Previously...

"Nyeh, I don't get your stuff but hey, you do you. Oh yeah, what do we do with Umbra on our tail? I heard their activity's been rising non-stop."

"That will be your task. I will be sending you and the new Virgo to deal with them. Do not disappoint me."

"The only people I'm excellent at disappointing is my parents! Though they're gone sooooooooo yeah."

...

When Fhin, Benedict and Renji just thought that they were about to begin the new assignment, the princess calls once more only to cancel the new task given completely.

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"It's... it's quite urgent. There's been a report of an approaching horde near the walls as if they're being controlled in a pack. Not only that, but there's been a breakout in Hellscream prison."

"Shit.. just as we started preparing for a mission.. have you started evacuating the people? How many prisoners escaped?"

"Yes, but it's going to take quite a while. Father's condition is getting worse as well.. and as for the prison.. there's only one."

"No..."

"It's him. Duskwalker."

"........"

Fhin hangs up and shifts moods completely. Like an artist suddenly painting his once cheerful and colorful art, now dull and void of emotion.

"Look, I know it's not good news and Renji and I barely know anything about the city yet but we have to at least try somehow, right?", Benedict says as he places his palm on Fhin's shoulder trying to lighten up the mood.

"You have... no idea what you're up against. Duskwalker.."

A notorious demicorpse was responsible for the deaths of ten- no, sixteen human civilians with nineteen being severely injured. Unfortunately, my.. fiancee was one of the unlucky few to be caught in that bloodbath. She was trying to call other people for help, goddammit...

"Hmm.. what else did this Duskwalker do that affects his criminal record?"

Why do you care about it? You're just a pawn being used in a war.

"Exactly why I want to do what I do best, unveiling mysteries and solving conflict."

I already told you, this is way out of your league. It's for your own safety!

Renji walks closer towards Fhin and looks him in the eye. After clenching his fist, he slaps Fhin using his backhand.

"R-Renji! What the hell's wrong with you!?"

"I'm tired of people underestimating me and treating me like some tool they can simply use for their own goals. All my life I've had political leaders or adults with authority telling me what I am and what I must do. Starting from now, I'll be calling my own shots and making my own choices. My first independent choice is going to be arresting and bringing Duskwalker to justice."

"Well, well. Like father like son, huh?"

A woman's deep yet soothing voice echoes from within the darkness of the small camping site in the middle of the woods. A woman wearing a leather crop top with fishnet, dark hair, muscular build, and a deer skull mask.

"Who are you and how the hell do you know my father?"

"You can put your breakable sword down and loosen your unstable grip. As far as you're concerned, I'm an ally."

"Then how do you know my father!?"

"Hmmm... Tyrell, correct? Tyrell Jötunnson? I'd love to have the chitchat here right away but I prefer speaking about such a sensitive topic in a more private place. Don't worry, I'm here in case of an infected encounter on the way back. But I won't be responsible if some of you wankers piss your pants in the middle of the night."

....

Samantha escorts the group into the nearest safe house in the vicinity. She takes off her deer skull helmet and fixes her hair. Her eyes had the rare case of Heterochromia, a disorder that causes the two individual eyes to have different colors. In her case, it was green and blue. The rest of her was just pure goth, boasting a black lipstick, some eyeliner, foundation, and leather fingerless gloves.

"Alright. I'll tell you what I know about your father."

Back then, I was merely a psychiatrist doing her job and taking care of my patients. Until my scumbag of a father forced my patients to be lab rats in his freak experiment. I'd rather keep this part of my life private so I'm gonna skip to the part you want to hear. Back then, demicorpses weren't infectious and were hiding within the shadows of society, like vampires in the night. They would constantly feed on human flesh, yet the media considered these deaths crimes of murder to keep the masses in line.

Your father Tyrell was merely a college student at that time. He was one of the unlucky few who experienced the Hollow moon. A phenomena that we theorize where the demicorpses started appearing.

"State your name."

"M-My name..? Tyrell.."

"Tyrell. What is such a young carnivore doing in a place like this? How do you feel about this place? It must be Paradise for you I assume?"

"N-No! There's no way!- Gagh!"

Every time he answered one of my questions, I snap a flash of my camera to see his facial expression. It lets me know whether or not he's telling the truth or spouting lies.

"You know.. the organs and meat they sell here came from either hospitals or morgues. It's not straight-up illegal but if I had a choice between buying nutrients and hunting or killing an innocent person, you know what I'd end up on. Do you still need proof? Here, feast your eyes."

I unveil the curtains in the room to reveal all the pictures I've taken of other demicorpses going berserk in my room. Some have eaten even their closest and most loved relatives, some of their skin become shaved off because of mental stress, and some even ate their own fingers just because they couldn't forget the sensation of eating meat.

"Hmph. I'm letting you go for now. Come visit me when you have some time. You know where to find me."

"Who.. exactly are you?"

"I'm a watchman of the black market. I'm also a psychiatrist for demicorpses like you."

"N-No! I am not your patient!"

"That's what all my demicorpses say."

"You're not treating me!"

"That's also what they all think. Now, pull yourself together."

I walk up to him and slapped his face. The sheer panic in his face was replaced with being intimidated, yet it helped him come to his senses better.

"Honestly... what's keeping you from being determined all this time anyway?"

Ever since then, he's visited me in his spare time. Sharing his stories and experiences with me. He's been making great progress for a carnivore and even formed his own gang named the Fated Four. People up to this day thought they were just an urban legend and have mixed opinions about them. If I'm not wrong, the group consisted of a barn owl which is himself, a dog, a peacock, and a vixen. During that time, however, Tyrell's father who was a rare breed of a carnosaur and your grandfather mysteriously disappeared while serving the whole city protecting it from humans.

Tyrell and Fuyuko from the fated four disbanded soon and started to have a family of their own. I helped create them a pill that suppresses their hunger. A mysterious group of people hunted them down and I recommended to have a guardian for the children. At first, it was supposed to be Orpheus from the fated four but it was too obvious so they have chosen a very close friend of theirs with an alias named... Franklin the Hyena.

When the two were out on a business meeting related vacation, the enemy still managed to track them down and murdered them on the spot. Later on, Orpheus came into the crime scene only to find Franklin mourning. So Orpheus fought the injured Hyena and was caught in an explosion, killing both Franklin and nineteen innocent bystanders during that time, including Fhin's best friend. So we have come to the conclusion that your own godfather snitched on Tyrell and Fuyuko to reveal their location to the enemy while Franklin was doing what he could to protect them. This dog is now later given the alias Duskwalker.

....

Lorenzo's group prepared themselves to travel with yet another demicorpse with a rare trait of having red eyes. She introduces herself as Lyrah. She was blonde, average height and wore a jacket. She was mute and wrote on a notebook whenever she wanted to say something.

"Her name's what now?", Kaiyn interrupts Lorenzo.

"Lyrah O'Sullivan. Friend of yours, perhaps?", Lorenzo replied with a curious tone.

"I... wouldn't exactly call it that.", Kaiyn replied in a sad tone as he hides his face and avoids eye contact with Lyrah.

"Quick advice, don't complain that much around here. When it comes to one's own survival, it's every man for himself. Unlike some special snowflakes, I know..", Kaiyn whispers and stares at the prince and his butler.

"Speaking of which, hey butler dude! Lorenzo wants to talk to you!"

"Better be important if it needs to be just me.."

Meanwhile.. on Nyx's camp...

"ALRIGHT YOU LOWLIFE CRIMINALS! WHICH ONE OF YOU WANTS TO WRESTLE!?", an old man with a buff build yells as he snaps the neck of Nyx's bodyguard. He was a demicorpse with red eyes and was completely unarmed.

"NOW TELL ME ABOUT THIS... YOU'RE SAYING THAT MY GRANDSON IS ON THE OTHER SIDE, RIGHT..?"

...

The girl that introduces herself as Lyrah barely talked. Even with some of Lorenzo's men flirting on her, she stayed completely silent. After all these months, finally reunited. Part of Kaiyn wonders how she ended up being with a bunch of criminals after getting separated from Renji and Benedict.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention she's fifteen. You guys better keep your dicks inside your panties."

With her, she brought a backpack with a notebook and a pen in it.. She approaches Kaiyn who was training all by himself near the outskirts of the camp.

We're the same kind, aren't we?

She wrote down on her notebook and showed it to Kaiyn. He scoffs as a reply followed up by a sigh.

"Look, I'm not in the mood to socialize right now. I don't need friends, I need answers. Heh, I'm not even sure if you can understand what I'm saying as of this moment right now."

I can read lips, you know.

"Well, good for you. Too bad tomboys like you won't survive that long in an environment like this. I'm already babysitting one spoiled ass brat and you come along.. just great."

I'm tougher than I look, you know. You'll see it soon enough.

"Oh spare me the confidence. I've made the same mistake one too many times already."

Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. We're friends, right?

By "same kind", Lyrah meant was this unknown power they had. Kaiyn gasps for a moment and hides his face, flustered and desperately fighting tears. He clears his throat and fixes his hair, ready to say the truth.

"Lyrah... listen, I... I'm s-"

A loud and long scream of an infected has been heard and attracted a whole horde. The multiple erratic footsteps and tremors from the ground alerted the whole camp.

"HEY ASSHOLES! DEFEND THE CAMP! WE'RE NOT LEAVING THIS PLACE, NOT UNTIL LORENZO COMES BACK!"

Lorenzo had just disappeared earlier with the prince's butler for a one on one chat. Kaiyn orders the other bandits to bulk up their defenses and use whatever they can as a barricade against the incoming horde.

"And who do you think you are to order us!? You're just a kid!"

Suddenly, Kaiyn's tone of voice and facial expression drastically change as he faces the opposing bandit.

"I'd rather kill you all myself by my own bare hands than to let you live the rest of your lives as a walking corpse."

Lyrah walks up to the front and stretches her body, completely unarmed and vulnerable towards the approaching infected. Moron's gonna get herself killed... Kaiyn thought to himself. To his surprise, long spider-like legs emerge from her back while her eyes glow a bright crimson red.

These legs acted as long-ranged weapons that also served Lyrah some mobility. She slices and dashes through the battlefield, violently yet swiftly killing their adversaries. Unfortunately, Lorenzo's own men hesitantly stood their ground and just watched the two demicorpses doing all the work upfront. Kaiyn, who had a dull hatchet threw it all away and went in without any weapons. Using only his fists to do what he can while scavenging guns from Lorenzo's men who have fallen.

After a chaotic and nerve-wracking attempt to defend the camp, the walkers finally stopped appearing and melted away into the darkness. Lyrah rests and her spider-like legs that have emerged from her back have shrunk back inside her. She sustains injuries but these were only minor and she was able to handle and heal them herself. Kaiyn, however despite winning was disgusted at Lorenzo's men.

"Seriously? You guys begin to doubt things now when we've come this far? People who have that logic of thinking really disgusts me."

"Think about it Kaiyn, Lorenzo's luck has been worsening lately. Bad weather, back to back ambushes and now a betrayal."

"Then fine, pick a side right now. Are you going to join me and endure hardships with Lorenzo or go for Nyx where it's a high-risk high reward situation? Answer wisely, because depending on which one you pick the next time we'll see each other may not be as allies."

Meanwhile, Lorenzo speaks with the prince's butler in private...

As Lorenzo segregates the butler from the group, he slowly turns around and faces the butler. The atmosphere was heavy, and the soft snow wasn't making anyone feel comfortable. From the setting sun to the dying trees, they all knew what was going to happen next.

Lorenzo quickly stabs the butler's stomach, avoiding to attack any vital parts of his body which will cause him to die a quick death.

"Y-You! I knew it! Just look at yourself! You don't even know how to read your own luck..", the butler struggles to speak as he breathes heavily for air.

".. I'm grateful.", was all that Lorenzo calmly says. Despite having a dark tone, for some reason, this brought some sort of prosperity to the butler's heavy heart trying to beat more desperately each second as he slowly treks closer to death.

"You did an excellent job keeping that coward you all call a prince alive. Don't worry, your death will not be in vain. This will cause him to grow even further. Rest assured, I'll take over your job starting today."

"In place of you who was.. killed by the Weeping Rose."

The butler slowly sits down and rests his back on a withering tree behind him, breathing heavier each second.

"Then.. swear to your god! Swear that you'll take over.. f-for me and that you'll protect his majesty, whatever the.. c-cost..!"

Lorenzo sighs and shrugs...

"Ugh... I swear that I will protect Prince Apollo and ensure that his butler's death was not in vain. Are you satisfied with that?"

"Tch.. it fills me with such regret... to leave his highness into the hands of you, of all types of people possible."

"You gotta hurry. You're losing a lot of blood per second as we speak."

".. before you make your way into the walled city.. prepare yourselves. There has been a civil war within the city that is split between two factions.. one faction has elected prince Apollo as their chosen leader, while the other one.. chose his sister, Princess Artemis. They don't care about what either of them wants. It's merely... a struggle... for power."

Lorenzo's eyes slowly widen at the thought of chaos caused by political things and the masses being desperate for survival exists even within a safe place like the walled city. The butler wasn't finished and explains more reminders before Lorenzo continues his journey without him.

"And the reason why the king brought his highness into the battlefield like this.. was to have him die in battle. It doesn't matter whether by being bitten.. or assassinated by lowlives like yourselves."

"The true... enemy... of the prince.. is now.. his father... King Mikkel! Exile... that's the only way now. So, please... I beg of you... one... last.. look... let me see... His Highness.. to say goodbye.."

"No."

"Your Highness... once... this war is over... let's cook together.. once more..."

Lorenzo stretches his limbs and quickly moves on from the necessary sacrifice. All his life he has been killing innocent people just for survival. The apocalypse merely amplified this bad apple and left him with difficult choices and tough luck. As if being a wanted criminal by default wasn't enough.

Subsiding the attack through brute force was the only few options available for Kaiyn, Lyrah and the remaining mates of Lorenzo's gang. Kaiyn helps Lyrah lie down inside a shed to regain her strength while he orders the other men to check for rations with rotating roles as the others heal up. That is until a middle-aged man with Nyx appears at the top of a cliff as silhouettes in front of the setting sun.

"Hey! You look like you could be a great challenge! Fight me! One on one!", the man yells as he raises his arms sidewards with a wholehearted smile on his face, fully eager for a fight.

"I have better things to do. If you threaten these people or her, you're gonna have to deal with me first.", Kaiyn replies as he wraps his already regenerating wounds with bandages to further speed up the process.

"That's exactly what I want to hear! I like it! You, sir, have guts just like Tyrell!"

Kaiyn gasps and widens his eyes a little at the mention of the name of his father all of a sudden and coming from a complete stranger even.

"You damn geezer. What are you to my father?", Kaiyn angrily asks as he readies his hatchets.

"Wait, he didn't tell ya? Man, that's hella rude of him."

"Talk. Now."

"If you want me to tell you more, you'll have to entertain me first!"

"Oh, I'll entertain you alright. Although it's gonna be difficult to hold back enough to the point where you'd still be able to talk."

The crowd from both sides of the factions bursts out in laughter, making fun of Kaiyn as he speaks to the mysterious old man in such a confident way. The laughter became louder and louder until the old man became irritated and knocked out one of the men behind him with the blunt side of what seemed to be a giant buster sword suddenly emerging from behind.

"Did you think that was funny? I consider Kaiyn to be a warrior. Don't you dare laugh."

The crowd falls silent as they notice this buster sword wasn't just any weapon, it was the apex of the mysterious old man. He reveals his true race to be a demicorpse as his eyes change color and stretch out the sword that was also his own tail.

"There's one thing I guarantee you, Tyrell is a really powerful fighter. Prove to me that you're really Tyrell's only son."

"Prove to me that I have a powerful grandson."

Kaiyn comes into a bigger shock at the sudden revelation. His own grandfather standing before him as a demicorpse and challenging him into a duel. This unique apex which has nearly perfected symbiosis with its host.

The buster blade tail changes color from light blue to bright yellow as he grinds it against the ground, increasing in heat and sharpness just like a real blade prevented from being dull. He attacks using his own fists, grappling techniques and medium to long-range sweeps to control the space between his opponent. The perfect maneuver of a bio-organic weapon was overwhelming to face off against especially for Kaiyn who doesn't even know what his apex was yet.