Life is great here... Not. LOL.

Chapter 12: New allies and enemies

[Raven's POV]

Odd. Why is there nobody? I can't detect any sign of life. Other than the girl I met just now, there isn't anyone.

Did they die? I didn't hear any cannons. Krys, go find some people.

Dang. Just realised that I should have taken meat from his body.

Sighing, I run my fingers through my hair. Forget it.

Oh... What happened to Akiko, Ethan and Annie? They might be together right now, and I see a hole...

"HELP ME!" I heard somebody scream. Looking down, I notice somebody already in the trap. Ah.

"Are you alright?" I ask in mock concern, kneeling to see them. I think it's the District 8 boy. Same as.... That girl, Cascade?

Should I... Help him?

I don't have the resources currently, but-

A net fell on top of me. He was bait!

"Finally, we have gotten our ally! Traitor, Raven," Ethan snarls.

"Heh. Were you surprised?" I question, looking at the three of them. Akiko looked furious.

"How could you just abandon us like that?"

"First, I didn't know where you were. Second, if I did, I would come for you. Third, if you were too slow, I would have no choice but to abandon you, right?"

"We had an agreement, Raven," Akiko shouted, her brow furrowing in frustration.

"... Sorry?"

"You-" Ethan nearly punched me but held himself back.

"Me? Me what?" I tease, leaning forward. The net presses against my face. "Damn this stupid net."

"Ahem," A loud cough echoed. Cascade Shio stepped forward. "Sate sate sate... what do we have here? A children's spat?" She mocks. "I didn't peg you as people who would fuss over such insignificant things..." She somehow meets everyone's gaze at the same time and walks to the trap for the boy. She jumps in and pulls him out.

"Be careful next time, people like this," she gestures to the gang. "Will never be your comrades." She smiles and casually takes out a jagged dagger.

"You guys. Choose. Die or Leave. I'll even let you live. But Niko and Raven stay with me." She points her dagger at them, the blade razor-sharp.

"Hah? You think you can take us head on? Especially when it's three on one." Ethan sneers.

Cascade narrows her eyes. "...Fine. Do you like blue, red or white?" Her lips curve up.

"What did y-" Akiko's head rolls off her shoulders. Blood slaps the ground and the body joins it next.

"...She was red... Annie. Blue or white?" Cascade asks, rose red painting the dirt, almost hypnotically.

The boy... Niko? He is standing behind Cascade. I thought he would be terrified but he did not bat an eyelid and stood calmly.

Hehe. How interesting. Moving the finger that created ice slightly, I freeze the ground below Annie and Ethan. "Almost forgot about this. I didn't share it with you, did I?" Pointing the finger that created fire at my net, it burns away my restraints. "Two against two. A fair fight, no?"

"What was that?!"

"Eh, nothing much." Turning to Cascade, I smirk. "Thanks for distracting them. I'm running low on mana, and I saw a bright light when I left you. You have a demon?"

"What are you talking about, Cascade, Raven?"

"Nothing much." Ethan was trying to sneak behind me. Whipping around, I pull out my daggers. "Play nice, won't you? Oh."

He had fallen into a hole. His own hole that he had dug.

He had been so unfocused that he didn't even notice the hole, the trap that he had dug.

"Digging your own grave, are we?"

Sending a knife into his head, it hits the target. Blood spurts out, revealing the brain. "I need that..."

"Hm. The brain decomposes first. So be quick to smoke it by today and expect it to be mouldy by next week." Cascade advises while brandishing her knife at Annie.

"Well. I'll take Ethan for blue. Annie unfortunately, you're white!" She lunges at Annie with lightning speed and freezes her hands and feet with a touch of her finger. Annie's eyes widen with fear and she tries in vain to escape.

"A-n-n-I-e... don't even try to escape..." Cascade teases in a singsong voice. She made multiple cuts across Annie's body. Just enough to bleed, but not so much.

At one point, Cascade releases Annie and lets her escape.

"Why did you do that?" I question.

"Don't worry, she'll be dead by today. I just broke her." Cascade assured.

I nod and glance at Niko, who is already done with preparing the body. He even drained the blood.

"Good job. Should I assume we're going to be allies, then?"

"That would be great. But keep in mind that only one of us will be champion." Cascade warns.

"That's okay."

She nods in satisfaction and walked over to Niko. "Well, long time no see, Niko." She grins and pats his head. Niko just sits there and nods his head.

"Quite emotionless, aren't you, Niko?"

"It's fine. We're childhood friends, and he has always been like that. He does show his emotions, but not in the normal way," She sighed and pulled him to his feet.

"Well then, shall we go?"

"Yeah, let's go."