As Auns dashed through the devastated city, his appearance mirrored the chaos around him. His clothes were dirtied and tattered, the fight against the monster leaving its mark on his attire. His face was marked with sweat and streaks of grime, and his eyes glistened with a cold, steely determination.
Auns sprinted past the ruined buildings and debris, his pace relentless and focused. The only thing on his mind was reaching Lucius, safe and unharmed.
Auns finally reached Lucius, and his heart was filled with relief to see the kid unscathed. Lucius, while frightened, appeared unharmed physically.
"Lucius!!" Auns called out, his voice tinged with concern.
Lucius looked up, his eyes wide with fear. But upon seeing Auns, a wave of relief washed over him, and he immediately stood up and ran towards him.
"Auns!" Lucius cried out, his voice filled with gratitude. "You're here! I thought I was all alone again"
Auns knelt down to comfort Lucius, his demeanor now softened. He placed a hand on the kid's shoulder and gave him a gentle smile.
"It's alright now, Lucius. I'm here," Auns reassured him.
Lucius' heart rate began to slow, and some of the fear left his eyes.
"I was so scared," Lucius admitted, his voice trembling. "That monster..."
Auns nodded empathetically, "I know, I know. That monster was a formidable opponent. But you were brave to stay here and wait for me, even in the midst of all this chaos."
Lucius sniffled and looked up at Auns, a hint of hope in his eyes.
"What happens now?" he asked.
Auns stood up, taking a moment to survey the surroundings. The city was in disarray, its once-bustling streets now filled with destruction and despair.
"Well," he began, "First things first, we need to find a safe place to rest for the night. Then, once the chaos has died down, we'll figure out our next move."
Before we get going, I should say a quick thanks to Jome and Maria for looking after Lucius. They kept you safe, and it's the least we can do.
Lucius agreed and said, "Yeah, they were really nice to me. They made sure I was okay while you were gone."
Auns led Lucius back through the ruined streets, heading towards the house where Jome and Maria were. The journey was slow and cautious, as they had to navigate around wreckage and debris that blocked their path.
As they walked, the city seemed even more ominous in the silence and destruction.
Finally, they reached Jome and Maria's house. The house itself stood out among the surrounding disarray, somehow still standing despite the chaos surrounding it.
Auns entered the house and helped Lucius change into some fresh clothes. He was mindful to choose a simple outfit that wouldn't attract too much attention.
As Lucius stripped off his dirty clothes and put on the new ones, Auns looked out the window, keeping watch for anyone who might happen to notice them.
As Auns and Lucius walked, they suddenly came face to face with Elrand. Auns tensed, hoping to go unnoticed, but Elrand's sharp eyes fixed on him immediately.
"Hey, you look familiar," Elrand said, studying Auns's face.
Auns swallowed hard, his heart racing. He tried to keep his cool and maintain a neutral expression.
"Uh, do I?" he said, feigning ignorance.
Elrand narrowed his eyes, clearly not buying it. He glanced over at Lucius, then back to Auns.
"Yeah, I'm sure I've seen you before..." Elrand mused, scrutinizing Auns's features.
Elrand nodded, his expression becoming more intense.
"You know, I have a pretty good memory. I remember people's faces, even if I've only seen them once."
Suddenly Lucius said "Do you perhaps know my Dad"
Auns stiffened at Lucius' question, but he tried to keep his cool.
"Your dad?" Elrand repeated curiously, turning his gaze to Lucius. "And who might that be?"
Lucius looked up at Auns, seeking permission with his eyes. Auns gave a slight nod, signaling that it was okay to give Elrand some information.
"My dad's name is-" Lucius began, but Auns cut him off with a discrete gesture, indicating that they shouldn't mention Auns's name specifically.
Seeing Auns's signal, Lucius quickly changed his answer.
"My... my dad's name is... Marcus," he said, inventing a name on the spot.
Elrand raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
"Marcus, huh? I don't think I've heard of a people named Marcus around here."
Auns could feel the tension escalating. If Elrand grew too suspicious, it could lead to dangerous consequences. Time was running out.
Thinking quickly, he interrupted with a light-hearted comment, trying to divert the conversation from Lucius's dad.
"Hey, maybe you've seen me in a dream or something. You know, people say that sometimes our minds play tricks on us."
Elrand chuckled, the tension easing a bit.
"A dream, eh? You're saying I might've seen your face in a dream?"
As the conversation continued, Auns kept his guard up, hoping that Elrand would drop the topic soon.
After a few more minutes of light banter, Auns seized the opportunity to bid farewell to Elrand.
"Well, it was nice running into you, Elrand. We should probably get going before it gets too late, right?" Auns said, giving Lucius a subtle nudge.
Elrand shrugged and nodded, accepting the excuse.
"Yeah, it's getting pretty dark out. You two be careful."
With that, Elrand walked away, continuing on his path.
Auns breathed a sigh of relief and looked down at Lucius.
"That was close," he muttered under his breath. He knelt down to Lucius' level and gave him a little pat on the head.
"You did good, but next time, try to be a little more careful about revealing personal information, okay?"
Lucius nodded, understanding the seriousness of the situation. Auns ruffled his hair a bit.
"Good. Now let's keep going. We need to find somewhere safe to rest for the night."
Auns and Lucius continued their walk through the darkened streets. He stayed on high alert, constantly scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger that seemed to lurk around every corner. The city was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the distant moans of the wounded and the occasional crackle of a burning building.
As they navigated the ruined city, shadows danced in the dim light cast by distant fires. The air was thick with smoke and the stench of death, and the once-thriving city lay in devastated ruins.
Auns and Lucius continued walking, the horrors of the devastated city weighing heavily on their spirits. As they walked, Auns made a decision.
"Listen, Lucius," he said, "I think we should head to a different city. This one is too dangerous right now. We need somewhere safer."
Lucius looked up at Auns, a mix of fear and determination in his eyes.
"Okay," he said, his voice firm. "But how will we get there? The city is in such a terrible state, and we don't have a lot of supplies."
Auns thought for a moment, then an idea came to mind.
He crouched down to Lucius' level and spoke in a low voice.
"I have an idea, but it's a bit risky. We might have to travel off the beaten path and avoid the main roads. But it could be our best chance at making it to the next city safely."
Lucius clenched his fists, his expression resolute despite the danger.
"I'm ready," he said, his voice shaking slightly.
"I'll do whatever it takes to get us out of here."