Midnight lights blazed like festival nights—the sleepless capital thrived with laughter, cheers, and shouts year-round, except in winter. Tonight, the stable district was another exception.
The brothers entered the eerily quiet neighborhood. The surrounding buildings stood dark, as if a plague had struck. Only the stable's lights burned, but black-clad guards rushing in and out killed any relief. Colin's stomach clenched at the sight. His siblings' faces mirrored his dread—their eyes screaming silently for Dr. Hans.
They sprinted toward the stable, Ren gripping Matteo's hand. A guard shouted at them to leave, but the stablemaster waved them in, pale and trembling like a broken puppet.
They expected Dr. Hans' corpse strewn on the hay. Instead, they found another body—a pregnant mare they knew well.
Colin's voice shook. "Al-Dura..."
Ren sobbed at the name. Matteo pulled her close as they stared at Al-Dura, her throat savagely slit, blood pooling at their feet. Sai stood statue-still, rage-paralyzed—blood didn't scare him, but her lifeless body did.
Dai's silent tears fell. His gaze dropped to her womb—a life that never breathed. Red liquid, a breathless body—memories he thought buried surged back. He collapsed, hands over his ears as Ren's cries stabbed him. She didn't deserve this. If anyone deserved suffering among them, it was him alone. His family had done nothing to witness such death.
Colin's breaths quickened. It'd been years since he'd seen a crimson flood. His feet screamed to flee—or maybe it was another voice, one he hadn't heard in years. Al-Dura was about to be a mother. They should've stayed. Regret wouldn't turn back time. She would've been a mother!
Suddenly, the air grew crushing. Breathing turned labored; movement ceased. That familiar, suffocating pressure. They turned to Matteo—Ren's tears halted in shock. Sparks flew from his eyes, locked on Al-Dura's corpse—blue like flame's end. Rage etched his face, poised to strike. At Mr. Abrahams.
Colin gripped his shoulder. "Matteo... Matteo, damn it, snap out of it!"
Matteo blinked, disoriented. He tried to speak, but his lips failed. The air lightened; the guards and stablemaster fled in terror.
The blond boy sat, releasing Ren from his iron grip. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, then opened them to his siblings' worried faces. Colin asked, "You okay?"
"I... think so."
His heart still pounded; his body burned like furnace-heated metal. He needed calm, control—no, he needed the forest. No peace here... in this choking place.
Sai suddenly jumped up, knife aimed at the back door. Dai yelled, "Who's there?!"
"Just me." Dr. Hans peeked out, scanning the area. "You must leave. Now!"
No time to waste—they bolted after the doctor. Ren cast one last tearful glance at Al-Dura. I'm sorry...