An Extra’s POV

"S-so… that's what happened, huh?"

Rebal was still recoiling from the words of his son.

What he described wasn't as gory or bloody as what Ralyks had displayed during the Dark Gathering, but something about it felt more twisted.

… Far darker.

"The worst part is, I could have sworn that there was a lot of damage during the entire fight, but there's nothing! Nothing at all…" Asher replied, still not completely himself.

The honest truth was that he was scared.

Was he in a dream? Was he in reality? What if, just like the Mercenary Gang, he thought he saw something which wasn't real?

Asher didn't know what to believe anymore.

"You just need rest." Rebal smiled at his son, though he too had some rabid fear within himself.

Perhaps they both needed the rest.

"Sir Ralyks… he slaughtered all the enemies without mercy. I've never seen a man kill with such… lack of remorse."

And so many at once too.

Both Ralyks and his subordinate, Ater, seemed to be cut from the same cloth—one that even Rebal could not fully comprehend.

"The battle is won, and now it is time for the aftermath." Rebal chuckled, a hint of fear in his eyes.

"What do you mean, father?"

"I mean… Sir Ralyks was employed by us to take care of this mess. Now that it is over… isn't it time to think about his payment?"

It felt like an absurd thing to say, but they had to face it—the truth that confronted them.

What could they pay such a man?!

"It seems you also need some rest, father." Asher said with a tired smile.

Rebal nodded, returning the exact same expression.

Even though it was nowhere near enough, both father and son decided to consider the horrors they witnessed as a penance for their crimes.

what awaited them if they deviated from their

followed by

*********

That night, everything changed.

turned upside down in the span of merely

the Capital were fast asleep, oblivious to the events that had transpired within the walls of the massive city, the situation in the Allied Merchant

for the Dark Gathering—was exposed to

and cranny until they were able to see the horrors for

together most of the details, but

they did not elude General Lucy and Councilor

saw for themselves… the kind of darkness that had been festering within the haven that the Alliance was

was expected to be vilest thing they would find, but that was hardly the

They saw it all.

worse, and the

truths came to light

And then what?

Market was officially disbanded,

while there were bound to be vestiges here and there, those

or later, they too would

world saw, that day, that darkness

and diligent

clients knew they

the angel of death could descend upon

they all

heard whispers from the passing soldiers who described the gory

importantly… they

legend amongst the denizens

—The Reaper.

********

been a long night.' Rey smiled to himself as he sat

form. His pajamas felt a bit oversized for him,

fact, he

I already

was one of the reasons he decided not

already knew what he

his planning, there were a lot of things he hadn't accounted

the presence of Adrien Chase—how deep the conspiracy went, and how he had been a puppet on a very loose string all

But more than that…

world to