Heroes to Hunted

"Foolish kid," Barik muttered through his teeth, his frustration etched on his brow. Turning to Mizuno, he asked, "What're your orders? Are we going after him?"

Barik's words thickened the air like a roux. His question was suffocatingly difficult, as the answer would likely seal the fate of someone we traveled with and trusted as an ally.

Mizuno remained silent momentarily, her heart seemingly at odds with her mind. The two sides warred against the other, visibly displaying the results of their conflict in her uneasy expression.

The choice was more difficult than leaving a stranger behind; this was someone she knew. However, Mizuno seemingly drew the proverbial line at the bond of camaraderie.

Nodding to herself with a look of resolute determination, her eyes focused on a future where Joseph returned to Freehaven with us. Given her expression, it was evident which side won the battle. Mizuno chose the path of the heart.

"We're going after him," she firmly commanded. "We don't leave allies behind."

Barik nodded, "Aye, Ma'am! You don't have to tell me twice. Betraying allies isn't a mistake I want to make. At least," a brief flash of forlorn reminiscence crossed his face, "not again..."

As for me, my logic scowled. 'Throwing away the mission for one kid? A reckless one at that?! How idiotic!' Although those thoughts were what surfaced in my consciousness, they weren't how I truly felt.

No, my true feelings were much more complicated.

Seeing Joseph and his fiery determination to save whomever he could... It shook a stone loose in my mind. A stone I always kept buried. A stone I cast aside a long time ago. It represented who I once was. It was something I'd kept locked away for a long time.

The stone was my irrational, foolish, deranged desire to be a hero.

Ultimately, the only response I could muster to Mizuno's order was the one pre-programmed into my skull. The one my instructors instilled into me from day one of my training.

"Understood, Ma'am," I replied with a clear tone of obedience.

Our decision unanimous; Mizuno pointed to the golems. "Have them stay here and prepped for a run with all the supplies. We'll likely be discovered, so our escape needs to be fast and efficient."

"Aye, Ma'am," Barik smiled, his flail pointing toward the six rock soldiers, "They're ready and waiting."

Finally, Mizuno coolly strode toward the door and gestured for us to follow. "Let's go," she said, her voice regaining the steadfast confidence she'd had before.

A familiar squealing of hinges permeated my ears as the door swung open. We stepped through it back into the pelting sunlight and ducked down beneath the cover of the crates.

Maybe it was due to the pungent stench of blood we were subjected to, but once we left the structure, the smell of the outdoors seemed stronger. An amplified aroma of grass and mulch permeated my nose, filling it completely with a soothing scent.

Beyond the smell, we were greeted by a cacophony of frantic shouting created by several soldiers.

"MOVE YOUR ASS! LET'S GO! MOVE IT!"

"Shit," I exhaled tiredly, "they must've found the bodies...or Joseph."

However, I was wrong in both cases. The reason for their panic wasn't at all what I expected.

"He's here! The noble is here!" a hoarse voice pierced the chaos. "All of you lot, get in line and get in order! Graves is here!"

Following his rousing order, a synchronous "SIR, YES, SIR!" echoed throughout the homestead, infusing the air with a nostalgic feeling of obedient zeal.

'Takes me back,' I reminisced but quickly shelved it. Not only did I loathe thinking about my past, but daydreaming was dangerous, giving plenty of openings for an enemy to exploit.

"Graves?" Barik inquired with a whisper. "He said 'Graves,' right?" he looked to Mizuno, to which she gestured in acknowledgment. "Well, that makes things a little troublesome..." He sighed, his expression giving way to genuine unease as a royal carriage appeared.

Like the others, the transport sported dozens of carved runes into the wood and metal. However, distinguishing this variant from the others, this one had extra armor plating. Carved into it was a peculiarly unique crest.

Inscribed onto the darkened steel was a crimson fox with a swirling tail. Its expression was guileful, and the eyes shined with mischief and cunning. The creature's lips were furled backward, revealing dozens of sharp fangs.

The carriage jolted to a stop, and I took a hard swallow seeing the line of leather and plate armored soldiers beside it. 'It hasn't even started, and I already feel like we've lost the fight,' I slumped over with a sigh. The enemies' sheer numbers advantage left me with a degree of hopelessness.

'Well, no use worrying about it...'

In trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I twisted my neck, turned to Barik, and asked, "Why? Who's Graves?" my voice barely above a whisper.

Barik's unease was palpable as he let out a quiet, deep exhale. "I knew of a man named Graves during the war," he said, his voice tense. "If I'm right, his name is Vincent Graves. They called him 'Graves the Cowardly' since he avoided any fight that carried the risk of losing. But he and his clan are more than happy to incite conflict if it means political gain."

My eyes narrowed as I processed the information. 'Great... A political type.' I already disliked the man, knowing he'd probably be the type to coerce others into situations where he gained off their suffering.

"He and his family focus on manipulation," Barik continued, his voice low and intense. "They pull the strings of others as if they were mere marionette puppets, dancing to their whims. He's also a fullkin, so his fighting ability is undoubtedly strong."

I looked to Mizuno and saw that she was listening intently to Barik's words, her hands resting on the hilts of her swords.

The tension in the air weighed heavy on my shoulders, and I felt a sense of foreboding as Barik's gaze settled on us. "He's dangerous," Barik asserted, his voice firm with warning. "We DON'T want to cross blades with him."

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