Naught
2 A.M.
Reis/Leifa
"Hah...hah...phew"
Resa
"Why...are we...running again?"
Reis/Leifa
"Shh!"
Resa
"....S-Sorry."
The introduction of night started our adventure, it was well past two hours that we'd set out, and yet we were still five cities away from the barrier.
The three of us had been running for hours using the impenetrable night to cloak ourselves while traveling through the unsuspecting country, all while Thalia was still sleeping on my back.
Resa
"How come we're running? It'd be much faster to fly, don't you think?"
Leifa
"Only if you feel like getting shot down. Since the incident the aerial cannons have been active nonstop in case something breaks through."
Resa
"Well can we at least break? It ain't fair Thalia's the only one who gets to rest! Reis, let me have a turn on your back."
Reis
"Are you gonna be like this the next five cities? You've been complaining since we left, we can't afford to be caught by guards cause you can't keep your voice down...and I swear if Thalia wakes up, I'll kill you myself."
Resa
"I'm just cranky cause I'm tired. My body feels like a carton of expired milk."
Reis
"Have you never been up past midnight?"
Resa
"No! I've never even seen the clock read ten p.m. my bedtime is seven-thirty!"
Reis
"Talk about pathetic."
Resa
"Pathetic?! For an angel you're not very enlightening yourself."
Leifa
"Quiet, I'm sensing people up ahead."
On cue, almost as if rehearsed Leifa directs our attention where three guards appear from an alleyway brandishing elemental spears, together they take a quick survey of the area before disappearing behind a corner at the end of the block.
Resa
"Guards? I thought only the capital had people patrolling this late."
Leifa
"To most common knowledge, yes, but there are a few cities here and there that have patrols. Asteli, in particular, has the highest crime rate in this region of the country. The only figures up at this time of night are bandits and thieves."
Reis
"Let's hope we don't run into any, Resa you're in between Leifa and me."
Resa
"I'd feel more comfortable in the back."
Reis
"So, you'd rather stay in the rear where someone could take you from behind knowing full well how poor you are at CQC?"
Resa
"Well putting it in that perspective all of a sudden the middle sounds great, I'll keep an ear out for any movement around us."
Reis
"Thanks."
We turned around the corner at the end of the street like the guards did minutes ago. Slowly our speed to a leisurely walk we continued on the path until we came across an intersection unveiling three new roads before us.
Reis
"Resa, east, south, or north, which direction will lead us closer to the edge?"
Resa
"Not the south, that leads to the middle of Myscia, the merchant shopping area. There's the east but each city we'd pass through would get larger than the last. As for the north...I don't know enough about that area to say, my senses don't reach that far, sorry."
???
"If you kids need help getting somewhere we'd be glad to take your problems off your hands...for a price of course."
A grim, burly, and unsettling voice echoed around us amidst our conversation giving way to unbridled laughing and snickering as a large group of people came from all three intersections surrounding us with nowhere to flee.
???
"Well, well, well who would've thought we'd find a group of children on our turf this time of night. I guess Myscia is a magical place after all."
The mysterious man chuckled at his joke looming ever so closer, his reeking alcoholic stung our noses making us recoil in disgust as he licked his lips while observing us creepily.
???
"Looks like we've hauled in some premium beef here, even the sleeping one makes for a fine specimen."
Thug 1
"They've got a maid too boss."
Thug 2
"A nice one at that. All of us could have some fun with her, she's got everything all in the right places."
???
"Come now ladies and gents we have to learn a bit about our guests before getting to the festivities. Let's help them with their belongings, shall we?"
The man in front lunged without warning cutting a shallow wound in my arm with a gleaming blade hidden under his sleeve. The attack left his middle wide open, ducking under his other arm I headbutt the aggressor knocking him back as the knife falls out scattering onto the pavement.
Not wasting a second Leifa summons a violent gust of wind blowing out the lights, Resa taking our hands as we fled down the east path leaving the group and their angry shouting in the dark of night.
The three of us ran from Asteli and continued crossing multiple cities across Myscia until the break of dawn broke the horizon, the first light of day coloring our exhausted faces as we reached the new barrier encircling the country.
Peering closer we could through the visible shield past the clouds at the world fifteen hundred feet below us, a new foreign frontier none of us had ventured to that held untold mysteries and tales of suffering from the Devil King's rule.
A different expression covered each of our faces as we looked on nervously steeling ourselves, together we shared a determined nod before Leifa raised her hand calling the wind to aid in departure, at the same moment a silver line passed over our eyes embedding itself in Leifa's arm as lines of blood trickled from the source.
Takata
"Surprised little livestock? You look as if you've gotten a bit too comfortable since we split way, haven't they?"
"...That beauty on your back there...she resembles someone familiar, how about you hand her over and the three of you can be on your merry way. The name's Takata by the way, how very nice to see you all so soon."
END