Back at the Bakanna, Sern seethed with fury. He had just learned that Adam and the others were not only alive but had also joined forces with Raith.
"I should have killed them when I had the chance," he muttered, gripping the reports in his hands.
Determined to correct his mistake, he mobilized everyone in the Bakanna to hunt them down.
Meanwhile, in Eden, Chavah had given birth to a baby girl, whom they named Yves. The past three weeks had been a blur of sleepless nights, leaving both Adam and Chavah exhausted. The only person who could soothe Yves was Chavah's mother.
Whenever Adam and Chavah were overwhelmed, Yves stayed with her grandmother. One morning, as Chavah picked up her daughter, she noticed something—the tiny stump of Yves' umbilical cord had fallen off.
Smiling, she cradled her baby and whispered, "Now you get your tree."
Eager to share the news, she rushed home to tell Adam.
Later that day, they gathered in the forest with Chavah's parents. But they weren't alone—the entire village had come for the tree-planting ceremony. This sacred tradition marked a child's connection to the land.
Adam and Chavah carefully chose a spot close to their own trees. Adam dug a small hole, and Chavah gently placed the dried umbilical cord inside. Together, they planted a seedling above it and covered it with soil.
Then, the village began to sing. Their voices wove a melody of welcome, coaxing the seedling to life. Slowly, it sprouted into a young tree—not as grand as the others, but full of promise. One day, when Yves was older, she would sing to it herself, helping it grow into its full strength.
Days later, a spaceship landed in the factory region. Hours after that, two more arrived.
The others were furious with Adam—especially Raith. He had broken their promise not to interfere with the factory.
That night, as Adam and his family rested at home, gunfire shattered the silence.
They rushed outside to see armed soldiers moving in formation, shooting anyone in sight.
Chavah clutched Yves tightly. Adam wanted to stay and fight, but she wouldn't let him. There was no time. They had to run.
As they fled, they crossed paths with Raith and the others, who were heading toward the chaos.
"Did you see my parents?" Raith demanded.
Adam shook his head. Raith pushed past him and sprinted toward his family's hut.
Inside, his parents lay still in bed.
"Mom! Dad! Wake up! We have to go!"
He yanked the covers away—and saw the blood.
A sinking dread gripped his chest. He shook them, desperate to wake them up.
Nothing.
His breath caught. His vision blurred with tears.
A scream ripped from his throat.
Blinded by rage, he stumbled out of the hut—and saw a soldier standing nearby.
Without thinking, he charged.
The soldier raised his rifle and fired. The bullet struck Raith, but he didn't stop. He kept running, wild with fury, until he tackled the soldier to the ground.
Blow after blow, Raith pounded his fists into the man's skull. Even after the body went limp, he kept punching.
His breath came in ragged gasps. His hands were slick with blood.
Then—
Click.
A cold barrel pressed against his head.
Bang!
A deafening shot rang out. His ears rang. His body hit the ground.
Darkness.
Then—light.
Raith gasped awake.
The soldier who shot him stared in shock.
"Impossible… I shot you point-blank."
Before the soldier could react, Raith lunged. He wrenched the rifle from his hands and swung it like a club, beating him down.
The others had joined the fight, unleashing their fury in a controlled rampage.
The battle had only just begun.
When the battle ended, silence settled over the blood-soaked ground.
Then, the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through the air.
A group of men moved through the carnage, pistols in hand, methodically executing those who were still alive.
Raith and the others stood their ground, watching as the men approached.
As they drew closer, the gunmen holstered their weapons.
One of them stepped forward, his gaze cold and unreadable.
"We are the Four Apocalypses," he said.
Paps narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
The man smirked.
"Nothing you could give me. Anything we want we take."
Paps stepped forward, his voice steady but firm.
"That ends here," he said. "You don't take anymore."
He pointed toward the horizon.
"Go back to where you came from."
The air grew heavy with silence as the two sides faced off, waiting to see who would move first.