Gun of Ashes

The Plague Doctor toyed with the willow blade in his hand, this simple medical instrument became extremely lethal in his hand, effortlessly piercing through fragile human bodies with a casual throw.

”It’s really interesting how humans react when faced with despair. Some fall into extreme fear, some collapse, but there are also those who become braver.”

His gaze moved casually among the crowd behind the curtain of rain, finally landing on Eve.

”I really want to turn you all into specimens.”

”Bastard!”

Arthur gathered strength, swung the folding blade, and the Plague Doctor didn’t dodge, letting the deadly blow fall, deeply cutting into his neck.

”That really hurt...”

The Plague Doctor spoke, then slowly stood up, extremely satisfied looking at the terrified eyes of Arthur.

The flesh and blood healed quickly, even Arthur’s strike that had just severed his head couldn’t kill him completely, not even Lawrence knew what kind of body lay beneath those heavy clothes.

”It’s time to end this, I still need to find Lorenzo de’ Medici.”

Everything before him seemed like an impromptu game to him, and the surprise attack was perfect, easily bypassing the Anti-Meme defenses of Black Mountain Hospital thanks to the beacons left by Lawrence’s previous [Gap] traversals.

Pulling the folding blade from his flesh, Arthur was powerless to resist, but just as the deadly blade was about to fall, the Plague Doctor stopped.

A charming scent came from behind the curtain of rain, a scent the Plague Doctor had never smelled before, mysterious and intriguing. He looked in the direction of the scent, only to see a trail of blood on the ground, stretching from the entrance where Eve and the others were, all the way to behind him... beneath that armor.

The Plague Doctor turned sharply, only to find a boy had somehow already reached under the armor.

Behind the rain curtain, Red Falcon also saw it all, and only then realized that, during the previous collision, Owes had also been thrown out. Due to the Demon’s attack, he hadn’t even realized it.

Reaching out his hand, he struggled to crawl on the ground, as the King’s Curse had long deprived Owes of the ability to walk freely, leaving him confined to a wheelchair. But fortunately, he still had his hands, he could still crawl forward.

Blood flowed uncontrollably, yet he seemed to feel no pain, his face filled with joy.

It was almost there, he was about to return to that warm embrace, for only within that armor could he truly live, only then could he act freely on his own will.

Just like Eve said back then, she was a bad child who went against her father’s wishes to do what she wanted. Owes also wanted to live as a bad child; he didn’t want to be turned into a lab rat, trapped in a delicate cage, he didn’t want to live pitifully like the members of the Royal Family in their cribs.

It seemed as if the whole world had come to a standstill, leaving only the stubborn boy struggling to crawl, for a moment even the Plague Doctor stopped his actions, his eyes beneath the beaked mask filled with delight and anticipation at discovering something new.

”Owes on the wheelchair can’t do anything, can’t change anything.”

The voice turned into a mad murmur, his eyes only saw the still slumbering armor.

”But as long as I wear the armor...”

”As long as I step into it...”

The flesh wrapped around the sturdy armor, engulfing the boy like an evil ghost. The steam engine roared to life, hot steam spouting from mechanical gaps, as if it was burning fiercely.

”Owes Victoria is a pitiful ghost... but I am no longer him.”

The Armor of Original Sin slowly stood up, the thin body drawing two slender blades, like a swordsman on his last path under the reflection of lightning.

”I am... Lancelot.”

The voice, like that of an evil ghost, emanated from under the machine, resonating in the communication channels, echoing in the apocalyptic storm.