(Two Days Later)
In a room at the top floor of a duplex building, a black bird stood on a bedside table, her eyes staring at a young man who was sleeping with bandages on various parts of his body.
This black bird was Rhea, Corey's pet.
With eyes full of intelligence, Rhea stared at Corey who was sleeping.
Some seconds later, her head moved towards the window in the room they were in and in the next moment, her wings flapped and she moved towards the window and looked at the ground through the window.
There she could see two humans, a male and a female, seemingly in an argument.
Her head tilted slightly and some seconds later, she glanced at Corey for a few seconds before she flapped her wings and flew to the door of the room.
Just as it seemed like she was going to slam into the door, her body became incorporeal the moment she was about to slam into the door and she went through the door, leaving the room.
-----
(Some minutes ago)
"Why did you call me out here Luke?"
Becca asked as she looked around, trying to figure out the reason Luke called her out of the building her and the survivors were staying in.
Meanwhile Luke did not reply Becca's question immediately but instead looked around in caution.
Becca seeing Luke's reaction became slightly nervous and cautious.
"What's happening Luke?"
She asked and Luke finally looked at her.
"You saw the notification from the Universal System about that bastard been on the Temple of Flames hit list right?"
Luke said and Becca looked at him with a suspicious and cautious expression.
"Yes I did. Why are you asking?"
She asked and an expression of greed and slight anger appeared in his eyes.
"We've already figured out that the merchant is part of the Temple of Flames, so let us go to him and tell him where Corey is. We can then work together with the merchant and-"
"Stop, stop, stop."
As Becca heard the words of Luke, she could not help but interrupt him with an expression of shock.
"How can you think of doing this to Corey?"
She asked with a shocked tone and the greed and anger in the eyes of Luke increased.
"Didn't you see the rewards we could get for doing this? We would be able to join the Temple of Flames, we'll get 1,000 gold coins and we'll be able to choose a legendary graded skill from their treasury!"
"Think of how our lives would change. We would have the backing of the Temple of Flames, 1,000 gold coins and a legendary graded skill!
We would become much stronger, richer and safer!"
Looking at the expression of intense greed in Luke's eyes, Becca's eyes shook since she could not believe the words coming out from Luke's mouth.
"Luke, Corey just lost his entire family. His parents are dead and we don't even know what happened to his sister.
We're Corey's friends and we're meant to help and support him at times like this!"
As she spoke, she could not help but raise her voice, but the consequence of her words and tone was that her words and tone made the anger in Luke's heart to rise.
"Who is that bastard's friend?
Why would I want to be friends with somebody that tried to steal my woman?"
With a tone filled with hatred, he spoke and Becca felt a chill down her spine when she looked into Luke's eyes that was filled with anger.
"Luke-"
"Shut up!
Make your choice now.
Me or that bastard?"
As Becca tried to calm Luke down, she was interrupted. And when she heard the words of Luke, she was extremely flabbergasted.
"Why are you doing this Luke?
This is wrong
We-"
Slap!
"Shut the fuck up bitch!
Stop spouting nonsense and choose!"
As Luke shouted with a rageful expression, Becca with shaky pupils and a stunned expression held her reddened left cheek.
She looked at Luke who still had a rageful expression and with an extremely stunned expression, she spoke:
"You slapped me Luke?"
"Why won't I slap you when I know you'll want to choose Corey."
Luke replied with a condescending expression stunning Becca the more.
"What do you mean?"
She asked and the anger in Luke increased when the answer to Becca's question surfaced in his mind.
"You're still asking me such a stupid question?"
"After you and that bastard had that argument, I consoled you but whenever I wanted to have sex with you, you'll say no!
In fact, you started staying away from me after that day!"
Hearing the words of Luke, Becca shook and with anger in her tone, she shouted:
"That was because I needed some time alone!
I needed to think!
I needed to get my head and emotions straight!
Besides when Corey asked me out, I didn't choose him, I chose YOU!
I LOVED YOU!
And one of the reasons was because you promised not to harm me anymore!
You promised not to hit me anymore!"
SLAP!
A much louder slap resounded in the surroundings after Becca spoke, and Luke with extremely cold eyes looked at Becca who was kneeling on the floor while spitting out blood along with a few broken teeth, her glasses had flown away from the immense slap given to her by Luke.
Although he did not use all his strength, he definitely used most of it.
"And why did you think I won't hit you ever again just because of a promise?
You're just a bitch, my bitch, so don't talk to me about love.
You're not in love, you just love been treated like the bitch that you are.
And I'll make sure to treat you like one right now."
With an extremely cold and disdainful tone and expression, Luke spoke, then he walked towards Becca with malicious intent.
"Luke stop."
Becca pleaded but her plead fell on deaf ears. She crawled back in fear but Luke grabbed her left leg.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Luke please."
He said and Becca pleaded once again, but Luke ignored it and raised his right fist, wanting to swing it unto her face, but just as he raised his fist, something unexpected happened.
Something extremely hot slammed on Luke and before Luke or Becca could react, flames erupted on Luke's body and an ear screeching scream of pain erupted from the lips of Luke.
"ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Becca was at first stunned but then on instinct, she scrambled back in fear of getting burned by the flames.
Step Step
Just as she scrambled back, she heard footsteps and when she looked at the source, her eyes widened in shock.
"Mrs- Mrs. Ashley."
She stammered when she saw Ashley walking towards her location while looking at the burning Luke with an extremely cold expression.
On her right shoulder was a black bird, Rhea.
"HELP ME! PLEAAASSEEE!!!"
A painful scream of pain erupted from Luke once again causing Becca to look away from Ashley and look at Luke.
"Scum like you should be ridden from this world."
Hearing the words of Luke, Ashley spoke with a tone filled with soul chilling coldness.
And with cold eyes, she just watched Luke burn and wail in extreme pain.
A few minutes later, Luke's screams died and so did his life.
The surroundings which was slightly dark became extremely quiet and slightly eerie as Becca and Ashley just looked at the burnt corpse of Luke.
"Do you know what I feel for you?"
The silence was broken by Ashley's words causing Becca to look away from Luke's corpse and to look at Ashley.
"I feel pity."
Without waiting for Becca to reply, Ashley continued speaking.
"I feel pity for you and people like you, because in a way, I understand what you were feeling and going through while you were with this scum and because I know what you were feeling, I hope that you'll be able to save yourself from that feeling and I hope that you eventually find true happiness in life."
After speaking those words, Ashley walked away leaving Becca who just stood there with a blank expression.
