They're here

Claude walked out of the room, in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. It was probably all a dream, right? A nightmare he'll wake up from with a slap.

He started crying hysterically once he stepped out of the room no matter how many times he convinced himself this was all a joke.

It wasn't. He could feel it. 

He wept even more and his face became red like a tomato. Luar ran towards him and rubbed it's small body against his legs. 

Just as when he was about to pet Luar, he could see it pause like a glitch, staring at the wall.

Claude looked up and through his blurry view, he saw a familiar shade of gold glistening.

"You-" he stood up and grabbed onto Kai's collar, about to throw a punch. He needed something to blame. Something to release his anger and frustration.

Kai clicked his tongue and slapped the boy's hand away easily."What do you think you're doing?" He asked, glaring down at Claude.

"Kai, why did you take so long?" Luar asked, ignoring the scene that had just happened. Claude was more than lucky to just get a small little slap. 

"I heard it. Lithia has 1 week left to live if she doesn't get the antidote." Kai straight up said, completely ignoring the stinging look he was getting from Claude.

Luar nodded and glanced inside the room. "I was thinking of making Mr Walton write a letter to the nearest adventurer's guild but it'll take them at least 5 days to reach Gia."

Feeling like he had just been treated as a mere pest, Claude was offended. He wanted to retaliate but he felt something was off. The person was definitely different from before. He looked extremely ticked off, like a time bomb about to go off.

Kai walked inside and found Mr Walton stressing over the current situation. 

The man was pulling and picking at his hair while his face scrunched into a tense expression. Once he realised Kai was inside the room, he looked up.

"I don't know what to do. Even if I were to fight that snake, I still have a risk of dying. It's been there for ages because no one could make it out of the forest alive once they step in." Mr Walton said. He was slowly breaking down even if he was supposed to be the calm rational one in the types of situations.

It was nerve wracking to see a put together person like Mr Walton get so worked up like this.

"What if I were to go instead?" Kai asked, looking at Lithia and seeing her body on the verge of decomposing. He owed her a huge favour. And he needed to repay it.

"You can't! You can't kill that thing! You're just a child. If I sent you there it's as if I'm sending you to your death bed!" Mr Walton detested the idea of sending Kai to such a dangerous area. He couldn't risk it. If he were to lose this child now along with Lithia, his mind wouldn't be able to handle the grief. 

Kai stayed quiet and walked up to the bed that Lithia had been chained to. She looked at her and eyed every change he could spot. 

"Then what other alternatives do you have? You aren't just going to sit here and do nothing while your good friend is dying, right Mr Walton?" Kai's words were harsh. But all he spoke was the truth.

"I'll think of something in a few hours so let's not do anything rash!" He refused to believe there were no alternatives. 

"No. There's nothing else you can think of. Give it up. You're simply saying that to relieve your stress. You know there's no other option. It's either I go or you go." Kai looked outside the window.

"We can send other people!"

"Just from a month or so here, I've realised that this village is filled with many elderly people and youths who are incapable of defending themselves. The only thing they do is worship the great sage and rely on her powers to keep them safe. So you're telling me there is an alternative?" Kai snapped. Mr Walton seemed beyond reasoning at this point. 

"Yes..there is." Mr Walton murmured. He gripped onto the handle of his sword and nervously fidgeted around with it. 

Kai looked at Mr Walton and looked away. He knew what they were feeling. They were in a state of shock and fear of losing Lithia Argenetia. But if all they were going to do was hesitate and make up useless plans, they'd regret it sooner or later the moment Lithia drops dead.

"You're not losing out on anything if I go. If I come back alive, good for us. We get the antidote. If I'm dead then it'll be the normal end. It's better trying than defending a half dead body like this." Kai logically said, walking away and distracting himself with the titles of books on the shelves.

"If you go and don't come back. What will I do?" Mr Walton asked, his eyes red while he looked at the back of Kai. 

"I know I made a deal with you relating to the church but is it really that important?" 

Mr Walton sat there. In absolute disbelief. "I don't care about that right now. I don't want to lose you too!" He yelled, startling Claude and Laur who was witnessing all of this unfolding in the corner of the room.

"What?" Kai turnt around. He was about to add on to his confusion before he heard the glass shattering.

The sound was sharp and piercing. Enough to make one go deaf.

3 men wearing black walked inside the house. Their hands were adorned with latex black gloves that shone. The top right side of their coat held a bright golden brooch of honor.

Their faces were covered by a cloth mask wrapped around their head. In their hands they held unique weapons that were all different in shapes and forms.

Each step they took made a loud clicking sound. They weren't even trying to hide it. They were confident even if they're caught and fought, they'd be the victors.

"They're here." Luar whispered. It's small body shivered at the thought of meeting their eyes.