The Black Gate.

Carolina's blue eyes blazed. Overflowing with myraids of emotions. Fear. Anger. Shock. Confusion and Helplessness. She felt all of it, all at once. But the emotion she felt the most that she could literally taste it was...

Terror. It shook her world apart, more than anything. And hell she couldn't breathe.

How can all of the days of relaxation she felt from her vacation disappear in a single moment.

The source of all the complex and conflicted emotions she felt at once, loomed above her like an invisible dark fog.

Though what she was seeing was far from invisible.

A massive level nine black gate that almost ate up the entire night sky.

The malice she felt that emitted from the gate was choking befitting of it's reputation. The one of its kind in humanity's history. The last time it appeared, four hundred years ago. It wiped out an entire kingdom. And left what they now know as Skull Island.

It appeared two weeks ago and immediate evacuation was ordered. Half of the population of the Northern Kingdom had deserted to other neighboring kingdoms and the remaining half were at the Kingdom's Capital awaiting ships for evacuation or luckily good news of the Gate closed and monsters were killed.

She liked to think that they would win. Humanity didn't win the last war, four hundred years ago because they were taken unawares but now...

They had risen to a deadly level. There are rumors from other kingdoms of the North's fall...but they would win and faceslap all of the kingdoms that refused alliance especially the Emperor.

But the nexus of the Gate's aura entangled her. Bringing out all of her repressed emotions, making them alive.

Choking her. She could barely breathe.

She clenched her hands into a small fist. Cursing.

Cursing the Gates phenomenon. Cursing the nightmarish creatures that threatens everything she stood for. The reason why people lost their loved ones everyday as hunters trooped in to protect Humanity.

The reason why her elder sister was no longer with her.

Another emotion bloomed from her chest. Hate. Her blue eyes glared at the Gate above them. An overwhelming killing intent exploded from her. It shocked the hunters around her as they shifted a bit.

She didn't look back though.

But she cooled off her mind to think. Letting the hate override the fear.

The Gate that appeared in Scaroth meant that they would be dealing with monsters below the Tyrant level. But each level was extremely lethal. From the lowest Wraith to the highest Tyrant. But with the battle strategy they might pull this off. Especially if He came.

She needed a drink after this. That's if she was still alive. But she had no intentions dying. Yet.

Until she protected every thing she cared for.

"Relax there, Tiger."

She felt Cain's warm hands on her shoulders. Her cheeks colored in small tints of red as she was totally caught off guard. She didn't hear his footsteps and few minutes ago he was ten kilometres away from her.

"H.. How did you..? Why did you sneak up on me?!"

She shoved at him which he sleekly dodged. Embarrassed she directed the glare at him.

"You look ravishing when you blush. You should try that more often but only infront me."

His dark blue eyes gleamed in unrestrained amusement under his forest long white lashes that could make any girl jealous, clearly flirting with her.

Under a Level nine Black Gate and besides many hunters. Was she the only one feeling the pressure of the brewing calamity above their heads?!!

"You... incorrigible maniac!!"

She cursed under her breath. Feeling embarrassment wash her as some of the hunters around her coughed walking away. She held herself from shoving him to the dust. But her cheeks didn't stop itself from reddening. Damn her hormones. Damn Cain for making her feel like this. He is the cause of this.. if he didn't...

"Only for you."

His white lashes fluttered seductively. His white curly hair all ruffled from the wind and constant raking. He then winked.

Carolina had three weaknesses or maybe more. But right now only three rung alarms in her head. One, beautiful hot men. Two, alchol and Three, Cute animals.

And hell, Cain used two out of the three. Threatening for the alcohol now. She immuned herself from beautiful men ever since she entered the Devil's Squad. Surrounded by beautiful hot man every second but she never was immuned to him. Was it because of the years they spent together?

Damn him. She attempted to use Downward force on him.

Leaving him with a few broken bones won't reduce his performance, right?

Before she could, his warm big hand wrapped around her wrist. Smiling cheekily. Reading her thoughts.

"That's good focus on me. Not the fear. After all we are all here. Right?"

Her eyes widened a bit. Understanding why he came to alleviate her fears and make her feel relaxed.

" If anything happens I will whisk you away in a heartbeat"

He lowered his voice staring at her intensely.

Her cherry lips widened unconsciously into a genuine smile before she could restrained it.

"Damn Carolina you should smile more. This is the first time in a year I saw you smile."

He groaned. His face serious.

Shocked she pulled her hand away from his grip, easily. A bit disappointed he let go. She internally composed her self, her face morphed into her social mask. A mask she always wore.

"Will he come?"

Cain's serious gaze melted easily as it always had, into an indifferent look. With a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. A prominent crazed look in his eyes. The one that resembled a beast. The real Cain or so they say. Though she didn't believe it or maybe she didn't want to.

She always did wonder which one was real his psychopathic one or the caring one. Not that he showed the latter often.

"Am sure Theo would drag him down here for something exciting he wouldn't want to lose. Even if he tries to dodge it."

She turned to ask him the real question burrowed in her heart. To see him gone.

He always did leave when she mustered up the courage to ask. She sighed. Sighting him in Allen's territory.

Hopefully they would be done and She would sneak away quietly.

She was a coward to pain.

She knew.