Chapter Four

 

The Bloodbath was founded, owned, and run by the beautiful Erza Bathory. Everyone that worked under her was female and would gladly lay down their life for her. She was known as the Haven Goddess of Desires. The Haven Gods being much like Egyptian, Greek, or Norse gods, were gods that were created in Haven City. 

There were three main people that worked under her. Rose, an ex-soldier turned Haven Goddess of Illusions and Love. She was by far the closest to Erza, though I will exclude detail on how close. Lynx, Rose’s best friend, and by far the physically strongest, fastest, and most durable of the group. And Adriel, who was a Fractional Angel. Fractional Angels are half angel, half something else, whether it’s human, alien, or something else. I was unaware of what his other half was. For this story, it didn’t matter. 

I entered The Bloodbath bar, walking a little strangely due to me still healing completely and Erza immediately locked eyes with me from the back of the bar. She motioned me over with her finger and I was compelled to follow her gesture, even though I wasn’t under one of her fabled contracts that forced people that signed them to follow her commands. Rose had the same effect on most people even though it had nothing to do with her abilities, rather her objectively beautiful looks. 

Erza was sitting in a booth with Rose, Lynx, and Adriel. 

“She under contract?” Adriel questioned, relaxing his back against the soft red cushions. 

“No, but this motion is universal, Adriel. You should know that, dear,” Erza said without looking in his direction. She leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. “Do you know who I am?”

I nodded. 

“Mm. Then what, pray tell, may I help you with?” she questioned. I was finally able to speak.

“Just need a place to rest. I know this bar isn’t known for sheltering Nobles, so I figured--”

“You figured you’d just mooch offa Erza, right?” Rose asked. Her attitude and personality did not fit her face. Shame. “Well, fuck off. This isn’t a homeless shelter.”

“Now, now, Rose. Let’s be polite,” Erza said with her whispery voice. “You are Amaia Luther, correct?”

“How did you--”

“Not much information gets by me. Anything that goes on in this city, I’m aware of,” Erza spilled. 

“You look pretty banged up. Who did this to ya?” Lynx asked. She is one I would describe as “not all there”. 

“A villain.”

“A villain or a personal villain?” Erza asked. I darted my eyes at her. She held a smile that made me understand she saw through my bullshit. 

“Personal.”

“What, hold the fuck up,” Adriel said sitting up, smiling. “Did you off a Noble?”

“One so far.”

“Ha ha, holy shit,” he said sitting back. “And here I thought only I was capable of such a feat. Props.”

I was not aware at the time, but the Fractional Angel was known for killing angels, demons, and gods alike to teach them lessons, for his weapon could bring them back from the dead with the hilt. Weak.

“Tell me. Is this for revenge?” Erza asked. I looked around at her bar and the amount of patrons in there. Most--if not all--probably worked for her. I figured it best to speak.

“My brother was killed--”

“Fuck that. Let’s kill ‘em all then. You don’t fuck with family,” Adriel said. Erza held up a hand and he stopped. 

“Collateral damage due to the Noble training with aliens,” I continued. “I received both versions of the serum and killed their creators along with their subordinates. Metaman was my first.”

“Aaaahhh…Ya never forget your first,” Lynx added. Erza smiled at me and spoke.

“Since you were so kind with providing me that information, I’ll let you in on a little secret. There are other versions out there,” she informed me. “However, none are as stable as the ones you already received.”

“How many?”

“That’s for you to figure out, hun. Unless…” she trailed off. The whites of her eyes turned black, bringing out her already bright red irises. “You wish to make a deal?”

“I’ll figure it out on my own, thanks,” I said. She reverted back to normal and shrugged.

“Suit yourself.”

The front door slammed open and two male patrons entered, throwing off the balance of all female patrons aside from Adriel. The patrons were Arid, the leader of the underground, anti-hero, ex-soldier group “The Resistance” and Krow, one of the members. I had no qualms with them, but they might have had some with me.

“I’ll handle them,” Erza said, sliding out of the booth and approaching Arid and Krow at the bar. Rose followed Erza with her eyes, before refocusing on me. 

“You’re gonna wanna stay away from them. They may have somewhat different methods than Nobles, but they stand for all that justice bullshit, too,” Rose explained to me. “Well, mainly Arid.”

“How do you know?”

“Lynx and I have worked with them before.”

“We kinda came from the same top-super-secret government organization,” Lynx added. Her mouth then stayed agape before she spoke again. “Ooh, they’re lookin’ for you.”

“How--”

“Super hearing!”

Her shouting gained the attention of both Resistance members. After glancing at Arid, he squinted at me and turned back to Erza.

“Oops. Sorry,” Lynx said at a much lower tone. “Now they’re askin’ who you are. They’ve never seen you before.”

“Uh oh,” Adriel said, with a smirk. “This won’t bode well for you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Over their visits, Erza has grown fond of Arid and The Resistance,” Rose shared. “She wouldn’t hesitate to take their side should they choose to attack you. Far as I know.” 

“Try your best to leave inconspicuously,” Adriel said. 

“Like by blimp! Ooh, or like by Ferris Wheel!” Lynx said. Adriel tried to correct her.

“No, Lynx, that’s not--”

“What about shot out of a freakin’ cannonball?!” she said, holding her fists up to her beaming face. 

“Aaaaaand…” Adriel began.

“Here comes trouble,” Rose finished. I spun around to face both Arid and Krow. Both wearing strange masks and hoods, though I believe Arid’s showed emotion through his eyes. 

“Pardon me. Are you Amaia Luther?” Arid asked. 

“Who’s asking?”

“There. Now you see that right there?” Adriel said. “Who in the history of whoever has been asked that question when it wasn’t them has said ‘who’s asking’? Fucking no one.”
He had a point.

Without asking further questions, Arid drew his pistol on me. Krow stood with his hands in his pockets and his mechanical bird on his shoulder. Rose drew her twin custom Desert Eagles and crafted a dragon of light from her body, ready to strike him. Krow, in turn, withdrew the sniper rifle on his back and aimed it at Rose. Adriel stood in sync with Lynx and the entire rest of the female bar patrons and drew their weapons on Arid and Krow. One of Adriel’s eyes turned completely white as lightning flashed from it. 

“Alright, heroes. No matter which way you look at it, if you fire either one of your weapons, you don’t make it out of here alive. Healing or not,” Adriel said. 

“Whoa, whoa,” Erza said. “What’s with the weapons?”

“Erza, you and I both know I have the reflexes to dodge every single bullet in here with my reflexes,” Arid said. 

“So you’d sacrifce your fuckin’ teammate? Some shitty leader you are,” Rose said.

“I knew the risks,” Krow said. 

“Stupid way to die, man,” Adriel said. 

“Rose,” Erza began. “I noticed you drew your guns to protect Amaia. Why’s that?”

“I don’t believe in the Nobles, Erza. Never have--” Rose said before Arid interrupted. 

“She’s mutilating them! You should see what she did to Metaman! Hell, the doctors!” he said. I used his accusations as fuel, to snatch his gun, twist downward and flash freeze both him and Krow in one swift motion. 

“I’m not helpless,” I said to Erza and her crew. “So much for reflexes.”

Everyone lowered their weapons and the patrons went back to chatting as Erza examined both Arid and Krow. 

“You know I had them both under contract,” Erza said, tapping at the black ice. “I could’ve saved you.”

“There was no guarantee,” I said. “I’d rather rely on myself.”

“Respectable.”

“When they unthaw, feel free to let them loose on me,” I said.

“Why not just kill ‘em?” Lynx asked. 

“As far as I know they had nothing to do with the creation of the serum nor are they registered Nobles,” I explained. “I have no qualms with them and still don’t. Should--When they come after me, I’m sure that will change.”

I turned to Erza.

“Why not stop me? I’m told you’re fond of him and his team,” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “But I’d like to see if you can accomplish your goal of wiping the Nobles out. Besides…it’s not like death is permanent in this reality.”

I wished to ask further questions, but I knew I had spent enough time there already. I thanked them and left for the Noble headquarters: The Alpha Corporation Compound. However, I would face Nobles along the way beginning with the bow and arrow Noble: Plasima.