Mizuki's underground shelter was hidden beneath the mountains surrounding the city, beyond a pine forest reserve. People took a long time to get there due to the distance; there was turmoil, shouting, and accidents. After night fell, the problems at the shelter's entrance didn't cease, all because the guards were determined to prevent mixed-race individuals and foreigners from entering.
Dona Lina, mother of the twins, trembled under the cold rain, her feet buried in thick mud, her eyes burning as she tried to find hope among the heavy raindrops falling on the desperate crowd. She had arrived with the people who had been locked in the market with her for a long time after the alert of Nefaris's invasion spread everywhere.
However, when they reached the shelter, only "pure" Aokainese were allowed in; Dona Lina and others like her were barred outside since then. Her greatest concern, however, was her family, with whom she couldn't make contact. No one answered the phone, and she trembled at the thought that the worst had happened.
The rain had lessened when the headlights of a black car illuminated the trail among the pines. When it stopped and a woman hurriedly got out from the driver's seat, Dona Lina shouted in recognition:
— Miyu?
The "pure" Aokainese, best friend of her daughters, looked at her at the same moment and waved her right arm frantically, a mix of greeting and urgency.
— Aunt Lina, come here, I brought Amina! — she said and quickly opened the passenger door.
Dona Lina ran over and didn't know whether to be happy or worried to see her daughter, who got out of the car covered in blood and seeming to be in great pain. Miyu supported her in her arms while closing the car door.
— What happened to her? Why is she like this? — the mother asked in despair.
— I found her running down the street like this; she said in sign language that she fought with two Sombros.
— TWO SOMBROS? How?... Where?... Did they invade the bookstore? — Dona Lina asked many questions at once, unable to believe what she had just heard.
— It seems so, but don't worry, Amina is the strongest person I know; she said she killed both.
— She may have killed them, but look at her condition! — the mother began to inspect her daughter's wounds, who could barely stand.
— That's why I put her in the car and tried to come as quickly as possible. We even stopped at the hospital where Amara had submitted a résumé, but we didn't find her; in fact, the hospital was already empty—I think everyone came here.
— So you didn't find Amara and Ryoji??
— No, Aunt. Amina even wanted us to look for them, but when I saw she was bleeding too much, I realized she wouldn't last long without medical attention.
— Oh my God, my poor daughter! — Dona Lina took Amina in her arms and hugged her worriedly.
— She must have an infection; we need to get her inside quickly — Miyu advised, but then looked up at the crowd behind Dona Lina and asked: — Why are so many people outside?
Lina's expression turned to anger and indignation.
— Ask those guards! They don't want to let mixed-race individuals and foreigners in.
— WHAT? This is absurd; it's inhumane! — Miyu turned red with anger.
— Tell me about it. They're doing what they've always done: excluding us from the rest of the population.
— Ahhhh, but this won't stand… I'm a lawyer, and I'm going there now to solve this problem! — Miyu declared, walking firmly toward the guards.
She stopped in front of the middle guard, as big as a rock, and crossed her arms at him, trying to intimidate him.
— Who do you think you are to leave these people outside the shelter? That's against the law.
— What law? — he asked simply.
— The law that states that, in case of a Nefaris invasion, all human beings from Aokai, including mixed-race individuals and foreigners, have the right to enter shelters and receive necessary protection against the attack. — Her voice was firm.
— We don't care about that law; we're following the mayor's orders.
— Oh yeah? Then you and he will be arrested for this.
The guard she was speaking to and the others beside him laughed.
— I'm serious, you brute. There are sick people here; many were attacked. Amina and I went through a lot to get to this lousy shelter, which is a lifetime away from the city, and there are people who couldn't even make it. My friend and her father are God knows where, and I ran over a bunch of Sombros who attacked my car on the way here, many of them with my ex's face, by the way. And there was that blaring siren going off every ten minutes and…
— Miss? — the guard beside her interrupted. — Could you please shut that mouth?
— Excuse me? — her voice became shrill.
— Do us a favor and get inside the shelter; the others will stay outside — the guard in front of her said.
— I WILL NEVER go in without them! — Miyu shouted.
— Fine, then stay out here in the rain.
— You… you… — She was about to explode. — Do you happen to know who my father is? — she shouted.
— No, who is he? — the robust guard continued in a low voice, amused by the situation.
— I don't know; he never registered me. But if I knew, you'd already be dead.
The guards laughed again.
— This girl doesn't make any sense! — one of the guards mocked her, and soon all the others made similar comments.
— You know what? If talking doesn't work, then it's going to be a fight. — She rolled up the sleeves of the sweater covering her thin arms.
The guards watched her, motionless, as Miyu took a step back and ran at them like a bull. She bumped into the guard who looked like a rock and fell to the ground. Everyone laughed even more, and her anger only grew.
— Miyu! — Dona Lina called. — Forget it, my dear; there's no way.
— There is a way, Aunt; I'm a lawyer!... Listen here, you idiots, I want to talk to the mayor now. — She was already standing again, her dyed brown hair covered in leaves.
— Ha ha ha, keep dreaming! — one of them scoffed.
The guard in front of her, however, grabbed Miyu's arm and pulled her to whisper in her ear:
— If you stop this commotion now, I can let you in and… maybe have some fun with me later, what do you say?
— NEVER! — Miyu shouted upon hearing that and kneed the guard in the groin.
Everyone was speechless at the scene, and the man screamed in pain for a few moments. Then, he grabbed Miyu's arm again and raised his right hand to hit her.
— You little…
— Whoa… — Another hand grabbed his wrist tightly before he could strike. — You better lower that hand, man. You don't know what I'm capable of when I see someone hitting a woman.
The voice came from a Hinoken warrior, armed with many swords and knives across his body. The guard freed himself from him and took a few steps back along with the other guards upon realizing that not only that warrior but four others were behind him.
They all bowed in greeting and fear.
— Cobalt Flames, it's an honor! Welcome. This young lady was causing trouble along with this crowd of mixed-race individuals — the robust guard said.
— Trouble? If I understood correctly, she wanted everyone to have the right to enter. — Ryu stepped out from the end of the line and calmly walked up to them. He no longer carried the rifle; the Hinoyaiba was strapped to his waist, along with other knives and smaller weapons in holsters across his body.
— They were orders from the mayor, sir — the guard replied, still not daring to lift his head.
— Here, we follow the country's law. — This time it was Emi who imposed herself. — You will open the gates for these people immediately! — Her voice was firm and authoritative.
The guards, however, returned to their original position, guarding the shelter's entrance.
— You gentlemen will have to excuse us, but we cannot disobey orders.
— You idiots… — Shiro, the Hinoken member who saved Miyu from a slap, drew two swords upon hearing that.
Ryu touched his friend's shoulder to calm him and stepped forward to face the guards.
— I'll say this only once, and I hope you understand well… — His voice was low and incredibly threatening. — Either these gates open… or your blood will flow through them.
With that, he drew Hinoyaiba, and the other Hinoken members mimicked the gesture with their own blades.
The terrified guards immediately dispersed to open the shelter gates. The people cheered with joy and rushed in to escape the rain and the threat of the Nefaris, having to traverse corridors and descend stairs to several levels below ground.
Miyu, Dona Lina, and Amina were the last. Miyu gave a thankful bow to the Hinoken group, especially to Shiro.
— Thank you so much for helping me and all of us. — She was so red with embarrassment that she couldn't lift her eyes to face the warriors.
— No problem, Miss Lawyer! — Shiro winked at her before following Ryu into the shelter.
Daiki and Hana, other Hinoken members, also followed their leader in silence. Emi stayed and took a good look at Amina hugging her mother.
— This girl looks a lot like a young woman I met earlier.
— Amara?? — Dona Lina's eyes widened with hope. — I have another daughter, her twin sister.
— Yes, yes, she said her name was Amara.
— Oh, thank heavens! Where is she?
— She's in our emergency vehicle, along with her father and other people we rescued along the way. But don't worry; they should be arriving soon.
Emi smiled at them and also entered the shelter. Dona Lina and Miyu carried Amina inside, supported on their shoulders. Now that the Cobalt Flames of the Hinoken army were present, all that was left was to wait for the end of that nightmare.