Chapter 18: Regret is Stronger than Gratitude

(Flashback 6 Years Ago)

The moon shines on the town of Hollow Hills from the nightsky. Most of its inhabitants lay asleep in their beds, while some, mostly teenagers, partied the night.

The same could not be said the one raven-haired kid, Alex.

Instead of being asleep as his parents, he couldn't because of the ostracization he had endure. He made a choice that he would protect the people he loved from the bullies, but that did not mean he was made of stone. He needed place where he could process all of it, somewhere quiet and peaceful, where he couldn't be bothered.

He deemed the playground was the best place he could think of as he sat on a bench as he lamented on the reality of his situation.

He often wondered why everyone was so putting him and his family to the ground. Kids trample over him and his sister, his parents were pressured by their neighbors who enforces their justices even though they had nothing to do with it. Alex was the only one to stand up for himself and for that, everyone is now against him.

But Alex felt a sense of security now that his dad is teaching how to fight. He fights now for right to deny control and above all, protect his family.

Will he really be able to protect them like this?

"BOO!!!"

Alex became startled at the suddenly voice behind him.

He turned around to be greet by the person he wanted to see the most. His first friend of Hollow Hills and his first crush.

"Melanie?"

Melanie stood there with a grin plastered in her face.

"Did I scare you?" She teased.

"What are you doing here?" He asked dumbfounded. He was certain no would come here in the night, save for the resident undertaker.

"I could ask you the same question. I was just walking by and happened to see you." She answers.

"Oh." Alex nodded.

"Why did you come here?" She asked.

"I just needed a place to unwind."

"So you came here to play?"

"I got nowhere else to go."

Melanie remained silent for a moment before responding.

"You know, if you needed a peaceful place, I could always take you there."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not, there's a lone tree at the top of the hill near the school, it's got the best view of the town, better than here. Just meet me tomorrow and I'll show you."

"I would like that. Thank you.."

"You're welcome." Melanie flashed a smile which made Alex's heart flutter.

Alex had a crush on Melanie ever since she accepted him. She, save for his family, was the only one that mattered most to him from this town that shunned him.

He plans to confess his feelings towards as was his fears of her rejecting him.

Seeing from her perspective, perhaps a cemetery is too gloomy to have peaceful thoughts.

(Flashback ended)

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(Present day)

(Rena's POV)

I made my way across the city with Naomi following behind me, going to where I knew he would be as his last option of solitude.

Some time later, we arrived at Luciana's public park.

"He is here?" Naomi asked.

"Somewhere in here." I responded.

Then I give a heavy sigh.

"Naomi, will you please give us a moment? I need to do this alone." I requested.

"Alright, but remember, Ms. Astra does not have a lot of time."

I nodded before turning to the entrance, walking forward while Naomi waits.

I traverse through the grassy plains, thinking about how this conversation would go. Then I stumbled on an item on the ground.

His scythe-rifle.

I knew I was on the track, he must've dropped it. So I picked it up and continued on.

I knew my brother, it is not the park where he would solitude, rather it would be at a specific place.

A place where it would be meaningful to him.

And my search was worth it once I stopped at my destination.

A playground.

And I found Alex sitting at a swing with his back turned on me.

My instincts would've tell me to let him be. But knowing the stakes, I cannot afford to back out now. So I approached him.

"So you found me have you?" Alex asked but with a somber tone.

He must've heard my footsteps.

"Yes. This playground, it reminded you of the one from back home, where you first met Melanie, where you found meaning to your life, a reason to fight."

Alex did not answer, but I had to remember what's at stake.

"Listen, the shadows took Lana. We need your help to get her back." I reasoned with him.

Then I was met with silence. I stood there waiting for him to speak, which he did after a brief moment.

"I can't help her."

"What." I was taken aback by his answer.

I knew my brother for a long time, he was kind who would not hesitate to save those he cared about, and from what I saw, he cared for that girl a lot. But for him to say he couldn't was the first time I heard from his mouth.

"Valus was right. I don't protect anyone, I don't save anyone. I hurt, I destroy, I kill, all for the sake of my vengeance. But even then, I still killed anyone who got in my way and for no reason but an attempt to distract me from my despair. What I did back at that carnival was no exception. Whether I was under Valus' illusion, it doesn't change that I killed those people, who didn't do anything to me, and worst of all, I hurt her, I hurt Lana. The look on her face...."

I hear his voice crack and his head hung low.

"... I'm a monster. And monsters don't save lives, they don't protect. So how could a monster like me can save her if I couldn't save myself."

I find myself seething and clenching my fists, and before I knew it, I grabbed his shoulder to face me and punched him right in his cheek before he fell down to the ground. Then I unsheathedy sword and stabbed the ground at full force, with the blade merely inches away from his cheek.

I gazed on his eyes and they were void of hope. Seeing the damage breaks my heart. Then tears fell down from my eyes and drip on my brother's face before I even notice, but I didn't care, I can't take it anymore.

"You self-absorbed idiot." I sobbed.

Then Alex's eyes widened a little.

"You let a fallen angel get to you?! The brother would never back down to other people's disparage, nor would you allow it on us! Each day I watched you throw yourself in harm's way, I wanted to fight by side and protect you, to help bear the weight of your burden. But I allowed myself to feel inferior to you, to feel like I've been living under your shadow. I was jealous. Even when you rescued me, I betrayed you to a monster, of all the lives I've ruined and the terrible wars I've wage, I'm also a monster. There's no changing that I caused you pain and I wanted to make amends, but this..."

Tears won't stop flowing as I continued rant.

"...I've been watching over this whole time. I saw how Lana cared about you, the same way Melanie did. She knew the right words when I didn't. I hated myself for not being to."

Then I aggressively pick my brother up by his shoulders to make him sit up, then I pulled him into a hug.

"I did this to you. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. We both lost everything and everyone. Please Alex, don't lose her too."

Silence fills the air as I continued to let my tears flow while hugging him. Then I felt drops of water on my shoulder and heard quiet sniffling. I can tell he's crying then he wraps his arms around me and returns the hug.

Every minute passed in this wholesome moment between us siblings, but I didn't expect what happened next.

In an instant, he released the hug and push me aside as I fell to the ground. When I looked back, I saw a shadow figure pounced on Alex, pinning him to the ground. As he struggles with the fiend, I rush to him, picked up my sword, ignited the blade with my flames and swing at the dark figure off of him, which caused it to dissipate in the flames.

Catching our breaths, I sheathe my sword and turn to Alex before extending my hand.

"Would a monster push me out of harm's way?" I asked.

A brief moment of hesitance rids on Alex before he accepts my hand and I helped him up. We exchange glances to each other, expressing our acceptance before we heard fighting from the distance.

"Naomi." I exclaimed.

"Then let's help her." Alex says before he was about to leave.

But stopped him and offered his weapon back.

"It could've been anyone, but she chose you. Lana needs you." I tell him.

Alex seem to contemplate before taking his weapon. He nods in gratitude before we speed back to the entrance.

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(3rd Person POV)

Naomi is facing off a horde of shadow figures in an endless battle. They right after Rena entered the park, she had to buy her some time. But at this point, Naomi had expended her energy, she would be overwhelmed.

As all the dark figures charge at her at once, she prepared herself to fight to her end. But that end never came, as a dark red mist projectile and a fireball pass by from behind her and hits the dark figures, which exploded upon contact creating a combination of fiery and black mist explosion.

Naomi stood agape before the raven-haired twins joined her side.

"Are you alright?" Rena asked.

"I can still fight. It's good that you finally come to your senses Crowe." Naomi responede brazenly.

"I'm going after her. I won't fail her again." Alex says firmly.

"Then you have to go now, I'll hold them off here."

"I can't leave you here to stand alone."

Naomi was about to rebuke him, but she was interrupted by the roaring of the dark figures. They didn't even notice they were so many of them. The trip stands prepared as they find it difficult to get past through such numbers.

Then suddenly the front lines was blasted back by a bright purple wave of magic, which caught the trio by surprise.

"She won't have to." a familiar female voice called out.

They turn to the source to find Blaire, donning a purple coat and a witch hat, a brown tome that glowed purple levitated on her right hand indicates she casted that spell.

"Blaire." Alex breathed out.

She walked to the trio and healed Naomi with magic. Then a familiar ginger haired weapons smith joined up with them with two hammers.

"Boi let me tell ya, I've been itchin' a fight like this for quite awhile. Should've brother my recent crafted weapons for testin." Kenna commented with excitement.

Three dark figures charged at them, but a black, white and yellow blue passed by them behind and being sliced to ribbons. What surprised the twins is that the blur is Miriam holding a very thin silver sword.

"Lana's prowess light magic is more powerful enough to dispel this darkness threat. We'll hold them off, you two bring her back."

After regaining his composure, Alex agrees and prompts Rena to accompany him. The twins sprinted away, leaving four women against an army of darkness.

"Four against an army. It's been a long time since I used my spells for combat." Blaire commented while turning the pages.

"Don't let em know that ya? Still hangin in there knife lady?" Kenna as she presses the button in her hammers, making them bright hot.

"I'm good to go, I'm Lana's guardian for a reason." Naomi enters reversed grip stance.

Miriam says nothing as she takes her black with yellow linings coat off to the ground, ready to defend Luciana while the rest in the Reaper's hands.

She enters a combat stance.

"You will go no further!"