Quick Run Away Hide

Arnacia crawled towards the cabin that she couldn't even see fully from this angle. The mud rubbed on the clothes, making even effort forwards increasingly difficult. At last she reached the base of the doctor's house, but the wooden stairs were up.

The design of the house made it so reptiles wouldn't be able to climb up. Even fate made fun of her in this moment of her life. She opened her mouth, but could only let out short huffs.

She tried to move her hand, but nothing moved. She even failed to lift her dead fingers. It was coming full circle now. This body didn't belong to her. She got control through the stretching and sketchy episodes with Isabelle. Now it seemed like the body was rejecting her again.

Huff! Huff!

At least she could still feel her face. And with no choice left, she tried the 'Breath Harmony' technique. It was like a cold drop of water passing through the back of her mouth to enter her lungs.

Suddenly, her heart flared up again. She felt every beat as if it was hammering the ground. Her fingers twitched and moved a little. The pain gushed back through her veins.

She got up like a swaying zombie and tried to climb up to the front of the house. It seemed an impossible task, as her hands refused to lift her own weight. She pushed her upper body onto the raised veranda and rolled upward.

She managed to knock on the door before her body turned lifeless again.

Raffaella was the one to open the door. She frowned at the thin air and was about to close the door. But at the next moment, she noticed the person lying on the floor. Her expression froze, and she slapped her face before calling out to her dad.

"They.." Arnacia huffed in Raffaella's arms. ".. -re after me."

Thus, Dr. Mose hid Arnacia at her daughter's request. At that time, he had never imagined that the person after this harmless girl would be the Scholar Knight of Yanyawn.

***

Gerome revealed his hands from underneath the robe. Glimpse of his broadsword and golden armor shone in the study room's lamplight. He clapped. The compression of air sounded like thunderclaps in Dr. Mose's ears.

"Child's trick. I assume you built it yourself." Gerome smiled as he said. "Does your little daughter know of it?" His leg breezily pulled the chair away from the table.

"No, she knows nothing." Mose collected his thoughts together. "I only carry this burden, the burden of being a doctor."

Mose grabbed the table by its edge and pulled it to the center of the room. He had heard the metal clicking noise loud and clear. There was no fooling the Scholar Knight, who casually pulled the right book that triggered the unlocking mechanism.

The hardwood floor was totally plain and perfect with no holes. Mose looked at Gerome before he slammed his fist multiple times on an ordinary spot. After a few rounds of beating, the slab of wood sunk a little less than half a foot. He put his fingers inside the opening and lifted the secret door.

Theon also entered the room. He couldn't find any signs of the witch and mentally badmouthed the old Garrison Knight. The sound of someone beating the wood gave him a reason to return.

"So this is where you are hiding the damn witch." Theon said while looking at the secret passage. The prize was within arm's reach, but still so far away. "Did you treat her yet?"

"No." Mose lowered his head.

"What's her condition?" Theon asked. He felt complicated about stepping into the room because, according to seniority, he would have to enter first to bait out any traps.

"I do not know the reason, but I need to continue treatment." Mose looked at Gerome and took a step on the staircase that led to the basement beneath.

Gerome raised his head a little to hint Mose to continue down the stairs. He followed behind and Theon was the last to enter. The room beneath seemed small. But the Knights soon realized that it was a maze of wooden shelves filled with all sorts of worn out books and dead plants and animals sealed inside glass containers.

The only sources of light in the door were the dim lamps of the kind that Gerome had never seen in his life. He couldn't believe such a cheap lighting system existed. But his eyes lightened upon seeing the secrets of the basement. At one look, it seemed like dead and wasted junk, but he was well aware of the saying. Treasure's worth was a mixture of need and notion.

Gerome waved his hand at Theon again. He hinted at the foolish man to look elsewhere and not follow like a mindless monkey. The doctor suddenly paused. Someone had deserted the thin pile of worn out blankets that laid in the middle of the relatively open space between the wooden shelves.

"She was here.." Mose tried to clarify himself, but a sword was already resting on his shoulder. He raised his hands and gulped.

"Theon," Gerome called out. Everything turned still and silent after this voice echoed inside the basement.

"Sir! I found an escape route." Heavy footsteps sounded as Theon hurriedly returned.

"Keep an eye on him." Gerome walked in the direction Theon returned from. The sea waves-like engravings shone in the little light. Theon followed him along with the doctor, but he said nothing. Soon, he found the stairs that opened up to the dark jungle.

***

Raffaella dragged Arnacia through the trees. The canopy trapped her. It was ready to trample her sad and lonely figure. Leaves and branches were ready to slap her and stop her at all moments. But she mustered all her strength and moved forward. Every step felt like an eternity and she was ready to walk ever after.

"Do you need any help?" A kind voice called out, but it freaked the living lifetime out of Raffaella.