I slowly walked through the crowded streets, taking note of each injury, of each person malnourished, each limb missing. Each person whose eyes looked dead.
These weren't only civilians. There were many Awakened among them.
Each with injuries, each with the fight drained out of them.
Some saw people torn to shreds, their minds breaking with grief.
Some ran and survived, even with missing limbs.
And some... Some fought to the bitter end.
This was the nature of this oh so cruel world. Of the Spell.
My flat expression shifted into something more human, something almost resembling hatred.
These people didn't deserve this. No one did.
I stopped in a store, searching for my favourite candy. Lollipops.
After I finally found them, I grabbed the whole box, carrying it to the counter.
The cashier looked at me, with pity...?
I paused for a moment, waiting for the woman to scan every product, but she did not do so.
Instead, she leaned forward, as if trying to peer into my very soul.
"You should leave."
She finally whispered, her tone soft as silk.
I blinked twice, confused.
I clocked my head to the side,
"Why?"
I asked silently.
The woman didn't answer immediately, instead, she pushed the box back to me, a smile forming on her face.
"You've lost enough already. Take these, free of charge."
The smile on her face turned into a bittersweet one, and her tone filled with such sadness that I almost mistook it for anguish.
I stood silently for a moment, then shook my head.
I took out my wallet, quickly dropped what seemed like enough to cover the cost, placing it on the counter.
The woman grabbed it immediately, outstretching her hand towards me.
But I had already activated warp, disappearing the next second.
I appeared on a bench, looking at the box as if it had personally wronged me.
***
The machine carrying seven people inside comfortably, grounded to a halt, snow flying into the air.
Captain Sunless climbed out first, followed by his now once more full cohort.
Belle climbed out second, his lean figure and blond hair swaying gently in the soft breeze.
After him, climbed out a giant of a man, named Dorn.
His muscles visibly shifting under his armor memory and mundane equipment.
These two were the vanguard strikers, attacking back rather than holding ground, the forefront of any operation.
Belle with a sword, and Dorn with his sledgehammer.
After them climbed out Quentin, his form obscured by plated armor. He always wields a sword and a shield, the defensive vanguard.
After him, climbed out Samara, a tall redhead. The medium to long-range specialist.
After her, the wife and husband, Kim and Luster, climbed out.
Already bickering over who was truly in the wrong, and of course. Luster was losing the argument.
This was the already growing famous "shadow cohort", part of the first irregular company.
The cohort spread out, to stretch their limbs after a long ride.
Sunless himself still stood at the side of the Rhino, communicator already in hand.
He waved a hand upwards, his cohort walking back to him.
"Come on boss! We just climbed out!"
Luster whined playfully, only to get smacked by Kim.
Sunny paid no attention to their antics; instead, he cleared his throat. Signaling others to listen.
"We're about to be joined by a" he paused, as if debating what to call this individual.
"A friend of mine, so do not panic."
He finally ended, his eyes already glued back on the communicator.
The others of the cohort looked around, not seeing a soul in sight.
So, Quentin spoke up.
"Sir, there's no one in sight. And if I may ask, why have we stopped here?"
Even if the plated armor muffled his words, his words were easily heard by the enhanced senses of his cohort.
"We stopped here to wait for him."
Sunless answered, pointing a finger backwards.
He stood behind him, seeing a kid sitting on the ladder of the rhino, a lollipop in his mouth.
He waved at them silently, then turned his attention back to the sky, the lollipop swirling in his mouth in circles.
The others stared in varying emotions, from surprise to shock.
Samara raised a brow, "ain't he a little young?"
Sunless waved her off, motioning others to climb back in.
"Alright cohort, we're going back to the gate."
The others paused in their steps, their eyes widening.
"Him?! He's the one the gate is reserved for!?"
Shouted out, Luster.
Kim glared at him and smacked him across the head.
"Be more polite." She hissed silently, then climbed into the giant vehicle.
Inside, Apex was lazily leaning against the chair of Sunless, who visibly looked annoyed.
The others seated themselves slowly, shooting glances at the young boy.
After a few moments of everyone being seated, the rhino roared to life. Its giant form slowly starting to advance through the the snow. Then, suddenly! The speed increased instantly, the vehicle barely holding onto the ground, starting to slide and curve around trees.
Sunless gave a glance backwards, trusting that his co-driver would be able to avoid any obstacles.
His smile shifted into a cocky one, which quickly dropped as he watched Apex's unimpressed gaze.
The shadow scowled, turning back to drive. Not even realizing the fear that had gripped his co-driver's heart, which was Samara.
***
"Are we there yet?"
Apex whined, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Sunless barely resisted choking the life out of the brat, his cohort staring at them both with various levels of amusement.
"We are not. Stop asking!"
Sunless gritted out, his tone filled with annoyance that was bordering on hatred.
'What was this brat trying to achieve?! Make me look bad?! '
He inwardly thought, his fingers gripping the wheel tighter, his knuckles whitening.
"Are we the-"
Sunless slammed the back of his head against his headrest, exactly where Apex had his head leaned against.
The boy tumbled to the ground, then slid along it to the back of the vehicle.
Sunless didn't even glance back, he knew the boy would be fine.
His cohort though, stared at him with shock.
Kim started to reach for her seat belt's release button. Only stopping once her captain gave her a murderous look.
There was only silence for a few minutes, apart from a groan or two from Apex.
"Are we there y-"
The vehicle lurched sideways, almost falling over from the force that hit it.
Everyone tensed, their bodies held to their seats only by the safety measures.
However, Apex didn't have a chair. Nor any safety measures.
He slammed into the corner of the "plan desk", his body going limp.
Sunless stared, white-eyed. Then glared.
Saint and Serpent manifested outside in an instant, already starting to tear into the massive creature.
[You have slain a Fallen Demon, cold larva].
[Your shadow grows stronger...]
He paid no attention to the notifications; instead, he released the seat belts, dashing towards Apex.
He rolled the boy onto his back, only to see a shit-eating grin on the boy's face.
"Oh, you do care!"
He almost sang, his voice filled with amusement.
Which quickly faded once Sunless smacked him across the face.
"For that go outside and deal with the creatures or I swear I'm punting your ass into next week!"
He snarled out, which didn't really sound scary, since his tone was filled with embarrassment.
Apex only laughed, his form vanishing in an instant.
The others stared for a moment, before quickly standing up and getting ready to fight. Their memories manifesting in golden sparks.
Quentin stepped forward, his shield and sword at the ready, his gaze locked with Sunny's.
"Was it wise for him to leave alone?"
Sunless waved his hand dismissively.
"Sit down, if" He emphasized the "if" part. "If he needs help, I'll step out myself."
He barely finished the sentences as a few explosions rocked the ground, the rhino itself lurching from side to side.
The next moment, Apex was inside, grinning widely.
"Done and forgotten!"
Then he leaned against Sunny's chair once again, seemingly dozing off.
Thanks for reading and support!
[A/N]: Yes, I'm doing author notes here this time.
Why? Important things to mention.
First of all, chapters will come out a bit slower than usual, since a lot more characters to write.
Second of all. This story is going AU.
The timeline will be somewhat the same. However, events will change. Mostly in Antarctica itself.
That's about all I wanted to mention.
Send powerstones!
Review!