They say that revenge leads to more pain and sorrow in the end, but personally, I don't care about the end. All I do care about is the revenge I will take and bet my entire existence, because in a world as shitty as this one, if you want to survive or have a voice and idea, you have to be shittier and worse than what it can throw at you. I learnt this the hard way as I stared through the small hole as the Xion fed on the corpses of my family without being able to do anything. Well, to be precise, I was too scared to do anything but hide so I saw this inhumane creature feeding on the blood and remains of my parents with such eagerness that made my stomach churn up.
FLASH BACK
"Take this book with you, Kael. It contains all me and your mother's life work summarised with important information. We'll not be able to escape the ensuing chaos because the council has learned about the research that we were carrying here and as we expected since we began, they were not that pleased with it." his father spoke as he held his hands with his callused hands. He was a good father to him, there were sometimes where I did wish he would be more engaging and active but I could tell that he was trying his best after all.
"Why Dad? What's happening?! Where am I going?!" Kael asked back with subtle hints of tremble as he felt the unspoken tension lingering with them. His mother came closer and with her palms, she caressed his face as she carefully cleaned away the beads of tears that were starting to form. "We have to go sweetheart. We really wish that we could spend more time with you but it seems it would be rather impossible after all." His mother said as her hand trembled and she began quiet sobs. Before Kael could fully understand what was happening, he was injected with a seemingly colorless vial of liquid, which made him feel funny and disoriented.
"What did you…u d…" he tried to question his father as confusion etched onto his facial features. "Sorry, son. I can't have your location getting exposed or you getting in danger. I injected you with a vial that would make you feel sick and make it hard for you to perform many actions such as speaking or walking. I'll hide you in the basement and after some thirty minutes, the medicine would gradually fade away allowing you to gain bodily motions. Now this is the part I want you to listen to carefully, son. When you wake up, do not turn back nor do not make a sound and just start running eastward towards the forests. There you will find someone who will take you to the Sanctuary. When you arrive, give them this book I gave you. Is that alright son? I'm entrusting you with this serious matter" his father said with much seriousness present in his voice but it still carried a familiar soft tone of speech. Kael, unable to make such huge body movements, could only slightly move his head to show his understanding of the plan that had been given to him by his father.
Seemingly content with Kael's answer, his father stood up from his squat position on the ground. His mother held him close and hugged him while patting his curly black hair. "You should live well, Kael. Don't be caught up in the vents that happen today but instead move on after mourning us. Anyone can stop but true strength lies in those who still don't give up even when they stop because they can't continue anymore. I would like it if you can have the strength to keep on moving forward even after you fall." his mother said as she retreated from the hug before Kael was placed in the basement and locked and made to feel irrelevant and blend to the environment.
PRESENT
"Did you find anyone else?" a mature looking man with long blonde coloured hair which framed his red coloured eyes. He seemed human but at the same time someone out of this world. He donned on his body a noble like clothing with golden accessories and materials that are not common to the more poor of this world. He seems uninterested about the happenings here and unfazed by the gruesome look of the house with blood making their own painting canvas with the walls, organs complimenting the painting and making it more perfect and complete.
"No, my Lord. We have killed everyone present in this house." a man covered in blood came up as he talked to the strange and mysterious man who seemed to be a noble. "I see. I'm sure the Council would be quite glad. Bunch of pesky humans who can't just keep to themselves and always find ways to summon trouble. Such interesting creatures they are, I must say" he added as he began to head to the exit of the house. "Burn this place up and make it clean and silent. Those Sanctuary bastards are starting to make some moves again." he said in a calm and collected tone as he vanished into the darkness.
Sooner than not, Kael gained his body movement and once he did, with the instruction from his father, he quickly secured the book and through the basement escape door, he began to dash to the forest eastward where his father said people were already waiting. \With the energy and speed he could muster, he began to move quickly forward until his legs got caught in a hole which made him stumble and hit the ground hard while cutting his pal on a stone. "Shit. I'm bleeding." he commented as he wanted to quickly reduce the blood loss by covering it with some part of his clothing but he picked up on some grutal roars and sounds which seemed like those of the creatures in the house. "Shit. Did they sense me? How did they?" he questioned himself as he realised the raised stakes. Without any more thinking, he picked himself from the ground and started to run straight to the forest with as much speed his body could muster.
As he turned, he saw three of those creatures who began to pursue him with them with their four limbs on the ground and the evidence of the recent slaughter, the blood covering their body, began to chase him. They made some guttural roars and screams as they continued to gain distance to catch up to him. "Hah…Hah.. I have to keep on running. I have to complete the mission that Dad gave me!" Kael said as he motivated himself and with his last reserve of energy and stamina, he dashed into the forest and kept on running until he met a group of men wearing different gears with varying weapons from shields, swords and more. Seemingly the leader of this group was a woman with short dark hair, a light coloured skin which were complimented by her blue eyes. "Help. HELP ME!" Kael said as he came nearer to the group. One of the men in the group stood up and walked towards me as he questioned "What's wrong kid? WHy are you in a forest on your own like you're running from something?" he asked politely.
"Some creatures killed my parents and ate them and are now pursuing me. My dad told me to come to the forest with a book, and that there was someone who can help me and take me to the Sanctuary!" he said with desperation and a strained voice and short gasps of air, due to the running he did to the forest. As the man heard what Kael said, he turned to the rest of the group as if seeking their input. The girl who seems to be the leader walked forward and spoke "So Dr James and his wife are dead. That's sad news but we were able to secure their research and their son so it is not all bad news. Get ready to take down the Class One Xion's swarm" she said with such confidence and authority and the rest of the group started to equip and stand in a formation like they were ready for fight. "Follow me kid. Team leader Kina will take care of those friends." The man who was next to Kael spoke as he took his hand and guided him to the back of the team.
As Kael was being walked there, the fear that those monsters placed on him made him speak up, possibly out of fear or his want for the safety of this group. "Let's just leave! You don't know those monsters. They eat people and kill them easily. I saw them easily shred my father apart. They are not something that humans can kill!" Kael spoke in distress and he was held by the man. "Don't worry. Team leader Kina can easily take care of Common Class Xions, besides don't underestimate our Team either. Just sit back and enjoy the show." he said as he guided Kael unto one of the trunks of the trees more comfortable to sit and then took his stand next to him as he watched his team about to take on those monsters.
KINA'S TEAM
"How many do you think they will be and their class" casually mentioned one of the males in the group as he steadied his shield. "At most, it will be just a swarm of Common Class Xions (drones) if he was able to outrun them. And besides, many Xion above Noble Class don't feed on humans with such barbaric ways and it is more personal and hidden. That's my conclusion" another person in the group answered the man as they all kept their tension on the direction that Kael ran from. Sooner than not, they began to pick up the grutal roars of the monsters. "Steady…They're here." Kina said in a calm tone as she stepped to the front and brandished her sword with focus on the sound of the approaching monsters. Some seconds later, the monsters began to approach with fast speed and then with a casual comment to the rest of her team, Kina dashed forward with her sword in hand as she began to effortlessly decapitate the drones like they were some child's play. Soon, the other members joined in on the fray and in about three minutes, they had already taken out all of the creatures with their body littering on the forest grounds painting it red.
"How…" Kael unintentionally uttered as he marvelled and as confused and shocked at the slaughter he had just seen these groups of humans perform. "Yeah. I know. It's hard to understand it at the start but you'll get used to it as you spend time in the Sanctuary." the man who was next to Kael said as he gazed on Kina who after finishing her slaughter, with a wave of her sword cleaned off the blood on her sword and then sheathed it back while casually walking towards his location. "We have taken care of the drones. It's time to head back to the Sanctuary" Kina said as she approached the site where Kael was sitting. "What about my parents?…Shouldn't we try to salvage their corpses and give them a proper bu…," but before he could complete his words, he saw the burning of the location where his house used to stand and then he understood. There was nothing there to be buried if they had all been burned away. "The Xions have burned it down, most likely to cover their traces. Xions don't normally have such intelligence unless they are above Common Class. If that's true, then here is very dangerous. We have to live quickly." Kina said as the rest of her team after taking care of the Xions approached with their gears, weapons and clothings now completely dyed in the blood of those monsters.
"I'll follow you. Where should we go to reach the Sanctuary?" Kael said as he stood up and approached Kina and suddenly before he could comprehend, he began to lose consciousness. "Sorry. Your permission is not enough to learn about the location of the Sanctuary….so…please sleep for me…" was the last words he heard as he collapsed into the embrace of sleep. His falling body was caught by Kinna's team member as he jokingly commented "That was quite rude, Kina" as he supported the now unconscious body of Kael.
"We have no time for chitter, Min. It's time to leave here."