Last Night
The sun was up high. Its light came through the trees in the forest. Alan woke up. His body hurt. His head pounded. His throat was dry. He was still under the tree where KARMA had thrown him. He sat up slow. He coughed and tried to call out. "Theo… where are you?" His voice was rough and weak. He stood, but his legs shook. He almost fell. "Theo…" he said again, soft. He dragged himself toward the house, step by step.
The forest was too quiet. No birds sang. No leaves moved. It felt heavy and wrong. Every step was hard. His heart got heavier as he got closer to the house.
At last, Alan got to the door. He pushed it open. The empty house hit him hard. Dishes were scattered. Theo's little projects sat there, untouched. It all showed the life that was gone. His eyes got blurry. His knees gave out. He didn't cry. He couldn't.
He walked to Theo's room. He took Theo's big bag. He started packing. Clothes went in. Small tools went in. A few special things went in. His hands shook as he stuffed them in. He closed the bag and put it on his shoulder. His legs felt like stone. His chest was tight.
He went to the door to leave. He wanted to find Theo, no matter what. He grabbed the handle and opened it. Then he stopped.
Nat stood there. She held a pile of books. She smiled easy at first, but then she saw Alan. Her face changed to worry. "Alan? What happened? Are you okay?" she asked. She stepped closer. Her eyebrows pulled together.
Alan let the bag fall. It hit the floor loud. He dropped to his knees. Tears came to his eyes. This time, he couldn't stop them. "It's over," he said quiet. His voice broke. "They got him. They took Theo."
Nat's face went sad. She looked scared for a moment. "What? Who took Theo? Alan, what happened?" she asked fast.
Alan put his face in his hands. His shoulders shook. He cried hard. "I… I don't know what to do," he said. His voice was muffled and full of pain.
Nat knelt next to him. She put her hand on his shoulder to hold him steady. "Alan, listen to me. Tell me everything," she said. Her voice was calm but strong.
Alan talked through his tears. His breathing was rough. He told her about last night. He told her about the dark figures. He told her about Karma's mean words. He told her how he tried to save Theo but couldn't.
Nat's face got serious as she listened. She went pale when he talked about the figures. "Alan… those weren't just any demons," she said. Her voice shook a little. "Those were Ancient Reapers."
Alan looked at her. His face was wet with tears. He didn't understand. "What do you mean? What are they?" he asked.
Nat swallowed hard. She didn't look so sure anymore."The Ancient Reapers… they're not just monsters. They're the same forces that nearly destroyed the world during the Martial Era." She stopped talking. Her eyes showed fear.
Alan grabbed her arm. He needed answers. "Then what do I do? How do I get Theo back?" he asked, his voice desperate.
Nat paused. She thought fast. "We'll figure this out, Alan. But if the Reapers are in this, it's bigger than us. We need help—real help," she said.
Alan wiped his face. He looked at her hard. He made up his mind. "Then let's find it. I'll do anything to get Theo back," he said.
Nat nodded. She still looked scared. "First, we go to the capital. There might be someone there who knows about the Reapers and how to stop them," she said.
Alan stood up. His legs felt better now. "Then we leave now," he said.
Nat gave him a strong look. "No, Alan. You're too weak to go right now. Rest a little. Get what you need. We leave when the sun comes up," she said.
Alan didn't want to wait, but he nodded. He turned and looked at the house one more time. It was empty and hurt to see. But inside him, a small hope started. He wouldn't stop until Theo was safe, no matter what.