Qiang is wolfing down food, almost like he never ate in his life, getting weird looks from Helena and even people at other tables.

"Slow down! We don't have that much money to spare, as the kid said before." Helena interupts Qiang with a stern voice.

"The kid...?" Johan looks slightly offended.

"Sorry... I forgot your name again..." She chuckles to lighten the mood.

They continue their banter until five men in uniform enter the restaurant, saber's on their hips.

One of them takes out a royal scroll from their uniform, reading loudly for all to hear: "Due to a newly spreading decease, all people must wear a device made by our genious Grandmaster Commonthought. The device will protect your brain from this corrosive virus."

The people within the restaurant look shocked, while most seems sceptical. Once the devices are being held out to the people, everybody takes them due to an inability to refuse, after some time they reach the table where Johan and Helena were talking.

The guard puts a hand on Helena's shoulder, holding out the device in his palm before telling her to mount it on her ear.

"I'm sorry... I don't think i want to... I sense something off about the device..." She says quietly, almost like a whisper while backing away slightly.

The guard's grip tightens, "if you don't comply i will have to execute you on the spot." He gives a cold stare, the word "off" seems to bother him although he tries to not show it so publically.

"P- please don't... I'm not comfortable with wearing it..."

"You have a death wish?" He tightens his grip on her shoulder, it starts to become painful for her.

"Do you need that arm?" Her change in demeanor shocks him but before he can move his arm, it is already gone.

He unsleashes a blood curdling scream that shocks the other people, the other guards rush to the scene, unsheathing their swords as they aproach.

"Couldn't you not cause a scene? There are children in the restaurant." Johan stands up, summoning his twin swords.

"I warned the guard, its his fault." She blows up the guard's body into pieces, leaving a puddle of blood on the floor before standing up and cleaning the blood off her face with her sleeve.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

Qiang continues eating, until he feels cold steal against his neck.

"What have you done!?!" The officer yells in his face.

"Sorry, i didn't do anything, i'm merely enjoying some food." He says, apearing calm but screaming in fear on the inside.

"Don't lie! I'll execute you for being affiliated with them!"

"But sir! I'm not even armed as well as blind! Can't you have mercy on my poor soul...?" Johan's sword flies through the chest of the officer, it dissapears shortly after.

Qiang gets up, breathes a long sigh of relief as he puts down the money on the table and leaving the restaurant in a hurry. Johan and Helena follow shortly after.

"I hate you two with a burning passion!" Qiang takes off running through the city streets, they follow closely behind.

"What now, Helena? You basically made us into wanted criminals!" Johan speak in between breaths while running.

"Yeah, you sensed it too though, right? The creepy energy eminating from the device?" She follows him in running speed, but doesn't seem tired in the slightest.

"Yeah, i did... We will leave to Archos soon, not a big deal."

They leave the city shortly after, away from the guards for a moment they decide to take a short rest within the forest.

"This has made our search more difficult... Regardless, the guards are formidable and we should step with caution." Johan catches his breath and sits down by a tree.

"Yeah, we had no other choice... We will just have to walk away from the cities for a while..." Helena seems saddened by the fact but calms down after sitting cross-legged by a river, observing it.

"We might also have Principles that want to hunt us down, did'ya really think Mammon would let that slide?" Qiang says in a strangely calm manner.

"Our luck has been quite terrible recently..." Helena apears down for a moment, "but it is what it is... We should be aproaching Archos' border so all our worries will dissapear." She apears hopeful while running her finger through the river water.

Johan gets up and starts walking away from them.

"Where are ya going?" Qiang stands up as well.

"To collect wood for a fire, the night will be cold." He looks towards the sunset.

"Right, but we should accompany you." Helena suggests.

"No, if we get caught we would be doomed."

"Then we can split up? We shouldn't stay in one place too long anyway." Helena suggests, again.

Johan gives a defeated sigh, "alright, fine." They all leave into opposite directions deeper into the forest.

After some time of quietly walking, Helena finds herself deep within the forest at night, and lost.

"Where was the camp?! How did i already forget?!?" She begins entering a state of panic but calms herself down and sits cross-legged onto the earth trying to remember.

She hears a voice from the forest, like a loud whisper echoing in her ears: "What are you doing out here, all alone?" The voice says, sounding earrie and deep.

She stands up almost the exact second she hears the voice, "who's there?" She says into the darkness until a figure in a baggy, dark robe emerges from the black void.

"Such a young and beautiful girl... A shame a have to kill you..." He notices the earings in the shape of water droplets on her ears, after a moment of shock, he smiles.

"I remember you... You are the Principle of Resentment!" He says while his smile widens.

"And you are Belial's (Principle of Harmony) general. Rago, was it?" She grins at him.

"You know me well for such a forgetful girl." He unsheathes his sword, the blade on it apearing fractured.

"Of course, how could i forget my old friend...?" She grins excitedly.

TO BE CONTINUED...