Heroes to Hunted

Roughly half an hour passed since we exited our imprisonment.

I knew these people were just liabilities, so I tried to break away and find my own path.

Years ago, back when I believed in the existence of "heroes," I might've been different. I might've paved the way for them and guided them through danger. However, I was no longer that naive. Now it was survival of the fittest, and you could be d*mn sure I'd be the fittest.

Sadly, my plans fell apart. The second I slipped away, the crowd, including our self-proclaimed leader, Tachibana, followed me like flies to a trash heap.

I turned back to see their stupidly hopeful grins as they clung to my every movement. "Frustrating…" I griped but made no effort to cast them aside. I had to focus on the task at hand: escaping.

The task proved difficult as the hallways were a labyrinth of doors and curves. There were no maps, blueprints, or floorplans, so my only option was to pick routes at random in the hopes one would lead outside.

Soon after we broke out, Takagi's feat became the talk of the town.

At first, he was less than willing to answer any questions about what he did, even after he was approached by every other person. However, probably because of the constant pestering, he cracked and explained his "process."

To the disappointment of my countrymen, his explanation was very "instinctual." Uttered sound effects aside, it amounted to how he felt a strength welling up within his chest as his desire to escape grew stronger.

Tachibana accused him of using "magic," but Takagi wholeheartedly denied it.

Magic or not, there was no doubt what Takagi and the old man did was similar. The orbs of light were too close in likeness for that to be disputed.

Immediately after Takagi stopped boasting about his physical strength, we ran into another door. Though it appeared similar to the previous one, its stature was far larger and more imposing.

Takagi smugly said, "heh, guess I get to break another," while I reached for the door handle. As it turned out, it was already unlocked, much to Takagi's disappointment. However, the door required some elbow grease to open.

The handle was useless, so I flattened my palms onto the grooved wood and strained my muscles, pushing with all my might. Even that was barely enough, but the door soon groaned open with squealing hinges.

I wanted to be quieter about our exit since we had no idea if any enemies lurked outside, but nothing could be done.

It twisted inside its hinges until we felt the warm embrace of the late afternoon Sun.

We stepped outside and stopped to take note of our surroundings.

One could hear the buzzing of local insects, and the air held a sweet pine scent as it breezed past. Considering the cozy warm temperature, I had to imagine it was summer. Which was puzzling since it was supposed to be mid-November.

Wherever we were, it wasn't remotely close to matching a tropical description, so the high temperatures for winter were unnatural.

Odd weather aside, one thing captivated my countrymen's and my interest more than any other; the primeval landscape.

There were no cities, no cars, not even pavement. The very word "modern life" was a fictional concept. As far as the eye could see, there was only the wildness of nature.

'Another world…huh,' I brought a hand to my chin. 'It might actually be true.'

Our sightseeing was cut short when we spotted several hooded figures. Likewise, they spotted us.

They turned and began a steady approach, forcing my group to merge tighter for strength in numbers. As my countrymen tightened formation, I was sifted to the front, like oil on water.

'Cowards,' I cursed them inwardly. If I could, I wanted to avoid fighting. Though I was used to taking the lives of others, it wasn't exactly something I enjoyed. Still, I was ready to put these cultists in body bags if I had to.

The central figure lowered his hood to reveal himself; it was the old man.

"Oh, hello, Dear Heroes! We were just about to fetch you since the carriages finally arrived," he gestured toward several black wooden transports on crude wheels drawn by horses.

'Wagons...' I stopped to gawk in surprise. 'These people are actually using...wagons...'

On the surface of each were strange, occult-looking runes. They didn't look to be of any language I could identify, but I could tell they were more than just juvenile scribbles.

The old man tilted his head and continued. "Might I ask how you all left that room? I was sure I had my associates secure the door for your safety."

The first to respond was Agawa. She crossed her arms beneath her chest and snapped. "Our safety, huh? How does locking us up make us safe?"

The old man clasped his hands together and smiled. "I'm glad that you should ask, Ms. Agawa!" he gestured towards the tower. "You see, this is known as a 'Summoning Spire.' It's a place where we summon heroes such as yourselves. Unfortunately, some would seek to harm you, so we need to guard it tightly. If one of you were to be seen unattended outside," he started hoarsely chuckling, "your very guards would probably think that you're an enemy and attack you!"

"Ohhh," Takagi spoke with interest, "in that case, you locked us in there for the guards' safety, then? Because I wouldn't want to see what remains of the person that tried to take me on. After all," he flexed his leg, "I busted down that prized door of yours."

I brought a hand to my forehead and grumbled, "Idiot." These people were our captors, the last thing you wanted to do was let them know you could be a problem.

Luckily for Takagi, the old man remained docile. "I see; so you broke out?" he curiously studied Takagi. "In that case, yes, I suppose it would've been for their safety!" he laughed with fictitious cheer.

"Well, in any case, you're all just in time! The carriages have all been prepared to travel to the lord's manor. Now, if you'd all help yourselves to whichever seating most pleases you, we can be off!" he ushered us toward the carriages.

Despite his request, my countrymen remained rooted to the ground. They nervously chattered amongst themselves, unsure if trusting the old man was wise.

After glancing back at him, I was unsure if we even had a choice. He was friendly, but the feeling of coercion was unmistakable. I was proven right when a few dozen guards appeared and started pressuring my countrymen to the carriages.

One didn't need pushing, likely to recover his shattered image after the run-in with Takagi. Tachibana and his three followers took the lead and snapped up the lead carriage.

They stepped up on a pair of retractable stairs and entered while excitedly talking about "what an opportunity this was."

I almost felt envious of Tachibana's innocent and youthful enthusiasm.

There was a time when I looked at the world in wonder, too, though that time was long gone. Despite only being in my twenties, I felt like a frail old man in terms of spirit.

Especially after seeing the guards, I considered running. I wanted to feign compliance, then slip away at the most opportune time. However, the vigilant gaze of several armored soldiers weighed heavy on my back.

'Guess I'm not going anywhere, for now,' I sighed.

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