1861 Heartbroken (Part 1)

The scene that Chris saw replayed in his head again and again. Erin's sword had gone through Leo's head from the top down. He wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not, but everyone at the scene heard the sound of the sword going right through his skull, and at that moment, everything inside him seemed to break.

"ARGHHHH!" Chris screamed at the top of his lungs, and his whole body started to turn red as he activated the special soul weapon that was created by the members of Pure. He raised his hand and fired off the third stage Qi after gathering it around his palm.

Erin quickly pulled the blade out of Leo's head, allowing his body to fall lifeless to the floor, and placed it away as she held the demon-tier weapon. Holding it against her body and activating its ice proxies, she created a type of barrier. The large blast hit her and caused her to skid across the floor.

Chris continued to gather out his Qi as he was going to fire out the third stage through the air, aiming to at least hurt Erin for now.

'If Leo could push her this far, then I can do something as well.' Chris thought. At the same time, she had just had a fight, so surely she was more tired than him.

However, before Chris could attack further, his hand was knocked up, and a heavy palm strike hit him right in the stomach, sending him across the floor and forcing him to fall to his knees to balance himself. There was a hand imprint left on his stomach, and Chris gasped for air.

His red skin also started to fade as it went back to its usual colour, something that Chris had never experienced before.

'What is this? The energy is draining from my body. Is it a type of technique? Of course, of course, Zero would keep something to himself so that he can be in charge of everyone else.'

"Will you listen to me!" Zero shouted just then. "I do not want to lose you as well. You will get us all killed!"

Erin, having survived the attacks, looked at Leo one last time, and she also looked towards Silver. Unfortunately, due to Leo now being gone, the rising energy of the dhampir that was in her was starting to fade.

It would be more difficult for her to face the other two and the vampire. This was why it was always best for her to kill the weaker vampires in a group first, only this time, she had no choice.

"I will come back someday," Erin declared and went to the edge of the platform. Someone else also appeared by her side, the young woman that Silver was fighting against. Silver was distracted due to the shock of Leo's death, and seeing the opportunity, the young woman avoided the attack and escaped.

The two of them then jumped backwards off the platform and into the sea, only they hadn't gone into the sea and instead landed on top of a ship that was seen flying off into the distance far away.

Rather than going to give chase after Erin, instead, Silver had gone over to Leo's side.

"Leo! Leo!" Silver shouted as she knelt down and brought his head into his lap. She looked at the blood pouring down his face and his whitened-out eyes. Images of the few meetings the two had together were flashing into her mind, and she began to rock back and forth, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"WHY NOW!!! WHY!!!"

These were the only words that she repeatedly said as she pulled Leo's head closer into a hug, and she cried in regret and mourning.

Chris had managed to regain his breath back, but he was no longer filled with anger. Now that Erin was gone, there was nothing he could do at this moment, and looking at both Silver and Leo like so, the immense pain he had ever felt in his heart before had appeared.

He felt a heavy lump in his throat that he was finding incredibly hard to keep down.

"If I had just...gone in earlier...if I had gone to help instead of thinking too much," Chris regretted his hesitation. "Why am I so useless? Why didn't I help him?"

The sound of footsteps was coming toward him, and Chris could hear them as he looked up.

"I know why I hesitated," Chris said, furrowing his eyebrows. "It was because of you. You were the one that stopped me! You stopped me from helping him! You said you cared about Leo. What bullshit was that then?

"You, buying up this army, growing as strong as you could and for what?! You couldn't even protect the people you care about, and now you couldn't even protect Leo either!"

Lifting his hand, Zero slapped Chris right across the face.

"You have no idea," Zero said with a shaky voice, and when looking at him closely, that's when Chris noticed that Zero was also crying uncontrollably, tears down his entire face. "You have no idea how I feel. So don't you dare go on and talk like you know everything.

"Every single person I have raised, I see them as my sons and daughters. I have stronger bonds with them, even when compared to their real families, and the same goes for you as well.

"I could see Leo was already lost, but Chris, I couldn't lose you as well. If I lost you, then it would mean I have absolutely no one. No one left in this world."

Being raised by Zero, Chris was always thankful to him and felt indebted, and because of that, he did everything that he was asked to, but even after years, he never felt the true family connection. It was only while spending time with Leo did he feel like he finally had a place and someone he could depend on.

For the first time, seeing Zero break down in front of him like this, the connection between the two of them was felt.

Eventually, Zero wiped away his tears and turned around away from Chris for a few seconds. It was almost as if he was trying to regain his composure, and when that was finally done, he turned around and went at eye level with Chris, pulling his shoulders in so the two of them were closer.

"I know you, Chris, you are kind-hearted, you are like me, that's why I chose you. You saw Leo like a brother to you, correct."

Chris was too hurt to say anything. If he even spoke, then all of the emotions he was keeping welled up would come out, so he just nodded instead.

"Good, so listen to me," Zero said as he shook Chris. "The two of us only have each other in this world now. We have to continue with the plan. Do you remember what I asked before? Do you recall what I told you?"

Chris shook his head because he wasn't really sure what part Zero was talking about.

"I have gathered the members of Pure again. We can change this world, so things like this never happen again, so there are people who don't have to experience the same pain that the two of us are feeling right now!"

High on emotions and sadness and not sure what to do, Chris just nodded along. Right now, he has nobody. The only two people he really knew his entire life were Zero and Leo. Now with Leo gone, he had no choice but to go back to the only other one that had cared about him.

Lastly, this way, his life would have some use, he could be useful to someone, and he could experience what life was like in a family.

"Just remember the goal Chris," Zero said as he clenched his fists. "Everything we are doing is for them. Everything we are doing is to get them back, and now, Leo is just added on that list as well."

*****

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