(CHAPTER 18: THE NIGHT)

"So what did you wanted to know." Hero place down the lantern at the middle of the tent and sat behind it, in front of her.

"You know who I am?"

"Kind of." Hero shrugged his shoulders.

"Where do I come from, do I have a family or something?"

"No. I found you in the woods, actually you found me."

"Huh?" She seemed confused. "I found you?"

"Yeah you found my hut. And I was about to leave right then and because resources is running low back then and you followed me."

"So you know nothing about me before right?"

"Yeah." Hero nodded slowly. "I am sorry. Me myself also not sure about my appearance, we are both the same Brine, that's why I take you up by my side. We are the only one in common in this strange world." Hero stare at the flickering light of the lantern, illuminating his eyes.

"How are we…." She bit her lips and stare at him. "back then."

This question caught him totally off guard. How are we back then. Memories flooded his mind, about how far they've been together, how long they've been fighting together, how many times they've risk their lives fighting for each other. He look at her, right into her eyes. He saw a girl she once recognized, but yet it was just an empty shell, with no soul of the girl within. Without that she is just any other girl, like all the girls in the world.

She is not Brine.

She will never be Brine.

Brine, is dead.

"Hey." She asked concernly. "You okay."

"Yeah." He nodded. "I am okay." He let out a bitter smile, realizing that he have one of the only people he trust the most in this cursed world that always try to take the thing he loves. "I am tired." He answered brevity, his eyes were hollow, so do his soul. "I need some rest."

With that he shove her out of the tent and close the curtains, leaving Brine along outside. Who let out a sigh before returning back to her tent. After hearing the footsteps of her fading away, Hero finally couldn't hold it.

"Why." He mumbled and lean at the wall of the tent. She was his world before, he fought for her and yet he lost. He may won the battle that night but he have lost the war. Phil may not shatter his body, but he indeed shatter his heart.

He took out a small sack from his backpack and open it slowly. Inside it was a bracelet, he remember that night. He took the bracelet and lay it down on his hands. Inspecting it slowly. A sour feeling drills into his nose. He lost her, he has completely lose her. He remember the first night they've stay at the Inn. He knew that she liked him, and yet he doesn't dare to make the first step. Just because of work, just because he wanted to head to the "paradise" pictured in his mind.

And that bought her to her grave.

His eyes grew wetter and he put the bracelet at his forehead, trying to save the last warmth of her as his tears drench the bracelet.

He let out a soft moan like an injured animal. His mind finally gave up. He've endured heart breaking pain, bone breaking injuries and near death experience yet he have never even cried, not even to a girl. But now he realizes something, he realize that the paradise in his mind is actually not too distant away. It was not a place, it was a person. It was her.

And one man took it away from him.

He look out another deep growl as he curl his fist up and tie the bracelet on his wrist. He is going to have his revenge. Hatred and anger filled his heart, polluting his soul, one has taken everything away from him, and he won't stop.

Not until he shatter every bone of his.

Not until he break every piece of his heart.

Not until he kill him all the way down to hell.

He knew that he was alive, heading towards the pillager's sky fortress. He knew that he was still breathing, and it disgust him, having such a hideous soul lurking around him. He wanted him dead, die the way more terrible than death. He won't be satisfied until he let out his last breath, he won't be satisfied until his heart stops beating.

He want him, dead.

"I shall have my revenge." He gritted his teeth as tear streams down his face.

"Phil."