A Blood Red Top Hat

Chapter Fifteen: Just Like the Fire

I woke up next morning, not sure when but I could already hear footsteps and small whispering. I sit up, I heard a small breathing noise and turned to it. Swimming.

She is on the other side of the room, snuggle into her overly large blanket. Not waking her up, I grab my jacket next to me and pop on my shoes, I stinks.

I haven't shower yet, and I am sure my under arm will smell extremely bad, probably able to make someone faint from the stinky smell.

I stood up, give a quick stretch and walk out of the room not waking Swimming up.

The place is quite quiet, yet still a few minor sounds of stepping and talking. I drop down to the main ground, fire still going, but something is on it, is it...food?

I know we can't smell or taste anything, but it will still fuel our body, I can see small strips of food dangling from racks that was placed above the fire. Although it indeed looks yummy and probably will be more yummy if we can smell it but I ignored it due to I needed to meet, who is it? Leaping, yeah.

The time I reach the outside of the waterfall, Leaping is still waiting, and some other people.

"Leaping!" I waved and she waved back when she both saw and heard me.

"Ah Spirit." She smiled as I made my way near her. "This is our team." She gestures.

Mostly girls and one boy-

Wretched?

"Wretched what are you doing here?" I look at those dark blue eyes. "What? I am in this team." He give a gentle shrug.

"Okay, so this is our medics;winged- She points to a small girl, this playful girl has beady brown eyes. Her thick, straight, chalk-white hair is worn in a style that reminds me of a strange headdress. Her skin is cream-colored and a wide forehead- and Magic-she points at a girl next to winged. large blue eyes, with silky, wavy red hair.-."

They both nods at me and a friendly smile, "Next we have our warriors, as I believed, you already know Wretched." Wretched give a small laugh but soon stopped as Leaping suddenly look at him with a death glare. "And we have Shark here." She pointed at a girl with wavy black hair which reminds me of a cobra, "And our last warrior...Me." Leaping laughed.

"Right." I nodded at her joke, at least I think it is a joke.

"And probably the most important, the runners. Which is Mythical and Eagle." She pointed at the last two girls remaining, "This is Spirit, she will be our runner." Leaping come near me and patted my back. "And off you go." Leaping pushes me and into the two runner girls.

"What?" Before I could say another, the two runner took off running, "Go." Leaping said again, without another second wasted, I run with them, seems like back into the forest again.

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"We're here," Mythical stopped, this place is filled with trees as you expected, "Leaping said we shouldn't go near Mt. Shiveer because maybe Alpha is here and we don't wanted to bump into him." She take a 360 turn to scale the area."

"Alpha is really strong." Eagle follows up. I couldn't image how strong he is, but I know that we shouldn't go near him.

"So what are we going?" I took around with them.

"We are gonna map down the areas." Mythical said while getting out a roll of paper and unrolling it, it was a map, dotted with every twist and turns of the forest. "Yeah, just let me get this down." Mythical pulls down a small long piece of wood that one of the tips is covered in black substance. When she press down on the paper, it may not look beautiful but it still does the job.

"We needed to head more to the south." Mythical points at a unmarked place on the map.

I didn't argue, and it is the best to kee0 my mouth shut.

But there is something else.

People talking in the distance.

"Wait." I paused "I heard something." Without another word, I slowly walk closer to the source of the sound, it doesn't feel that far for my ears. "Spirit, it is not the time." Mythical step forward a few steps, dragging her hand out to reach for my arm. But I don't let her, instead, I do a 'hush' gesture, making Mythical to quiet down.

I brush away the leaves that grows on a bush near by, I peek through the tiny hole I've created through the bush.

Alpha.

Not surprised, and I am sure it is him, that smile and that bright shine coming from his hair. I could see him pointing, I am not sure what it is, but it's clearly not something good. Far from it.

Many crying child, bounded to nearest trees, sobbing and crying for help.

"I needed to help them." I whispered to my left which is where Mythical is located, "no time and it's way too dangerous with all those NPCs around." A voice coming from my left, Eagle.

"But these are people." I pointed at those crying children. "They are too young for this." I tighten my jaws.

"Like Eagle said, no time." Mythical pulled away, leaving me standing here the bush. "Let's go." Mythical pulled my arm, yet again, I shook away.

I could see that smug smile on Alpha's face, many people may not notice, but I could see that dark void which hidden well below that 'mask' of his.

I saw Alpha slowly move to a boy, which I believe is an NPC because of him not being locked up. But one thing I later realized, the boy was holding a torch, and it was burning as well.

I could see the boy going next to the girls who was bounded to the trees.

"Burn them."

Flame, screaming, death, all the things I could feel. Screams blasting through the air, why? They are only children...

I could feel my heart is beating faster, Adrenaline overload. My breath quickens as I saw those innocent lives, brutally taken. By this man.

I watched them burn down into ashes, tears have already dripped down.

The same question;Why?

Why them...They are too young to die.

My legs crumble down, as soon seeing Mythical and Eagle next to me, same reaction.

I couldn't trust that man anymore.

My trust already burned down with the people.

My eyes flare up...

..just like the fire...

...Gonna burn everything.