To seek greatness is the only righteous vengeance. - Criss Jami (Killosophy)

* * * *

The rain is coming down harder even as Sera, Kailey and Neil walk down the streets of Aurora, all of them careful to keep their hoods up.

Inwardly, Sera was glad for the rain, as it meant that no one would be around to witness what they were about to do. The animosity and contempt for the Gifted community have been getting out of hand and rising steadily for the past few decades—especially after the end of the last war when the majority of the country’s Gifted who were of age were forcefully drafted into the army.

It is one of many reasons why there are so many orphans living on the streets, and even why the majority of the Gifted have turned to crime or even joined street gangs just to survive.

The uncaring attitude and stand that the common populace has taken towards the Gifted didn’t help any matters.

Sera stopped in the middle of Fifth Street, looking around to ensure that there wasn’t anyone around. The only lights visible are just the various street lamps all around.

Finally, Sera turned towards Neil who had been waiting quietly; merely watching her. “Do it.”

Neil nodded before putting up his right hand which glowed blue. Then, the roads of the street that they’re standing in glowed with the same colour. A flash of blue rushed throughout the roads and streets of Fifth Street, making it look out of this world. Images of cars and people flickered even as the seconds ticked past—almost like a movie on fast rewind.

Kailey watched with wide eyes. This wasn’t the first time that she’d seen her twin use his Gift of course; she just didn’t see Neil using it much, if at all. And she had never seen him using this aspect of his barrier abilities. Doing so might cause a death sentence for them in some cases. After all, look what happened to their parents when someone found out from somewhere that they were Gifted.

A barrier dome went up around the areas glowing blue. Kailey reached out with her fingers gingerly to touch a Jack Terrier dog that was sniffing about without care near her feet. Much to her surprise, her touch went right through the dog like he was a mirage of some sort.

“They don’t really exist here, Kailey.” The baritone voice of her twin brother caught Kailey’s attention. “What I’m doing here is just watching the past—in this case, the events of the last twenty-four hours.” Neil furrowed his brows. “All right. Think I got it.”

The images around them flickered before coming to a stop. And when Sera looked upwards at the skies, it had stopped raining. It even seems to be late afternoon—near dusk; by how the sun looks.

Then, she saw them.

A brunette boy with short untidy hair held back by a dark green bandanna around his forehead peeked out from around a corner anxiously, looking left and right. He probably looked just a little older than the three of them and had pale green eyes.

“Claudia! Tatius! Come on!” The boy—whom all three assumed to be Ness, beckoned to the two hiding behind him in the alley. The three all have different colouring—with the girl having light blonde hair, and the youngest-looking of the three having dark red hair. But it's obvious that they’re siblings due to the similar-looking pale green eyes all of them possess.

The three siblings slipped out into the streets, ducking as close to the walls as possible, looking around anxiously—all with scared expressions on their faces. Sera’s eyes narrowed as she spotted the number ‘10’ tattooed on Ness’ left bicep—visible due to the tear on the sleeve of his shirt.

“What’s going on?” Kailey whispered, despite knowing logically that the three siblings could neither see nor hear them. “Why do they look so scared?”

Neil frowned. He is reminded of his and Kailey’s situation just mere months ago before they’d met Sera. “They’re being hunted by someone or something,” he said slowly.

“What?”

There were shouts; and all three teens, along with the three siblings, turned as one to see a group of three—two men and one woman heading in their direction, all of them armed to the teeth. Guns and daggers were visible on their bodies.

Sera frowned. She knew who those people were. “Hunters,” she hissed; and the twins stared at her, bewildered. Unlike Sera, they hadn’t encountered a Hunter before—one of those extremists that hunt down the Gifted.

“No! Hunters!” The only girl—Claudia, cried out.

“Run!” The youngest cried.

“You’re not getting anywhere!” Kailey had both hands covering her mouth even as she watched with wide eyes; watching as one of the hunters fired something towards Tatius’ direction, but was shoved out of the way by his older brother who collapsed immediately, with blood immediately staining and spreading across the shoulder area of his white shirt.

“Ness!” Claudia cried, dropping to her knees beside her brother, glaring up at the hunters with hatred visible in her eyes. “Tatius, apply pressure on the wound.” Tatius did as he was told, staring up at his sister before turning his attention back towards his injured brother.

“Who sent you?” Claudia hissed like an angry cat at the approaching hunters, standing in front of her two brothers in a bid to protect them. “You’re hunters, aren’t you?”

“You freaks don’t get to hear our names.” The only woman hunter sneered.

Claudia’s eyes flashed with anger and hatred. “I don’t have the time and the energy to deal with you now; but mark my words, you’ll be sorry for what you did today. I will never forget this.”

Sera narrowed her eyes when she saw Claudia hold up two fingers in front of her; with her eyes flashing red. And then, there was a gigantic gust of wind. When it cleared away, the three siblings were gone.

“Where did those freaks go to?” One of the men roared, looking all around him as if in hope of finding them.

“Calm down. They can’t have gone far, not with that boy being hit by a strain from one of the poison darts.” The other man told him. He turned towards the woman who looked smug—having been the one to fire that shot earlier. “I sure don’t want to be on your bad side, Maeve.”

“That is a strain of the Morning Star poison,” Maeve said triumphantly, putting away her gun, and Sera’s eyes widened in horror with that statement. On either side of her, the twins stared at her curiously, having heard the hitch of breath from Sera. “That boy is dead either way. And then, those two will be ripe for the picking.”

Neil slashed at the air in front of him with two fingers, and the barrier fell. Kailey felt the rain pelting her once more and turned towards Sera nervously. There is this look in her eyes that says that someone is going to die tonight. It is worse than the expression that she had when Kailey and Neil first encountered her in the alley of Zephys over a month ago.

“…Sera?”

“We need to find them—those siblings,” Sera said, turning and walking down the street. “There’s no time to lose!”

“What do you mean?” Neil asked, jogging to keep up with her. And judging by the fact that Sera is nearly a head and a half shorter than him, that is a feat indeed.

“They used the Morning Star poison.” Sera almost growled those words out. Not far from them, a parked car rattled due to Sera’s Gift. “It’s a death sentence for anyone hit by it!”

“Do you even know where they are?” Kailey asked before Neil could ask any further.

“I have an idea,” Sera said, never breaking her stride. “If those siblings are acquainted with Timo, and trusted him and his friends; then there’s only one place in Aurora that they would go to at this point.”

* * * *

Kailey and Neil found themselves staring at a two-storey building nearly thirty minutes later, necks craned back, and squinting their eyes to try to make out the words on the sign they could read above the door.

The building seems to function as some sort of medical facility and probably also acts as a living space for the occupants.

“A clinic?” Neil echoed in confusion, reading the words ‘Sanctuary Clinic’ on the sign above the door. “A private practice?”

“Owned by someone I know and trusted, yes,” Sera answered absently, eyes scanning the streets and the areas around them. “It’s probably the only place in all of Eldario that the Gifted can go to seek treatment.”

The Gifted community after all had their own information network—for those that lived amongst the underground long enough, that is. They probably never really knew each other—the majority of them generally use aliases and false names when operating underground as an added layer of security. But the fact is that rarely anything happens that involves the Gifted community for them to not be aware of it.

When Sanctuary Clinic had started up—being run by a mutual friend of Timo’s and Sera’s; the doctor had also let Sera know to spread the word to have the Gifted come to her for treatment.

Over time, a certain procedure had to be followed for the Gifted that approach the clinic for help. Visits can only be made under the cloak of darkness, and only through the back door. This is both to protect the Gifted and even the doctor.

Because whether they liked it or not, while the clinic and the doctor could not be persecuted legally should anyone find out they’ve been offering medical services to the Gifted; it is also possible for Aurora and even the medical community to make life very difficult for the doctor and her clinic.

In the worst-case scenario, the doctor might even lose her license to practice medicine legally in Eldario.

The twins followed Sera silently to the back of the building, both looking around uneasily—somehow feeling as if there were eyes on them from the darkness. They watched as Sera approached the back door of the clinic, raising a fist and knocking five times on it.

Two long knocks. Three short knocks.

‘A code of some sort?’ Kailey wondered, furrowing her brows.

There were several moments of silence and non-movement before the door opened silently a crack. A woman dressed in a doctor’s white coat stood there, her long brown hair tied back in a messy bun. Her brown eyes were tired as she gazed back at them, though there was a look of recognition as her eyes fell on Sera.

“Reina.” Sera greeted with the barest of nods. “It’s been a while.”

“Sera. I knew that it was you.” Reina gave a small smile, eyes moving towards the twins behind Sera before she opened the door wider to admit them entry. “Come in. I’m rather busy at the moment—though if you’re here, I’m guessing that you knew what happened.”

“Well, I have someone with me that could let us ‘see’,” Sera added, glancing over her shoulder at Neil; with all three following Reina up the stairs of the clinic to the second floor. The lights were all turned off; thus, all of them were careful as they moved. “How bad is his condition?”

There was a note of finality in Sera’s voice, and the twins turned to her in surprise. They then recalled what Sera had said earlier about the poison the hunters had used: it’s an immediate death sentence if one hits you.

Reina looked over her shoulder even as she led the three teens down the darkened hallway of her clinic. Just in front of them, they could see the orange light spilling out of a room ahead.

“He’s still hanging in there. We managed to get the cure to him just in time.” Reina said, with relief almost visible in her voice.

Sera stopped dead in her tracks with that statement, and both Kailey and Neil bumped straight into her as a result. The twins barely managed to stop themselves from toppling over.

“A cure?” Sera echoed, incredulous. “I’ve never heard of a cure for the Morning Star poison before.”

Reina had a secret smile tugging at the ends of her lips. “Neither did I until I met Laura,” she said, showing the three still dumbfounded teens into the only room with the lights turned on.

A brown-haired figure—Ness was visible on the only bed in the room, clearly fast asleep, though with bandages wound around his forehead and shoulder; with an IV attached to his wrist. His two siblings were huddled together on the couch in the room, anxious and worried expressions on their faces as they gazed at their brother. A girl with black hair reaching to her shoulders and dark eyes was also present in the room; checking on the sleeping Ness.

“Laura?” Reina addressed the unknown girl in the room.

“He’s asleep now. It’ll take some days for the cure to run its course before he’ll be up and about.” The girl—-Laura answered. Her eyes flickered towards Sera, Kailey and Neil. “Who are they?”

“Calm down, Laura. They mean you no harm. I know them.” Reina reassured Laura; though her eyes flickered towards Sera as she said so, tactfully not saying that she knew only one of them. She then hesitated as she looked at Sera before the latter frowned and nodded—a silent message passing between them. “They’re Gifted. Just like you.”

With those words, every single person in the room still conscious gave a start and looked at Sera, Kailey and Neil with surprise written all over their faces. Laura however had a mixture of surprise and disbelief on her face, studying Sera carefully with a raised brow.

“Gifted?” Claudia and Tatius echoed together from the couch.

“Surely you know that you aren’t the only Gifted in this country?” Neil said almost sarcastically.

“Well yes. But most Gifted that I am aware of don’t go about broadcasting their status.” Claudia said defensively, eyes flickering towards Laura as she said so.

Sera meanwhile was ignoring the banter between Neil and Claudia. The fact that Claudia was well enough to banter with Neil proves that her brother is in no danger of dying. So there is a cure for the Morning Star poison?

It’s one of the deadliest poisons ever known in Eldario, with the plant only being found growing in particularly cold climates. Several generations ago—particularly around the time when the Gifted first started being ostracised by society; the first hunters have then discovered the plant, and thus named it after a fallen angel in the ancient myths.

To this day, there isn’t a cure for the poison.

Most Gifted are generally immune to most poisons and illnesses due to their abilities. But the Morning Star poison is the one poison that they aren’t immune to. Hence why the hunters liked to use it on the Gifted so much; not only because it is an extremely deadly and fast-acting poison.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Are you the one that healed him?” Sera asked Laura with genuine curiosity. “You created a cure for the Morning Star poison?”

“I did.” Laura nodded, a look of pride visible in her eyes. “You’re familiar with this poison?” It was a statement, not a question.

Sera closed her eyes briefly. “…I know someone who died from it,” she admitted. Make that a lot of someones.

Laura frowned, her right hand reaching to the side of her hip; upon glancing down, Sera identified the bulge of what seemed to be concealed daggers or knives. “How do you know that Ness has been poisoned? To begin with, how do you even know what happened anyway?” she questioned almost threateningly.

Sera looked Laura in the eye unflinchingly; though behind her, the twins have tensed with that threatening tone. “I heard about it from Timo,” she said simply, and Laura’s eyes widened a fraction. “And I have someone with me who can ‘view’ the past.”

Both girls held each other’s gazes for several long moments without blinking, and the entire room watched with bated breaths. Finally, Laura was the first to look away, hand falling from her side. “Forgive me. I’ve been a little high-strung lately; what with all the hunters roaming Eldario in recent months.”

Sera shook her head mutely; understanding Laura’s paranoia and suspicion. She would be suspicious too, if she had been in Laura’s position. After all, even amongst the Gifted, not all of them could be trusted.

“So… Those were the hunters…” Kailey said slowly, recalling what she’d seen earlier when Neil had used his Gift. As one, every single pair of eyes swivelled towards her. “I’ve heard the rumours, but…” She trailed off slowly.

Laura and Sera exchanged glances; a silent message passing between them, and Laura gave a short nod; understanding what Sera didn’t have to say.

“The Gifted have always been abused for our abilities.” Laura sighed, sinking into a nearby chair whilst Reina made a show of examining the still-unconscious Ness. Sera meanwhile retreated to the wall by the side of the door, arms crossed. “It isn’t uncommon. Those of us who grew up on the streets soon learned how to avoid them and keep our status as Gifted hidden. You’ll live longer if you do.” She added, and Kailey turned pale. Claudia and Tatius who were on the couch gave weak smiles with that comment. “It is also why the majority of the Gifted kept within our own community, as much as we can. But these things always get out sooner or later.” She waved her hand about. “It is why for some of us, we never stayed in one place for long. Always moving. Always being on the move. Just to avoid the hunters and the worst of the haters.”

“It is why the Gifted had their network, and even designated safe places to seek refuge or help if needed,” Claudia spoke up, eyes flickering towards her unconscious brother occasionally. “A few years ago, Zephys was one of those because of Blade.” Sera unconsciously stiffened with those words, and Laura stared at her with a raised brow. “Now I’m not so sure.”

“And this clinic?” Neil questioned.

“That’s a little complicated.” Reina was the one to speak up; having allowed the Gifted in the room to take control of the conversation. Predictably, every single pair of eyes in the room swivelled towards the female doctor who smiled, writing something on the clipboard attached at the end of Ness’ bed. “When I first started my private practice in Aurora, it was also around the time when Timo had first moved out here as well.” The twins nodded; both having heard about this bit of information earlier in the café. “As I obviously couldn’t make it public; that I’m willing to treat the Gifted, I had to resort to asking Sera to spread the word amongst her contacts in the underground.”

“Well, not all of us are lucky enough to know a Gifted with healing abilities,” Tatius grunted.

“We do have more pressing matters to be concerned with at present though,” Laura added, eyes flickering around the room.

The atmosphere became heavy.

“…The hunters,” Claudia said with a sigh.

Laura nodded. “The hunters,” she echoed. “I’ve been hearing rumours that they’re on the move once more. And it isn’t really good news for the Gifted in Eldario if so.”

“Seems like a lot of changes have been taking place within the past two months though,” Tatius said thoughtfully. “And it takes place right after Blade’s destruction.” He growled. “Wouldn’t surprise me if either the ESA or the hunters orchestrated their destruction to begin with.”

Sera’s eyes darkened considerably when she heard those words, and her right hand unconsciously covered her left wrist. She met Reina’s eyes silently at that point. The doctor hesitated but nodded.

Sera then opened the door silently and slipped out without a word; with her actions going unnoticed by most in the room.

A pair of dark eyes watched silently as Sera made her departure.

* * * *

Once outside the back door of the Sanctuary Clinic, Sera let out a huff, seeing her breath turn white in the cold air.

“You’re going after those hunters, aren’t you?” A cool voice spoke from behind Sera. She turned over her shoulder only to see Laura standing at the entryway of the back door, her expression cool even as she studied Sera. “I’m coming with you.”

Sera stared at Laura intently without saying anything for several moments. “I work better alone,” she said at last.

Laura let out a scoff, taking her hands out from her coat pockets. “Too damn bad. I’m still coming,” she said. “Sera, right?” She posed this question to Sera but didn’t wait for Sera to respond. “I don’t know what Gift you had, but I can tell it’s a powerful one. But even a really powerful Gifted will have problems against more than one hunter. From what Claudia could tell me, those hunters that went after them weren’t amateurs. The two you have with you likely had never met a hunter before and didn’t know what they could be capable of. But those of us who lived and grew up amongst the streets and slums of Eldario know just what they can and will do.” Laura never broke eye contact with Sera. “You know how dangerous hunters are.”

Sera said nothing for several moments before she sighed, slumping her shoulders. “Do what you want,” she said at last, turning on her heel and walking away from the clinic. Laura’s light footsteps followed in her tracks—if not for Sera’s attuned and sharp senses due to years of spending time in the streets, she likely wouldn’t have noticed Laura’s presence at all. “I’m Sera Kroix.”

“Laura O’Boyle.” Laura offered her name in return. “You can do your own thing. I’ll have your back. A hunter out in the streets—especially during these trying times, is a danger to the whole Gifted community.”

* * * *

The hunter known as Maeve sat in the only bar still open in Aurora at this time of night, nursing her glass of ale, fingernails drumming against the surface of the counter that she was seated at. The bar is relatively empty except for her and one of her partners, and even the owner of the bar.

“He’s late.” Her male companion grunted, looking at the door before turning his attention back towards his drink. “Just how difficult can it be to hunt down three kids, Gifted though they might be?”

The fingers of the bar owner twitched slightly as he cleaned the wine glass that he was holding with a damp cloth, but he said nothing. Maeve narrowed her eyes at this action.

The door swung open once more.

“You’re late—”

Maeve’s eyes widened; as her vision wavered in front of her, and then, all she could see was red.

“We’re hunters—”

“They might be Gifted, but they’re still children! They’re innocent! Leave them alone—”

“Kill them all—”

“They’re abominations that shouldn’t be born—”

“Why do you hunters—you humans do these things, and make it seem so natural—?”

Maeve flinched from the onslaught of memories that flooded her brain; and then, she froze when she felt cold steel touching her throat. And from the faint scent coming from it, she could tell that it was poisoned.

On the stool next to her, her partner is in the same position—frozen with terror with a dagger trained at his throat. One wrong move, and he’ll get his throat slit open. And behind the counter, the bar owner was slumped onto the ground, unmoving.

Standing in between them with identical daggers trained to their throats is a teenager not older than fifteen at best, her black eyes glaring daggers at Maeve. And behind that girl is another teenage girl, though much more petite and shorter than the first; and with heterochromia eyes of amber and green.

“Don’t move.” The first girl warned. “One wrong movement and it’ll be your heads rolling to the ground.”

“Took us a while to find you. Thankfully we found this guy wandering around.” The second girl spoke, pulling up the collar of Maeve’s missing third partner from the floor whom she hadn’t noticed from the start, and throwing him onto the surface of the counter.

Their glasses were sent flying to the ground, and smashing into hundreds of pieces with that action; spilling the contents everywhere. Maeve let out a hitch of breath when she noticed the slit throat of her missing partner and his vacant eyes.

“You killed him?” Maeve growled. “How dare you!”

“Pot calling the kettle, don’t you think?” The first girl sneered, eyes flickering from one to the other. “You killed enough of ours. We’re just returning the favour.”

It only took a moment for Maeve to register those words before she realised who these two girls were. Or what they are.

“Gifted.” Maeve’s partner had come to the same conclusion, growling low in his throat from where he was still being held with a dagger to his throat.

“Got it right in one.” The second girl said simply. “You hunters need to start learning that we won’t just roll over and let you do what you want. If you think that, you got another thing coming.”

Maeve’s eyes roved towards the direction of where the unconscious bar owner was. “Did you kill him too? And you bunch of freaks wonder why we hunt you down.”

“He’s not dead.” The second girl interrupted, rolling her eyes. “Unlike you hunters, we don’t hurt the innocent. I merely…let him see a good dream.”

“You Gifted are just abominations of nature!” Maeve’s partner growled. “You shouldn’t exist!”

Killing intent filled the entire bar and for a moment, Maeve found it difficult to breathe. Then, she froze when she felt the dagger pressing harder against her throat just slight movements will nick the skin.

“Is that all you got to say?” The first girl questioned coolly. “If so, send our regards to the queen of the underworld.”

Simultaneous thuds resounded even as the two hunters collapsed to the ground; eyes wide opened in shock, and with a deep gash visible on their throats.

Laura cleaned the blood off her daggers before placing them back in her pouches. She looked at Sera who looked nonchalant. “I can see why you don’t want anyone to come with you,” she said. She doesn’t know the Black siblings and even the two who have come with Sera very well, but even Laura could see that they likely had never been forced to kill before. “Though they’d likely be forced to do it before long.”

Most Gifted were normally forced to kill someone at some point in their lives, even if it is done in defence of their own lives.

Sera said nothing, nudging at the body of the female hunter with the toe of her boot.

“Why are you doing this for them? For Claudia and her brothers?” Laura questioned. “I don’t understand. You barely knew them.”

Sera’s eyes flickered towards Laura. “If we don’t stand up and protect our own, who is going to do it?” she questioned simply.

“Not many will in this day and age,” Laura admitted. “It’s a struggle for us to survive, let alone stick our necks out for others.”

“Well, someone else should,” Sera said, turning to leave the bar; with Laura falling in step behind her. “Enough people are dying each day from the decisions and actions of morons. If we don’t protect our own,” Sera turned to look over her shoulder at Laura, opening the door of the bar as she did so; with a bell tinkling somewhere, “who is going to?”

* * * *

Sera liked the sea.

Probably, it is a side effect of having spent her time in Zephys which is a seaside town. But as Eldario is mostly surrounded by the sea, it is pretty convenient to get from town to town via boat.

Hence, she found herself seated at the pier not far away from where she’d docked her boathouse, uncaring of the dark and the cold, merely watching the dark waves, and listening to the soothing sounds of the sea.

Her ears pricked up when she caught the sound of light footsteps; and on instinct, her hand fell to her side.

“You’d catch your death of cold if you sit out here like that,” Laura warned, before taking a seat beside Sera. The latter only shrugged, not replying. Laura hesitated before speaking once more, “The poison has worked its way out. Ness is going to be fine. Reina said he’s going to make it, and that he’ll likely wake in the next couple of days.”

Sera felt the tension in her shoulders relaxing with those words.

When she and Laura have returned from their little ‘quest’, neither of them has said anything, but she is certain that Kailey and Neil, and even Claudia and Tatius, and most likely Reina, have all known what they have done.

There is this look of approval and relief in the eyes of two of the Black siblings. And even Kailey and Neil seemed relieved. If only so that they don’t have to fear the hunters roaming about in Aurora for now at least.

Laura peered at the dark waves, feeling herself relaxing the way she always did whenever she was near water—probably a side effect of her having the Gift that she did.

“You know, my older brother is a Gifted as well.” Laura started off the conversation, “He held the same Gift over water that I did.” Laura stared down at the fingertips of her right hand. “But somehow, when we’re children, the hunters found out about it. Our parents refused to give us up, and no one else in the village that we lived in knew our status as Gifted. As a result, in a bid to get rid of us, the hunters used the Morning Star poison and poisoned the village’s water supply.” She looked at Sera only to see a flicker of what seemed like anger cross her face, and she gave a small smile. “It was horrible. The way all of them died. But I managed to escape the death sentence they inflicted on the entire village. My parents on the other hand weren’t so lucky. Not sure about my brother though. For all I know, he’s dead. Or even enslaved by the hunters.” Laura bit on her lower lip. “It’s why I tried so hard to find cures to poisons that the ESA and the hunters liked to use so much. If only…so that none would share their fate.”

“…Morning Star,” Sera said, at last, her voice hoarse. “It’s a terrible weapon in the wrong hands.”

“It’s that poison!”

“What did they do to you?”

“…The Morning Star poison. There is no cure.”

“Do something!”

“Save him! Please!”

“You want a demon. I’ll show you one—”

“SERA!”

Sera gave a start even as she felt a hand clamped down on her arm, and she turned only to meet Laura’s concerned eyes. She then blinked when she looked around the surroundings only to see several pebbles, leaves and even things like twigs and pieces of trash nearby all hovering in the air.

Sera gave a hitch of breath before she willed them all back down to the ground.

“…Sorry,” she murmured, even as Laura took her hand off Sera’s arm.

Laura looked around their surroundings, blinking multiple times as if not being able to believe her eyes, before turning back to Sera. “You’re telepathic,” she stated, more than questioned. “I can see why you didn’t let anyone know. And why you didn’t say what Gift you had. It’s a rare and coveted Gift, even amongst the Gifted. And more so amongst the ESA.”

Sera said nothing to that, but Laura took it in stride. Just her few interactions with her fellow Gifted had made it obvious that Sera is one of few words.

Laura’s eyes flickered towards Sera’s left wrist; where she could vaguely see a small tattoo of a blade on her underwrist. “I had my suspicions when Zephys was mentioned, and I saw how you reacted,” she said simply. “I know a street gang member when I see one. You’re one, aren’t you? I’m guessing one of the more prominent ones. And with that tattoo…” Laura trailed off slowly. “Blade. Probably their leader?”

Sera’s lips quirked slightly. Most street gangs in Eldario have their own symbol, and their members generally decorate their bodies with the symbol—something to do with gang pride.

It’s no different with Blade.

“I had mine in a less conspicuous place,” Sera said at last. “Some of my guys didn’t.”

Which at the moment, probably wouldn’t be good, seeing as how the entire country is on the lookout for survivors.

Laura pressed her lips together but said nothing. Despite everything, she was never part of the underground or even the street gangs, though she knew how it works, and the ins and outs of the underground. Most Gifted often retreated underground just to survive after all.

“I heard about it from Claudia and Tatius,” Laura said instead. “And no doubt that Ness will agree once he wakes up and hears the whole story.” Sera spared her a questioning glance. “They said that they’re going with you.”

“Well, I guessed as much, from how much they were chattering on with Neil and Kailey when we returned earlier.” Sera shrugged. “And honestly, I can’t leave them alone. I doubt they even knew how to survive in the underground or the streets, and how to hide from hunters now that they’re on the move once more. If I don’t look out for them, they’ll probably end up dead by the end of the month.”

“I know I asked this before. But why did you help them?” Laura was honestly curious. “Why did you risk so much just to help people who are strangers to you? Neil and Kailey told me what happened with them as well. They said you helped them.”

Sera finally turned to look Laura dead in the eye. And something in her different-coloured eyes caused Laura to freeze. There is something that seems so dead within it. Like Sera had seen or even been to Hell, and back again.

“…Because no one helped me when I needed it,” she said at last. “No one came for me. No one cared even when I was hurting and in pain. I was all alone. Until Blade.” She pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her chin atop it. “Leroy and Alisa were the first. Then it was Lleucu and Wes. Then the others. Then Zest. In the beginning, I just wanted to create a place where we could belong. We’re misfits. All of us. And yet, somehow, we just fit so well with each other. Some of us were Gifted. Some were Normals. But in the end, we just wanted a place where we could call home. However…” Sera trailed off, feeling a lump in her throat. “I was a terrible leader,” she admitted.

Laura said nothing, letting Sera talk. She likely had never spoken about this to anyone before. How long has she been bottling it all up like this? Who does she have now that Blade…is no more? How long has she been alone? How did she survive this long by herself? How on earth did she even keep her sanity?

Sera let out a huff of bitter laughter. “I just went about doing whatever I wanted. And before I knew it, we became known. A legend. We were strong. All of us are good friends. The best of friends. Family. We got overconfident. Or rather, I did. That’s why, when the attack happened, I couldn’t do anything at all. I couldn’t save them,” she admitted. “And then, it was when I realised…just how important they were to me. They put their lives in my hands. Their trust. And I failed them. I was a damn fool.” Sera chuckled bitterly, wiping her hand down her face. “I have no idea what I’m even doing now, for the past several months. Doing things like this—saving Kailey and Neil, helping Claudia and her two brothers… Almost like it’s to compensate for my short-comings. My failures. For what I couldn’t do for my people. When really…all I ever wanted…is to save them.”

Forgive me, Laura could almost hear Sera’s heart crying out those words. All that she wanted was to be forgiven. But is there anything to be forgiven for, to begin with?

“You know, I wasn’t involved much with the underground and the street gangs,” Laura said at last. “But even I’ve heard of the rumours about Blade and their leader. All those in the underground agreed on one thing—that you’re a good leader. One of the best. You gave a damn about your people’s lives. Your people are fiercely loyal to you. They loved you. Probably still do. Do you think they would have done all this—giving their own lives up for you if they didn’t? If you’re truly a bad leader, you wouldn’t have cared that they died for you. But you do.” Laura gave a small smile. “That tells me that you’re different. And there’s something about you that makes me want to follow you. I feel as if by doing that…I can find the answer to a question I’ve been asking all my life.”

“Go with her, Laura. Living as a fugitive isn’t ideal for you.”

Reina had told Laura that.

Sera stared at Laura for a long time without saying anything at all. Finally, she sighed. “I guess you want to come too when we leave Aurora?” she asked almost tiredly.

“Yes,” Laura said with a bright smile. “And I’ll find you anyway, even if you try to leave me behind. Water is my domain. I can find anyone on it.”

And seeing as how Sera’s main mode of transportation at the moment is a boathouse, there is nowhere for her to run from Laura.

Sera sighed.

“We should head back anyway,” Laura said, getting to her feet slowly; easing the kinks out of her legs. The first rays of dawn are just peeking over the horizon. “Not a good idea to be out in the streets right now. Never know if there might be more hunters on the prowl.”

Sera dusted imaginary dust off her clothes as she got to her feet, looking thoughtfully at the sea before turning on her heel. “You know, I wonder how much simpler it would be if none of us were ever Gifted,” she said.

Laura shrugged. “I guess we’ll never find out,” she admitted.

Sera said nothing even as she turned to leave. Laura fell into step behind her as they made their way back to the clinic. And for some reason, Laura wonders why it felt so right to follow.

* * * *

Sera stood outside the door of Reina’s office, hesitating. The other occupants of the clinic are likely still asleep. Laura is probably having a bite to eat, or even catching up on some sleep.

“Don’t you want to see him?” A voice spoke, and Sera turned only to see Reina behind her, tying her hair up in its usual bun. She likely had just woken and is currently on her way to check on Ness.

Sera frowned. “How is he?” she asked.

“In a healing sleep,” Reina answered. “It’s the best thing I can do for him right now. Honestly, with all his injuries when Alexis first brought him to me, it’s a miracle that he’s still alive.” She admitted. “It’s probably his willpower and stubbornness keeping him alive at that time. Whether he’ll wake or not is up to fate.”

Sera hesitated. “Does Laura…?”

“She doesn’t know.” Reina shook her head immediately. “It’s why I had Zest in my office instead of the infirmary area, as per your request that no one knew about him. I’ll hide and protect him, Sera. You have my word.”

Sera inclined her head to Reina appreciatively. While she could approach Suzy for help, given that she offered medical services to the underground, and thus, will know how to tackle more serious injuries; it’s precisely because she also works amongst the underground that it runs a risk of accidentally revealing Zest’s survival to the underground.

“Just five minutes,” Sera said at last, looking at the closed office door, and back to Reina who nodded.

“Take all the time you need.”

Sera gave a small smile before she opened the door to Reina’s office and stepped in, closing the door behind her.

Reina had obviously shifted her desk to take up as little space as possible to accommodate the hospital bed in there, along with the necessary medical supplies to treat the comatose patient currently lying in the bed. An IV was hooked up by the side, with it being attached to the wrist. The curtains were partially opened, thus allowing sunlight to stream in. Sera even saw a familiar black raven perched on the back of the chair in the room.

It let out a slight caw when it saw her, and Sera smiled.

She crossed the room slowly, approaching the patient in the bed who was breathing gently, bandages visible around his neck and lower arms. There is even gauze covering his left cheek. Bandages were wound around his forehead as well, making his dark hair stick out untidily.

“Zest…” Sera murmured, running her fingertips gently over his hand, careful not to touch the IV and the bandaged areas. She gave a small smile. “It doesn’t matter…as long as you survive,” she whispered. “I don’t care about anything else. Just survive. Live. It’s all I ever wanted.” She took a step backwards from the patient in the bed and turned her attention to the raven who was watching her intently with intelligent dark eyes. “Take care of him for me, Hugo,” she told the raven who cawed in response.

The office door swung shut behind Sera silently.

And in the bed, with the sunlight gently shining its morning rays on the patient, fingers twitched.