*Tsuki Shizukana*
'I killed. I don't even know them. It all happened so fast. Why? Why did we have to get attacked just when Niam was busy?'
My head was drowned by the sound of my heartbeat. My hands were numb and my sight started to darken. I had a hard time breathing too.
Niam sat me down and let me be deal with it on my own. 'I think I'm going to puke.' Slowly, my sight returned to normal and I got my sense of touch back. I became able to think properly again. 'If not now, then sometime else. It was inevitable. To survive, one must kill in this new, accursed world.'
I forced my mind to shut away the realization that I had killed. I once again focused on the present. Niam walked around in his birthday suit, checking on our dead attackers.
I was flustered and couldn't help but feel ashamed. I put a hand over my eyes and spoke.
"You're still..."
"Oh, yes. Sorry about that. I will put some clothes on."
Niam put on his second set of clothes.
"Our attackers - they were simple people that tried to survive by killing and robbing. They were rather malnourished, I think the people around the border have a hard time out here." Niam informed.
"I thought they were the pursuers we think we had." I responded.
"I'll gather the bodies at one place, you make sure to check their equipment for anything you need. They were your kills after all, you deserve to have what was theirs." Niam suggested and picked up Melina's gun. "How accurate were you with a gun anyway? Judging by your accuracy as an archer, I guess it was pretty good."
"It was quite the opposite. I think guns are violent and have no grace. And as for your suggestion, their equipment is worse than mine. The effect your Salan ability has on my bowstring is immense. The string is several times more durable than their bows'." I said as I picked up one of their bows.
"Good to hear." He responded.
"We should leave as soon as we can." I suggested.
Even though I suggested we leave as soon as possible, I wouldn't make the final decision as Niam's judgement had always benefited us.
"No, we should leave now. We can have our clothes dry while riding towards the border. And I don't want to face more ambushers, even though we beat them pretty easily with your skills."
***
'I still don't feel anything.' I realized.
It felt like just another hunt, but instead of my prey being camel or rabbit, it was human. I didn't complain. I realized, after seeing Niam, I would rather feel nothing after killing a person than feel guilt of any kind. In this new world, one needs to shut away his emotions.
Surprisingly, hours after leaving the waterfall between the mountain, we didn't meet other ambushers. And eventually, we found a city with a few hundred people.
'A safe zone of some kind?' I questioned.
The lack of hostility could've been a sign of safety or the presence of strong government officials such as soldiers.
"We'll reach the border in a few days. Let's stay a few kilometers away from here." Niam informed.
*Niam Henka*
'I can't believe she is alright after killing. Even I felt kind of weird when I cut Melina's throat. I can still feel her flesh being sliced apart by my Shoto.'
My pride was a bit hurt after having relied on Tsuki for cover, but in the end, it meant that she was more useful. This also increased our survival rate and approach to combat. Before Tsuki learned how to fight with a bow, I usually had her stand behind me. But after she learned to fight with a bow, she could place herself anywhere she wanted. Even in front of me, as long as that didn't hinder my movements.
We rested on top of a hill, not far away from the city. I still wore my second set of clothes, I needed a small change. My clothes also had seen better days. There were several cuts and tears all over them, especially on my turtleneck hoodie. The hoodie had cuts from Reus, Geir, Sidika and Tsuki all over it. I was able to close the holes with my Salan ability, but I knew that eventually, my hoodie would become unwearable at some point in my journey.
'I need new clothes... Once we get to the Asian Empire, I'll make sure to buy a few clothes, bags, survival equipment and lighters if possible. I can't bother making a fire with friction alone.'
"First shift is yours." I informed Tsuki and laid down to sleep.
***
I saw myself in a dark place. This place was just dark and empty. I felt powerless. I tried moving, but soon realized that I couldn't. It reminded me of the dream I had, all the way back in Central Superio. The threem, colored figures spoke to me and demanded that I choose one of them to be shut away.
This dark place was nothing like that dream I had. And after floating in that dark place, I realized that I was in space. Nothing was around me. No light. No energy. No mass. A truly dangerous place to be at with a Salan ability like mine. I essentially needed mass of some form to use my ability. Except for myself, there was nothing that I could control. 'If there is nothing left, I will have myself. I can and will control myself if I must.'
I was pulled out of the dark space.
"Our pursuers have finally shown themselves." I said to myself.
I jumped up and placed a hand on Tsuki's shoulder. It was dark around us, but missing our pursuers' Mana signatures was impossible.
'...6, 7, 9... 11. They're 11 in number.' I counted with Galaxy-Sight.
"Niam Henka, you and your companion are under arrest for conspiring with the Emperor's killer, Tana Zaman. Please do not resist arrest, if you do however, we were ordered to cut a few of your limbs and then bring you back to the capital." A man spoke with an accent.
'When we thought all was going well - they just had to appear...'
"I didn't conspire with Tana. Do you have proof that I did?"
I still couldn't see our pursuers. I didn't know what they looked like, what they wore and what kind of weapons they had. But the man did me a favor and talked again.
"We have several witnesses from the Inn saying that you first talked with her, then got a room together. That should be enough as evidence. Just when you were allowed to pass Siran Bridge, she arrived in Anatolia. I don't think that's a coincidence."
"Who even are you? The Royal Intelligence Troop?"
Silence followed my question.
"Yes. But I don't think that matters in your case." He answered.
"Please give me a detailed version of your witness reports."
["Are you just going to talk with him, my Lord? We were ordered to apprehend this criminal."] A different person spoke.
["I want to know what kind of connection my sister has with this Noor and Central Superio. Also, out here, you follow my orders, not Velsahar's."]
["Yes, my Lord. Forgive me."]
"So, hihmm." The man cleared his throat. "Reports say that you were sitting at a table at the entrance hall..."
"Correct." I confirmed.
"Tana entered, dressed in a black cloak, face not visible."
"Yes. She walked right to me, but I didn't know who she was."
"Just listen." He ordered. "She sat down at your table and you drank some tea."
'Tea?' I thought. 'Did the witnesses lie?'
"Yes."
"You conversed for a while, then, you rented a room and, well, conspired. Oh, and, the cleaning lady reported that there was broken glass and blood on the floor. Whose blood was it?" The man stumbled over his words.
"We didn't conspire. I just met her that day, it was simple coincidence."
"Then what did you do with my sister?!" The man yelled.