We're Surrounded!

Ephraim took Samuel's behavior and refusal to join the group to the pile of things he considered as something odd. Ephraim didn't wholly know Sam, at least not as better as Berthold, but he was an observant person. He examined people and their behavioral patterns. He had seen some who showed you their utmost kindness only to be hiding under a pretentious front. Some also had the audacity to be nice to you just because they wanted something in return. These kind of people frequented into charities. They were mostly rich people who had regarded themselves as good for a show. Good to the public eye.

Ephraim knew these people. And these kinds of individuals do not appear only in charitable events for the rich. They were also encountered in daily life. It could be a waitress trying to be nice when she clearly doesn't want to, or a fake friend trying to milk you dry until you can no longer offer them anything.

Ephraim knew how their behavioral pattern worked. But then, of course, he was no psychiatrist. However, it wouldn't take a doctorate to spot a two-faced liar or two. Ephraim eyed Samuel keenly. Although Samuel had a sharp tongue he liked to use to simply banter, he wasn't the type to be unreasonable. Ephraim had witnessed the proof of why he believes Samuel wasn't a mere brat. He didn't want to enumerate and list down why he thinks so. Ephraim knows. He simply does.

Now all of the loose ends started to be tied—this man named Hosea had now entrapped them into a fire cage. Ephraim had to think of the fact that they were at a single man's mercy. Ephraim wanted to smirk—yes, he wanted to cock a brow as well. He found it amusing.

They were at his mercy.

"So Hosea, you want to kill me—no, us now, since my lame leader's here with me." Samuel provoked, "this, Hosea, is Ephraim. The guy I compared to you. The one who I said was the same as you. I take that back, you know. Ephraim isn't a damn backstabber—unlike you!"

Ephraim observed how Hosea would react. From how his brows twitched and how his lips trembled. Ephraim took note of the fact that this Hosea had a façade that Ephraim could easily pierce through (which Samuel couldn't, given the fact that he was lashing out now).

A façade that is easily observable once the whole picture is viewed from a different perspective.

A pretentious lie hiding pain and hurt.

Ephraim glanced at Hosea's hand, who had now clenched his staff tightly.

"Shut up, or I will burn your mouth." Hosea challenged, "I warn you, Samuel."

"Oh yeah, why don't you do it then?" Samuel retorted.

"Sam," Ephraim exclaimed, stopping Samuel. Ephraim gave him a look.

"Hosea," Ephraim calls, drawing Hosea's attention again. "I can't say it's nice to meet you."

"Cut to the chase," Hosea glowered.

"Fine." Ephraim flashed a smile. "I just have a question. Why are you not killing us?"

Silence.

"Looks like you will not answer that," Ephraim uttered. ��Then what about this? Why aren't you surprised I'm here? Did you anticipate my arrival?"

Hosea sealed his lips tight, looking at Ephraim directly in the eye. Ephraim narrowed his gaze at him, observing his expression, the body language he makes, the slightest tremble in his voice.

". . . to be fair, I did not know that you are Ephraim." Hosea said.

"Well, I am Ephraim. Can you tell me more about how you found Samuel?"

Samuel eyed Ephraim with a frown on his face. Is Ephraim trying to do small talk with their KILLER?

Hosea hesitated. "He . . . we found him at the entrance of Necropolis. We assumed he's a child who survived the trials. . ."

"Then if you consider him as a child, why are you trying to harm him?" Ephraim asked. There was something odd about it—something that doesn't fit in the puzzle. It was like . . . this Hosea is hiding something. He had to find out what it was.

"Wahid's vessel must only be retrieved by one person," says Hosea. ��And that person must be Yael."

Ephraim considered this 'Yael' to be the leader of the group. "You know that isn't the case. We are both lost. I can guarantee you that Samuel doesn't desire this vessel you are pertaining to."

A bead of sweat dripped on Hosea's chin.

Ephraim narrowed his eyes. Just a little more. Just a little more and he can break through this man's façade.

"I . . . I can see why Samuel thought we were similar." Hosea mumbled.

Ephraim stared at Hosea—and for a second, Ephraim saw a sad smile—but then, it disappeared on a second; like that of a mere blink. Now Hosea had a smile etched on his face, unwavering and blank. A smile that was rehearsed; a strong front.

Hosea walked towards the fire cage, looking at them with a dark gaze. The once man with an easy to break façade had been perfected into an expressionless mage. Ephraim couldn't read him anymore. Did he push his buttons too much? No . . .

Ephraim narrowed his blue eyes through his spectacles. This man was hiding something—no, the group was hiding something from them. To whatever it is, Ephraim couldn't figure out.

"Until Yael and the others finish their task outside," says Hosea, turning his back towards them as he started to walk away. "You two are not going anywhere."

Ephraim flashed a smile. Should he ask THAT now? He wasn't entirely sure of the outcome, but it was, perhaps, worth the risk.

"If you were going to kill us," Ephraim challenged, stopping Hosea on his tracks. "Why don't you do it now you've held us captive?"

Ephraim was thinking about it since the moment Hosea had captured them—no, it was clear from the start that Hosea wasn't trying to kill them. He had the chance to go all-out, but he didn't. Instead, he conjured fireballs as a warning. It was as if he was concealing something. And that was what Ephraim wanted to find.

Samuel glanced at Hosea, who had now remained his back turned to them. Samuel felt his heart clenching more than ever.

Now that he thought about it—Arletha also had the chance to shoot him with her arrows. But they had the same sentiments—they wanted to kill him. They specifically told him that. Yet . . . why didn't they? Arletha clearly had the chance to kill him earlier. She could've shot the arrow and be done with it. But she didn't. She only pinned Samuel to the ground by shooting her arrow to his clothes instead.

Samuel was confused now. He was so consumed by Arletha's words that he forgot to think about why she had spared him instead of just killing him from the spot. Samuel clenched both of his fists.

"If your group wanted me dead, Hosea, then why am I not dead now?" Samuel uttered. "What is it that you're hiding from me? Or hiding me from—"

A large crash startled the three, the noise coming from both the top and bottom of the clock tower. Hosea still held the fire barrier to cage Ephraim and Samuel, which made it harder for them to move away.

A loud clang of metal bumping against metal made Samuel think of the pendulum bob.

And it seemed like it was.

"Sam!"

The giant pendulum bob fell down to them, making Hosea's magical spell deactivate as he gets thrown athwart the suspension bridge. Ephraim and Samuel rolled to the other side, with the bob creating yet another huge gap that separated the two from Hosea.

"Look!" Samuel said, pointing to the light coming from underneath.

"The exit," Ephraim mumbled. "Let's go!"

The two of them began to scurry off to the exit. An indescribable noise still persisted—coming from the top and bottom of the tower, but they paid no heed to it. What was important is to get out of the tower, which had now begun to corrode.

The ground rattled as the tower began to quake.

"Heh, this reminds me of something." Samuel joked amidst their escape.

"Yeah, me too," Ephraim answered with a curve in his lip.

"STOP!"

A wall of fire sprung in front of Ephraim and Samuel, stopping them once more to their tracks.

"Are you freaking serious, Hosea?" Samuel exclaimed, turning to Hosea who was now behind them.

"Yes, Samuel. I am serious." Hosea said.

"It's obvious you don't want to kill me!" Samuel yelled. "If you do want to kill me, pray to that Wahid some necromorph is gonna fall into the sky or something!"

"You two don't know what's out there." Hosea said bitterly. "So it's better if you just don't interfere!"

"GRAAAWWWW!"

Appearing before them was a ten feet tall necromorph with numerous heads, claws, and hands. It had blood in its one, large mouth, with red-stained razor-sharp teeth. Falling to the ground was a hoard of similar-looking necromorphs, now surrounding the three of them with their bloodthirsty mouths opening and closing, producing an alien sound.

". . . be careful what you wish for, Sam." Ephraim whispered.

Samuel facepalmed.

"Hallelujah."