Chapter 12: Breakers

POV: Mysterious Gteju

"Take him and the girl."

So, it seems my sister has lost her damn mind. Thank the Light, we aren't blood-related, or I'd fear for my mental capacities when I reach her age.

~ I can feel you worrying. It's fine, Vnexi(Nexi); he looks relatively easygoing. See, he's laughing it off.~

~ Sky, are you that naive? I told the 7 of you before that boy is a predator. You should let me deal with him, Vnexi. ~

~ Rouge, you think everyone is a threat. Always wanting to fight someone, you're the only predator here, hehe. ~

~ Which is precisely why I know what to look for, Ray. The boy will not tolerate this; Quinn hasn't budged, which makes it evident that she doesn't even see these little lizards as a threat. If this continues, they'll just be something for this hatchling to sharpen his teeth on.~

~ I still think you're over-react-~

"The audacity of this bitch."

~Seems Rouge was correct.~

I commented to myselves. It was never boring with the 8 of us constantly in my head. Still, I'll be damned if I could have just 2 minutes to properly think things through without them inserting themselves into my train of thought. However, this time it seemed all of their focus was on the young Gteju in front of me. He seemed pissed right now. Not surprising, not just Rouge, but I'd doubt I'd be able to stop myself from being angry by my sister's actions. I motioned for the guards assigned to me to remain where they were. I wouldn't let my people die, just for my sister to have a pissing contest with a fellow Gteju.

"Look at all these loyal dogs. I can't help but wonder how well trained they are. Let's test them." The little Gteju mocked as he looked at hired guards making their way towards him. Unsurprisingly, neither his sisters nor that Aonani girl made a move, and none of them seemed to care at all.

"Sit!" He commanded with a simple hand motion.

At his command, a force descended on the guards. I focused on perceiving his AOS. What I saw with my eyes startled me,

"Gravity, Iwon!" I let out a startled gasp as the guards all crumbled to the ground, unable to handle the weight of their bodies. They did all they could not fall entirely on their backs, powered by their will and pride alone. Zac seemed unimpressed as he made another hand motion.

"Rollover." He commanded. With a slight tilt of his neck, the guards were forced to roll over sharply, face planting into the ground. This time he used Vector, but that was far less surprising as I'd already known the moment our eyes connected that he was a Gteju. He chuckled as the groans escaped the mouths of the prone guards. He seemed rather pleased with himself at the moment. Rouge behaved much the same when she had prey in her grasp.

"Good, very good. Now, play dead." His voice and his dark violet eyes were both devoid of emotion. After he spoke, there was a second oppressive wave of force that bore down on the guards. Low guttural cries echoed out, accompanied by the sounds of breaking bones and snapping tendons.

"Enough!!! Quinn! Get that little beast under control!" My sister screamed, her voice drenched with indignation.

~Idiot should've known something like this was going to happen. She relies too much on what you are. It’s going to be her downfall one of these days.~

~Good.~

~And you all say that I'm the predator.~

Rouge and I conversed as I took in the looks of gratitude from my guards, who avoided having 80% of their bodies broken. Zac looked like he was about to say something when Quinn brought up her hand, stopping him from speaking.

"Normally, I'd agree that Zac may have gone a bit too far. However, it seems you do know who I am. I was under the impression that you had no idea, and I assumed your information network was lackluster." Her voice was calm; she hadn't moved; she hadn't even turned to look at Hilali. She didn't look at any of us. As if we were so beneath her as to not be worthy of her gaze. Yet every word she softly spoke hammered in the corner of my mind. It was a primal fear that began to creep inside me and all of my other selves. Even Rouge seemed to be submissively hanging on her every word.

"Yet, that is not the case. You are fully aware of who I am; even still, you boldly march yourself onto my property and make such demands. I do believe you have put me in the unfortunate situation of having to agree with my little brother." She finally turned her head to stare Hilali in the eyes. The pupils in her ruby eyes slit like that of a Gteju, and they began to glow, as she nearly snared at my foolish adopted sister,

"Indeed, you bitch… are quite audacious." Hilali nearly collapsed when the two finally met eyes. Quinn then looked over at me and then scoffed.

"You thought that little thing would make me fear you? That the Council would value you over me because you manage to get your hands on a little hatchling?!"

"She's not just any Gteju!"

"I can see that; she's a Breaker. What about it?" Quinn responded with a smirk as she looked over at me. She was a full-grown Gteju and powerful once at that. She was a true apex predator, one who could use those eyes of hers to see straight through me. The posturing Zac and I performed earlier must have seemed like two cute little puppies messing around. Before Hilali could respond, Zac spoke up,

"What's a Breaker?" I looked over at him, and it seemed that he was genuinely curious. Considering what he was, I could only assume he lived a somewhat sheltered life.

"There are laws and rules in the Castle. Laws that all universes and everything in them follows. Breakers are beings that are the exception to those rules, beings who break them. That girl is a Breaker and one that only our Gteju species is known to produce. You are also a Breaker."

Quinn spoke again, ignoring Hilali once again. It was getting under her skin as she yelled,

"There is only one Breaker produced by the Gteju every few millennia. How could he possibly be~."

"He's Iwon and Gteju…" I interrupted my sister, who seemed to have choked on her next word. She then turned to look at Zac in abject horror. She wanted to shout that it was impossible, but she knew I would never make such a joke, not in this situation. She also knew the very reason one was called a Breaker was that they were impossible. She seemed to calm herself and began,

"Regardless of what he is, there are rules to follow in the Black Market."

"Intimidation failed, so now you want to talk about rules? You slimy little monitor lizard." Quinn spoke with disdain in her voice. It was no secret that the Lizeodian prided themselves in being something akin to Gteju. Still, they were just little lizards. Zac, who was now staring at me, turned his attention back over towards Hilali and then said,

"What rules are we talking about?"

"Members of the Black Market are forbidden from killing other members or their families," Hilali looked coldly at Zac. She did not believe that Quinn wouldn't have told him at least this much.

"Yeah, and what rule did I break again? For one, I'm not part of the Black Market, so that rule hardly applies to me. Second, even if I was, how am I to know who he is? I don't know you. Third, let's stop pretending you care." I couldn't help but smile as I watched Zac confront Hilali. Everything he said was true, especially his last point.

"He was my nephew!!!" Hilali said through a rancor-filled roar.

"A nephew who you treated like a hired goon. He didn't have any guards. Instead, he was part of security. Sent on errands to hunt down young ladies for your gross son. Even though he was superior to your son in just about every way." This time it was Aonani that snapped back at my sister.

"Pfft, hehehe… erm sorry." I apologized, trying to hold back my laughter. Rouge was getting out of control lately.

~ Don't put that on me; that was 100% you, Vnexi.~

I don't believe I would do something so callous as to laugh at the death of a family member, even ones I didn't care much for.

~ You're not related by blood, so who cares. They all can die!~

~Rouge, that's so mean!~

~Ray, you're too nice. We all know what we are to them.~

My selves all went silent at that moment, as the big idiot finally opened his mouth,

"In what way was that loser better than me? Huh?!"

"He looked better than you; he was smarter than you by a large margin. Had better control over not only himself but the people who worked for you and was quite a bit stronger from what I heard," Aonani responded without hesitation. I never really liked this girl, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't find her impressive.

"To my understanding, no females were born this generation; that means the succession would fall to a male." The green-haired sister, who had been silent and mildly annoyed this entire time, finally spoke.

"You have no right to speak of the affairs of the Black Market," Hilali responded.

"Screw the Black Market. If we feel like it, we can turn the whole thing upside down." This time the one with the headphones spoke.

"Such talk is against the mandate; Quinn controls your sisters." My brother-in-law spoke.

"Let me tell you something about the mandate and rules of the Black Market. The only ones that apply to me are the ones I feel like observing. We are not on the same level." Quinn's threat was obvious and laid bare before us. If she wanted to, she would kill all of us, and she wouldn't even suffer a slap on the wrist for the trouble. Even in the Black Market, no one wanted to get on the wrong side of the most prolific assassin in the Castle, especially when they were a Gteju.

"Yes, yes, my lovely sisters are all so strong and amazing, enough posturing." Zac laughed as he looked back over at Hilali, who was doing her best to hold back both her screams of rage and cries of fear.

"From what I understand, you run your family right now, but who's next is decided by the Council within the Black Market. The only real stipulation being it remains in the hands of a blood relative, preferably female. From my point of view, it seems I did you guys a favor, and you're just putting up an act."

~Exactly! I said the same thing. She's so obvious. She sent him to do anything shady or dangerous, hoping he'd get caught or killed. Now she acts like she's so upset.~

~Night, how are you so sure that's what she was doing?~

~Because in her situation, I'd do the same thing. Only better, cleaner. Hmmm, yeah..~

Myselves all shivered as we peeked into Night's thoughts. Even Rouge was forced back in the presence of Night. Amid our reeling, Hilali asked a familiar question.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Simple, if I were in your situation, I would've done the same thing. Only better, cleaner. Hmmm, yeeeahh…" Zac spoke as he seemed to be lost in thought. The look of excitement on his face seemed to send a shiver down the spines of everyone there.

~I like him.~

Night responded with a rarely heard glee in her voice. Of course, she liked him; they were cut from the same cloth, at least on the surface. Hilali stood there in silence, not knowing what to say next. However, she quickly collected herself.

"Regardless of what you think of me. There are still procedures to follow. You may not be part of the Black Market yet, but you are a child, and responsibility falls on your sister." Zac stared at Hilali like she was an idiot as she spoke. He didn't see himself as a child. I felt much the same when it came to this topic; however, compared to the old creatures around us, even if we reach 100s of years old, we might still be considered children in their eyes.

"This much is true. I would have gladly compensated you for the death of your nephew if you came with the proper respect. However, I no longer feel the need to extend such courtesy." Quinn said once again, not caring to look at Hilali; she instead looked around at the guards that were still lying prone on the ground.

"Devin, remove these eyesores from the property. Dispose of the dead bodies cleanly. Ms. Galdent, you can see yourself out." As she spoke, Aqua green light lit up the ground under our feet. Three bodies dissolved into particles, while the other still-alive bodies gently floated to the gate. I could hear Hilali's teeth grating together, and she then turned to look at me. I let out a sigh,

"Ms. Quinn, please reconsider. We can not go back with nothing." I said, with no enthusiasm, as I didn't care one way or the other.

"What do you mean? You're going back with your lives. What compensation can be more precious?" Quinn said with a smirk. That same arrogant smirk appeared on Zac and his sister's faces as well. If I didn't believe they were relatives before, I'd have no choice but to believe so now. The only one who seemed surprised out of the group was Aonani. It was clear that she hadn't spent much time with this family. If she had, I doubt she'd have needed to run away from those idiots in the first place.

I know Hilali; I know she was scared, but her pride wouldn't allow for such fear, and it was replaced with rage. She clenched her fist and then took a stand,

"You may be something important to the Council, but I'll be damned if I back off like this. You have to kill us all now because I refuse to believe nothing will happen to you for wiping out a Black Market family." She was sweating. Sizuru and Sizuru Jr. looked as if they had seen a ghost.

On the other hand, I wasn't too worried; Gteju rarely, if ever, went after each other. I had been cautious about showing my displeasure with the current going on as well. My guards and I stood there waiting for a good show.

"Ehh, fine…" Quinn said rather flatly. Was that how the infamous Hilali would be signed to death?

"Winne, ventilate her, but keep her alive." As she said this, the green-haired woman pulled a gun out of storage space faster than my eyes could track. There was no sound, no actual warning; she hadn't even moved from her sitting position. There was only Hilali's painful groan and the sight of blood pouring out of her right chest. There was now an apparent hole. But there was no sign of a projectile insight. The one they called Winnie put her gun away as quickly as she pulled it. Only the sound of wind left any indication that she had made a move at all.

"You see, I don't have to lift a finger. My sisters are adults and not official members of the Black Market; they have full autonomy to act as they wish. At most, they have to join the Black Market to avoid being hunted down. You know the Council will never pass up on remarkable talents."

Quinn spoke with a certainty that only someone like her would have. She tilted her head to the side, smiling at Hilali, and asked,

"So little lizard… you wanna try again? How about we start from the top, hmm? What is the proper way to greet your superiors?"

Hilali looked at Quinn with hate-filled eyes. She was the maddest I'd ever seen her. It didn't help that Zac found the whole situation hilarious and made no effort to hide his glee. I doubt that I'd be able to keep my cool under such circumstances. Now my sister seemed to find herself in a relatively tight spot. Would she let her pride get the best of her at this moment? While I didn't care for her, I hated her. This is not the ending I would see for her. It was too quick and far to clean. I walked over towards her, placing a hand on her wound. I channeled Soul Source to stop the bleeding.

"You need to back down this time, Hilly. This isn't a fight we can win, nor one we should take." I said to her with pleading eyes.

Sizuru touched his wife's lower back,

"I agree with your sister on this one, love. Maybe we should take a step back this time."

"Ah, mom… umm." Sizuru Jr., that big idiot, was too afraid to make a coherent statement. Before we came here, he was so sure that he'd be able to take out Zac himself to prove his worth. After finding out he was a Gteju and how easily he got rid of those guards, it was already a miracle he wasn't shitting his overalls.

"Fine, I was insulting and disrespectful. Please, accept my apologies Ms. Zym."

Hilali let out a sigh of defeat. After such rage and embarrassment, all that remained was depression. She now knew how high the Sky was; she was maybe starting to understand that more was needed to become successful, other than me being special. On the other hand, Quinn seemed to be staring into Hilali's very soul, maybe discerning whether or not she was sincere. After what seemed like forever, a radiant smile emerged on her face.

"Good! Apology accepted! Now we can talk about your compensation for the death of your nephew."

When she said this, all of us looked at her like we thought we heard wrong. She seemed so adamant just moments ago that our compensation would be our lives.

"Oh, don't look so surprised. I fully intend to compensate you if you come with the proper attitude. However, you came here waging your little lizard tails while trying to hide behind a hatchling, and I became a bit perturbed."

Quinn spoke, and Hilali looked away in shame. It was true; it was a strategy that she had been using since my first shedding. It was apparent, but there wasn't much that most people could do about it, even within the Black Market.

"What compensation can we expect then?"

"Well, I hear you have a business, no doubt to up your standing in the organization. The quickest way to do that is through profit, and there's only so much you can do as a loan shark. I also hear your business is on the verge of collapse."

"You're going to invest as compensation?" Sizuru interjected this time.

"No. You lack funds, yes, but there's something else you lack that's more important. Even if I invest, it won't help fix the problem, and it would just be a waste of my money. What you need is vision and direction."

"And you will prove that?" Hilali seemed to be unconvinced.

"That gun that just drilled a hole in your chest is a completely original design created by Winnie. Lynoe over here has an excellent eye for talent."

"Yeah, these guards you guys hired were complete trash. I could find better on the streets if given a few hours." The brown and golden-haired woman spoke. The guards around me looked at her, a little upset, but decided to stay quiet.

"Of course, there are other things I have in mind. All of them centered around -"

"Arms and Security," Hilali responded with a knowing smile on her face.

"You want to go into business together? Why not start your own?"

"This is easier. Besides, if the Council hears about me opening my own business."

"If it's you, they'll want their hands deep in that pot, mostly to stop you from gaining too much too fast."

Quinn and Hilali began to converse about the interworking of the Black Market. It came down to Quinn being the most prolific assassin working for the Black Market. If she also became one of their top monetary gainers, her influence would erode the Council's. While starting your own business had to be reported and approved by the Council, that wasn't necessary if you joined an already established business.

~ Quinn's appetite is more extensive than I expected. I doubt Hilali would be able to pass up the chance to ride her coattails. Hehehe, if we're lucky, maybe Quinn will push her out and take everything.~

I heard Night cackling to herself in the reaches of my consciousness. If that was the case, then,

"I accept!" Hilali yelled out after her opportunity to elevate the Galdents was all but thrown into her lap.

"Very well, let's head inside and discuss the details, and I'll treat that wound. Kids stay outside and play."

Quinn slowly rose as she headed towards the door, followed by Hilali and her husband. As she left, I could think back to what I had witnessed. Quinn was a gentle yet unstoppable force. She maintained her perfect posture this entire time, like an unmoving statue. Yet, when she walked, it was smooth and graceful; it was overflowing with the elegance of a Ruler. She is magnificent; she is perfection; she is my aspiration!

~OOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Someone has a crush! How cute!~

~Shut up, Ray!! It's not a crush!!! It's admiration, I think.~

~So a girl crush. Oh, Vnexi, how cute. You're so cute!~

I hate it here.

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