Chapter 29

The last five minutes had been extremely noisy. Gabriel, along with a small group led by Bernardo, heard the sounds of an intense battle, which, according to the Ravens from Cecilia's Nest, they believed had taken place at the power generators.

As soon as silence returned to the city, it was clear to all the Ravens that one side had succumbed. Gabriel, along with all the others, pushed aside their negative thoughts; they had their own mission to fulfill. They passed by a street with several collapsed buildings.

The buildings had fallen many years ago, and many street dwellers or orphans used them as homes. Faces hidden in the shadows of the debris followed them as they passed. Suddenly, a boy stood up among the concrete rubble. He was about to say something when several other children appeared, pulling him back.

Murmurs followed the event; the child's courage gave strength to the adults. Bernardo urged the group to quicken their pace, doing their best to avoid any unnecessary fights. When a new gunfight broke out, this time much closer. Once again, people sought shelter in the broken pieces of concrete, while the Ravens ran toward the gunfire.

Gabriel felt the air grow salty as they neared the sea, and it didn't take long for the vast blue expanse to appear ahead. Bernardo and his group readied their weapons as they approached the wall between the street and the ocean.

Slowing down, Gabriel used the hand that wasn't holding the Magnum to grip the ledge and leaned over the protective barrier for a moment, seeing what was happening on the beach. Seven meters of height separated the newly arrived group from those fighting in the sands.

Ravens fought fiercely while the waves rolled peacefully over the beach. Cries of pain, victory, and defeat mixed with the sounds of the ocean; sand and water flew as boots stomped frantically.

Fallen bodies writhed in pain or cried, trying vainly to stay alive. Men and women fought among the fallen, blade against blade, shot against shot. Gabriel watched for a few moments, noticing that to the right of the beach, a new group was approaching, and this time they were the people modified by the Doctor. Bernardo positioned himself beside Gabriel and shot a Raven in the head who was about to execute another who lay on the ground.

The shot made everyone turn toward the newcomers, and before they became targets, Bernardo shouted.

— We came to help! We were sent by Kasca!

A short period passed, enough time for people to understand what had happened, and that was when the celebration shouts came from some, and curses from others.

— Focus on those who are arriving! — shouted a Raven with a long cut on his chest. — Take care of those! — referring to those already engaged in combat.

It didn't take much more than that, and the group began firing at those running on the beach with the intention of joining the battle. Since they were in an elevated position, aiming at the targets became much easier, and this caught the group off guard, causing the modified ones to become disorganized.

Gabriel pulled the trigger, feeling the familiar recoil of his weapon. His arm vibrated, and almost instantly, the back of one of the targets shattered. He fired again, and another body fell lifeless onto the beach. The group of Ravens shot mercilessly at the modified ones, who fell lifeless or writhed in pain as their organs spilled out of the holes made by the bullets.

Crouching down, Gabriel rested his back against the wall and, with skill, began reloading his weapon. He felt the bullet chamber warm, a thin wisp of smoke rising from the Magnum's barrel. When he placed the last bullet in the chamber, the young man stood up and fired again.

The rain of deadly projectiles swept across the new adversaries. Gabriel cursed loudly when he hit the sand, and a body already fallen. His hands vibrated from the force of his weapon as he reloaded once more.

Then a strange silence took over everything, with only their breathing audible, as all their senses were numbed by the sounds of the gunfire. Gabriel scanned the beach with his eyes and saw that there were no more adversaries standing.

The Ravens who had been fighting on the sand below the group were now silent, their group of men and women breathing heavily as they tended to their wounds, some trying to care for the injured.

"Is it over?" asked a young woman beside Gabriel.

Almost as an answer, dozens of figures appeared on the beach, ranging from Ravens to the modified ones. This time, a group was also coming from the upper side of the wall—the advantage the group had was over.

"Return to the Nest!!" shouted the man with the chest wound.

"But, sir, what about the injured?" asked a young man holding the hand of one of the fallen.

Gabriel noticed, even from a distance, the man's anguish, who shouted again.

"If we don't return now, there will be no one left to fight! This is an order!"

Reluctantly, the group began to run in the opposite direction of the enemy. Gabriel and the others followed the Ravens' example, running from the new adversary. The pleas of those who stayed could be heard, and a bitter taste filled the mouths of those fleeing. The tearful voices that begged or cursed them as cowards gradually faded until they disappeared.

Gabriel ran with all his strength, feeling his throat burn, when he saw the ship that served as the Ravens' base. The figures running across the sand simply collapsed from exhaustion as they reached the shadow of their Nest. The group's morale was completely shattered; they had lost, not only the battle but also abandoned many of their own to die.

Bernardo made his way to a staircase that descended toward the sand. The Raven was breathing heavily from the run to the Nest, descending the steps made directly into the concrete wall, heading toward the group of despondent people.

Gabriel tucked his Magnum into the holster hidden at the back of his belt, and following Bernardo's example, he descended the stairs two at a time, his feet making a dry noise as he walked on the sand. He approached the group, immediately feeling the familiar bitter taste in his mouth. Ravens and Corvas were sprawled on the sand, some standing with dull eyes, while others applied ointments to their wounds with no sign of emotion, as if on autopilot.

Few were standing, one of them being the man with the chest wound. Bernardo went directly to the man, who, upon seeing him, only gave a tired smile.

"Vann," said Bernardo.

"Thanks for the help," replied the man as he wiped his face with his T-shirt. "You arrived at an extremely opportune moment."

— We came as quickly as possible — looking at everyone, Bernardo continued. — Unfortunately, it wasn't fast enough.

Vann silently nodded in agreement, his dark eyes were sunken due to dark circles. He only watched the group approach, greeting some with a nod, and stopping for a moment to focus on Gabriel.

— I know Kasca well enough — Vann continued, turning his attention back to Bernardo. — To know she wouldn't send a squad to help me without a reason. She knows what's going on.

Gabriel realized that the leader of that Ninho was a perceptive man; even on the verge of collapse, he was able to understand that the newly arrived group was not just there to help, but to propose something as well.

— Yes — Bernardo agreed. — We have some understanding of what's going on, but first, I'd like to ask, why are you fighting in the middle of the beach?

Vann paused for a moment, taking a small bottle from his medicine pouch, and drank the greenish liquid in one gulp. He threw the empty bottle onto the sand, his expression slowly softening as the medicine eased his pain.

— I received a message — Vann began to speak. — That the port was being attacked, and along with a group from my Ninho, I headed toward the attack. Unfortunately, I didn't expect a revolt from other Corvos and we were ambushed on the way.

— So, you've realized it's a rebellion from other Ninhos!? — Gabriel asked, speaking for the first time.

— Yes — the man answered, looking at the young man with narrowed eyes. — I've never seen you before.

— This is Gabriel — Bernardo introduced. — A Corvo sent by the Bunker.

— The Bunker — Vann murmured. — I suppose you have an explanation for the events happening, young man?

— I have an idea — Gabriel replied. — I can share the information I have right now.

— Not here — Vann reprimanded. — Let's go to my room.

Without saying anything more, the Ninho leader headed toward the stairs that connected the beach to the ship. Gabriel followed him, receiving various curious glances from the Corvos scattered across the sand, focusing his attention on the ship, noticing its details.

Moss covered the lowest part of the hull, the same part that was submerged when the tide rose. Corals grew in random spots on the hull. The warship of the Ancients was once gray, which could still be seen in the parts of the hull where remnants of paint remained, but the red rust covered much of the ship.

The cannons that protruded from openings in the hull had met the same fate as the rest of the ship, being covered in rust and occasional coral or moss fragments. In the entrance of some of the cannons, pieces of dry leaves were noticeable, showing that the instrument of death had now become the home of some seabird.

The long iron beams anchoring the ship were placed uniformly, leaving the vessel perfectly aligned, with half of the hull on the sand and the other half submerged.

— Do these cannons work? — Gabriel asked.

— Unfortunately not — Vann answered without looking back. — We've tried to repair them many times, but the seven hundred years of rain and salty air have damaged them irreparably.

— Such a pity — Bernardo commented, following the two toward the Ninho. — Having weapons of that caliber in our current situation would completely change the tide in our favor.

Vann was the first to cross the rope bridge; the whole structure moved with each step the Corvo took, who passed over it unfazed. Gabriel couldn't say the same, as he had to hold the ropes tightly to avoid falling. Trying to maintain composure, Gabriel gritted his teeth and followed the man ahead of him, coming up to an iron door opened on the side of the ship.

He passed close to the onyx corvo at the entrance of the Ninho, leaning on the bird's head as he stepped inside the ship, hearing the sound of his footsteps echoing within. The interior surprised the young man; nearly all the walls that would form the ship's corridors had been removed, giving space for a black wood floor. The long tables typical of the Ninhos were lined against the walls of the hull, and Corvos moved hurriedly in all directions.

LED lights hanging from the ceiling illuminated the place with a pale, dull light. Trapdoors in the floor led to the lower deck, which Gabriel assumed were the Ninho members' quarters. On the opposite side of the entrance, iron planks were firmly embedded in the wall, forming a ladder that led up to an open hatch.

Seeing that Vann was there, several Corvos approached to find out what was going on and why there had been sounds of battle. Gabriel continued to investigate the area while the gathering of Corvos asked their questions.

To his right, two iron doors similar to the entrance were visible, one of which had been removed, and various strings adorned with seashells served as curtains. The sacks of lentils on the walls beside the entrance made it clear that this was the kitchen. The other door was closed, and Gabriel speculated it might be the forge or a storage room for drugs and medicines.

Bernardo touched Gabriel's arm, drawing his attention. With a nod toward Vann, the two approached the group of Corvos. The Ninho leader noticed this movement and quickly dispersed the group with a hand gesture.

Frustrated, the men and women followed the leader's order, though not without casting scornful looks at the two responsible for it. Vann continued walking, heading toward the iron planks that formed the ladder.

Without difficulty, Vann and Bernardo climbed the staircase without a railing. Gabriel followed closely behind, keeping his body closer to the wall. Vann passed through the door at the top of the stairs, and the same pale light escaped through the crack of the door, which creaked in protest as it was opened. The trio entered the room, and as soon as they did, Vann closed the door.

The room was a cabin made entirely of iron, with round windows facing the ocean. A thick mattress lay on the floor beneath the windows, and the yellow blankets the man used were not folded, but rather piled haphazardly. A desk with some papers sat directly in front of the bed, some of the papers scattered across it.

"So," began Vann, sitting in the chair behind his desk. "What do you know, Gabriel?"

Gabriel began to tell Vann everything he knew, sparing no details. Vann's expression, which was already one of fatigue, grew progressively worse as he listened. He massaged his temple with his left hand while raising his other to signal for Gabriel to stop, speaking.

"Are you telling me that a psychopathic lunatic made an alliance with two Nests?" Seeing Gabriel nod in affirmation, he continued, "This makes no sense."

"Sir," Bernardo interrupted. "Unfortunately, everything he said is true."

"I know that," Vann replied tiredly. "I saw firsthand these people who underwent the experiments. Even though I don't understand why, it doesn't change the fact that it's happening."

Gabriel leaned his back against the door, needing to move a bit to get off of a screw. Following his example, Bernardo leaned against the wall, exchanging a brief glance with him.

"What is Kasca doing?" Vann asked, his gaze still fixed on the papers on his desk, as though the answer to the situation could be found in them.

"She went to secure the power generator," Bernardo replied. "The place was attacked earlier, and she went personally to ensure it wasn't taken."

"Insightful as always," Vann complimented.

"Yes," Gabriel agreed. "Exactly why we're here."

"To ensure the port isn't taken," Vann concluded, lifting his gaze to the two of them. "Unfortunately, you arrived too late. What you saw on the beach wasn't a battle, it was an attempt at our escape after losing the port."

A bitter feeling washed over Gabriel, the sense of defeat that was thick in the air beginning to affect him. Bernardo, on the other hand, remained unshaken, speaking.

"If we unite our Nests, we can put an end to this. It's them or us, sir."

Vann held a cold stare toward the Raven, and was about to speak when the sound of footsteps grew louder, signaling someone was climbing the stairs. When it stopped, the sound of knocks on the door flooded the small room.

"Come in!" Vann spoke, clearly displeased by the interruption.

The door creaked as it opened, and through the crack, a young Corva entered, her large green eyes filled with fear, and she was holding a small envelope in her hand.

"Sir," the young woman said. "Apologies for the intrusion."

"I hope it's for a good reason," Vann replied seriously.

"You need to read this," the Corva said, walking over to her leader and extending her hand with the envelope.

Vann examined the paper for a moment before taking it. He unfolded the envelope and read its contents. After reading it a second time, he spoke.

"Kasca managed to secure the generator."

"Is she okay?" Bernardo asked, pushing himself off the wall.

"It doesn't say, but there's a proposal here that I can't refuse right now."

"What is it?" Gabriel asked.

"All the Nest leaders," Vann began, "there are places where they agreed to meet with another leader, in a neutral location, unarmed. Kasca is proposing such a meeting to me."

Vann lowered the note, placing the envelope with the others on his desk. He looked at the girl, who immediately assumed a position of alert.

"Val," Vann said. "Gather six other Ravens."

"Of course, sir," the girl said, running toward the door. She paused after a few steps and turned back. "Why, sir?"

"We're going to this meeting," he replied bluntly, then turned to look at Gabriel. "And you're coming with us."