Chapter 28: Chase

Sarudei

[Meanwhile in Soleon- Realm of Warriors]

We emerged from the cavern. A guy with red and black hair stood outside. 

"You must be the one Arisa mentioned," I said.

"Indeed," he said, turning to look at us. "The name is Hiesno, I am Arisa's younger brother. Anyway, let us now delay. If there are Titanos soldiers around where you're hiding, then your loved ones are surely at risk."

I nodded and followed him. "Follow me."

"How do you know about that?" Ret asked.

He held out his hand. A black bird with green tail feathers flew to his hand. "My friend told me. We use birds to communicate with one another." He put something on its feet and had it fly off. "Hopefully, he fan reach your loved ones. Assuming they are still alive."

I gulped.

Ret closed his eyes and sighed.

Taking the lead, I led the boys through the dense rainforest.

Hiesno would occasionally stop as the sound of movements would occasionally pop off. Thankfully they were just little critters scurrying about.

After who knew how long, we made it to the cavern. Everything seemed fine, but I didn't want to let my guard down. Neither physically or emotionally. I-I had to be prepared for the worst, even if I didn't wish to think about it.

We went deeper and found Night and the others eating boar stew.

My stomach grumbled. I hadn't anything since the grub worm veggie soup this morning.

"Big sis, Ret! You're back!" He blinked at the new guy. "Who is this?"

"I'm Hiesno. I am a member of a group of rebels. My sister had me accompany your sister and her friend. I am to safely escort you all to our town. There, you will be safer than in this cave."

Night's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. "I see," he said, studying Hiesno. "Well, if big sis trusts you, then I guess I can too."

We quickly filled them in on what had transpired since we left, their faces growing grimmer with each word. When we finished, the cavern was silent, the only sound the crackling of the fire.

"We can't stay here," I said, breaking the silence. "It's no longer safe. We need to move to Hiesno's town as soon as possible."

Night nodded. "Okay."

We all quickly gathered our stuff. All of us moving at once was dangerous, even if done during night, but we had little choice. We had to trust Hiesno, trust that his town and group would be a safe haven for us. 

As we prepared to leave, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. This cavern had been our home for the past years, our sanctuary amidst the chaos. We had shared laughter and tears, victories and losses here. Leaving it felt like leaving a piece of ourselves behind. 

But we had no choice. We were in the middle of a war, and our survival was the most important thing.

With our belongings packed and our hearts heavy, we set out under the cover of night. The forest was eerily quiet, the usually vibrant sounds of wildlife muted. The moon provided some light, its soft glow illuminating the path ahead. 

Hiesno led the way, his steps steady and sure. I followed closely behind him, my senses on high alert. Ret and Night were right behind me.

As we traversed the dense forest, I couldn't help but wonder about our future. Would we find safety in Hiesno's town? Would we be able to fight back against Titanos? Would we ever see our families again? 

These questions swirled in my mind, but I pushed them aside. Now was not the time for doubt. Now was the time for action, for bravery. 

Ret gasped and hit what seemed to be a ray with a ray of his own.

"Everyone, hit the ground!" Hiesno yelled. He jumped into the forest and brandished a blue sword. With one powerful sweep, he slashed a tree and kicked it, sending it tumbling into the others.

"What was that?" Night asked.

I held him close. "Titanos."

Ret nodded and dashed into the darkness. That ray... Did Ret have a weapon like the Titanos on him? If so, why did he not mention it before?

"Everyone, follow me!" I commanded, my voice echoing in the silence that followed the explosion. I grabbed Night's hand and started running, leading the group away from the chaos. Behind me, I could hear the others following, their breaths ragged and panicked.

We moved swiftly through the dense forest, the darkness enveloping us. I navigated through the undergrowth, my heart pounding in my ears. The moonlight filtering through the canopy was our only source of light, casting long shadows that danced and flickered around us.

Every now and then, I would glance back, checking if anyone was left behind. All the while, my mind was racing, trying to find the safest and quickest route to Hiesno's town.

The sounds of battle echoed behind us - the clash of metal, the crackling of energy, and the distant roars of what I could only assume were Titanos soldiers. Despite the terror gripping my heart, I couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. Ret and Hiesno were holding them off, buying us time to escape.

Through the corner of my eye, I saw flashes of light, followed by the earth-shaking vibrations of energy blasts that set parts of the forest ablaze. But I didn't dare to look back, not when our lives depended on outrunning the chaos.

The journey was arduous and fraught with danger. We tripped over roots, got tangled in vines, and had to duck under low-hanging branches, and braving the current of the river. But we didn't stop, not even when our lungs burned and our legs ached.

After what felt like an eternity, the dense forest started to thin, giving way to a clearing. I recognized it, and relief flooded through me. We were close to Hiesno's town.

"Almost there," I panted, urging the group on. The fear in their eyes was palpable, but they nodded, their determination reignited.

As soon as I found the secret passage way, led my friends and family into the relative safety of Hiesno's town, I allowed myself a moment to catch my breath. But there was no time to rest. We needed to alert the rebels. We had to go back and help Ret and Hiesno.