The Seed of Hope

Chapter 23: Into the Depths

Rai walked into the city's dark alleys, messing up his hair in frustration at what he witnessed. The words of his father still stung like fresh wounds on his ego. He knew he let his father's sinister manipulation get the best of him, but what bothers him is the fact that he was right. He didn't want to admit it but as his father narrated Logan and Kate, he sounded more convincing. Rai questioned Kate over and over in his mind. Did she have reciprocating feelings for Logan? He couldn't even stomach that fact. He thought Kate loved him. He thought that this trip was going to be quick and unproblematic. But after everything that has happened, he wished with all his might to just go back to Kyria, where he was happy and in peace, or so he thought. The Fallen and Bassilisk knew the location of their base now, so that was another weight on his shoulders.
His stress was getting too much to bare and he felt it in his anger, how he can't hold back anymore.
He quickly walked through the damp and dark streets, his footsteps echoing around as he frantically searched for a place to just sit and cool off.

He found his way through a garden that looked as if it was untouched by the littered and filthy city, an oasis with fresh air and clean water. Rai quickly walked into the lush green archway and slowed his pace. His breath was erratic, his hair was messy and sweat ran down his chin. That city had no business being that damp and hot. Besides his hotel room, this garden was the only decently temped place he could find. But the last thing he wanted to do was see Kate's or Logan's faces. Rai quickly shook his head, how could he say that about the woman he loves, not seeing her face?

Dumbass...

-Why is he right? Why is that man always right about me?- Rai thought to himself as he bit down hard.
-Just when I thought that I was doing something right for myself, it had to go to shit because that man is not pleased with it...-

He shook his head again as he leaned against a tree.
-Since when do you care what that old man approved or not?- Rai slid down the bark and sat on the lush grass. The moon was hidden behind the smog but it was still extremely bright tonight. Dew drops on the grass shimmered in the moonlight, giving the garden a melancholic feel.

-Ever since all I wanted was his approval...-

Rai's inner monologue was getting exhausting, all he wanted to do was close his eyes and escape this awful reality. He then thought of Kate's meeting with the president, and how she hasn't told him about what they talked about. Maybe she told Logan instead of him, maybe Logan was more reliable than him. Insecurity crept up in his body in the form of anger and hyperventilation. Rai could feel how his face burned red in anger and his heart beat fast. He wanted to confront them both but he knew he would be overreacting and make a fool of himself. What could he do? Just let the anger pass...for now.

In the distance, he could hear Kate's voice calling his name. He flinched and quickly stood up to leave.
He wasn't in the right mindset to speak to her, so he kept on walking deeper into the garden.

He suddenly bumped into something, he looked up to see what it was and a pair of yellow eyes stared back at him.

Rai closed his fists tightly as he glared.
-"Get out of my way!"- Rai tried walking past Logan but he grabbed him by the neck and lifted him from the ground.

-"You ain't going nowhere..."- Logan growled. Rai grabbed Logan's wrists, attempting to free himself.
-"I didn't like the way you spoke to Kate, even less how you pushed her away..."-

There it was again, he was always doing something wrong and now it was directed at Kate.

-"I-I don't have to explain anything to you, you know that Kate and I are dating, why would you try and kiss her!?"- Rai's fingers dug into Logan's skin but to no avail. The redhead wasn't letting him go.

-"When it comes to your make-believe relationship with Kate, we are all in the same boat, we don't know what you two are and you haven't even asked her yet..."- Logan tilted his head slightly. His stare was cold and empty, intimidating Rai to his core.

-"I...I will...we love each other..."- Rai's voice cracked under Logan's grip. A glimmer passed through Logan's eyes as Rai said those words.

-"Then fucking get to it!! Stop playing with her this way! She deserves better than that and you know it!"- Logan threw Rai to the ground in disgust.

-"I can't believe that I of all people have to tell you what to do...pathetic!"- Logan walked past Rai who held his throat, gasping for air. -"I am not going to hold you to it, I will treat her right if you don't. Mind you, brat, this isn't a competition, she isn't a prize to be won, she deserves to be treated right and protected, so until you do so and mature up, she is mine."- Logan's voice was threatening in a way, he straight up just told Rai that Kate is his and to do something about it.

Fuck...

Rai has always been the underdog, the one other men have kicked or bossed around. He was tired of this, so he began training and sharpening his combat skills so he could defend Kate in her mission. But Logan was the only man he couldn't take on. If he fought back, it was a guaranteed loss. Even then, he felt Logan was looking out for him, despite the harsh criticism and insults. Or perhaps it was because Kate asked him to get along with him, so he tried.
They suddenly heard the rustling of leaves and faint voices approaching them.

-"Logan! Did you find Rai?"- Naoko called out.

-"Found the brat! He's over here!"- Logan answered, his voice loud and annoyed.

The three girls ran toward them, Kate glanced down at Rai, wanting to ask him if he was okay but the fear of him snapping back at her again restrained her from doing so.

-"All I wanted was a chill night, to not cause any drama or trouble in front of all those people and sponsors...I...I wanna go back to the hotel, for fucks sake."- Kate held back tears as she held onto Logan's arm.

Rai looked at Kate from the corner of his eyes, embarrassed by his behavior.

-"I'll walk you..."- Logan turned to walk away with Kate. Naoko and Ivee helped Rai up on his feet and they too made their way back to the hotel.

The walk back was quiet, Logan didn't say anything to Kate, he knew she was under a lot of pressure and stress. Kate clung onto his arm as they made their way up to the suite.
Everyone entered slowly, Naoko and Ivee threw their high heels off their feet in relief.

Rai was the last one to walk in. His head hung low in shame as his eyes trailed for Kate. He went up toward his room and saw Kate coming out of it with her clothes in hand.

-"Kate...babe, listen..."- Rai reached for her hand.
Kate hesitated and backed off from him, clenching the clothes against her chest.

-"I'm going to give you some space, I'm staying in Naoko's room in the meantime."-

Rai was shocked by what he just heard. Kate is avoiding him and perhaps distancing herself from him. He began to sweat and panic settled in.

-"Katerina...let me explain, please."-

-"I understand that you might've seen something you didn't want to or that you didn't know how to answer your dad about us, which hurt, by the way. It also hurts that I didn't even know how to answer it either...I was just...confused, but I would never come off to you the way you did to me...I'll give you some time to think things through before engaging with me again. Good night."- Kate passed by him coldly, leaving Rai in the hallway. He thought of Logan's words, how Kate was his and only his, heat built up in his stomach and he quickly turned around and shouted.

-"Be my girlfriend!"- His voice echoed.

Kate stopped as she was opening Naoko's door. She remained silent for a couple of long seconds before sighing.

-"Not now, Rai...after tonight, the last thing you should do is ask me that..."- Kate opened the door and walked in, once again leaving Rai alone in the hallway.

His hands began to shake and sweat and the feeling of a hard lump in his throat appeared, more unbearable than ever. Logan passed by him on his way to his room, loosening his collar and taking off his jacket. Rai eyed him up and down.

-What does Kate see in him?-

Logan glanced at Rai and raised an eyebrow. -"Can I help you?"-

Rai turned to the side and clicked his tongue.

-"Get some rest, Kate chose us to go down to the mines with her tomorrow, she needs us at our best."- Logan went into his room and closed the door.

Once again, Rai was alone, and for the first time in a while, he will be sleeping alone.



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-"You see, the entryway to get into the mine is vertical, therefore you can only get in via lift, there's no walkway or anything for that matter. Once inside, it's a descent by foot for approximately sixty-one meters or two hundred feet to the room where these creatures spawn from."-

-"Got it, any surprises that we could encounter?"- Kate tightened her harness. The lift was a cold and dusty metal platform powered by steam. Underneath her feet was the pitch-black darkness awaiting to swallow them. Logan crossed his arms listening to Kate's conversation while Rai yawned over and over again, clearly, he had a rough night.

-"Besides the demonic creatures, perhaps corpses of our workers and military personnel, endless tunnels and collapsing pillars and walls. Maybe sinkholes?"- An agent flipped through a clipboard and gave Kate a map of the mines.
-"Just so you don't get lost."-

Kate nodded and tucked the map into her sheath.
-"Let's begin then."- Kate's clothing changed to her armor with the white flares.
Everyone around her stared at her in awe.
The President stood in his office which was near the entrance to the mines, he looked down at them as they began their descent.

-"Oh and here!"- The agent threw Logan a flare gun. -"Fire red when you need to retreat, we will activate the lift to bring you back up, fire green when you land safely, yellow for a successful mission, and fire black for emergency stop. Got it?"-

Logan vaguely saluted with two fingers and Kate nodded.

The lift made a horrible creaking and clanging noise as it lowered.

-"You two ready?"- Kate looked at Rai and Logan, her tone cold as ice.

Logan confirmed as he stretched out his arm and neck. Popping joints in the process. Rai, however, was quiet and gloomy.

As they went down, they noticed the air was still, stagnant, and smelt of sulfur. Kate quivered at the familiar smell of the Fallen tunnels that haunted her memories.

Logan looked at Kate from the corner of his eye, noticing her uneasiness. He sidestepped closer to her and playfully bumped her arm with his.

-"Never seen you so motivated like this before. You're practically vibrating."- Logan smirked. Rai rolled his eyes.

-"I just want to get this over with and go home..."- Kate sighed but remained perked up and ready.

The atmosphere around them began weighing on them, the heat and humidity suffocating their senses as Kate struggled to breathe.

-"Slow your breathing, you've been in worse places than this."- Logan instructed, his tone stern and cold.

Kate nodded and began to slow her breathing.

In the far depths of the darkness, they began hearing growls and screeches. Kate drew out her sword, preparing for what was to come.

Suddenly, the lift made a loud clank sound and tilted to one side, causing Kate to fall off the edge. Her harness held her as she dangled in the air. Her scream echoed into the darkness, causing the creatures to stir.

-"Kate!!"- Both men reacted and they grabbed her harness to pull her up. As they did, however, her harness snapped and sent Kate plunging into the suffocating darkness.

-"No!"- Logan tried snapping his fingers to levitate her but it was too late, she was out of sight.