty easy." A surge of lightning was unleashed upon Erza, the shock being clouded by Algea's laughter.

However, Algea wrist was grabbed and her hand pulled away from Erza, by Erza herself, one of the cuffs still attached to her now bleeding wrist, the chains broken "I think I've heard enough." Erza said, tightening her grip onto Algea's wrist, causing the latter's expression to go from arrogance to slight fear and worry "I heard your name was Algea, correct...?" Erza stood up, breaking free of the chains, resisting the drugs, as her aura flared up as her emotions became more intense "I...am glad.".

"Glad...?".

Erza cocked her arm back, clenching her hand into a fist "I'm glad I can be guilty free for a moment." Erza uttered, delivering a powerful punch to Algea's face, hitting her in her mouth just beneath the nose, her eyes rolling back "Someone like you! Deserves none of my sympathy!" Erza pulled her arm back, grabbing Algea by her head, smashing her into the concrete floor, leaving an imprint behind.

"Hahaha..." Algea cackled still "Well...what now?" Algea asked Erza, who simply ignored her, rushing to Amon "Go ahead...see if he'll...get up.".

"Amon...?" Erza softly called to Amon, placing her hand on his shoulder, causing him to suddenly spring up in surprise and fear, moving the chair with him away from Erza.

"...Erza...?" Amon said, his face expressing nothing but fear and surprise at seeing her "When...did you...?".

"Hahahaha!" Algea's laughter grew louder, drawing ire from Erza "See?! He didn't even know you were here! Hahaha!".

Erza walked up to the collapsed Algea once more "What have you done?" Erza said, pinning Algea down, summoning a sword into her hand.

"Ohhh, a sword...how frightening..." Algea mocked Erza's attempts at threatening her "Do you want to know what I've done? Do you want...every tiny detail?" Algea's words only made Erza grabbed onto her neck, lightly tightening her grip "Hurk...I guess...just a lil' secret will be enough..." Algea suddenly grabbed Erza by her shoulder, clawing her skin as she pulled her closer, whispering into her ear, a single sentence, before releasing her, as Erza's expression went from anger to what can only be described as horror, changing to confliction.

"You...are truly revolting..." Erza said, stabbing the sword next to Algea's head, barely grazing her cheek "You're not worth any of this rage..." She stood up, returning to Amon. Cutting him free of his ropes "It's alright...we can go..." Erza said to Amon, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. However, as she tried to assist him in standing, she herself struggled, the wound in her abdomen being too severe, literaly being a hole through her "Ugh...".

"Erza..." Amon called out, trying to stand up on his own, and helping Erza get up as well.

"I'm fine...You're in greater need of help." Erza said, smiling towards Amon, as the two assisted each other in standing up.

"..." Amon leaned against the wall behind him, as he pressed against the wall, breaking it down and exiting the room, revealing it to be an invisible building on top of an abandoned building, far off the populated areas. He immediately fell on his knees, panting.

"Amon!" Erza held Amon's arm, trying to get him to stand back up "Come on...we have to get you to Necro...!" She said, despite her wound bleeding quite alot, drenching down her left waist and leg "Ugh...".

"Wait..." Amon said, tearing off a leg from his pants, wrapping it around Erza's stomach "Don't move." He said, noticing she was rather jumpy because of the still fresh wound "We need to stop the bleeding first." Amon tightened the cloth around her waist and wound. The blood began to drench and sip through the cloth, but stopped the bleeding to a degree regardless "There...now..." Amon tried to stand up once more, his legs shaking, and his body being stiff and difficult to move.

"There you are!" Takeko shouted, panting as she ran towards the two. "You managed to find him...?".

"It was...more so I was brought here..." Erza said, clutching her wound.

"We have to get you both to Necro quic-...!" Takeko suddenly gagged, being stabbed in the back by Algea, who rushed through the rain to strike her.

"Remember...me~?" Algea said in a taunting manner to Takeko, who spun around, striking Algea square in the jaw with an open palm, causing her to collapse from the shock, a syringe dropping and breaking on the floor "Hahahaha...".

"I haven't forgotten you." Takeko said, her eyes brimming with rage as she raised her foot above Algea's head "I never forgave you either.".

"Don't waste your time on her!" Erza exclaimed at Takeko "Amon is...is not getting any better." She said, noting of Amon who began to violently cough, blood dripping from his hand covering his mouth.

"..." Takeko ignored Algea, going to carry Amon on her shoulder "This may be a bit much to ask, honey, but...".

"What direction...?" Amon asked, knowing what Takeko wanted to ask. Takeko gave him a general direction, to which he teleported all three of them as far as he could, leaving Algea behind to giggle to herself in the rain.

Two Days Later
"So how is he...?" Cobra asked, waking up Amon "I managed to pull out the poison from both him and her, but some of it already blended too well into their systems...".

Amon felt something on his face, and something tight wrapping on his body, primarily on the top half of his body. He breathed out, feeling his lungs clear, and his heart beat was calm and stable. Amon's body was still aching, but it was much better than before. He didn't feel cold, just warmth from the blanket covering him.

"He's doing fine." Necro replied "He's lucky he's more demon than human. Otherwise the demon drugs would have rendered him a cripple. If this is how much just two days did to him, who knows what longer would have done.".

Erza stretched her arms, her top half bandaged up as well. She closed and openned her hands, moving her fingers around to make sure everything was fine "What about Takeko...?".

Amon turned his head, seeing the bed nexto him with Takeko lying on it, a blanket covering her as she seemed to struggle breathing, her face going red and her temperature rising.

"She should survive, but her condition is arguably worse than Amon's." Necro replied "She's entirely human, so the poison is more critical to her. Demon drugs were made to put down and subdue demons, so to humans they're lethal. You're lucky you didn't get hit by any, Erza." Necro explained "They're rare, so I wonder where she could have gotten this much...".

Erza grabbed a pink shirt, putting it over her bandaged body "Everything outside isn't any better...Assassins and Rune Knights are running rampant.".

"If I'm right..." Necro adjusted his glasses before continuing "Scavenger, Wight and Arachno instigated this entire thing. They all share different goals, however...".

"This...Scavenger, who is he?" Midnight asked "I haven't heard much of him.".

"Scavenger..." Necro said, his tone sounding rather displeased "There's not much to know about him. He was just...someone Amon knew. He apparently betrayed Songbird and...".

"Songbird huh...?" Midnight said "He's the...crime lord who died two days ago, right?".

Suddenly, Amon's heartbeat fastened,  as he seemed to try and get up, panicking and grunting in pain "Amon!" Necro quickly pinned Amon back on the bed "Amon, stop! You're in no condition for this!" Amon stopped, glaring at Necro, his gaze still weak, barely keeping his eyes open "Just rest. You've been through enough.".

"Song..." Amon muttered, coughing before calming down.

"He was poisoned, but he left a message...Sasha came earlier today to see you." Necro explained.

"Is that what the piece of paper was? The one with the holes?" Cobra asked.

"It's called braille." Racer explained "It's how blind people read, essentially. He must have taught Sasha. Clever, and useful.".

"Songbird's message wasn't anything fascinating, it was very short. But, considering the poison seemed to shut down his body in such quick fashion..." Necro coughed, clearing his throat "It said; 'I am tired, and am going to rest now. Please, don't mourn me, but I wouldn't mind a pet bird named after me.' He never was the best at goodbyes.".

Suddenly, a knock on the door was heard, interrupting everyone's train of thought "Can you go check that? It could be bad. Levi, go with them, in case it's someone we know." Necro asked of everyone, opting to stay with the patients.

"Sorry, Amon." Necro said to him as he sat down, everyone leaving the room to answer the door "I can't imagine what's going through your head right now. If there is anything, anyway. But, just for a few days, stay in bed, and get better. Hopefully, Bosco will go back to normal...This fight should be over and..." Necro was cut off by Amon raising his upper body up from lying down, tearing off the wires attached to him, and the breathing mask on his face "Amon, what did I say?!" Necro exclaimed, grabbing a hold of Amon to try and pin him back down.

Suddenly, Amon pulled Necro back, grabbing him by his shirt and pulling him back closer, being face to face "Arachno did it, didn't he...?" Amon asked Necro, despite the malice in his tone, his expression was dull, no emotion, as if he was just tired. Necro didn't reply, being too shocked and caught off guard to do anything "...Annoying..." Amon pushed Necro away, colliding him into a wall.

"Amon...stop...!" Necro said, standing back up "You're still in bad health, you're injured, riddled with new, still fresh and festering scars! Let me heal you first!".

"Necro..." Amon got off the bed, taking a deep breathe, walking towards the wall, a dark aura covering his body "I leave Takeko in your care." He said, casually walking through the clinic's wall, the concrete disintegrating into dust by the dark aura of Trapezohedron.

"...Dumbass..." Necro said, regrettably being unable of stopping Amon as he went out into the rain, and towards his target.