Chapter 4: Crimson Blade's Last Victim

"Hey, did you hear about the new transfer student in Class Sage?"

 "Yea, I heard that guy is really good-looking but looks like a girl."

" Really? Lol, why do we have a transfer student in the middle of the school year?"

"Ah, Shit! He's right there."

"Where?" A group of students in Black Uniform lined up in a cafeteria to get their lunch. One of them points out Nathan, who's just arrived with Gilbert and other Sage's students by his side.

"Dude... Yea, she's pretty but where's the transfer student?"

"Tsk, you get me wrong. That's him."

The other guy and other people who heard him were in shock, eyes widened, and confused while looking at Nathan.

Nathan and the group didn't notice this and continue picking up their tray and line up. "Hey! Nathan. When did you get closed to Zitrey? Are you his, childhood friend?", Gilbert asked while wrapping his one arm around Nathan's shoulder. Nathan glance at Gilbert's face and his arm on his shoulder.

All of a sudden, a glimpse of the past, flashed through his memory causing his hair to stand up from head to toe. He unconsciously flicked Gilbert's hand. Gilbert and others paused, taken a shock by what he did.

When Nathan realized this, he swiftly changed his unprintable expression to his normal one and laughed awkwardly, "Big bro Zitrey? Nope, I'm not. I just met him this morning." There was still a paused moment before the Sage students asked in unison. "YOU'VE JUST MET HIM THIS MORNING?!!!"

Those statements flabbergasted them than Nathan acting weird. "Yea...", he responded like it's nothing unusual while choosing his own food.

"Well, that's weird.", the lady class president got his attention. 

" Why?" he asked. The lady class president gesture that they need to get their food first and look for a vacant table before they start their discussion. Nathan just followed them.

They'd seated at the long table where most of Sage students occupy. That's when the lady class president starts to talk. "Ever since Zitrey transfer to this school, he rarely talked. We tried to approach him cause maybe he was bullied or something happened to his old school, but he's so rude. He ignored us like we're just thin air and eyesore on his eyes!" she said while gripping the fork tightly like she was about to stab somebody. Nathan saw this and gulped.

Nathan swift his attention to Gilbert who's seated beside him and also starts to talk. "He doesn't want us to talk to him, approach him, stands beside him and others. He was so weird and scary. Every time we stared at him, it was like he was surrounded by black mist, and the surrounding air is so cold. Even his eyes are scary like he was stabbing us hundred of times, while just looking at him. So, Nathan doesn't get too close to him." he then chewed a mouthful of food in his mouth.

"Hey, Gilbert and Alice don't be like that, we know Zitrey is so cold to us, but he was so responsible and brilliant. He doesn't like to talk about unnecessary things but remember, every group work and assignment we have, he speaks to us, cooperate with us, and even lead us to excellence." other girl at the other side of the table said while slicing her steak.

Most girls agreed and added, " Yea, you're right. He was handsome too."

"Cold but cool!"

"And awesome!" They said while both hands joined together, and eyes twinkling. ''So, this was what Big bro Zitrey looks like in their eyes.'' Nathan thought something and smiled.

"Speaking of the devil, where is he?" he asked. Nathan was pulled by Gilbert immediately after their class and got stuck in his classmates.

Meanwhile, the sea of grass dance gracefully with the cool wind, passing through Zitrey's entire person. She was lightly asleep under the shade of the tree.

 This place is the favorite destination of Zitrey, where she usually takes a rest during lunch break. This place was located, near the threshold of the forbidden forest of the school. As it is forbidden, no other students than Zitrey will dare to come to this place, a perfectly comfortable and peaceful place for an introvert person like her.

A ringing sound came from the phone beside her. She stretched out her hand groping for that thing. When she found it, she put it beside her ear and said, "What is it, this time Kate?"

"Eh, Can't I just call my little sis-, I mean brother to know how is he?" a soft voice of a girl said on the other line.

Zitrey opened her eyes and raise her hand above her face blocking the small amount of light coming from the sun above him.

"Every time you called at this hour, there's something that happened at your work. So, what is it? " Zitrey demanded.

Kate sighed on the other side. Her sister was so sharp and knows her well. She cleared her throat and said in a serious tone, "Did you hear the news about the robbery case in district two?"

" Yes, I saw it online. They'd also brutally murdered the cashier of the said gas station, so what's the problem? That case is for the officers of district two, not yours." she added.

"Yeah, I know but..." Kate paused longer at the other line that triggered Zitrey's impatience.

"Say it," she commanded.

"On the dead body of the murdered cashier, there's red spider lily underneath him..." she said in a very low voice that almost couldn't be heard.

As soon as Zitrey heard this, she quickly sits up and asked, "What?"

" That's what the District two police officers reported to me this morning when he collaborated with me. "

"Is that true?!", Zitrey asked, brows knitted.

"Mn, I checked the report files they've submitted and found out it's true. Even the wound on the dead body of the victim was somehow made alike on the weapon the Crimson Blade usually used."

Zitrey stand up and leaned her forehead on the rough bark of the tree. She remained in silence and was in deep thoughts.

"The police officers of the district two concluded that the murderer may be: the Crimson Blade of the Dark moon wannabe or the real said person herself, who'd gone missing for more than three years," Kate added.

"That's foolish!", Zitrey said while punching the tree in front of her. This made the dead leaves of the tree fell.

" I thought too. How can be the Legendary Assassin were with low-class robbers. This Crimson Blade mostly worked alone and of course, the cut on the body of the victim should be spotless but seriously, for wanting to imitate— you?!"

"I don't know, but maybe those geezers want me to come out from my hole." Zitrey inhaled a lot of fresh air before she added, "By the way Kate, why does the District two collaborate with you? "

"Ah, that's because those robbers ran through our district. We're searching for them right now. And Zeth, go straight home this time. Don't go to the store or other places. Maybe those 'thugs' are on move once again. Also, be careful--. "

"Wait. " Zitrey cut Kate's discussion when she heard a light rush steps, and a strange bell sound at the threshold of the forest, near her. She took a look and saw a shadow of a person running away from her.

"Tsk, so nimble. ", she murmured.

" Who is it?", Kate asked on the other line worriedly.

" A shadow. " She said while tracing the path the shadow had run.

"A shadow? Is he the same person you've felt watching you a month ago? Ah, Zeth! Let's talk this, later." she said and hurriedly ended the call.

A month ago, Zitrey keen senses had detected someone was tailing her, but when she started to pay attention that feeling of being spied on had already disappeared. This person seemed to vanish in thin air, even his footprint didn't leave behind. But this time, he did leave something.

Zitrey put down the phone and put it inside her coat pocket while looking intently at the shiny object on the ground. She doesn't mind the sudden discontinuation of Kate and her conversation because that was always what her sister does. Seems Kate needs to do something immediately.

She picked up that thing; it was a tiny crystal clear bell with a silver lotus pattern and a purple tassel hang on it. When Zitrey rang the bell, it gave off a soothing and calming sound. But to our protagonist, it affects nothing. She clutched the said bell and said, "Whoever you are, I'll catch you sooner or later."

______

A scattered vermilion and dusky purple littered with the tiny brightest silver stars could be seen in the sky. Crows gather together and cawed. Lights in the streets and houses started to illuminate and each daylight animal hurriedly going to their own home.

Zitrey was standing in front of a wooden door. Holding a grayish-white metal key, she opened the soulless house. Just then, a cold and foul air welcomed her. In instant, she felt something is strange. She straightaway went to their kitchen. When she's getting nearer to the said place the foul smell where getting stronger. It was then she knew what she thought was right.

The kitchen was in messed, used utensils and ingredients are everywhere. Zitrey went to the cleanest area of the kitchen. It was the small circled table with a pot on top of it. When Zitrey opened the pot, a dark purple liquid could be seen and a strong awful smell came out on it. In just a glimpse you will think that the sticky and thick soup inside the pot was a poison. But actually, this was a dish and cooked wholeheartedly by someone, and this someone is no other than Zitrey's sister-- Kate. Zitrey found a piece of paper near the pot. It was a note written by Kate.

"To my Dearest Zeth,

      First, please do not open the refrigerator. Second, I will clean the kitchen when I went home, promise! Lastly, I made a new dish. I called it, "The Crying of the Graveyard!" Cool, is it? I imitate it to the movie I watched last night. Tell me how it tastes later on when I went home. Give me a good mark, OK?

She put back the letter on the table and get the porcelain bowl. Zitrey starts to scoop the Crying of the Graveyard, as soon as she scooped it, the said food gives off a 'gurgle sound' and purple bubbles show up. Whatever ingredients on it look like horrified and screaming; indeed the said name 'The Crying of the Graveyard' stands for this dish. Nevertheless, Zitrey still transfers what she scooped on her own bowl and gulp the whole bowl of soup. She even finished the remaining soup in the pot.

As soon as she finished, she went to their refrigerator. When she opened it, there's nothing, seems the things inside fell into the abyss. Zitrey did a deep sigh. Every time Kate cook something, it was always in mess.

Zitrey tidied everything. As soon as she finished, she straightaway went to shower and go to the convenience store to buy ingredients for their dinner.

"Good evening sir!", the security guard of the small convenience store greeted Zitrey. She just slightly bowed to him before she entered the said store.

She pulled the shopping cart with the left hand behind her back towards the fruits, and vegetable corner. Her right hand was tapping the phone, texting Kate that she was in the convenience store she often went. Kate reminds her awhile ago that she must not go outside, however, Zitrey needs to, the situation in their kitchen made her do.

Zitrey is picking cabbage, carrots, potatoes, white onions, and others when a little girl around 3-4 years run towards her, shouting, "Brother!"

The child's little arms are extending want to hug her. However, Zitrey did a sidestepped, avoiding the child. The Little girl stops in front of Zitrey and looks at her. Her round eyes started to teary, her thin lips curved downward. Mouths trembling, she cried. "Waah! Huhu! Brother Cede doesn't want me! He doesn't want me!!!"

The few customers inside the said convenience store got their attention by the loud cry of the child. They'd hurriedly went to the cry direction and seen the scene, then they started to gossip.

"Why did the child cry?"

"What did the handsome young man do? "

"Is he, the father of the child? They look alike. "

"No, I heard the child calling him brother."

"Why he didn't make her stop crying? He's quite irresponsible."

Although Zitrey's cold expression didn't change, she felt a bit embarrassed. Her hand straightened to pat the head of the child who still continues crying however, she stops in midair when a middle-aged woman rushed into them.

"Tintin why are you crying? What happened? I told you not to leave by my side." said the woman worriedly, wiping the tears of the child.

"Grandmama, I saw Brother Cede.. ", the child said pointing her index finger towards Zitrey. The woman's gaze followed where the child pointed her finger. Her eyes widened when she saw a young man standing beside them. Her pair of droopy eyes seems gleam for a moment, however when she clearly saw the face of a young man, her eyes became dull. Sadden, she faced her granddaughter, "Tintin, he's not your brother Cederick, now say sorry to him."

When the crowd hears that this was just a misunderstanding, they'd lost interest and dispersed. The child's eyes redden from crying, gaze at Zitrey intently though examining her facial features. She then said with a cracking voice, facing her grandmother and back at Zitrey, "B-but, grandmama h-he looks exactly like brother Cede in the picture. H-he was Brother Cede right?... Right? Huhu", she burst into tears once again.

"Shhshhh... Now, now stop crying." The woman gently pats the Little girl's back. The child cried into her chest. She hooked her hands in the child's armpit and raise her. One hand supporting her grand daughter's butt. The child stops crying and burying her face into her chest.

The woman faces Zitrey. "I'm sorry young man, every time Christine saw a boy, she always thought of them as her brother."

Zitrey didn't say something, she just stared at the woman in front of her.

"How old are you young man? " The woman asked.

"15." Zitrey short answered. She was always like this, when she was asked by some stranger, she rarely responds. If she will, it was short. She was indifferent towards others.

Although the young man doesn't have an interest in them, the woman continued. "You are much older than Cederick from about two years. If I'll see him right now, he must be this taller." she raised her right hand about Zitrey shoulder though she was measuring something. She looked in other directions and in melancholy reminisce her past. The child at her chest remains silent.

As a sign of respect, Zitrey listened to her story. "It was Autumn at that time, as this time of the year. When Christine was about to turn one year the next day. I requested her parents to let my granddaughter stays at my home, overnight. They accepted my request. Both her parents are kindhearted individual, they show everyone warm, especially her dad; my own child." she paused and smiled bitterly, a drop of tear escaped from her eye.

Zitrey lends the woman her white handkerchief. The woman was taken aback by a sudden movement of the young man. Although this young man has a cold expression, he was still caring. She smiled and took the hanky.

Then she continued while picking some fruits in the said corner, Zitrey did the same. "Their son Cederick, was a caring, well-mannered, and brilliant child. He never failed us, always achieve things more than our expectations. He's a prodigy at his young age. That night my grandson doesn't want to leave his little sister by his side. However, his parents didn't permit him to go with us. So, he stays behind, helping my son and his wife for the incoming event."

The woman suddenly paused and hugged her granddaughter on her arm. Her eyes are about to cry again, but she wiped it with Zitrey's hanky. With a cracking voice, she said, "The next morning when Tintin and I went back, I never thought that what welcomed us was the corpse of my s-son and his wife.", she gently brushed the Little child's hair who fell in deep slumber on her chest. She then kissed her tiny snowlike forehead.

"Poor child, she lost her parents during her first birthday, she can't even remember their faces nor feel their warms once again. Even her brother Cederick went missing and till now we can't find him."

Zitrey who'd just listening suddenly felt strange. A bead of sweat could be seen on her forehead. She asked out of the blue, "Auntie, what's the name of her parents?"

The woman quickly answered. "Richard and Juliet Vuenavista."

When Zitrey heard it, she froze for a second. Her eyes even dilated though her expression remains unchanged.

 Just then, at the entrance of the small convenience store, four persons in black covered with mask shouted, "BRING HERE ALL YOUR VALUABLE THINGS. IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW. WE WILL KILL YOU ALL!"