Journey to a Better End (An Add x Ara Story)

Chapter 5

Hope you guys are liking the story so far...I've kind of run out of author's notes for now...
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       And this was yet another reason that Ara was Add's friend. Whenever he'd say something such as what he'd just told her, she wouldn't look at him as if he was crazy. She waited until he explained himself before making her judgment. "What do you mean by that?" Ara asked him as they kept walking. They ignored the people that walked by them in pain and suffering from the recent attack.

       "Just this morning, it suddenly got colder while we were outside. I'm pretty sure the temperature doesn't undergo a sudden noticeable decrease like that on a regular basis," Add was saying. Just as he finished speaking, Add felt it again causing him to stop in his tracks. The temperature got even lower in an instant. The look on Ara's face let him know that she noticed it too this time.

       "So what does this mean?" she asked as they started walking again. "I don't really know but that isn't the only thing that's happened today. My mother...she actually acted like a mother when I went back home earlier," Add said. Ara's worried expression changed to a cheerful one. "Add, that's great!" she said. "No, it isn't. I don't know how or why it happened and it has to somehow be connected to this strange weather," Add said.

       Ara's cheerfulness instantly disappeared at these words. Before she could say anything else, the temperature dropped again, this time to a level that didn't allow their light clothing to keep them warm. Both Add and Ara shivered just a little from the sudden temperature drop. "We need to get somewhere warm, and quickly. My house is closer than yours so you're coming with me," Ara said as she quickened her steps.

       Add didn't give a response and instead used his invention to carry him along, matching Ara's pace without having to walk. Ara didn't complain but she surely seemed like she wanted to. They said nothing more to each other as they walked made their way to Ara's home and they noticed that there weren't very many people out and about. It was likely because of the recent attack on the village and the major loss as well.

        As they arrived in Ara's yard, they noticed something very strange about it. "That wasn't there before," Ara noted, referring to the small area where mini tombstones were clustered. "There's no way that just happened. Something's wrong," Add said. Ara then ran towards her home but something was not right, no everything was wrong. "Ara, wait! Don't go in there yet!" Add called out as her chased after Ara.

       He pulled her back just before she could reach the door. "Let me go! My family is in there. Something could be wrong!" Ara said. Add stepped off of his invention so that he stood in front of Ara and gripped her shoulders. "Ara, something is wrong which is why you can't go in there. You are not about to take that risk with me standing right here," Add said, looking her straight in the eyes.

       She glared at him and he only glared back until Ara looked away. Just as Add let her go, the door to Ara's home opened and none other than Ryu Jin Haan stood there with a shocked look on his face. Add was pretty sure they'd just left him back at the village telling him to go home. Add nor Ara had time to say anything before Ryu Jin tackled them both into a hug.

       "Where the hell have you two been? You've been gone for a little over a month now. We thought you both had died somehow," he said on the verge of tears. "Wha-? Wait, we haven't been gone that long," Ara said. "We were just in the village a couple of minutes ago Ryu," Add said. Ryu didn't believe them though. He let them go and went back to the door, calling for Ara's mother.

       When she came into view Ara began to walk to her but Ara's mother backed away from her. "Who are you?" she asked. Ara, hurt by her mother's words, stopped in her tracks. "It's me, Ara. Don't you remember?" Ara said. "It is her. See, even Add is here," Ryu Jin said. "Go inside Ryu. These people are trespassers," Ara's mother said. "But mama, it's really me. I don't know what's going on, I'm just coming home," Ara pleaded.

       "My daughter is dead just as the rest of my children are. Just as my husband is. Just as most of the villagers are. Get off of my property you demoness. You and that cursed hairpin are the cause of all of this. You and your little accomplice need to leave, now," Ara's mother growler once Ryu Jin went back inside. Ara was now crying and she fell to her knees sobbing which only fueled Add's growing anger as he knelt dosn beside her to get her to stand back up.

        Ara had endured endless ridicule and unfair treatment from a majority of her siblings all for her mother's sake. The only brother that treated her with respect was likely dead for Add had not seen him and Ara didn't dare mention him. Just now, Ara just learned that a majority of her family members are dead. Add knew what it felt like to have a mother who didn't care and he wasn't about to let Ara go through that pain.

       Just as he was about to speak his mind, Ara pulled at his jacket sleeve as if knowing what he was about to do. "Let's go," she said through her tears. "But Ara..." Add was saying but she shook her head at him. Ara's mother still stood at the door waiting for them to leave with a look of hatred on her face. Add gave a sigh before turning around and leaving with Ara following behind him.

       Just as they were leaving the yard, Ara's name was called and she looked back to her former home with hope that was instantly crushed when she realized that her mother was not calling her. It was Ryu Jin and he was running towards them with gifts. "Here. I don't know where you're going to go but I want you to be safe. If it were up to me, I'd let you stay but I'm not quite old enough to be the head of the family yet. Please, stay safe until I am old enough and I promise you, I'll come searching for you and bring you home," Ryu Jin said.

       He gave Ara a bag that might have been full of various supplies, an intricately designed and sharp spear, and a traditional coat. "Add, take care of her for me. I don't know how you'll fare either since no ome has seen your mother leave the house since you left," Ryu Jin said as he handed Add a traditional coat as well that likely belonged to one of Ara's now lost siblings. Add gave him a nod, unphased by his statement concerning his mother. She hardly ever left the house anyway and with these strange anomalies, it was no surprise to Add that she had not been seen.

        As Add led Ara back to his home, he thought of the various possibilities that could have led to such events.  They were nearly there too. His nasod invention, thankfully resistant to cold weather, floated around him and Ara as they walked but suddenly, Ara held her arm out in front of him making him stop just as she had. He looked over to her in confusion, her eyes still red from crying earlier, but she stared back and uttered one word.

      "Dynamo," she said. Add followed her gaze as she looked ahead of them and sure enough, Dynamo was lying in the middle of the yard with obvious damage. As much as the little nasod servant annoyed him, Dynamo was the closest thing he had to a pet, not a friend because Dynamo told him once before that he did not seek friendship but only servitude. Despite that, Add felt something within him break at the sight of seeing Dynamo lifelessly lying there.

       "Is it safe to go over there?" Ara asked him. He didn't answer, still surprised by what he saw. Dynamo was perfectly capable of defense so whatever had killed him did so deliberately and it couldn't have been his mother because she fully trusted Dynamo. "...Add, what do we do?" Ara asked him, worry laced in her voice. He still didn't answer and instead walked over to where Dynamo was.

        Ara followed behind him with her spear now in both hands as she watched for any attackers. "It's okay, Ara. He's been like this for a while now. Whoever attacked him is long gone by now," Add said. Ara seemed reluctant but she let her guard down. "Wait, then it wasn't you mother that did this?" Ara asked. "No. Mother would never harm Dynamo. She loved all nasods," Add replied.

       "Then who do you think did it. They would have needed to get through the bamboo barrier to be an intruder. It could have been someone from the village," Ara concluded. "Or it could have been me," a new voice said. Ara immediately went into a defensive stance with her spear pointed behind them at the person who had just appeared but for a second, Ara faltered in her defensive stance.

       Even Add was shocked. The person began to laugh at them and the melancholy in the laugh sounded so familiar for some reason. It was in that moment that Add realized that this laugh was the sound he'd heard when leaving home. This person who seemed to resemble him so much had managed to get a checkmate leaving Add with only one option. "Ara...run."
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Did this get a little more interesting? Hopefully so. I just need to get some more chapters written so until next time you cool readers!