xiii.

Let me go.

If only. If only, it was as easy as that.

Letting you go wasnt the issue we have here, Tatara.

Then what was the reason behind this stupid stuntThen, King. Stop it,
whatever you want to do.

I cant.

Please.

Cant. Ill avenge your death.

He sighed. Avenged my death? How? Tell me, King. How? Totsuka couldnt hide
his desperation. His plea, for whatever answer thisstupidly braveKing of his
would gave, it wouldnt consist of words like

Ill kill him.

oh. Whatever.

King, I assumed you forgot who was it that killed me.

I dont. It was Colorless King.

Totsuka knew this red head in front of him was, somehow, stubborn to the level
of stupid. He didnt know that Mikoto Suoh was this stupid he wanted to punch
him.

Do you know the price of killling another king?

His honey-colored dim so slightly, Mikoto barely recognized it. Other people
wouldnt realize, but Totsuka was furious.

Of course he was, when Mikoto hot-headedly pulled some stunt like this.

Yes. I know.

What is it.

My life.

And you expect me to be thankful and grateful of this, whatever it was youre
trying to do? King, I swear if somehow we met again in the afterlife because your
power went crazy and, Ill be the one who kill you in the next world.

How could you kill someone whos already dead?

Ill manage. Somehow. Anyway, King, you knew how unstable your power was.
As powerful as it was, do you intent to make another Kagutsus Crater? Killing
more innocent people?

Mikoto smirked. The only dead person here would be me.

Totsuka furrowed his brows. What do you mean? He couldnt help this really
bad feeling which filled his gut.

Munakata, no, Reishi will kill me before anything.

Eleven days to go

i.
As if the whole Dresden Slates universe wasnt enough, Munakata Reishis life
suddenly filled with stupid possibilities that one of his enemies were his
soulmate.

The Mark suddenly appeared on his body, out of nowhere, on his 24th birthda. Jet
black ink started from his collar bone, stretched to his back, until the small part
of his back near the hip. It was only black, with a drop of blue and red here and
there, but no shape at all.

What was the use of The Mark when it couldnt even told him who was his
soulmate.

He sighed and put back his clothes. Stupid ordeal. Hed rather fought HOMRA
and a certain red head than live a lovey-dovey life with his supposed to be
soulmate. Ugh, even the thought was disturbing.

But, you couldnt pick your soulmate. Like you couldnt choose to be a King. It
was the Slates will, while this whole soulmate things were, Gods will.

Who was it, his soulmate? Munakatas mind suddenly wander.

Was he able to love her? Would he hate her? Or maybe, she was a he? He got his
mark when he was fighting someone, certainly his soulmate was an enemy. Who
was it?

Who was this damned unlucky person who had Munakata as its soulmate?

Munakata sighed. Theres no use thinking about it right now, not when his mark
didnt even give him any single clue. Speaking of soulmate, he suddenly
remembered how his third-in-commands mark was fiery half-wing and
Awashimas mark were a mix of roses and other flowers on his right shoulder.

His mind wander, again. What kind of mark that would represent him?

ii.
What is it?

What?

Your looking at ceiling as if it was something interesting.

What do you mean?

Kusanagi sighed. Im asking you smiling at my goddamn ceiling, Mikoto. What

was so funny about my ceiling?

Mikoto blinked, then smirked. Oh. Nothing.

Years of friendship, and Kusanagi still didnt understand anything about Mikoto.

Say, Izumo.

Hm?

What do you think of angels?

Kusanagi almost dropped the glass he currently polished.

What?!

Angels. What do you think of them?

Mikoto, you hit your head. Go find a doctor or something, before Totsuka and
Misaki find out and freak out.

xiv.
Stop this nonsense, Suoh.

Cold words, cold voice. Mikoto raised his head and found a pair of burning violet
eyes.

Try me, Munakata.

There, that fire.

That burning fire he loved so much.