How To Avoid Doom Flags? : A Guide By Lee Felix

First Flag - Don't Get Hit By An Arrow

"Why, you!"

Now, Felix wasn't usually this rude. He didn't like picking fights for no reason, and he rarely raised his voice at anyone unless the situation really called for it. But he was exhausted, lost, he hadn't drunk or eaten anything for the past day, and now a random guy had manhandled him like a ragdoll and was acting as if not letting him die was an act worthy of worship.

So no, Felix wasn't exactly in the mood to be nice.

"Listen, I don't have time for this," he sighed, rubbing his temples. "Can you just tell me where the nearest city is?"

"You are lost?" The guy seemed almost elated at the news. "Very well. If I help you, however, I expect you to thank me for saving your life, and also apologize on your knees for your rudeness."

Felix stared at him for a few seconds... then promptly flipped him off and spun on his heels, walking away without a second thought. He had no intention of giving in to this arrogant twat's demands, even if it meant walking aimlessly for another week.

"W- wait! Wait!"

Felix was forced to stop when the Prince stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Contrarily to his previous, conceited frown, though, his eyes now expressed a certain amount of regret, and some worry, too.

"Please, wait," he insisted, a tad softer. "I apologize for my... unbecoming attitude. Being kidnapped then chased by assassins has taken its toll on my manners, it would seem, and I understand you would rather flee my company – but I cannot, in good conscience, allow you to leave on your own. The nearest city is over three days away from here, and it's not safe for you to travel alone."

"Three- three days!?" echoed Felix, too stunned by this bit of news to pay much attention to the rest. "How can we be this far? I was in the city just yesterday!"

"Ah, surely you must be mistaken," insisted the man. "But you needn't worry. I will personally escort you—"

"No thanks, you're weird." Felix tried to walk past him, but the man stopped him again, his eye now twitching a bit, and a scowl visible underneath his mask. "Ugh, stop trying to act like the good guy after acting so high and mighty while shoving your social status down my throat!"

The man appeared a little stunned at that. "I didn't... That- that wasn't what I—"

"I don't care what you meant or didn't mean," snapped Felix. "Do you have any idea for how long I've been walking? I woke up in a random forest, completely cut off from the world, and spent hours walking down a damn road that doesn't lead anywhere, and when I finally find someone who could help you, I get thrown to the ground and pinned down like some sort of- of unruly animal, and then you have the galls to claim you've saved my life when it was apparently put at risk in the first place because you showed up!"

"Please, lower your voice—!"

"No! I'm fucking tired of this bullshit! I'm in a weird forest with a weird guy dressed in weird clothes and then there's princes and assassins and now you're telling me the nearest city is three fucking days away and I'm done! I am fucking done! This – whatever this is – has gone on for long enough! We've all had a good laugh at the expense of the foreign guy, now get the cameras out and bring me home already! I want to go home!!!"

A whizzing noise cutting through the faint, nightly breeze.

Felix felt something slide down his cheek.

"Huh?"

Bringing his fingers to his cheek, he was stunned when he pulled them back and found them coated in blood – his blood. He barely even noticed as the mysterious man pulled him off the road again with a shout, urging him to move, entirely focused on the fact that he'd just gotten hurt, somehow.