Trish walked toward them and sat against the wall across from the group. Her movements were soft, almost soundless, like a shadow slipping into place.
She studied each of them with a calm, unreadable gaze before asking,
"How did you all end up here?"
Arnold took a breath and began telling her everything they'd been through so far.
Trish listened without so much as a flicker in her expression, her eyes fixed on him.
When he finished, Arnold tilted his head.
"What about you?"
Trish leaned back slightly, searching her memory.
"Nothing much… I was on my way to the library when the explosions started. Then some guy came up to me—talking about God, how he was one of the 'Chosen'—so I just…"
Her words faltered mid-sentence. Something flickered in her eyes—disturbance, hesitation. She realized that her class and her being awakened was still unknown by them so she quickly looked away, hiding what she almost revealed.
"…So I just kept running until I lost him," she finished.
Arnold and the trio exchanged glances. They noticed her unease, but none of them suspected a lie—only that she must have been shaken.
Maya stepped forward, placing a hand gently on Trish's shoulder.
"It's okay, sister-in-law. Everything's gonna be fine," she said softly, trying to comfort her.
Trish blinked, confused by the atmosphere, but nodded awkwardly.
"What do we do now?" Leo's voice cut through the quiet.
Everyone turned to him. It was rare for him to speak this much, let alone take the lead.
"Staying here won't be safe for long. We should keep moving," he added.
Maya and Liam exchanged surprised looks.
Liam ruffled his brother's hair with a faint smile.
"Yeah, I agree. Let's keep moving."
The rest of the group nodded.
They left the dining hall, heading for the nurse's office. Trish lingered at the back, eyes scanning their surroundings. Liam and Maya supported Arnold between them, his steps slow but steady. Leo led the way, his sharp gaze fixed ahead—by now, the group had learned to trust his instincts.
They were close when hurried footsteps echoed from a connecting hallway. A moment later, a red-haired figure appeared at the corner—Kaine. He nearly collided with Leo, skidding to a stop.
"What—oh. It's you," Kaine muttered, his face pale and frantic. His lips moved in a feverish whisper:
"…One more. I need just one more…"
Maya stepped forward, steam practically rising from her head.
"What do you want now? Leave us alone!" she snapped.
Kaine ignored her, his eyes wild. His uniform was torn, streaked with cuts and flecked with blood.
"Shut… shut up! You don't understand—it wasn't my fault!" he muttered, clutching his head. Then he froze, lifting his gaze to Leo.
"They said I'll be accepted… I just need one more."
With a flick of his fingers, a wall of fire roared up between Leo and the rest of the group, cutting them off.
"A defect like you should be grateful," Kaine snarled. "Thanks to your useless life, I'll be saved."
Flames coiled around his hand, shaping into a burning sphere. He lunged forward, the fireball surging toward Leo.
Leo's mind went blank. There was nowhere to run, nothing he could do.
He wanted to be strong for Maya and Liam—wanted to be useful. He had tried, even through the fear, but it all felt worthless now.
The fire closed in.
Then—someone stepped between them.
Drops of blood splattered against Leo's face. His eyes widened, following the trail upward… to see Liam smiling down at him, mouth dripping with crimson.
Leo's gaze dropped—and horror gripped him. A fist jutted through Liam's stomach from behind.
The fist withdrew. Liam's body sagged, then crumpled to the ground.
Silence.
Then came the sound—raw, primal, and terrible. A scream ripped from Leo's throat, more beast than human, shaking the air. Blood welled in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
Blue smoke exploded outward, swirling around him. The walls cracked. Windows shattered. Even Kaine staggered back, fear flashing across his face.
"No… no, this isn't right," Kaine muttered. "I'm one of the Chosen!"
The smoke twisted, condensing into a towering figure—an armored knight without a head, blue fire blazing where it should have been.
The knight dropped to one knee.
"My king… give me your command."
Leo's blood-red eyes locked on Kaine. His voice broke into a snarl:
"Kill him."
The knight rose, sword materializing in its hands.
"Understood."