12 Chapter 11

RAIN

"CAN we stop and rest for a while? We had been traveling for hours now and it draining the hell out of me!"

I shook my head when I heard Lu complained again.

She had been complaining for so many times already since we left the academy for our mission.

The council gave us a mission far away from the academy. It was actually from other dimensions. All elites were included in this mission. And because I was the new member of elites, I had the chance to go with them.

It's been a month since the challenge and the academy returned to normal. The ruins were being taken care of.

And because I begged them to keep my identity a secret, I hid my real face in the mask I was using since I came to Salabidus.

"Bitch, we still have a long way to go. You're not the only one who's tired but are we complaining? Are we? So could you please stop complaining now before I get irritated and feed you to the hungry souls? Get your asses together and continue walking. We got no time for even just a rest," Rey spoke with a mysterious smile plastered on her lips.

Lu stomped her feet. "This is so tiring! Why don’t we use Storm’s ability so we could get to Cristales in just a span of time? This was not what I expected when I decided to come and do the mission with you."

I frowned. If she continued doing that, Rey would really make her threat into reality.

"Lu, we are outside the academy. It means there are many enemies lurking around us. If Storm uses his power, they could sense it and we will be in grave danger," Erin explained.

I quietly agreed with what she said. With what Storm possessed in his body, we will definitely be able to attract opponents especially those who wanted to use them on experiments.

I looked at Sere when I felt her staring at me.

"Hm?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I was just glad you are here with us."

I just smiled at her and ran until I reached Storm who was already meters away from us.

"Aren't you tired?" He asked me when I got close to him.

"No. I'm actually excited. This is the first time I would be doing this so I could only feel excitement. I like the sudden rise of adrenaline that my body's emitting," I replied animatedly.

He looked at me and smiled slightly. "I could see that."

I just smiled and matched his pace then started telling him about my past.

---

DERENE

I just smiled when I saw the two in front talking. Actually, Rain was the only one talking while Storm's just listening. But I could hear his subtle laugh.

Storm's never like that to us. Every time we talk, he was serious. He never asked about how we were or share his personal life and problems.

But when it comes to Rain, he becomes a different person.

I felt someone walk beside me so I looked at my left.

"They’ll melt if you keep staring at them like that.”

I laughed at what Diego said. "They’ll probably not melt. They’re powerful. I'm just amazed because I see Storm happy and smiling. It's too unusual for me."

He smiled. "He deserves to be happy. Let him be."

I was about to answer him when Lu started complaining again. Probably out of annoyance, Reya stopped her from speaking by sealing her lips which made Nero laugh out loud. And before the two could go on a rampage, Serenity scolded them.

"Stop it, you two. You act like kids from a big figures. Avoid using your powers in this place."

Finally, the two stopped and just walked away far from each other.

After a three hour walk we reached the portal tree which will take us to Cristales- the land of all the riches in the world.

Rain and Storm entered first and the twins followed. Diego and I stopped to make sure no one followed us. And when everything was fine, we followed. What awaited us from the other dimension was not something I expected.

----

LUCY

This clock immediately pulled me to the ground when an arrow almost pierced my skull.

"Damn! What was that for?" I exclaimed as I recovered from the shock brought by that sudden attack.

This land of Cristales wasn't what I expected. What I had in mind was that when we step into the world of riches, glittering soil and plants would greet us.

But what's this? Plants were dead. Debris was everywhere. There were lots of blood splattered on the ground and every corners. I xould also hear screams that's too painful to hear.

Did we enter the wrong portal?

"We didn't, Lu. This is Cristales. Once upon a time, this was the richest land. But after so many years, without us knowing, it became the poorest of the poorest. No one knows what happened exactly. But I guess this is connected to our mission, "Rey said to me while cleaning her hands and fixing her clothes.

When I look at my colleagues, they were doing the same.

We ran quickly and hid in the collapsed part of the building when we almost got involved in the war.

When did this war started happening that everything around us was already crushed?

We needed to get the two stones before everything would not go according to the plan.

"Why is it that we were sent here without even saying what is happening here." Erin murmured.

Maybe this was not she was expecting, too.

"Stop the time, Nero."

I looked at Storm when he said that.

I looked at the clock next to me and glared at him when he suddenly took my right hand. I always got surprised when he did that.

"Hold mine my hand tightly. Never let go." He seriously uttered.

When I held his hand tightly like he said, everyone and everything except us stopped.

There were bullets still in the air. And knives, and daggers, and swords, etc.

Derene and Erin did not let go of the two of us but the other six left earlier and went for a walk.

We also started walking while looking around.

"No traces of precious stones could be found." Sere whispered softly not far from us.

"Maybe they hid it in a safe place away from thieves." Rain speculated.

"Let's go find that place," Rey said seriously.

Nero and I stared at the three and to each other. These three had connected minds.

Storm did not speak but he began to walk on the opposite road to the north.

We could do nothing but follow him.

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