''Something is off!!'' Azel blurted out in apprehension.
He took a side glance towards Jerouch, noticing that he had also muttered the same thing.
Jerouch had never been to Klaris City before. However, it took no genius to put the puzzle pieces together.
Before them was a tall wall that stood erect. It was made of thick stones and a thick arch-like metal gate.
There was a tower on top of the gate where some figures lay with unfocused eyes
These figures were in brown uniforms and rusty breastplates and with Jerouch's eyesight, he could see deep gashes on their bodies.
A muddy ditch, several meters wide, surrounded the bottom of the wall. And it was only by the small bridge that connected to the gate could someone enter.
Apart from the gate that remained open and the lifeless city guards on top of the walls, everything looked intact.
However, these two things alone were enough to make Azel have a sense of foreboding.
The apprentices and guards behind him were also filled with horror as their hearts began to pound heavily and their breaths became faint as they forgot to breathe properly.
Azel had it the worst as an alarm kept ringing in his head. Not even waiting for Jerouch, he dropped the luggage in his hand and sprang forward.
The others too joined him, running forward while some still had a little sanity to pull the carriages along.
Jerouch caught up to Azel in no minute and their heavy footsteps resounded in their heads as they walked on the bridge approaching the gate quickly.
Azel wanted to immediately dash forward and enter the city but Jerouch quickly pulled him back.
''S-sir…'' Azel's voice was shaky and his eyes widened giving Jerouch a pleading look.
''We need to tread carefully, everything about this city doesn't look alright.'' Jerouch clarified, relaxing his grip on Azel.
The latter nodded and breathed in and out. Both of them exchanged looks once more and walked carefully entering the gate.
However, the scene before them was worse than what even Jerouch's mind Imagined.
''Gruhh.''
Jerouch turned his head backwards and he could see one of the apprentices vomiting non-stop. Another one beside him slumped to the ground as his jaw refused to close.
Before them was an utter soul-wrenching scene. Just from the entrance to the city alone lay a couple of dozens of minced bodies and blood coated the sandy ground like a shallow crimson pond.
Body parts were scattered everywhere and some corpses were twisted in unnatural positions.
Most of the corpses here were in the same uniforms as the ones on the wall which Jerouch found normal since the guards' post was close.
Jerouch walked close to the bodies with furrowed eyes and a deep frown to investigate what could've happened in this place.
On keen observations, he could deduct a few things which made his inside twist as he squinted his eyes.
'They died not too long ago, even though the blood was dried, the bodies still looked fresh and no sign of decay had taken place. ' Jerouch noted inwardly.
' The wounds, however…' Jerouch walked ahead, checking another body, this time a severed arm. 'All of them had cuts on their bodies and it seemed they were killed by swift, clean and sharp attacks. '
Jerouch's heart began to race and a drop of sweat appeared on his forehead due to a sudden sense of realization.
'These are not sword cuts… the precision, length, and depth for each wound are similar, and it's as if the bodies were lacerated instantaneously. ' Jerouch gulped after making this subtle observation.
Even though Jerouch might be considered weak, he wasn't in any way lacking experience when it came to investigations like this. And the more he observed, the more he grew uneasy as something kept sending warnings in his head.
''S-sir.''
Azel's shaky voice entered Jerouch's ears which brought him out of his brief trance.
Turning in his direction, he stood up wearing a blank expression.
''My… my…'' Azel's heart was beating at an alarming rate as he spoke to Jerouch.
Looking behind Azel, he could also see some of the guards sweating as they had a worried and frightened looks.
Jerouch seemed to catch the wind of what was in their heads which made him say something he really wished not to do considering the constant warning his body was sending him.
''Lead the way.'' He clenched his fist.
Jerouch wasn't helping out because he wanted to, rather, he also wanted to know what in hell happened in this city.
So far, none of the wounds pointed to attacks by monsters. And judging from how precise the wounds were, this was no amateur doing or perhaps were?
What was worse, there was no sign of battle or struggle as all the buildings looked untouched except for the blood that splattered everywhere.
As they advanced, they kept seeing bodies of different sizes, genders and ages.
The bodies of kids severed in two were out in the open. And some elderly people had their heads separated from their bodies.
''Gruhh.''
Thud
Tilting his head backwards slightly, Jerouch could see another apprentice throwing up before he fell to the ground.
'He passed out.' Jerouch mumbled before he followed Azel's lead again.
Azel's heart kept beating and he was macerated in sweat as he kept on praying to whatever thing he believed in.
'God, I knew I wasn't the best of humans, neither was I the most believing, but if you do exist, please…' He trailed off as he started sobbing while sprinting forward.
'P-please, keep them alive.' He begged, clinging to whatever unknown hope he could hold on to at the moment.
After sprinting for more than ten minutes, taking a few turns left and right, they eventually left a corpses-filled alleyway and got to another district.
''A-ANA!'' Azel screamed at top of his voice as he barged into a house.
Jerouch followed entering the house whose door had been broken.
He followed the sound of Azel's footsteps who was galloping like a mad soul until he found him in the backyard with his back facing Jerouch.
Jerouch wanted to run and meet him, but the sickening scene before him made even his own leg weak as he mustered all his strength to stop the urge to throw up.
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A/N
I'm sorry for not updating yesterday fam. I'm currently sick that's why.
However, I'll endeavor to keep on releasing at least a chapter daily.