Kai, who was walking towards the corpses left behind, he turned back and watched as the remaining knight escaped the dark forest.
He had something left to do and he couldn't return to Claude now. As he could sense that his friend was hesitating, pondering on what had just occurred.
Pulling out the dagger, Kai left more scratches and wounds on the bodies of the knights using a sword that showed more of an increasing sign of sparring rather than an aim to kill.
During that whole long process, Claude found the courage to get closer to Kai. But none of them spoke a word.
Claude broke the silence. "Why..?"
"Let's go. I'm done." Kai dropped the sword that he had stolen from the knight. He looked up at the horse that carried Claude on its back.
Claude's hands were trembling. Whether it's from the cold or fear, he wasn't sure. "You're..not getting on your own horse?"
"You can't ride one. I'll do it. Why won't you let me, are you scared?" Kai bit the inner flesh of his mouth. He could taste the iron infiltrating his taste buds.
Claude made space for Kai who easily mounted the horse with little to no difficulty. "Keep my sword."
"You're not going to tell me anything? Why did you kill them? You could've just injured or threatened them like you did with the last one!" Claude started raising his voice, releasing his frustration.
"Don't touch me." Was all Kai said.
Kai remained ignorant towards Claude's questions. This was for the better. He had no intention of getting closer to Claude than necessary.
As the sound of splashing quietened down, so did the voice of Claude's.
Kai held his head in pain as the headache rumbled in his mind. His hands were sore from handling the reins. His back ached from staying in the same position for too long.
After passing by multiple bridges that connected land together above sea and riffs. They passed by quite a distance by horse.
Even if Kai wanted to continue on with his raging pain, the horse couldn't go on anymore. Its speed has decelerated along the way.
Kai stopped and mounted off the horse and woke Claude up from his slumber. "I'll get you something to eat. Stay here." He said, stretching.
Shaking his head, Claude insisted on following along. "Where are we?"
"Unia. The border of the capital. We need to go by ship." Kai said, frowning. "Do you want a change of clothes?"
"I'll take yours. The one in the bag." Claude answered, dragging the horse by its reins.
When they were on the way to the village. Claude wasted no time asking questions.
"Do you..not trust me? Why didn't you tell me anything?" Claude asked, more considerate this time.
"There was no need for you to know."
"Why? Aren't I your friend at least?"
"Then if you were, you wouldn't have judged my actions back then."
"No. I am your friend, that's why I am correcting your actions. Killing is not a solution to overcome adversity."
"Then what? Want me to let them murder us? Like a fool?"
"You're obstinate. I hate that about you."
"I don't need you to like me."
"What if I say I'm scared of you?"
Silence.
"I'll get you a room to sleep in. I won't be back till morning." Kai said, walking faster as he looked out for any knights that wore a particular emblem.
But there were few knights in the peaceful village. It was odd. However, there were knights to this coastal village's front gate.
But they didn't seem to be one of Whitlock's. They were only under the imperial emperor that took control of important village frontlines.
Kai slowly approached the village with Claude.
Just as the normal procedures, the knight stopped the children from entering the village. However, they had no malice, just a sense of duty.
"May I ask you the purpose of your visit?" The knight asked, bending down a little to match their height. He then set his eyes in the scar that was plastered across Kai's eyelids.
"Travelling, we would like to set off to the capital tomorrow by ship." Kai replied formally with a smile.
"No parents or guardians?" The knight questioned further.
"None. That's fine right?"
"Yes..it is. You may enter." The knight answered before bouncing back to his original position.
Just like Kai promised, Claude got a room of his own at an Inn and left him alone for the night.
Claude couldn't sleep at all as he had practically been asleep the whole ride here. It felt like it had been at least a day of travelling by horse. He had lost a sense of time.
Everytime his eyes shot open, he was in a completely new biome and would let himself be immersed by it before sleeping again. They passed by multiple villages but never bothered staying for too long.
Suddenly, he heard a low growl emerge from his stomach. As if it was magic, Kai opened the door and came in with a plate of ready-made food.
"Eat. I'll be out, don't look for me." Kai said, leaving yet again.
The door slammed shut and Claude was more frustrated than ever. Why was Kai so stubborn? If they had just actually talk things out it wouldn't be this tense.
Talking to Kai was like having a conversation with a wall. Frustrating and always left with no proper answer to one's worries.
Feeling more annoyed than ever, Claude completely forgot about his grandma's abduction. But once he did, his sense of discomfort struck him.
He wondered how long this trip was going to take. Even if they managed to teach the capital, how was Kai so sure of the location? Were they just going to walk blindly and follow the sight and instincts?
It was an unreliable plan. All of this was.
Suddenly, a large explosion thundered throughout the whole village. Spreading a wildfire that erupted and set multiple houses into oblivion. Screams wailed in agony as they ran away from the danger.
Smoke veiled the whole terrain, leaving no view or sight cues to the eyes.
Claude's mind went blank. Why? Why was this happening? What was happening? Why couldn't he be left in peace for at least a day?
Why does each traumatic event keep overlapping one another?
"Claude." Kai said, watching the events explode into the background.
Biting his lips, Claude was filled with fear. "This is.. an act of terrorism, isn't it?" He proposed, watching closely as many people wearing a unique cape closed in on the villagers.
Heading towards the innocent with swords pointed to their faces and killing them. Pilling their heads atop of one another while letting the fire burn it to a crisp.
"We need to leave." Kai urgently said, hearing loud clacking footsteps getting louder while another bomb set off in the village. It was closer this time.
Claude held his hands together in a prayer. "Leave? Don't joke with me. Where are we going to leave from? The sea is probably already sanctioned off. This is the end." He murmured.
Another bomb set off. But this time it was much much closer.
The whole building exploded, the concrete and stone blasted into the air as its bonds broke. Leaving behind dust and remains of what used to be a large inn.