Chapter 81: Icy Return

Meliah watched his fragmented reflection in the mirror, the damp and dark bathroom of one of the factories in the Industrial Sector surrounding him. He was alone, his gaze fixed on the fogged glass, trying to find some clarity in his own thoughts. The weariness displayed on his face, the cold and snow couldn't hide the paleness of his skin.

"It seems a little sadder than it looks, maybe because your brother isn't in the best shape," he murmured to himself. He was trying to better understand the situation. He leaned on the broken sink, the metal cold, even more so with one of the windows high up broken, letting the wind seep through. "You lost someone who trusted you, now you're exhausted because you depend on others to keep him alive."

Luma and Antton, both had their people. They trusted their leaders, but when he looked at his subordinates, there was questioning. He knew his role was to lead, that he couldn't afford to falter.

"I need to be methodical," he thought, his gaze moving away from the foggy image. "I need to understand every step, every decision. I can't afford to make mistakes."

Meliah took a step back, moving away from the mirror, and leaned against the cold wall. He closed his eyes, trying to calm down. The chaos outside, the winds and snow, couldn't interfere. He needed clarity.

"I need to act... I need to do this for them, even if I don't know what will happen next." Meliah moved away from the wall, a more resolute expression taking over his face. He knew he couldn't go back now. The responsibility he felt on his shoulders wasn't going to disappear, but he had to find a way to move forward.

The bathroom door received two sharp knocks, but no one said anything on the other side. Meliah, impatient, let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm coming out." He knew it was one of his men, but he wasn't in the mood to deal with more problems right now.

Meliah took a deep breath, trying to focus to avoid exploding in anger. When the third knock came, weaker, he gave in and grabbed the doorknob, pulling the door. He regretted it right away.

The Felroz were all there, scattered throughout the room. They clung to the ceiling and the pillars, their claws embedded in the metal structure. The sight was terrifying. Meliah froze for a moment, feeling his heart race.

Below them, his men held onto the iron beams as if they would protect them. The sound of the Felroz's claws scraping against the pillars, the metallic noise of their claws dragging, and the growl of the creatures filled the air, making his subordinates huddle even more against the walls.

The sound was deafening, a noise that not only filled the space but seemed to penetrate the bones, making Meliah's skin crawl. He knew the situation was out of control. They needed to act quickly or they would all be consumed by the ferocity of these creatures.

"Shit..." Meliah whispered to himself, his mind racing as he tried to organize a plan of action, but there wasn't much to do now.

He raised his hand, calling everyone's attention. And pointed to the right, where part of the offices still stood. He showed two fingers, signaling that they should proceed in pairs, nothing more.

The Felroz were attracted by sounds, so let it be a scraping sound. Meliah crouched and touched the snow, brushed off the excess, and picked up several stones. As he stood up, one of the loose beams detached near the bathroom.

Immediately, the Felroz reacted. Their agile, predator-like bodies dropped from the ceiling like a storm of fury. They charged toward the sound, their claws cutting through the air, crashing violently against the wall. The impact was so strong that the iron and concrete structures around them shook.

Meliah had to throw himself back as the creatures invaded and destroyed the space around and by the door. The sound of metal twisting and the roar of the stones being crushed by the creatures' force filled the space. Meliah found himself forced to throw himself back, trying to avoid being caught in the path of destruction.

He huddled against the wall. The creatures were close now, their dark, muscular bodies nearly touching him. Meliah could smell their strong presence, something that mixed the dampness of the snow with the metallic odor of destruction. He forced himself not to touch them. They were disgusting creatures, far worse than any he'd ever had to expel from his home before.

When he finally dared to look around, a new beam came loose from the ceiling, crashing down on the other side. Their heads jerked up quickly, marking that there was another moving target.

With a coordinated movement, they charged toward the pillars and already broken walls, tearing apart the space with the brute force of their attacks.

Meliah felt the nervousness take over him like never before. Until that moment, he had always treated them with disdain, as if it were a simple matter of control. Degol had always subdued them without hesitation, with the coldness of a hunter and a smile that never let him down.

But now, alone, Meliah felt the weight of reality. Without Degol by his side, he knew he didn't have enough strength to deal with the fury of the Felroz. They weren't just monsters, but something much more dangerous: immortal creatures that didn't hesitate to destroy anything in their path.

When he left the bathroom, he saw his men standing inside the office watching the creatures attack stone and iron. He walked over, stepping on the soft snow to conceal the sound of his footsteps, and when he entered the office, he closed the door gently.

Without saying anything to them, he pointed inside. He knew the Industrial Sector like the back of his hand, but that didn't mean they were safe from danger.

He didn't want to admit it, no thoughts or words would be enough to hide such a ridiculous statement, but he wished Dante or Marcus were there with him. Not so they could save them, but so his men would feel that even in a complicated situation like that, there was still hope.

Even though Meliah had such a strong ability to create blades, he needed a few strikes to kill a Felroz.

"There are more of them out there, boss," one of his men whispered to him, pointing out the window. "What do we do?"

The answer shouldn't have been spoken, but it was thought. We pray, we pray a lot.

There was a laugh, Meliah looked up immediately. A very strange laugh, in the middle of the snow, full of amusement. He recognized it right away, but didn't believe it.

His men also looked at each other, as confused as he was.

"What the hell are you doing in my house, huh, damn it?" It was his voice. Meliah stood up straighter, heading for the office's front door. It was his brother's voice. "I'm out for a few weeks, and you guys invade everything?"

Meliah froze for a moment, his eyes fixed on Degol's figure in front of him. His brother was standing, as if nothing had happened. The last thing Meliah remembered was Degol unconscious, in critical condition. Now, there he was, with a wide, almost unrecognizable smile, both arms open in a welcoming gesture. The scene was surreal.

The Felroz, who had seemed ready to attack before, were motionless on the walls, their claws embedded in the pillars and iron beams. None of the Felroz dared to move, not even a single claw or paw stirred. It was as if time had stopped, making the scene even more unsettling.

Degol, with his unmistakable smile, seemed completely at ease. He looked at Meliah, as if waiting for him to approach, and spoke with that deep voice, full of authority:

"To think they'd make my brother stay wrapped up here, huh?" His arms began to turn into stone, his entire skin condensing into concrete, even more intense and fortified than the last time Meliah saw him. "So, who's going to be the first to die today?"

The Felroz opened their mouths full of teeth and let out a roar. At the same time, his younger brother opened his arms, in a completely confident stance. What… how is he here?

The door behind the office opened. It was Jix and Juno, the old man using his cane, waving casually outside.

"Let's go, your brother and Marcus will buy us time to get what we need."

The scene was grotesque and, at the same time, impressive. Meliah saw Degol attack with ferocity, his movements quick and wild. He wasn't just fighting; he was dominating. Each strike, each move, seemed to be a declaration of power, an affirmation that he had become something more than the brother Meliah knew.

It's really him.

"Meliah," called Jix, all the men had already left. "Come on, you can talk to him later."

With a heavy sigh, Meliah finally turned to follow Jix, but not before casting one last look back. He had never felt so much happiness and sadness at the same time. His brother had woken up and he wasn't by his side. Now, he fought like the beast he always was to buy time.

It was the pride of seeing his younger brother standing again.

Meliah left with Jix.

Next time, I won't let you go alone.