HA\LF: Dead nor Alive

“What do you mean they’re coming back here again? Did something happen? Don’t tell me the other nations are in worse condition than ours?” Newman asked so many questions as he looked at Archie with a shocked expression.

“No, it’s not like that at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. They’re more advanced than ours. They have cars, and lights lightened up the roads, the city, and every corner of the road. They even have airplanes,” Archie answered.

“What? What do you mean by that? How can they achieve all that in less than a decade?” Newman asked with a confused look.

“Because they sacrificed the Eastern Nation so they could use the energy to develop their own nation,” Archie answered with a serious expression. “We just found out about it, and now we are running away from them after taking our revenge for what they did to us,” Archie continued.

Newman was petrified and shocked that he started collapsing, but thankfully Archie was there to prevent him from falling.

“How could they do that to us…” Newman said in a trembling voice.

“I know, that’s exactly how everyone feels right now. We are furious and decided to attack them back, but since we don’t have enough people or power, we decided to retreat for now and make a new plan,” Archie answered. “You don’t have to worry because we learned a lot of things that will help us to have power to make electricity,”

Newman held himself together as he tried to stand on his own. He held his head because he felt sick after knowing the truth, but he didn’t want to show his emotions so the others wouldn’t get suspicious about their conversation.

“It’s better for us to talk about this inside the house. I feel like I need a drink and sit down to hear the rest of it,” Newman said as he patted on Archie’s arm.

“That would be a good idea,” Archie replied with a smile on his face.

“You should have warn me about it first, you brat,” Newman said as he walked toward his house.

“I forgot that you’re old and weak,” Archie answered jokingly.

Newman laughed sarcastically while Archie laughed for real, and it attracted the others around them.

Archie told Newman everything, in a detailed manner because it was the right thing to do. He also told Newman about Faye and the people that would come with them back to the Eastern Nation.

Newman understood the situation and how fucked up the situation in the other nations was. He was glad that he didn’t join them because he didn’t want to live from someone else’s misery. He was furious about it as well, and glad that Marlon had decided to seek revenge.

“Now, can you tell me what happened after we left? I’m surprised that are so many of you that survived that. I thought that everyone had died because of the battle between the King-type parasites,” Archie asked as he looked at Newman emptied his cup of water.

“It was hell, and we lived in fear for a whole month because those two didn’t stop fighting. The parasites were everywhere, and suddenly everything stopped. We didn’t know what actually happened, but when we came out to the surface, there were hundreds of parasites laying dead on the ground,” Newman answered.

“We were scared to check the city for the next few days, and then once we believed that those parasites were dead, we decided to leave and gathered anything that we could use,” Newman continued. “It was scary to live under hundreds or even thousands of dead parasites, so we decided to leave,”

“But some stayed behind, huh?” Archie asked.

“Yes, and it was too late for us to pick them up, we tried our best but in the end, we left them to die there,” Newman answered as he nodded his head and stared blankly at the table.

“What can you do, and at least you saved these people, right?” Archie replied with a grim expression.

“Not after knowing that the people on the other side of the world are living peacefully and didn’t even bother to save us. I swear I will kill whoever behind all this,” Newman said as he clenched his fists.

Newman talked a lot about what happened to the city after the battle. He didn’t stop talking until Marie came in with Eve and Elena.

“What with that red face, are you constipating?” Marie asked as she giggled.

Newman didn’t say anything as he sighed deeply. He looked so serious that Marie immediately stopped making fun of him, and couldn’t wait to hear what Archie told him.

“Wow, you’re clingy toward Marie as well, Elena?” Archie asked as he looked at Marie carried Elena in her arms.

“She reminds me of my grandma,” Elena answered. “And she said that she want to give me cookies,” Elena continued with a shyly smile on her face.

“What? What’s this bribery, Miss Marie? Are you trying to steal Elena from us?” Archie asked as he looked at Marie who walked into the kitchen.

“She’s too cute, and she’s so lovely that I can’t help but to treat her and make her happy,” Marie answered.

Archie chuckled as he shook his head.

They spent the day with everyone in the village, and Archie told everyone that Marlon and the others were planning on coming back. They were curious why, but Archie didn’t tell them anything because it would Marlon and Fanheim’s job. He didn’t want to say anything without Marlon or Fanheim’s permission.

The sun was about to go down, Archie told Marie and Newman that it was time for them to go back. They were curious how Archie came and how he would go back to the Northern Nation, but they didn’t have the chance to ask it to him.

“How was it? Did you have fun and like that place?” Archie asked Elena who was in Eve’s arms.

“Yes! I like it there, and the place is so quiet and beautiful. I want to live there with Grandma Marie, and Phellople. I want to see them again!” Elena answered with a huge smile on her face.

“We will be back in no time, and don’t you want to experience getting on a ship? It will be fun,” Archie asked again.

“Yes! This is the most fun I have ever had in my life, thank you, Archie, Eve,” Elena said as she hugged Eve and stared at Archie in the eye.

Both of them smiled and nodded their heads.

They came back right before the sun was down, and Marlon and the others were waiting for them. The first thing they asked was about the situation in the Eastern Nation. They seemed concerned about what was happening there, and wanted to know how they could help.

Archie told them that most of the people survived and lived not far from the city. He told them about what happened after they left based on what Newman told him. Ruby, Vincent, Tommy, and Daniel were glad that Marie and Newman were okay. Some of the people that they knew back in the Eastern Nation were still alive as well.

“Perfect, let’s prepare to leave. We have to reach the harbor before midnight, and I want you two to check the situation on the harbor,” Marlon said as he looked at Archie and Eve.

“Ruby, can you take care of Elena for us? I can’t bring her with us,” Archie said as he stared at Ruby.

“Yeah, don’t worry, we will protect her,” Ruby nodded her head with understanding.

Archie told Elena to stay with Ruby, and she didn’t ask anything and listened to him. He and Eve then flew away and checked the harbor while the others got into the cars because they all had prepared to leave.

Archie and Eve flew above the clouds and saw the city for one last time. He then realized that it might be a good idea to bring Ivan with him. Eve also thought it would be nice since he knew a lot of things about the technology and he would be able to make that machine that turned waste into energy.

Archie flew into the city with Eve, and then went to the alley next to Ivan’s house. They saw Ivan was being chased by a group of people, and both of them immediately dove down and took care of the people.

Ivan was scared when he saw Archie and Eve landed in front of him with wings on their backs.

“What happened, Ivan?” Archie asked.

“Wha-what was that! On your back?!” Ivan asked and he was still in shock.

“We don’t have time, there are more people coming here. Let’s bring him with us,” Eve said as she looked at Archie.

Archie grabbed Ivan’s arm and flew away while Eve destroyed the buildings around them to make dust and smoke to distract and block their vision.

“What are you?!” Ivan asked as he looked up at Archie.

“It’s a long story, but it seems that you have nowhere safe to go. So you’re going to come with us,” Archie said. “Don’t worry, we are still friends, and I’m not going to hurt you or anything to harm you,”

Ivan nodded his head as he looked down at the city.