A heavy silence hung in the air, Elric's glare fixed on Barachiel while Acacia's gaze flickered between the two men, assessing the lingering animosity.

  "He's just doing his job, Elric. It's natural to have questions," Acacia said softly, removing her hand from his back, a subtle cue for him to compose himself. "Try to relax."

  The effect was immediate. Elric's shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head. "I... I apologize."

  "Understood," Barachiel replied, taking a slow, deliberate breath, the tension in his voice still palpable.

  "I think Elric and I need to get some air," Acacia announced, rising from her chair and extending a hand towards Elric. "A clear head will serve us all better in the long run. Let's go, Elric."

  "Perhaps Elric should remain here for a medical examination," Barachiel suggested, his gaze fixed on Elric.

  Elric slowly raised his head, his eyes darting between Barachiel's concerned expression and Acacia's outstretched hand before he reached for hers and stood. "I need air."

  "See you later, Mr. Barachiel," Acacia said as he stood, his voice clear when he spoke.

  "What is your last name?" Barachiel asked.

  "Rion...Erla Rion," Acacia replied, a slight hesitation in her voice before she turned and pulled Elric along. They left the restaurant, walked through the headquarters' halls, and exited the building.

  Acacia took a deep breath, observing the bustling crowd. He's going to dig into my past; he wouldn't have asked for my last name otherwise.

  "Let's go to a cafe nearby," Elric suggested.

  "Sure!" Acacia smiled, tugging him forward. "Lead the way."

  Elric hesitated for a beat, then his grip on her hand tightened, and he began to lead her along the sidewalk. Acacia hummed softly, her gaze sweeping over their surroundings as she allowed him to guide her. 'Time is running out. If Barachiel discovers Erla's death, everything will fall apart. I already have their prized monster, but I need to deliver Elric to Bella, even though every part of me wants to end him myself.'

  Acacia's thoughts raced, a frantic counterpoint to the awe spreading through the crowd. 'But I can't just fly him out, they would stop me before I pass the gates and he would be too heavy to carry. I guess I can create a little more chaos before leaving.' She heard a wave of collective gasps snagged her attention.

  A colossal shadow swallowed the sunlight. Elric, too, stilled, looking up. Acacia tilted her head back, her breath catching at the sight of a vast, feathered underbelly. Then, a sound ripped through the air, a rough, dry rattle that vibrated in their chests, eliciting fresh waves of astonished cries.

  "A Gichin!" Someone exclaimed.

  "Unbelievable!"

  Murmurs of amazement rippled through the crowd as people fumbled for their phones, capturing the sight of the gathering flock. These were Gichin, massive and unique creatures unlike anything else: bird-shaped mammals with elongated, eyeless heads, no discernible nose, and long, formidable jaws. Elegant necks flowed into teardrop bodies, balanced on two medium-length slender legs ending in large paws, with muscular tails trailing behind. Their entire forms were enveloped in luxurious fur, a tapestry of light brown interwoven with dull red sections and sandy yellow highlights, punctuated by a striking black stripe down their backs adorned with beige diamonds.

  'Pretty,' Acacia's gaze followed the departing flock, a strange sense of detachment settling over her. She barely registered the tightening pressure around her neck from Behemoth, her attention fixed on the majestic creatures. Elric's soft murmur broke through her reverie.

  "If only all monsters inspired such beauty."

  "Beauty doesn't negate danger," Acacia replied, her voice flat. Elric turned slowly, a thoughtful, almost unsettling look in his eyes.

  "You have a remarkably innocent view. Not all monsters are adorned with such grace. Some are grotesque and terrifying, their cruelty a tangible thing. They fill you with dread, not wonder. Perhaps that inherent monstrosity is what twists beast-men into what they are." He gave her head a gentle, almost patronizing pat.

  "Monsters?" Acacia asked, a flicker of something unreadable in her own eyes. "Why would you label people that?"

  "You're blissfully ignorant," Elric continued, his tone laced with a weary certainty. "Have you ever wondered why some people wear collars out there, and others don't? It's simple. Monsters are rampant. They kill without a second thought, fly into rages when things don't align with their desires."

  'And you? You killed and betrayed without a flicker of regret. I don't understand their madness or how it began, but they aren't all inherently evil. You, of all people, should recognize that.' Acacia kept her gaze steady, her silence a heavy counterpoint to his pronouncements.

  "Okay," Acacia said, the smile perhaps a touch too bright. Elric mirrored it, though a shadow lingered in his eyes. He reclaimed her hand, his grip a little too firm, and guided her towards the cafe. Inside, they chose a table by the window. The tablet on the table flickered to life as they touched it, displaying the menu. Acacia scrolled through the options, made her selection, and placed the device back down. Soon after, a waiter delivered their food and She noticed the metallic collar on his neck before he retreated.

  They fell into a quiet meal. Acacia took delicate, measured bites of her sandwich, a conscious effort to quell the gnawing hunger and the urge to order more. She noticed Elric's spoon hovering near her lips, a piece of omelette offered. "I don't eat eggs."

  "Since when?" His face visibly fell, a flicker of confusion and hurt crossing his features as he withdrew his hand.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "Just not today. No appetite for them right now. Maybe another time," Acacia said, taking a deliberate sip of her tea and avoiding his gaze.

  "There are moments..." Elric said, his voice low and thoughtful, "...when I look at you and I'm certain you're back. Then there are others where you feel like a ghost wearing her skin."

  "So, is that it?" Acacia's voice sharpened, her eyes narrowing into slits. "You're questioning me now because your precious captain planted a seed of doubt? Seriously, Elric? You're the one who vouched for me, dragged me into that place in the first place."

  "No, Erla! Please, that's not what I meant." Elric's body tensed, his hand flying to the back of his neck, rubbing it roughly. "It's just...sometimes my thoughts become tangled, like I'm straddling different realities. I can't always grasp what's true, but...about you? I don't regret you. Never. I won't doubt you."

  'Such tenderness in his voice, his eyes. Is it love, a desperate clinging born of guilt, or a possessive obsession? He's so entwined with the memory of her that he can't see I'm not her. Or does he? Perhaps, deep down, he knows, but the pain of letting go is too profound.' Acacia's gaze remained fixed on Elric, dissecting every nuance of his expression. 'Or maybe he's just a fool, and I'm overthinking this entirely.'

  "Stop them!" The cry sliced through the afternoon air, immediately snagging Acacia's attention.

  "Backup needed, now!" Another voice, urgent and strained, followed.

  The chaotic scene of people surging after a cluster of masked figures played out on the street. Then, one of the pursued burst into the cafe, his chest heaving, eyes wild. A wave of stunned silence washed over the patrons, all eyes fixed on the intruder. Acacia, however, remained outwardly calm, taking a measured sip of her tea as Elric shot to his feet, his posture instantly alert.

  "Don't move!" The man's voice was ragged as he jammed an injection against his neck. A viscous white liquid swirled within the syringe. Elric froze mid-step. The man clutched a large, black duffel bag in his other hand.

  Before anyone could react, a figure in hero gear slammed through the cafe entrance, tackling the robber. A brutal struggle ensued: a desperate punch landed on the hero's face, followed by the sickening thunk of the robber plunging the needle into his own neck. His body convulsed, a grotesque symphony of cracking bones as protrusions erupted, impaling the fallen hero. The transformed robber shoved the limp body aside, snatching the bag. But before he could escape, Elric blurred, reappearing behind him to deliver a powerful kick to his midsection.

  A cacophony of screams erupted as patrons scrambled for the exits, a wave of terror washing through the cafe. The air crackled with the whoosh of displaced air as Elric became a phantom, flickering in and out of existence as he landed a flurry of calculated strikes, a kick to the ribs, a punch to the jaw. In stark contrast, the mutated man was a whirlwind of uncontrolled aggression, his bone projectiles tearing through the cafe with brutal force, leaving gaping holes in tables and walls.

  "Erla, get out! Now!" Elric yelled, his voice tight with urgency as he sidestepped a razor-sharp bone shard.

  "Leave me alone! My daughter needs me!" The transformed man roared, desperation lacing his voice. He fumbled inside his jacket, producing another syringe filled with the same viscous white fluid and jamming it into his neck. The sickening crackle of bone intensified as jagged protrusions erupted and fused, encasing his limbs and face in a grotesque, bony armour. His grip on the black bag tightened.

  Elric's brow furrowed in grim determination. He snatched a plate from a nearby table and slammed it onto the floor, the ceramic shattering. "Spatial Displacement!" he commanded, and the shards vanished into nothingness.

  A sudden, bloody cough wracked the man's frame, followed by a sharp, whistling inhale. His grip tightened, and a fresh wave of bone growth erupted, sharp and lethal. He moved with surprising speed, slamming into Elric before he could vanish, the force driving the air from his lungs in a choked gasp. A brutal rain of bone shards tore through Elric's flesh, impaling his arms and legs, and a piercing scream echoed through the shattered cafe. Just as the man raised a bone spike for the final strike, a precise kick slammed into his temple, sending him reeling into the wall. Elric crumpled to the floor, his body broken.

  Acacia lowered her foot, her expression unreadable as she observed Elric's ruined limbs. A subtle shake of her head. "Not now," she murmured, her voice firm. "Your end isn't here." Elric stared at her before falling unconscious.

  "You..." The man choked out, his voice raw with pain and desperation. "...I have to reach my daughter..." He pushed himself to his feet, his grip white-knuckled on the black bag. He lifted his head, a furious glare fixed on Acacia, but she simply dragged Elric's limp form towards a shadowed corner, her movements, devoid of emotion.

  "My fight isn't with you," Acacia stated, her gaze fixed on Elric's broken limbs, dismissing the man entirely. He let out a small gasp of surprise before he turned and bolted from the ruined cafe, disappearing into the chaos of the streets.

  Acacia sighed, her attention shifting to the window, where a chaotic ballet of heroes battling masked figures unfolded. "So, the Encerites have this concoction now. How in the hell did it get out of the Ruins? Someone's playing a very dangerous game." Acacia cast a sharp glance at Elric's broken form. 'Should I just disappear now? The thought of nursing him through recovery and maintaining this ridiculous illusion any longer...'irritates me.' A sigh escaped her lips, heavy with weariness.

  With a surge of mana, she reinforced her body, then hefted Elric onto her back. A grunt of effort escaped her as she adjusted his weight until it was marginally bearable. She turned towards the shattered exit, her eyes briefly meeting the stunned gazes of two petrified waiters. Ignoring their silent astonishment, she stepped out into the pandemonium of the street, where people scattered like startled birds.

  Navigating the panicked crowd, she periodically shifted Elric's weight, the jostling a constant reminder of her burden. Around her, flashes of light and bursts of energy marked the heroes' struggle against the mutated individuals. Shouts and the clash of powers echoed from every direction as the overwhelming force of the heroes slowly began to subdue their enhanced adversaries.

  "The heroes be damned!"

  "No more oppression!" The cry was raw, filled with a desperate anger that puzzled Acacia.

  'What in the world...? They are just ordinary humans. With benefits from enhancements, no Ruin concoction. And they live relatively undisturbed compared to the constant struggle in the Ruins. This kind of uprising... I'd expect it from the beast-men, not this.' Acacia navigated the panicked flow of people, a disquieting familiarity prickling at the edge of her memory. 'This feels...familiar.'

  "Suffer, you monsters!"

  A voice boomed from above, drawing Acacia's gaze to the rooftops. A group of figures stood silhouetted against the sky, each holding a small, struggling animal. Cats, rats, dogs... Then, they poured the viscous white liquid onto the creatures and hurled them over the edge. The sickening thud of impact was followed by a chorus of unnatural screeches and snapping bones as the animals contorted into grotesque, nightmarish forms, immediately turning their mutated aggression on the fleeing crowd.

  A monstrous rat, reeking of decay, thudded onto the ground before Acacia. With a sickening flick of its thick, scabrous tail, it slammed her into the street, Elric tumbling from her back as she rolled. She pushed herself up, disoriented, and saw a woman with a disturbingly bright smile offering her a syringe.

  "Ever craved power? Well, here's your invitation."

  Acacia's gaze darted to Elric's still form, a knot of alarm tightening in her chest as she registered the arrival of several heroes and, more worryingly, Cerais's purposeful stride towards him. She scrambled to her feet, her voice sharp with urgency. "Not interested."

  "Such a shame." The woman's smile didn't falter as she lunged, seizing Acacia's hand and brutally jabbing the needle into her neck, forcing the viscous fluid to flood her veins.