Lexxus

<Guardian Adams. Where heading now.> Kylie spoke through our open line. She was one of those we summoned to attack the nest, along with one wolf Vultair suggested and an Angel named Eligor with them.

I stood up on our mini-camp, faced a large map laid on the long table with pins pierced into it marking the places that would be the probable location of the nest. All the other men surround me, waiting for the commands I'll throw at them while Solem still hasn't spoken to me.

<Johann.> I connected with him, mapped his location on my head. He's still in the hospital, just beside Alexiese as his vitals shows on the invisible screen in my mind. <Is Solem there? I can't track her. I can't see her location. Is there something bad happening there?> I asked, my fear was clinging into my sanity.

<The city is quiet here, Lexxus. Did Solem came back down? I can't track her too. What's happening?> Johann replied. The sweat continues to tickle down my face. My heart throbbing.

Something's wrong.

"Guardian, there's another wave coming." Vultair announced, as he walked inside the small tent we built as our base for now, placed just near the entry burrow to the hidden Undercity.

"All pack up! Prepare for another fight! One minute. After that make a line like what we did before, do your best to protect the Undercity! Move!" I commanded as everyone hurriedly ran past each other, drank water, grabbed their weapons, and soon everyone vanished from the place. Amethyst threw me a glance before she walks out of the tent, her brows furrowed to the center as her eyes held questions she suppressed to ask. I lowered my head, as the frustration of Solem's sudden disappearance builds up on me.

I was never a leader. Solem was. But I need to gratify her trust on giving me this while she was gone, doing what she said she'd be doing.

I rushed to prepare myself for the upcoming wave. Our assassination team are still on the move, for now I can't risk their lives because of the frustrations I'm feeling. I heaved a deep sigh before grabbing my sword, walked towards the exit of the tent, to be welcomed by line of warriors who's willing to spare their lives for the safety of the Undercity.

Minutes later, a red lining appear from the distant horizon we were facing, hordes of our enemies are now heading to our position. The wolves started to morph, the angel's summoned their Celestial swords. I took out my sword from its steel scabbard. I was about to shout my command to prepare when Vultair's wolf form growled, catching my attention. I turned my head, only to see Johann and Alexiese, both wearing battle suits. Johann was the first to talk.

"What the heck the two of you are doing here?! And Alexiese, your eyes!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. Johann gave me that million-dollar smile of his, and Alexiese remained serious. They both turn their heads back to the gate and my eyes widen more than it already was.

People, a lot of them, wears battle suits too. The others wear Legion breastplates; the others wear those like ours. They were all armed with swords, as it reflected rays of light only a diamond can do. Then, Peter emerged after all of them made another thick line extended from ours.

"Peter, what are you all doing here?" I walked towards him, as he stood there waiting for me.

"They insisted. They say they can't just stay waiting while you all defend and fight for them. They want to help. The day after we finished the surgery of Alexiese one of the man there talked to me and insisted me to make them weapons. Just in time when Alexiese wakes up, we were heading towards here, as they get along with us.

"What happened to your eyes man?" I directed towards Alexiese, who's staring at the thick red line at the horizon.

"It was a long story. Where's Solem?" He said, her eyes look at mine. The other bloodshot red, like when he morphs into his vampire stature, the other one was left like his normal eye. Whatever Peter did during his surgery must have gotten bad to his system for him to have that Heterochromia pair of eyes.

"Where's Simon?" Johann asked, interfering my answer to Alexiese's question. It's been days since I last saw Simon, it's really odd that he wasn't here where he supposed to advise us on strategies.

"Both Solem and Simon weren't here?" Peter asked, his forehead scrunched up, his age looking more evident.

"And we can't locate them to the system locators." I said, butterflies started to fly in my stomach. I wish it wasn't because something bad happened to her.

"Is the manpower enough here?" Alexiese asked once again, his heterochromia eyes held panic inside, but he held his ground and sounded calm as ever. I nodded, and that was all he need before he looked at Johann, they both nodded at each other and decided to leave us. They left a message through our private line of communication.

<We'll be looking for her. Take care of the defense here. As soon as we found her we'll be relaying you a message immediately.> he said, as soon as they were already both out of our sight. I faced the line of supernaturals, with a new addition of human warriors, all bearing faces that only tell one word.

We are now ready to fight.

Their eyes locked at me, their body sturdy straight and alert. I nodded as I continued what I was about to do a while ago. I raised my sword, the pitch black steel of obsidian shined when light hit its surface. The thick red line of the horizon becomes more clear as they head their way to us, low growls escape from the Wolves throats as they felt the presence of the incoming wave of demons.

I breath in and out, closing my eyes before finally saying the last words these warriors were waiting from me.

"READY!" sound of steel grasp and brush the scabbards, as all of them took it out from its home simultaneously. "DEFEND THE CITY! FIGHT FOR HUMANITY!" I screamed, as it then followed by their chants of approval. The Wolves howl, as our Promise of Killing them all surge's through our veins, marks on our minds, etched in our hearts.

Defend the City, Fight for Humanity.

Defend the City, Fight for Humanity.

Defend the City, Fight for Humanity.

Defend the City, Fight for Humanity.

Defend the City, Fight for Humanity.

We chanted again and again, as our enemies came nearer and nearer to us. Our united voices sounded like a roar. Our hearts blazed with anger and seeks for justice for the people that died;

Friends... Family... Relatives... Children...Partners... Companions... the King... Comrades... Pack members... Ex-warriors... Loved ones... Innocent's...

All of them. All of them who died in the most disgusting way. All of them who doesn't deserved to die without a cost. All of them who weren't given a chance to prove their place in this world. All of them who will remain to our minds forever.

This is a commemoration for their deaths.

"WEAPON'S UP!" I commandeered. "STAND LOW!"

Unknown

Alexiese and Johann, the Piscean and Scorp Guardian, walks faster as their eyes scans each area to see a trace of the Ariean that could lead them to where she is now. They could feel her presence, the connection between each Guardian was still strong. Wild beats of heart fill the invisible screens on their mind; from those on the battlefield, filled with their pursuit of Justice. From both of them, filled with nervous and fear. From the assassination group deployed, filled with urge to continue seeking.

But there's something only the Scorp guardian could feel.

Since after Alexiese marked Solem, even after being a full human now, he can still feel her presence. He can feel the frustration, the anxiety, the fear lurking on Solem's body where ever she was right now.

And it terrifies him more. Now that he is full human, without supernatural abilities, he was not sure anymore if he can protect Solem. His abilities back then were so handy, everything was easy for him. And when Johann told him the moment he wakes up from the hospital that the only way to save his life from grave death was to turn him human, he understands his point, but being human was something he was not used to.

Since He was a child, his father trained him to control his abilities, and even more often when Johann left him alone at his father's tight grasp. King Alexandrov often told Alexiese that he'll be thankful soon when he realized what it was all meant for, and he was right. He had been able to save Solem from death because of it, but it was all too late for him to thank his father.

His eyes sores again, warns for tears to fall. He held back his self, remained his composure. His mind shouldn't be clouded with other things for now, he should focus on finding Solem or traces she left.

"Pathetic humans." I murmured.

On the other side of the Undercity...

The Ariean guardian winced, as the enchantment surges inside her body when her back brushed the steel bars. Her body weakens, and her sword slipped away from her hand. Infront of her Simon stood, beside him his ally of the conspiracy they plotted from the day Simon's long lost memory came back.

He grabbed Solem's neck, pushed her to the steel bar hardly. Solem shivers as the enchantment surges again to her body. She screams, her cries echoed along the dark chambers hidden from the thick walls of the Undercity. It was loud, desperate for help, but no one can hear. Simon laughed, his sound was grim and deadly. His ally who stood beside summoned a bloodshot trident, a symbol of his supremacy in hell, a weapon of greed power. The other was about to swish it to the Guardian but Simon stopped him.

"We still need her. The trace of grace in her bloodline is too vital for our plans." Simon said, his voice sent shivers to Solem. The Guardians eyes held fear and disappointment to herself. She was blinded. She never saw this coming. She never suspected the conspiracy behind her back, and even infront of her eyes. She trusted Simon so much, she trusted everyone so much it caused the near permanent disappearance of humanity from the land they once believed their haven and sanctuary.

D*mn it. She cursed on her mind, the frustration about this sudden revelation drives her to insanity.

I smiled, my eyes scanned every angle, every point. I enjoy this little drama so much; Two lovers separated and finding their way back to each other, two siblings reaching out to the lost time in between them, mere people whose fighting for their survival, dumb Guardians who was unable to see the plot made against them by the whole world. Everything was obvious, but they try very hard to fight their own fate.

"Should I make my way now and cut his little drama my father created?" I asked myself, my eyes closed as I watch every vision I see on my head through their eyes. My smile grew wider, I opened my eyes slowly, the light welcomed my sight. It was a bit painful, but I was already used to it. I sat straight, my arms were spread wide, and I let myself fall off from where I watch all of them.

Alexiese

I slowly feel myself lose hope to be able to find Solem again. Our connection weakened.

"No please. That can't be." I whispered, the only reason for our ties to weaken is when one of us is close to death. I felt a hand tap my shoulder, Johann gave me a thin smile, enough for me to draw some encouragement from him. Were still not that good, my questions about him and why he left was still unanswered. I know he was trying to catch up with me and fix things up, especially now that were left alone without our parents.

Our feet brought us to the last place we will be searching, the Library.

We entered the hall filled with tall shelves of book, wooden tables line up on the entrance of each section. I walked and glance into each corner, in each section. Johann search the other side. I found a familiar table, the table I last saw Solem together with Simon as they talked about my father, I eavesdrop on their conversation that day, lied at Solem about what I already heard. The hatred I feel about my Father and his doings had been multiplied after what I heard that time.

I loathe his stupid and absurd decisions, his actions, his mindset, the greed that build up on his mind, and soon I begun to hate him as a whole. But... I miss my father, the one who took care of me and Johann after the first apocalypse exposed. The old him untainted with greed and power. It was his fault he died, his karma finally caught him up.

I sat to the same seat Solem occupied back then, absent mindedly glance at the brick wall beside. My mind was filled with memories of Solem, my heart drums madly because of the fear that I might lose her too. When I lose Father, I must admit I still regretted that I haven't once told him that I love him beside the fact that he become a monster. The pain that lurks deep inside me, resurfaces.

I want to mourn for his death, but everything was fast paced I might regret more if I wouldn't fulfill my duties firsthand before any other. I need to force myself to set aside the things that only concerns me.

Seconds later Johann walked to my place, head low. I know he's also starting to lose hope. The link that connects Solem from all of us the Guardians with the help of that nanochip implanted inside her skull was our only hope, yet it wasn't giving us any information about her whereabouts. Solem never disappeared just because she comes tired about everything, she was not that kind of person.

I walked up to the wall and punched it hard, all my frustration was held into that action, attempting to discharge those negative feelings that heavies my heart. Pain seeped through my knuckles who was still on the wall, but something caught my senses more than the pain. There's an indifference in the walls surface. My eyes dropped down to the place where my feet stood. Fragments of dust that withhold the color that were same as the color of the brick wall laid silently below the sole of my hard boots. Their distinct color made them more easy to distinguish against the dust on the floor.

I held my sword, brought it out of its sheath, as my other hand search the indifferences on the wall that were hidden in plain sight. Johann helped me, and a hidden door emerged as we continually scraped blindly on the wall. I stepped back when he used his inhuman strength to pull the door sideways, as it opens it revealed a dark chamber.

"We will need a torch." I said, but he shrugged it off.

"I can see through the dark clearly. Besides, we shouldn't attract suspicion from whoever was inside there. It's either we find Solem inside or we find danger." He said, and without any further words we stepped inside the dark pathways of the hidden chamber.

I clutch my hand tightly at the hem of shirt Johann wears under his iron breastplate armor, as we made our way inside. He led our way, since he still bears in his blood the vampire's, I am sure enough his sight was clearer than those of an owl.

Not long after wandering the dark aisles, we heard a distant low cries.

Cries of pain.

And I recognize that voice too much it hurts me without seeing her agony with my own eyes.

"Solem..." I whimpered, my heart tightened inside my chest.

"We will save her, just don't make a scene for now until we find out how we can get her out of here." He tapped my shoulder lightly. "And not until we find out who was hiding in this chambers."

AHHHHHHHHHH!

My knees weakened hearing her cries once again. My hands trembling and my eyes started to swell. My jaw hardened, I need to get through this or I wouldn't be able to save Solem.

We walked slowly, carefully, with each steps muted.

"We will just wait for the right timing, then we'll attack. Can you contact the others?" Johann murmured.

"The walls are thick; the signals won't get through." I answered, voice as low as the hush of calm wind. He nodded as an answer, and I think we will be doing this on our own.

"Ready brother?" I nodded.

-------------------------

Solem

My body dropped to the floor, my strength continuously diminishing. I grunted as I tried to move my body, and it only adds pain.

"W-hy..." I said in gritted teeth. "...A-are y-ou... do-ing this... Si-mon?"

He smiled, while the demon king laughed. They both looked at me after, astonishment sparkles through their eyes.

"Poor guardian." Seth shook his head. "You really hadn't picked any idea about the plot revolving for you." My brows furrowed. With a lift of Simon's hand, I felt a force strangle my neck, choking and blocking the passageway of air from my lungs. I tried pushing off the presence, but there's none against my hand.

He can control particles around him now?

"The whole world, heaven, and underworld, are working against your existence. Why still fight? It wasn't as if you'll win." He laughed.

Seconds later the force that strangles me disappeared, as Simon's hand lowered. But then a trident was pushed near my throat, with one wrong move I'm sure I'll be pierced by its sharp edges. Simon then motioned me to follow him while the trident is still aimed on me, bringing me into another secret chamber in which he opened by just waving his hand.

Inside, a wall in the center of the chamber caught my eyes, with chains on four corners and a table beside full of weapons. An invisible force once again controlled my whole body, bringing me to the wall with my arms spread wide. The chains then locked into my wrists, the other two in both my ankles.

"I need to get back to the Guardians, brother. Or their suspicion will rise further before we finished our plans." Simon said to the other, and the other just nodded at him. When he turned to me his eyes are all black, no white space is seen. His smile is wider than normal, and its giving me the feeling that I won't enjoy that smile on his face.

"This will be fun, Guardian." He chuckled, his voice grim. "I won't kill you yet though, I assure you that. But I can't promise no pain." His laugh then filled the chamber.

His eyes roamed to the weapons on the table, one by one he lifts it up, checking its sharp edges and looking at me. He settled holding a spear, and smiled again at me before walking to a distance. Seconds later, he was aiming the spear at me, like I'm a target board and he was practicing on a paper.

Without further ado, he released the spear. It pierced to my stomach, making a large wound and a river of blood flowing from it. My ears deafened by my own scream. My eyes are now seeing nothing but red, as my breathing comes desperate.

"I'm not yet done." He said, and the spear was pulled out from me. My cries echoed the chamber again. My feet become numb, and my eyes started to became hazy.

"P—ple—ase... s—stop." I begged. He aims the spear again from a distance. With another devil smile he released the spear and it hit my right leg. All I can do was cry.