Heroes to Hunted

We stepped out of the tunnel, finding that its end led directly into the outskirts of town.

The moon cast a soft glow over the empty streets, interrupted only by the persistent chirping of crickets. It was hard to imagine that this peaceful setting held such a sinister secret, but our recent experiences left no doubt.

"Such a beautiful place," Kamida said forlornly.

"And yet it's so ugly," I snarked back.

"Indeed, looks can be deceiving," Nakamura replied.

Standing in the chill of night, we scanned our surroundings with extreme care.

Within the massive city ahead, a wall of medieval structures loomed. Each building was crafted from an assortment of materials, including stripped wood, shaped granite bricks, and baked blocks of clay.

The structures were intricately interconnected, forming a labyrinthine maze that stretched in every direction except ours.

Which begged the question...

"Where the hell do you think the clinic is?" I asked impatiently. "Do any of you actually KNOW where we're going?"

"Don't worry," Agawa reassured, "we saw the clinic along the main road, right? So we just need to follow that."

"That's not much of a plan," I grumbled, crossing my arms above my head.

"It's the only one we've got, Sir," Kamida interjected. "Now, let's keep moving, or we'll get ourselves discovered."

I sighed in frustration as our journey began. 'Can't believe I'm letting Agawa take charge,' I clicked my tongue. Nevertheless, now wasn't a time to argue, so I followed with begrudging obedience.

Even though we were above ground, the lighting was scarce, reminiscent of the dimly lit dungeons of the mansion. Normally, I would have been irritated by the lack of light, but this time it played to our advantage.

We skulked to the nearest alley, sticking to the darkest patches of shadow to conceal our presence. Given Sato's and the doctor's conditions, we couldn't risk a fight, though I craved one.

Once we'd reached the alley, a commotion originated from behind us. We performed a 180-degree turn to see that the inner-courtyard gates to the manor were beside the tunnel.

The doors opened, and a sizeable patrol of guards emerged, all dressed in gleaming steel armor and armed with weapons that glittered in the moonlight. They halted just outside the gate, and a man who appeared to be their leader addressed them.

"Find them!" he raised his hand upward and outward. "round up the filth and bring them back!"

Responding to their captain, the troupe of guards stamped their feet once and rallied back. "Sir, yes, Sir!"

Upon entering the street, they left their leader and split into groups of six. One of which descended into the dark tunnel we'd just left.

"It's a good thing we left when we did; they don't look like the types that'd negotiate," Kamida whispered and laughed nervously.

"You're right. So let's not stand around like idiots," I snarkily replied. "It's not like we've gone very far yet."

Kamida laughed again. "Of course, Sir. Let's go."

We traveled for at least an hour, evading guards at every turn, all to find the clinic that Agawa had spotted earlier. Through that time, the sands of time were slipping away for Sato, urging us to hasten our search. Every passing moment felt like a cruel reminder. A reminder about the fleeting nature of life as Sato's labored breaths echoed through the corridors.

I caught a glimpse of his face. 'Was he always this pale?' I thought, noticing his new ghoul-like pallor. 'Fuck...we need to hurry.'

Eventually, after passing numerous decrepit alleys and streets, we arrived at a peculiar passage that split in three ways. My group murmured amongst themselves with loud whispers, strategizing on how to proceed.

"We should go that way, probably? That looks like the main road!" Nakamura pointed out the alley that branched left toward a cobblestone street.

"That's probably not the best idea," Kamida laughed nervously. "They'll likely be watching the main streets the most. So we should go right."

We glanced down the right path; it was dark and led into yet another web of dark alleys and warehouse-like buildings.

Meanwhile, Agawa was staring ahead. However, we couldn't venture in that direction. Blocking it was a large house. Its backyard was surrounded by a tall, red-brick fence, so discerning much else was difficult.

They bickered quietly for several more precious moments on which path to take. They'd been so mentally paralyzed on planning that I wondered if we'd ever leave. However, our time to prepare was short.

"Hey! Have you checked down this way?!" an unfamiliar voice called out from behind us, back the way we came from.

"No! C'mon! Let's check it out!"

Just like that, our position was surrounded by the yellow-orange haze created by dozens of torches. We were rabbits within a snare, and hunters were approaching from all sides.

"And, uh, what would be our plan of action now?" Kamida frantically whispered.

"Ah, looks like I've got no choice," I tried my best to sound bummed about the confrontation. In truth, however, I was overjoyed beyond measure. "Hey Kamida, catch!"

He faced me, narrowly swiping a falling Nakamura from the air.

Now free from any burdens, I cracked my knuckles. I couldn't wait to meet the guards head-on. They were nearly upon us when we heard someone aggressively whispering at us.

"Get in here!" the voice ordered.

Drawing our attention to the source, we were confronted by a kid standing in the house's backyard.

"C'mon!" he panicked, beckoning us to enter the house.

Personally, I'd rather take my chances brawling with the guards; at least then, we knew what to expect. However, my opinion didn't matter. Agawa, Kamida, and Nakamura practically teleported into the house.

"Tsk," I clicked, "disappointment again." Irritatingly, I considered just becoming accustomed to having my excitement toyed with.

Reluctantly, I followed the kid's instructions and paced toward his house. He tried rushing me, but if I was entering, you'd better believe I'd do it in my own way and on my terms.

Immediately after I'd stepped inside, he slammed the door shut as silently as possible.

I looked around to see we'd been let into a sort of storage area. Across several shelves, boxes, and tables were jars of otherworldly herbs of various colors and leather-bound steel tools.

"Follow," he said, ushering us deeper inside.

"Um…thank you?" Agawa responded, her gratitude sounding more like a question than a statement.

However, the kid ignored her, continuing to guide us through the darkened house.

Kamida politely inquired, "Excuse me, do you know where we might find your parents?"

The child stopped in his tracks and turned his head toward us. However, his reply wasn't verbal but made using two gestures. He placed a finger to his lips and brought another to point upwards.

Confused, we exchanged glances with each other, trying to decipher the meaning of the kid's movements.

Based on the finger to his lips, I assumed he'd been "hushing" us. Given that, he was undoubtedly telling us they were sleeping. However, his second gesture left us uncertain, as the alley's darkness made it impossible to determine if the house had a second floor.

"I apologize for asking," Kamida smiled, "but could you elaborate?"

The kid shot us a look that twitched with irritation. "Asleep," he begrudgingly clarified, then motioned us forward. "Hurry up."

As we went, I observed quite a few parts of this house that didn't seem like housing at all.

There was a room with some sort of 'mixing' table. Within its center sat an absurdly large, gray stone bowl containing a grinding tool. Layering the top was a bushel of unfamiliar, dried herbs emanating an aroma of earthiness and burnt wood. Although the smell was unpleasant, it somehow revitalized my entire body.

Next came a sizeable main room decorated with hundreds of vials, each containing a myriad of differently colored liquids. On the far side from us, built into the wall, were several large bay windows and a wooden framed, polished glass door extending to the rest of the town beyond.

"I feel an excitement within me stirring," Kamida asserted. "This must be a shop."

The kid looked at Kamida, nodding twice at his assumption. Then, without uttering a single word, he took hold of a dimly lit candle embedded within a ceramic and metal sconce. As our guide, he led us up a flight of narrow stairs.

Each step croaked boldly in response to the pressure of our weight. It gave me the impression they'd give out at any moment, plunging us into whatever lie below. The others must've thought the same; they were fearfully hugging the wall as they traveled.

A few more paces, and we reached the top. Finally, having solid footing must've overwhelmed the others with relief, given their exhausted gasps and sighs.

After making it to the top of the stairs, the kid glared at us demandingly. He raised his hand and urged us to enter a room he'd opened the way to. But, before following him, I discerned several others down the opposing direction of the dimmed hallway. One of which was sealed.

'That must be where the parents are,' I thought.

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