HA\LF: Dead nor Alive

"This is who I am," Archie said as he showed off his right hand with its sharp and long claws. His right arm was covered in black muscles from parasites. His wings were spread open and they moved like fingers.

Marlon and the others were staring at Archie with disbelief, and the first reaction they did was point their guns at him. Ruby, Vincent, Daniel, and Tommy stood in front of Archie with their arms open to protect him while they were convincing Marlon.

"Marlon, there's no need for that. Archie is safe," Fanheim said as he grabbed Marlon's shoulder.

"How did you know that? You knew about this already?" Marlon asked as he stared at Fanheim over his shoulder.

"I did, and he was the reason we managed to leave the Eastern Nation. He had been helping us, and not just us but everyone here are alive because of him," Fanheim answered as he nodded his head. "So, just lower your gun, you guys as well, lower your gun," Fanheim waved his hand down as he stared at them.

Marlon slowly lowered his pistol while he stared at Archie slowly turning himself back to normal.

"I will tell you my story how I became like this," Archie said as he sat down and sighed.

Archie started his story from when he joined Iohann on the expedition. He didn't tell them about the angles, and how he was because he was scared to tell the truth to that many people since Throne might punish him for it.

Eve also showed the same thing to them, but she didn't tell her story because Archie made a make-up story for her.

Everyone listened to how he ended up becoming an Ex-Human, and they were so surprised by the process of him suffering for years. They were pitying him and at the same time afraid of him because of it.

"The moment I gained my consciousness, I was there on FalCon-3. I met Ruby, Vincent, Daniel, and Tommy," Archie said as he stared blankly at the ground.

"I'm not a human anymore, but that didn't mean I lose my sanity like those Ex-Axis Humans. I still know what's right and what's wrong, and since I'm used to be a human, I would rather to be on the human side rather than the parasite side," Archie explained as he stared at each one of them.

"So, Victor is trying to do the same thing. The results are not the same, but I believe he's planning to keep doing it until he get the result like Archie," Faye said as she looked at the report about the experiment. "Eating parasites to satisfy their hunger, become stronger by eating them. Not to mention, they have become emotionless,"

"If we want to fight them, let's destroy their secret bases. I believe we will find one of those bases where they do the experiment, and right now we have acquired the most important thing that we need to fight them," Ruby said as she looked at the hard disk on the desk. "We need to find it before it's too late,"

"Let's just rest for tonight. Everyone is exhausted and is still processing what's going on right now," Fanheim said as he looked at them. "Let's discuss this early in the morning tomorrow," Fanheim continued.

Marlon agreed with that and dismissed everyone.

It was just Archie, Eve, Marlon, Fanheim, Ruby, Vincent, Faye, Prince, Resse, Tommy, Daniel, and Aster in the barn house. They were staring at the laptop and then Eve stared at the people walking around the village.

"I think it's better to watch the village, we don't know if there's a spy or a traitor among us," Eve said calmly as she kept staring outside the barn.

"No, they're all trusted people, there's nothing to be worried about," Aster replied.

"Trustworthy, but that before we both showed our trueself. What makes you think they're not afraid of me and Archie and didn't change their mind? You know, human nature, avoiding danger?" Eve said as she stared at them with her arms crossed.

Faye, Ruby, Marlon, and Fanheim stared at each other. The whole room went quiet because they were thinking about it and Eve wasn't wrong for being cautious.

"Alright, I guess we all have to stay awake for the night," Fanheim said as he looked at Marlon.

Marlon nodded his head as he closed the laptop and grabbed it from the desk.

"Keep it quiet, only the people in this room that we can trust right now," Marlon said as he walked away. "If you find anyone leaving the village tonight. Capture them and tie them up," Marlon continued.

They went their separate ways and started patrolling around the village. Archie was paired with Eve while the others were paired with their own partners.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Eve said as she sat under the tree.

"What is?" Archie asked as he watched the village from the distance.

"Us, being exposed. I never thought everything would ended up like this," Eve answered as she stared at the starry sky.

"I'm sorry that you got involved in all this, and I'm sorry if you don't like it when things ended up like this," Archie said as he looked at Eve with a grim expression.

"I'm fine with this, it doesn't bother me or anything. I feel like this is how it supposed to be because we are reaching the final step. I know this will end someday, and I have been waiting and curious about it for hundreds of years. So, it wasn't your fault or anything, I'm just enjoying the ride while you're the one who take the wheel," Eve replied as she smiled at Archie.

They heard footsteps, and not just one, but two. They both turned around and saw Faye and Aster walking toward them.

"Hi, do you mind to change partner?" Faye asked as she looked at both of them.

Eve chuckled as she nodded her head. "Let's go, but if you get too close to me, I will cut your head off," Eve said as she stared at Aster.

"Uhh... noted," Aster said as he nodded his head repeatedly.

Faye and Archie watched Eve and Aster leaving them alone to give them privacy.

"So, you still owe me the real story. You were making that story up back there, right?" Faye asked as she sat down where Eve was sitting down.

"Not entirely, I only lied a small part of it," Archie answered. "Since we have all night, I will tell you everything, but before that. Do you believe in God?" Archie asked.

"God? I'm not sure..." Faye answered with hesitation and looked at him with a puzzled and concerned look.

"Well then, this story is going to sound crazy to you, so bear with it and just listen to what I'm going to tell you," Archie said.

Archie told the whole truth from the beginning until the moment he met her. Faye was shocked, baffled, and terrified at the same time. She didn't know what to say, she made the same exact expression and reaction when he told Ruby about it.

Eve and Aster came back at the right moment. They both looked at the expression that Faye made, Eve was chuckling while Aster was worried about her.

"I believe she already know about everything?" Eve asked as she stood right in front of Eve.

Eve sat down and stared at Faye in the eye with a gentle smile on her face.

"Don't be so overwhelmed by it, Faye. This is how the world works now, and you will get used to it like how Ruby and the others are," Eve explained.

"I..." Before Faye could say anything, they heard rustling sounds from down the cliff.

All of them immediately looked at where the sound was coming from. They hurriedly went there to check what was that sound.

"Would you look at that, I was right about it," Eve said as she stared at a guy was stealthily walking in the forest. "So, who will be going to pick this guy up?" Eve asked.

"I gues you should. It's faster and easier to capture them if you just, you know, fly toward him?" Aster replied as he looked at Eve with a joking expression.

"Fine by me," Eve said as she pulled out her wings without making a sound. "Let's find out who's the coward, shall we?" Eve continued with a mischievous smile on her face.

Eve jumped off of the cliff and flew away like an owl. She didn't make any sound, she flew so quickly in the dark. It was fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

It didn't take long until Eve came back with the guy who got knocked out when she his her knee on the guy's nape.

"Let's see, is it Marlon's man, or yours, Faye," Eve said as she put down the guy and kicked him over.

"Looks like it's your guy," Eve said as she stared at Faye.