We stepped out of the tunnel, finding that its end led directly into the outskirts of the town.
The moonlight-swathed streets were devoid of any activity aside from the loud, repetitive chirping of crickets. If we hadn't just witnessed it firsthand, I wouldn't have believed that such a serene-looking place held such a dark secret below it.
Standing in the chill of night, we scanned our surroundings with extreme care.
Ahead of us awaited a dense wall of various medieval structures.
From stripped wood to baked blocks of thick, brown clay, they'd been constructed with a diverse assortment of materials. As expected of this enormous city, each structure acted as a small piece of an otherwise elaborate maze. Fitting that description, it spanned far in every direction aside from ours.
Despite being above ground, the lighting had been just as sparse as the dungeons of the mansion. Usually, I'd be peeved with that, but this time it'd work to our advantage.
We skulked to the nearest alley, following the patches of the darkest shadows to conceal our presence. Considering Sato's and the doctor's conditions, we definitely couldn't afford a fight, though I longed for one.
Once we'd made it to the alley, a commotion originated from behind us. We took an efficient 180-degree turn to see that the inner-courtyard gates to the manor were beside the tunnel.
Emerging from the opening doors was a sizable patrol of guards, all clad in sparkling steel armor and equipped with weapons that shimmered in the moonlight. Upon exiting the street, they split into groups of six. One of which descended into the dark tunnel that we'd just left.
"It's a good thing we left when we did," Kamida whispered and laughed nervously.
pαпdα-ňᴏνê|·сóМ "Let's not stand around like idiots," I grumbled. "It's not like we've gone very far yet."
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, Sato's complexion had become paler and his breathing more ragged. Time was rapidly running out, prompting us to pick up the pace on our search.
Eventually, after passing numerous decrepit alleys and streets, we arrived at a peculiar passage that split in three ways.
To the left and right, both paths formed a straight-cut corridor that led towards an open, cobblestone street beyond. In front of us was what looked to be a house's backyard, though I couldn't tell much since it had almost entirely been walled in by a red brick barrier.
Murmuring amongst themselves, the other three strategized on how to proceed.
They'd been so mentally paralyzed on planning that I wondered if we'd ever leave. However, our time to prepare was short. A fact I'd discovered when I realized our position had become surrounded by the yellow-orange haze of dozens of torches. Like rabbits within a bear trap, we'd been completely ensnared.
"And 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 said.
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. My opinion didn't really matter, though, since Agawa, Kamida, and Nakamura practically teleported into the house.
"Tch," I clicked, "disappointment again." Irritatingly, I considered just becoming used to the idea of having my excitement be toyed with.
Reluctantly, I followed the kid's instructions and paced into his house. He tried rushing me, but if I was entering, you'd better believe I'd do it my way.
Immediately after I'd stepped inside, he slammed the door shut as silently as possible. Looking around, it looked like we'd been let into a sort of storage area. Across several shelves, boxes and tables were jars of otherworldly herbs and leather-bound tools.
"Follow." He said, ushering us deeper inside.
"Um…thank you?" Agawa responded, her gratitude sounding more like a question than anything.
He ignored her, continuing to guide us through the darkened house.
"Excuse me, "Kamida inquired, "would you be kind enough to tell us where your parents are?"
The kid stopped, arcing his head towards us. He didn't respond with words. Instead, he just held a finger to his mouth and pointed upwards.
We all glanced at each other, checking if anyone knew what he'd been symbolizing.
Considering the "hush" gesture, I would've assumed that he was symbolizing that they'd been asleep. The problem was his second, the one where he'd pointed upwards. We were still determining whether this house had a second floor, mainly because the alley had been too dark to tell.
"I apologize for asking, "Kamida bowed slightly, "could you elaborate?"
The kid shot us a look that twitched with irritation. "Asleep." He begrudgingly clarified, then continued motioning us forward.
As we went, I observed that there were quite a few parts to 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 kind of grinding tool inside. Layering the top was a bushel of strange, dried herbs that emitted a scent of "Earthiness" and burnt wood. Though it was unpleasant, the smell somehow rejuvenated my entire body.
Next came a sizeable main room wholly decorated with hundreds of vials, each containing a myriad of differently colored liquids. On the far side of it, toward the mid-far side of the building from us, was a wooden framed, polished glass door that extended out 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. Now, 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 that they'd give out at any moment, plunging us into a great depth below. The others must've thought the same because they fearfully hugged the wall as they traveled.
A few more paces and we had reached the top. Finally, being on solid footing must've overwhelmed the others, given their exhausted gasps of relief. It'd be tragic if we were to die because of some rickety steps, especially after everything we'd just been through.
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 to which he'd opened the door. But, before following him, I discerned several others down the opposing, dim hallway. One of which was sealed.
That must be where the parents were, I thought.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter