Tragedies.

Days have passed, and it was the night of his sister Isabel’s birthday. The party was outside, a couple of their dad’s friends showed up to say happy birthday, but they left pretty quickly. The kids’ uncle showed up along with his uncle’s wife, who, during the party, announced that she was pregnant. Their whole small family was there. Their grandpa, grandma, huddled up near a big bonfire. The night was nice and cool, and the breeze made their hair flow. The boy’s mom was teaching Eusebio how to dance, while everyone else ate meat as they sat around the bonfire.

As much as the kids wanted, time didn’t stop and the two moons surrounding them got high. It was bedtime for the three kids. And as Carlos’s mom walked them all to their shared room. Carlos and Eusebio shared a bunk bed, Carlos sleeping on top while Isabel was on a single bed across the room from them. “Goodnight, I love you all so much” Lilly

said after giving them all a kiss on their forehead and she smiles at them but her smile doesn’t match her eyes. The kids were already half asleep as she walked out and went back to the bonfire sitting next to her husband and leaning her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her as he talks to his brother and grandpa. The night was nice, the cake was still there, the moon was full, the stars were showing, all of them took a second to watch and were enjoying the calm silence.

Carlos was sleeping soundlessly having enjoyed his night turning in his bed in his sleep covering more hay on himself. Carlos tried to take a breath and he shot up from his bed as barely any air enters his lungs, he grabbed his throat with confusion and fear written across his face,

He tried taking deeper breaths but was struggling. The force weighed upon him felt way worse than anything he’s felt in training. He struggles to move his body, using all the strength he has he tugged himself forward making him fall off the bunk bed hard on his shoulder. Carlos hears some gurgling, choking noise coming from his sister’s bed. Eusebio pushes himself off the bed, falling onto his knees.

“What’s… going on,”Eusebio gasps out as he pushes him to breathe. With pure force and a lot of struggle, Eusebio pushes himself onto his feet. Carlos stays down crawling to his sister’s bed the sound of sheets rustling and stiff movements push him harder to check. “I don’t…k-know” Carlos responds, pulling himself up to look at his sister but flinches as a blinding orange light and that signature boom of lightning comes from outside. Carlos pushes through looking at his sister, his eyes widening with shock as his knees feel weaker.

“No, no, no, no, no. Isabel!” Carlos cries out as Perdido stumbles over his eyes widening and he gags and then throws up falling to his knees, tears flowing down both their eyes. Isabel was dead, her body unable to handle the weight of whatever was happening. Carlos’s vision blurred from the disgusting and gruesome sight.

“Isabel!” Eusebio cries out as the door flies open to Lilly who had rammed her shoulder at the door to open it. She pushes herself up to her feelings and struggles to walk. Seeing Isabel then she screams which she falls to her knees as she cries loudly reaching out to the mutilated body of her daughter who everyone loved very much.

Their grandpa runs over to the room and he reaches out to the two boys who are crying then pauses looking at Isabel’s body.

“No… damnit no!” He shakes his head and grabs both of Eusebio and Carlos and then throws Lily over his shoulders carrying them all.

“I can’t let this stop me I can’t…” the grandpa whispers to himself gritting his teeth holding the boys tightly as they weakly reach out to the room, tears flowing down their eyes.

“No! Don’t leave her! We can’t leave her!” Carlos screams out reaching for her, but their grandpa already bust down the front door rushing outside as they see that same orange lightning shooting out in the mountains, then the ground shakes as one of the mountains in the distance explode, following that a massive shockwave almost pushes their grandpa down but he plants his feet and holds on tighter.

All the chaos is happening in the far distance and more and more huge lightning strikes seem to shoot out and spark. The orange flash in the distance, Carlos’s dad zips across to another mountain seemingly trying to gain more distance away from the house buying them time. Someone comes flying down and crashes hard into the ground making the dirt shoot up and another ripple happens making the grandpa lose his footing this time. The man looks annoyed as he sits up and in an instant disappears all the way back into that far mountain as another clash shockwave shoots out.

The beautiful area around them is destroyed. Some trees are burned completely, others broken and pushed into the ground, some of the trees are also on fire, the mountain in the distance is completely destroyed.

“It’s ok, I’ll get you guys out of here i swear, your dad will stall for u—” they all fall to the ground as a huge dark, shadow-like hand whacks their grandpa in the back making him fly far and drop the others away. As Carlos hits the ground rolling his face skidding on the path past the fence, the same hand that knocked them away grabs Carlos’s ankle, yanking him then throwing him. Before he lands on the ground someone grabs him by the throat. His grip is tight, Carlos struggles by hitting the hand gripping onto his throat but. The shadow hand wraps around Carlos’s body morphing up to engulf his hands pulling them down to his sides. Making him stop from struggling.

“You’re the one for sure” the man says, Carlos noticing on his sleeve it says the number 6 with 3 lines going down it while it’s surrounded by silver.

“Get… o-off me!” Carlos’s voice is shaky, tears still in his eyes as he tries to kick away but his whole body gets engulfed except for his head. The man lets go of Carlos’s throat making him gasp for air. Behind the man there’s another girl with the number 7 on the same spot as the man, she has a wicked smirk on her face as she twirls two blades through her fingers, then she starts running over at his grandpa zooming past Carlos and the man holding him. Eusebio who’s still stunned from the fall looks up as the woman jumps up about to thrust her daggers into the grandpa’s side.

“Gandpa watch out!” Eusebio yells out and the grandpa looks up and sees the woman then rolls away from a strike the woman’s knife stabs into the ground, her head perking up, eyeing him down.

“You’re with the Aegis Order” their grandpa says while standing up and as he gets into his fighting stance.

“Bingo, we just found the perfect opportunity to whip out your pathetic bloodline”the lady pulls her knife out the ground and rushes in swinging her knife wildly at him but grandpa evades moving his body smoothly, the grandpa jumps back gaining some distance then pushes forward rushing in catching her off guard, he grabs both her wrists with both hands pushing her back with all his strength the girl narrows her eyes and tugs at her wrist pulling him forward and with that headbutting him. He let’s go stumbling backwards as his nose starts to bleed and she ends up grazing his cheek with a quick slash. Then she keeps following up with relentless strikes, he dodges some but when he’s about to get caught he gets low and sweeps at her legs, making her have to jump back.

He quickly gets up and steps back protectively near Eusebio and Lily, but his eyes narrow more as he sees the situation Carlos is in.

“damnit We kept our end of the deal!”

“Oh bullshit, you know that was temporary because you would’ve broken it with one of these fucking brats.”

“Damnit…” he takes a second look between Lilly, Eusebio, and Carlos. “Take him and run, I'll get Carlos back.”He looks at Lilly then grits his teeth, the grandpa rushes in getting the woman to get more ready in her stance. He throws a punch to her face which is then dodged, she moves her hand with the dagger turning her wrist to try and counter by cutting the grandpa’s wrist but he pulls back just in time to spin and while he does a slight spin he pivots to kick at her side which she cannot dodge.

“Oh I would’ve loved to fight you in your prime~” she singsongs her voice while she skids on the ground.

“You really think we would have let you guys be? A bunch of deviants?” She laughs and shifts her feet on the ground ready to attack.

“All because you wanted a family? YOU CAN’T RUN FROM THE LIFE THAT YOU CHOSE!”

“What is she talking about, who are you guys?” Carlos asks though his voice is graspy from crying.

“Hmm? Of course they didn’t tell you, that’s not my job to tell you. We are your guys’ judgment, years and years with the Raios, the Raios.” The man’s voice gets more annoyed as he talks and thinks back.

“Honestly we didn’t wanna do this, but he has special plans for you Raio Boy” Carlos turns his head looking at him with confusion, he tries to wiggle out or even headbutt him but he’s too far.

“What are you talking about”

“I don’t know, I’m just a worker, just understand that tonight the Raios are finally gonna be gone.” Carlos’ eyes swell up with more tears as he doesn’t want to believe him.

“That’s not true! My dad will stop you guys an-” the man smacks Carlos weakly, cutting him off.

“Blah blah blah, shut up and accept it, here I’ll even show you proof.” He turns Carlos’s body away and back at the number 7 girl and his grandpa fighting. But something clicks to Carlos. The shockwaves from earlier are weaker and the light from his dad’s lightning is fading, Carlos thinks that he’s starting to win. The lady with number 7, jumps up lifting her leg and throws her heel at an angle aiming to kick him in the jaw which the grandpa blocks it with one arm and uses his other one to grab her ankle, turning his body to try and throw her, but suddenly a drum noise is heard as she throws her knife

right at the perfect time in the perfect spot after seeing an almost impossible opening to hit. The attack catches the grandpa off guard, the knife stabs him in the right through the throat he lets go completely and steps back his hand moving up to the knife as blood spilling out of his mouth and throat.
“GRANDPA!” both the boys say but the man’s shadow hand holding Carlos seems to morph around his mouth shutting him off.

“That was like right in my fucking ear.” the man says hovering Carlos more away. Eusebio who was being dragged away by Lilly, breaks free from the grip and starts rushes over to their grandpa but Lily stands up grabbing him.

“NO LET ME GET HER SHE NEEDS TO PAY, MOM PLEASE!” Lilly tugs him trying to pull him

away

“We need to go! Please Eusebio!”

“CARLOS, CARLOS” Eusebio calls out to him but he’s still stuck in that shadow of whatever it is. The lady quickly lands and rolls to get behind their grandpa grabbing his head and snapping Carlos grandpa's neck.

“You're out of your prime you old uck” Carlos tries to turn his head away but that shadow keeps him still making him watch the murder of his grandpa.

“She’s right your family really is nothing without that little lightning, you know how happy I am to be here and watch your bloodline fall? Honestly, maybe I’ll kill you next after I make you watch your mom and dad die-” he gets hit on the back of the head and his grip loosens on Carlos. Carlos breaks free and falls to his knees looking defeated, and helpless, tears streaming down his cheek as he looks at his grandpa’s corpse.

“I’m still here, and I’ll make sure these two live so they can keep the Raio alive!” he punches the guy again Carlos turns around seeing it’s their uncle, a small smile appears on his face, and this gives him the motivation to stand up and get ready to run.

“Carlos please come here please son!” she pleads and Carlos, hearing her voice, immediately runs over to her arms, tears streaming down her face. But the shadow hand moves fast and grabs him back and his body is turned around to see his uncle getting choked by a huge shadow hand

“N-no” Lilly watches holding Perdido more protectively

“Your kind really pisses me off.” he says, his grip tightening on both of them. The uncle reaches his hand out his face turning purple, another crash happens as a huge shockwave and crater being made in the ground in the field Carlos was trained in, his dad smoke coming from his body blood on him.

“Dad- DAD GET UP!” Eusebio screams out, stopping in his tracks as Lilly looks over her face darkening with horror and fear. Two guys land next to him, one looking tired, panting as they both grab him dragging him as they all watch in horror. Both of them have the same symbol and badge on them but with different numbers.

The man with black hair with white streaks in it, hairstyle slicked back and their number is number 3 with initials on his coat saying, KV. The guy standing next to him runs his fingers through his dark brown hair, his number on his badge showing, number 5.

“Feel proud Raio, you’re weaker but you still gave us a fight.” They stand over Carlos’s dad, the person Carlos thought was the strongest, the man who could beat anyone if they threatened our home. The two guys grab his weakened state dragging him over to the bonfire. his head is turned they are carrying him to the bonfire

“NO!” Lilly runs over letting go of Eusebio and Eusebio stands there shocked. He never thought his dad could have ever lost and seeing this feeling like an impossible outcome to him.

“Stop right there” the woman who killed their grandpa walks out holding Carlo’s uncle’s wife by the neck pointing a knife at her belly, one hand behind her neck as she tightens her grip walking closer. She looks over at the uncle and mouths something before the lady stabs her right in the stomach not once not twice but three times. Blood spews out of her wounds and she coughs up blood, each grunt painful each stabbing sound echoes in the cold night. The uncle watches helplessly as his wife is killed.

The uncle slowly brings his hands to his mouth, gagging. He looks away, then back. He tries to talk, but then a shadow hand goes over his head,shadow hand goes over his head clenching it hard as blood squirts everywhere as everyone watches with fear.

Carlos looks traumatized while Eusebio glares at the shadow hand man gritting his teeth behind teary eyes. Carlos gets his head turned back over to his dad who wakes up and sees what happened, He lets out a scream in anguish and grabs the both of them who are carrying him. He places his palm on one arm and shoots lightning out into that one’s body. The lightning travels through both of them. But the lightning clearly is not as strong as before and they both simply let go and smirk at each other before getting ready.

Carlos dad gets right into action, one of the guys clash arms with him a shockwave is felt pushing some back the shadow hand looking over interested but keeps his distance when he sees the knife lady rushing over to help It’s a three-on-one, the head of the Raio, Carlos’s dad is full of adrenaline but overtime the fight gets exhausting, his lightning not shining as bright as before eventually starting to die out as his final reserves start to run out. He pants as he’s punched by a sudden transparent man who comes out of the number 3s back Carlos’ dad is then thrown down back skidding onto the floor landing near the bonfire.

As he’s down the lady with the knife stabs him right in his foot trying to drag him closer the lady says looks serious then she twist the knife in his foot making him scream out in pain

“this took longer than it should’ve, you idiots couldn’t handle this washed up geezer?”

“You barely did anything to help us, jackass. But Alright then, tell which one the first born is” the man ask as the dad grits his teeth and groans as the lady applies more pressure on his foot more blood leaking out

“Hell no” he says then she twist the knife again “Clocks ticking or tell us or we will kill both boys” he screams out looking at his foot then at the three

“Fuck all of you, id never sell out my own kids” he breaks free from the two holding him and pulls his foot free by cutting it through the blade, he grabs the knife and tries to stab her in the throat but she barely moves which makes him miss and stab her in the shoulder, she yelps and stumbles, falling down.

Both other guys grab him again pushing his face into the dirt making him grunt and struggleBut the transparent blue man appears again and attacks him, making a crater that goes deeper and deeper into the ground. It goes so deep that Carlos’s view is blocked from the attack, but the shadow hand hovers him more up still making him watch. Carlos tries to scream, he tries to call out to him, he tries to say something but cannot, he wants to tell him to hang in there, he wants to tell him to get up and fight, he wants to cheer him on, but it’s too late.

“DAD” Eusebio runs over to the crater then suddenly that same transparent man jumps up from it and yanks Eusebio who tries to break free by throwing kicks punching but it fades right through that transparent man.

Eusebio’s eyes widen as he keeps trying to pull away, but the only thing that he’s able to touch is the hand that’s grabbing onto his shirt. The beating was relentless, their dad was dead, beaten to death. They all jump up from the huge crater they made and walk over to Eusebio looking at him with an observant gaze.

“You’re definitely the one, see that fire in his eyes” both of the KV and transparent man say at once.
“Yeah and he’s bigger too,” the number 5 guy replies nodding. “Are you guys dumb, it’s clearly this one” Carlos gets held up by the head, the shadow getting only slightly closer to the light. “Huh but he’s small and he doesn’t have the same look like this one has” he holds up Perdido the same way.

“You can’t be that dumb you heard what they told us. small—“ their voices turn into a blur to Carlos, his mind races with memories that are full of love from his dad. Recent memories that are full of advice and conversations between him and his dad. Stupid conversations at the dinner table, his grandpa scolding him for the littlest of things, all this makes the knot in his chest grow bigger and his breathing is

growing faster and faster. Lilly looks at the crater with her husband’s beaten corpse, it doesn’t look like the man she fell in love with anymore, his face is completely unrecognizable. the shadow hand moves carlos head making him look directly in the direction the mom is in, Carlos finally snapping out of it and the transparent man as he forces Perdido to watch the lady walks over twirling her knife in her hand with a sinister smile almost skipping over to her

“Too bad, she had such a beautiful face”

she rushes over stabbing her right in her back and she screams falling forward landing onto her knees.

She hits the ground hard looking down into the crater, she slowly turns her head to her kids and holds her hand out to them, a pleading look on her face as unshed tears hang on her eyes. She’s then stabbed again and again and again, the lady moves her so she can look at her kids fear all in her eyes as she looks upon them not before the life fades from her eyes. Eusebio sees it all being forced to watch with clear disdain and helplessness as he tries to break free and save his mom but the grip keeps him there.

“I’LL KILL YOU FOR THIS I SWEAR I’LL HAVE YOU DEAD BY MY FEET IF IT’S THE LAST THING I DO I WON’T STOP UNTIL YOU’RE DEAD HOW DARE YOU KILL THEM HOW DARE YOU!” Eusebio screams out as Carlos cries out harder trying to scream but it’s muffled due to the shadow covering his mouth. Eusebio rips at his shirt, freeing himself and running over getting ready to throw a punch to the woman

but, The number 5 man stands there for a second, rolls his eyes and appears right in front of Eusebio and flicks his forehead with his finger. Eusebio falls onto his knees, his eyeballs rolling back as he faceplants onto the ground.

“Who the hell do you think you are? You can’t make a promise like that if you won’t live long enough to keep it.”

“So do we kill this one, orrrr, do you think Albedo would want him.”

“I mean he said he did want to be one of them. Wait, weren’t there supposed to be 3 kids? “I dunno, I wasn’t paying attention in the briefing.” the lady points at carlos and he looks defeated helpless, his eyes swollen from the crying as he stares at Lilly’s body he loved her so much and to be murdered in a way like that The number 6 takes his

shadow hand off him. “Fuck it Let’s take him I’m tired anyways.” the man with shadow hands says then everything goes black for Carlos.