Achai

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He cradled Kyo with both arms to shield the boy from cold air and wild forest appendages. Branches scraped his legs and arms. Leaves obscured his vision.

But Achai kept running from the creature chasing him.

It was humanoid with red skin and wild, long hair that trailed behind it. He’d been trekking through the woods trying to get distance from Sange when it picked up his trial.

Since then, it had been a contest of endurance. Who would win? Prey or predator, Achai was determined to make it the former. The mines had honed his body. Sitter or not, he’d been required to do his work as well. He was already long beyond the point of exhaustion, but adrenaline and concern for his son kept him moving.

He’d made a promise. He had to see Kyo through this, no matter the cost.

The boy cried in his arms, scared by snapping branches and the snarling creature behind them. He couldn’t offer any comfort, he had none to give. He wasn’t even sure if he could still speak. It was all he could do to inhale the deep breaths that were keeping him moving.

He turned to look behind again. The creature was gaining on them. Achai swore it was getting faster.

His mind could scarcely process the outstretched arm he saw when he turned to look ahead again. He ran right into it. It was like running into a thick tree branch. His head stopped; his legs tried to keep running.

Achai ended up on his back. Kyo’s crying echoed in the forests, no longer muffled by Achai’s careful touch. The boy was okay. Achai had kept a hold on him during the fall. But who had attacked them?

He looked up to see the man staring down. “Well, what is this? Fleeing from the city, are you?” the man asked. He wore a black vest over a thick, gray wool sweater. His hair was shaved on the sides. The top of it was tied in a bun behind his head. He had a thick beard, and a gravelly voice, aged by time.

Achai scrambled up, tightening his hold on Kyo. “There’s a monster coming! We have to run!” he called out.

The man raised a brow. “Oh? Good timing. Two for one.” He looked up at a group of men standing nearby. Aside from him, the others were all wearing red robes with blue symbols woven into them.

Cultists.

One of the red cloaked men leaned against a tree. He held up a hand and a scarlet hex manifested in the air. “Yeah, I sense it. It’s nearby…wait—”

The red-skinned creature’s head burst through the core of the tree trunk the man leaned against. Splinters shot in every direction as the tree shattered. The creature’s arms shot forward and wrapped around the man. It stretched its jaw wide and bit into the back of the man’s head. It tore at the flesh for a second before coughing up and spitting out blood. The monster pushed the man away and backed into the forest.

The cultists spun, waiting for the beast to attack again.

Achai got ready to spring to his feet. He’d wait for the creature to attack again and then make a run for it. He couldn’t stop here.

Tree leaves above rustled. Achai’s head snapped upward, and he gasped. The creature was falling toward him and Kyo. Gravity was pulling the demonic beast toward them face first. It stretched its mouth open wide again, its hair trailing in the air behind it.

Thwack!

Something hit the monster mid-air and set it off course. It hit the ground and rolled several feet away. A single bolt stuck out of its arm. The creature shook violently and then went still.

Achai looked in the direction the projectile had come from. The bearded man held onto a large crossbow. He smirked, lowering its end to the ground. “That wasn’t so bad. Tie it up.”

The cultists looked around at one another. Nobody moved.

The bearded man sighed and slid another bolt into the crossbow. He held it up, aimed at a random cultist, and fired. The bolt landed right in between the man’s eyes. The bearded man nodded back toward the creature. “Let’s try this again. Tie it up.”

This time, all of them hurried forward to obey except one. No, this one wasn’t a cultist either. His robe was black, not red. As far as Achai knew, they only wore the red robe with blue markings. It was an open secret at this point.

“You’re sure that’s the boy? Looks a bit too red for me,” the bearded man said.

“It’s him. This is a big find. The fact that he has the power means his father is dead, though. Hope the bounty is still good,” the man in the black robe said.

“Doesn’t matter. Bounty was for the power, not the man. Boss thought Varroc would have it by now. Who would’ve thought a little brat like this inherited a power like that? Between him, Philomena, and this cult contract, we’re gonna make a killing off this run.”

Achai swallowed. Was he talking about Varroc’s Philomena? Had they somehow captured her? And what was this about a cult contract? So, they weren’t members? He didn’t think anyone was willing to work with the cultists. Who were these two and why were the members of the cult listening to them? He didn’t like this at all.

He stood and backed away into a tree. What was his play? What could he do here?

The man with the crossbow eyed him. He seemed slightly annoyed. “What are you doing? I went through all the trouble of knocking you into the dirt just for you to go and stand back up. It’s that kind of acting that really pisses me off. I hate doing something twice.”

Could he outrun them? Maybe. But the crossbow was a problem. They weren’t common in Aysela, where magic was more prevalent. So why did this man have one?

Achai’s eyes widened. “Are you from Tantaloo? Are you with the knights?”

Had Crussus sent this man somehow? Had the Holy Nation of Tantaloo partnered with the cult for some reason? It could make sense if he really thought about it. Crussus and his men had come here years ago. Maybe their queen had finally sent someone to investigate what had happened. But if they were with him, they were here to make good on the promise that Crussus had made.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

The promise that Kyo would grow up without a father. He swallowed.

The men exchanged a look. The cultists finished tying up the monster, who hadn’t gotten back up. That bolt must have been coated in something.

“I’ll tell you who we are, but you’re going first. I need a name. We need to confirm if you’re the one we’re looking for.” The bearded man slung the crossbow over his shoulder. Achai

He must be right. They were in the woods looking for him. They must have realized he’d fled the city with Kyo. If that was the case, he couldn’t tell them his real name. He’d have to lie. He’d say…

“My name is Merlin, and I’m just getting away from Sange because of everything that’s happened. I don’t mean you any harm, and I’m glad you caught that creature. I’d like to get my son to safety, so can I go?” Achai asked.

The bearded man’s jaw dropped. He chucked and elbowed the black-robed man beside him. “Did you hear that? You’re right. That’s our guy. Seriously, having both of our targets run right up to us like this is crazy. I mean, do the gods love us or what?”

Achai shook his head. Wait, they’re after Merlin? He was such an idiot. Why did he say the first name that came to mind? He looked down.

They were after Merlin. These guys were strong. Merlin probably didn’t have any idea they were coming. If he told the truth now, Merlin would die…

“What do you want with me?” Achai asked, doing his best to suppress the rising dread.

The man in the black robe held a hand up. “Are we sure this is him? Why isn’t he using magic to protect himself? Od said he was a powerful caster.”

The bearded man turned toward his companion. His eyes searched the ground as his mind worked for a moment. “Od also said Merlin liked to talk. He said the mage might not default to fighting. That’s okay though. I like to talk to. Speaking of what the hell is going on in Sange?”

Achai gritted his teeth. How did he get out of this situation? Even if he told them the truth, they wouldn’t believe him now. He only had one option.

“Never mind what happened. If you want me, I’ll come with you. I’m tired of fighting. But first, I’m taking this boy back to Sange. After that, I’ll go wherever you want me to. But the boy stays.”

He had to protect Kyo. There were people in Sange who would look after his son. Kyo meant the world to him, but Achai owed Merlin a debt that he could never repay. If he could protect him from these men, it would be a start.

Achai had a lot of regrets. He’d turned Torq in and cost the old man an arm. He’d run away during the fighting to save his own son. Despite all that, Merlin had kept fighting.

Merlin was the reason his son wouldn’t grow up as a snatcher or a slave.

If he could help, even in some small way, Achai would gladly die for a man like that. He just hoped his bluff worked.

The bearded man laughed. He laughed so hard his eyes teared up. He wiped them with a finger. “You really don’t understand the situation. So let me make it clear. I’m going to kill you, and then I’m going to take that son of yours to the cult because they’re paying a lot of money for him.”

Achai froze. They were after the boy too? They were here for Charlie?

“Wait—”

He didn’t see the bearded man close the distance. He could scarcely process what had happened. Even after the man had wrenched Kyo from his arms and run a dagger through his stomach, Achai still didn’t understand what had transpired.

How was someone that fast?

He fell to his knees.

A second later, he fell on his face.

His body crumpled. His blood spilled.

He gasped for air, each breath more painful than the last.

He remembered his wife, and what she’d told him the day that she died. The day the snatchers had dragged him and his son to Sange.

The last words she’d whispered in his ear before she’d gone still. “You’re a good man, Achai. I’ve always loved that about you. But Kyo doesn’t need a good man now. He needs a father willing to do anything it takes to protect him. Become that man and keep our son safe.” Her grip, even on the verge of death, had squeezed his hand so tight. Achai had accepted that charge. He’d done things he despised to protect Kyo. He’d lied to the people who trusted him and betrayed the rebellion that fought to free his son.

He’d been such a fool.

“Adelyn,” he whispered.

He mustered his strength and looked up at the men. “Not Charlie…” he said.

I’m sorry, Merlin, he thought. He would’ve gladly died to save Merlin. But he couldn’t sacrifice his son.

The man was playing with Kyo in his arms. He waved a finger around the baby’s face. “Whose daddy is a weakling? Yours is!”

Kyo studied the man. He didn’t understand the words, but he could tell the man was using a pleasant tone. Even then, Kyo didn’t laugh. He turned and looked down at his father. He seemed confused.

“Not Charlie!” Achai said again.

The man heard him this time. He knelt beside Achai. “What? What’s his name then?”

“Kyo.”

The man frowned. He turned to look back at the man in black. “He said that pretty quick. Either he’s a great liar, or we need to keep looking.”

The black robed man held a hand up. “Scarlet Hex Search!” A large scarlet hex appeared in front of him. It was bright and a matching-colored aura pulsed into the air around it. The caster closed his eyes and concentrated.

“There are other babies, but none with dungeon cores.”

Dungeon cores? What? Achai tried to shake his head. “No dungeon core. We don’t have... that.”

The bearded man made a disapproving face toward him. “Hold that up for papa weakling.” He grabbed Kyo’s hand and lifted it so Achai could see.

Achai’s eyes shot open. He’d seen Kyo playing with a toy, but he’d been so focused on fleeing the city that he never realized. How did Kyo get his hands on a dungeon core?

The bearded man looked at the man in the black robes. “See, this is why they only allow you to go out with top rankings members. You’re just so valuable. Few people can search at that level.”

The man ignored him.

Achai tried to move. But his body wouldn’t respond.

“No…” the edges of his vision grew dark. “I’m so…”

Achai’s mouth wouldn’t obey him. He offered a thought instead.

I’m so sorry, Adelyn. I couldn’t protect him.

Kyo

Kyo looked down at the man lying on the dirt, but the bearded man got his attention. “No, look at me. He doesn’t matter anymore. We’re going to go on a little trip. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“The man turned to the others. Grab the beast, pack it up. We’re rolling out. Get the woman too.”

The man reached down to grab the green ball in Kyo’s hand. Kyo started to cry.

The man groaned. “Fine. Keep it for now. I don’t wanna hear that the whole time.”

Kyo’s lip quivered. He didn’t like this man.

His head shot up when he heard the voice again.

It spoke to him occasionally, but he couldn’t understand it. It just kept repeating, over and over, like it was waiting for him to make sense of it.

…Integration Complete.