Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

Chapter 8

"So, this is the town of Kloba," Arthur said, his eyes wandering around. "It seems as though they've seen better days."

The town was still large enough to be called a town, but the buildings appeared to be falling apart, and cracks were in the paths. There was also a total lack of the vibrancy that they had seen in the capital.

"I wonder if the mine was important for the town's survival," Lukas said. "In the dream, it looked abandoned."

"Are we going to find an inn first?" Vlad asked.

"Well, we need to get the horses to a stable, and I suppose we should find out where exactly the mine is," Arthur said.

They had to ask a local for the location of the nearest inn, and a few minutes later they were assisting a stableboy with their horses.

"Really, sirs, you don't have to do this," the stableboy insisted. "It's my job, after all."

"But it's always nice when someone decides to make things a little easier for you," Vlad said, smiling at the boy.

Arthur and Lukas exchanged a look, once again reminded of the fact that Vlad had been raised as a slave. It was something that would take a while to break free from. But that fact convinced them to help the stableboy as well.

"Raivis, what are you doing?"

The stableboy flinched before looking over towards the entrance of the stable. Vlad had also tensed, and he turned his attention to the door.

"I-I'm just getting their horses some f-food," Raivis stuttered.

"And why are the guests doing your work for you?" the man whom they assumed was the innkeeper demanded.

"Please, sir," Arthur said. "We're just helping him a little. After all, isn't it a good thing to lighten the burden of another person?"

The innkeeper stared at Arthur, and he wanted to smack himself for saying something so ridiculous. The innkeeper sighed after a while and shrugged.

"Very well," he said. "As long as this child wasn't being lazy. My name is Ludwig. Now, gentlemen, let's go inside to discuss the arrangements."

They spared Raivis one last look before they followed Ludwig into the inn itself. Vlad latched onto Arthur and Lukas, and they didn't blame him for being nervous. They wondered what kind of man Ludwig would be. They worried if Raivis had a good reason for being so nervous around Ludwig.

The inn itself looked decent, even though it was empty. They looked around while Ludwig placed himself behind the counter.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Now then, how many nights are you staying?"

"We don't know yet," Arthur replied.

"Alright. So, it's three coins per room per night."

Arthur and Lukas exchanged a look. After a few seconds Lukas cleared his throat and turned back to Ludwig.

"Do you have any rooms with multiple beds?" Lukas asked.

"There are a few with larger beds, if you feel comfortable with sharing," Ludwig said. "And if you want meals included, it would be four coins per night."

"Alright," Arthur said. "Um, could you perhaps tell us about the town? We heard that there's a mine somewhere nearby."

Ludwig paused. He slowly looked up, and Arthur swallowed nervously.

"Yes, there was a mine," Ludwig said. "However, it hasn't been used for thirty years. There's nothing left there. The town hadn't quite recovered after losing that source of income, and many of the miners and their families moved on to better places. Why does the mine interest you?"

"General Sadiq Adnan wants us to investigate it," Vlad said. "He wants to know if the mine could still be used or repurposed."

Arthur and Lukas looked towards Vlad. Ludwig nodded his head in understanding.

"You should have told me earlier that you are here on behalf of General Adnan," Ludwig said. "Two coins a night." Ludwig handed a key to Arthur. "This is for your room. And if you're looking for the mine, just follow the path."

"Thank you," Lukas said, before they departed for their room to deposit their luggage. When they were out of earshot, Lukas sighed in relief and turned to Vlad. "That was some quick thinking. Thank you."

Vlad smiled. Arthur also nodded to show his approval.

"So then, we just need to follow the path, right?" Arthur said.

"And we need to find the path," Lukas said. "Hopefully it wouldn't be too difficult."

They took a moment to examine their room. The bed was large, but it didn't look as though it was very comfortable. Arthur and Lukas looked as though they were questioning their choice, while Vlad didn't seem too bothered.

"Hopefully we find the jewel soon," Lukas said. "I don't think we should spend too much time here."

"Agreed," Arthur said.

…

Once they were settled in their room and after getting something to eat and drink from their rations, they set out to find the path that Ludwig spoke about. It took them a while to find it, but they were soon on their way.

"It's definitely been a while since anyone's been here," Lukas remarked.

"That's good," Arthur said. "It means that there wouldn't be anyone interrupting us. But it does raise the concern of how safe the mine is."

"I'm still a bit confused as to why the jewel would be in a mine."

"Well, it makes sense. It's like that old saying. 'If you want to hide a tree, the forest is the best place'. It does make me wonder about the other jewels."

"There better not be one at the bottom of the ocean." Lukas turned towards Vlad. "Are you alright? You're pretty quiet."

"I'm fine," Vlad said, smiling softly. "I just… I'm thinking. Back at the inn… The innkeeper puts me on edge."

Arthur and Lukas nodded. Vlad could see that they didn't completely understand what he meant, but he supposed that he didn't explain it properly. He didn't understand it himself, but there was still something about Ludwig that terrified him.

Vlad suddenly stopped, his breath hitching as he pressed his hands against his ears. He'd suddenly heard a very shrill, though oddly muffled, sound. Arthur and Lukas didn't appear to be affected, but they noticed Vlad's sudden stop, and turned towards him with alarm on their faces.

"Vlad, what's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Can't you hear it?" Vlad asked, wincing as there was another sharp sound.

Arthur and Lukas looked around, but they still looked as though they didn't know what Vlad was talking about. Vlad's eyes also started to scan the surroundings, and he finally noticed something.

"What's that?" Vlad asked.

Arthur and Lukas followed where Vlad was pointing. Arthur smiled.

"There's the entrance to the mine," Arthur said. "Good job, Vlad."

Vlad could only nod. The sound was subsiding, but he was still confused about all of it. Arthur and Lukas waited for Vlad to recover before they went over towards the entrance. They paused for a moment, before Lukas turned to Vlad.

"So, you seem to be more sensitive than we are," Lukas said. "If you sense anything, just let us know."

Vlad nodded. There was something in there, and Vlad couldn't help but think that they had to stay away. He didn't want to find the jewel.

Still, he didn't voice his fear, and they went into the mine. It was dark, but after a while Arthur summoned a light in his hand. Vlad was thankful for the light, and he kept his senses open for any sign of the jewel's location.

Vlad froze when he heard a sound. He couldn't make it out, but it was definitely something that wasn't supposed to be there.

"Do you sense something?" Lukas asked.

Vlad pursed his lips, before he nodded. He looked around, noticing a tunnel nearby, and he pointed ahead.

"This way," he whispered.

They went down that tunnel. Vlad felt the walls closing in on him, but he knew that it wasn't actually moving. He wrapped his arms around himself, feeling himself growing cold. He jumped when someone placed a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Arthur looking at him with furrowed brows.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked.

Vlad took a deep breath before he shook his head.

"No," he admitted. "I feel trapped. It's too narrow. And it's too dark."

"Hold my hand," Lukas said. "Use it to anchor yourself. Remember, you're not alone."

Vlad took a deep breath, before he nodded in thanks. He took Lukas's hand, and he gave a small smile when he felt Lukas squeeze his hand lightly. Arthur cleared his throat before pointing ahead.

"Let's go on," Arthur said.

Vlad, being the one able to sense the jewel, took the lead. He could still hear that sound, but every now and again he would realise that the sound was growing louder. And sometimes, he would sense that a branching path was the right way to go. His feet were starting to ache and breathing was becoming more difficult. But he felt as though they were getting closer.

Eventually, though, they reached a dead end. The tunnel had collapsed, and they couldn't go any farther. And yet, Vlad took a step closer.

"I think we should find another path," Lukas said.

"No," Vlad said, falling to his knees. "I think it's here."

Vlad started digging into the soft dirt, occasionally encountering a small rock. After a few seconds, Lukas and Arthur knelt beside him and started to dig as well.

Eventually, Vlad saw a glimmer of red, and he started to focus on that particular spot. He smiled when he saw a glowing red gem, and slowly pulled it out. The stone was warm, and Vlad jumped when he thought he felt a slight flutter, almost as though it had a beating heart.

"The Desert Heart," Arthur whispered. "We found it."

Vlad smiled, though he still felt uncomfortable. He pushed himself to his feet and tried to give the jewel to Lukas, who shook his head.

"I think you should hold onto it," Lukas said. "You're the one that found it, after all. Now, let's get out of here."

Vlad put the jewel in an inside pocket of his jacket. He could feel the jewel against his chest, and he somehow felt heat and cold at the same time. He hoped that the feeling didn't last, or at the very least, that they would find the other jewels soon so that they could get this over with.

"So, how do we get out of here?" Arthur asked.

Vlad froze. Now that he'd found the jewel, he didn't sense the route that they needed to follow.

"Um, I can't feel anything," Vlad admitted.

"It's okay," Lukas said. "I know a spell that we can use."

Lukas waved his hand, and luminescent footprints appeared on the ground, following their path. Vlad jumped when he saw those footprints, and Lukas placed a calming hand on his arm.

"It's alright," Lukas said. "This is just a way for us to retrace our steps."

"Great thinking," Arthur said. "Will anyone else be able to see it? Just in case someone decides to follow us?"

"No. These are our steps. No one else can see them."

"Okay. Now, let's get out of here." Arthur turned towards Vlad. "I think Vlad needs to get out of here. He doesn't look so good."

Vlad was grateful. He was feeling nauseous and dizzy, and he wanted to get into the sunlight as soon as possible.

They followed their footprints, and the more they walked, the worse Vlad felt. He closed his eyes at one point, trying to steady himself, only to stumble. He yelped in alarm, but before he could fall, Arthur caught him.

"Be careful," Arthur said. "Are you alright?"

Vlad opened his eyes and nodded. He saw Arthur frowning at him, and he felt a stab of fear. He flinched when Arthur placed his hand against his forehead, and he looked at Arthur with confusion when the hand moved away.

"You're heating up," Arthur said. "We need to get you to the inn. You need some rest."

"I-I'll be fine," Vlad insisted. "I just…"

"No, Arthur's right," Lukas said. "Your cheeks are flushed and the rest of your face is pale. You need to rest."

Lukas turned his back to Vlad, confusing the younger male.

"Get on my back," Lukas instructed. "And don't argue."

Vlad hesitated, before he felt another wave of dizziness. He quickly scrambled onto Lukas's back, and he felt Lukas adjusting his grip. Vlad nuzzled into Lukas's neck, breathing in his scent.

"Are you comfortable?" Lukas asked, and Vlad nodded. "Alright, let's keep going."

Arthur nodded, and they went on. Vlad looked over towards the light in Arthur's hand, and he found it really soothing. He could sense his consciousness slipping away, and he closed his eyes, trusting the other two to take care of him.

…

Lukas felt Vlad's weight becoming heavier, and he looked over his shoulder. Vlad's eyes were closed, and Lukas could feel the heat radiating from Vlad. It was easy to realise that Vlad had passed out.

"I wonder what's wrong with him," Lukas mused.

"I think all of this is too much for him," Arthur said. "He's been travelling around, and the desert is quite harsh. He's probably not used to something like this."

"You're probably right. And what about you?"

"We sometimes had to travel a lot, and most of it is on foot. At least the trees provided some shade."

"We had to spend a lot of time on sea, and sometimes the sun could be harsh. So, I'm a little more used to travelling in harsh weather. But I prefer the harsh sun over the storms. They can be pretty dangerous if you're on a pretty small ship."

"I can imagine. Well, I suppose things could be worse. But we at least have the jewel, so we could rest a little while before we go on to find the next one."

Lukas nodded, before he looked back towards Vlad. Perhaps they should consider travelling by night, when it was less dangerous for them. He also hoped that Vlad didn't get worse.

They continued on their way, eventually reaching the mine's entrance. They sighed in relief, before Lukas adjusted his grip on Vlad. He felt a small smile grow as Vlad made a small sound before nuzzling into Lukas's neck.

"Let's get back to the inn," Lukas said. "And let's hope nobody asks questions."

The way back was quiet. It was late afternoon, and they were surprised by how late it was. They didn't think that they had spent that much time in the mine. Arthur had extinguished the light, since it was now unnecessary. Every now and again, Arthur would look over towards Vlad, and Lukas had to keep his eyes on the road, since if he stumbled, he could end up hurting Vlad.

"Are you doing alright?" Arthur asked. "Do you want me to take over?"

"No, it's fine," Lukas said. "He's pretty light."

Arthur frowned, and Lukas understood the sentiment. They knew that Vlad had probably gotten little food when he was a slave, and they had seen that even with the rations, Vlad tended to eat very little. Lukas had every intention of changing that.

The thought of food made Lukas's stomach growl, and he hoped that Arthur hadn't heard. But then, he heard Arthur's stomach growling as well. The two turned towards each other and chuckled.

"I think it's about time for us to get something to eat," Arthur said. "Why don't you take Vlad to the room, and I'll see if I can arrange something for us."

"Sounds good," Lukas said.

They reached the inn without a problem, but once they reached the door, they stopped. They couldn't see Ludwig, and after a moment Arthur shrugged.

"Take Vlad to the room and I'll see if I can find the kitchen or the innkeeper," Arthur said.

Lukas nodded, before he went off. He had the key in his pocket, and once he reached their room, he had to adjust his grip on Vlad in order to fish it out. He felt his cheeks darken when he felt Vlad's grip on him tighten, but he knew that Vlad was still unconscious. With some fumbling, he managed to open the door and walked in.

As gently as he could, he lowered Vlad onto the bed. He watched the younger male for a moment before he removed Vlad's shoes and jacket and pulled the covers over him. He then placed his hand on Vlad's forehead and frowned. He was still too hot. Perhaps he should apply a cold compress. He hoped that there was a rag in the kitchen.

He brushed the hair out of Vlad's face. He blinked when he realised what he was doing, and he yanked his hand away as his face heated up. He didn't understand why he did that.

He fled the room, making sure to close the door behind him. He waited for his cheeks to cool down before he set off to find the kitchen, unaware of the shadow behind him.

…

Vlad didn't know where he was, but he noticed that he wasn't alone. A white-haired man was sitting in front of him, looking up at the moon. Vlad hesitantly walked closer, but the man didn't turn around.

"You're in a lot of trouble," the man said. "You should seal Nemthys as soon as you can."

The voice sounded young, and when he saw the man's face, he didn't look much older than him. The man looked up, and Vlad noticed red eyes, similar to his own.

"Who are you?" Vlad asked.

The man chuckled, though the sound was sad. Vlad sat down in front of him, feeling an odd sort of kinship.

"It's been a long time since anyone cared enough to ask me that," the man said. "My name is Gilbert. And three hundred years ago, I was in your position."