Thece swiftly made his exit, no longer concealed, having freed all those who were detained. Presently, numerous soldiers and hunters found themselves under attack. Yet, this chaos served as a smokescreen for his escape. Teleporting multiple times, he navigated through the turmoil until he reached the colossal gate. However, his presence had become inconsequential; attention now focused on the relentless assault by ferocious creatures. Thece wore a subtle smile, as if relishing a measure of revenge against those hunters.
The young man gazed fixedly at the gate, a genuine joy swelling in his chest. He envisioned reuniting with the twins, Phio and Nilli, spending more time together, imparting essential lessons on survival, combat, and life. Though Thece knew that one day he might have to entrust them to someone else, he still had trustworthy contacts. Yet, all that planning faded in that moment. He yearned to find the boys alive and offer a thousand apologies for leaving them, realizing the pain it caused rivaled that of departing his family's home, even in the absence of his deceased parents and brother. Thece was almost there, unable to teleport across vast distances consistently, forcing him to run intermittently. However, something unexpected unfolded.
A initial jolt of immense pain surged through Thece's calf. Despite having experienced considerable pain from weapon-inflicted injuries in his life, it always stung as though it were the first time he'd been hurt. Collapsing to the ground, whatever had struck him likely targeted his tendon, causing him to lose balance. Fury welled within Thece; after all, what kind of human hunter would dare to confront him under such conditions? Humans, indeed, proved as irritating as mosquitoes and wielded a comparable level of danger. Seated on the ground, as he reached for his calf, he realized it wasn't a sword that had hit him but an arrow.
"Fuck!" he exclaimed, the pain coursing through him. Swiftly yanking the arrow from his calf, he prepared to confront the human responsible for his disturbance. However, a realization flashed through his mind – the remarkable accuracy of this human, hitting him in motion. Calineths typically possessed a sixth sense for when they were being targeted, especially by humans who were far from discreet. Before he could fully process this revelation and look ahead, he was taken by surprise, receiving a kick to his face and having his chest pressed down by a boot.
"Sorry, but if I didn't do this, you'd never stop to listen to me!" spoke the creature pressing on his chest, aiming an arrow directly at his head. It was a Caimmoth, bearing a striking resemblance to the one Thece had encountered at the bar – in fact, they all looked the same with their white hair and arrogant demeanor. Despite her actions, the girl seemed genuinely regretful about hitting him so forcefully. However, Thece couldn't shake his anger toward her; after all, it was neither the time nor the place for such an act.
"I'll break free, and once I do, I'll kill you. So why not spare your life and let me go?" threatened Thece, but the girl merely wore a cynical smile and pulled the arrow on her bow even farther back, causing Thece to swallow hard. She knew that in this situation, Thece had no chance of escape. Caimmoths were archery experts, and no one could evade a precise shot from them. Yet, bluffing was a tactic of Thece's; many feared his bluffs, even if they weren't necessarily truths.
"Do not make me laugh; truly, I harbor no intention of causing harm or anything of the sort. I simply wish to pose a straightforward question and then release you," spoke the girl with hair and skin as luminous as the moon itself, casting its glow upon the darkened sky of that night. Thece could assert, based solely on her demeanor, that the girl lacked the voice or demeanor of an assassin. Even if he harbored an unwillingness to divulge information, he couldn't afford to take risks, particularly when it came to returning to the twins."
"Very well, ask your questions," Thece shrugged, and the girl responded with a sidelong smile. At first glance, her eyes appeared blue, but depending on the lighting, they shifted to violet or even red.
"It's a straightforward question, just one. I believe you might know a great deal about this world, especially being far from your homeland..." spoke the Caimmoth. At this moment, Thece furrowed his brows, having no clue what the girl was talking about.
"Speak up, or do you wish to be killed alongside me by some human hunter?" Thece said, annoyed by how much the girl was beating around the bush. It was almost as if she didn't even know what she was going to ask, appearing confused and attempting to conceal something.
"Do you know of any human worth considering?" asked the girl. Thece even chuckled, thinking the question was a joke, but the girl maintained a serious expression, indicating the gravity of the inquiry. Thece didn't even want to entertain the thought; he had never encountered a human who was remotely worth considering.
"Is there such a human being? Everyone I've met was pure rottenness," Thece laughed. This didn't sit well with the girl, who gripped her bow and arrow tightly, causing her to pull the arrow even further back on the bow while maintaining her stern expression.
"I'll ask again, and this time I expect a serious answer, or I'll have to kill you, and I really wouldn't want that... Do you know of any human worth considering?" spoke the albino girl. This prompted Thece to delve into his memories, searching for any human for whom he felt compassion.
Possibly, at some point in his life, Thece might have felt some form of compassion for a human, but it certainly wasn't etched in his memory. So, the most sensible response to give the Caimmoth was no. However, a memory struck him like an arrow to the head, and he recalled something, though it was certainly not what the summoned girl was seeking.
"No," he answered seriously. Less than a second after his response, an arrow struck the grass less than an inch from his head, leaving a cut on his cheek.
"You're lying; speak up already. Next time, I'll hit one of your limbs, and believe me, it will hurt a lot!" declared the girl, grabbing another arrow swiftly. This angered Thece. What did that girl want him to say, after all?
"I wasn't lying; I genuinely believe no human is worth considering. However, I was thinking of a human girl I felt sorry for when I first arrived in Mucercia," said Thece, expressing his thoughts. This time, the Caimmoth seemed to be believed by the summoned girl.
"Which maiden, and why did you harbor sympathy for her?" inquired the Caimmoth, leaving Thece intrigued as to why she was so eager to delve into this. Few thoughts crossed his mind, and the most plausible hypothesis was that this Caimmoth was simply eccentric. The question she posed was so ambiguous, capable of being answered in myriad ways, that it bordered on the abstract, making it challenging to pinpoint any definitive response to such an inquiry.
"She was alone, weeping on a park bench, and two repulsive men began uttering obscenities about vile deeds they intended for her. I felt an urge to ruthlessly end the lives of those two and present their severed heads to her. Is that what you wished to hear me say?" spoke Thece.
"Well, it's not what I seek, but I know the look of someone speaking the truth. Thank you for that, but I hope you forgive me for this..." said the girl, and before Thece could react, she accurately struck him in the calf.
"You bitch!" shouted Thece, realizing that in addition to the arrow he received in the calf, she was heavily drugged. Many substances didn't affect him, but there were those rare ones that could even bring down a Calineth. He wouldn't pass out, but his senses were undoubtedly dulled, and he needed to remove the arrow.
"Mira!" someone shouted, but Thece lacked the strength even to look, as he was busy trying to extract the arrow from his body. "I'm so relieved you're okay! I was so worried!" spoke the female voice. Thece was glad to at least know the name of this Caimmoth, Mira, who would be the next after the killer of his parents.
"We're back to square one, Leti. None of the creatures here in Mucercia knew about him, and not even in the human archives," Mira spoke. Thece struggled to eavesdrop on the conversation as the two of them were already moving away, making it a challenging task.
"Haven't you killed the Calineth? What if he pursues us?" asked Leti, a girl whom Thece couldn't even see, only hearing her voice. Inside, the Calineth seethed with anger, if he could, he would have already killed the two girls.
"Don't worry, he's harmless. I used Ramlill in the preparation of those arrows. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't pursue us," said Mira. This was one of the last sentences Thece managed to hear from their conversation, but at the same time, it sparked numerous questions in his mind.
About whom were those two speaking, and how was it connected to the query that Caimmoth had posed to him? Nevertheless, for Thece, none of that held any allure; he merely yearned to extricate himself safely from the precarious situation at hand. Despite his inherent curiosity, he harbored no intention to pursue or unravel the significance of their discourse. At present, his primary focus lay in mustering the strength to extract the arrow embedded in his calf. It seemed simpler than it truly was to dislodge an arrow from one's person—a rarity in Thece's experience. Engaging in close-quarter combat, he seldom found himself on the receiving end of injury; more often than not, he was the inflictor rather than the inflicted upon.
As though a detonation had occurred, Thece forcefully yanked the arrow embedded in his calf, causing a trickle of purplish blood to cascade from the wound. However, a complication arose as the arrowhead remained lodged within. A resigned sigh escaped Thece's lips, for this was the last thing he needed—now compelled to delve into the wound with his fingers to locate the arrowhead before the situation escalated into a festering infection, exacerbating an already dire state. Alas, the afflicted area throbbed with such intensity that Thece found it impossible to extend his hand toward the afflicted region. That accursed Caimmoth—should Thece encounter her once more, he vowed to sever her head from her shoulders.
"Thece?" inquired a voice, one that Thece found remarkably familiar. Simultaneously relieved and perturbed, he grappled with concern. How had this individual managed to infiltrate his current predicament? Now, Thece found himself contending with not only the impending effects of the poison coursing through his veins but also the enigma of this unexpected presence.
"Nilli? How did you manage to infiltrate this place? Where is your brother?" Thece inquired desperately, attempting to rise despite his injuries. Chaos enveloped his surroundings; imprisoned species began assaulting the city, structures ablaze, and lifeless bodies strewn across the streets. The entire scene descended into absolute pandemonium.
"I navigated past the overt traps set in place. Upon arriving through the back gate of Mucercia, there was no guard, so I slipped in. We've been searching for you, and I fear that Phio might have found himself entangled in some trouble..." Nilli spoke, as if he had carefully stored those words in his mind, waiting for the opportune moment to unload them upon Thece.
"Excellent, Nilli. We need to find your brother and get out of here as swiftly as possible," declared Thece. Nilli nodded in agreement; he always obeyed Thece, in stark contrast to the perpetually rebellious Phio.
"Thece, are you injured?" inquired Nilli, gesturing towards his continuously bleeding calf. This prompted Thece to entertain an idea—though not an ideal one. He hesitated, reluctant to potentially traumatize Nilli, but with his mobility severely compromised, there seemed to be no other recourse. Even teleportation was hindered in his current state.
"Nilli, I'll need you to do something for me. I've been struck by an arrow, and the tip is lodged in my calf, and I can't extract it myself," explained Thece, indicating his injured leg. At this revelation, Nilli comprehended Thece's request and swallowed hard, his fear of blood gnawing at him.
"I... I'm afraid of blood, Thece," replied Nilli, disappointed in himself for being so cowardly and unable to assist his older brother when he needed it the most. Clenching his fists, Nilli harbored a genuine desire to be braver, but fear seemed to grip him relentlessly in every situation.
"Alright, let's find your brother then. But we need to be cautious and make our way out of here without drawing attention," said Thece. Nilli nodded in agreement. At that moment, Thece crumpled to the ground, a searing pain shooting through his leg. It appeared that the arrowhead was still releasing venom, and with each passing moment, Thece grew more disoriented.
"Thece, I'll do it," declared Nilli, almost immediately regretting his change of heart. Internally, Thece experienced a certain satisfaction, but outwardly, he tried not to show it. He didn't want Nilli to feel coerced into making that decision at that moment; it had to be a choice entirely his own.
"Great. I need you to insert your hand in there. Once you manage to grasp the arrowhead, pull it out. No matter how much I scream, I need you to keep going," instructed Thece, causing Nilli to swallow hard as he envisioned the upcoming scene.
Thece seated himself on the ground once more, pulling up his pants to reveal a blood-soaked hole in his calf. At the sight of this, Nilli nearly fainted but desperately tried to convince himself that it wasn't as gruesome as it seemed. Once he placed his hand on the wound, Thece had to bite down on his shirt to stifle his screams. Despite his efforts not to frighten Nilli, the pain proved overwhelming. While clamping down on the fabric, he clenched his own hand to distract himself from the agony. He vowed never to forget that Caimmoth.