Liber looked at the buildings, the towers, and the skyscrapers that lay in ruins and were abandoned by any sign of life and human presence.

  Then he looked at the people gathered around. Then at Anny, who stood with a blank gaze. Her eyes had lost their luster. They looked like chains that had bound her entire body; anything she saw was nothing but more chains that added more to her restraint.

  Liber's heart ached at seeing his friend like this.

  He closed his eyes and again opened them to see Enzo and his group looking at him.

  “We will be leaving now.”

  Enzo said with a stoic voice. His dark eyes seem to have gone over both him and Anny in split seconds as if deciding something. Then, as if finally done, he added softly.

  “Don’t venture too deep inside the city. It’s extremely dangerous.”

  Liber pursed his lips and felt the corner of his lips twitch upward into a forced smile.

  ‘So observant.’

  Liber thought as he nodded with a little hesitation.

  “We won’t; I only plan on looking around. You all should be careful as well.”

  Enzo's worry was crystal clear to Liber and the others; after all Liber and Anny plan to roam around in hellish grounds.

  “We will be back by tomorrow. Don’t die before that.”

  Chris said with a small voice. He was the youngest now that Asher was not here. His bronze skin was covered with the same military gear he had been wearing in Kalista as a member of the 11th division.

  As if it has become a ritual: whenever someone separated from the group, the world around them became mournful. Even those who always maintain a cold look in their eyes become soft with worry.

  “Sigh, they are only going to scout around and come back. We are the ones going to hunt.”

  Summer said, rolling her eyes. But then her gaze flickers towards Anny. The girl with long yellow hair and a soft innocent face. She was everything Summer wasn’t. If both women in this group were to be compared to flowers, Summer would first laugh and then call herself a rose with thorns and Anny a bright yellow lily. Something that could only please the eyes and soothe the minds upon sight and do little to protect itself.

  Summer, however, didn’t think much of that.

  She could not do something Anny could do. She didn’t have the charm to soothe the broken minds here, and especially not to smile at dreadful moments and give courage to her friends.

  She might as well be jealous of her for that.

  But she could protect them if she can’t heal them.

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  Summer took a step forward and started to walk toward Anny with small steps. Her eyes lingered on Chris as he mouthed some words to her that only she could hear.

  ‘Good luck.’

  That's what her brother said, making her glare back as she huffed in annoyance.

  “Anny.”

  She calls out as she places one hand on her shoulder.

  Anny, with startled eyes, turned back, her face filled with wrinkles and tiredness as if she had aged several years in just one month.

  “Yes? Is there anything I can help you with, Summer?”

  Summer hesitated as she suddenly saw Anny smile brightly.

  She didn’t comment on how forced her smiles looked.

  “Be careful. You are the most important person for us right now. You are not moving with most of us today; if there is any danger, run.”

  Anny was their healer. If something were to happen to her… That thought was enough to fill cold dread in Summer’s bones. No matter how cold and unreasonable Summer's words sounded, it was for the survival of their group.

  They knew Anny was under a lot of pressure since they came here. The state of her mind was fragile and glasslike. That's why they knew it was important to let her be alone, to let her gather her thoughts. That's why Liber, who knew her the longest, could walk with her, and Summer, with her harsh words, could maybe spark something in her.

  Summer felt sick to her stomach at the thought of her own weakness.

  “Oh… I see.” Anny muttered under her breath; for a moment her eyes darkened and her smile faltered.

  “I will do what I can to make sure all of you survive.”

  Summer shut her lips, her brows furrowed into a frown. Her eyes glanced back to see three men away, giving the two space to talk properly.

  “Ugh.” Summer rubbed her temples with a groan, as if soothing a building headache.

  “Mn”

  Anny, again startled, let out a small moan in surprise at Summer's sudden action.

  “Anny!”

  “Yes?!”

  “Listen, we, Enzo, Chris and I, are not some noble soldiers, okay? I don’t know what that guy told you both about us. But we have not met in favorable conditions. Our hands are drenched crimson with the blood of many. But—we think of you two as our companions. We… worry about you. I don’t know what kind of thoughts you have been having the last few days or weeks, or I don’t know how long.” Summer felt her stomach twist at saying words that didn’t fit her character. ‘Friends, yes friends… ugh that guy, bastard, where is he?’

  Summer thought and continued while inhaling a deep breath.

  “Anny, you are very strong and important; just shut your mind if it’s hard and blast everything away like me.”

  Summer turned away, leaving Anny more perplexed than ever.

  “Huh?”

  ‘I am never doing this shit talk ever again!’

  Summer muttered as she reached closer to Enzo, Chris and Liber. All three of them stared at her with judgemental gazes.

  “What?” She braked.

  “Good work.”

  “Well done, sis.”

  “Thank you.”

  Enzo, Chris and Liber said one after the other without any delay, making Summer’s eye twitch in annoyance.

  “...I couldn’t say what you all wanted me to say.”

  Summer averted her gaze.

  “We know you won’t say those things.” Enzo told her with a faint smile.

  “What?”

  Her gaze went from Enzo to her brother and then to Liber, who held a sheepish smile.

  “I also knew… You who can only say harsh words on the outside have a soft heart as well.”

  Liber laughed and ran away toward Anny as he saw a spark ignite in Summer’s palm.

  “Bastard tricking me.” She muttered as her face turned red in anger.

  Then turned to face her brother with a cold gaze.

  He was nowhere in sight.

  “He left when you were looking down.” Enzo said softly.

  Summer could only scoff in bafflement as she saw Enzo walk away as well.

  “Liars… every one of them.” She mumbled with a smile.

  Anny watched the three figures become blurry in her eyes as they walked away till she couldn’t watch them anymore. Her face remained pale and she lowered her head as she pursed her lips.

  Liber stood behind her, his gaze etched on the distant figure.

  “Should we go now?”

  Anny didn’t answer at once as she bit her lips and nodded with a small smile.

  “Yes… let’s move as well, Liber. I will be in your care as always.”

  When Liber nodded and turned away, Anny finally raised her head. His back, all of her friends' backs, looked big and reliable.

  But she was small… extremely so.

  “...Can I not do anything else?”

  She said in a voice only she could hear.