Where Is Chris?

Advika got down the dead Lizard, her Beast flew out from the blade, and took its combat form beside her.

The two then started tearing open the second Beast.

Christopher watched as she took out the core. Not bothered about the blood, she tossed the Core towards him, who quickly caught it in his hand.

"That's your share from the deal, you're free to leave."

She said in a flat tone, and started tearing open the Lizard, while Vicki helped her with the second.

"Thank you, Chris." Sylvia said with a bow.

"Is she always like this?" He asked gesturing his head to Advika.

"Uh? Like how?" Sylvia asked in mild confusion.

"Forget it." He shook his head.

Grooowl!

His face redden in embarrassment, there's no why Sylvia didn't hear his stomach.

"Fufufufu..." Sylvia chuckled, and turned to her sister. "Advika, why don't we finish this quickly and head back home to eat?"

"Are you hungry?" Advika asked, her gaze fixed on butchering the Lizard.

"Yes." Sylvia nodded, and winked at Christopher.

"Give me five minutes." Advika said.

"How old is she?" Christopher asked with a slight frown.

"Advika is entering 20 this year, while I'm 16."

Christopher nodded.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

A frown appeared on his, and Sylvia's faces hearing the distance sound of loud footsteps.

Advika quickly stood up, and turned her head to the north, their Beasts were also fully alert.

"Whatever is coming, is Huge! We need to get out from here! Rhino, pick that dead dog. Night cat, help Vicki with one of the Lizard... We're leaving the last one for whatever Beast is coming!!"

"What are you saying?!" Advika turned around with a frown.

"There is no time to think! We're leaving one behind!!"

THUD!! THUD!! THUD!! THUD!!

"Sister, He's right, we'll leave one behind, the time it's eating, we'll be running."

Advika stared at the Beasts' carcasses, and turned to her sister. "But you know how important this is for us... For me."

Sylvia walked up to her sister, and gave her a tight hug.

"I know sis, But our lives are more important."

Christopher who was busy arranging the cores in his Jacket raised his head to the two. "Bye."

With that said, he started walking... Rhino was busy pulling the dog behind him.

"Stop!"

"Now what?"

Christopher turned around to Advika. Who walked up to him with a frown.

"Are you blind? Look at the blood trail you're leaving on the ground."

Christopher looked at the blood with a dumb expression, and turned to her: "What about it?"

"What about it?" Advika was stunned by his reply.

Christopher sighed, and explain: "Look at that pool of blood, the Beast had bled out already... After some Kilometers, You won't see any blood on the ground, or is your house that close?"

GRRRRAAAA!!!

They all turned to the north, seeing the trees shaking violently.

"Fine! Let's get out from here!"

Advika held her sister's hand, and ran away from the place.

"Oh? Run and leave your savior."

Christopher rolled his eyes, and quickly followed behind the sisters, their Beasts dragging the two carcasses behind them.

_____

[Exurb.]

After another hour of running, and pulling, they finally reached the residents area beyond the suburbs of the Capital, and luckily, the Beasts' carcasses had stopped bleeding.

Christopher looked at the street, and recognized the way to Murphy's store, but instead choices to know the girls' home.

The Exurb wasn't a huge town or city... But was a small neighborhood, located some miles beyond the suburbs... And as such, only poor and homeless folks, or those who are on vacation or out for fun, could be seen in the neighborhood.

Christopher and the girls calmly traversed the quiet and empty street, with their three Beasts dragging the carcasses behind them.

After another ten minutes of silence, they finally reach a small building.

Sylvia quickly rushed towards the house, knocking on the door. "Mum! Dad! We got a core today!"

Christopher silently stood beside Advika, staring as the door opened and a man looking his late 30s opened the door... The moment he saw Sylvia, a smile settled on his face... Christopher observed the man with a slight frown, he's thin, has dark circles under his eyes, and clearly weak... But the two girls were the exact opposite to his appearance... Which confused him.

"Sylvia, you guys are back! What did you say?"

Sylvia held his hand with a smile on her face. "We got two Beasts, and a core... Come."

Sylvia helped him out of the house, and slowly led him to the Beasts, and her sister.

"How are you doing father? I hope you took your medicines."

"Yes, Dear... I hope you didn't risk your life out there to get the Core? I say you should only hunt Ordinary stage Beasts."

"I know father, but things went out of hand, and we had to fight Perfect Stage Beasts..." Advika moved her gaze to Christopher.

Their father followed her gaze, and settled his on the brown hair young man. "Who is this?"

"Dad, This is Chris, he's the master of that Rhino and Cat." Sylvia answered with a smile, and added:

"He also helped us against the perfect stage Beasts."

The man nodded, and turned back to Christopher. The young man in front of him might be thin, but he helped his daughters, that's all that matters.

"Thank you so much, young man. My name is Evander... Hmm... Chris, do you live around here?"

"Oh, No. I live in the capital."

"Capital?" The three were stunned, the girls stared at him in surprise... All the minutes they had walked from the Forest to their home, none asked the other anything, so they're technically strangers.

Before their father could ask another question. Advika asked. "Dad? Where is Mum?"

The man sighed, held his daughter's wrist, and pulled her to the side, then whispered:

"There's nothing in the house, so your mum went out to ask if someone could help us with any food."

Advika frowned darkly. "Why did you allow her, Dad?! Where is she?"

"Miss Alana's store, that's where she told me she's going."

"How long had she been gone?" Advika asked again.

"20 minutes now." The man answered in a low voice. "Cough! Cough!"

"Dad! You should rest, Sylvia, please help dad inside... I'll go and bring Mum back..." She turned to Christopher, and looked back at her father.

"I'll be back." With that said, she walked towards Christopher. Held out his hand, and placed the bag which contains her core on it.

She turned around and walked away without saying anything. Christopher turned his head to Sylvia, who smiled at him and helped her father inside the house.

"Ok guys, You know what to do. Tear it into shards."

The Rhino, and Cat nodded, and started tearing apart the meats with their mouth and claw.

Christopher moved his gaze on the house, and how Sylvia and her family were living... Their Mum even has to beg before they could eat... He heard everything the two discussed.

He removed the jacket from his neck, and took out five cores from his 26, and added it with her one core in the bag, and tied it.

After some minutes of helping them arranged the meat, he called out. "Sylvia, It's all done."

In matter of seconds, the door opened, and a confused Sylvia got out. "What is don..."

Her word trail off seeing the meat already butchered in sizes, and even the skins were removed, and placed aside.

"You... You did all this?" She asked in mild disbelieve.

"You should give this two some credits, they helped."

Sylvia smiled and seeing his bloody hands, she rushed inside, confusing Christopher. He watched as she returned with a bowl, and a glass of clean water... She stopped in front of him with the waters on a tray.

"I'm sorry, we don't have anything to give you, I thought there is--"

"--Shhh." Christopher shushed her, and placed his hands in the bowl, slowly washing the blood off.

"I have also experienced hunger, suffering, and poverty... So you don't have to worry about it, Nothing remains permanent."

He removed his hands from the bowl, took the glass of water, and gulped it down.

"I'll get going now."

"Huh?" Sylvia was stunned.

"This is your sister's core, see you later."

He placed the bag on the tray, and rubbed his ring, taking his Beasts inside.

Sylvia stared at Christopher with countless emotions, as he walked away from the place, his Jacket still wrapped around his neck... She sighed and walked back inside.

_______

[Half and hour later.]

Knock! Knock!

Hearing the knock on the door. Sylvia stood up from the only couch in the house, walked towards the door and opened it. Seeing the two people outside, she smiled brightly.

"Advika. Mum, are you ok?!"

"Yes, Dear... It's just, your sister angered Mrs Alana, I don't think she'll help us again."

"Come on, Mum! You know that woman always make you do one disgusting job to another, before lending you money... Thank goodness Sister taught her a lesson. Right?"

Sylvia turned to Advika, who was moving her gaze around the place, she then turned to her sister with a frown on her face.

"Where is Chris? And... The Beasts' Carcasses?"