53 Family P & C 25

Sparks flew around the moment Kil's fist collided with Noel's knife. Noel rolled to the side, dodging Kil's punch that created a hole at the spot he was just.

He had lost much blood and felt less confident about fighting Kil. The only upside was that Kil had no ghosts to power himself up. From the ground to the wall, running across the floor, the fight relentlessly continued, draining more of Noel's strength while Kil was fine.

Worry flashed through Noel's mind. Was it the right decision to let Lia go? It was clear he was overwhelmed by Kil's sheer brute and needed help. But it was less important than preventing to reveal Lia's identity to Kil. Especially, not letting him catch on that she was the user of the power controlling the undead.

Fickle couldn't even begin to describe it. Noel was lost in his thoughts for only single second, enough for Kil to close the distance between them.

"Just give up," Kil's face was dangerously close to Noel's.

"Then you throw the towel first," Noel smirked grabbing Kil's hand which held his shirt and twisted his body out of the hold.

His feet touched the ground and he quickly jumped a few steps back, widening the distance between them.

"Tho you're right, there's no point to fight," helping himself to his feet, Noel wiped the blood off his face.

"There isn't?" Kil was hot-blooded. Despite telling Noel to give up, the fight excited him.

He wasn't allowed to duel anyone from the private army. Constantly fighting ghosts was just dull and lacked the adrenaline rush he searched for.

His opponent right now wasn't weak by no means. He held his ground against him with no powers. If he had powers, then it'd be a blast to fight against him.

Kil even wished right now he could give Noel power to fight him to his heart's content.

However, he was also aware of why he and his father were here. This facility was important to Min, so Kil couldn't waste his time idly playing around.

If Noel gave up, he wouldn't mind letting him go, so he could become stronger. Kil needed to hurry to his father's side. He felt conflicted.

The brief time of peace gave Noel enough time to recover. Various sensations pulled on his body. It was a first for him to fight against such a terrific opponent.

Kil only stood there, seemingly lost in thoughts. Noel wondered what went through his mind.

"Alright, let's end it here," Kil spoke up after a while, "No point. Bummer. Next time we fight, hope you become stronger, then I destroy you."

Kil laughed. The knife fell from Noel's hand which twitched in pain. Next time?

"True… but the results will be different," Noel was tired yet he still held his guards up. Kil's words couldn't be trusted.

As Kil headed to the door, the metal shatters shriekingly retreated, revealing the bright light of the morning.

Both of them stopped.

This was an opportunity for Noel.

This was a miscalculation of Kil. His father or Elder P would never open the shutter. Something was wrong.

"Thins changed," Kil charged at Noel who reacted too late, "You come with me."

All strength left Noel the minute he relaxed and now he couldn't gather it back. No matter how he struggled, freeing himself from Kil was impossible. Out of his eye corner, he saw a figure rushing at them.

Noel kicked his leg against Kil as the figure made impact with the figure. The corpse staggered back, apparently lost before it took Noel and placed him in its arm.

Four wide eyes met. Kil and Noel both didn't know what was going on when the corpse carried Noel away.

Almost past the entrance, Kil roared, "You're the one with the damn power?"

This misunderstanding caused Kil to change his mind and run after them.

"To the ground floor!" Noel told the corpse but it ignored him and went up the floors. It wasn't listening to him. It hid on the third floor, cowering next to a table.

Noel wanted to get off but as a result the corpse only held him closer. His face turned blank. Just what in the world did Lia order her corpses to do?

"Ground floor, down," but any kind of communication was shot down by the corpse until Kil caught up.

"Finished running?" he strolled to Noel. The corpse waited until he was close enough before bolting out of the floor.

It ran upstairs until it arrived on the fifth floor. The minute Noel saw the corpses of Elder P and C, he knew what the corpse was doing. It seemed Lia was here just a second ago and the corpse tried to find its master. But where did she go? There was no sight of her at the stairs.

The corpse aimlessly walked around. Noel didn't even bother talking to it again, it would obviously be useless.

The owner couldn't be found, so the corpse made its way to the door, coming face to face with Kil.

Kil reached his hands out, the corpse evaded, leaving the line of sight open for Kil to see his dead father.

This was bad. Noel slapped the corpse and grabbed the doorframe, pulling himself closer to the door. Kil walked past them to his father's dead body.

The corpse held Noel tighter and was dragged along with Noel's pitiful attempt to convey to the corpse to leave.

It seemed the corpse was finally willing to obey, rushing down the stairs when Kil's angry voice roared behind him.

"I'm going to kill you! Your damn corpses killed my father, I-" he was too far away to reach Noel's ears.

"Out of the door," Noel hastily said. The corpse caught on and ran towards the area where light flushed in, making it seem like the gates to heaven.

As they finally left the facility, found themselves on the earthy ground, Noel didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

From the ground, with dirty hands, Lia just stood up and turned to them. Her view instantly fell on the helpless Noel who was carried like a princess by her corpse.

Her lips turned into a fine line and she narrowed her eyes. Don't laugh, she told herself. But mentally she engraved the sight into her mind.

"I can see what you think. Order it to let me go!" Noel seemed exasperated.

This was a great opportunity to tease him but his next words caused her to be serious, "Kil's after me."

The next second, Noel stood on his own feet and grabbed Lia to hide behind a tree. The two corpses followed suit. Noel didn't question her ability and Lia didn't know how he found out. In hindsight, it probably wasn't hard for him to count one and one together.

They heard loud noises. Form the entrance, Kil came bolting out. He walked in a few circles, raging before he stopped and then stormed off.

They waited for a few more minutes, making sure Kil was completely gone before coming out. Then ending up sitting on the floor.

"Who did you bury here?" Noel was sharp, so Lia wasn't surprised.

The actual surprising thing was that he didn't question her power. If he didn't talk about it, then she wouldn't actively reveal anything.

"Phil. He was badly wounded. I couldn't' save him."

"You're not a healer," Noel tried to cheer her up.

She felt funny. Even more so when he searched for words. His mouth opened and closed. Nothing came out. A moment of silence stunned them.

"Nessa?"

"Dead. Barn?"

"Dead."

None of them continued the topic.

Lia stood up, "I want to give them a proper burial."

Noel nodded and entered with her once again the facility.

Another reason was that she wanted to retract her soul pieces.

The sun hung high in the sky. It was already afternoon when Lia and Noel finished burying everyone. They knelt in front of the graves.

The pleasant breeze surrounded them and with a gust of a strong one, it seemed all of the passed one's sorrow, anguish and souls were carried to the high sky.

And from heaven where they would start a new comforting life, they looked upon the immortal world and spoke their last grievances.

Only passing on their wishes to those who remained in front of their graves. Leaves flew around and silently fell on the small hills of earth.

Neither spoke as they wanted to hear the tranquil melody flowing around every part of this place before it turned violent condemning the facility. Then, for all that it mattered, it turned silent.

As if nature itself wanted to show a respectful farewell to the deceased.

Slowly, creeping in like regret, the night came.

"Let's go," Noel was the first to stand up and gently shook Lia.

They walked side by side along the paths through the mountains, leaving behind a memory that was filled with lingering regret and disappearing warmth.

It ended. Finally, these hellish days have ended. For everyone. They could all lay to rest now.

***

At the same time, the starry sky blinked upon Kil who finally arrived at the capital. His whole family has been wiped out and he was the sole survivor.

Even though he didn't care, it would be all lie to say he didn't mourn them.

At the headquarters of the private army, Kil straight walked to the meeting hall. He long stopped being surprised to see that Min seemingly controlled everything that was going on.

Even now, Kil felt Min knew what would happen and that he would come back tonight.

"And?" Min's long fingers moved along the table before his deep eyes laid on Kil.

"Got them," Kil pulled out two golden cores from his robe.

"Good job," Min's small smile showed he was in a good mood. It was easier accomplished than he thought.