Well, this took quite a while. To be completely honest, I'm not too particularly happy with how this chapter turned out. It took me weeks to try to get everything right to the point where I had to rewrite the ENTIRE THING from scratch. Welp, here it is, I guess. I'm guessing the pacing is fucked anyway right?
Honestly, my big problem here is trying to get everything together in a coherent manner. I've already prepared a general draft/outline of how this story would flow but my mind just keeps on adding stuff and additional plot points to a point where I get stuck on frequent writer's blocks.
Perhaps the hardest part here is the dialogue and characters. I'm working hard to try to improve the characters from their previous iteration in my first story "Fire and Ice". You can see how different I've characterized most of them in contrast to their previous personalities. Not to mention the romance aspect, which I'm doing my best to make it as natural as possible.
But then again, love is something one cannot explain.
Then there is the dialogue, which is already difficult on its own. You won't believe how difficult it is for me personally to write witty dialogue and conversations that aren't cheesy or cliché sounding.
But enough rambling here is chapter 9 after weeks of not doing anything. Oh, and I promise, there will be more monster hunting but for now, I'm focusing on the characters.
I hope you enjoy it…
`Chapter 9
No matter how hard they tried, they just simply couldn't. The door wouldn't budge, no matter how hard they hit it.
"Damn it!" Siegfried cursed, kicking the door again. "They're getting slaughtered out there and here we are locked up and useless!"
Eris tried desperately to pry open her cuffs. "It's these cuffs! If only we could just get them off, then this-
Then Eris heard the scream. An eerily familiar scream, one that brought back her most unpleasant memory. It was a monstrous scream that sounded like hundreds of people shouting out in pain and agony.
"That scream…" Could it be?
Suddenly, the door shook and rumbled. And then it opened, exposing the two to the night. The biggest surprise, however, was the armored man standing in front of them, holding the door open.
"You two! We need your help!"
"Finally!" Siegfried exclaimed, immediately stepping out of the cart. Eris followed suit, albeit more quietly. However, they had forgotten one important detail.
"I know you're in a hurry but mind helping us out of these cuffs?" Eris asked the guard, presenting her cuffed hands.
"I don't have the keys! You're going to have to brute force them yourselves!"
"What?!" the two hunters exclaimed in unison.
"I need to go and get help from the village! Good luck!" the guard called out as he rapidly disappeared from view. Siegfried and Eris glanced at each other and at the cuffs on their hands.
"Is this some kind of twisted joke?!"
A terrifying scream interrupted their moment of disbelief, snapping them back to reality. Without thinking, the two rushed towards the front of the wagon where the monster was. But in the pitch black of night, it was virtually impossible to tell whatever that "thing" was. The only source of light they had was the singular torch placed on top of the cart and even then, it only illuminated a rather limited amount of space in front of the cart.
Another demonic sounding scream followed by the sound of something big running towards them. Whatever it was, it was closing in fast. They had no other choice.
"DAMN IT ALL!" Siegfried roared out as he sprinted full speed at the faint black shape rapidly approaching the cart. He barely could register the appearance of the monster they were about to fight, much less it's shape and size. Not to mention, he had zero articles of armor on. This is not going to end well…Mustering all his might, the hunter leaped into the air and slammed the entirety of his body against a large black shape. Both Siegfried and the monster stumbled onto the ground.
"Ughh…" Siegfried groaned, attempting to stand up. However, due to his cuffs, he was unable to do so, leaving him helpless on the ground.
The two heard a loud bellow of pain, followed by low growls. From the corner of his eye, Siegfried saw the black shape move, just a few meters away from him. Hidden in the darkness, the beast began to move towards him.
At that moment, Siegfried realized that he might die. In his current state, there was nothing he could to defend himself. His hands were cuffed, he was defenseless and lying helplessly on the ground, unable to sit up. He might as well just be monster dinner now. Realizing that he had no way of escaping, the hunter closed his eyes and resigned himself to his inevitable death. Guess this is it then…What a shitty life I had. The beast's growls grew closer…
"…S…t!"
Loud cursing.
"…Si…ed!"
The sound of someone running.
"…Sie…ried!"
A roar of agony.
"…Siegfried!"
His eyes shot open at the sound of her voice. He turned his head to find the last person he expected to help, crouching above him.
"Hey, wake up!" she said, shaking him with her hands. Her hands.
"Eris? How did you…" The huntress wordlessly pulled him up onto his feet. Confused, he took a second to register his current situation. When his eyes landed on her hands, the hunter's eyes widened.
"Your fingers…You- "
Eris forcefully pulled him by the wrist as they moved towards the side of the cart. "Shut up." She glanced back at the shape of the beast, still roaring in pain. "We've got a brief window of time before it recovers so make it quick."
"You mean I have to- "
"Yes."
"Damn it…" Siegfried closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he held his fingers together. This is going to hurt…
CRACK!
…
In the darkness of night, a lone figure stopped to catch his breath. Just a few meters away in front of him, was the entrance to Bherna, closely guarded by some armored Bherna guards. They spotted the panting figure approaching them.
"State your business," said the Bherna guard in customary fashion.
The traumatized man shook the guard's shoulders. "M-M-Monster! Everyone is dead! Help is needed!"
…
"Oh, suck it up. It will heal."
"Yeah but it hurts like hell woman!"
"We've got a much bigger problem here than that idiot!"
Siegfried and Eris slowly backed towards the cart, intent on using the large vehicle as temporary cover. Not to mention, the limited but nonetheless useful light coming from the one torch on the cart serving as their only source of light in the pitch-black night. In front of them, the monster continued to thrash around, bellowing in pain from the sword latched onto its shoulder.
Siegfried picked up a short sword from a nearby corpse. He frantically waved the sword around in an attempt to deter the beast. "Stay back!"
Next to him, Eris attempted to heal the mortally wounded Edmond. She took one look at the stump that was once his left arm as well as the bone jutting out of it and immediately her face turned pale at the horrific sight. She took out a potion from Edmund's pouch and poured its contents down his throat. Immediately, his breathing stabilized and the cuts and bruises on his body began to fade as the ripped skin and muscle mended itself almost magically. But no potion would be able to return his severed arm.
Edmond briefly opened his eyes, only to see pure white. "An angel?" he muttered weakly. He attempted to reach out towards the "angel" with his hands but found himself unable to. Then the "angel" spoke.
"Far from it but thank you for that comparison."
He then felt a pair of arms lift him up onto his feet as he felt himself being hauled away. Is she…?
"I honestly don't know why I bothered saving you, but I expect you to be grateful once this is all over." The huntress then propped him up against the side of the cart. She took off the hair tie holding her signature ponytail together, allowing her long hair to flow freely down her back.
Thank god I have some spare ones at home… Eris thought as she wrapped the cloth hair tie around Edmond's severed arm. She tightened the wrap, causing the knight to wince in pain. Once it was done, Eris nodded in approval.
"Stay there."
"Hey, need a little help here!"
Eris rolled her eyes and stood up, joining Siegfried near the front of the cart. She picked up a rapier from another fallen corpse and positioned herself next to the hunter.
"What took you so long- "Siegfried immediately went silent. As much as he didn't want to, he couldn't help but stare at the huntress. By the gods her hair it's…She looks absolutely beautiful with her hair down…
"You're staring." Eris glared at him rather coldly.
Siegfried jerked his head away, cursing his foolishness.
Suddenly, a terrifying screech echoed through the area, followed by the clanking of metal. Having successfully pulled the blade off its body, the monster roared in fury.
And then the two hunters felt an odd tickle in their nose, causing them both to sneeze briefly.
Left with no other choice but to attack, the hunters rushed forward. "Damn it all!" Siegfried exclaimed loudly as he and Eris charged towards the monster. The huntress leaped into the air while the hunter moved to slash at what he thought would be the monster's belly.
"I got y- Ack!" the huntress was promptly grabbed mid-air by what appeared to be the monster's claw.
"Die you- Aaagh!" the hunter was met with the same fate as the monster grabbed them both mid-attack and lifted him and the huntress off the ground with its claws. The two hunters writhed and struggled in the monster's claws, but the beast tightened its hold around them, slowly crushing their bodies in its vice-like grip. However, noticing that the hands holding their swords are free, the hunters quickly took action, stabbing the tip of their swords into the beast's arm before it could crush their bones into pulp. It yelped in pain and released its hold on them, before immediately retaliating by standing up on its hind legs and raising its arms into the air. The hunters just barely managed to leap out of the way in time as the monster slammed its arms onto the ground below, a hit so powerful that it leveled the solid earth beneath it. It then backed off, hissing as blood dripped from the open wounds on its arms. Seeing the crater on the ground brought upon immense worry for the hunters.
Siegfried tightened his grip around the sword. "Did you see the power it has in those arms? We're sitting ducks without our armor! One hit and we're dead!"
"I noticed!" the huntress responded angrily, fear and desperation lacing her voice and expression. For the first time in many years, Eris was scared for her life. Having to fight an unknown powerful monster, let alone in the pitch-black darkness of night with no reliable source of light was not something she would expect to happen to her in any day.
One wrong move and it would be her last.
As if things couldn't get any worse, suddenly, an ominous dark aura surrounded the monster, followed by particularly noxious smell. The already dark night sky appeared to have somehow grown darker and the hunters thought they saw something purple light up in the darkness.
Siegfried covered his nose, "Where is it coming from?!"
"This odor…Don't tell me… "
A sneeze. Followed by more sneezing. The hunter beside her then coughed rather violently. "Damn it this- "Siegfried suddenly toppled onto the ground, coughing again and again vigorously. To her horror, his drool had turned an eerie dark color. Oh no…By the time she had figured out what kind of monster they were facing, it was too late.
The huntress dropped to her knees, coughing violently. Her body weakened, her muscles stiffened, and her strength left her, causing her to drop her weapon. She looked at her hand, only to find it covered in now dark-colored saliva. Her saliva. She let out a half-hearted smile. "This is…unfortunate." And with that, her eyes closed, and she dropped to the ground.
Next to her, Siegfried shakily attempted to grab his sword. His extremely weakened state proved to be too much for the hunter to handle as he slowly dragged himself across the ground. The hunter's more powerful and stronger physique was enough to just slightly slow down the terrible infection from incubating fully but even then, he would eventually succumb to its effects. He briefly glanced to his side, only to find Eris lying motionless on the ground. He cursed in frustration and dragged himself towards her. Nearby, the monster made no move to attack. Instead, it paced back and forth, growling menacingly at the two.
It's toying with us, waiting for us to collapse... It knows we're doomed…Smart bastard. Siegfried moved over the huntress's body and pulled her towards him, hugging her with his arms. In a futile attempt to protect her, the hunter shielded her body with his as a desperate final option.
"Heh, it's useless anyway…" He coughed again. "I can feel myself growing weaker by the second…It won't be long now before I too collapse." He chuckled as he felt his feet and limbs become numb. "It's funny. I hate you and you hate me, yet we still saved each other quite a few times already." The huntress didn't respond.
Siegfried felt his eyelids grow heavy as he struggled to stay upright. "Why am I…even…saving you…" He wanted to punch himself to keep himself awake but was too weak to even lift up his arms. Before he realized it, the hunter collapsed limply on top Eris Moments before he lost consciousness, Siegfried sensed a large and foreboding presence looming over him and Eris. He could feel it's hot breath against his neck and spine.
This was it. He was going to die for real this time.
And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bright yellow light…followed by more yellow lights. He heard shouting and loud roars of pain. He thought he saw a pair of boots running towards him. Heh, now I'm just seeing things…. With a weak smile, Siegfried closed his eyes and succumbed to the dark.
In more than a hundred years of his career, Dr. Althalos had already seen his fair share of complex cases and operations. As a physician specializing in treating hunters, the Wyverian man has garnered extensive knowledge on how to treat various injuries, illnesses, and conditions a hunter may receive out on the field.
Treating the infamous Frenzy Virus happens to be one of them.
Dr. Althalos was no stranger to treating the Frenzy Virus amongst his patients. Though the virus could be cured very easily simply by consuming or drinking Nullberries and their essence, the problem lies in its extremely contagious nature and the difficulties of treating it once it fully incubates within a person's body.
Oddly enough, however, the virus isn't strong enough to cause major fatalities except for those with extremely frail bodies. On a regular person both hunter and citizen alike, it won't kill them. It's symptoms, however, include severe weakening of the body, muscle paralysis, pneumonia, and drowsiness. On a hunter, these could mean life or death during a hunt as being crippled while fighting a monster could spell disaster. But when the virus fully incubates within a person's body, then it's an entirely different story.
When fully incubated, the victim's immune system completely shuts down. This renders the person extremely susceptible to other diseases and illnesses. In fact, most deaths attributed to the Frenzy Virus aren't even from the virus itself, but rather other bacteria and viruses that enter the body due to the weakening of the immune system. Due to this, Dr. Althalos has deemed the Frenzy Virus as their number one priority. So, imagine his surprise, coupled with a horrified expression once he had learned that those who brought these three hunters to him had not done anything to get rid of the potential infection incubating within them.
"All of you, eat a Nullbery now!" Unlike these three hunters who had directly received the virus, those who received indirect contact have approximately a few days before the virus begins to take effect.
Immediately, the hunters reached for their pockets and popped a berry into their mouth. The doctor sighed in relief. "Good. Now, apologies but I want everyone to leave."
The hunters complied and soon, only Althalos and his assistants remained. The Wyverian doctor dragged his hand across his face tiredly. "I came to this village from Dundorma expecting to finally get a day of relaxation and this happens…"
He adjusted his glasses and gestured towards his assistants to fetch his equipment. "Let's get started then."
…
"Look Hilda I think you should just calm- "Rowan said, attempting to calm down the huntress.
The woman in question was furious. "Do you think I could just calm down?! Those two were criminals!" She clenched her fist. "And I saved them…"
"Hey perhaps even criminals like them deserve- "
The glare she gave him would have easily sent any man packing.
"-punishment befitting of their crimes…" At this point, he felt like curling into a ball and hiding on the corner. Great I only made her even more furious…
"Hmmph!" The huntress promptly walked away without batting an eye, heading back towards the tavern that she had been so rudely awakened from. Behind her, the rest of her squad lagged behind sleepily, having used up all their energy fighting the Gore Magala.
Romero stretched his muscles, yawning loudly. "Brother, I think we should go back to sleep too- Uh, brother?"
The twin brother stood there, staring blankly at the ground. "I fucked up, I fucked up, I fucked up…"
"Romero?" the hunter asked with concern, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. He, however, reeled back in shock as the man suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders. "What the fu- "
"I fucked up! Now she's never going to talk to me again!"
Romero blinked twice. "…You've got to be joking me." He sighed and escorted his brother back to the tavern. "Let's go back to sleep. Wouldn't want to wake up looking like a dried out Khezu now would you?"
Rowan wordlessly walked alongside him, mumbling inaudibly as they prepared for the following day.
Dundorma, the next day….
She let out a gratified moan at his touch. His hands roamed around her soft and slim body, tracing its lovely contours as he propped himself up on one hand. He lowered his head towards the side of her head, trailing kisses down her cheek and neck. The woman underneath him only squirmed in arousal and pressed herself against him even further. Just as he was about to go for another round, they were interrupted by the sound of knocking. Like magic, the once lustful mood disappeared immediately, replaced almost instantly by annoyance.
The woman underneath him groaned frustration. "Who is it?"
A muffled voice spoke from behind the door. "My lady, I have news for you, but I didn't know that you were…busy."
"I thought the guards already told you I'm servicing a client!"
"Well, the guards allowed me to pass due to the contents of this message. I'm sure that you might be interested in it my lady."
"Well tell them that the next time they interrupt me with a client, they won't have the 'balls' to ever piss me off again."
The man could swear he heard three gulps coming from outside their room.
"That just ruined the mood…" the man said, pulling out and sitting down on the sheet.
The woman sighed. "Unfortunately." She wrapped herself around a robe and walked towards the door of her room. She opened the door slightly and stuck her hand out. "Give it to me," she said in a cold tone. A quiet yelp was heard from outside before the woman abruptly shut the door, letter in hand. She ripped open the paper and took out the paper, reading its contents diligently. She, however, couldn't believe her eyes.
"Oh, dear…This is most unfortunate." She turned towards the man in the room, who was currently putting on his gauntlets. "Hey, you might want to hear this."
The man walked over to her, "Yes what is it?" As his eyes glazed over every word in the letter, his disbelief rose with every passing word. All of a sudden, he stepped towards the door. "Carla, if I may?"
She nodded. "Go ahead. And give my regards to your sister once you meet her."
He stood in front of the door. "Will do."
Immediately after, he put on his helmet and stomped out of her room, his blonde hair flowing out of the back of his helmet as the door slammed shut.
…
That night, she had been plagued by the same exact nightmares she had experienced back during her teen years, appearing weeks after her mother's horrific demise. The constant nightmares persisted for 2 whole years before she forgot them altogether. Since then, it had been 5 years since the nightmares stopped, but recent events have prompted them to surface once more.
It was always the same.
She would open her eyes to find herself standing on that exact same spot on the Ancestral Steppe.
"Eris dear, what are you staring at?"
She would turn to find her mother and her squad, busy carving up the monster they had killed as they waited for the Felynes to bring their kill back to the Guild. Normally, her teen self would have immediately rushed towards her mother, embracing her tightly and telling her to never let go of her.
But it would always end up the same.
She would watch as the black demonic form of the beast appeared out of thin air, letting out a terrifying scream that shook her younger self to her core. Her mother and her squad would then charge at the beast, drawing their weapons in preparation for an attack. Her mother's words were always the same.
"RUN!"
This time, however, she merely stood still. Having grown accustomed to watching her mother die in front of her over and over and over again, none of this fazed her one bit. No longer was she terrified of it. In fact, it was the complete opposite.
"You."
A rage like never before filled her. Her expression darkened; her fists clenched so hard till her nails dug into her skin, causing blood to drip from her now bloodied hands. She was a dam, ready to burst at any moment. She reached behind her and unsheathed the Longsword strapped to her back.
"I'll slice you to pieces!" She broke into a sprint, catapulting herself towards the black monster like an arrow. She spotted the numerous rocky ledges filling the area and an idea struck her. The huntress barreled towards the ledge as the black beast continued to pound its arms onto the spot where her mother laid lifeless, unaware of the huntress rapidly approaching. The moment she got close, she ran up the ledge above the beast and leaped, bringing her sword down against the creature's back.
"Die!"
She woke up the moment the blade pierced the monster's flesh. "Ughh…" She sat upright, finding herself lying on a bed inside a dimly lit room. She looked down and noticed that she wore only her black shirt and pants. However-
"Damn it!'
Frustrated her dream abruptly ended there, she punched the wall beside her, creating an appropriately sized hole in the otherwise solid concrete. Her knuckles bled only for it to mend itself seconds later. "Damn it!" Eris cursed, clawing her hair.
A moment later, a nurse entered the room carrying a tray with a glass of water on it. She spotted the now awake huntress and smiled. "I knew you were awake the moment the wall shook on the room next to this one." She placed the glass of water on the table beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"I am fine," Eris replied brashly, chugging down the water in one gulp. She then kicked off the covers and got off the bed. Her nurse alarmed by Eris's sudden burst of energy backed off in surprise. She guessed what's in the huntress's mind and pointed outside.
"Your armor is by the storage area…"
"Thank you."
She moved towards the drapes covering the entrance to the room but stopped short in front of it. Without looking back, she spoke, "Is he alright?"
The nurse smiled. "Yes, he is. If you're looking for him, he's at the reception area."
Eris wordlessly looked away and pushed the drapes away, exiting the room. The nurse could have sworn she saw a faint smile on the huntress's lips as she began tidying the bed.
…
Siegfried didn't know what to expect when he saw her walking towards him. She looked furious, but Siegfried remembered it as her poker face. She rarely smiled genuinely so he scratched that one out. It was difficult for him to figure out the enigma that is Eris. So, he opted to give her a simple, non-hostile greeting.
"Hey."
"Hello to you," Eris replied, stopping in front of him. Hands-on her hips, the huntress gave him a scrutinizing look. "I see you've recovered." Her eyes may or may not have wandered towards the muscles on his arms and his toned build.
"Of course! Who the hell do you think I am?" Suddenly, his face turned to a smirk. "Oh? Are you perhaps worried about my wellbeing?"
She stomped on his foot, eliciting a pained yelp from the hunter. "It's always idiots like you who are hardest to kill."
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or insult but thanks anyway…" Siegfried muttered grumpily, rubbing his swollen foot. Eris could only chuckle at his predicament. Their little moment, however, was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"You two seem to look a lot better."
The two turned to find a tall Wyverian man in a gray coat standing there with his arms in his pockets. He extended his hand to both of them. "Greetings. I'm Dr. Althalos. I was the one who treated you both."
Siegfried and Eris awkwardly returned the handshake. "Uh yeah, thanks."
"Your welcome. Now then shall we discuss the payment?"
Their shoulders slumped. "…Shit," they muttered out in unison.
After they paid a hefty sum of money to the register, the two hunters prepared to leave. "Wait just a minute!" called out the doctor. Groaning, the two turned to face him once more. The doctor cleared his throat. "Before you go, there is something I need to know."
"What?" Siegfried asked impatiently.
"The monster you fought – the Gore Magala…Was it- "
Suddenly, more than a dozen armored soldiers stormed into the clinic, terrifying the patients, doctors and nurses alike.
The leader of the squad pointed an accusatory finger at Siegfried and Eris. "The two of you are coming with us!"
Immediately, the two entered a combat-ready stance. Eris clicked her tongue, "Tch. These guys don't give up do they?"
"Hah! You really think you can take on both of us?!" taunted Siegfried.
"We'll see about that! Men, capture them!"
"Bring it!" Siegfried exclaimed. Patients, doctors and nurses alike scrambled for cover as the two sides prepared to clash. But just seconds before the fight could begin-
"ALL OF YOU CEASE!"
A loud booming voice interrupts the ensuing conflict. All heads turned towards the source of the voice. Their jaws dropped.
There, with his (only) arm propped against the doorway of his room, was Edmund. His long black hair was a disheveled mess, his shirtless body wrapped in bandages and of course, the stump that was once his arm, wrapped neatly in white bandages. Even with his messy look, nobody could ever mistake the appearance of one of the Guild's most reputable knights.
"Sir Edmond…" The armored soldiers gulped at the sight of their superior. He made his way towards them, stumbling along the way before a few nurses rushed forward to support him.
"Do you lot have any idea what would happen if a fight broke out here?!" Edmond berated angrily. "This is a goddamn clinic! Not a fight club! Have some decency, will you? And furthermore- "
To everyone's surprise, the injured knight walked over to the two confused hunters. He pointed his finger at them. "These two saved my life. If they hadn't stayed and stalled the monster long enough for backup to arrive, I wouldn't be standing here, chastising you idiots over potential misconduct!" Edmond stopped to catch his breath, supporting himself against the reception desk. "Let them have their fun before their inevitable arrest. Also aren't you idiots forgetting something?"
"W-What?" asked one of the guards nervously."
"You don't have the permission to officially arrest them without a warrant. Only I do, and as you can see, I'm recovering and in need of some desperate rest." With one final stroke, Edmond spoke loudly and gestured towards the door. "So, if you're looking for a fight, do it elsewhere!"
The guards nodded frantically and immediately marched out of the clinic. Seeing the danger averted, the people in the clinic breathed a sigh of relief and promptly went back to their previous business. Peace soon returned to the clinic.
Extending his hand towards the knight, Dr. Althalos smiled. "I can't thank you enough Sir Edmond for diffusing the situation so flawlessly. Is there anything I can do to repay you for this?"
The knight waved his hand. "There is no need. The care given to my recovery here is already payment enough."
The doctor chuckled. "You're too kind Sir Edmond."
Edmond shrugged. "Heh." As he turned to walk back to his room, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning towards its owner, Edmond frowned.
"Yes?"
"Why did…Why did you defend us?" Siegfried asked the knight.
Edmond removed the hunter's hand off his shoulder. "Tch. Don't let it get to your head. Consider this…payment for saving me back there." Before he returned to his room, he pointed a finger at the two hunters. "This doesn't mean you're both off the hook. Mark my words, once I recover, you'll both be heading straight to jail." He glanced at the huntress. "Especially you Eris Havencroft."
Eris chuckled, smiling. "I look forward to seeing you try."
The knight returned the smile and limped back to his room. It would be some time before he would be able to fully recover, thanks to every hunter's superhuman like regenerative abilities. But there is nothing the doctors could do to return the arm he had lost.
…
The two hunters finished their business in the clinic and are now standing just outside the entrance to the building. Fully armored and with their weapons strapped to their backs, the two knew what came next.
"So…" Siegfried said, turning towards the huntress next to him. "I guess this where we part ways? Permanently this time."
Eris nodded. "Correct."
"No guards nor monsters to interrupt us."
"True."
Siegfried looked away. "…And certainly, without any regrets."
"Maybe…." Eris replied, rubbing her arm.
Siegfried sighed, "A choice made on our own accord. A…mutual agreement, set by two people who hold contempt for one another."
"…Certainly." Eris replied, eyes downcast. "We've agreed upon this have we not? So, we don't have a moment to lose."
Siegfried smiled wistfully, looking upwards at the sky. "The time has finally come- "
"-to officially end this charade."
And with that, the two walked off towards opposite directions, eyes filled with resolve but their chests heavy and filled with resignation. Yet neither bothered to look back as the distance between them grew every second. There were no tears, only the painful regret within their hearts and the belief that maybe, just maybe…Their time together hadn't been so bad after all.
Apologies for the short chapter but this is the best I could offer for now before would be too busy to write. Exams are coming up and I've been very busy this past month, hence the long wait. So, after this, expect the next chapter to come out in a few weeks or next month give or take.
Anyway, this chapter nearly marks the end of this story's "Prologue" sequence. The next chapter will most likely end the first major "arc" of the story and hopefully, begin diving into the actual plot and conflict I had promised many chapters ago.
So, for you readers who stuck around, thank you and I hope to see you again in the next chapter!