I staggered back, cupping my throbbing nose. Speka didn't waste a single second to attack again, tackling and pinning me on my back.
"You're the reason Aisha is dead!" Speka screamed, colliding another fist to my face. "You befriended the enemy; h-how could you be so cruel?!"
I squeezed my eyes shut as she pelted me with punches. The physical beating hurt, but it felt like a pinch compared to the guilt now eating through me.
"Enough!" Someone pried Speka off me.
I cracked open my eyes again, thousands of tiny stars dotted my vision.
"She killed my sister!" Speka screamed, her voice bouncing through the empty room.
I helped myself up to a sitting position, stars continued to taint my sight. In the dark mesh, I spotted Elesis holding Speka by the shoulders, the Mage trashed in her grip like a wild animal.
"She did not," Elesis' grunted. "Now calm down and take your seat."
"No, I will not!"
"Speka, I'll have to knock you out if you don't behave." Elesis warned.
"I would suggest listening to her, Speka. Do not make us throw you in the dungeons." Lowe rolled her name out uncomfortably, most likely holding back the urge to call her by Aisha's name.
Speka snorted," whatever." She allowed herself to relax.
Once sure the mage would not attack again, Elesis freed her. Speka shot my a nasty look before proceeding back to her seat.
"Ara, are you okay?" Echo rushed to my side. Her jaw dropped as she scanned over my face. "I think I have a potion to treat bruising."
"I'm fine," I replied almost instantly.
"Are you sure?" Elesis piped in softly.
"I said I'm fine." I replied, shakily helping myself back on my feet.
"Suit yourself." Elesis shrugged. She gestured to the crowded table. "Take a seat, we have a lot to talk about."
Great, the last thing I wanted to do was sit with a bunch of people who probably hate me.
I bobbed my head and made my way to the table. Almost all of my friends locked their eyes on me, observing me like a zoo animal. Only Amos and Chung had their full attention on the food in front of them.
I took my seat toward the end of the table. Elsword, who was closest to me, grunted and shuffled away.
A suffocating silence fell on us once I was seated. Some of my friends kept their eyes glued on me while others resumed eating. No one, not even Elesis or Lowe, squeaked a single word. I was thankful when Echo placed a plate of mashed potatoes and beans in front of me. Despite my lack of appetite, I was grateful to have something to turn my attention to.
"We had a grave defeat in Feita." Elesis began after what felt like hours had passed. "I have also learned some rather interesting information from my brother."
I dropped my spoon, its pitched shriek rattled through the Hall before succumbing to silence.
"Firstly, I would like to apologize for your loss." Elesis' comment made everyone tense. As for me, it felt like someone reopened past wounds and poured salt over it.
"It's all Ara's fault." Speka spat.
Her immediate answer made me wish the ground should swallow me whole.
"We are not going to point fingers." Lowe piped in coolly.
"She's not wrong." This time it was Elsword who spoke up. "She befriended the enemy behind our backs. I wouldn't be surprised if she shared information with them."
"I didn't share information." I defended. All heads turned to me, under their eyes I felt like an ant.
"How can we believe you?" Eve challenged, her voice colder than ice.
"I-I talked with her but I never revealed our plans." I searched the table for someone to believe me, but I was only greeted with glares.
"I don't believe it." Raven dropped his gaze onto his half empty plate.
"Maybe Ara is telling the truth." Amos whispered.
"Amos, please stay out of this." Eve answered tightly. "You are too young to land proper judgement."
"But she helped me back in Altera." The young Ponggo persisted.
"Just because she did one good thing doesn't mean she isn't evil." Chung snapped.
His sharp words sliced into me like a sword, embedding an unseen wound into my back.
At the corner of my eye I saw Echo taking a seat beside me. Her simple gesture was enough to keep me from breaking down into uncontrollable sobs.
"But I didn't know she was evil," my whisper trailed off into silence. At this point my words meant nothing to them.
"That is enough!" Lowe hammered his hand on the table, our plates and utensils clattered at the hit.
Lowe eyed the table, daring someone to utter another word. "You guys are a team. This bickering needs to stop now."
"Ara's the reason we're like this, old man." Speka muttered. Lowe flared his nostrils at her comment.
"Since you're all so concerned about Ara, why don't we ask her?" She turned her eyes at me. Blood rushed to my cheeks at her suggestion.
"Ara, did you tell that demon about your team's plans?" Elesis interrogated. I opened my mouth just as she added," and don't think about lying. We will find out, and when we do, you'll wish you were never born."
"I-I didn't say anything to her." I wanted my voice to come out loud and clear, instead it wheezed out in a trembling whisper.
"Oh? Then what did you talk about?" She pressed on. Everyone at the table seemed to tense.
That question made the tears spring into my eyes. The answer was simple yet it would only drive the knife deeper into my friends' back.
"P-personal stuff. S-she was my friend." I squeezed my clammy hands into fists. "I-I thought she was my friend." I added grudgingly.
"I see," Elsis replied, surprisingly calm. "So you were manipulated by that demon. It's not completely your fault."
"Seriously, Sis? You aren't gonna punish her or something?" Elsword seethed through closed teeth.
"I can't punish her for being naive." Elesis said matter-of-factly, that only seemed to make Elsword tense further. "We'll punish accordingly her if she's lying."
"That's unfair! She-"
"That's enough, Elsword!" Elesis raised her voice, silencing her brother in an instant. "We have important matters to discuss."
"The Harmony Festival, a time to celebrate peace, is happening tomorrow." Lowe began tightly. "Many Knights are returning for the newly declared war, but our numbers are still low."
"We need all the help we can get and your team is perfect for the army." Elesis added.
"What?" I blurted. "But we still need to find the El Shards."
Someone in the group clicked their tongue.
"Unfortunately, after your team's last performance, we are reevaluating your capability to have such a mission." Elesis' response made Eun flare with anger. If it weren't for me, Eun would already be out and attacking Elesis.
"B-but…" I tried to reason. "O-our team alone discovered three Shards-"
"We lost a Shard thanks to you." Elsword reminded me.
"We also lost my sister because of you." Speka added sharply.
That's how the table stirred to life again, this time nearly everyone was throwing their insults and accusations at me. Elesis and Lowe tried to calm them down, but their voices were drowned in their acidity. Their every word were sharp as knives and venomous as a snake's bite.
I bowed my head, my dark hair fell over my face, but I didn't move it away. With my face now covered by my hair I allowed the tears to fall. Every word they spat pierced into my heart like daggers, cutting and dismantling what is already broken.
"I've had enough!" Elesis hammered both hands on the table. Every seemed to jump at her outburst.
"Velder is one of the only kingdoms that still haven't been breached by demons." Elesis explained with shaking fists. "I want all of you to go on patrol and assure our citizens' safety. We will take care of your kid while you're gone. Are there any objections?"
She scanned the entire table with reddened cheeks. Everyone dropped their eyes under her ferocious gaze.
"Let me get your spear real quick," Echo whispered. She hopped off her seat and ran out of the room.
I wanted to call out and beg her to not leave, but she was gone before I could utter a single word.
"Good," Elesis said flatly. "Now go on patrol while we reevaluate your team's capability to keep that Shard."
"Fine." Elsword huffed.
"I wouldn't get your hopes up," Lowe added as we grudgingly shuffled our way out of our seats. "There's a lot of people who want that Shard out of your possession."
The streets of Velder were lively, to say the least. Confetti of all colours littered the ground, rebellious balloons rose into the cerulean sky, and music blasted from almost every corner. Booths offering games and food attracted people of all ages. Children ran down the streets without care while adults enjoyed the afternoon sun with friends and family.
The odours of various foods blended harmonically into the air, if my situation wasn't so bleak I would be craving for a snack. The laughter, the music, and mouth watering scents blended into one incoherent blur, they almost felt insulting.
How could people be so happy when so many died to protect them?
I trailed behind my team as we snaked through the street, it felt wrong to walk amongst them. I was a traitor. I didn't deserve to walk beside them.
"Mommy, can I get some cotton candy?" A passing child asked.
"You already had one." The mother responded, clearly upset at her child's request.
Ara, can you explain why cotton is so loved by humans? I do not understand what makes it so appealing to the stomach. Eun asked, genuinely curious.
"Hey, there's cotton candy here." Elsword chuckled dryly. "Too bad she can't enjoy it anymore."
The lump at the back of my throat grew but I refused to let the tears out.
"Sis would've enjoyed all the sweets here." Speka added nonchalantly. "I'll tell her about it when I visit her grave."
"I-I'm sorry, okay?" I added quietly. "What else do you want from me?"
My heart dropped to my stomach the instant Elsword stopped walking. The rest of the team caught on quickly and halted shortly. I unconsciously took a step away from him.
Elsword shook with laughter, but it wasn't the kind you'd hear after telling a joke. It was a laughter raw with anger, an alternative to yelling.
"I'm sorry too," he turned his head back. Shivers crawled down my spine upon meeting those murderous red eyes. "I'm sorry that I had to take you in. If you weren't here Aisha would still be with us."
"I-I know what I did was wrong, b-but I promise to make it up." I shook with every word.
Elsword's face flared with red," how will you make it up?" He turned himself around and marched toward me, both hands closed into fists beside him.
"I-I don't-"
I froze the moment he brought a fist up.
"Are you gonna bring her back from the dead?" He punched me hard on the shoulder. I stumbled on my feet, but managed to keep my balance. "Can your apology give her back to us? Do you have the power to turn back time and change things? I don't think so!"
"W-what do you want me to do?" I stomped my foot. A single tear trickled down my cheek, I wiped it on my sleeve before anyone else could notice. "I don't want things to s-stay like this forever."
Elsword opened his mouth to respond but Ching intervened.
"Can you two idiots calm down?" Chung grabbed Elsword's shoulder and pulled him away from me.
I was grateful he came to the rescue, but I had a distinct feeling he didn't do it to protect me. He kept his eyes glued on Elsword, never bothering to look at me.
"Chung is right," Speka piped in, her eyes darting around us. "People are staring."
"Who cares?" Elsword pushed Chung off him. "They all get to see how evil this traitor is."
"I-I didn't know Scarlet was evil," I explained, desperately hoping they'd listen to me. "S-she seemed so trustworthy and-"
"I could careless if people hear me." Elsword went on, ignoring my comment completely.
I didn't bother to continue talking. What was the point anymore? Why should I bother trying when no one wanted to hear my side of the story?
"We'll get in trouble again." Chung darted his eyes side to side. "It's a matter of time before word gets out to Elesis and Lowe."
"You're just trying to defend her." Elsword snapped. "You're siding with that traitor 'cause you have a thing for her."
Chung cursed, despite the many innocent ears nearby," I want nothing to do with a demon. She's dead to me."
His words stung more than acid. I bowed my head, propelling the salty tears down.
"Hey, Chung, watch your mouth." Speka chided.
"Quit actin' like you're a goody two shoes like Aisha." He shot back.
Speka flared her nose," s-so what if I'm acting like Aisha? I'm her twin, I think I have the right to be like her."
"You can act like her but you are nothing like your sister." Eve piped in. I could imagine Speka grinding her teeth together.
"At least I'm kind like her, unlike your moody friend Rena." Speka spat.
"Don't you dare speak ill of Rena." Raven's voice thundered.
I kept my head down as the hate once targeted on me spread out. Even without looking up, I could feel the gaze of the crowd gluing onto us.
This wasn't right. Friends should've fight like this.
I held my breath and perk my head up, "g-guys, please stop fighting." I begged.
Everyone turned their anger back to me, all their eyes screamed with anger and disgust. I swallowed, but refused to recoil under their glares.
"You don't have a say in what we do." Elsword sneered. "If it weren't for Elesis, I would've killed you already."
"That won't bring Aisha back." The words left my mouth before I could comprehend what I was saying. Someone in the group gasped.
I turned my eyes away from him, cheeks flushed from both anger and tears.
He threw a combination of curses at me, unfortunately, each word spoken made the needles in my heart sink deeper.
"Just because Elesis is protecting ya', doesn't mean I won't make your life a living Hell!" Elsword bellowed
A deafening roar, accompanied with vicious tremors, pierced through the city before I could respond. Children ceased their blissful laughter and replaced it with ear splitting screams. The tremors disappeared as quickly as they appeared. The remanence of the explosions; however, continued to ring in the air.
"W-what was that?" Someone in the crowd asked.
"M-maybe something happened to the fireworks?"
The earth trembled once more as sirens blared through the entire city. In an instant the crowd abandoned the various booths set up for the day and ran. Knights patrolling the area shouted over the crowd, directing them away from the festival.
It didn't take long for the culprits of the attack to enter the stage. Just beyond the incoming wave of people an army of demons, adorned in glistening armour, stormed in.