Chapter 68: Reunion

"Zack!" Monica screamed, running towards a man hidden inside a cage full of shadows. "It's me idiot! Get up and come see me!"

"Monica," Zack's voice effused with joy, standing up and seeing a girl's form run into the light. After being in the darkness for the last year and a half, seeing her beautiful figure appear instantly caused his heart to race with joy. "Monica! Is it really you! Haha! You've grown up so much! You're practically half my height!"

"I-I missed you so much!" Monica practically slammed into the cage, hugging Zack's figure with all her might. She gently placed her arms around his body while Una froze in the doorway. Unlike Monica, she couldn't step into the light and be there for Zack. Something inside her felt an impossible joy, but at the same time she couldn't help but be afraid.

She had been the reason Zack had died, or at least appeared to die. If she stayed and fought the Aresoul, there is a chance with effort he would've run out of power. However, the fear of seeing that floating man in a black cape still haunted her. Unlike Howard, she didn't have the ability to find strength inside of her. She just remained frozen, feeling a hand touching against her back.

"That man… He almost died because of you," The Aresoul whispered into her ear. "I remember hearing about you from my Brigade Captain. He said a little cute brunette sacrificed her friend in order to live. Hah, because of you leaving, he forgot to make sure Zack died, and we've been trying to buy him ever since!"

"You-you bastard!" Una turned around, swirling with flames, before a flashing string once again appeared around her body.

The Workalin, staring at her, walked over to the Aresoul with his hand growing larger and larger. Picking Una up into the air, he gently placed him on his back before an anger burst out of him.

"You're also at fault here, Aresoul Magician. The girl was experiencing strange fluctuations, yet you taunted her. Do that again, and you'll not be allowed to bid."

"Sorry, she's just asking for it," The Aresoul raised his hands and walked into the room, seeing Zack and Monica hugging with bars separating them. "Heh, little girl. You two look close. Is he your lover, brother, or none of the above?" The Aresoul stopped a few inches from Zack, gently leaning against another cage in between the light and darkness.

"I mean… That's quite a hug." He tapped his foot, waiting for a response.

"You-you'll never beat me," Monica said, wiping away tears from her eyes. "I will do anything to make sure I get Zack. During the negotiation, I'd even be willing to fight you."

"Hoh, but why do we have to fight?" The Aresoul named Ortel said, shaking his head. "If we fight, then you could possibly win. I like to be like the Workalin, and think. You Horned don't always plan things because of all of that power. Isn't that right?"

"Great, you have competition," Zack gently brushed Monica's hair to the side. "Monica, if you want, you can let him take me. Once we get out of Cantron, I can just kill him myself." Zack cracked his knuckles, an ice forming against his fists. "Besides, Monica, you got so strong. It be a shame to waste it on a loser."

"And… that's all the time we have." The Workalin walked in the room, clapping his hands, gently releasing Una onto the floor. "Other girl, you have one minute with him. You two, leave her alone. Fairness is important."

To the Workalin, their intelligence made them very good at being merchants, and in addition to that very good at keeping the peace. The Varlan, Aresoul, and even the Mocralin occasionally visited them, and with their great prowess they never had a single foe target them.

For one, they kept many weapons secret, but two they always handled things in such a way that nothing could come back to haunt them. Monica, gently brushing her brother's face, smiled at Una as she wobble dinto the room. With every step, her regret seemed to emanate from her body, however, something else boiled onto the surface.

"I-I always wanted to do this," Una wiped a few tears from her eyes before she jumped towards Zack. Spreading her arms in the air, she twisted into the cage, and hugged him with her lips gently touching against his skin.

Zack instantly blushed, feeling Una's lips pressing against his nose before she gradually fell down to his lips. Holding her tightly, he smiled, absorbing her warmth that he'd longed for.

"Hah, I thought you'd never do that!" Zack said, gently brushing back her brown hair. "Una, you got prettier! So nice to see you."

"I-I'm so sorry! I-I wanted to die! I-I will do anything to make sure we win! Anything! Even if I die, you better be okay!"

"Don't die." Zack wiped away her tears. "I already lost you once. How about we just take a vacation after this? You win, and we go somewhere warm. Like not here." Zack gently kissed Una once on the forehead before the Workalin appeared to tap her on her shoulder. Waving at the Workalin, Zack went over to the corner, returning to the shadows as the two remaining lights in his life left the room.

'I-I guess things can't be easy when you're the brother of a beautiful Horned.' Zack tapped his fingers, nervously looking out the window as Monica and Una got taken to a large debt facility. 'Let's just hope me being alive doesn't cause the 11th Massacre. Hehe, history doesn't always have to repeat itself right? Right Howard?"

###

Howard swam backwards in the blue Coagulated Ki as Barabin placed Erspeed's body against the wall.

At first, the small Authoritarian had tried to attack him, however, seeing Howard get cared for him made the creature confused. After ten minutes, it started sniffing Barabin, causing him to laugh as its head gently nudged into its side.

"You made a friend. What the hell happened Howard?" Barabin walked over to the Coagulated Ki Pond, gently touching it with his finger. "How many Aresoul were here when you arrived?"

"10, but I killed 5 of them. It was my first time killing a human," Howard said happily, gently crying as he looked up at the ceiling. "Is it wrong that I didn't want to. I-I really didn't want to."

"Howard, they would've killed you," Barabin said, sighing as he crossed his arms. "However, if you need to blame someone it's my fault. If I went by myself, you wouldn't have been attacked."

"I don't blame you. I'm happy even though I'm crying," Howard wiped away a tear while the a powerful feeling surged into his body. The Coagulated Ki he floated in seemed to be full of a strange type of power that caused his body to recover at a fast pace. It felt like awakening over and over again from the darkness of death. The fact that he could even describe that made him tense. "I-I just don't understand. How did they know we were coming here?"

"It's probably the Exland Empire," Barabin gently slammed his hand into the floor. "However, how exactly did you survive? Obviously, I'm glad you did, but what happened?"

"They deserved to die. That's what happened," Howard said, wiping away another tear. "Yindred helped me give them what they deserved. I hope all of them get what they deserve."