Sigh. What a complete mess, what a total mess. Now what the hell should I do? Should I just kill the couple and be done with it?
A man muttered to himself, his voice barely audible above the rustling wind as he stood alone, looking up at the illuminated 2nd Rock district towering above him. He was surrounded by crop fields, the plants sparkling faintly in the moonlight as the night wind moved through them in gentle waves. The masked figure seemed strangely out of place—dark and ominous against the peaceful, serene scenery around him.
"Just leave it alone," another man's voice cut through the silence calmly from behind him.
"GGYAA! Hey, you Babkin, don't just pop out of nowhere and scare me like that!" The first man spun around and grabbed his chest desperately, his heart hammering as he breathed hard in shock, trying to calm himself down.
"Hmm, but I've been standing here for quite a while actually, Mr. Bog," Babkin said completely emotionlessly, his eyes fixed on the 2nd Rock in the distance. He watched as guards occasionally passed by on patrol, their silhouettes visible against the lights.
"AGH! Fine, fine. I was just focused on watching them up there, so I didn't realize you'd arrived," Mr. Bog sighed heavily in frustration, shaking his head. "Just tell me already, why exactly are we sparing those two? We could eliminate any loose ends right now."
"Because technically speaking, they've already done their job for us," Babkin replied in a matter-of-fact tone, adjusting his glasses with one finger. "The woman did try to kill Grankell as planned, but somehow he looked perfectly okay when I got the news afterwards. Her husband also went there with the intention of kidnapping the tool guy, just as we instructed. Even though it seems like he confessed everything to the authorities, it doesn't really matter in the end—they don't actually know anything important about our operation. And they won't give my name to anyone, but that also doesn't matter much since it's already quite clear I'm involved due to Kane's very public stupid actions." He spoke methodically, like he was analyzing a chess game.
"Hm, sure, sure, whatever you say. The higher crown officials wanted to replace the royal family quietly and smoothly, but it seems like now the whole damn world is trying to remove that princess from power. Kekeke, those friends of hers are surprisingly quite skilled despite their young age. I would really like to fight them sometime, hehehe." Mr. Bog's voice carried genuine anticipation as he smiled beneath his mask, already imagining the battles.
"Huh! Just look at your age, Mr. Bog! You're just one step away from being considered old age yourself. Don't run around picking fights and end up hurting your back!" Babkin said dryly as he slipped his hands casually into his pockets and tilted his face up, letting the cool night wind wash over his relaxed features.
"Ooh! But this is a world with weird powers and abilities, Babkin. A young kid can easily defeat a grown man with decades of experience if they have the right energy or talent. Sigh. What a sad, unfair world we live in. So many little arrogant bastards just jump around with their tiny little weeny, causing trouble for their elders and showing absolutely no respect. No manners at all these days. TTHUU!" Mr. Bog complained bitterly, his voice filled with genuine frustration as he spat on the ground in disgust. He continued, rubbing his palms together with greedy anticipation, "So what should we do now? The silent, subtle plan is clearly over and done with, kekeke. Should we do something flashy and dramatic instead? Hehehe." His voice practically vibrated with excitement at the thought of open conflict.
"Sigh! We didn't bring our full force here for a flashy confrontation," Babkin said tiredly, exhaustion clear in his tone. "Here's what you'll do—you go get your little personal ship and check the surrounding ocean area for anyone else's ships that might be watching or waiting. Just destroy them enough to extract some useful information on who sent them, then go back to base and bring some proper troops with you. Spread the word through the usual channels that a higher crown official is traveling through this region and plans to go hunting in the seas—that should provide decent cover for troop movements. Meanwhile, I'll go directly to the Queen and ask her politely to just step down from power and run away quietly with her family—that way we don't have to spill much blood, and we could easily take control of this place, completing the mission that was given to us with minimal casualties. If she refuses my generous offer, then... sigh... we'll have to kill the entire crown family in the name of disobedience to higher authority or some similar justification. Or I'll just deliberately cause widespread chaos here and then, in the name of restoring order after a coup d'état, eliminate them. Let's see how the situation develops and which path opens up." Babkin shook his head wearily, sighing deeply with genuine exhaustion at the thought of all the bloodshed to come.
"Ooohh, nice plan! Kekeke, finally something interesting is going to happen! But why are you hesitating so much about it? Just do your job without all this moral hand-wringing. We're just soldiers following orders. We were taught from the beginning to follow commands without thinking or questioning. If our superiors say 'go die,' then we die without complaint. That's exactly how it is, how it's always been. And don't forget, Babkin—you were the one who personally took this job assignment, kekekek. So now you have to see it through to the end." Mr. Bog said, probably grinning wickedly inside his mask.
"Hmm, I know. Don't worry, I'll do the job properly and professionally. It's just... sad, seeing how people's lives and values are treated as so completely worthless in the eyes of people who have lots of power and authority. That's all." Babkin finally smiled, but it was a genuinely sad, melancholic smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"That's called life, my friend. That's just how the world works." Mr. Bog said more quietly, patting Babkin's shoulder sympathetically. The two men fell silent after that, both looking up toward the beautiful night sky as the moon shone brilliantly overhead, bathing everything in silver light—completely indifferent to the dark plans being made beneath it.
.
.
"Agh, is everyone okay?! Why hasn't Uncle Remek come back yet? Are my kids safe?!" A lady kept fidgeting nervously, her hands wringing together as she walked hastily back and forth across the room, her eyes darting to the hall entrance repeatedly, searching desperately for any sign of her uncle's return.
"My Queen, please try to calm down. Everyone is probably perfectly okay! Don't worry so much, you'll get good news soon, I'm sure of it." Another woman said gently, trying to be reassuring while looking at the Queen with a sad, pained expression. Her own hands were clenched tightly at her sides. Does Eva succeed in her mission? Is she okay? Is she even still alive? I have to go look for them first thing early in the morning! The woman thought anxiously, panic building inside her chest even as she tried to project calm.
"Kyra, I know logically they should be okay, but still, I have to know for absolutely sure!" Queen Malina spoke in a loud, desperate voice that was close to breaking when—
"UNCLE!"
Queen Malina's head snapped up as she saw 4th Rock Leader Remek Barret entering through the hall entrance. She immediately ran toward him, her feet moving before her mind could catch up. Before she could even open her mouth to ask the questions tumbling through her mind, Uncle Remek said straightforwardly and clearly, "THEY ARE ALL FINE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM!"
The Queen finally allowed herself to breathe, the tension draining from her body all at once. She practically collapsed onto a nearby sofa, taking long, deep breaths to calm her racing heart and settle her frayed nerves. Uncle Remek also sat down heavily beside her, his armor clanking softly. He signaled to Kyra with a subtle gesture to leave them alone for a moment. Kyra bowed respectfully and departed quietly, though her face showed clear worry.
Remek kept watching her back carefully until she completely left the room and the door closed, then he turned to the Queen and said carefully, choosing his words, "Things did go south and get dangerous for a moment there! That guy Bradon did informed us that his original plan was to cause serious problems for the Heart Machine during the ceremony, and to do that he wanted to kidnap the tool guy. So We had plan to just grab Bradon quickly after killing his minions and backup, but there were way too many enemies present in that area. If it hadn't been for your kids' timely protection and quick thinking, Natlia would have actually died tonight! But she's completely fine now and is currently staying safely with Zack and the others at their house. That old man Grandpa will protect her just fine for the rest of the night, so don't worry anymore and get some rest, Malina." Uncle Remek reached over and drank some water from a glass on the table, then relaxed back into the cushions.
"Hmm. Keep Mr. Bradon Wilson comfortable during his detention. He confessed everything before actually doing anything truly harmful. He's just a poor, desperate man like so many other people out there, trying desperately to look for something—anything—that could change the terrible fate of their loved ones." Queen Malina said softly, clenching her hand tightly as her mind drifted to thoughts of someone else in a similar situation—someone very close to her heart.
"Heeeh..." Uncle Remek suddenly smiled widely, his expression shifting dramatically.
Queen Malina noticed the sudden mood switch and asked curiously, leaning forward, "What, what?! Why are you smiling like that all of a sudden, UNCLE! Are you laughing at me?!" Queen Malina protested, her tone adorably indignant.
"Haha! I do have some really good news for you—news that might be able to help Jorri!" Remek said with a genuine smile, showing his teeth in a wide grin.
Queen Malina suddenly shot to her feet and said urgently, her voice rising with desperate hope, "WHAT, WHAT?!! THERE'S SOMEONE WHO CAN TREAT JORRI?!! WHO IS IT, WHO!! HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?!" Her hands grabbed Uncle Remek's shoulders, which were covered in hard scales like natural armor, and she shook him frantically front and back, rattling him so hard he got dizzy.
"GUA! Malina, calm down first! You're going to give me whiplash! AGH!" Uncle Remek said, laughing despite being shaken around. He slowly managed to calm Queen Malina down and gently guided her to sit back down on the sofa. He said with a warm, gentle smile, "It seems that Zack can somehow absorb a little bit of that weird corrupted energy that's poisoning people. But Sasha also told me very clearly that there is definitely a side effect that badly affects his mind and body when he does it. However, it only affects him for a limited time, and then he does revert back to normal after getting some proper rest and recovery. If he can successfully do it—which he had already attempting to cure Miss Eva—then Jorri will definitely be fine for sure!" Uncle Remek explained calmly, laying out all the facts and letting her make the decision.
The Queen, hearing this information, went on an emotional roller coaster—hope surging, then crashing into fear and worry. She slumped down in her seat, her body deflating as she said with a sad, conflicted tone, "Hehe, Zack really is amazing, isn't he? Natlia is so blessed to have him in her life. But... but if he'll get hurt doing this, if there's even a chance he'll be harmed, then I absolutely will not allow him to treat Jorri. I'm completely sure Jorri would say the exact same thing if he could speak right now! I can't let my kids get hurt for any reason!" The Queen said with fierce determination, rejecting the idea of using Zack straight away, her protective instincts overriding her desperate desire to save Jorri.
Hearing her words, Remek just smiled warmly with understanding and got up from the sofa. He reached down and patted her head gently, affectionately, like she was still a young girl. "Just like you love your kids with all your heart, those kids also love you and your family just as much. Don't be in such a hurry to shut down a potential life-saving grace without even talking to them first. Have a real conversation with Natlia tomorrow, hear what she has to say, then make your decision with all the information. For now, just go get some rest. It's already very late at night and you're exhausted." Uncle Remek left after saying this, his footsteps fading down the hall, leaving a deeply disturbed Queen behind who sat there alone for a long time, just clenching her hand over and over.
Sigh! "Jorri, what should I do? Please tell me what to do," Queen Malina whispered to herself, talking to someone who couldn't answer. Then she finally stood up, and went to go see him.
CREEAK!
She slowly, carefully opened the door to the medical room and saw, as usual, Kyra faithfully taking care of both patients—Jorri and her own baby. "Thank you so much, Kyra, for taking such good care of them both. With all this mess and chaos happening, I can't really stay here with them most of the time like I want to." The Queen said gently, genuine gratitude in her voice as she patted Kyra's shoulders affectionately. Then her eyes moved to the glass container and she smiled. "Looks like he's sleeping quite peacefully and nicely today. Hehe, what a cute little one you have there, Kyra" The Queen gently touched the glass container with tender care and looked warmly down at the baby floating inside.
Seeing the Queen's gentle expression, Kyra also smiled softly and then looked over at Jorri, whose condition had gotten noticeably worse. His body was mostly turned black and blue now, the corruption spreading visibly across his skin like a disease. His breathing was painfully shallow and labored, each breath sounding like it took immense effort.
"Queen, Mr. Jorri, he's getting—"
"It's okay, Kyra. I know." The Queen smiled softly, sadly, and walked over to Jorri's bedside. She picked up a clean cloth, soaked up the cold sweat covering his fevered forehead, and gently sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. She touched his forehead tenderly with her hand and started speaking in a dim, quiet voice, almost like she was telling him a bedtime story.
"Hey there, Jorri. You're sleeping quite deeply and peacefully, aren't you? Just leaving this tired, overworked woman all alone to deal with everything. Hehe, I guess you've more than earned this rest. You've been by my side for so long—so many years—that it's become a complete habit for me, and now I feel so awkward and incomplete moving through my days all alone without you. Hehe, you know what happened today? Natlia got attacked. Someone actually tried to kill her right in the open. This poor, stubborn girl isn't saying anything about how scared she must be, and she just keeps fighting against the whole world alone—or should I say with some friends helping her? Hehe, I'm so happy and grateful my other kids are with her all the time, standing by her side. I really don't want to imagine what would happen if she was facing all this completely alone. I just hope she can successfully do it—complete the ceremony and prove herself—but I have a feeling that even that won't stop our city from going into complete upheaval and chaos. Sigh!"
The Queen paused, her fingers gently stroking Jorri's hair. "Also, it seems like Zack could probably save you, Jorri. He might actually be able to cure you and bring you back to me. But how should I ask him to do it? If I ask him to cure you, then..."
The Queen's eyes moved to look at Kyra and her innocent baby boy floating peacefully in the container, then she continued in an even lower voice, barely above a whisper, "What if Zack gets seriously injured trying to help you? What if something goes wrong and he gets hurt badly or worse? I can't let my kids get hurt for any reason, Jorri! What should I do? Please tell me what to do. You're always giving me answers when I'm drowning in doubt and don't know which path to take. Why aren't you answering me now when I need you most, Jorri? Stop sleeping already. Please, please wake up and talk to me!"
The Queen's voice broke as tears filled her eyes and started spilling down her cheeks. She kept speaking, her voice cracking with emotion, but she also kept taking care of him—adjusting his blankets, wiping his face, touching his hair with infinite gentleness. Slowly, after pouring out her heart, she calmed down somewhat and just talked more with Jorri, telling him about her entire day, all her troubles and responsibilities, all her sadness and fears. She wanted desperately to say something more—something important that was weighing on her heart—but the words wouldn't come.
As Malina slowly grew more and more tired, exhaustion finally overtaking emotion, her eyes began to close. She stayed sitting there with her back leaning against the bed's edge and her hand resting protectively on his hair, slowly falling into an uneasy sleep.
Kyra, seeing the Queen finally succumb to exhaustion, stood up quietly and carefully dimmed the lights in the room, making it peaceful and dark. Then she also lay down on a cushion beside her baby's container, keeping one hand pressed against the glass, as close to her child as she could be.
The night grew more and more silent as both women slept fitfully, taking care of their loved ones even in their dreams, keeping watch over those who could not watch over themselves...
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
When we're unconscious—sleeping, knocked out, or under anesthesia—are we really gone, or just quietly listening? The body shuts down, but the brain never fully clocks out. It hums in the background, catching tones, emotions, and familiar voices, even when we don't seem aware.
Think about it: we can sleep through alarms yet wake instantly when someone whispers our name. That's not coincidence—it's the subconscious guarding what matters. It listens for meaning, comfort, or danger, not logic or noise.
Some people wake from comas or surgeries remembering voices or feelings they "shouldn't" have heard—emotional echoes left behind. Maybe that's proof that silence doesn't mean absence.
So, speak gently. Be kind. Because even when someone seems unreachable, part of them might still be there—listening, feeling, waiting to wake up.
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