Chapter 2
The day had proceeded normally, with the clouds gradually clearing the sky to reveal a clear, but calm evening. Ryal and Kento were trekking through the Terronian forest, steadily approaching the city of Fleon. Kento had described it to be the main capital of Terrinosis, a city of pure gratitude and peace. It's commonly believed by many that much of the towns that reside in Terrinosis tend to be peaceful and respectful, as well as having a population where the majority happen to be conscientious objectors. Naturally, this tends to result in minimal crime rates and a functional society, but ineffective in self defense.
Kento knew for sure that the Arcosians would invade Terrinosis immediately, given that they're among the weakest of nations due to their pacifistic laws. He wasn't entirely sure that Fleon would still remain intact, having known that the frost demons swept over him days ago. Regardless, checking to see if the fact is true or not will be necessary, as their march forward is still completely unknown, where stealth plays a major factor when sweeping through the territory. One misstep could mean the end for the Arcosians; all of the nations in the world would immediately turn against them. Clearly their army is strong, and in high numbers. Judging based off of their physical condition, they must be well-fed too. However, Getsus still remains tougher than Icea, let alone all of the other nations in the world combined. Despite all of that, it's notable that the Arcosians have a clear distinct advantage since Terrinosis is a country that allows equal rights between races, meaning that spies have much easier access.
As Kento led Ryal towards the city, he began to feel the stress arise slowly. What if the city had already been invaded? If so, his food supply would be cut, resulting in having to fend for himself the old fashion way. It's a tough call, but at least he has an experienced hunter alongside his journey. This should at least ease the problematic invasion of the ice lizards.
Kento turned around to see the tall man follow closely behind, "We're almost there, just be on your guard. Trouble could be on the way whether we realize it or not."
Ryal nodded in agreement, acknowledging the fact that the Arcosian army is steadily advancing further south. Kento felt a small feeling of reassurance from Ryal's nod. He looks like a strong man, whereas Kento isn't fit to go up against such strong opponents. Having him around made things seem a lot easier, especially with the particular situation at this time. Those ice lizards are certainly nothing to laugh at; all of them are highly trained with well-honed ki abilities. Kento knew that if he ever encountered one, he may as well speak his last words and dig his own grave. Ryal on the other hand, has a decent chance. He survived his previous encounter, there's no reason for him to not endure another one.
"Wouldn't you think the city would already be gone? Those lizards are ahead of us for sure." Ryal spoke up.
"There's certainly a chance that they would've invaded it already, but Fleon has a lot of affiliations with other regions. If any of the other regions were to find out, all their eyes would lock on Icea." Kento responded, rubbing his hand against his chin.
Ryal stood silent for a moment, completely still in thought as he contemplated the issue carefully. Kento continued to lead the way, awaiting a response from his companion.
"Part of me wants to beat the living hell out of those lizards for what they did to my home. I'm sure they'll do the same to everyone else, because that's what they do: destroy. I don't care about their motivations, but I don't like what they do." He explained, choosing his words carefully. Trying to be precise with his feelings can sometimes be difficult, considering the fact that he was dragged into this completely new situation contrary to his usual lifestyle.
"I'm not a fan of these guys either, but it's wise to keep away from those monsters. Fighting should be, and always will be, a last resort. Unless you have a death wish, don't even come near them." The shorter man insisted, tilting his hat forward to help block the sun's piercing light when they entered a clearing. Ryal followed shortly, halting beside Kento.
The two marveled at the scenery, seeing a vast landscape filled with the tops of trees, lit by an intense sun that sat close to the horizon. In the midst of the forest existed the city of Fleon, half forested and urban. Kento had it pictured perfectly in his mind, and the scene confirmed it.
Kento looked over to Ryal, whom appeared to be disappointed. The black haired traveler frowned at his expression, "You don't seem to be enjoying yourself."
"I can't say I am, I thought this would be a good opportunity to get back at those bastards." The warrior uttered, continuously scanning the landscape for anything hostile that resides it.
Kento merely sighed, rolling his eyes, "You only have yourself to blame if you end up bleeding to death."
The city of Fleon appeared to be peaceful, stretching across the urban limits seemingly calm and serene with virtually no disturbances. No signs of hostility were found, nor were there any pieces of evidence that suggest an attack. Kento was satisfied with this fact, though Ryal wasn't.
The two proceeded down the steep hill, heading towards the nearby city without further negotiation. Each step forward resulted in the slow upbringing of a chanting crowd, growing louder and clearer gradually. The packed trees began to thin slowly as the town buildings were nearing the two travelers. They eventually came across a lining of fence, positioned upright between property and the forested land outside of the city. Without question, Ryal leaped over the fence without second thought, proceeding along casually into the city limits. Kento immediately became startled by Ryal's sudden careless walk through someone's backyard.
"You idiot! You're not supposed to do that!" Kento exclaimed in a low voice, making sure not to catch attention of any strangers living nearby. Ryal turned around with a puzzled look.
"What?" the blond man shot back, confused as to what he was doing wrong.
"You're not supposed to trespass someone's property like that, just follow me ok?"
the shorter traveller insisted, receiving a nod from his companion. The two continued down the line of fencing before coming across a wide paved street leading into the city limits. Kento then placed a hand on Ryal's shoulder, as if he were about to explain something important.
"You are to stay on the sidewalks. The darker pavement is always off limits, alright?" Kento insisted, making sure to keep a close eye on the forest dweller. Ryal merely nodded, feeling slightly ticked off over the fact that he's being ordered around and monitored like a pack of hawks spying on their prey. If it was for the best however, then so be it.
"The city is much different than you think… Given your looks, you'll probably receive a lot of attention. Just ignore the glares, it's not hostile or anything of that matter." Kento explained briefly, strolling into the streets of Fleon with Ryal following close behind. The tall lad tried to keep his composure and refrain from creating attention, but it was no use. His set of clothing and sense of style appeared contrary to that of the city's people, which consists of a fashion that Ryal had never recognized before in his lifetime. People who walked by the tall lad were staring at him up and down as if he were an alien. Ryal didn't peep a word however, consistently keeping his composure meanwhile eschewing from returning looks to divert the attention away. Already, he began to dislike the nature of cities.
Ryal leaned down to Kento, "I don't think it's working." He informed quietly to his ear, beginning to feel an uncomfortable feeling arouse.
Kento merely shrugged, "I don't have much to say. If you're so worried about looks, go buy some new clothes. A haircut should work too."
Ryal narrowed his eyes, returning his posture and continued to follow his companion as usual. "Buy clothes? I don't even know if they accept goods or currency around here." Ryal complained.
Kento chuckled, "Oh I know. It's not the end of the world; people around here are harmless."
Ryal stood silent, knowing well that the people of the town didn't pose any actual threat or harm, but rather a sense of wonder and curiosity towards him. Granted, it's similar to how the blond lad felt about the city itself; the sense of admiration for such a prosperous settlement for a society. He felt strange about it, though he couldn't help but feel somewhat attracted to its nature. Nothing had sparked his interest as much as anything, since the presence of this alien place is a nature in of itself. It's a world, an atmosphere that the young man couldn't look away from. Perhaps this was the reason why he drew so much attention in the first place? Surely, there was a small bit of intimidation having entered the city, like a nervous feeling almost. Despite that, Ryal still found himself observing the tall standing structures up and down, staring down the streets at each intersection, seeing the cars that drove by, sending minor gushes of wind Ryal's way. Yes, this is a world that he long yearned for, one that he can explore and experience for himself.
The two had continued their walk throughout the downtown area of the city. Ryal had followed Kento's lead just like the very beginning without a word, crossing the occasional intersection during the green lights. Kento halted across from a large building plastered with basic windows all throughout each side of the structure. As expected, Ryal stopped behind Kento as well, wondering what's going on.
Kento turned around to see Ryal, "Well here we are."
"What's this? Do we get this all to ourselves?" Ryal questioned, staring at his companion in bewilderment.
"Not at all. We simply rent a room from the front counter. Come, I'll show ya." Kento responded, returning his direction back towards the building. The traveller led him inside the building. Upon entering, the two were greeted with a broad room with a few people standing behind a front counter. Ryal couldn't help but scan the room, seeing as they'll be resting at the place for a few days presumably, at least until Kento gathers enough goods for them to take off for the wilderness again. Kento on the other hand, simply proceeded towards the counter, dropping a few dollar bills on the surface and exchanging a few words with one of the people. It wasn't long before Kento had returned to the forest dweller.
"Alright, we got ourselves a room." Kento stated.
"Good stuff." said Ryal, nodding his head nonchalantly as he awaited for the shorter man to make way. The two headed off towards the staircase, eventually reaching the third floor of the building. After making a few turns down each hallway, they approached a locked door. Kento stood right in front of the doorknob, swiping a card through what appeared to be a small crack, causing a light to flash and emitting a faint 'beep'. He opened the door, and the two walked into the room.
"Neat little place, huh?" said Kento, looking over at Ryal who seemed to be surveying the room carefully, analyzing each corner and wall for traps that could potentially harm them. He even went so far as to crawl on the ground and sniff each square inch of surface, as well as feeling the texture of the carpet for any signs of hidden objects concealed behind the floor.
Kento narrowed his eyes. "Relax man, we're in a safe hotel. Geez."
Ryal stopped in his tracks, returning his gaze towards his companion. "How would you know?"
"Whatever, do as you please. I'm not here to stop you." he sighed, going into the bathroom.
Ryal decided that enough was enough, getting up and instead exploring the small apartment. He peaked his head through the few doors that appeared on either wall. One of the doors comprised of a bedroom, along with the other being another bedroom, though a bit smaller. Lastly, the room Kento is in happened to be a bathroom, so nothing out of the ordinary in particular. Ryal then stretched his arms, walking through the larger bedroom doorway and plunked himself down on the bed before laying down, contemplating the current situation at hand.
. . .
At the outskirts of Fleon, a man walking in a tan trench coat approached an old vacant warehouse. He appeared quite short, wearing a grey newsboy cap and a pair of hiking boots. The man had kept a stern look on his face, looking as if he were searching for something. He pulled a small gadget right out of his pocket, pressing a few buttons before opening the garage door located at the side of the building. While it opened, he pressed on through, greeted by a silent room, dimly lit by the sun's glare peaking from outside the warehouse. He immediately halted upon setting foot inside the room, scanning the area for anything suspicious. But nothing came of interest, only that there were a few parked vehicles inside the area, indicating that the place may not be completely empty afterall.
It wasn't long before the man proceeded further into the room, attempting to explore the place for himself. His body stood firm and ready, expecting to react within certain time. He also remained calm and relaxed, reducing any adrenaline flow that may run through his veins and disrupt his flow. His footsteps were reduced to a muffled sound, as well as concealing his aura to prevent any sort of attraction whatsoever. To him however, it was actually a waste of time to even attempt to approach stealthily…
Almost instantaneously, a swift figure came rushing by the man, nearly grazing him. He felt a cold rush blow by his nose. Had he not moved out of the way out of that strike, he would have been sent crashing through the warehouse walls like a bowling ball. He wasn't stupid though, considering the fact that he anticipated that sudden attack.
Another figure launched from behind one of the cars, attempting to land a blow on the newcomer's cheek. The man in the trenchcoat however, slid right off to the side before getting struck. He then leaped back onto the roof of a nearby truck, gaining the upper ground so that he could quickly observe the attackers from a safe distance. He spotted the two figures standing off in the distance, both appearing to be Arcosian soldiers. There was then a the sound of feet pressing against the roof of a cargo box, causing the man to turn around; it was another Arcosian troop.
"I figured you lizards would show up here." The man spoke up, carefully keeping an eye on the surrounding footsoldiers.
"You're quite fast for a monkey, and your power level confirms it." a raspy voice spoke out from across the dark room. Another Arcosian emerged from the shadows, wearing special cosmetics that indicated everyone that he was a higher ranking soldier. The intruder took note of his appearance, making sure to be weary of his movements for he was probably the strongest out of the bunch.
"A monkey? You must be mistaken. I don't walk around with a furry tail on my ass now do I?" he chuckled.
The Arcosian veteran narrowed his eyes, "I see, you must be a gifted human. That doesn't make the slightest difference however…"
"Even if it didn't." the man cut off, reaching into his inner coat pockets and pulling out what seemed to be a license of some sort. "I'm reporting you to the International Justice Association. If your lizard army dares to attack any city or town, you can kiss your homeland goodbye." the man stated, forming a wide grin on his face.
Enraged, the Arcosian veteran pointed his finger at the man, "All men! Focus on capturing that man alive! I want his license now!"
The intruder raised a brow, astounded at how fast the high ranking soldier stopped the negotiation and called for an attack. It didn't really matter however. Dealing with foot soldiers was practically child play. He began looking at his surroundings, feeling out dozens of rising ki signatures that were headed his way. The man turned around to see the two attackers nearing closely, approaching even faster than before. He kicked off his shoes towards the attacks, causing them to raise their arms and block to projectiles, buying the newcomer enough time to leap off of the truck and head towards the garage exit.
As he stepped outside, the Arcosian that was positioned on the cargo previously had followed behind closely, trailing after the man in the trench coat. The man zipped around and unleashed some of his aura, punching the persistent foot soldier in the gut meanwhile ducking under a strike that was thrown at him. He sent the lizard flying back towards the garage, followed by two more charging foot soldier. Upon seeing the fighters charge out of the warehouse, he quickly held both of his index fingers together closely, beginning to charge a thin, dense string comprised of his energy. He then brought his hands further away from each other, extending the string more as the foot soldiers continued to charge. One Arcosian managed to close in the gap and launch a high lifting kick towards his chin. Immediately, the man sidestepped the kick swiftly, wrapping part of the string around the leg the Arcosian kicked with. Afterwards, the man zipped past the lizard, tying him inside the string before approaching the next foot soldier. The lizard threw a punch towards the newcomer's head, but the man dodged the attack with ease once again, tying the Arcosian's wrist with separate ki string. He then took a step away from the Arcosians, gaining a bit of distance before tying the string to each of his feet.
"What are you…?" One of the Arcosians questioned.
"I'm making you into something you already are." he answered quickly, shifting his gaze back towards the garage, seeing the numerous foot soldier rush out of the warehouse, filling the air with their bloodlusted screams. He turned back to the tied up Arcosians, "A weapon."
Before the lizards could comprehend what the man had just said, they were swirling around the air, losing their breath from the sheer intensity of being spun around like rag dolls. The man on the other hand, looked like he was break dancing on the ground, swinging the tied up Arcosians with his legs. Many of the attacking frost demons were struck by the rapid motion of their helpless comrades, knocking them out cold as well as sending them flying for hundreds of yards. Within only a few seconds, much of the garrison had already held back into an evasive position, solely focusing on trying to dodge the swinging lizard bodies that spun around like a helicopter.
Soon afterwards, the decorated Arcosian soldier had exited the building, witnessing the absolute massacre the human had brought upon the group of fighters. The man quickly noticed him, forming a sadistic smile upon his face after seeing the high ranked soldier's expression. It wasn't long before he growled, baring his teeth angrily and charging onward towards the man. He managed to dodge the incoming lizard bodies that were continuously swinging towards him. The fighter, unlike others, closed the gap between the two relatively fast. However, the man adapted rapidly, responding to his movement thoroughly and throwing a fast, blunt jab towards the Arcosian. It was abrupt, catching the frost demon off guard and sending him flying towards the warehouse. He managed to recover sufficiently however, though the man had already anticipated this. He swung his feet forward and sliced the string off of his feet with his bare hands, propelling the dead bodies towards the high ranked soldier. They landed successfully, knocking the wind out of the lizard as he crashed into the interior walls of the warehouse.
The man smirked, launching his string through the warehouse from where he stood. He shut the garage door with the string and turned around, walking away safe and sound.
. . .
Ryal opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. He squinted his eyes a few times to adjust to the dimly lit room before leaning upwards off of the comfortable bed. The young lad never really dreamed to have such a cozy bed, mainly because he never really thought about the possibility of it. He found it strange to live in such an environment that was beyond anything of his expectations. Literally everything was much higher in quality than back at his old home, only that his personal belongings and equipment were non existent in the place. However, there was a valid reason. There was no practical use for such equipment and belongings anyway. Why hunt when you can go to a store that provides food for you?
After sitting motionless for a brief moment, with his thoughts exploring the environment around him, he got up to his feet and approached the apartment window. He opened the blinds, blinking a couple times as his gaze reached the glass pane. The city sparkled with street lights, covering nearly the whole landscape that displayed before his eyes. Some buildings sat higher than others, tending to be more prevalent often times in what seemed to be the center of town. The skyscrapers could definitely be seen from miles away, almost indistinguishable to that of the mountain range that sat a ways away from the old cottage. The only difference between the two was the fact that skyscrapers were brimming with little dense lights that could meet with the eyes of those sitting far away. Fascinating, a spectacular view even in the darkest of nights. Back at Ryal's home, night time was pitch black. The stars were the only lights along with the moon, but that didn't change the fact that nothing could be seen in the vast darkness of the forest.
Ryal shut down the blinds and turned around to see the doorway. He stepped on through it, beginning to overhear Kento's snoring off in the background. The young man smiled faintly, knowing it must have been quite late. He then turned to the door and walked out, heading off towards the front entrance to explore the area a bit. It's time he had a feel for what the city was like for himself.
He began exploring the more populated streets, finding numerous groups of people walking up and down the sidewalk. There was a traffic jam nearly around every corner. Ryal figured it must have been the late evening then, considering the amount of people who are up and around the city at a time like this. After a short while, Ryal took off for the outskirts out of curiosity, sightseeing the different environments all contained in the city of Fleon. Ryal had approached the multiple different settings and variety that was all contained into one single community, a complexity that changed throughout the course of the city. Unlike downtown, this area had much smaller buildings. They were less compact and more open, with less people walking along it. Cars were much further spread along the streets with less jams. Many of the houses looked similar. Ryal suspect them to be houses for living rather than shopping, meaning the apartment he and Kento had settled in wasn't meeting the standard of living in the city. Of course, people still looked at him funny, considering that he was still wearing his regular training clothes since daytime.
Eventually, Ryal came across a series of warehouses on one end of a wide open parking lot, dimly lit by long intervals of street lights that covered portions of the pavement area. The city lights were much less prevalent, making it an oddly dark setting in contrast to downtown or the suburban roads. Ryal couldn't find a single soul that resided in the whole place, but he didn't find his keen senses reliable enough, considering the place's massive size. Not to mention, it was completely alien to the young man. There wasn't a single parked car anywhere to be seen either, so Ryal assumed that the place was safe to investigate closely. He decided to stroll into the building, not too aware of concealing his presence; he would know if there was evidence for any life within the area anyway. The forest dweller began to feel the dust from metal surfaces seep through his nostrils, indicating how long the warehouses were abandoned for. There wasn't any proof of what the warehouse was used for, but one could assume that it was to export the various types of wood that resided in the Terrinosis forests. Ryal was by no means an expert, but he knew that cities are known for trading goods with other cities. In Terrinosis, tree species were an abundance and exclusive to the area.
Ryal's exploration continued, finding similar areas. Typically, they were empty storage areas once used to transport things. Once he was about to turn around and leave, Ryal came across a single room with claw-like footprints printed on the dirty cement floor. Ryal raised a brow, leaning down close to the floor and sniffing the trail of what appeared to be several footprints going back and forth. The smell was faint, but evidently recent, however, not recent enough. Given how silent the large rooms were, the people that resided the warehouses may have taken off only a few hours ago. Ryal's gaze became stern, knowing well that the footprints probably belonged to the Arcosians. He couldn't think of another two-legged species with three toes branching off widely from the heel. Out of curiosity, Ryal followed the footprints deeper inside, coming across several different branches of rooms throughout the one warehouse.
He then entered a much larger room, filled with numerous footprints coming in different shapes and sizes, many distinguishable from each other. Ryal's eyes grew as he examined the ground more intently. There must have been several Arcosians here. It has to be them!
Ryal began to look for the exit the Arcosians took, finding one that looked like a large exit for vehicles to travel through. The young lad continued to follow the footprints until he halted at the sight of a very distinguishable footprint. Unlike the others, this one may have been a shoe-print, coming from the exit of the large garage door. looking over, Ryal found another footprint of a person's left foot. It had to have belonged to a human. This one was bizarre however, since there was only one print of it. Ryal began looking everywhere for another human footprint, but found no results. However, there is a couple of shoes scattered along the ground, found off to the side of the main footprint path. This meant that a man must have discarded his shoes at some point, probably used as a weapon if anything. If that's the case, then why was there only one human footprint within the room?
Then it clicked. It must have been outside. Ryal quickly kicked down the garage door, making it snap off the ledges and tumble over outside. To his avail, Ryal was correct. There were human footprints outside. It was few in number however, meaning the man was capable of leaping very far with each step. He had to be a skilled warrior then. If the shoe prints were tightly packed together, but the human prints were very spaced out, then a man must have entered the building believing he was not in danger; that was when he encountered the Arcosians.
Ryal continued walking along with large lot of footprints that were mostly faded away due to the wind. However, given the fact that they still remain, it hasn't been long since this event happened. Ryal figured that a man had to have fought several Arcosians at once, meaning that the army that had traveled south through his home settled at the warehouse. After more examinations, the young warrior knelt next to a track of human footprints that appeared to be absent of any Arcosian footprints, as well as it being tightly packed together. Had the man walked away from battle alive? Ryal stared at the tracks in astonishment. A man had fought a group of those lizards, and walked away from it. If he were to have defeated them all though, there would probably be unconscious bodies somewhere. He doubted it; the diversity of footprints were much lesser than inside the building. They probably left elsewhere, but Ryal had already made up his mind; the dirt on the parking lot became less prevalent the further away it was from the warehouse.
He needed to warn Kento about this. Ryal was certainly interested in taking on the lizards considering what they did to his property, but Kento wouldn't last a second in a fight against them. His first priority was to get him out of there before destruction was let loose in the city, just like what happened to his home. Ryal sped away towards the apartment, remembering the routes he had taken earlier to get there quickly.
A few minutes passed by, and Ryal had halted in front of the apartment building, scanning its features to make sure it was the right one. Upon making his confirmation, Ryal dashed inside the building, heading up the stairs in mere seconds, reaching the correct door number. Once he stood in front of the room, he attempted to grab hold of the door knob and twist; no avail. He scoffed out of disappointment, knocking on the door loudly in hopes of getting an answer. Seconds began to tick by like a time bomb about set off, causing a feeling of anxiety within Ryal. The nerves in his body felt uneasy. Time couldn't be told or understood, the feeling of a great event could easily unleash now or later. The nature of an unknown future was an entity itself. It exists, and eventually dies off when the ordeal unfolds. Right now, Ryal could feel the nervousness that enveloped him like a shroud of darkness sweeping over his nearly insignificant existence. It was just like the time where his home had been trampled over the floating contraptions built by the Arcosians, where he stood no literal chance against the overwhelming odds that pressed over him like nothing. He hated it, he wanted to end it by his own will, but that didn't stop him from being nervous.
The seconds soon turned into minutes. Ryal couldn't bare the wait, knocking on the door repeatedly. He didn't even clearly know why. He hadn't bothered tracking where the Arcosians left to, why was he so concerned? Was it the possibility of this happening? Perhaps the possibility is small? Who knows?
The blond man couldn't grasp the situation correctly. He didn't know what to think exactly, in fact. Ryal continued to let the seconds go by loosely, attempting to cool himself down over the given incident that must have happened back at the warehouse. The important matter was to get Kento out of the city. Furthermore, Kento knows more about the Arcosian's nature and their situation more than he does, so it's of utmost importance that he would contact him as soon as possible, only that he could. The door was locked and he wasn't getting any response. Without even contemplating different ways of approaching the situation, Ryal simply kicked down the door, sounding off an alarm just a few seconds afterwards. The blond lad raised a brow, confused as to why such a loud noise had boomed throughout the hotel. Before he could even think of going into the other bedroom, Ryal was greeted by a very grumpy, tired looking man dressed in pajamas.
"Just what the hell!" Kento screamed off the top of his lungs, staring down the door flat on the ground.
"We can't talk right now, just grab on and I'll get us out of here." Ryal insisted, kneeling down to give Kento a piggyback ride.
"But…"
"Grab on."
Kento hopped on without a word. Ryal proceeded on by entering his old bedroom and kicking through the glass window. Kento let out gasp of pain as he shut his eyes when the glass shards were sent flying, Ryal leaped off outside, landing on a narrow alleyway just outside the hotel. By the time he landed, the blond lad leaped over the fence that stood next to the apartment, and began to speed off away from the building.
"So what the hell is this all about!?" Kento shouted from behind Ryal's ear.
"They're here."
"What?"
"The Arcosians."
Kento remained silent for second, incapable of forming a response on the spot. That's a big deal, but the city appeared to be fine, prompting Kento to ask another question.
"What do you mean? They're here?" Kento questioned.
"Yeah, I found some footprints inside a warehouse on the outskirts of the city." Ryal responded, almost nonchalantly.
"Footprints!? What are you, some kind of scavenger?" The black-haired man spoke in disbelief.
"I've hunted all my life. Trust my judgement if you can, but I'm getting you out of here." Ryal insisted, running down the side of the road towards the area where they came from.
"Well you could have at least allowed me to grab my shit before you smashed the damn window." Kento whined.
Ryal narrowed his eyes, "It's too late now. I have to get you out."
Kento sighed, knowing that he won't be able to retrieve much of his belongings. Instead, he began scrambling around in his shirt pocket, picking out two capsules.
"Well, I still have my bag and the storage to my personal souvenirs and such. I'll be fine on my own for awhile." Kento stated, dropping the capsule back into his shirt pocket.
"Good to hear. Now I have a few things to ask." Ryal proceeded, leaping up to one building before hopping across each one. Kento held onto Ryal even tighter this time, making sure he wouldn't fall and potentially break something.
"The Arcosians were based off in a warehouse just a few hours earlier. By now they've already dispersed the building and went missing. Given your knowledge, what do you suspect they'll try to be doing?" Ryal asked.
"If they're trying to attack Fleon, the first thing they'll do is cut communications. Internet access should be down, and pretty much everything else. If you can stop for a second and put me down, I can check."
Ryal obeyed Kento's request, halting on top of a single building away from anyone's presence. The shorter man hopped down from Ryal's back, activating one of his capsules. A large puff of smoke appeared from where the capsule was thrown, and a bag had formed shortly after the smoke took place. Kento walked over to the bag and began looking through it. He then turned his head towards Ryal.
"Turn around." He stated bluntly. The blond man didn't say a word, turning away from Kento on the spot. The black-haired traveler then made a quick change of clothes before taking out his phone. After browsing through it, he bit his lip out of frustration.
"No internet access, and we're standing on top of a fast-food place with free wi-fi. Either it's a coincidence or the Arcosians managed to cut all of the signals in town somehow." Kento explained with a sudden change in mood. He sounded slightly more nervous, rather surprised over the fact that with their technology, they managed to shut down all of the internet access sites within town.
"So you're right." Ryal responded, taking in a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'd imagine they would soon shut down all of the electricity lines too if they could find it. That means we gotta get out of here quick and never come back. It's a damn shame that I left my wallet back at the apartment so we're gonna have to hunt for our food." he explained further.
The blond lad sat down on the edge of the roof calmly, stretching his back along with his arms to ease the tension in his body. His shoulders hunched over a small bit, allowing his shoulders to relax as his eyes dazed upon the city lights that still remained bright as ever, overwriting much of the stars above from ever making an appearance. He wondered what would happen to the night sky if the city lights were to dissipate suddenly. Would that restore the stars by any chance? Ryal knew without a single doubt, that changes would envelope not only for the sky, but the city as well. Kento was probably freaking out right now, given that he woke up to see the earth-shattering results that came in. The evidence was already overwhelming, certainly proving that the Arcosians were bound to make a move. His mixed feelings over this still remained, only growing on him gradually. The sense of excitement and fear were tied together in a shoe lace, remaining as a knot until it is loose. It will surely be far more exaggerated than back at home, where it only took a single contraption to blow the whole thing down. Ryal, having been caught off guard unexpectedly, had failed miserably. What about a much grander scale where the city's people don't know what's going on?
Ryal had completely forgot. There was a man. One man. He who walked away from a battle with several bloodlusted lizards, enduring so well that he walked away without losing a drop of blood. A fighter with that kind of ability, how mind boggling it is to think that such a feat could be pulled off by one man. Skills such as that had to be honed well enough to disregard any racial, biological and physical advantages others have. A single warrior among demons, walking away intact, perhaps even victorious. Where had he gone since then? Considering that he was the only one besides him and Kento who knew about the hidden invasion that would undermine the other region's chances of winning an already imminent war. Ryal didn't know the reason for it at all, other than what his father told him. They were very aggressive, he said. The creatures that lie in the north yearn for power. What exactly were their justifications for doing so? All they wanted was a foot over everyone else, grabbing hold of the attention of all. Everyone else had to bow down to their reign and kiss their feet, acknowledge their superiority and boost their overwhelmingly incomprehensible ego, like living in an ideal reality where you're praised and loved for your greatness, when it's just a forced action to keep themselves alive. Having to live a life where people value their lives enough to value a powerful being is a sad and pathetic existence. Maybe not for the lizards, but Ryal didn't accept such a lifestyle for anyone, because of its lack of genuine nature.
"Aren't you going to carry me out of here or what?" Kento spat, expressing a sense of impatience towards Ryal. It was much less an irritation and more of an eagerness to avoid being involved in a killing spree, where he was on the receiving end of one.
The forest dweller simply nodded at Kento's statement, getting up and walking over to his shorter companion. He bent down and allowed for Kento to hop on his back. Once the two were set, Ryal sped off towards the northern forests once again, leaving the brimming lights behind him further and further away. It turned into a point where the lights had completely disappeared, as if they never existed in the first place.
"Ryal."
The tall man turned his head around, seeing a pitch black setting before him. Ryal slew down, confused as to what happened. He then changed his gaze towards the sky, where the night sky was cluttered with stars beyond the atmosphere. The city had already lost all of its of electricity.
"We're still in the outskirts, so we've got to be careful and stick together." Kento added, whispering into Ryal's ear.
"Yeah, I bet they'll try and make this as quiet as possible and sweep the entire town in no time." Ryal stated, beginning to find a suitable place to drop off Kento.
After a few minutes of running, Ryal came across an area right at the edge of a cliff. He halted at the sight, and dropped off Kento onto the area.
"I'll be leaving. If I don't return here by morning, assume I'm dead and leave." said Ryal.
Before Kento could protest, Ryal took off back towards the city, though this time a lot faster. He may not be very endowed in city knowledge, but he was a hunter at heart. Ryal spent his entire childhood hunting food, approaching his target with stealthy maneuvers. He knew how to travel in the darkest of places, as well as remain completely hidden. His father taught him how to keep a low profile, and strike at the perfect moment. It was shame that he didn't have his weapons readily available, so he would need to rely on his martial arts abilities. Clean kills may not even be an option, but rather to stay hidden and play it carefully, and observe the nature of the Arcosians. The more knowledge he gained, the better chances he has at coming out victorious.
Ryal arrived at the city, leaping across several rooftops in a matter of seconds, meanwhile being watchful of the alleyways and streets below using his keen senses. He relied more on his well developed senses and instincts at the very moment, as it is more reliable than to dose off and daydream about possibilities. Voices soon began to arise as he explored the rooftops, mostly consisting of confused sounds of citizens around town. There was no sign of fighting yet, but only the perplexity lurking up and down the streets silent of any other noise with the exception of voices. The honking of horns and roaring of cars were silenced. The city's atmosphere had changed much differently than it had before, where it was completely contrary to its nature before. Instead of a thriving society booming with life and constant noise, it was a silent confusion that sat still and unmoving. Ryal eased his breathing a bit, attempting to catch on to any bizarre sound that would whir by unexpectedly. At this point, it was absolutely certain that this attack will be as unforeseen as the attack on Ryal's home cottage as it is here, if not more. This would stage as a great problem, because it's a practically ideal time to strike. To do so swiftly and efficiently would prove much worse.
The blond lad headed off towards the downtown area, sightseeing the skyscrapers for any signs of an attack. Having yielded zero results, Ryal suspected that it may begin to occur in the residential areas of Fleon city, where most of the citizens are residing during this time. It would prove much more difficult if they attacked an area where people were most compact and capable reacting to a stealthy slaughter blow through the streets, as opposed to simply doing in by one in each house. Ryal then sped off towards the neighborhoods across town, carefully picking up any suspicious sounds of some sort. Out of curiosity, Ryal even decided to peek through some windows to see if there was any destruction taken place. He hadn't come across a single house that was invaded yet however, but that didn't stop him from exploring further.
Ryal continued down the street in search of signs of an attack. It was absolutely ideal for the Arcosians to make their move at this point. Perhaps they were in another section of town? That's why he persisted in going down this one street that led to miles of houses stretching across the landscape. Once in awhile Ryal would stop to listen to anything suspicious, always resulting in nothing.
A scream had filled the air with its presence, confusing many of the residents even further of the situation. Ryal could barely pick up the sound, but it was enough to completely change his direction and launch his way towards the site of the scream. His physical and mental senses were heightened completely, prepared for anything to come. The forest dweller had kept note of all the teachings he learned when he was younger, as if his whole life were to prepare for this one single moment where he would once again, encounter the intimidating frost demon that had once nearly killed him during their first encounter. The constant fear and excitement was immediately replaced by adrenaline, keeping Ryal on the tip of his toes as he neared himself towards the cry of a bystander, losing everything they had along with their own life. Ryal could feel the drain he had of his own home, only having himself now to pay back the debt of losing his way of life. At the same time, he had gained so much already, such as a friend that he wanted to protect and the will to explore the world for itself. But he also motivated himself to strike the Arcosians hard. It wasn't for justice, even though he could empathize with those who lost a lot of what they had. It was for himself, mainly. He needed his own, personal confirmation that he alone would make a lasting impact on the lizards themselves. The lasting impact had to have satisfied Ryal's taste, as well as give him hope that he had followed his father's deeds accordingly, that he was worth the effort to train and raise to become a man of accomplishment and desire. Not only did the young man want to fill his typical pride, he wanted to think that his father would be proud for what he did, and protect the honor that his father had brought along. If he had not retaliated against the Arcosians, Ryal would become a lesser man, unworthy to be called the son of a great man and therefore lose the dignity that the family bloodline once had.
Personal matters aside, Ryal felt uneasy given the circumstances he was in. He wanted to be great like his father, and this single moment would decide whether or not that matter would be true or not. These Arcosians are undoubtedly deadly, and dealing with such matters will be a large challenge. Ryal had to focus and not let the situation sway him. He felt that he had approached where the scream was located at. The young lad looked down at the street, seeing many confused, wandering citizens standing outside a house. Some had even brought along weapons to defend themselves from anything that lurked inside the home. They all stood still, some were more prepared and hid behind obstacles. There were also people standing from afar, watching the scene intently from a safe distance where they would have a chance at getting away. Ryal didn't like it at all, he stood on the rooftop firmly and prepared to release an attack at any given moment.
There then became an eerie silence that settled in the moment, delaying the inevitable with a moment of fear that had struck everyone in front of that doorstep, which stood completely empty of any sounds ever since the scream was emitted. Ryal slowly crawled along the rooftops to get a closer view of the scene. The people there remained still and watchful. The blond man continuously looked back and forth between the house and the people outside, waiting.
In a brief instant, the door at the front of the house had busted open, and then came by a few blurs. Ryal had barely followed it, that of which had ended up to the neighboring side of the street. The people did not react, but rather they fell over into bits and pieces of flesh and bone, producing a haystack of human meat now rotting on the pavement. Ryal's eyes widened at the sight. Their speed was phenomenal, enough to surprise Ryal to the point where his capability in keeping up with their movements was proving difficult. Three Arcosians stood still on the sidewalk, turning their heads towards the majority of the viewers. Quick and calculative, they had taken off once again to prevent the other citizens from screaming, which would then attract even more attention than before. However, Ryal had taken note of this, deciding to follow the single Arcosian that took off for the area with less people. He wouldn't be able to prevent two of the lizards from completely slaughtering the majority, but Ryal could prevent the one foot soldier from killing a few of the people for at least a brief moment, enough to allow the citizens to attract more attention.
The Arcosian soldier had targeted a younger woman, aiming to slice her to pieces before she could let off a scream. Before he could execute his attack, he was slammed across the cheek with an open palm, sending him flying through the nearby houses, causing a hefty ruckus within the area. Ryal had successfully landed his swift strike, landing at the spot where he had committed his attack. Instinctively, Ryal had set his sights on the other Arcosian soldiers whom had already killed off all the other citizens on the one end of the street.
Suddenly, the woman's voice had reached the top of her lungs, causing tears to run down her face immediately as the instant slaughter took place. Ryal left himself wide open to the other foot soldier, prepared to take on any attack that would be thrown at him. He didn't bother to pay mind to the crying girl behind him, for she had already fulfilled her purpose in the whole ordeal; attract attention. If anyone else as powerful, or more perhaps, were to scout around the city to find anything of suspicion, they would find it here without question.
"Huh, looks like our plan flopped."
That voice, so eerie and disturbing as ever!
"That's alright, I was getting bored of keeping this constant low profile. I want to fight someone of worth." the other lizard responded in that familiar voice Ryal had recognized. That, or most of the ice lizards sounded quite similar.
They both turned around to see Ryal and the screaming woman. The Arcosian to the left quickly raised a finger and shot a thin, purple energy beam. The thin piercing light drilled through the woman's chest, thus ending her life on the spot. Ryal hadn't reacted quickly enough to stop it, rather the fear enveloped him. The heat of that beam could be felt across his cheek, enough to make him feel like his skin was about to melt.
"Sorry if you went to go save that girl, she just so happened to be a loud nuisance anyway." The foot soldier chuckled, lowering his arm from having shot the beam. Ryal entered a fighting stance at that moment, keeping his voice silent.
The other frost demon clicked a button on his green-colored eye contraption, causing a few 'beep' sounds to occur. He then formed a sinister grin that expressed loads of excitement.
"Wow! Impressive for a man I must say. This ought to be enjoyable."
Ryal gritted his teeth slightly, expecting this kind of behavior from them. However, he remained as calm as possible, reducing some of his adrenaline rush from having entered the scene so abruptly.
"I have personal reasons for being here, and I'm sure you're dying for a thrilling battle. You up for it?"