Raven and Zach rush to the enemy in front of them at the same time as the guard fires their gun. Their figures continue to evade the incoming bullet as they can see the bullet fly in slow motion. Raven reaches in front of the guard soon, a smirk plastered on her face. She swings her claws, ducks a bullet, and kicks another guard. Her kicks make the guard crashes to the wall and dies instantly. It's not an exaggeration, Noctacian can even crush a car if they want.
On the other side, Zach fight at a faster speed than Raven, he punches the guard's stomach, split them into two with his claw, or snaps their neck. The fight is finished in five minutes like Zach said before. Blood splattered on the floor and walls, its color turns the white room to red. A thick rancid smell rise in the air, several shapeless lumps of flesh lay on the floor, while others crumbled like mush.
Some of the guards who were not completely dead were still able to scream even though the pieces of their bones and flesh were scattered everywhere, some organs still twitch on the floor, it was complete carnage. Both of them are wet with blood, but none care about it. Raven holds a lump of flesh in her hand and eats it with one movement.
"Thanks for the meal," she said.
"Really? Do you have to eat here, cousin?" Zach scrunched his eyebrow.
"What? I haven't eaten my dinner," Raven shrugged.
"Whatever, let's hurry before the second batch come," Zach grumbled.
They run out of the building until they reach a place two kilometers from the base. Zach leads Raven into a more secluded place where he leaves the car he used to get there.
"Come on," Zach invited Raven to hop in.
"How's the village?" Raven asks after she got inside.
"Awful, many fallen and we couldn't retrieve their body."
After a few moments of silence, Raven asks again, "What else?"
"Mia lost her husband, her child, and her brother," Zach said with a heavy voice.
"How is she?"
"Bad, I don't know if she can keep sane after this," Zach sighed.
"How about my soul-bond?"
"She asked about you many times, and we can't keep her from knowing the truth. So we told her your condition."
"What?! Why did you tell her that?!" Raven snapped.
"It's not me, it was Adie. Don't worry, you can tell her that you're safe after we reach the village."
"Oh God, great," Raven groaned.
"You're welcome," Zach said sarcastically.
***
"So she got away?" the leader of the Visa family asked.
"Yes, Sir. A man rescued her from the facility. Should we continue to attack them?" his subordinate asked.
"No, for now, we cease the plan. We lost many assets on the exchange. Next, shall we give them another gift? You can prepare for your departure now, you know what your mission, right?"
"Crystal, Sir."
"Good, go now," the leader ordered.
The leader opens the window's curtain, the sunlight falls on his face making his face visible for the first time. His grey hair falls freely on his shoulders, his green eyes watch everything with indifference.
"Let's see if you can find the traitor. I hope you can entertain me more, Alma," he whispered.
***
Raven walks down the path that leads to Haizar stone, she just arrived at the village five minutes ago but she needs to go there and sees it from her own eyes. After she arrives at the huge stones, her eyes trail to the new names written on the stone. She counts it, at least fifty Noctacian and some soul-bond fall on the field. She traces the names with her right hand and sighs. There are many things she needs to do as the village leader, she doesn't have time to be weak.
She feels lucky, at a time when she feels down like this she can turn back to her soul-bond. Raven smiles softly when she remembers her lazy soul-bond, after this the first thing she has to do is appease her soul-bond.
***
Alma sits beside the river. She's been sitting in there for the past few days as long as she has time. Her mind is full of the event that happened in these three days. Alma followed everything, from the burial ceremony on the stone, joined the Noctacian in burning some kind of plant to ward off bad influence, visited those who are injured, and met the pregnant woman who lost her baby.
She feels like she has experienced one year's worth of sadness in just three days. Deep down, Alma keeps feeling everything is her fault. She feels if she wasn't here, the Noctacian won't have to experience all of this. She feels guilty for all of those who lost their loved ones. She knows how they feel because she has lost her parents and brother in the hand of her own family.
"How do I live without the ones I love.
Times still turns the pages of the book it's burned.
Place and time always on my mind
I have so much to say but you're so far away," Alma sings in a low voice.
Suddenly, she feels a touch in her head. She looks up and sees Rohan patting her head.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Nothing," she whispered.
"It's okay if you mourn, but don't do it too long Alma. The death has gone and the life must go on," he said.
"I know."
"How long are you going to be like this?" Rohan sighed.
"I don't know. Why do you care, anyway?"
"Because I take you as my sister."
"What?!" Alma exclaimed, she looks at Rohan with a confused face.
"You resemble my sister, she was just like you when she lost her baby. I know how it feels to lost the one you love, to not have a home, so I want to give you one. You're not alone anymore, you can take me as your family," he explained.
"That's the most beautiful thing I ever heard in my life," Alma said with a smile.
"Now, let's go back. I will introduce you to my little sister. I think she will like you," he offered his hand to Alma.
"Sure," Alma grabs his hand and walks away from the river.
A small smile on her lips, now she has a home again. At that time she doesn't know that another storm is coming for her.