Chapter-102

"Where is she?"

"Rina, you don't have to ask that kind of thing." Haru immediately noticed the change in the stranger's gaze; the atmosphere became gloomy.

"She is not here anymore."

"My mom is not here either." The girl carefully caressed the necklace. Looking up, she met the man's curious blue eyes. Smiling, she handed him the necklace, saying, "But you know something, sir? I'm sure your little sister is fine... She must be in heaven! Next to my mommy!"

"..."

"My older sister Caede says that no matter what, the family will always be together even if some are no longer there. They will always be there, supporting us, helping us, and watching us continue our lives." The girl's words were full of hope and security, as if what she had just said was the absolute truth.

"You have a very good sister." Smiling, the giant put the necklace back around his neck.

"It's true! And she's also single." Smiling mischievously, she gave her older sister a funny look. "Do you think she's pretty? You can ask her out. The poor thing never had an appointment before."

"Fight!" The brunette shouted, embarrassed and furious, feeling her face burn from the laughter of her other sisters. "I've told you thousands of times not to speak like Haru! You'll get hair on your tongue!"

"I'm not a baby anymore, sister. I know that's not true."

"Well, you know what else isn't true? The tooth fairy. The whole time, I was the one who put the money under your pillow."

"What?! It can't be true!"

"You said it. You are not a baby. Welcome to adulthood, where everything is more bitter and boring."

"You destroyed my childhood, Caede! Being this bitter, no one will give you love, and you will be a boring old woman who raises cats!"

"Haru drives and sees old Roro go down the road! Ruri, give me soap! This brat needs a good mouthwash for telling so many meaningless lies!"

The giant couldn't contain a laugh when he saw the playful fight between sisters. The argument reached a stalemate, and in the end, they all laughed together.

But the laughter ceased when the wooden cart abruptly stopped. "Hold on... we have a problem."

The named woman poked her head out of the cart and saw a large stone barrier blocking the road, with dozens of people standing guard.

"Stay here... I'm going to talk." Her order was not refuted by the other girls, who watched as the oldest of the group got out to negotiate with the guards.

Most were men, and a few young women, all eyeing the stranger cautiously. She approached with her hands raised, showing she came in peace.

"We want to pass."

"One hundred pieces of gold..."

The brunette pursed her lips in annoyance. They didn't have that amount, and even if they did, what would be left for them? The essence of this trip was a better life, and as bad as it sounds, without money, there are no second chances.

"This is a route created by Avatar Kyoshi 450 years ago. Since when do you have to pay to pass?" she questioned curiously, hiding her frustration. The mocking smile of the guards only fueled her irritation.

"Nothing is free." That a girl Rína's age said that was a bitter pill for the brunette. The earthbenders seemed more like a tribe of opportunists than a group of mercenaries, taking advantage of those unfortunate enough to cross their path. "If you don't want to be crushed, turn around and leave!" The girl screamed, lifting the earth under Caede's feet, making her fall.

The laughter of the earthbenders worsened the situation. Gritting her teeth, the burly brunette reached for her belt where she had a knife, but her fingers only grazed the blade.

The spectators looked interested as the strong woman took off her jacket, revealing her slim figure and breasts contained by a bra.

Caede remained on her knees, gazing down under the lustful stares of several of the masters, wearing a look of resignation and a horrible taste in her mouth. She locked eyes with the leader of the wall clan.

"You can do whatever you want with me... just let us through... please." She regretted uttering those words and wished she could cut her own tongue out.

"You finally speak our language! I would have started with that."

At least she achieved her goal; the great wall was lowered, clearing the road. Without a word, she let the group leader take her arm and drag her to the shops on the side of the road.

"It'll just be a few hours of fun for me and the boys, then you can go with all your friends. Does that sound like a reasonable deal?"

"Yes..." she muttered under her breath. She said nothing more when pushed into a tent and forced to lie down on some dirty furs.

"Don't worry, you'll enjoy it too."

"..." Caede's gaze was stone as the earthbender's hands roamed her body, knowing that, no matter how much she washed, she would never feel clean again.

"Ahg...!"

But before he could advance further, he stopped, paralyzed by an indescribable sensation of pain.

He was overshadowed by a large silhouette with fingers dug into his neck, his bones shattering like glass, and his vocal cords severed.

Caede looked in disbelief at the giant who had helped them. The earthbender was lifted effortlessly, writhing desperately in an attempt to free himself from the grip.

However, he was thrown out of the store.

The entire clan watched in disbelief as their leader was unexpectedly thrown into the middle of the camp. Before they could help him, the heavy footsteps of a dark silhouette were heard, approaching the earthbender who was trying to drag himself away from that monster.

But his head was obliterated by the stranger's foot, creating a gruesome scene of blood and flesh that splattered in all directions.

That triggered all the members of the clan to attack the man who had killed their leader.

As for Caede, she remained silent inside the store, unable to move a single muscle when she heard rumblings, thunders, and unpleasant tears that made her feel a lump in her throat. Several minutes passed until the noises stopped.

Slowly, the brunette got dressed and walked out of the store, only to cover her mouth and fight the reflex to vomit.

Arms.

Legs.

Heads.

All scattered around the camp.

"Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The last survivor, apparently the earthbender girl, crawled on the ground without an arm, losing gallons of blood in minutes. Her escape attempt ended when she was grabbed by her head.

The stranger's hand was so big that he had no problem surrounding the girl's head. "..." With a look that reflected only disgust and repudiation, he began to squeeze the earthbender's head.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Ahhhhh! Please no!" Her cries of pleading were unheard. She had to feel her skull slowly fracturing, with blood coming down from her eyes and nose. She gave one last scream when her head finally burst into pieces.

"..." Caede had to witness the body of a girl, Rína's age, fall with a sharp blow, severed, and with slight spasms as blood leaked. With her heart in her throat, the woman felt small and terrified when that monster's gaze fell on her.

"We don't have to keep them waiting," but he just gave her a calm smile while taking a piece of cloth to clean the blood staining his hands. "Come..."

"..." Fear did not even allow her to resist when he took her hand and made her pass between the bodies of the camp. They both walked until they reached their carriage, where a worried Haru was waiting for them, watching curiously as the two left the forest.

"Everything's fine?" She asked, worried, seeing the intense and horrified look on Caede's face. Without saying anything, Caede climbed into the cart.

"We can pass now." His companion seemed relaxed as he took the old rhino's ropes to guide him along the path.

Haru nodded, still surprised. The wall and the guards who were there before were no longer there, and in the distance, a camp was deserted.

"…" But the beautiful brown girl noticed the blood staining the stranger's clothes. When she was about to say something, she felt a hand squeeze her shoulder tightly.

"Do not say anything."

Never in his life had Haru seen his best friend so serious and at the same time so tense. Her voice was on the verge of breaking, and her eyes focused only on him.

Several minutes passed as Caede sat in the driver's seat with Haru, both in tense silence until they passed the mountains and reached a more open road.

"I think that's enough," the subject murmured, releasing the beast's ties and turning around to look at the two girls who tensed before his gaze.

"Wow!" Both Caede and Haru were excited when little Rína left the race to run alongside the traveler. "I was getting bored of traveling like this. I have so much energy I could run all day!"

"I think so," smiling at the joy of the girl running around him, "Although it was fun traveling with you, it's time to go our separate ways."

"Hmm? So soon?" Rína asked, disappointed.

"I'm afraid so..." Kneeling down, the giant caressed the girl's hair.

All under the gaze of Caede, who wanted to scream with all her might to not dare touch the girl, with the same hand she used to murder another in such a brutal way.

"Well... It was fun traveling with you, sir!" The girl squealed with joy as she tightly hugged the stranger who hugged her back with the same affection.

"It was, little one..." Separating from her, he looked at Caede one last time; their gazes collided, and after a few seconds, he just gave her a cheerful smile. "I hope we can meet again sometime in a new world of peace and tranquility."

"..."

The other girls and the little waterbender said goodbye to him, while a trembling Caede stood by, watching the man get lost in the dark forest.

The brunette could only pray to the heavens that no matter the circumstance, she would never cross paths with that man again.

No…he wasn't a man.

He was a monster.