Still Under a Spell

To Jisoo it felt like she was losing her touch. She has been guarding the little girl with her heart and soul. She was sure that as long as she still had her weapons at hand. She'd be able to do it. She'd be able to protect anything.

But she was a fool to think that a killer could protect. She held an arrogance in her that became her doom. Even those two who she had trusted were simply not enough to protect anything.

In her mind she asked what she was protecting her for in the first place. She had somewhat forgotten it. She had been so focused on the little girl's life that she had forgotten her own pains. Maybe that's why she was slipping. She tripped on the job and that got her killed. It was a quiet death. A painless one. A needle that bit the little girl and was just dead.

Then they came after her. She was able to take down forty of them. But these monsters in expensive hardware were able to overwhelm them. What they were after was the corpse and they got it. By the time that she was able to escape, they were able to collapse the Takemura business within one shot. Another Company rises in their stead, and all that she has worked on drained.

Running away she realized her mistake. She secured the Takemura heiress but not the rest of their people. Fear was not optimal when it comes to these holders. The moment they found a way. Their fear vanished and they became rabid enough. Who was after them made no sense.

The two she hired weren't able to keep up. She didn't want to lose those two younglings so she fought until even her ghost-tech gave up on her. She was augmented, so they kept her cuffed and placed her into a maximum security prison, waiting for judgment and hoping to squeeze all information from her.

It was an iron box that was keeping her weak. It was not the usual room one would place on someone. Battered, bloodied, and weakened by the fight. Jisoo almost wished for death. She couldn't stand the failure. She couldn't swallow the idea that she had lost everything again. She doubts those two would come after her. Not after what happened. They were loyal, those two. But they were also not stupid enough to come after her. They had ambition and they would not risk that ambition for someone like her. If it was anything else, she'd be expecting them already.

But the situation this time was beyond them. She was already grateful enough that they risked their lives for her. But it all fell apart simply because of how unprepared they were to fight a war against these scheming corporations. Jisoo lowered her head down. She closed her eyes painfully. Her heart was in disarray and yet she found herself thinking back to her time in Agua. It was a short time. So short yet so sweet.

She recalled Nikolai. The way he looked at her. How his eyes seemed to drink her in. She liked seeing her figure in Nikolai's eyes. How he cared and separated the housework. She enjoyed the warmth and care. He knew that she was strong, but she felt glad being treated as if she was normal. At first she felt that she was using him to ease her pains, but as days passed, that thought left her, and genuine affection flooded her.

Then that awfulness happened.

She felt her heart burn and all that was left was that tranquil fury. She couldn't even protect her people. Why did she think that she could protect others who relied on her?

Her mood soured. Her heart grows darker as she spends time in this dark and isolated chamber. She wondered what would be her end? Will she die here after they have enough information? She deduced that most of the contents of the Takemura's wealth are going to be gone. These men were thorough and they knew how to take business. Pacifica wasn't exactly as righteous as the ads on TV made people believe.

She hated these people. She hated the people who took everything away from her. She had nothing now and if they tried anything that would dishonor her. She'll do everything in her power to hunt them down and kill them all.

Her mind warped. She didn't care about the darkness surrounding. Kim Jisoo was keeping that flame of wrath covered by a steel wall. Then it all went silent. The bit of light that was seeping in vanished. Her hearing was keen enough to hear any noises and from the red light that had mixed in with the light. It was red. She could hear that distinct sound of a bullet hitting a wall. The chaos that ensues once the fighting starts. Did those two really come after her? She didn't want them to die. Still, that warped darkness was fended off by the thought of someone rescuing her.

She particularly didn't like being a damsel in distress. Jisoo focused her ears on the noises and slowly the sound dissipated as if a great terror behold them.

She saw something crawl in the gap of the room. It was a miniature spider that looked up to her and scanned her whole being. The spider released a blue light before heading back in.

Jisoo could hear footsteps coming. Both human and mechanical. She waited as these mechanical things cracked open the iron chamber she was trapped in. veiled by the red light of the alarm. As the person closed in she saw a familiar mask. It was a digital mask that she had personally bought.

At first shock came to her and then rage came. The person who wore the mask took another and turned off the digital mask. Then a face appeared in front of Jisoo, a face that she'd never thought of seeing again.

Was she imagining herself?

"Sorry, I wasn't able to contact you. Brain injuries are hard to heal even with current tech."

"You expect me to believe that?" she said tearfully. "I mourned for you."

"It's what it is. I have a tough body. Survived through the skin of my teeth."

He operates the drones and breaks her chains. She stands up and then glares at Nikolai. There was no expression on his face. She slaps him on the cheeks and then follows it with a punch to the gut.

"You lied to me. Why did you only have to come now?"

He didn't answer. He held out his hand and she followed after. She saw the destruction that he caused. The ruined office cubicles and the members of the organization flat on their faces. Some have it worse.

The turrets were turned against them. The rest of their drones were finishing them off. There was something horrifying about all of this. A sense of dread that she doesn't usually feel. Her anger was replaced by curiosity and the warmth of the hand that led her away made it clear.

"Here's your weapon. I made additional enhancements to it."

Jisoo took the blade. "I failed."

"No, you did your best. I should be the one apologizing for being downed so early. Giving you this burden that you shouldn't have carried in the first place."

"Where were you?"

"Karagi. I had to go there to stay alive. Some things happened that tethered me to that place."

"Is it related to this?"

She looked at the drones.

"Yes."

They got out of the building. She saw aerial vehicles and a drone swarm covered the perimeter of the building. A hologram of a woman appeared, projected by one of the drones.

"Master, the area has been secured. All threats have been neutralized."

"Thank you, Sai."

"Who is she?"

"A digital personality. She has been serving as my assistant alongside a few people."

Her eyes blackened as she stared at him. She was looking at him as if figuring out which one was a lie. He instructed something and it didn't take long for the drone swarm to completely eliminate the trace left behind by the attack. They boarded an aerial vehicle and swooped to the skies.

Inside the aerial transport. Nikolai took out the medical kit and started treating Jisoo. There were numerous cuts on her arms and body. He took an auto-syringe and stabbed her with it.

"It'll heal your wounds. Saw the aftermath. Guess the Specters were after you alongside the government."

"Governor had his stake in these corporations. No wonder they were so eager to do this properly."

"They are quite something. Raise your hand?"

She raised her hand quietly. She leaned her forehead on him. "Are you real?"

"I am."

"You changed."

"Getting shot changes you. I was afraid to see you. I couldn't help myself and help you. Told myself that I wouldn't be afraid if it meant helping you."

Nikolai treated her wounds and left the Pacifica airspace. After being treated she grew silent. Sometimes glancing at Nikolai who operated his drones and were conversing with her AI.

She pinched herself. There was no change. The aerial vehicle remained in the air until it arrived in the Karagi airspace. She followed Nikolai in the building and when he was about to leave. She stopped him and pinned him on the ground.

Tears leaked out of her eyes. Nikolai watched with an open mouth. He reached out for a little.

"You should have been with me."

"I know."

"Why do you appear during times like these? Do you enjoy seeing me hurt? I mourned for you. My heart bled for you."

"I don't dare to ask forgiveness, but if you allow me. Then allow me to help you. That's all I ask of you."

She bit her lower lip and then placed her fingers around Nikolai's neck. There was a warp of madness in her eyes. The same kind of madness that she had while fighting. She desired what she desired and almost gave up only for one of the few people she knew and loved to appear before her.

It played with her heart. It mocked her. And yet she couldn't put strength into her. She didn't want comfort. She blamed him for the pain. And yet here she was clinging to the man who should have been dead. The man who had scarred her heart and appeared to save her.

Real or fake. She didn't care. She couldn't care. Not with her heart bleeding. Not when she felt lost and helpless. While she had nothing, he'd appear in front of her to show that she still had some. It was unfair. It didn't feel right to her.

She placed her forehead on his forehead. She let her tears wet Nikolai's face. She sobbed. Body-shaking cries escape out of her as she screams her pain out. Nikolai reached out for head and patted her back.

Her cries went on until she couldn't let out a single sound. She stayed on Nikola's chest, clasping on his clothes. Nikolai held her and stayed silent. She sat up and stared at Nikolai with a gaze fixed on the buttons of his clothes.

She raised a finger.

"One last time. This is the last time. You know me already. And I will not accept it. If you try to die so easily in front of me again. I wouldn't believe you. I'd carry your corpse if I have to. So, all that I ask from you, is to never leave me."

"If you'd allow me to stay by your side. I won't."

"I will. You have my permission to do so."

Nikolai embraced her assertively. He wrapped his hands around her and carried to a much comfortable place. Jisoo didn't want to think. All she wanted was to find comfort. She abandoned herself for now so she can ease the hurt later.