One cannot say that fear propagates by itself.
It requires a witness.
By the next cycle, gossip had already spread throughout the ruins quicker than anyone could walk. Even through the broken passages and poorly lit shelters whispers went around, becoming different with each person who told them.
BLACK LOTUS had grown once more.
At the border, someone had disappeared.
Another one was lucky enough and sent back shaking.
The exact happening was not known to anyone.
That doubt was the purpose.
I was observing everything from above, sitting on the bones of a decayed watchtower next to our land's border. My shadow was lying on the ground underneath me like a dark second skin, overlapping that boundary which was imperceptible and that separated "ours" from "theirs."
Borders were very strange.
They were nonexistent until someone was killed for trespassing.
Dragon had advised me this would come to pass.
Once fear starts operating, it insists on having a face.
And the people were beginning to search for mine.
---
The next intrusion was not subtle.
They wanted to be noticed.
Five dressed figures entered the BLACK LOTUS area, arms out, aggressive attitude. They were neither scouts nor refugees.
They were messengers.
At the front of them was the chief, a tall man, with broad shoulders, and his face was marked with scars that were practically telling the tales of battles he had been through just by being the one who could not be killed.
Remnants of IRON VEIN.
Either they were bold or desperate.
Akino sensed it even before the alarm was sounded. I noticed the shift of our patrol lines as BLACK LOTUS went into a state of alert.
Akino did not advance to stop them.
Neither did Dragon.
They simply waited.
For me.
I came out of the shadow and onto the fractured road, the soles of my boots softly crunching. My mere presence made the atmosphere thicker, as if the planet had become a degree colder.
The leader of the IRON VEIN smiled when he spotted me.
Not in a friendly way.
But in a way that was challenging.
"You're real," he stated. "I thought they were just telling you a story, the one about the ghosts of the rookies, to keep them in line."
"Every tale tells a part of the truth," I answered.
For a short moment, his glance went over to my shadow—how it had the wrong movement, how it was not following the light. I perceived the uncertainty of his belief develops.
That was good.
"We have come to a dialogue," he announced.
"Not really," I said in a soothing voice. "You want to check if we are going to eliminate you or not."
The grin stumbled.
One of his accomplices fidgeted in unease.
The chief quickly came back. "We don't want war. The IRON VEIN is open to boundary negotiation."
I inclined my head. "What about attacking us twice before?"
"Conflicts over land do happen."
"Not anymore."
The gap of silence lasted.
Akino was far back of me with arms crossed and observing this. Dragon was on the side, watching with sharp eyes and ready to step in if I crossed a line that could threaten the whole with destruction.
But this was my line.
And I was about to make a bloodmark on it.
---
"The IRON VEIN leader said you were killing our people," his voice was getting harsher. "You attacked us."
"We did not pick the fight, you did," I said. "You entered our territory first, so don't play the victim."
One of the men behind him spat on the ground and cried out, "You arrogant bastard. Do you think we are afraid of you so you can rule over us?"
I gave him a slight smile.
"No," I replied. "Fear makes you wise."
That was the exact moment when the leader became aware that something was not right.
It was too late.
Without any notice, my shadow emerged behind them and cut off their escape route like a door closing. The darkness that had been formed was very thick and suffocating, thus completely isolating the sound from the outside world.
"What is this—" a voice was raised in panic.
I acted.
I was quick.
Not rushing. Not being dramatic.
I was just efficient.
The first man started to pull his gun out. My shadow infiltrated his wrist thus keeping him stuck to the floor. His yell suddenly stopped as I crushed his windpipe with my foot.
The second guy tried to flee.
He ran into the darkness like it was a wall.
I broke his neck without even casting a glance.
The third and fourth came together—their attack was synchronized, showing through their technique as if the steel had not been the one that made the slightest sound. One of the daggers barely touched me on the face, and blood was let out.
I stood my ground.
I covered both of them with darkness and, with a very hard and crushing force, struck them against one another. One was already lifeless. The other was just enough alive to realize for a second the blunder he had committed.
The leader was left alone only.
He took steps back very slowly, his eyes now very wide, and his breath coming in spurts. "Hold on," he said. "This is not how negotiation is done."
I moved even closer.
"This is how enforcement is done."
I halted a hair's breadth away from him.
"You were here to measure our strength," I softly said. "So, take this as your answer."
He fell before me on his knees.
After that, begging was easy.
Names. Places. Numbers. Every bit of information he had came out between the sobs and the sporadic breaths.
I was just the listener.
Then I rose.
"You will return," I stated. "You will narrate to everyone just as it occurred."
His eyes sparkled with hope.
"And you will tell them that," I supplemented. "THE BLACK LOTUS does not accord any considerations to the weak."
My shadow billowed.
It was not a death for him.
It was an arm.
The howl continued to reverberate long after I set him free.
I moved to the side.
"Get out," I instructed.
He crawled at first then broke into a run.
---
The shadows receded.
The road was littered with the body carcasses that were already rapidly cooling.
Akino moved towards me at a slow pace.
"You brought this on yourself," he stated.
"Correct."
"Then it would be retaliation coming up next."
"I acknowledge that."
There was a brief silence.
Then Akino signaled with his head, "Nice!"
Dragon quietly breathed out. "Now the fear has a form."
Sasha kept on looking at the dead bodies as she was getting more and more excited and a big smile was appearing on her face. Taro was silent, his mouth was tightly closed. Rei had turned away, he was disturbed.
Chiemi was looking at me.
Not in a frightened way.
But in a concerned way.
This made me feel more uneasy than the blood.
---
Later on, once more by myself, the system come to view.
[INFAMY INCREASED]
TITLE UNLOCKED (UNOFFICIAL): THE UMBRAL JUDGE
WARNING: PERCEPTION AFFECTS FUTURE INTERACTIONS
I pushed it aside.
The titles were no issue.
What was really important was the momentum.
IRON VEIN would go down. GRAVE CHOIR would change its ways. New gangs would come up, more cunning and brutal.
And at some point—
Something larger would pay attention.
As I retreated to the shadows that were protecting BLACK LOTUS's territory, one truth was ringing in my head loud and clear:
Fear had revealed itself.
And it was me.
Not that I liked it.
But that was the price—someone had to take the burden—
So that the rest could rest easy with the illusion of safety.