Chereads / The World Is Still Beautiful / Chapter 4 - Running

Chapter 4 - Running

"Where are we running to, guardian?!" Ophelia would shout as they expend breathing stomping the ground, gaining distance away from the multitudes of armed men they are trying to run from. "To the forest entrance! We have to get back to the crowds and blend in!" Deb says, seemingly having a plan already cooked up as they travel. He was not a fast runner, but he had endurance and stamina. However, the same could not be said for the goddess that was being dragged along, barely managing to keep up. At this pace, they would be able to catch up just after getting outside of the forest. Not good.

"Let's just hope Anthor is there..." So he can take Ciel off his hands and focus on stowing away this woman that had now appointed him as her guardian. Shoving all the questions he has for now and putting all his attention into trying to lose tail of the guards, the man would ask. "How strong was that flashbang you just made? They still aren't chasing us and we've gone through two road turns already!"

"Probably enough to blind some permanently if they directly stared at it!" Ophelia seemed almost proud of that statement- her eyes were sparkling! Deb could only feel the pit in his stomach getting bigger. That offense is either going to kill them at worst, or excommunicate them at the very least. And thinking about that was a headache waiting to evolve into a migraine. Assuming they get caught, that is. "What the hell?! That's deadly!" The man retorts, horrified.

"Not deadly enough to kill them, for sure! I bought us the most amount of time I can, so keep doing your job, guardian!" The goddess would giggle heartily. "Not kill them for sure, but can ruin their entire livelihood! Jesus Christ, Ophelia!"

"No, Jesus is dead! You should not say his name anymore for exclamation!" She just blurted out an insane statement. It made sense if all historical accounts are correct about Ragnarok, the son of Man would definitely be involved in the war... although he was unsure if he sided with Mankind after seeing what they used against God, and all the other holy beings.

"What?!" Deb could not believe his ears. Jesus is dead. What a baffling thing to hear while running away from guards. The three pass through roads that made it easier to follow them, but also gave them the maximum possible distance. A trade he was willing to risk, considering the wheezing woman behind him that was slowly getting accustomed to physical strain. "I said, JESUS, IS, DEAD! God too! What's there to ask again about, guardian?!" Ophelia enunciated, making the male almost forget how to breathe.

"OKAY, OKAY, let's stop there for now! We need to get out- the entrance is right there!" The time passed by so fast when talking with the girl, because the forest entrance was literally within two hundred meters of them. And this was with the male paying half a mind following the signs and just using his instinct to remember where the correct way was through the small adjustments, twists, and turns they had to do.

"Stop right there, peace disruptors!" And finally hot on their trail, less than half of the guards come to chase them with their weapons sheathed. "They still want to kidnap you?!" Deb groans. "It must be because of how pretty I am, my guardian!" She would swoon, cupping her face with her free hand as they run. "Don't blush now, you won't look so pretty when they put you in a cage!" They would cross the forest's entrance and be ushered back into the city without much problems, aside from the ones chasing them.

They would soon get into the crowds and weave through them. Thankfully, there were people as tall as Deb, mayhaps even taller. He slips his hood fashioned into the flowy clothing he has, but it was not able to completely house all of his ankle-length, messy, sliver hair, sprinkled with lilac tints. They were so long that Ciel, whom was sleeping soundly in his arms, was sheltered by it. "I'm surprised she never made a peep or woke up from us..." He chuckles. "Also, use that scarf of yours, cover your face. The guards got a look on you, so they'll be able to recognize you in a few glances." Ophelia would nod and drape the cloudy, light-made scarf over her head and cover her forehead.

"Where are we going now, my guardian? We go out of the safe forest you speak of!" She would whisper excitedly, still clutching to him. "To Ciel's house. Stay close to me, okay?" Deb would reaffirm as he looks to his side, not knowing she was already as close as she can possibly get in the most seemingly intimate way possible. "Like this?" She squeezes his arm, feeling out the muscles as a byproduct of being very close. "My guardian, you are muscular!" She would say animatedly, running her hands up and down his bicep and forearms.

"Uh, thank you." It was clearly a compliment, but Deb had trouble processing it. No matter what, his cheeks blossomed a fair blush. "Mhm! Be proud of it, yes!" Ophelia nods reassuringly, keeping close as he instructed. Through the crowds, they would slowly lose the guards, but the more they hide the harder it's only going to get. The house of the Extrun Siblings would be located at a more secluded section of the city, making it even harder for guards to look for them. "Alright, now pipe down so they don't hear us. They recognize your voice, remember?" He would put a finger to his lips and wink at the goddess.

"Yes, I will now stay quiet!" Ophelia would tone down herself to excited whispers, feeling like she's running away from the law. The houses in Twynam are a lot more soundly constructed, with walls of wood and cement supporting roofs of hemmed leaves and cloth. Still looks like a voodoo's hut, but its better than put together scrap just to guarantee protection as strong as a scarecrow made of sticks and loose rope. Alleyways are enough to fit a crowd in, but none of such impeded in their way of completely losing the guards.

In front of an igloo-shaped, two-story house that was made of more vine and leaf than hard material, one raven haired boy was pacing around worryingly, seemingly about his frail sister. Seeing the tall male with his sibling in his arms, the kid would run up to them. "Ciel! Uncle Deb! You're okay!" He would hug his leg and the forager kneels down to transfer the weight to the older brother. "She's safe, Anthor. Don't worry- she just exhausted herself."

"What did she do?" Anthor, the black-haired boy asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Aside from picking up an apple from the tree, she also had to run." Deb would explain the gist, fearing how much the young man would be furious at him for.

"You knew she was weak and you told her to run?" Anthor accuses the older figure, turtling and protecting Ciel from him as if he was a bad influence. Deb would sigh and offer an apology.

"I'm sorry." It was all he could say. He could have been a better guardian. Ophelia would then kneel down in front of Anthor and pat his head. "Do not fear, black-haired human boy, he is a good guardian!" She would beam without worry. Anthor could only look at her with a confused expression.

"Who're you?"