The Nest

Pressure builds with every beat of their hearts. Everyone else goes numb with fear, minds frozen — only the driver remains conscious. Nobody can change our fate. The thought sits heavy over the whole car, pressing down like something physical.

For a moment, Kaon's awareness snaps back. That same hard, strange voice cuts through the silence.

"Reaching the nest in ten minutes!"

The words jolt Kaon into motion.

"Go straight! Only ten minutes!"

A grin spreads across the driver's face at the command. Without wasting another second, Kaon runs toward the council car, the floor shaking under his boots with the speed of the train.

"I can!"

Determination burns in his eyes, fierce enough to burn away the fear rooted in everyone else's hearts. When he reaches the council car, every head turns to him at once.

"Get ready, guys!"

They look at him like he's their last way out — because he is.

"We are approaching!"

Beyond the crowd, a small, cute voice rings out.

"Daddy!"

Lyra runs to him. Kaon sits down on the floor and pulls her into a hug.

"My cute little panda! Sorry honey, I had taken a while speaking to an irritating aunty. I am here now with you."

"Did the aunt really irritate you much?" Her eyes are filled with the purest form of love and innocence.

"No honey, nobody can irritate me much," Kaon says kindly.

A drop of tear falls from Lyra's eyes.

"Everybody called you as crazy guard! Why dad?"

Kaon wipes her chin, which still has the trace of the tear.

"Oh my clumsy panda. Are you really crying for this?" He gets closer to her. "Old gramps always speak like this. Don't mind. Crazy people call others as crazy," he whispers.

Hearts of every guard melt after watching Kaon and Lyra. Some cry too, quietly, wiping their faces before anyone can see.

In the seat of the rail master, Kevin sits silent, and something churns in his mind.

There is no logic. How can he sense a nest? But there is no way now. Trusting him and his zero logic sense is what I have to do now.

Kevin stands.

"Guards! Get ready! Let's collect blood!" he says, his voice dominant and commanding.

The high-volumed horn breaks the air apart. The train slowly enters a place in the maze where hundreds of Haemons are gathered, with only an entrance in sight. The black train seeks the attention of every Haemon there. Above the train, guards with heavy armor stand ready. Rail Master Kevin is at the front, and at the last, Michael, breathing hard, says one word.

"Switch."

Ker.

His body instantly disappears, and wind surges out from the place he stood.

The train stops between the crowd of Haemons.

"Guards, just collect enough blood to fill the blood refinement car! Come on!" Kevin commands.

A Haemon punches the train, but the attack doesn't land — its hand is detached instantly, blood spraying out. Nobody dares to go near it after that.

"Touch the train if you can," a ghostly, hard voice echoes throughout the nest.

This voice makes every Haemon hesitate to touch the train. Other guards jump down from the roof of the train with a shout.

"Let's collect!"

Then the guards begin to fight.

In this crowd, Arith stands unarmed. A Haemon with four limbs and four eyes slams into him. Powerful — but he catches the fist without a strain. His grip tightens on the fist. Bone crushes while its muscles deform, and its whole body explodes, releasing a huge amount of blood.

"Silly Haemon," a grin forms on his lips as the blood moves against gravity and condenses into a red sphere at the center of the nest. Every drop of Haemon blood reaches it, and the sphere's size increases. Many five-eyed Haemons rush toward Arith. Arith slowly lets his breath out and jumps up. A wooden bow forms in his hands, and he pivots in the air while an arrow rushes out from the bow, piercing a Haemon. A rain of arrows falls, ripping the flesh of the Haemons below him. He stays in the air, spinning three hundred and sixty degrees to aim at everywhere.

After a minute, he lands. Around him, nothing stands — only dead Haemons and their pieces.

"My technique still works after all these years," he says with a calm voice. "Arrows at all angles."

Above the engine, Kaon shouts.

"Arith! Help him!"

The words reach Arith's ears, and he moves at once, not wasting time, splitting Haemons on his path.

"Too many... They are strong because of numbers."

On his path, a big Haemon with six eyes and six hands blocks his way. Breathing heavily, its dominating presence creates a drop of sweat on Arith's face.

"Hey! Arith is free!"

No reply comes. Powerful slams from the right side's three hands come at him, creating an air pressure field. Arith vaults — but one of the hands catches his leg, and it detaches.

"Aahh..."

In that moment, everyone's attention turns to Arith. The Haemon throws his leg aside and moves its body around for another strike.

"No—" Arith speaks with a slight breath. "Lost a leg, and I'm falling towards my death."

At the same time, Erith is frozen. His eyes don't blink. A river of sweat falls down his face and jaw, and it doesn't stop. He holds his two hands tightly.

"Lord Haemon, don't kill me."

Before him, a four-eyed Haemon watches him in confusion, then takes a step forward. Erith closes his eyes.

"Help me!" His voice is loud enough to seek the attention of the whole nest.

Erith's words echo in Arith's head even as he slips toward unconsciousness. Beside him, his girlfriend — wearing a red tight t-shirt that highlights her striking presence, and upperthigh jeans, her light red glossy hair dancing with the wind — is constantly slashing through Haemons to reach him.

He can't even stand. Blood surges from his wound, creating a crimson river. Finally, his lips move.

"Erith," he whispers.

"Arith! You will be okay!" she says, and kisses his forehead. A warm kiss. After it, seriousness returns to her face.

"Everything will end soon!"

More than ten Haemons charge around her. There's no way to escape. Another red dagger forms in her hands. She raises her two identical red daggers.

"Get ready!"