From Beyond The Rift

Chapter 26: Escape!

[Zeef's POV]

Damn it! I've become so weak from not eating or drinking properly for months! I hate relying on their stuff for food, drinks, or clothes, so I barely take enough to stay alive. Maybe I should've just offed myself back at our mansion before they could nab me, but now that we're already in Olvia, and it feels like it's too late. Actually, if I kick the bucket now, everything we've been through would've been pointless.

What am I even saying... even if I had killed myself back then, they would've just snatched Kuro instead.

Damn it all! Is sitting here in these unwashed pyjamas I've been stuck in for months all I'm capable of?! I don't even know what's happening out there! Did my dad and Uncle Kuriyami run into Uncle Riece and General Thaijou? Did they throw down?! Who came out on top?! What happened to the loser?! I'm completely clueless!

Glancing toward the exit of the tent that I've been cooped in since our arrival, I catch sight of the shadows of the guards who were supposed to prevent my escape. Utter bastards, the lot of them! Maybe I should have eaten properly and used the energy to make a run for-

Splat!

Eh?

Squelch!

The hell!?

The two shadowy figures outside disappeared entirely, followed by the emergence of a third shadow, one that looked nothing like the first two, who obviously wore cloaks! Reacting swiftly, I dove beneath the table I had just vacated, only a few seconds before the newcomer stepped inside. I doubt he spotted me, but he'd surely check under the table sooner or later so I needed to... wait a damn minute, I recognise those boots!

Kuriyami:
Y'know, that table ain't gonna hide that sizable backside of yours.

Uncle Kuriyami!

I rolled to the side, summoning every ounce of strength my starved legs could muster, and hoisted myself up, eager to finally lock eyes with a friendly face!

Zeef:
Unc-

Kuriyami:
Zeef... no... he's been... we were too late...

Huh!? What's he on about!? What the hell had happened before.... oh hell....

Zeef:
Uncle, I'm still alive... ( ￣_￣)

Kuriyami:
Z-ZEEF!? You look deader than Alsia's zombies on a Monday morning!

Zeef:
SHOW SOME COURTESY WHEN TALKING ABOUT MY APPEARANCE WILL YOU!?

This guy! He had me scared for a second! I thought something horrible had happened, but luckily he was just talking about my appearance!

Kuriyami:
A-Ahem! Sorry about that, ready to get out of here?

Zeef:
The words I've been waiting for!

Kuriyami:
Perfect!

He crouched down and started doing his thing, manifesting his [Void gate] for us to slip through! I spotted the hazy flare of black smoke appear and.... where did it go? ( ⊙ _⊙)

Zeef:
Um....

Kuriyami:
I uhhh...

Zeef:
If you tell me you trekked all the way here but forgot to drop one of your temporary markers for us to [Void Gate] to, I swear to the gods I'll defect to the enemy faster than a cat chasing a rat through a bakery!

Kuriyami:
I placed the damn marker goddamit! Who the hell do you think I am? I'm just a little low on mana right now!

Zeef:
Low on mana!? Your mana stores a bigger than both my parents' combined!