[Heizou's POV]
The traveler and I have been following the footsteps for a while now, it lead us to a heavily foggy area. Perhaps there are still some parts of this island where the fog hasn't dispersed, might as well be careful to not lose each other along the way. I turned to look around our surroundings and noticed some dimly-lit lamps, the traveler used their electro abilities to light up the following lamps and it somehow made the fog slightly thinner nearby.
"Are we there yet? Paimon's got a bad feeling about this.." The tiny floating companion tried holding onto the traveler's clothes while feeling uneasy. Similarly, my intuition also has a bad feeling. Something tells me that there is a bigger situation waiting ahead of this route.
It didn't take long for us to finally get through the fog, yet it is also where the footsteps had ended. I placed my hand on my chin as I thought deeply for a moment.
"Traveler, can you use your elemental sight? The tracks may have reached a dead end but the traces of elemental energy still lingers" I turned to look at the traveler then they replied with a nod before concentrating for a bit. Shortly after, they started running ahead then I went to follow behind along with his floating companion. We were heading towards the beach and it was teeming with ruin sentinels, looks like we have to either find another way around or we have to get past them.
I prompted them to stop for a moment and hide from the ruin sentinels' sights and they did so. I then leaned in slightly to whisper. "Looks like we have two options: find another route to take or we bust our way through. Which would you prefer?" I raised two of my fingers in front of them, waiting for them to make a decision.
***
Paimon took a peek from the rock we were hiding in and gave us a signal that the coast is clear. The traveler and I soon snuck out from our hiding spot at opposite directions and rushed in. The ruin sentinels noticed out presence and had their attention directed at me, then proceeded as planned, I ended up as a decoy and tried to avoid the incoming attacks as I trust the traveler to handle in attacking the machines.
After a few minutes, we finally took down the ruin sentinels and I took a sigh of relief as I wiped off the sweat on my forehead. We then proceeded to continue following the elemental trace through the traveler's elemental sight, and increased our pace.
[y/n's POV]
You opened your eyes, you were no longer surrounded in a thick fog with dimly-lit candlelights but now you could feel yourself lying down on the sand and can hear the ocean wave close by. You began to wonder where they have taken you now.
The feeling of immense regret start to take root and grow inside of you, making you think how things would have turned out if you didn't run away. Every part of you wished that you could turn back to avoid this, but you already knew that it is already too late. The damage has been done, you were careless. Now, you are currently being taken away by Fatui thugs as your body is still paralyzed, probably due to getting in contact with something poisonous while you were fighting them. You thought that maybe the red-haired detective won't be able to save you now. You doubted that he would be able to find you in time.
You drowned yourself in despair as you gave up trying to find a way to escape. No one is coming to save you, not even him. You can't hope for a scenario that only existed in the novels that you have read. This is reality, and you're a lost cause.
A Fatui soldier soon came up to you and grabbed you by the hair. The poison that had paralyzed your body seemed to have made you numb so you didn't react from the hair pull and just blankly stared down with your clouded eyes.
"Hmph, already awake? Not that you can speak nor move anyway" Then he dropped you back down to the ground, he seemed to be waiting for something as he just stood near by your immobilized body.
A waverider soon arrived on shore then the soldier went to pick you up and roughly threw you in, then again, you never made a reaction. You were like a ragged doll being thrown into a container. After being thrown in, the waverider then was covered so everything around you turned dark, as if you were in a small storage compartment.
'Guess this is it... Perhaps I was never meant to live longer..'
[Heizou's POV]
After running for a while now, the traveler and I somehow found the source of the elemental tracks up ahead. Two waveriders on shore with a group of Fatui soldiers gathering, one of them just sealed a compartment of one of the waveriders then it grew my suspicions for a moment. The traveler seemed like they're eager to charge in, but I doubt it would be a good idea. There's the hydro, cryo and electro Fatui soldiers gathering, a careless slip will make our hardwork be all for naught.
The Fatui soldiers soon seemed like they were finished discussing something then were about to take their leave with the waveriders. I clenched my fists and rushed in, I can't allow these criminals to escape!
"Cyclone!" I jumped into the air and released a strong explosion of wind from my air kick that was directed at the soldiers. It wasn't strong enough to send them flying but it prevented them from focusing on leaving the island for now.
Now that their attention is on me, I have no choice but to settle this out with a fight. The traveler then followed in and rushed towards the enemies, targeting the cryo soldier as I took the initiative to handle the electro and hydro ones.
A long while before the battle finally concluded, we tied up the soldiers together then I slightly tilted my head to turn and glance behind. It's been a while since I have noticed it when we arrived on Tsurumi island, though it doesn't seem that they pose a threat. "How long are you going to keep on hiding there? I don't think this island is an ideal place for hide and seek"
Everyone and everything were just silent for a moment, then a couple of footsteps were heard as they stepped out of their hiding spot. "Haha.. As expected of the great detective" He sheepishly scratched the back of his head. He was a tall blonde man, wearing red clothes and have a pair of lime eyes. He also seemed to be wearing a black headband with decorative horns on it.
"Thoma?! The heck are you doing here??" Paimon surely was surprised but the traveler doesn't seem to be nearly as fazed, perhaps they're already aware of his presence from the start as well.
"Well, I was commissioned by a certain detective to keep an eye on you guys in case things get dangerous. Although I did get permission first from the Lord Commissioner to accept it" He approached us and I sighed with a palm to the face as I have already figured out who he was referring to.
"Seriously? You could've at least tried to help us when we were handling these Fatui thugs!" The silver haired companion had her arms on her hips.
"But it seems that you guys are doing pretty well in handling them"
I then sighed again as I left them to continue chatting. I headed for the waveriders and inspected each one of them. One of them containing a whole bunch of potions and empty syringes, made me wonder for a moment but I'll take my time investigating further once I take these to the Tenryou Commission.
I turned my head to the other waverider and went over to unseal it, my heart suddenly sank as I could feel my whole world frozen.