The Underground

Until I Met The Boy

As Akari vanished into the closing portal, a surge of negativity flooded my mind. Memories of our time together flashed by, her voice echoing in my head. I couldn't shake the worry about where she might have ended up, or if she was even safe.

Suddenly, a pack of zellacs charged towards me, their hunger evident in their eyes. Anger boiled within me, fueled by the pain of Akari's disappearance.

"Let's do this," I muttered, my voice laced with determination.

With a grim resolve, I fought back, taking down each zellac that dared to challenge me. By the end, I was drenched in their blood, a physical manifestation of the violence I had unleashed.

After the skirmish, I made my way back to the Underground, my body unscathed but my mind heavy with worry and uncertainty.

Arriving back at the Underground, Frenchie gave me a once-over, wisely choosing to stay silent as he observed the intensity of my demeanor.

On my way to the base, a collision halted my progress abruptly. An imposing figure, bald and muscular, confronted me with aggression.

"Watch where you're going, punk!" he spat, his companion smirking at the confrontation.

Before he could finish his tirade, I reacted swiftly, drawing my gun and delivering a fatal shot to his forehead. The woman's screams pierced the air, but bystanders hesitated to intervene, their gazes fixed on me, clearing a path for my passage.

The man lay bleeding on the ground until life ebbed from him, the consequences of his aggression tragically evident.

Arriving at the base, Rick opened the door to find me drenched in blood, unresponsive to his attempts at communication. I realized my earpiece was missing, perhaps lost in the chaos.

"Where's Akari?" Rick's voice was urgent.

"There's something you need to know," I replied, my tone heavy with the weight of what had transpired.

Inside, we settled on the couch, and I recounted the events, from the chaos in the house to Akari's sacrifice.

"I don't know if she's alive," I admitted, my voice barely audible, drained of energy.

Rick, visibly devastated, needed time to digest the news. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"I put tracking devices on your gear," he revealed, fetching his tablet. "If Akari survived, she might be somewhere else on Earth."

Hope flickered momentarily, but as Rick checked for her location, it became clear she was nowhere to be found. My hope crumbled.

Despair engulfed us as we faced the reality of Akari's possible demise. I left the base, Rick slumping to the floor in tears as I closed the door behind me.

The confirmation of Akari's absence tore a hole in my heart, leaving me numb to the world's offerings. I sought solace in the bar, drowning my sorrows in drink until the hours blurred together.

As I drowned my sorrows in alcohol, the pain only seemed to intensify. Each drink felt like a futile attempt to numb the ache in my heart.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. It was Marco.

"This isn't like you, Levian," he remarked, taking a seat beside me.

"What's it to you?" I snapped, not in the mood for conversation.

Ignoring my brusque response, Marco ordered a drink and observed me closely.

"People drink to celebrate or to release pent-up stress," he remarked casually.