[Earth]
The daylight is halfway there, and the sun is as hot as yesterday. The world is awake on its warmest day, watching birds floating through the north and wind breezing on their crops into harvest. But today, the day is not hot like summer. Fall has come to set things right.
With fall coming into September, leaves start falling from the trees and piling into the ground. Sweepers arrived to clean the street, and grass grew orange as the dawn light. Today, people are reminiscing about the humid air and shooting stars coming to the sky as the night's blessing.
"Eve? Eve! Eve!" Stella yelled. The mother searches through the house for her daughter—checking every room from up and down, only to find nothing but dust.
"Oh, goodness. Where is she? John, have you seen Eve somewhere? I couldn't find her since yesterday!" The mother checks through the kitchen's wardrobe.
"I can't find her either, dear. I've been yelling with my back pain and she hasn't come out to find me yet. Which is odd for my daughter to not hear me wailing!" John replies. Furniture has been put aside in search of her.
"Oh, am I supposed to worry if she's not home now? She said she was going out with someone. And I didn't see her phone or book out of her shelf..."
"Which means she's going with a person for once!" The mother smiles with the happiest thought ever.
"Yeah! That's my Eve! I never thought she could find a person that fast in one night! Heck, would she even tell us about them after this? I wonder if he was going with Cyrus too..."
Hearing those words shook the mother's smile. She felt the saddest thought as she turned to fear. "That's exactly why I don't like this, John. This doesn't feel like Eve at all..." The mother panicked.
"Why does it feel like she's leaving us? She wouldn't leave us, right?" She holds onto John's chest as she fears for the worst. Tears flow from her eyes while her grips tighten on John's clothes.
"What? Pfft, come on, Stella. Why would she do that? We are always there for her...well, most of the time..." John comforts.
"But we never let her down! Like why should she leave over that stupid camp when we haven't
The mother stares nervously, "Uhm...right...what am I thinking...? Huh, that's not very Eve, isn't it...?"
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
Amidst the conversation, they were interrupted by a call from the living room telephone. Its ring prompted Stella to pick it up. Upon answering, she finds another man answering her.
"Ms. Ainsley?" The man answered.
"Yes. Who is it?"
"We're from Wellspring camp counselors management speaking about your daughter's enrollment here."
"We have an empty group for her to apply. She will be put on team Ace-cracker."
"O-oh? Uhm...really?" She appears shocked, but not in a proud way.
"Yep. One student had already disqualified from the registration after she was found with narcotics use. So we decided to give this last space for your daughter before Friday."
"Thank you for staying with us while we're looking for your enrollment application. She would love this place so much, she wouldn't even leave once she's done."
"You're welcome...welcome....uhm..."
"Don't worry, Ms. Ainsley. Wellspring Autumn camp is applicable for every child! As we said before, your daughter would've loved it here where the others have been."
"Many of our children had been her for even ten times. Even the gloomiest kid would enjoy it here!"
"We'll await for your daughter by Friday. A bus will arrive to pick her up..."
*Closes* "You're welcome...what have I done?" She closes the call. The father stares in disbelief upon hearing everything from behind. What was once a relief becomes the dust of an inevitable horror.
"You enlisted her? W-what about considering your choice first?"
"I was pressured, okay? I saw the info on social media, and I thought Eve would like it! Who wouldn't want to love swimming in the cold river in these hot days?"
"How could you!" John yelled.
"How can I not? Don't you also felt the same about Eve?"
"Well, I feel the same about her feelings as much I don't force myself into her!"
"I'm so sorry! I didn't want my daughter to be a bully! I can't hold at the thought of her hurting people and distant herself from anyone!"
"Okay! Okay! I don't think fighting can solve this...we just need to...think. What should we do now? We can just cancel the place, right? Like, I'm sure it can't be that hard..." The father headed to check the phone, ready to dial the number.
"What's the number again?"
"I don't think we can cancel it ourselves, John." The mother checks on the brochure once more.
"It says only an applicant may cancel or take a leave from the event before Friday 00.00 AM. We can't do it without Eve since they need validation from her to confirm her leave..."
"Now that's just rude." The father closes the call.
"Ow, this is all my fault..." She sat on the floor in desperation - an attempt has been made, but for what? She thought of the promising brochure with pain and regret.
"I shouldn't have been to haste with this. I'm such a mess..."
John sits worriedly, "No, dear. Hastiness has nothing to do with this...it's our fault we fell for this in the first place. I mean, we have a week before this and we decided to place her there..."
"We shouldn't doubted on her right where she was having her bad day. Called out on principal for making a mess on the cafeteria? What was she thinking? I mean, what really happened there?"
"Is it wrong for us to doubt on Eve? I mean, why wouldn't we...?" The mother stares at a wall full of pictures, where Eve is seen from every angle of her life.
"It's always been her since she was here, John. I feel like something was not right..." She ponders.
"I still remember that day when she got her first call on the principal at first grade for punching a boy on his eye. It all went wrong since there..." Said the mother, holding one of those memories where Eve stood unsatisfied for unwanted retribution with a purple-eyed child.
"Or the time she broke a girl's wrist? She went into a fight and hurt her eyes over a book. She was into reading so much..."
"What do we do now? How are we supposed to find her now?" Stella glares with tears over John's face. His innocence is beyond her hold.
It's not over yet to weep. The father glances with certainty that his daughter is far safer than any danger - for anything in this city is known like the back of his hand. She wouldn't be far from this city - or so he thought.
"We go for the hard way. The way of redemption...the way of kindness...the way of everything."
"What do you mean, John?"
"We're heading right where everyone would be, dear. The place where every teenagers would've been if they are in a day off like this."
"Frayfoil Amusement Park?"
"Nope. Cyrus' house!" John leaps with a cheer for his wife.
"Didn't Cyrus say he was looking for Eve too? And the new student?"
"Oh, right. Well, we could look for her around the town? She wouldn't be far from here...and maybe someone would've known her from the school? Or see her?"
"I'm not sure. Eve wasn't known well from her friends...if they really are her friends, too..."
"Oh, dear. You're too quick to judge her. Besides, do you have any suggestions to find her?"
"Well, no."
"Then, let's go out and find her before she goes way too far!" The father drags her by the arms.
"Alright. If you—woah!!"
The two leave the house in a rush—with cold, autumn clouds blowing warm to their skin as the start of their journey. As the wood birch door closes from their side, the two parents search far through the city.
[Elis, Police Station?]
"Yep. That's a Hyperian dead in the ditch. Six?" The witch recounts from the platform she was before.
The wind must have blown differently today in the office. The station had disengaged the lockdown after the criminals had fallen to their escapes—or death.
"Three. That's three..." The Hyperian corrects.
"Good Esil! I thought we should've gone for six *hic* what is wrong with you, people?" The woman walks off.
"Oh, screw me! That criminal escapes again! What do we do now?"
"Doing whatever we do when this happens, obviously. We'll either wait until he gets weak on his knee and bring a better prison next time..." The assassin grew tired of the failure. He and the executioner walk together in the hallway, leaving the police station to follow the trail.
"Or guards! More guards! Why didn't we get more guards to drink upon?" The witch yelled.
"Too bad he had a new companion on his hands. Now that's something to think..."
"Oh, please. You're speaking like this had never happened before. Why don't you call those shrouded friends of yours to help us?" The executioner mocks.
"This has never happened. Whenever that creature seeks his next host on a bigger person, it would've backfired on him. But this one? I'm afraid we're not..."
"Sure, because there's a person in this world or outside there that wants to stay long with a creature they didn't even know. That's sounds ridiculous, isn't it?"
*Creak* "We better get moving before we're losing him." The door gushes out a dust that welcomes the two enforcers with the bridge. But before them, visitors are waiting at the entrance.
"Hello." Dion waves at the road with a swipe of a hand.
"A-001. Why am I not surprised? Aren't you supposed to contain the A-level criminal as I told you?" The executioner approaches him with his armor stood tall.
"Oi, there." Cyrus slides in like nothing ever happens. The appearance of yet another human disturbs the peace between the enforcers.
"What the..."
"A-001. What is this nonsense you brought to us? Have you not seen the issue around here?"
"Aah! A big guy! Woah...are you a human there? Hello?" He knocks on the executioner's armor.
"Grr!" The executioner punches Cyrus off to the ground, leaving a bloodied nose for him.
"Ouch! That's strong as heck!"
"Ugh! You're making me more angrier, human!"
"So you're not a human! Wait, what are you...?"
"Haargh!" The executioner looks displeased at Cyrus's kindness.
"Another human? You're under arrest you—"
"*Hic* Hey, you two! Are we going or what? *Hic* I'm outta drink right now, so I need a refill. Mind if I borrow some *Hic* Huh?" The witch walks in with a kick to a Hyperian's face.
Ooh~! Who is this handsome one?" The witch grabs the human
"Whoa! A witch! A green witch..." Cyrus looks dazzled at the witch.
"Yeah, whoa...that's the correct response when you meet a beautiful lady like me *hic* and fun, too...!"
"Hm, are you happens to be a witch? Oh, I know this! You're a Druid! You are an elf that practice forest magic, aren't you? I've learn about Nordic culture about Druids before..."
"Although, I only heard of them as Alfheimer. You know? Pointy ears, light realm, and green magic?"
"I am *hic* what now?"
"Hrgh! Get off, human! Who told you to walk around here?" The assassin drags Cyrus off by his shirt's neck.
"Whoa! Wait, I'm innocent! I promise! Dion, tell them!" Cyrus pleas to the blanketed darkness and its mystical weapons for mercy, only to be left silent.
"Dion?"
"I can't plea on vague truth. You came here on your request, so..." Dion argued.
"What? After everything? You can't be serious!"
"I don't make the rules. It's the decision of high ones, human. I only said you are here under a request. Not for a bad request...but not good either."
"How could you—" The boy was interrupted by the witch.
"Shh! Shh! Shh! Good boy don't need to say stuff! I know the type of boy you are...college man. Hm..." The witch sniffs around his shoulders.
"Clean shirt and cedar scent? How are you a high schooler at the age of 20s?"
"W-well, it's complicated. I was supposed to be a high schooler, but..."
"E-007. Stop teasing that brat and do something productive with your radiance. And you, young boy..." The assassin pulled a cuff to him—restraining Cyrus at the position.
"You're not going anywhere."
"Whoa! Hey, what is this? Is this really a cuff?" He ponders at the glowing restraint. The device restricts his movement with twice as any chains on Earth.
"Am I going to be judged on heaven? Valhalla? Anubis? Skyworld? Oh, silly me! This is skyworld..."
"Grr, shut up!" The executioner grabs his face—an immense pain to Cyrus's mortal skin.
"Aaah!"
"So, what happened? How did the criminal get away?"
"A young girl participate in his mischief deed before the two jumped out of the tower."
"Whoa! Eve? She's here?"
"You know the lady with that blue creature?" The executioner stood menacingly.
"Yeah. She's my friend! She wasn't supposed to be here, though...Is she influenced by—hrgh!"
"Do you know what your friend did to me??" The executioner yelled loudly.
"Your friend nearly tore my heart with my own weapon and I had to pay $120,000 for polishing fee!"
"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't know what happened! I swear she shouldn't be like this at all!"
The executioner and the student had fun together on
"Too bad your friends had to. At least you give us an easy track for that thing, D-001." The assassin looks displeased at the two.
"No problem. Shouldn't have doubt a paladin like me~!"
"You're a paladin? I thought you're a knight?"
"Shush! Follow us, prisoner!" The assassin drags Cyrus away.
"Ouch! Ouch! Okay, okay...I'm following you. Patience, cloaked one..."
The assassin regroups the Hyperians' enforcers into the bridge—leading a trumpet to pass through bridges and stairs to the lower ground.
"Are we ending the chase again?" Dion held Cyrus hostage.
"That's what the creature *hic* wants you to think. But we're two steps *hic* ahead of him now..." The witch pulls a thin air into magic. A miracle comes in a greenery view before everyone's eyes—revealing a piece of blue moss growing within her grasp.
"Woah. So you are an elf!" Cyrus awes.
"I don't understand how could Eve tore such beautiful place like this. If I knew she would've did this to you all, I would've had a long talk on her on Earth long before..."
The green dust shimmers in a leafy green color, spinning around in a vortex under the witch's fingers as it lets the blue moss illuminate together.
"Yep. The creature's not going far *hic* from here. Still in this realm and probably looking for a *hic* way up again..."
"He would not stop until he got that crime off. Even forcing an innocent to work for her as a side-bearer. That is...if Eve is still alive from that fall."
"She better be! She has parents that worried about her out there!" Cyrus panicked.
"Oh, Eve. I should've gone to her yesterday if I knew she was hiding this from me. Is there any chance I could help?"
"You can help by being compliant, unlike your friend." The executioner taps his shoulders.
"Aww, okay! No need to be so pushy..." Cyrus stares away at the sky with a displeasing look.
"Hm. It seems that *hic* he would've been *hic* somewhere here by now."
"Maybe down the city? Right where *hic* there are enough buildings to hide..." The witch rubs the dust off.
"I wonder...what kind of place would he would go right now?"
"Coward. When will that thing ever learn to confront us valiantly?" The assassin muttered.
"What do you expect? He's a sly thief. He would've gone anywhere he could slip his hands within this city. I don't think there's anything else to argue about his natural deceit on people. Although, I expect more of a childish play."
"What do we do now? How do we find him?"
Cyrus looks at those words with a smirk behind the backs of the bearers. While the enforcers are confused about their next path, Cyrus seemingly smiles at their dead end.
"Pull up all the polices to put a border lockdown on every city until further notice. No one goes in and out..."
"No need. I think I knew where he would go by now." The boy walks closer to the bridge, viewing the town under which he can see floating ships and bridges connecting to one place—the center of Elis.
"And it looks he's heading closer and closer to that city afar."
"What?"
"He would go right there. That city with a big, red tent over the island one..." Cyrus pointed out with his cuffed hands.
"How do *hic* you know that? Did they teach that *hic* in highschooler?" The witch tilted her head sideways.
"No, I just had a good reading. That criminal you're talking surely wouldn't have gone anywhere far than comforting place if he was that reckless of a thief."
"Childish play? Now you're talking with someone I knew. And someone I knew wouldn't go as far as a city of fun..."
"If there's one place to lay low after this whole madness, he would've looked after a place with more coverup and...less law enforcement? Or a place to entertain himself after another failed attempt?"
"What? You want us to expect that idea coming from you, peasant?" Dion looks confused.
"He's right. Joy District isn't that tight of law—anyone could've been a criminal there and we wouldn't know that..." The witch breaks the silence.
"Besides, who wouldn't want to go there? That's a paradise over there."
"Ha! Now that's what you work for, human." The executioner raises his driller in the sky.
"Regroup all guards to the Joy District immediately. Let no time be spared on him!" The assassin aligned the Hyperians to a descent.
"Now that's *hic* very kind of you, sunshine..." The witch compliments him with a pat on the shoulder.
"Watch out, little one! I'm not chattering any longer!" The executioner yelled.
"See? That wasn't too difficult, isn't it?" Cyrus smugs at him.
"You're just lucky. But that doesn't make you one of us..." Dion looks displeased.
"For now, you spare me the anger and trouble. But next time, let's get that popular student out of you and see who's coming out alive now..." Dion glares competitively at Cyrus's face.
"Uhm? Sure...? It's not like I'm stealing your fame anyway. All I wanted was to help my friend out of this mess..."
"Wait for me, everyone!" Cyrus rushes to the line.
"Yeah, I'm sure you would be together...6 feet underground." Dion whispers.
[???]
"Uhm...ugh? Buttleboo?" Charger awakens with a gust of a wind on his head.
"Did I do it? Oh, I did it! I...escape the town I was supposed to be..." His smile turns into a frown.
The sound of tinker and clanking can be heard around Charger's foot. As the creature stood up for a better view, a little quake shivered his fragile legs before it calmed like a wave.
He can feel the air breezing through his chin coldly, indicating how far they haven't gone from Elis to the surface world—or what could have been low in this world. Instead, he steps around a container of metal scraps hovering through the air.
"Looks like we landed on the garbage truck? What a luck!"
"Oh, I could've tried better...I could've ended this. But I guess I failed again. Oh, well..." The creature rummages through the trash with guilt.
"Time to look after another human—huh?"
"Eve! Oh? I'm not losing you yet?" Charger rushes to drag her out of the trash. The body appears unconscious and unresponsive to his sound.
"Come on, friend! Don't go yet! We can still do this!"
"Friend! Friend!"
"Friend, answer me! Please tell me you're alive!" The creature shook her hard from the shirt.
"Friend! Answer!"
"Ugh..." The girl muttered healthily as the creature wished—But there were a few bruises that couldn't be considered healthy from such height.
"Oh, you're still alive! Oh, thank Esil...I thought you were...no! I shouldn't think of that! A great one like me didn't think such low for my companion!" He drags her slowly to a safer place.
"Don't worry, friend. I'll save you to a better place! Let me just...ugh...come on!"
For the long fall and a miraculous save, the creature works harder in gratitude for his and his friend's life from the endless fall. The coarse heaps on the trash pool make it difficult for him to reach a safe floor without tearing his friend's skin.
*Shred* Something shreds within Eve.
"Aahh!! No!!" The creature had panicked for the worst.
"No, I killed her! I ripped her flesh! Noo..."
"Wait, maybe it isn't the worst
"Please don't bleed...please don't bleed...please don't..."
"Phew! It was only a sleeve! Looks like I didn't break anything!" His frown turns into an ever-gleaming relief. Charger plucks his hands around Eve's shirt to search for something.
"Hm, speaking of breaking. Does she still have my—aha! My watch!"
*Kisses* "Phew, I thought I lost you, friend! I'm so glad you're still here with me." The creature kisses the watch.
"Don't worry, Eve! Once we're out of this bin, we can pick up wherever we lost back to the upper world in no time! Trust me, this is only a moment of waiting."
"Say, are you enjoying the adrenaline, friend? Because that was just a startup! Are you ready for the real deal?"
The girl replies with a snore. A deep profound in a pearl of night wisdom is a reward for someone who has pushed herself off against powerful beings.
"That's what I'm talking about! Keep up the mood for me!" Charger comforts her with a metal sheet for a blanket.
"Hey, where are we going, anyway?" Charger pokes his head out of the truck.
One thing he could see from afar was a colorful spotlight beaming through his face with a familiar drum and accordion in a distant wait. Something huge covers the sky with a tent—enough to conceal a surprise for the two to arrive.
"Woah, that's fun," Charger muttered in awe.