Chapter 7: Hide and Seek

Closing the distance to get inside the village, where green fields could be seen from afar, Kyle walked with cautious steps.

I can make it before nightfall. I have to find Ryan. Maybe Asper was just messing with me... but no, knowing him, it's bad.

Probably worse than I want to believe. Damn it.

As he got closer, a wave of hot wind slammed into him. The air burned with heat, and sweat beaded on his skin.

Why is it so hot in here?

Then he saw villagers panicking, running in all directions, fleeing from something he couldn’t yet see.

Did Asper cause this?

He tried to swallow, his throat dry.

Do I need to get help from my keepers?

The thought barely had time to form before he froze at the sight ahead. His eyes widened in shock—swarms of bugs were filling the sky, merging into a massive, red fog.

Something must have lured these bugs here.

He took a step back, “You—you wanted me to solve this! They could give me a ride back to the city,” he muttered, recalling what his father had told him the other day.

He didn’t have time to panic. He started running ahead, not even knowing where to go.

The infirmary? Their hiding spot?

Shaking his head, he went straight to the infirmary, but the situation there was even more chaotic.

A group of villagers was trying to get inside as the flying bugs began to cover the building. Some released poisonous gas, others bit into screaming victims.

Kyle stood there, hesitant, unsure what to do.

Ryan’s mother must be there. Should I try to get inside and help her? But what about Ryan? I still don’t know where he is. Should I even be worrying about them? What about me? I might die if I stay here much—

Suddenly, His vision went blurry. He could feel pain at the back of his head, then a voice came from behind.

“I knew you wouldn’t wait.”

The voice laughed, grabbing Kyle, who lost consciousness on his shoulder.

Asper walked through the chaos with a wide smile, penetrating the swarms of bugs like they weren’t even there.

They avoided him—or rather, they obeyed.

Once he left, the bugs returned to their previous state, swarming over the entrance of the infirmary where just moments ago, villagers had struggled to take refuge.

***

Reema wasn’t in good shape either. She was exhausted from treating the villagers, being the only assistant to the doctor.

Normally, people didn’t visit unless they were sick, so the infirmary had never been prepared to handle this many patients.

She had no idea how to manage the situation alone.

She paused, thinking of Kyle’s maid.

She could help again—like the other day.

I need to call Kyle’s mansion after preparing more antidotes.

She stood in the operating room, white gloves on, holding a flask. She looked like she was mixing it with other components left on the doctor’s table.

It was hard to focus under this kind of pressure. She wasn’t used to it. Her eyes kept shifting between the mixture she was preparing and the window.

Outside, bugs swarmed the villagers. Some were already stuck to the glass, crawling and slamming into it, desperate to get in.

She tried to ignore her panic, thinking about her son.

Maybe he ran to the house. Maybe he’s hiding there.

She clung to the image—until a sudden sound broke the moment.

Turning around, the patient that the doctor had treated days ago was regaining consciousness.

Relief washed over her—at least one thing was going right.

She hurried over instinctively to check on him. The man looked to be in his late twenties.

“Sir, are you alright?”

He tried to sit up, hand on his forehead, muttering something she couldn’t make out.

She asked again, “Sir, do you still feel dizzy?”

But the man didn’t answer—or maybe he couldn’t hear her.

Suddenly, he slammed his fist into the metal table. It crashed to the floor, scattering everything on it.

“I WILL KILL YOU!” he screamed.

He took a few heavy steps toward her.

Reema froze. Panic surged through her. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed, scrambling backward on the floor.

Her brain went blank, except for one thought.

Is he going to kill me?

She knew she had to act—somehow—if she ever wanted to see her son again.

***

In a quiet, hidden corner of the village, a mid-teen boy wearing a straw hat carried someone over his shoulder.

He stood atop a wall, then leapt a great distance, landing in an open area where two dogs appeared—almost like they’d been waiting for him.

He passed between them without hesitation. They moved aside, calm and obedient, like they were already under his control.

The boy walked deeper into the land, smoke rising into the sky ahead. The place looked abandoned—half-built and overtaken by swarms of bugs, all drawn to the burning wood nearby.

But one spot stood out clearly: an old, empty well, visible even from a distance.

He laid Kyle down and started rummaging through his bag. His expression soured—whatever he was looking for wasn’t there.

With a disappointed sigh, he closed the bag, grabbed Kyle again, and leapt inside the well.

He descended with precision, bracing himself with his legs—one foot on the right wall, then pushing to the left, zigzagging down until he reached the bottom.

Once there, he dropped Kyle beside Ryan, who was also unconscious, then immediately jumped back up the way he came.

Kyle stirred, eyes fluttering open just enough to see the boy standing at the edge of the well.

The boy smirked. “Well, that must’ve brought back some old memories.”

He added, “I was hoping to give you some of my special drugs too—but looks like I already used most of them on the big guy. One dose didn’t seem enough for him.”

He chuckled, then glanced at Kyle’s dull expression.

“If he wakes up now…he’s going to be really pissed—might kill someone.”

He reached down, resting his hands on the two dogs that had followed him, and said with a grin,

“I’ll be taking these boys with me. They’ve got some tasks to do.”

***

Back at the mansion, the maid sat drinking tea in an open area beside the balcony.

She was speaking with the guardian, who was filling out some reports, when he suddenly said—as if replying to something she had just mentioned.

“So, he didn’t open the letter.”

The maid replied, “He’s been waiting impatiently for it, but I don’t know why he hasn’t checked it yet.”

The guardian nodded. “The young master must have his reasons. Still, it’s a rare opportunity. He needs to think it through. It might decide where his future is headed.”

The maid sighed. “One thing’s for sure—he has to deal with Asper on his own. You know we can’t interfere.”

As she took another sip of tea, a strange sensation struck her. The sky seemed to darken, even though the sun was still up.

She looked up—and her eyes widened at the sight: massive swarms of poisonous bugs blotting out the sky.

Both the maid and the guardian spoke at once, alarmed:

“Young master!”

***

At the hiding spot, the children huddled together, waiting for the swarms of bugs to pass.

Panic blurred everything—they barely registered the mid-teen boy who had passed by them earlier.

Rock, hidden under a mess of tree branches, pushed up his glasses with trembling fingers and whispered, “Do you think Ryan’s okay? He should’ve been here helping us…”

From behind another tree, Dell answered, voice low and flat, "He went to see Kyle this morning.”

He paused and lowered his gaze, then added, “Guess he finally found someone his age.”

Zam, curled up with his arms around his knees, snapped, “If Ryan were here, the bugs would've been too scared to show up!”

His voice wavered, but he kept pushing, "That garlic-head brainwashed him! I’m stuck here, scared! He didn’t even think about me—and he’s with his best friend now!”

The last words cracked slightly. He bit his lip, eyes watering, but his glare stayed sharp.

Suddenly, a shadow stretched over them.

Asper stood there, wearing Ryan’s hat.

The kids froze. It was the same boy they’d seen earlier—but now something was off about him.

He scanned the area, then locked eyes with them and smirked.

“Hey, kids. I think I’ll be taking this,” he said, reaching for the emergency kit at Rock’s side.

Rock instinctively clutched the kit tighter.

Something felt wrong. He questioned him, “Where did you get that hat? It belongs to Ryan.”

Asper took off the hat and tossed it aside. “Oh, this hat?”

Rock shouted, "What’s wrong with you? Don’t mess with our friend’s things!”

Asper’s smile widened.

"Kids your age need discipline,” he said casually.

“Lucky for you—I’m an expert.”

He raised two fingers to his mouth and whistled.

Two black dogs emerged from the shadows, low growls building in their throats.

The children froze in terror. They remembered what happened with Kyle. But for Zam, who hadn’t seen them before, it was even worse.

Asper crouched to remove the dogs’ muzzles.

“Alright, little ones... You know what to do, right?” he said with a grin.

Then he smirked and looked at them with a mischievous look.

“Now run!”

The word snapped Dell out of his daze. Knowing he was faster than the others, he was the first to act.

He hesitated, then grabbed Zam and lifted him onto his back, noticing Rock still frozen in place.

With trembling legs, he rushed over and shook Rock’s shoulder.

“Rock! Run!”

Rock blinked, then scrambled to his feet and bolted after them. Dell was already several meters ahead.

Asper watched, laughing as he rubbed over the dogs.

“Catch!”

He called to the dogs, and they tore off after the kids, barking and snarling with bared teeth.

Asper watched them disappear into the trees, then looked down at the emergency kit.

He opened it slowly, pulling out the stolen contents from the infirmary one by one.

“You thought you could hide it from me…” he talked to himself.

Then he smiled, then threw them on the ground.

“Let’s see how this little game of hide-and-seek ends.”

He stepped on them and began breaking them down, piece by piece.