[18x FEATURED]
𝘛𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺.
Born out of sadness and despair, demonic beings known as "Outcasts" seek to corrupt human souls, posing a threat to humanity's innocence. Raia Allen, a remorseless warrior and healer, joins t...
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A stunned silence stretches out between Raiden and Cyrus. Raiden jolts out of bed and stares at the man in front of him, completely at a loss for words. When he finds no trace of humor on Cyrus's face, a sense of dread rolls through the pit of his stomach. His eyes widen in horror.
I killed them?
"That's impossible!" Raiden yells, his voice echoing throughout the room.
Cyrus flinches. He lowers his eyes, his features clouded by sadness. When he speaks, his voice trembles as if it and his heart are about to break.
"I'm sorry, Kara. I don't know why you don't remember, but that's what happened." Cyrus clenches his jaw. "When you returned, you were pale and upset, and you started crying as you told us what had happened. That was before you went unconscious."
"No," Raiden gasps, apparently in a state of denial. He buries his face in his hands and squeezes his eyes shut.
No, it can't be. This isn't real.
Raiden racks his brain, attempting to remember everything that has occurred, but all he can recall is the carriage incident and a girl with a wooden sword. He has no recollection of killing Nathan, Sunshine, or even Raia.
They're not dead, and I didn't kill them. How could I forget something like that if it really happened?
"Stop lying!" Raiden roars, baring his teeth at Cyrus. "Besides, Aragons cannot be tainted. We're immune!"
Cyrus shifts his gaze away.
Raiden yanks on his collar, frustrated. "Tell me you're lying! M-my comrades can't be dead!"
Unable to hold them any longer, the stored tears fall from his eyes and agonizing sobs wrack his entire body. His vision blurs as he continues to cry. He crumbles on the inside as the images of his comrades flash through his mind one after the other.
"Brother, please tell me you're lying. Please . . . " Raiden manages to croak.
"Kara, they're tainted not by a low-level demon, but by the Great Wizard himself," Cyrus says after a brief silence.
Raiden's freezes. His stomach sinks, and he feels as if the weight of the world has been placed on his shoulders. He lets go of Cyrus' collar and lifts his head to meet the man's gaze.
"What? So the one we encountered was the Great Wizard himself?" Raiden's voice is so husky as to be almost inaudible.
Cyrus doesn't respond, but his expression already answers Raiden's question; an answer the boy refuses to accept.
