Brutal Journey Of An Unfortunate Heroine

Lydis opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, a situation feeling very much like déjà vu. Raising slightly, Lydis's head throbbed intensely. Her head felt like a steel ball, her neck unable to support the weight. Falling heavily into the pillow, Lydis managed to glance around the room briefly.

Heavily reinforced walls, no windows, even the lights were shielded by thick panes. There was a desk in the corner, the chair ad desk welded to the floor. With her bed in the middle, the small room resembled a cell of some sort.

Underneath her covers, something wet pressed against her arm. Alarmed but deathly sore, Lydis could only stare at the drooling mug belonging to Valfafer. His carefree face seemed to soothe her before he began to lick her fake arm, which soon turned into him gnawing on it. Lydis clenched her jaw, anger welling up.

"Va-"

One of the walls slid open to reveal a door. As it swung open Lydis could see the familiar faces of Hal and Haven.

"Lydis!" Haven rushed over and embraced Lydis tightly. Another feeling of déjà vu.

"Haven, restrain yourself. We can't even be sure that this 'Lydis' isn't with the ones who attacked the dorm and, you're still recovering! Why are up and not resting?"

Haven's face scrunched up in a defiant pout, unbefitting someone her age but, Lydis wouldn't mention it then.

"What nonsense are you spewing Hal? How can a child like this harm anyone?" Haven proceeded to lightly pinch Lydis's cheeks bringing up yet another feeling of déjà vu except this time she felt chills.

"It's not nonsense. I found traces of unknown slyphir on the girl we found in the bushes, Edith I think her name was. She's from the adjacent dorm. We found her barely sane after a search of the area, mumbling things like 'obey and sacrifice' or stuff like 'do not touch what is claimed'. The slyphir on Edith matches the traces we found on Lydis's body when we found her."

Hal looked over at Lydis to see if she had any reactions. Seeing that she was just staring at the ceiling in a daze Hal continued.

"We also have footage of you carrying Edith out of the dorm, how can she explain that? You were last seen with Edith and found in the woods near the explosions when everyone was supposed to be gathered at the front. Explain yourself cadet Lydis."

Lydis stared at the ceiling while the silence dragged on. Tilting her head as if remembering something, Lydis slowly turned her head towards Hal, her eyes slightly closed. In a dreamlike trance, Lydis whispered softly,

"…Valfafer… where, where…" Lydis's unfocused eyes stared at something behind Hal. Although it seemed like she was staring right at him, Hal felt that she was seeing something beyond him.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Haven embraced Lydis in another hug, her shoulders shaking slightly. "Hal, can't you see that she's scared? After going through something like that, what child could handle being interrogated?!" Haven's angry tone sealed Hal's questions.

Hal flinched like a scolded child, his eyebags becoming more prominent as he rubbed his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I've just been stressed lately. After that massive slyphir explosion it's been nearly impossible to trace any other slyphir in the area. Someone came to the school, killed over a dozen kids right under our noses, in my dorm, and got away. We let him slip away!" Hal banged on the desk. The impact sent vibrations from the desk to the room. Lydis felt a small vibration as the wave quickly passed.

Hal gritted his teeth and looked at Haven, instantly regretting his choice of words.

Soft and melancholy, Haven smiled bitterly. Her brows furrowed in anguish. She hung her head while holding Lydis's hand.

"You're right. We, I, let him get away…"

"Haven, that's not wh-"

"No, don't sugarcoat it punk, you were never one to even as a kid. It's one of your few redeeming traits if I might add. But, after all the guts and gusto I display, when it really matters, I always fall short. Back then and even now…"

Hal reached out to Haven but pulled his hand back, his white knuckles pressed against his c.h.e.s.t.

"…I'm sorry…"

"See Lydis, brutally honest, that is who Hal is. Hate him or accept him, the choice is yours. But I am sad I won't be around to see your decision." Haven smiled another bitter smile and let go of Lydis's hand.

"Haven, what do you mean?" Hal took a step forward but Lydis had grabbed Haven's finger.

"…Haven…" Lydis looked at Haven with hazy eyes, her small hand loosely dangling onto Haven's fingers.

"Lydis, when you're stable you'll find out either way, you too Hal so I'll just say it now. Central messaged me earlier. To atone for the deaths of seventeen children and one disabled, the parent's will demand an answer, someone to suffer like their children did. I agreed."

Hal grabbed Haven's arm, his anger obvious.

"Are you insane?! Is Central blind? Or are they too busy kissing a.s.s to even care what happened to our school! Seventeen children died and they want the one who fought off the killer to accept punishment?!"

Haven furrowed her brows. The thin dam holding her together breaking.

"You don't need to remind me! Yes, I know seventeen innocent children were murdered! Killed and displayed by a psychopath, even when I had him cornered, he escaped! But what am I supposed to do? How else do I atone for this? How else am I supposed to lift this weight, this crushing weight of their bodies piled on top of me?"

Lydis wanted to do more, say something else but sleep was taking her for real this time. She fought the urge to close her eyelids, but one long blink was all it took. Noticing that Lydis's hand had slipped from her own, Haven glanced back before grimly walking past Hal.

"Please, don't make this any harder than it already is. Goodbye Hal."

Haven pressed on a small pad next to the wall, the door appearing once again. As the door slid open four armed men surrounded the door on the other side. Two armed with large guns while the other two wielding black blades pointed their weapons at Haven. A lady dressed in the blue and gold colors of Central's uniform stood in the middle, her obvious yawn didn't seem to bother the four around her.

"Henny Bellor, formally known as Haven, from something something Academy, uhh, you are under arrest for letting the continent-wide killer, Adler Reeves 'Reaper of the Hollow' escape. Come quietly and there won't be any need for force. I'd hate to chip a nail." The lady stared at her purple nails, never sparing Haven even one glance.

"I am ready." Haven stuck out both hands and stood quietly as two of the guards snapped on arm bands and ankle cuffs.

Hal bit his lower lip before turning to face Haven. Before he could even utter a word, she smashed the keypad outside the door. Automatically, the door slammed shut, Haven's sad smile imprinted in Hal's mind.

Frozen mid-motion, Hal suddenly squatted down, his back turned to Lydis's bed. With his hands covering his face, no one could see the stray tear that managed to tickle down Hal's cheek, nor the other tears that filled the gaps between his fingers.

Softly yet angrily, Hal uttered a word that seemed to contain everything he felt at that moment. His pain, sadness and especially his anger. Anger at the world, at Central for their flawed system, at his own weakness and hesitation, at Haven.

"F*ck…"