Previously...

Kaiyn secretly buys flowers and candles. No one knows why, and no one dared to question. It was strange to see the boss to get his hands on flowers and candles in the first place. Afterwards, he heads to a nearby plateau outside the walls, free of walkers nearby. There was a shady tree enough to keep the fire of the candles lit. He sets out a carpet and placed food. After this, he places the flowers side by side, followed by the candles. He sets out a portrait of his mother and father near the candles and flowers. So it was all finally clear; today was their death anniversary. He lights up the candles and quietly chants a prayer.

"Lo there do I see my father; Lo there do I see my mother, my sisters and my brothers; Lo there do I see the line of my people, back to the beginning. Lo, they do call me, they bid me take my place among them, in the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever."

...

"I know you're there. Are you just gonna continue hiding from everything as always?", said Kaiyn as he keeps his eyes shut after finishing the prayer.

"So you DO care...", Renji walks forward and looks down on Kaiyn, to which he immediately responded, "You've mistaken my silence as a lack of grief. In the end, you couldn't keep shunning me, can you?", Kaiyn says with a bit of irritation in his tone.

"I'm sorry... okay?", said Renji as he sits down beside his brother.

"Don't be sorry. You have more things to do. I'll keep watch of this until dawn arrives. Until then, get the hell out of my sight.", Kaiyn mutters to himself as he protects the candles from dying out because of the breeze. Renji quietly complies and returns to his duties within the walls. The reason why Kaiyn hates Renji above everyone else is because of the fact that he managed to ignore the last of his own flesh and blood when everything else was hitting rock bottom. Sure, Kaiyn knows he did many things wrong in the past, but it annoyed him that Renji chose to continue avoiding instead of making up when Kaiyn was trying to redeem himself already. But deep inside, he was still hurt and full of sorrow; he just didn't want to show it.

"Do you know... how much innocent blood is on my hands? I've killed countless people trying to survive, just like us just to fuel my rage for revenge. I've repeated the same mistake all along. I figured it doesn't matter anymore because I'll never be forgiven, right?"

"How long are you gonna keep wearing those masks, brother?", says Renji quietly as he turns his back on Kaiyn. Nobody spoke a single word after that last statement.

"Hmph. Until we ensure that we're safe from the infection, one of us has to remain focused. Mourn how you want, leave me to my own."

Memories both good and bad, nostalgia, grief, a little gentle breeze of happiness even for a moment. These were all the emotions flooding Kaiyn's mind.

"Grandpa, the kids at the playground won't stop teasing and hitting meeee!"

"Huh? Just hit them back! What're they gonna do about it? Show em what you're made of kid!"

"Yeah... you're gonna go pretty far. You made one hell of an offspring, Tyrell. I'm proud of you both..."

~

"Uncle Orpheus! You're back!"

"Heh, miss me kiddo? C'mon, I thought you were a tough guy!"

~

"Da! Da! Upsies please!"

"Kaiyn, you're already getting heavy. But fine, as long as you sleep on time, all right?"

~

"NO! I WON'T ACCEPT THIS! WHY DID THEY LEAVE US WITHOUT HAVING TO EVEN SAY GOODBYE!? THI-THIS IS NOT HAPPENING, NO! ALL THIS... IS JUST A BAD DREAM, RIGHT?"

"Oh, I wish it was... I'm sorry for blaming you for everything. I should've been more grateful in the past... but I only realized these things when you were already gone... dammit! I... just want to have a peaceful life already... so why do you give me this burden, Fafnir...?", Kaiyn talks to himself, sobbing and trying to hide his face from the world.

"I refuse to be the same frail and weak person I was... I want power... the power to protect others so I won't lose them again. I hate this feeling of being powerless.", Renji's resolution echoes throughout the pond, wilting water lilies following the flow of the breeze of wind as the sun slowly begins to set.

"I want to become stronger so people have someone to look up to. I don't want them feeling helpless, so someone has to be that one ray of sunlight in their life, even if it means they refuse to get help. That's what a true hero is...", Benedict grips his fist into the sky and shuns his parents for treating him as an unwanted child all along, and instead stares into the feeling that hope is what everyone needs, even if he is currently struggling.

...

Benedict takes a stroll throughout the town plaza. The cloudy day was perfect for fishing. Normally, he would find ways to pass the time, until...

"That girl..."

"You again?"

It was the same girl from a few days ago, on the same spot drawing on her sketch pad.

"Gagh-uh... well... I'm kinda surprised you remember me.", Benedict says as he fails to make eye contact with the mysterious girl.

"Same here.", the mysterious girl calmly responded, not even bothering to look at Benedict while she continues to draw.

"So hmm... whatcha drawing back there?", says Benedict as an attempt to break the awkwardness in the atmosphere.

"Nothing. Why?", unfortunately for our hero, he is given the cold shoulder by the ladies once more, even at a time like this.

"No reason. I just thought it'd be nice to find something you're really into.", Benedict lets out a bright smile, the sun rays perfectly shining onto his face. This is the face of a boy turning into a man, talking to a girl without having a panic attack, and surviving for more than a minute, progress.

"It's not really a big deal. I only do this because I want to."

"But uhh still, I'd like to see when you're done with it. Alright? Bye!", Benedict walks off into the distance, unbeknownst to him that the mysterious girl looked back at him with curiosity as he walks off.

...

"Fhin! You're back! We thought you were a goner!", Uriel greets the former guardian of the walls, carrying his weapons for him.

"I just took a short vacation. What the hell guys?", Fhin says with a chuckle, stretching his arms and taking a seat.

"Did you hear? There's been increasing cases of hallows appearing all around the areas just outside of the walls. Luckily, we're here the clean up the mess while the Regime deals with the more minor issues like walkers.

"People literally won't stop talking about it, of course, I'd know.", Fhin takes a sip of his coffee as he reads the newspapers.

"It's funny too, I almost feel bad for them. This one hallow we put to rest was a single mother whose husband also transformed months before her, and now their daughter's mental state has been highly unstable. She keeps thinking that she'll be next and she doesn't wanna die. Poor kid... if only there was someone there for her.", says Uriel as he takes a seat and rests his arms.

"Huh? Don't tell me that you're actually sympathizing with those monsters? They're just a threat to everyone, nothing else, nothing more.", Fhin refuses to believe Uriel's statement about the demicorpses and hallows.

"What I'm saying is I just feel bad for them, they didn't choose to be this way, y'know?"

"They're demicorpses who transformed into the true monsters they are deep inside. What do they do? They eat humans, end of the story. What are we here for? To protect humanity from threats like those, simple as that. I still have some other things to take care of.", Fhin slowly leaves as he notices Pierre walking inside the room.

"Is something wrong here?", Pierre asked Uriel.

"Guy must be having a bad day, who knows?", Uriel shrugs it off and lies down on the sofa.

...

The next day, Benedict and the mysterious girl meet yet again...

"Eyyyy, we meet again!", Benedict smiles at the girl, but she still has the same cold facial expression the whole time.

"Because you keep coming back.", the mysterious girl replied with somewhat a mix of a subtle seductive tone in her voice.

"I-I'm Benedict, you can just call me Ben if you want. What's your name? Do you live around here? O-Oh am I being too fast? Eheh... sorry.", Benedict scratches the back of his neck.

The mysterious girl sighs and closes her sketchbook and stands up. Benedict notices that her arm was bleeding and full of bruises for some reason.

"W-Wait! Your arm it's...", he was interrupted by the mysterious girl who stepped away and glared at Benedict, "What is it with you? Don't you know how to mind your own business?", "But for chrissake, you're bleeding and hurt! I can't just stand watch on this! C'mon, show me where it hurts the most. I'm gonna put some pressure onto it, yeah?"

The mysterious girl stares at Benedict as he tries to lessen the pain by massaging her arm and sealing the blood to stop it from coming out. She was somewhat in confusion while a concerned person is doing what he can to help.

"Why... are you so... panicked about this?", "Huh!? Are you crazy? Of course I'd panic! I think anyone will. Well, anyone willing to help that is..."

"Willing... to... help?", the mysterious girl was somewhat dazzled at that last statement Benedict said.

"I did what I can for first aid, but you're gonna have to see a doctor. I think I'm being overly attached at this point so... I'll let you go there on your own. I'm sorry.", Benedict finally lets her go and puts on his hood on shame.

"Heh... you're weird.", the mysterious girl turns her back on Benedict as if nothing just happened. "Eleanor."

"W-What?"

"Eleanor. That's my name. You did ask, right Benedict? I'm almost done with my drawing. I doubt that you'd understand it, but if you insist on seeing it... you know where to find me."

Benedict, surprised by the mysterious girl's treatment on him couldn't help but smile a little that he has finally found himself a friend all this time. Eleanor, the mysterious girl who draws on her own and seemed to have had an odd sense of value, as when Benedict was trying to treat her wounds she was confused why this boy decided to help and even panic a little, even though these two were mere strangers towards each other.

...

"Oh, you're still alive. I was expecting one of those huntsmen to take you down already. Looks like I underestimated you, it's adorable!", Maddox cheers in excitement at the sight of his own ally sustaining injuries from battles against the huntsmen.

"So you were the one who exposed me to them... you son of a bitch! I'm gonna fucking kill you when I get the chance!", the wounded man curses at Maddox as he struggles to continue walking.

"Not sure if Alexandrite would like that, though. Killing an officer with a higher rank than you outside of Ritual Combat is a very big no-no. Unless of course, you're some sick psycho who WANTS to be publicly executed the whole day? If that's the stuff you're into hey, I won't judge."

"If there's a sick bastard in here, it's you! You've just made a mistake you're gonna regret forever..."

"Oh nooooo boo hoo my feelings oh how could you do this? I thought we HAD something. Oh and by the way, the only mistake I'm seeing here is you. Unfortunately, I still have other people to torment soooo toodles!"

...

Kaiyn remembers once more, what his last memories with Lorenzo were before he suddenly went missing. It was a rainy day with several strong thunderstorms from time to time. Nikolai, his remaining follower that stayed loyal until the end has challenged him in a duel. In the end, Lorenzo had won but almost hit the vital point. Now, Nikolai had a chance to say his last words.

"Lorenzo... I knew... all along.", says Nikolai as Lorenzo grabs his hand and gets hold of his head.

"Heh, of course, you do.", Lorenzo replies with a little smile with somewhat eyes that looked relieved but full of grief.

"You hated all of them... those criminals. But for me... I'm not just a criminal... am I?", Nikolai coughs out blood and looks up at the rainy sky with a smile, his eyes barely being kept open.

"Yes... you... were a friend.", Lorenzo pats Nikolai's head.

The rest was mere foggy memories for Kaiyn. Nobody knows why or how Lorenzo suddenly disappeared. After obtaining Fafnir's red eye, Kaiyn has always had problems with it. His behavior suddenly became aggressive and from time to time he gets several anxiety attacks of going berserk and accidentally killing what remains of his friends.

Currently, it was snowing outside. Kaiyn, who is currently sleeping near the bonfire has been dispatched with Renji and Orpheus on a patrol mission outside the walls. In Kaiyn's vision, he goes out of control and out of his way to kill Benedict.

"Why...? I just... wanted to help people..."

Kaiyn screams as he wakes up, palpitating and sweating bullets despite the cold weather of snow currently happening. Orpheus checks on him and asks what happened.

"N-No it's nothing... Just a dumbass nightmare."

Renji, who could clearly tell he was lying remained silent and looks down. Orpheus suddenly picks up a scent rapidly approaching the camp. This was a demicorpse; a powerful one as a matter of fact.

"This is my fight. You two hide NOW.", Orpheus stands up and releases his claws.

"But I can fight too, let me help!", Renji replied as he grabs his blade but immediately stopped by Orpheus.

"No... you are not ready. Now do as I say before things get ugly.", said Orpheus in a somewhat sinister tone.

Eventually, the two hid away as Orpheus confronts this demicorpse. Wearing a Weeping Rose uniform and seemed to be having a permanent wide, eerie smile stuck on his face, the stranger looks up at Orpheus and chuckles a little.

"Strange... I thought you were supposed to be hairier.", the demicorpse looks at Orpheus from head to toe.

"What do you want? There is nothing for you here, leave.", Orpheus replied as he clenches his hand into a fist.

"I think we both know what we want.", the demicorpse suddenly strangles Orpheus and pushes him into a tree.

"THE FIRST CELESTIAL! SHOW ME WHERE HE IS SO WE CAN SETTLE THIS EASIER AND QUICKER, YEAH!?", his eerie smile just got wider, and his eyes widen in excitement and eagerness. This time, his fangs were exposed and his eyes glow bloodshot yellow, shining in the darkness like a car's headlight in a dim-lighted highway.

Now it was all clear. There is only one demicorpse from the Weeping Rose who mostly works as a solo operative and tackles plenty of suicide missions. The one and only Maddox Houston, now joining the hunt and very eager to catch his prey.

Maddox notices the campfire and laughs maniacally in gleeful entertainment.

"Strange... why are there THREE futons in there? Are you perhaps hiding someone? Someone IMPORTANT? COME ON SHOW ME, SHOW ME!", Maddox screams but was interrupted by Orpheus finally breaking free and scratches Maddox's eye.

Orpheus runs to Maddox and tackles him far away from the campsite. He then throws him upward and slams him down with his elbow onto the stomach. Orpheus follows up by many consecutive punches to Maddox's face. The punches were so intense that they left a crater on the around the surface to where they were fighting.

"No, no, no, no, NO! I WAS THINKING YOU WERE THE ONE, BUT NO! YOU'VE GENUINELY ANGERED ME NOW, YOU DAMN DOG!", Maddox finally blocks one punch and sneakily stabs a knife on Orpheus's rib. He ignores the pain and continues to violently pummel Maddox's head onto the ground.

"TRYING THAT HARD ARE WE!? WHY WON'T YOU JUST PLAY DEAD FOR ME!", Maddox headbutts Orpheus and rushes him down, holding two knives.

His speed was phenomenal, the two knives making contact with Orpheus's skin. With each successful strike, Orpheus seemed to grow weaker, barely maintaining his human form and turning into a full wolf immediately.

"Now there's the real Orpheus I'm looking for-", before Maddox could finish, Orpheus had already bitten Maddox's hand off, next was severing his head from his body as he continues to laugh in pain.

Orpheus noticed that those knives seemed to be coated with a chemical designed to drain the energy of its victim, perfect for a restless psychopath like Maddox.

"Tyrell... Fuyuko... the children are not ready... and neither am I. What do I do...? I... can't do this without you."