Will grabbed the shaking Kenta by the shoulders and shook him to snap him back to focus. His head was spinning with the news, but some preparation for the idea of a conflict helped him remain somewhat level-headed. His old friend’s eyes were wild with something close to panic, and he knew that, if he didn’t interfere, Kenta was likely to go over the edge. The best that could be hoped for in that situation was that he ran and hid. Will didn’t want to consider the worst case, with a slightly manic powered person running loose.
“Get ahold of yourself!” He barked. His voice cracked like a whip, reaching Kenta through the fog of fear. “Where is Togai?”
“I-,” Kenta began, but he was too dazed just then to speak. “I don’t know.”
“Did he kill Hitori?” Will asked, shaking his friend again. This time, Kenta didn’t reply. He merely nodded.
Will cursed loudly and released him. Kenta, no longer supported, collapsed to the ground as his legs gave out. Cursing again, Will stooped to haul him back to his feet. He could tell at once that Kenta couldn’t stand on his own. Either weak from escaping Togai’s attack or in shock, he thought. The image of his old, stalwart tournament friend flashed across his mind. He must have seen something horrific enough to put him in this state. The old Kenta he knew was a tough bastard.
“Alright, fuck it,” he growled. “Sorry, but this is going to hurt a little.”
Kenta opened his mouth to ask something, but Will moved before he could. Stooping to hook one arm behind Kenta’s leg and lift him over his shoulder, he pumped as much power as he could into his legs, and took off running. He left the dead Soul Nexian behind, making a mental note to recover him later. He had to get back to Edward first. It took him a surprisingly short amount of time to reach Edward and the rest of the Nexus, despite the extra weight that his friend provided. In seconds, he was sliding to a halt.
“Will!” Edward exclaimed, his eyes widening at the sight of who he was carrying. “What did you do?”
Will put Kenta on his feet, grimacing in pain, and he fell onto his behind. “I didn’t do anything. I think the tournament’s over, Edward.”
“What makes you say that?” Noratuk had stepped forward, her eyes flashing. The tiniest flare of fire erupted from her hand. “Why does he look so beat up?”
Will spared half a glance towards Kenta, seeing the scorch marks on his robes. “Side-effect of the lightning. He told me Hitori’s dead.”
The last part of that sentence rendered them all quite speechless. They stared between Will and Kenta, their mouths gaping, for several long seconds. Finally, Noratuk recovered. “Why would you believe him? It could be a trap.”
Will shook his head. If he was sure of one thing, it was Kenta’s honestly. “We’re old friends. He wouldn’t lie to me.”
“He’s one of Hitori’s!” Noratuk hissed, taking a step forward. “He’s the enemy!”
“I’m not a Nexian anymore.”
The words were faint but just barely audible. Will whipped around to look at Kenta. “What do you mean?”
“I-, I lost my powers.”
Will took a step back in shock. How was that possible? It wasn’t a simple process, becoming a Nexian. There were steps to it, steps that couldn’t be reversed. “How?”
“I’m not sure,” Kenta said. Suddenly, there was a calm sense of hopelessness about him now. The shaking was gone, but his face looked haunted. “When Master Hitori-,”
He couldn’t seem to finish the thought. After a second or two of silent horror, he finished, “After that, we all lost our power. Well, all of us but Togai-san. He continued fighting, killing the others. I was the only one to get away, I think.”
Edward and Noratuk were both deep in thought. Will shared one bewildered look at Charlisa, then stepped forward. “The cause of that is obvious. When Hitori died, the power in his Nexus faded.”
Noratuk nodded her agreement. “It makes sense. The Alpha gives the power, after all. If they die, there’s no Nexus.”
“But when Hitori killed Bai Jian, they kept their powers, right?” Will asked. “I’ve never heard of any of them losing their powers.”
“None of us did either,” Edward replied. “Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. They could have kept it quiet. I can’t imagine they’d want anyone to know they were powerless.”
“But then how did his brother become an Alpha?” Charlisa asked.
“Nobody knows that either,” her father answered. “There’s so much we don’t know about the Nexus power.”
“Togai knows more than we do,” Will said. “He killed Hitori, so he must know some weakness we don’t.”
“That’s a good point,” Noratuk said, nodding. She turned to Edward. “You know what that means, dear. You’re not to go anywhere alone until that maniac is taken care of.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Edward retorted, firing up at once. “I’m the best fighter we have. If Togai can kill an Alpha, you all stand no chance against him.”
“I don’t care what the chances are,” Noratuk said.
“Nora-”
“No.” Noratuk and Charlisa both spoke at the same time, their voices firm. It was enough to put even Edward on his heels. The two women shared one understanding nod, and Noratuk took up the gauntlet. “You’re not going to go out and fight him. If we lose you, that’s half of the available people who can put him down. We’ll be out two Alphas. Do you think we’re going to let you take that risk?”
“I’m the Alpha!” Edward growled, his stubbornness back. “I’m the one that protects you all.”
“Wrong,” Charlisa said. “We’re the ones that protect you.”
“I’m stronger!”
“Doesn’t matter,” his daughter confirmed. It was hard for Will to say which face was more stubborn. Father and daughter glared at each other obstinately, seemingly unaware of the others watching the heated exchange. “You’re not putting your life at risk just to stop Togai. I know our goal was to take down Hitori and the Soul Nexus, but now that’s changed.”
“What?” Kenta spluttered. They all had forgotten that he was there. But he shot to his feet now, a flicker of anger showing on his face. “You planned to kill Master Hitori?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, boy,” Noratuk growled. “This is much more complicated than you could possibly know. Hitori forced us into a war with Rachel Smith and killed Bai Jian.”
“Actually,” Will said, speaking slowly. “I don’t think that’s true.”
“Why on earth do you think it’s not true?” Noratuk asked, rounding on him now. “Look at the evidence!”
“I am,” he said coolly, meeting her angry gaze without flinching. “In fact, I think I’m the only one who is.”
He held up a hand as she opened her mouth. It was a strange feeling, interrupting his senior. But he knew that what he had to say was a valid point and that she needed to hear it. “Give me a chance. There’s something I haven’t told you guys yet.”
They listened expectantly as he told them about the meeting he’d had with Tobias on the train when Charlisa had gone to check on her father. Will told them what he’d discussed, and everything he’d learned from talking with Tobias, leaving out the repeated dream. Their faces grew more bewildered as he went on as if the world they knew was falling to pieces around them. It was almost identical to his reaction to the news. He’d just had the luxury of taking his time to think it through.
“He told you that he’s trying to save the world?” Noratuk asked, incredulous. “But what’s left to stop if Hitori is dead?”
“That’s the thing,” Will said. “I don’t think Hitori is the bad guy in this. Tobias more or less confirmed that when we spoke.”
“It’s Togai,” Charlisa put in. It was the thought they all had, she’d just been the first to put it out there. “He killed Bai Jian. He had to have been the one. If Tobias still thinks there’s a threat, then Togai has to be the one.”
“That settles it,” Noratuk said firmly. “The man can’t be stopped. We need to keep Edward away from him and get out of here. We’ll lock Fairbanks down if we have to. He’s not getting near him. If he was able to kill Bai Jian and Hitori, then nobody can stop him.”
There was a long pause. Will, watching Edward see his reaction, met the Alpha’s eyes. There was a hint of stubborn anger there, starting to overcome the shock from what Will had shared. But, as he watched, he saw a dawning comprehension in Edward’s eyes. It was a look he’d never seen before, but he knew what it meant. Edward had just thought of something, a possible fix for the problem they faced. Even worse, he knew what it was, and didn’t like it one bit.
“There is one person,” Edward said. “One person who we know has beaten Togai before.”
As one, the Fire Nexus turned to stare at Will. He took a step back, stumbling slightly as if their gazes had physical weight to them. He started to shake his head. Were they really expecting him to kill someone who had killed two Alphas? The idea was ludicrous. He was still so new to the Nexus, and they were about to ask him to do something impossible. Something that would get him killed.
But then again, why not? He couldn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be the one. He had the motive. Togai had harmed his father and threatened Charlisa. He’d done a lot of damage. And Will, while not the best person, couldn’t stand the idea of such a horrible person running free. Best of all, this was the perfect time. Togai was probably exhausted after fighting the Soul Nexus. No matter how skilled, people had limitations. If Will went after him now…
“Well, now seems as good a time as any,” Edward said. Will’s confusion showed on his face, and the Alpha grinned. “James, give it to him.”
James was grinning too as he stepped forward. “Finally! I was getting tired of holding onto this.”
He threw something, and Will caught it by reflex. It was his sword, he thought. The one that he’d brought with him to the Nexus, the very one that he’d run Togai through with. Sensei’s last gift to him before he’d left Japan. He wasn’t sure why, but he slowly pulled it free of the scabbard, staring down at the polished blade. He felt a rush of adrenaline run through his body, and a flicker of electricity danced across the flat side of the blade.
“I’ll do it,” he said. “I don’t care about the risk.”
“Will,” Charlisa said, her voice quiet. “You’re not doing this alone.”
“Yes I am,” he said. He noticed that he had the same tone to his voice that Noratuk had when she’d told Edward no. “I am doing this alone. Truthfully, that’s the best way I can fight him. If it’s just him and me, then I have more control. I don’t want him putting other people in my way.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” Charlisa snapped. She sounded very much like her father. “You’ll die on your own. I don’t care what you say, I’m coming with you.”
“Nope,” he said, his voice very casually. “I’m not letting you risk it. And before you ask, it’s for the reason you think. It’s because your pregnant.”
Edward and Noratuk looked around so fast that they nearly cracked their necks. But before either one of them could think to say something, a loud sound blared out across the city from countless speakers. It was the same signal that was used to start the competition, Will remembered. A thrill of foreboding went through his body, and he knew that, whatever this was, it wasn’t good. Sure enough, he heard Togai’s voice speak, reverberating through the air.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Nexus, I have terrible news.”
Will clenched the handle of the sword tightly. “This isn’t going to be good.”
“Just a short while ago, Master Hitori was slain. We don’t know how it happened, but we know who is responsible for his death, and the deaths of nearly every member of the Soul Nexus.”
Will felt Charlisa grip his shoulder and knew that she too knew what this meant. Togai was about to frame Edward for the killing. He’d turn the other Nexuses against them. Maybe Rachel wouldn’t believe it, but the others probably would. As far as he knew, only Rachel and Edward had had reason to suspect Hitori. To the others, the situation was more neutral. Will took a deep breath, expecting the rest of it.
“Please, aid me in finding and capturing the man who did this. This criminal must be brought to justice, by any means necessary. If you find him, be careful, as we don’t know what else he’s capable of.”
“Just say it,” Will growled quietly. “Say it, and let’s get this over with. I’m getting you, either way, you bastard.”
“Please, help me bring William Andrews to justice.”
