KEEPER

Erityian Novella, #5

Author: Purpleyhan
Form: Novella
Type: Serialized
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Action, Thriller, Fantasy
Status: Completed
Availability: On-site | Wattpad
Date Written: October 2019 - June 2020

Tagline:
"Keeping them alive is my job."

==============================
==============================

Prologue: Going Home

In the middle of the raging sea,

A phantom island appears;
Evil mist and harsh waves,
A hell that invokes one's fears;
Run, leave, never return,
Or your soul will forever burn.

I remembered reading those lines in one of the books in the Cerebrum library. It
was kind of weird to read something about a place I considered as home.

"Are you sure you're going alone?" asked Cliff as the three of us walked through
the basement of Cerebellum.

His bloodshot eyes looked at me with concern while Jett continued fiddling with his
guns. We became busy after the whole ordeal with Nox. They were tasked to clean the
mess in that place while the Commander gave me a special mission.

"Shima, huh?" Jett muttered.

"Well, I'm the only one capable of going there besides the Commander," I said.
Cliff sighed. "Nel would surely look for you."

The mood instantly went down after mentioning her name. I felt a pang of guilt and
anger when I remembered what happened to her during the battle with Nox. As a
Keeper, I was supposed to keep my team safe but she almost died because of my
shortcomings.

We visited her in the Stem Division, where she had to undergo several surgeries
because the stimulant she consumed was slowly destroying her organs, and most of
her bones and muscles were broken and torn.

I never believed in gods but for the first time, I silently prayed. I just wanted
to see her awake and okay before I go.

After the visiting hours, I retired to my room and stared vacantly at the ceiling.
My body was tired but my mind was too active. I was about to go to the bathroom but
I received a message from Commander Priam so I immediately went to his office.

"Agent Naia," he called. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

I nodded without a second thought. Only the leaders of the tribes have the
authority to enter Shima from the outside but his hands were full with the
aftermaths of the Nox's downfall. As someone who had lived there for quite some
time, he asked me to bring the criminals to that place.

Truthfully, I was a bit surprised that he knew my past. When I first arrived here,
I was sure I modified my background to prevent them from knowing my connections
with Shima. I was just thankful that he didn't ask anything about it.

"Here," he said while giving me a remote-like device.

"This is?"
"A device we developed with the help of the Senshins."
"Senshins?"
"There are too many executives for you to escort and it will be too risky for you
to handle them alone. Hence, this."
"And how does it work?"

"It incorporates the teleportation process developed by the Senshins into our size-
modification technology. Once you're in Shima, just press the button and the cell
where the criminals are currently imprisoned will be instantly transported through
shrinking and teleportation."

I stared at the device in awe. Senshins and Custos were really stepping up their
game in this field.

"Good luck and come back alive," he said and I saluted.

"Roger, Commander."

***

I was admiring the device as I walked to my room when I saw a figure standing on
the doorway.

"What? Do you want me to check that?" I asked while pointing at the pistol on his
waist band.

Jett quietly followed me as I entered my room and he remained standing while I sat
on the side of my bed.

"You're really going alone," he softly said.

"Yeah. Alone," I emphasized.

Even though Cliff and Jett didn't say it out loud before, I knew they wanted to
come with me, but it would be hard to travel with outsiders. I didn't want to risk
their lives.

"But—"
"No," I firmly said. "You won't last a minute there."

In a splitsecond, the tip of my sword came in contact with his neck and he stood
still, a trickle of sweat running down his face.

"If you can't even defend yourself against that, then no."
"that's unfair," he complained. "I wasn't prepared."
I sheathed my sword and smiled at him. "The unprepared are the first to die," I
said as I picked up my luggage. "Don't miss me too much."

I was ready to leave my room but halted when I heard him call my name.

"Naia." Turning around, I caught the pistol he just threw at my direction. "Keep
safe."

A smile escaped my lips upon hearing that line.

"I'm a Keeper," I said. "I need to stay alive to keep my team from dying."

The smile on my face faded as I marched away from the place that sheltered me since
I was young. It's time to return to the place of curses and chaos.

It's time to go home.

==============================

Chapter 1: The Island of the Damned

I had lost track of time as I drifted for days in the middle of the ocean.
Fortunately, my supplies were still enough and the ocean was calm.

Nel would surely be awake by now. I could imagine her angry face, questioning Cliff
and Jett about me. A smile escaped my lips as I reminisced the life I had in CIA.
It was never easy but it was less troubling than where I was headed.

Shima had been a subject of myths and rumors among Erityians. Many believed it was
not real, until he met his demise. I could still remember that time: Executioners
were ready to slaughter every Shinigami they had imprisoned, not minding the
repercussions from the administration and the council.

Ise, then head of the Jikko clan, vowed to kill every single Shinigami who made his
grandson suffer.

“Naia, you should never allow anyone to read your mind,” Vince would always say
when I was a child.
“Why?”
“Because they can use your thoughts and memories against you.”

I heaved a sigh. It’s been more than a decade since he died yet the pain still
lingered inside me. I missed him.

My thoughts returned to the present when the clear sky and water suddenly turned
dark. In a span of a few seconds, everything was already covered in fog.

A wave of nostalgia hit me as I felt the fog brushed against my skin.

“Farallon,” I called.

As if on cue, the fog dissipated and the familiar island came into view. The
silence I was enjoying a while ago was replaced by cries and screams of agony and
pain. The air was filled with metallic and putrid smell—the scent of bloodshed and
death.

“Is that you, Naia?” a voice echoed.

I smirked. “Yeah. I thought you’ve already forgotten me.”

A guy clad in black holding a huge scythe appeared in front of me. He still looked
the same except for the additional creases on his face.

There was a hint of surprise, even disbelief, on his inscrutable face.

Farallon was never fazed with anything. Even when Vince brought her here, he
remained inexpressive. When Vince died, his face was expressionless but his eyes
were gleaming with wrath. Seeing him after a long time made me feel like I was a
kid again.

“How’s everyone?” I asked as I came ashore.

“Why are you here?” he questioned without answering mine.
“I have a special delivery.”

Despite his skepticism, he walked with me toward the forest. I heard the familiar
roars of Shira and Hyora, the guardians and first line of defense of this island.

“Hey,” I snickered as the lion and leopard made their way to me. “Missed me,
buddies?”

I didn’t have any friends of my age in this place and all the Executioners were
busy with their jobs and missions so I befriended these two. Among the natives of
this island, only me and Aristus could snuggle with these deadly predators.

“Everything has changed here,” Farallon said as we passed through the forest.

It was always dark in the woods as the canopy of trees blocked the sunlight. I
remembered getting lost here when I was young and Farallon found me in a critical
state. My arms accidentally brushed against the leaves of a poisonous plant and
rendered me motionless.

The venomous insects buzzed around and the deadly plants’ leaves fluttered in the
wind. It took us a while to get out of the forest and the stretch of sludge came
into view.

Farallon wounded himself, his blood trickling from his finger and it dropped onto
the boulder at the forest’s threshold.

The path of stone emerged, bridging the gap between the forest and the village. The
rancid smell was enough to make someone nauseous but it was already normal for the
inhabitants of this island. When we reached the end of the path, the stones sank
back into the sludge and we marched forward.

Some Executioners halted, others took a glance at me, as I walked beside Farallon.
The older ones were able to recognize me as the child who had red eyes.

“Naia?” One of the called. “Is that you, Naia?”

“Yuma,” I replied. “You look old now.”

He drew his sword and I swiftly fended off his attack. Some Executioners gathered
around, bellowing and cheering, as the two of us were caught in an onslaught.

He was still fast and agile despite his age. I could feel the cuts on my skin,
blood streaming through my arms. I managed to land a gash on his cheeks and he
looked more excited.

“Damn, child, you better not underestimate me,” he beamed as he charged at me.

That moment, my skin tingled as I felt an intense bloodlust from him. He was going
for my vital point.

“The unprepared are the first to die.”

I remembered what I told to Jett and cursed myself for being too softhearted. This
was Shima, a place where comrades could kill one another without giving a thought.
He disappeared from my sight, and the next thing I knew, the tip of his blade was
already piercing through my right shoulder. I gritted my teeth in pain and held his
sword. I kicked his neck as I my hands bled while gripping his blade. The force
made him lose his balance and grip on the sword and I immediately pulled it out of
my flesh.

Yuma sat up and laughed hysterically as he looked at me.

“Shit, this is bad,” he chuckled. “I want to kill you now.”

He was ready to charged at me but everyone suddenly fell silent. I felt the immense
pressure in the atmosphere, making my body tremble in fear.

“W-what was that?” I mumbled.

Amidst the silence, I heard heavy footsteps approaching our direction. The
Executioners gave way and I saw a hooded man walking toward us.

The tattered cloak fluttered as the wind howled. Behind him was a woman who was
eerily familiar. Then I remembered Nel’s story about a Senshin who had the eyes of
a Shinigami and a Custos.

The Executioners, as well as Yuma and Farallon, bowed to him and that got me
confused.

As far as I remembered, Lionel should be the de-facto leader since Ise lost his
only heir when Vince died. I was sure Lionel didn’t look like that when I left
Shima.

“Child, state your name,” he demanded and I flinched upon hearing his voice.
“N-Naia,” I answered.
“I see. The child of Diona and Heron,” he said and my stomach churned in distress
as I heard my parents’ names.

He carefully removed his hood and I almost got paralyzed by his stare. Intense and
cold green eyes looked right into mine.

“W-who are you?” I asked, my voice shaking in fear.

He bellowed in laughter as if my question was something funny.

“A Jikko branch clan member,” he responded. “That old fart didn’t even talk to me
until he needed someone to inherit his position.”

Some Executioners were visibly uncomfortable after hearing him badmouthing Ise. I,
too, felt annoyed as Ise was the most respectable person in this island.

“I vowed to hunt down every single Shinigami but they locked me up in this place,”
he seethed and I had to step back because his anger screamed danger. “Damn that
council of old and coward shitheads.”
“Dad, calm down,” the woman behind him softly said.

The man looked at me again after he calmed down.

“I am Kyo,” he said, “the strongest Executioner, and this is now my turf.”

==============================
Chapter 2: Heir Apparent

It had been three hours since I arrived in Shima yet I had already learned about
what happened here after Ise and Vince died.

Shira snuggled me and I could hear the guttural sound he was making, as if asking
some attention.

"Man, you haven't change at all," I snickered while caressing his mane.

I stayed at the shore of the island as they decide what to do with me and the
prisoners I had to transfer using the Senshins and Custos technology.

Heaving a sigh, I stared at the endless sea. I still couldn't believe that that guy
had been the leader the moment he arrived here. And to think that girl who had the
eyes of different tribe was his daughter.

"Hey."

I reached for my weapon as I turned my head around and saw that girl. Speaking of
the devil.

She walked toward my direction and Shira started snarling at her.

"Calm down, boy," I said. "Go play with Hyora."

The girl sat beside me and looked at the gray sky. She smiled and it felt so
genuine that I let my guard down for a second.

"You know, when I first arrived here, I thought I was going to die. This time, for
real," she chuckled. "I, too, was bringing criminals from the Nox and Sir Hideo
told me that I should brace myself when I set foot here. I thought it was because
of this island's reputation."

She glanced at me and her eyes were so distracting. Her iridescent irises where
beautiful and nauseating at the same time. I wonder what it felt to have eyes of
different tribes and abilities.

"I was attacked by the Executioners the moment I landed. I was a fighter, too, but
their strength were on a different level. It felt like I was fighting a Huntres
with an instinct of a Senshin. It was terrifying."

My lips curved upward. Hearing that compliment for the Jikko clan was uplifting.

"My plan was to leave the criminals, deliver a news, and go back to Tantei High,
but everything changed when their 'leader' came to meet me."
"It must be shocking," I commented.
She chuckled in response. "Not really. My Dad is strong and stubborn so deep in my
heart, I knew he was still alive, despite being labeled as missing in the records
of the Senshins."

Kyo, huh? The only ones we were told to be wary about in the Senshin tribe were the
remnants of the Great Seven, and some of the professors.

"But I didn't expect to see him here. Dad never liked positions."
"Well, he's still a Jikko," I said. "And when . . . when Vince died, the main
family had no heir to replace him as the future leader."
"Ah. So you didn't know."
I glanced at her, my brows furrowed, unsure if I heard that right.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Vince is known as Mitsuo in Tantei High."
"Alternative name?"
She nodded. "Yup. And do you know Naomi?"
"Naomi?"
"Nathalie."

That name triggered a certain memory. I remembered the woman Vince brought here
when she returned for a while. It was just a brief time but she was the first
'friend' I had.

"They have a son."

I stifled a gasp upon hearing that. Vince and Nathalie? They . . . they had a
child?
"Then . . . that means the main family . . ."
"Yeah. Their blood still continues." She suddenly stood and stared at the sea. "And
actually, Naomi and his son would arrive here in a few days."

***

"Where are the criminals you are talking about?" he asked, but it sounded like a
demand.

Maintaining my composure was difficult in front of this Kyo. His presence was
enough to feel his superiority and strength.

I breathed deeply to calm my mind and pulled the device out of my pocket.

"They are still in the CIA but this device can teleport them here."
"Heh. I see. That smart-ass is still developing handy inventions."
"Should we go to Keimusho-rei first so that they can be easily imprisoned?"
He scoffed. "No. They need to stand trial."

He stood up and started walking away. I had no choice but to follow. After a few
minutes, we arrived at the barren land where most of the torture and execution take
place. There were still pools of blood on the ground and vultures were quietly
looming above us. Some of the Executioners were preparing a huge pot of boiling oil
and setting up several bamboo stakes.

Most of the Executioners who were fighting against each other halted and dashed
here. Farallon arrived a minute later and stood beside me.

"Who's going to be tortured?"

"Most probably, the criminals I brought."

Kyo glanced at me and gestured to bring the Nox members in front of him. I pressed
the only button on the device and after a thirty seconds, several members of the
Nox Organization appeared before us.

The look on their faces was a mixture of nausea, confusion and anger. Despite their
feet and hands being bound, few of them started attacking the people around . . .
which was a wrong and dumb move.

"This one's mine!"

"Humdrums are, indeed, stupid."
"Couple of Erityians, too."
Executioners easily subdued them and most of the humdrums were easily brought to
their knees by Karim, an 11-year old trainee.

Farallon whistled, and most of the Executioners were impressed by his skill.

"How does that feel?" Yuma taunted as he pointed his scythe to an Executive neck.
"Your members are being toyed by an 11-year old Jikko."

Eerie hissed as he glared at Yuma.

"A traitor like you," Yuma said as the tip of his scythe digging through Eerie's
skin, "brings shame to the Senshin tribe."
"Yuma. Stop."

My skin crawled upon hearing that familiar voice and when I turned around, I saw
Lionel walking toward our direction.

His long, blonde hair was tied cleanly and his ever regal disposition was apparent.

"I have finished cleaning the Rei level," he reported to Kyo.

"Good," Kyo responded and Lionel went to the Nox's direction. "Reliable as ever,"
he commented.
"Of course," I said. "He's been Vince's rival since they were young. Strength-wise,
he's probably second to you."
"You're right," he chuckled. "But potential-wise, that brat is higher than him."
"That brat?"

He didn't answer my question and just enjoyed the torture he was seeing. After
that, the 'jury' decided which level each of them would be put. They were
transferred to the keimusho while I stayed there with Kyo.

I shuddered when I felt his presence getting stronger and I had to step back to not
get overwhelmed. When I looked at him, his grin was nowhere to be found and it was
replaced with a grim expression.

"Their leader, where is he?"

"He escaped," I replied. "We're currently monitoring his movements."
"I see. We can help."
"How?"
"We can extract information from their brains. Give us at least a day."
"Okay. I'll be counting on you."

He silently walked away and I was left alone. I wanted to contact the CIA but
communication outside was forbidden in this island. Well, the absence of the
prisoners would probably be enough as a report.

***

It's been 36 hours since I arrived here and I was still adjusting to the intensity
of voices inside my head. My range had improved and I could now hear the cries and
howls in the prisons. It was draining but I was used to this kind of exhaustion
since I was a child.

I suddenly remembered how Nathalie almost lost her memories before because of these
voices. That must be really scary.

'How did you know my name?'

Hearing a voice inside my head, which was neither a scream of pain nor cries from
mind torture, made me flinch. Who . . . wait . . .

'N-Nathalie?'
'Who are you?'

I immediately went out of the cabin and ran toward the bridge. Farallon was on his
way to the shore so I went with him.

"Hey, I heard her," I said while catching my breath.

"Ah. So you knew."
"She's here?"
"They just landed."

We both dashed toward the shore and Kyo, as well as Kiyoko, was already talking to
the two people who just got out of the boat.

Nathalie looked at my direction, a hint of surprise on her face, but after a few
seconds, she smiled, as if she had finally recognized me.

"Naia?" she called.

"Nathalie."

Then my eyes drifted to the guy beside him and I halted when I saw his face.
He looked exactly like Vince.

"This pisses me off," Kyo grumbled. "It's like looking at those two brats' faces."
Nathalie chuckled. "I know what you mean, Sir Kyo. Well, Hideo raised him so he
kinda got his personality."
"You kid," he said while looking at the guy.
"His name is Nathan," Nathalie said.
"I don't need his real name. What's your alt—"
"Hiro," the guy suddenly answered, cutting him off. "Sir."
Wow. He's got guts. I'll give him that.
"Hiro. Well then, you've got things to do."
"Things to do?"
Kyo grinned as if he just found someone to toy with.
"As the rightful heir to this damned island."

==============================

Chapter 3: Jikko Clan

Nathalie and Kyo went to the huge shack in the middle of the island to talk about
‘stuff’ that, according to them, we don’t need to know. Kiyoko went to the prison
with Lionel to transfer the captives they just tortured.

‘Too much noise.’

My eyes drifted to the guy who came with Nathalie. Looking at him felt strange. He
looked like Vince but with less evident expressions on his face.

“You probably should not stay here,” I said and he looked at me. “Seems like you
have the same ability as Nathalie.”
“What do you mean?”

I remembered that time Nathalie almost lost her mind. That was the first time I saw
someone greatly affected by the thoughts and inner voices of people despite our
capability to block them.
“You can hear inner voices despite their closed minds, right?” He nodded. “You sure
you can handle the agony and pain of the tortured? The heinous and brutal thoughts
of the prisoners? The radical ways and thoughts of the executioners?”

He winced before he could answer my questions. I knew it. Those voices must be
causing a discomfort and pain on his mind.

“I can,” he said.

I stared at him for a few seconds. I wasn’t sure if he was confident or just
foolish. Amid the silence, I could hear faint voices, screams of agony and
desperation from the prisoners. I remembered Kyo’s words a while ago and might as
well use this time to see what this guy could do.

Within a splitsecond, I drew my sword and swung it to his direction.

Shock and confusion came into his face, and he leapt back, avoiding a serious cut
on his neck. I pulled back my sword and looked at him.

“Seems like your flight instincts have been honed,” I remarked as blood trickled
from his neck. “But, kiddo, Jikkos are known for fighting, not evading. I guess you
aren’t ready to inherit that name yet.”

My words seemed to struck a chord and the look on his eyes instantly changed. I was
caught off-guard for a second because he looked exactly like Vince when he’s
pissed.

“Kiddo? You seem like just a few years older than me,” he commented.
“I call everyone weaker than me a kiddo,” I retorted, and somehow it felt good. I
didn’t know taunting someone who could talk back would be this entertaining since
Jett and Cliff would always give up before I could enjoy the conversation.

Before his hand could reach for something behind him, I lunged at him and gripped
his arm. However, he used his other hand to get the gun tucked on his back. I felt
its tip on the back of my head but he grunted and lost his balance when I
headbutted him.

I snatched his gun as he fell on his back and pointed it at him. I fired two
bullets on each side of his head, just a few inches from his ears. Fortunately,
that gun geek taught me how to intimidate someone by shooting accurately at those
spots.

“What? Did you life flash right before your eyes?” I taunted. “Oh, poor guy. A gun
won’t work against someone who lives in this island. Shoot them, and they will
smile instead. As long as they are standing, as long as they still have remaining
strength, they will continue fighting.” A smile escaped my lips as I remembered how
they described Vince’s death. “They’d rather die than lose.”

“What are you doing?”

I felt an intense pressure behind us and when I turned around, Kyo and Nathalie was
already walking toward our direction. I threw the gun on the guy’s body and
slightly bowed at Kyo.

“Just testing his skills,” I said.

“Heh. And what’s your assessment?”
I glanced at the guy who just got up and kept glaring at me. “He’d lose to Karim,”
I replied. “Too slow. Too weak. Too emotional. Too self-centered. If I’m an
Executioner, I won’t offer my trust and loyalty to someone who can’t even defend
himself.”

Kyo bellowed in laughter while Nathalie looked conflicted. That kid’s presence was
overwhelming, maybe the most intense among the Executioners besides Kyo, but that
wouldn’t mean anything if his body couldn’t keep up.

“No filters and sugarcoating, huh? I like that,” Kyo commented.

I scoffed. “I don’t like toning down my words. A weak must know he’s weak,
otherwise, he’d be complacent.”
“Naia . . .” Nathalie called, a look of worry flashed on her face.
“I’m sorry, Nathalie. I’m just saying the truth. Well then, I need to rest.”

I started walking away from them. Kyo was still chuckling but the two remained
silent. My words might be harsh but this place is harsher. His naivety would just
cause more harm. If it was the other Executioners that challenged him, he’d be dead
by now. He should have prepared himself before setting foot here.

I was on my way to my cabin when I saw Aristus standing near it.

“Aristus!” I called as I ran toward his direction.

He smiled upon seeing me. “Naia.”

He still looked the same—his shaggy hair that looked like a bird’s nest, his
eyeglasses that constantly slid down his nose bridge, the dirty white mantle he
kept on wearing, the ragged book that he was always holding, and the kindest eyes
in this island.

“I just learned that you’re here,” he softly said. “And also Nathalie . . . and his
son.”
“I arrived yesterday and you just heard it today?” I noted as I squinted my eyes.
“How many days did you spend inside your cave this time?”
He chuckled nervously. “Uh, a week, I think?”
“Geek,” I muttered.
“Learning and writing our history is fun. You should try it,” he remarked as his
eyes twinkled in excitement.

His enthusiasm about it made me retch. Aristus is the weakest here in terms of
physical abilities, but the Executioners respect his vast knowledge about our race.
Although his obsession in history sometimes drain them that they choose to avoid
him if he’s around.

“Ah. By the way, have they extracted information from the Nox members?” I asked.

Aristus smirked and glanced at the isolated part of the island, which was called
blood chamber, because of the red-dyed ground due to the volcano and keimusho.

“You know how Lionel works,” he said. “Of course, he already did.”
“Still as persuasive as ever, huh?”

Aristus accompanied me to the blood chamber, which was a two-hour walk from the
cabin. Despite closing my mind, I could still hear voices inside my head as we got
nearer. Nathalie and Hiro would probably lose their minds the moment they stepped
into this chamber.

The temperature in this place took up a notch and I started sweating profusely. I
already took off my coat and tied my hair but Aristus seemed unaffected. How could
he still look comfortable with that mantle covering his body? Damn monster.

After an excruciating walk, we finally arrived at keimusho. The guards opened the
gate when they saw Aristus and when we stepped inside, a wave of nausea hit me. The
pungent smell and the vicious voices echoing throughout this confinement made me
feel disoriented.

“You sure you can handle this?” Aristus asked.

I breathed deeply and willed myself to stay calm. “Yeah. It’s just . . . it’s been
a while since I last went here.”
“I could see that.”

We navigated the narrow hallway until we arrived at a lift. Since the prisons are
underground, we had to use it to reach the zero/rei level, where convicted
Erityians were placed.

It became hotter as we descended and it felt like my skin and bones would just
melt. I could also hear the screams and cries of the prisoners and it made my head
throb in pain. The lift stopped and when the door opened, Lionel immediately came
into view.

Blood was splattered across his face and his blonde hair was dyed with scarlet
hues. His green eyes gleamed in the dimly lit space and my skin crawled when he
smiled at us.

“Ah. I just finished questioning this one,” he said as he lifted the guy by
grabbing his hair.
“That’s good,” Aristus commented. “I need more information.”

Lionel hurled the body, which was already unconscious, and walked toward our
direction.

“I already know where that Custos is,” Lionel said, smirking. “Ah. I wonder what
kind of punishment I should give him.”

I shuddered upon hearing his words. Dale was an elusive target, even for us, yet he
was already thinking of how he could make his life miserable.

This guy . . . he might be more frightening than Kyo. And those two are the current
main force of the Jikko clan. I wonder if that kid could hold a candle to them.

==============================

Chapter 4: Trial of the Blade

“Really?” I muttered as Farallon readied the boat.

“That’s the rule, kid,” he said. “You can’t communicate with others within the
island.”

I let out a sigh as I stepped on the raft. Farallon started pushing it toward the
sea and before I knew it, Shima had already been shrouded in fog and mist. I was
left alone in the middle of the sea and I realized there was a brewing storm
nearby.

“Damn it,” I muttered while getting the device the Commander gave me.

Feeding in the codes, a call suddenly registered and after a few seconds, Commander
Priam’s voice could be heard on the other side of the line.

“Naia,” he greeted. “Good to hear from you. What happened?”

“The criminals have been transferred successfully, Commander,” I reported. “Also,
one of the Executioners said he knows where Dale and Zeno are. However, in exchange
of the information, you must turnover them here for their punishment.”

There were several seconds of silence on his end, as if he was contemplating

whether to entertain their idea or rely solely on his Executives. I heard him
breathe out and finally gave an order.

“I’d like to know the details.”

“Roger that, Commander.”

He ended the call and a second after that, the raft was pulled into the fog. The
island and Farallon came into view and he hauled the raft to the forest.

We walked back to the inland and Shira and Hyora greeted me. Farallon still
couldn’t believe that those beasts could still remember me and I was the only one
that could cuddle them.

“I heard you went to the blood chamber with Aristus,” he said and my body almost
trembled when I remembered what happened there.
“Yeah. It was like coming back from hell.”
He snickered. “Right. Remember when you first went there? Vince had to get you away
from that place because it triggered your eyes.”

The mention of his name made those memories resurface. I remembered sneaking out
from the shack to follow Vince and Lionel who were escorting the new prisoners. Ise
said I wasn’t allowed to be in the blood chamber because I was still too young and
weak, but I wanted to see it. Besides, I admire both Vince and Lionel, even vowing
to be their apprentice, but they both dismissed me.

Fortunately, Ise had already taught me how to conceal my presence and both of their
attention were on the criminals so it was quite easy for me to follow. I thought I
was doing a good job, until something happened.

I heard voices, several of them, crying and howling in agony and pain. My head felt
like it would burst any minute. When I was in the island, I never heard those
voices that loud but upon stepping onto the blood chamber, I realized why they
never allowed those who hadn’t trained yet.

It slowed me down but I thought I could control my mind. However, something made it
much more complicated.

One of the prisoners they were escorting hid a knife under his footwear and
pretended to tumble. The next thing I knew, he was already grinning menacingly at
my direction. Everything happened so fast that I only realized my situation when I
was already held by my neck.

As a kid, I was beyond terrified. The prisoner took me as a hostage. My neck was
pressed between his chest and arms as my body dangled. The tip of the knife was
digging through my cheeks and blood began to trickle down my face.

I was terrified and I felt something was changing in my mind and body. Colors
flickered in my irises and I saw a lot of people getting slaughtered and skinned by
the knife that was poking me.

“Naia!”

Fear coursed through my body, not because of my situation, but because of Vince and
Lionel. Their eyes gleamed malevolently as they swung their scythes in the air. The
next thing I knew, the head of the prisoner who was holding me rolled below my
dangling body, the look of terror etched on his face.
“Get her out of here,” Lionel seethed as he looked at the rest of the prisoners who
were as terrified as I was.

Vince immediately carried me and I remembered crying because he got angry at me. I
lost consciousness before we could leave the premise and the next thing I knew, I
was already sleeping for two days and my eyes had changed permanently into red.

“Wow. I couldn’t believe that was already a long time ago,” I said as I smiled,
remembering Vince’s life before he went away and died.
“Yeah. And now all we have is his skinny brat.”

I snickered at his snarky remarks. He went on and lambasted his deadpan face, body
and attitude until we returned to the main village.

He sighed and shook his head when he saw Vince’s kid trying to wield a scythe
almost twice his size while Aristus was observing him from the side.

“Can this be used in, say, a fight against a Shinigami?” he asked but before
Aristus could reply, Farallon was already charging at their direction.

He tried fending off his attack but Farallon was physically stronger than him. He
fell on his back and Farallon pointed his scythe on his neck.

“Yes it can, brat,” he said. “this blade has been bathed by Shinigamis’ blood since
it was made.”
“Farallon is one of the best fighters here,” Aristus commented as he scribbled on
his book. “He was trained by Ise along with Lionel and Vince. Physically, they are
on par with them but he’s lacking here,” he added, pointing at his temple. “In
short, he’s an idiot.”
“Huh?!”

Farallon’s attention shifted to Aristus, who continued commenting about him.

“Yes, that’s his real attitude. He only acts quiet to look like Lionel but the
truth is he’s a lot more savage than Vince.”

Farallon looked like he was about to slay Aristus but before he could pull his
scythe, Hiro got up and his neck was already touching the blade. That took his
attention back to the kiddo.

“Teach me,” he suddenly said and that left Farallon dumbfounded.

“Huh?”
“Teach me how to wield it effectively,” he repeated, the blade still digging onto
his neck.

Heh. He wasn’t fazed by Farallon’s presence and dominance. He’s got guts.
This could be interesting.

***

After twelve hours, Hiro and Nathalie were ready to leave.

“Naia,” she called. “Sorry if I wasn’t able to talk to you.”

“It’s okay,” I replied. “I know you’re busy.”
“But I’m glad I got to see you again.”
“Me, too.”

The kiddo was covered in bruises and cuts after training with Farallon. I thought
he’d regret it but he looked like he was already evaluating everything.

“Send Hideo and Michiko my regards,” Kyo told Nathalie.

She smiled. “I will, Sir.”
“And you, boy,” he said while looking at Hiro. “If you really want to be
acknowledged by your kin, train until you wish you’re dead, and maybe defeat a
couple of Executioners upon your return.”

He was silent for a few seconds and it looked like he glared at Kyo but that
monster didn’t catch it.

“I’m already planning to . . . Sir,” he retorted as he bowed lightly.

Kyo bellowed, amused at his response. “You rascal, you’re really his son.”

We watched as their boat disappeared from our sight. Kyo’s expression instantly
changed when the fog covered the island.

“Let’s go back,” he ordered and the pressure of his presence was so heavy that I
felt like my knees would buckle. “It seems like we’ll get a lot of prisoners in the
coming days.”

That moment, I realized the Erityian race was slowly shifting . . . but I don’t
know if it’s for the better or worse.

==============================

Chapter 5: Restless

I couldn’t sleep.

After visiting the blood chamber, the voices I heard kept echoing inside my head.
In addition, I could still feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. I thought
I could already control these ferocious tendencies when I lived outside this world
but coming back here awakened them.

I was itching to fight someone.

By nightfall, everything in the island was already engulfed in darkness. Suspicious

shadows roamed around as the sound of metal hitting the ground filled the air. The
Executioners were moving and I could feel the tension rising inside the island.

“Curious, aren’t you?”

Hearing that voice made me shudder. My hands instinctively reached my sword and
swung it at the presence behind me. Blood splattered on my face and on the floor,
stunned to see Kiyoko’s smiling face.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as I pulled back my sword.

She wiped the blood off his lacerated wound, as if it was just a shallow cut. I
remembered her saying she wasn’t fond of physical fights since her body couldn’t
keep up, but it looked like she had already unconsciously adapted their nature.

“I figure you’d be restless by now,” she replied. “And I don’t really have any
friends here. I mean, they are all so . . . extreme in a sense.”

That made me chuckle since that was quite true. Being eccentric and radical is the
‘normal’ here.
“So . . . what’s happening?”
“After what happened to Senshins and Custos, a lot of criminals will be transferred
here,” she explained. “They are preparing for that.”
“I see. So aside from Nox, Shinigamis will also be escorted here.”
“Yeah.” A hint of sadness flashed across her face. “And you know furious they are
at them.”

Vince’s face zoomed inside my head and how the rest of the Jikko clan acted when
they received the news of his death.

“Because of what happened, they even harbor resentment to Hideyoshi and the
administration,” she continued. “Ise completely cut the communication between them
because trusting them cost him his grandson’s life.”

My heart almost sank upon hearing Ise’s name. I grew up with Vince and Ise was
particularly strict on him. He would always say that he should never lose a fight
because that’s a disgrace as a Jikko, especially for the future head of the clan.
He was harsh and cold to him but his decisions subsequent to Vince’s death were
those of a grandfather . . . of a family member.

“However, since Ise didn’t know that Vince has a child, he wanted Dad to be the
successor because he trusts his strength.”
“So he’s from that school?”
She smiled. “Yup. Apparently, he sneaked out of this island when he was a teenager
because if he stayed, he’d be named as the chief of the village.”
“What do you mean?”
“According to Aristus, Vince was still too young when his father died. Ise wanted
to focus on training him so he wanted to have a capable man to lead the village
temporarily. Dad, knowing his fate, left Shima to avoid that kind of
responsibility.”
“Oh. So that’s how he ended up in that school?”
“Yup. He was found by Hideyoshi and became his right-hand man.”

Although some of my memories were hazy, I remembered Ise getting furious when a
letter suddenly arrived from the outside. After that, he said Vince would be sent
to an institution for a mission. That letter must be from Kyo.

“I see. And after Vince died, Ise once again recommended Kyo as the chief.”
“Yeah. The fate he wanted to avoid caught up to him. I guess he was really meant to
lead this clan before the true heir steps in.”

My nerves finally calmed down after talking to Kiyoko. I was grateful that she came
here or else I’d be exchanging attacks to an Executioner in this moment.

Kiyoko shifted uneasily and for the first time, she looked vulnerable.

“Uhm, I just want to ask . . .”

“Hmm?”
“How’s Nigel?”

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at her. It didn’t even occur to me that

she didn’t have any idea about what happened to team Magnus. Her eyes looked at me
expectantly and I felt awful after remembering his last moments.

“I . . . I’m sorry,” I mumbled, my voice trembling.

Her expression tightened and before I could explain anything, she had already
averted my gaze. I could feel an overwhelming pressure from her presence and I
willed myself not to step back even though it was getting suffocating.
“I see,” she muttered vacantly.

Kiyoko started walking away without a word. I heaved a sigh, worried about what she
would do. Nel said Kiyoko was nice and sweet but her expression a while ago was far
from that. It felt like she had awakened something sleeping deep in her
consciousness.

At daybreak, I went out of my shack and walked toward the shore. I already did my
mission and gathered information. It would be the best to leave Shima before it
gets hectic.

“Already leaving, kid?”

My body automatically reacted to his presence, jumping back and assuming a

defensive stance. Kyo burst out laughing after seeing what I did.

Damn it. Why was he even here?

“Yes,” I answered. “I’m already done with my mission.”

“Heh. I thought you’d stay,” he remarked. “I need strong people.”
“You already have the Executioners. They are enough.”
He cackled. “Reds are so hard to persuade.”

For a moment, I think I could understand what he wanted to happen. Yes,

Executioners are physically strong, but they rarely follow strategies. Only a
couple of them could really lead. I guess he wanted more people like that.

I remembered Kiyoko’s story last night and it changed my impression about him. For
someone who hates responsibilities, he’s doing well, and I think his leadership
will greatly improve the Jikko’s strength even more.

“Sorry, my loyalty belongs to the Custos,” I said.

“Yeah, right,” he retorted.
“Besides, I’m a Keeper,” I added and smiled. “I am needed to make sure everyone
stays alive.”
“Heh. For someone who grew up in a place where death is normal, your position’s
quite ironic. Don’t you think, kid?”
A subtle smile appeared on my lips. “I think so, too. But I prefer this kind of
life now.”
“Well, that’s disappointing,” he commented while scratching his head.
“I’ll take my leave then.”

I slightly bowed at him and headed to my raft but he called once again before I
could push it to the water.

“Kid! Make sure you bring the remaining traitors,” he yelled. “Well, if the Custos
can catch them.”
“We will,” I returned. “I’m looking forward to the Shinigamis you think you can
capture.”
“What an arrogant brat you are.”
“I learned that here.”

I boarded the raft before I could throw more words at him. The fog covered the
island once I got out, masking its presence from the outside. It was just a couple
of days but I’m glad I went back to this place. Now, it’s time to return to the
world.

I opened my device and traced my team’s whereabouts. They were moving at a fast
pace so I guess Nel was already doing well and currently driving. I wanted to talk
to them but it seemed like they were listening to someone. Maybe it was Commander
Priam.

“Thank you, Commander,” Nel said.

There was a few seconds of silence and it looked like they were planning something.
Huh. After our encounters with the Nox, Nel was becoming more and more like a
captain.

“Contact Naia,” she ordered after a minute of silence. “Tell her to rendezvous at
Romania—”
“I’m listening,” I said, my image flickering on their car’s windshield.
Nel’s brows furrowed. “Where are you?”
“Leaving Shima,” I answered.
“Why do you sound exhausted? Are you okay?”

Well, I couldn’t sleep the whole time I was there and staying there was mentally
draining, I wanted to say but I just smiled instead.

“I’m fine.”

She explained what was going on and it was quite surprising to hear that a
Shinigami was asking for every tribe’s representative for an odd meeting. But Nel
was asking for the impossible.

“—in two days.”

“What? I can’t,” I said. “It will take me weeks to—”
“See you there, Naia.”

Before I could explain how far I was from Romania, she had already ended the call.
That freaking girl. Did she just cut me off? Damn it. I’m going to break her bones
once I get there.

But . . . I didn’t expect I’d miss their voices that much. I couldn’t wait to be
with them again.

==============================

Chapter 6: A Keeper's Job

It felt strange to be alone in this still and silent ocean after staying for days
in Shima.

After Nel informed me about the meeting of the next-generation leaders, I tried
contacting them again but that girl was probably driving and I knew Cliff and Jett
wouldn't risk their lives to answer my call.

An hour later, I received a holographic call from Cliff. His face flickered in
front of me, and even though the quality wasn't good, I could see the horror on his
expression.

"Save us," he pleaded.

"From Nel again?"
He drew a shaky breath and I realized he was still gripping the seatbelt tightly.
"We're going to die."
"Oh, c'mon, you cowards!"

I heard Nel's voice and a second later, the view expanded and I could see the three
of them: Cliff was on the passenger's seat, horrified as the car seemed to
accelerate; Nel looked thrilled after days of being confined; and there at the back
seat was Jett, whose face was already as white as chalk.

I heaved a sigh. "Nel, stop tormenting their poor souls."

She chuckled. "Hey, I'm not!"

Several minutes later, she sent me the message of that Shinigami that we saw during
the fight. I forgot his name.

Yllka Shrine, huh?

I searched the location from our servers and found out that the Yllka Shrine that
was located in the Transylvanian Alps was the intersection point of all the main
bases of the four tribes. I tried calculating the distance from here to Romania and
the time it would take me to go there. That Nel . . . she was asking for the
impossible.

It turned out I needed at least three days to go there so in the end, I couldn't
participate. Well, she said they could only bring two companions so I guess she
really didn't need me to be there.

"Alright, don't worry, I'll keep you three alive."

"I think I'll die before we can reach Romania—"

Before I could see his expression, the line went off. I was alone again in this
vast ocean.

***

"Yeah, I have booked your flights," I said while checking the details from my other
device. "Be careful. There are Shinigami and Nox bases in Europe."

No agents were available to take them to Romania using private planes so I was left
with no choice. They would go to Romania the humdrum's way.

"Alright," Nel said. "How about you?"

"Going back to CIA, I guess."

I was still in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and it would take me a day to reach
Japan. Fortunately, my devices were working well. I could track their location and
keep enemies away from them, if there were any.

Commander Priam also messaged me, asking my whereabouts, so I told him my current
coordinates. I remembered our last conversation and how he agreed to turn Midnight
and Obsidian over the Jikko clan once they captured them. According to him, the
three Executives—Von, Fenn and Yue—were already following their tracks after Kyo
and Lionel gave the details they had gathered from torturing the apprehended
zuersts and zweites.

It must be hard for them to face Dale once again as he was their colleague, their
co-Executive, before he revealed himself as Midnight, the figurehead of Nox.

I waited until I could see the three boarding the plane. Nel was wearing eyeglasses
so everything that I was seeing was from her point of view. Of course, they were
also in disguise and wearing contact lenses to hide their red eyes.

"Look around," I ordered and from Nel's eyes, I scanned everyone from the plane.
Fortunately, everyone seemed to be humdrums.

"It's safe," I concluded.

Jett heaved a sigh of relief. I'm sure he and Cliff were still lightheaded after
what Nel did. My lips curved up, remembering their terrified expression a few hours
ago.

"Keep the line connected," I said. "I want to know everything."

"Roger," Nel responded. "Keep us alive."
"Of course."

After that, their plane finally departed.

***

Almost 15 hours later, they had landed on Bucharest, Romania. They had to hike the
Transylvanian Alps, which would probably take about a day.

Nel started grumbling along the way. She didn't like hiking that much and I'm sure
her injuries weren't completely healed yet so it would be physically taxing for
her.

"Want me to carry you?" Cliff asked, chuckling. "Kiddi—!"

Before he could even tell he was just joking, Nel was already climbing on his back.

"Hey!"
"What?" she asked, feigning innocence. "You offered."
"I didn't mean it—"
"Ah, I'm tired."

Jett started walking, maybe afraid that Nel might do that to him, too. Cliff
couldn't complain anymore and just followed Jett while carrying Nel on his back.

I thought she had matured after what happened but I guess it wouldn't be easy,
especially when she's with those two.

I had been keeping an eye on them, telling the right path they should follow and
avoiding places where wild animals and poisonous plants were sighted. A few hours
ago, they had to run after crossing paths with a brown bear because they didn't
hear what I was saying.

"See that yellow tree over there?" I said, raising my voice.

"Yeah," Jett answered.
"Go to that direction."
"Roger."

Cliff was still carrying Nel and it looked like he didn't mind it anymore. Well,
I'm sure that would be for the best since the bear might outrun her if she wasn't
carried by him.

Almost an hour later, they reached the tree I was talking about and a boulder came
into their view.

"Something's written here," Jett remarked and I told Nel to look at the boulder.

ҁѫǂϫ•⨳ͽ⊱•ҁᴥ•ҁѫҩ•ϫѫѯǂᵻҩ•ᴥϕ•⊱ҵҵжͽ∎•ᴥᵻҩ•ᴥϕ•ҁѫҩ•Ϟǂҵҵͽѯϫ•ᴥϕ•ѫϭᵻҁѯҩϫ•ҁѯǂ⧝ҩ ↣
"The Yllka Shrine," Nel noted.
"It's near," Cliff added.

They followed the direction but they halted when the path ended with a cave.

"Should we enter this?" asked Cliff.

"Yes," I said. "Look at the side of the cave. There's an Erityian inscription."

The three of them approached the cave and nodded when they saw the inscription I
was talking about. They went inside and I couldn't see anything anymore.

"Hey, you guys still okay?"

"Yeah," Jett responded.

It took them thirty minutes to finally find the exit, but before I could see it,
the connection was cut. I couldn't hear nor see anything.

"Hello? Nel? Cliff? Jett?"

Nothing. I tried calling them again but to no avail. They weren't responding.

For a second, I was worried, thinking that they got buried before they could leave
the cave. But then, I thought maybe, the shrine would cut off any interferences
from the outside world. I hope that would be the case.

I threw my device on the raft and heaved a sigh. I wanted to know what was going on
but there were no ways to contact them anymore.

I guess I have to wait.

I just hope they are safe.

==============================

Chapter 7: Bloodbath
“Yeah. That kid is cool.”

Nel was too excited to tell me what happened during the meeting of the four tribes.
I couldn’t remember when the last time was this kind of thing happened but seeing
how representatives from each tribe meet and discuss the future was, indeed, a
momentous time for our race.

They were descending the mountains and Nel seemed to forget her exhaustion because
she couldn’t stop talking about what happened during their talk. She said she liked
the other tribes’ representatives. When he mentioned Hiro, I asked her what she
thinks of him.

“That guy?” she paused. “He seems responsible enough. Oh, and despite his cold
demeanor, the way he stares at people was intense. Actually, he reminds me of you.”

“Is that so?”

“Why are you interested in him?”

I shrugged. “Not really.”

The three of them gave curious looks but before they could ask anything, I told her
to continue her story. After several minutes, I learned about the current status of
each tribe. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be successful because of the Shinigami
tribe. I still don’t trust them but maybe, that Darwin, could make the changes
necessary for the Shinigami tribe to be accepted by the other three.

“By the way, where are you?” Cliff asked.

I smirked. “Had to take a detour.”

“Where?” added Jett.

“That’s a secret. Oh well, talk to you guys later.”

I ended the call and their faces twitch for a few seconds and finally faded. A new
holograph appeared, only it was a note about my next mission, along with a voice
mail.

“Agent, obliterate Nox’s base in Romania,” the voice ordered.

“Roger.”

The three of them were still in Romania and they would probably be surprised when
they see me here. Commander Priam gave me a new order: to assist the three of them
in eliminating the Nox’s base in Romania. An agent was waiting for me in the
airport in Japan and he flew me to Romania using our own plane. In no time, I
arrived in the country’s capital—Bucharest.

Neo-classical buildings, museums and monuments were scattered all over the city. It
felt like I was pulled back in the medieval period because of the architecture and
arts around me. According to the data, this was also where the base was, and it
would be quite hard, because it was the most populated city.

From the south, I saw a building that looked like a palace—two rook-shaped towers
on each side, with pillars adorning the front. I checked my device and confirmed
the location. The palace glinted under the sunlight while tourists took pictures
and lined at the restaurant in the terrace.

I parked my car on a nearby lot and observed every person around it. According to
our sources, this became the base of Nox since nobody uses the building as the
terrace was the only place open to the public. The officers and staffs maintaining
the palace must be Nox members since they were the only ones who could come in and
out of there.

I caught a glimpse of a guy wearing a suit. His hazel eyes gleamed with caution as
he looked around, but I didn’t see any changes. That meant he wasn’t wearing any
contact lenses. He was a humdrum. He went inside the building and vanished from my
sight.

It was already 8:30 P.M. and the sun was about to set. Those three were on their
way here but they might arrive later than I expected. I crept around the palace,
waiting for the right time to sneak in without getting any attention.

When darkness loomed over the city, I moved toward the tower at the right and
prowled inside to investigate.

I almost gasped when I got inside. The hall was lined with gold-plated pillars and
the ceiling were decked with extravagant chandeliers. Every step I took echoed
through the room. When I arrived at the central hall, I almost got decapitated.

“Who are you?” a seven-foot tall man demanded as he swung his sword.
I pulled mine from my sheath but before I could think of a way to sort it out,
several more men in suits rushed into the room.

“A Chrome,” one of them hissed in disgust.

They all lunged at me, their weapons ranging from blades to blunt to guns. My skin
tingled. I wanted to do it the Keeper way but my instincts took over. My mind was
suddenly filled with angry and agonizing voices, as if I was back in Shima.

My hands moved on their own. I imagined myself in the middle of the Blood Chamber,
along with heinous captives. Rage and thirst filled my head. The next thing I knew,
the polished floor was already flooded with blood.

Within a minute, the only one left was the first guy who discovered me. His hands
were trembling as he pointed his sword at my direction. I smiled at him as I shook
off the blood from my sword. Before he could take a step backward, my sword had
already pierced his throat.

About twenty bodies lay lifeless on the bloodied floor. I took a deep breath and
continued walking. I was just on my third step when more Nox members came dashing
to the commotion.

“Hi,” I greeted.

They didn’t greet me back. Instead, they seethed in rage as they saw the scarlet
floor where their lifeless comrades were. I thought they would come at me but they
stood from a distance as they continued glaring at my direction.

I was about to make the first move but I halted when I saw people coming behind
them. My blood ran cold when I saw two children, a girl and a boy and maybe about
seven to ten years old, stood in front of them, their eyes vacant of feelings. The
girl had purple eyes while the boy had yellow.

Young Huntres and Custos children turned into Navis, I thought.

I drew a deep breath trying to calm myself but seeing those two made it difficult.
A wave of fury stirred in my chest as they commanded the children to attack me.

The girl drew a stick from her back and in grew into a three-meter bamboo. She
thrust it at my direction with unbelievable strength and speed, and if I was a
second slower, the might already be a hole on my chest. On the other hand, the boy
held his palm at my direction and my sword rattled. I had to grip it tight as it
felt like something was pulling it toward him. Before I could understand his
animus, the girl came to me with wooden spikes.

It took me a lot of effort not to kill them. Just like the other Navis, they
weren’t in their right minds, and controlled by the zuersts. Most of the swords
used by the first group who attacked me rattled on the floor and went flying toward
the boy’s direction. Before they pierced him, the swords flipped over and pointed
at me.

“These two weren’t like those defects,” one of the guys commented as he watched the
children with an amused expression.

My heart tightened as both of them lurched at me.

Three seconds, I thought. Three seconds is all I need.

Just when I thought the mission was already doomed, something whizzed past my head.
When I looked at the two kids, they crumbled down on their knees and collapsed.

“Wha—”

‘Sedative bullets.’

Hearing Jett’s voice cleared my confusion and before the Nox members could
understand what was going on, I lunged at their direction.

I let my rage control me. The ruthlessness I was suppressing for quite some time
stirred after spending nights in Shima. With my sword bathed in blood, I slashed
everyone at every direction, cursing them inside my head after what they did to
those children.

It took me a few seconds to calm down. When I looked around, a shiver went down my
spine.

“N-Naia . . .”

I turned around and saw the three of them walking toward my direction. Nel looked
horrified as he stared at the bloodbath but her expression softened when he saw the
two kids lying unconscious on the floor.

“Y-you . . .” Cliff faltered while Jett stared curiously at me.

My hair was dyed in red; splatters of blood stained my clothes and face. The place
was reeking with the smell of iron. I heaved a sigh as lifeless bodies in a pool of
blood surrounded me.

A Keeper was supposed to be hiding, observing the situation and making sure his or
her team would stay alive as they do the mission. Yet here I was, soaked in our
enemy’s blood, just like how an Executioner would act.

I smiled at them. “Sorry, I can’t be a good Keeper.”

With my remaining strength, I walked at their direction. Finally, we were together

again.

==============================

Chapter 8: End of Nox

The flight back to Philadelphia was quite awkward.

After what had happened in Romania, they seemed to be more nervous around me. Well,
I couldn’t blame them. I had been suppressing my Executioner instinct since I left
the island a few days ago, vowing not to let my emotions control me, but I lost it
during the mission.

I sat on the last row right beside the window while the three of them were several
rows in front of me. My ears were still ringing from the sound of clashing swords
and gunfire but I managed to hold my emotions down. My vision shifted to the Navis
kids were still unconscious after we put them under sedation as a countermeasure.
We also confiscated the girl’s weapon and placed a headgear on the boy to suppress
his power. He seemed to have control over metals but we weren’t sure about its
scope and limits.

“Hey.”
Jett sat beside me as he fiddled with his old pistol, one of his favorite guns. I
pulled the same type of pistol he gave me before I left the headquarters from my
waist band. He smiled at the sight.

I winced as the memories and history of the pistol rushed in my head. Agents
getting killed in action. Jett using it during missions. The pistol getting dyed
red from its target’s blood. I had been seeing those flashes since I first held
this gun, which was several years ago already, but they still bothered me every
time. Fortunately, those events weren’t as bad as the other weapons I had touched.

“Are you going to retrieve this from me?” I asked. “Is it too dangerous in my
hands?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You look dangerous even without any weapon. Don’t you know
how scary you are?”

I failed to suppress a smile after hearing that from him. Those three feared me for
reasons I couldn’t understand but he was brave enough to sit with me after what I
did in Romania.

“So, you’re not for this,” I noted.

His expression darkened. I could feel the tension on his shoulders as he continued
playing with his pistol. Nel and Cliff must be listening, too, since their heads
were carefully craning in our direction.

“Was that your true ability?” he asked. “You can fight in the frontline with that
kind of swordsmanship.”

At first, I thought he was mocking me, but his eyes were sincere. Well, Jett was
pretty much a straightforward person, but I didn’t expect him to talk about this
matter so easily.

“Aren’t you terrified after seeing that?” I returned. “And how about you two?”

Cliff and Nel flinched. They turned their heads reluctantly and a second later, sat
on the seats in front of me.

“Well, of course!” Nel cried. “Even though I already saw a glimpse of your feral
nature before, this one was on another level.”

“I think you’re stronger than Nel,” Cliff remarked which earned him a punch from
Nel.

“Why did you even become a Keeper?” Jett added. “You belong in the frontline.”

They all looked at me expectantly. I never wanted to show anybody the skills I
learned in Shima. That kind of fighting style was highly offensive and would leave
your defenses down to zero. Your only goal was to attack and overpower your
opponents by brute force and killing techniques. The Custos’ fighting style was
never like that. You need to prioritize the missions and the safety of everyone in
the team.

I heaved a sigh and smiled. “I was a wild kid back then. You know, when I arrived
in our headquarters, the first thing I did was pick a fight with the Commander.”

They gasped in unison and Nel looked like she just heard an absurd story.

“You what?!”
“Well, I was raised . . . differently, so I didn’t know how to act in front of
people. Commander—!”

I couldn’t continue what I was going to say because of the sudden turbulence. A
holograph flickered on the windows of the plane and Commander’s face appeared in
front of us.

“Da—Commander,” Nel greeted.

“Team Optimus, well done,” he said, “but I have another mission for you and this
takes priority.”

Commander Priam’s face had aged beyond his years, but he still wore the same stern
expression.

“The Executives have apprehended Dale and Zeno in France but their vehicle was
damaged beyond repair. I want you to pick them up. I believe you have enough space
in your aircraft.”

The four of us exchanged looks and nodded. “Roger!”

“Very well. I expect your return in a few days.”

His face flickered and disappeared after sending the message. The air was suddenly
filled with tension. Dale’s name was still a sensitive topic, especially for Nel,
since she admired him and he was her mentor during our academy days.

Our pilot, Matti, changed course and announced that we were approaching France. We
readied ourselves and equipped our weapons. It’s time to end this darkness.

***

We arrived in Marseille after Matti shrunk the plane into a bag-sized aircraft.
Cliff was watching the radar, leading the way toward our target place—L’Estaque. In
front of us, the Mediterranean Sea was glistening under the sun. The perfect arches
of aqueducts stood impressively despite the time that passed. The village was
dotted with red-tiled roof houses and buildings, roads were lined with trees, and
the harbor was filled with boats.

“There,” Cliff said while looking at the port.

Jett and I stayed behind to watch their backs and observe the surroundings while
Cliff and Nel walked toward a trawler boat marked with a Custos emblem.

‘Is that their vehicle?’ I asked.

‘I don’t think so,’ Jett replied. ‘They said it was destroyed. Maybe they just
borrowed it from a humdrum and marked it so we would know how to find them.’

‘Right.’

Jett shuffled his guns, getting ready in case a commotion breaks out. I watched as
Nel and Cliff carefully approach the trawler boat. Few seconds later, Yue came out,
blood trickling from her forehead. She looked at our direction despite being
blocked by a house.

“She said you don’t need to keep a distance anymore,” Nel said from my earpiece.
Jett and I exchanged nervous looks. As Keeper and Specialist, we were used to keep
an eye on things from afar until we were required to close the gap. We reluctantly
walked toward their direction until we stood in front of the boat.

My mouth hung open when I saw two figures scrunched down the floor. Zeno and Dale
were bloodied, just like the rest of the Executives. Von had visible gunshots on
his shoulders and leg but he didn’t seem to mind them. Fenn had it worse. He had
deep cuts on his hands and a long gash from his right to left cheek. But it was
surprising that Yue, the best Keeper, received an injury from a fight. They must
have given their all to subdue those two monsters.

“What are those?” Nel pointed at the headgears wore by Dale and Zeno.

“Oh, those would keep them unconscious,” Von answered. “Tranquilizers don’t work on
them.”

Fenn sighed. “The gear slows down the brainwaves, much slower than the delta waves,
so they appear to be in the state between sleep and death.”

“It’s still in the middle of testing,” Yue added, “but we had no choice. We had to
use it or they would escape using their animus.”

That was a lot dangerous than the headgear invented by the Senshins. But to contain
the Nox leaders, I guess they had to take risks, especially against their dangerous
animus. Dale could turn invisible for a few seconds and Zeno could paralyze the
nerves of a person using his blood.

“This marks the end of Nox,” Von said as he looked at Dale with a pained
expression.

I’m sure they were still affected since they grew up with him. They were his team,
his comrades, but he betrayed them because of his vision and beliefs. Fighting him
must have been hard for them.

“Let’s go home,” Yue said.

Von and Fenn slid Dale and Zeno’s bodies in two black bags and carried them off the
boat. We started leading them to our aircraft, our feet heavy with burden and
responsibilities.

The sun was already setting but this time, the darkness seemed a little less
frightening. Because the end of Nox meant the start of daylight.

==============================

Chapter 9: Team Optimus

We watched from our respective rooms as Commander Priam addressed his people.

“Nox has created hatred toward humdrums and vilified their existence. Their
organization was built believing our race were created to rule the world,” he
stated. “I know many of you believe this, too. Maybe unconsciously, but we do think
we are better than the normal people. After all, we have these abilities that could
change the world.”

Some started nodding while others seemed to contemplate on his words. Commander was
never the type to do this kind of thing, but he knew it was needed. He knew his
silence would just bring more harm to the tribe. He had the power and influence to
change our orthodox principles.
“And maybe that’s one of the reasons why our fellow agents fell into the wrong
side,” he continued. “Our progenitor, Lord Edda, established the Custos tribe to be
the guardian and protector of the people. We exist because we are needed. And we
are needed because we have the power to fight. This world does not solely belong to
us. Despite being hidden in their shadows, I hope we treat them as equals. Someone
who needs us just how much we need them. And I hope the hatred, greed and pride the
Nox had stirred up will end with their leaders’ arrest.”

After his speech, he informed them the Executives were currently resting due to the
injuries they got. He also gave new missions to the teams present and said he would
be counting on them.

The Navis kids we encountered in Romania were also turned over to the Parietal
Department so that they could monitor them, hoping that they could still revert
them back to normal.

I plopped on my bed as the holograph disappeared from the wall. Exhaustion had
finally caught up and a wave of relief washed over my mind. For the first time in a
long time, I relaxed my mind after putting up walls to protect my thoughts.

“Your Dad really has a way with words,” I said as I stared at the ceiling.

Nel snickered. “Yeah. And he’s got charisma.”

“Pressured?”

“A lot. Why can’t he be a normal leader?” she grumbled.

Silence filled the room. She must be also exhausted after our mission. When I
turned to her direction, her eyes were already closed.

“Sleep well,” I muttered, and I also slumbered.

***

I was woken up by the sound of my device. When I looked at Nel’s bed, she was still
asleep. I sat up groggily and pulled my device from my pocket and there was a
message from the Commander.

Report to my office.

After preparing, I went to his office and saw Ulysses sitting on the couch.
Commander Priam was leaning on his desk, a pile of papers behind him.

“Commander,” I greeted.

“I assume you already know why you’re here,” he said.

With what had transpired before the capture of Dale and Zeno, I already had an idea
about what he wanted me to do. My expression hardened.

“Yes, Sir,” I answered.

He looked at me with his intense red eyes and it felt like seeing the Blood Chamber
from them. A projection flickered between us and it showed Dale and Zeno inside two
holding cells with their headgears still activated.

“Just like what you did before, these cells would be transported using a remote
device. However, the structures are more volatile as the detainees are more
powerful than the previous ones.” Commander’s face darkened. “The cells will
disintegrate once it gets teleported. The headgears will weaken them, but I doubt
it would stop them once they resist its effect.”

Ulysses stood right next to me and handed me the remote.

“Can you do it alone?” he asked.

Honestly, going back to Shima was the last thing I wanted to do. My job as a Keeper
and my nature as an Executioner were too contrasting that my decisions and actions
were getting affected.

“Yes,” I lied.

I marched back to my room and saw Nel preparing her things.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

She raised her eyebrow. “I thought we have a mission?”

“Mission?”

As if on cue, Cliff and Jett appeared on the doorway with their weapons and
supplies ready. They entered our room and started talking about the days it would
take for them to travel. My mind was buzzing with questions, but I didn’t know what
to ask first, until Cliff talked to me.

“Naia, would it be better if we go now? And how many days would we travel in the
ocean?”

I must have looked really confused because they all started snickering at me.

“What the heck are you talking about?”

Jett stowed a pocket revolver on his tool belt. “We’re all going to Shima with
you.”

***

My head was still pounding after finding out that the Commander had approved of
this. According to Nel, they all insisted to accompany me despite knowing the
risks.

“Slow down,” Cliff said with gritted teeth.

“This is already slow,” Nel retorted.

If I were on my right mind, I would have laughed, but Nel’s speed was just making
me more distressed. We were already on our way to the airport where Matti was
waiting.

“We’re going to die,” Jett muttered shakily, his face already pale with terror.

Nel sped up and both of them cursed as they cried for their lives.

We arrived at the airport twenty minutes earlier. Nel shrunk the car and shoved it
into her bag. Matti greeted us and he had to drag Jett and Cliff since their legs
were still wobbly from Nel’s torture.
Nel sat beside me while the two were behind us. She started fiddling her dagger. I
could still see the scars on her arms and I remembered how she almost died during
the fight against the Navis. She lost her mother for the second time and now she
would lose Dale, too.

“Are you sure about this?”

She looked at me with wistful eyes. A subtle smile escaped her lips and she looked
outside the window.

“I’m curious about your previous life,” she said. “You know, we’ve been teammates
for so long yet I only know a few things about you.”

“My life’s not that interesting,” I retorted.

“It is,” Jett chimed in.

Cliff cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

My childhood in Shima was kept a secret and I was grateful that the Commander
didn’t break his word. My parents were still considered traitors and I’m sure
people wouldn’t see me any different if they learned about them.

The sin of the parents is not the sin of the child.

I remembered Vince’s words when I first heard what happened to my parents. I was a
child back then so I didn’t fully understand what he meant. In times like this, I
missed him to the point that it felt like I was back to being a child again.

“You’ll know soon,” I muttered, hoping they would lose interest sooner or later.

I changed the topic and talked about Dale and Zeno. They examined the remote and
pondered the technology behind it.

My gaze drifted to the windows and saw the the plane’s wing slicing through the
clouds. It felt like we were inside a thick layer of fog. I remembered Shima’s
entrance and thought about the Executioners. They must be having a feast right now.
The Custos and Senshins were hunting their enemies and the only place where they
could send them was Shima.

After almost 17 hours of non-stop flying, we reached Japan and immediately went to
Miyazaki City. Nel drove her car to Aoshima island where rafts that could be used
to travel the ocean to Shima were hidden. Cliff and Jett hauled a bigger one while
Nel made sure nobody could see us. We took shifts in rowing until the sun started
to set.

“How long until we reach the island?” Jett asked.

I shrugged. “It depends. Since the weather’s quite good, I guess around three to
four days. Or maybe a week.”

“What?”

“Shima is a phantom island,” I explained. “You’re not supposed to find it. They
will sense anyone near the island, and they will decide whether to let you feel
you’re near or let you drift away.”

“So what will we do now?” Cliff asked.

“Nothing,” I answered.

“Nothing?”

“Yes. Nothing. We’ll just wait until the gatekeeper finds us.”

The look on their faces were a mixture of disbelief, confusion, and suspicion.
Despite the darkness, I could tell that they were contemplating whether to believe
me or not.

When I traveled here few weeks ago, I felt alone and restless, not knowing how long
I would drift in the middle of nowhere. But this time, it was kind of calming
knowing I had my comrades with me. They wouldn’t be probably allowed to enter the
island but knowing that the three of them would be waiting for me outside was
already reassuring enough.

I smiled at them and stole a snack from Jett’s supplies.

“You guys should sleep,” I said. “I’ll take first watch.”

And that night, the full moon illuminating a deep silver glow, the thousand stars
scattered in the sky and the calming waves of the sea kept me company.

==============================

Chapter 10: Home

For four days, we just rowed and rowed until our hands got sore. Nel was grumbling
at Cliff and Jett because they get hungry every hour and our supplies were getting
depleted. She ordered them to catch some fish though I wasn’t sure how they would
do that without any equipment.

She lay down beside me and heaved a deep sigh.

“Mentally draining, isn’t it?” I said while inspecting my sword.

“I can’t even imagine how I’m going to survive if I’m alone. How do you even do
it?”

I shrugged. “I’m used to it.”

She looked tired and the bags under her eyes were getting more noticeable. I was
about to tell her to rest since she was up all night but the hair on my nape
bristled. The temperature suddenly dropped and the sky turned gray. A swirl of mist
and thick fog enveloped our surroundings, obscuring our vision. Each of them
assumed a defensive stance, their weapons ready.

“W-what’s happening?” she asked.

I stood at the front of the raft. “We’re here.”

As soon as I said those words, a smaller raft appeared and got wafted to our
direction. I turned to them and smiled.

“Sorry. I’m the only one who can go inside.”

“But—”
“It’s okay,” I said, reassuring them. “Just wait for me here.”

“How long should we wait?” asked Cliff.

“Until I return. Don’t do anything. Don’t look for me. Just stay here and wait.”

“And if we do something?”

I stared at Jett and smirked. “You’d be dead before you can do anything. This place
is uncompromising so you better stay still. I don’t want my friends dying here with
me.”

Before they could ask or complain, I hopped on the smaller raft and it pulled me to
the thickest swirl of fog. I could feel the chills crawling onto my skin and I had
to keep myself from shivering. The menacing aura was way more intense and blood-
chilling than the last time.

The fog started to dissipate and I saw Farallon standing on the shore. I waded
ashore and sighed in relief when I spotted Shira and Hyora a few meters behind him.

“Why are you here again?” asked Farallon who seemed displeased with my presence.

“I have a delivery,” I retorted. “Kind of grand prize material.”

That made him relax for a bit.

Shira and Hyora snuggled up against me. Hyora tugged my shirt with his fangs and
turned to his back.

“You want me to ride you?” I asked and she purred in response.

Farallon huffed. “Why are they only friendly to you?”

I chuckled. “Jealous?”

“Shut your mouth, Naia.”

“Oops. Sorry.”

I hopped onto Hyora’s back while Shira and Farallon walked beside us. We treaded
through the poisonous forest and the stone path until we reached the village. Kyo
stood in the middle of the barren land with a scowl on his face. I winced when I
saw his expression. He was already intimidating when he was smiling but his
presence this time almost made me quiver.

“Why are you here, kid?” he asked in a disgruntled tone.

I had to choke back the creeping fear on my throat. “Uhh . . . more prisoners,” I
responded. “Heads of the Nox Organization.”

He drew a deep breath and cracked his neck. He marched toward my direction as some
Executioners followed behind him.

“Commander Priam acts fast,” he remarked. “I didn’t expect that.”

“Well, he wants to end this Nox problem as quick as possible.”

I still wasn’t sure why he looked irritated but I managed to tell him the details
of the transport. He listened well despite grimacing every minute. When I was
finished, he ordered an Executioner to call Lionel and Kiyoko. Farallon readied the
place where the transport would take place.

“I’ll let my best fighters handle them,” he said.

After several minutes, Farallon, Lionel and Kiyoko stood before him, their scythes
ready. He looked at me and commanded to transport the prisoners. I pushed the
button and the air seemed to warp. A burst of light, along with shrapnel shells,
exploded, wounding several Executioners but they didn’t even budge from where they
stood. Two figures appeared; their headgears already destroyed. I drew my sword but
before they could even check their surroundings, the curved blades of the scythes
were already around their necks.

Kyo chuckled menacingly. “Welcome to my island, traitors.”

***

The transfer was a success. Lionel asked if I would want to accompany them in the
Blood Chamber but I declined. That place wouldn’t be good for my state of mind
right now. Besides, the place I wanted to visit was the armory. I had been wanting
to visit that place but I didn’t have the courage when I got here the last time.

“I didn’t know you’re here again.”

I almost swung my sword when I heard a voice behind me. Fortunately, Aristus’ voice
sounded familiar and I was able to restrain myself.

“You know, you almost lost your head,” I said as I got my hands off the sheath.

He sighed and adjusted his glasses. “I won’t be surprised. Everyone seems to be

itching to kill somebody.”

“Speaking of that, why is everyone acting weird?”

Before I could hear his explanation, I felt something eerie. My skin tingled and I
felt an unfamiliar presence. I turned around, hoping that it was just my instincts
being oversensitive, but there he was. Someone was walking away from the direction
of the Blood Chamber, his black cloak covering his face and body.

A Shinigami.

“Wait—!”

My fighting instincts took over. I unsheathed my sword and charged at his

direction.

The Shinigami felt my presence and drew a dagger. We exchanged blows, trying to
outmaneuver each other, but despite using a shorter blade, he was keeping up with
my attacks and speed.

His green eyes gleamed under his hood and moved forward. Chills crawled under my
skin and I took a step back before he could touch me with his free hand. I wasn’t
sure what he wanted to do but I think I just avoided something dangerous.

“Who are you?” I grumbled, “and why are you here?”

“You’re a Custos,” he said. “Why—”

I thrust my sword and it gashed his right shoulder but he was quick to sidestep,
avoiding a critical blow.

“I’m the one asking questions,” I retorted. “You have no right—”

It turned out his speed a while ago was still not his best. Before I could finish
my sentence, he disappeared in front of me and felt his presence behind. I lurched
forward but I felt his finger on my nape. The moment his skin touched mine, my
vision turned dark and I had to will myself not to passed out. My knees buckled, as
if my strength were being sucked out. Orbs danced before my eyes as I blinked hard.

Did he use his sixth sense?

“Stop. Both of you.”

It took a few seconds before my vision returned. Kiyoko was standing between me and
the hooded Shinigami.

“H-he’s a Shinigami . . .” I muttered, still disoriented from that strange attack.

“I know,” she said.

“Then why . . .”

The Shinigami removed his hood and a guy who looked like a teenager came into view.
His eyes were as intense as Kyo’s. However, despite being a Shinigami, his gaze was
kind of . . . nice.

“I’m Darwin,” he greeted with a calm expression. “I’m here as the representative of
the revolutionary faction of the Shinigami tribe.”

Darwin . . . where did I hear that name . . . ah.

“You’re the one who sent a message to Nel,” I mentioned. “The one she met in
Romania?”

He seemed to recognize her name and his shoulders relaxed. I stood beside Kiyoko
who just sighed in relief but I could also see the sadness in her eyes.

“Why is he here?” I asked.

“He’s looking for someone,” answered Kiyoko. “That’s why everyone is agitated.”

They explained to me what was going on and I couldn’t believe I would witness a day
like this. A Shinigami roaming around Shima? Searching for someone who might be a
prisoner? Wow. This day must be written in history books.

“Sorry for the distress I caused,” he told Kiyoko.

She smiled. “It’s alright. They just can’t believe a Shinigami can be different
from what they are used to. Though I know a couple of Shinigamis like you.”

He, too, smiled upon hearing that. “I’m glad to hear that. But it seems like the
person I’m searching for isn’t here. I need to go now.”

“Who’s the person you are looking for?” I chimed in.

They exchanged looks and he flashed a subtle smile. “Someone who can turn the tide
in the fight between the Shinigami factions.”
I wanted to ask more questions but Kiyoko gestured at Aristus’ direction and he
came running toward us.

“Aristus will escort you to the shore,” she said.

Darwin bowed at her. “Thank you.”

Aristus and Darwin started walking away from us while I watched their backs until
they disappeared from my sight. I still couldn’t process what just happened and it
felt like my chest would burst open from the swirl of emotions inside me.

“I know you’re mad,” said Kiyoko who was looking at the same direction. “I, too,
despise the Shinigamis with all my heart.”

I stared at her multi-colored eyes. According to Nel, she was experimented by

Shinigamis for years and almost died for a couple of times. Her hatred must have
been what pushed her to survive.

I, too, wished I could kill every single one of them, especially those who caused
Vince’s demise. I wanted to avenge him. To make them pay with their own lives. But
even after doing that, I still wouldn’t be satisfied. Because I knew that that
would not bring him back to life.

“But you know, maybe this time, the Shinigamis can finally redeem their tribe’s
honor. After all, the leaders of the revolutionary seem wise enough to know what
they have to fight for.”

Her youthful appearance made me forget that she was older than what she looked
like. Hearing her words reminded me of what happened in Romania. Nel recognized the
three representatives as her equal and they all declared a truce among the four
Erityian tribes.

I heaved a sigh. Maybe it would be okay to trust her words.

“By the way, where is Kyo?” I asked.

“Oh, he must be questioning the Reapers Darwin just brought in exchange of his
search.”

I see. So that was how it happened.

I glanced at the shack at the edge of the village but I resigned the thought of
getting there after remembering what happened to Vince. Maybe this was still not
the right time.

“Well, I guess I don’t need to tell him I’m leaving.”

She chuckled softly. “I will tell him. Good work on bringing the criminals here.
Goodbye, Naia.”

“Yeah. Goodbye—”

“Oh, wait.”

She reached for her pocket and she held out the tip of a broken spear. She smiled
at me but her eyes showed concern.

“Dad said you probably want this.”

My heart almost sank when I realized what it was. My hands started trembling and it
felt like I was a child again.

“This was the spear that killed him,” she confirmed. “The Senshins gave it to Ise
as a reminder that he died as a hero, but he just tossed it in the armory. They
said a young girl searched for it before but she almost broke her mind at the
slightest touch of the weapon.”

I winced upon hearing her story and remembered how it happened. I was knocked out
cold for several days. Farallon said the memories held by the spear must have been
too much for my mind, especially since it involved Vince’s death.

I drew a shaky breath and reached for the spear. The moment my finger touched its
blade, a flash of memories flooded my mind.

A Shinigami annihilating a group of humdrums. Heads rolling on the ground. A

dungeon where Shinigamis get tortured. A girl whose green eyes were seething with
hatred . . .

. . . and then there was Vince with his chest pierced by this very spear while
holding a baby in his arms.

I inhaled sharply as jarred back to the present. My hand was bleeding from
clutching the blade tightly but that kept me grounded to the present and prevented
me from going insane.

“Are you okay?” Kiyoko asked with a worried tone.

“Y-yes,” I weakly said. “I’m . . . I’m okay. Thank you for this.”

I put the broken spear on my waist band and smiled at her. I told her I’d be
leaving and she nodded.

“Naia,” she called. “Say hello to Nel for me.”

“I will.”

Without looking back, I marched toward the island’s shore.

***

“Do you know how difficult it is to keep these two from entering the island?” Cliff
complained the moment I got into our raft.

Nel and Jett were still holding their weapons but their restlessness had
dissipated. She glared at me and said something under her breath.

“What?” I asked.

She ignored me and continued munching her snack while Jett started inspecting all
his guns.

“What’s wrong with them?”

Cliff smirked. “They’re just worried about you. You spent almost three hours
there.”

“Heh. When did you guys become so clingy?”

“I am not clingy,” Nel retorted. “It’s just that this place is giving me the
creeps.”

“She’s right,” Jett added.

“I already told you that this place isn’t normal. Oh well, we’re leaving.”

Cliff started rowing until we got out of the fog. The sun was already setting,
giving the sea and the sky an orange tinge. The waves helped us move faster and
somehow, the silence and vastness of the water cleared the worries in my head.

My gaze drifted to the spear on my waist. For years, I was afraid of learning how
he died, but after seeing it in my head, the hatred I kept for so long seemed to
melt away. He died protecting someone. He died to save his son. As an Executioner,
saving someone in exchange of his life wasn’t something he would do . . .

. . . but he did.

He stood there as a father, not a Senshin or an Executioner. He died in order for

him to live.

Maybe, unconsciously, I had followed his footsteps. Instead of ruthlessly killing

the enemies, I chose a life where I could protect the people I care for. And I
would be more than willing to risk my life if that meant saving theirs. Just like
what he did.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Nel suddenly said, breaking the silence. “I . . . I really
thought you’re not coming back to us.”

I looked at her, but she kept her gaze in front of her. Cliff and Jett had the same
expression as her—a mixture of relief and perturbation.

A smile escaped my lips. “I’m a Keeper,” I said. “I need to stay alive and safe to
keep my team from dying.”

They all looked at me and broke into a grin. Nel lunged at me and we collapsed on
the raft.

“Whoa, careful!” Cliff cried as he tried to balance the raft.

“Nel, you’re crushing her,” Jett commented.

“Yeah. You’re a Keeper so please don’t do anything dangerous, or else, we’ll die,”
she muttered, ignoring the guys’ comments.

I chuckled and patted her back. “Roger, Captain.”

The smile didn’t leave my face as we drifted farther away from the place that I
once called home. Now, it’s time to return to the place where I am needed and where
I want to be.

We’re going home.

- T H E E N D -