บท 16: After Math

Zane's heart pounded in his chest as he knelt beside Kevin, who was still unconscious but breathing. He could feel the dark energy from Alagor coursing through him, a constant reminder of the pact he had made. The alleyway was eerily silent, the only sound being his own ragged breaths.

He gently lifted Kevin, cradling him in his arms. "Hang in there, you will be fine," he said with a determined look on his face.

As Zane was about to leave with Kevin, he saw many people running toward them. Relief washed over him when he saw Marcus.

Marcus saw Kevin in a battered form in Zane's arms and quickly called for healers. They started healing Kevin and put a high-tier potion in his mouth. Kevin's wounds soon began to recover.

Marcus scanned the area for any unexpected attacks. Then he saw the body lying on the floor. As he was scouting the area himself, he saw the head covered in the blood of Varek. His eyes widened in shock. This was the very person both the Fista Guild and Gregory were trying so hard to capture.

He looked in Zane's direction, where healers were treating him. Of course, the only reason for Varek's state like this was because Zane took care of him. But Marcus couldn't believe how he managed to do it. Many of the guild members and officials from the Association had died in attempts to capture him, but a 15-year-old boy who had just awakened months ago did this.

He collected himself. 'This is not the time to think about this. First, let's capture him and send him to the guild for interrogation,' he thought as he moved forward to take Varek.

*BOOM*

Marcus covered himself with his shield. Yes, Marcus had the ability to create a shield around him or a particular object. He was an A-rank awakened, and although his ability wasn't ideal for direct combat, his precision made it possible to achieve A-rank status by the Association.

As the dust cloud settled, Varek's body was long gone. Marcus scanned the area around him again but saw no one. A man in a black robe with a covered face stood tall at the edge of the building.

The man raised his hand toward Marcus, and light formed around it, sending a ray of energy toward him.

Marcus covered himself with his shield and contacted the team.

---

"Emergency! Varek's body is missing, and there's an unknown hostile!" Marcus shouted into his communicator. "I need backup immediately!"

The man in the black robe advanced, his presence ominous. Marcus could sense the raw power emanating from him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He braced himself, focusing all his energy on maintaining his shield.

Zane, still recovering from his own ordeal, watched in horror as the new threat approached.

"I want to play with you more, but it looks like I can't," the man said as he watched Selene flying toward them.

"We will meet again," he said as a lot of energy formed around his hand.

Seeing this, Marcus shouted for everyone to run, knowing he wouldn't be able to stop the attack. He poured all his energy into strengthening the shield.

The attack hit, shattering the shield. But fortunately, Selene arrived in time and deflected the ray with her telekinesis easily, clearly showing the difference in their strength.

The man clicked his tongue and left immediately, knowing he couldn't win against her. Selene commanded some of the team members to go after him.

"Zane! Marcus! Are you two okay?" Selene called out as she landed beside them, her presence bringing a sense of calm amidst the chaos.

Marcus nodded, still catching his breath. "We're fine, thanks to you. But that guy got away, and he took Varek's body with him."

Selene's eyes narrowed. "We'll deal with him later. Right now, we need to get Kevin and Zane back to the guild for proper treatment."

She turned to the remaining team members. "Secure the area and make sure no one else is around. We'll regroup at the guild."

With that, Selene helped Zane to his feet while Marcus supported Kevin. They moved quickly, making their way back to the Fista Guild.

---

Back at the guild, healers worked tirelessly on Kevin, while Zane received treatment for his own injuries. The atmosphere was tense, the weight of recent events hanging heavily over everyone.

Selene paced back and forth, her mind racing with thoughts. "We need to find out who that man was and why he wanted Varek's body," she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Zane sat with a worried expression. Selene saw this and said, "Don't worry, he will be fine. Our guild's best healers are treating him," reassuring him.

"You may not know, but there was a monster attack on your school today. Thankfully, no one died—just some injuries, as Kevin contacted us immediately. We also assured your family that you are safe."

"He must have done this to distract us from the Shadow Hand case."

Zane's eyes widened upon hearing that his school was attacked by monsters. A bitter smile crossed his face as the stress began to take its toll. His best friend was in this state, and not long ago, he had made a deal with a monster—not just any monster, but a Monster King. Now he had to kill them?

Not anyone else but Monster Kings. How drastically his life had turned from being unawakened to hunting the Kings of Monsters. 'Haha,' he laughed with a sad expression inside.

'Life really is unpredictable,' Zane thought inwardly, closing his eyes for a moment and sighing. He was tired.

---

The guild's infirmary was a flurry of activity. The sterile scent of antiseptics mixed with the faint aroma of herbs used by the healers. The walls, adorned with the sigils of the Fista Guild, seemed to close in on Zane as he lay on the cot. His body ached, not just from the physical injuries but from the mental strain of the day's events.

Selene stood by the window, her silhouette framed against the evening sky. The sun was setting, casting a warm, orange glow across the room, a stark contrast to the cold reality they were facing.

Marcus entered the room, his face grim. "I've dispatched scouts to follow the trail of that robed man. It's like he vanished into thin air," he said, frustration evident in his voice.

Selene turned to face him, her expression hardening. "We can't let him get away with this. We need to know who he is and what his connection to Alagor is."

Meanwhile, the man in the black robe took Varek's unconscious body to an abandoned building where many people looking like him were gathered.

"Our many bases and warehouses have been destroyed by both guilds throughout Astoria, and I don't think they will stop," one man said.

"Yes, you are right. According to the information I got, they are planning to extend their search and trying to contact other countries," another man said.

"Don't worry. The boss can handle it," the man said and threw Varek's body in the middle of the room.

"What are the boss's orders?" another man asked.

"We have to hide ourselves and wait for the next order," he paused as he pointed at Varek. "He messed everything up even after being warned and caused trouble for the Shadow Hand. You know what we have to do," he said and left.

Everyone wore sinister smiles on their faces. They were ready to let their frustration out. Those who failed to meet the requirements and complete the tasks were tortured by their colleagues. They found fun in this.

---

The next day, as the sun rose, Zane left for home. Kevin didn't wake up; the healers said he was fine but would take some time, perhaps three days to a week, to wake up.

Zane didn't tell anyone about Alagor. If he did, he didn't know how everyone would react. He didn't want to be outcast once again.

The school was closed for a week due to the monster attack, and the Association increased the security around the borders of Astoria and in the cities too.

He talked to his family last night to reassure them that he was safe and sound. His mother was really worried about him. Amelia didn't show it, but it was clear from her voice that she had been crying. He made up a fake story about how he survived, but when Kevin's situation came up, he fell silent. His mother noticed it and consoled him.

---

The weeks passed, and the Fista Guild, with the help of Gregory, removed all the bases of the Shadow Hand and captured many monsters. With this, the alliance between the Fista Guild and Gregory ended, though he couldn't get revenge for Lucas.

'Lucas was a bastard but he didn't deserve to die like this' zane thought to himself while he was sitting on his desk.

Everything come back to normal Kevin woke up after 5 days and was completely fine.

he attended school with Zane normally.

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A/N:

What do you think Zane should reveal his secret to Kevin? (yes/no)

Do you think Lucas deserve to die like this

comment your thoughts

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