Reliving the Nightmare
By Kuro Kin'youbi

Chappter 5


It was their first mission. Well, not really. But their first mission mission. Bloodshed and all. Torn adjusted his helmet as Ashelin stood on the platform and briefed them all.

"... And you must find this person at all costs! Do you understand?"

They all nodded, grumbling something. Ashelin halted them.

"You don't HAVE to do this mission, you know. If you are complaining so much go back."

But everyone moved forward. They left the Palace barracks and headed into town. As Torn walked, searching the streets, his mind wandered...


"What do you mean, his mind wandered?" I demanded. "Can't you tell the story right?"

Torn glared daggers at me - I glared machine guns. I was so angry, for no apparent reason.

"When you punched that mirror, you hurt me Torn." I said. "And you hurt yourself. Why?"

He said nothing for a long time. He moved about the hideout for a while, not looking at me. I wanted to follow him, but I just stayed still.

"... Because you annoy me too much."

I laughed. That was all I coulld do - laugh. He was so ridiculous!

"Just get on with the story!" I said, trying to catch my breath.


... Ashelin. Ashelin was on Torn's mind. He hadn't thought about her as much in a day as he was now. Nor was walking behind him, and pushed him forward.

"Wha?" Torn muttered.

Nor walked forward so he was standing by Torn.

"Stop thinking about her." Nor ordered. "Get the job done."

Torn walked off, nodding his head. Nor watched the younger elf go, and sighed. Was it just him or was their friendship failing?


Torn knew where to go - not by guess, but by instinct. Before he knew it, he was in the bazzar. He found the tent with no trouble.

"Oooh, a Krimzon Guard!" A bird sqwaked.

"Shut it, bird." Torn said. "I need information. I was told my an important source that I could find what I was looking for, here?"

The bird looked down at the lady whose head he was standing on.

"Onin says, Torn, you will not get what you want by treating Pecker like that." The bird said.

Torn assumed that the annoying bird was Pecker, so he apologised.

"Pecker... please ask... Onin, if she knows where the location of a young boy is."

Pecker sqwaked something and then said: "Onin says, there are boys all over the City, idiot. I added the idiot part."

Torn sighed. "I meant, the boy who is the heir to the city."

Pecker clapped his feathers together and sqwaked a bit more.

"Onin says, find the Underground. Onin also says, she shouldn't be telling you this but... oh well."

Torn nodded. He thanked them and headed out. He knew where the Underground was... but, how could he just go in there in a KG uniform? It was beyond him. So, he made his way to the slums, got out of his KG gear, so he was now in his casual clothes, and hig his KG uniform in a bag. He walked to the Underground from there. A girl was standing by the door, eyeing him as he walked up to her.

"Is this the Underground?" He asked her.

She said nothing. Well, not for a while. She just leaned against the wall, painting her nails.

"... Why do you ask?" She uttered simply.

"I need to find someone." Torn said.

Torn hated having to wait. The girl blew on one of her painted nails and looked back up at him.

"Yes, this is the Underground." She said. "My name is Tess. You look like a really hand-"

"I'm taken." Torn hissed, walking past her and into the hideout.


Chaos had overtaken the city as soon as Torn stepped out of the hideout. Sirens were going off, and the KG were on HIGH alert. Torn ran back to where he left his KG gear and put it back on. He was shocked at what was going on. The KG were shooting and killing innocent people, and shouting at them. Torn ran out into the main area of the slums, where he stopped by a young girl and her brother.

"Please don't kill us, Krimzon Man!" The girl said.

"You leave my sister along, you big read meanie!" The boy kicked Torn in the leg.

He grunted at the minimal pain. He looked at the two children, who were whimpering.

"Here, I'll take you two home." Torn said.

The two kids grabbed onto his arms, and he asked them where they were going.

"South Town!" The girl said.

Torn nodded, and led them slowly to South Town. He ignored the protests and yellings of his KG allies. All he wanted to prove was that he was not a bad man. He let the girl lead the way, she either squeaked "Left!", "Right!", "Not that way!" or "Back! Back!"

Finally, they arrived to a house. The boy ran inside without a second glance at Torn, but the girl curtsied and thanked him.

"Don't mention it." Torn said.

He was going to smile - but they wouldn't see it because of his mask. As the girl ran inside Torn turned around and headed off.


Torn was looking around the city for Nor. It was getting later into the afternoon; they had been at this for ages, and they hadn't found the child they were looking for. Well, Torn had some very valuable information about his whereabouts, but he wasn't going to say that to anyone!

He was nearing the Palace, when he saw a Krimzon Guard lying in a weird angle outside the Palace Gates. It seemed he had fallen from the top.

"Torn?" The Krimzon Guard asked.

That was when Torn realised... that the dying Krimzon Guard before him... was his one true friend, Nor.


There you go. Another chapter. Thanks to the people that read these.