Run.
Run.
Run.
Ara doesn't know for how long he and his little sister has been running. 45 minutes probably has been passed since they both started running for their lives. He is very tired and wanted to stop, and he knows that his little sister couldn't run anymore.
But then, they finally arrived at the best place to hide.
Hika Temple.
A small abandoned temple outside of Meteor City that they found out a few weeks ago by accident. Somehow, not a lot knows about this place.
They both went into the temple before collapsing on the floor, both panted frantically.
"Brother, who are they?" Vera, his little sister asked in a meek voice, steadying her breath.
"They are the knight from the Musia Kingdom. I don't know why they are there, though." Ara gritted his teeth, remembering their chasers before.
"But why do they target us in Meteor City? Have we not suffered enough?" Vera shoots another question, but this time with a single tear threatening to fall down on the edge of her eyes. Ara could only give her a sad smile while patting her head, as he couldn't answer the question.
Inwardly though, he cursed any deities above that are responsible for their shitty fates.
As orphans in Meteor City, they both had a very hard life, having to scrap from one trash can to another to have something to eat while trying their best to hide from the adults that would make them their playthings. Sometimes, if they are unlucky, there would be a day or two without a single food. And that is just one of their big problems.
Another one is their living condition.
All of their clothes are basically something they found in the trash can, either because it was ripped or not needed anymore. Basically, the trash can is like a treasure chest for homeless orphans like them.
As for a place to stay, just like any homeless person, they both used space under the bridge for sleep. Not the best place for children to stay, but they couldn't protest about it, because somehow, there was a strong ward surrounding the river in the city that will reject any people with malicious intent.
People said the wards have been there for almost fifty years, and nobody knows about its origin. Ara didn't mind about it though, as he noticed that everywhere near the water area was basically a safe zone for any homeless children like them.
Really, Meteor City is the worst place for someone to ever lived, let alone children like them.
Their condition changed for slightly better right after Vera accidentally stumbled upon this Hika Temple a few weeks ago, as they started to live there occasionally. Unfortunately, the temple is located near the Musia Kingdom, so they have to sneak around to visit this place or they would be chased by their guard.
They decided to go to the city once every two days to gather food and some other thing for their life.
That is all of their problems now, or so they thought. Until today, when they decided to come back to the city at the wrong time, right when someone miraculously managed to breach the wards near the bridge they used to live.
When they arrived at the bridge, they found out about 15 knights that Ara identified from the Musia Kingdom came, chasing every homeless people there and giving them slave collars that bind their will.
Fortunately, Ara has a bit of information about the collar, so they still managed to run just before they get the same treatment.
"Ara? Are you okay?" A small voice from Vera snapped Ara from his thought. Hearing the distraught tone from his sister, Ara couldn't help but curse himself as once again, he showed this weak side to his sister.
'What the hell am I thinking about? I am Vera's anchor right now. If I am crumbled, she will too. Just hold on and think, what should we do right now?'
However, before he could give any proper answer, his ears caught subtle steps from at least two people coming closer to the temple.
"They are near here. I could smell them."
"Shit! Vera, follow me!" He runs to one of the rooms in the temple without waiting for her answer as he knows Vera will just do what he said. He grabbed a pair of knives that he found out earlier and gives Vera one of them.
"Are they the same chaser?" Ara shook his head at Vera's question.
"No, I hear what they said earlier. They found us by smell, so it is probably a Were." Vera's eyes widened.
"But that means.."
"Yeah. It is not just the Musia Kingdom right now, but also the slave trader."
"What should we do now?" Ara gritted his teeth, weighing every option possible.
"Listen, Vera. I don't know if both of us will be safe later, but I promise I will protect you. Now, hide under the bed and don't make any sound. I will pretend that I am alone here and you have already left me. Don't leave until you cannot hear any of us. Do you understand?"
"But!"
"They are in one of these rooms. I can smell it." Whatever Vera wanted to protest was stopped by the voice from the outside. Ara clenched his fists as he pushed Vera.
"We don't have time anymore. Hide!" He hissed as his body tensed. Vera looked hesitant before she nodded and kissed his cheek.
"Please, be safe."
Ara couldn't make any proper response as his body is way too tense, so he nodded a little. When he saw Vera is already under the bed, he took a deep breath as he formed a quick plan inside his head.
'Okay. From the information I have, I know there are two people outside, one Were and one normal human, just slightly stronger than an apprentince probably. They underestimated us, thinking that two is enough to handle us. The problem is the Were. If the information is right, a normal Were is as tough as a four stars knight, so a mere knife like this wouldn't be able to penetrate his skin. But I can kill the knight with a surprise attack, make the Were irritate enough so he forgot about Vera's presence, and whatever happens, will happen. Okay.'
Ara took a deep breath once more, ready for the confrontation. He didn't have any hope that he could live after this encounter, but there is no way he would give them easy time. After he hides behind the door, he could hear the voice from the outside getting closer.
The chasers are already outside the door.
"So, this is the room?" One of them asked, probably the knight.
"Yeah. Do you think I will lie?" the other, probably the Were, replied. The knight snorted.
"Of course, I will think you lie. It is in your nature, beast."
"As if I need to do that to you, lowly human. If I want something, I will just kill you here. No need to lie."
They trade insults for a few minutes, but Ara decided to ignore it right now. He tried to calm his nerve as his breath is getting heavier. A second later, he could hear the shout from the outside that is a sign of the confrontation for him.
"Just open the door, human. You will get the girl and I will get the boy, just like your lord said."
"Tch, sure."
The knight kicked the door, broke it into pieces, and shouted,
"GET OUT OF HERE AND FOLLOW US IF YOU WANT TO LI-"
*Stab*
The knight couldn't finish what he said as Ara managed to stab the knife right into the heart, an instant death for the knight. Within a second, right in the moment of confusion after the knight died, Ara pulled the knife from the knight's heart and slashed it to the Were's face, wounded the Were's right eye.
"AAARGGH!!"
"Shit! It is not deep enough!"
Ara rushed forward and tried to do the same as he did to the knight, aimed at the heart. However, right before his knife could touch its target, the Were managed to react, protecting his heart with his right hand.
"You little shit! You want to play, huh?!"
Then, the Were twisted Ara's hand that hold the knife and slammed it to the ground.
"AARGH!" Ara screamed, coughing blood from his mouth. He tried to get up, but the Were choked him easily, making it hard for Ara to breathe.
"I admit, it surprises me that you can kill that piece of shit, boy." He pointed at the knight's corpse. "You even managed to blind my right eye just with this little knife. Unfortunately for you, this is the end."
Ara's body is getting weaker as he couldn't breathe properly. He wanted to give up and just die right there. But what the Were said right after that snapped him.
"Don't worry, boy. I could smell the little girl in this room. She is your little sister, right? I will not kill you instantly, but I will make you watch as I tore your little sister piece by piece. I will make you beg for me to stop. And when there is no more hope in your eyes, I will end your life. Is that good? Kukuku~"
His body which is getting weaker suddenly tensed. He tried to move every single part of his body to resist the Were. But it is no use. The Were looked at him with an amused expression.
"Oh, are you getting excited? Don't worry. It will be a long night." The Were stood up and walked slowly to the bed, to the place where Vera hides. Ara could only close his eyes as his mind is repeating one thing.
'Please, whatever God or Deities up above, I am sorry I cursed you before, but just for this one, please save us!'
And it seems that someone heard his desperate hope, and decided to grant it.
Right when he loses all the hope he has before and the Were getting closer to Vera, he could hear a slash sound, and he couldn't feel the pressure from the hand that choked him.
'What happened?'
Before he could process everything, he could hear the were screamed,
"AAAARRRRRGGHH!!"
Then, he opened his eyes, just to see the hand that choked him is not connected to the were's body anymore. When he turned around, he could see a spiky white-haired man with an extensive one edge sword in his hand.
There are a few seconds full of silence as the Were and him stare at the man in shock before the man broke the awkward silence with his question,
"So, why are you in my home?"