Chương 59: 57: Family

Remnya The sun faded behind the horizon, and the first streetlights began to glow orange, shifting the village's welcoming atmosphere. Remnya and Merle crossed the market street, where all the merchants gathered by sunset with their food carts. The smell of fried meat lingered in the air, and people flooded the streets searching for the best meal. Despite the distractions, Remnya focused on her surroundings, scanning every corner for the men with horns.

Merle advanced in front of her, wearing a ridiculous fedora and drinking from a large liquor bottle he had bought at a tavern. They turned into a narrow street, where the reek of alcohol and cigarettes replaced the appetizing smell of food. Kids and elders vanished, and menacing, gloomy faces emerged from the shadows. Prying eyes scanned Remnya from different corners, making her skin crawl. Arriving at an intersection, she noticed several pubs and brothels on each side of the street.

Merle halted in front of a pub and scratched his chin, scanning his surroundings. Finally, his eyes landed on an old truck parked nearby. Remnya read his intentions as soon as he stomped toward the vehicle.

"Are you serious?" Remnya questioned, her heart racing in her chest.

"Stay quiet and do as I say." Merle scowled and stood next to the truck. He glanced left and right, making sure no one looked his way, and then placed his hand against the driver's window. His skin glowed, and the crystal began to melt, opening a hole. Merle shoved his hand through it and unlocked the door. Those seconds felt like hours for Remnya, who noticed two drunk men and a lady looking their way. Unfazed, Merle sat in the driver's seat and gestured at Remnya to get inside.

Shunning away the conflicting emotions lurking in her head, she obeyed, hopping in the vehicle and closing the door. The truck smelled of dust and dampness mixed with old diesel and oil.

"This is stealing!" Remnya shouted, feeling cold sweat prickling at her skin.

"We're just borrowing it." Merle used the wires under the steering wheel to start the engine.

"How many times have you done this?" Remnya asked, glancing everywhere, fearing the owner would show up at any moment.

"I grew up among cars; this is a piece of cake." Merle released the handbrake, and the truck moved, its old motor roaring as it released a trail of thick black smoke. Merle honked and insulted a drunk man limping along the street and accelerated recklessly. Remnya's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach, thinking about what the witnesses would say about her.

Yet, she was relieved no one dared to confront them about their crime; Merle's intimidating appearance was enough to deter any fool from trying to play the hero. They turned left onto a dirt road and sped up through the twilight. A green sign on the side of the road read: 'Crysalton 567 KM'.

"This road should take us to the main highway," Merle said, then pointed at the travel bag where he had put his bottle. Remnya grabbed the liquor and handed it to him, who smiled and rushed to chug it. She wondered if they would make it to Crysalton alive. Resigned, Remnya sighed and adjusted her seatbelt. She leaned her face against the stained window and tried to focus on the landscape.

A tenuous beam of sunlight still peeked at her from behind a wall of Redwood trees that spread along the roadway, forming a crimson fortress that was home to countless animals. The soil was an orange, clay-like tone, soft and slippery, causing the truck's tires to lose traction as Merle sped up aggressively around a narrow curve, ignoring bumps and holes. The ride felt like a rollercoaster of sand and clay. An orange mist of dust trailed after them, disappearing as the last spark of sunlight vanished.

Despite Merle's alcoholic and reckless behavior, Remnya felt safe. He wasn't the type of man who would hurt her willingly. He had already saved her once. Minutes turned into a tedious hour, and drowsiness took over Remnya's body. She rested her eyes for a moment, but without realizing it, she fell asleep.... Rem.... Rem.... Do you remember our promise?... I do! How could I ever forget? Why?... Rem.... That promise...... Forget about that stupid promise. I don't want you nearby. I don't need you anymore....

What are you saying? We made a promise! Why are you telling me this now? This... This is not you! The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.... Zeo!... ZEO!... A splash of cold water on Remnya's face jolted her out of her dream world and brought her back to reality. Her body was shaking as she wondered whose voice that was. It couldn't be Zeo. No way. Just a stupid dream. Just a stupid dream.

Remnya rubbed her eyes, trying to comprehend the situation, and then saw Merle standing next to her with a scowl and a water bottle in his hand.

"At last!" he shouted.

"C'mon! Get moving, we can't waste any more time."

"You could've just yelled, and I would've gotten up!" Remnya yelled at him, brushing her drenched hair with her fingertips.

"I've been doing that for ten minutes. You sleep like a fucking bear." Merle tossed the water bottle at her. Remnya caught it and hopped out of the truck, yawning and stretching her arms. She scanned her surroundings and noticed they had parked next to a dirt road engulfed by darkness. However, on the horizon, the headlights of vehicles rolled left and right on what seemed to be a highway. Beyond, she recognized the city lights of Crysalton, rising to the highest peak amid the mountains.

"Where are we?"

"Lacacia Forest," Merle said, dropping a massive tree trunk on the road to block it. Remnya remembered that name from overhearing Ronner's conversations with his men.

"My girls and boys cleared the path for us, so we'd better hurry. C'mon!" Merle stomped down a cliff, vanishing behind the rocks.

"Wait!" Remnya rushed after him but halted over the edge of a ridge to calculate the fall. Beneath, all the vegetation had been burned to the ground, and embers still glowed like the eyes of a feline. Remnya carefully balanced her body over the irregular, steep terrain and followed Merle. * The smell of burnt wood lingered in the air, mingling with the forest's nocturnal moisture. Remnya strode through rocks and the remnants of trees covered in ashes.

The only sounds in the air were Merle's stomps and her boots crushing charred branches. Deeper into the forest, bordering a hill, the vegetation grew again, and the whispers of owls filled the silence. They crossed a dry creek and took a steep path toward another ridge that seemed to touch the night sky from Remnya's perspective. They reached the top, and Merle stopped to observe the landscape beneath them. He pointed at a small cabin hidden behind trees and bushes in the distance.

"There." Remnya's heart raced in her chest, and without thinking, she went ahead.

"Is Brisa there?" she asked, her eyes locked on their destination.

"That's likely." Merle slowed his pace, allowing her to lead the walk.

"It's better if you arrive first." Remnya nodded, her legs moving on their own, almost running, while an avalanche of feelings was unleashed inside her. The sharp rocks and deadly thorns of cacti in her way didn't seem to be there anymore. She reached the cabin quickly and stood in front of a wooden door. Despite the rustic exterior, the door lock was electronic, with a digital pad and a blinking red light.

"This security system..." Merle stood next to her and scratched his chin.

"Right, this place must've belonged to Ronner."

"So, this is no ordinary place." Remnya knocked on the door and leaned her ear against the wood.

"The precarious appearance is only a cover. This cabin is built like a fortress. She probably learned about this place from Ronner himself." Remnya kept knocking, but minutes passed with no answer.

"We need to get inside somehow," she said.

"Then do it." Merle gestured with his eyes at the door lock.

"Destroy it. Your friend won't need it anymore after all." Clenching her fists, Remnya nodded and placed her hand on the lock. Like a torch, she shot a stream of crimson fire from her palm. The metal device heated up until it glowed, first orange and then yellow. When the metal turned incandescent white, it began to melt, revealing a thick layer of steel beneath. Boom! The door lock blew up like a small bomb, kicking Remnya away like a doll.

She landed on her back against the hard ground and let out a grunt of pain. Merle guffawed at her while flames and sparks covered his body and destroyed the front of the cabin; the explosion had barely moved his massive body. Remnya felt her head spinning like a wheel and her skin and eyes burning. The impact had felt like thousands of punches to the face, and her whole body ached.

"What the hell?" she shouted, staggering to stand up and massaging her head. She glared at Merle.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you?" Merle smirked, holding his laughter.

"These devices are cool, aren't they? If they can't stop the intruder, they'll blow up, killing them or at least causing as much damage as possible."

"Ugh!" Remnya gritted her teeth and wiped the soot and ashes from her face.

"I'll get you back for this, old man." Merle guffawed and then placed his hand against the remnants of the steel door.

"I'm sure your friend will end up hating me, too." The ground shook under Remnya's feet, and then Merle released a powerful blast from his hand. The steel cracked and exploded into several pieces, sending sparks and sharp metal shards in every direction. Remnya covered her face as the metallic bullets whistled inches from her body, only scratching her clothes, unable to penetrate the thick thread to harm her skin. Merle glanced at her, but Remnya said nothing; she knew he had done that on purpose to prove a point.

She scoffed and walked toward the broken door, which collapsed as soon as Merle gave it a soft push.

"Go find your friend, she's probably underground," Merle said, searching for his liquor bottle in his pockets.

"Hurry up, we're running out of time." Remnya bobbed her head and rushed inside through ashes and smoke. She arrived at what seemed to be an entrance hall, immersed in darkness and silence. The faint smell of pinewood floated in the air. Poking her surroundings, Remnya walked through a narrow corridor until a tenuous blue glow in the distance caught her attention. As she neared the source of the light, she found the entrance to the underground bunker.

"Monsters like you never give up, do you?" Someone cocked a gun behind her. However, Remnya recognized that voice.

"Is this Danny?" she asked, removing the cap from her head to reveal her horns and hair. Danny's eyes widened like full moons when Remnya turned to him. He dropped his weapon and rushed to meet her.

"Remnya? Is this really you?" He took her hands between his while a smile spread across his face. Remnya nodded, beaming at him. Danny had changed; his long blond hair was up in a ponytail, and two deep scars crossed his face. His blue eyes glowed in unison with the light, looking fiercer than ever.

"I am glad to see you alive," Remnya said, squeezing his hands.

"So, I am to see you again, Remnya." Tears welled up in his eyes.

"You look strong and radiant in those clothes." Remnya blushed and shook her head.

"No, no. I was forced to wear this." Before the joy of seeing him again distracted her, she forced herself to focus on her main goal. Remnya narrowed her eyes and spoke firmly, "Danny. We need to get out of here as soon as possible. Where's Brisa?" Danny raised his eyebrows and nodded.

"Come with me." He took her hand and guided Remnya downstairs. One last door with the same security device blocked their path, but Danny quickly dialed the code to unlock it. Clanking and squeaking, the heavy steel door opened, revealing a massive bunker. There were several shelves full of canned food and water bottles on each side of the room. Two automatic rifles hung from a wall, along with bullets and what seemed to be grenades.

Danny gestured for Remnya to follow him through a passage made by cramming shelves together. Four bunk beds were on the other side, lined with the walls, and two large closets. Remnya swallowed, and her heart rushed in her chest. Sitting on a bed, she recognized the face she had been craving to see for months. Brisa. Her golden eyes filled with tears, and a beautiful smile spread across her face. Without thinking, Remnya ran toward her.

Her arms wrapped around her sister, and tears escaped her eyes, feeling her warm body, providing that peace she had needed so much on her long journey.

"I am sorry, I am sorry..." Remnya repeated over and over, sobbing uncontrollably against her chest, listening to the beats of her heart.

"Everything is okay now, Rem," Brisa whispered in her ear, caressing her head and squeezing her body tightly against hers. Her fingers brushed her hair, and then she gently kissed her cheek.

"I am here for you." Peaceful silence filled Remnya's mind, wishing that moment would last forever. Remnya closed her eyes and smiled.

"Brisa... It's time to go home."