"Why…WHY?!" Riven cried out, hot tears rolling down his cheeks. "What did we did we ever do to you to deserve this?"
He tried to hold back the tears as he held on to Duke's lifeless body.
"Why?" the figure repeated before he letting out a humorless chuckle. "You think we Hunters have to explain ourselves?"
The figure pointed a finger at Riven.
"It is sworn duty to eliminate you vile things off the surface of this earth, so we don't need to explain anything to the likes of you."
The world to slow down to a heartbeat.
The sound of the gun still replaying in Riven's head like a curse. He clenched around his brother's body that went colder...and colder.
His breath turned ragged as his eyes went bloodshot with the pure intent to kill. "I'll kill you…"
The figure slightly tilted his head. "What was that?"
"I said…" Riven slowly turned, his eyes turning ember, nails shifting into claws. "I"LL KILL YOU!"
With a burst of feral speed, he lunged forward, claws ready to tear apart flesh.
The figure didn't even flinch.
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.
The bullets tore through Riven's body with ease, dropping him to the floor with a sickening thud.
He tried to move, but his body screamed in pain. The bullets felt like they were burning into his flesh.
"Weakling…" the figure scoffed. Holstering his gun and stepped over Riven leaving him to bleed.
Suddenly, the small fire in the kitchen flared, triggering a sharp explosion as flames began to spread through the house.
"I won't…let you live," Riven hissed, clenching his fist till his knuckles turned white, his teeth gritted together so hard that the veins in his neck popped out. "I will find you, even if I have to go to hell and back. I will remember you, your face, your voice…your eyes."
The figure stopped at the door, slowly tuning to face Riven. "That so?…Well I'll be waiting."
A blaze of fire flared up, blocking Riven's vision and before he knew it the man was gone.
"You bastard, get back here. I'll kill you, I'll kill you…I WILL KILL YOU!"
He screamed out into the nothingness of the night, as the flames grew hotter, the ash in the air made every breath suffocating.
"I…I refuse to die…" Riven struggled to get up but it was useless. His body won't move.
His gaze drifted to his mother's face. That small, hopeful smile still lingered...even at death.
"Mom…" the tears streamed down his face. "…I'm sorry."
The fire slowly consumed the place as Riven's consciousness faded slowly. His thoughts clung to memories he had with his family — but they only sharpened the pain.
Everything he loved burning to the ground.
All that remain was a single smell.
_________________________________________________
Riven's eyes opened slowly as the white light above him flickered, his breath was slow and heavy.
He scanned the room — steel walls, cold floors, only a small window at the bedside desk.
"What happened?" He said hoarsely, pushing himself upright — only to be greeted with a sharp pain.
"What the—" he winced as he pull down the sheets to see his torso tightly wrapped with bandages.
He inhaled deeply, trying to piece things together but nothing made sense. He lost consciousness, survived from a fatal like accident and woke up in a place that was completely unfamiliar.
His mind was an absolute mess
What happened? My head is spinning. Wasn't I...What was I doing?
He groaned, holding his throbbing head with a hand.
"I need to rest…" he laid back down for a moment to clear his head.
He inhaled.
At that moment, it hit him — the foul, hot smell.
BLOOD.
His eyes snapped opened, his memories of that night jogged back to life as he jerked upwards.
"NO!" he gasped.
His heart started pounding violently, he tried to calm down but the shock shallowed him whole.
"Oh? You're finally awake?"
Riven's head snapped towards the voice. A tall man casually leaned on the far wall.
His black hair fell in a deliberate mess, long strands brushing his shoulders, with a single beaded braid at the front like a talisman.
He wore a soft, faded blue long-sleeve shirt that hung loosely over his frame, the sleeves slightly rolled up to reveal toned forearms. A gray jacket rested casually on his shoulders and dark, fitted trousers tucked neatly into worn leather boots.
His brown eyes fixed on Riven.
"Who…Who are you?" Riven asked, his eyes narrowing at the man.
"Name's Kairo…" the man said, pushing himself up the wall, brushing a hand through his hair.
"Well…Kairo…Where is this place? Where am I?"
"That's not relevant for the time being." Kairo said as he came closer to Riven's side, his frame imposing.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Riven frowned at him.
"It means it's the least of your problems..."
"Yeah, I don't follow."
Kairo groaned and lifted his head. "Why are kids so damn annoying?"
Riven eyed him carefully.
His gaze shifted to the large scar that ran across Kairo's cheek.
"Where did you get that?" he asked.
Kairo paused, then tapped the scar. "Got from a fight with a Hunter...a long time ago."
"Hunter?..." Riven echoed, the word foreign to him — which it was.
Kairo nodded, "Yeah. Hunters. they are the ones who did this to you." he gestured at Riven's bandaged body.
Riven's breath hitched. His fists clutching the sheets. "You mean there are more bastards like him?"
"You don't know the half of it."
"But why?"
"Even if I explained it right now, you won't won't still get it."
"So how do you expect me to understand?"
"You will...in time." Kairo said as he pocketed his hands
Riven stayed quiet, then swung his legs off the bed.
"Whoa—Hey, were the heck do you think you're going?"
Riven turned halfway, "I want to see if the others are okay."
Kairo arched a brow "Others? What do mean others?"
Riven gave a small hopeful smile, "Yeah. My family. If I'm okay that means they are too, right?"
Kairo let out a tired sigh as he slightly hung his head.
Shock… a mental defense mechanism. His mind refuses to process the truth. He's running on adrenaline and denial.That's why he's clinging to routine… checking on them. A small pause before the grief hits its."
"They're dead." Kairo said bluntly.
Riven froze, his hand froze on the door handle. "Excuse me?"
"We couldn't find your brother's body, and your mom was beyond saving…we tried."
Riven waved him off, "You can't fool me that easily, If you guys treated me, it means that you treated them."
Kairo narrowed his eyes at him, "Look at me. Do I look like I'm joking?"
Riven's breathing became erratic, "No…No, no. This isn't possible. It's all a dream, it has to be."
"Do those wounds feel like a dream to you?"
"SHUT UP!" Riven yelled, clutching his head as he crouched on the floor. "It's not real...it's not real…My life was perfect, this shouldn't happen!"
Tears poured uncontrollably from his eyes — his body already accepting what his mind couldn't
Kairo frowned. "Life's never perfect kid…it's like hanging a weight on a thin thread…you'll never know when it'll snap."
"STOP WITH THE BULLSHIT!" Riven roared and he threw a punch — but Kairo caught it, inches away from his face.
"Calm down, kid…" Kairo calmly said, his grip like a vice "You're losing it…"
Riven's eyes went amber again. His teeth sharpening into fangs, Claws digging into his palm. "I'll kill you!"
"Kid really doesn't listen…" Kairo said as his eyes turned crimson "…that attitude seriously pisses me off."
A heavy force filled the room. Riven reverted to normal state, his body was heavy, like gravity had multiplied.
He felt those eyes slowly pressing down on him, breaking him piece by piece.
He dropped on the floor, shaking "What…what are you?"
Kairo loomed over him, his crimson eyes glinting dangerously. "A werewolf…just like you."