Ten-The deal

"Ren, stay with me," she whispered.Miko searched for Jiro who had been helping him. She turned her head, eyes darting frantically through the fog. Jiro stood frozen, his eyes distant, trapped in an illusion. His fingers twitched as if grasping at something unseen.

No. Not now. Not when we were so close to escaping!, she internally screamed.

Her grip on Ren tightened as she hoisted his arm over her shoulder. He grunted in pain but made no effort to resist.

"Mama, Papa" Jiro whispered, tears blurring his vision,still stuck in the illusion.

Hana faltered next, her eyes wide with horror as she saw a small figure . A small girl, no more than a toddler, stood at the age of the fog. The child reached out to her, calling her name in a voice that made Hana heart stopped . She stumbled back but the vision of the little child remained, unreachable. She turned away, tears streaking down her face.

Masaya too, felt the grip of terror , the whispers of the bridge of souls planted wild thoughts that his son, who had been taken away brutality might be lost forever haunted him.' What if he's dead,?' he thought . The weight of that possibility weighed against him like a suffocating force. He couldn't let it be the truth.

'What if it is the truth? 'the whispers taunted him again.

Ryuu felt nothing, his eyes were steady, unfazed by the visions that were haunting the others. The ghosts of his past battles - victims of his own making, stood before him, faces twisted in agony accusations in thier eyes. But Ryuu didn't flinch, he had fought real monsters before and this was nothing.

'I don't have time for this,'he thought, his jaw set in determination. He had led them this far and the bridge of souls couldn't stop him. He wouldn't allow it.

The bridge swayed precariously above a chasm filled with a darkness that seems to breathe. "Link arms!" Ryuu called out, his voice cutting through the fog. They formed a chain, Ryuu at the front, guiding them with the light of his sword.

With each step, the forest seemed to shift, the ground beneath them, pulled them deeper into its grasp. Ryuu clutched the sword tighter, channeling his focus into a steady light. "We will not be lost. "

The other struggled to keep moving, each step feeling like a battle of it's own. With determination, Ryuu guided them through the fog across the bridge, their resolve bright against the treacherous backdrop of the enchanted forest, they continued.

Finally after what felt like eternity, the fog began to thin and the darkness began to lift. They emerged from the bridge into the world--bright sunlight shining down on a peaceful landscape. The contrast between the tranquility of the outside world and the turmoil of their souls made the sunlight feel so surreal. Ryuu turned to face the group, his eyes scanning them all.

"Is everyone okay?"

Miko still shaken and struggling under Ren's weight , didn't know what to say. She glanced at Ren but he said nothing. Jiro, his face still pale, gave a weak nod, trying to shake the strong illusion of the haunting image of his parents.

Hana clutched her chest, still feeling the emptiness in her being. Masaya's gaze was still distant, his thoughts consumed by the thought of the fate of his son.

The oppressive magic had lifted and the weight pressing down thier bodies had vanished.Suddenly, Ren let out a shuddering breath and collapsed on the dusty ground.

"Ren" Miko gasped, falling to her knees besides him. Hana rushed forward and knelt besides Ren , his face pale and his breath shallow. The fatigue of the enchanted forest had drained him, and despite his usual resilience, he was completely unresponsive.She exhaled nervously and pressed her hands on his wound. Her magic flared to life and a warm green light, pulsated from her palms as she directed healing energy into him. Slowly, knitting his torned flesh. His breathing steadied, but he remained unconscious. She wiped the sweat from brow, exhaustion setting in. "He needs rest,he has lost too much blood" she murmured, glancing at Ryuu and the others.

Ryuu scowled,shading his eyes against the hot sun and looking around the vast farmland surrounding them. The afternoon sun casted long shadows over the fields, where farmers worked tirelessly. "We can't afford to stay here too long," he muttered, watching a group of peasants moving about in the distance.

"But we can't move Ren like this," Hana reasoned and Miko quickly added,

"We have no horses, and even if we did, he's in no state to travel."

"l could summon my beasts to carry us into the village.uhmm, but l don't have any horse beast and I don't know how the people will react. I've heard that they want nothing to do with magic"

The rest of the crew nodded.

"l agree,and we still need to find a place to lay for tonight" Jiro said, stretching his broad arms.

Masaya stepped forward and reached for his power, his tattoos flared a brilliant gold before flickering out. He clenched his fists. Too weak. No horses. No help.

Miko narrowed his eyes, skeptical. "We can't rely on magic this time."

She sighed, the small flames that she had barely able to conjure at the tip of her fingers, instantly vanished into smoke.

Before they could debate further, a rustling in the bush startled and made them all tense, hands instinctively moving to their weapons. From behind the tall grass,

a hunched figure stepped into view—a frightened farmer clutching a crude pitchfork and a shepherd's crook in another hand. His face was pale, weathered and his breath ragged .

"You—" he hesitated, eyeing their battle-worn state. His eyes then fell on Ren's unconscious form. "That young man doesn't look good."

Hana nodded. "He's exhausted. We just got out of the enchanted forest."

The man's brow furrowed. "You lot came out of there alive? That's no small feat." He looked at the rest of the group.

Ryuu stepped forward, steady but wary. "We did."

The farmer swallowed hard. "Then you must have seen it. The beast."

Miko's gaze sharpened. "What beast?"

"The one that's been ravaging our livestock. It came from the forest… just like you." The farmer hesitated, then straightened, determination overcoming his fear. "Judging by your state, you've nowhere to stay, do you? And there are no inn's near this lot"

"We need shelter, just for a little while," Hana admitted. Ryuu, ever distrusting narrowed his grey eyes.

The shepherd chuckled and sketched his beard, now fearless. "You'll have to earn your keep, but I can offer you a place to rest. My farm's just a short walk from here but first, I have a deal for you. You need shelter and I need that creature dead."

Ryuu glanced at his exhausted companions. Ren needed rest. They all did. He nodded. Relief flooded Hana's expression as she and Ryuu exchanged glances. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "We'll help however we can."

"We'll take care of it"

"Finally, a wash and a warm meal ! " Jiro exclaimed, sniffing his armpits and running his hand through his dirty locs. "Yeah, I'm in a desperate need for a wash."

The farmer exhaled in relief. "Then come. Before it gets dark."

With the shepherd's guidance, they carried Ren to a modest farmhouse nestled between golden fields. The air smelled of fresh grain, and the distant sound of livestock filled the quiet evening. The old man's family welcomed them warmly, offering food and a place to sleep in the barn's loft.

As night fell, Miko sat beside Ren, watching over him while the others spoke in hushed tones about their next move. Ryuu remained restless, eager to continue their hunt, but even, he knew they needed Ren at full strength before moving on.

He scouted the area twice for any danger, an undying habit of his. The breeze was cold, seeping into his dark cloak, but it was the kind of cold that he relished in. The kind that stopped his thoughts from going wild. He stood,his heavy cloak hanging from his slim figure and his onyx, waist length hair flying ever so slightly behind him. He looked up but barely noticed the gleaming stars in the velvet darkness.

'For now, we would wait. The search for the hunters could continue another day.'