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When we emerged from the other side of the tunnel, we''d come out in a small clothing store''s storage room. I remembered passing by the place on the way to Sotenbori once or twice. Yasuo told us to remain in the storage room until he could talk the owner down. It wouldn''t do for someone to lose their mind over four people emerging from a secret tunnel. The rest of us spent time catching our breath while we waited.
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"I hope... some people... made it out... okay," Yayoi said as she tried to catch her breath. Feeling my right arm again in the crimson haze, I manifested it and slammed my fist into the wall. "Dammit!" I shouted. Pandora covered my mouth as she kept her eyes on the door.
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"Shut your mouth, Alexander. We don''t need any attention before Yasuo can advocate for us." Pushing her hand away, I tried standing to my feet. As the feeling returned to my legs, I tried turning back toward the entrance. "We need to go back. We need to save our people... we need to save Dad.
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"There is no saving your Father Alex," Pandora said. "You can''t stand, and you think you''re going to take on Vampyres!" I''d recovered enough to go back. As long as Armando doesn''t have that Pithos, I should be fine. I could finish what Dad started.
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"You''re a moron if you think you can do anything to help," Pandora spat. "You may be very skilled and powerful, but as long as Armando possesses that Pithos, you''re as weak as a human. Don''t act reckless, boy." I heard enough. As soon as I was on my feet, I threw a punch at Pandora''s jaw. But she stepped to the side and then kicked me in the stomach. As I dropped to the floor, Pandora kicked me into the wall and then started stepping on my head.
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"Pandora, that''s enough," Yayoi demanded. "Stop hurting, Alex." Pandora knelt beside me, taking hold of my chin, forcing me to look her in the eyes. "It''s either he gets hurt learning a lesson or he dies, Isoarashi girl. Don''t get too picky." Even if Pandora was trying to save my skin, the way she was going about it was too cruel. My family could''ve been dead or injured because of a stupid jar, there was nothing I could do to save them. When Pandora figured I wouldn''t fight back, she let go of me and sat to my left. "Don''t worry so much... Your thrall is probably
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"His thrall? Do you mean Becca?" Yayoi questioned. Pandora nodded, "Even though she might not be able to use her powers right now, she should be hard to kill. Combining that and the full might of the other Sin Factors. There''s no way that Armando''s goons will get out without casualties. Armando may be a different story."
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"My Dad burned him with Shadow fire," I pointed out, "He''s not walking away from that place alive." Pandora shook her head and wagged her finger, "Armando is a Sin Factor too. The dagger he was going to use to kill you had enough magic to destroy your soul. Be grateful you have such a loving Father."
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Hearing Pandora say that, I think
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As these thoughts festered in my head. The crimson haze that made up my arm and Pandora''s body began to expand. Everything about what I could see and hear was becoming too hazy to recognize. It wasn''t until Yayoi took my hand, clutching it close to my chest that reality began to set back in. "Alexander! Please, you have to wake up," I could hear her say. As I looked at Pandora, I saw that her form settled down, like she had some trouble keeping her looks. Yayoi''s eyes were filled
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"We''ll get them," Yayoi sobbed. "We''ll get whoever did this and make sure they pay for all the deaths they''ve caused. "But you''ve got to stay here with us... You have to..." As Yayoi let herself rest in my chest, Pandora raised her hand. It had the ring Yayoi had given her on Pandora''s finger. Pandora''s expression softened, and her form began to return to being the crimson haze. When Yasuo returned, only Yayoi and I remained
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"Alright... The store manager says we can wait out here," said Yasuo. "As soon as an hour has passed, I''ll see if I can get in contact with Goro or Kazuma to get the situation." I was so out of it I couldn''t respond, so I nodded. "I see Pandora went back," said Yasuo, "I may not be able to fight like you or my sister, but I can hold my own. I''ll keep an eye out for anyone coming this way. You two get some rest." I didn''t want to, but my body wasn''t giving me that much of a choice in the matter. My eyes became heavy, and as I slipped into sleep, I felt the heaven''s cloth wrap back around my arms.
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The next I''d wake, I''d be in a car headed toward some unknown destination. I recognized the car to be the Buessy, with Becca being the one driving it. Yasuo, Yayoi, and I rode in the back, and both were sleeping beside me. Becca turned around and saw I was waking up, "Yo... you''re awake." Penny was in the passenger seat, and she turned around shaking her head. "Don''t get up, Alex. We''re headed to the estate. You don''t have to worry. The rest of our family made it out alive. We were lucky your Acolyte friend was there."
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That was good to hear. I guess Armando didn''t plan on an Acolyte being there at the very least. Speaking of which, ''Where''s Armando? Did you guys manage to take him out?" Penny shook her head, then sat back straight in her seat. "Someone saved him during the chaos of the fighting. I saw him trapped under Father''s corpse one moment, then gone the next." I could feel a blood vessel getting ready to blow when I heard that. But there was nothing we could say or do about the situation other than be lucky we got out with our lives.
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After some time passed, we arrived at the estate where several other cars were parkedbeen seated
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"Alexander," Judith gasped as she came across the room to embrace me, her eyes worn out from crying. "My goodness, I had no idea what to think when you disappeared. I''m so glad you''re safe, little brother." Unlike most people here, I didn''t even suffer a scratch. Haoran''s head had been wrapped
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"This was a complete disaster!" Adonis shouted as he slammed his fist into the arm of his chair. "We were almost boxed in like cattle and slaughtered. You said we had nothing to worry about, Yasuo."
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"Hey pendejo," Javier jumped in, "You''re gonna start blaming people at a time like this!? If it weren''t for my brother, you''d be dead too." The pair started bickering over who was to blame for this entire thing until the Queen just
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To hear the Queen in such low spirits meant that this plan had a lot more risk than I thought. But there was one thing she was wrong about. "This isn''t pathetic," I went on and said. "When I was on my tour, I saw a lot of guys lose hope after a battle that was lostsolely
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"Greetings, Paradigms of Iscariot City. Considering the circumstances I have deemed it necessary to reveal myself to you. I am Pandora the Sorceress. One of the most powerful shamans to ever exist, a releaser of the world''s evils, and your creator. I hope you do not mind this Jeanne Rotterdam."
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The Queen bowed before Pandora. "I''d never be so arrogant that I''d object against your wishes, my Mistress." With the Queen validating Pandora''s identity. The others bowed as well despite there being some skepticism of whom they were regardinggentlywas chosenbeen stolenbe executedWe''re going to declare all-out war with anyone who seeks to poison our kingdom with these diseased rats
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The room burst into loud cheering, stomping, and whooping. The desire for revenge and feelings of anger were so deep that the blood lust could be seen
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Judith and Yasuo helped me to my feet and onto the sofa. One of our maids brought glasses of blood for everyone and then left. Julius took the chair the Queen sat in, leaning back against it. He sighed as he rubbed his face, weary from the night''s events. "This has been a horrible night for us," Julius finally said. "Our Father and Furio are dead... Mother is in such a state that she hasn''t even left her room... and now we must carry the burden of our Father."
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Furio was dead, too? As if my heart couldn''t take anymore tonight. Another name to add to the list to exact vengeance for. But more than that, this was a crippling blow to our family. Not only was our boss dead, but so was his underboss. Naturally"His instructions were that the girls and Alexander were to read their letters when they were alone
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Yayoi held my hand as I stared at the letter on my lap while Pandora sat on the opposite side of me. Julius opened his letter and unfolded the paper inside. He''d taken a moment to read the letter himself first, and then his eyes widened in astonishment.
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"I, Drakon Murcielago, on this evening of July 16th, 1918, will be writing this as my last will. The letters in the family safety deposit box must not be openeduntimelybe distributedcomfortably
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Julius folded up the letter, allowing our father''s last wish to run through his mind. I knew Father had been preparing Julius to take over the family business. With the way our tobacco sales were rising, business was Julius''s calling. Yet, being the head of a crime family was a different business altogether. Money was still involved, but the income came in protection fees and illicit deals. Julius adopted Father''s scowl as the weight of being the new family head fell on his shoulders. "Walter... I must ask that you no longer operate within the Murcielago family as a Capo, but rather as my consigliere."
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Walter nearlybe honored
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"I don''t mind at all," Yasuo said, "You are my brother-in-law. The least we could do is work together." Yasuo approached Julius, with the latter standing up to shake the former''s hand. The two left the rest of us in the living room to discuss whatever the future may bring. When it appeared that Pandora was no longer needed. She disappeared into the crimson haze once again, allowing me to regain control of my arm. Tightening heaven''s cloth. I stood from the sofa and began to leave the living room, taking my letter and glass of blood. "Alexander? Will you be alright?" Yayoi asked.
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"Y-Yeah... I''ll be fine. I need some time alone. Spend some time with your new sisters." I tried to sound cheery, but that worried her even more. Yet Yayoi nor my sisters desired to follow me as I headed for the stairs. There was only one place in this house I wanted to be. When I reached the door, I found one of Father''s maids standing guard at the door with her hand behind her back. It was the same maid''s father who drew blood from when he made me capo. "Master Alexander?" she called out with caution. "Is it too much to ask to get in?" I asked her, hoping for a no but expecting a yes.
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"Actually... Master Drakon wished for only you to enter his study for the time being. He knew the first place you''d come if he were to ever die." The maid turned around and unlocked the study door. As the door opened, she stepped aside and revealed the handgun that was hiddenextremely
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I was now all alone... With my thoughts and the last words, I''d ever hear from my Father.