Zane's heart slammed against his ribs, his calm shattering like glass. "What was that about Ariel?" he growled, lunging forward and grabbing the Black American by his jacket, shaking him hard enough to make his axe clatter against the pier. His voice was a blade, raw with fury, his hair whipping in the wind.
"The hell you shaking me for, motherfucker?" the Black American snapped, shoving Zane's hands off, his dark eyes flashing with irritation. "I said they're all headed to Ravenloch! This is Ashenport, east coast. Takes about eight hours to get there by bus—if you could find one. Ain't no driver crazy enough to make that trip with Geminis crawling everywhere." He stepped back, rubbing his chest, his bloodied arm trembling from the effort.
Zane's rage boiled, his fists clenching until his knuckles whitened. 'Blake, you bastard,' he thought, his mind a furnace of betrayal. 'You threw me away, fine. But sending Ariel to that death trap? If one hair on her head's touched, I'll rip your heart out.' His face darkened, his eyes glinting like shards of ice as he turned to the woman, his voice low and dangerous. "You got anything else on Ravenloch? Where they fighting? How many Geminis?"
The woman swallowed. "I don't know much," she admitted, her voice cracking. "I heard the fight's at Ravenloch's old school—some kinda Gemini nest. The Elite-ranked Geminis are seven in number, they say. It's bad, real bad. Those Awakeners—Valmer, Kenshi, the others—they're the best we got, but we're not sure if they are enough to take them down. If they fail, we all die."
Zane's jaw tightened, his thoughts racing. Ariel, his sister, was in Ravenloch, facing the Whisperkin's terror, and he hadn't even known she'd Awakened.
"If you go down that alley, you'll see a woman and a kid, both hurt bad," Zane said, his voice low and clipped, pointing a finger toward a shadowed path where the woman and her unconscious child lay slumped against a street lamp.
Zane's white hair, damp and wild, whipped in the gusts, his blue eyes glinting with cold resolve as he faced the five Awakeners he'd just saved from the twin-headed Geminis. "Help them if you feel like it. I'm done here," he added, his tone sharp, brooking no argument. With that, he bolted, a blur of motion like a cannon shot, his boots splashing through puddles as he tore toward Ravenloch.
Meanwhile, an hour earlier, before Zane's encounter with the woman and child, inside a ruined building in Ravenloch's outskirts, the relentless rain had finally stopped, leaving a damp chill that seeped into the bones.
Two figures stepped through the splintered entrance, their footsteps crunching over debris, drawing every eye in the room.
Valmer, Kenshi, and Ariel spun toward the newcomers, ready to strike, their faces taut with suspicion. The man leading the pair had raven-black hair that cascaded over his shoulders like molten silk. His half-zipped leather jacket revealed a dragon tattoo coiling across his chest. In his right hand, he gripped two swords, their blades bound together by worn leather straps, their edges glinting with a predatory hunger. Beside him strode a woman in tight jeans and a snug black crop top that hugged her lean frame, her chestnut hair—a rich brown with golden streaks—flowing in a loose cascade down her back, catching slivers of light. Her flawless face, free of scars, held a piercing gaze. She had no weapons visible but her stance radiated coiled energy.
"Kàn lái dà jiā dōu yǐ jīng dào qí le,"
("Looks like everyone's already here.") the man said, his voice smooth yet commanding, a smirk curling his lips as he scanned the room, his dark eyes assessing each figure with a warrior's precision.
"Yeogi hakgyo sonyeodeul-i mwohaneun geoya?"
("What are these schoolgirls doing in a place like this?") the woman asked, her tone sharp and skeptical, her gaze pinning Celine and Ariel like a predator sizing up prey, her hands resting on her hips with casual confidence.
[System Notice]
Translating Foreign Language to Native Language.
The system's hum wove their words into a seamless thread, erasing the language barrier. The man with the dragon tattoo stepped forward, his swords clinking softly as he planted himself near the entrance wall.
"I'm Kai Linwei, China's Primordial, you feel me?" he said, his voice curt, cutting through the tense air like a blade. "Let's wrap this hunt up quick."
Kenshi Aokawa leaned against a cracked wall, his eyes closed, his face a mask of calm, his right hand resting on his katana's hilt, as though he was ready to strike at any moment.
The woman beside Kai flashed a quick smile, her chestnut hair swaying as she shifted her weight. "I'm Yuna Lee from Korea," she said, her voice lighter but edged with steel. "Nice to meet you all, I guess."
The group began swapping intel, their voices low and urgent. Every other Geminis aside Ariel, had been rushed to America on their nations' fastest jets, backed to crush the Elite-rank Geminis nesting in Ravenloch's old school. The air crackled with their shared resolve, the weight of their mission heavy as the ruins around them.
Yuna tilted her head, a finger brushing her lips, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "So, you're saying these Geminis can talk? That's… wild," she said, her voice tinged with doubt, her braid catching a stray beam of light as she leaned forward, intrigued.
Kai snorted, his swords shifting in his grip. "Talk or scream, don't care. We won't know anything till we face 'em in person. Let's move already," he growled, his impatience a spark in the dim room, his boots scuffing the dust-covered floor.
Ariel stepped forward, her golden hair catching the faint light, her young face fierce with determination. "We can't just barge in blind," she said, her voice steady, her hands clenched at her sides. "Let me scout first. I'll size up the situation, then we plan from there."
Valmer's eyes narrowed, his hand brushing his glowing rosary beads. "You can't go alone, Ariel," he said, his voice firm, his brown hair falling messily over his shoulders. "It's too risky. We don't know what they are capable of." Celine nodded, her face tight with concern.
Yuna scoffed, crossing her arms as she leaned against a crate, clearly displeased that teenagers were involved in the mission. "What is this, some high school drama flick? I get you're a Primordial too, kid, but let the grown-ups handle the big calls. You think the Elite Geminis are gonna roll out a welcome mat if you stroll in solo?" Her frown deepened, her flawless face sharp with irritation, her gaze flicking between Ariel and Celine.
Kenshi's voice sliced through, low and deliberate, his eyes still shut, his fingers tightening on his katana's hilt. "What's your reason for this suggestion, Ariel?" he asked, his tone measured but curious. He knew Ariel's sharp mind, but his family's slaughter by Geminis—his wife's screams, his daughter's blood—made him doubt they were capable of reason, even if they spoke.
Ariel hesitated, her gaze flickering, haunted by a secret she couldn't voice. "I have a hunch they won't hurt me," she said, her voice soft but unyielding. The Whisperkin's eerie restraint during her earlier encounter, she knew they wouldn't hurt her even though she couldn't explain why. One thing she was certain about was that, whatever the reason was, had something to do with Zane.
Kenshi's eyes snapped open, amber irises glinting like embers. "A hunch?" he repeated, his voice sharp, dark shadow crossed half of his face in the dim light, his katana's hilt creaking under his grip, his pain a raw wound.
Kai raised a hand, his swords gleaming faintly. "We're going either way, so let's vote," he said, his voice a hard command. "Raise your hand for a straight-up fight. Keep it down for playing it smart." Yuna rolled her eyes, muttering, "I don't waste brain cells on things I gotta do," and raised her hand, her braid swaying. Kenshi followed, his katana shifting, then Kai.
Valmer sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Sorry, Ariel, I'm with them. We stick together, I'm against the idea of you going in alone." He raised his hand, flashing Celine a reassuring smile, his rosary beads glowing softly. Celine, biting her lip, raised her hand too, her guilt at opposing Ariel etched in her hazel eyes. She was against Ariel going alone more than anybody in the room. She had seen firsthand what the Whisperkin was capable of.
Kai's gaze flicked to Celine, his brow furrowing. "One question. What's she doing here?" he asked, pointing a sword at her, his voice blunt. "This ain't a game. We don't need anyone slowing us down."
Valmer stepped forward, his smile warm but firm. "I'll take responsibility for her," he said, his voice steady. "She's tougher than you think."
Kenshi snorted, closing his eyes again, his katana still as stone. "Perverted priest," he muttered, his tone dry, a faint smirk tugging his lips.
Valmer opened his mouth to snap back, but Kai cut him off, his swords clinking as he turned toward the exit. "Enough chatter. Let's get this over with," he said, his voice a whip, his boots scuffing the concrete.
"Hold up," Valmer called, his tone shifting to solemn reverence, his beads glowing brighter. "Everyone, close your eyes." Kenshi hissed, "Tch," but complied, his jaw tight, his katana's hum fading. He wasn't a believer and neither were the others in the room, but even he could not deny it, Valmer skills were second to none. Also, they needed all the help they could get, be it physical or spiritual. The room fell silent, the air thick with anticipation, only Valmer's voice ringing clear as he recited the Lord's Prayer:
"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."