| 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽 |

Leon paced around the kitchen table, four of the houses residents were gathered around while Chole attended her sister in another room. Az stood alone close to the front door, Sam and Myra had already left. After Rex's stupid stunt the group had no idea of where he had gone, or where the killer went. Sam and Myra left without hesitating, that was over three hours earlier. Leon and Az had hope that they would find Rex unharmed but when the minutes turned to hours they knew something went wrong. Az was patient though, every once and a while he was explain to Leon that Rex was ok and that no life threatening harm had occurred. Leon didn't know how Az would even know that information, he just assumed Az told himself that to make himself feel better.

The sun had finally started to rise, beams of its warm light shone in Az's rested face. He still leant on the wall close to the door, just incase they would return. Right after Az passed out against the wall the door flew open, sending him tumbling to the ground in shock. Stood on the other side were the rest of the group. Rex stood in the middle with his arms over the other two for support. Leon rushed over to see what the commotion was about, one look at Rex's blooded face and he knew things didn't go well.
"We need to get him onto a bed." Leon's voice was rushed and worried. He ran over to Rex's side and replaced Myra as support. Sam and him proceeded to stumble up the stairs and towards one of the rooms. They picked the one Leon and Sam stayed in only hours earlier. Myra and Az followed close behind, Myra was busy informing Az how they found Rex in that state.
"We searched all across the slums and to our surprise no luck, no sign of a killer nor Rex. Once we started looking beyond the slums was when we found him. Not to far away from the forest we found him, passed out and wounded." Myra finished up her expression as they all entered the room. Carefully Leon and Sam placed Rex on the bed, the wounded Guardian made only a few sounds during his time back, a few grunts and that was it. The four of them stood around the bed and looked down on him, all of them were surprised that this had happened. Leon overheard what Myra had told Az, he had questions of his own.
"So there was no sign of the killer, none at all?" Leon asked. Sam replied right as Myra opened her mouth, cutting her off.
"None at all. It's easy to predict that he probably ran into the forest."
"You took the words right out of my mouth." Myra gave Sam the bitchiest of smiles, Sam fired back with a bitchy smile of her own. Az sighed and turned towards the door.
"Ill go get Chole, she'll be able to fix him up." He left the room before Myra and Sam could start a full on bitch fight. Leon shuffled over the bedside, right beside the injured Rex. The large gash the lined Rex's face was deep and messy. He tried to pin point what sort of weapon would cause such an injury but couldn't decide over a sword or axe.
"The killer must be a good fighter if he can take down Rex." Myra stated.
"A good challenge but nothing too hard." Sam looked and Myra again and smiled, tension between the two were high, both wanted to be the best in the room and that's what made them clash. Moments later Az returned with Chole, she had brought in an old wooden bowl, water and some bandages.
"Thank you for this Chole." Said Az. She quickly knelt down on the other side of the bed and attended Rex's face, she replied while she cleaned his face.
"Anytime." Sam walked over next to Chole and asked her a question.
"Could we go check up on your sister?" Chole turned his head and nodded, the others all looked at each other then presumed to leave.

Chole's sister was the girl who was attacked during the night, a strange red mist had gotten to her but she survived. She was placed in the room Az and Myra used during the night. They entered the room and looked towards the sleeping girl, from a distance she looked fine, no sign of injury what's so ever. Leon and Sam got closer to the bed, getting a better look at the girl. Even from a close distance she looked fine, a little pale but besides from that there didn't seem to be a problem.
"Looks like we saved her just in time." Leon said. He turned towards the others, that's when he noticed it. Az and Myra were still by the door, they hadn't moved an inch closer since they saw her.
"Guys whats the matter?" Leon asking this caused Sam to turn and notice their strange behavior also. The two of them shared the same look of fear and uncertainty. Leon slowly walked back towards them. Az seemed to notice Leon getting closer which broke him out of the strange trance.
"Do you... Do you notice it." Every word he spoke had a sense of fear behind it.
"Um... Notice what?" Leon looked in all directions.
"This room doesn't feel right..." He pointed towards the bed.
"She doesn't feel right-" Myra started speaking over him.
"Don't worry about Az here." She placed her hand on his shoulder.
"He hasn't had much sleep. I think him and I will go into the other room for a bit." Before Sam or Leon could ask any more question Myra dragged herself and Az out of the room, slamming the door as they left. Leon and Sam turned to each other, the look on their faces were matched, completely confusion.
"Ok. What the fuck." Sam's voice was stressed, mainly because she had no clue what that encounter was about. Leon's eyes widened as he remembered something.
"Something has always been off them with. The first time I met Az he was hostile towards me, but he also seemed intrigued. For the past, like, five months he watched me. I didn't think much of it but when I met Myra I noticed she acted the same way. They are close and are both hiding something." Sam stared at him in silence, she to thought over the past five months, trying to remember if something similar happened to her. Just like with Leon something snapped in her, a memory that she had once forgotten had resurfaced.
"Thinking about it, I've noticed them staring at you, including Rex. I remember I caught Rex doing it during training and I confronted him about it. He just said a funny one liner and continued training."
"Why are they just staring at me."
"How the fuck should I know." Sam yelled.
"Sam... I've got another question, it may seem weird but I want to know if its only me who thinks this."
"Go on."
"Dont think you the others look... Strange. Not in a rude way but they feel like their missing something about them, I just cant tell what." Sam's eyes widen.
"I may of... Once or twice. I just summed it up to my mind playing tricks."
"So did I. But now after seeing their strange behavior more and more... I think there's something different about them." The both of them went silent, lost in thought. Sam finally spoke up.
"So... What do we do. Like, do we talk to them about it?"
"What, no way. First we deal with this killer business, then we confront them about this. The longer we wait the more time we waste, the killer's out there in the woods, we need to find him."
"I guess your right." Sam and Leon stepped away from the bed and walked towards the door. Before leaving the room the two looked at each other one more time. Leon spoke quietly.
"Remember. Find the killer. Then confront the others." Sam responded in a quick nod.

| 𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝒟𝒶𝓎 𝐿𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇 |

The group had left the slums in search of the killer, well most of the group. Myra and Rex were left behind, Rex was to be attended to by Chole and Myra was there to protect him, just in case the killer would return. The others had decided to venture into the forest, in search of the killer. They had waited a whole day to begin their search. Once the sun had risen the next day the three of them head off. First they visited the place they found Rex, blood in the grass was still visible but nothing new. After that they entered the forest, unsure on what they'll find. They walked through the woods for hours, the cold morning chill had faded into the calm midday weather. Their previous plan to use Sam as bait had been thrown out the window. They couldn't risk anyone else to be hurt, action had to be taken. Before they left they had talked to the public once more. A few locals stated they would see a strange man in the woods, deep in the woods. Apart from that they didn't really have any other leads. They might of been heading into a trap or even leaving Chole and her friends with little protection at her home, but they didn't think about that, they just focused on what was ahead. Sam and Leon like usual were left on the ground while Az flew high into the air. Az had the idea of splitting up but Sam refused, stating that splitting up was how Rex was defeated so easily. he reluctantly agreed with her, he kept his personal opinions deep down. Although it was agreed they wouldn't split up it wouldn't stop Az venturing far ahead from the others, since they had the sky Leon and Sam couldn't do anything to stop them.

Sam walked with purpose, never slacking behind or wasting time. On the other hand Leon lagged behind, his attitude to finding the killer was less motivated then Sam's. Unlike her Leon didn't like to be a leader, despite his family history. He knew Sam was more of the leader type so he let her do her thing. Sam didn't like this however, sure she liked being leader but she wanted more help from Leon. Once she noticed him lagging behind one to many times she stopped him in his tracks and gave him a scolding.
"Why are you so slow?"
"Sorry... But do you really think we'll find the guy out here. Its hardly likely we'll actually find the him." Sam sighed to his reply, obviously she wasn't happy with his attitude.
"I know its unlikely we'll find him in such a big forest but we have to try. We've gone to deep to turn away now." Sam's voice was annoyed and stressed.
"Sorry... Sorry." Leon went quite. Sam noticed that things were starting to get uncomfortable, to break the silence she changed the subject.
"You should be a pro a tracking anyway, your families all wolves."
"Do I look like a wolf to you. My siblings and mother may of wolves..." His voice got lower when he mentioned his mother.
"But doesn't mean I can track like one." Sam nodded and continued walking, Leon stayed close.
"Do you miss her?" Sam took a shot in the dark when she asked that question. She knew of his mothers death since she was the Queen after all, but he rarely said anything about it. Asking a question like that could of brought back dormant memories, ones he could of wanted locked away. Luckily for her he didn't respond in a fit of anger, instead he just spoke quietly of what he felt.
"Of course I miss my mum. I also miss my siblings, my girlfriend, my home. But over the past few months I've learnt not to dwell on the past, I've got to move on. Besides, the people who killed her are gone anyway."
"Who killed her?"
"Some sort of resistance formed by the people. Apparently after they killed her all the men responsible were killer, the resistance didn't last long and not long after a new ruler was found." Sam went quite for a few moments, she thought about what he said with confusion.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really?" He stared at her curiously.
"Its just... Well I don't know the full story since ive been in the Guardians... But my families letters told a very different story." Leon stopped walking and stared at her.
"And?"
"According to my mum the Queen was overthrown by a group known as the Order of Blood. After they killed the Queen a new one was put in charge, a member of the Order. Apparently the people agreed with this change in power and cheered for the Queens death." Leon was bewildered by this news. His eyes were wide and glassy, he had a serious look that Sam had never seen before.
"Are you serious."
"Of course. It's what my mum said in her letters. Out of all people I thought you would of known. Who told you the news of your mum?"
"Alex did... Not long after it happened."
"Well I don't think he's being telling you the full story."
"Yeah... I don't think so either." Leon's voice was very suspicious but also sounded a little pissed. Out of no where Az fell from the sky and landed right next to the pair. Sam stood there motionless while Leon jumped in shock.
"Fucking hell!" He yelled.
"I've found something." Az turned and pointed towards something in the distance, they were far away but they could faintly see smoke. The three turned to each other, Sam and Leon started running towards it while Az flew up and above the trees.

The three of them reached the source of the smoke and were shocked by what they found. In the grass was a pile of ash and bone, some limbs were still visible in the pile, burnt and withered. The sight of the body pile caused Leon to vomit in disgust. Sam was unnerved by the sight but didn't vomit. Az had the strangest reaction, he was just completely unphased, as if he saw stuff like that everyday. Az approached the still burning fire, he studied the pile and its surroundings. It was obvious to the three of them that this was the killers work, all the people he had captured over the months. Something caught Leon's attention, it was hard to hear but he swore that he could hear a call for help. He looked in all directions but couldn't see anyone near. Then he saw it, a cave. It started on the side of a small hill then turned into a giant hole. From the distance he was at it didn't look dangerous or scary, just weird.
"Guys. Over there." He pointed his finger towards the cave. Az was the first one to go near it, the others closely followed. The closer they got to the cave the more a dark feeling grew within them. The feel of it reminded them of when they saw the red mist around the girl, it's just a complete feeling of dread. They reached the start of the cave and looked down, it wasn't a complete drop but the caves floor was very slanted. Deep within the cave the faintest of lights could be seen. Az stepped back from the cave in a panic, the way he acted reminded Leon of earlier when they were in the girls room.
"You alright Az?" Leon asked. Az struggled to responded, every time he tried to talk nothing would come out. Eventually he mustered up the courage to speak.
"Yeah... I... I just feel sick from seeing those bodies." Sam sadly sighed and nodded her head.
"You can wait out here while we check in there, keep guard." She tried to cheer him up but smiling but that was no use. Leon said no more, instead he began to walk into the cave. Sam noticed that he already left so she followed. Az leant against a tree and caught his breath, the more he looked at the cave the more he felt the dread. Eventually it became too much and he retreated back to the pile of bodies, he would rather stay near that grim sight then be near the cave.

Leon and Sam cautiously walked through the cave. To their surprise it seemed bigger on the inside, the light in the distance seemed to get further the closer they got. The overbearing silence gave Leon the chills, every little cave sound shook him to the core.
"He was lying." Sam stated. He was happy that she started conversation, anymore of the silence would of sent him mad.
"Yeah I could tell. The bodies didn't phase him at all which was pretty weird already."
"But you got to admit Leon... This cave does have a weird feel to it."
"Oh for sure, its freaking me the fuck out."
"Aww come on, you got balls don't you." She cracked a smile but Leon didn't catch it through the darkness. Before he could respond with a come back of his own a woman's voice called out. She didn't say any words, instead it sounded like a grunt or a moan. This completely froze Leon but Sam pulled out her twin swords and got into a fighting position.
"Who's there." Sam yelled. The woman didn't respond in words, instead she started to cry. The two of them started running towards the light. After what felt like minutes they finally reached the woman. She was young, around the same age as Sam. Her body was covered by dirty rags and her arms were like twigs. The white in her eyes was now an unhealthy pink and her lips were cracked. All she did was lay on her back and stare up at the ceiling, she didn't move at all when they showed up. Sam ran over to her and started to shake her slightly. As she approached the woman's still body she kicked away all the candles that had been placed all over the floor, they didn't have time to question why they were there.
"Don't worry we're here to help." She said in the softest voice she could. The lady on the ground tried speaking but failed, all that come out was a crock. Sam tried lifting her off the ground back noticed her body felt stiff, Sam couldn't even move the girls arm. Leon walked over and noticed that Sam was struggling. It took the both of them to move just one hand. The second it moved from the cold ground the woman sprung to life. Her pinkish eyes faded to a normal white as this happened, it was like a curse had been lifted off her body. She shot to her feet and started to walked around randomly, every few steps she would feel back to the ground in pain. Sam ran over and wrapped the woman's arm around her shoulder.
"Lady just wait." The woman breathed heavily for a few moments before calming down. She tried speaking again but struggled. The both of them gave her plenty of time to say the words she wanted. In deep crocks she spoke only a few words.
"The...The...Slums..."
"The slums?" Sam repeated. The woman took a minute to say a few more words.
"He's... There." Leon's eyes widen, his fears from earlier were true.
"Is he there to kill again?" Sam asked. The woman shook her head for approval.
"Not...Just...That..." Sam and Leon waited for her to continue.
"He's... Experimenting... On.... Us..."
"What has he been doing to them." Leon called out. The woman stayed silent for a good minute, these next words took a look of strength to speak.
"Sou...So...Soul...Eater..." As she finished her words she passed out in Sam's arms. The two of them looked at one another with worried faces.
"What if he's gone back to finish Choles sister." Leon cried. Sam looked down at the girl in her arms then back at Leon.
"We have to get back there. Now!"