"Tell me, Takeshi. What exactly happened inside the room?", Drey asked again.
"It was...", Takeshi answered but was stopped because of his nervousness.
"Answer the question, Takeshi.", Amaki said in a voice of someone who is angry but is crying inside.
'Geh? First, the Captain and now Amaki? I'll be fucked if they found out that I-", Takeshi thought to himself before being interrupted.
"What's wrong, Takeshi? Just answer the question and this will all be over in an instant.", Drey asked wondering why Takeshi took long to speak.
"Y...Yes, Captain. It was...Ren was stabbed because...", Takeshi answered in broken sentences.
"What's wrong, are you tired or something?", Drey asked changing his tone from serious to suspicious of Takeshi.
"No, Captain! I'm not tired. It's just, I don't really want to talk about Ren right now. He just lost his life and I kind of feel sorry for him." Takeshi answered while flustered.
"Takeshi...If you don't answer, then we won't know the truth. If you delay your statement now, it can cause problems in the future.", Drey said as if to threaten Takeshi.
"...Okay...I'll tell you. But just this once. That's my condition."
"Well then...Continue.", Drey said while retracting his suspicious tone.
Takeshi didn't want to speak that he was almost pushed to a corner. To his luck, after he said that he'll spill the beans, Drey backed off. He let out a sigh of relief in a guise of heavy breathing, like a refresher before starting to speak.
"Back there, when Maebara told us to snap out of it and that we have to get out, I was the last one to move. When I turned my back and started running, I tripped on some kind of rubble. That...monster inside noticed me fall. I didn't see it approach me but I was sure that I was about to be attacked by it, because as I looked back behind me...I saw Ren, blocking the Death Reaper's attack. But he wasn't able to block it all. He was wounded by that monster's scythe. The wound was pretty deep so Ren lost strength and fell on his knees. That was when he was stabbed. The lower edge of the scythe pierced through Ren. He..."
As Takeshi continued to talk, everyone was shocked about what happened to Ren. Drey who was standing still finally sat down, leaning against the wall and started crying.
"Ren knew that I was behind him. So as the scythe pierced through him, he moved his body so I won't get hit. That guy-"
"Stop there...Takeshi", Amaki said coldly,interrupting Takeshi.
"Amaki..."
"Why...Why did Ren had to die?", Maebara asked to himself aloud while tears fell from his eyes.
"In the end, Ren prioritized others before him. He was a great man. A great hero...And an irreplaceable friend.", Drey said in corresponse to Maebara's question.
"Your right, Captain. He was a great hero." Takeshi said.
Asaki...who was listening to the conversation fell in despair. Her eyes dried up that not a single tear would come out. She felt that she had lost everything...and fainted. Rindo was startled as to why Asaki was slipping from her embrace, only to find that she had lost consciousness.
"Asaki...Asaki! Hey, wake up! Asaki!"
Rindo's screaming caught the attention of everyone, making them concerned as they approched the pair.
"Rindo, what happened?", Shin asked as he assisted Sayaka in holding Asaki.
"I don't know. Asaki just...suddenly lost consciousness.", Rindo answered.
As Shin and Rindo carefully laid Asaki in the floor, Drey approched them and checked Asaki's condition. Drey told everyone to start moving and clear the room.
"Shin...assist me in carrying Asaki.", Drey told Shin.
"Yeah.", Shin replied.
Drey slowly lifted Asaki with the help of Shin. Drey then positioned Asaki in both his arms, carrying her like a princess.
"Everyone, move out! We will be returning to Friandal right now. Knights, prepare the carriages!, Drey ordered.
"Yes, sir!", yelled the knights.
Everyone did as what they were told. The knights rushed outside and prepared the carriages. The heroes started to leave the room.
"Hey, Amaki...Let's go.", Maebara said as he patted Amaki's shoulder.
Amaki responded with a nod. He then stood up and slowly walked towards the entance. Drey was ahead of them. He placed Asaki on the nearest carriage and left. He called out to Rindo to ride with Asaki. Rindo then climbed aboard the carriage. Maebara, Amaki, and Shin followed suit. Takeshi was about to climb aboard the same carriage when he was stopped by Maebara.
"Sorry, Takeshi. But we need more room here for Asaki. You're gonna have to ride on another carriage."
Hearing what Maebara said, Takeshi climbed down the carriage and went to another one.
'Damn that Maebara...Getting all cocky and won't allow me to ride their carriage. Ahhh... I wanted to look at Asaki's beautiful sleeping face. Damn him.', Takeshi thought to himself, cursing Maebara.
As soon as everyone was aboard in different carriages. Drey signalled the departure. The lead carriage where Drey was moved ahead while the others followed in a line. The last carriage was where Asaki is resting. 20 minutes after they're departure, the temple they were just in was covered by the number of trees besides each side of the road. It was already out of their sight.
As Maebara looked at the trees, he suddenly muttered...
"I hope Ren is okay...Maebara said in a low voice.
"I hope so.", Rindo said in succession.
"If there's one thing about Ren, he won't easily give in to someone. Whether be it man or monster. Isn't that right, Amaki?"
Amaki was facing the floor of the carriage, looking discouraged. As he heard Maebara call to him, he lifted his head and stared at his opposite side.
"Yeah. Ren would not give up that easily", he said coldly.
As every second pass, they get further from the temple. In that temple where they fought was their friend's...classmate's body, lying on the ground. That unconscious body, who was presumed dead...started moving.
Little by little, he would move his fingers until he opened both his eyes.