Chapter 6

Days pass as Kai journey's back to Catarei and finally when he has the City in his sights, his eyes widen in astonishment.

"What happened here?!" He yelled to himself.

Through his spyglass, he could see trails of smoke emerging from the City, even the waters surrounding it held floating pieces of rubble and damaged goods. Kai gazed, his face full of frustration and anger. As he continued looking he realized a single massive boat set up at the docks.

'A Booster.' He thought.

Kai turned after putting his spyglass away, walking slowly to his cab. Once there, he reached to his chest that sat on the ground next to his bed. Pulling the top open, he began to retrieve multiple items, including the two swords he had just previously put into there.

Laying across his bed was dark blue armor, thin but strong and forged out of the rarest metal in the Expanse which was known as Moon Rock. When it was all strapped on, he placed a crossed sheathe that strapped across his chest and sat upon his back. Sliding the two blades into the sheathe, he was finally prepared for what was to come.

'What have they done to my City?'

Only a couple of hours had passed as he finally floated up to the docks where the Booster and other boats were as well. Nightfall was getting closer, and Kai finished anchoring his Treader as he crept along the docks. He hid behind some Crates as he heard some men walking by. Peaking around the corner, Kai could see at least four soldiers standing by the giant Booster. Relnad soldiers at that.

'Shit, this is my fault.'

His back to the crates as he sat, Kai thought for a moment before deciding on what to do.

'Gotta find Leon.'

As quiet as possible, he slid from behind the crates and slowly into the water, floating below the docks. Following the path that would bring him to his friend, he would pass bodies of civilians floating in the water below the City. Once he reached Leon's house, looking up from below, he could see a few individuals standing at his door.

"Sir, let us in now before we let ourselves in. Clearly, that didn't go too well for most of the people living in this shithole," one of the soldiers claimed.

Kai began his way back up to the building across from Leons so he could have a better advantage behind the soldiers. As he reached solid ground, he reached over his shoulder to begin sliding out one of the blades he had sheathed. By the time he could reach the man in front of him, the door to his friend's home flung open, and instantly two men dropped after a slashing noise was heard.

The third turned and ran even past Kai who was standing there dumbfounded. While he stared, something flew past him, slicing the last man quickly to the ground before soaring back in full rotation to the user that stood in the door.

"Leon," Kai spoke reluctantly.

The ginger-haired man stood at the door, staring through the dark and at Kai who was standing slightly in the shadows.

"Kai? Get your ass in here," Leon responded.

The young man quickly ran over and into Leons' home. As he entered, he turned around to a sobbing childhood friend after the door was closed.

"What's going on Leon?" Kai asked.

"The Relnad soldiers, they tortured workers from Caecis until they spilled it about you being the Searcher they've been looking for," Leon answered.

Silence surrounded Kai momentarily before he spoke.

" So this is my fault."

"That's not the only bad thing about this Kai," Leon replied.

"What could be worse than our home being destroyed because of me."

"Miss Kira, they have her specifically after hearing about her ties to you," Leon said.

Kai dropped to his knees when he heard the news, holding back the tears that were attempting to force themselves to the surface.

"Shit man..."

"She's being executed at first light, along with a few remaining captured civilians for supporting someone that's committed treason," Leon finished.

Kai's eyes darted to Leon instantaneously.

"Leon."

"Yes, brother?"

"Get ready, we are going to kill these Relnad Rats."