The remaining squad members stared in horror and shock at the absolutely gruesome result of the great giant’s rage. Valin didn’t seem to realize what Zolton had done to his sister’s murderer for he still wept over her. Zolton stood over his mess, taking in the full sight of his massacre.

Good… Good… That’s what he… he deserved?

He looked down to his hands, reddened and splattered with chunks of Cyro. The scarlet liquid dripped from his hand onto the ground and splashing.

No… this is all wrong… But he murdered her because he was greedy and insecure… he killed her because he had something to prove…

“Collect yourselves, men!” Calway broadcasted, lifting his chin over all other’s heads. “This is a… it’s-uh... shit… That goddamn idiot…” he mumbled. He turned to Justean and walked to her location, kneeling next to her soulless being.

“I am so damn… words cannot describe how much regret I hold, Justean. You didn’t deserve any bit of this shi… you didn’t deserve this kind of end," Calway choked as he struggled to speak over his trembling heart. "Valin," he continued, "You have no right nor obligation to do so, but if you could find it in yourself, please forgive me for killing your sister… I knew Cyro was a damn hothead and had little restraint, yet I kept him in my squad… If I had gotten rid of him before, Justean would not be lying here in this pool of her own blood. I thought that I could change him. Please, Valin, forgive me if you can. I know I have no right asking you to do this, and you have no reason to do so. I know I don’t deserve any bit of it…”

Valin looked up for once. His face was red, drenched in tears and sweat. “Wh-what the hell are you talking ab-bout? You didn’t do any of thi-this! It was that fucker who murdered Justean! I’m gonna kill him, where is he! Where is…”

Valin gazed at Zolton, still standing over his slain. He watched the blood drip from his fists and Cyro dismembered like cattle taken to the slaughter.

Oh shit… Di-did he do that? No, Zolton isn’t-he doesn’t have that in him…

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Calway placed his hand on Valin’s shoulder. “Take my boat,” he uttered, staring directly into Valin’s eyes sternly. “You and Justean came to Auxuth on a rowboat, correct? For my failure as a leader, I do not deserve to hold my boat any longer. Take the boat and bury Justean. She told me that you and her were set to work on this island for a few months.”

Valin’s eyes opened wide. “Than-thank you, Calway. How will you and your team get around? What are you gonna tell your superiors?”

“We hit a high rock and the ship sank. Cyro went down with it and got torn apart by sharks before a passing seafarer spotted and saved us. I can mail a letter and have a replacement towed here from the nearby outpost. It may be a simple sailboat, but that is what I deserve for my horrendous leadership. Don’t worry about us.”

Valin retracted his aches and released them in a single brief exhale. “Thank you, Calway. Thank you so very much...” Valin turned to Zolton who was visibly shaken. The giant hadn’t moved from his position, towering over the destroyed Cyro.

“Zolton?”

The blood bathed man slowly turned his gaze to Valin, showing only a single eye. “Yes?”

“What happened?”

Zolton froze for a moment and turned his vision back to the mess. “I… don’t know…”

“Don’t look at it. You’re not going to better yourself by looking at something so… sickening for so long. Clean yourself up…”

For a while, Zolton stood. He eventually found control of his legs and stiffly made way to the shore. At the same time, Calway sent his two remaining squad men to retrieve something from the ship.

It had to be Zolton, Valin thought to himself, I thought he was a gentle giant… who knew he could do something like this…

They returned way before Zolton. He returned several minutes later, meeting both corpses wrapped in body bags to be taken away.

“Zolton, I have something that I need to ask you…”

“What is it?”

“Will you join me in Justean’s burial? I know that she would want you there.”

Zolton stared at the ground for a moment, as if in a trance. “Of course! Why would I n- Yeah… yeah I want to be there. Thank you.”