The group strode through the wide gates of the city.
The atmosphere within was bizarre, if the world wasn't already bizarre enough.
Yet they continued forward calmly.
Strangely enough, everyone felt at ease.
Some of the girls could even be seen chatting quietly among themselves.
Ragnar, however, maintained his guard.
Even though he couldn't sense danger nor feel any threat, the strange feeling of comfort unsettled him.
Part of him wished for something to surface.
Anything.
Just to prove that his instincts hadn't abandoned him.
"Hey! Ailsa... what are you guys doing here?"
A cheerful voice suddenly called out.
Before anyone could react, a bubbly Aiden appeared before them.
He completely ignored Ragnar and the others, heading straight toward Ailsa.
"When did you all return?"
Although the question seemed directed toward the group, his entire attention remained fixed on Ailsa.
A deep frown appeared on her face.
She looked at the arm wrapped tightly around hers before turning her gaze toward its owner.
The face was familiar.
But it was wrong.
Aiden was a person of seriousness and calculation.
Even his smiles were usually calculated responses.
Except when he was around Joel.
Her eyes swept around the surroundings.
The captain was nowhere to be seen.
With that final confirmation, she knew something was wrong.
Calmly, she removed Aiden's hand from her arm and turned back toward the group.
Everyone's attention had somehow shifted toward her.
They had even forgotten to answer Aiden's question.
More strangely...
Nobody seemed to realize that he had asked one.
Soft giggles came from the girls.
Even Ragnar wore a strange expression as his tense shoulders loosened slightly.
Evangeline wasn't any better.
A teasing smile appeared on her face.
"My, my... it seems our little Ailsa is finally growing up."
She chuckled lightly before her gaze landed on Aiden.
"...But with this guy?"
The whole group seemed puzzled by the thought.
Meanwhile, Aiden himself felt offended by the strange looks he was receiving.
Combined with the fact that Ailsa had pried his hand away, his mood was rapidly deteriorating.
"Aiden, can you tell us what's going on inside the city? Where is everyone?"
Ailsa asked gently.
She wasn't particularly bothered by the stares and reactions.
She had taken Ragnar's earlier warning seriously.
There were already several problems she had noticed the moment they entered the city.
The gates were deserted.
Nobody seemed interested in questioning that.
The streets were also far emptier than they should have been.
Even for the outer districts.
And then there was Aiden himself.
Their gazes met.
Yet instead of answering immediately, he seemed completely captivated by the fact that she was paying attention to him.
The irritation on his face disappeared instantly.
His eyes lit up.
"Ah... yes... the people."
He cleared his throat.
"They're living their lives. Doing what they want."
His smile widened.
"All thanks to the monster in your group."
He threw Ragnar a brief glance.
"...The people realized they could die at any moment."
"So they're finally living to the fullest."
Ailsa nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense."
Then she asked another question.
"But where is Joel?"
This time, Aiden's expression twisted instantly.
His eyes turned bloodshot.
"That rascal!"
"The damned creature!"
"He's been on a murder spree since you left!"
"He doesn't even listen to me anymore!"
A chill ran down everyone's spine.
Even Evangeline frowned.
Everything Aiden had said from the beginning felt wrong.
Yet everyone had accepted it so naturally.
Her gaze drifted toward Ragnar.
Suddenly...
An irresistible urge to throw herself at him surfaced within her.
"...Desire."
She muttered softly.
"Hm?"
Aiden looked toward her.
"What did you say?"
Evangeline slowly raised her head.
"Desire."
This time her voice was clear.
Loud enough for everyone to hear.
Aiden froze.
The color drained from his face.
The word struck him like a thunderclap.
He suddenly grabbed his head and dropped to his knees.
"Don't look."
"Don't look."
"Don't look."
The more he muttered, the darker the sky became.
Low rumbles echoed overhead.
The smiles around the group slowly disappeared.
The strange comfort vanished.
For the first time since entering the city...
something felt wrong.
"What's going on?"
Ragnar asked.
A real sense of dread finally surfaced within him.
His legs felt weak.
His shoulders grew heavy.
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Fear...?"
He muttered.
Turning toward Evangeline, he saw the same reaction on her face.
She was trembling.
Unable to move.
Ailsa wasn't any better.
The other girls had it even worse.
Some had already collapsed unconscious.
CRACK!
CLAP!
A bolt of lightning tore through the gray clouds.
It struck a distant building near the city wall.
The structure vanished instantly.
Reduced to ash.
Everyone froze.
Ailsa struggled against the fear.
With immense effort, she lifted her head.
The pressure felt unbearable.
As though her neck would snap from the strain.
Yet she persisted.
She felt that if she failed to look now...
she would miss something important.
Something vital.
Finally, she succeeded.
Then she froze.
Whatever she saw in the sky shattered something within her.
She collapsed to the ground.
Gasping.
Tears streaming from her eyes.
And hatred.
Pure hatred.
It poured from her like a tidal wave.
The surrounding atmosphere twisted beneath it.
The others couldn't recognize her.
This wasn't the Ailsa they knew.
Not even the ones who had returned from the north bore such overwhelming hatred.
Ragnar and the others could no longer resist.
They wanted to know.
They needed to know.
One after another, they raised their heads toward the sky.
Some did so effortlessly.
Some struggled.
Others couldn't even begin.
But one thing was certain.
Everyone who looked upward that day changed.
In ways they would never understand.
Slowly, the dark clouds receded.
The city brightened.
As though the sun had just risen.
Then the group continued deeper into the city.
Each carrying something different.
Ailsa carried hatred.
Aiden carried love.
Evangeline carried obsession.
And then there was Ragnar