Caelum walked carefully, trying to remain stealthy. Zarco on the other hand just walked straight past her with his hands behind his head.
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Zarco
-Go faster! You are too slow.
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Caelum
-Excuse me, but I'm trying to keep us from being surrounded and captured again.
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Zarco
-If anything happens we can just beat them up again.
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A tall burly man who walked behind them, says.
-Yeah, I think that is better.
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A skinny man speaks soon after
-There is no reason to be furtive, there are guards at the exits and important points, we will have to fight or die.
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Zarco
-See? I am right.
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Caelum tiredly stares at Zarco, who just had a huge dumb smile as he played with a bunch of keys in his hand as a response to her look.
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Trying to ignore... that. She turns her attention towards the two men who were following them, one was a six-foot man brute looking man, and the other was skinny and long-nosed, both were wearing filthy clothes and looking very unkempt.
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Caelum approaches Zarco, when she gets close enough she puts her hand on his back and pushes him forward.
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Zarco
-Hey!
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Caelum whispers to him
-Why did you free them?
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Zarco
-I felt sorry for them…
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Caelum glares at him, her morbid expression making it clear she knew it was a lie.
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Zarco
-They can be useful, think of them as reinforcements, or pawns, disposable allies you know?
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Caelum
-No.
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Zarco
-Okay then, so let's run away from here passing through an entire army alone! Carrying an almost dead old man-pigeon?!
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Caelum
-But… they are criminals…
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Zarco
-So are we, under our captor's eyes at least.
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The huge one approaches them saying
-Hey, what are you doing with the little boss?!
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Caelum looks confused at the wall of talking muscle in front of her.
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The skinny approaches Zarco talking to him
-Did she bother you, little boss? We can deal with that for you...
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Zarco
-Nah, I'm good.
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Zarco approaches Caelum and whispers to her
-Also, apparently, they are a group and they will only help us if we release all of their members.
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Caelum
-Of course they are…
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Zarco
-Now let's go! We have to release all the other prisoners!
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The huge one reprimands Zarco.
-Hey, you'll end up getting the attention of some guard screaming like that.
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Zarco
-Oh, okay.
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The skinny one just gives a quick look at his partner and when he notices the look, his tone quickly changes.
-I mean, little boss! I am glad you understood.
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The huge one then whispers to his partner.
-I can't keep acting like an idiot, it goes against my morals and my principles.
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The skinny guy answers him.
-Calm down, Albator, remember who this boy is!
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Albator
-Yes, I know he is the child of the posters, but...
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Albator gets interrupted by his partner, who proceeds by saying.
-Exactly! We just have to earn his trust! Then we drag him back to the mainland, get the reward, and we'll never need to steal cattle again.
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Albator
-That would be good…
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His partner talks to him in an animated happy tone.
-Yeah, I know, so come on my friend! Towards fortune!
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Zarco says to Caelum
-You just heard what they just said too, right?
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Caelum
-Yes.
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Zarco
-They are pretty idiotic.
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Caelum
-Not as much as you.
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Zarco
-Hey!
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Caelum
-Now hurry, if you aren't even going to try to be stealthy, then at least we can reach Sapere's cell as quickly as possible.
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Zarco
-Do you even know where this cell is?
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Caelum
-Not really.
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Zarco stares at Caelum for a moment, his expression demonstrated the loss of what little respect he still had for her.
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Caelum turns to the awful whisperers and says.
-Do you know where the angels' cells are?
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Albator
-Why go there? They only have empty cells with rotting corpses.
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Caelum glares at him, not even trying to hide her anger at what he had said.
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Zarco
-Eh, she has someone important stuck there, you know?
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Albator
-Oh, got it, little boss. But I still don't think it's worth it, even if he's alive, we won't be able to take care of his injuries, much less escape with him.
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Caelum
-Okay, then run away, I'll go after him.
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The skinny one says to her.
-Hey, didn't you hear anything? What about the guards?
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Caelum
-I will defeat them.
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Albator
-And his injuries?
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Caelum
-I'll treat them.
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Zarco
-How?
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Caelum
-I will find a way.
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Zarco
-You really want to save this guy, huh...
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Caelum
-I have nothing else to do...
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Zarco
-Okay, let's turn this entire prison over looking for him.
.
Everyone looks at Zarco completely confused by that.
.
Zarco
-What? I have nothing better to do too.
.
Caelum is genuinely surprised by him.
-Oh, ok.
.
Zarco thinks to himself while he makes a gentle, warm smile towards Caelum.
-You dumb creature! You can't leave me alone with these guys! You're my last line of defense here! ARGHKSDFJKDSFKSDJ!!!
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Caelum looks away from him and says.
-Let's go.
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Zarco answers while keeping the same smile
-OK!
.
The skinny one says.
-They are stupid.
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Albator
-Yeah, I'm surprised they haven't alerted the guards yet.
.
The skinny one answers him.
-True, there should be a patrol around here, what are they even doing?
.
Albator
-Sleeping?
.
<--------------// ~ // ------------->
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-Move! We are under attack! - screams Potentia, in front of a burning building amidst the chaos of a shower of flaming arrows while soldiers wander desperately through the sea of flames.
.
END OF THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER