Unsettling Dawn

After experiencing the unbelievable events that unfolded in the alley at night, everyone was left in a state of shock and fear. Vermilion felt more exhausted than ever, yet she couldn't bring herself to rest fully. Instead, she found herself sitting by the window, lost in her thoughts.

Eventually, fatigue took over, and she drifted off into a restless slumber, where she had a strange dream that seemed all too real. In her dream, Vermilion found herself floating in a vast galaxy, surrounded by stars and celestial bodies. A soft voice seemed to echo through the cosmos.

"Where am I…" Vermilion spoke in her dream.

"This is where you came from…" a voice whispered in her ears.

"A voice… Who are you…"

"I don't know, but I know who you are…"

"Who am I… I can't remember anything..."

"The you I know is the you from the past..."

"Me from the past… Who was I…"

"A soul without a physical form..."

"I don't understand…"

"Neither do I…"

"Then, how did I get here…"

"Whether it was you or the you that exists now, you have never been here…"

"What do you mean…"

"This place doesn't truly exist; it is a creation of your own..."

"Created…?"

"Yes. Your time here is up; you must return."

"Wait..."

As Vermilion tried to make sense of the dream, she suddenly awoke, drenched in a cold sweat. The morning sun had already begun to illuminate the outside world.

"Another strange dream... but it felt so real..." Vermilion muttered, wiping her brow. She gazed out of the window, lost in her thoughts for a moment before heading to Lyon's room. She opened the door carefully, hoping to check on the woman's condition.

"She hasn't regained consciousness yet," Vermilion observed quietly, closing the door again. Unknown to her, the woman had been pretending to be asleep.

The woman slowly opened her eyes and glanced around, still clutching her wounded leg. The pain was evident on her face, but she managed to push through it.

Meanwhile, Vermilion, having nothing else to do, decided to prepare breakfast before the others woke up. Simple as it was, spreading butter on bread proved to be a bit of a challenge for her, as she had never done it before.

Suddenly, a distant explosion shattered the peace, and sirens began to wail, disrupting the morning tranquility.

"What is that sound?" Vermilion wondered aloud.

Carmella and Dr. Apgar were instantly roused by the deafening sirens.

"Sirens? Could this be some kind of drill?"

"I don't think so. It sounds like something serious is happening or maybe we are under attack."

"I can't imagine this city is under attack by someone else…"

Carmella rushed to the window to get a better look and saw billowing black smoke in the distance.

"Stop dreaming, Vermilion! Didn't you hear the sirens?"

"Yes, I heard, but what does it mean?" Vermilion still trying to comprehend the situation.

"Oh gosh… It means this city is in danger!" Carmella sighed.

"Seriously? What just happened then?"

"I have no idea as well. Let me check the news and see what's going on," Carmella rushing to turn on the television. Switching on the television, Carmella tuned in to a news channel, hoping for some clarity.

News Channel 01: "Breaking news! Just about thirty minutes ago, a group of guerrillas from Nisaeria launched a surprise attack on patrolling soldiers in Luthernza, commandeering one of our tanks. The Ministry of Defense immediately mobilized nearby troops to neutralize the intruders. However, the attackers resisted fiercely and engaged in a heated battle, resulting in at least 102 casualties and 21 fatalities. The situation is still developing, and we urge citizens to stay vigilant and avoid any-"

The broadcast signal suddenly deteriorated, rendering the rest of the report unintelligible.

"Ugh! The signal's gone!" Carmella grumbled, adjusting the antenna in vain.

"Why don't we switch to another channel?" Dr. Apgar suggested.

"Oh right! I was too nervous."

"This is terrifying…" Vermilion said, her heart pounding.

Carmella switches to another news channel.

News Channel 17: "Next, let us connect with our reporters on-site to bring you more details about the attack. As you can see behind me, the aftermath of the incident is evident, with plumes of smoke and fires still raging in the distance. Witnesses have reported chaos and panic on the streets, with innocent civilians fleeing for their lives. Let's hear from some of the eyewitnesses."

Resident Witness 1: "I saw people running in all directions, screaming. Then, a tank came barreling down the street, and those lunatics started firing at everyone! It was like a nightmare!"

News Anchor: "The situation remains tense and highly fluid, with the government and authorities working tirelessly to restore order. Please-"

The tv stopped displaying properly again.

"Oh, come on! Not again!" Carmella shouted in frustration.

"Dr. Apgar, where is Nisaeria?" Vermilion inquired.

"It's a small neighboring country right on top of us. They attacked our borders a few days ago."

"Why are they doing this? I heard Carmella said Kothern is one of the strongest military nations…"

"Some unofficial sources claim that Logearia is providing military support to them. But I think it does make sense, otherwise, they wouldn't dare to launch an attack on us."

"What a complicated world…" Vermilion sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the situation.

"You ain't seen nothing yet, girl," Dr. Apgar remarked, emphasizing the harsh realities of the world they lived in.

"Dr. Apgar, could you replace the TV for us, please? It would be nice if it's a color TV!" Carmella requested.

"No way! Just fix the damn antenna; that should do the trick."

"So stingy…" Carmella playfully teased.

"You should be grateful to have three meals to eat, don't ask for too much," Dr. Apgar replied, reminding Carmella to appreciate what they had amidst the chaos and uncertainty

"Okay okay!"

After adjusting the antenna, the TV still couldn't display properly. Carmella remembered that Alex had a small radio and thought it might come in handy. She hurriedly knocked on his door.

"Alex! Wake up!"

"Hmm? What's the matter with you? Is it still early morning?" Alex mumbled sleepily.

"You sleep like a log. Even if the building collapsed, I think you'd still be snoring away."

"I'm not that good, but I do love my sleep, Hehehe."

"I'm not praising you… Just give me your radio; we need it!"

"All right, here you go. Just be careful with it."

Carmella quickly turned on the radio and tuned in to a news channel, eager to gather information.

Radio Broadcast News: "I would like to express my condolences to the lost citizens and soldiers. Dear all citizens of Kothern, we cannot tolerate such action from them, so we hereby announce that we are declaring war on Nisaeria!!! Dear audiences, as you heard, our president strongly condemned the action of Nisaeria and has declared war on them. However, according to the government of Nisaeria, they claimed that they are not involved in the earlier attack and demands our president to withdraw his words and actions."

"Here we go again. We've only had three months of peace since the last war with others," Carmella lamented.

"Shhh! I can't hear the news," Dr. Apgar said, gesturing for silence.

Radio Broadcast News: "The Ministry of Defence has asked the citizens in Luthernza to remain calm and stay at home while the soldiers will continue to annihilate the remnants of the attackers. According to some intelligence, their remnants are hiding in the slums, and now a large number of soldiers have rushed to the place and vowed to capture them alive!"

"Slums...? Does it mean here?!" Vermilion asked with concern.

"I think so! We better move now!" Carmella suggested urgently.

"I'm afraid it's too late. If we head outside now, we will definitely get killed, even though we are not one of them," Dr. Apgar cautioned.

"Then, what should we do?!" Vermilion asked, feeling the weight of the situation.

"Ermm… ladies? Sorry to interrupt, but I guess they are here…" Alex interjected nervously.

Loud footsteps echoed outside the window. Carmella peeked down and saw a massive number of soldiers storming every building. Gunshots filled the air, and it was clear that they were shooting without hesitation, not adhering to their claim of capturing the attackers alive.

"Why are there so many firing sounds? I thought they wanted to capture them alive?" Vermilion questioned, feeling the deception of the situation.

"Don't be so innocent! Nobody will believe what they said," Carmella replied, her face grim.

"They are entering this building already!!!"

"What should we do, Dr. Apgar? How about we try to reason with them?"

"Are you dumb? I can assure you that reasoning won't work. I also have no idea what to do… I should have just stayed at the train station last night," Dr. Apgar sighed, feeling the gravity of the situation.

The woman suddenly emerged from her room, but she seemed to be struggling to stand.

"Let me handle them!" the woman declared, her eyes filled with determination.

"Finally, you're awake!"

"I know you're good at combat, but right now, you can't even stand properly. How are you going to handle them?" Carmella expressed her concern.

"Young lady, I just saved your life last night. I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself like this."

"I know… but who else can fend them off here?" The woman's eyes turned sharp, revealing her resolve.

"Don't be brave, sit down first!"

"You guys don't have to worry about me, just run to the rooftop now. I will take care of... Urghhh! My leg…" the woman winced in pain.

"Are you okay?!!"

"The rooftop... Oh! I remember that there are a lot of messy things on the roof! Maybe we can use them to hide!" Carmella suggested.

"Then let's move quickly! I will help you up with us. Put your hand on my shoulder," Vermilion offered to the woman.

With urgency in their steps, they left their house as the soldiers began searching each unit. They reached the stairwell and quickly headed up. Vermilion tried to insert the key into the doorknob, but it seemed stuck.

"There seems to be some movement sound upstairs; everyone, quickly go up and have a look!" The soldiers' voices echoed from below.

"Vermilion! Hurry up!"

"I'm trying! Damn! The key seems stuck!" Vermilion struggled with the door, feeling the pressure of the impending danger.

"Vermi…lion…?" The woman mumbled, showing a hint of astonishment after clearly hearing the name for the first time.

"Come on! Just open!" Vermilion pleaded, her eyes darting between the door and the approaching soldiers.

The door remained unopened, and the soldiers were getting closer by the second. The group anxiously looked to Vermilion, praying for the door to open and a miracle to save them from the imminent threat.