**"The Order of Thorns?"**
Ryo inquired, his voice barely above a whisper as they peered at the man whose silhouette was barely visible in the dim light.
"Yes, the Order of Thorns. I didn't stutter, did I?" the man retorted sharply.
"Who are you people?" Tsukiko asked, gripping the hilt of her sword tightly.
"That's information I'm not authorized to disclose, I'm afraid," the man replied, his tone dismissive.
"Enough of this. We won't get anything useful from him. We need to find a way out and protect the civilians!" Mei pointed out, highlighting the futility of further conversation.
"Of course, do as you wish. It's instinctual to flee or take measures when danger approaches. But understand, I will act as I see fit," the man said coolly.
"Wha—let me go!" the boy yelped as he was abruptly seized and dragged into the light by Bloodroot, who made a swift, deft movement to grip him tightly. Ryo's heart sank as he realized it was the same boy he had seen on his first day in Griown.
"You're joking. This kid would get himself into trouble at the bottom of the ocean," Ryo observed with a nonchalant tone, though the sheen of sweat betraying his calm demeanor told a different story. The boy's eyes locked onto Ryo's; he must have recognized him from that fateful day.
"Please, mister... help me," the boy gasped, struggling against Bloodroot's grip, which only tightened around his neck.
"Guuuh," the boy choked out.
The man stepped into the light, laughing maniacally. "Hehe, hah! You want to save the boy? Why are you all staring daggers at me?" His blood-red coat billowed around him, and his raven-black hair framed a face with piercing crimson eyes that seemed to delve into their very souls.
The boy's skin was pale from lack of air, and he was visibly suffocating as the man walked forward with a horrifying confidence.
"Ryo..." Tadashi murmured, his face marked by conflict.
"I know. We might not be able to save him. Let's get out of here—one boy isn't worth the lives of everyone else," Ryo replied, turning to flee but glancing back at the boy.
"Hey, can't we at least try? You're just going to let him die. That's..." Tadashi insisted, desperation creeping into his voice.
"No, we won't abandon him," Hitomi interjected, glaring at Ryo. "To be honest, we've never really seen eye to eye, but when did you become such a coward?"
Hitomi's words struck a nerve, and Ryo turned away, defensive. Part of him acknowledged the truth in her accusation. They could likely save the boy, but how could he admit his fear? For the first time in a long while, terror gripped him at the thought of facing that monstrous man.
"A coward? Pfft, ha! Do whatever you want. If you all want to die, I'm not going to stop you. I'm not going to risk my life like that, not when…" Ryo's words trailed off as he glanced at Mei, cutting himself short.
"That expression on your face—how disgusting!" Hitomi shot back, her anger palpable.
"What's wrong with you? An innocent child is in danger, and you're here lamenting about something that isn't set in stone..."
"What's wrong with you? An innocent child is in danger, and you're here muttering about uncertainties. I thought you were being rational, but it's worse—you're hopelessly selfish!" Svetlana's fierce words pierced through the chaos.
Ryo felt the sting of truth in her accusation.
"Rrrhh guuh…" the boy groaned in pain.
"Ignoring me? Ouch," Bloodroot tightened his grip.
"Ryo, Akari, Tadashi, Koki, take the other civilians to safety. We'll save the child," Tsukiko urged, placing a hand on Ryo's shoulder.
"This is crazy; everything's happening so fast!" Todd protested.
"This guy means business, and—"
"We don't have time for details. We could be dead in seconds!" Tsukiko interrupted, ready to charge at Bloodroot but halted just in time.
"Um… here, I managed to slip this past the isle. You guys don't have weapons, so I thought it might help." Koki handed her a sharp dagger with a unique edge and silver hilt.
"Thanks, this will do just fine," Tsukiko said, leading Hitomi, Svetlana, and Mei after her.
Ryo watched them leave, then hesitantly followed with his group and the remaining civilians.
---
"Hey Ryo, lift your head. Look forward. You feel like you made a mistake; that's why you're looking down. Try raising your chin. It'll make facing them easier, don't you think?" Tadashi said with a warm smile, the same one he'd worn the night they first talked.
"You're probably right. I shouldn't let this get me down. It's been happening a lot lately, huh?" Ryo replied, offering a wry smile in return.
"Seriously, man, that smile looks weird on you. It's almost like it doesn't suit you," Tadashi quipped.
"I dunno; I haven't practiced until now, maybe that's why," Ryo said, surprisingly earnest.
"Pfft-heh," they both laughed.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt your bonding moment, frankly, I couldn't care less—but it seems we've got company," Akari called out, sprinting ahead.
"Oh, the insects are making a break for it. But honestly, where do you plan to run? I thought we cut off every escape point. Many stragglers got to safety, but it's too late for you poor little insects. Mind joining the party?"
The malevolent voice that had previously haunted them resurfaced, a girl's voice echoing from someone in a spacesuit. She removed her helmet upon arriving, her piercing grey eyes locking onto them, white hair splattered with blood.
"You're with them, aren't you? The Order of Thorns," Tadashi said, his expression hardening with barely concealed anger. He took a deep breath to steady himself.
"Yes, genius. What gave it away? The announcement or the corpses scattered around?" She smiled, a sinister gleam in her eyes. "You—I like your face, handsome. So calm and collected, those naive golden eyes. Heh. But you've killed someone before, haven't you? Probably by accident or in self-defense. You're not a natural killer, but guilt is wrapped around your throat; I can almost smell it."
Everyone turned to Tadashi, whose calm façade shattered instantly.
"Guys, it's not—"
"What's not true, Tadashi? You look like you've seen a ghost," she taunted, each word shaking him to the core.
"How do you know my name?" he stammered, fear creeping in.
"Haha! Yes, that's it! You're even more beautiful this way." She danced ecstatically around the pool of blood beneath her.
Ryo and the others prepared themselves; this girl might be even more dangerous than Bloodroot.
"Before we continue, I'm Cosmos of the Order of Thorns, but you can call me Cozy. You're all going to be dead soon anyway." Her confidence and relentless gaze sowed uncertainty among them.
"No need to introduce yourselves; I already—"
Before she could finish, Akari struck her with a powerful right jab, sending her sprawling backward.
"You talk too much," Akari smirked.
"Did you just punch her?" Ryo exclaimed, astonished.
"That won't stop someone like her. Look!" Akari pointed as Cosmos rose from the ground.
"Hey, ugly! I was ignoring you on purpose. You could have lived—what made you do something so stupid?" Cosmos seethed, her anger palpable.
"I don't know; I've dealt with bullies like you before. It just felt right… Cozy," Akari said, deliberately provoking her.
Ryo felt a twinge of fear. This new side of Akari was unsettling.
"Don't you dare call me that, Uggo!" Cosmos lunged forward, and Akari countered, both girls rushing toward each other.
"Hey, Koki! Take them to safety—maybe behind that building over there. We'll handle this," Ryo suggested, urgency threading his voice.
"Got it! Man, what exactly did our day off turn into?" Koki sighed as he ushered the civilians away.
...
Akari launched a flurry of precise jabs at the girl, but her opponent dodged each strike with uncanny agility. Ryo couldn't help but marvel at her reflexes, but he sensed there was more to it; it was as if she anticipated every move Akari made. He and Tadashi, unarmed but trained in martial arts for moments like this, swiftly turned the confrontation into a tag-team effort. Ryo feinted a kick toward her, and as she dodged, he baited her into position for Akari's strike. Tadashi followed up with an attack of his own, and while the girl evaded several blows, the tide began to turn as their teamwork intensified.
The girl found herself overwhelmed; punches and kicks landed in rapid succession—left and right, here and there. She absorbed the hits, and Ryo's instincts tingled with unease. Something was off; it felt as though she was allowing them to strike.
In a moment of desperation, Ryo gathered dark magic to cloud her vision, while Tadashi conjured a whip of dark flame. They combined their powers, unleashing a barrage toward her. Just as their coordinated assault approached its target, a flicker of a smile graced her lips.
"Stardust!" she declared, and small beams of star-like light erupted from her, pushing Ryo and Tadashi away. A halo of shimmering stars appeared above her head, and, to their horror, her bruises faded as if they had never existed. Her space suit, once marred with dirt and scrapes, gleamed as if freshly minted.
"Was that the best you could do?" she taunted, her voice dripping with amusement. "Hate to break it to you, but that would probably only work on Kardia-Beasts. If that's the most entertaining you can offer, I'd say you're pretty low-ranking summons."
Her words sent chills down Ryo's spine. They were in deep trouble.
"You're kidding! She can heal too? This is bad!" Tadashi muttered, his eyes wide with realization.
"It's almost as if she can see our moves before we even strike," Akari observed, grim determination in her voice. "But why did she let us hit her? Was she gauging our abilities?"
"Doesn't matter," Akari insisted, her wrists glowing with ethereal energy. "I'm a cleric, and I have plenty of stamina. We need to keep pushing until help arrives." As she poured healing energy into Ryo and Tadashi, they felt a rush of vitality surge through them.
"Hey, it feels like my stamina's been replenished! You weren't this strong before," Ryo said, surprised. Akari was a far cry from the girl he had once journeyed with, and a soft smirk broke through his stoic demeanor.
"I like this version of you much better," he added, the tension momentarily lifted.
"What are you saying? We don't have time for—"
"Oh, but I won't give you time. I'm not as generous as Sir Briar," Cosmos interrupted, her hands gracefully lifting into the air.
Their eyes widened in terror as they watched the ominous energy unfold around her.
"Pleiadian Gaol," she announced, her smile tainted with malice.
Panic gripped Ryo's chest. I can't breathe... I can't breathe... No way, we're in space? His thoughts spiraled as the weight of their peril pressed upon him.