"You weren't putting up much of a fight before, so why now?"

"I don't know," King muttered, rubbing the top of his head. "It just went over my head like a flying fart in space that I completely overlooked the fact that we're going back to that crap!" he spat, shaking his head and gesturing a hand wildly in the air. 

Pandora sighed. "It is the least we can do for Axel."

At the mention of Axel, the young man’s frown deepened. Though he refrained from speaking, he emitted a snort through his nose and turned away.

Pandora remained silent. She was well aware of King’s disdain for their family's pride. But they had already journeyed to Rumania, enduring hours of land travel and now contending with the jarring ride of their shabby, stinky carriage.

Though the carriage might have seemed on the verge of falling apart with every bump, it was sufficient for their needs. They just needed a ride to the mountains, and splurging on a more luxurious conveyance was not worth it.

King glanced at Pandora, who brushed a stray strand of her brunette braid from her face. Her expression remained neutral, seemingly oblivious to his unspoken pleas.

King eventually resigned himself with a melodramatic sigh, tossing his head back against the headrest with a soft thud.

"Cease your grumbling," Pandora instructed without looking at him.

King muttered a foul curse through clenched teeth, rubbing his aching head before turning his attention back to his complaints.

A few moments later, he rested his head against the small window by his side, his faux sobs fading away as the cool breeze caressed his face.

It is so green, King thought, observing the tall trees passing by like a rolling film. Everything was familiar yet distant. He was accustomed to the capital, where man-made structures climbed toward the heavens and the metallic carriages of gas engines populated the streets. Venice had been rich in color, but nature’s pure green was unmatched.

King leaned back against the headrest, this time more cautiously, and watched Pandora retrieve her coffee flask.

"You should reduce your caffeine intake," King remarked, attempting to sound casual.

"I feel drowsy," Pandora replied, taking a sip.

"... That’s your third cup today."

"Is it?" Pandora asked innocently, sipping her coffee. King shot her a disapproving glance.

Suddenly, a snort followed by a snore emanated from the front of the carriage. King turned to see Douglas, the large young man, slumped awkwardly in his seat. Despite being only seventeen, he was impressively big.

Pandora furrowed her brows as King began to sing loudly. Douglas stirred, groaning in irritation. That didn't stop King; he was getting his revenge from when the latter had jolted him awake by screaming the previous day. His lips curled up as his voice rose in pitch, grating on the ears.

Douglas’s head shot up, confusion giving way to a scowl. "King! Shut it!" he snapped, giving King’s shin a half-hearted kick before attempting to return to sleep. King continued his off-key singing, pitch so out of range that the latter bolted up for real.

"Ack—hey!" King protested as Douglas grabbed him, his grip surprisingly firm for someone younger. Douglas delivered a sharp knuckle to his head.

"You asked for it, you little shrimp!"

"Wha—who's a little shrimp?!" King growled.

Pandora’s knuckles whitened around her flask as the two bickered, jostling each other and bumping into her. It was another of their perpetual nonsense again.

"Stop it, you—"

Pandora’s words were cut off as the carriage jolted violently. The horses whinnied and the coachman shouted, followed by a blinding flash along with the jaw-rattling noise of splintering wood.

King gritted his teeth as pain surged through his body. The world spun, and he drifted in and out of consciousness. When everything settled into obscurity, King felt numb. He blinked, trying to grasp reality, then recalled their situation.

King gritted his teeth as pain bit his body relentlessly like a mad dog. The world spun so many times he had semi-drifted out of consciousness.

Then a moment later, everything ceased, the world gone into obscurity. King felt senseless. At times, his eyes slightly opened, like it was grasping reality for the first time yet again. He thought he was dreaming. Then he recollected the events.

Terra Madre, King thought. Yes, that shithole.

King and the two were heading back to their pride for Axel's twenty-first birthday, which was going to be held on the same day of his rank ascension, rented a shabby ride in Slovenia, and-

King gritted his teeth and twisted, pain crashing back in on his guts. He started coughing and heaving for air, catching a whirl of dust and scenting the small trail of blood that dripped down his nose. Dust whirled in around him, wooden shard scattered around like a bundle of confetti.

King dazedly twisted his head to one side, hoping his cousins would get less than his abrupt nose job. He watched Pandora move, who disturbed the hollow mass of wood. "Doug?" King forced out of his burning throat, his voice barely reduced to a whisper.

Douglas patted his forehead, grimacing as he did and soaking the tips of his fingers with a print of fresh blood. "I'm..." Douglas groaned as he sat up, "I'm all right?" he returned, sort of like a question rather than an answer. King and Pandora were still relieved to hear it.

King tried to move, and he hissed in response. There was a burning sensation on the left side of his pelvis. Much better, he thought. At least, he wasn't dead.

"Get out, " Pandora suddenly blurted out. "We have to-"

There was a faint, raspy growl blending in with the shuffling of pebbles under the now silent surrounding. The horses have already long escaped when the carriage broke... so who was making that sound?

They all froze, straining their ears at the sound that moved in. A stagnant odor started attacking their noses. King grimaced and started breathing through his mouth instead. His heart was drumming on his chest, and when he saw Douglas and Pandora's eyes widen eeriely as they stared so intensely at him... no, behind him, he shuddered.

King slowly turned his head to seek what it was behind him that got his two cousins into their wordless disposition. And when he did find out what it was, a massive chain of chill slithered its way into his body.

Through the narrow gap on the dirt-splattered side, a bent-over creature of leathery grey skin was staring at him, lips curled into a smile as it flashed its shark-like teeth at him.