Remnya

Remnya woke up past noon and found herself alone in the bedroom. Birds chirped atop an orange tree next to her window while sunbeams seeped through the crystal, warming her body. She remained still with her eyes locked on the ceiling, taking a moment to assimilate her new environment.

The smoke of lavender incense lingered in the air, causing her nose to itch.

Pushing the blanket aside, Remnya jumped off the bed and peeked out the window, witnessing a backyard full of fruit trees and flowers and a dense forest that seemed to surround everything in sight.

Where am I?

Remnya turned to inspect the narrow room. A nightstand rested next to her bed, and on top of it, a small picture frame. Carefully, she took it between her hands and observed the worn photo of a young girl. It had to belong to Debrin, no doubt.

She rushed to put it back in place and continued looking around. Several piles of boxes were scattered on the floor, and in a corner, an ancient-looking wardrobe loomed over her.

Hanging on a wooden chair, Remnya saw a pair of pants and a shirt. She concluded someone had left them there for her since no other person could fit those clothes. Debrin and Merle were huge, taller than Marcus ever was.

Marcus.

Remnya swallowed and clenched her fists, pushing any futile feeling away, and rushed to change her clothes. Surprisingly, they fit her well. The design was plain, but the thread was of high quality. Remnya found a pair of sneakers next to her bed, the perfect size for her feet.

Wearing new clothes for the first time in weeks, Remnya rushed out of the room.

The kitchen looked as cramped as last night, and the smell of fried food refused to leave. But rather than eating, Remnya wanted to explore her new world and discover what kind of fate awaited her outside.

As soon as Remnya opened the door, the fresh, moist air of nature welcomed her with open green arms.

A dirt walkway crossed a corridor of citrus trees and led to what seemed to be the main road. Their hideout was a rustic cottage built with rock and bricks, surrounded by wilderness. Remnya could barely see the horizon through the dense vegetation, yet she spotted nearby mountains half-covered by low clouds.

The song of birds lit the afternoon while the spring sun warmed her pale skin once again. The fresh breeze of nature filled Remnya's lungs with a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time. She wandered the place, her mouth half-open in awe.

Without realizing it, Remnya made it to the main road. Half of it remained in the shadows, covered by oaks and pines, but as she advanced, the vegetation opened, revealing a small creek.

Remnya spotted a familiar face.

Debrin Kavram.

He sat on a rock next to a stream of crystalline water. Next to him, there was a mountain of vegetables, ranging from carrots and potatoes to pumpkins. Debrin didn't seem to notice her. He held a knife and peeled carrots in the slowest possible way.

Remnya slammed her feet on dried leaves and stood in the middle of his eyesight.

He tossed a carrot into a bucket with water and grabbed a potato. "Did you sleep well?" he asked, not taking his eyes away from his task.

Remnya nodded and walked closer, raising her right eyebrow at him. "What are you doing?"

"We'll have guests tonight." He twirled the knife in his hand and twisted his lips. "And they eat a lot."

Remnya stood in front of him and observed him for a while. His dark-ginger hair reflected the sunlight, turning it almost red. She noticed a deep scar crossing his right eye and the whisker-like stripes on his cheeks.

Debrin wore a muscle shirt, displaying his massive arms and pale skin. More scars covered his biceps and forearms, a testament to countless battles. A tattoo showed on his left shoulder; a V-like symbol intertwined with a black snake and the number seven.

"Is that a Karx tattoo?" Remnya asked, leaning forward to have a better look.

Debrin bobbed his head. "The 'V' means Vuratzavav: Vurat is honor, Zava is life. Literally: To live in honor." He lifted his gaze at Remnya, his pupils two thin lines, like the ones of an enraged feline. "The snake symbolizes nature, its brutality, and its beauty."

Remnya widened her eyes and nodded, clueless. "Why the number?"

"My army," he replied, resuming his task of peeling vegetables.

"Where are we?" Remnya asked, observing a flock of blue parrots flying above them.

"Lacacia forest, province of Penzey." Debrin pointed his knife at the highest mountain on the horizon. "Beyond that volcano rises the valley of Nebran." He turned to the opposite side. "Behind us, the hills of Crysalton."

"How far are we from. . ." Remnya averted her eyes.

Silence.

Debrin stared at her almost tenderly. "The Hunters' headquarters are about 400 kilometers from here. Though, I believe Merle explained how pointless it is for you to return there."

"He said he would train me," Remnya rushed to add.

"If he said so, he will. However, that doesn't mean you'll be able to save your friend."

His words stung Remnya's skin like cold knives. "We don't know that!" She scowled.

"Remnya." Debrin raised his voice, fixing his sunset eyes into hers. "I'll be honest with you. It's impossible for you to save your friend on your own."

Remnya clenched her fists. "I know that!" she shouted. "Why I need your help with it."

Debrin lifted his eyebrows.

"Please, I need you to help me rescue my friend." Remnya stared at him, feeling her eyes and throat burning. She had cried so much in her nightmares to the point her eyes had gone dry. Yet the pain stung like thousands of needles in her flesh.

He let out a silent sigh. "As much as I'd like to help you, that's beyond my power right now."

"But you're super strong!" Remnya took one step forward, narrowing her eyes at him. "You defeated that man with ease, I remember." She swallowed and bit her lower lip, trying not to recall the events from that horrible night. "You're probably stronger than Ronner."

Debrin took a deep breath and twirled the knife in his hand twice. "That was reckless and foolish of me. Such action put my whole army in danger. We, Karx, aren't allowed to confront The Hunters unless it's for survival. Yet, I was a deserter and broke a sacred rule, triggering a potential war upon us. Now, what do you think would happen if I attacked the very core of The Hunters?"

Remnya tried to speak, but words didn't dare to leave her mouth. She remained still, struggling to think of coherent words. "Why did you help me then? I need to know this." Her eyes pierced through Debrin, seeking an answer. "If I am such a burden. Why even bother?"

He threw the knife into the ground, the metal buried into the soil, and then he lifted his gaze at Remnya. "That woman, Ellyn, and her boyfriend arrived at one of my army's camps one night. My people were ready to execute them, but I got there in time. That's when I learned about you for the first time."

Debrin leaned forward and furrowed his eyebrows. "Not long after that, a young girl called Maria arrived at our main base. I learned about Ronner's plans too, and all the chaos his actions would cause to not only Karx and The Hunters but also the entire country."

"Maria. . ." Remnya murmured but chose not to interrupt him.

"At first, I thought stopping Ronner would be easy, but that's when I found out The Hunters had their eyes on him. He had tried to ally with The Hunters by using Persen Doman."

"Ronner was a monster. . ." Remnya whispered, "yet, he was nowhere as awful as Persen and The Hunters."

"Ronner was a prodigy but too smart and arrogant for his own good." Debrin closed his eyes and remained thoughtful for long seconds. "He was a ticking bomb, a reckless creature who could never follow orders. He would always put my army in danger with his actions, why I saw myself forced to banish him."

"Do you know how he died?" Remnya tightened her lips and lowered her head.

"Ronner had become a nuisance for The Hunters. Unpredictable and gaining power too quickly, he had to be eliminated. So they set up a trap for him. They used that woman to lure him away." For the first time, Remnya observed a hint of anger in Debrin's icy expression. "The most pitiful about it is, they didn't even get their hands dirty with blood. . . They used other people like puppets to do the job."

"That woman you mentioned. . ." Tears trailed down Remnya's cheeks, burning her skin. "She. . . she was like a sister to me."

"Was she?" Debrin made a long pause and stared at Remnya deeply. "She is alive, and as far as I know, safe."

"WHAT?" Remnya rushed to Debrin's side and put her hands on his shoulders, leaning forward, almost touching his forehead with hers. "IS SHE REALLY ALIVE? HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?"

Debrin twisted his lips as if trying not to smile. "When I arrived at the battlefield, I only found Ronner's corpse. My people told me a woman had escaped north with two wounded men. I assumed she was the girl Ronner tried to protect, so I ordered my people to make sure she made it out of there safely."

Remnya didn't know when her body moved, but the next second, she noticed her arms wrapped around Debrin and tears streaming down her cheeks like a torrent. She hugged him with all her strength, feeling a warm sensation in her soul.

Finally, Remnya realized she could trust that man.

Debrin remained like a rock, blinking in confusion while Remnya cried against his shoulder.

Silence.

It took her several seconds to understand what she was doing.

But as soon as Remnya saw herself hugging Debrin Kavram, she pushed away from him, embarrassed.

Hiding her red face behind a strand of hair, she murmured, "I am sorry. . ."

Debrin chuckled, displaying a stiff yet genuine smile. "I didn't know she was important to you."

"She's as important as my friend Zeo." Remnya sniffled and wiped her tears with the back of her hands. "All I want is for them to be safe."

"I know she was safe, though I don't know where they were heading to."

"I need to find her too," Remnya added, raising her voice. "Did you know she's pregnant?"

"What?" Debrin tilted his head. "Who is the father?"

"Ronner, of course!" Remnya shouted, her voice echoing throughout the forest.

Debrin raised one eyebrow and scratched his head. "That explains a lot." He crossed his arms and remained silent for a moment. "I need to inform my people about this so they can track her."

"Will you find her?" Remnya smiled, jumping in excitement.

"If my people can find her, I will ask them to make sure she survives. She's carrying the child of one of my ex-soldiers after all." Debrin sighed. "A hybrid too. I can't allow The Hunters to lay a finger on him or her."

Remnya nodded eagerly at his words. "Is this part of Karx's code of honor too? The tattoo thing?"

"No," he replied, standing up. Remnya looked up at him; her head barely reached his shoulders. "This is our own code of honor."

Remnya widened her eyes and tried to hide an awkward smile. "That's awesome. . ."

Debrin shrugged. "It can't be helped. We're all a bunch of fools, aren't we?"

"No, you're not." Remnya giggled. "By the way, you didn't tell me why you helped me yet."

Silence.

"Well. . . about that." Debrin walked closer, standing right in front of her. "When three humans risk their lives to protect a child, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Still! You went too far to protect someone like me." Remnya tugged her shirt and tightened her lips. "Why?"

Debrin rested his large hand on Remnya's head. "You know, my girl would've been your age today." He messed up her hair with rough yet tender strokes. "Do you expect me to allow The Hunters to take the life of an innocent child again?"

Remnya lifted her gaze at him, noticing the melancholy in his sunset eyes. "What was her name?"

"Crimson."

He smiled.

"Her name was Crimson Kavram."

*°*°*