"That's how the story comes to an end, Arem… Though I lost Sanal in the civil war, her brother was lucky enough to be rescued by me."
The moment Soha let her head down realising the real love she received from Sanal, it was the period where the whole Headquarters was in caliginosity of silence. None of the people were momentarily inclined to speak up on her story. The atmosphere smelled so icky and isolated all of a sudden. Her compatriots were heartbroken to know how vastly their Leader Soha has to languish over just to have a pleasant breath of real love.
"Soha…I never believed in backstories of criminals but for the first time, I eventually got emotional. Gah, I would surely turn Imran Sir down if I had a chance!"
She smiled and jerked her head, unable to ignore his stupidity.
...
In the clandestine depths of their makeshift hideout, Soha, the harbinger of rebellion, paced with measured determination. Around her, a fellowship of resolute souls gathered amidst the flickering candlelight, their faces etched with the weight of impending liberation.
"The time is nigh," Soha declared, her voice a resolute beacon amidst the shadows. "Imran's grasp tightens with each passing moment."
Ha-rin, a figure of fierce resolve, nodded in silent accord, her eyes ablaze with the fervour of revolution. "We stand ready," she affirmed, her gaze piercing the veil of uncertainty that hung over their clandestine assembly.
Imran's fortress loomed like a monolithic bastion of oppression, its labyrinthine corridors a testament to the tyranny that gripped the city. Yet within its depths, the seeds of rebellion had taken root, nurtured by the unwavering resolve of Soha and her comrades, the Hoo-Doo Men.
As they navigated the treacherous passages of Headquarters, tension hung thick in the air, each step a reminder of the peril that awaited. The sudden blare of alarms shattered the silence, signalling the discovery of their audacious plot.
"Prepare for battle!" Soha's command cut through the chaos, rallying her comrades for the impending clash. With weapons drawn and resolve steeled, they braced themselves for the crucible of conflict.
In the heat of battle, Ha-rin's gaze fell upon Arem, a former ally whose betrayal had left a scar upon their ranks. With a swift stroke, Ha-rin's blade found its mark, vengeance exacted amidst the tumult of friction.
Amidst the tumultuous clash between the insurgents and the officers, amidst the cacophony of clashing steel and echoing gunfire, only two figures, Soha and Suji, bore witness to the tragic demise that unfolded before their eyes. Despite their fervent warnings, the sanctity of the pristine floors was marred by the crimson flow of human blood.
The sudden stillness that enveloped the scene as Arem's life ebbed away sent shivers down Imran's spine. Even amidst the chaos of battle, the sight of death struck a chord of primal fear within him. Soha, with a sombre understanding born of her own past traumas, empathized with his anguish, for she too had once tasted the bitter sting of loss at the hands of her own companions.
As Imran grappled with the weight of Arem's passing, memories of his fallen comrades haunted his thoughts, casting a pall of melancholy over his once indomitable spirit. Soha, her gaze softened with empathy, recognized the echoes of her own grief mirrored in Imran's haunted eyes.
In that fleeting moment of shared sorrow, amidst the chaos of conflict, a fragile thread of humanity wove its way through the fabric of their bitter enmity. Though divided by ideology and ambition, they were bound together by the universal truth of loss and the enduring legacy of pain.
As the battle raged on, each side driven by their own convictions and desires, Soha and Imran found themselves united in their silent acknowledgment of the fragility of life and the futility of endless strife. In the midst of war's relentless brutality, a fleeting glimpse of understanding flickered like a fragile flame, illuminating the darkness with the hope of reconciliation amidst the chaos of conflict.
Yet,
"We mourn later," Soha declared, her voice a bastion of unwavering resolve. "For now, we press on."
The clash of steel and the thunderous report of gunfire echoed throughout the fortress as Imran's forces fought with fervent zeal. Yet the indomitable spirit of the Hoo-Doo Men refused to yield, their determination unshakeable in the face of adversity.
With each passing moment, they drew closer to the threshold of liberation. Imran's stronghold teetered on the brink of collapse, its foundations shaken by the relentless onslaught of the insurgency.
At long last, they breached the fortress's outer defences, the cool embrace of the night air a harbinger of their impending emancipation. With a final surge of determination, they broke free from the shackles of oppression and emerged into the night.
As they stood beneath the canopy of stars, the city sprawled before them like a tapestry woven from the dreams of the liberated. Yet amidst the euphoria of their triumph, the sombre reality of sacrifice cast a shadow upon their jubilation.
Imran, vanquished but unbowed, watched from afar, his visage a testament to the bitter taste of defeat. Soha beheld him with steely resolve, knowing that their struggle had only just begun.
"We depart for now," Soha declared, her voice a solemn vow amidst the whispers of the night.
"Ezem might be waiting for us. Fast your legs!"
In a whirlwind of urgency, she issued a compelling directive, propelling them forward with the urgency of an impending reckoning. As the bullet train materialized on the horizon, she deftly rebounded and bolted into motion, disappearing from sight with the grace of a fleeting shadow. For her, the weight of the moment lay heavy, haunted by the spectre of her compatriot's transgression, a deed staining their collective conscience.
The tale unfolded amidst whispers of prophecies, a delicate dance between fate and free will. Ha-rin's hand is stained with the blood of Arem, a grim reality they could not have foreseen, yet one they now must confront. Soha and Suji, grappling with the aftermath, wrestled with the paradox of Arem's demise. For in his heart, amidst his desires for their downfall, lay an unexpected thread of protection, a silent plea for their safety that now lingered in the wake of tragedy.
Amidst the tension, a fleeting moment of introspection emerged, punctuated by Suji's probing inquiry. "Thinking about Imran?" she ventured, drawing Soha's attention to the tumult of her thoughts. Caught off guard, Soha's mind briefly wandered to Arem, a ghostly presence lingering in the recesses of her mind.
Yet, Suji's pragmatic reminder jolted her back to the present, a gentle nudge to let go of the past and embrace the stark reality before them. For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the rhythmic hum of the train. With a resigned nod, Soha acquiesced, her gaze drifting to the window as she conceded, "I guess you're right, Suji." And with that, they pressed forward, each step a testament to their resilience in the face of adversity.
"To have something…, they say 'In order to achieve something great, you'll have to sacrifice something great.' maybe I did the same… Though."
"Did you say anything, Soha?~"
"Nah, Suji."
"I heard you say 'I love you~'"
"Stop fooling around, Suji~!"
___THE END___