As they drove, Rio kept an eye on Ayla, making sure she was feeling safe and comfortable.
She was sitting beside Esme now, eating some snacks Esme gave her.
After a few minutes, Ayla pointed towards a building in the distance. "There, that's my house," she said.
Esme parked the car, and they all got out.
Ayla walked forward, as she led them to the building.
When they reached the main door, their eyes were immediately drawn to the graffiti on the wall. Someone had written curses and threats on the walls.
-House of cursed ones-
-Rejects-
-Pay our money scum-
-Useless duds, just die already-
One look at them, and they all understood the situation. After all, the hate crimes or bullying had always been common for those who could not awaken.
It wasn't anything new, or something they had never come across.
Esme was glaring daggers at the wall, her fists clenched in anger.
It was understandable, as this discrimination of talent and power, is what got her sister sold to slavery and almost killed.
Myra's expressions were unreadable. She probably didn't care. Since she herself had lived through far worse situations than Ayla.
Unlike Ayla, who still had her father to protect her, she had no one and nothing. No home to call her own, no one to call her family or any friends.
If not for Artemis, she didn't even dare to imagine how her life would've turned out.
Unlike them, Rio's focus wasn't on the wall, he already knew about Ayla's past, and truth be told, it wasn't that bad for her yet. He was expecting something even more extreme. But guess that's just his imagination.
He was looking at Ayla, on whose family all these threats and curses were directed at, but her reaction surprised him.
Ayla, walked past that wall and didn't even look at it, and directly went inside.
Looking at her lackluster reaction, a smile came to his face. 'She really is suited for her role as the heroine, who never cared about failures and kept trying till she got what she wanted.' He thought.
"Can't she read them?" Esme asked, as she started following Ayla through the stairs.
"I think she can. She's just ignoring it, cause it probably isn't her first time seeing it." Myra replied, as Rio nodded his head in affirmation.
"Ayla, are you alright?" Rio asked gently, as he increased his pace to catch up to her.
Ayla looked up at him and smiled "Yes, I'm fine," she said softly.
"And that _ , on the wall. You're okay."
Rio wanted to ask her how she felt about that, cause he was curious, but he couldn't come up with words that wouldn't just sound rude or insensitive.
Understanding his question, Ayla nodded her head with a smile, but one could see a glimmer of sadness in her eyes. "I'm used to it," she said quietly. "It's those kids from the neighborhood. They do this sometimes for fun." "Father said, I should just ignore them. He also said they would stop doing that once he finished his work. So _ "
She was saying something, but talking about her father, again brought tears in the eyes of the little girl.
"Hey, we'll find him. Okay. Promise." Rio said, as he patted her head slowly. "And besides, he won't like it if he saw you crying, right?"
Hearing him, Ayla wiped her tears and nodded her head, as she tried to compose herself.
"Thank you." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.
She couldn't remember the last time anyone even talked to her like that, or showed some kindness towards her. Those kids around her house, are just bullies who make fun of her and say bad things to her.
Due to her father's busy schedule and work, he never got the time to talk with her much or play with her.
Other than her father, she didn't have anyone else she was close with.
Her mother had left them 3 years ago and never returned. It was only her father who took care of her since then.
That's why when she found her father was missing too, she couldn't take it anymore.
Yesterday, he went to work in the morning, but never returned. She waited the whole day, since many times he would keep working all day, and only return home at night.
But she fell asleep while waiting.
Today, when she woke up, she still didn't see him anywhere.
That's why she started looking for him, but she couldn't find him anywhere.
She even asked for help from everyone, but they all just made fun of her and didn't help at all.
Those bullies even locked her in a room, saying they would go and bring her father, and she should wait there.
Remembering those bad bullies she felt angry, but then feeling the gentle touch on her head, and looking at the boy who even came here to help her look for her father, a smile came to her face instead.
Her heart was still too innocent to know or think that something bad happened to her father. She believed she'd find her dad after some time, since they promised him.
She was still too naive. Because her father always protected her and kept her safe from everyone else.
It was only tonight, that she would've first seen the cruel side of this world, and learned how twisted and broken this society really is.
But instead of that, Rio decided to change her beginning.
Instead of growing up hating the world and men, until she met the protagonist. He was going to be her savior, her idol, her hero.
Rio was thinking and walking about what's next, when Myra suddenly appeared in front of him and stopped him.
'So they're here.'
Rio thought, seeing Myra and Esme's reaction, as they took out their weapons.
Esme held her twin daggers in her hands, while Myra had taken out her sword, and the Cord of Schila.
Ayla was surprised to see them suddenly appear out of nowhere, with weapons in hand and that serious expression.
She was about to scream, when Rio, anticipating her reaction, covered her mouth with his hands.
-shhh- He signaled her to stay silent, with his finger.
When she nodded her head in understanding, he removed his hand.
"Why ar_?"
As soon as he let go, she started saying something but stopped as he covered her mouth again.
And this time, to her surprise, he just picked her up and took some steps back, getting away from the door to her house.
"Now. Don't say anything. Okay. I'm removing my hand." He whispered slowly in her ear, as she nodded her head repeatedly.
Ignoring the embarrassed and confused look of the little girl, Rio turned his attention back to Myra, and mouthed his words silently 'be careful'
Taking a deep breath Myra opened the door, and before she could even take a first step inside, a huge fireball came towards her face.
Ayla had her eyes widened at the display of fire and heat, but Rio had a subtle smile on his lips, glad that he wasn't too late, and arrived even earlier than he anticipated.
'Well, it's not a bad thing, as this works even better.'
He said to himself, preparing himself for what is to come.
After all, this would be the first time he's jumping head on, in a situation that he has no prior idea about.
'Let's start the show, shall we?'
###
A/N - To all those who wanted some action. Prepare your seat belts, for we are about to start the last ride.
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