Unnecessary amounts of mentions of Blood and death in this chapter.
I can't believe I let so information out so easily, thank Kritanta that he didn't find out more. He is certainly going to come talk to me about it later, I wish he could just leave me alone.
These thoughts swarmed Alyssa angrily, tormenting her for nearly getting the secret escape. She was so bitter to herself she didn't notice the others behind her talking about what had just happened as she walked back into her old bedroom. Even with these thoughts swarming her, she still couldn't pin why she felt to off, as if she is forgetting something.
As she kept walking, she eventually got to the living room and sat down on one of the couches, but when she sat down, she just felt more off. Out of her rage, she made herself calm down after breathing in and out a few times, she felt a little calmer, still mad, but calmer.
"So are we not going to talk about what just happened?!" Trixie said breaking the silence.
"Yeah, what happened to you both?" Eli replied
"Ask away, to me it will be easier then going back to the start." Alyssa said.
"Why was that slug levitatin' in the air?" Kord asked.
"Its her ability." She answered
"What's her ability?" Eli said curiously.
"She can only use it on as many people as needed, the subconsciousness of people are merged and they share memories and can go through them to recover something they may have forgotten. If only one person then they can just look through their memories through their subconscious." She replied.
"What kind of slug is she and what's her name?"
"Really, a name? Out of all the questions you could've asked about Pronto, you chose that?" Pronto said in disgust.
"Her name is Misty, I named her Misty because when she uses her ability a pale white mist appears. As for what kind of slug she is, I don't know what kind of slug she is." She said ignoring Pronto.
"How did you find her then?" The red head said.
"I didn't find her, she was given to me as a child from my father. I never really bothered to ask him what kind of slug she is."
Junjie's eyes slightly widened and look shocked at the mentioning on Alyssa's father. She never talked about her parents.
"Cool, nice name!" Eli replied.
"Why is there a bunker under your old house?" Trixie chimed in.
"In preparation of a break in or emergency. Being a former protector can get a target on your back."
"Who is Kritanta?" Junjie said.
"Who?" All the other voices said in unison.
Shoot, I thought he forgot.
"S-she's a God! Yeah! A God from my old religion. I said it because its a habit." She hastily.
That was close, I'm not lying though. STOP LETTING OUT INFORMATION ALYSSA!!!
"Any other questions?" She said.
"Did you find out if he's a traitor or not?" An obvious voice said.
"I did, in fact he isn't a traitor, but it will take time for the caverns to forgive him, same goes for the rest of the rebels and myself. Especially Flower."
Chills ran through her spine imagining what her father's death would've looked like. Flashbacks of her in class filled her head."
~~
Today we will be looking at how painful death can be from different slugs! A teacher said to the class.
Yes Ms. Clove. The whole the class replied.
First up, Dirt Urchins. They are one of the most painful ways you can die. A spine going through a human body would not impale someone, it would fly right through them leaving blood to drip everywhere with no means of being able to plug it by the spine.
"Pssst Flower!" A young Alyssa said.
"What Lyss?"
"I don't understand why they're teaching us this, aren't we too young?"
"I agree, although I will never understand school."
"Me too. That Dirt Urchin death thing sounds painful doesn't it?"
"Yeah. Thanks for pointing out the obvious."
"Jeez, bad day?"
"No... Maybe."
"What's wrong?"
"Mum and dad fought with each other again this morning. They were fighting this morning before I walked here and my ears wouldn't stop hurting. The only reason I can sleep at night is because of my Slyren, Yang."
"Oh.. Do you wanna talk about it at lunch?"
"That would be nice." They smiled at each other.
"I still wonder, out of all the names you chose, you chose Yang. Also known as the person who sealed the Emperor underground." Alyssa said.
"I forgot about him- I named my Slyren, Yang because I wanted their name to match with your Slyren, which is named Yin, remember?"
"Oh. That's genius! I'm sure they'll be best friends when they meet each other."
"GIRLS!!! PAY ATTENTION OR DETENTION!!"
"Is she aware that rhymes?" Alyssa whispered.
Flower tried her best to hold her giggles in but the face she was making was obvious.
"Fine then, answer this question and I won't give you detention." Ms. Clove said.
"I'm listening miss." Flower replied.
"For once." Their teacher replied.
The class then attempted to try not to laugh but it was too hard to hold those giggles in.
"ALL OF YOU QUIET OR DETENTION FOR ALL OF YOU!! Now, one of you brats answer this. What is one of the most painful ways to die that I just said."
"Stabbed by the spike of a Dirt Urchin." Replied both Alyssa and Flower at the same time.
"Good. Your off the hook this time. Now as I was saying....."
~~
"MUM!!! YOUR ARM!!! I-ITS G-GONE!!! MUM PLEASE BE OKAY!" A teen Flower screamed at her mother.
"Flower. I'm not going to make it. Tell your father I love him. I love you as well Flower..."
"NO!!! MUM!!!!"
Tears rolled down the teen Flower, they wouldn't stop coming. Flower was crying as she was curled up in a ball next to her mother's dead body and behind a wall to prevent being hit by her slug. Sorrow was starting to be replaced by anger and hate. She had to calm herself and give herself the courage to see the one who had just killed her mother.
When her mother was cut by a Thresher she only managed to catch a glimpse of who shot it. All she could catch was green hair. The only one of the battlefield that had green hair was her own previous teacher. Ms. Clove.
How could she switch sides so quickly?! How could she kill someone in such haste?! All that hate grew overtime and the only thing fuelling her at that moment, was revenge and rage. Alyssa saw everything. She saw the gruesome things her own teacher committed in what felt like hours.
It's true, Alyssa was riding towards Hamengku's base. But to get there she needed to ride pass a cliff that was visible to many so she had to be fast. When she was riding through it, she watched the horrible atrocities her teacher committed. Alyssa knew at the moment Flower became an orphan, Flower would never rest until Ms. Clove met justice, it was just the way Flower was.
Because of Junjie leading the attack and Ms. Clove and him switching sides so quickly, Flower came to the conclusion they are at fault for the death of her parents, Alyssa did not blame her for that. Over the years her bond with her parents deteriorated, they started making up, then her parents died.
Watching death in front of her and blood staining the grass a bloody red was traumatising already, yet parents?! How sick could you be to do that?! That event will scar someone for life!
~~
If they wanted to keep Junjie alive, they would keep him away from Flower, as pleasing as it would be to watch him suffer for his crimes, it wasn't his fault.
"So.... Pronto would like to know what do we do now?" Pronto said to break the silence.
"Camp has the resources we require, I suggest we head there, collect our thoughts and pray Flower doesn't kill Junjie in his sleep for orphaning her." Alyssa answered.
"Orphaning her? Pronto thought she has a mother?" Pronto said.
Trixie gave Pronto a tiny slap on the head with anger.
"PRONTO! That's personal!" She whispered.
"Her mother died by a Thrasher, her right arm was cut off and she died of the blood loss. Flower swore vengeance and still hasn't let go. I don't blame her." She replied.
Everyone in the room was silent. Shocked at the fact she knew those details, at how much trauma some people had to face while Junjie was a puppet of a slug she thought she knew.
"Yeah, its clear that she will not be forgiving him anytime soon." She said to crack the silence.
I know its plain, i'm sorry 😭
They walked back out of the door they came from, but Alyssa still felt so off. As if she was forgetting so incredibly something important.
"Wait. Hamengku, can I talk to you for a second, I just want to ask you something. Can the rest of you head to your Mecha's?" Alyssa said.
They nodded, and continued to walk away.
"Hamengku, I've seen Junjie's mind and I now know his intentions aren't evil, same as his allies. They even have Serenity Bushes.... Should we invite them to join the resistance?" She asked.
"... It will be tough keeping him from the others killing him, he dictated our lands for decades and the people will take time to forgive him. I'll think about it and answer you by dawn tomorrow, just make sure Flower doesn't kill him." He responded
"I understand." She nodded.
"Are you okay, you seem... off." He said.
"I'm alright, its just that I feel off. I don't know why I just do."
As she averted her gaze away from him she saw the door handle from before. And that's when it hit. That's why she felt so off, it was her instincts telling her. The door handle was warm when they went in. Meaning someone just went in it and that they were being followed so that means-
"WAIT!-"
As she yelled, her new allies were turning around to face her and a small group ran out of the bushes with their blasters and pointing them directly to them. At what Alyssa assumed was instinct, Eli fired his Infurnus at them and Junjie followed with Joo-Joo. The Infurnus' made a flaming wall quickly surrounding the group which bought enough time for Alyssa and Hamengku to run past the fire and mount up.
"GO GO GO!" Yelled one of the gang members. (you'll never guess who said it.)
They rode off into the forest, Alyssa hadn't rode this fast since the attack. They kept riding for a while but when the group ran in, she noticed something as her eyes widened, the one leading the group in had green hair and merciless look, her eyes were light, hazel, brown and she was carrying a black-grey blaster to match her attire.
Her looks were way too similar to Under-lord Clove, better known as General Death. The one responsible for the death of Flower's parents, the one who has killed the most civilians out of all the Under-lords, she wasn't the most powerful Under-lord, yet still had the blood of so many on her hands.
"I know who is responsible for following us." She said aloud
"Really, who and how?" Eli replied.
"She looks way too similar to General Death, it has been 20 years so I'm not surprised her style changed a bit."
"Why were they following us then? When Flower hears of this she'll go mad." Hamengku said.
"How did you know they were there?" Junjie questioned.
"When we entered the door handle was warm, meaning someone was just there. I didn't notice and I only realized when I yelled wait."
"Reasonable, should we head back to this camp of yours?"
"If we head back to camp then they will know where it is. If they have Aquabeeks then they should already be out and looking for us. I don't know where we should head now." She said worriedly.
"Under-Lord Clove should be nearing us now, we need to get out of here fast!" Eli said.
"Should we take the train?" Alyssa said.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND-" Hamengku said as he was cut off.
"Dude be quiet, they gonna get to us if we don't start speedin' away from here." Kord said.
"The train may seems like death but we could jump off. That's all I got, unless you got any better ideas."
"The train will take us to Peach Blossom Spring, more specifically the Emperor's palace." Junjie said.
"Anyone got any better ideas?"
"Actually I have one." Eli said.