The cries from inside the shop carried through the quiet market street. People outside lowered their heads; they didn't need to ask whose cries they were. It wasn't the first time today. Dozens had come here to ask Maela the same question — about their husbands, wives, or children.
Some left in tears. Some didn't leave at all.
Crying had become a sound everyone was used to now.
Sob… Sob…
Nova's voice had gone hoarse, his sobs fading into quiet, broken breaths. Mira still clung to him, trembling, her tears soaking his shirt.
He slowly pulled away, looking down at her small face — pale, streaked with tears and dirt. She still couldn't stop crying.
"Are you going to…" Nova swallowed hard. "…bury him?"
Maela wiped her eyes, her hands still shaking. "We'll bury the ones whose bodies we can still recognize," she said softly. "The rest… the ones too burned, too torn apart — we'll burn them. It's kinder that way. If anyone asks for a different way, we'll respect that."
"I see…" Nova whispered. He stood up, his knees weak but steady.
He looked down at Mira. "Mira. Let's go."
She blinked, confused. "Go…? Where?"
"Home."
"What… home?" Her voice cracked.
"Yeah. We still have to go back. To pack our things."
She looked at him through tears. "Pack… for what?"
He looked toward the broken doorway, his eyes cold. "We're leaving."
"What?!" Maela exclaimed, her face tightening with shock. "Nova, where do you plan to go?"
"Somewhere. Anywhere but here," he said flatly. "This place doesn't feel like home anymore. I'll go somewhere I can get stronger." His voice deepened as he clenched his fists. "I cried enough today. I lost almost everything. But I still have Mira. And from now on… I won't let anything happen that'll make me, her, or my friends cry again."
"Big brother…" Mira whispered, staring at him as if seeing a different person.
Maela stepped forward, voice trembling. "You… you don't understand what you're saying, boy. You think you can leave this village — your home — and survive out there? The world isn't kind. There are things worse than demons. You're still just a child. And Mira… she's even younger."
Nova met her gaze. "The village, huh? My home?" His tone hardened. "I was home when the demons came. And what happened? My mother died. My father died. Riku died. Hundreds died. So don't talk to me about safety." He took a shaky breath, his voice rising. "You're right — the world isn't safe. I learned that today. But that means no place is safe, not just outside this village."
Maela couldn't respond. Her lips trembled, her heart heavy with guilt.
Nova turned to Mira again. "We'll bury Father… and burn Mother's body. Then we'll leave. Tomorrow."
"But—"
"Nova!" Maela interrupted sharply, her voice breaking. "I understand. You want strength. You want to change things. But don't drag Mira into it! She's a little girl! And you're not an adult either. You've both lost your parents — you shouldn't have to carry this alone. The village head will decide what's best for you, just as your father would've wanted."
Nova scoffed. "The head? Where was that geezer when the demons came? He wasn't here when people screamed for help — and now you want me to let him decide my fate?"
"Don't speak like that!" Maela snapped, her eyes wet again. "He left the village yesterday for work. He'll be back in two days. Just… wait till then. Please."
Nova was silent for a long moment. Then he sighed and looked down at Mira. "I'm leaving. No one can change that. But what you do is up to you. You can come with me… or stay here. Either way, I'll protect you."
Mira stared at him — trembling, confused, but certain of one thing.
"I… I want to be with big brother."
Nova nodded. "Then it's decided. We'll wait two days. I'll speak to the head when he returns — and no matter what he says, we're leaving."
He held his hand out. Mira grabbed it, her fingers still cold and wet from tears.
The three walked out of the market. The fires had dimmed to smoke now. People were moving bodies, whispering prayers, weeping quietly. The sun had started to set, staining the ruins orange-red.
They returned to the oak tree — the same tree where their laughter once echoed.
The crowd was gone now. Only Tama sat beneath it, his back against the bark, eyes blank and distant.
"Hey," Haru called softly.
Nova stepped closer. "Tama… where are your parents? You sure you should be out here right now?"
Tama looked up, his voice dull. "Yeah… they're fine. They know about Riku, so… yeah."
"I see."
Nova and Haru sat beside him. The bark was still dark with dried blood — Riku's blood. The sight of it twisted Nova's stomach.
"I wonder what happens now," Haru muttered. "Riku's gone… and now Nova's leaving…"
Tama turned sharply. "What? You're leaving?"
Nova nodded. "Two days from now."
"Why?"
"I need to get stronger."
"But you can train here — like you always did."
Nova gave a small, bitter smile. "My father trained here too. Probably better than I ever did. What difference did it make?"
Tama looked down, unable to argue.
Nova continued quietly, "Tama I... I keep trying to picture what Riku saw that moment — those demons in front of him. I can't even imagine it. I… I don't think I could do what he did."
"I know…" Tama said, his voice cracking slightly. "But Nova… I'll train too. Even if you leave — when you come back, I'll be strong enough to stand beside you."
Haru nodded. "So will I."
Nova looked at them, his eyes softening. "You guys… I'm sure you'll become strong too."
"It feels strange," Haru said, glancing at the sky. "Like nothing will ever be the same again. It's… weird. To think Riku's just… gone."
Nova followed his gaze. The sky was bleeding red through clouds of smoke, just like the tree beside them. The world felt quiet — too quiet.
"Hey guys…" Tama said after a while. "I heard someone in the crowd say the attack was 'too early'. What do you think they meant?"
"Too early?" Nova frowned.
"I think I heard my dad talk about it once," Haru said. "Demon attacks happen every hundred years or more. Maybe they meant it wasn't time yet — that this one came too early."
"That would make sense," Tama murmured. "People obviously don't die like sheeps everytime an attack happens. We were supposed to be prepared… but we weren't."
"Yeah," Nova said. "But it doesn't matter now. We'll just have to prepare for the next time — ourselves."
The three sat in silence. Only the evening wind moved — brushing through the oak's leaves, whispering through the branches still stained red.
Finally, Nova stood up. Mira grabbed his hand again.
"Alright," he said softly. "We should go home. There's still a lot to do."
"Yeah," Haru said, standing. "Take care of yourself, Nova."
Tama nodded. "We'll always be friends. No matter where you go."
Nova gave a faint, tired smile. "Yeah. I know."
And with that, he turned away — walking down the dirt path toward the place he once called home.
The oak's shadow stretched long behind him, dark and quiet — like a memory fading into dusk.
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