"THE PATH WHICH WAS SET...."
The sentence clearly was unfinished but it seemed to indicate towards the slums.
This particular board was our main source of reference to sneak into the slums.
I signaled Jack to come here as I quickly scanned my surroundings.
He quickly arrived and looked at me with a blank expression.
At this point I was used to his stoicism and also understood his expressions, so I didn't mind it.
"So do you remember the way from here??",
"Yes, although it might be more difficult than we thought",
"How so??",
".....",
".....",
Sigh,
"Let's just move", I said while he gave me a simple nod.
"Skia pazial", he uttered erasing his prescence from the nature.
Even though he knew only two skills, he was quite adept at using them.
'It's handy alright',
Of course I couldn't erase my prescense like him, and I didn't have the shadow affinity so I did what I could, covered myself in dirt.
"The goblins took a shit there", he said after I covered myself in brown compost.
"...",
I looked at him dead in the eye with a 'really bruh'.
Turning his head he quickly sprinted deeper into the woods.
I sighed and followed him.
Unlike me, Jack had a pretty lean build. Due to this he was able to run quite fast without using mana.
With his agile nature he would simply jump from one bush to another or swing from one tree to another.
Now that couldn't apply to me as I was not as agile as Jack. I was fast, yes but not to his level.
To make that difference I used my wind.
I conjured a small torpedo in my palms and circulated it all over my body, especially my legs.
A thin green hue developed over my legs, which made me quite nimble and fast.
We killed any beast or monster that came on our way, as most of them were either goblins or small worms.
As we made our way, a small arc like structure was constructed. It looked worn down and dilapidated but it clearly was the eastern gate, or whatever was left of it.
The arc was barely hanging in and well, the gates were let's say...... chewed, in an appropriate way.
Why does a slum have entrance gates??, a question that is still in my 1000 mysteries of the place book.
I could see two guards wearing heavy armory talking something.
I quickly closed my eyes and passed mana to my brain, highlighting my senses.
"....#^#&#&&#&#ghhhhhhhuh, such a waste, the neandth seemed to have calmed down for now. They have settled down their rampage down the lane but it's quite strange, don't you think?? The neandth townsfolk have a sense of pride and with summer hitting soon, they would have the perfect chance to strike, due to the lack of water and exhaustion we face."
"Keith, it's best to be on guard. I don't know what they are planning. The ghoul won't start its nonsense for another year but if it's already past the feeding stage then the youngling might start up anytime. Sigh, Sir Reynolds and the other higher executives are the only ones who know its location."
"Haah...Aah Zwekeep and Guacemole are here. Guess are turn is over, let's go have some tea..."
'Hmm, the ghoul....I want to know what exactly is our current situation inside. Even if the neandth have stopped their barrage, it's still too early for any possible safety.',
"Jack, you heard that right??",
"Mm, although it's unlikely for the neandth to stop. I think they're plotting something",
There was still a lot of gaps here and there like what the hell is in here that they want to pirate this place.
This is a goddamn slum.
I glanced at the direction the new guards arrived.
They were wearing brown leather full coat with a hood covering them. Black pants and a weird belt.
The one masochist like to use.
Their facial features were hidden.
I quickly tried listening to what they were speaking.
But then,
Drip, Drip.
"Roy....Roy", Jack called.
"Huh",
He pointed a finger at my nose. I touched my nose and I could feel hot red liquid on my fingers.
'Blood, I was bleeding!!',
Why???,
Suddenly, I felt an insurmountable pressure coming from the arc.
I could feel one of the guards looking at our direction. He glanced at us or more specifically around us and gave a small nod to the other man.
He quickly disappeared from where he was standing. Leaving behind an after image.
All my senses screamed danger.
"JACK...", I yelled as I took off as fast as possible.
Seeing me flee Jack quickly understood the situation and began running in a different direction from me.
I channeled all my mana and conjured my wind element onto my legs.
'Run',
'Run',
'Run'
All my thoughts were filled with one word.
SURVIVE.
I jumped through trees, switched directions, made distractions and what not.
I was sure that I would die if I get caught. So I ran. I knew the terrain and I knew where to go and where not to.
As I ran I could see the initial meet up point.
I quickly grabbed the nearest vine and swung towards what looked like a small lake.
Using my momentum I quickly picked up a huge branch and launched it into the lake.
THUD,
As the sound of a branch piercing the water reverberated through the woods, I quickly jumped into a large bush.
Covering myself by the soil and leaves I laid down on the ground crunched up like a 'touch-me-not' plant.
'Calm down, calm down. Slow your breathing. Focus the flow of mana in your body. Remember what Anna said. You are Mana and Mana is you.'
I quickly calmed down and began to do breathing.
I closed my eyes and focused all my power in my senses.
Sense of smell, touch, visual and hearing.
Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap.
I could hear someone's footsteps. Although quite afar.
The person was quite elegantly walking. It was as though he wanted me to hear the steps but didn't want to walk so loud.
After a while the sound stopped. There was just cool breeze air and the smell of citrus lingering around me.
Whoosh~
Ziieek,
A small kunai like knife landed next to my eyes narrowly missing them.
Judging by the speed it threw from quite a distance so it wasn't that he was near.
'Close, too close',
My heart was beating too fast. That man was way too precisive. Just one inch then u would've lost my eyes.
'Haah, Haah',
Fear began welding up. The thought of loosing my life again made me shiver.
"Pathetic",
"Useless",
"I hate you, I hate you", the memories started to replay inside my head.
'No no no, not now. Please not now. Huh, huh, I.....wait...',
I was getting restless.
Fck, I almost died.
'Died.....Died.....Died...Died',
The bush began to slightly tremble.
My breathing began harder. My vision started to blur and past memories kept replaying.
Like a remainder,
What was the remainder???????
What was the???????
What was???????
What?????