Awaken Into a New World Book 1 (Edited)

Chapter 19: Troubled Heart (Edited✔)

Alecia stood, locking eyes on Virgil. Just then, Joel's voice echoed as he called Kellan's name from down the passage.

"Where is she?" Joel said in panic as he entered the room.

Alecia stepped to the side, closing her eyes.

"No!" he cried out with a look of despair in his eyes.

He walked passed Alecia, eyes drawn to the floor.

"Kellan?" he muttered, lips trembling.

Joel dropped to his knees and placed his hands on both sides of her face, looking into Kellan's lifeless eyes.

"No. . ." He began to cry uncontrollably as he sat her up and wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't worry, I'm here. Daddy's here now," he murmured, crying while rocking back and forth.

He cried over his daughter's shoulder, his cries muffled by her hair.

"Tell me, what happened?" Virgil asked quietly while looking at Alecia. She opened her eyes and looked at Virgil, her pupils still glowing.

"Did you do this?" he said with a stern look. "Or was it them?"

He stepped forward. Alecia drew her blade to him, slight anger in her eyes.

"Stay away from me, Virgil," she said calmly.

Virgil stepped back, his eyes drawn to the blade.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't want to hurt you either."

"We can talk about this. We can fix this."

"No." She shook her head. "No one can fix this."

She looked at the floor for a moment before turning to him. "I don't belong here. There's no one there for me, no friends, no family."

She lowered lower her blade as Virgil slowly stepped forward.

"That's not true, Alecia," he said, a saddened look in his eyes. "I'm here for you. I-"

Alecia drew her blade to him. "No. It's the best we part ways."

Virgil looked at the floor, nodding. She walked past him, her blade still drawn.

"You know I would never hurt you," he said, looking at the blade and back at her.

"It isn't you I'm worried about," Alecia said, stepping back into the passage. "Goodbye, Virgil."

Diana walked to Joel who was still weeping for his daughter. She knelt down beside him, her hand on his one shoulder. Virgil turned to look at all the dead bodies on the ground, both the hunters and the residents.

"She's gone," Diana whispered.

"If only you have let me," he said with a sniff. "She would still be-"

Joel cried before finishing his sentence. Diana patted his back and looked at Virgil. Virgil sighed and turns around to face the passage where Alecia ran off to.

-

In the dead-end alleyway, the drain's lid slid off, and Alecia climbed out. She stood and caught her breath while looking at the hole and turning her gaze to the alleyway. She exited, and all she saw were dead bodies everywhere, which stretched as far as the pavement. The bodies of the men and women lay motionless in pools of their own blood.

She moved among the bodies, carefully taking her steps between them until she reached the pavement, walking down the street of the city.

Alecia traversed on the decimated city for a whole hour. In the broad road, as she walked out of nowhere, so many thoughts went through her mind. The ground she strode upon helped her ponder her thoughts more clearly.