Chapter 24: Proposal

Alex's eyes slowly opened, revealing the dark room around him. He took a deep breath and sat up, his mind still clouded by the vivid dream he had just experienced. In the dream, a mysterious girl said to him, "For you, this is just a game but for me, it's everything. If I lose today, I can lose everything." Her words had sent a shiver down his spine, and he had watched helplessly as she gathered her jacket and gun and disappeared into the night.

As Alex tried to shake off the remnants of the dream, his mind couldn't help but dwell on the meaning behind the girl's words. He couldn't deny the feeling that there was more to her message than just a simple game. Was it a reflection of his own life, a reminder that every decision he made carried weight and consequences? Or was it a premonition of some future event, a warning that the stakes were about to be raised to a whole new level?

Suddenly, he was jolted back to reality by a wave of confusion. Who was she? He tried to remember if he had seen her before, but her face remained mysterious. Alex shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Wait a minute," he muttered to himself. "What was I even dreaming? A girl, a gun, a jacket? What does it all mean?"

Despite his confusion, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that the dream was significant. As he tried to make sense of it all, he couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he had tried to stop the girl from leaving.

Alex was lost in thought, still trying to process the strange dream that had shaken him to his core. Suddenly, a loud noise broke through his reverie, and he snapped out of his daze to see Anna looking confused and angry as she confronted Maya. "You're lying!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "How could I do anything like that?" But before Anna could finish her sentence, tears began streaming down her face and she let out a heart-wrenching sob.

As Alex watched the scene unfold, he realized that Maya must have told Anna the truth about her actions and that the reality of the situation was hitting her hard. It was a difficult truth to accept, but Alex couldn't help but wonder if Maya had been justified in her actions all along. Perhaps she truly believed that she was avenging her people, even if it meant sacrificing innocent lives.

Despite the somber atmosphere, Alex couldn't help but let his mind wander to more selfish thoughts. Maybe now was the perfect opportunity to bring Anna into his team, or even his harem... But he knew he had to wait for the right moment and let Anna have her moment of grieving.

As Maya attempted to console Anna, the distraught girl clung to her tightly, crying into her shoulder. Linda stood by, offering her support to Maya as she rubbed Anna's back in a soothing motion. The scene was undeniably sad, but Alex couldn't help but feel a sense of detachment from the emotion in the air. He found himself yawning, his mind already wandering to other, more trivial matters.

As Anna's ragged breaths slowed and she regained her composure, she lowered herself gently onto the cool, earthen floor of the cave. With her eyes closed and her voice barely above a whisper, she began to intone a series of ancient incantations. This was a ritual that she had learned long ago, one that could release the souls of those who had been trapped within the depths of the cave for centuries.

In Alex's mind, a feeling of guilt and remorse washed over him as he remembered the forgotten souls. He was filled with a sense of overwhelming sadness at the thought that not only had they been killed, but their souls had been cruelly trapped within the cave, never to experience rebirth.

Suddenly, a blindingly bright light filled the cavern, illuminating every corner and crevice. All at once, the trapped souls were released from their earthly bonds and allowed to enter the cycle of rebirth. Anna's eyes fluttered open, and though her face still held a shadow of sorrow, she felt an immense sense of relief and gratitude.

Slowly, she rose to her feet and made her way over to Linda, extending her hand in a gesture of thanks. After a few moments, everyone was ready to leave the cave, even the previously unenthusiastic M.C. had become eager to go.

As the group approached the mouth of the cave, Linda and Maya exchanged bittersweet goodbyes with Anna. The crisp mountain air was filled with the faint echoes of their farewells. Just then, Alex broke the silence with an unexpected offer. "Would you like to come with us?" The sudden proposal left everyone stunned, their faces were frozen in disbelief.

- To be continued.