Darkness was the only thing visible to her as she was guided down an incredibly dim hallway. Kenko's breathing was barely audible to her ears as he tightened his grip on her hand. Each time foreign voices or footsteps were heard, he would make a sharp turn the other way, not bothering to look back if they had been spotted or not. Several minutes in and Yasu had already forgotten how many twists and turns were made in the process of their escape. Questions bubbled within her, floating up to her mind like as many clouds there were in the sky but she bit her tongue- she would get a proper explanation from her friend when they were safe. It was bizarre to already be running with one of her best friends' hand-in-hand when they'd only been together for three minutes.

"Get ready to fly." He mumbled under his breath, "as fast as you can."

As they darted down their path, the Assassin swiftly pulled up a party menu, inviting Yasu. Clumsily multitasking, the Sorceress tried to be conscious of her large wings brushing against the sides of the walls or the floors- she didn't want to knock into anything or make any unnecessary noises.

"We're almost there. Get ready to get a running start."

Yasu merely grunted in response, taking a deep breath in for the coming sprint. Instantly, the pair ran down the final corridor. As fast as lightning, Kenko shoved open the door to bright sunlight as they both took to the skies, their wings flapping at a moderately quick and rhythmic pace. They flew at a sharp incline over the city, the People of the Land and Adventurers appearing more as ants than humans, scurrying along with their work. The sight below was a terrifyingly sad one, nearly everyone being used as labor for the dark metal train like object in the center the town. Behind her, several Adventurers from Plant Hwyaden were looking at the door, puzzled by what caused it to suddenly burst open. She grinned at their swift escape as the wind carried them up above the clouds and over the gates of Minami. The wind caressed her long hair and lush feathers as the pair smoothly glided through the wind. She shifted her attention backwards to take a look at the town one more time before she realized, her wings were missing! She could feel herself flapping them to keep herself flying but they weren't there. In a panic, she looked down at her hands, body, legs but nothing was there?

Invisibility?

"That's my Teaching." Kenko stated calmly, sensing her confusion.

Yasu whipped her hair to the side to see through her party member- he was almost translucent like a ghost.

"You can turn yourself and others invisible?! That's so cool! And handy." The Sorceress gave a broad smile.

She could tell that Kenko's cheeks lit up slightly as he averted his gaze, "We aren't out of the woods yet. They'll be looking for us. We need to find somewhere safe to hide."

"Then we should get a good distance away. Those people seem…audacious."

Audacious enough to send someone to get me while I was with the Villain…

The pair flew through the entire day, East of Minami.

"I've been in Akihabara since this started. I made some friends there that can keep us safe."

"Were they nice to you?" Kenko asked almost suspiciously.

The Sorceress laughed mirthfully, "They didn't lock me in a room."

"That's a start…" He mumbled, "It's getting late. Let's stop for the night."

The dark blue night sky was a good cover for their landing as Yasu was almost certain of their unseen descent. Just in case, she had her friend cloak them in his Teaching to combat any unwanted eyes. Camp was started quickly with a small fire that was covered by a dome of rocks to prevent smoke from wafting through the air. Provisions weren't an issue as the Sorceress still had some food left over from her previous Abyssal Shaft adventure. Yasu handed her friend a pre-made sandwich before sitting down to lean against a tree. She eyed the Assassin idly chewing on the food, staring blankly ahead.

"If you stared at me more, you might drill holes through my head." He said wryly.

The Sorceress grinned at his response, "Can you blame me?"

He shook his head. Quickly losing interest in her dinner, Yasu scooted her way closer to Kenko, brushing some of his hair out of his face to get a better look at him.

"What did they do to you…?"

"I…I don't know. I'm not in any pain."

Her green orbs scanned him suspiciously, "Then who was I talking to before we got away?"

Her friend took a sharp breath in, shifting uncomfortably, "That's what they did to me. It's not something I'll let them do to you."

He balled his fists up. The Sorceress chewed on her lower lip, unconvinced of her friend's safety. There was something he wasn't telling her but she wouldn't push it. He would tell her when he was ready.

"What was it like there? In Plant Hwyaden, I mean." Yasu pulled her knees up to her chest.

The Assassin sighed deeply, running his fingers through his hair almost stressfully.

"Secure. The town is very militia-like, difficult to move around anywhere. It took me a long time to find that door."

"Did they hurt you?" Yasu's voice took a serious turn.

"I'm fine." He waved her off before lithely leaping onto a middle tree branch, making himself comfortable with his dagger resting on his lap, "Get some rest, we need to move before first light."

"Alright…" She stared at her friend who was already nodding off upright.

Yasu leaned against the base of the tree trunk, staring up into the sky. She sighed heavily, trying her best to relax. Kenko was being oddly evasive with her- perhaps she was pushing a little too hard on a topic he wasn't ready to share. She peered up at her friend who was already sound asleep, envying his ability to let go of his worries. They were out of immediate danger but there was a good chance Plant Hwyaden would send people after them. The thought of them capturing Kenko again made her heart wretch- it wasn't a viable option she was willing to consider. It wasn't until a few moments after her deep thoughts that she realized how tired and heavy her eyes felt.

Maybe just for a few minutes…

Before darkness claimed her in a sudden and unwilling embrace.

"Yasu…wake up." A warm hand shook her slender shoulder.

Her emerald orbs fluttered open to the wee hours of dawn. She sleepily rubbed her eyes, yawning openly, "Crap…I fell asleep."

She lazily stood up and stretched her stiff muscles as she grabbed her black bag. She reached inside to produce two bananas, tossing her companion one. Kenko had already broken up the small makeshift fire place and erased all evidence of their stay in the area; he looked antsy to leave. Yasu looked up into the sky as she peeled her banana.

"We'll have to fly above or through the clouds to avoid suspicion. I'm not sure how Earth-like this place is but if it's any similar, it'll be cold up there."

"We can check it out. There's not much in this game that can kill us anymore." He replied nonchalantly.

The Sorceress' eyebrows furrowed at his comment as she prepared to fly. Taking off closely behind her friend, she chewed on his statement.

What did he mean by that?

The two ex-Game Masters easily glided on top of the troposphere. The brilliant sunrise slowly lit up the land, shining down on the collected dew and various wildlife in the area. To the flying duo, they could only see the uneven, rounded bumps on top of the clouds. Their wings both beat rhythmically and quickly, keeping an optimal speed without tiring themselves. They were by no means out of enemy territory but definitely phasing out of the Holy Empire Westland. Several hours later, the flight was as quiet as can be, only the sounds of their beating wings and quiet conversations were heard over the wind whipping past them. A heavy question hung in the air that neither of them wanted to voice: were they safe?

"Are you tired?" Kenko's worried gaze trailed over Yasu.

Dark bags were beginning to form under her eyes and her face looked more haggard then usual.

"I could go for a short break…" The Sorceress agreed.

In the past couple of days, she'd barely gotten any sleep or food- it was beginning to take a toll on her. Using Kenko's ability, they glided down into the thick forest beneath them. Yasu stumbled a little as her dainty feet in the ground. For the first time in this world, her wings felt heavy; they drooped a little as she plopped down by a nearby tree, welcoming the closure of her eyes.

"You okay?" Kenko stood next to her, his eyes alert and scouring the area.

"Yeah. Just a little tired." Yasu pulled a bottle of water from her bag, taking a sip.

"We'll be out of this soon." He reassured her, accepting the water he was offered.

A faint ringing in the distance perked both of the Adventurer's attentions up in the direction from which it came. It vibrated viciously in Yasu's ears, stirring up a small headache. Kenko's face paled at the noise, head snapping towards the Sorceress.

"We need to go. Now." The urgency in his voice didn't go unnoticed.

"Okay…" She clumsily climbed to her feet before the Assassin grabbed her hand and made a run towards the nearest clearing.

The second wave was much louder than the first, sounding more like a gong emanated through the air as their feet left the ground. Yasu yelped from the sudden increase in head pain, almost falling out of the several feet of air they had already achieved. Kenko grimaced as he kept a firm grip on her hand, furiously beating his wings to make up for her.

"Try to block it out!"

"Kenko, I can't…"

As they ascended further into the air, the third wave resonated through the area, sending her headache into a crippling migraine. The Sorceress' wings stopped moving, giving her a slight moment in the air before gravity began dragging down towards the ground. Her vision began spotting darkness as the energy left her limbs, leaving them limp at her side. She vaguely felt strong arms slipping around her small frame, stopping her fall and carrying her through the air. Kenko's grunts were barely audible to her as her head lolled against his chest like a ragdoll's.

"Wha…what's going on?"

"Yasu please, don't listen to it. Cover your ears, damn it!"

Why…

Darkness covered her like a warm blanket, so comforting and familiar but wait, she couldn't afford to pass out now. They needed to get away! Kenko's voice became more and more distant as Yasu continued to squint her eyes in an attempt of staying awake. She struggled against the very enticing prospect of passing out, forgetting why she wasn't supposed to. In her flurried daze the fourth ring shocked her body, sending her mind into overdrive, the pain from the migraine almost too much for her to handle. Her soft moans turned into near screaming as the sudden burst of adrenaline had her clawing at her head for any type of respite she could get. The migraine felt like an eternity, trapping her in her own mind, filled with pain she didn't understand. It felt like steel rods were drilling into her mind, trying to get at something she didn't care for.

"Make it stop...PLEASE ARRG"

The Sorceress's flailing came to a sudden halt as a loud click rang in her ears. Like dipping a burned hand in cool water, the migraine gradually ebbed away leaving her mind to clear. She'd never felt a relief as intense as the one she felt right then and there. The blackness enveloped her in a welcome hug for which she willingly gave into.

"Yasu? Yasu…Yasu please wake up." A familiar voice called her name in a frantic tone.

He shook her by the shoulders a little in an attempt to regain her consciousness.

"Mm-mm…" Emerald eyes sluggishly opened to a thick jungle-esque forest, "What happened...where are we?"

"We're in the middle of some kind of forest. I didn't know if you were okay or not." His concerned eyes scanned her face.

Her eyes shot open wide at the tone of his voice- it was the previous Kenko she'd met. Like a frightened rabbit, Yasu darted out from under his coming embrace, scooting towards an adjacent tree.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?" He spoke clearly.

This wasn't her friend…was it?

"I…you aren't Kenko." She repeated herself.

His dark hair fell in front of his eyes, making him brush it back, "Yes, I am. If you'd just remember, we could-"

The female Adventurer gasped loudly at the sudden flood of lucidity she had. It made her weak at her knees, forcing her down onto them. The Assassin instantly darted over to her side, his keen eyes watching green orbs dart back and forth in a frenzied manner. It was as though another dimension had opened up to her; she could feel his presence much more clearly, the beating of his heart and the rustling of his wings felt like another piece of her- it felt like their individual beings were linked together as one.

"How do you feel?" He asked curiously, "Do you remember me?"

Yasu's jaw dropped in horror, her hand shakily coming up cover it in disbelief.

"We…we killed them…"

Hi guys! Yes, I am ALIVE. Thank you for your kind, understanding words. They mean a lot (:

I hope you enjoy this one. Hope I didn't lose my touch 3