Chapter 1: 1. Unconditionally_Ones Heart

The news reporter got the attention of a particular man—Jamero—watching his monitors while humming, then headed toward the fridge to grab a bottle of wine. Off went the lid. He stared at the foam flowing, then glanced at the screen. Presenting the new and youngest officer, walking onto a stage as she receives her graduating medal, and at the bottom of the screen is her information.

Age and name; Carissa Kjellberg, twenty-three.

Jamero wasn't surprised but wasn't expecting her to be this young. People her age or younger wouldn't choose to be a cop as a career choice. Maybe those in their fifty or sixty, he'll understand. Youngsters nowadays would want to experience the world before becoming something, and Jamero was once like that.

Thinking of the past and childish decisions caused him to chuckle, grabbing a wine glass and pouring the liquor in. He didn't give himself a chance to sip it when a shuffling noise alerted him. Someone was in his home but didn't seek who's the intruder. Jamero stood still, then caught a familiar scent and grinned.

Jamero: [Whispered] Bo.

There, lying on his kitchen counter, his friend, so far, is greeted with the cup of wine in hand. What ze holds belongs to Jamero, somehow, taking from his grip without his awareness.

Bo: That's a rare sight. The great Jamero is drinking and all. I wonder why. [Whisking and observing the liquid before taking a sip. That was a wrong move, causing Bo to cough and wheeze while sitting up. Ze tried breathing slower, then broke another cough] That was a bad idea. I didn't think... [Cough] ... it'll be that strong... Oh gosh, you're such an idiot. My stupid self.

Jamero: [Chuckled and took the cup back, refilling it] I'm celebrating my sorrow while my significant other is somewhere. [A sigh slipped as he gulped the whole thing]

Bo: Sheesh, you can't be serious. It's only been two days.

Jamero: Then... [Swishes his head side-to-side, thinking, then turns sharply at Bo with a big smile] Enlighten me, my dear good friend.

Bo: Whether than her, you got your job.

Jamero froze, then frowned in annoyance at Bo's bluntness but walked away while the bottle swung in hand. Wish his friend would think of something to distract him from his absent girlfriend, but no. Ze straight-up ruined Jamero's cheerful mood.

Jamero: Patrolling and managing my bar? That doesn't sound bad, but... Boredom isn't what I'm seeking. Pleasure is more fitting, something you understand with no excuses. [Poured himself another glass, continuing into the living room that connected the kitchen. Slump onto the couch]

Bo: Oh, you poor old soul. [Sounding pitiful but not. Ze hopped from the kitchen counter to where Jamero was sitting, behind the couch, and peered over him] Age is really getting to you. Like everyone else.

Jamero: [Glanced up at zir and laughed it off] It's too early. I need another hundred more years.

Bo: Don't we both do.

That's true, their age isn't far apart. Mid-seventies and early eighties, as to put it, with their long-run mutual relationship.

Suddenly, a loud static rings through Jamero's ears and clinch it, hoping that awful noise stops. A headache began to form, then grew more as he fought it, standing but falling, catching Bo by surprise. The wine bottle rolled through the floor, spilling, while Bo hurried to his side but immediately halted when a palm held in front of zir. Jamero began regaining his composure as the pain lessened.

There's some relief, then silence overbears them while the monitors run in the background. Jamero's hand twitched; he intended to shut it off but beating him was Bo, reaching for the remote controller and did precisely that. The condition is troubling when being hard to predict. It comes and goes.

Bo: Want to get some sashimi? Hmm? [Tried to comfort Jamero and helped him onto his feet. He didn't reply but nodded]

● ◆ ●

Bo: The breezes at night felt wonderful. [Humming while glancing behind at the older friend walking not too far]

Jamero's pace was slow, too focused on people strolling down the streets and noisy vehicles. Almost like he's in a daze, then suddenly makes eye contact with Bo, startling zir, which returns with a gleaming smile.

Jamero: ...some...wrong... [Sounding raspy, then clearing his throat] I-is something wrong? [Instead of responding, Bo pulled out a candy bar from zir pocket and bit it. Chewing, nice and slow before turning away] Crossing this district is crowded, and should be better we went to the old ways. Marburg is far, from Artemisia to there.

Bo: [Listened to what's bothering Jamero] You want us to enter the underworld? Doesn't make a difference.

Jamero: Less people, and it's faster.

You are reading story Empyropia at novel35.com

Bo: [Shrugged but agreed with a nod] Yeah, sure. Whatever you say.

● ◆ ●

Two officers; one strawberry blonde and the other bluish-grey. They drove to a rigid, broken house, ready to collapse at any moment. Over there, they met another officer as they got out of the car and put on their gas mask. With no verbal communication, each checks their gear and weapons, while inside that house are also the crooks waiting. One of them kept watching while the rest stayed silent, eyes glowing in the darkness.

A big gun loaded within a click, pulling into the strawberry blonde hold. That officer turned at her comrades and nodded, while they also responded the same way. Switching their goggles to night visions as all the lights were shut off.

The lookout noticed these officers finally made their move, turning towards his men, and immediately responded; each went and stood guard for any possible entrances. Leaves shuffling and calm wind can be heard. A long-anticipated silence then... Smash through the rooftops is the strawberry blonde, shot at five or seven of them before landing. Due to such an unannounced ambush, everyone scrambled their feet and focused on this officer without noticing the others.

Loom behind them came a whip, wrapped around their neck and spun them into the air. Those who are near instantly facing the other way, where another officer appears with an electrical whip. Without giving them a proper way to process, the bluish-grey dashed into one of them, using her pistol and shot beneath the chin. Torn the jaw as she went for another, blasting their legs and then the side ribs.

Left and right, they all plunge onto the floor.

After clearing every inch of the place, the officers regroup. They reloaded their weapons and then checked the bodies before dragging them together, carefully so the inside won't spill, cuffing them up. As everything began to settle, the strawberry blonde made a report.

Strawberry Blonde: We found the place and got about twenty of them, shot and captured. No captivity or the missing people. [She stayed quiet, listening before continuing] Yes, chief, I understand. It's below west of Artemisia.

Another Officer: What did the chief say?

Strawberry Blonde: [Cut off the call] He's sending a couple of our men here. Bringing them in and questioning them.

Another Officer: Oh, the typical stuff.

Strawberry Blonde: Yep. [Glance at the bluish-grey, who's putting the last person in a pile] Hey, newbie! Let's wrap things up before the others come and take over.

Bluish-Grey: Yes, ma'am.

Another Officer: [Whispered to the strawberry blonde] Two weeks, and she's getting the hang of the jobs. Feel any accomplishment?

Strawberry Blonde: What? No. We haven't gone to the ugly part. If we did, I can't say for sure it'll be in her favor.

Emerging through one of the piles was a man with half of his head missing, which startled the officers, and they weren't expecting someone moving already. Slowly as he crawled and immediately caught them off guard when seeing that face rebuilding itself. Through that healing factor was then shown a mid-transformation, where that man gets into his pneuma form.

Crescent eyes and scaly skin then alerted the two professionals, reacting more quickly than ever. Half of the strawberry blonde became a siberian tiger, while the other officer set the newer lass far aside. The wounded man had his neck bitten and torn but was healed as he was shown to be a crocodile and then returned the attack. Crushes the shoulder with his strong jaw.

The cuff that the officers held these men from freeing and transforming snapped. It brought fear to what they witnessed, and the man would have his hands clasped onto the officer without letting go.

Growl emulated from the strawberry blonde as she flipped him and slid themselves across the floor, nearly hitting her colleagues. The brawl and extra weight made the floor unable to withstand, and cracks started to form, which worried the other two officers.

Very soon, the whole place will come down, so the bluish-grey wasn't sure what to do, while the other officer stepped up and tried to aim at the crocodile but failed. A tail rams into him and sends him directly into the walls. Cracks then became more extensive, and the bluish-grey saw the stability couldn't contain their weight.

Bluish-Grey: Umm... Officer Levitsky...

The strawberry blonde didn't hear she was calling, paying too much attention headbutting against the man and pushing them outside. Breaking through the walls as they fell and continuing tearing each other, then she stopped, hearing solid woods breaking behind her. Immediately, she turns and watches the house collapse.

———

Inspired by "Happy Tree Friends" and others that won't be mentioned here. The cover was commissioned by Sa-Dui from DeviantArt, which was meant to be used for my other series on WattPad or Tapas. Also, like other platform sites. Instead of using this cover, I was having difficulty figuring out what to do with it. Some months later... I'm like, "Ey, let me write Empyropia." Story and character planning already existed but were put aside until now.

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