Hello everyone and welcome back to HellFall!
Man, it has been a while. I had a great time this summer, but now it's back to school. Back to waking up early every morning, sleeping through class, eating half-assed, handmade lunches, and worrying about our futures/careers/how we'll convince our parents to lone us money/whatever the rest of you are in between. Yay. Anyways, I hope ya'll had a great summer as well, and I hope ya'll are also ready for this story to continue.
I'm actually working through the climax right now, so I did a fair bit of writing recently. Despite that, however, this chapter is pretty slow, unexciting, unproductive, all that good stuff. There is still important stuff, though, so definitely read it. It picks up a little while after the last chapter left off. Of course, if you need a refresher just go back and give the last chapter a look.
Anyways, let's get on with it!
The elevator arrived later that same day. The day the group was sent out to find anything they could in Cor Village.
My team wasn't sent anywhere today. So we were left to sit and wait anxiously for the other two groups.
When the elevator did arrive my team and I stood, hoping that it was one of the groups. Instead, Gazini Void and Azure Blaze walked out. Both were covered in blood and obvious hastily put on bandages.
Veil, being our leader, went to greet them.
"Is everything alright?" She asked, "Where's everyone else?"
"Either the hospital or nowhere." Gazini replied, "Is Thunder back yet?"
"No," Veil replied, "you're the first ones to arrive. What do you mean 'nowhere' though?"
He shook his head, "Never mind. I'm sure we'll have a meeting later"
Azure approached me, holding two identical brown briefcases.
"I found these." She said, "They were locked, so I don't know if their yours"
I took the cases and looked them over, then placed them both on the long wooden table behind me and cracked them open. Sure enough, there lay Candace and Sherry, my lance and sword.
I smiled, "Thank you for finding these, Azure" I said.
"It's no problem." She replied, "I kind of stumbled on them"
I smiled politely, "So," I started, changing the subject, "what did Gazini mean when he said some people were nowhere? Do you know?"
She hesitated, looking down at the ground for a second. I saw her pale face redden as tears began to roll down her cheeks, "We don't know where some of our people are." She replied, "Specifically Ember, Wintanweorth, and Octavia"
Immediately I knew why she was crying. Octavia was the last member of her team, next to her. Xeyrus and Nello were both dead.
"I'm the only one left of ONAX" She said between light sobs.
"I-I'm so sorry" I said.
"Don't apologize," She said, "it's not your fault or anything"
"Do you need to talk to anyone?" I asked.
"No," she replied, "thanks but, I think I'll head home for now"
"Okay," I said, "I guess I'll see you later"
"Maybe" She replied, turning and leaving up the elevator, back the way she'd come.
My team gathered around me when she'd left.
"What was that?" Veil asked.
"A few people are missing," I replied, "including Octavia Strom"
"Who's that?" Barnabas asked.
"Her team leader." I replied, "And if you recall, her other two teammates died recently"
"Oh shit" He said simply.
"Oh shit is right," I replied, "Wintanweorth and Ember are missing as well"
"Well, what now?" Barnabas asked.
"We'll just have to wait." Veil said, "I don't know how much longer Thunder is going to be. I'm just going to go take a nap. You're all welcome to do whatever"
She turned and left to the rooms provided to us by the military. No one else moved.
"I'm gonna go get a drink." Barnabas said, "Anyone wanna join me?"
"Sure" I replied.
Anchor stayed behind, indicating that he'd contact us if Thunder returned.
Outside Barnabas and I found a small café and found a table by the window.
"Well?" he asked after ordering his drink. "What do you think of all this?"
"What is there to think?" I asked, "We don't really have any info. If anything this just further proves how horrible this whole situation is"
"Well," he started, as if he was about to say something of importance, "actually, never mind. I don't know where I was going with that"
"Unsurprising" I said.
He smirked, "Right"
Our drinks, one steaming coffee and a tea, arrived. I had ordered the tea.
"On an entirely different note, how's the AOD thing going?" Barnabas asked after blowing the steam away from his coffee.
"It's good." I replied, "It's still casual, but I think if this whole thing works out I might take a position there"
"That's good." He said, "Took you long enough to decide that"
"Well," I started, "keep in mind that I said 'I might' not 'I will'. But you should sign up, too. I'm sure you'd like some of the guys there"
"Oh yeah?" He asked, "I'll think about it. Maybe"
I looked up at the door as someone walked in, "Well, speak of the devil. Look who it is"
Bole Stars looked over at me and waved, "Hey," he said, sitting down, "how's it hanging?"
"We're alright on this end." I replied, "And yourself?"
"Just got back." He replied, "It's getting harder to hold those suckers off"
"Really?" I asked, "Any idea why?"
He shrugged, "No clue. I guess the city's been feeling a little down lately. Maybe because you guys got to the final round"
I smiled, "Right," I replied, then added sarcastically, "People are sad that we're some of the best hunters in Remnant. I'm sure that's it"
"Are you excited?" He asked, "There'll be more of you tomorrow"
"Oh please," I said, "It's one extra. Remember, Guenianne fights alone"
"Yeah, well. She's basically two teams" He pointed out.
"That is true." I replied, "Why do you think there'll be two others?"
He smiled, but didn't continue. He looked over at Barnabas, "Ito, right?" He asked.
"Barnabas Ito." He replied, reaching out his hand to shake, "I don't think I recognize you"
"Bole Stars." He replied, shaking his hand, "Sorry, you're the 'I' in VAIN, right? I just figured that you preferred to be called Ito"
"No," He replied, "it just made it easier to make a team name, no matter how much of a stretch it may be"
"Yeah, it is kind of a weird name." Bole said, "Aren't team names usually based off of colors?"
"I think it's referring to veins." I put in, "like the ones in our bodies"
"But then what color is that?" Bole asked.
"Blue?" Barnabas suggested, "I don't know what color they are inside the body, but they appear that way on the outside"
"I guess so." He said, "But still-"
"It's still a stretch" Barnabas interrupted.
"Right" He said.
There was a brief silence before Barnabas spoke up, changing the subject, "So I hear Nicole here is planning on taking a position in the AOD"
"Not just a casual one, I assume?" Bole asked, turning to me.
"I'm thinking about it." I replied. "I also suggested you join Barnabas" I wanted to pin some attention on him, similarly to what he'd done to me.
"Oh yeah?" He asked, looking over at him. "You should. I've seen you fight, we could use you"
"You could use anyone" He said.
"Well," he started, "we only really accept experienced people. If you're on Nicole's team then you've definitely hunted for a while"
"Excuse me," I interrupted with a joking tone, "are you saying that I'm old?"
"Well…" Bole said, also jokingly.
We all laughed.
"But no, seriously. Both of you would be valuable assets in the AOD." Bole said, "Tell me you'll think about it" He was referring to Barnabas now.
"I'll think about it" He replied.
"Sweet"
"Oh, Bole," I started, "I found my briefcases today"
"With Sherry and Candace?" He asked.
"Yep"
"That's great! Where were they?"
"Well, I guess I didn't find them. Someone whom I asked to look out for them brought them over today"
"Nice." He said, "You didn't even have to do any work"
I just smiled. The sudden thought of Azure and her situation didn't make me feel like laughing.
"Alright," Bole started, "I'm going to go get a drink. I'll be back in a second"
He stood and went to the counter, leaving us alone again.
"Azure gave you the briefcases right?" Barnabas asked.
"Yep" I replied.
"I figured." He said, "You went dark there"
"Dark?" I asked, "Is that what you call that?"
"Whatever you want to call it" He said.
I smiled, but didn't say anything.
Bole sat down again, a steaming mug in hand.
"So how's Umber doing?" I asked Bole.
"She's good." He replied, "What about your team? Any new developments?"
"Nah," I replied, "at least, not as far as I'm concerned. Barnabas?" I turned to my teammate.
He shook his head, "I don't think so. Same old stuff"
"Well, that's good I guess" Bole said.
"Do you have a team, Bole?" Barnabas asked.
"Um, yes, I do." He replied quickly, having just taken a drink from his mug, "We all went our separate ways after graduating. I haven't really spoken to them since"
"Huh," Barnabas said, "when'd you graduate?"
Bole snickered, "Do I really look that old?" He asked.
"No, not at all." Barnabas assured him, "I'm just curious"
"I think it was, like, ten, maybe eleven years now. I think this is the eleventh year, actually" He replied.
"Really?" He asked, then turned to me, "When'd we graduate? I thought it was around the same time"
"Bole graduated a year after us." I replied, "So twelve years I think"
"Huh," He said, "been a while, eh?"
"It really has" I replied.
So there you have it. Whatever happened to those three? Who knows? Guess you'll have to wait and find out. Also, character development in a cafe. This chapter I remember having some difficulty writing, mostly because I was trying to force out this kind of ill-timed conversation and make it mostly natural. Editing it months later I think it turned out pretty good though, and I hope ya'll feel the same.
Anyways, despite the long break I really don't have anything to say. HellFall Part 2 will wrap up relatively soon, hopefully, and that's about it. So get pumped or whatever. I don't know how excited you guys actually get for this story, so feel however you want or usually would I guess.
And as usual, favorite, follow, review, tell your friends, tell your enemies, or don't if you don't want to, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!