With a flash of light, Kael teleported onto the mountain. He held Renjiro tightly in his arms. Beside him stood Sara, carefully holding Azune.
After a few seconds, Renjiro's eyelashes fluttered. His blurry vision slowly cleared. He looked around in confusion and asked, "Where are we?"
Kael looked down. "On Earth."
Just then, Azune opened her eyes slowly. "Brother... where are we?"
Renjiro looked at her. "On Earth."
Kael looked at both of them and nodded. "Yes."
Sara looked around the area, but something felt wrong. An unsettling chill ran down her spine. She pressed her hand against her neck to check her pulse. It was beating incredibly fast.
Kael stood up and pointed toward the car. "Let's go."
They all got into their seats, but Kael noticed Sara was missing. He looked around and saw her standing near a tree, staring blankly at the city below.
Kael walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What happened, Sara?"
Sara stiffened for a split second. Hearing his voice brought her back to reality. She relaxed slightly and said, "Nothing... I just feel something unusual."
Kael gently stroked her head. "Nothing to worry about."
He took her hand and led her toward the car.
But Kael had no idea. The scariest thing of all was already waiting for him at his house.
Kael sat in the driving seat and started the engine. He drove through the streets, heading straight for his home. The ride was quiet. In the back, Azune and Renjiro still looked deeply sad, but they were doing better than before.
Finally, they reached the main gate. Kael rolled down his window and asked the guard, "Are my parents inside the house?"
The guard smiled and nodded. "Yes, young master."
Kael drove through the gates and stopped the car right in front of the bungalow's main door.
He walked up and prepared to knock. But the moment his fist touched the wood, the door slowly creaked open on its own.
Kael rolled his eyes. "My parents forgot to shut the door."
Beside him, Sara's heart suddenly tightened. A terrible feeling washed over her.
Kael stepped inside the house. It was pitch black. The warm, familiar atmosphere of his home was entirely gone.
"Watch your steps," Kael whispered.
The others murmured in agreement, following closely behind.
Kael walked further into the living room. Suddenly, a foul odor hit his nose. It was a horrible, the metalic blood smell.
Before Sara could even utter a word of warning, Kael reached out and flipped the switch.
The lights flooded the room.
Kael's eyes instantly widened in sheer horror.
Tears welled up in Kael's eyes and began to stream down his face uncontrollably.
On the floor lay the lifeless body of his father, Adrian. On the bed, his mother, Elara, lay completely still. Her fingers were brutally broken, as if she had died gripping onto unbearable pain. Traces of tears were still visible on her cold face.
Kael couldn't hold it in anymore. A choked sob escaped his throat, and he fell to his knees, crying out in agony. He was completely shattered.
Sara froze in pure shock. Her legs gave out, and she slid down against the wall, staring at the scene in complete disbelief. This couldn't be real. It felt entirely impossible.
Renjiro looked at the horrific sight. Seeing Kael so broken instantly reminded him of his own past tragedies. He walked up from behind and placed a hand on Kael's shaking shoulder.
When Kael turned his tear-stained face toward him, Renjiro couldn't hold back either. He pulled Kael into a tight, silent hug. Tears spilled from Renjiro's eyes, dripping onto the floor as he shared his friend's heavy grief.
Meanwhile, Azune rushed over and tightly wrapped her arms around Sara. The embrace broke Sara's trance, and she burst into loud, agonizing tears.
"They loved me so much," Sara sobbed, her voice trembling. "They always treated me like their own daughter. They never made me feel like an outsider."
Kael was entirely paralyzed by his grief, unable to move or think. Seeing this, Renjiro knew he had to step up. He pulled out his phone and dialed the authorities.
"Hello? Send backup immediately," Renjiro said into the receiver, his voice tight. "Someone has murdered the Redgrave elders."
Before long, flashing red and blue lights illuminated the dark estate. The police rushed inside the bungalow, face-to-face with the grim fate of Adrian and Elara Redgrave.
The paramedics loaded the bodies into the back of the medical van. One of the officers turned to Kael with a solemn face. "We are taking them for a postmortem examination."
Kael's heart shattered all over again. "No!" he screamed, trying to rush forward. "Leave them alone!"
The officer placed a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder. "Sir, please cooperate with us. This is necessary for the investigation."
Kael's strength vanished. He fell to his knees, his gaze fixed blankly on the floor. "Alright..." he whispered. His voice shivered violently. He gripped Renjiro's hand tightly, using his friend to keep himself from collapsing completely.
Nearby, Sara remained slumped against the wall. Her eyes were completely empty, lost in a trance of pure shock.
News of the brutal murder of Adrian and Elara Redgrave spread like wildfire.
Within hours, the Redgrave estate was crowded with people. Neighbors and acquaintances arrived to offer their condolences. But they weren't the only ones. Many distant relatives rushed to the house as well.
They spoke of "business ethics" and corporate duties, but their eyes held nothing but greed. They didn't care about the tragedy. They only cared about who would take control of the massive Redgrave business empire now that the heads were dead.
Renjiro recognized these types of people instantly. He had seen this disgusting greed before. Disgusted by the fake sympathy around them, Renjiro carefully guided Kael over to the sofa. At the same time, Azune helped Sara over and sat her down next to him.
A person walked up to the sofa, squeezing Kael's hand tightly. They placed a glass of water in front of him. "Drink some water, Kael. You need to stay strong."
Kael didn't touch it. He didn't even look up. He was completely trapped in his own darkness. He didn't care about the business, the relatives, or the future. He just wanted the world to disappear so he could cry out all of his pain.