Tick… tock… tick…tock…

Panting, I slid down to one knee. My back pressed against the white door, hard enough that some couldn't just open it on their own merry time. As I caught my breath, I prayed that the "Thing" temporarily lost my path. The chase just began, and we knew the wood's exit rested a long ways from here. Four quickly became nine as the others joined us. Somehow, I managed to separate myself from the group, escaping the "Thing" with as much speed as I could muster. On the second floor, in the second room on the right, loneliness and fear filled the tense atmosphere. Sweat formed tiny beads on my forehead. Breath began to fill and exit my lungs at a semi-normal rate.

Tick… tock… tick… thmp…

My eyes shot open widely. A footstep sounded at the end of the hall, probably from the stair case. I sucked air in, holding my breath to remain as quiet as possible. Just in case that monster entered the area, I froze in place. There was no way I'd let myself fall victim to a hideous creature as such. The loud footsteps sounded closer and closer, inching towards the door. I clamped my eyes shut, trying to keep my breath quiet. The atmosphere that filled the room was so thick and tense; it felt like someone could suffocate in an instant. The clock's chimes matched in rhythm to the footsteps. My heart continued to race. The pulse filled my ears as I listened, the sound creeping closer and getting louder. Eventually, they stopped. Knowing my luck, it stood right outside the door. I kept completely still, hoping - no, praying that the "Thing" would leave this room alone.

Tick… tock… tick… tock… SCRAPE!

Claws scraped against the door behind me, shaking it. I grasped the hilt of my katana, preparing to draw the blade from its sheath. Scratching at the door, the "Thing" desperately tried to rip the door from its hinges. I knew the door would rip in a matter of moments. My sole job was to wait, wait for my gorey demise. I counted the seconds I had left until the white, clean door would be ripped to shreds.

San… Ni… Ichi…

To my surprise, a sudden silence filled the air. My chocolate eyes widened as I gasped, letting out the held breath. Panting, I turned to the closed door behind me. Holes in curved lines, matching the claws of the "Thing", covered the once spotless, colorless door. The wood stood practically in tatters. I peered through a newly ripped hole, observing the silence outside the weak barrier. Suddenly, my heart dropped with relief, yet worry all at once. The sound of swords clanking and magic gathering filled my ears. A few moments passed. I watched the fight advance before me, on the other side of the door.

Yao-nii… Arthur-san… Thank you…

With such elegance as he fought, Yao dominated the battle. Arthur helped on the side lines, casting what magic he held possession of. The fight almost looked like a dance. Yao's agility and technique astounded most who watched. As for me, I merely watched to take mental notes. If I ever had opportunity to improve, mentally or physically, I took it. Snatching me from my concentration, the door opened. A familiar French figure stood in from of me, holding out his hand. Taking it in my own, I stood up. The two of us joined the fight, exchanging only a few words as we fought off the monster.

"Why did you come after me?" I asked, slashing at the beast.

"When Ludwig had everyone gather in the room after we split up, you didn't show," the Brit explained. "So, the three of us decided to find you."

"Oui. Everyone is waiting for us, mon ami," Francis chimed in.

Hitting the monster with his blade once more before it disappeared, Yao pointed towards the stairs.

"Nĭ hăo, xiōngdì…" Yao greeted panting. "Let's go before another 'Thing' shows up.'

We nodded in agreement, following the Chinese swordsmen towards the staircase. Quietly, the four of us crept up the stairs, never once dropping our guard. Constantly keeping danger in mind, we traveled through the halls of the extensive mansion. Time seemed to pass by slowly as the tension in the atmosphere rose. That "Thing" could have been around any corner, appearing with the intent to kill. Unfortunately, that bit of information was considered common knowledge, the most commonly known if at all possible. Once again, 'twas unfortunate that all stating the obvious seemed to be the only thing we could do. The sound of the ticking clocks drowned out even our own quiet steps.

Tick… tock… tick… tock…

Will we make it back alive…?

~...~

A/N: As you know, I do NOT own Hetalia OR HetaOni. Sorry guys, but with as much time as I had, this was the best cliffhanger I could muster. So, to act as an audience hook, this is your prologue? Tell me how you like it! Future chapters will definitely be a better read. Now, to clear this up with you all: There will be NO pairings in this what-so-ever. There, I said it…. Now, onto the translations:

San… Ni… Ichi… means "Three… Two… One…" in Japanese

Oui means "Yes", and Mon Ami means "my friend" in French

Nĭ hăo, xiōngdì means "Hello, brother" in Chinese

If any of these translations or phrases are incorrect PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS CORRECT! This way I can fix it for future reference! I will be using slang and phrases from different languages and I only know French, Spanish, and Japanese. Bare with me people… The next chapter shall be here soon. Until next time, CIAO!

~TxDXL