The Red Hand

Chapter 96 – The Demon’s Price and Setting the Stage.

"Akagi! Please help them. Quickly!" Hishya exclaimed.

The Demon's eyes scanned Hishya and her two parents. "Blood Moon Poison," Akagi said. "I haven't seen that in a while." Her lips curled into a smile, she'd knew what was going on.

{What an interesting turn of events. Though why did Birdy not alert me to this? Has Herlex become more cautious?} (Akagi)

"Please, if you know what it is you have to help them!" Hishya cried. "Herlex poisoned them, and they don't have much time left! He told me that if I didn't join Libra, they'd die!"

Akagi shifted her jaw for a moment before answering. "You know that it takes a special antidote to cure them, right?" Akagi said. "And even if I had it, helping you would mean going against Libra. The Japanese government hasn't accepted my terms yet, so I might end up fighting them with no benefit to me. Which means losing out on something quite valuable, do you have something of equal worth to trade?" She actually had no issue here, since she'd simply demand payment from the Japanese regardless of this unexpected development. Akagi was simply interested in what she could wring out of the dragon girl and having a bit of sadistic fun.

"Please, I'll do anything!" Hishya started crying. "Just save them. Please, I can't lose my parents after I just got everything back!"

"Anything?" Akagi looked at her, the Demons eyes glistening in the moon light.

"Yes, Anything!" Hishya was desperate, her eyes red from crying. "Just please.... save them..."

Akagi sighed. "Well, when you place that kind of offer on the table. I can't exactly say no, can I?"

{What a fortuitous turn of events, thank you for this wonderful gift, Herlex.} (Akagi)

In a flash, Akagi grabbed the three of them and took them to Mimi's clinic. The Yuki-Onna was about to go to sleep when Akagi dropped them the beds. "Sorry, but no time. These two need an immediate antidote. They've been hit with Blood Moon Poison, so grab them the antidote quickly, we don't have any time to delay."

Mimi was shocked by the sudden entrance. "Blood Moon Poison?!?" She exclaimed. "How on earth did something like that happen?!?" She ran into the back and ruffled through her cabinets bringing out two vials of a dark blue liquid. "Here quickly, before the damage gets too severe!" She stuck out her hand.

Akagi grabbed the vial and had Hishya's parents ingest one each, forcing it down their throats. Once it was ingested, their faces got a bit better and some of the color returned to their skin. It would take time, but they would fully recover from the poison.

"You actually had some...." Hishya fell down where she stood. Her legs gave out from under her. "You actually had some...."

"Yes, do you think I didn't get hold of this rare item? It's me we're talking about. Thankfully, Mimi is a god of potion-making, and we found a way to reverse-engineer the thing. I wasn't taking chances with any of my people dying to such a poison." Akagi laughed.

"You can make more!" Hishya snapped out of her stupor. "How?!?"

"In-game it was impossible to make, but in the real world all we needed to do was copy the ingredients, and with a bit of trial and error, we got it down," Akagi smirked. "I figured some fuck would use it, and I've had Mimi on it since she set up shop. Good call me." She smiled.

"So.... they'll live." Hishya looked up at her. "Mom and Dad..... they'll be ok?"

"After a bit of rest, yes. Though, it will take probably about a week before they're back to normal." Akagi said. "You got them here just in time, so there shouldn't be any lingering issues."

Hearing this, Hishya started balling. The thought of losing her parents had caused her so much grief.

"Their gonna be ok! Wahhhhh!" She started crying like a baby.

{Oh geeze. I'm not being paid enough to deal with this...} Akagi signed internally.

"Yumi, go grab Kana. Her girlfriend is currently a hot mess in Mimi's clinic, and I'm not about to try and console her." Akagi asked through her telepathic connection. A few moments later, a pajama-clad Kana arrived and ran straight to Hishya's side.

"What happened?!? What's going on? Why is she freaking out?!?" She asked, and Akagi informed her of the situation.

"Ohhh, Hishya." Kana took her in her arms. "It's alright, everything's alright! Your parents will be fine. Shhhhh" Having Kana hug her seemed to help as Hishya calmed down. "How could he do this! That bastard!" Kana was pissed.

"It was a smart move, blackmail Hishya into helping, and you've got a dangerous situation." Akagi chuckled. "Not a bad idea. It's what I would have done. Though he really fucked up, he should have just taken them hostage. This whole poison thing, while interesting, left too much room for error."

Kana just looked at her like. Really?

"Hey, I'm just saying." Akagi shrugged. "I'll leave you two alone for now. Go make your pet feel better." Akagi walked towards the door, stopping in the doorway as she left. "Also, Hishya, come see me in the morning. We can talk about things." Akagi walked out.

"What was that about?" Kana asked.

"I... I have to pay Akagi for saving my parents." Hishya looked at her, tears still flooding from her eyes.

"What!" Kana exclaimed. "No way! I'm not going to let you do something you'll regret. I'll go talk to her and-" Kana was cut off.

"No," Hishya shook her head. "It's fine. I accepted the Demon's deal, and I have to pay the price. I wanted my parents to survive and this was the only way... I wasn't about to become Herlex's pawn."

"What did she ask of you?!?" Kana demanded to know. "I'll yell at Onee-chan if it was something bad! She shouldn't be asking you for something outrageous, that's not right!"

Hishya took a moment to answer. "A-Anything," The dragon girl said quietly. "I said I'd do anything if she saved them."

Kana's face paled. "No. No. No. No. I have to stop this! Onee-chan will probably ask something awful of you! She'll make you like Kaori!" She tried to go after Akagi and force her to let Hishya go, but was stopped.

"Please, Kana..." Hishya grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Please respect my decision, as awful as it may seem. I wanted my parents to stay alive, and I made a choice. Enslavement by Herlex or Akagi were the only paths to saving my parents. And honestly, Akagi was the lesser evil, as strange as that is." Hishya seemed sure that she was going to become Akagi's slave as payment. "Besides, this is probably my punishment for all the horrible things I did. It's my karma catching up to me is all, so don't worry."

{I just hope you'll be able to still accept me even as a slave...} (Hishya)

Kana had no idea what to say. She couldn't try to interfere without trampling over Hishya's feelings, something she was reluctant to do out of respect. Kana figured Akagi would probably let Hishya go if she requested, but she understood how much her sister hated when she stuck her nose too deep in her business. Akagi had lines even Kana shouldn't cross, and she knew that.

{Onee-chan....} (Kana)

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The next morning, Hishya met Akagi in the garden to learn her fate. The Demon was a bit busy with some other work, so she was a few minutes late. Once Akagi arrived, she sat on a bench and began smoking her Kiseru, even offering one to Hishya, who declined. Hishya thought the sight was strange, as even on this cold day Akagi was unaffected and seemed to be enjoying her time outdoors. Hishya was a fire dragon and similarly didn't care about the cold, but it was still an amusing sight.

"I see the dragon is still sleepy." Akagi glanced over at her. "I assume things went fine after I left last night, though I must say, you look like hell, Hishya. I don't think I've seen you that exhausted since after Hassan."

"Yeah everything is alright, kinda. My parents are still asleep, and Mimi said they'd be fine. So at the very least that's good." Hishya looked terrible. She had bags under her bloodshot eyes since she didn't sleep much last night, and her skin was pale. "Sleeping together with Kana didn't really help much, I was too worried to even think about getting rest."

"Yes, well." Akagi put the pipe away. "I've held up my end of the bargain, your parents are saved and will be returned to you in good health shortly. Now it's your turn, my little dragon. And you should know better than anyone that a deal with a Demon is absolute. Trying to weasel out is well, not good for one's health." She chuckled.

"I won't do something like that." Hishya shook her head. "I knew what I was getting into when I asked for your help, and I know better than to cross you. I've seen what happens if people try to renege on payment." There were a few stupid nobles and players who tried to pull one over on Akagi, though they all ended up the same way in the end.

"Good to hear. I figured you weren't stupid enough to take them and run. Not like you could ever escape me anyway." Akagi laughed, causing Hishya to get chills. “Now, I believe our deal was saving your parents, and in exchange, you'd do anything I asked. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Hishya nodded.

"Very well, then I want two things," Akagi smirked. "First, you are to do everything in your power to see that the Japanese government accepts my deal." Hishya nodded. "Getting that done will make everything come together and you are quite the useful voice."

"Second..." Akagi grinned. "What should I ask for?"

Hishya got nervous since she knew what was coming.

{I guess this is the end of my freedom.} Hishya prepared herself to become yet another pawn of the Demon. Though, in fairness, she was already one. Even if she didn't know it.

"I know." Akagi's grin turned into a smile. "Promise me that you'll take care of Kana. That you'll treasure her always, and never do anything to hurt her." Akagi said. "Promise me that you'll make her happy, Hishya. I think my sister's happiness is more than equivlent of an exhange for saving your parents lives."

Hishya was stunned. She expected Akagi to demand she become her slave or servant, not this.

{W-what?!?} (Hishya)

"I-I ummm. T-that..." Hishya shook her head and slapped her cheeks, her face turning stern. "I promise you that I will take care of Kana and look after her no matter what! I already love her, so I'd do that regardless. I promise you that I'll make her happy!"

"Then everything is settled, and the deal is complete." Akagi smiled. "I won't pressure you to make things official, since I have no right to do so, but don't go leading her on forever."

{Though my intuition tells me that the whole affair will come to a head soon.} (Akagi)

"I already planned on doing so once this nonsense passed." Hishya laughed. "I can't risk someone else getting her, I just hope she is willing to settle for me."

Akagi laughed. "I don't think you have to worry about that my little dragon. Kana is very much in love with you too, she's just been waiting for you the be honest with yourself."

Hishya wanted to ask just how she knew that but chose not to. She figured Kana spoke to her sister about this very issue before, but couldn't be sure and honestly didn't care. Hearing Akagi say Kana returned her love caused warmth to well within the dragons chest. Soon, the target of her affection and obsession would be hers.

Akagi's demands surprised the dragon, but in a good way. She knew just how much Akagi cared for her sister, and understood she wanted the best for her. But never imagined she'd use the blank check she'd been given to ask for something like this.

Hishya felt touched that Akagi would do go so far for Kana and swore to never break this promise, no matter what. And from this day forth, Hishya looked at the Demon a little differently. Sure, she was still afraid of her inner terror, and the dragon was still worried about the future. But she also saw the kind and caring side of Akagi that laid within. Demon or not, she was an older sister who cared for Kana, and she found that heartwarming.

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Several days later.

"Well, Herlex! Your grand plan failed!" Merkyul chastised him. "You wasted my poison, and for what? Now Hishya ran to Akagi, and she's probably saved her parents. Great job oh wise leader. We won't get a second shot at this, and I'd bet that stupid assassin is going to become our enemy now. The thing you were so eager to avoid." He scoffed.

"How was I supposed to know Hishya was given a transport crystal that would take her right to Akagi's side? And how was I supposed to know Akagi had her own antidote! So don't ride my ass! As if you've done anything more than kill innocent civilians since you joined. Don't come in here an shit talk me about planning when everything else I've worked on has gone almost exactly as I wanted!" Herlex exclaimed. "Hishya going to Akagi was a miscalculation, yes, but I'd like to see you do better!"

"If you'd just listened to me in the first place and killed Akagi, this wouldn't be happening! We've had more than enough justification and ample oppertunities to do so! But everytime I've brought it up, you always told me to fuck off!" Merkyul yelled. "Forget it, I'm done listening to you and your plans." He turned to leave the room, followed by Sabia, Roxlex, and Hitamaguchi.

"Where are you going?!?" Herlex asked.

"To do what you were too scared to do." Merkyul glared at him. "We're going to kill that bitch Akagi and show you all she's nothing worth being afraid over. Once we get back with her head, you're stepping aside as leader and we'll be doing things my way!"

"Yeah you're too weak Herlex, my brother is right. Plus, I've got a bone to pick with Akagi." Sabia smirked. "Gotta pay her back for killing Michirin." That was a good friend of hers that Akagi assassinated years ago.

"Armalthy come with us if you want. You can't be happy with Herlex's plans, and I know you too well to believe you're happy to sit on the sidelines." He waved to him before leaving.

"Damn fools!" Herlex slammed the table. "If they go pissing off Akagi, that's going to fuck everything up! Hishya is a problem sure but her and Akagi simultaneously is going to be a disaster." Merkyul's group leaving, left just Herlex and Armalthy in the command room alone.

"He's an idiot, just let him go and get himself killed if he wants." Armalthy shook his head.

"Yes, but idiot or not. He's a strong fighter and so is that team of his. Losing them is going to be bad, and its going to draw in the bigger threat." Herlex snapped his fingers, putting up a privacy barrier around the room. "We're going to need a plan for when things start going south because of Akagi." He'd placed the barrier to prevent any external spying. Though rather than suspect a mole, Herlex had become concerned about Akagi's agents potentially watching them.

"I think we can make it hard for Akagi to move against us." Armalthy said as he mulled over a plan in his head. "She's pretty attached to the priestess, Yumi wasn't it?" He gave an evil smile. "Perhaps I should go have a talk with her. Ya know. Bring her in for a nice chat." He was imaging all the fun he could have with her.

"Fine, go right ahead." Herlex let out a breath. "But at least wait to see those idiots actually attack her. If we're lucky they wise up, and cool off before they go causing trouble. However, if we do need to go kidnapping. Do not kill the priestess, beating her up or whatever is fine, but I need her alive. She's an extremely valuable hostage and if we have her, Akagi will do whatever we ask. I think she goes into Tokyo alone sometimes, so find an opportunity and strike there. Just do not allow her to escape! Her teleportation takes a bit of time before it's ready, so you need to hit her with a surprise attack and take her down before she has the opportunity to cast."

Armalthy's mouth curved into a grin. He'd killed countless NPCs, and he didn't really care if Yumi was a real person or not. To him, that distinction didn't matter. Real or not, he enjoyed killing and it didn't really matter who it was to him. Though, he'd always enjoyed terrorizing NPCs in the game, and internally, the thought of making Yumi scream in agony was quite appealing.

"Oh, little Priestess. I wonder what kind of sounds you'll make. And I wonder what the look on your master's face will be when she sees you?" He started laughing manically. Not realizing that he was about to bring the world to the brink of annihilation, as well as doom it to darkness.