T°R°A°N°C°E

Mark requested of Milana that he naps first as she watches Aria.

”Alright. Rest your head a little bit. Ill try to keep wake and avoid slumber, Hopefully ” Milana replied his request, rather reluctantly. She couldn promise entirely shed stay wake long enough to see Aria regain consciousness. She had rarely gotten any sleep last night, so did Mark. Although Lack of sleep has resonated with her since she could bear thoughts, Her reason for sleepless nights is pretty straightforward, being the fact she had a rare case of insomnia where she has to really overwork herself to even attempt feeling sleepy. The worries from last night was long enough to last all through the morning, putting so much exhaustion on her feminine body. Soon after making a promise of uncertainty to Mark, She went to the table, where the book, Words Of Murabak laid. ”I have to keep myself busy one way or the other ” she thought. She kept reading till eventually she fell to the ground out of fatique.

A little bit past three hours later, Aria awoke. She looked round to access her situation. While Milana was lying in the floor, drooling all over, Mark snoring his way through life and the smell of incense still Fairly scenting, She knew this was no where home or near it. Her house back in Tanabrae was nothing like what she resided in at the moment. With the thought of uncertainty feeling her mind she began to consider two choices. Stay till they awake and try to talk with them to gain information or make a run for it quietly through the desert in a hope of making it to Tanabrae with no map. The obvious choice for her was the latter. Where she was trained in Tanabrae, she was taught to be cautious of whoever it might be she encountered on the way to finding the lake, be it Halos, Humans and even animals. The people inside the Walls had locked themselves up for three hundred years and were flourishing in it, with absence of Halos and Outsiders disrupting balance. With time They Tanabrites were brainwashed by the False joy and happiness found inside the Walls. Although Halos couldn come in, The population was clearly suffering from economic crisis. In terms of social status, an average class within the walls rarely gets a standard three square meals per day. The rich exploited the poor for a long time that it became a norm inside the Walls that no man will be able to fend for himself unless he works under the rich of the society.

Aria and her family were amongst the average class. She was lucky enough to make it to the examination and pass with outstanding results, setting a record that is yet to be surpassed. This made her familys status improve, thus every other values that followed a higher status. During the training, The first rule given to the Ayonders was to trust no one outside the walls. Halos or humans. They were taught the humans outside the walls are barbaric, savage and cannibals that would do anything to survive the harsh conditions. Aria made sure this rule sank deep into her mind. The reason shes considering running away currently from Milana and Mark is all because of the rule given.

”Slowly ” She thought, as she gently placed her feet in the floor, tiptoed through the room and out of the house , which eventually led to a bolt into the desert. Minutes later, Milana woke up. She looked for Aria everywhere but couldn find her. On looking outside, she finds that Aria had become a dot in the horizon, moving farther away with each passing second.

”Gosh. She doesn understand does she? I better hurry. Mark requested I look after that quean. Who knew she would be such a pain ”

She thought as she carried a back pack, Out of the house, took a charge stance and blasted out at full speed with rapid leg movements. Accelerating towards Aria at full speed, She began closings the gap between them with every step she took. Slowly but surely, Aria became visible by the second. Whilst on the race, Aria stops suddenly, kneels down and falls to the ground face first. Milana noticed this and slowed down as she reached Aria, with her body flattened on sand.

”Oh dear. You seem to have overdone yourself. Seems the symptoms has kicked in rather too soon. Come on now, up you go ”

She said, as she lifted Arias body from the floor.

”Oh you
e still conscious. I believed you to have slept off just now. Who would have known? ” Milana said, as she carried Aria up, both hands holding hers, to reveal Arias face covered in sand.

”Time for you to rest. ” She places Aria on her back, positioned comfortably and runs back to the house.

On arrival, Mark could be seen sitting on a wooden chair staring at Milana with a disappointed yet unsurprised facial expression.

” You had one job ”

”Don blame me Mark. I had to. I couldn hold it no more. Besides, I saw her on time. ”

Milana said as she laid Aria down on the bed.

”Shes actually conscious. Isn it the best time to ask her if she be willing to be cured?? ” Milana asked in excitement, forgetting the fact that the weak Aria just collapsed.

Her long life dream was to find The Witches Green. All her life she had read books, done research and asked people about it. Everyone on Murabak knew about her. The nicknamed her Witch Hunter. Soon after she realized she wasn getting anywhere asking questions, she decided to leave and find it herself. She had no problem with halos, as she could always outrun them should need be. A little while after she left home, Her food resources finished. All the fluid she carried out had run out on her before the time she had initially planned it would. This made her slowly fade in terms of energy, and no energy means no superhuman speed. She couldn find another city around even after running for miles. Time slowly took its toll as she began starving to death. Slowly retreating to a rock at night, a group of wolves that had been tracking her for a long time began closing in as the felt her strength leaving her slowly but surely. As she sat down willing to accept her fate, there came Mark. His presence alone made the wolves take to their heels, scattering in fear of the unknown.

”Are you hurt? ” Mark asked her.

”No Im not. ”

”Whats your name ”

”Milana. Milana Gilbert. ” She said with a weakened voice.

”Nice to meet you Milana. Would you like to tell me why you
e outside alone with no one around. where are your parents? ”

” I grew up knowing no one. I have no one to call my own. ”

” Become my daughter. I would show you the greatest masterpiece you have ever seen. ”

With these statement, Milana followed him. Although main reason being she was actually hungry and needed company though. But from then onwards, they have been together ever since, Battling Halos whilst travelling the world.

Aria was unsure of this feeling she was feeling currently. She could see, hear and talk, but she couldn feel her limbs.

”Hello. can you hear me? ”

”Mark I think shes deaf. ” Milana suggested, turning to Mark.

”Hello! ” Milana exclaimed.

” Oh H…..hello. ” Aria mumbled a response

” She can talk. Wow good enough news for me. She even speaks our language. Mark she speaks ”

”Hello dear. Whats your name. ” Milana asked

”M…my name is Aria. Ariadne Luna. ” Aria responded with a really weak voice.

”Did you just say Luna? ” Mark asked, as his facial expression changed from a state of indifference to pure enthusiasm.

”Yes sir. I am the third born of the house Luna. My hometown is Tanabrae. Please I need to get back there. But before that, have you guys seen my squad? I need to get in touch with them. ” Aria asked, knowing she had nothing to lose considering that she can run or move her body, also reason being the two next to her reeked of bloodlust, were also obviously levels above her in terms of physical and mental strength, and the fact she believes her crew is around and will save her from them should they have evil intentions. ”I just need to stall. Till they come. Theyll come for me surely. ” she thought.

”The house of Luna huh? How many generations has passed since your ancestor? ” Mark asked standing up this time looking down on Aria with an intense stare.

”I am the fifth generation sir. Please I do not have much time I need to contact my squad ”

Aria pleaded, trying to act tough and hide her fear of the current situation.

” Your squad is dead Aria. They all died last night. Mark rescued you from following suit. ”

Milana said, as she stared towards the floor from her sit.

”I beg your pardon? ” Aria asked, still not sure of what she heard just now. She actually heard it, but refused to make sense of it. Her mind subconsciously blocked out all form of evaluation to this sentence. She wanted it all to be a lie.

”Your crew is dead. They
e all dead. No one is left. Only you. They were killed by a Halo. Your bikes too. All gone. ” Mark said, trying to make sure she heard it clearly this time.

”No it can be. ” She replied, as the confidence in her face seemed to have cleared instantly, revealing a highly sensitive Aria. She slowly tilted her head left and right, as if to show disagreement with the speech made by Mark.

”No I refuse to believe ” her thoughts kept telling her. Her head tilting became faster this time. The best solitude is in a state of ignorance, the path which Aria wanted to take but as shes already become a puppet to Grief without having the slightest knowledge of it, she was cut off that path, with the greatest of shocks. Everyone she had known since her training days brushed off existence by the turmoil that is Halos. Soon after, her breathing became shaky and fairly noticable. Milana had taken note of the situation to act quickly to calm Aria down. She stood from her seat to move to the bed of which Arias paralyzed body laid, shaking from trauma. She laid close to Aria and placed her head on her bosom.

”Its going to be alright Aria. Don you cry. You
e going to get through this. Picture this as a time of reminiscence. Grieve. Mourn. It is natural to cry. Let it all out. I am truly sorry for your loss. ”

Milanas words struck deep into Aria. Tears she had attempted battling came flowing as she wailed from despair of not being able to anything as her friends were killed. The anguish she felt was so overwhelming Mark who was initially putting on a serious face had no idea when his eyes let tears role down. As he noticed this, he went outside.

”Why are my eyes wet. What is this I feel? ” Mark asked himself as in a state of rhetoric.

Timing almost too perfect, the rains came pouring down, slowly washing away the guilt and responsibility he felt.

”Oh its just the rain. I shouldn let my eyes deceive me. Time to focus on the matters at hand. ” He assured himself, as he enters into the house to reveal a sleeping Aria, still being held gently by Milana. Aria was asleep. Although the nights were hours away, The darkness that plagued the day could be matched with it.

”Milana. ” Mark called out as he entered the house.

”Should she wake up, calmly alert her of the health issues she face. I need her make decisions pertaining life or death. She mourns her loved ones yes but choices need be made and fast. I hope you understand. ”

”Yes. I solely agree. For now allow her be. Shes going through a really hard time. ”

”Okay then. ” Mark said said as he sits on the table staring into empty space, reminiscing about his past. An event in his past exactly mirrored what Aria was feeling at the moment.

”Is it all just a dream? I would never know. ”

These were his thoughts.