The Earth After Rebirth

Sekani was surprised by the sudden act that's why it took him several seconds to hug him back. That's when he was reminded that Nikolai was still just a teenager not matured old men like the rest of them, apart from James.

He thought he could hold in his emotions like he always did. But that was the thing about bottled emotions, they come out at the most inopportune times.

Nikolai had never had someone like him, he understood that Sekani wasn't even in his life like that but that was what made all this the more special to him.

They barely knew each other but this man was hellbent on protecting him and ensuring that he came out of this alive. It reminded him of his mother a little that's why he broke down.

Afraid that would break him out of this emotional breakthrough Sekani said nothing and just continued to hug him, Nikolai sniffled once in a while. He was clearly crying but he didn't want to show that to anyone.

'That's right, let it all out. You'll be born anew when you get out of here.' Sekani thought cheering him on in his own mind.

The knife was still embedded in his forearm. Everything there was numb, he couldn't feel the pain, not yet. He wanted to take the knife out but Nikolai had clutched him too tightly and he wasn't letting go.

Everybody else stood silent too, with their guns out this time, ready for anything that sprung out of the shadowed corners again. They had panicked expressions, especially Grey, he didn't say it out loud but thought the emotional scene in front of them was a waste of time.

They weren't sure that they had killed every guard in this mine and that's why he was a little bit concerned.

He wasn't exactly one to believe in places that have energies of their own but this mine made him feel some type of way, he didn't like it. That's why he wanted to be gone from there as soon as possible.

There was no doubt that there had been people who died there, whether of natural causes or being worked to death or being beaten because they were new and refused to work as slaves.

The energies were intertwined and formed something that gave him the creeps about this place, a vengeful energy that didn't like people poking around. In his mind he believed that dead spirits couldn't do anything to the living but there was always that voice at the back of his mind, the paranoid kind.

He felt a cold hand on his shoulder and shivered, he was broken out of his thoughts and slowly turned to see who it was, and it was Wilfred.

"Are you alright?" Grey may not have felt or heard himself but he was mumbling as he stood there transfixed on nothing but his thoughts.

"Mm?" He came out of it expecting to see a ghost but was met with a face equally as old and wrinkled as his. "I'm alright, just, this place, it gives off bad vibes."

Wilfred nodded, understanding his vague reasons. He'd seen a lot of death, most of that caused by his own two hands. He was a man acquainted with death.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Just shrug it off. Don't let it consume you." He advised not sure what else he could say to the man.

They weren't at war or anything in Sanctauri but it surprised Wilfred that someone as grown as Grey hadn't seen that much death, considering he was one of the big families in this world.

They all had their eyes on a crying Nikolai who held Sekani like his life depended on it. After several minutes of this he let go all of a sudden and wiped his left eye and cheeks, not wanting to touch his swollen right eye he left the tears to dry for themselves.

He sniffed looking embarrassed and unburdened at the same time. Nothing ever allowed him to let his emotions out like this since his mother, that's why it was embarrassing. Since he hadn't done this since he was around eleven, he felt much lighter, like everything was going to be okay. He didn't remember the last time he felt positive about life.

"I, I'm so sorry sir, I didn't meant to... look at your suit. Oh my God. I think I've ruined it." He tried to change the conversation, at the same breath trying to wipe his snort and tears from the suit.

"Haha, how about you buy me a new one?" Sekani didn't want to make him uncomfortable so he was going to pretend that, whatever this was, didn't happen.

"You have yourself a deal sir, I know the best tailor. He'll fix you right up." He smiled gratefully and cocked his head to the side to gesture for them to walk to the centre.

The inside of the wall was like a maze, the mine was at the centre of everything, at least that was what Wilfred had told them about the place and since they trusted him they didn't question it.

The further they walked in the less there were guards roaming around. It was peculiar to Jesús, so much that he said something about it.

"It's strange this is, shouldn't the closer we get to the people the tighter the security?"

Wilfred closed his eyes and sighed, humans weren't so different from animals. Even humans could be domesticated as loyal pets, one just need the right tools and the ability to completely break a person's spirit.

To him and those who could understand, the fact that there weren't a lot of people guarding them only meant that they were well beyond help. They've had their spirits broken so bad that they were just a shell of their past selves.

"This is going to be terrible." Wilfred wasn't saying this to anyone in particular.

"Yes it will be." Sekani was at the forefront but he heard him loud and clear and he agreed.

"Wh-what?" Jesús was confused.

"The people who've come to save, they may fight us."