Those who could use their powers were currently unable to activate due to the mist from the ruins of the statue, the Mortes grew in number, emerging from the ground and sky, preying on the helpless civilians. They all fought each other, clawing, tearing, biting, and tearing to compete for prey. Explosions and destruction occurred everywhere, heavy rain and strong winds worsened the situation.
"What the hell is going on, where is the shelter, shelter..." someone groaned as he ran with his bleeding head. His fate was unfortunate because a group of large bat Mortes attacked him and ate him on the spot, "Arghhh!" he screamed in pain and tried to save himself.
Groups of young people ran together in the midst of the chaos, the sounds of squeaking and tearing from civilians' bodies were heard by them, the devouring of each Morte was clearly heard even in the midst of the increasingly heavy rain. "Scary, this is too scary!" shouted a young girl who was frustrated and scared in the situation. One of her friends tripped because her leg was entangled by a parasite and was pulled by it, "Ahhh, help, help me!"
Her big friend tried to remove the parasite from her leg, but fungus started to grow on her arm when she touched the parasite and infected her on the spot, "What, what is this?! Let me go!" she screamed hysterically while scratching her hands and neck that were starting to grow fungus.
While her other friends could only watch what was happening, there was no other choice but to continue running because they couldn't help. Her female friend's hand was pulled, making her fall to the ground by the one who was tied by the parasite, "Don't leave me, please..." she begged while still trying to survive.
"Let go, you idiot!" she shouted while trying to release her grip by stomping on her hand. Her other friends helped the woman and freed her from the young man who had captured her.
"I curse you, I swear! No one will safe!" she shouted angrily then disappeared because she was completely pulled by the parasite and devoured by Morte who was hiding behind the building, the same Morte that had infected the man with fungus.
They all left the young man tied by the parasite and who had become fungus on the spot. Without them realizing, the woman had been infected by the fungus and her mind was taken over, she secretly pulled her friend away from there and then ate her alive, "Wait, stop! Aaaghhhhh!" her voice shrieked in pain from being bitten by her infected friend. Her group left her and let her be eaten alive by her own friend.
In all the chaos Asteria continued to run carrying Annabella, taking her away from the place while avoiding attacks from the Mortes who began to chase him madly. Taking advantage of the destroyed buildings and the environment that only he could pass through, he managed to escape from the Morte herd that was chasing him from land and air.
His high mobility even though he was injured and exhausted, he struggle to run fast and jump between collapsed buildings to get out of the area. In the escape he saw many casualties ranging from children who were devoured and gnawed like snacks, the elderly who were unable to save themselves could only accept their fate, and other young people who tried to save them but only ended up being eaten. Asteria had the opportunity to help them, but because of his current limitations he preferred to ignore it and focus on his current goal of saving Annabella. The feeling of suffocation was like being squeezed by a hard wall because he couldn't help them but he quickly got rid of it because he realized his own capabilities could only save himself and Annabella alone.
Asteria stopped for a moment on one of the building peaks, he looked around her where the city had been destroyed and the scattered Mortes fighting over prey, giving no sign of anyone being able to survive the disaster. "They shouldn't have gone wild suddenly, they all seem to be affected," he muttered, confused about the trigger for the current event. A different voice in his head wanted to speak but was immediately silenced by him, "Shut up, you're adding to my problems, it won't help anything right now, Kelvin," he said calmly but carrying a sense of threat in it.
After that Phoenix answered him in his mind, "Asteria, I hear a dark melody and a woman's voice like calling us, I can feel it," Another Spirit in his body confirmed, "Phoenix is right, I also feel it but because it's in your body the feeling can be suppressed."
"Is it that melody again, I think the melody I heard before has moved to you. Maybe because my body and soul are used to it that's why you are also not affected," he shook his head and exhaled, "Hahh... For those who have come out of me, the sound is like awakening their wild instincts that are buried," said Asteria who examined his current situation.
Phoenix answered him again calmly, "You should stay away from this part of the city, maybe because of the ruins of the statue we can't use our powers, including the source of the melody, Asteria."
"We'll find out when we get out of here," he muttered, continuing to look around and suddenly his words were cut off, "Phoenix, if–" A fireball shot hit the building where Asteria was resting. The attack came from Morte in the form of a magma golem that threw its rocks at the building Asteria was standing on, because Morte felt his life force. As a result, the strong shock made Asteria have to leave there and continue to escape. "Tch, can't even rest a little," he complained as he continued to escape.
The city streets that were too damaged and filled with Morte made him have to take another path, even though it drained his energy more. With his agility he managed to avoid the Morte and pass through obstacles from destroyed buildings, finally making him get out of the area full of chaos and riots by Morte.
Reaching another part of the city, he was finally able to use his powers again. "Asteria, now! Use my wings!" Phoenix ordered in his head. Phoenix wings appeared on his back, preparing to fly away from there. But when he sped away his body slammed into the ground very quickly, giving him no time to react. As a result, Annabella slipped from his arms and rolled far away. "Ugh... Anna? Anna?!" he groaned while looking around to find Annabella.
Looking back, Asteria realized his legs were tightly bound by a vine. The plant came from one of the Morte who was chasing him, namely Trivine, a Morte in the form of a tree and had vines around the branches which were the hands of the Morte. He swiftly burned the plants that bound his legs with flame from Phoenix. The flame quickly spread to Trivine's body and burned it on the spot. But unfortunately to the rainwater, the flame was quickly extinguished, leaving him still alive even though he was dying.
Asteria who realized this immediately filled his hand with energy, charge the attack, and formed a fire arrow to attack Trivine. When he was about to release a deadly attack, he stopped and his eyes widened because he remembered the bitter experience, he bit his lower lip until it bled to bring herself back to his senses. Then released his arrow, burning Trivine in the path of his arrow. The rainwater even evaporated because of the heat of the attack.
The feeling of tightness appeared again inside him, this time it felt heavier. "What is this, why do I feel this feeling again..." he thought while watching his arrow that shot away, the world felt slow at that time for him. Until he just realized it at the last second, "Oh yeah... My heart is gone, so my control for that attack must have been excessive," he thought who could only be silent and not say anything.
But Phoenix came out of his body and pulled him away, "Don't just stay silent, fool!" shouted Phoenix in Asteria's mind. Unexpectedly, the attack he launched was too excessive, the arrow exploded right in the middle of the city and caused a very powerful explosion like a nuclear explosion. A loud bang shook the ground violently, the explosion of fire made light penetrate the dark rain clouds and stopped the rain due to its heat.
Phoenix slammed Asteria to the ground, next to Annabella who was lying on the ground still unconscious. Without thinking twice, Phoenix bent down and covered Asteria with Annabella, protecting them both using his body. Phoenix screamed in pain, his voice shrill from the pain from the effects of the explosion that was launched.
"Phoenix, stop! You don't need to protect us!" shouted Asteria who gripped the feathers on Phoenix's body, feeling the soft warmth protecting them both.
"As usual you are always like that, Asteria. This is my responsibility-," Phoenix grumbled in pain cutting off his sentence, "Your power can't be controlled right? So let me be your shield now!" groaned Phoenix's voice in Asteria's head.
Asteria clung to him and buried her face in his, unable to look at him. Phoenix repeatedly healed and regenerated himself as he endured the effects of the blast from Asteria's attack. He continued to do so until the explosion was over.
After the explosion was over, the city was leveled to the ground and the sky turned dark red due to Asteria's attack. The burnt smell and the pungent metallic air in her breathing made Asteria cough a little. Nothing was left in Asteria's sight, only flat ground and a very large puddle left from the explosion. Signs of life had disappeared like the wind blowing, including Morte who was no longer visible, they were completely dead from Asteria's attack. Phoenix lay helpless on the ground due to protecting Asteria and Annabella. His body was covered in wounds and could not move anymore, blood flowing to the ground which made Asteria very devastated. He ran closer to Phoenix's head, his gaze gloomy and sad as he gently stroked his head.
"I'm sorry, this is all my fault ..." Asteria groaned who felt very guilty. His eyes were filled with tears of sadness, flowing down his cheeks. "If my heart hadn't been taken, you could still be saved, Phoenix ..."
"You fool... but this is also my fault for not reminding you, you tried and only made mistakes..." said Phoenix whose voice felt far away in Asteria's head.
Phoenix looked at the moon above them, the atmosphere was silent and silent because the city had been razed to the ground, there were no signs of life other than the three of them. He saw a red dot of light shining in the night sky, at first it was only a small dot but it became bigger and headed towards them. By forcing his body and once again recovering his body even though only a little so he could move, he used his wings to push Asteria to Annabella's side. Asteria fell and was shocked by what Phoenix did, until the red light hit Phoenix. The light disappeared and revealed a red spear that was stuck in Phoenix's chest, making him scream in pain and flap his wings non-stop. Asteria who was about to advance stopped in place when the same spear rained down on Phoenix, piercing his body and locking him in place. The fire on his feathers began to dim and lose its light, the same as Asteria's eyes which began to lose their light as well due to seeing the sight.
Phoenix mustered his last strength by blowing himself up. The explosion was so powerful that it shook the ground, its light pierced the sky, illuminating the night only for a while. Slowly the light disappeared as the embers of Phoenix's soul went out.
The explosion did not cause pain but rather healing, Asteria's energy fully recovered and healed the wounds on her body. Flames appeared in Asteria's hollow chest, the remaining fire turned into a new heart for Asteria. Phoenix disappeared and left a single feather that fell in front of Asteria. The Phoenix feather was like a farewell greeting for him to Asteria. The feather finally disappeared with the last message that was heard softly in Asteria's head, "Keep Moving Forward..."
Asteria was silent and could not say anything with her blank stare. The feelings inside were mixed like two opposing directions, Kelvin cried making Asteria's tears come out on the right side, while Asteria was silent because he knew the fact that Phoenix did not die just like that, so he did not show an expression of sadness or even grief. He knew Phoenix could come back to life but she also knew that it would take a very long time, his unpleasant experience haunted him and made his feelings confused. "That memory again. Kelvin, I'll ask you to take responsibility later," he said to himself.
But Kelvin who was in his subconscious was still frustrated, Asteria tried to calm Kelvin before his mind was taken over by his bad consciousness, humming a melody she made to calm others. Slowly he returned to calm and peaceful, he breathed heavily and his tears began to stop flowing, leaving an emptiness in him because of the loss of Phoenix, although at this time Phoenix without him knowing was still alive as his heart and sleeping to rest.
Not for too long, Kelvin crying once again, that make Asteria feel irritated and need to calm down him later with different way.