"Akai, pull the lever, pull the lever!"
The car had stopped just inches away from the wall. Sky almost had a heart attack. Teaching Akai how to drive had proven to be extremely tough.
"This is just too much," Akai said, barely breathing. "Why am I learning how to drive, anyway?"
"Everyone learns how to drive," Sky replied, holding onto the seatbelt tightly. "You have to learn sooner or later."
"That would be a later concern," she said. "And I'm just fifteen, and you're the same."
"The earlier you learn, the better."
Both of them got out of the car and ran as fast as they could away from it. Within seconds, they checked to see if the car had any tiny scratches. They found none.
"Why did it have to be a Lamborghini?" Akai uttered. "Why not something else?"
"Because it's my favorite."
"It's not yours, though."
"Still, no one would find out it was stolen in the chaos."
"Thief."
"You helped me with that," he said. "That makes you my accomplice."
"Whatever," said Akai, feeling defeated. "Teach me more about driving."
"Okay," Sky agreed.
He stayed there for hours, teaching Akai how to drive. Sky just wanted to have some fun for the first time in a long while. Plus, learning how to drive was really important these days. He was very surprised when Akai said she'd rather sit in the back seat and let someone else drive. That did not make sense to him. Many people would die to get a license.
Both of them were underage for driving, but it wouldn't hurt to learn just in case.
"Are we done for today?" asked Akai.
"You insisted on learning."
"But you're teaching me, so you should know when to stop," she said. "So, are we done? I'm tired."
"Yeah, we can call it a day."
"Okay," she said with enthusiasm and packed her things.
Sky watched her from afar, thinking about how she had mastered the basics in just one day and four hours. That was incredible. It had taken him weeks to learn the basics. Akai was a fast learner. Yet, she complained about how bad she was and that she didn't like driving. She underestimated herself a lot, he thought.
That didn't matter to him anymore as he had taught her the basics. Now she just needed to learn the basic skills of driving and a few special moves.
While walking back to the station, Sky said, "Akai, I've noticed that you've been exercising in the mornings for the past few weeks."
"I wasn't exercising; I was training."
"Training for what?"
"To get stronger."
"For what reason?"
"Anything."
"Such as?"
"Anything…" she shrugged, not understanding what he wanted as an answer. "Then evaluate your question."
"There has to be a reason you're training and why you started training," he said. "I mean, I saw you training with a sword and using martial arts."
"So you were spying on me?" she asked, looking dismayed.
"You're not going to answer, right?" he said, feeling annoyed, and walked faster away from her. "I'm leaving."
"You're acting like a girl giving all the hints of love to her crush but he doesn't understand anything."
"That's exactly what I'm doing."
"Hey, wait, I'll tell you," Akai laughed as she ran after him and managed to grab his hand to stop him. "I'll tell you."
Akai told him how she had spent most of her time at Kiara's home, which was basically a martial arts training center, every time she visited. She was mesmerized by how they trained; it was impossible for her to learn, but she always watched them in wonder.
One day, Kiara's father made an offer for her to train alongside Kiara and Chi. Akai was surprised to see Chi there. She woke up at four a.m. and came back at six. At first, it was hard, but slowly she got used to it. This went on for the past four years.
"No wonder you developed a habit of it," said Sky.
"Yeah, a beautiful and unusual sword full of power."
Not long after that, Akai sat with her three friends in the meeting room, having a little party after a while. 'At times like these, having fun is the best thing,' she thought, and spending time with her friends was most comforting. Her parents were strict and wouldn't let her meet with her friends outside school. Therefore, all of them enjoyed their moments together, even if it was for a short while.
"It's been a while since we had time for us," said Lily, looking at each one of them. "Let's eat all we can."
"For tonight, we shall enjoy to our heart's content," Akai completed Lily's sentences, and they all cheered. They spoke and ate, and at the end of the little party, all three of Akai's friends bought a little something for her.
"What is this?" Akai asked, feeling confused. "Why did you bring out a secret cake?"
"Well, today is your birthday, silly," said Lily, smiling at her. "Did you forget?"
"It's August 17 today," said Kiara, giving a gentle smile.
"And the cake is for you," said Rose, lighting the candle. "And it's full chocolate just for you." She looked at Akai. "You'd never forget ours. You would even gift us, so how could you expect that we wouldn't do the same?"
"You could have just wished me," said Akai.
"No way, that would be too lame and boring," argued Kiara. "Let's cheer for a long life," she said, as all of them clinked their cola bottles together.
'You are all my present for this lifetime,' thought Akai as she enjoyed the party.
Yue came running and burst through the door. He was pale as a ghost, huffing like a madman. "A monster broke in!"
Ten minutes ago, Maria, the girl known for her beauty and kindness, while carrying a few mattresses to another room, noticed someone outside through the window in the downpouring rain. She couldn't make out whether it was a man or a woman; however, she heard them asking for help.
"Please help, please," the person cried out. "I need help." She raised her hands towards Maria, hoping she would pull her into the station. "I am in pain."
Having a kind heart, Maria couldn't let the person outside suffer anymore. She rushed back down to bring her in. Carrying her umbrella, she walked down the slippery stairs and opened the gates of the station.
The person sat on the wet pavement, waiting for her to get closer. But Maria did not approach any further as she remembered Akai's warnings. The person looked very pitiful; she was weak and had no strength to get up. Maria hesitated but had to help. She went closer to the woman and sheltered her with the umbrella from the rain.
"Please come in," said Maria. The woman lifted her hand to hold Maria's hand. However, instead, she grabbed onto Maria's hand. "Thank you for your invitation, girl," said the woman, "I won't need you anymore, little girl." The woman's voice changed, and she gave a devilish grin.
Maria was terrified as she couldn't take her hand away from the person's grip. The person pulled Maria towards her, throwing her into the road behind her. Then, she made her way into the station, closing the gates behind her. Maria tried to push the gates open, but they were blocked by a seal that could only be opened by the monster that had passed through. She was stuck outside.
The monster blew the door open with magic, causing a loud sound. Seeing the monster on the CCTV, Yue rushed to inform Akai.
"What?" she said in disbelief. "How can that happen?"
"It's causing chaos outside," he said worriedly. "You need to go."
"Lily, Rose," Akai called out her friends' names. "Both of you stay here."
They nodded to her. "Kiara, come along."
"Yeah," Kiara responded.
Akai looked at Yue. "Keep watch, Yue."
"I will," he replied.
"Be careful," said Lily. "That might be a real beast."
"Yeah."
Rayden was sent out with a few scouts, so only Drake and Kairos were left, which was more than enough help. She and Kiara ran to the living room hall where the monster was supposed to be. On the way, Akai noticed poor Maria crying for help through one of the windows.
"Kia, save that doll outside," she said, instantly forgetting the blonde girl's name. "On it," Kiara jumped out the window. Like a skilled gymnast, she landed on the ground, unharmed in any way. Akai was relieved that her friends were so capable compared to normal people.
She ran down the stairs. "Kairos," she called. He appeared beside her, floating as Akai ran instead. "The monster isn't that strong. You can kill it with your bare hands," he said.
"That's good to hear because I don't have my sword with me now."
As Akai reached the living hall, the monster was already grabbing onto one of the people's necks and lifting him up in the air. Everyone gathered around her. The security team could not get any closer, as that might give the monster an excuse to attack the innocent. Semai was in charge of making the team remain calm and prepared to fight.
"Hold on, I'm going to save you," she called out.
The monster's target, Akai noticed, was none other than Yue, who was facing towards her.
"It seems like the beast recognizes him as a threat," she said. "I'll deal with this monster." She took out the sword she had hidden behind her belt, ready to fight.
The monster turned towards Akai. "Oh? You think you can stop me?" It cackled in a high-pitched voice. "You are nothing but a girl who can't even wield a sword properly."
"I'll show you how I wield a sword," said Akai. "You're not getting away."
The monster rushed towards her, and Akai faced it with her sword in hand, ready to attack. The fight was on, and she was determined to protect everyone from the beast's wrath.
"Move aside all of you," she commanded the crowd to clear a path, and they immediately complied. "There you are…" said the monster, turning towards her direction. In seconds, Akai closed the distance between her and the beast, catching it off guard. She landed a devastating punch that sent the monster crashing into the wall.
The beast lay motionless, its body twisted and broken from the impact. For a few moments, everyone thought it was dead. Kairos watched in amazement, "Unbelievable," he muttered, impressed by Akai's newfound strength.
Akai herself was shocked and confused by her own power. This was the first time she had blown someone away with a single punch. Not even the most muscular man could achieve that after a lifetime of training. She sensed something was wrong, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The monster's eyes flickered open, and it grinned. "I came here to kill you, 'the real monster' among us."
"You're crazy," Akai replied. "I'm not a monster, and I will kill you before you harm another innocent."
As the monster began to rise, Akai ran towards it with renewed determination. Even faster than before, she hopped onto the monster's back, pinning it to the ground with her feet. She shoved her hand into the monster's mouth, gripping the upper part tightly.
"Not only I… but all the beasts… out there will hunt you… and those children you shelter," the monster barely managed to threaten.
"We'll see about that soon enough," Akai replied. "Now perish, demon," she said, tearing the upper part of the monster's mouth apart, killing it instantly.
When Akai got off its back, the monster's body began to transform into a mass of meat and eventually exploded, showering Akai in blood.
"You're covered," Kairos said mockingly. "You really need a shower."
"I do," Akai said, looking at herself in disgust. "But you're more filthy than I am."
"I am perfectly clean," Kairos said with pride.
"Poor child," Akai said, looking away. "He didn't understand what I said; I mean, how can a child understand his elders?" She mocked him, but it was meant as an insult. "Kairos, I need to talk."
"I know," Kairos said, "Remember all the crystal balls you've been consuming? They're making you stronger, like a boost."
"Like an energy drink?" Akai asked. "So it won't last long, right?"
"For you, it's different. It will have a permanent effect. Not that I know why. Your body is changing day by day as you encounter more magic energy. If I'm right, you're human but with a different physique. I noticed a bit of angel's blood and maybe some demigod traits, or maybe I'm just wrong," he said, uncertain about her true nature despite observing her closely.
"I think you're wrong," Akai replied.
"No, there's about a sixty percent chance that you're my first guess."
"If you keep saying that, I'll have expectations that might disappoint me," Akai said with a sigh. "I believe in miracles but not in miracles for me."
"You really underestimate yourself a lot, huh?" Kairos said, glancing at her. "By the way, that blonde child outside needs your help."
"Blonde child?" Akai repeated.
Her surroundings vanished into particles and changed to the outside of the station. Kairos had teleported them with just a thought. Even after experiencing teleportation many times, it still felt new to her each time.
"Look there," Kairos pointed at Kiara struggling with the gate. "Help your friend."
"Oh no," Akai said, seeing the danger. "It's dangerous for her to be outside this long. Kia, why didn't you ask for help?"
"I was about to, but…" Kiara started to explain, but Akai took over and effortlessly pulled the gates open.
Kiara was speechless. "What the… how could you open them when I couldn't?"
"Come on, was it really that impossible for you?" Akai asked, surprised. Kiara nodded, unable to find words. "You're scaring me. Oh right," she suddenly remembered the girl outside. "Come in."
Maria dashed inside and collapsed near the stairs, looking as if she had come back from a hellish ordeal. Akai stared at the frightened blonde girl, whose name she still didn't know. But right now, what mattered was the danger Maria had faced. Akai wanted to scold her for her carelessness, but Kiara's silent plea to refrain from doing so stopped her.
Akai sighed and approached Maria, kneeling beside her. "Hey," she said gently. "It's okay, you're safe now." She offered a comforting smile. Maria, feeling relieved, cried out loudly. Akai pulled her into a soft hug. "How scary must it have been for her? When will this nightmare end?" she wondered as she looked at the sky.
Not long after sending Maria back inside, the ground started to tremble. Akai recognized the feeling. "They're coming," Kairos said, narrowing his eyes.
Goosebumps covered her body as cold sweat ran down her neck. "Not again," she whispered, realizing it was the same horde of monsters that had appeared near the school. She shouted into the sky, "Rayden, come back and bring everyone back to the station."
Rayden appeared almost immediately with all the scouting members and rescued survivors.
"You're back," Akai said, relieved. Rayden nodded. "Good, everyone is safe."
"How long will it take for them to arrive here, Kairos?" she asked.
Kairos thought for a moment before answering. "About four minutes."
Akai looked at the camera leading to the security room, where Yue was watching and listening. "Yue, put me on the speaker."
"It's on," Yue replied.
"Listen up," Akai addressed everyone. "The horde of monsters that followed us near the school about a month and a half ago is back. We'll be attacked in less than three minutes. The back of the station needs to be secured the most, as the barrier there is very close to the walls. I want half of the security team and three-quarters of the scouting team stationed there immediately." They moved swiftly, not wasting a second. "The remaining members of both teams should divide and cover either side of the station. The others who can walk inside should close any small doors and windows and stay inside their rooms under no circumstances."
"What about us?" Chi asked.
"Kiara, go to the right side of the station. Chi, you take the left," Akai said, pointing in the directions. "Lake has already gone to the back with Layman." The trembling intensified from all directions. "Go now!" she ordered. "Sky, you're with me."
"They're coming from everywhere," Kairos said. "Get ready, girl."
The monsters arrived in massive numbers, surrounding the station from all sides. All kinds of beasts appeared, both new and old: mantas, orcs, beast birds, and more.
Kairos and Sky were excited, while Rayden's expression remained hidden behind his mask. Drake stood on the roof, growling at the beasts at the back, ready to attack.
"Yue, is the microphone on?" Akai asked.
"Yes," Yue replied.
"Under no circumstances should anyone attack first," Akai announced. "Only defend."
"Yes," came the replies from everyone inside and outside the station. Akai was surprised but also proud of their readiness. Despite the chaos, she was glad to be with such capable people.
"Kairos, head to the front. Rayden, go to the back," Akai instructed. Kairos walked outside the barrier while Rayden teleported to the back, both ready to face the monsters.
A few hours later, the fight continued as the monsters kept attacking in relentless waves. Every time one was killed, three more took its place. Akai and the others stayed inside the barrier, while Rayden, Kairos, and Drake fought outside. Occasionally, they all fought together, but Akai remained inside, watching and receiving updates.
Akai stood on the rooftop, watching her friends battle for their lives. She felt powerless except for leading them. Fear gripped her, afraid for her friends and the impending danger.
"Why am I responsible for their lives?" she wondered, her voice trembling. "I'm scared. I want to go home… Ma, Dad, I want to go home." She fought back tears, knowing that showing weakness would discourage others. "Pretending is the only thing I can do here. It's the best I can do to stay safe." She forced herself to stay strong.
In an instant, she wiped the sadness from her face and took up her sword, ready to fight alongside her friends. She focused on the weaker monsters, determined not to let fear overwhelm her.
"This feels weird," she said. "I don't want to leave due to fear."
"I think you're just too excited to be here," Sky said, approaching her with his rifle. "You're dirty and smelly."
Akai glanced at herself and realized she was indeed covered in blood. "Ew, I smell bad," she said, taking another sniff. "Disgusting."
"You should just go back," Chi said, appearing out of nowhere.
"H*ll no!" Akai replied. "I'm staying here and fighting whether you like it or not."
Chi knew arguing would be futile and left her to her fight. Akai waited for the monsters to attack again.
"She's excited," Yue noted, her voice coming from the microphone.
"Seems like it," Kairos agreed, still battling the monsters. "I've never seen her this determined."
The night was long, but the group held their ground, pushing back the horde of monsters. As the first light of dawn appeared, they managed to drive the remaining monsters away, though exhausted and battered.
"Great job, everyone," Akai said, addressing the weary but victorious group. "We survived another night."
They celebrated their victory, albeit quietly, knowing that more challenges lay ahead. The night had been long, and the scars of battle were deep, but they had managed to hold their ground and protect what was important.