Remnya

The dense canopies of ancient trees had kept the forest in the shadows for hundreds of years, endless passages of unexplored land that faded on the horizon in a gradient of emerald greens. Only the tender sunlight seeping through dancing leaves guided Remnya, who advanced like a wandering soul. Her feet were numb, and her lungs struggled for oxygen, but the pain in her arm kept her awake within her senses.

Despite the tears, Remnya found herself smiling at times, amazed by the beauty of birds, squirrels, and snakes inhabiting that mysterious place. Exotic flowers adorned her path, tickling her nose with strange aromas that reminded her of a home she never had. As Remnya passed by a massive bush of wild black roses, the image of Magenta popped into her mind, and with her, Marcus'.

Her legs hesitated for a moment, and tears threatened her eyes again. The hopes of so many people rested on her shoulders, the alive and the dead.

She could not fail.

By sunset, the intertwined foliage above her opened, and Remnya could finally glimpse the orange glow of the horizon and the evening star rising with its golden glimmer. Feeling her body on the verge of collapsing, Remnya decided to sit next to a giant rotten trunk, half-buried into the ground. Cobwebs entangled in her hair as she dropped on the moist soil, and spiders crawled on her arms and legs. She didn't mind; the orphanage's spiders were much bigger.

As the night neared, the first stars appeared, flickering among isolated clouds that still reflected the dying sunlight. Remnya took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the fresh air rising across the forest.

Beyond a maze of trees, Remnya noticed a strange glow. She blinked, making sure it wasn't a dream. But as the illusion persisted, she crawled toward a slope to have a closer look.

Her eyes widened at the glimpse of hope. Ahead of her, a massive valley spread amid endless lands, and the lights of a distant city tilted like millions of fireflies.

"I made it," Remnya murmured with trembling lips and fell to the ground with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

At last, an oasis in her desolation.

The flame in her chest burned hotter and brighter, fueled by her newfound hope, filling her exhausted body with the energy to keep fighting.

Ignoring the open wounds and pain burning her legs, Remnya stood again, aided by the dead branches of a nearby trunk. If she walked all night, she could reach the city by morning, and the chances of saving Zeo would increase.

He was all that mattered.

Remnya limped through the darkness, guided by the distant radiance of a better future ahead of her. The night closed, and stars covered the sky while a symphony of crickets and owls filled her ears, keeping her awake while exhaustion threatened to send her to the ground.

Like a sleepwalker, Remnya floated through the unknown, numb, blind, and almost lifeless. She advanced until reality faded, and her body collapsed beside a creek.

"Wait for me, Zeo . . . " she whispered, biting the soil and leaves under her face. "I'll save you . . . "

Silence.

Minutes or perhaps hours passed for her.

When Remnya woke up, the soothing sound of water running next to her assured her she was still alive. Dragging herself toward the creek, Remnya buried her face in the cold water. She drank what seemed to be the best drink she had ever had in her life. The coldness filled her insides, washing out the desert of her throat.

Having hydrated herself, Remnya lay down on her back and stared into the night sky. The stars reminded her of those empty nights in the orphanage when she would sneak out of her room to sight shooting stars with Zeo. Remnya wished she had paid more attention to him instead of falling asleep as he spoke about the space.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she shook her head and bit her lips. There was no time to cry anymore.

A gust of wind pulled her bangs over her moist eyes.

"I'm glad you're still alive."

Remnya realized the fatigue was making her hear voices, so she decided to rest for a few minutes before resuming her journey. She closed her eyes, allowing nostalgia to fill her dreams.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of you from now on."

This time, the voice was closer.

Her heart hastened, and a cold shiver traveled throughout her spine. Of course, it had to be her imagination, and her brain tried to calm her.

"You got nothing to fear, little sister. You're safe now." A high-pitched voice echoed in her head, freezing her blood.

Remnya sprang from the ground, sitting up to scan her surroundings while dizziness drilled her head.

The darkness returned only silence mixed with a tender breeze.

Sparks shot from a corner in the forest, and a violet flame reflected on the water. Like a small sun in the night, Remnya was able to see everything clearly. Her nightmares have followed her all the way down there.

Violet eyes gleaming under the flickering flame paralyzed her body, and her lips trembled as she murmured a futile question, "Who are you?"

A slender man sauntered in her direction like a specter from hell glowing in a ghostly light. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Leuko," he said, smiling, and pulled his coat aside, revealing his Nephilim tail.

Remnya scanned his body from head to toe, noticing the horns sticking out of his head. A profound turmoil filled her chest.

"Why that face?" Leuko asked, pouting as he stood in front of her. "I'm not here to hurt you, young sister. My subordinate exceeded himself with you, but worry not. He will get what he deserves." He beamed at her, her fangs sparkling under the flame. "I'll chop off his right arm for you. What do you think about that?"

Swallowing through a closed throat, Remnya gathered the strength to speak, "Is Zeo alive?"

The time stopped as she craved an answer.

"Your friend is okay." Leuko stretched his hand at her, inviting her to get up. "I'm sure you're eager to see him, right? Come with me. I'll allow you two to be together again."

His words almost calmed the war unleashed in her heart, but something about him made her shiver in terror. It was the smell of death.

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Remnya shook her head eagerly and dragged herself away from him.

Leuko chuckled. "You know, we are both so much alike. I was born with the ability to control fire too. However, mine is nowhere as lethal as yours, my young sister." He shot a stream of flames at a dead trunk nearby, setting it on fire and illuminating the whole place with an intense glow.

Remnya trembled, her eyes fixated on the wrinkles crossing Leuko's face, which drew an eerie smirk.

"I can't blame you for not trusting us," he admitted, sitting on the ground in front of her. "Ronner put you through so much pain." He sighed and shook his head. "But he's gone for good now. You got nothing else to fear."

"What do you mean?" Remnya asked, widening her eyes while her heart stopped.

"You didn't know, did you?" His smile fell apart. "Ronner is dead."

"Dead?" A void filled Remnya's chest, and her heart fell to the bottom of her stomach.

"Yeah . . . I truly wanted to kill him with my own hands for what he did to you." Leuko let out a deep sigh.

Brisa . . .

Remnya clenched her fists, holding back tears. "How did he die?" she asked.

The man tilted his head, surprised by her reaction. "Well, it seems like he died protecting someone." He shrugged. "That's the only logical answer because he left a feast of corpses behind."

Remnya buried her fingernail into her palms. "Was he alone?"

"No." Leuko fiddled with a small flame dancing between his fingers. "My pet Alayna was still with him, though unconscious. I still don't know who killed him, but it was certainly not her." He giggled. "Why are you so worried about it, young sister? Did you like Ronner, or perhaps . . . " He twisted his lips into a smirk, "there's someone else you're worried about?"

"No." Remnya glared at him.

Leuko grinned and stood up, looming over her. "Don't worry anymore. I don't care about anyone else but you. You're our kind, blood of our blood."

Remnya saw through the facade of his wicked smile. Having spent so much time with Ronner, she could read the intentions of a monster.

"It's time to go, young sister." He stretched his hand at her, his long fingers twisting awkwardly. "I'll help you walk, although it'd be better if I carried you. You'll receive the best treatment a Nephilim can get."

Remnya lowered her head and smiled bitterly. "Is it better than any treatment for humans, right?" she asked between clenched teeth.

"Of course!" Leuko exclaimed, his voice echoing throughout the forest. His eyes flickered with a hint of contempt. "Do you think we, Nephilims, deserve the same treatment as those inferior beings?"

Silence.

Remnya clenched her fists and lifted her face to look into his eyes. "You're right. Humans have only caused me pain and suffering." Her smile turned into a scowl, and her pupils glowed crimson.

Leuko nodded eagerly at her words. "You'll be able to choose the humans you want dead, and we'll hunt them down. Did you know about human farms?"

A profound repulsion filled Remnya's chest, and hatred tried to escape her mouth, but she forced a sweet voice. "No, I didn't know about that, but it sounds great." Remnya grabbed his hand.

Leuko guffawed, his high-pitched voice resounding throughout the forest. "Oh, my young sister, we'll have so much fun together." He pulled her off the ground and helped her to stand up.

"I think I'll be able to walk," Remnya murmured, adjusting the sling around her broken arm. She slid her hand into it, brushing the interior with her fingertips.

"By the way, Remnya." He beamed at her. "Did you really think I'd believe anything you said?" He lifted his right arm and tightened her hand into a fist, ready to strike her.

Remnya snatched the small gun hidden in her arm sling.

Before Leuko could touch her, she pulled the trigger, shooting him in the legs and stomach with all its rounds.

Letting out a groan of anger, Leuko stepped away, and then the canon bullets blew out on his body.

The explosion's shockwave sent Remnya to the ground, but she used her sane arm like a spring to push herself back onto her feet. She jumped over the creek and dashed through the forest as fast as possible while the remaining rounds exploded on Leuko.

Her heart echoed in her chest, kicking furiously as it pumped adrenaline throughout her body. An eerie silence filled Remnya's ears, and the darkness consumed the silhouettes in the distance.

The seconds seemed like hours as she sprinted through rocky terrain, slicing her feet with its sharp edges while the thorns of dry vegetation buried into her skin. Blind, she crashed into trunks and stones but refused to fall.

When the ground flattened, and stars became visible again, Remnya saw the city lights closer than ever. Jumping over a slope, she descended a hill, avoiding the sharp rocks sticking out like knives.

Remnya stumbled upon a barricade of dead trunks, probably left by lumberjacks, and fell face-first against the ground, swallowing soil and leaves. Fueled by sheer will, she got up and tried to resume her escape.

However, her body hit something. A heavy and cold figure loomed over her. Refusing to acknowledge that monster, she tried to run to the other side, but her head slammed into the ground like a heavy stone. The pain took a moment to reach her brain, and she let out a groan of pain.

Lifting her pupils, Remnya witnessed Leuko squatting next to her. "You're bold and reckless, I like that," he said, smirking. "Our men are gonna love you."

Instinctively, Remnya dragged herself away from him like a scared animal, knowing full well she would never make it. Her escape had been the delusion of a stupid kid.

Resignation crushed her heart, and the image of Zeo flashed before her eyes, now dry from so much pain. Numbness invaded her whole body as she accepted her fate.

"I'm sorry, Zeo . . . " she murmured, kneeling under the weight of her desolation.

"We'll test how fast your body can heal itself," Leuko whispered, leaning over her, his nauseating breath hitting her face. He lifted his foot, and in a violent thrust, he slammed it against her ankle, crushing her bones as if they were glass.

The crack resounded throughout her body, but unresponsive, she barely felt it.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want you to keep running like this." Leuko caressed her trembling face with the back of his cold hand. "They'll heal quickly, don't worry."

Another crack followed, and electric pain filled her legs and hips. Remnya clenched her teeth, but her body was shutting down, and the pain faded along with her will to live.

"Now it's time," Leuko said, his high-pitched voice drilling into her brain.

It was over.

Forgive me, Zeo. I've failed you.

In the end, Remnya thought death was the best fate for both of them. At least in the afterlife, they would be forever together, like Magenta and Marcus.

No more pain . . . No more tears . . .

Remnya wished she could leave the world right there.

She closed her eyes, feeling how Leuko dragged her numb body through the darkness like a lifeless doll.

. . .

The tender breeze of the night stopped.

And electricity filled the atmosphere around her.

Remnya squinted, and an orange flash hit her face.

Sparks flew above her body.

Was she about to die?

Leuko's grin suddenly turned into a scowl, and his calm demeanor displayed a hint of desperation. Violet flames engulfed his arms, the intense heat resembling her own, and the sand beneath her began melting.

Her captor rushed into the darkness, leaving two streams of fire behind.

Another flash blinded her, and the next thing she saw was Leuko's flames dissipating into smoke and embers.

A loud groan escaped his throat.

Like a dream, Remnya witnessed through half-closed eyes how multiple spectral arms pierced through Leuko's body, glowing like a fire from hell. Blood spilled on her face, boiling hot and thick. Leuko tried to attack a silhouette in the darkness, but his legs bent like fragile branches. He kneeled in front of her, and blood flooded his mouth, falling on the ground like a cascade.

A loud buzz resembling millions of furious wasps deafened her, and Leuko's eyes exploded into a shower of fire, sparks, and crimson rain. His skin melted, falling apart, revealing his skull, and his jaw separated from the remains of his head.

His body finally collapsed, and the spectral arms vanished into a glowing orange mist.

Trembling, Remnya lifted her gaze, and beyond the corpse, a tall figure stood amid the darkness. Unable to discern its face, Remnya glimpsed two orange orbs glowing like two stars in the sunset.

The figure began walking toward her. Remnya's heart fought to break free from her chest, but the soothing sound of its feet against dry leaves and sand calmed her down.

Up close, Remnya could see the figure of a man. In the shadows, his hair seemed to be of an umber color, and behind his messy bangs, two long ears stood out, identical to Zeo's. His expression was unreadable, and multiple scars covered his cheeks like whiskers.

Despite his imposing aura, his sunset eyes, resembling those of a furious feline, emanated peace. Remnya felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He crouched and stretched his hand at her, showing her there was nothing else to fear. In the turmoil of her mind and soul, Remnya found a beam of hope, and her heart felt at peace for once. Her eyes locked on his, full of tears, silently begging him to either end her suffering or save a broken girl.

He reached for her cheek, caressing her bruised skin with his warm fingertips.

Was it resignation, or was it her body paralyzed by terror? Remnya didn't know, but she didn't fight his touch. She had fought enough.

Remnya's eyes flickered, craving an encouraging answer for once in her nightmare.

He said nothing, but his wordless answer was clear to her.

Out of strength to keep going, and at the mercy of an unknown destiny, Remnya nodded and closed her eyes.

"You're safe now."

For the first time in her life, Remnya believed those words.

*°*°*