Sharing Pain

Silence descended atop the area as everyone intently listened to Eric's past; his story. Even the spectators halted their chatters, lowering their heads and sympathizing with Eric as he spilt his heart out, revealing the day of his "true" death.

An awkward atmosphere formed as no one dared to speak, even after Eric finished the story. Many had similar stories and had lost loved ones to the so-called apocalypse. Only after listening to such a depressing past did the others realize how lucky they were to be alive.

Maxwell stared at the ground as he patted Eric's back, empathizing with him. He had lost family, too. His brother, who he had killed himself, and his father, who was killed by a monster.

Eric was dead, yet he refused to die. It was truly a contradictory statement. He had lost his purpose for living but had gained a new one. The only problem was that he did not recognize the purpose.

"That's why… I don't want to die, yet I do," said Eric in a low tone. "I want revenge… I also want them to come back. But that won't happen, will it?"

No one dared to respond to such a statement. What he said was the truth, but no one wanted to say it out loud.

"That's why you guys will never understand my pain," said Eric somewhat provocatively. It was true he had suffered, but that fact applied to everyone at Bryxton Tower. Everyone had suffered, had lost family, and had killed to save themselves.

Yet, Eric dared to degrade their pain, finding his own to be worse.

"No, everyone here understands your pain," Alex broke the silence. "Everyone here has lost family members, has suffered. It's why we are here, and not six feet under."

Eric glared at Alex with bloodshot eyes, and so did everyone else. They understood where Alex was coming from, but this wasn't the correct time to say so. Yet, Alex continued, paying no mind to the negativity.

"Pain is what helped us survive," Alex announced. "It is what built us from the bottom up. Everyone suffered their fair share of pain, and we all yearn for revenge from those wretched beings up there."

Although cruel, Alex knew what it meant to be a leader. He couldn't suppress the feelings of many because of the pain of a single person. He understood Eric's intentions and where his words originated, but they seemed selfish.

"Alex is right," Maxwell reinforced the amethyst-eyed individual's words with his own. "I lost my father and brother. I killed my brother with my own hands while in a state of rage."

"I lost my brother," Eugene stepped up, tears welling up in his eyes. He was quick to wipe them away as he was embraced by Sarah.

"I lost my mother and step-sister," Sarah admitted, which is what prompted many to reveal who they'd lost. The survivors gathered together to stand against the supernatural beings they had encountered and to survive and take revenge. Alex smiled inwardly as he watched others share their pain with solemn expressions clouding their faces.

"My father was ripped apart in front of me."

"My entire family and a couple of my friends…"

"My dad…"

"My sister…"

Eric watched, wide-eyed at the losses of others. He believed he was the only one, yet everyone had been suffering. How could he have been so selfish? He was an adult, so why did he act so childish?

"My home, in which my father resided, was struck by a meteor in front of my eyes," Alex admitted, desperately trying to maintain his oath of never crying again. Tears threatened to well up, but he suppressed them all. Instead, he was blinded by rage.

Though Alex's previous actions hadn't been justified, his image in front of the survivors did improve a little. They learned he wasn't a psychopath, but someone who wished to survive, and was coping with pain of his own.

An awkward silence descended atop Bryxton Tower.

"People!" Alex broke the silence as he spoke with a harsh tone, surprising everyone. "Do not forget that a horde of monsters is charging towards us. None of us, not even I, can put up a decent fight against a number so vast, which is why we need everyone to be unified."

Eugene, Sarah, and Maxwell realized what Alex was trying to do as they supported him, reinforcing his words using their own.

"Alone, we are nothing," Alex stated flatly. "However, together, we can take on an army of monsters. If we coordinate and perform an attack using the intelligence advantage that we possess over the monsters, we can definitely survive. Otherwise, it will almost surely result in our demise."

Resolute and determined eyes were visible everywhere as they strengthened their resolve to survive. However, some eyes were still laced with fear and concern as they watched the monsters charge towards their city.

"Eric, I know you can't use necromancy without a sharp fluctuation in your emotions," said Alex. At those words, many turned to stare at Eric with widened eyes that clearly displayed their thoughts. 'Necromancer!?' "However, you can use the emotions you buried away to achieve it, can't you?"

Eric nodded solemnly. He had been plagued by the guilt of being a necromancer, but he had no concerns about using it for a good purpose.

"Maxwell, can you do the same with your mana of the darkness element?" Alex asked. "We three are the only ones here who possess mana, which is why we need to be at the forefront, stopping attacks from reaching those defending at the rear."

Maxwell nodded, determination vivid in his expression and eyes. Alex smiled subtly before assigning roles to all who were healthy enough to participate, creating five layers for defense. Creating an intelligence division was impossible since they could not communicate with each other.

By the end of the day, everyone had left the area as they set up their sleeping bags. The red-orange sun drowned into the vast sea below as darkness arose, only to be overshadowed by the bright light of the moon.

Maxwell sat atop the roof of a house as he watched the sun disappear. His eyes glittered as if he were a child, observing something he hadn't seen in a while. Alex watched from afar, revealing a subtle smile as he saw Maxwell acting like a child.

'I had too many expectations of him and forgot he was a child,' thought Alex. The boy hadn't even matured yet, and Alex still expected him to adapt to the unexpected environment and development his strength alongside him. 'I'll let him enjoy a single day of rest.'

Suddenly, Sarah and Eugene came into view, arriving on the same rooftop Maxwell sat atop. Sarah sat beside Maxwell, maintaining her eyes on the moon which had now arisen. Eugene, although hesitantly, also sat beside Maxwell.

Alex chuckled as he saw the three bonding. It was the calm before the storm, as many liked to say. Yet, no one seemed to mind. The atmosphere on that day was understandably wholesome.

But that was just the initiation of something worse, way worse.