Chapter 3 - 'Lee' & '3.5/Rails & Ruins'

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 3: "𝕷𝖊𝖊"

I know I'm being reckless right now, but I just can't help myself. The dog is so elegantly captivating. I'm not following it just because it's good-looking—there's something about it that keeps nagging at me. I've heard that abilities can sometimes be transferred to animals.

I followed it deeper, down a slide, but it vanished into the bushes. I couldn't help but wonder if that dog was a prodigy, too—those features couldn't belong to an ordinary creature.

I searched the area a bit more to see where it had gone, but the place was all leaves and no beings.

"Seriously, bud, I just wanted to be friends," I muttered in disappointment. "Even if you're hostile to death," I added.

I sighed exasperatedly and leaned my head back, letting it hang.

"Lee, enough with your sarcasm. It's not necessary every time," I said to myself.

I turned around, deflated that I couldn't interact with it.

Just then, a leaf flicked against my nose, teasing me—almost as if it were trying to get my attention. I reached out to grab it, but it flew away, circling my body.

A leaf flying like that?

It flew behind me, and as I followed it with my gaze, I spotted a young woman standing there—out of nowhere—in a red Japanese dress, manipulating the leaf with her katana. My eyes widened as she summoned an army of leaves, each one falling gently to the ground.

She's… familiar.

"You're weird, you know that," she said.

Well, that wasn't the most pleasant greeting, was it? Did she hear me talking to myself?

But I know who she is.

She stepped forward with a smile. I didn't move, fully aware she was from the opposing team—and could easily harm me.

"Maple. That's my name. When I saw the new member of the Ashens, I was intrigued. After a whole year, there's finally a new face."

"You're not here to fight?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, of course not. I'm here to learn about you. I didn't tell the others—I knew they wouldn't let me. So… your name, Lee? Right?"

"Yes…" I replied. She must've heard it from the arena's owner.

"And…?"

I raised an eyebrow again, this time with a frown.

"Oh, come on now. I'm not here to mock you or anything. Really—I'm interested."

I turn to face her completely.

"And what exactly—" I began when my gaze caught sight of the one who burned my arm, approaching from behind her.

"Maple! What are you doing here? I was looking—"

A frown immediately crossed his face upon seeing me.

"...What is she doing here with you?" he questioned, his expression directed at Maple.

I returned his frown as Maple replied, "I came here on my own. I wanted to see what's new happening."

He felt a surge of anger and nearly drew his sword from its scabbard, but Maple intervened.

"Kitt, please. I'm not here to fight. Just because she's on the opposing team doesn't make us actual enemies."

"Yes, we are! She literally almost defeated us! Can't you—" he shouted.

"Victory doesn't always go our way. Come back to earth," she retorted.

He let out a sigh, clearly annoyed. "Alright, only because you want it that way," he mumbled, allowing his hand to drop to his sides.

"So..." she said, directing a friendly smile at me, "We cool?"

"No," I replied bluntly.

She sighed again. "In that case, this won't be easy," she murmured to herself.

At that moment, Nik and the others arrived, charging toward us with urgency, clearly startled to see Kitt and Maple beside me.

"You okay?" Nik inquired quietly.

I nodded.

Maple excused Nik from addressing the draw we had. She seems nice though—not as cocky as that fire roaster standing next to her. The way she's being kind…

"We all can hunt together, if you're looking for tonight's dinner," Maple offered politely.

"Absolutely not!" a voice crackled from a distance. A boy walked toward the two.

I know this one too. And… again, not quite the friendly kind of introduction I was expecting.

Ethan. I remember his name.

"There you are, buddy," Kitt said. "I was convincing Maple of the same—"

"Ow!" Kitt spat as Ethan poked him with the quill in his hand.

"No excuses. I know you're just as culpable," Ethan added.

"Do you both even know what would happen if… Eva came to know about this… reunion?" he grumbled to Kitt and Maple.

Reunion?I feel like there's something I don't know about all of them—the Ashens and the Reapers… That portrait—None of my business anyway.

"Well, you're not here to fight again or anything…" I spoke to them, trying to understand their point of view.

Ethan curled his eyebrow at me.

"…In case you think we're hostile," I added.

"Then we should head back," he said to his troop, adjusting his tie as he turned.

I was silent—until I wasn't. He stopped at my voice.

"You forgot your…" I gestured at the piece of paper that had fallen on the ground out of his pocket. I assumed it belonged to him, as he was holding a quill too.

"Ah, yes… thank you," he said with a frown, picking up his property.

It was getting dark, and they had a lot more ground to cover—first back to their side of the village, and then all the way to the castle. They stopped a few feet ahead of us, likely discussing the dangers that might be lurking around. It wasn't safe for them to walk either, especially through a forest like this at night, where stray canines roamed freely.

"Lee, we should head back to the camp. It's dangerous here—" Nik began, but I cut her off.

"Should we help them?"

She looked at me, expressionless.

"Should—"

"Ayeee!!!" she yelled, interrupting as I tried to repeat the question.

"NO WAY!!! Even if they're not openly hostile towards us—"

"Then what's the matter?" I broke in.

She sighed as I walked up to them.

"Hey—" My brows lifted in mild surprise as Kitt suddenly placed his dagger against my throat. 

"What the—"

"This is not happening again. First Maple, and now Ethan!" he spat, gritting his teeth. "Don't think you can manipulate us with that ability of yours," he added, mumbling the last words under his breath.

"Where's this hatred coming from?" I asked, frowning up at him as the dagger pressed a little deeper into my skin. "Still mourning over the fell short?" I added.

"Don't think we're gonna end up giving you half of the resources we've had since the last year of the Trials—just because you made us feel pity for you weaklings."

My brows lifted again. "Last year?"

These Trials have been happening since last year? But why?

That's not normal—especially for a kingdom falling apart into two pieces over an unfound… proof of… what?

"And what ability? I don't have one like yours," I retorted.

His anger flared, and he raised his dagger to strike—but in that instant, Ethan grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"You what?" Ethan asked, frowning.

"A—non," I said, confused.

Hadn't they noticed throughout the fight?

Everyone went silent until Nik finally broke it.

"You're a mundane?" she asked in a low, shocked voice.

"I mean… not a Forcan..." My heartbeat spiked. I hoped they wouldn't ask about my origins. But that feeling... It was embarrassing.

Ethan stared at me with a deep, skeptical frown, as if trying to predict my intentions. I know he is.

"You're reading me," I stated bluntly, frowning back—secretly taping my toe near his edge.

He froze for a moment, then composed himself.

"Then Kitt really should be ashamed of threatening you," Ethan taunted, glancing back at him.

Kitt raised his dagger again at me. "But—"

"I did not train you to be doing such inexcusable acts," Ethan scolded sharply. "Dishonoring our realm's values—we don't raise our blades against mundanes."

Kitt turned into a red, sheepish tomato.

Let them think whatever they want about me. I don't like being called mundane.

"And… Kakolya, you'll be dealt with later for lying," he threatened her.

"Wait! What is that for?" I retorted. "And listen to me for a moment—"

I grabbed Kitt's wrist, pulling the dagger away from my neck where it had dug in again, leaving a mark.

"Will you guys tell me what's happening in your village?!"

I turned my face sharply, "Nik?!" I knew she was still hiding something.

"Trials are not something that could be happening like a festival event every month!" I added, my voice dropping into a growl.

"You—" Kitt began, but didn't finish.

"Later with your accusations," I cut him off, turning my attention toward Ethan—because he's the only one who seems sane here.

"I need an answer. Now," I said firmly.

Ethan looked at me with a stern expression before sighing and running a hand through his already-messed hair.

"It's… complicated."

"That wasn't an answer," I replied curtly.

Maple stepped in, "Listen, why don't we sit and have a peaceful chat rather than… this?"

Kade chimed in as well, "Y'all can come to our barn house. No one'll see us there, and it's dangerous for y'all to walk back to the dorms right now."

Kitt's stomach growled at that exact moment—so did ours.

"We're gonna hunt together and find food, then we'll talk," Maple offered, while Nik nodded and began leading the way.

They all agreed quietly, under her tone, even though it was clear how much they disliked each other. Strange how survival forces peace.

The forest was still alive with the fading rays of sunset, and the distant calls of returning birds echoed faintly through the trees.

We split into pairs, each taking a different route to increase our chances.

We made it quick. In the end, Kade returned with a turkey, Kitt with a rabbit, and Zawi carried a fish. They gathered back, hands full, proud without saying a word.

The forest, though still rich with sound, seemed to settle as we made our way back toward camp. But after a few steps, it was getting so dark and foggy that the bridge we were crossing was barely visible.

Kitt broke a branch from a tree and lit it. The flames flickered wildly—casting wavering shadows across our path, painting the forest in orange and gold. It made quite a sight.

Escaping the forest onto the greenland, we reached the barn house. The nighttime sight of the village gave quite a cozy atmosphere—the starry, foggy sky with lanterns burning and fire smoking out of the houses' chimneys.

The Reapers stayed at a decent distance from us, not quite having even a bit of trust. They walked over to the sides and sat down at the edges from each other, on the wooden logs, while Kitt set the fire in the ring of logs using the torch.

Nik and I set the food to cook up while the others stayed quiet, taking in all the ingredients—the aroma serving its own kind of peace. We took the wooden platters and served all of them equally, with calm and silence.

"It's a... strange feeling, being together after a year," Kade said to all of them, sitting sheepishly, trying to break the silence. Everyone responded in the same quiet tone.

While I was done giving the platter to Maple at last, as they all ate, I smiled and then turned around—spotting Ethan sitting away, a little cornered. His hand was on his lap, elbow propped up, reading a letter. Maybe his daily paperwork had caught up to him at this time too, but he seemed… a little tense.

I picked up his platter and walked over to him. I cleared my throat to get his attention, but he was so engrossed in it that he barely realized I had been standing in front of him for a moment now. He looked up at me, still a little lost.

"You're not gonna eat?" I asked politely.

"Uh… no… not hungry..." he uttered. "...Thanks," he added, looking back at the paper in his hand.

I nodded, setting the platter aside on the wooden plank. "May I?" I gestured at the empty spot on the log beside him.

He looked up at me for a second, then nodded, adjusting his position… such a gentleman.

I sat a little distance from him. "So… you alright?"

He paused for a long time before sighing.

"It's… not easy to go through all this," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed with a frown.

"I'm all ears," I said quietly.

He set the paper aside.

"Long story short, it wasn't like this before. We're still trying to solve the murder mystery of Abel's death," he said, looking up with a sigh, before side-peeking at me.

"You even know who Abel is?" he mumbled softly.

I slowly shook my head, but… a murder mystery sounds familiar.

Is it the same person Kade was investigating, too?

He looked back up at the night sky.

"He was the royal's librarian, the one under whose knowledge and supervision all the libraries and books of the castle fell."

After a moment, he added,

"He was murdered a year ago… and a key that led to the royal library's restricted area was also stolen from his belongings. Still, no one knows who the culprit was. No one—not even their motives. But they're no doubt sinister, judging by how crucial the item they have now is. That's why the king ordered trials to be held in the arena… the one who loses is to be sentenced to death."

"What's in the restricted area?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"Only he and the king know," he said.

"And… trials? That's too far. That's not fair. What if the one who loses is innocent?" I complained.

"You do know the motives of trials," he said, looking at me. "There's no fair in it."

"Then how did they even know who the suspects were?"

"There were no suspects. The kingdom itself was split in half due to economic distress. That's why he suspected the other side—the one that stood against his rules."

I frowned. "So… not just a death, but there were already conflicts before? And the king knows about their arguments?" I asked.

"There isn't anything that can be kept secret from the rulers, especially such a big matter. The king himself decided to let them be, and the trials… became a monthly gambling event."

So absurd. The greed for power and wealth will be the undoing of this kingdom. People here toss their shillings into the arena, seeking bloodshed each month, indifferent to the fate of their loved ones. Their hearts are numb, consumed by the thrill of violence.

"And there's probably no way to stop it?" I knew it was a stupid question, but…

He lets out a bitter chuckle, hanging his head. He runs a hand through his hair, all the way to the nape of his neck. "Of course, not… follow the rules, or be executed," he says, his voice tinged with pain.

I leaned back, propping my arms on the wood's rough bark, and looked up at the night sky.

That's a twisted situation. How can a king be this absurd? It reminds me of someone… similar…

After a moment, I thought of the same words I used to tell myself in childhood: similar wounds share similar bonds. I blurted out without another thought, "Friends?"

He looked up at me, bewildered. "What?" he murmured. I could see it in his eyes—his eye bags telling me all the answers—but then he realized I was sincere.

"Amm…?"

"What? You despise me or something?" I asked nonchalantly, looking at him.

"No… It's just we—"

"Barely know each other? Oh, c'mon now. People don't become friends just because they know each other; they create boundaries instead. 'Friend' is just a label, used for someone closer to them," I added, before looking at the bonfire illuminating my face. "At least, that's how it's always been for me. And I was just thinking we should—"

"Don't finish that sentence," he warned.

I fell silent, then looked away. "Alright."

He looked at me, reconsidering his words, before looking straight at the others, cheering with each other as if nothing had happened between them—as if they had always been like this…

"We're always like that. Why does it have to be this hard… to be like that again?" he muttered, talking more to himself than to me.

For a moment, we both watched Kitt's and Zawi's banter from afar, roasting each other as if they'd always had this easy camaraderie.

"Seems like the ghost still… misses y'all," I said.

His eyes widened in wonder. He swiveled his head to look at me and asked,

"Wait, how do you know we—weren't rivals?"

"I knew Nik was hiding something until I saw a portrait back at the barn house… of all of you together, looking pretty young—probably in your early teens. And the way you guys interact with each other now… Kitt would've sliced my neck the moment I missed, but he didn't. Not many times, anyway."

After a moment, I added, "You all were friends?"

"More than that," he revealed, his voice low, whispered, with a hint of pain. "I agree," he spoke again, his tone heavier. "To this union," he added.

I looked at him and smiled, raising my hand to shake his. He smiled back, standing up as his hand met mine, returning the gesture.

"May this covenant stand the test of time," he vowed.

I nodded. "And we're gonna help you get out of this corruption," I vowed as well. "We'll locate the area of the librarian's death for clues first, then leave the rest to your… predictions," I revealed.

He blinked. "May I ask, what's your ability? And how do you know I'm—?" he asked, once again bewildered.

I froze for a moment. "No—I don't have one like all of you, and… there's a reason why you shared all of this. You can read through me, right?" I said, looking at him sincerely.

He looked at me in awe before looking away once I gestured to pull my hand back, clearing his throat. He wrapped his belongings from the bark and walked towards the others.

"Everyone!" The others snapped to attention, turning their focus to Ethan as he announced the new alliance. Everyone was shocked by the sudden reveal.

"Can we still… make it out?" He asked, a little pleadingly, while everyone cheered with a loud 'yes.'

"Okay, I need your help," Ethan said, exhaling deeply. "I have a plan. I and…" He looked at me, confirming my name.

"Lee," I said.

"Lee will go and explore the restricted area under the cliff of the castle, while Maple and Kitt inform the formals of the castle. Nik and Zawi will distract the guards, and we're leaving at dawn. Go prepare for it. Kade will explain the rest of the situation and why we're doing this," Ethan said, his gaze steady as he looked at him.

Kade nodded.

Ethan smiled at all of them while Nik headed to the barn house to grab some things. As night wore on, we all rested by the fireplace. It was still dark when we sharpened our blades and prepared maps for escaping in case of a collapsing situation. It's a damn cave, after all.

As dawn broke, we made our way to our assigned positions. They split off, leaving me and Ethan alone. We walked down the carved stairs on the cliff's edge, reaching the base.

Looking at the huge, dark hole waiting to devour us, a whistle escaped from my lips. Ethan cocked an eyebrow at me.

Okay, that was embarrassing.

"Let's go," he said, moving forward. But then he stopped, turning his face around to look at me, only to realize why I hadn't moved from the spot. "You scared of such places or something?"

"Dark," I muttered, brushing a strand of hair that had strayed across my face.

"You won't be alone," he reassured me.

I took a deep breath and walked in, following him closely behind. The dark hole loomed before us, its gaping maw waiting to swallow us whole, as if it had been hungry for years.That's what it felt like.

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𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 3.5:

"𝕽𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖘 & 𝕽𝖚𝖎𝖓𝖘"

We walked in. For a brief heartbeat, we existed only in our stride—nothing but footsteps and silence—until we found ourselves engulfed by immense, murky edges. We kept moving ahead, the dimness offering no silhouettes. The echoes of dripping of water can be heard clearly from the calcium build-ups.

It was gradually evolving into a labyrinth. This was no longer a cavern—it had become something far more disorienting.

This labyrinth seemed to stretch back to ancient times, though in truth, it wasn't that old.

The carvings on the walls were too precise to have formed naturally. Something—or someone—had been here once. It used to be alive with presence. Now, it's left to decay. It had been about twelve years, if I understood Ethan correctly back at the barn house.

I don't how I have managed to walk this far without fainting out of fear. We stepped into an enormous chamber, led by Ethan. 

Where the hell was he taking us? And how the hell did he know all his way around down here? What if he worships demons here or something?

I shook my head, trying to chase away the disturbing thoughts.

"How do you figure out where to go?" I asked skeptically. An attempt to break the thick silence.

"I came here when I was seven. I remember all the paths from when the sheriffs used to hold prisoners here," he said, continuing to walk ahead of us.

"And where exactly are we headed?"

"To the foyer... of the dungeons—the place where Abel was most likely killed."

My heart raced at that word: 'dungeons.' I cleared my throat, fighting to mask the tremor in my voice.

"So, there are three suspected locations, but no one knows where he was for sure?"

"Yes, the Bridge of Death, the dungeons here, and…"

"And—?"

"Shh." He silenced me, his posture suddenly alert.

"What—?" My eyes widened as he swiftly covered my mouth with his hand.

"Quiet, I said," he whispered, pulling out his dagger, I froze. At first, I was confused by his actions, but then it hit me—he was trying to protect us. His hand remained over my mouth as he silently dragged me behind a pillar.

We heard an eerie voice growing louder. "Did you hear that?" I asked, my voice muffled. We cautiously peeked from behind the pillar, spotting a massive shadow moving freely through the space—though there was no tangible evidence of its existence. My heart thudded in my chest, and I could feel his heartbeat racing as well. What is that thing—?

No way, this man—Ethan, no—here we go, time for a cat-and-mouse chase. I sighed.

"Shit!" He cursed after accidentally breaking a stone off the already shattered pillar. It fell, the sound echoing through the halls. The shadow disappeared right at the moment, which meant… it's coming.

"Run!" Ethan shouted, and we sprinted away from the place.

Rolling over the steel gate, his leg scraped against the sharp edge. A quick hiss of pain escaped him as he tried to steady himself, blood splashes, staining his hands. But without hesitation, we kept running, rushing into the dark tunnel ahead.

"You said it was abandoned!" I shouted, my voice rising from behind.

"I never said abandoned places are just sitting there!" he shot back, defiantly.

"You what—?!" He yanked me to the right, behind a pillar. Using his ability and anticipated the situation, he hurled a rock toward the far end of the tunnel. It vanished into a sudden drop, followed by a long, echoing clatter that slowly faded into the dark. We watched as the shadow followed the sound of the crack, then fell, letting out a horrible scream that we both muffle the noise with our hands to our ears. I hated loud noises. At least he got us rid of that thing.

We stood in the dark, secluded room until the eerie sounds started to subside. When they finally did…

"Sorry about that," he said, casually removing his arm from around my shoulder.

"Seriously?" I furrowed my brows. "You said—"

"Listen, I did say this place is abandoned but this area is restricted for a reason."

I sighed, adjusting my collar. "Alright then, looks like we're clear now." But then my gaze fell onto his injured, bleeding leg.

He bent down, poured some sort of healing liquid onto the wound, and it disappeared in an instant.

"What the—?" I stared in awe.

The bottle had a leaf emblem on it, something I only noticed after he tucked the empty bottle away. Probably from their Elixir Hall.

He didn't bother to look up. Instead, he opened a map from his book and began inspecting it. I peeked over his shoulder. That's when I heard his breath catch, and I turned to see his face go pale.

"What's the issue now?" I asked, still frowning.

"We're here," he muttered.

I realized what he meant, and we both turned our heads to the room we had been standing in so nonchalantly before. Our eyes widened as we took in the unsettling scene—chains dangling from the walls, cuffs scattered on the floor, and broken chairs in disarray. Needles lay carelessly around, their tips stained with old, dried blood, a grim reminder of the room's dark past.

"Is it… a torture chamber?" My breath caught in my throat, mirroring his reaction to my own question.

"This is the place," he exhaled shakily, moving forward.

The horrible sight stretched further—skeletons... countless skeletons, covered in half blood and half their own flesh. I averted my gaze, unwilling to look any longer. I could feel my sickness beginning to take its toll. I gulped.

"There's no sign of him," he sighed, rising to his feet after examining the stained cobblestones.

How is this man so keen-eyed?

"This isn't where he died?!" I asked, panic rising in my chest. Damn it, we're trapped, and the chances of getting out alive from this haunted cavern are slim.

"Ethan, listen—there has to be a way out!" I yelled out, my voice growing louder despite knowing I shouldn't. And that's when the inevitable happened.

A deafening crash echoed in my ears as I turned around, only to be confronted with a horrifying sight.

"Ethan!" I screamed in horror as the pillar crashed down, falling onto him just as he yanked me away. I hovered myself with my arms from the dusty collapse and the jagged stones fell.

Am I… alone now? He sacrificed his life. I had no idea what that thing was or what it wanted. I had no choice but to run, my legs moving faster than I thought possible. I bolted out of the room, refusing to look back—if I did, I'd be dead too.

Am I hallucinating? In front of me, a sea of dead bodies—yet they're alive! The floor cracked and broke beneath me, and from the ground below, a massive, wrapped corpse emerged—easily three times my size.

"Damn you!" I cursed. It looked like a dead pharaoh—what?! Wraiths? I have no idea!

"What the fuck are you?!" I yelled at it, my voice filled with anger, though my legs could barely move from fear.

"Come back!" Its voice echoed, a terrifying screech that sent shivers down my spine as it called after me. I ran in the opposite direction. There were two paths—back? Death. To the right? Probably the same. A dark rim of the cavern loomed ahead, so I guessed left must lead to death too. Without a second thought, I dashed to the left, not caring if it was a dead end. I was already dead.

I glanced over my shoulder while running. "This is all my fault—"

Before I could finish, I stumbled and fell hard to the ground with a loud thud, crashing into the wall. A groan escaped my lips as I clutched my left side, my head spinning. My heart thumped in my chest, as if I were trapped in a nightmare. Well, of course I was—I was in one. I was trapped…

"Goodness, you're alright!"

I rubbed my butt, my eyes widening in horror once more. Did I just bump into a talking wall?

I looked up, and a wave of relief washed over me. It wasn't a talking wall after all, but... there was no reason to be so relieved. After all, one more thing was lurking in that nightmare.

"Ethan, behind you!" I shouted, scrambling to my feet.

He nodded, acknowledging the situation with a grim expression. "We're trapped," he said, as if it were his last words.

We turned around, our backs facing each other, and fixed our gazes on the escalating danger surrounding us. Even behind his back, from both sides, that thing was drawing closer. We were cornered in a secluded room with no way out—except for the two tunnels, now filled with that… thing.

"Any farewell remarks?" I asked.

"I don't talk about him much, but…I guess you deserve to know…about my father—" but then he signed heavily. "Forgive me... This isn't the outcome I hoped for," he said, closing his eyes in frustration and helplessness.

I listened to him intently until I smiled faintly at his apology. "It's not—"

"Guess you figured it was time for a dramatic grand exit, huh?"

Ethan and I both snapped our heads towards the voice. "Zawi?!" We both called out in surprise.

"How are you even here?" Ethan asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"Bruh," he huffed. "I'm a ghost—forgot?" Zawi's voice, a deadpan humor.

"Well, keep that sarcasm to yourself for now," Ethan shot back, his tone sharp.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, you decide to double-suicide here with her, but not me…" Zawi said, poofing up his forehead hair. "…Cheater," he added with a dramatic pout.

Ethan huffed at his remark. "You—" he paused, grumbling as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"Help us out—hurry," I said.

"Magic words?" the ghost demanded with a smug look.

Ethan looked at him, deadpan. "Please?"

"Huh! I can't hear you," Zawi teased.

"Zawi!" We both squawked at him in frustration, but it was too late.

Our eyes widened in terror at the approach of death. The three of us clung to one another as both monsters closed the distance—and struck with their fierce claws.

.

.

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To Be Continued in June, Chapter 4,5...