"You're making a huge mistake!" Katy protested, shaking her arms vigorously against the iron grip of the general behind her. "Thousands will die if we don't act! My father is ruthless! He hates humans!"

  "Hey!" the soldier hissed, tightening his grip. "You better shut up now; all you're saying will be used against you!"

  The crowd roared, their unrest resembling an uprising. Although the soldiers’ raised swords had intimidated them for a moment, fear now seemed to drive them, transforming into anger. Fear and anger—both were stronger than reason, and Katy knew it could quickly escalate into panic—a mass panic at worst.

  People yelled to let Felix go. They really seemed to trust what Katy and him had reported about the Ambertrix kingdom’s attack, or they simply loved the boy that much. Some people, mostly older ones, stepped forward, trying to stop the soldiers in their act.

  The group of soldiers stood in a defensive line before the apple stand, the whole scene giving Katy the feeling of war. The citizens easily outnumbered them, but their weapons were arbitrary, and their experience was lacking.

  Katy hesitated. This wasn't what she wanted. The real enemy weren’t these soldiers, but the evil pulling the strings. Both the citizens and the soldiers were simply victims of the higher-ups’ filthy games. If she didn't act, many innocents would be hurt. Or die.

  Apples flew through the air, clattering as they bounced off the soldiers' helmets. Screams grew louder.

  Now even children?! Katy thought, shocked.

  Was this all her fault?

  Adults struck the soldiers with wooden boards, pans, fists—all breaking against the metallic armor. The soldiers, at least a spark of honor left in them, did not strike back, merely holding the line. Their shouting—desperate attempts to stop the inevitable—were drowned out by the crowd’s hysteria.

  Desperate, Katy glanced at Felix. The boy seemed completely beside himself, lost in thought, his chest rising and falling faster with each breath. Did he blame himself for all this, too? After all, these people would never have started such chaos if it weren't about protecting him.

  Katy still couldn't believe how this simple boy had won all these people over so easily. And in some way, he had won her over too...

  Katy shook her head.

  I have to do something now! she thought.

  Glancing behind her, she locked eyes with the general. Sweat dripped down his face; if any of his superiors found out about this disaster, he'd probably be in trouble.

  "You have to let him go!" Katy yelled as loud as she could so her words had even a chance to reach him beneath the cacophony of terror around them.

  "I..." the man hesitated. “I can’t do that!”

  "Let Felix evacuate the island!" Katy insisted. "Please."

  The man pondered her words. Katy had intentionally left herself out of it; he couldn't possibly let her go, but Felix? He was just an ordinary boy, beloved by the citizens. He would continue what Katy couldn't. She entrusted him with this task.

  “If you don’t let him go, people won’t back off!”

  Katy knew the general would be held accountable for this. A human uprising would not escape her father's attention. And there had to be someone to blame. Always. Of course, that someone would never be him—even if everything had been his doing.

  Despite knowing this, reluctantly, the general nodded.

  When Felix's handcuffs popped open, he stood for a moment, frozen. When Katy gestured her head toward the crowd, he slowly seemed to understand. Yet she could see the denial on his face. His mouth stood open, as if wanting to tell her something. Perhaps, say goodbye? Or thank you? Why, though? They barely knew each other.

  He had helped her escape Argon, but that was about it. Now she was returning the favor. At least she didn’t owe him anymore now—nothing worse than that. Even if the other person might not even expect to get anything out of it.

  In the end, no words escaped Felix. He simply stared after her. Like a lost child.

  Katy felt the soldiers pulling behind her. It was time to go. This was her part of the agreement.

  Turning to the crowd, Felix raised his hands high. "I–I'm fine! You can all calm down! We’ll leave the island now, okay?"

  With each word he spoke, the unrest calmed down like boiling water turned down from the stove. Katy watched the spectacle, smiling to herself.

  Yeah, keep going, she thought. You'll do fine.

  The soldier's shove made her stumble. "We're leaving!" he exclaimed.

  His comrades looked back and forth between him and Felix, as if expecting an explanation. Disbelieved of what they just witnessed.

  "This incident has never happened,” the general grumbled. “Understood?!"

  With hesitant nods, the others finally followed.

  Walking off the marketplace, Katy listened as the cheers of the crowd, happy to have reclaimed Felix, slowly faded into the background. She'd done her job. The people would be fine. Hopefully. If there even was enough time to flee. She had no clue what exactly was her father’s goal after all. Nor did she know what his attack might look like. But one thing was certain: any moment they could die. ALl of them. In a single instance.

  The Ambertrix kingdom was powerful, and even more so their leader.

  It's their problem if they're gonna die, Katy tried calming herself down with a chuckle.

  Their fate was no longer in her hands. But she’d won them the chance to fight for their lives.

  Now, she'd face the consequences for it.

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  Completely beside themselves, the crowd kept cheering for Felix like celebrating some festival. The boy blinked at the utterly exaggerated reaction. As if he’d just saved their lives. When, in fact, all he’d done was fail. Fail the chance to help Katy. Fail to bring harmony into this dire situation. They could’ve used the soldiers’ help at the evacuation, but now they were gone.

  For a moment, Felix considered running after them. Why? To beg for help? To fall on his knees and plead?

  Or was it more so because he wanted…

  No! Felix thought. These people are more important now!

  They were hundreds, if not many thousands, considering all the citizens this island held.

  But really, shouldn't all life be of equal value? Shouldn't he save them all? Including Katy?

  He glanced sideways, watching the soldiers escort her away. His gaze wandered to the ground, then back to the crowd.

  He wanted to be strong, motivating, leading them with enthusiasm—he owed that to Katy—but he couldn't shake off his unease. The picture from seconds ago; hundreds of people—screaming, fighting, children crying—all flashed before his eyes.

  This incident had triggered memories of old days. Memories he would rather lock far away inside of him. And never watch them again.

  I'm sorry, Katy, he thought, though it was directed at more than just her.

  He clenched his fists. So tightly that it hurt. The pain helped forget it all. If only for a moment.

  "What's wrong, Felix?" a boy’s voice ripped him back into the present.

  Felix winced at the sight of Bug Boy eyeing him worriedly.

  "You'll bring us to safety now, won't you?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

  Felix forced himself to smile. "Of course." Then he turned to the adults.

  What a liar. But he couldn’t possibly tell the truth…

  All people stared at him, probably sensing his fear. His… incompetence.

  Say something…

  Just something!

  "P-pack as much food as you can carry!” He finally got out, his voice cracking from nervousness.

  His face must’ve been glowing red by now.

  “And alert everyone who doesn't know yet. No one is to be left behind!"

  The people muttered beneath themselves until they nodded and darting off in all sorts of directions. Even more chaotic than before.

  Only now did Felix note the sad, desperate sobbing beside him.

  Gerta, the apple stand owner, knelt crying on the ground. "My apples!" she wailed, sniffling as if her baby had just died in her arms. A carpet of trampled apples spread across before her. Felix stood right on top of it.

  What could he even say to comfort her? It were just apples after all.

  Though, this was probably the product of month’s hard work.

  Felix tapped her on the back. "You can still make applesauce out of them when we return.”

  If they ever did.

  “But now you have to flee, okay?"

  A few minutes later, tremendous chaos filled the streets of Feratól. Carts and people collided, sacks full of food toppled over, spilling their contents, only to be crushed beneath wheels and shoes.

  Hopefully, Gerta wouldn't see this.

  Felix hadn't considered that there might be traffic jams with everyone heading to the same place inthe same way at the same time.

  The harbor of Feratól was a particularly large trading hub for export, but it wasn't designed to accommodate the entire population of the city at once. Yet it was the only solution.

  This is going to be something, Felix thought, swallowing hard.

  It was still about three miles until they would reach their destination, yet people kept running to him with all sorts of problems.

  "Felix! Felix! I can't find my grandpa!" a man said, panting on his knees before him. "Can you go and get him?! He'll die if we leave him behind!"

  Felix hesitated. Where would he even start searching?! Besides, wasn't he supposed to lead this evacuation? How did one even do that in the first place?

  "I... I can try and look for him. Where does he usually—"

  Another voice interrupted. "Felix! Felix! Someone broke the wheel of my pram! If I have to carry my children, I'll be late for the takeoff!" The mother sounded on the verge of a breakdown, tears flowing down her cheeks.

  Felix took a step backward, trying to get some space when he accidentally bumped into someone. The man yelped as he hit the ground, his crutch landing beside him.

  "Grandpa?!" the man from earlier said in relief, kneeling down to the man.

  "W-we found him?" Felix asked, but the scream escaping the old man destroyed any hope.

  "My leg! My leg! Aahh!" the man clutched it with an agonized expression.

  Was that... my fault?

  Annoyed grumbling sounded from behind. "Is this going to move along or what?! I don't want to die here because of you sluggish snails!"

  Suddenly, the man grabbed Felix by the collar, pointing at his grandpa. "Why did you do that?! Don't you have eyes in your head?!"

  All attention jumped onto Felix. He suddenly couldn't get a sound out. The world felt like it was spinning at rapid speed, a mix of harsh reality and terrifying memories he’d sworn to never be repeated.

  I'm going to let everyone down again. Everyone will die because of me.

  Katy had entrusted him with this whole thing, sacrificing herself for it. When in reality, out of anyone here, she deserved the most to be saved!

  But what am I thinking here?!

  Disgusted by his own thoughts, Felix felt sick.

  He didn’t want this. He didn’t want anyone to look at him. If people ended up dying, it would be his fault. Again.

  No! Please not again!

  He buried his head in his arms, covering his ears while the man kept yelling at him.

  Just... leave me alone!

  I don’t want anyone to care about me!

  I don’t want anyone to... rely on me.

  I can't... do it.

  I can't... bring peace.

  A firm, confident voice silenced them all. His thoughts too. Everything slowed down.

  "Leave all your luggage behind! Take only the essentials! We have no more time!"

  The grip around Felix’s collar released. Everyone had stopped in their tracks. Never before had such silence settled over a crowd so quickly.

  "Furthermore, all men will stay behind and let women and children pass through. If anyone is missing, report it to me, and I will send someone to find them."

  Every eye was glued to the man—nobody dared to interrupt him.

  Felix's mouth stood open in disbelief. He couldn’t decide between astonishment and... fear...?

  What is he doing here?

  Why him out of everyone who could have stepped in?!

  Wet Orange hair, rose-red eyes... a soaked green cape and gleaming armor...

  Felix stood frozen, facing the exact same Oath Keeper who had just attacked him and Katy in the alley.

  Murmurs erupted through the crowd. While they didn't dare to speak up against the man, they were clearly displeased with his appearance. Grimaces of disgust and anger betrayed the words they kept to themselves.

  The man waded through the crowd like a foreign body in a defective immune system.

  "Do not worry, humans! Citizens of Feratól!” He shouted, stretching out a hand, reaching for the skies. “For I, Argon Aschenbrenner, will ensure your survival!”

  People's faces grew darker. It really was him—the traitor, the harbinger of doom, the scum of this world.

  “The Aschenbrenner kingdom will not allow such barbaric means; the Aschenbrenner will side with justice; the Aschenbrenner will impose order on the Ambertrix!"