Vyral

Chapter 16 - Death is only the beginning

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(I recommend listening to the soundtrack from the 15:36 "06 - Demolition" timestamp for the intended experience. Enjoy your reading.)
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Kohen's lifeless body limps over the man's shoulder, charred beyond recognition. Although Myrellie and the others jump over the railing to congratulate them, they stop dead in their tracks upon seeing Proteus' arm extend their way, in clear distress.

Myrellie: "Proteus!? Is he okay?"
Proteus: ".... No... I need to assess the condition of his body..."
Lily: "Body!? What do you mean body!?"
Proteus: "Shh!! Any loud noises or sudden movements are suicide..!! Especially after a failure of this magnitude."
Orton: "Failure!? Tell me you're lying..."

Proteus: "Please look away." - He turns his back to them, obstructing their view as he gently lifts the boy into his arms, exposed organs meshing with the charred flesh surrounding his bones. Unfortunately, Lily's curiosity and concern get the best of her, as her waterlogged eyes lock with the boy's open, dry and lifeless ones, both glued to the back of his head as his loose jaw paints a disturbing picture of the pain he must've felt during his final moments.

She is unable to look away. Unable to stop the tears from flowing. Unable to mutter any words through her scarce breath. Incapable of thinking or reacting to the grotesque situation in front of her. As Proteus gently moves away, time slows down for the girl, as nothing but memories of Kohen flood into her mind. Each step the man takes, flashes of the boy's expressions, smiles, comments, excitement, rush through the back of her eyes, eventually stopping when Proteus shuts the arena door behind him.
Myrellie's tears begin silently flowing down her face, expressionless, almost as if the news haven't caught up with her mind yet. This quickly changes when Amina's palm lands on her shoulder, causing her face to contort.

Lily's frown burrows into her skull, as she drops to her knees to punch and claw at the soil. Visceral screams pour out of her, as everything aches with the exception of her abused and now bloody fingernails, each slam gradually losing strength. She drops to the ground, giving into the pressure of this loss. Sobbing.

Orton and Myra remain silent, the former taking initiative to pull Lily away from the scene.

Amina glances over her shoulder to see Myra's sour stare towards her, she can't tell if it's because of their existing distaste in each other, or because of Kohen's death. Probably both. Whichever the case, it is a short-lived situation, as Myra turns her focus to the overbearing clouds that darkened the atmosphere earlier. Amina directs her attention to escorting Myrellie and the others to the alternative exit of the building.

It starts raining.
Myra is the only one left at the scene.

Myra: "Rain really knows the worst moments to show up...
Isn't that right... 

Kohen...?"

.......

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A few hours later.
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Couped up inside the Community center, the group sits by the fireplace inside one of their rooms, awaiting news from Proteus. Lily badly damaged her vocal cords by screaming, prompting Myra to make her some medicinal lemon tea to alleviate the pain and induce faster recovery. Her destroyed fingers have been wrapped in layers of bandages to prevent infection.
Orton took the initiative to prepare a handful of meals with some ingredients given by the other tenants, who keep questioning where the loud, rambunctious boy they first saw enter the colony along with them is. The group was never able to give a proper response.