Deception: A Tactician's Card

The Exact Opposite of Dreams

"To tear that pride, I'll tear your lives."

I used my rune card to gave them a taste of failure. The air shook seemingly. I'm not affected of course, but the eleven students suffered my rune card effects.

It's the rune card I used against that impostor. Perhaps I did a miscalculation I amplified this rune card a little too much for them. Ah, I did use that Disposable for them to recover, so...

"W-what is this..."

"Guh!"

"What ominous rune!"

"M-my senses...are failing...me."

"Ugh...so this...this is how you...Yukti..."

Four of them were unconscious on the floor.

No...

They're not showing any signs of life. They're dead.

"What the heck did you do!?"

An enraged Michaela approaches, followed by several familiar individuals. She called their parents and guardians, huh?

"You were watching?"

What I received next is her hardest slap she could muster to my face. The slapping sound echoed in the dome. Of course she would slap me after seeing her sister in this state. She's the only one who did it though. The guests knew about my training regimen -- they're just scratching their heads as they look at the flustered chairperson.

"Of course I would! But what's this!? You just killed them!"

"That I did. However, any moment now and that rune card will activate."

"What rune card!?"

The rune card I had shown before appeared floating on top of them and glimmers a faint light before turning to nothingness. They're Disposables, so that's a given.

"THAT rune card."

"Huh?"

The chairperson's shoulder was tapped by Celes Marshall and shook her head. Her thoughts were vocalized by Christopher Glaives.

"It's no use to try and comprehend his way of doing things, chairperson."

"It is what I have in mind as well."

A dumbfounded Michaela could only tilt her head and mutter, "O-okay...?" as she watched them carry their children and left for the infirmary.

"Who are you really, Yukti?"

"I'm someone who's better in formulating strategy than being in the front lines."

"Then what's that rune card you just used to kill them?"

"Do I really need to tell you?"

"This is an order."

I lowered my head before I respond to her question.

"If that's what you want, then it's fine. I'm about to share this as well."

Both of us proceed to a nearby bench, while I carry Snow on my back. I initiated the conversation with the words that stopped Michaela from taking another step.

"This is the Original rune card I made and based it from a rune card of Cory's."

"Eh?"

Before I resumed, I lay Snow -- who's still unconscious -- on the bench. I then faced at Michaela's direction to answer truthfully what sh asked.

"You did ask what's with that rune card of mine, right?"

"Ah, yes...I did."

"Then, let me share our story."

•••

The next thing I knew, I sat down while caressing my younger sister's hair as I listened to Yukti, who's standing and gazing above.

"There was once a mission that was assigned to the two of us. To sum things up, it's our first time being partners. The task is to expose a certain corrupt official living in the southernmost part of a city. We are to extract evidences and if possible, capture the official. The night before the date of infiltration, we shared what we can do and shown our rune cards. One of her Custom rune cards, the [Dream Maker], allowed the individual to fall asleep. We considered that card to be our ace card, our ticket of success. When we got back in our rooms, an idea struck through my brain and made something out of impulse."

"And that card is?"

"Yes, it's this card that I used on that moment. I apologized to her the next morning, since I made a rune card while basing on hers without permission. I know it's odd, but I did. She just chuckled and forgave me. We didn't realize at that time that this card would help us in such a critical situation."

I never would've thought that that ominous rune card has that kind of history. I asked him what happened next. He sat down near Snow's feet. The bench is long enough for us to fit in.

"We managed to secure some evidence, but we got caught after trying to rescue a couple of slaves chained and were visibly weak from starvation."

It gave me a sudden jolt.

Slavery is not acceptable and was banned all over the world. But to think that there are a handful of individuals who practiced that immoral act... It's unforgivable.

"Cory used her rune card [Dream Maker] to put the enemies to sleep. Alas, the officer got that [Insomnia Ring], a ring that allowed the wearer gain a resistance against sleep status. We might've failed during that time and might lose our lives. Running out of options, I used that new Origin Card without knowing its capability. The end result is having the corrupt official suddenly falling to the ground. He's no longer breathing, his pulse couldn't be felt, and his eyes were still lit but is blank. Cory was astonished to see that. Even I, the one who made it, was in a state of shock. After that, I swore to not use it in its full potential but that promise was broken as I faced that bastard."

Yukti did a sigh, tucked his hand to a pocket and brought out some candies. He chewed one of those and returned the others back to where it was. He then looked at Snow, who's sleeping soundly.

"She'll wake up this afternoon. Let me take her to the infirmary then."

"Ah no, you better lay her on my office's sofa."

"Very well."

He walked away, carrying Snow on his back once more. As I watched him going towards the exit, I noticed that his footsteps are heavier -- not in a literal manner. His footsteps could be heard across the dome and with every step I hear formed ripples in my clouded mind.

"You seem to bear a lot of pain. Am I right, Yukti?"

She know that what he told her doesn't shed a small ounce of loneliness. But how Yukti told the story proved how he was devastated upon knowing Cory's death.