It was already ten in the morning. Yet strangely, instead of growing brighter as time passed, the sky gradually turned somber.
The gentle sunlight that usually bathed the Paradise River was now fading, replaced by a creeping gray that spread swiftly across the horizon.
The wind, once calm and soothing, had begun to howl with force, rustling the grass and leaves in a noisy chorus.
The peaceful sounds of nature shifted into an uneasy clamor. The once-vivid blue sky was now swallowed by heavy gray clouds, hanging low as if concealing something ominous.
Occasionally, lightning flickered in the distance, followed by the deep rumble of thunder that sent chills crawling down the spine.
"Looks like it's going to rain," Zaves muttered, glancing up at the sky with a furrowed brow.
Tony, sitting not far from him, also looked up at the darkening sky. "How about we move to our favorite restaurant?" he suggested, his tone calm but alert.
Zaves nodded. "Good idea, before the rain pours down on us."
"Alright then, let's pack up," Tony added, beginning to gather a few small items from their picnic mat.
But suddenly, Zaves paused, glancing around with a puzzled look. "By the way… where are the kids?" he asked. Only then did he realize Lucian and Cecilia hadn't returned.
Tony looked around as well, coming to the same realization. Before he could respond, Julien's voice answered calmly.
"Oh, they went to the riverbank earlier," he said, standing up. "Lucian wanted to try catching some fish, and Cecilia went along with him."
Zaves sighed, worry creeping into his voice as his eyes returned to the darkening sky. "You'd better go after them, before the rain really starts coming down."
Julien gave a firm nod. "Alright, Uncle. I'll head there now." Without hesitation, he rose to his feet and began jogging lightly toward the riverbank, the last place he'd seen the two children.
But in the air now thick with the scent of damp earth something unspoken lingered. A faint, creeping sense that perhaps… something was about to go terribly wrong.
---
Meanwhile, by the clear and shaded riverbank, two children were happily playing among the stones and the gentle stream.
The Paradise River stretched as far as the eye could see, with morning sunlight slipping through the leaves, casting beautiful beams of light across the water's surface.
This peaceful setting became the perfect stage for two kids completely lost in their own little world.
"Lucy, I want the red one!" Cecilia exclaimed, eyes sparkling as she pointed to a small goldfish darting playfully near the river's edge.
"Shhh, be quiet or you'll scare it away," Lucian whispered firmly, though his voice remained soft.
He leaned forward carefully, each step measured to avoid rippling the water.
The fish, still playing among the river stones, had no idea a tiny hunter was closing in.
With one swift and precise motion, Lucian swung his net into the water—splash!—and when he pulled it back up, a small red fish wriggled inside.
"YEAHHH!! GOT IT!!" he shouted triumphantly, raising the net high like a hero who had just slain a mighty beast.
"YAAAAY!! Lucy, you're amazing!" Cecilia jumped with joy, her grin stretching from ear to ear as her eyes lit up at the sight of the glittering fish, caught under the sunlight that still pierced through the clouds.
"Of course I'm amazing…" Lucian muttered, wiping his nose with a proud little gesture. His face flushed slightly—not from the heat, but from the rare feeling of being praised, especially by Cecilia.
"Quick, put it in the bottle!" Cecilia held out an empty glass bottle, eager to see the fish up close.
Carefully, Lucian transferred the fish into the clear bottle. The moment it began to swim in circles along the glass walls, Cecilia's eyes sparkled with wonder.
"Waaahh… it's so beautiful…" she whispered in awe, cradling the bottle as if it were a precious gem.
"Now it's your turn. Let's catch one for you, Lucy!" she said, brimming with enthusiasm.
"I don't need one. I don't even like fish," Lucian replied, crossing his arms.
"Huh? Then why did you bring me here to catch fish?" Cecilia frowned, clearly confused.
"I just like catching them. Besides, I didn't bring you, you insisted on coming," Lucian said, a little annoyed.
"But you already gave me such a beautiful gift… I have to return the favor. I don't like being in anyone's debt!" Cecilia declared firmly, paying no mind to Lucian's indifferent tone.
"It's not a debt. Just think of it as a gift for keeping me company," Lucian replied, trying to end the discussion.
"No way!" Cecilia shot back stubbornly.
Lucian sighed. "You're so stubborn..."
Cecilia smiled slyly, then reached for something hanging around her neck. After a few seconds, she held out a small silver necklace, adorned with a tiny sapphire pendant that shimmered faintly with a soft blue glow.
"This was a gift from my brother. But I still have another one at home, so you can have this," she said.
Lucian's eyes widened. "What? But that's from your brother! I can't—"
"He won't mind. Besides, I have two of them, so it's fine if I give you one," she assured him confidently.
"If you don't take it... I'll tell Julien that you rejected a gift I got from my big brother," she added with a sweet yet unmistakably threatening smile.
Lucian gave in. "Alright, alright, I'll take it!" he blurted, quickly snatching the necklace from her hand, he knew better than to argue with a girl like Cecilia when she'd made up her mind.
Suddenly, from beyond the trees, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the calm, dry leaves crunching, small branches snapping underfoot.
Both Lucian and Cecilia turned sharply, alert.
"Cecilia!! Lucian!! Where are you?!" a deep, urgent voice rang out. They recognized it instantly, it was Julien.
"We're here, Julien!!" they shouted in unison.
A few seconds later, from behind the bushes and trees, Julien appeared, his face flushed with worry.
Breathing heavily, Julien jogged over to them. "You two… You wandered off so far. Didn't you see how dark the sky's gotten?" he scolded, letting out a long sigh.
Lucian and Cecilia tilted their heads upward and sure enough, the sky that had been bright earlier was now shrouded in darkness. Lightning forked across the horizon, and the sharp scent of damp earth began to fill the air.
Both of them lowered their heads, guilt written all over their faces.
"Alright, enough of that. Let's hurry back. It's going to pour any minute now," Julien said, grabbing both of their hands as they started to jog back toward the picnic site.
BOOMMMMM!!
A thunderous explosion tore through the air, shaking the ground and sending leaves cascading down from the treetops.
Julien, Lucian, and Cecilia froze in place. They looked at one another, eyes wide with alarm, their faces tensing with unspoken dread.
"What... was that sound?" Lucian whispered, his breath catching in his throat.
Julien tried to offer a reassuring smile, though the unease in his eyes betrayed him. "Probably… just a blast from the mining site in Central District D. Sometimes the noise carries far—especially in weather like this."
Yet deep down, none of them could lie to themselves. A cold, creeping sense of dread had begun to slither into their hearts—like a silent mist weaving through the trees.
They quickened their pace, following the narrow path that wound between thick foliage. The wind howled louder, rustling the branches and stirring up the heavy scent of rain-soaked earth. Above them, the sky had turned utterly black, like a shroud of mourning cast over the morning light.
And when they finally returned to the picnic site, all the laughter, all the warmth from before—was gone.
What they found was a nightmare made real.
A Giant, brownish-black creature stood in the middle of their once joyful gathering. Nearly three meters tall, its body was covered in coarse, matted fur, and its eyes glowed red burning like coals from the depths of hell. Long claws, dripping with fresh blood, hung from its outstretched hands.
And in front of it… Lucian's little brother.
The tiny three-year-old boy sobbed uncontrollably, his trembling body trying to crawl away from the monstrous beast.
Around him, four adult bodies lay motionless broken, bloodied beyond recognition. Their faces were mangled, but the clothes they wore, the faint traces of their voices still echoing in memory, the scent of them in the air... It was enough to tear their hearts apart.
Zaves Valenhardt and his wife. Tony Quess and his wife.
Their parents.
In a single moment, their world came crashing down.
Cecilia collapsed to the ground, her knees unable to support her. Her eyes widened in horror, her lips trembled, but no words came—only the broken sobs of a shattered heart. Lucian, meanwhile, stood frozen in place, breath caught in his throat, unable to move.
Julien, though pale and drenched in sweat, remained standing in front of them, shielding the children. His eyes scanned the horrific scene, trying to make sense of it. "This can't be happening... How could a monster appear without setting off the radar warning? The Sentinels should've arrived by now... This area should've been locked down before it even got close!" Panic raced through his mind.
Suddenly, the beast stirred again, drawn to the scent of life. It turned toward Lucian's little sister, the only one still breathing among the dead. With slow, deliberate steps, it approached the small child, raising one monstrous hand, ready to strike.
"GERATTT!!" Lucian screamed, launching himself forward to protect her, but Julien caught him in a desperate grip.
"Don't! Don't go near it!" Julien shouted, pushing Lucian back with all his strength.
But it was too late.
With a swift, brutal swipe, the creature's claws slashed downward—tearing through flesh and bone. The last cry of Lucian's sister echoed through the frozen air. Blood stained the grass.
Lucian froze. The world around him vanished. A high-pitched ring filled his ears. He couldn't breathe. His world had collapsed.
The three of them ran.
Ran as fast and as far as their legs could carry them through the wind, through the fear, through the tears and screams that tore from their throats.
"MOM!! DAD!!" Cecilia wailed, her voice hoarse with grief, her face streaked with tears and dirt.
Before they could flee any farther, a thunderous CRASH rang out behind them. Julien's body was hurled through the air, spinning violently before slamming hard into the ground in front of them.
"J-JULIEEEN!!" Cecilia screamed in sheer despair.
They turned around—and the monster was already there. Its massive form loomed behind them, its breath heavy and ragged, glowing red eyes fixed upon them, and blood still dripping from its claws.
Cecilia froze in terror. Her body trembled, face drained of color. She collapsed to the ground, unable to stand.
Lucian was no better. His legs were shaking uncontrollably, his heart thundering painfully in his chest.
His body refused to move. His lips trembled as words failed him.
Why... why was I born so weak? Why can't I do anything? Am I really going to stand here and watch everything I love die... again?
The monster raised its claw high, aiming to end Cecilia's life.
Lucian could do nothing but scream.
"CECILIAAAAA!!"
And in that instant... time stood still.
Just before the monster's claws could graze a single strand of her hair, its body suddenly froze. Then—
SLASH!! SLASH!! SLASH!!
In an instant, the beast was shredded into hundreds of pieces, as though torn apart by a storm. Its blood sprayed in every direction—but not a single drop touched the children.
Standing before them was a mysterious figure.
A tall man, with a well-built frame and long, radiant yellow hair that blazed like sunlight through a storm. He wore a pitch-black cloak over gleaming battle armor, and in his hand, he held a slender sword—now dripping with monster's blood.
Without a word, the man dropped his sword and embraced both children tightly.
His deep voice trembled, laced with sorrow and regret.
"I'm sorry… I should've been here sooner…"
Within that embrace, Lucian caught sight of the emblem on the man's chest—a solid shield crossed by two swords piercing through a silhouette of monstrous claws.
The emblem of the Sentinels.
And beneath that, a name stitched in bold letters. A name Lucian would never forget.
MARQUESS LANGFIELD