Chapter 170: Burying The Pain Behind Laughter.
After the funeral ended, Levi, Nurah, Arthur, Rayan, Sergio, Jamal, and Jojo went out for some drinks under Shia’s invitation... The location: the same rooftop with the garden, becoming their favorite hangout spot.
This was the first time they gathered like this after the expedition ended... Some were hospitalized for more than a day, which postponed it until the funeral ended.
Though Levi, Arthur, Rayan, and Jojo did visit Melissa’s foster home. They checked on how her brothers and sisters took the news... as expected, it wasn’t good.
Seeing this, her friends could only honor her memory by ensuring that her family would no longer suffer from hunger, SR Pills shortage, or any problem that came with a low cash flow.
Although they knew that the government would pay them monthly checks from Melissa’s hefty insurance, still... they wanted to do something for her even when she was already gone.
After the squad gathered on the rooftop, they talked about what they went through in the expedition, relishing the good and epic moments, while sighing bitterly at the sorrowful ones.
As hard as Melissa’s death was for them, she wasn’t the only Daywalker who lost their life... Jamal, Shia, and Sergio had lost many acquaintances from the agency.
Besides an outsider like Nurah, who was used to death from a young age, everyone lost someone and was hit by a wave of grief.
Seeing the atmosphere was about to get spoiled with negative energy again, Nurah swiftly raised a cup of wine and said, "I get the long face... and I have no interest in bashing you for it, but instead of moping around, you should make a cheer for them."
Everyone remained silent for a few moments before Levi nodded in agreement.
"Melissa would hate herself if she were to find out that her death has robbed us of our smiles..." He smiled gently, lifting his cup in the air, "We can grieve with smiles and laughter... This is the atmosphere she always loved, and if her soul is nearby, I want her to enjoy it too."
"Haha, I guess you’re right."
Arthur laughed loudly, lifting a bowl with protein powder mixed with milk... Jojo’s lips twitched as a drop landed on top of her gleaming scalp.
Her mouth burned to bash Arthur, but she suppressed such thoughts and lifted a cup of juice.
"To Melissa." She said.
"To Kiera, Selene, and Omar." Rayan did the same, standing up with his cup.
"To Joren, Fenno, Tyven... and Amira."
Sergio, Jamal, and Shia followed along, listing all the perished Blood Hunters in combat. Then, they clicked their cups and yelled Cheers in harmony.
Once it was over, a name was found to be unmentioned... Demetris.
"I knew Demetris was kind of an asshole, but doesn’t he deserve to be named? He fought to the bitter end after all." Sergio said.
"True." Jamal nodded.
Instead of acceptance, only chilling silence followed their suggestion.
Shia, Jamal, and Sergio still had no clue about what Demetris did... Levi had told Velmira and his accompanying friends at the time of the assassination attempt.
Velmira relayed the news to Madam Naima, who later informed Lord Idriss alone. The first thing Lord Idriss ordered was for the news to be contained at all costs.
Although Levi and the others weren’t forced to sign a contract, they were requested to keep such classified intel to themselves.
Levi agreed at the time, and yet, he didn’t hesitate to tell Shia, Sergio, and Jamal about what happened... They were his friends, and they deserved to have Demetris’ image corrected in their minds.
God knows that too many people already thought of him as a hero.
After he finished his narration... Shia and the other two were left stunned, not realizing just how close they were to losing the expedition.
It literally hung on the line... if it wasn’t for Levi stopping the assassination attempt, they would have been food to the Hound by now.
As powerful as Lord Idriss might be... He could not take down two Tier 5 nightcrawlers while simultaneously needing to protect his people.
"Damn... to think Demetris and his shitty ass brother were moles." Sergio cursed, "I can’t say I am surprised, the f*ckers did look the part already."
"Bastards, we almost died in the Harrowing Forest because of them... I should have pierced their skulls with my arrows when I had the chance." Jamal huffed, infuriated.
"It’s water under the bridge... both are dead." Levi smiled faintly, "Now, let’s not spoil our mood with their revolting faces."
Hearing this, Shia giggled in amusement, "Ah... I can still remember the days you were piggy-carried by your brother in the Harrowing Forest... Now, look at you, saving the day and all that."
Levi chuckled as he listened to his friends laughing their asses off at such a scene... Unbothered by it all.
He was never ashamed of relying on his little brother during those difficult times. As orphaned blood brothers, they had nothing else but each other to rely on.
"Shit... Now you mention it... Is it just me, or am I forgetting he’s blind?" Sergio chuckled.
"Blind? With how he moved in the expedition, I am starting to believe he is the only one who can see..." Rayan laughed, recalling how Levi acted during the expedition.
"I heard you Larson freaks have taken care of a three-hundred-nightcrawlers’ army on your own." Sergio’s eyelids twitched, "What kind of sorcery are you using... to surpass me in less than three months... Give me some."
"Hit the Gym..." Arthur advised while flexing his guns with a smirk.
Sergio stared, unblinking, until the frustration passed... He had no plans to bicker with Arthur, for he knew... Someone was already dying to do so.
"Careful, you’ll scare the protein shake right out of your hands." Jojo roasted... The sight of Arthur’s shenanigans always brought out her bad side.
"Bald by choice, bitchy by default..." Arthur sneered, leaning closer to her face.
"At least, I ain’t no muscle head," Jojo smirked, leaning as well until their foreheads were about to touch.
"What’s with the look? You wanna go?" Arthur rolled his sleeves while headbutting Jojo.
"You won’t last a second."
Jojo immediately caught Arthur’s collar, tightening it up with her fair-skinned, tight, muscular arm.
"You’re right, I will be forced to end it quickly to not see your face again."
Arthur did the same, taking hold of her monk-like robe.
Levi and the rest kept watching them, each with their own expressions... Levi was exhausted. Sergio, Rayan, and Jamal wanted Arthur’s ass kicked so bad.
As for Shia and Nurah, their eyes sparkled with interest, feeling like they were watching a soap opera with two muscle heads as a couple.
"Just kiss already..." Nurah giggled, unable to hold back anymore.
The moment Jojo and Arthur heard this, their faces turned slightly red as they quickly pulled away from each other... Even with their thick skin and dense looks, they realized that they were too close for comfort.
"Tsk, who would kiss such a gorilla? Even if I wasn’t a monk abstaining from such forbidden relations, I ain’t that desperate." Jojo said under her breath.
"Says the baldy... I wouldn’t even use your head as a prayer stone to wish for a girlfriend," Arthur shot back, settling into a cross-legged seat.
Just as Jojo was about to fire another roast, a small hologram appeared in front of her eyes.
-Your attendance is required at the High Council... At 03:00 PM-
A message sent by the Training Center’s administration.
When she tried to relay the news, she found out that Nurah, Arthur, Levi, and even Shia showed the same expression.
"Hmmm? Why so quiet?" Rayan tilted his head in confusion.
"Attendance?" Levi asked.
"Attendance."
The rest nodded, confirming a similar message.
They gazed at each other in silence, assuming that it might be related to the expedition, but at the same time, they were failing to see why.
Shia told the rest what was going on, and they joined in their discussion.
"Are we going to see Instructor Seraphis at last?" Jojo wondered.
"Doubtful... But, I do hope so." Levi smiled bitterly.
He was told that Instructor Seraphis was put in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), to ensure he wouldn’t flatline on them.
His life force was sucked bone dry, leaving them to use only totems capable of restoring some of it.
At the moment, he was in a deep coma with no information about the day he would wake up... If it were just this, they might have a chance to visit him.
However, since Seraphis’ life was tied to The Hound’s release, his life was concealed and protected, allowing no one to get close to him.
Only the High Chancellor knew of the location... Not even his medical care had a clue as they were moved to the place... blindfolded and under strict contractual obligations.
"I guess the only way to find out is to attend."