Chapter 81: Chapter 81: A Power Awakens

Chapter 81:

A Power Awakens

Leaving the Mana Stim lab to Kiera, Jace was confident in it being handled. Letting him focus solely on his mission. "I hope I didn't waste too much time..." Making his way down the hallway of the apartment, fluorescent lights illuminated its slightly rundown appearance.

Metallic walls were slightly rusted, with the floors carpet fraying around the edges. Wires and pipes made their way along the ceiling. His music had been returned to normal and was currently playing in his ears. Though this didn't dull his senses as he made his way down to the third floor via the stairwell at the end of the hall.

Peeking into the third-floor hall, he praised his luck to see the three yakuza from before exiting one of the doors. "Good...they're done." It was three less people he had to deal with as they made their way in his direction. Ducking around the stairwell, he waited for them to go down before.

"Poor girl..." Haru mumbled, "If it wasn't for Yamato being there..."

"I can't believe he was here as well," Saeko shivered, "Let's just go get some drinks."

"Agreed..." Hiiro sighed, and the three of them finally descended the staircase.

Jace's heart raced as he heard their words. He didn't know what was going on, but he had to hurry. It didn't seem like they locked the door, so it should be easy getting in. "Who is this Yamato?" Jace wondered, shooting a message to Aunt Zahra about what he has discovered.

>From Aunt Zahra: If he's helping Shogo, kill him. Make them realize the mistake they've

made. I'll reward you extra.

>To Aunt Zahra: I'd usually take you up on that, but don't worry about it. From what I've

heard of this piece of shit...I'll be happy to, Auntie.

>From Aunt Zahra: You're a doll, Jace. <3

Smiling to himself, he had changed her contact's name because it had felt right. Finding himself before the apartment door, he honed in his senses. Though, before he could sense anything, a complete map of the room appeared in his vision with dots in various places.

>To Kiera: This you?

>From Kiera: Of course, who else? I'm done on my end and was bored. Thought I'd have some fun with you.

An image of a kissy face winking at him appeared in his vision. Smiling, Jace was appreciative of the help. The dots on the map even had arrows on them to indicate which way they faced.

>To Kiera: Heh, this is like a mini-map to a video game...

>From Kiera: Thought you'd appreciate it. :P

The apartment had four rooms. The living room and kitchen combined, with a bathroom and two bedrooms. There was no hallway in this apartment, all the rooms were connected to the living room and kitchen. Their doors were closed.

Two dots were in the living room. One by what seemed to be a couch, sitting down and watching TV. The other was in the kitchen area, appearing to be eating. Three dots were in one of the bedrooms. One of the dots was green, while the other two were red.

Jace figured that the green dot was the girl. Placing his hand on the door, he flowed mana into and around it. At the same time, he lifted the buff to his senses as he no longer needed it with the map that Kiera had given him.

The door slid open silently to reveal the living room illuminated by the light of the tv. Jace saw a man in the kitchen with their back turned to him. He was currently eating at the small kitchen island. The second man was sitting on the couch with his back facing the screen.

"Perfect..." Jace made his way inside low and silent. Crouching up behind the man on the couch, he palmed another dango stick, hardening it with mana. Positioning himself behind the man, his strike was deft and quick. Placing a hand over his mouth at the same time he stabbed them in the temple.

They struggled, blood and coolant dripping from the wound before their body went limp. A yellow alert icon appeared over the dot on the map representing the man in the kitchen. "Heh...she's really having fun with it." Jace smirked, removing the stick from their temple as the blood and coolant spurted out.

Using that same stick, Jace turned around and threw it just as the man turned. It penetrated deep into their forehead with a thwack, causing him to slump over in his chair. "Two down...two to go." Jace made his way quickly to the door of the room the three remaining dots were in.

>To Kiera: What's the girls condition?

>From Kiera: Out of it. Drugged up. The two guys are talking.

>From Kiera: Careful...they have Mana Stims.

"Shit..." Jace didn't want to deal with someone on Mana Stims. He had to do this quickly. Closing his eyes, Jace centered himself. Taking a few deep breaths, he flowed the mana through him. It felt cool, yet warm. A flow of contradictions. As he opened his eyes, he could feel the power thrumming at the tips of his fingers.

Using the mini-map that Kiera made him, he timed his opening of the door for when the two were facing away. They seemed to be focused on the girl. In a moment, Jace open the door and breached the room.

His hands flung out, power coursing through them. A lavender colored veil enveloped his hands, sparkling with light blue. At the same time the two bodies of Yamato and Shogo froze up, enveloped in a thin, shimmering field of light blue. Their eyes widened in surprise, though they were unable to do anything else.

"Konda Shogo," Jace spoke, turning down the music in his ears, "I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but...it's not."

His eyes glanced towards the woman lying on the bed. She was completely exposed, save for underwear on her lower half. With dark hair down to her chin and cybernetic lines running the length of her slim body, she wasn't in great shape. Jace could feel the sickening disgust rise in him as he saw the fresh bruises and cuts upon the girl. Even more was the injection sites on her arms.

"These sick bastards..." Jace's anger rose as he took in the situation. His orders were simple. To make Shogo understand what he did. The girl on the bed was still conscious, though just barely as her eyes followed him. He could see her pleading for him to help her in the gaze she held.

"I'll make this...very easy for you," Jace spoke quietly, menace in his voice.

Making his way over to Shogo, he pulled one of the dango sticks he had left over. He was beginning to feel the strain of his magic, finally releasing the silence he placed upon his movement. Keeping the two of them in place, he twirled the stick in his fingers before jamming it down into Shogo's leg.

He let out a muffled scream, unable to move his mouth. Jace smiled, taking another stick and doing it once more. There were five more sticks left, and Jace aimed to prove a point.

"You've done worse to the girls," Jace explained, no pity in his voice, "So, bear with it, yeah?"

Eyeing Yamato, Jace ensured he saw as he jammed another stick into the knee of Shogo's left leg. The cry of pain muffled in his closed mouth. Yamato's eyes twitched. Jace could see the anger in them.

"I take it you're Yamato," Jace walked up behind Shogo, "I hear he's your nephew. So, you're protecting him after what he did, but did you really think they'd send no one?"

Taking another stick, Jace jammed it down into the muscled between his neck and shoulder on the left side. Yamato tried screaming, but it barely registered. Tears now streamed down from Shogo's eyes from the pain.

"The girl you hurt can no longer work," Jace shook his head, "And after what you did...those mental scars will be on her forever."

Jace was beginning to feel his hold on the two of them begin to slip. He had only just learned how to hold someone like this from his training. Most of what he did was elemental in nature. Firebolts, shocks, and so forth to kill an enemy quickly.

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So, he was a bit unused to doing things this way. Feeling his grip slipping, Jace made the decision to ensure Shogo couldn't move even after it wore of. Twirling his index and middle finger on his right hand, he conjured a thin veil of wind. Sharp and quick, he sent it across Shogo's Achilles tendon, following by the tendons on his on his elbows.

Slicing across them, blood spurt forth before draining down his arms. Grabbing Shogo's face, Jace aimed it towards the girl. His muffled cries of pain fell deaf on Jace's ears.

"Look at her," Jace told him firmly, "You wish to cry, when you've done something so inhumane to another? You do not deserve mercy."

It was in this moment that Jace sensed it. Yamato was moving.

"Y-You...Son of a bitch!" Yamato forced through as he fought against the bonds, "Ascended or not...I'll kill you!"

It was difficult holding someone who was struggling, and as the bonds broke. Shogo fell to the ground in pain, unable to move. At the same time, Yamato grabbed something from his pocket. Raising it, Jace knew exactly what it was. A Mana Stim.

In this moment, it was as if time stopped. Jace's heart went dead cold. Recoiling a bit from bonds being broken, Jace only had a split second to think. In that moment, something changed in him. He couldn't let him use the Mana Stim. No matter what. He couldn't let what happened to his mother, happen to this woman.

Mana flowed through Jace's body, charging and electrifying him down to his core. The cold, warm feeling enveloped his body. In that moment, he became the storm. His eyes glowed a deep, lightning blue. Electricity crackled over him, and the smell of ozone filled the room.

"I don't think so," Jace's words reverberated as he appeared before Yamato.

His eyes widened as Jace's hand was placed over his face. His hand still outstretched, ready to use the Mana Stim, but he had no time. The moment Jace's hand touched his face, it was over. Like a melon exploding, Yamato's head splattered against the wall of the room.

His body twitched as Jace stood next to him. Taking the Mana Stim from him, Jace watched coldly as his body dropped. Staring at the injector in his hand, Jace took a deep breath. He could feel his body tingling all over and a message crossing his vision.

"Release your power, now!"

It was a message from Kiera, said out of worry.

"Yeah, I will..." Jace smiled, feeling the power drain from his body, "Thank you, I got this. I told you; I'd return to you all safely. I won't be a fool."

"Scared me for a moment." Kiera's message flashed across his vision.

"Sorry about that..." Jace whispered, sighing, "Scared myself, honestly. Right now, I need to finish this..."

Turning around, Jace tossed the injector aside. He gave an apologetic smile to the girl who was looking on with terrified eyes. Making his way to Shogo, he knelt before him. He was terrified.

"D-Don't kill me..." He pleaded, "I'll pay you whatever you want!"

"Oh, it's not about the money, Shogo," Jace said, shaking his head, "You hurt one of the Vixens girls. You know the consequences of that. Not to mention, all the harm you've caused otherwise. So, if there is to be payment, it will be with your life."

Taking the remaining three dango sticks, Jace plunged through his forehead. Holding a hand over his mouth, Jace muffled his scream. With his body falling limp, Jace stood to take in the situation. The room was a complete mess.

"What the fuck...did I do?" Jace wondered, seeing the splatter of brain matter, cybernetics, and bone all over the wall. Looking towards the woman on the bed, he knew she was afraid.

"I'm sorry for showing you something like that..." Jace apologized, reaching down to her, "You're safe now...Let's get you cleaned up and out of here, alright?"

They had her connected to some machine. Most likely planning to sell her experience to the rest of the sickos out there. Carefully unplugging her, he lifted her in his arms. She was weak, barely able to wrap her arms around his neck.

He couldn't just take her out of here like this. Using the bathroom, he helped to clean her up as she couldn't do so herself. In the past, this may have been something awkward for him to have done. However, in this moment someone needed help. Someone who could have ended up like his mother.

"Excuse me for a moment..." Jace apologized as he helped her.

She began to become more aware as the drugs ran their course. Jace was able to find a detox injector, which helped a lot. She was silent after washing up, Jace found her some clean clothes in one of the drawers of the apartment.

It was only after this that Jace cleaned himself up. He saw in the mirror the splattering of blood across his face and part of his clothes. While he couldn't do anything about his clothes, he at least washed up his face.

Exiting the bathroom, the woman was waiting, leaned up against the wall with her arms crossed. Smiling warmly in her direction, he motioned for her to follow him. Wordlessly, she followed. Keeping a step behind him, Jace made his way down to the first floor. He was thankful that this building had two different entrances. One into the alley, and one into a street. Taking the street entrance, Jace ensured she was alright.

"Are you able to get back on your own?" Jace asked, worried.

Nodding silently, she hugged herself in the oversized jacket they found for her.

"Alright, well...if you need anything, just-" Jace's words were cut short as the woman threw her arms around him.

Surprised, Jace wasn't sure how to react, awkwardly placing an arm around her in return.

"...Thank you," She whispered, her body trembling, "I was so scared...but you saved me."

"Hey...I do what I can," Jace responded, relaxing and pressing his hand firmly and comfortingly against her back, "I just wish I got there sooner."

"No," She shook her head against his shoulder, "It's alright. You got there when you did. I'm alive, aren't I?"

"...You are," Jace muttered, smiling softly, "Stay safe now, alright?"

"Yeah, I have some family..." She told him, still holding tightly to him, "They'll help me."

"Good," Jace held his hold on her for as long as she needed.

He understood the trauma of these events. It wouldn't be the first time someone had such a reaction. In the past, he would be in a rush to move on, but now he realized just how precious moments like these are for people.

Taking a breath, she steadied herself. She was still shaking, but not as much as she had been. Giving me an appreciative smile, they headed their separate ways. If there was a reason to not stop running, moments like these would be it.

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