Chapter Fourteen

Ludwig sprints past the trees and low-lying vegetation that are just brown and green blurs in his peripheral vision as he focuses on the path in front of him. Hopefully, whatever path he was traveling on was in the direction of the next camp of Keiju he desired to go to and wouldn't lead him out of the forest.

He didn't dare stop and take his map out but did carry a golden-bladed, white-handled dagger in his left hand, despite the stinging pain in both his arms and back from Fidel's arrows. Plus, his head was throbbing worse than before his fight after being blasted into a stone wall. He just loved being flung back into obstacles, didn't he? He also wouldn't be surprised if he suffered one or more broken bones at the end of this nightmare, though Ludwig was pretty sure he wouldn't be moving as fast as he was if he suffered such an injury.

Even if no one was chasing him and his life wasn't in immediate danger, the faster he met with the leaders of the Keiju bloodlines and asked for their assistance in finding Theo, the more time he would have to prepare a plan to rescue Theo. This time, he was actually going to think out a plan to rescue Theo. If the archers of the Rosenrough bloodline and Aviva herself were anything like Fidel, Ludwig would most likely become a body full of arrows the moment he set foot on Rosenrough territory.

Maybe Edgar didn't want to be associated with those archers of his supposed bloodline, so he trained to fight with a spear instead. Though, if Ludwig had to choose between traveling with Fidel or Edgar, he would prefer Fidel, but since he was dead...Edgar it was.

That is if Ludwig even cared to rescue him. He didn't like Edgar, but what about Theo? What if he refused to leave with Ludwig unless Edgar came with them? Then Ludwig would have no choice but to travel with Scary Black Spear Guy! What a headache he was getting just thinking about something that wouldn't happen in the near future.

Running out of breath and having trouble seeing through the increasingly darkening forest, the spy stops and leans against the trunk of a tree to catch his breath. While doing so, he also listens for any sound or movement signifying others are following him. He doubted the Rosenrough scouts followed him or even knew he killed Fidel, but it was better to assume the worst, though it conflicted with Ludwig's usual demeanor and attitude.

Figuring, after a few minutes of careful observation, that no one was following him, the young man summons the map from underneath his cloak and attempts to pick out where he is and how far he is from the Kuu bloodline camp. It seemed fitting for the camp to be in an area of the forest that was darker and only slightly colder than the rest, but the actual location of the camp was harder to pick out, especially with the spy straining his eyes to see the colored marks of each camp.

Failing to pick out where he is and even the general location of the camp, Ludwig groans and allows himself to slide down against the tree until he is sitting on one of the tree's roots. He returns the map to his cloak and pulls out a cloth to clean the dagger he was holding that now lies by his left side.

He knew if he were being chased by Rosenrough archers, using a dagger to try and ward them off would very much be like bringing a knife to a gunfight, but he saw no other way to save himself unless he used his “last resort” like he had to use against Fidel.

Well, he did speak, which wasn’t truly his last resort, as someone could counteract or avoid it, but he didn’t want to use it without speaking. Never again. He pledged that to her, despite the tears in her eyes when he eventually confessed that he abandoned them and was going to be a Chidorian spy.

Ludwig vigorously shakes his head and sighs. There was no use dwelling on the past. What mattered was the present and the future. His priority was saving adorable Theo and ensuring he would return to Luimesha. Anything else didn't matter to him.

As he is polishing his dagger, Ludwig catches an odd blue light reflect off of the blade when he turns it to his left. Turning in that direction, Ludwig spies the blue light several feet from where he sits. The spy stands up, puts his dagger and cloth away within his cloak and turns to face the blue light.

As if on cue, a brown light and green light appear beside the blue one. Ludwig blinks a few times and can see figures that appear to possess the light. The image of Edgar's seemingly glowing red eyes pop into his head, and he comes to the conclusion that he is in the presence of Keiju from the Kuu bloodline.

"Hello! Are you all Keiju from the Kuu bloodline? My name is Ludwig Casimir, a spy from Chidora, and Yor from the Moreen bloodline sent me to speak to Rye and request his help in finding the Crown Prince of Luimesha, Theo Veles," Ludwig says his little spiel, ending it with his usual smile and wave in the direction of the three figures.

The Keiju with brown eyes walks forward until they are only a few feet from where the young man stands. When they speak, their voice is deep and is in a tone that suggests Ludwig should watch his back for his own sake, not in a threatening manner that would make Ludwig think these people would kill him.

"You're in grave danger, Mister Casimir."

Ludwig nods and relays what he knows about his current situation.

"Yeah, I know. Some Rosenrough scouts armed with bows and arrows may very possibly be after me, so-"

Ludwig pauses mid-sentence as the figures with green and blue eyes steps forward. A red light is summoned by the Keiju with the green eyes, and Ludwig lets out a scream as he falls to his knees, an immense pain suddenly plaguing his abdomen.

He clutches his stomach with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. The pain is unbearable. It is as if someone lit his abdomen on fire and was only adding fuel to intensify the painful flames.

Images flash across his vision. Black armor, red eyes, a black and red spear flying towards his body, black scales with crimson edges, and a wisp of white hair.

It is all Ludwig can process before he passes out.