"I can never forget the face of the one who killed my parents."

Our team quickly grew quiet at Agatha's accusation, I began to feel nauseous at the new information. There no way our Raven killed their parents, then again, I haven't known him for all my life so it is possible that he committed such a crime in his past.

I glanced over at Raven, hoping he'd say something to prove Agatha wrong, but he didn't. Instead he sat in silence, with his head hanging down. I could feel Eun's warmth surrounding me, giving me the comfort I need in this situation.

Aisha was the first to break the thick layer of silence," i-is that true?" She asked him shakily; Elsword wrapped his arm around her to comfort her.

"I-I don't know," Raven replied, he shook his head. "I-I don't think so, I-I can't remember." Raven tightened his fists, he cried out in frustration.

Agatha scoffed at him," what a pathetic man," she spat out. "You can't even remember the crimes you have committed."

I could see Chung glaring icily at Agatha," stop talking to him like that!" He said in a raised voice. "Raven could never do something like that. I know he wouldn't."

"Chung," Aisha placed her hand on his shoulder. "We don't know if that's true."

"You know Raven wouldn't do something like that." He tightened his fists. "He can't do something like that."

"Chung," Raven spoke up softly-we all turned to face him, eager to hear what he has to say. "Not even I can reassure you my innocence."

Chung shook his head in disbelief," I can't believe such a thing!" He exclaimed, as he helped himself up. "If you need me I'll be outside."

"You can deny this fact all you want, boy." Agatha called out to him. "But the truth will not change."

Chung didn't reply to her, instead he stormed out the house without taking another glance back. I could understand his anger, even I understand that it's hard to accept the fact that one of my friends could've murdered these Ponggos' parents.

"Sis', they're good people." Amos said in a hushed voice, he hugged his sister tightly. "They wouldn't hurt us."

Agatha sighed," I bet these people are good, but that Crow Rider is nothing but trouble. He is the only one here I cannot forgive." She ruffled her brother's fur. "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that."

"Raven didn't kill our parents. I know he didn't." He cried, he buried his face into his sister's shirt. "He wouldn't do such a horrible thing."

Even though I did not commit this horrible crime, I couldn't help but feel guilty. Raven is part of the team and it almost feels wrong for us to be here. We were the ones who brought him into this village, and it doesn't matter if he did or did not kill their parents, because in the end we brought back all the pain to these siblings.

Amos' crying only made me feel worse, if I stay here any longer I'm going to lose my mind. Helping myself up I quietly excuse myself from the team. I gingerly opened the door and helped myself out, even from the outside I can hear the muffled cry of Amos.

"Hey," Chung greeted wearily, he was sat cross-legged on the ground. "What are you doing out here?"

"I couldn't stay in there any longer." I respond, while helping myself down beside him. "Hearing Amos crying only made it worse."

Silence fell between us, the sounds of drills were the only thing to fill in the void. I watched as the villagers walked blissfully around the village, oblivious of the tension resting within the house.

I wish I could be as carefree as them right now, I really don't like having to face this drama-no one wants to learn that their friend was once a murderer.

"I don't believe Raven killed the parents," Chung whispered. I glanced over at him, doubt could be seen in his tired eyes. "I've known Raven for quite sometime now and I know he's not a bad person."

"Just because he's a good person now doesn't mean he was a good person in his past." I reply hesitantly, Chung tensed at my answer but didn't say anything. "None of us want to accept the fact that he killed the parents, I don't think anyone would want to think of their friend that way."

"I know," Chung spoke through clenched teeth-I could see his fists tightening as he went on. "I guess it's hard for me to accept the fact that Raven could've killed them."

"Yeah, I think-" Chung cut me off.

"Y'know this team is really important to me. We've been through so much together. "Chung smiled, I could feel my heart skipping a beat. " I don't exactly have a family back at home waiting for me, but it doesn't matter because I've got the team-they're family to me."

Family, that word alone send shivers down my spine. After the attack on my village I lived life believing I was alone, I believed that I would never have the same family love again. Maybe I can also consider this team my family as well, we're always here for each other and we're always willing to fight for one another-isn't that what a family is about?

"That's why it's so hard for me to believe Raven did something so terrible," he went on. "I don't even know what I should do if he really was the killer."

"It shouldn't matter if Raven was the killer," I blurt out, I could see Chung's face lighting up with surprise. "We know Raven better than anyone, and we know he's a good guy now. As his friends we need to stand with him and help him through this. That's what friends and family do."

Chung lips twitched into a small smile at my response. I could feel my face heating up at his action, it's not everyday I get to make Chung smile.

"We should probably head back inside." I gesture to the house. "It sounds like things have calmed down in there."

"Yeah," he punched me gently on the shoulder. "Thanks for listening and understanding."

"No problem," I replied, with a toothy smile," that's what friends are for."

When we got back inside Raven was no where in sight, apparently revealed that he went to bed shortly after I left. Agatha refused to talk about the subject any more and has decided to retire to the kitchen for some dinner; needless to say, Amos joined his sister for dinner.

Our team used this chance to talk about our plan of action tomorrow. Elsword wanted us to go looking for the El Shard right away while Aisha suggested we gather some information from the Ponggos and try to help them with their Nasod crises.

There was much debate on what we should do next, but I was too tired to pay attention to all the little details. In the end we agreed on splitting into different groups, one group will go up to the surface to find clues on the Shard's whereabouts while the other group will stay behind and gather information from villagers.

I was assigned to go with Eve and Raven to the surface, now I wouldn't have mind that if there wasn't so much tension. Raven will no doubt be stuck in a bad mood tomorrow and Eve may be upset at the potential Nasods attacking us. I didn't complain though, it'd only cause more trouble if I wanted a change groups.

We retired to bed shortly after the planning was complete, we were so tired we didn't even bother to change out of our robes, I was unfortunate enough to get the couch tonight but I didn't really care, as long as I had a place to rest my head I'm good.

Luckily for me I had a dreamless night, which left me in a great mood the following morning. The team woke up fairly late, due to the lack of sun. Right after breakfast we changed back to our usual attire and set out to complete our assigned tasks.

As I had predicted my group was filled with tension and silence, Raven absolutely refused to speak with any of us while Eve was lost in a daze. I tried striking up a conversation but my attempts were proven to be useless-I had to resolve to having a conversation with Eun.

We wandered through the grassy plains for hours before reaching a waste land of broken Nasods and rusted machine parts. We gingerly walked through, bracing ourselves from the potential danger that could be lurking around the corner.

"It's a graveyard," Eve pointed. "So many Nasods have been put to rest here."

"I-I'm sorry, Eve." I said in a whisper. It must be hard for her to see these dead Nasods, I can't even imagine what could be going through her head right now.

Eve's drones glide around the piles of metal scraps as if they're trying to find a survivor," I-I have never seen such a large graveyard." She shook her head. "This is terrible."

"Could this have been a result from the battle between Ponggos and Nasods?" I thought out loud. I took a step closer to my group at the sight of an active land mine.

"I might have been able to save them if I was still on the island." Eve whispered to herself, she stopped to pick out a rusted Nasod arm from a pile. "These poor Nasods must have suffered so much."

I perked my head up at the distant sound," I hear something." I told the group.

"What do you hear?" Eve asked, placing the rusted arm back into its pile.

I listen closely, my heart skipped a beat at the familiar drilling noise," I hear a drill." I announce to her. "It might be an active Nasod."

"We need to hurry." Eve quickly gestures her drones to return. "Ara, lead the way."

Nodding I quickly break into a sprint, we thread our way around the land mines and stray Nasod parts. I slowed myself down at the sight of a large moss covered Nasod up ahead, Eve gasped and hurried toward it.

"Fellow Nasod!" I hear her calling out to it. The Nasod quickly turned to face us, with its twin drills resting tiredly on the ground

We come to a stop behind Eve. Raven and I held our weapons tightly as Eve began to approach the Nasod," we come in peace." Eve tells the Nasod.

"Who are you?" The Nasod questions in a rasped voice. "Why have you come here?"

"I am Eve, Queen of the Nasods," she introduces, with her head held up high. "I am here to-"

"Queen?" The Nasod interrupts. "Are you seriously our Queen?"

"Yes."

The Nasod laughs," how pathetic, the Queen herself has finally decided to come back to us!"

Eve didn't respond, I could see her forming a tight fist.

"Why would you think us Nasods would accept you as our ruler? You abandoned us to rot!" The Nasod stated accusingly.

"I didn't-"

"Look around you!" The Nasod gestured to the piles of rusted parts. "This is the suffering our kind has been through, and where were you when went through all this pain?"

"Ara," Raven whispered to me. "Get ready to attack, I have a feeling this Nasod is going to attack her soon."

"Alright," I prepare myself to attack the Nasod-I could feel Eun readying to launch us into action.

"I feel terrible for abandoning you all, and I am very sorry you have been through the pain alone." Eve sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "I d-didn't know there were still so many survivors, if I had I would've returned right away."

"Lies!" The Nasod spat, it swung its rusted drills wildly in the air. "Stop lying to me."

"Please believe me when I say I'm here to help you." Eve pleaded, she began backing away from the Nasod. "Let me help you, if you stay in this rusted state any longer you'll..." She trailed off. "Die."

"I could care less!" The Nasod screamed with anger. "I would rather die than to recognize you as my Queen."

The Nasod brought its drills down, at that moment Raven sprung into action," Shockwave - Divider!" Slashing his sword downwards Raven generated a blue wave of energy, the shockwave launched itself at the driller causing it to be pushed back.

"What are you doing?" Eve glanced between Raven and the Nasod. "Why are you hurting it?"

"You would've been killed if that drill had landed on you." He replied, he positions himself for another attack. "You can't reason with it."

"Yes I can!" Eve snapped back, her drones attached themselves onto Raven's arm, each one attempting to pull him away from the Nasod. "Get back. I don't want you hurting the Nasod."

Raven struggled to free himself from their grip," can't you see we're trying to keep you safe?"

"I don't need you guys to keep me safe from my own kind." Eve approached Raven, her firmly grabbed him by the arm. "Leave it alone."

"You'll be killed!"

The Nasod used this opportunity to charge at them, Raven screamed in fear at the sight of the approaching driller while Eve continued to beg the Nasod to listen to her.

Eun's aura erupt around me as I glide to the Nasod," Raging Wave!" I shout, as I launch my spear into the ground. The impact caused the ground to fracture, this caused the Nasod to stop in its tracks.

"Ara!" Eve turns her attention to me. Raven uses this chance to free himself from Eve, he leaps into the air to launch his next attack.

"Wolf Fang!" He yells; slashing down at the Nasod on the way down, the Nasod slumps down from the attack.

"Tempest Dance!" I swiftly swing my spear at the Nasod, I could see my attack leaving large dents on the Nasod's body.

"Arrgh!" The Nasod cried out, swinging its drill at me.

I'm sent flying back from the impact, using Eun's quick reflexes I quickly claw my hands down into the ground, stopping me from going any further back.

Raven charges at the Nasod, the Nasod swiftly swings his other drill at him causing Raven to fly back into a pile of metal scraps.

There has to be a quicker way to take it down. Eun growls. If this keeps up we'll be out of energy before that Nasod.

"Eun, I've seen some land mines on the way here"-I blow a strand of silver hair out my face-"maybe we can push the Nasod into one."

Perhaps we can move the Nasod parts aside to find a land mine!

"Great idea, Eun!" I beamed. At the corner of my eye I could see Raven crawling out of the pile, he weakly helped himself back on his feet.

"Raven!" I shout. "Help me find a land mine!"

Raven nods and quickly began attacking the piles of Nasod parts, I mimicked his actions. The Nasod swung its drills wildly at the piles, causing spare parts to go flying at us. We swiftly dodge the incoming object before returning to our search.

"I found it!" Raven announced loudly. I turn to see him standing beside a blinking red light, we exchanged victorious smiles with one another.

"Only one last thing to do!" I said with a sly grin.

Taking off into a sprint I hurry to the Nasod while Raven rushed at it from the other side. The Nasod abruptly turned its attention to Raven as he swung his sword on it, leaving its back exposed to me.

"Rock Smash!" I ram into the Nasod with full force; Raven quickly jumped out of the way.

I smiled proudly as the Nasod was sent flying into the open land mine, within seconds the land mine went off, blowing the Nasod driller into pieces.

Good job, Ara. Eun praises, as its aura diminishes.

"Great job, team." I said in between breaths.

Raven leaned against his sword," that was quite a fight." He said; wiping his sweaty forehead.

I do not think it is time to be celebrating, Eun jerked my attention to Eve.

My mood instantly turned sour at her blank expression, her drones nudged her cheeks, trying to snap her out of her daze.

It must have been hard for her to watch us take down that Nasod, we understand that she wanted to reason with the Nasod but it wouldn't have listened anyways. She could've gotten seriously hurt if we hadn't done anything.

"Eve," I spoke up. "W-we're-"

Eve held up her hand, indicating me to stop talking," it's fine, Ara." She muttered, wiping her eyes with her other hand. "Can we please go back now?"

Raven and I exchanged glances, we knew what we did would hurt Eve but there was nothing more that we could've done.

This was both a victory and a lose.

"Yeah," Raven replied, not looking her in the eye. "Let's go back."