HALF: Dead nor Alive

“So you’re one of them, I see,” Nova said as she glanced at Archie who walked next to her. “I met them, just a few hours ago, Vincent, Ruby, Princeton, and Resse. They’re your friends, right?” She asked as she looked at the sword on Archie’s back.

“Yes, they are but since our destination is different, I left, and here I am, lost in a different world and time,” Archie answered and looked at the city in the distance.

“You should have told me if you’re one of them, I shouldn’t have to point my sword at you. To think the people from the Eastern Nation to be this strong is really mind-blowing,” Nova said as she looked at the sword’s handle and sighed.

Ivan who walked behind them immediately walked faster. “Wait, so they really are that strong? Does that means they really killed that thing?” He asked as he looked at Nova.

“What thing?” Nova asked as she looked at Ivan with confusion.

“That parasite who destroyed the bridge six years ago!” Ivan answered as he pointed his finger to the east.

“Ah, that’s classified information so I can’t confirm if it’s true or not,” Nova replied as she looked at Archie.

“You can’t hide it from me, you have been praising him ever since you know who he is. I bet it’s true, isn’t it? For a human to be able to kill that parasite, these guys are heroes,” Ivan said with his hands in his pockets.

Nova just smirked and scoffed because she knew that the parasite died but she didn’t know how it died because only Ruby and the others who knew about it.

“Alright, we are here, my farm,” Nova said as she looked at the giant Barn in front of her. “I have so many parasites in there and they started to kill each other. I need someone who can kill them since I don’t need them anymore because the business is getting worse and worse,” Nova said.

“In the end, she’s using you as well, Archie,” Ivan said as he chuckled and patted Archie’s back.

“You said you want to go back to the Western Nation, right? You do your job, and I will give you access to leave to the Central,” Nova said as she looked at Archie.

“All I have to do is to kill all of them? You don’t want anything else?” Archie asked.

“Nothing, you can start doing it now while I’m going to make you something,” Nova said. “Good luck!” She patted Archie’s shoulder and left to the house not far from the barn.

Archie went inside the barn and it was so quiet that Ivan was a bit worried since he couldn’t hear anything. He then decided to go and check what happened inside, but the moment he took a peek, he was Archie already killed all of them with his swords covered in the parasite’s blood.

Archie stood there for quite a while and Ivan was still watching him from the outside. Archie was hungry when they saw those parasites on the ground but he knew that Ivan was watching him and so he turned around to leave the barn.

“You’re amazing, you know that? I have never seen or heard anyone be able to kill dozens of parasites in like a minute!” Ivan said as he looked at Archie who walked past him.

“It’s nothing, I just got used to the hordes, that’s all,” Archie answered as he sat down on top of the wooden fence.

The two of them were having a small conversation until Nova came back and she looked at Archie with her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing out here? I thought you’re dealing with the parasites in there,” she asked.

“I already took care of it, it’s not that hard,” Archie said as he looked down at Nova with a bowl of soup and water on the plate.

“No, that’s not possible,” Nova said as she gave the plate to Archie.

Archie just raised his eyebrows and tilted his head toward the barn. Nova immediately walked toward the barn and she couldn’t believe that Archie killed those parasites that quickly. Although she believed in her own skill, she couldn’t kill that many and not to mention that Archie took care of it without even breaking a sweat.

Nova came back with a surprised expression. “How did you do that? How did you kill that many parasites so quickly?” Nova asked.

“These,” Archie answered and showed her his swords.

“These swords, what are they made of? It’s so light but so strong at the same time,” Nova asked as she touched the tip of the blade.

“They’re made of the deepest part of the meteorite, it was really hard to get myself the material,” Archie answered as he sheathed the swords.

“What?! You got your hand on the meteorite?! This sword could buy you a whole block, no you can buy half of the nation with this! And you got two of them?!” Nova said as she looked at Archie with disbelief.

Ivan choked on his saliva. “What?! Are you being serious?! Those swords worth that much?!”

“It’s priceless, I don’t think anyone can have those even if they want to because of how precious the material is,” Nova answered. “You’re so lucky to have those on you,” she continued as she looked at Archie.

“Even if you get the material, it would be impossible for anyone to process it. The people who made these swords are still in the Eastern Nation, and who knows if they’re still alive or not. If they’re dead now, these two will be the last of their kind,” Archie said as he looked at the swords on his back.

“So, can I ask you the reason why do you want to go to the Western Nation? People from Western Nation are all mostly in the Central right now,” Nova asked as she sat down on top of the fence.

“I have someone that I want to see, she’s an old friend of mine and it has been seven long years since the last time I saw her,” Archie answered as he ate the soup.

“A woman? Seven years at that? I don’t think she will wait for you, Archie, she must have seen someone and maybe already got married as we speak,” Nova said and chuckled.

Archie smiled and raised his eyebrows while he was staring at the barn. “It’s not like that, she’s just a friend and if she got married then I’m happy for her. It’s just that I want to see her, that’s all, I want to see my other friends as well but she’s the one I want to see first,” he replied with a smile on his face.

“Hmm, that means you’re not seeing anyone then?” Nova said jokingly as she tilted her head and stared at Archie.

“No, I’m not seeing anyone right now because there are a lot of things that I want to do. There’s a woman who has been chasing me and it’s really bothersome to deal with,” Archie replied and sighed.

“I see, you’re quite famous in the Eastern, huh? I’m not surprised if you are,” Nova said as she looked in the distance. “Anyway, this woman that you want to see, what’s her name?” she asked.

“Her name is Faye,” Archie answered.

“Elendra Faye? Is that her full name?” Nova asked as she looked at Archie with curiosity.

“Yeah, Elendra Faye, you know her?” Archie replied.

“Everybody knows who she is, she’s the best Axis Human has ever existed now. Is she really your friend? Because it’s hard to believe and you’re quite lucky to know her,” Nova said and Ivan nodded in agreement.

Archie furrowed his forehead and looked at Nova with confusion. “Why is that? Is she really an important person right now?”

“She’s really an important person that everyone is dying to meet her, she got herself a rank in the military and currently as the Lieutenant Colonel of a special force that only recruits the best of the best Axis Humans around the world, they called them the Valor,” Nova explained. “Even I, the best Axis Humans in the Northern Nation couldn’t pass the test and it has been always my dream to be a part of the Valor force because they’re the only ones now who can go on an expedition to the dangerous places,” she continued as she looked at the sky.

“Wow, really? The last time I saw her she was just a normal girl and now she has become an Axis Human and the best as well, it’s really good news for me,” Archie said with a smile on his face.

“You’re quite in the luck, Archie,” Nova said as she looked at him. “Because Elendra Faye is no longer living in the Western Nation. She’s now living in the Central Nation and she’s closer than you think,” she continued.

“Is that so? That’s really good news,” Archie said with a big smile on his face.