The entire city stopped to watch the Ravens. Naomi had no idea how many people lived in the Pit until that moment. The crowd watched them cautiously.
The group left the Nest with Sandy leading the way, heading toward where some of the novices had gone earlier to prepare the vehicles. The energy from the previous day had shifted drastically, which pleased Naomi. Many of those watching had no idea what was happening in the city. They had done an excellent job of hiding the existence of the S.L.
Naomi passed by the spot where a large group of caravan wagons had been just hours earlier, leaving only marks where the wheels had been and animal waste. Nests were places where gossip thrived, and it was already common knowledge what Big Brother had done to the members who had disappeared—slavery, which only heightened the motivation.
Many Ravens carried standard weapons—short swords and common knives or a pair of knives—but there were also those like Naomi, who wielded different weapons. Sandy herself had a scimitar strapped to her waist, fastened diagonally. The metal had a curve resembling the claw of a bird of prey. A short man with muscular, stocky arms carried a spiked mace on his back. Naomi, with her katana, drew curious glances all the time as it hung on her back.
— Can I tell you something? — Gabriel asked, drawing closer.
— I don't see how I can stop you, — she grumbled.
— I'm excited, — he said, completely ignoring her comment. — It's been a while since I've felt this eager to shoot someone.
— I remember you saying the same thing at least five dozen times, — Naomi cut in with a mischievous smile.
— Completely different.
— In what way?
— My motivation, — he replied, playfully bumping his shoulder into hers.
The word "motivation" made her look for Livya, who was a few meters away, talking to a young Raven. They had been introduced by Ana the day before and quickly became friends, which made Naomi a bit jealous.
A gust of wind shook the branches of the central tree in the Pit, and leaves flew through the air, carrying the scent of grass. Gabriel cursed under his breath, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.
— Damn speck of dust, — he muttered to himself.
The group of Ravens had already moved quite a distance from the city center, and they could see onlookers watching them from afar. Sandy slowed her pace to walk alongside the pair and said:
— I got carried away with excitement yesterday. — She saw Naomi nod in agreement. — And I completely forgot to mention our people who were captured.
— They already know, — Gabriel noted. — Gossip is a crazy thing.
— Yes, — the blonde responded, grimacing in distaste. — I should have been the one to break the news, but someone let it slip. — Her gaze was accusatory toward Gabriel.
Feigning innocence, the young man opened his mouth in mock indignation, though he couldn't remember telling anyone about it, still wondering who had.
The sound of vehicles and their silhouettes grew larger on the horizon. Naomi recognized her car among the others, and like hers, all of them were patched up, clearly with parts from different models. Twelve vehicles were parked near the group, waiting for the novices to finish maneuvering them.
Gabriel watched a girl about Livya's age get out of her vehicle after being satisfied with how she parked. She passed by him, giving him a positive nod. All twelve novices gathered, watching their veterans take their places in the cars.
Naomi was nearby when Sandy spoke to them. With effort, she managed to hear what the other was saying softly:
— I'm leaving the city in your hands. Don't disappoint me.
The group nodded in acknowledgment to their leader, heading back to the Nest shortly after. Naomi turned her attention to the car, seeing that Gabriel and Livya were in the back seat, leaving her to drive.
— Hey, Naomi! — Gabriel shouted. — Look who decided to show up! — He pointed to Livya.
— Stop it, — Naomi scolded him, taking the wheel in her hands.
— I didn't disappear, — Livya said, blushing from the attention.
— Of course not, — Gabriel replied, leaning between the front seats, now beside Naomi. — Sandy's leaving. We'd better follow her. I have no idea where the old Pit 50 is.
The driver agreed—she wouldn't know how to get there either. And so, the cars all set off almost simultaneously, not in formation but simply following Sandy's lead.
— I saw the state of the users, — Livya commented, still a bit flushed.
Gabriel settled back into the rear seat, chewing on a blade of grass that Livya had no idea where he got. Naomi, on the other hand, shifted uncomfortably.
— And? — the young man asked.
— I wasn't there long, Gabriel, but I can say that things are worse than in our Pit.
— Are you sure? — he asked again.
— Children. There were children among the users.
Naomi felt a sudden weight on her chest at the information. She didn't see how Gabriel reacted, but she knew him well enough to know he was uncomfortable.
They fell silent, following the others along the road next to the lake, which was full of bathers taking advantage of the heat to cool off. Some boats ventured toward the center, hoping to fish.
The day dragged on monotonously. Livya gazed out the window, watching other cars where passengers were either talking to each other or sleeping. She looked ahead and saw that Naomi was driving, lost in thought. The young man beside her was examining a chipped sharpening stone, twirling the black piece of rock between his fingers.
The sparse trees increased in number with each passing minute as they entered the edge of a forest. Hills and ridges were frequent. Gabriel fixed his gaze on a narrow valley a few kilometers ahead of the convoy. If he were preparing for an ambush, it would be there, as it offered the advantage of higher ground, and the narrow space would force only one car through at a time, forming a line. It would be an easy target for attacks from above.
He wasn't the only one who noticed. Several vehicles slowed down, scanning the area for signs of danger. Some people even leaned halfway out of their windows. That's when Sandy slowed down in front, prompting everyone to follow her lead until they finally parked a hundred meters from the valley.
The woman got out of the car, followed by many who approached to find out the reason for the stop. Naomi was one of them, joining the small circle of Ravens.
Sandy looked nervously at the depression in the ground, her fingers constantly playing with the hilt of her weapon. Then she spoke, without turning around:
— I saw something there. — She used her chin to point in the direction.
Almost in unison, the Ravens reached for their weapons. Gabriel, seeing the group's movement, immediately got out of the car, followed by Livya.
— Get ready, — Sandy murmured.
Before anyone could ask why, a dart flew over one of the valley walls, aiming at the stomach of a woman beside Sandy, but the leader of the Ravens was ready. Simply tightening her grip on her scimitar, she made an arc, cutting the wooden projectile in half mid-air and preventing the strike.
Naomi drew her sword from its sheath immediately, noticing Sandy's arm shaking from the impact. But there was no time to worry about her as the sound of laughter and screams filled the forest. People riding hyenas emerged from the trees in all directions, sending a rain of darts toward the Ravens.
Gunfire erupted in response to the ambush. Naomi, who didn't have a firearm, crouched down, staying out of the crossfire as she saw the mounted enemies and their beasts being shot at.
Hyenas charged into the cars, shaking some of the vehicles as they collided. Naomi saw a Raven fighting bravely against two attackers, holding his own with only two knives. She ran to assist him.
Gripping her katana with both hands, she sprinted, watching the powerful muscles in the hyena's leg tense and relax as its rider stabbed at the man, whose right arm bled.
Reaching the animal's flank, Naomi spun her body with the sword, adding force to her strike, cutting into the hyena's thigh. She felt the resistance of its tough skin against the katana's blade, but the steel slid through with ease. As she hit muscle, the sword scraped against bone, sending a shiver down her spine.
Blood sprayed into the air and poured from the wound. The hyena howled in pain, turning its head immediately to snap at its attacker. The movement was so sudden that the rider nearly lost his balance in the saddle.
Naomi jumped back, avoiding the snapping jaws that closed with a hollow clack. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other Raven, now freed from one of his attackers, focus fully on the hyena. Naomi followed suit, and as the limping animal tried to bite her again, she lunged forward with her katana, driving it through the inside of the beast's mouth, piercing it completely. The hyena's body went limp, nearly pulling the sword from Naomi's grasp, but she yanked it free just in time to see a dart flying toward her chest.
The man atop the now-dead animal had regained his balance, only to lose it again as his mount collapsed. Seizing the opportunity, Naomi slashed diagonally through the air, striking the man in the side. Unlike the thick hide of the hyena, the blade slid through him effortlessly.
But chaos reigned, leaving no time to catch her breath. Naomi reacted just in time to see two more darts flying toward her. On reflex alone, she swung her blood-stained sword, cutting one in mid-air. The impact sent a shockwave through her body, knocking her to the ground, but it saved her life. She saw the other dart whizz past, mere inches from her face, just as a growl behind her made her blood run cold.
A hyena without a rider lunged at her, but Naomi managed to dive forward, dodging the attack. She rolled and made a diagonal slash through the air, striking the animal's eye.
The hyena whimpered, its eye torn, and retreated toward the trees. Naomi stood, bracing for another attack. She had just enough time to spot Gabriel, holding a short sword in one hand and a smoking Magnum in the other.
A scream snapped her back to reality. She turned to face a man with shaved, red hair, mounted on a beast with a bullet wound in its muscular shoulder. He seemed confident of her death as he thrust his weapon at her. Naomi grabbed the shaft of the dart with one hand and yanked it toward her.
The move caught the man off guard. He fell heavily to the grass and tried to stand, only for Naomi to drive his own dart through the back of his neck. As she executed the man, she let go of the wooden handle embedded in the ground, diving aside just as the hyena's paw swept through the space where her head had been moments before.
Moving swiftly on her feet, she positioned herself beside the animal's head and plunged her sword into its neck, using her weight to push the blade in deeper. The hyena struggled briefly, but it was no use.
Naomi released the sword, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped down her face, sticking her short hair to her forehead, and her hands were red with blood, just like the sword's hilt.
She saw a woman running toward Ana, who was fighting off one of the beasts and hadn't noticed the new attacker. Naomi pulled the dart from the man's neck, blood spurting as it came free, and gripping it in the middle, she hurled the wooden shaft, striking the woman and knocking her to the ground.
"It's me, Amanda!" screamed a woman, frantic.
Naomi, who had barely recovered her sword, turned toward the cry. One of the drugged Ravens approached the screaming woman, holding a metal baton.
"Don't make me attack you!" The Raven raised her short sword defensively. "How can you not remember me, Amanda?"
Suddenly, Amanda lunged at the woman, aiming the baton at her head. Seeing it all, Naomi managed to throw one of her throwing knives, which was deflected by the baton. Amanda had paused mid-attack to defend herself, now turning her attention to Naomi.
"I'll handle her!" Naomi shouted to the other woman.
There was no time for a reply as Amanda charged at her, bringing her baton down, only for it to be blocked by Naomi's katana. Naomi kept up with the attacks, but fatigue was taking its toll, weakening her blows.
With each clash of their weapons, Naomi grew weaker. The baton came up toward her chin, missing as she dodged and thrust her sword at Amanda's abdomen. Amanda deftly parried with the baton, and Naomi had to step back to regain her balance. Frustrated, she clenched her teeth, gripping her weapon so tightly her fingers turned white as she prepared to end it.
Once again, the baton swung violently toward her neck, but Naomi ducked, feeling the wind of the strike. Without hesitation, she extended her body and stabbed Amanda in the gut, driving her blade in halfway.
Naomi was about to pull the sword out when she felt her right arm go numb, followed by searing pain.
Even with her stomach impaled, Amanda had struck Naomi's arm with the baton, breaking it instantly.
Through tear-filled eyes, Naomi stifled a scream of pain, clutching her fractured arm to her chest. Using her remaining good hand, she slashed Amanda's belly open in a sideways motion, spilling blood and entrails onto the ground.
Naomi felt her arm swelling as waves of pain coursed through her. Even with her vision blurred, she pressed forward as Amanda, kneeling with her intestines spilling out, staggered to her feet and lunged at Naomi.
The young Raven felt an excruciating pain below her right breast. Looking down, she saw that Amanda had stabbed her with a short knife, and blood immediately gushed from the wound. Dizzy from the blood loss, Naomi stumbled backward. The image of Amanda standing with her guts hanging out and holding a bloodied knife was seared into her mind.
Her adversary moved in for the kill, but Amanda's left knee suddenly buckled. A throwing knife was lodged deep in her leg. Naomi realized the woman she had tried to save had now saved her by striking Amanda from behind.
Summoning all her remaining strength and fighting through the pain, Naomi swung her katana down, cleaving Amanda's skull with a sickening crack.
She watched as Amanda's body convulsed and collapsed. Darkness closed in on her vision, but Naomi managed to see the attackers fleeing before she passed out.