Blood soaked the ground.
Ryujin lay still, head split open. Ayro was gone without a trace. Kirashi, collapsed beside the well, his arm twisted and broken. Itoshi, barely breathing, was sprawled at the foot of the shattered lookout.
And Kara... She sat alone at the doorstep of Kirashi's hut. Her hands trembled. Her legs wouldn't move. Just a few paces away, a Seele stood, unmoving—watching her.
Its black eyes locked with hers. Neither spoke. The wind howled.
Everyone else was down. She was the last one left.
~~~March 31, 2169~~~
[7:30pm]
A loud stomach growled through the quiet night—it was Itoshi's.
"Oh shit."
Kirashi laugh, hand gently placed on his belly.
"I've never heard a stomach growl that loud before."
Ayro patted Kirashi on the back again.
Kirashi jolted, his eyes snapping wide as he shot Ayro a weird, almost suspicious look.
"Please stop that."
With his palm resting behind his neck, Ryujin muttered under his breath.
"Well, the child is hungry."
Right as Ryujin finished, Itoshi barked from atop the lookout.
"I'm not a child! I can hear you, you know!"
Ryujin glanced up and smirked.
Itoshi clicked his tongue as he proceeded to look into the distance.
"Tsk."
Beside him, Kara giggled — soft and chill as ever — before she asked.
"Hungry?"
Itoshi looked down to the plank floor supporting them.
"A bit, I guess."
From below, Kirashi bellowed, calling out for Itoshi.
"Itoshi! Come down—I've got something."
Before responding, Itoshi glanced at Kara, as if silently waiting for her permission.
Kara giggled, her eyes meeting Itoshi's before she gave a small nod.
"Go! I'll stay on lookout. I want to do something useful."
Itoshi smiled, as he agreed.
"Alright!"
He climbed down and joined Kirashi inside the hut. Kirashi pulled out a preserved fish.
"It's not cooked yet, but we can make a light dinner."
Kirashi mentioned as he patted Itoshi's back.
Itoshi nods,
"Oh—sure!"
Together, they lit dry branches and cooked the fish in Kirashi's underground pit.
Itoshi muttered, eyes wide and into the work.
"Whoa. It does cook underground!"
Even if it felt strange to Itoshi—dirt and fire so close together—he accepted the gesture with gratitude.
They prepared five fish on makeshift banana-leaf plates.
"Everyone! Come eat—boost your energy!"
Ayro and Ryujin joined them. Kara stayed at the lookout, eyes scanning the dark.
"Kara! Come down!"
Kirashi called.
"I'm good! I'll eat later!"
He voice echoed from the top.
Kirashi simply nods as he turned his head back to the rest.
"I'll grab water for us!"
As they ate, the warm fire and quiet chatter filled the air.
"So... how long have you guys been stuck with UWDS?"
Kirashi asked, one brow raised.
"Since I was six."
Ryujin answered.
Kirashi flinched.
"Wha—That's like... twelve years?! How are you not sick of them?"
Ryujin shook his head side-to-side, eyes glued to the dirt.
"I've got a dream I can't give up on."
There was a bit of pause before Kirashi turned to Ayro.
"What about you, Ayro?"
Ayro responded tea in hand, but it was quiet, almost like he was talking to himself.
"I joined a year after Ryujin. Known him since we were kids."
"Why didn't you join with him as soon as he did?"
Kirashi asked with a smile.
Ayro didn't answer.
Ryujin stepped in.
"Maybe not now, Kirashi."
Kirashi looked down, a cup of water in his hand.
"Got it. Sorry."
Ayro chuckled.
"It's fine."
Kirashi turned to Itoshi next.
"You, Itoshi?"
"We've only known these fine gentlemen for about a month. We've officially joined yesterday, actually."
Itoshi casually answered.
"Ah... that explains it."
"Explains what?"
Itoshi asked, one brow raised.
"The lack of experience."
Ryujin answered flatly.
Kirashi gasped, in shock of the sudden reality check of Ryujin.
"Whoa. Straight up."
Ayro smirked, eyes close, face proud.
"That's the boss for you."
Ayro sipped tea casually.
Itoshi jolted, eyes locked onto the tea.
"Where did that tea even come from?"
"My storage.'
Itoshi gave him a suspicious look.
"Anyway, I'm still learning. But I've got a dream too—I want to wipe out every last Seele.
He stated as he stared into his palms.
Ryujin and Ayro both smiled.
Kara listened from above, quietly smiling at Itoshi's determination.
And then, Itoshi turned to Kirashi.
"Kirashi?"
"Yeah?"
"You really can't come with us?"
Kirashi hesitated.
"...I'm still not sure. I feel like I'm supposed to protect this place until I figure out what the 'special' thing is."
Itoshi looked down, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.
"What a sha-"
Before Itoshi could finish speaking, Ayro suddenly flinched.
Ayro froze. His instincts screamed. Kara, watching from the lookout, spotted it too.
"Incoming!!"
A colossal flame-type Seele appeared behind Ryujin.
Everyone's eyes widened in horror.
Ryujin reacted fast, trying to summon water—but the Seele was faster. Its claw-like hand swatted Ryujin across the field like a ragdoll. His body slammed into a mound—blood gushed from his cracked skull.
"RYUJIN!!!"
Fueled by rage, Ayro charged without a plan. He pulled the water Kirashi had fetched and unleashed it all. But the Seele's monstrous reflexes nullified every strike. Ayro landed a blow—but it didn't even flinch.
The Seele gripped Ayro's head in its palm—and squeezed.
"AYRO!!!"
Itoshi and Kirashi rushed in. Desperation driving them. But the creature didn't even acknowledge them.
Itoshi turned back to Kirashi, ordering.
"Kirashi! WATER!!"
Kirashi panicked, unsure of what he can do to help his new found allies.
"O-OK!"
Kara stood frozen atop the lookout, eyes wide. Kirashi summoned a mini tornado, drawing water from the well, guiding it into a rain-like downpour on the Seele.
It shrieked.
Tossing Ayro's unconscious body into the forest, it turned to Kirashi and lunged. Its jaws clamped onto Kirashi's shoulder.
"AHHH!!!"
Dragged to the well, Kirashi's body was slammed into the stone. His consciousness vanished.
Itoshi froze, Eyes wide as the the dust settled, Seeing Kirashi knocked donw.
"Ryujin..."
His voice breaks.
"Ayro..."
His body and voice started to tremble, not in fear, but frustration.
"Kirashi..."
His once-breaking voice erupted into a full scream, fueled by rage and spite toward the Seele.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?! HOW DARE YOU—HOW DARE YOU!!"
He launched himself forward, unleashing fire after fire. Useless.
"DAMN IT! Prominent Rhythm!!"
Nothing.
His heart sank — eyes wide, quickly filling with desperation.
"Prominent Rhythm!! WHY WON'T YOU WORK?!"
The Seele seemed to laugh.
He clenched his fist, then forced himself to make a rational decision.
"Fuck it!!"
He charged again—only to be swatted into the tree holding the lookout. It shook, knocking Kara from above.
She tumbled, crashing into the straw roof. It softened her fall.
"W-What... AH!"
She scrambled inside, shutting the door just as the Seele arrived. It stood there, its gaze locked on the trembling blue-haired girl clutching her old stuffed toy.
She sat frozen by the door. Eyes wide. Tears falling.
The Seele crouched.
Her voice cracked in fear. Knowing she was all alone now.
"Please... don't..."
It reached out. Its clawed hand shifting—becoming human-like. Gently, it wiped a tear from her cheek.
Her voice trembled as tears fell from her eyes.
"W-What?"
The Seele raised its hand to her head—
A voice thundered from behind.
"Hey! We're not done yet, dumbass."
The Seele snapped its head around.
To be Continued