image [https://i.imgur.com/H3sAgzl.jpeg]

----------------------------------------

- Have you ever felt like running away? Not physically, but mentally. To get far and away from here, to be able to escape from your own mind. Maybe it's a strange feeling, but it's happened to me. Sometimes, I just want to not have to stay in this carnal envelope and not have to think about anything. Basically, to sleep, but still be awake. Yes, sometimes that's what I dream of. In reality, I don't really know why I think about it... It's probably a desire buried inside me, one that I can only understand with my conscience: the human brain is far too complex for me to hope to grasp my own desires. Even the heart requires a certain intelligence and self-understanding to decipher some of its emotions. I, Asun, am not like that. I can't understand how I feel all the time, and unfortunately, despite having just turned 23, I'm still not sure I know myself all that well. However, I am convinced of one thing: nobody in this world understands me better than I understand myself. That says a lot about my relationships... I've never been in a relationship, so I don't have a lover who can tell me if I'm toxic, sympathetic, forceful or even boring. I don't really know how I'm seen on the outside.

However, she does know one thing:

- I promise to live the way I feel.

✻ CHAPTER 1 ✻

‘Under a Star Of Blood’

The mood in the village is jovial. It's been dark for a few minutes now, but that doesn't stop the townsfolk from shouting for joy, raising their hands and banging their wooden cups where frothy beer is splashing on all sides.

The songs clash and the laughter is barely audible because of the chorus. A campfire in the middle of the main square, made of nothing but rammed earth from hundreds of steps, but that's not difficult in this village: finding a street or a paved area here is less likely than becoming a God simply by praying. Despite the darkness of the night, the village seems ablaze with bright light. Not only is the fire immense, its flames seeking to reach undreamt-of heights, but the lights that fly above them and between the clumsily placed straw and rock houses serve as an effective source of light. In reality, they don't fly, but hang from almost invisible black wires. Big kegs of beer and alcoholic beverages are everywhere, one or the other already emptied: the party barely started an hour ago, but nobody wanted to wait to reach the climax of this happy event. Indeed: they're celebrating the birthdays of three different people at the same time.

The first of these people is an old woman they call "the Fire Witch" in this village. Although this seems to imply that this lady is unappreciated or a real shrew, that would be mistaken: she is adored. She's turning 57 and the wrinkles on her face are getting deeper and deeper, but that doesn't take away from her beauty. She never gets rid of her big hat, a gift from her husband when he was still alive, but saw death open its arms at the same time as the mouth of the giant whale in the waters of the Dakedo Ocean. How many times must we tell sailors and fishermen not to venture too far out into the vast blue, especially in such a place? These islands are notorious for sea monsters who show no mercy whatsoever, so the Fire Witch does the same with her husband: he wanted to show himself the most malevolent, but ended up falling into the ravine of death. She loved him dearly — and still does, that's no secret to anyone — but she's managed to think of something else since then. She wants to go on living without thinking about the past and its regrets: she'll think about all that when the time comes, when she joins her beloved husband. This same "Witch" is drinking alcohol alongside childhood friends, all laughing together and reminiscing about good old times. How could they forget their school days, when they escaped from class to fight coyotes who dared to venture further than the southern desert beach? They've had their troubles, but the memories they've kept are well worth it! Although the Fire Witch isn't one to hold her liquor past the third glass, she gulps down her fifth to the cheers of her comrades. The woman's face is a red that borders on the supernatural, with her voice deeper than usual and her heart racing. She's not about to fall into an alcoholic coma or be unable to handle even a drop of alcohol: it just means she's going to drink and enjoy the evening, even if it kills her. She's already been through a lot, so she's not afraid of the Grim Reaper. The woman is far more afraid of mosquitoes in summer than losing her own life!

The second birthday boy is a slightly younger man, but still a fully-grown adult: 'Heighs Farete'. Having just turned 39, dangerously close to 40, his face has been hard, wrinkled and square for some time. He's a gifted sailor who fears nothing, even the biggest monsters and the sharpest teeth. He's well known in the village, as he's currently the only local to have returned alive from training at 'Terak.K.R'. He even graduated from the school and is now considered a K.R. sailor, probably the most dignified title for any man going to sea. Only one woman has managed to earn the same title, and the number of men who have passed the training and 'exams' — if you can really call them that — must be less than the number of days in a year. Just with his title, Heighs deserves respect, especially as he's very good with his own Power, one of the waters that comes in very handy on his expeditions into the Dakedo Ocean. Unfortunately, he's never managed to go beyond the Kron limit, the 'invisible line' that forms a kind of square around the entire continent. Surpassing it is a task that is beyond any human, Kemono or even the Gods. However, only by surpassing Kron's limit is it possible to visit the rest of the Ocean and those who make up their gigantic planet. Little is known about what lies outside the Spital continent, with a few exceptions which can be found in legendary books written by the few shippers and sailors who have managed to cross this deadly zone. Heighs may be an extraordinary man, overpowered and resilient, but Kron's limit is where he can't go on. His only expedition to go beyond it nearly cost his entire crew their lives. They set out with 27 men, in the largest boat on the island — they came back with 2. The other survivor is currently dead on this expedition... Well, his spirit is. Nobody really knows what happened, and Heighs himself refuses to talk about it: a strange thing for a talkative man like him. During this birthday party, he drinks moderately alongside his friends, but tells everyone about one of his latest exploits. Despite the trauma of the Kron limit, he's never stopped trying to tame the seas and oceans. What he absolutely refuses is to go back 'out there' again. Some locals have insisted that he tell them the truth, but never has he conceded. Every year, when the anniversary of this expedition comes around, Heighs stands by the few graves of his crew to pray, apologize and spend the day there acting young. It's an even sadder sight to learn that not a single corpse lies beneath these graves... the bodies of his crew members can never be recovered, that's a certainty. Nor would praying the Lamentations be of any use, because the remains of the men who accompanied Heighs that day have been reduced to atoms by the sharp teeth of a stone of sea monsters and digested down to the last nutrient. Most of the villagers also pray on this day, hoping that their souls will be at peace.

The third birthday girl is a younger woman. Even though she has been an adult for 7 years — the age of majority in most of the continent is 16 — many see her as already very mature. Kind, understanding and with a cute smile, this same long-haired woman is popular in the northern village of Myroth, one of the islands of the 'Islands of the Sea Monsters'. This Nation is the most westerly of the entire Spiral continent, separated by over half a thousand kilometers of water from the lands of Dakedo or Kekash. It is made up of four islands, with the one to the north being the main island, where Terak.K.R and the Nation's capital can be found. The island where the inhabitants of this happy village can be found is the southernmost, third island of the four: 'Myroth'. The north of this island is separated from the south by a beach stretching from west to east, called the desert beach. The same woman celebrating her birthday has already been there once, but since coyotes use this sandy land as their territory, she has always preferred to leave them alone and not impose herself unnecessarily on these aggressive animals. Unlike the other inhabitants, this same woman drinks no alcohol, a glass of apple juice in her hands: it's one of her favorite drinks. Surrounded by friends and acquaintances, mostly of her own age, she chats with a great smile on her face, happy to be here with them all. She's not much of a talker, but she doesn't hesitate to laugh with them and talk about funny memories she's had with them or others — like that time she hid a dead fish in Jeanne's school bag, the killjoy from their old class. They could never forget the look of disgust on her face when she reached for her class diary, but touched the slimy texture of the fish. A precious sight and a precious cry! Her friends tell her she can drink alcohol like the rest of them, but she insists she doesn't need such a drink to have fun, especially as she doesn't actually like it... She's tasted it before, like more or less everyone else, but her throat didn't appreciate the taste and the heat it provoked. When she was younger, she always asked her mother to drink wine during special events, but given her age and the fact that it's a precious and rare beverage around here, she always refused to let her daughter taste it. Normally, you're allowed to drink it from the age of 16, as well as give consent for sexual relations or even work, but the girl's parents refused such things until she was 20. However, given that her mother died when she was 18 and her father was never around much, crossing the world with probably another woman he found along the way, she enjoyed the taste of alcohol a few days after her mother's death. Unfortunately, she didn't like it too much, and in this village, wine is considered a luxury they can't all afford. Beer is another matter, but then again: the reason they all enjoy it to excess is that they can usually dream of drinking more than one tankard in a day... even a week. It's not a question of law, rule or discipline: the island of Myroth is woefully poor. It doesn't need to be said to be understood: the straw and stone houses are all hand-built, the streets lack decoration and inside the buildings, it's not uncommon to find an extra room for those who can't live anywhere else. Even if education is free on this island, it proves the point of poverty even more: working as a teacher isn't considered 'work' here... because they simply don't get paid. To earn money, you either have to go to the main town of Myroth, to the south — this by way of the desert beach, which often costs money for those who don't know how to protect themselves and need a guide — or become a fisherman. Those who earn their living as sailors are rarely to be found here, but rather in the north of the Nation. There's little point in prostituting yourself or stealing around here: people don't have enough money to spend on such things. The few prostitutes in the area aren't paid with gold coins, but with food, drinks — never alcoholic — or a simple roof over their heads. Even if it's not difficult to find a building that's no longer inhabited and simply use it as a 'home', it's rare to get a good night's sleep there, especially with the lack of isolation and the walls that could fall in at any moment. In this village, no one is really afraid of the roof of their building falling in, because they have no choice but to accept it. If a storm hits, the damage will be catastrophic, but they'll rebuild everything as if it were normal. There's no one around who works in architecture, nor anyone who knows anything about masonry or the like. All they have to fall back on are a few useful and effective Powers, and the physical strength of the village men. It's something that's also quite visible when you arrive in this village: men and women alike, everyone is at least a little muscular, even the older people. The 23-year-old celebrating her birthday, with her long hair reaching to the middle of her calves, is also muscular, even though she's not the type to work in anything physical. It's mainly her legs that are well built and trim, with her trunk featuring the beginnings of abs. This same woman is considered the most beautiful in the village, but also the one with the most special physique: her hair isn't just one color. Even though all shades can be found on the skulls of the inhabitants, from normal blond to the brightest green, no one has two different colors. For this woman, it's red and black that decorate her long locks. Is it a tint or their natural colors? That's something only this woman knows.

- Drink up, Asun!

This woman with the first name of Asun.

- Ahah, you know I don't really like alcohol!

Long, silky and sleek, her two-tone hair is tied back at buttock level with a fine cord. A few strands are also clustered next to her face, on the left, passing around a red ring. This same jewel is the one her mother wore around her finger, proof of her marriage to Asun's father, even though he left months ago; maybe years, Asun doesn't know anymore. Her thick eyebrows are set off by long, dark red eyelashes that are closer to brown. These help protect the woman's beautiful, attractive gray eyes, with dark irises and life lights in the retina. Her pretty face is embellished by a nose that doesn't go up, unlike many pretty women, and a skin color close to those of mixed race. Living on an island like this exposes them all to the sun for long periods, even if it's the sailors and fishermen who have the darkest colors, but for Asun, the most beautiful. Her clothes are generally warmer than the ones she owns now, not only to avoid catching an illness and having to stay in bed for days on end — despite the village's poverty, they're lucky to have a doctor with powerful healing powers, even if it doesn't help with all the illnesses — but also because living so close to the Ocean makes the air particularly cool and cold, including humid. Even when Elnath, their beloved sun, sends its most powerful rays down on the Islands of the Sea Monsters Nation, the air can be so humid that they don't feel the heat so well. At least, it's never so dry that they need to drink five liters of water a day. Asun isn't a woman with huge breasts, unlike the majority of women around here, but she can't complain about her pelvis or even her arms. Asun has always found it odd to have lots of attractive curves, but very thin arms or thighs: it doesn't make much sense to her. Of course, the reason she has such a body isn't to poke men in the eye, although she doesn't hate that, but because she walks around a lot and exercises every day so as never to fall into a situation where she becomes weak. What's more, she sometimes trains with her Power to be able to defend herself, but she's embarrassed to do so in front of the other inhabitants, as she's already been told she'll never have any prowess in combat or defense. Asun has never retaliated, but she doesn't doubt that it's possible. Otherwise, she's quite happy with the body she has, even her ears, which she considers cute. On an island like this, being beautiful only helps you to be ogled by men — given that the majority of women here are heterosexual — but it's also a pleasure in itself. Asun really likes her looks, so that's part of her happiness.

- Can you imagine that from tomorrow onwards, we'll have to live without being able to get drunk or have fun like this?" says one of Asun's friends.” I don't feel like it…

- We've got no choice," replies the gray-eyed woman kindly.” At least we can sometimes enjoy a big party like this!

- We rarely celebrate multiple birthdays, so it's like, what, three times a year we can celebrate like this?!

- There's also the New Year and the return of some sailors.

The man agrees with Asun's words, but slams his beer mug against the table anyway, creating an earthquake on the wood as terrible as the one that hit the continent on May 15, 111.

- The New Year means the Government is coming to every town and village to prepare the festivities!

- It's a good thing, isn't it?" asked another woman, her hair green and rather short.” There are Nations where their Government or royalty would never do this…

- Yeah, yeah, but it's only once a year…

- Be more grateful, Mathéo!

- Tsk.

After letting out a sound of discontent, he drank the last of his tankard, sighing heavily. His cheeks flushed and the alcohol already having taken effect for a few minutes, he turns to Asun.

- And you, Asun, when are you going to find yourself a man, hic?" he asks in a softer voice, but with a petty tone.

- M-Me?

She blinks in astonishment, Mathéo nodding.

- You've got Marie who's finally in a relationship, Jeanne who's announced she's having a baby and you've even seen the other Sabrina who's just gone out with the son of the Mayor of the southern town.

- You're a very beautiful, cute and kind woman, after all, Asun!" smiled her friend.” I'm sure that with your charm and personality, you'd find a man who'd take good care of you, hihi!

- Or you having that role!

They all start laughing, with an Asun who puts down her glass, giggling. She then scratches her cheek, unable to hide her embarrassment.

- I haven't really thought about it... I'm not really in love with anyone right now.

- Bah, don’t worry!

Mathéo refills his beer from the big wooden barrel beside him.

- People often fall in love when they're a couple, not before," he admits, smiling at the yellow alcoholic beverage pouring into his mug.” Find yourself a guy who'll take good care of you, and I'm sure you'll fall in love alive and well!

He starts to laugh, accompanied by some, but Asun says nothing, playing with her thumbs.

- We don't force you, you know," her friend Lia replies.

- I know, but... Maybe I should think about it, I really should.

She nods.

- I've been an adult for seven years now, but I still don't have a boyfriend... I don't even have an ex, technically.

- It's true you've never been in a relationship. A lot of people would love to date a virgin, don't worry, hic, ahah!!!

Mathéo starts drinking in chorus with the others, only Lia doesn't take a sip and pouts.

- Mooh, always thinking about that!

- It's one of life's pleasures, my Lia!

- Hmmm…

She puffs out her cheeks even more, but finally sighs and smiles anyway.

- Well, technically he's right, I suppose…

Asun watches him with amusement, unable to deny that it's a pleasure that attracts... lots of different people. Of all kinds.

- …

Asun admires the sky with her gray eyes, observing the darkness of the night. From here, the stars are all visible, unlike in some parts of the continent. Unfortunately, Asun has never been able to visit further than the Islands of the Sea Monsters Nation, and has therefore never set foot on the mainland. ‘Spital' is the name given to the latter, the Middle Continent. It's a gigantic piece of land with a few surrounding islands, surrounded by dangerous, violent and immense oceans. Asun learned in geography class that there are currently five different continents, with one each to the north, south, east and west. Unfortunately, very little has been documented about them, which is not illogical: this world is colossal, disproportionate even. The other continents don't even have detailed maps, as no one has ever set foot on them. From what she learned in history class, some lucky, reckless and powerful ancient explorers went to the other lands that dominate the world of Arcave, but only one of them came back: that's how they got information on every third of the other four continents. One even went around the world, but no one knows if he succeeded.

His boat was never found.

It goes without saying that his body — which is now a decomposed corpse, given the time that has passed since then — has suffered the same fate. Despite the super-powered people on Spital, the oceans that surround them and the ferocity of nature prevent them from getting very far. The ships aren't strong enough to survive the immense waves of the Kron limit, and even without that, the sea monsters that smell the fresh meat embarked on these ships don't hesitate to attack without delay. It is said that some monsters outstrip the tallest mountains, reaching heights of over ten kilometers. Of course, this seems unimaginable to Asun, but how could she not believe them? The day they find a way to cross the oceans without having to go through water — i.e., through the air or under the earth — they may learn a lot more about the world they're in and the other four continents. Some believe there's even a sixth continent on the other side of Arcave, but that wouldn't fit in with the Crossed Separation, a story that explains how continents came into being, but also why this continent is so... square. It's clearly not a natural formation, but when Asun learned the truth of the Crossed Separation, she thought that even the shape of the continent before wasn't really... natural. However, she's convinced it's the truth, and documents have even been found that speak of it all — and yet it dates back some million years into the past.

- ... The night is beautiful.

With a smile, she lets out those words that are her thoughts, but that can't help but stay with her. Lia imitates her friend and approves, before those who are drinking do the same. The starry black night is a magnificent painting that should be admired with a child's eye, but can also be examined with a more mature gaze. This is a surprising and intriguing world, with much still to be discovered... but space? The stars? What lies beyond? They don't know. How exactly are planets and stars formed? Are there other civilizations out there? Are they the only ones in the universe? So many questions to which they simply have no answers. Space technology is still in its infancy, and most of the answers they've learned from it are not available to everyone — not yet, anyway. Asun has so many questions about what lies above their heads, beyond Elnath and their system. She hopes that in the near future they'll be given answers, but she supposes she can still dream of living long enough for them to discover a new civilization. Already, she doesn't think she'll still be alive when they find a constant way to visit other continents... She was born during a time when questions abound about their world, but lives during a time when explanations can only be theories and speculation. But she's not unhappy about it.

- Oh.

Her eyes open a little wider, but slowly and dimly. The chants of the villagers stop, glances are raised and soon the birthday party is quiet. The beer mugs remain in the hands, their contents no longer of interest to the hundred or so people gathered around the big fire. The black sky that Asun had been observing until now takes on a new color before their very eyes.

And so, without warning, a Demonic Moon presents itself to them all.

The black is replaced by a dark red, and the stars, so far away, seem to be frightened and hide from this horrible sky. Most impressive of all, however, is 'skoll', Arcave's moon, which takes on a bloody hue. Like a god who has just been killed there, as if all the blood of the Underworld had just been spilled, skoll loses all its white purity. The skies are ablaze with all the fires of the world — at least, that's the impression the night gives. With a delay of a few seconds, the seated inhabitants rise to their feet and others don't hide their boredom, which approaches rather strong anger — rage is perhaps an exaggerated term for the situation.

- A Demonic Moon during the birthdays, eh...?" one of the men blurts out.” What a bore.

- Well, if nothing else, it adds a little atmosphere, doesn't it?

One of the women shakes her shoulders, wiggling in place, but few share her optimism. The drunkest shout with joy as if the party had just started again, but this is clearly not the case. The worried looks on the faces of the locals, the few shivers that run down spines, as well as hearts that beat faster are what decorate and resonate in the large square. The 'mayor' — if he can be considered as such — of the village places one foot on the table, followed by the other before standing on it, barely dominating the scene.

- Well, it's best to stay inside our houses, as anti climatic as that is..." he says.

- Whaaaat?! But we're a long way from any major civilization, we'll be fine!" shouts one of the party animals.

Asun observes the man, but she knows very well that the mayor is not concerned about human activity, but rather…

- If the coyotes from the desert beach decide to take advantage of the Demonic Moon to attack us, we're going to suffer losses, especially if we're in the middle of a party!" explains the mayor.

A man who reached fifty not long ago, bald head, a few remaining hairs above the nape of his neck, but these will soon be lost, that's for sure. His clothes aren't at all serious and he doesn't seem to have any particular authority, but everyone says he's the village mayor because he's one of the most sensible people around and everyone likes him a lot. He doesn't have any special authority over the others, he doesn't have a big building to run the village, and he doesn't even have more money than all of them, but he's always the one talking to the other mayors or the tax collectors who come on certain days of the year.

- The coyotes won't come, it's too far..." says a woman nonchalantly, taking another sip of her drink.

- You say that, but we had an attack about a month ago..." retorts another woman.

Discussions are about to turn sour, but before an argument can break out, a body is thrown in front of the fire. The sound of cracking bones and flickering flames causes everyone to fall silent, turning to the corpse before them. But it's not one of a human... It's a coyote. Its expression is terrifying, as if before it died, it had known real fear.

- Well, everyone seems to be outside.

A footstep sounds. A shiver spreads. The mood changes. All eyes turn, this time, to the source of the male voice. A coyote's head in his hands, a man takes another step forward before dropping it beneath his feet, crushing it with a disgusting noise.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

- You no longer have to worry about these vermin. Even under this Demonic Moon, the animals won't be bothering you. Please, celebrate.

The man is not alone, however: a troop of men and women are behind him. One word can define what all the locals are feeling: incomprehension. No one has seen this man before. His long, light-blue hair goes in all directions, his clothes are unicolor — a black that's more like dark red — and his red eyes are an odd shade like the skoll of tonight. Even if the night is still a nonreassuring color, nobody bothers: it's this man and the troops who intrigue them now.

- Who... are you?

It's the mayor who asks this question, but everyone's thinking it inside. Even without asking such a thing, the man knew that all the inhabitants were looking for the answer to this question. The man places his hands in front of him, passing each finger next to the others, and staring at the humans in front of him, he replies:

- The Collector. He who comes to harvest your lives.

This misunderstanding becomes fear. It's not the nickname they've just heard: it’s about the atmosphere that suddenly changed. The chills are impossible to dodge, and some even take a step or two backwards, one going so far as to tip over on the floor as he slips on one of the mugs left on the ground.

- Ex… Excuse-me?

The mayor frowns, but the man shakes his head, swinging his hair gracefully.

- It doesn't matter if you know my identity, my nickname or even my life story, it won't change what's going to happen," the red-eyed man explained calmly.” With a Demonic Moon over the heads of all of us, unless one of you has a Gehenna, we have nothing to fear. Here are the three choices before you.

The man raises his index finger, still with a neutral look on his face.

- First choice where you all follow us quietly and nothing bad happens. Low probability.

He then raises his middle finger, his thumb sliding over it to touch the ring finger, still bent.

- Second choice where a fight breaks out. Even if your lives are important to us, I can't promise that any of you will escape without injury. High probability.

And then the thumb unfolds.

- Third choice where you all kneel before us lamenting a life saved, but we won't change our minds either way. Zero probability.

The man keeps his three fingers raised for a couple of seconds, but since no response is chosen by the inhabitants, he forms a fist of such violence that the wind around him seems to part.

- Second option, Marika.

- Huggie time?

Leaping over the man's head, a girl lands in front of him, face down. Given that she's crouching, it's hard to guess her height, but Asun can bet she's her height, if not a little taller herself.

- Hug time. All of you, I don't want anyone dead.

- W-Wait!

Heighs, the K.R. sailor, finally steps forward, the first to dare move a muscle. With a strong, violent step, he faces the group of similarly dressed men. Only the man and the woman — perhaps she's even a girl — have different 'costumes', but the color remains the same.

- If you're brigands looking to steal stuff, we've got nothing here! We're just a poor village on a poor island!" shouts Heighs.

He waves his arm in front of him, hand wide open. The woman in front of the man stands up, showing off her long purple hair to everyone. It's about down to her feet, but reaches her lower calf. Given her young face and big eyes, it's safe to assume that she's barely of age — if that’s the case. Maybe she's fifteen, maybe seventeen. It doesn't matter at the moment. She doesn't utter a single word, a single consonant, a single vowel — nothing. The man answers the sailor:

- Your lives are more important and beneficial to us than any princess.

- Huh?

- We don't need your possessions if we can have you. You, people whose lives mean nothing to this world. Even if you all die, only your closest family and friends will know. The Government won't care about any of your lives, just about the destruction of a ridiculous village on a difficult-to-reach island.

The man raises his arm with a disturbingly slow and gentle touch.

- Each of your lives is precious for slavery. You're all muscular enough, so you can work.

He squints slightly.

- Women are beautiful, so they'll be in demand as prostitutes.

And then the man closes his hand, forming a fist that already announces his victory.

- And if need be, you'll be used as fodder for the strange pets of rich children, brought up to be future horrible people.

And the people behind him howl as they raise their weapons, under the light, mischievous smile of the Collector.

With the red skoll lights, the atmosphere absolutely abominable, the air unbreathable and the pressure crushing them all, the sight is terrible. Some of the villagers start screaming in fear, even shedding their first tears, while others want to get in the way. The sailor bellowed at them, creating harpoons of water around him, asking them politely not to underestimate them. However—

- Marika. Hugs.

- I love huggies!

She takes several steps towards Heighs, who frowns: he can't hurt this girl, if...? She's an enemy too, so should he hesitate?

And then the girl with the first name 'Marika' opens her arms with a smile.

image [https://i.imgur.com/JWItW8f.jpeg]

- Hug?

Before embracing him, teleporting on him. Perhaps it's her speed, which surpasses that of light, but in any case, no one saw her move. Heighs is about to attack, but all at once…

His body no longer moves.

Her water harpoons become a mere fleet that succumbs to gravity, with Heighs in the girl's arms, she smiling happily. The man behind her snaps his fingers.

- Every single person here, alive, with me.

- YES SIIIIIR!!!

They all roar and charge towards the villagers, who end up all running. Asun yells at Heighs, but Lia grabs her wrist and shouts that they must run as fast as they can! Asun grits her teeth, but realizing that this is not a choice, but an order, she complies. Unfortunately, in this remote village of the big society, nobody will come to help them. What's more, few of them really know how to fight. Some villagers can hold their own against rabid animals or low-level monsters, but if not... against humans necessarily trained in combat? They can dream. It would take fifteen of them to have any chance of winning. Given that they need everyone alive, Asun doesn't think that Heighs will be able to take them on. But if what the other light-blue-haired man said is true... then they're in for a much worse hell. They all run, but the enemies' Powers are flying in all directions, some having already caught up with the slowest among them. The villagers fight back, but are hit in the back of the neck, in the temple, in the body. Those who dare to defend themselves with their own Power take a bloody beating; no one stands a chance against their opponents. Lia, still holding Asun's arm, starts to cry, but her momentary lapse of concentration prevents her from seeing the boy who has stumbled in front of her, causing her to trip over the body. Asun manages to leap over the two of them, but she turns as she slams on the brakes, shouting her friend's name.

- RUN!!!

- SHUT UP AND TAKE MY HAND!!!!

Asun holds out her arm, but the enemy rushes in. Lia stands up and holds out her hand…

But she is grabbed by the head and forced fiercely backwards, hitting her in the passageway.

She bounces along the floor, unconscious, and just after, the boy's body joins her. One person stays behind to catch the two unconscious men, while the others continue to chase the inhabitants. Two of them follow Asun closely, catching up dangerously. Asun clenches her fists and grits her teeth, but she can't turn around. She can't go out there and save them, hoping to win all at once. All around her, the screams continue. Some are of pain, others of fear. Fear offers a taste of blood in the air. She runs, she runs, but Asun has nowhere to go. She's going to get caught. She's going to lose... She's going to be kidnapped. On her birthday. One of the rare moments of celebration. Even without the Demonic Moon, they'd be no match for them, but if they're all Gehennas carriers, then... it's impossible to defeat them.

- I... I don't want to…

Asun leaps over a fence and turns, braking on the ground, one knee almost crumbling on the rock beneath her. Staring angrily at the two in pursuit, she prepares to fight back. In such a situation—

- — we let the pros handle it.

As if her thoughts had just been read, a man appeared behind her. In one swift movement, Asun is struck in the back of the neck and lets out a muffled scream before falling to the ground, almost unconscious. The two men chasing the red-and-black-haired woman stop in front of the man who has just arrived. In fact, he's been there for a few moments, even if it's only for a few seconds — about a minute, to be as exact as possible.

- ... Who are you?" asks one of the two men.

- …

However, the man in the long cape says nothing. He takes the woman in his arms and then watches the carnage, completely ignoring the two attackers in front of him. This irritates them, so they attack directly. Asun manages to keep her eyes open, but it's at this moment that she really loses consciousness, a black veil in front of her eyes…

The last view is a landscape of death, colored by a bloody red.

***************************************************************

The smell of food rubs the fragile inside of her nostrils. Her nose moves gently, followed by her eyelids. It takes its time, but eventually, her retinas show themselves in the daylight, but what they see is not a sky, but... a roof. No words escape her throat, and her movements, so short and feeble, make no sound. The smell hasn't gone away and finally, the woman turns her face to the left, where she observes a piece of cake that hasn't cooled down yet: in short, it's been placed on the plate and brought here recently. Asun moves her arms, but it's not to grab the slice of cake, but to try and get rid of the "lack of energy" she's currently feeling. She touches her head and closes her eyes, her brain heavy in her skull. Images flash through her mind and soon she remembers what happened: her village was attacked by a... rather strange group. "The Collector", "Marika" and... other people following the man with the long light blue hair. Asun doesn't really know what happened at the very end, but she was taken by surprise and fainted under the precise blow of... someone.

- ... Ouch…

At least she notices that the only pain she feels is in her skull. She looks around, wondering where she is now. It's a spacious room, but not really worthy of description. A simple white roof, walls that mimic that style and color, with a floor... That's no different. The bed she's currently in is a slightly darker color, but you're welcome: it's like comparing the size of an ant to the size of a bee. The sheets are rather thick, to the point of making her sweat. She notices that she hasn't been stripped and that her clothes are still the same and in good condition.

- I've been... kidnapped?

If that's the case, then the lack of a link on her means they really do underestimate her. She wants to get up, but as she moves her first leg, a man opens the door to the room, a water bottle filled to the brim in his hands.

- Ah.

- Ah.

The woman and man look at each other, the latter's free hand on the handle, but not yet closing the door. They stare into each other's eyes, but nothing is said inside the room. Time passes and the man finally smiles, blowing his nose.

- Already awake... It took you about eight hours… Impressive.

He closes the door, approaches Asun, who is on his guard, but the man simply places the filled water bottle next to an empty glass. He turns the cap and continues talking, pouring the liquid into the transparent container.

- Given the trauma this must have caused you, I really thought you'd come to recover your senses much later, probably in the afternoon or evening," admits the man.

Her very dark blue hair borders on black itself, contrasting sharply with her very light minnow eyes. His left eye is a magnificent blue, the other is a similar red color to the man who attacked them. Precisely, now that she thinks about it, she still doesn't know their identities… "The Collector" is a nickname she's never heard of either. Nevertheless, she shakes her head, even though it hurts her skull, and clenches her fists.

- W-Where am I?" she asks." My village has—

- It's been attacked by a group of barbarians who make their money by selling humans, Kemonos and all types of humanity as slaves. You've been targeted by pure misfortune.

The man cuts Asun off while giving her an explanation, offering her the glass of water by closing the cap with his other hand. The woman isn't sure whether to accept, but since her throat is rather dry, she obliges. She doesn't dare thank him yet, but nods softly, a gesture of 'thank you'. This seems to please the man, who blows his nose again, a sign of faint joy.

- Unfortunately, I was too late. I was only able to save you," he replies.

- Just... Just me?

Asun blinks, the glass just in front of her lips. The man nods with sadness on his face.

- I noticed that a Demonic Moon had appeared in the sky, so I decided to quickly explore the outside. I was lucky to be in the next town over, the one to the south. Honestly, I was scared that coyotes would be a problem for poorer villages like yours, but I was way too late... I'm ridiculous.

The man clenches his fists.

- This is my fault…

- Your fault?

- I mean, if I hadn't taken my time, maybe I could have stopped them...! I wonder what such hooligans were doing on your island. I suppose they were out at sea and when they were close to the coast, they decided to set sail to plunder a village... You're just really unlucky. No luck at all.

The man correctly puts back on the white cape he's wearing over his body, the only garment that isn't black or yellow on him. What's more, a logo she's never seen before is on the part of the garment around his neck, but she doesn't think to question it. What she wants to know first is:

- Where... Where am I?

She sets her glass aside, having drunk half of it, and the man first offers her a slice of cake. She politely declines, promising to eat a little later when her head is clear of the confusion.

- I'll make this quick, then.

The man sighs and turns to her.

- Even though I've asked for people to go out and look for your friends and neighbors, they're a horrible group of brigands who aren't necessarily popular around the world, but are rather powerful and mysterious," he explains.” Even if I could get you back, and there's a chance we could save one or two of your friends, I can't lie to you and promise to save them all.

Two locks in front of the man's forehead are drooping from gravity, but that doesn't make him any less handsome. The expression on his face is one of solemn, serious forgiveness.

- It's highly likely that your friends will be sold into illegal underground markets as slaves, but we'll do everything we can to get them back.

Asun swallows fearfully, a terrible shiver running through her again. Just thinking of Lia who fell in front of her, that kind young woman who wanted nothing more than to run away and help Asun... She can't imagine her being used for such... wretched purposes. She can't allow it.

- For where you are, this is a rest room. You're not injured, so we haven't had to treat you," he continues.

- A rest... room?

He nods in agreement.

- Since you're the only one who was rescued, I've been authorized to keep you here for the time being. First of all, what's your name...?

- …

Asun doesn't answer directly. She doesn't know the man at all, but she's certain he's the one who knocked her out. Even if it was probably to save her by running away with her, there's nothing to say that his aim isn't hidden or that he isn't working with these notorious brigands. However, she currently has no choice but to trust him, so she answers honestly:

- ...Asun.

- No last name?

- My last name is of no importance.

- May I ask why?

- ... My father abandoned us and was never there for me and my mother wasn't really a good mother figure to me. My name is Asun, that's all.

- Oh, forgive my indiscretion. Please forgive me.

- All good.

Asun sighs as she closes her eyes, then asks if she can have water again. The man nods and does so.

- But where exactly are we?" asks Asun.

- ... I'll be straight with you, then.

The man pours the colorless liquid into the glass and then drinks from the bottle himself, speaking afterwards.

- Although I was lucky enough to save you in the nick of time, since most of the other inhabitants were already in the hands of these barbarians, I can't really keep you here. However, I can't release you either, otherwise you'll be living a miserable life on the streets of towns and villages.

- ... Whatever, I'm used to it.

Asun gives a weak smile.

- I've always lived a life of poverty and the love of my friends. Now I suppose I can only live in poverty with absolutely nothing else…

She doesn't shed a single tear, she doesn't want to cry, but she does want to scream, hitting the wall behind her without stopping. Asun doesn't even hide the truth from the man:

- I have no idea who this "Collector" was, but I want to kill him.

Asun frowns.

- I want everyone back and I want that bastard dead.

- ... Then I think my proposal will please you, Asun.

- ...?

The woman squints and turns her face to the man. He sticks a fork into the piece of cake, but doesn't taste it, leaving it for the woman.

- I can keep you on one condition.

- A-Ah?

- You won't be able to get papers here. Living on the streets will be miserable, and whether you're weak or powerful, it won't make much difference. I can offer you a nicer life, even if far from luxury.

- What do you mean?

Asun is intrigued, so she listens.

- First, I'd like to introduce myself.

The man rises from his chair and rests the palm of his right hand on the middle of his chest.

- My name is 'Yinloc Direan', I'm the Manager of the 4-Comet.

He introduces himself briefly, staring into Asun's face with his minnow eyes, an almost invisible smile on his lips.

- ‘4-Comet'... ?

- I work for the Paradise Reindeer Corporation and the 4-Comet is the last team to see our ranks. That's your choice, but…

Yinloc sits back in the chair and observes Asun with greater intensity.

- If you become the guide of this team, then not only do I promise you a roof over your head, three meals a day and a quiet life, but I also promise to help you find your friends, as well as to kill this "Collector." After all, we all have our purposes here.

He smiles, showing his teeth.

- It's a promise, Asun.