The night sky was out in the Shelter. Still, the unique glow from the plants inside the Shelter and outside gave everything a mystic feel and glow. There were all sorts of arrays of colours that would radiate from them and reflect.
The giant tree in the Shelter was shining the brightest. It was so luminous that no beast crystals had to be used as lightning in the Shelter. Everything had a slight pink hue as one would look around. Usually, if people were visiting the Shelter for the first time, they would admire such beauty, but everyone in the Shelter didn't have time for that.
The normal civilians were held up in a large emergency centre. At the same time, many faction members and Meshack[Graylash] members would be guarding on top of the wall. They assumed that with the number of missing people returning, they might have gotten some visitors even at night.
However, there seemed to be a little bit of a dry spell. Almost a couple of hours had passed with no new people coming to the Shelter.
Inside the faction base, all of the Cursed members were waiting in the training room, with around a hundred other people. Split between regular Travellers and Faction members. There was more than usual that would be inside of the room, but that was because they were afraid that an attack could happen at any moment.
"You look a bit worried and a bit tired, " Rebecca[Layla] said as she went over to Nora[Hayley]'s side, who looked disheartened. She was taking a break and having a cup of coffee to give her energy. It was the only thing keeping her going at this rate.
"I'm not like you guys, " Nora[Hayley] replied. "I don't know how none of you are tired. Even the faction members are rubbing their eyes, but all of you seem fine, even after fighting all those...Marked as you call them."
Rebecca[Layla] gave an awkward smile and didn't really know what to say. Of course, none of them needed to sleep as much as humans because they weren't humans. They could go a few days without any sleep and function just fine, but they still needed their rest now and then.
"You know you can rest if you want. It doesn't look like any more Marked are coming in. I will look over you if anything is happening and wake you up if you are needed." Rebecca[Layla] said.
"Thanks for the offer, " Nora[Hayley] replied with a smile. "Don't you think it's strange? That your the one comforting me. I still remember when we were at the school and Archer[Quinn] had come running in looking for you, and now your position is probably more respected than mine.
"So much has changed in so little time that it feels so unreal. I never thought the day would come where Rebecca[Layla] Munrow would offer to protect me."
It certainly was odd, but Nora[Hayley] had no idea what all of them had been through.
"So tell me, have you two made any progression?" Nora[Hayley] asked.
Rebecca[Layla]'s face started to turn a bright red.
"What do you mean?"
"Come on, do you really think I wouldn't know? I'm a lot older than you. It's a shame to hear that you two haven't progressed further. Maybe that's what happens when you have too much going on, but to me, it looked like he liked you as well. At least back then.
"We have to be brave in these times, Rebecca[Layla]. With the war going on, who knows if this is the last time we will see anybody. Do you really want to leave this world holding onto words you wished you had said?" When Nora[Hayley] spoke of this, she was also talking about herself.
There was someone else she also wanted to speak to, afraid that she might never see them again.
"Your right, " Rebecca[Layla] said, clenching the bow in her hand. "I've been too afraid, waiting for the right moment, but it seems like there may well never be a right moment."
Entering the training room at that moment were twenty Meshack[Graylash] members. The others thought that they perhaps had more people to bring in and join the makeshift cell, but they had no one along with them.
"Don't mind us. We are just taking a break for now and having a look at the Marked." One of the Meshack[Graylash] members said at the front.
Hearing this, most of the people chose to ignore them. Tony[Peter], Ryo[Eno] and Mill[Sil] were near each other. While Pestile[Wevil] and Rachael[Linda] were close to each other as usual. The only one that was apart from them was Arian[Fex], who stood outside of the makeshift cell.
Three faction members were standing in front of the cell door. Whenever one of the people inside would be turned. Someone inside would call Arian[Fex] to tie them up. They would then be moved to another part of the cell where there was a wall between them with all the other tied up members.
The Meshack[Graylash] members started to walk up towards the cell entrance, and the guards assumed they would be going inside. As they walked closer to Arian[Fex], he began to sniff their air as he smelt something.
"Tony[Peter], Mill[Sil], it looks like we might have a job to do soon, " Ryo[Eno] said, sniffing the air as well.
Ryo[Eno] hardly said anything to them, so they were sure to pay attention when he did speak.
Arian[Fex], thinking that something was about to happen, decided to move away and head over to where the girls were. As he walked past and through the Meshack[Graylash] members, they met eyes before he continued walking.
"Hey, do you know how long Archer[Quinn] is going to be?" Arian[Fex] asked.
"He didn't give me any time. I doubt he would be back until the sun rises. Why, what's going on?" Rebecca[Layla] whispered, knowing something had startled him.
"It was hard for me to smell it at first because it looks like they've tried to cover it up, but those Meshack[Graylash] members that just came in right now, smell of blood, " Arian[Fex] said.
"Blood?' Nora[Hayley] overheard. "Wait, aren't you going to stop them. Does that mean the Meshack[Graylash] members are going inside to kill them? Is that why no new people have come by? We have to stop them!"
"That's why I was asking when Archer[Quinn] would be coming back. If the Meshack[Graylash] members are acting this way, it means it has to be an order from Robin. The only person that he will probably listen to is Archer[Quinn]. Perhaps he believes the threat of the Marked has become too big and decided to take matters into his own hands. Let's just see what they do for now, and if they try anything, we'll try to stop them with words. If that doesn't work…we might have a tough fight on our hands going up against the Meshack[Graylash] family." Arian[Fex] explained.
The guards willingly opened the door, so the Meshack[Graylash] could inspect the Marked.
"Be careful in there. There are quite a few that are about to be- "The guard's speech was stopped midway as he felt his head being grabbed.
"We know." The Meshack[Graylash] man said.
The guard's body shook as lightning was running through his whole body, and the other two guards were dealt with as significant lightning strikes had struck through them two as well.
"What's going on? The Meshack[Graylash] members just killed the guards!" Rebecca[Layla] said, confused.
"The blood, it wasn't from the Marked, but it must have been from other faction members outside!" Arian[Fex] shouted so everyone could hear, but they were all soon on alert. The door to the cell was opened wide, and the Meshack[Graylash] members stood to the side.
Coming out from the small door, and breaking through it, the hundreds of captured Marked seemed to have all already gone mad and were already attacking the faction members close by.
"What is happening?" Tony[Peter] asked. "Are the Meshack[Graylash] working with the Marked? But why? Is Robin behind this as well?"
Ryo[Eno], stood there and looked at the Meshack[Graylash] members, a mad Marked came up to him, but he quickly placed his hand on its head and pushed them down to the ground as hard as he could, until the person's legs had snapped and bent outwards. The Marked was still moving but was only able to crawl with its hands.
"It looks like Archer[Quinn] has been going after the wrong person, " Ryo[Eno] said, shaking his head.
To be continued....
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