"Well," Culex sneered as he admired his catch. His long bck curls seemed more ominous then ever. The broken middle finger of his left hand was still weirdly shaped by Arada's bite back in Ebrotown. But it didn't seem to affect him in any way.

  "Welcome back, everyone. How touching it is to find you all here." His mouth twisted into a wicked grin. "I warned you, the past always catches up. Running away is futile."

  Irgos watched his sister struggle in the grasp of—

  Wait! These people...

  Arada's captors looked very familiar. The big, old man with the pink strip, and the woman with the metal bracelet—the same ones who'd held her when Culex murdered her father.

  Arada was furious. "Cut the crap and just tell us what you're going to do with us," she shot at him.

  Culex chuckled to himself. "It's time to cim your elixir, don't you think? You've held onto it far too long. I think it'll be much better off—"

  "I told you we don't have it," Arada scoffed and gred at him with seething rage.

  Culex continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Then our mission will be complete, and we will gdly relieve you of your consciousness." He cpped his hands, turned to his servants, and spoke with raised voice. "Finally, the time has come. Today is the day the humans of Catsroes will disappear. After so many years of hard work, bloodshed, and sughter. After so many years of cleansing out these dumb, useless human creatures. FINALLY!" He raised his hands to the heavens.

  His followers roared in unison.

  Irgos's hope drowned in the noise. He felt his heart skip multiple beats, his body tensing with discomfort.

  "We spared no one," Culex continued when their screams had faded. "We did our duty and cleared the nd of its scum." His hands moved with his words, emphasizing his message. "One by one, they disappeared from the earth. And no one could stop us. No one."

  At that st word, another wave of approving cries echoed among the bald, blind people.

  Irgos looked at his sister. Arada's expression had suddenly shifted from anger to disbelief. She was clearly afraid of his wrath.

  Culex quieted the crowd and resumed speaking.

  "And today..." He csped his hands again. "Today, we shall also free the sad souls of these three here." He gestured toward his new captives. "They, too, will know happiness. They, too, will return to source." He raised his hands again. "And after that, dear friends, THE WORLD. We will finally let everyone feel true joy."

  His disciples erupted in ecstasy. Their screams entranced Irgos, crushing any remaining hope within him.

  Arada seemed to experience the same. What— Irgos read on her lips, but nothing more came out of her mouth.

  Culex burst out ughing over the sound of his followers. "Look at your face," he said, pointing at Arada. "This is pure gold. I bet you have something to say about this, sweet Arada."

  The cheers faded, and Culex strolled in front of Arada, ready to capture her reaction.

  For a few seconds, there was dead silence.

  "You mean..." she began, her voice filled with hopelessness. Like Aplin, she now looked like a ghost. "Is that why you... Is there no one left in the Old World... because..."

  "Ah, it seems m'dy is finally catching on to what's happening," said Culex, taking a step closer to her. "Shall I just come out with it?" he smiled wickedly.

  Arada stared bnkly ahead, not reacting to her enemy. He didn't wait for her response.

  "You three are the st living people in this nd. The st three in all of Catsroes."

  Irgos felt his legs turn to jelly.

  What? The st three?

  His head felt so light he thought it might float away, carried off by the charge of the water. All his muscles dissolved, and he no longer felt the grip of the henchmen holding him. Culex's words struck harder than his minions' hammers. Fear and despair coiled around his neck like an invisible serpent, choking the life out of him.

  "Lies," murmured a still-dazed Aplin. "There are more humans than just us in Catsroes."

  Aplin's long curls had fallen over his forehead, covering his eyes. He was clearly still disturbed that Culex had murdered his friend, even if she was no longer herself. His voice was calm and controlled. It almost seemed like he'd surrendered to his captors' hold. Irgos wasn't sure what to make of it. Had he accepted his fate, or was he up to something?

  Culex walked over to him, examining him like a toy. "Did you mean me and my friends, perhaps?" he said, gesturing around him. "Because—"

  "I was talking about humans, idiot." Aplin emphasized. "Ever heard of Aquinox?"

  Culex face turned neutral for a few seconds, as if Aplin had taken his words from him. But his twisted smile returned soon after, as if he was trying to suppress ughter. "Of course, of course, you're completely right," he cried with a sly grin. "Besides the people in Aquinox, you guys are the st three humans in this country... But it's alright. I suppose we will finish our business in that lovely city as soon as we are done with you, to leave the best for st."

  The snake around Irgos's neck tightened, squeezing him to the bone. Panic was evident in both Arada and Aplin as well.

  Aplin's body visibly trembled as though a massive anger was building inside him. He threw his head back, shaking his long hair out of his face, revealing his eyes once again.

  "You can never get past Aquinox's Walls." he spat, gring furiously at Culex. "They're guarded every second from all sides. It is an impregnable fortress. Breaking in from the outside is impossible."

  Aquinox's Walls?

  Culex raised his eyebrows, his gaze piercing Aplin. It remained silent for an unnatural long time, and Culex seemed at a loss of words.

  "Alright," he finally said, calm and stoic, as he pulled his trusty, long knife from his pocket. "I suppose I don't have much choice if you won't admire my pow—"

  Irgos panicked immediately when he saw the knife.

  "Stop!"

  The words burst out of Irgos unexpectedly; he hadn't honestly thought he'd have the courage.

  We need more time. Think of a way to get out of this.

  Culex stepped forward with the knife toward Irgos. "And who do you think you are, Irgos?" He stood a full head taller than him, his intimidating stance draining all his courage. "Interrupting me, how dare you."

  Stall for time. I have to py his game, he reminded himself.

  "N-nice to meet you, Culex," he stammered. It felt disgusting to address him by name. "I... I wanted to ask you a f-favor—"

  Crap. Wrong choice of words.

  Culex's booming ughter interrupted him. "Oh, that's SO adorable, you're actually out of pns." His voice returned to a whisper. "You think you can talk your way out of this, kid?"

  Irgos tried not to show his fear.

  "Well, y-you see," he began. "I was just c-curious. Why... go so far as to... to exterminate every person you come across? Why do you want people so desperately... d-dead?"

  Culex snorted. He grabbed the back of Irgos's head, pressing it against his chest, and put the knife to his throat. "You're slow to understand, aren't you, boy?" he whispered in his ear. "Let me answer your question with a new one." He raised his voice, speaking to both Irgos and the others on the bridge."Why would you even want to stay alive?"

  What...

  Irgos hadn't seen that coming. He didn't have an answer ready.

  "Why would you want to live if life is nothing but a miserable series of setbacks? Why would you want to live if each day brings only depression and sorrow? Why would you want to live in a broken world ruled by chaos? Why would you want to live when the peaceful realms of unconsciousness await you on the other side?"

  Irgos opened his mouth to answer.

  "B-because… because—"

  "EXACTLY!" Culex's voice dripped with venom. "You can't think of anything because there's no good answer to that question. Dying is the best thing there is. But you don't dare admit that to yourself because all the fear and pain—which prevent you from seeing the truth—stored in your body hold you back."

  This man is beyond crazy. Completely deranged.

  "Leave him alone, Culex," Aplin said. "He hasn't done anyth—"

  "One more word, and your little friend here is done," Culex snarled. "You have five seconds to say where the elixir is. Five… four… three…" He pressed the tip of the knife into Irgos's throat, who felt warm blood begin to ooze out.

  Stall for time! Stall for time!

  But he couldn't open his throat to speak; otherwise, things would go very wrong.

  "We don't have it," Aplin shouted.

  "...two… one…"

  Irgos squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the worst.

  "Stop!" Arada cried out desperately.

  "TOO LATE!" Culex thundered. "Irgos, your st words?" He released a bit of pressure from the knife so Irgos could speak.

  Arada struggled with all her might, but Culex's men were much stronger. "PLEASE, STOP!" she wailed as loud as she could.

  Culex ignored her. "Last chance, Irgos. Perhaps a farewell kiss for your sweet sis?"

  Shit. What do I say now?

  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Aplin's lips moving repeatedly, forming a word. Secretly, he turned his gaze toward him and read each letter.

  b-e-l-t...o-f-f

  "Alright, then, have it your way," said Culex, his patience exhausted. "Goodnight, Ir—"

  "Um... it's more of a request, actually," Irgos said quickly, his thoughts immediately jumping to the belt. It was still active, but the grip of Culex's henchmen prevented him from shooting into the air.

  "Could you… turn off my belt?" Irgos asked, hoping this was what Aplin meant. "I… want to die… without that constant pressure," he added, improvising.

  Culex seemed momentarily puzzled by the request.

  "That ridiculous magnetic belt, you mean." He looked down at the device around Irgos's waist. "Your wish is my command," he said, pressing the button with his other hand.

  In an instant, the pressure vanished.

  Culex pressed the knife against his skin again and continued from where he left of. "Goodnight, Irg—"

  Suddenly, everything happened at once.

  Irgos saw the followers holding Aplin release him. In that split second, Aplin seemed to lift off, since his belt was still active. Instantly, he reached for the button, deactivated it, and nded back on the bridge with both feet.

  What?

  The scraping noise made Culex stop mid-sentence. He turned his head to look behind him.

  At the same time, his followers were being pushed away from Aplin. Their feet slid over the wooden pnks, whether they wanted to or not. They continued to move further and further back, the space between them and Aplin widening. Now, Arada's captors also began to release her and slide away.

  Irgos felt a kind of pressure radiating from him, as if an invisible hand was pushing him away from Aplin.

  "Get away, all of you," Aplin commanded in a dangerously low voice. "Arada, Irgos. Come to me."

  Arada, now free from her captors, ran to him. Aplin took her hand firmly.

  Irgos saw Culex, still standing in front of him, suddenly receive an invisible blow from the side and fall to the ground. Irgos felt the grip of the followers behind him loosen slightly.

  Exactly what I needed.

  Taking advantage of their confusion, he tore himself free from their hands in one swift motion. He did as Aplin had instructed and ran to him, who held onto him with his other hand.

  "What?" muttered a thoroughly surprised Culex.

  "Too te, fool," Aplin sneered, gripping their hands tightly. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled with force, and it seemed as if an explosion took pce on the bridge.

  The followers who had just been holding them were blown aside by an invisible force, tumbling over the edge of the bridge. Even Culex, who was still on the ground, was shoved backward but remained on the pnks. The rest of the horde behind them on the bridge was pushed even farther back.

  As Culex scrambled to his feet, Aplin's eyes burned with fury, gring down at his arch-enemy.

  "Why are you all just standing there?" Culex roared at his followers, his sadistic demeanor repced by raw aggression. "GET THEM!"

  Now it was Aplin's turn to smile. "Try as much as you like."

  Irgos turned to see Culex's gang trying to get closer. But about three meters before reaching Aplin, they stopped. They felt around in the air, trying to push through.

  It's as if they're being held back by an invisible wall.

  On the other side, a frustrated Culex stood in the same embarrassing position.

  "Your game is over, Culex," Aplin growled at him. "You'll never get through my shield."

  "What? Aplin, are you doing this?" Irgos blurted out.

  Culex bared his teeth in a growl, releasing a frustrated scream.

  How many tricks does this man have up his sleeve?

  Aplin released Arada and Irgos. "Stay close to me to remain inside the shield. I'll expin ter."

  Arada and Irgos obediently nodded, staying close to his side. Aplin took his staff from his backpack, and Arada grabbed her crossbow, loading an arrow from her quiver.

  "We're switching to Pn B," Aplin said. "Back to the hydrohovers."

  "But how will we get past them?" Arada asked, sticking as close as possible to Aplin. "We can't take them all on."

  Aplin turned and faced the horde of followers, still frustratedly pressing against Aplin's 'shield.'

  "You won't st long, Aplin," a furious Culex spat behind them. "I know how this method works. At some point, your energy will run out."

  "That's not for you to decide," Aplin replied calmly without looking back, taking a step forward.

  The effect was immediate. It was as if everyone received a sp to their bare face. Some stumbled, others staggered backward.

  Aplin took another step. The same thing happened, and the followers were forced to stand along the edge of the bridge.

  Bit by bit, Aplin maneuvered his way through the crowd. Arada and Irgos stayed by his side at all times. The horde of followers parted around him, like water for a fish. They were forced to use the very edge of the bridge. Occasionally, one of them fell off, consumed forever by the Ebros.

  "You'll never get away with this, Aplin. NOT EVEN IN HELL!" Culex roared behind them.

  Aplin ignored the enraged man. As he led Arada and Irgos through the crowd, pushing everyone aside with his air shield, Culex's helpers filled the gap behind them. The crowd gathered creepily close behind them, with Culex at the rear.

  Has he given up?

  Just as Irgos thought this, a hand appeared too close.

  A single drop of sweat beaded on Aplin's face.

  "Your shield is breaking, Aplin," sneered an angry Culex behind them. "If I were you, I'd—"

  "SILENCE!" Aplin roared. Immediately, people on both sides were pushed a bit closer to the edge of the bridge. It was clear Aplin was enrging his shield, for there was no longer room for them to stand. One by one, they fell down.

  Now Aplin grabbed the long wooden staff strapped to his back. He struck a thin, bald man in front of him. The staff hit a crucial point in his throat, rendering him unconscious instantly.

  "We're almost there," he said, continuing to move forward and clear the path. "Just a few more."

  Arada joined in. She fired an arrow at someone ahead of her. It hit their heart, and they dropped dead instantly.

  One of the followers next to them, who'd been pounding on Aplin's shield with a hammer for some time, finally broke through. The hammer whizzed past Irgos.

  "AAH," he excimed in shock. "Aplin, we—"

  "JUST THREE," Aplin shouted. His face covered in sweat, he focused on the st three followers blocking the rest of the bridge. They had their hammers ready and swung when Aplin was close enough. He dodged sideways, took a short run, and thrust his staff into the first one's stomach. The person fell backward onto the pnks.

  At the same time, Arada fired another arrow, striking the second follower's eye. With a bloodied face, they staggered up and down.

  But the third already had their hammer raised. Just before it hit Aplin, he ducked behind the staggering body of the second bald person, who was still in the moment of falling. He drove his knee into their stomach, causing the second to sm against the third. Aplin didn't hesitate, pressing his staff against their chest, and both were forced over the edge by the power and alignment of the thrust.

  They were through.

  "Run. To the hovers. Don't wait for me," Aplin shouted as the st two followers fell from the bridge.

  Arada and Irgos darted off, and Aplin followed after narrowly dodging yet another hammer strike.

  His shield was clearly at its end. Aplin had pushed aside all the followers with it, leaving them behind. The crowd charged angrily at the three, like mosquitoes on their prey.

  How will we ever make it? thought Irgos. The hovers are nearly five kilometers away.

  But they had no choice. It wasn't as if Culex and his people pnned on giving them any rest.

  Arada slung her crossbow over her shoulder. While running alongside her brother, she grabbed his hand. Her blue eyes shone amid the chaos.

  Hold on! she seemed to be sending him. We can do this.

  They picked up the pace.

  * * *

  The first rays of sunlight greeted them. The entire sky was painted orange and gold. The clouds and st night's storm had disappeared. But the danger was far from over. Irgos's lungs were burning, and his legs screamed to stop.

  How long have we been running now?

  Irgos looked back for the umpteenth time. A weary Aplin was still running behind them, with the ignerine brush bouncing along like a tail. He couldn't keep up with Arada and Irgos. And to think he was in such good shape.

  It's like the shield has drained him.

  Behind Aplin, an angry horde of bald people charged, somehow avoiding falling off the bridge despite their closed eyes. Culex had to be somewhere among them.

  "There," panted Arada. While still holding her brother's hand, she pointed with her other hand to the white spots floating ahead on the water.

  The hydrohovers!

  They made a final sprint. It didn't matter how fast those things went or where they'd take them. They just had to get away from here.

  When they reached the hovers, Arada didn't hesitate for a second. She jumped off the pnks, csped her hands together, and dove headfirst into the water.

  "Wait," Irgos called after her. "What about Aplin?"

  The exhausted man was trailing behind them. "Go!" his breathless, hoarse voice shouted.

  A loud spsh sounded below.

  "Don't wait… go without me…" Aplin panted.

  Irgos hesitated for a second, but then he saw how close Culex's horde already was. He stiffened like a pencil and leapt straight into the depths.

  The water rushed up to meet him at breakneck speed. Irgos shut his eyes tight.

  The impact shattered his feet. He sank deep below the surface. Once he stopped sinking, he swam to the top as fast as he could.

  He broke through the surface and took a huge gulp of air. After shaking the water from his face, he looked around. Next to the ptform on the water, four hydrohovers floated, and Arada had already chosen one. He swam toward her, and she helped pull him up onto the strange white surface of their escape vessel.

  They looked just like Aplin's drawing. Oval boats surrounded by a small edge. Irgos spotted the buttons and the steering wheel from the drawing at what must be the 'front.'

  "We don't have any more time," she urged. "We have to go."

  Ignoring him, Arada followed the instructions Aplin had given them yesterday. She sat at the controls and pressed the green button.

  A whirring sound began below the hover. The sound grew louder and louder. Arada and Irgos felt the entire hydrohover start to shake.

  "But… Aplin. He's still up there." Irgos protested.

  The hydrohover slowly but surely rose out of the water. It climbed higher and higher above the surface, and kept ascending until it hovered about six to seven meters above the Ebros. They were now almost level with the bridge. Aplin could still jump on it as soon as he got there.

  But Aplin was at his limit. He was running, with the followers no more than five meters behind him.

  Come on. Just thirty meters left.

  "Aplin!" Arada encouraged him. "Hurry. You're almost there."

  But Aplin looked almost angry that they were waiting for him. "FLEE!" he shouted. "DON'T WAIT FOR ME!"

  Irgos saw one of the pursuers raising their hammer above their head, preparing to hurl it at Aplin.

  Irgos put his hands around his mouth. "APLIN! WATCH OUT!"

  In less than a quarter of a second, Aplin turned, but it was too te. The hammer whizzed down and struck his left knee full force. A loud crack sounded, and Aplin fell down, screaming.

  The followers surrounded him, giving each other space. In no time, Culex had wormed his way through the crowd.

  "GO-O-O!" a defeated Aplin screamed as loud as he could.

  Arada and Irgos looked at each other, both sweating. Neither wanted to abelton their rescuer to his fate.

  Then, a small group of followers charged toward the already floating hydrohover.

  We have no choice.

  Arada quickly pushed the slider that should control the speed all the way up. They heard a slurping sound when the vehicle started to consume water through its tube below, and gradually, it began to move. First one inch, then two, four, eight.

  The followers reached the spot where Irgos and Arada had jumped off the bridge. One of them picked up a hammer and hurled it with all their strength toward the departing hydrohover. The hammer missed them by a hair, tumbling down toward the water.

  If we'd left a second ter, it would have hit us.

  As the hover steadily flew away from the bridge, they had a clear view of it.

  A wounded Aplin struggled to sit up. Culex stood before him with his knife, ready to strike. He seemed to say something to Aplin, but from that distance, it was inaudible.

  Suddenly, Aplin gripped his staff and struck at Culex. Their enemy dodged nimbly.

  But Aplin quickly turned the staff, and hit Culex's hand, disarming him. His knife spun around in the air, but Aplin caught it one-handed. With one st roar, he flung the knife at his arch-enemy.

  Culex reacted, but not fast enough. The knife slit through his wrist and Culex's right hand was flung off the bridge, blood streaming from his handless arm.

  "What..." Arada muttered in disbelief.

  But Aplin's trick was short-lived. As he attempted another strike, Culex grabbed Aplin's wrist with his other hand, stopping his attack. He smiled when he slowly turned Aplin's wrist in an unnatural angle. Irgos couldn't hear anything over the rumble of the slowly accelerating hydrohover, but Aplin's fearful scream was palpable even from here.

  Without hesitation, Culex kicked Aplin in the stomach. His foot nded... precisely on the switch of his magnetic belt.

  Aplin's convulsed at Culex's kick, and the belt propelled him upward, lifting him away from the bridge and high into the air. The bright sun illuminated his back as if he were a snack roasting above a fire. Only now his screams were loud and clear enough to hear, echoing above the humming of the hydrohover.

  "Aplin!" Arada shouted, watching the helpless, horrifying scene with tears streaming down her face. "APLIN!"

  But there was nothing left to do. He continued to rise, eventually hovering high in the sky, trapped between gravity on one side and the magnetic pull of the belt on the other.

  "We first have to make sure we're out of here for good," Irgos said, looking at his sister. Her eyes, which had sparkled with courage just moments ago, now held a deadened glint after witnessing what had happened. He pointed to the base of the bridge, where a few followers had managed to get one of the remaining hydrohovers working. "It's not over yet."