Chapter 37: The Mission

Aku: Sorry to just break in like this every time.

Sen stood frozen. His muscles tensed. The room felt smaller. Tighter. Aku’s posture was relaxed, but only on the surface.

Aku: I really don’t know how else to approach you.

Sen (hesitant): It’s fine…

Sen looked at his wristband, fingers brushing over it. He considered taking it off. Aku noticed immediately.

Aku: No need to remove that. Kyto can’t hear us.

Sen: You know about this thing?

Aku: Yeah. I used to have one also.

His eyes dropped for a moment, voice softening like a memory passed over him.

Sen: You were in Krutone?

Aku: I was.

Sen took a seat into the chair across but never took his eyes off Aku.

Aku: So, I take it by now you’ve heard the truth about the broken system?

Sen hesitated. His jaw clenched. He looked down at the floor as if the truth were still lying there, unsettled.

Sen: I did.

Aku: So… will you help me?

Sen didn’t answer.

Aku: If you need time to think things through, I understand.

Sen: I don’t know how to answer you.

Aku: Why? Is it because you haven’t made a decision yet?

Sen: Well, partly…

Aku: Care to explain?

Sen leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees

Sen: I told Kyto I would work with them…

Aku waited.

Sen: …but I also don’t believe in them…

Aku: Then join me.

Sen: I don’t… know if I believe in you either…

Aku took a slow breath.

Aku: I understand.

Sen: But, I was hoping to see you. I wanted to know your side. Why are you doing everything you’re doing?

Aku’s eyes softened.

Aku: Sure. You deserve to know by now.

Sen waited.

Aku: I want to unite everyone.

Sen looked confused. His brow furrowed as he leaned back slightly.

Aku: I’m uniting everyone with this war or Zagon outbreak. Whatever you want to call it.

Sen: How does that make any sense?

Aku: Well… if I were to ask you how you would unite everyone, how would you do it?

Sen: Hell if I know.

Aku chuckled. It was short, empty of humor, but not mocking. It was broken.

Aku: You give them a common enemy.

Sen: What do you mean?

Aku: Exactly what I said. You give them a common enemy… and I am that enemy.

Sen: That’s… crazy…

Aku: It is. But look at the results. All the soldiers from various lands are here to fight as one… to stop me.

Sen: And… you’re justifying it by saying it’ll unite them?

Aku: For however many years it’s been, they’ve been assigned to be each other’s worst enemies. They kill each other off at the command of their government… But that’s exactly the sad thing about people. They’ll unite over something they hate… instead of something they love. And if that’s the cases, I’ll be the thing they hate.

Sen’s voice grew with slight frustration.

Sen: But what about all the people who have died because of what you did?

Aku’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t look away.

Aku: It was necessary… I chose to be the necessary evil.

Sen: You’re… insane… So many died because of your actions. Are you actually… insane?

Aku: Probably. But my life was meaningless in the first place, so what does it matter? I might as well as do something with it.

Sen: I don’t read what you’re saying.

Aku: Well… Mom and Dad kept you… and they threw me away.

Aku said it with no anger. No accusation. Just truth. Sen didn’t know how to answer. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound followed.

Aku: From birth, I was already pointless… so I decided I may as well as do something with it.

His tone was too calm. Too rational. Like he’d had to repeat this justification to himself so many times, it became belief.

Sen: But, Aku… this isn’t good. It’s not right.

Aku: It isn’t. I never said it was. I said… it was necessary.

Sen: Necessary for what?

Aku turned his gaze to the ground.

Aku: For change.

Sen: Are you doing this because you’re angry?

Aku: Angry… yes. But not because of what you think.

Sen tilted his head slightly, his brow tightening.

Sen: You’re mad because Mom and Dad chose me instead of you?

Aku: Not at all. I’m happy they chose you.

The honesty in his voice made Sen’s spine stiffen. There was no sarcasm. No venom. Just truth, buried in an ocean of sadness. Aku looked up, his eyes glossed but steady, as if he had accepted that truth long ago.

Sen: Then why?

Aku’s jaw tightened. He took a breath through his nose. His voice held grief.

Aku: I’m angry with the world. I’m angry with how everything is. We’re broken. All of us. Some of us know it. Some of us don’t… and some of us feed from it… like Kyto.

Sen blinked at the name. The sharpness in Aku’s voice when he said “Kyto” wasn’t just anger— it was betrayal mixed with understanding.

Sen: How do you even know about Kyto’s work in the first place? How do you know about this system you’re trying to fight against? Were you involved?

Aku: I mentioned a little about this last time, but I can explain in more details… I was almost involved. You see, I was in the Troita Orphanage for pretty much my whole life. After I aged out, I almost went to see you. You were in Clyden.

Sen: You knew I existed?

Sen leaned forward slightly.

Aku: I did.

Sen: Then why didn’t you come sooner?

Aku’s face faltered for just a second.

Aku: I wanted to… but I wanted to do something good for the world first. I wanted to be someone important… someone worth existing. So, I climbed the political ladder thinking that I could be someone. I helped put together organizations that held rallies, protests, and public speeches that could maybe make change… so no other child had to be without their mother and father… like me… From there, I met Lessa.

Sen: You know Lessa?

Sen's voice had shifted.

Aku: Briefly. She helped me and others get into Krutone. Krutone was supposed to be the place of opportunity, but I found out the only reason why we were chosen was because we were becoming hopeful icons to the public. They wanted to get rid of us, and when I say they, I mean all of them. Kyto, Cayten, Lessa, Andin.

Sen leaned back, his jaw clenched. He ran a hand through his hair, slow and tense.

Sen: And so, you want revenge?

Aku: I also found out that all the wars that went on were because of them. Everything I was fighting for was just a game to them. I believed I could be someone for once, but they thought they could silence me. They were wrong. If war is a game they like to play, I’ll play it right back at them… with their own most powerful weapon… The Orb.

Sen’s hands slowly balled into fists in his lap.

Sen: And so, you answer back with deaths? How does that make sense?

Aku: Deaths are just the results.

Sen looked up sharply, eyes searching Aku’s face for any sign of remorse.

Sen: Aku, you’re killing people.

Aku: And Kyto isn’t?

The retort was calm. Sen looked away slowly.

Aku: Trust me, Sen… I’ve thought about all of this already… and I understand my actions clearly. I’m aware of every move I make and the repercussions of it… and I’ve accepted all the consequences that are coming.

Sen: And you want me to join you on this?

Aku: Well… that’s my hope… that we can take down Kyto together. Not just Kyto, but all of them. Cayten. Lessa. Osin. Forim. Esren. Andin. We’ve already taken down Amalo of Yumitra and Jinra of Allatora.

Sen looked up sharply again.

Sen: And what about everyone else? What are you going to do when these people have all lost their leaders?

Aku’s expression softened, not with guilt, but a strange hopefulness, like he believed the chaos would settle into peace.

Aku: By then, they would’ve already united.

Sen: What? United?

Aku: Yes. They would’ve already united fighting me, the common enemy… and they’ll succeed.

Sen’s face twisted, lips parting in disbelief.

Sen: Wait… do you plan on dying?

Aku smiled. Not with arrogance or sadness, but with peace.

Aku: It’s only a matter of time.

Sen: You’re… sacrificing yourself?

Aku: I am… for the world to change. After these corrupt leaders are gone, maybe the people could try again. They could try the world again. Start over.

Sen couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His heart thudded in his chest with heaviness.

Aku: I’m not asking you to get your hands dirty, Sen. That would be wrong of me.

Aku’s voice was soft but it carried a burden behind it, like he’d rehearsed this in his head a hundred times. He looked away, unable to meet Sen’s eyes just yet.

Sen: Then what exactly are you asking from me?

Aku: I need you to open a portal for me inside Prism Tower when Kyto least expects it. Let me in to finish the job.

Sen blinked hard, his pulse suddenly louder in his ears. He stared at Aku, trying to find any hint of uncertainty, but there was none. Only resolve.

Sen: I don’t even know how to open your portals.

Aku leaned slightly forward.

Aku: I have shards created from The Orb. It’s how my team and I get in and out of the Void. It only works in locations we’ve marked. Krutone has a barrier of Intergy that is unseen. It stopped us from getting in. Prism Tower also has a barrier, but stronger.

Sen: You want me to sneak you in Prism Tower?

Aku: Yes. Not now, but yes.

Sen: What I don’t understand is, why use me? Kyto wants to kill you. You want to kill Kyto… Just go head-to-head. Why am I in the middle?

Aku: Kyto is a calculative… He’ll try to pull something off which is why I need to match the same stealth.

Sen’s head jerked up slightly, a furrow forming on his brow.

Sen: What exactly are you waiting for then? Why not attack now?

Aku: We have a traitor amongst us.

Sen: Who?

Slight pause.

Aku: Penim.

Sen’s breath caught. He leaned back slightly, eyes squinting in disbelief.

Sen: The one who hates Zarnem?

Aku nodded.

Sen: I have more questions… Why are you working with them? Zan. Penim. Sicrus.

Aku took a slow breath.

Aku: Zan was Krutone’s mistake, or so they called him. I don’t particularly like the way he does things, but he gets the job done. Zan is the perfect war machine. The best people for war are the ones who’ll kill without remorse. He wants to see Cayten dead regardless if it’s done by him or someone else. Cayten’s family is responsible for funding all the mutations that go on here in Krutone. It’s what made Zan. They turned him into the monster everyone calls him, so he chose to be exactly that. He’s what they made him for… a war weapon. That’s why these mutated births are happening in the first place. Krutone is creating weapons out of humans.

Sen sat back in his chair, stunned. The concept wasn’t just horrifying. It was terrifyingly plausible.

Sen: And this Sicrus guy?

Aku: That’s my brother.

Sen looked confused, tilting his head slightly.

Aku: Not by blood. He and Josar saved me in the Troita Orphanage. They were my only friends, and we helped each other through everything. I met Mayzen here in Krutone, and he believes in my mission. He used to work with Kyto and is aware of Kyto’s agenda. Same with everyone else who’s with me, even the ones that have died. Penim on the other hand was just a way for us to get into Krutone. He used to be a soldier for Krutone and was supposed to know how to get us in. He wasn’t much help there, but Penim wanted revenge on the system, so we joined together. It was almost a mutual goal but not really.

Sen shook his head slowly. The world was bigger and uglier than he thought and so were the choices.

Aku: I know how it sounds, but this is it… This is us.

Sen: And Penim betrayed you?

Aku: Currently, yes. He’s here in Krutone.

Sen’s jaw clenched tightly. There was no good side in this war.

Aku: His goal is to get revenge on Zarnem. You see, Zarnem betrayed Penim in order to climb the ranks here in Krutone. He and Penim had a mission to stop Osin’s soldiers, and they did, but Osin joined in the fight afterwards. Zarnem turned away from Penim, and Osin killed Penim, or at least that’s what Zarnem believed what happened. The part that is really screwed up is, Osin made a deal with Zarnem during their encounter.

Sen: What?

Aku: Yes. Osin mentioned Zash’s name, Zarnem’s father. Osin lied that he and Zash worked together once before. Osin suggested that if Zarnem leaves, he’d return to Krutone as a hero and climb the ranks to be like his father. Penim didn’t think Zarnem would do it. Even Osin thought it was a big stretch… But Zarnem is selfish and took the offer… and Osin took down Penim.

Sen’s fists clenched tightly now, nails digging into his palms.

Sen: How is Penim alive then?

Aku: Penim froze his own heart and cooled his flesh as if he was dying. It was enough time for Osin to assume his death. Soldiers of Revano went to clean the mess, but Penim had left when the coast was clear. No soldier realized Penim’s escape.

Sen: And you’re not lying?

His voice dropped low, not with suspicion, but with desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, it was a lie.

Aku: I hope not. That’s just the story Penim told us all. Mayzen also confirmed it. To tell you, that’s probably how you got through Revano easily. Zarnem has connections with Osin.

Sen shook his head again, this time slower, more devastated than before. He had remembered how easy it was for them to pass through the White Forest.

Aku: I also knew… Mom and Dad are dead…

Sen: Well, yeah. I told you last time.

Aku: I always knew…

Sen’s breath caught. He didn’t speak.

Aku: I read the news long ago when I was in the orphanage, that Revano and Clyden had fought… Mayzen did some research for me… and he confirmed it… He and Josar found out you were in Clyden, and that you were still alive. I’ve always known about you.

Sen: But you wanted to take care of your mission first?... before seeing me?

His voice was hollow now. There was no anger.

Aku: Yes. And the reason I bring this up is because Zarnem had been working with the very man that sent soldiers to attack Clyden… Osin is the reason you lost Mom and Dad. Osin is the reason I never got to meet them… Osin is the reason I never got to ask if they loved me at all.

Sen’s heart felt like it sank into darkness.

Aku: There you have it. That’s the story of it all. There’s more, but it’s not all that important. You have the key points.

Sen was processing everything but struggling to handle it emotionally.

Aku: So, I won’t be making my move yet. Penim might ruin our plans. He’s going to do what he wants first. After that’s over with, I’ll revisit you. Maybe then, we can work together. Don’t give me a yes or no now. Take time to think about it. I know it’s heavy.

Sen: Why me though?

Aku: Well… it just played out that way.

Sen: How?

Aku: I won’t lie, at first, I did want you to get your hands dirty. I wanted you to fight with me. But then Penim found out that Krutone has stronger Intergy barriers now. Penim was determined to get us in, and through it all, we found out that Zarnem had picked you up from Clyden and was taking you to Krutone. Was it coincidence? I don’t know. I just knew that I wanted you on my side and that Zarnem was using you all for his own gain… And well, now that we’re here… this is where we’re at. This is how it played out. Originally, we were just going to barge in when the summit took place, but since you’re here, maybe thousands more people won’t have to die. I can simply go in, take out the world leaders and then leave.

Sen looked at the ground, trying to figure out his position.

Aku: I will say though, if you choose to do nothing, I’m ok with that too. Just don’t… support Kyto… or any of them. You saw for yourself how much of a monster they can all be… They’re evil, disguising themselves as saviors of the world. They don’t bring order. They bring manipulation… and they do it for their own gain.

Sen: What is Penim going to do?

Aku shrugs slightly.

Aku: I’m almost sure he’s only out to get vengeance on Zarnem. Aside from that, I don’t know. He’s kind of a mad man if I’m honest.

Sen: Let’s say you do kill your targets… Kyto and them… what then? You just die?

Aku: Well, it’s not like I can return to the world, not with all the blood I’m responsible for. All I can hope for now is for change to take place. Maybe the people will elect better leaders… or maybe they won’t… Either way, I’d rather reroll the dice and hope for something new instead of letting those corrupt monsters continue to write lies with ink made of blood.

Aku stood up and opened a portal to the Void.

Aku: This is a lot. I know it is.

Aku stepped through the portal.

Aku: I’ll return after Penim. Be safe, and just stay away from him if you can. Let Krutone take care of him.

Aku looked back at Sen who looked defeated, his gaze fixed on the ground.

Aku: Take care, brother.

The portal closed.