It is deep in the night. Within a ruin that formerly a big mansion, sat a young teen 15 or 16 years old. Borrowing heat from the campfire near him, he seems really deep in though. The flickering light from the campfire illuminates his dirty black hair that seems like he doesn’t wash it for a long time.

Crack.

The sound of the firewood being zealously burned by the fire wake him from his deep thought. A small sigh can be heard coming from the crack lips of him. Sweeping his sight to a women that sleeping soundly near him. His lips slowly curving into a smile. That girl, Kate, is a member of his team of survivors. It has been 5 months since the world changes drastically.

“Sigh.”the silence in the night really make his chest felt stuffed. The loneliness of having to guard the camp alone at night always make him remember his late family. Those cheerful day.

He still remembers those day like it just happens yesterday. He, a normal boy, just like any other teenagers, living his life. Goes to school, making ton of friends, and playing video games when he come back from school. Just like any other teenagers. Living with his parents and his younger sister, he live everyday with his fullest. In fact, he felt so thankful to God for giving a loving family and especially a beautiful sister. Not that he have sister complex, it just the proud feeling to have a beautiful sister that he can bragged to his friends that make him feeling thankful. Well, he bet that his sister also feel the same with him. It is not a bragging, but appearance wise, he can proudly place himself as one of the top good looking guy within his circle of friends.

Taking the best parts of his parents best genetics, he fully inherit the stout body of his caucasian father and a youthful face from his Asian mother. His half-Asian looks always attract girls in his school to the point that he feel he is really blessed by God.

He still remember that weekend, he and his family happily went to a new amusement park that just opened for a month in his town. He planned to go there on the opening day, however, because a sudden incident happens on his father’s workplace, they need to postponed the visit. So as promised, his father brought his beloved family to the park. A month after the opening day.

“ Brother, let’s ride this. Hehehe.”plead his lovely sister. She hastily drag his hand to usher him to move quickly, showing her usual antic. She always had bubbly personality and always cheerful.

“ Hahaha her personality always infect others.”he thought happily. But, looking at the ride in front of him, he momentarily stunned. “Ermm..sis? You really wanna ride this?”the roller coaster in front of him make him felt weak on the leg. He never a fan of scary ride, especially one that involves high places. He is not an acrophobic, he can get in a high building. No problem at all. But, high place and high speed ride on top of that, it’s a big no for him.

“Oh come on! Don’t be a pussy,” replied her.

“Sasha. No swearing please. It’s not a nice word you see.”scold the mother. He still remembers, she always an upright and kind person. She always hated anyone who like to swear. For her, swearing is big indicator on how good a person is.

“Hahahaha. Relax hon. It just a slip of word. Right Sasha?”the father intervene. The father that is an easy-going and cheerful. Maybe her sister’s attitude come from his father.

“Come on Francis. You always dote on them. That’s why they never listen to me.”replied the mother while pouting her mouth.

Crossing his hand on his chest, the father replied in a slight annoyed voice “I’m not doting on them. I’m a strict parent you see. Hmmphh.”

Looking at his parent arguing like that always make him smile widely. “Really, hahaha. They are so funny arguing like that.”

“Are you guys done?”Sasha lazily spoke.

In unison “It’s all because of you.”

“Hahahaha. There, there. No need to get agitated like that. She always like that, right? She always an airhead. Never think before speak”feeling the need to intervene, the boy spoke.

Opening her eyes widely “Who’s airhead? Hmphh. Come let’s ride this.” While grinning, she pulled her poor brother hand to the ride’s gate.

“Noooooo!!! Mom, dad. Help!!”he plead, but with no avail. He even saw his father pump his fist and mouthing “Good Luck.”

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Blerghh!

“ Ughh. My throat hurts. It’s all your fault sis. I’ve told you already. Bleurgh.”the teen  is seen clutching his stomach while flushing his stomach out his breakfast that day.

“Hahahaha. It’s fun though. Why are you so weak brother?”a young maiden laughing loudly while clutching her stomach. “come on, we need to see mom and dad. Dad message me just now. He told us to go to the cafe near the entrance if we want our lunch.”

“Just a second. I need to rest..oh come on. Don’t leave me.”said the teen when he saw his sister dashed suddenly without waiting for him.

Finally catching up to her, all he can see is that her sister is on her butt facing two large guy, with one of them with an ice-cream stuck on his cloth.

Panicked, he stands up, she quickly apologized to the now angry man. “I’m sooweeyy!”biting her tongue, she hastily bowing her head to the man.

“Hahaha. Really an airhead. What sowey? Hahaha. You reap what you sow.”he thought.

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Noticing her brother, she sent a pleading look to him. “ She looks like the character in Shrek. That puss. Hahaha. Those pleading eyes. Exactly like him.”he thought while ignoring her plead.

Fortunately, maybe because of her cuteness, the big guy relax his face and let his sister go, forgiving her. What a nice guy he thought.

Waving to the guys until they are nowhere to be seen, she turn her head facing her brother. “How dare you let your cute sister facing that burly guys alone.”

“Hehehe. I know they will let my cute sister go. Hahaha, You should see your face just now. Hahaha. So funny.”clutching his stomach, he laugh loudly.

“Brother, you meanie!!”stomping her leg, she dash quickly leaving me alone. Again.

“Hey, wait for me. Dammit.”

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Looking into the fire, he sigh “Well, it’s all in the past.”

Suddenly.

Kchingg!

A sudden bell sound wake him from his daydream. Recognising the sound of the trap laid before they went to rest, he hastily wake his teammates.

In her half-asleep state, Kate asked: “ What...what happened?”.

“ Shhhh..enemy. Don’t wanna alert them. Use your detection skill, we need to ambush them while they think we are still asleep.” Replied him. Obviously he need to wake her up first since she is our team’s sensor. Her original skill which used the mana radiation to detect enemy has always help us to survive in this harsh world.

Nodded in understanding, she quickly closing her eyes to use her skill. It is really a cheat skill in this world where monsters from the crack is everywhere and will ambushed anyone who is not prepared. He quickly wake the other team members.

The teams are made up of 6 members consist of 4 man and 2 women.

“Goddammit...what? I’m tired. Leave me alone shithead.” Said a burly guy with brown hair. He is the team’s main tank. With his large body, he took all the attention of the enemy to him and taking all the damage without a flinch.

“Shut your flipping mouth Alden. Enemy incoming. Help me wake the others up” he replied, annoyance in his voice “and slowly, we don’t wanna them know that  we know they’re here, do we?”

“Yeah..Yeah” replied the big guy nonchalantly. Alden quickly wake our healer, Amanda up. She is the most importance member of the team. Not a fighter, obviously, with her small stature, but her healing skill is important since without them, we are long gone.

He cautiously went to his best friend side, Max “ Oii..sleepyhead. Wake your damn ass up. Enemy spotted.”

“Huh?” surprised, Max hastily wake up and grab his beloved sword on his side. “Where?”

“Near us. Go to kate for details and get ready.” Said the young teen.

 “Okie dokie Neal.” replied Max.

Neal, the young man smiled. Sweeping his sight, he spotted the team mage wannabe, Conroy is up. He hastily move to where Kate is.

“How is it Kate?” ask Neal.

With a slow voice, she replied “ 5 draid. 1 in the back, 2 coming from the front, 2 from the right.”

Draid one of the low level monsters. Have a humanoid like appearance but with a small body. It can be said that they are goblin from the fantasy story.

“ Heh..it just a draids, no need for us to go all out. Me alone can kill them all.” Said Alden, interrupting our discussion.

“ Hmm..stupid way of thinking. Well, loudmouth always died first in horror movie. Hehe.” Thought Neal.

“ That mentality will bring your doom shithead” replied Max. “Ignore this musclehead. So, what will we do boss? Hehe.” Said him while patting my back.

“ I’m not your boss dimwit. Well, whatever. Alden, Max take the front. Kate, the one on the back is yours. Amanda, standby. Conroy, with me.” Without any blabber, Neal quickly assigning the task.

“Okay.”replied Kate before her figure quickly dashing into the darkness. Her footstep is so silent, he bet that enemy will never know what hit them.

“ Why am I assigned with this stupid head?” argue Max.

“ Damn, just my luck to babysit this guy.”replied the musclehead.

Feeling annoyed, Neal said “ It’s the best formation i could think of right now.”

“ Even I don’t wanna go with that musclehead. Sorry Max. Hehehe.” he thought sneakily.

“ Tch. Whatever, let’s go Max.”Still annoyed, judging from his tone, Alden move lazily to the house front.

“ Wait up. Heh, this guy really a grumpy one. Don’t you think that too Neal. Hehe. See you later dickhead.” Whisper Max before running to catch up with Alden.

“ Yeah, you too dimwit. See you later.”speaking in his mind. He always feel thankful to have this stupid friend that always there when he need him. Without him on his side, he felt that he will break down and died somewhere.

“ It always amuse me the way you guys interact.” The always silence guy, Conroy, said to him.

With a big grin, he replied “ Heh me too Conroy. Me too. Come let’s go. We have to entertain our guest.”

“ Aaah. W..wh..where a..am I ass...assigned to?”a stuttering voice can be heard.

Almost forgotten the last member, Neal felt that he want to facepalm himself. “ahh sorry ‘bout that, Amanda. Just stay safe here. It’s just draids. At worst, what can happened?.”

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In the dead of the night, two shadows can be seen lurking slowly towards a large ruined mansion. Over half of the three floors house are gone and the other half shows crack and crumble on many places. Under the bright moonlight, the hideous creatures can be seen. With size of a kid 5 to 7 years old, dry gray wrinkly skin, and two large fang on their lips, they drags their claws slowly to hunt their preys that reside within the building.

Swoosh!

A sudden gust of wind made their footsteps stop. Looking around, they see nothing unusual. Maybe it’s just a wind, they thought. They resume their steps towards their target, but their steps stop again, but this time because they receive two mass of fire on their face. Closing their face with the claws that they possess, they wail in pain as the smell of burnt meat permeates the air.

Swoosh!

Again, a gust of wind can be heard behind them. Furious, one of abomination try to clawed behind it, only to feel it sight floating in the air. It can see two headless bodies drop slowly on the ground. Near the bodies, a large shadows holding two short swords looking straight to it eyes. The blue light seems to be gleaming in the night. That is all that can it see before it consciousness slipping from him.

“ Fast and clean like usual. Sometimes, I'm wondering, how you get that speed. It seems that the speed is faster than your levels. Hmm.” A blond haired man wearing a robe said to the shadow.

The shadow walk slowly dragging the bodies of the draids that he kills. The moonlight reveals the black ashen dirty hair and sharp smile on the face of the young man. “Quite a curious mage aren’t you. Hahaha. I can tell you, but then i have to kill you.”

With a slight grin, the blonde man replied “ Hahaha, I would like to see how you kill me.”

Exchanging their glances in a staring contest, the blond haired young man start to laugh loudly “ Hahahahaha. You really know how to make a joke Neal. Hahaha seriously. Hahaha.”

“ I’m serious Conroy......just kidding. Hahahaha you should look at your face hahaha. So funny. I’m tearing up. Hahaha.”the young man, Neal laugh until he rolling on the ground.

“Hahaha. Damn my stomach hurting. I’m going inside. Don’t forget to take their mana stone.”replied Conroy.

“ Wait up you always leave the dirty job to me. I’m the leader dammit.”said Neal.

“You said that you are not the boss inside with them.”replied Conroy nonchalantly.

“Tch, whatever, just help me extracting their man......”

Arrrgghhhhhhhhh!

The sudden scream stops them in their conversation.

“In front.”said Conroy with a surprise face.

“That’s Kate...DAMMIT.”with a shout, Neal turn into a blur dashing towards the scream.