Let's go!


Arc 2 – Chapter 18:


Ruby felt very small all of a sudden as she stared into the terrifying visage before her. The numerous figures all dressed eerily similar, and the way they all seemed to be staring at her put the hairs on her skin up on edge.

The sky was already turning overcast as the morning sun rose and the air was slightly chilly. It made everything feel more oppressive.

"What's your name, young one?" the figure asked slowly.

"I…," she hesitated, looking around nervously for any sort of distraction, or better yet, means to leave.

She was currently in the middle of a rather spacious paved road, with small buildings or houses all around her. Though, they were likely abandoned considering some had crumbling walls and long tattered canvases swaying gently. Garbage and long decayed food scraps could be seen piled off to the edges of the road and up against the buildings, indicating a clear lack of maintenance.

"Come now. Don't be shy," came the disembodied voice.

Ruby clamped down on the instinctive response she had to answer the strangers voice. She didn't know this creepy guy-thing, and she didn't owe him her name.

Gaining some courage, she jutted out her chin and fired back. "What's it matter to you."

That was how adults dealt with people they didn't like. Right?

That would be the end of it.

"Well, you see, I'm out looking for people with silver eyes, and I was hoping to get to know you?"

"Well… I don't want to know you. I want to go home," she stated firmly, or as firmly as a five-year old could muster.

The antlered figure merely shook their head slowly and spoke with a condescending chuckle.

"Oh, my dear child. We are your new home. So, you will want to know me. Otherwise life will become very… troublesome."

Those empty sockets where eyes should have been seemed to stare deep into Ruby's soul, and eventually she found the pressure so overwhelming she turned her head away to avoid looking at the sight.

"Very well. I suppose I shall start. But before I do, I would ask you hold back on summoning for just a little bit. Well, at least until we arrive at our destination."

The figure stood up tall from their crouch, and Ruby could only feel more intimidated now that the figure was stood tall. They were about the same height, and even build, as Roman.

"My name is Shion. And I am most pleased to make your acquaintances, little Silver-Eyed girl."

The way Shion directed that title to her was almost expectant, and for a moment she lowered her eyes along with her guard to correct Shion with a mumble.

"It's Ruby."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's Ruby. My name's Ruby," she added, a little louder., only to realise her mistake.

"Well, Ruby. I would say I'd be most pleased to know you, but we are on a bit of a tight schedule here. Now, I know you may seem frightened, but I don't have any intention of hurting you right now. I just need a little something from you."

Shion extended a hand down for her to stand up. She glanced around uncertainly, eyes falling on the bloodied corpses of two men in coats.

Shion followed her gaze, letting out a small chuckle.

"They were bad people, Ruby. My people took care of them."

"Why should I trust you?"

Shion leaned back.

"Well, you shouldn't. But I don't need your trust. I just need a small favour from you, and then you will be free to go on your merry way."

"What… what sort of favour?"

"Well, before we get to that, I need to test something. Can you summon one of your Grimm for me?"

Ruby's heart plummeted.

"How do you know that?"

It took her a second for her to realise she just admitted what he said was true, and her hands clamped to her mouth, eyes widened in shock.

"I mean, what are you talking about?"

"Now now," chided Shion.

"Don't lie. That is a very ugly trait to have. No, I see you have silver eyes. That means you are a Grimm-Whisperer. And like all of your kind, you can summon Grimm. I want you to summon one for me right now, as a test."

"But-but if I do, you'll hurt me?!"

Shion let loose a chuckle, only it seemed less mirthful and more frustrated.

"Ruby. I have no intention of hurting you whether you can summon or not. But you wasting my time might make me change my mind. Now please. Summon a Grimm for me."

Ruby flinched, suddenly afraid as the figures around her seemed to close in with anticipation.

Closing her eyes, she shut back the frightened tears threatening to grow. She had to be strong. Besides, if she summoned a Grimm, a really powerful one, she could use it to escape. Yes! That's what she would do. She would run as soon as it was summoned.

Feeling the fear and desperation well within her, she focused on that all too familiar feeling of reaching within her. Something awakened and began to move within her, and in her very shadow the ground became distorted and rippled.

It started with a bone-plated claw, followed by an arm. But then the head began to emerge, revealing the snarling face of a Beowulf. But not just any. It was the biggest, meanest one she could conjure.

It pulled itself out of her shadow with minimal effort, gaze focused solely on Shion.

Instead of backing away in fear, however, he stepped forward, almost as if entranced.

"Ah, yes. What a magnificent sight to behold. Isn't it?"

He turned his gaze carelessly to his followers behind him.

That was the moment Ruby willed the beast to attack, and lunge forward it did.

Shion suddenly lunged forward, just as fast.

With a hand outstretched, he clamped down on the snarling beasts maw with a vice-like grip.

Only, instead of a violent thrashing to happen next, Ruby could only watch in dumbfounded surprise as the Grimm suddenly stilled.

"Wha…?"

The silver etchings, vessels and eyes seemed to glow ever so briefly before Shion let go of the Grimm slowly.

It did not lunge at him. It didn't even move at all, just standing there stock-still.

Shion took a few slow steps back, examining the monstrous beast that towered over him, before snapping his fingers in a gesture pointing to his left.

Almost immediately, the giant Grimm began to walk over in the direction Shion gestured.

Once it reached its destination, it came to a stop.

"Good. Now sit," he commanded.

The Grimm did just that, hind legs splayed out like a puppy. A very vicious puppy…

"Hmm. Good."

With a subtle glance and nod to another bone-masked figure clad in black, Shion turned his attention back to Ruby.

The sound of metal whistling in the air was the only warning Ruby heard as a large scimitar-like sword cleaved through the Grimm's neck without resistance suddenly and violently.

The head collapsed to the ground with a thud and rolled, the body sitting perfectly still for several seconds before tumbling over.

The strangers blade suddenly found itself resting against Ruby's neck as Shion stared down at her.

"In the interest of saving time, I will let that attempt slide only this once. However, try something like that again and I will not be as forgiving. Now, get up."

She had no choice as she felt someone grip her right arm and yank her upright, forcing her to start walking as everyone began to mobilise.

"Where are we going?" she asked meekly.

Shion stared off into the distance, and Ruby followed his gaze.

The spires of Vales Royal Administrative complex could be seen just poking over the top of the city's buildings in the far distance.

"To meet with some old friends…."


Rudy Powderman sat in his office, hands folded and head bowed as he contemplated everything. His position had just been stripped by that conniving shit, Ozpin, and Alexander and Rosaline had practically distanced themselves from him. They were more than all too happy to let him take the fall for what was their joint planning. Cowards. Though perhaps he was no better.

And now? Here he was, sat all alone in his office. The stained white walls seemed to radiate the emptiness he felt.

The rays of the early sun slipped into the room through the open window, and a faint breeze could be felt as the white curtain gently swayed in response.

If it weren't for the stress he was currently feeling, such a tranquil moment would have been an otherwise pleasant reprieve. The only way things could possibly be worse would be if someone to interrupt his moody sulking and loathing right.

The door to his office opened, and the sounds of someone calmly walking in could be heard, and in that instant he wanted to curse fate.

"I specifically said 'no interruptions' until after afternoon lunch," he growled out, lifting his head irritably so he could deliver a reprimanding glare at whoever it was.

Only for his eyes to widen and his lips falter as he saw who had entered.

"Pardon my interruption of the councilman's delicate and busy schedule," retorted a sardonic voice, muffled by the bone mask.

"But I came all this way to speak to you about our plans for this morning. Or have you already forgotten?"

"Shion?!" exclaimed Rudy, jumping to his feet.

"How did you get in here?!"

Shion cocked his head, the antlered skull staring back at him with a soulless expression.

"Through the front door of course? But let's not get distracted, Councilman."

Rudy groused, reluctantly sitting back down slowly and carefully.

"It's former Councilman, now."

"… I see."

"This changes everything now," he hissed.

Shion slowly paced towards the blocky wooden desk, hand outstretched as he caressed the varnished top.

He remained silent as the ex-councilman ranted.

"He HAS to go!" Rudy shot him a frenetic glare which he remained unphased by.

"That bastard Ozpin is responsible for it all going to hell. As long as he has the support of the King, we'll never be able to change the system!"

Shion's hand came to a stop. His tone came off demonic and distorted through the mask he wore, and Rudy jolted.

"I hope that is not cowardice I am hearing? It matters not the obstacles we face, for rest assured many will crop up. What matters is the King will not be around forever, nor will Ozpin. That is why you and your allies have been preparing the necessary contingencies for today."

Rudy suddenly looked uncomfortable, and he tucked a hand nervously under the collar of his short.

"Ah… well you see. That's the thing. There has been a change in plans now with my status as councillor revoked."

"I fail to see the bearing. It is a title. Nothing more."

Rudy grimaced, averting his eyes from Shion's mask.

"Unfortunately, my supporters refuse to see it as such."

Shion was unmoving, and Rudy caved into the sudden pressure he was feeling.

"M-my allies… er, now former allies… and I have a slight disagreement… and falling out…" he trailed off meekly as Shion just stared at him, unmoving.

"They foolishly believe that my reputation is tarnished, a-and with the loss of several settlements as justification, that my skills and experience are not enough. Which is preposterous! I helped secure the connections necessary to organise our plans and bring them to fruition!" He exclaimed, regaining some nerve as he continued speaking.

Shion was silent for a moment before speaking with a deadpan voice.

"Your uses are minimal. It does not surprise me that you lost favour. But I really do not care. As long as your allies have made the necessary preparations for today."

At that, Rudy began to look really uncomfortable.

"Ah. You see, that is the change in plans."

Shion's head shifted ever so slightly.

"I don't recall ever agreeing to a change in plans? Enlighten me."

It wasn't a question. It was a demand.

"T-they won't carry out the plan now. They feel it is too risky. Ozpin is too aware right now, and with him whispering into the Kings ear, it is too easy for those risks to come back to us. Especially since my position was revoked." His nervousness was evident, and Shion loomed over Rudy.

"Forgive me for sounding solicitous, but it sounds an awful lot like you and your 'former allies' are reneging on our deal? Would you mind assuaging my concerns?"

Rudy gulped.

"W-well, like I said, the situation is untenable right now, a-and in the interest of preserving our identities and assets, we – they!" he squeaked as Shion exhaled slowly and audibly. "They decided to postpone, a-and perhaps alter the plan when the time is right."

There was silence. Only the very faint flutter of the curtains moving in the breeze could be heard. Until Shion snapped his hand out, fast as lightning, and slammed it into Rudy's collar throwing him back into his own seat. Only to yank him forward and over the desk to his face just as quickly.

"I have been very patient as it already is, Rudy Powderman," he enunciated the terrified man's name slowly.

"When you and your peoples assured me that today's date was the time, I prepared and waited. Now, I have shown up with an army of naïve enough followers to take the fall for this attack, and traversed across an entire fucking city with these fools. My loyalists are ready to act NOW, and so am I. I am not waiting another minute for you and your snivelling friends to scurry away and treat all of these preparations as if they are some pantomime."

He tightened his grip on Rudy, and the man whimpered with wide eyes.

"I was promised that there would be no obstruction for my people to enter the administrative district. I was promised that the market district would have reduced patrols so we could inflict maximum casualties without interference. And I was promised that any changes would be made apparent to me on a prompt and timely basis," he growled out.

"I-I am letting you know, right now? Yes? There will be a chance later, once we make an amended plan – ".

"There is no later, councillor. Or former councillor."

Shion shoved the man back into his seat roughly.

"T-they won't stand for it! Please! Be reasonable!"

"Reasonable? I am being more than perfectly reasonable. Every single day Ozpin is allowed to create and train those abominations is a day where we lose more and more of ourselves. And I will not stand for it."

He leaned over the desk, his mask just shy of touching Rudy's sweating face.

"I will be going through with this task. And if you are not with me? Then you will be collateral."

"But you'll have no support?! You have no idea what will await you beyond those gates. The Huntsmen will overwhelm you unless we have them spread out far enough!"

"Huntsmen can be killed. They are powerful, but they are nowhere near as omnipotent as you think."

"B-but their infinite Aura? The Arcane?!"

Shion retracted back from the desk, allowing Rudy some breathing space.

"Aura can be worn down and bypassed. As for the Arcane? Well. It is not as exclusive an ability as the Academies would have you believe. And even Huntsmen are internally policed on the training and use of the Arcane. I hold no such limitations."

"You seriously intend to go through with this?! They won't support you now if you do this!"

"I don't need their support," snapped Shion.

"No," he slowly turned around, his back to Rudy.

"Your good friends amongst those spineless nobles will have no choice but to react and do their part if they want to mitigate the fallout. The plan will proceed ahead, whether you want it to or not. And you are in no position to stop me."

"But how would you even pull it off? Army or not, you would be overwhelmed! Your people would all die needlessly, and we would be forced to react against you!"

"Then it will sell your allies loyalty to the Crown, hmm? Is that not what this was all about? Making yourselves look far better and more competent than Ozpin?"

"It won't be enough! We needed his Huntsmen spread far apart in the city, unable to react in time! They'll be concentrated in the blasted garrison with the rest of the Hunters! They'll be on you in a minute, and the threat won't be credible enough to see his reputation tarnished and him removed! He'll be lauded as a hero!"

"He already is. A fallacious title, yet one that seems to terrify you and your friends from acting out."

Rudy jumped up from, his seat, slamming his hands on the table, trying to muster some nerve.

"And what are we supposed to do! His political manoeuvring threatens us all!"

"You're the schemer. Isn't that what this plan was for?"

"Yes, but with him now holding two seats on the council, he and his allies hold more power to obstruct us!"

Shion sighed.

"Politicking and scheming. Is that all you and your allies worry about?"

Rudy opened his mouth to rebut, but Shion powered on, cutting him off.

"I was being rhetorical. Don't answer that."

His hand dipped into his black robes.

"If it's all about political scheming to get him removed from office and weaken his grip, then I have a perfect solution to that end."

"Well, I'm all ears then," bit out Rudy.

"Simple. Put him under scrutiny for more than just negligence. Overwhelm him."

Shion spun around in arc, swinging with him a wickedly sharp khopesh sword.

Rudy didn't even react as the tip scythed through his throat, only just nicking his vertebrae.

Blood slowly began to form and dribble down the deep cut, while more bubbled up his mouth and over his lips.

He opened his mouth slowly, a look of confusion forming on his face as if to ask why.

It only lasted a second before he began to lean back and teeter on one foot, all before crashing down into his chair and splaying back with his head falling into the headrest. The wound opened in grisly fashion, and blood began to escape furiously.

"At least in death you will be of some use," reassured Shion, before he promptly turned around and walked out of the office and down the stairs.

Upon reaching the foyer he was greeted by several of his subordinates and several terrified staffing personnel.

One of his followers was holding Ruby securely by the shoulder, while the rest kept a close eye on the finely dressed men and women that served Rudy.

Shion didn't even waste a glance on them, marching straight for the door.

"Burn this place down, but don't put too much effort in to cover our tracks. I want the Crown to find this. Just make sure there are no witnesses."

It was only at those words he glanced towards the terrified staffers huddled together.

"After that, we waste no more time."

His followers were all too eager to oblige, and the panicked and pained screams of men and women being mercilessly butchered throughout the building as Shion left, accompanied by Ruby and his most loyal followers.

"Why did you have to hurt them," glowered Ruby as she was forced to follow Shion outside.

Ruby felt sick. Both at what she had just witnessed, and at herself. Why didn't she do something to help them?

The truth was simple, and already at such a young age she knew the answer.

Because she was afraid to act. Because she was powerless to act.

Just like always. The self-loathing voice repeated in her head.

Before, when she lived with mom and dad she never would have thought herself so weak and pathetic. Now? After constantly watching herself become beset by inaction, she was starting to realise the truth.

And the truth was she was pathetic. She wasn't a good girl like her mom used to praise.

That wasn't going to be enough to silence her, however. The amount of violence and death she had seen in the past few weeks alone had already started to desensitize her.

It had also started to wake her up. This world was not nice.

She could feel her own anger start to simmer underneath as Shion let out a low chuckle, strolling down the streets with his armed enforcers surrounding him. All while the odd civilian went wide-eyed and scurried away or locked their doors.

Shion's mocking laughter could be heard through his mask. The way it distorted made it sound much more sinister.

"What. Did you know them?"

"It doesn't make it right! They didn't do anything to you!"

Shion hummed mischievously.

"Hmm. Okay. I don't really care, though. They had to die, and that is all there is to it."

"Don't you even feel something?!" She was horrified. How could he be so cruel?!

"What is there to feel? It's not like I'm the one that murdered them. That drove the axe down and split their skulls wide open. I'm not," he shrugged, not even bothering to turn around and face her.

He just kept walking forward with his back turned to her.

"So there is nothing to feel. And even if I did the deed, I still would not feel anything about it."

"That's just…" she struggled to come up with a word to describe how soulless he was.

"…Evil." She settled.

"Evil, you say? Child, I may certainly appear as a monster to some, but my actions are far from evil. They are necessary, as you will one day realise. If you live to get there that is."

Ruby scowled darkly.

"You're messed up in the head if you believe that."

Shion came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the deserted street, and like clockwork, all of his followers abruptly ceased moving, their swaying robes the only sign of movement.

"Here's a question of my own. Why do you care so much?" he tilted his head slightly in her direction, and she could just make out the bone snout of his mask.

"Why do you see so much value in their lives?"

Ruby was quick to rise to the bait, not even hesitating to jump in.

"Because they're people! They didn't deserve to die!"

"So why didn't you do anything about it then? Why didn't you step in to rescue them? Why didn't you at least try to stop them from killing those people?"

Shion didn't once raise his voice. He spoke as if it were a statement of facts he was delivering, rather than a question.

Ruby's mouth opened, but she found she had no words. Not viable excuse to give, no matter how pathetic.

The truth was because she was afraid.

As if reading her mind, he drawled out.

"It's because you fear me. You are afraid of confrontation. Which, I suppose for a child, is natural. After all, children are weak. And that's all you are. Weak. That's the real reason you didn't stop me."

Ruby clenched her fists and ground her teeth as he spoke, a habit she picked up from Hei and Roman when they were around.

"Is that what you are going to do then. Kill some children? Huh?" she jutted her chin up at him defiantly.

Shion let out a single grunt, like it was some half-hearted attempt to laugh.

Slowly, he turned his body around to face her, and the look of his skull-mask gazed down upon her, almost as if it were smiling mockingly.

"Of course! Children tend to pull the most on the people's heart-strings. The more dead; the more that are mutilated? The stronger the outcry. Which is perfect."

He abruptly spun around and began to march forward, his cloak billowing out on his trail like he was some majestic, yet dark, prince in a fairy tale that her mom used to read to her.

"Now come along. Let us not dawdle any further. We have a destination, and I will have some work for you to do when we get there."

She glared balefully at him.

"I'll never help you, you monster."

The only response she received was a bark of derisive laughter.

"Ha! We shall see, little monster."

She felt the hand gripping her shoulder tense and shove her forward, prompting her to start walking after Shion.

She hated him, she realised. Not the hate that she felt towards Tyrian or Hazel. No, that was separate and on another level.

This hate was different. It was cold, and it was poisonous.

This man, NO! This monster planned on hurting and killing people. People and kids that would feel the exact same way she felt when her mom died. When Duck died. When Emerald died. When everyone she had started to care about was savagely ripped from her.

The worry and fear she had for Hei and the others gnawed at her, diluting her rage. But it didn't quell it.

It was then and there she realised something with sickening reality.

She was powerless on her own to stop Shion. The only way to do so would be to summon that feeling within her and release as many of her familiars as she could muster. And that would mean only one thing.

Shion would have to die.

She would have to kill him.

That thought alone terrified her, and it made the walk to the Administrative Complex of Vale all the more heavy and daunting.

It was as if time itself slowed right down.

She was going to have to kill Shion.

Almost immediately her first thought was to use her summons right then and there. But the memory of Shion yanking control of her summon earlier rushed to her mind.

He was capable of doing something to take control of her own summons.

So then what was she supposed to do?

It was her only real chance, even she knew that.

She wasn't as big and strong as Hei, nor as quick and deadly as Neo.

But if she didn't do something, and real soon, a lot of people were going to die. Possibly her new friends and family.

And it was that thought that cemented her resolve.

She had promised herself she would not lose anymore of her newfound family again, but like always, she had been too weak to do anything about it.

But this time, it was going to be different.

What would Hei do? She pondered.

He would say think, and so would Roman, or any of the others now that she thought about it.

And so think, she did.

For the walk that felt like an eternity, she tried her hardest to think, pulling on the lessons imparted on her by Hei, Roman, Neo, Tony, and even the twins. No matter how brief or seemingly random they were, she tried her hardest to recall what they said and come up with a plan that would not only save just her and her family, but get rid of this evil being merrily humming away as they planned to commit mass murder.

The daggers she glared into Shions back were big enough to murder him on the spot if they had any tangible power.


Roman had two words for what he was enduring right now. Fuck. Sewers.

There were cramped, they were dark, and they smelled worse than being in close proximity to the twins when they were all out in the woods for a week without a bath.

It wasn't even a stench of human excrement. It was a smell of musky and old water, combined with rotting food and waste having been dumped down, followed by the smell of mould growing on slimed up stone walls. Then there was the smell of human excrement.

It all made for one pungent soup of pure rotting stink that made him want to simultaneously vomit and pass out. The urge to vomit was more powerful, however, and he solemnly believed that was the sole reason he didn't pass out at all. Well, that and because he feared landing in the slop he was precariously trying, and failing, to avoid walking through if he did.

The twins were faring no better.

"Ugh. Seriously Hei. What the fuck were you thinking," groused Melanie as she pinched her nostrils shut as tight as humanly possible, her voice taking on a nasally pitch.

"I'm thinking that this is our best lead so far," grit out Hei impatiently. How he was stomaching the smell, no-one knew.

"So shut up and keep up!" With that, he continued to run down the paved embankment. The lit torch he carried illuminated the tunnel, and the group had no choice but to follow unless they wanted to be left behind in the darkness.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuuck. Why do I even try," groaned Melanie, only to regret opening her mouth as the smell intensified.

Miltia had a planned retort, but unlike her sister was wise enough to not open her mouth and allow the influx of noxious odour in.

So instead she ran. They all ran.

They ran down the length of the channel, ignoring any further branches that travelled off. It would have been quite easy to get lost, so it was a small mercy that the route they were taking was a literal straight line. Ish.

The sewers did wind around and slope slightly down as they travelled further west and away from the heart of the city.

After running for what felt like an eternity, Hei slowed down to a gentle trot before coming to a complete stop right.

The twins and Neo came to a stop beside him, panting gently, but otherwise not showing any signs of great fatigue. Whether it was because they were genuinely not physically phased, or because they were smart enough to refuse to inhale deep breaths of toxic air, the same could not be said for DJ.

The poor boy was gassed and unfortunately forced to take in deep gulps of air which his body promptly rejected upon the sampling the smell. This resulted in an ugly dry-heave as his body tried to greedily consume air while simultaneously threatening to expunge his stomach's contents.

Tony and Roman, while similarly gagging, were at least faring a bit better in controlling themselves.

"This should be it," stated Hei with a curdled expression.

Everyone looked at the rusted rungs dug into the stone wall that ascended up to where an ajar manhole cover was. A trickle of light could be seen travelling down.

"How can you tell," drawled Melanie.

"The blood," he explained seriously, moving his torch closer to the small puddle of blood at the base of the rungs.

"Really? I thought the obviously open manhole cover was the first clue," she sniped, only to regret that and gag on the smell. At least the open entry point to the sewers meant some fresh air was able to circulate in.

Placing a hand on the rung, and brandishing the flintlock in the other, Hei shot them all a warning glance.

"Be on guard." With that, he began to ascend the ladder.

"Fuck my life," groused Melanie, only to scowl as Roman brushed past her.

"Hey, at least we get to enjoy some fresh air now, princess," he joked.

She looked as if she had just tasted a lemon at that. She forcefully bit her tongue, refusing to entertain inhaling any more of the stench.

Reaching the top, Hei peeked through the gap the steel cover created.

All he saw was a deserted street with empty buildings and shacks around. Crumbling walls and tattered canvas tarps, complimented by the build-up of scattered rubbish and debris.

"It looks clear," he called down to the group below before he directed his focus onto moving the steel cover.

The sound of steel grinding over stone reverberated in the street, and he couldn't help the grimace that formed on his face as he hoped that he wasn't walking into some sort of ambush.

His concerns were unfounded, as upon standing up and looking around he confirmed the street was truly empty.

His disappointment was evident as he scowled, and Roman was quick to pick up on it as he was the next person to come out of the sewer.

"Shit, you look even more pissed off now that we're out of the sewers," he quipped, before angling his head down the hole.

"Hey, DJ! You still alive down there? Wanna come die up here instead? The air's cleaner at least."

The sound of retching greeted him, and he was promptly shoved aside as Melanie and Miltia forcefully came out of the tunnel.

"Out of the way fratboy," ordered Melanie as she took her first gulps of fresh air.

He stumbled backwards, and almost right after Neo flew up out of the hole, desperate for fresh air.

"Damn it! She's not here," cursed Hei furiously as he looked around wildly.

"So it would seem, boss," coughed Tony as Miltia helped him up out of the man-hole.

He wanted to pull his hair out. Ruby wasn't here.

"Uh, she might have been?" pointed out Miltia, and everyone collectively turned to see the pair of disembowled people clearly belonging to Carter. The blood and damage was extensive to say the least, and the bodies had been dumped in an uncaring pile near the edge of the street up against some decrepit and falling apart wooden building.

Roman cautiously approached the bodies, poking the nearest one with his foot. It felt squishy and fresh. Looked it too. He stated as such to Hei and everyone else.

"No shit, dumbass," snarked Melanie while Miltia shook her head in exasperation at her sister's attitude.

"No, that's important," declared Hei.

"It means we're close."

Tony looked at him with wide-eyed incredulity, his palms supinating as if ready to clench thin air.

"These bodies are at least a couple hours old, boss. How is that close?!"

"It means they can't be too far away."

Melanie sighed, and Tony suddenly felt more exhausted in that one second than he was during the fight with Carter's goons and the sewer trek. No, the sewer marathon. His legs felt so pumped and fatigued right now.

He wanted to tell Hei otherwise, but it was during the silence of trying to think up an argument that he saw it. Miltia seemed to catch his expression and followed his gaze towards the distant spires of the Royal Palace.

"Is that… smoke?" Miltia nervously queried. She didn't want jump to conclusions, but considering how wired she was, the sinking feeling in her stomach only seemed to get worse.

Hei perked his head up attentively and looked out into the distance and direction of the smoke.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a low rumble suddenly shot out, and in the distance near the heart of the city where the government was housed, a ball of fire erupted in the sky, followed by another massive plume of smoke.

It was tiny in his eyes. That's how far away it was.

"…Shit." He realised.

"Not again," wailed DJ, finally beginning to overcome his nausea.

Without thinking, Hei took a step forward in the direction of the smoke. A step which coincidentally was led by the path the street was taking.

"Where are you going?!" cried out Tony in alarm.

His gaze snapped to the younger boy.

"Carter said these Westenders were planning on starting something. This might be our best lead yet."

"Hei, it's on the other side of the city!"

"I know." His lips tightened.

"And I'm not asking you to follow me into whatever that is."

They all knew what it was. Death.

"Ruby might have been taken there."

"Or she could still be here," reasoned Roman, glancing down at Neo for support. She just frowned, staring at the corpses with a strange expression.

"I realise that," acknowledged Hei.

"Which is why we need to split up."

Melanie threw her hands into the air.

"Oh not this horseshit!"

Hei continued on, ignoring her.

"I'm going to head down there to see if she was taken there. You spread out and search this area and see if she was taken elsewhere."

"This is madness, Hei," warned Tony.

"It's like trying to find a needle in a hay stack."

"DAMMIT THERE'S NO OTHER CHOICE," Hei exploded.

He took several deep breaths.

Roman took a deep breath, already regretting what he was going to say.

"Can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'll come with you. If we split into even groups we can cover more ground and help each other out if things turn out for the worse."

Hei shot him a grateful look.

Neo latched an arm onto Roman's, giving a resolute nod Hei's way.

Melanie shook her head slowly.

"Why do I even bother arguing with you," she muttered.

"Because you're still a kid," answered Hei, cracking a small grin in a rare display of warmth.

She glared at him before tossing the hair out of her face with a scoff.

"Fucking whatever. Argh. Fuck it. Fine."

Miltia stepped up to stand beside her sister.

"We'll search the area nearby for clues," she offered Hei who nodded.

"Do we get a say?" asked DJ weakly.

Tony's lips tightened as he glanced at Hei with a disapproving glare.

"Gods dammit Hei. This isn't smart."

"But you'll do it anyway," stated Hei matter-of-factly.

"But I'll do it," he conceded.

"Then you have my gratitude. If you find her, take her back to the tavern, but keep a low profile. We'll meet back in a night or two."

Roman's eyes almost bugged out to comically large proportions as he cried out.

"A night or two?! The hell are we doing, Hei?! Touring the fucking Kingdom?"

"If it means finding that little girl and bringing her back safe and sound, then yes. Now let's go. We're wasting time and every minute counts!"

With that, Hei started to run down the deserted street.

Roman groaned.

"Urgh, fuck meeeee…." His feet hurt dammit! All that bloody running in the sewers. Filthy thing it was.

Meanwhile, all Hei could think to hope was that he would find her, and if he did, that he wouldn't be too late.


Next chapter is gonna be fun :)

Next chapter: Monday 5th August