Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Vengeance... a simple word, yet it burns like red-hot iron. It begins as a promise, a whispered oath in the dark, a fire kept alive deep within to avoid falling into despair. It gives a reason to rise, to breathe, to endure. But what few understand is that once vengeance is fulfilled... only ashes remain.

Kyle Crane knew this now. For months, he had lived for a single purpose: to bring down the Baron. His entire being had been shaped by that hatred, by a need for justice twisted over time and suffering. And when the moment finally came, when the metal bar plunged into the Baron's heart and blood flowed, he felt that rush of euphoria, that illusion of peace he had imagined so often. But the joy lasted only a moment. Very quickly, it dissipated, replaced by a profound, almost inhuman emptiness.

It had been several months since the Baron's death. In the Exiles' cave, his new refuge, Kyle spent his nights lying on a makeshift bed, eyes open to the stone ceiling, listening to the silence. A heavy silence, broken only by the steady drip of water and the distant voices of the inhabitants. He reflected on all he had lost not just the people, but himself. For in feeding on vengeance, he had forgotten how to live.

And yet he had evolved... His body, his strength, his mastery of the Beast Mode all of it was now under his control. Where once this transformation had frightened him, it had become his ally. He could summon it at will, tame it, use it without fear of losing himself. It made survival simpler, almost natural. He had even passed on this knowledge to another Aiden Caldwell, Spike's friend, who had become a sort of protégé to him. Together, they had fortified the cave, learned to survive, and to protect those who lived there.

But despite this apparent stability, the void remained. He lived mechanically breathing, eating, fighting, teaching without ever feeling the slightest spark. His soul seemed to have frozen the day the Baron fell. As if all his humanity had been buried with him.

Sometimes, he watched the other exiles laugh, talk, hope. Simple things, almost mundane, but which seemed alien to him. He did not envy their joy; he simply no longer remembered what it felt like. Time passed, the days blended together, and the further he went, the more he felt himself drifting away from the world.

Yet, deep inside, a tiny part resisted. A minuscule, flickering flame refused to die completely. Perhaps it was hope. Perhaps simply the instinct to survive. But sometimes, when the morning light filtered through the cracks in the rock and touched his weary face, Kyle thought he could feel something a memory of warmth, a trace of life. And in those rare moments, he understood that he was not yet completely lost.

Vengeance had destroyed him, yes. But as long as a single breath remained, however fragile, there remained a chance the chance to learn to live again... to be reborn.

________

Crane stared at the ceiling of his makeshift room, lost in thought. The cracks in the rock above him formed strange, almost familiar patterns. For weeks, he had gone to sleep and woken up with that same ceiling as his only company. The silence weighed heavily, broken only by the distant drip of water falling onto the cold stone.

Suddenly, a soft knock knock echoed. Someone had tapped on the wall to get his attention. Crane turned his head toward the sound and saw Aiden, his protégé, standing in the rough doorway.

"Aiden? Can I help you?" Crane asked, slowly sitting up on his bed, casting a tired but attentive glance at the young man.

"Lydia said we need to move. After the Baron's death and the fall of what remained of his army, she wants to give us a better place to live" Aiden replied, stepping forward to sit on the old chair beside the bed.

"I see... and knowing her, I'm guessing she's already found this so-called place, right?" Crane asked with a faint smirk, anticipating the answer before hearing it.

"Yeah. An old hotel, almost new, not far from the city. But there's a catch" Aiden said, and Crane rolled his eyes, already weary before knowing more.

"There's always a catch" Crane sighed, staring at the floor for a moment as Aiden let out a small laugh.

"Yeah... according to Lydia, there are some Volatiles stuck inside. So she thought we could take care of it, since we're the only ones with that... what do you call it again?" Aiden asked, furrowing his brow as if searching for the word.

"Beast Mode... yeah. I don't get why the others don't have it" Crane replied, stretching as his muscles cracked after hours of inactivity.

"Lydia says the experiments on the two of us were different. The others got telepathy, we got Beast Mode. Not so bad, if you ask me," Aiden said with a small smile that managed to draw a tiny laugh from Crane.

"Alright... let's do it. Let's go into that building and kill all the infected inside" Crane finally said, standing up slowly. Aiden nodded, pleased to see the veteran ready to move.

The duo made their way to the exit. The Exiles' cave was quiet, lit by a few makeshift lamps. Crane's footsteps echoed faintly on the damp stone. But his gaze fell on a familiar figure... Eryn, the young pregnant hybrid, leaning against a crate, her hand resting on her rounded belly.

"Eryn? How are you?" Crane asked, approaching, his voice softening slightly from its usual hardness. The girl lifted her head to him, her tired eyes gently shining in the firelight.

"Crane? I'm... okay. Though Lydia says the baby will be here soon, and it makes me a little nervous..." Eryn replied, caressing her swollen belly, a mix of fear and tenderness in her gaze.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Aiden and I are going to clear out a place that could serve as a new home. Something better than this cave... for you and the baby" Crane said calmly, but sincerely. Eryn gave a small, moved smile.

"Thank you, both of you" she murmured with a faint smile. The two men nodded before resuming their walk outside.

Outside, the gray morning light bathed the rocks. An old car, covered in dust and rust spots, waited near the entrance. Aiden immediately ran toward it, visibly excited.

"I'm driving!" Aiden shouted with a wide grin as he opened the door. Crane raised an eyebrow, half-amused, before settling into the passenger seat.

"What's got you so eager to drive?" Crane asked as he settled in.

"As a Pilgrim, cars are pretty rare. They make everything easier. Maybe I could even go back to Villedor with one... see Lawan, who knows" Aiden said, casting a dreamy glance through the windshield. Crane stayed silent for a few seconds, watching the young man before turning his gaze toward the horizon.

"Lawan... this isn't the first time you've mentioned her. Who knows? Your girlfriend?" Crane teased with a slight smirk, keeping his eyes on the road.

"No! She's... she's a friend I met in Villedor. I'd just like to see her again, that's all" Aiden replied a bit too quickly, which made Crane smile even more.

"You're not the only one itching to see a woman again..." Crane said after a short silence, his tone growing heavier, almost nostalgic. He was thinking of Olivia... She hadn't been in touch for a while, and he'd been too busy here to go see her.

"Olivia, I guess? After this mission we could go see her if you want. With the car it'd only take a few minutes" Aiden offered, sincere.

"Yeah, why not" Crane answered simply, flashing a brief smile before turning his head toward the window.

Aiden nodded, started the car and let the engine purr as they left the cave. The wind rushed in through the cracked window, stirring dust and dry leaves. Crane stared at the road sliding past, his thoughts drifting to Olivia. She was in her thirties, with fire in her eyes, and a past too heavy to forget. She had helped him, betrayed him, then saved him a strange cycle that had eventually forged a bond between them. She mattered more than he wanted to admit.

Minutes passed quickly. The car finally stopped in front of a large, hulking building, half overgrown but still standing. The structure was fenced in and big enough to house the whole cave community without trouble.

Crane and Aiden climbed out, their boots crunching on the wet gravel. They approached the fence and vaulted over it, then moved toward the main door and tried to open it, but it didn't budge an inch.

"Stuck... We should try the roof" Aiden suggested, eyeing the upper floors.

Crane nodded, silent, and the two began to climb the facade, using cracks and old metal ducts to haul themselves up to the top. The wind blew hard up there, lifting dust and making the corrugated sheets groan.

"Here." Crane finally said, crouching near a wide, rusted vent. He grabbed the grille and pulled it sharp the metal squealed, then gave, revealing a duct.

"Perfect" Aiden said before slipping inside, followed closely by Crane.

The pair crawled on hands and knees through the duct, the echo of their movement whispering around them. At times, through openings, they could see the rooms below: dilapidated corridors, overturned furniture, and several infected wandering slowly in the dark.

"No Volatile in sight" Aiden murmured as they advanced cautiously.

The duct widened at last and opened onto a large shaft. The two men crawled to the exit, then dropped smoothly to the floor. They were in what appeared to be the hotel lobby a vast, abandoned space littered with debris and dust.

Behind them, they discovered what had been blocking the entrance: piled-up furniture, reinforced with wooden boards and metal bars.

"This place must have served as shelter" Aiden observed, sweeping the room with his gaze. Crane nodded, studying the marks on the floor, the remnants of bags, even a broken old lamp. People had lived here once.

They moved slowly toward the stairwell door. Crane put his hand on the handle, inhaled deeply, then opened it gently. Beyond, the corridor stretched for several meters... and it was filled. A large number of infected stood there, some staggering slowly, others growling in the gloom.

"Ah shit" the two men growled in unison, exchanging a quick look before nodding.

Crane drew his electric machete, the blade buzzing in the air as Aiden took out his incendiary baseball bat, a faint red glow reflected in his eyes.

"Go!" Crane yelled. And the duo charged.

The infected growled as they approached, drawn by the sound of their footsteps. The first one was cut down instantly by a machete strike. Crane's electric blade sliced through the air with a sharp hiss before plunging into the infected's skull. A bluish discharge lit up the room, sizzling the burned flesh. The body collapsed heavily, leaving behind a metallic, ashy smell.

To his right, Aiden was already moving forward, his flaming bat tracing arcs of fire in the darkness. The wood slammed violently into an infected's temple, the impact cracking the skull with a dull thud. He spun immediately, striking another in the ribs, then swung diagonally, sending a shower of sparks around him.

Crane, methodical, dispatched each enemy with surgical precision.
His body moved in a controlled rhythm: side-step, strike, block, counter, decapitation. He never lost his balance, not for a second. Where Aiden relied on instinct, Crane acted like a machine forged by experience.

Aiden brought an infected down and ducked under a clumsy swing from another. His gaze briefly flicked to Crane.

"Three for me!" Aiden shouted, breathless but grinning. Crane, without even turning his head, kicked an infected in the chest before driving his machete into its throat.

"Four" Crane replied with a small smile, glancing at Aiden.

"Damn, this isn't a competition!" Aiden growled, laughing, wiping a splatter of blood from his face.

But deep down, he knew it was their way of keeping a clear head... turning danger into a game, death into routine.

Two infected appeared from a broken door on the left. Crane reacted instantly, stepping back before striking diagonally, slicing the first one's leg. The other lunged at him, jaws wide, but Aiden collided with it full force, sending it rolling to the floor before finishing it with a violent strike to the neck.

"Nice one" Crane said.

"I just trying to keep up" Aiden replied, regaining his stance.

A new wave arrived: about ten walkers, drawn by the noise. Crane stepped forward, his boots sliding on the blood-soaked floor. He raised his machete, twirled it once in his hand to adjust his grip, then leapt into the fray. He struck at head height, skulls bursting in a dark red rain. Then, without stopping, he pivoted on his left leg and cleanly cut off a hand reaching for him.

Aiden, behind, covered his flank. He swung wide, hard, his flaming strikes casting fire on the walls. One infected too close caught fire, screamed briefly, then collapsed. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, thick and acrid.

Crane grabbed a walker by the collar, slammed it into a wall, then drove his machete into its skull before pulling it out sharply. Blood spattered his sleeve, but he paid it no mind. His eyes were already searching for the next one.

Aiden slid his bat along the floor, leaving a trail of embers, then swung it in a circular motion to strike the last infected in the jaw. The blow was so strong the head twisted at an impossible angle before the body crumpled.

A heavy silence fell. Only the crackling of the fire and the drip of blood hitting the tiles remained. Aiden panted, shoulders coated in soot. He spun his bat between his fingers, a tired smile on his face.

"Well... that was intense" Aiden said, setting the end of his bat on the floor. Crane wiped his machete on a piece of cloth before stowing it on his back.

"Just routine" Crane replied with a small smile. Aiden glanced around. The corridor was a true slaughterhouse: twisted bodies, blood-smeared walls, an unbearable stench.

"Just routine, yeah..." Aiden murmured with a nervous laugh.

"Standard infected. No sign of Volatiles... yet..." Crane noted, surveying the room.

"Then they must be upstairs" Aiden replied, pointing to the stairs shrouded in darkness.

But suddenly, a scream echoed behind them. Without thinking, the duo turned and what they saw shocked them... Twelve Volatiles were in the lobby, far more than Lydia had said. Some were rummaging through the area, but three had already spotted them, and their shrill cries served as a signal to the others. All turned toward Crane and Aiden, eyes glowing and jaws wide.

"Shit..." Crane muttered.

"Shit..." Aiden repeated at the same time, and immediately the Volatiles lunged at them.

Crane and Aiden took their positions, gripping their weapons tightly. The first wave hit them almost instantly. Crane swung his machete into the skull of a leaping Volatile, while Aiden, wielding his flaming bat, cut through the air and burned another in the face. But they hadn't anticipated the speed and coordination of these creatures.

One Volatile leapt at Crane, claws outstretched. He managed to push it away, but a deep gash sliced across his shoulder. Aiden dodged another jump backward, but a strike to his left leg sent him stumbling.

Twelve Volatiles... it was too much. Despite their skills, they were starting to be overwhelmed. Injuries were piling up, and every second cost them energy.

Then Crane felt pure adrenaline surge through his body. His breathing grew heavy, his heart pounded like a hammer, and suddenly, he activated Beast Mode. Veins blackened and throbbed along his arms like cords of darkness beneath his skin. His right eye glowed white. A guttural roar escaped his throat, a mix of human scream and bestial howl. Time seemed to slow around him. Every movement became instinctive, every attack perfectly precise.

Seeing Crane transform, Aiden reacted instinctively. He felt his own strength multiply, his speed increase, and his fear of injury fade. His mind aligned with Crane's.

Then, the duo charged.

The first Volatile leapt, but Crane grabbed it by the throat, slammed it against a wall, and with a brutal punch tore open its chest. Bones cracked under his force, and the body collapsed into pieces.

Aiden leapt onto another, grabbed it by the shoulders, and hurled it against a pillar. Its head struck the concrete with a sickening crack, and the Volatile didn't get up. He followed with another, punching its jaw, sending the body flying across the hall.

The fight became a chaos of pure violence. Crane threw Volatiles into each other, caught them mid-air, crushed them with terrifying precision. He no longer needed his weapons... his fists were enough.

Aiden matched the pace perfectly. His strikes were fast, brutal, unpredictable. He attacked from angles, almost leaping to strike the creatures from above, smashing them against walls or stairs. Every contact produced cracks, groans, and bursts of flesh.

A Volatile tried to ambush Crane from behind. Without a sound, he spun, grabbed the creature by the head, and smashed it into the ground with phenomenal force. Another lunged at Aiden, but he grabbed it by the neck, hurled it into the air, and caught it before it hit the ground, snapping its legs in one motion.

The duo advanced, unstoppable. The Volatiles fell, one by one, without a chance to retaliate. Blows rained down, bodies flew, were shredded, crashed against walls and floors. Blood splattered everywhere, filling the hall with a hot, metallic stench.

Crane's movements were almost hypnotic: alternating strikes, throws, and tackles, each gesture precise and deadly. Aiden, more explosive and instinctive, created openings and used the force of each body as a weapon. Together, they were a single body of destruction, a flood of pure violence.

All twelve Volatiles were taken down, one by one. Some were dismembered, others crushed, others broken into pieces. The screams gradually ceased, leaving absolute silence.

Crane stood up, panting, breath heavy, almost unscathed despite superficial cuts that would heal within minutes. His black veins relaxed, his eye returned to normal, and he looked at Aiden. Aiden was covered in blood, his clothes torn, but his eyes still shone with adrenaline and satisfaction.

"...All... dead" Crane whispered, his voice hoarse but calm.

"Damn... that was... something" Aiden replied, still short of breath, a thin smile on his lips.

The hall was chaos: bodies, debris, blood. But Crane and Aiden had survived, almost miraculously unscathed. They exchanged a look, silent but heavy with understanding... no doubt, no regret. Just the certainty that when they were together, nothing could stop them.

Quickly, the duo continued exploring the building. The stairs creaked under their feet, the walls covered with blood and soot. Aside from a few remaining basic infected and virals in the corridors, no Volatiles appeared. After eliminating all the infected and moving the bodies outside to prevent the smell from seeping in, Crane and Aiden collapsed heavily to the floor, finally taking a pause.

"Lydia, can you hear me?" Crane asked in his mind, hoping Lydia, with her telepathy, could catch his voice.

"Kyle? You and Aiden finished clearing out the infected?" Lydia asked, hope audible in her tone, but she immediately sensed Crane's frustration.

"Yeah, we're done, but there were way more than five Volatiles. Aiden and I almost didn't make it," Crane said, his voice radiating anger even at a distance.

"More than five? That's impossible... I scanned the area with my abilities, if there were more I would have known" Lydia replied, calm, almost rational.

"There were twelve, Lydia. Twelve damn Volatiles against us. Without our abilities, we'd be dead" Crane exhaled heavily, the tension palpable. Lydia let out a small, surprised sigh. One Volatile was a problem... but twelve? And they had managed to beat them? She knew Crane and Aiden were a powerful duo, but not to that extent.

"I'm sorry, Kyle, but I think other Volatiles must have arrived after I scanned, or there's a nest above the hotel... but I don't sense it. So I'm going with the first suggestion" Lydia said, prompting a slight exasperated sigh from Crane.

"Fine... we'll leave the rest to you. The place is secure, and night falls in less than ten hours, so you have time" Crane said, catching his breath and straightening slightly.

"Good, we'll handle the rest. Go rest" Lydia replied, ending the telepathic communication. Crane turned to Aiden.

"They'll handle the rest and leave us the day" Crane informed him.

"Perfect! So, how about we go see Olivia? We still have ten hours before we need to return" Aiden suggested, excitement in his eyes despite the fatigue.

Crane nodded and got up, followed closely by Aiden. Yes, the day had been full of surprises, just because of twelve Volatiles... but they had made it through. And now, it was time for a change of scene. Time to see Olivia, to regain a semblance of normality after the violence and chaos of the hotel.

The cool wind outside greeted them as they moved away from the building. Crane took a deep breath, face marked by fatigue but also by quiet satisfaction. Aiden, beside him, let out a small smile. Together, they had proven themselves an unstoppable force, and now the road to Olivia's base lay ahead, calm, almost gentle after the carnage.

Chapter Text

The car rolled forward slowly. Aiden drove carefully, avoiding the wrecked vehicles and wandering infected. The engine purred softly, and the air filtered in through the half-open window. It had been barely ten minutes since they'd left the hotel, leaving the Exiles behind to finish the cleanup and prepare the place. According to Lydia, it would take several days to make it habitable, but it would be worth it in the end.

Crane stared at the road ahead, his mind drifting. For weeks, one thought had haunted him... finding the GRE, understanding how far their experiments had gone, and destroying them all, down to the last. But here in Castor Wood, he had found only scraps scattered documents, traces of old outposts nothing concrete.

"What are you thinking about?" Aiden asked, breaking the silence in a calm yet curious voice. Crane snapped out of his thoughts, turning slightly toward the younger man, his brows faintly furrowed.

"About finding a way to track down the GRE. We can't let them keep running their experiments unchecked" Crane replied in a grave, almost weary tone, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. Aiden nodded, keeping his focus on the road, hands firm on the wheel.

"Well... I don't know if it'll help, but back in Villedor, there were tons of old GRE labs. And some areas had mutated creatures. The locals called them 'GRE Anomaly" Aiden said, shrugging slightly, as if to downplay the weight of his words. Crane's brow furrowed a little deeper, his interest piqued.

"Anomaly? So Castor Wood wasn't their first testing ground..." Crane murmured, his tone thoughtful. He paused, his gaze distant, fixed through the windshield.

"When I'm done here, maybe I'll head to Villedor. See those labs and those creatures with my own eyes" Crane added, his voice carrying a cold determination.

"Then I'm coming with you. I know that city like the back of my hand now. And... it'll be a good chance to say hi to a few friends there" Aiden said lightly. Crane let out a rare, barely visible but genuine smile.

"Good" Crane said simply, his voice calm, before leaning back against his seat. His gaze wandered again to the road ahead, where the setting sun painted the horizon in shades of red and orange. A few quiet seconds passed, broken only by the hum of the engine and the whisper of wind. Then Aiden spoke again.

"By the way, did you know there's a container in Villedor full of stuff about you?" Aiden said, trying to lighten the mood. Crane turned his head, intrigued, his gaze sharp.

"Really?" Crane asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. Aiden nodded, the faint grin still on his lips.

"Yeah. It was an old container hanging by some cables... Inside, there were photos, notes, even an old recorded radio message from you. And there was a mannequin made out of cushions with a bucket for a head. On its chest, someone had written 'World's Best Crane.'" Aiden explained.

"A mannequin made of cushions... with a bucket for a head? That reminds me of someone" Crane said thoughtfully. Aiden glanced at him curiously while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Someone?" Aiden asked, intrigued.

"A guy I knew in Harran. Gazi... He lived with... well, with his 'mother.' Let's just say he had his own way of seeing the world" Crane said with a hint of irony in his voice, eyes drifting into the void.

"And you think it was him?" Aiden asked. Crane slowly shook his head, his expression hardening again.

"Unlikely. Gazi never left his house. But if it was him... that means he survived Harran" Crane said quietly, his voice low. A brief silence followed, broken only by the hum of the engine and the soft whistle of wind through the open window.

"If that's true, he really admired you" Aiden said softly, his tone more sincere. Crane turned his eyes back toward the horizon.

"Yeah, maybe..." Crane replied quietly, almost as if speaking to himself. The car continued down the road in silence. And in the distance, along the horizon, the monastery where Olivia lived slowly came into view.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the old monastery. The engine coughed one last time before dying out, leaving only silence behind. The wind whispered gently through the trees, carrying with it the damp scent of earth and ancient wood.

Crane stepped out of the vehicle and closed the door behind him. Beside him, Aiden stretched his shoulders before glancing toward the large stone building.

They approached the entrance and climbed the steps without a word. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the worn wood. With every step, Crane felt his heartbeat quicken a rhythm he couldn't seem to control. When he reached the massive double doors, he placed his hand on the handle... and froze.

A chill ran down his neck. His hand stayed suspended in the air. His breathing, usually steady, had grown heavier. It was strange Kyle Crane, the man who faced hordes of infected without flinching, suddenly couldn't bring himself to open a simple door.

Aiden, who had been watching silently for a few seconds, frowned slightly before stepping closer.

"You okay?" Aiden asked softly, resting a hand on his shoulder. Crane kept his eyes fixed on the door, unable to look away.

"What if... what if she doesn't want to see me? She hasn't sent any word in a while" Crane murmured, his voice low and rough.

His fingers tightened around the handle but didn't move it. He didn't understand what he was feeling a mix of fear, impatience, warmth, and doubt. It wasn't the fear of a fight or the tension of a mission. It was something else entirely...

Olivia.

Just thinking her name stirred something inside him a warmth he couldn't extinguish, nor define. It irritated him, in a way. He had faced monsters, betrayal, even death itself... yet it was the simple thought of her that disarmed him. Aiden shrugged lightly, his tone turning casual.

"You didn't send her any word either, did you?" Aiden pointed out with a small smile.

"Well, guess I'll go first" Aiden added, reaching for the handle.

"Wait!" Crane tried to stop him, but Aiden had already pushed the door open.

The heavy wooden doors creaked slowly, letting out a deep groan. A familiar scent of wax and old paper drifted through the air. Sunlight filtered softly through the stained-glass windows. And there on an old couch she was there.

Olivia.

When she heard the door, she spun around sharply, her gaze hard and alert, ready to react as if she'd been expecting an attack. But when she saw who stood there, her expression changed instantly.

"C... Crane?" Olivia breathed, surprise mingling with an emotion she couldn't hide.

Crane stood frozen in the doorway, unable to utter a single word. His eyes met Olivia's, and for a moment, the world around them went completely still. He wanted to speak, to say something anything but the words wouldn't come. All he felt was that weight in his chest, that strange blend of calm and tension that made no sense at all.

_______

Olivia wasn't doing well. In truth, she hadn't been for weeks. Every day, she felt herself sinking a little deeper. Since the Baron's death, the silence of the monastery had wrapped around her like a shroud heavy, suffocating. She often wandered through the empty halls without purpose, unable to find any rest. Everything felt hollow, tasteless. And yet, at the bottom of that emptiness, one memory kept coming back to haunt her... him. Kyle Crane.

She remembered perfectly the day it all began. The Baron had given her a clear order, as always. She was to guide one of his "subjects" a hybrid. She was to observe him, help him recover his survival instincts. And more than that... she was to make sure he injected himself with Chimera DNA. At the time, she hadn't questioned it. She had simply obeyed to save her father. But when she first saw that man, everything faltered. He wasn't a creature, nor an experiment. He was human a survivor with a hardened stare and a weary voice, a man carrying a past as heavy as his scars. That man bore an entire ruined world on his shoulders... and yet, he kept moving forward.

She remembered every moment, every day spent near him. She had seen him struggle, inject the Chimera DNA, change, recover his reflexes, his instincts. She had witnessed his rage, his thirst for vengeance, that dark fire that kept him alive. But little by little, something shifted. Crane was no longer just a subject. He was becoming... something else. The more time she spent with him, the more Olivia felt something growing inside her something she didn't want to admit. It wasn't fear, nor simple admiration. It was deeper. A warmth, a confusion, an attraction she tried to bury beneath the mask of reason.

Crane had this way of being both brutal and calm, wounded yet alive, desperate yet still capable of smiling. He didn't smile often, but when he did, it was real. He had that rare laugh a rough, dry laugh, often at the wrong moment, but one that sounded painfully human. And that... that was what Olivia had forgotten. What it meant to be human.

In the end, she betrayed the Baron. Betrayed everything she thought she was. Officially, she'd done it to save Crane, to put an end to the Baron's atrocities. But deep down, she knew the real reason. She didn't want to lose him. He represented everything she had forgotten to hope for strength, freedom, courage... kindness.

Because yes, despite everything he had endured, despite all the pain and rage, Kyle Crane remained good. He had every reason to hate the world, to despise every living soul still standing, and yet he somehow found a way to forgive. Even her. After everything she had done, he'd found the strength to look at her without anger, without resentment. And that kindness that disarming humanity was what broke her completely.

It was that very kindness that tormented her now. Those feelings she couldn't understand, that drove her mad. Because the more time passed, the more frustrated she became. Frustrated that she'd run away. Frustrated that she didn't understand what he truly meant to her. Frustrated, most of all, by his silence. Because for months, Crane hadn't sent a word, not a message, not a sign. And in that silence, Olivia thought she understood what she'd refused to admit... maybe she hadn't meant that much to him. Maybe she had only been a temporary ally, one among many.

And now, he was there. Standing before her. Crane, framed in the doorway, his features tired but unchanged. In that instant, Aiden no longer existed to her. All she could see was him. His face, scarred but handsome. His eyes, mismatched one brown, the other a luminous blue. That asymmetry gave him a unique, almost magnetic charm.

Anger, tenderness, nostalgia all of it clashed inside her in a torrent she couldn't name. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him how much he'd hurt her, how he'd left her alone with an emptiness she couldn't fill. But at the same time, she wanted to throw herself into his arms, just to feel that reassuring presence again, that warmth she hadn't found anywhere else. She no longer knew if she loved him, hated him, or if those two things had simply become one and the same.

All she knew, in that precise moment, was that seeing Crane again made everything she'd tried to forget crash back into her with brutal force. And deep down, despite the pain, despite the doubt... she had never really stopped thinking about him.

_______

"Olivia" Crane greeted her with a simple nod, his voice deep but calm, his gaze locked on the woman standing before him.

Olivia froze for a few seconds, her eyes lost in his, as if time itself had stopped. Then, suddenly, she shook her head, as though chasing away a thought she refused to let take hold. She forced a neutral expression cold, even before turning and walking toward her desk with a steady stride. Her movements were precise, almost too precise. A way to hide the turmoil rising inside her. She sat down, straightened her back, and crossed her legs.

"How can I help you?" Olivia asked in an even, measured tone, her voice showing no emotion. Her eyes slid briefly over the two men as they stepped into the room and sat down on the worn couch.

"We just came by to check if everything's okay. Apparently, you've gone quiet" Aiden said lightly, almost teasing, shooting Crane a quick glance. Crane's eyes narrowed slightly at the comment, his gaze sharp and searching as it returned to Olivia, looking for any sign of reaction.

"I've... been pretty busy here. Haven't gone out much. The Baron's men are still around" Olivia replied, her voice a little hesitant at first, then steadier. As she spoke, she looked at Aiden deliberately avoiding Crane's eyes. That piercing gaze always disarmed her. It made her feel things she didn't want to feel... or maybe wanted too much.

A heavy silence fell over the room. None of them spoke. Only the distant growls of the infected outside broke the stillness. Aiden watched the two of them for a moment, feeling the invisible tension in the air, before standing with a small, forced smile.

"Well, I'll go take a look around this monastery. Haven't really had time to get my bearings in this town yet," he said in an upbeat tone, clearly trying to lighten the mood before slipping out. He left the room quickly, closing the door behind him and with it, left an even deeper silence.

Crane and Olivia were alone.

The silence lasted several minutes. Crane sat still, saying nothing. He wanted to look relaxed, indifferent even, so he leaned toward the bag beside the makeshift bed and began checking his weapons one by one, as if it were something urgent. His movements were mechanical but precise, as always. Yet he could feel Olivia's eyes on him insistent, conflicted and he didn't quite understand why... or perhaps didn't want to.

Olivia couldn't stop watching him. Every movement, every breath, every tiny shift in his expression brought back everything she'd tried to forget. Her heart beat too fast, her throat tightened. She said nothing, but her silence spoke for her a mix of regret, anger, and that softer feeling she still refused to name. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Why didn't you contact me? Why didn't you send anything?" Olivia asked suddenly.

Crane's head snapped up, surprised by the question. His eyes met hers and there it was, anger. Or was it pain? He sighed quietly. There were two reasons he hadn't reached out, but only one he could admit.

"I... I thought you'd rather have some peace. Away from all of this... After everything that happened... I figured you'd need distance. Maybe even... to stay away from me" Crane said, his voice low and steady, but with a faint unease behind the words.

Olivia froze, lips parted, heart racing. Stay away from him? No. The thought hurt. All those months without news she had tried to convince herself she didn't care, that she didn't need him. But the truth was the opposite. She had counted the days, hoping for a visit, a sign, a word. And now that he was here, just a few meters away, she realized how deeply that silence had broken her.

"Crane... that's not it at all. It's the opposite... I was sure you didn't want to see me again. After what I did... after I betrayed you. Because of me, two people died. If I hadn't acted like an idiot that day, you could've saved Spike and killed the Baron without losing anyone" Olivia's voice trembled.

Her voice cracked on the last words. She lowered her gaze, staring at the wooden desk, ashamed. Her hands were trembling slightly. The memory still haunted her Spike, the grave in the dirt, the rain, the silence. And that look in Crane's eyes... the one she would never forget. A look filled with pain, rage, and something even harder to bear disappointment.

Crane stayed silent for a few seconds. His eyes darkened, fixed on some invisible point in the room. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, steady, but heavy with memory.

"I can't blame you for that, Olivia... You did what you had to do for your father. We all make choices we regret... and I'm not exactly the one to judge. Aiden gets it too. He would've done the same thing. And me... making deals with the devil? Believe me, I know what that's like. I've paid that price more than once" Crane said slowly

He gave a brief, bitter smile. In his mind, images of Harran still flashed Rais, the screams, the flames. He had never really left that city, not even after all these years.
Olivia slowly lifted her head, her heart pounding in her chest.

"So... you didn't want to stay away from me?" Olivia asked softly, her voice fragile.
Crane looked at her for a long moment before shaking his head slowly.

"No, Olivia. I didn't" Crane's reply was simple. No hesitation, no anger just raw truth.

Olivia's breath caught in her throat. All the tension, the fear, the weight of guilt... vanished in an instant. Her heart felt lighter, her shoulders relaxed. She closed her eyes for a second, letting out a shaky sigh. For the first time in weeks, she felt alive again.

"I... thank you for coming, Crane" Olivia murmured at last, a faint smile curving her lips.

Crane answered with a small smile of his own barely there, but genuine. That rare gesture from him sent a spark through Olivia's chest. She quickly looked away, trying to calm herself.

"By the way" Crane continued, Aiden and I cleared a place for the Exiles. A big hotel sturdy, clean... well, almost. We're turning it into a proper base, somewhere safe. And I was thinking... maybe you'd like to come with us. Settle there."

Olivia's eyes widened, surprise flashing across her face. She felt her heart leap before she could stop it. That simple-sounding offer hit her deeper than she expected. Living with them... living near him. The thought shook her to the core. Her cheeks warmed slightly as her gaze lingered on Crane's face the man she had once betrayed, tried to forget... and never stopped thinking about.

"Yes... I'd like that" Olivia said softly, her voice gentle but full of sincerity. Her lips curved into a shy, hesitant smile yet it was real, and it lit up her whole face.

Crane watched her in silence for a moment, then nodded slowly. A small, quiet smile tugged at his lips in return. Their eyes met, and this time, the silence between them wasn't heavy. It was calm. Peaceful. Almost comforting.

They stood there, facing each other, suspended in a fragile balance where no words were needed. For the first time in a long while, there was no anger, no fear, no distrust only that quiet connection they once shared, now slowly finding its way back.

But the moment was abruptly shattered by the monastery doors bursting open, making Olivia jump.

"Hey, Crane! Lydia just contacted me! She said they've finished setting up the UV lamps around the hotel and already cleared most of the place! She wants us to come pick our rooms. Apparently, she's giving us the best ones as a reward!" Aiden called out, his voice bright and full of energy as he strode into the room.

His tone carried that easy warmth that lightheartedness so different from the man Crane had met all those months ago. The wild beast had become something brighter, more human, almost carefree. And despite himself, Crane couldn't help but smile faintly at the sight.

He turned back to Olivia, who was still looking at him, a small spark in her eyes.

"Shall we?" Crane asked, his deep voice calm and kind. Olivia nodded slowly, a peaceful smile on her lips.

"Yes, let's go" Olivia replied simply, rising from her chair.

She grabbed a bag near her desk, carefully packing a few personal items some documents, a handful of photos, and a worn medallion that had belonged to her father. Each object seemed to carry a piece of her past... and maybe, something she was finally ready to leave behind. Aiden, leaning casually against the wall, crossed his arms with a playful grin.

"She's coming with us? Guess things are looking up between you two," Aiden teased, giving Crane a friendly pat on the back. Crane shot him a sideways glance, a faintly amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah... you could say that" Crane replied evenly, though his tone carried a quiet hint of contentment.

"Good to hear, man" Aiden said sincerely before heading toward the door.

A few seconds later, Olivia joined them, her bag slung over her shoulder, her expression calmer than it had been in months. As she passed close to Crane, she felt his presence steady, grounding, like an anchor in the storm. And as the three of them stepped out of the monastery together, a new feeling settled in. As if, finally... something broken was beginning to men

Chapter Text

The car rolled gently down the road. This time, Crane was behind the wheel. Aiden was slouched in the back seat, quietly observant, while Olivia sat next to the driver. The ride unfolded in a comfortable silence not heavy, just filled with unspoken things. Olivia couldn't help but sneak glances at Crane, thinking she was being discreet. Of course, Aiden, sitting behind them, saw everything. The little back-and-forth reminded him of a night in Villedor, with a woman named Thalia... a night spent together after searching for her books nothing more than an escape, a one-night story. He thought, with faint amusement, that maybe he'd drop by to see her again when they returned to Villedor with Crane.

"I wonder if there are still any Chimeras left roaming the streets..." Aiden murmured dreamily, his voice light and absent, not really expecting an answer.

"There are still some... two, maybe three at most" Olivia replied in an even tone, as if stating a measured fact surprising both Crane and Aiden.

"Three? You know where they are?" Crane asked, tilting his head slightly toward her, his voice calm but focused.

"Yes. Over the past few months, I've been tracking them down and managed to locate their nests... they're scattered" Olivia said with a nod, showing how much effort she'd put into piecing the clues together. Crane exhaled quietly, his jaw tightening for a moment already calculating.

"Maybe I can recover their GSB" Crane muttered, his tone dry, almost thoughtful. Olivia frowned, worry instantly flashing across her face.

"Crane... we still don't know if the GSB has long-term side effects. You should stop injecting it." Her voice was neutral, but fear cracked through it.

"It's been months since the last time, and I don't feel any different. If anything, I feel better than when all this started... I need to be stronger. Who knows what the GRE's army might have now maybe even an army of controlled Chimeras. I have to be ready." Crane's tone was direct the cold logic of a man who counts his strength like ammunition.

Olivia fell silent. She understood the necessity... but fear still lingered. Her gaze drifted toward Crane, searching for a trace of doubt, and found only the unshakable resolve that defined him.

"There's one that's... different," she said at last. "The Baron captured an infected that mutated. It had tentacles coming out of its arms, spat acid, and was as strong as a Volatile maybe even stronger." Her words were cold, precise the way one describes a threat already assessed.

Crane stiffened slightly. His face hardened, focus absolute.

"What?! Olivia, are you sure?" Crane's voice shot up, sharp with urgency, as if every word ignited a spark of alarm.

"Uh... yes, I'm sure. It's hiding in a cave out in the forest. Only comes out at night... its behavior cycle is almost identical to a Volatile's." Olivia's tone wavered slightly, uncertain of how Crane would react. She hoped her unease wouldn't show.

Crane pressed his lips together and closed his eyes briefly. The image of Harran flickered behind them a memory he could never quite bury.

"That thing..." he muttered. "I saw one in Harran. I called it a Night Hunter. Extremely dangerous, fast and it doesn't hunt to feed. It hunts for sport... and to protect Volatile nests." His low voice carried the weight of a trauma long buried but never forgotten.

"What? An infected that hunts for sport?" Aiden asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and fascination like a child hearing a ghost story.

"Yes. Much more dangerous than a Volatile. We need to take it down before it starts killing," Crane said, his jaw tight, determination snapping back into place like armor.

"If it's as dangerous as you say, then we should deal with it as soon as possible," Aiden said decisively, his voice charged with that familiar restless energy.

Crane gave a short nod, saying nothing more. His hands tightened on the steering wheel, shoulders squared every inch of him radiating resolve.

The car came to a sudden stop in front of the hotel. An Exile opened the gate, and Crane pulled the vehicle inside. The trio stepped out; Olivia reached for her bags in the back while Crane and Aiden walked ahead. The air had that metallic taste that comes after blood and effort but lighter than before.

"What the hell is she doing here?" barked a hybrid as he strode toward them, voice rough, eyes cold and blue, locked on Olivia. Crane instinctively stepped in front of her, his posture tense, protective.

"What are you talking about?" Crane asked his tone calm, but icy.

"We almost lost Lydia because of her! She doesn't belong on our territory!" the man snapped, pointing a finger at Olivia, jaw clenched tight. Olivia took a step back, pale. She didn't want a fight.

"And it's because of her that we're still alive... If she hadn't aimt at the Baron, we'd all be dead." Said Crane

The hybrid, still fuming, took a step forward then another and shoved Crane hard.
Crane didn't move an inch. The force of the push hit his chest like stone, echoing back in the silence that followed.

"You think you can do whatever you want, huh? You show up a few months ago and already act like the boss? We were doing just fine without you!" the man snarled, raising his hand and swinging at Crane's face.

His fist hit nothing but air. Crane didn't even flinch rooted to the ground, unmoved. The blow had no effect at all.

Aiden took a step forward, fury flashing in his eyes.
"You're gonna pay for that," he growled, his tone dark, fists clenched and ready.

Crane raised a hand a sharp, commanding gesture that stopped Aiden in his tracks. His gaze never left the man in front of him. Then, in one smooth, controlled motion, Crane grabbed the hybrid by the collar, lifted him effortlessly, and slammed him against the fence. The metal screeched, and the man let out a short cry of pain as his back hit the wire.

"Without me, you'd all be dead," Crane said in a low, razor-edged voice a truth cutting through the air like steel.

The hybrid, panting, slowly pushed himself up, fear flickering across his face. At that moment, Lydia appeared her posture firm, authoritative. She placed a hand on Crane's shoulder.

"Kyle, go inside. Let me handle this," Lydia said her voice firm and unquestionable, though still carrying a note of restrained warmth.

Crane gave a short nod, stepped back, and turned toward the hotel entrance, followed by Aiden and Olivia. Behind them, the tension faded; murmurs among the Exiles quieted as Lydia took charge, restoring order and calming tempers.

Inside, everything had changed since their last visit no more corpses, no stench, and UV lamps glowing violet along the walls. The blood had been scrubbed away... the place finally felt like it was becoming a home again.

They stood there for a few minutes, letting the tension drain away. The hallway was bathed in a soft, dusty light, and only the sound of their footsteps disturbed the quiet. Then Lydia joined them again, walking with her usual steady stride calm expression, but eyes still sharp.

"Come. Follow me," she said, her tone calm but firm, gesturing for them to move.

The trio obeyed silently, their steps echoing against the worn wooden floor as they followed her through the long corridors of the old hotel. The walls, hastily cleaned, still bore faint scars claw marks and dark stains that refused to fade completely.

"That guy won't be a problem anymore, will he?" Crane asked, his tone low but cutting, devoid of anger. He didn't even look at Lydia just kept walking, hands in his pockets.

"No, he won't," Lydia replied softly, nodding slightly. Her voice was calm, tinged with exhaustion but sincere. Her answer made Olivia let out a quiet sigh, her shoulders relaxing.

They followed Lydia down a side corridor. There, to their surprise, were Crane's and Aiden's belongings carefully set on the floor: their bags, weapons, and a few personal effects.

"This is it," Lydia said, crossing her arms. "This hallway leads to the biggest rooms. Pick whichever you want and settle in. And yes Olivia can have one too."

She gave them a brief nod, then, as usual, turned on her heel and walked away without waiting for a reply.

Crane shrugged, grabbed his bag, and opened the nearest door. The room was in far better shape than he expected: a large bed, a solid wooden wardrobe, an empty picture frame on the wall, a small nightstand still standing, a workbench, and a wide window overlooking the main road.

The air was heavy, stale, but Crane stepped forward and pushed the window open with a quick motion. A cool breeze rushed in, carrying with it the scent of trees and old dust. He stood there for a while, eyes lost on the horizon, watching the branches sway gently in the wind. Despite the scars of the place, something about it felt peaceful almost familiar.

When he turned around, Aiden and Olivia were gone each exploring the nearby rooms. Crane leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and waited patiently.

A few minutes later, the two returned. Aiden walked in first with a grin.
"All the rooms down this hallway look the same, so there's no point wasting time choosing," he said, brushing a hand through his long hair. Crane nodded, glancing at both of them.

"I'll take this one. It's got a good view of the road," he said simply, calm and measured but with a faint note of contentment.

"Well then, I'll take the one next to yours," Olivia said softly, looking away to hide the faint color rising in her cheeks.

A small smile tugged at Crane's lips subtle, barely there, but genuine. Aiden raised an amused eyebrow, understanding perfectly but saying nothing. The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was peaceful heavy with fatigue, but touched by something else. A fragile sense of calm. Stability. Maybe even hope. For the first time in a long while, they had a real roof over their heads. And for the first time in even longer... it almost felt like home.