The hum of the bunker was constant, like the low growl of a beast sleeping beneath the earth. We have crashed around for a week now in the bunker, and Aloray wasn't joking when he said he was gonna use us. He wasted wasted no time integrating us into the rhythm of the bunker. Kan and I had been put to work since day one, helping with training sessions and teaching the kids the basics of hunting tactics.Kan, of course, had taken to it like a fish to water. He was a natural teacher to the kids, his easygoing demeanor made even the most complicated techniques seem simple. He spent hours in the training room, showing the younglings how to use their surroundings to their advantage, how to move silently, and how to work together.As for me, I'd focused more on strategy and survival skills. I showed the young hunters how to read the terrain, how to anticipate an enemy's movements, and how to stay one step ahead. I taught them the importance of patience, and my signature rule of thumbs. And I made sure they understood that hunting isn't some game you win by power, it was about outthinking your opponent.Not to forget, the star of the show; Nakumi had taken to the training with determination. She was a natural to say the least. She quickly learnt to control her blood magic for healing. And she was almost about to eat all the sugar in the bunker if we didn't stop her one time. I'd also taught her a few tricks to help her blend in. Her crimson hair and eyes would've caused eyes to flicker. So I showed her how to use a simple illusion magic to mask her appearance, turning her hair black and her eyes a dull brown. It wasn't the best attempt, but it was good enough to fool Kan.It was easy to lose one's self as the days go by in these bunkers. The sun and moon don't circle around those beneath the ground. The bunkers always felt like the tomb for the liven... Just like the Zekidian's nests in hell. It makes me often wonder,how long before something bad happens...?I glanced up from the bottom bed of the bunker bed me and Kan shared. Kan was still asleep on the top bed, his breath trinkled like bird in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Nakumi was splayed on a neighboring bed, her shirt riding up to her belly as the sheet wrinkled around her thigh and feet. I observed my reflection through the knife, Kikron's three eyes met mine as he grinned, already filling my head with the usual good morning speech. Followed by the beauty of killing all the children in the bunker and consuming their flesh. I've grown accustomed to the price I had to pay for power, yet it drives me crazy how much he says the same things over and over"Kill""Kill""You're a demon, so kill!" I almost admire his persistence. But, that promise will keep me afloat, no matter what happens."Sorry, I don't listen to the dead." I flipped from its handle to the tip, before I reversed it into my thigh holster.I got up, sighing to the new day, as a small figure darted past the doorway of the dormitory. Green hair, like fresh moss after Northland's rain, and eyes that glowed faintly in the dim light. She was always going somewhere, restless that kid was, her hands busy with some project or some weapon.I'd seen her many times in the fabrication room, hunched over a workbench, her fingers moved with a precision that belied her age. She looked older than Nakumi, yet shorter. And unlike her, Keyo was quiet. Yet, there was something about her that was loud to my ears, something dangerous I couldn't put my nails on.I had to be careful, a little genius like her could kill me in my pretend-sleep.What keeps me on edge is how she was always there, hovering at the edges of my vision. In the fabrication room, bent over a workbench with her back staring at me. In the training room, watching from the other crowds as I demonstrated a new technique. Even in the communal area, sitting quietly with a book in her lap, her eyes flicking up to meet mine whenever I passed by. It was subtle, but it kept me on the edge the past week.At first, I thought it was curiosity. And as Kan says: 'kids are too curious for their own good.'But the more I watched her, the more it felt like she was studying me. Like I was a problem for her to solve. She'd follow me from room to room in some occasions, pretending to have a different task...Or maybe I am just paranoid?I wandered aimlessly out of the dormitory into the main lobby, letting my feet carry me where they would, the bunker never truly sleeps. Kids in the morning, kids for the night, it was a full strategy that Aloray came up with for efficiency. And to his credit, this was much more efficient than Bunker 21 was, mainly because they employ and let in demon children as well... And they all never lost their right eyes to these stupid fountains... In a way, I am glad...It wasn't long before I found myself in the fabrication room. The air was thick with the smell of oil and heated metal, and the sound of tools clinking against each other filled the space.Keyo was there, as I'd expected. She was bent over a workbench, her hands playing doll with the tools. She moved quickly as she assembled something small, her hands were precise, as if she was a surgeon in the past life.She didn't notice me at first, too absorbed in her task. but then she froze. Her head snapped up, and her eyes met mine. For a moment, she looked like a deer caught in the crosshairs, her body tensed and a cold sweat fell off her chin."Hey...," I said, with a bored half-lidded eyes. "Didn't mean to startle you."She didn't say anything, just stared at me with wide, green eyes. I could see the gears turning in her head, trying to decide whether to stay or bolt, her shoulders rose up as she slightly tucked down her head, yet her eyes never left mine. After an eternal moment, she lowered her shoulders. And turned back to her work...Okay... What would Kan do..."What are you working on?" I asked, nodding toward the object in her hands.She hesitated, then held it up for me to see. It was a small device, no bigger than a coin, with intricate engravings etched into its surface. Anyone would mistake it for a piece of jewelry, and on that table were soldering equipment and other irons and wires. Everything salvaged"It's a tracker," she said, her voice a whisper. "If... anyone gets lost, it'll help us track them. It is connected to this tracking device." She showed me what looked like a botched up screen that was connected with a lot of wires and an antenna.I raised an eyebrow. "You made that?" No shot a kid made that, that's at least 500 hins in the market, especially this small.She nodded, her eyes dropping to the floor. "It's not finished yet... I need to program these together after..."My eyes lit up a bit, impressed. "Hm... Maybe I should hire you to do our gadgets."I could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, "a-are... you proud...?" She whispered.My brow flicked, caught off guard by her question.Proud? What does that mean...?"Y-Yeah," I said finally, my voice rough. "It's impressive. You've got talent..." I think that's what Kan would sayHer lips twitched, like she was trying to hold back a smile, but her eyes stayed locked on mine. Her were lost deep into mine, as if she was looking for something old and rotten. But she found nothing."Do you... do you think he'd be proud too?" she asked softly, the words struggling to come out. She didn't say who he was, but I didn't need her to. The way her fingers tightened around the tracker told me everything. We both have the same kind of situation huh"I don't know," I said, looking down at the tracker, before my lips formed a smile. "But if he was anything like you, he'd probably think you're amazing."Her eyes bloomed like grass in spring, and for a moment, she looked like she was about to cry. But she didn't. Instead, she turned back to her workbench, her short moss hair flew up a bit from how fast she turned, her hands moving quickly as she fiddled with the wires and tools.I shifted my weight, I guess she is not really trying to kill us. "Well, I'll let you get back to it," I said, turning to leave. But before my feet hit the ground, I felt a small hand tug at the hem of my shirt."Wait," she said, her voice trembling. "Can you... can you stay? Just for a little bit?"I glanced down at her. She wasn't looking at me, her head bowed as she focused on her work. But her grip on my shirt was firm, like she was afraid I'd disappear if she let go. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. But only for a minute."She nodded, her shoulders lowered down. I leaned against the workbench, crossing my arms as I watched her work. The way her hands moved was better than a piano player on a keyboard, she would jump from the wires to soldering to assembling without hesitation, her breathing was even, every move had a rhythm connected to her breathing."You're good at this," I said, breaking the silence. "Where'd you learn?"She shrugged, not looking up. "I just... figured it out. I like fixing things. Making them work again."I nodded, though she couldn't see me. "That's a good skill to have. Better than mine, anyway."She paused, her hands stilling for a moment. "What's your skill?"I smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Breaking things. Hunting demons. Killing things."She didn't respond, but I could see her shoulders rising. I regretted saying it almost immediately. She didn't need to hear that. Not from me."Sorry," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "Forget I said that."She shook her head, her hands moving again. "It's okay... I know you..."My hand instinctively tensed, slowly getting closer to knife to my thigh.I frowned, my eyes darkened. "What do you mean?""You're... different," she said finally. "You're not a bad demon..."Then my hands tensed again, going into my pockets. I didn't know what to say to that... Me? Not a bad demon? This kid knows how to crack jokes."Funny one kid." I said, shuffling my nose before shaking my head."...I mean it." She said, turning to look at me with a frowning brow and small cheeky pout. But it didn't last half a minute before she turned back to the bench."Can I... can I ask you something?" , her voice barely audible.I sighed. "Sure. What is it?"She hesitated, her hands stilling again. "Can you... hug me? Just for a second?"I froze, my stomach twisting. "What?" What kind of game is this...?She looked up at me, her hands almost reaching for my shirt. "Please? Just... just once."I shook my head, taking a step back as my brow frowned. "No." Just no...I could see the tears welling up in her eyes but she turned back to the workbench. "Okay," she whispered. "I understand."I turned to leave, yet the space between me and the door felt long, I took a step, and the ground shook, I took another step, and my ears were hit with a ting of something sharp, I took a third step, and I felt my chest twist. What is this...? Some sort of magic? The door was there, yet my hands didn't move. My throat was heavy, as if someone forcefully inserted a ball inside. Is this... Guilt? What am I feeling guilty for? I don't know the little girl. So why...? I felt Ay body move again, but the door was getting away, as if running from me, and my head had turned back to the girl who was in front of me. I barely moved a step from when I turned.All I heard was the hiccups of holding back her pain. Why do I care?Am I... Becoming weaker?"It has been a while since you've killed out of instinct Molshiva... This is the consequence of following into the steps of humans." The growling voice of the beast spoke next to me. "This is what happens to demons who believe in morality." He continued. "Frame it as an accident, nobody is around to judge you... feast on her blood...""You are right... I've been hungry lately... I want to kil-"***The old memory came crashing back...Bunker 21.The smell of blood and smoke. The sound of screams echoing off the walls, the sirens, the emergency evacuation protocol. The dead bodies of children. And the roses—blood-red roses growing out of the concrete walls, their petals dripping.I was 14, standing by the corner of the fabrication facilities, my hands stained with blood. And in my arms was Kan. Half his hair turned white at the time, the other half was soaked in blood. His body had nothing to save, perfect circular holes in his chest, half chopped up face, his eyes staring up at me without a soul to judge. I could feel his feather-like weight, the coldness of his skin, the way his blood seeped into my clothes."Hiko..." his voice was weak, barely a whisper. "Why...?""I didn't mean to!" I yelled, "Come on, stay with me!"But he didn't respond. His blood bloomed into flowers on the concrete, black and red petals spreading like a garden. "Fine, fine, I promise," I said, my voice breaking. "I promise I won't hurt any innocent humans. So don't die! I can fix you! Just wait!"But he already died.***I placed my hand on the moss head, "consider this... My kind of hug," I said, rubbing her hair a bit.She froze, her breath catching. Her shoulders rose to the highest peak. "Hiko...?""Don't make a big deal out of it," I muttered, my voice gruff. "Just... shut up and take the hug, okay?"She didn't say anything, but I could feel her head pressing against my palm, it felt... Nice.When I finally let go, she turned to look at me, her eyes shining with tears. But she was smiling, just a little. "Thank you," she whispered.I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Then I turned and walked out of the room. "You will stay weak if you let the past control you... Kehehehe. I look forward to when you lose your grip, Molshiva." The blur head beside me said, before disappearing in a wink.***I walked out of the fabrication room, meeting the busy communal area. The kids were running around busier than usual, as if they were preparing for something big."Hiko," a voice called, cutting through the noise like a blade. I turned to see Aloray approaching, his brows furrowed as he almost ran towards me, behind him was Kan, putting on his gear as he walked behind the fast little demon."What do you want?" I asked, my tone sharper than I intended. I wasn't in the mood for a mission. Not after... whatever that was with Keyo."Important mission, follow me." Great, just what I needed. "We've got an important mission," he said. "Kimrol's team is moving out soon, and you're needed."I raised an eyebrow. "Kimrol? What's so important that you need all the firework?"Aloray's lips twitched, something between a smile and a grimace. "You will see, we're deploying X."