The journey back from the graveyard was eerily quiet. Safari carried Angeleva on his back, her frail body barely reacting to the gentle sway of his steps. Zack and Jen followed closely behind, their gazes distant. The weight of the dayās events was unbearable.
The sky had darkened. The forest around them whispered softly as the wind passed through the trees. Yet, even the calm of nature couldnāt ease the turmoil within.
They arrived at Nate's shelter. It provided the necessary warmth and security for the night.
Safari carefully laid Angeleva on a soft mat, though her trembling continued. Her pink hair, now dirtied and tangled, framed her pale face.
Zack instinctively knelt beside her, placing his hands over her. A faint green glow emanated as he attempted to heal her remaining wounds. Though the physical injuries began to mend, the emotional scars ran far deeper.
Zack: (softly)
"This should ease the pain. Butā¦ I can't fix what happened to her mind."
Safari stood by the entrance, his arms crossed tightly. The guilt gnawed at him, but he stayed silent. He had no right to say anything.
Jen knelt on the opposite side, gently brushing strands of hair from Angeleva's face. There was no anger left in her eyes, only sorrow.
Jen: (whispering)
"She needs rest. Maybeā¦ maybe tomorrow will be better."
But the unspoken words lingered.
Would it really get better?
_ _ _
Hours passed.
Zack and Jen eventually fell asleep near the corner of the shelter, though their rest was anything but peaceful. Safari, however, remained awake, leaning against the rough stone wall. His thoughts consumed him.
He clenched his fists, the image of Nateās lifeless body and Angelevaās tear-streaked face flashing through his mind. The realization that his pride had caused this mess was unbearable.
Safari: (thinking)
"A ruler? A protector? Iām nothing. I abandoned them when they needed me most. What good am I?"
But even as the voices of self-hatred grew louder, a faint sound broke through them.
A sob.
Safariās eyes darted toward Angeleva, whose body quivered beneath the thin blanket. Her face was buried into her arms, but the muffled cries were undeniable.
Angeleva: (whispering through sobs)
"Whyā¦? Why did this happen?"
Safariās heart ached. She wasnāt speaking to anyone ā just voicing the torment within.
For a moment, he wanted to walk away. He didnāt deserve to comfort her. Yet something held him back. The part of him that once vowed to protect the innocent.
He hesitated before stepping closer, lowering himself to sit beside her.
Safari: (softly)
"Angelevaā¦"
She tensed at his voice, refusing to look at him.
Angeleva: (hoarsely)
"Why are you still here? Havenāt you done enough?"
Her words pierced through him, but he didnāt flinch.
Safari: (guiltily)
"You're right. I have done enough. And Iāll never forgive myself for it. Butā¦ Iām not going to leave you like this."
Angelevaās sobs grew softer, but she remained silent.
Safari: (continuing)
"I canāt change what happened. But I swearā¦ Iāll never let something like that happen to you again. Not while Iām still breathing."
She still wouldnāt face him, but the slightest flicker of uncertainty crossed her mind. Could she believe him?
Next Day
Morning eventually came. The dim sunlight trickled into the shelter, casting a faint warmth. Zack stirred first, his exhausted eyes blinking as he adjusted to the light. Jen woke soon after, her gaze immediately falling to Angeleva.
But what they saw surprised them.
Safari remained seated beside Angeleva, his eyes weary but watchful. And though she still appeared fragile, Angelevaās sobs had ceased. Her breathing had become steadier.
It was clear ā despite everything, Safari had stayed.
Zack: (softly)
"Maybeā¦ thereās still a chance to prove you are not unworthy, big brother."
Safari didnāt respond.
The morning air was calm, but the weight in the shelter was suffocating. Safari sat in the same spot, his eyes dull with exhaustion.
Zack quietly tended to Angeleva, his hands glowing with soft green light. Though her external wounds were mostly healed, the bruises on her spirit remained untouched.
Jen, determined to provide some semblance of comfort, busied herself with preparing meals for everyone. The simple task of cooking seemed to be the only thing keeping her from falling apart.
The crackling fire and the aroma of roasted fruit filled the air, but it did little to soothe the atmosphere.
Safari barely touched the food Jen had set before him. He kept his gaze low, unable to meet anyoneās eyes. Every time he shifted, his mind echoed the same words.
"I failed her."
Angeleva, lying against the wall with a thin blanket draped over her, remained eerily silent. Her gaze was hollow, as though she were still trapped in the nightmare of the day before.
Safari: (softly)
"Angeleva... I'm sorry."
It wasnāt the first time he had said it, and it wouldnāt be the last. Every few minutes, the words left his lips as if repetition could somehow cleanse him of his guilt.
But Angeleva didnāt respond. She kept her eyes to the side, staring at nothing. The absence of her usual fiery spirit was unnerving.
Safari: (desperate)
"I never meant for it to go that far. I thought... I thought I was teaching you a lesson. But I didnāt see it until it was too late."
Finally, her lips parted. Her voice was low, strained ā barely a whisper.
Angeleva: (hoarsely)
"A lesson?"
Safari flinched.
Angeleva: (bitterly)
"Was that what it was to you? A game? A punishment? You... you let them do that to me."
Her words cut deeper than any weapon. Safari gritted his teeth, but he couldnāt argue.
Safari: (voice trembling)
"I... I thought you'd get away. I didn't thinkā"
Angeleva: (interrupting)
"You didnāt think at all. And when I begged with my eyes... when I wanted you to stop it ā you didnāt."
She shut her eyes tightly, the memories visibly tormenting her.
Angeleva: (weakly)
"Even they... they were disgusting, but I could expect that from them. But you? I thought... I expected youād save me. Not leave me to them."
Zack's hands trembled as he tried to maintain his composure. Jen paused mid-meal, the firelight dancing in her downcast eyes. The sound of Angelevaās quiet sobs seemed to echo endlessly.
Angeleva: (whispering)
"I held you in high regard. Even if we fought, I believed you were strong. Not only in power, but also resolve. I thought... even if you hated me, you wouldn't allow something like that. I thought you'd prove me wrong. But you didnāt."
Safariās fists clenched. Every word drove the blade of regret further into his soul.
Safari: (softly)
"You're right. I didnāt meet your expectations."
There was no justification, no defense. Just a bitter acceptance of his failure.
Safari: (continuing)
"But I swear to you, Angeleva. No matter how long it takes, I'll make this right. I won't stop apologizing until you believe me. Until you can see that Iām not that coward who stood by."
Angeleva didnāt respond. Her trembling fingers clutched the blanket tightly.
Safari wanted to say more, but the words wouldnāt come.