"Y-yes, I need to run. I have to make the most of lif—srch!!" Just as he reached the next block, a blade of ice fell and split him in two.
A fountain of blood spread as the two halves struck the paved road with tear-filled eyes.
"Ahhhhh!"
"W-What was that?"
"M-Mommy!!"
The screams of the people who witnessed it drowned alongside the sun.
Such was the case in the palace too. Here screams seemed to rise with every clack of the heel before a chilling silence enveloped everything. Esdeath's steps brought the winds from the icy tundra along. Whoever, whatever, anything that happened to stand in her path now lay in rest, covered in ice as cold as her face.
Uncaring, she kicked down the doors to the Audience Hall.
"Esdeath what is the meaning of this?" Honest's voice stayed soft as he asked the question beside the young emperor. However, instead of answering the question she looked at the shivering boy for a moment.
The shaking hands, tears that gathered in shrinking eyes as he looked away, scared to even meet her eyes.
"Pathetic." Her voice stayed cold.
'Something's wrong…' Honest clenched his sweaty hands, something was definitely wrong about Esdeath. He always knew that she thought of the emperor as pathetic, but never before had she said it out loud during an audience.
What he didn't understand was where this change came from. He only wanted to find out what she was doing since returning from the North. Honest just wanted to know some things and reward her for what she did. But, how did it end up this way?
"You looked confused. To think that you don't even understand your mistake. Though I wouldn't expect anything else from a person as ignorant as you." Her eyes locked onto his fat form.
"Fuck!!" Honest knew he had no chance when the wave of ice came towards him. He would've died, if not for the emperor being in the crosshair too.
"What is the meaning of this, Esdeath?!" A surging wave of lightning opposed the ice blades, thrown off target the blades lodged into wall and floor cutting deep.
"I am killing Honest." She said calmly.
"Your blades were aimed towards the Emperor!" Budo's anger rose sharply, but the situation had caught him off guard. Why would she kill Honest? If it wasn't for her protection, he would've done that himself. Still, such treasonous actions wouldn't be condoned.
"Anyone who can't dodge an attack of this level should kill themselves, I am doing him a favor."
"This is a Child you're talking about!"
"And the supposed Emperor. Even a random child from the street would put up more fight than him to save their life." Esdeath had no care for his thoughts.
The ice spread across the floor. Honest's retreat coming to a halt. He tried to run away under this chaos. But, it failed because Budo had not stopped Esdeath. Why would he? Things were turning in his favor.
He moved away as her resounding steps headed for Honest.
"W-Wait! Esdeath, we can figure this out! Tell me what you want… just say something!" The man shouted, sweating bullets.
Running wasn't possible. So he had to come up with something. Knowing how she thought, he could guess why the summons pissed her off.
"I didn't call for you to reprimand your actions in the north! I just wanted to call upon you to give you the appropriate reward. I swear, I had no other intentions or schemes." Yet, cold eyes faced his protests.
"If it was any other day I would've explained, but I am short on time today. So you'll have to figure it out in hell, on your own." Esdeath said looming over him like the shadow of death.
"Y-You…" Honest gritted his teeth, his eyes on the floor as his heavy form hunched over. "…Dumb bitch." A flash of light left from his right-hand blasting above.
It came from the ring on his finger, in the middle was an eye-like orb that shot the light towards his attacker. Erastone, something that could destroy other Teigus. This was his last resort for the day that Esdeath turned her claws towards him. Yet, he had failed to take something into account.
"Cheap tricks like that can never make my heart race." Her voice came from behind.
"W-Wai—KKKrghh!!!" Before he could plead his case a swarm of ice blades reduced him to minced meat. On the pile of the meat was the ring he used. She kicked it towards Budo as he shielded the young emperor from the shreds of meat and blood that came along.
"You can keep it if you think this can defeat me." She read Budo's thought process from the start.
The guy knew about a Teigu destroyer in Honest's possession, and he knew that at that moment the device would be used on her. Once this device is used it wouldn't work for seven days. Letting it happen he wanted to kill Honest who couldn't use his greatest trump card and Esdeath who would've lost her Teigu. Taking out two of the greatest threats to the throne at once.
But it didnt work. That was the monster known as Esdeath. Now, that Monster had grown into the Devil.
'How did she… do that?' Budo couldn't understand how Esdeath dodged it.
One second she was there about to face the light, and then she was behind Honest. It wasn't that she moved so fast he couldn't capture her, it was more than that. Instant movement like teleportation, no even beyond that. That was the only possible answer. But, Esdeath had control over ice, nothing in that could help her with this.
"You are free to come up with your own theories and plans." She said making him look up. "But, never for a second think that you can control what I do. The only reason I do not do something is because I don't want to. Weaklings like you have no control over it."
"…" Budo couldn't refute it, he couldn't understand it but facing Esdeath was similar to a death wish. Even with her back turned he felt it, even if he attacked with his full power his neck would go flying before he would go flying.
"You can rule your empire however, I don't care about it. But if you are getting in my way, at least make it a little thrilling." Esdeath walked away under the shaky gaze of Budo's knights. They had been here since she froze the ground, yet none dared to move as the sharp ice pikes had already pierced a few to death.
The survival instinct that they had, told them… Keep your head down and let the beast pass.
Budo hated to admit it, but whatever she said was true. If she wanted to, she could overthrow the empire right this moment. Yet, she chose not to. The same was true for Honest. She could've killed him before, but chose not to and did her own thing in which his support would help. Just that, everything has changed now.
'What is the reason for this?' If only someone could tell him the real reason the Empire was nearly overthrown.
***