Zeo

The explosion, followed by screams and an intense reek of smoke, woke Zeo in the middle of his nightmare. He sprang out of his bed, ignoring the pain of his open wounds, and limped toward the door. Remnya was in danger. That’s all it mattered.

Zeo crossed the large garden while servants ran past him, shouting and crying, some with severe burns. In the distance, he witnessed thick black smoke coming out of the mansion and people crawling away from what lay inside. Zeo advanced with all his remaining strength, his legs sending excruciating pain until he reached the gates of chaos. Covering his nose with his shirt, Zeo took the first step forward.

“Zeo!” the old lady Hena called from behind, but he ignored her. She grabbed his shoulder. “Are you crazy, boy?” she scowled, sweat sliding between her wrinkles.

“Yes,” Zeo replied coldly, shrugging her hand off him.

“There’s nothing you can do!” The old lady coughed as she stepped in front of him, opening her weak arms. “It’s over, young boy. They’re all dead.”

Her words cut through Zeo’s heart like a venomous dagger. No way. He shook his head. That is impossible. No way Remnya was gone.

Impossible.

“Move, please!” Zeo shouted, pushing the old lady aside, doing his best not to hurt her.

“Zeo! Skado killed everyone!”

“If that’s the case, I’ll kill that motherfucker myself,” Zeo spat, his eyes turning red with fury. His pain had suddenly disappeared, and his steps became heavier, turning his limping into a furious stride. “Go away, lady Hena, this is a dangerous place for you. Don’t worry about me.” He glanced over his shoulder at her for the last time and smiled. “I’ll be fine.” Zeo turned to face the inferno and sprinted toward his fate.

“Zeo!” Hena’s voice faded behind him as he was engulfed by black smoke and fire, along with the reek of burnt flesh.

Flames reached for his ankles as Zeo hopped over debris and corpses. His eyes and lungs burned as the surrounding heat blurred reality, turning it into an orange-red nightmare. A few familiar faces had succumbed to the deadly carbon monoxide filling the mansion, while the rest were half ashes. Zeo knew the toxic gas could kill him sooner or later, but he didn’t care. His steps only became fiercer.

Finally, Zeo reached the heart of the chaos. The explosion had vanished seven rooms around, and the upper floors had crumbled, burying everything and everyone under the ruins. Zeo didn’t see or hear anything; the only thing in his brain was the scream of his heart, crying for her. He staggered over glowing embers and flames biting at his feet, stepping on corpses and burnt body parts.

Into the smoke, a demonic figure flashed before his eyes like a ghost, a familiar one. Zeo halted, trying to discern whether he had fallen unconscious or not.

The body turned to him, and Zeo flinched, stumbling upon a crushed head. His back and elbows landed over the burning embers. But he reacted in time and lifted himself to witness what loomed over him.

He recognized the unreadable eyes of Ronner.

There wasn’t a smirk on his face. This time, Zeo saw grief, the same grief tearing his insides apart. For the first time, that beast looked human. “Ronner,” Zeo mumbled, standing up and removing ashes from his skin and clothes.

Ronner tilted his head, the fire flickering into his pupil. “They took them,” he said.

“What?” Zeo gasped. “Who? Why?”

“Viper and his men. They have Brisa and Remnya.”

A cold shiver ran down Zeo’s spine, almost stopping his heart. He shook his head in disbelief. “How did you allow this to happen?” Zeo yelled, glaring at him.

“They set me a trap.”

Just then, Zeo noticed Ronner’s left arm. His hand was missing, and blood dripped from his exposed broken bones. Dried blood covered half his body, and several bullets had sunken into his skin. Zeo lifted his gaze. Ronner’s right eye was gone, too.

Trembling, Zeo fell to his knees and shook his head.

Ronner chuckled. “By the look on your face, I must look like shit.” He gripped his broken arm and used his lightning to cauterize the wound. “I didn’t notice it was bleeding again. Fuck, I guess I’ll have to get used to fighting with one hand.”

“How did this happen?” Zeo murmured, his eyes locked on Ronner’s broken body.

“This? Uh . . . Let’s just say I found some old friends from Karx, and they had prepared a big party for me!” Ronner smirked. “It was a huge army, led by an old friend called Balrok. I lost count of how many of those motherfuckers I killed. However,” He glanced at his missing arm, dangling aimlessly, “they fought well, I’ll give them that.”

Zeo stood up, narrowing his eyes, and swallowed through the knot in his throat. “I have to save Remnya,” Zeo said sharply.

“Oh, I know, so do I.” Ronner walked up to Zeo. “I need to save Brisa and my son.”

Zeo widened his eyes. “Your son?”

“Yeah.” Ronner smiled. “She’s pregnant with my kid. Can you believe it?”

Zeo scanned Ronner’s bloody face, his smile was genuine, and his words dripped with joy. He was a monster, no doubt, but at that moment, Zeo saw another human being. Clenching his fists, Zeo took one step forward. “Let’s go, you need to treat those wounds before you can fight.”

Ronner guffawed. “Nonsense, kid. I’m fine! My car is waiting for me outside, I was just looking for you. I’ll take a few doctors with us, so they can fix me while we travel. It’ll be a long trip, though.” Ronner hopped over a mountain of debris and fire and gestured at Zeo to follow him.

“Do you even know where they are?” Zeo rushed after him.

“Yeah. Unfortunately, they took my plane and destroyed the rest. We’ll need to travel by car, which will take longer.”

Zeo tightened his lips and bobbed his head as he matched Ronner’s pace through the flames. Wait for me, Rem. Soon, everything will be over.

*°*°*

Brisa

Brisa woke up from her nightmare in an unknown room. Silence whistled in her ears as she saw herself lying on an old bed covered by a green blanket. The last thing in her blurry memory was the blood covering Remnya’s face. Numbness invaded her body, but the pain was gone.

She swept the room with wide-open eyes. A wooden roof and walls surrounded her, along with cobwebs swaying from a yellowish lamp. There was a rotten door, and everything smelled of pine and dampness. Brisa slapped the blanket off her and sprang out of her bed.

Where is Remnya? Where? Brisa paced around the room, scanning every corner, her heart kicking against her chest.

Halting in front of an ancient closet, Brisa concluded she wasn’t in the mansion and that her nightmare was far from over.

The door screeched as someone pushed it open. Brisa raised her fists, leaning her back against the wall, getting ready for the unknown. Two lifeless gray eyes landed on her.

Viper.

He stood still under the doorframe, scrutinizing her body. He tilted his head and sauntered over to her. “How are you feeling?” Viper asked, too calm.

“I’m fine,” Brisa replied, clenching her fists as she glared at him. “Where’s Remnya? Is she okay?”

“The Nephilim is okay, don’t worry. She’ll live . . . “ Viper took a deep breath, “and so will my brother.”

The damn bastard survived?

Fury filled her chest. “Ronner will kill you all,” Brisa said sharply. Any hesitation had already died that night.

Surprise spread across Viper’s face. He folded his arms and spoke, “Unlikely.”

“Even if he’s alive, your brother can’t fight anymore. You’re alone, and you’ll die.” Every one of her words overflowed with hatred and venom.

“Do you really think we’re alone, uh?” Viper took one step forward, but Brisa didn’t move, her glare locking on him. “I wouldn’t have gone this far if I thought we didn’t stand a chance.”

“You returned for your brother that night, instead of facing Ronner. You took us hostage because you knew you stood no chance against him.”

“Half-true, maid.” He leaned closer, his eyes cutting through her skin. “Come with me and see it with your own eyes. I’ll show you why Ronner is a dead man.” Viper turned his back to Brisa and beckoned at her to follow him.

Brisa hesitated for a moment, but the image of Remnya flashed before her eyes. She had to save her little sister, even if that was the last thing she did.

Straightening her back, Brisa took a deep breath and followed Viper.

They walked through a narrow corridor. Old paintings hung from rotten wooden walls, and the floor screeched under Brisa’s socks. At the end, there was a metal door. Viper unlocked it, and Brisa glimpsed long stairs leading to what seemed to be a basement.

Brisa’s heart raced in her chest as they descended toward a gloomy room that reeked of dust, decay, and a faint smell of roasted meat. Bright lights blinded her as she laid her feet on the cold stone floor at the end of the stairs. Right in a corner, she witnessed the most horrifying sight.

Skado lay still on a metallic bed.

He was unrecognizable; most of his skin had molten and fallen apart like candle wax. He was red and brown, trembling and groaning. His eyes and jaw were gone, and Brisa could see his teeth and tongue sticking out through the side of a lipless mouth. His chest expanded slowly as he tried to breathe through the holes left by his inexistent nose.

Brisa covered her mouth as her nausea returned like a tempest, twisting her stomach with disgusting force. Cold sweat prickled on her body. Brisa crouched when the liquids in her stomach threatened to escape.

“Behold!” Viper shouted, pain in his voice, “What your dear Nephilim is capable of! That little monster better be put to good use before she goes out of control.”

“You caused all this,” Brisa spat, holding back the pain in her stomach. “You pushed her to this point! It’s all your fucking fault!”

Viper glared at her, clenching his fists. “Look at him,” he ordered, but Brisa didn’t move. Fury flashed in his eyes as he stomped toward her and grabbed her arm, yanking her upward to watch the horrible scene.

Brisa slapped his hand away and looked. Not because he was forcing her to, but because she wanted to witness that monster in pain. Curse them all.

“I am looking!” she yelled, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I am looking, you fucking asshole! What do you want me to say? That I am sorry?” Brisa walked closer to have a better look at that monstrous thing. “I am glad,” she spoke from the bottom of her soul, “I am glad he’s like that. That monster deserved it more than anyone. I am glad he’s dying and suffering!”

Brisa didn’t know when it happened, but she was lying on the floor with her mouth bleeding. Viper loomed over her with rage dripping out of his eyes. Though there was no pain, and she was glad. Brisa had never wished ill on anyone, but she was tired.

So fucking tired.

“You’re bold, maid, bolder than I thought. No wonder that twisted beast chose you.” Viper’s voice was sharp but trembled, and his stone-cold face displayed grief. “But you’ll regret every one of your words sooner than you think.”

Brisa grinned. “If you kill me, Ronner will tear you apart.”

“I’m not that stupid.” Viper sauntered over to his brother and leaned his hand on his chest. Skado let out a muffled grunt but nothing else. “Do you think I only returned to the mansion for you two?” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Doctor, come here!”

Brisa stood up, shaking the dust off her dress and wiping blood off her mouth. She glared at every corner, trying to understand what Viper meant. The stairs clanked as a familiar figure walked down.

Sagan, the doctor, strolled through the basement and stood next to Viper, who placed his hand over the old man’s head as if he were his pet.

“You fucking traitor!” Brisa roared, her eyes drilling into Sagan’s smug face. “It was you who revealed our location! Coward!” Brisa grabbed a screwdriver lying on the floor and threw it at Sagan’s face. Viper caught it before it stabbed the doctor’s eye.

“I’m sorry, my lady, but I value my life more than any of you,” Sagan said as a timid smile escaped his wrinkled lips.

“Unlike you all, Sagan was smart,” Viper added, caressing the doctor’s head. “He knew where true power resided. We offered him way more than Ronner would ever dare to give him.”

“I had to choose between being Ronner’s slave, or aiming higher and becoming the right hand of our next governor, Cassius Doman.” He glanced at Viper proudly.

“Fucking stupid! I should’ve never trusted you!” Brisa shouted. Tears burned her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them escape in front of him. “You chose to be their pet instead! The pet of two sick monsters! A fucking pedophile and this one—“ Brisa stopped, out of words. How much worse were they compared to Ronner? How much worse was Viper? Not long ago, she would’ve agreed Ronner was just as bad, if not worse. But now, she truly believed Ronner could change for the better. At least with her help.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” Sagan said, lowering his gaze.

“It’s too late for regrets, maid.” Viper raised his voice. “That night, I returned to the mansion for you, the Nephilim, and,” he patted Sagan’s back, “the Netomics he retrieved for us.”

“What?” Brisa widened her eyes.

“That’s right. We have the Netomics with us, and with Sagan’s help, we’ll use them. Unfortunately, most of them will have to be used on my brother. The Netomics will be enough to heal him and enhance his powers. Soon, Skado will recover his strength.”

“That’s impossible . . . “ Brisa murmured, refusing to believe his words. “No way he can recover from this!”

“Oh, it’s possible,” Sagan added, grinning. “It’ll just take a few days with the right treatment.”

“Ronner will find you before that.” Brisa’s lips quivered.

“He won’t,” Viper assured. “We made sure to send him to the wrong place.”

“What makes you think you could fool him?”

“Want to bet?” Viper walked toward her. Brisa tightened her lips, not knowing what to believe or think anymore. Viper loomed over her, the reek of death reaching her nose. “He has no plane. There’s no way he can cover so many kilometers in less than four days by car. That’s enough time for us to finish healing my brother.”

Brisa lowered her gaze, her mind going blank. Even her heart had gone silent.

She caressed her abdomen and thought of Remnya. “You can try,” Brisa said, locking her eyes on Viper as a fire lit up her soul. “But . . . you’ll be dead on the fourth day. That’s my promise.”

*°*°*