Akeru looked up at the cell door to see it suddenly open…but no one was there. She jumped up and looked around. She put her hand out of the cage to find it wasn't a trap or anything.
Akeru: What in the devil…?
Akeru slowly steps out of the cell and bumps into something in front of her. There was nothing there until a small wind gust surrounded the air before her to reveal Amani, posing cutely for her.
Amani: Hi hi~!
Akeru: Y-Y-You?!
Amani: Mhmm!
Akeru: Why…you?
Amani: Why me?
Akeru: Yes, why you…why are you here?!
Amani: Ohhhhh! After you made Cleo mad, I decided to chase after you!
Akeru: Not that I'm not grateful, but…why?
Amani smiled blankly at her.
Amani: Because you all made Cleo mad!
Akeru: I'm not sure I understand…but thank you. There is a person here I need to save also-
Amani handed her the jail cell keys suddenly as she vanished again.
Amani: That is all you~ I'm leaving~!!
Akeru sighed heavily and nodded, running and checking the jail cells until she found Itsuki asleep in his. She tried every key as he eventually woke up to see her.
Itsuki: Oh…hey Akeru…
Itsuki stared for a moment and reached the cell door, freaking out.
Itsuki: A-Akeru?!
Akeru: Shhhh, don't alert the AWF…
Itsuki: Listen, we need to get out of here.
Akeru: What? No, I enjoyed my time alone in a cell, thank you very much.
She smirked as she unlocked the door and both of their cuffs. Itsuki got out and whispered to her.
Itsuki: I heard some guys talking earlier…Archerd is part of the AWF, and he already has the Sand Key, thanks to us. Apparently, it was with the treasure we brought back; he must have taken it from the caravan when they captured Armando…
Akeru: Not much we can do there; it would take weeks to get back to prevent that, and even then…Cleo would kill us before we could warn her. Assuming we should warn her-
Itsuki: Listen, I don't like her either, but…if what Ci said was true, we can't afford the Ancient Beasts to get released. Not only that…but there is possibly another issue. They got cut off before they could finish talking…but they were fooling Ci with the Ice Shackle. I can't confirm anything…but they may already have it and are stalling her by acting like they don't.
Akeru: Damn them…well, let's hurry back to her. We have no time to lose…who knows what else these freaks have in their possessions.
Itsuki nodded, and the two ran through the base before stopping at a room where they could hear Gavolt talking.
Gavolt: So what do I owe the pleasure…
Another man started talking in the same room after Gavolt was finished.
???: Just checking in on my old buddy, is all!
Gavolt: Not buddies…
???: Oh, Gavolt, come on now! We are both Seat Commanders in the AWF, are we not?
In the Anti-Witch Federation, The higher ranked members are in groups called Seats. Each Seat is assigned a specific Witch to target, and to lead them are the Seat Commanders.
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Gavolt: Doesn't make us friends…should you not be finding your own Witch's beast?
Itsuki: That other voice…why does it sound so familiar?
???: Oh, we are working on it! I can't set foot in that damn Witch's city anymore…not that I need to…I don't think she has the Key or Shackle in her possession! Besides, after taking my arm…I want to smash her face in a bit in the name of justice!
Akeru: Taking his arm? Don't tell me it's…
Gavolt: Calvin, get to work…I don't have time for this.
Itsuki: So it is him…
Itsuki's fist tightened as he had a death glare towards the room entrance. Akeru noticed and quickly held his fist with both of her hands, shaking her head at him.
Akeru: Itsuki…I know you want to get revenge on that bastard…but you can't right now! You'll die! I promise…one day you...we…we will get our revenge for that village!
Calvin: Alright, Alright… I'll go back to my area.
Gavolt: Honestly, such a waste of a trip. Do you have business here, at least?
Calvin: Well, those two brats were with the Witch…and Archerd wrote a report on how they left Polisha to come here…so I wanted to chase them down! If she does know the location of the Twilight Key and Shackle, then I can use them to barter with her!
Gavolt: You honestly think a Witch would care about two brats…?
Calvin: Of course I do!
Gavolt: Whatever…they are in the cells…hmm?
Calvin: Something wrong, Gavolt?
Gavolt: My keys are gone…must have left them in my office. Meet me in the cell area…
Gavolt left the room and immediately went the opposite way of the two, completely missing them. Akeru and Itsuki panic a bit because they are directly in the course of the cell area…meaning once Calvin leaves the room, he will catch them! They saw an inch of Calvin's armor leave the room as the two go white in the face; they had no plan to deal with this. Once he stepped out entirely, he looked directly at the two. Their eyes widened as he…walked past them without saying anything.
Akeru: W-What…?
Itsuki: Is he…blind or something???
Akeru and Itsuki look ahead to see the lower half of Amani's face ahead of them, giggling at the two. Akeru glared and tried to grab her but fell forward.
Akeru: Damn that Witch! She never left me; this is all a game to her!
Itsuki helps her up as Amani vanishes. The two look and find the exit back into the snowy fields, looking back at the mobile base behind them. It was huge with wings and jets on its side folded in.
Itsuki: We got okay…but which way to Ci??
Akeru: I don't know…this whole area looks the same…
Amani: I knowwww~ It's all so white and snowy!
Akeru and Itsuki jump up and fall into the snow, turning around to see Amani fully visible, floating behind them. Akeru gets up and glares at her.
Akeru: What on earth is wrong with you?!
Amani: Huhhhh?
Akeru: You could have told us you made us invisible!
Amani puffed her cheeks and looked away from her.
Amani: I just made you invisible for that brief second or so! That was your handicap to our game because I felt terrible!
Itsuki: W-What game?
Amani: The game!! I don't have to explain the game to you. No more handicaps!!
Amani flew away and pointed in a direction, yelling at them.
Amani: You are looking to Ci, rightttt?! She is that way!!
Amani continued to fly away as Itsuki walked in that direction, Akeru grabbing his arm and stopping him.
Itsuki: What's up..?
Akeru:... Let's go the other way.
Itsuki: Why would we do that?
Akeru: Because she had left twice and come back when both times we thought she left for good…If I had to take a guess, that means the direction will lead us to nothing or worse.
Itsuki: Alright, whatever you say. You are usually right about these things.
The two turn around and start going the opposite way as Amani stops them, puffing her cheeks at them both.
Amani: Not that way! The other way!!
Akeru: But the way you want us to go is-
Amani: You're no fun…game is over.
Itsuki: Game is..-
Amani: HEY ANTI WITCH GUYS, IT'S ME, THE SKY WITCH OUT HERE! COME AND CHASE ME!!! I HAVE THE TWO PRISONERS WITH ME TOO!!!
The alarms suddenly go off as Amani zips away into the sky. Itsuki and Akeru instantly start running away.
Akeru: Damn that girl!!
Itsuki: Does she hate losing that much or something?!
Akeru: Maybe I misunderstood the game? I'm not exactly sure what just happened…!
The two look behind to see spells being launched at them from afar. Itsuki and Akeru run even faster.
Akeru: Any ideas on how to slow them down?!
Itsuki: Not really! Not only that… Gozolt and Calvin will be after us soon!
Akeru: Damn that Witch!! We can't take them all on; we must find a way out of this situation!
Itsuki had to think quickly while the two were running. They didn't see any sign of the two Commanders, but that didn't mean they were not lurking about.
Itsuki: Wait! I got it!
Akeru: Well, hurry up then!
Itsuki: Chill! Wave!
Itsuki used Wave to surround the water around them and Chill to freeze it as it went around the edges of the two. The AWF used fire to melt it and split into two teams, trying to catch them in a pincer attack.
Akeru: Well, that at least slowed them down some…but now we have a different issue!
Itsuki: Damnit…that was all I had!
Akeru: Well, think of more then!!
???: Gravity!
The two knew that voice; it was Gazolt! They glanced behind to see him and Calvin standing near the ice wall…and that he used his magic to slow his army down!
Itsuki: What the hell?!
Akeru: A miscalculation?! Hurry, Itsuki, do something before they catch up…those two probably want us all to themselves!
Itsuki: Let me try this then…Mountaina!
Itsuki summoned several earth pillars to form walls behind and around them as they ran away. Calvin grabbed Gavolt by his collar in rage.
Calvin: Did you forget what side you were on?! Why didn't you catch them with your Gravity?!
Gavolt: You fool…because those two will lead us to the Ice Witch.
Calvin: But you know she is in that tower…so what good with them going there will do?
Gavolt: You truly are a fool…just follow me and watch.
Gavolt strolled after them as Calvin followed. Itsuki and Akeru eventually arrived at the frozen town and Ci's tower, where they pounded on her door. The door slowly opened up and closed behind them when they got in.