"What she has done is inexcusable. I'll never forgive her."
The bullet was cut down mid-air by a masterfully wielded spear. The projectile that almost finished off the monster that caused so much harm for the group and the people of Hamel as well was cut in two pieces. The gunpowder inside it slipped off and the two pieces fell on the ground as useless scrap metal.
Chung couldn't believe what happened. Before him was Ran, the leader of the demons invading Hamel; and between the two of them stood Ara wielding her spear as a shield. Before any of them could react, the demon general enveloped himself in a black mist and banished from sight in less than a second. Chung was about to say something to protest, but someone's whistling stopped him.
"We are done here! Everyone go back to the camp!"
He looked back, Elesis was calling for them. She and the rest of the group were still fending off the swarm of demons that filled the Temple of Water. Without time to think about it, they had to retreat. He'll have to wait. At least, until they get to the camp. The way back was a lot easier than the way in. Without their general, the demons were in disarray, and soon all of them would be exterminated or they would flee to the netherworld.
"How could you do that? Have you forgotten all that demon has done?"
Already in the camp, Chung could stay quiet a second more. He exploded in protest and fury towards Ara, yelling at her as if she had committed a horrible crime.
"We had so much trouble trying to destroy that monster and you just ruined it in a second. Why did you do that?"
"I've told you already. He's my brother! I won't let anyone harm him. I want he to turn back to normal," Ara protested. Both of them had their weapons pointing at each other, waiting for any excuse to jump at each other's neck.
"That thing is not your brother, is a monster!"
"How you dare to say that? You're just acting like a brat."
Since both of them were so bottled in their fight, they didn't see the punch that struck their heads simultaneously coming. Grabbing onto the pulsating bump in their heads they looked up to see Elsword blowing on his knuckles and the angry face of his sister next to him.
"Shut up already! You're annoying the rest of us." He complained. Elsword grabbed Chung and pulled him away, leaving his sister with Ara "Come on man, it's not like you to act like this."
"Didn't you see her saving that demons life?"
"Why don't you go talk with the others about it and leave me and sis those things. We are going to question her, so you just go and relax. And no more yelling tonight! Got it?"
Chung sighed. He knew that Elsword was the only person as stubborn as himself. And if he'd continue that discussion he may had done something that he would later regret. He gathered with everyone else next to the campfire. Rena wasn't there, she was patrolling near the camp since there were still stray demon lost in the forest. Eve was nowhere to be seen either, most likely she was in her tent, performing her usual maintenance on the two drones.
"Have you finally calmed down?" Aisha asked when he sat down in a log next to the fire. Chung shrugged. Raven, who was in front of him sighed.
"I can't believe what she has done, not only did she throw away all our efforts in reaching Ran and destroying it, she also saved the monster that's responsible for all that Hamel has suffered under the demon invasion."
"Listen boy," Raven interrupted "I know how you feel. Allow me to remember you that I was once driven crazy by revenge. But it only brought misfortune upon me. All the things I did didn't change anything, they didn't fix anything. And now… I'm filled with regret, and an annoying need for atoning for what I did."
"But… this is different. I'm not seeking revenge, I want justice. Ran killed many innocent, and now he got away with it."
"Killing Ran won't bring back the dead Chung. What Ara did might be unforgivable for you, but to be honest, I can understand her reasons. If there is a small chance that she can change her brother back to normal, then she must try it."
"I doubt there's a chance that thing might turn back into a human. And even if it does, what if Ara's brother turns out to be unlike we think he might be? What if he sided with the demons on purpose?"
They weren't getting nowhere. Chung looked around, searching for Ara. He saw her with Elesis and Elsword. They were far, discussing something. From the looks of it, Elsword and Elesis don't look bothered by Ara's actions.
"What's with the commotion?"
Eve emerged from one of the tents. Her hair was messy, as if she were napping instead of working on her drones. She dragged her feet next to the campfire and sat down. Remy came flying to her side, serving as a nice headrest for its tired master.
"We were trying to tell Chung that he shouldn't get so worked up with Ara." Aisha explained.
"Yeah. Why don't you use your cold heart to punch some sense in his head?" Raven suggested, chuckling.
Eve raised her head and sighed.
"If for cold heart you are trying to say superior intelligence… I guess I can try. Chung, you hate Ran because he destroyed your world. Your country, the people in it, everything was destroyed by his army of demons. However, Ara lost her world too. Ara's family was killed by demons, and they took her brother. From her point of view, she lost as much as you did. Reflect on that before yelling at her again." She stood up and head inside her tent again, however she stopped for a moment to speak again "And if any of you wake me up again before my watch I won't be as nice."
And with that she disappeared from where she came. Chung was still not convinced. Even if Ran was all family that Ara has left, you can't weight the life of a single, corrupted; man with an entire country.
"The demons didn't take her brother," Raven suddenly said "They possessed him. Imagine how horrible it must be for him. I can assure you. Watching from your very own eyes how your body moves for the will of someone else is the worst thing that can happen to you."
He looked in the direction of Eve's tent while saying it.
It was not enough. At least she could have said something earlier. She just ruined everything. Chung can't forgive her. He won't do it. At least, for now. Even if his best friend tells him to leave it on their hands, he still feels responsible for letting that demon live. Who knows what kind of monstrosities Ran will gather next time they face him…
But for now, all he can do is rest.