Ch. 8 The long way around

My eyes opened, looking at the beautiful blue sky with a slight hint of orange. I took in a deep breath to enjoy the crisp mountain air. I was in the shade, somewhere where the temperature was just perfect.

A yawn came to me before I could even notice it.

Maybe waking up can feel good after all. Maybe all I need to do is move to the mountains and take naps outside all day.

While my destination was a city in the mountains, I had no memory of even getting there, let alone already napping in a random place. I was supposed to be in what was once called Tokyo.

And central Tokyo doesn't have mountains.

Changing my line of sight to a more horizontal one helped me understand the situation better. But I also felt really dizzy.

While it is true that everything around me looked like a white stadium with overgrown, yet well-contained vegetation, the shape of the environment around me, as serene as it may be, stopped being something that I base assumptions on.

What I was actually focused on were the people around me, looking at me like I was in the center of a coliseum, really to have my head eaten by a weird creature.

A familiar voice: "Just because he killed that thing, doesn't mean he knows anything about them!"

Ah, Mori seems full of energy at least.

Man in a suit: "Do you even believe what you are saying?"What, you plan to tell me that he just went out for a walk and happened to find that exiled man right as he was receiving his blessing?"

Blessing? What is that about?

"If you are talking about Hiro, there was no blessing going on there, one of those things just put a parasite in him!"

After saying that, Mori fell silent, and the arrogant guy in a suit started laughing hysterically.

Arrogant guy in a suit: "HAHAHAHAHA, see? What a great attorney you are, miss... He gave himself away as soon as he woke up!"

I feel like I may have fucked up big time here.

Mori just looked at me, I could see the disappointment in her eyes.

Just what is going on? Attorney? Is it because I killed Hiro? I mean, it would make sense. Who the hell just goes out to mutilate a dead body? Or maybe everything is being blamed on me?

Still that loser in a suit: "Well then, unnamed victim, tell me everything you know about them."

"Huh, wasn't the whole point that nobody really knows what those things are?"

Suit loser: "I see, not in the mood to talk. No problem, that guard that came with you told me what you did. You would not go hunting the children of the divine one if you didn't have another objective in mind."

Suiterman: "Exile is not enough for someone like you. You should consider yourself lucky. They have decided to bless you with what you have taken away from that other man."

That's when I finally saw it next to the suit guy.

How did I not notice it before? No, why do I feel like it keeps disappearing?

What I was seeing was more like a shadow. Or maybe a form that I couldn't really understand. One second it was there, the next it was gone.

It was about as tall as the average man, but that shape was not human. The only other thing I could clearly see were some mantis-like claws that handed something to the suit guy.

When I looked closer, it was a parasite like the one I killed.

I wanted to run, but my body wouldn't listen to me.

Suity suit: "It is the same thing that put you to sleep, some electrical waves that shut your brain down. A pity really. You won't even be able to feel the blessing to its full extent."

The man was getting closer and closer.

So this is really the climax of my story?

Just as I was thinking that, the floor opened, and a pair of hands grabbed me.

Before I could say anything, I was taken outside of the wall, and I could see Mori taking my hand and running.

Mori: "We have to get out of here."

I didn't question her. We just ran. Behind me, I saw how a gate in the wall was formed, and guards shooting at us, only for another part of the wall to grow out and block their path again for a reason I didn't understand at that time.

Thinking about it, I was sedated not even a minute ago. How can I move so well so suddenly?

...

When we felt like we were far enough, we stopped.

"What... What was that even about?" "Why are they suddenly interrogating me?" "Why do they have those fucking things that killed Hiro?" "AND WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT THI..."

She put her hand on my mouth. It was surprisingly gentle considering she was trying to shut me up.

Mori: "Do not mention it so loudly; it has really good hearing."

"Mori, please explain it to me. What was *that*?"

Mori: "*That* is the reason the world is like this. I will explain everything, I promise. But for now, let's just get as far away as we can."

I trust her. I want to trust her.

"Where to?"

Mori: "Didn't you say you wanted to look for your family? It seems like teleporting there in one go isn't an option anymore."

So... I am going on my quest on foot. This may end up taking a while.

But there was this weird feeling I just couldn't shake off.

How far does this girl intend to go for a stranger?