Remnya

The glare of dawn blinded Remnya as she squinted into the horizon, trying to recognize her surroundings. An unknown reality spun around her like the roulette of life and death. Glimpsing the trees passing by her side, Remnya realized she was moving.

Heartbeats hammered against her head, echoing in her brain, merging with the panting of someone next to her. Shielding her eyes from the orange glow of the morning, Remnya lifted her head and witnessed Zeo carrying her in his arms.

He strode through the thick forest, his cold gaze locked on the path ahead. Branches and thorns scratched his body, but he advanced like an unstoppable warrior.

An avalanche of questions filled her head, and Remnya tried to remember the recent events, but a terrible headache attacked her brain, making her grimace in pain.

Zeo glanced at her and rushed to a halt next to a tree looming over a rocky field. He kneeled, easing her against the trunk, and ruffled her hair, lifting her bangs from her forehead, which felt like burning.

"I'm glad you're awake, Rem," he murmured, wiping the sweat from her skin with a soft rag.

Remnya stretched her neck and squinted at him, blinking as she took her time to recognize her savior. "Zeo . . . where are we?"

"It seems like your fever has gone down a little," Zeo replied, ignoring her question, and held her face between his hands tightly to stare deep into her eyes. "Try to rest. We'll need to keep moving soon . . . " As the words left his mouth, Zeo dropped onto the leafy soil and let out a deep, exhausted breath. He leaned on a massive rock nearby and closed his eyes.

Remnya dragged herself closer to Zeo, noticing a shotgun hanging from his back. She gulped and grabbed his hand. "How long have you been running with me?"

"Doesn't matter, Rem," he whispered, squeezing her hand. "Just a little more, and we'll make it."

The forest fell still.

From behind a dark row of mountains, sunbeams seeped through a veil of clouds, and the last bit of blue of the night faded. A tender breeze caressed Remnya's hair while the faint scent of distant rains and dust floated in the air.

A myriad of birds woke up amid the canopies above their heads, announcing a new beginning.

Holding Zeo's hand, Remnya stared toward the place they had left behind. An eerie gray mist lingered in the distance like the ashes of a battle. She swallowed through a closed throat and gripped the pendant hanging from her neck.

Protect her, please . . . You're the only one who can do it.

Remnya turned to Zeo and scanned his face and body in search of wounds. His bruises were still there, but there was no fresh blood anymore.

Leaning next to Zeo, Remnya wrapped her arms around him and gently pulled him against her chest. He didn't react and allowed her to hold him tightly next to her heart, hammering with a mixture of indecipherable feelings. Remnya kissed his forehead and squeezed his body, once so thin and fragile, now so sturdy and fierce.

Zeo fell asleep in her arms, and Remnya allowed herself to cherish the silence of the moment. A moment she knew it wouldn't last.

"You need to stay with me," Remnya whispered in his ear, clenching her fingers around his skin. "Stay with me . . . please."

In the prelude of the morning, their souls connected once again, embracing each other, refusing to accept the cruel fate those monsters had chosen for them.

Why can't Zeo be happy? Remnya asked the sky and wondered what a Nephilim could do to change that. The horned witch must have had a reason to be born. Her crimson fire couldn't be just an erratic joke of destiny.

What was her mission?

Remnya didn't know whether or not she had fallen asleep, but in the middle of the void of her thoughts, she overheard footsteps drawing nearer. She glanced left and right, trying to discern the danger among the vegetation, but only a chilly wind whistled in her ears, raising her long hair.

Convinced it was just her imagination, Remnya closed her eyes again, but an unknown murmur froze her blood.

A few meters away from them, two men talked. Their voices were unrecognizable, but she knew their intentions could bring no good. Remnya shook Zeo, who opened his tired eyes, but before she could say anything, he put his fingers on her lips, silencing her. Slowly, Zeo stood up, peeking at the intruders from behind the rock.

A cold shiver ran down Remnya's spine, and her heart seemed to want to break free from her ribcage.

Zeo's ears twitched; he could hear what they were saying. His face lost all its color, and his pupils dilated as he glared at the intruders. Without taking his eyes away from them, Zeo gripped Remnya's hand, his skin as cold as ice.

"What are they saying?" Remnya whispered, squeezing her body against him, trying to peek from behind the rock.

When Zeo's gaze met hers, Remnya understood the meaning of his silence. His pale face and melancholic eyes told her everything she needed to know. Remnya tightened her lips as her whole world shattered again, crushing any slim hope her stupid self had believed possible. She nodded while her heart sunk into a void of gloom.

The men murmured one last time, and then their voices faded. Even the song of the forest felt silent.

A flock of blue parrots flew into the sky, fleeing from what Remnya felt was rotten energy. Ignoring reality for the last time, Remnya thought those animals were beautiful.

Zeo buried his fingers in her skin, and like a bullet, he sprang from the ground pulling her with him.

Remnya did her best not to stumble as he dragged her violently through rocks, thorns, and vines. She couldn't hear anything except for her own heart kicking like crazy against her throat.

The time slowed, and Remnya felt like floating in the forest for a moment. Blind and deaf, they ran into the unknown. Was it a dream or a nightmare? What were they running away from?

All their enemies were dead . . .

As reality seemed to fade away, an acute feeling-like stab paralyzed her right leg. Remnya bumped into Zeo, who halted in front of her. Drained of energy, Remnya almost lost her balance, but he caught her.

Ignoring the source of her pain, Remnya lifted her dilated eyes to face what lay ahead.

Scarlet pupils penetrated her soul in a gelid gaze that resembled death. In front of them, a bulky man with long dark hair stood still amid the forest. His wrinkled face was stone as he twisted his pale lips into an unreadable expression.

He wore a black coat that reached his toes, and a silver emblem gleamed on his shoulder with the orange light of the sunrise.

"Are you ok?" Zeo asked, between clenched teeth, glaring at the stranger in front of him.

Remnya lowered her face to check her leg and noticed a red chain attached to her ankle. The other side of it ended at the unknown man's hand. Her jaw dropped, and her soul tried to escape her body. That man emanated energy she had never felt before. Not even Skado or Persen had such a heavy and gloomy aura.

"Don't worry, Remnya Scheduna." The man's voice echoed in her brain. Despite his grim presence, his voice was oddly gentle. "I'm not here to hurt you." The chain wrapped around her ankle turned black and unwrapped, releasing her, and returned to his hand. Suddenly, all the pain in her leg disappeared.

Zeo took one step backward and covered her body with his. "Who are you, and what the hell do you want?" he shouted, his voice trembling.

As he spoke, a spark flashed in his scarlet pupils, "I came here for her, so please step aside, crossbreed."

"Are you from The Hunters, aren't you?" Zeo asked, taking another step backward.

"The Hunters?" Remnya muttered, swallowing as she squeezed Zeo's hand.

"That's correct," he replied, his chain chiming against the silver tips of his boots. "We have no interest in dirty crossbreeds like you, so . . . " He lifted his arm, swinging his chain upward. "Move."

"Wait!" Remnya yelled, stepping forward in front of Zeo. "Do not dare hurt him!" Her frozen blood melted with the heat of her heart, now beating harder than ever.

The man lowered his arm, and his heavy chain slammed into the ground, resonating throughout the forest.

"Is it me who you want, right?" Remnya glared at him.

"Shut up! There's no way I'll let him take you!" Zeo roared, struggling to pull her behind him.

"Listen, Remnya Scheduna." The man clicked his tongue and tilted his head. "You might've grown a sympathy for that crossbreed boy, but such creatures are a mistake of nature. They must not exist, and it's our job to ensure the balance of the world is restored by eliminating them."

"That's stupid!" Remnya spat, taking two steps forward, ignoring Zeo's attempts to stop her. "Aren't you the ones supposed to protect us? What kind of sick mindset is that, old man?" Her crimson eyes blazed.

Silence.

The man lifted his thick eyebrows. "We're here to ensure our race prevails in this decaying world." He shook his head, causing his long hair to wave, revealing two horns, the same shape as Remnya's, but bigger and darker. He pulled his coat aside, and a long tail rose from behind his legs. "Lieutenant Edo from the 731 Hunters' Force, Crysalton's last line of defense." He bowed to her. "This is our world, Remnya Scheduna." His eyes darted at Zeo. "Deviants like your pet friend and Ronner should not exist."

Remnya's pupils dilated as the color left her face. She began shaking, and Zeo rushed to grab her arm and step in front of her.

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," Zeo raised his voice, scanning the man with contempt. "It all makes sense. You're the ones who control everything, aren't you? You're the ones who turned Karx into the enemy and played the heroes in the war. Tell me something, is Alayna your puppet too?"

Edo said nothing and brushed a long strand of hair aside as his chain glowed red. "Allow me to put an end to your pitiful existence, crossbreed."

"NO!" Remnya screamed, pushing Zeo away with all her strength.

The chain buzzed above Zeo, scratching Remnya's arm as she fell on top of him.

"That was close," Edo said with disgust, retracting the chain around his forearm. "I don't want to hurt you, Remnya Scheduna. Move!"

Zeo's pupils thinned like a feline and began glowing in an emerald color, and his two vectors emerged from the ground. Remnya rolled next to Zeo and snatched the shotgun from his back to aim at their enemy.

With cold, trembling fingers, she pulled the trigger.

The canon bullets exploded as Remnya discharged the weapon on the Nephilim. Sparks and smoke engulfed Edo as the ammo burst against his body, pushing him away with a barrage of titanium and fire.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Zeo pulled Remnya with him toward the denser part of the forest.

They hid behind a massive rock with their backs glued against each other. Remnya gripped the gun and panted frenetically while Zeo's vectors whistled around them like a swarm of furious hornets. Her cold hands quivered as she tried to reload the shotgun.

"Run east and don't stop," Zeo murmured while a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, sliding on his cheek.

"What do you mean?" Remnya muttered, leaning her head against Zeo's, their bodies trembling together.

"If what Danny told me is true, the next city is controlled by Karx. It's the safest place for you right now."

"You expect me to leave you behind just like that?" She clenched her teeth while tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.

"We stand no chance against that monster, you know that. However, I can still stop him and buy time for you." Zeo grabbed her hand. "Once the rest of The Hunters arrive, all our hopes will be gone. Please Rem . . . " He gripped her hand tightly. "Please leave . . . save yourself, live the life you've always wanted."

A tear trailed down Remnya's cheek. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling how her heart shattered, and its shards ripped her chest. As much as Remnya wanted to stay and fight by his side, she knew it was a lost battle. Her body was too weak; Remnya could barely stand on her own.

"It's me who they want," she whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "This has nothing to do with you, Zeo."

"Rem!" Zeo yelled, glaring at her, but before he could finish his sentence, a shrill clank resounded in their heads.

BOOM!

Edo's chain snapped the rock behind them in half.

Both cut pieces collapsed, shaking the ground as they collapsed in front of them, lifting sand and dry leaves into the air.

The whistle of that chain drew near again, and the metal approached Zeo at the speed of sound.

His vectors rose like two ghostly arms in front of them and burst against the metal, releasing a powerful shockwave that stopped the chain and sent both of them to the ground.

Retracting his chain, Edo emerged like a demon from the shadows of dead trunks. Zeo's eyes glowed as he commanded his vectors toward his enemy. Whistling, his arms darted at Edo's head, who stood still with a surprised expression.

Swinging his chain, Edo countered his vectors. The coils wrapped around Zeo's spectral arms, stopping them in front of his face.

The emerald glow around Zeo's body intensified, and the veins in his head bulged as if about to explode. His vectors screeched and shook the chain violently, causing Edo to smirk awkwardly.

Remnya leaned against a tree, aimed the shotgun at the monster's head, and pulled the trigger.

The remaining birds in the forest flew away as three bullets exploded against Edo's face, making him flinch. Zeo broke free from his chain and sent his vectors against his enemy again, trying to slice his body.

Edo leaped away, tumbling backward with great agility while the vectors buried into the ground. His face smoked from the canon bullets, but it was still intact.

Before Zeo could react, Edo whipped his chain against him.

Zeo tried to evade it, but the last two coils struck his right leg. He let out a groan of pain and dropped to the ground.

Remnya dashed toward her friend to cover him. The chain returned, shrilling through the air, and loomed over her head, but Zeo pushed Remnya aside, receiving the impact for her. The metal landed against his back, sending him against the ground with brutal force, burying his body into the soil.

"Zeo!" Remnya kneeled next to him, lifting his body. A deep wound crossed his back, releasing a dangerous amount of blood, while his right leg dangled awkwardly, broken. "I'm sorry, but I can't leave you behind!" She wrapped her arms around him and glared at her enemy, who sauntered toward them with his lifeless eyes locked on her.

"I was wrong," Edo said, "that crossbreed is not an ordinary specimen as I thought. He might be of use after all."

"Go to hell!" Remnya roared, covering Zeo's body with hers. "I don't give a shit about who or what you are! You'll have to kill me before I let you hurt Zeo anymore!"

"I couldn't expect any less from you, Remnya Scheduna." Edo twisted his lips into an eerie smile. "However, my mission is to bring you with me alive." He whipped the ground with his chain, releasing a shockwave that shook the surface beneath Remnya's knees.

Clenching her fists, Remnya dropped her shotgun and locked her dilated pupils on Edo. She raised her arms and allowed the furious monster inside her to take over her body and mind.

Zeo crawled behind her, wrapping his hand around her waist. He leaned his head against her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "you're a stubborn one, aren't you?" His tone was soothing, almost calm.

"We're on this together." She smiled as her heart beat faster, and her tears dried up against the hot breeze emanating from her crimson aura. "My body might have reached its limit, but my soul is willing to fight until the end."

"This is why I love you," Zeo said, standing up and pulling Remnya with him. They both rose in front of their last enemy.

Remnya glanced over her shoulder at him and gifted him a tender smile.

Like a volcano refusing to die, fierce heat filled her insides, magma running through her veins, burning her heart with despair and hope. The pain had disappeared, and all her dreams merged into the crimson dragon crawling in her chest.

Zeo whispered something in her ear and kissed her cheek, and the shrill of her fire filled the morning, engulfing everything around them, embracing them with all its power.

A crimson ghost loomed over the forest. Bones made of magma, hollow eyes flooded with fury, and a monstrous wail resembling a banshee that could freeze the blood and melt the skin of every living thing.

The Crimson Ghost wouldn't abandon the soul of a young girl who promised to do great things.

Once and for all, Remnya would fulfill her fate.