Chapter 10: Conflict

The sun gradually emerged, dyeing the clouds in the Aquila sky red. Lyne carried an unconscious Kaega on her back, his body feverishly hot and heavy. Every step she took was a struggle, searching for a hidden corner, a safe enough roof to hide them from the searching eyes everywhere. The old cloak covered them both, a flimsy camouflage in a city gone mad.

Along the way, the remnants of last night's escape were starkly visible: collapsed sewer entrances, destroyed roads. The whispers and discussions of citizens and priests echoed from every alley.

– Dammit, the Silver Masks are always so noisy. But this time, it's an insult to this sacred land!

– They might have offered benefits, but destroying two major roads is too much of an infringement.

– We can't let them operate freely here.

– You all should also find and get rid of those chosen brats who are hiding. If they resist, just kill them, no need to show any respect to the Silver Masks!

After last night, the Faith Guild was the one who suffered the most direct damage. They had two of their vital routes destroyed and decided they would no longer stand by and watch the heretics act freely at night. Security was tightened to a suffocating degree. On every road, corrupted priests patrolled, their fanatical eyes scanning every nook and cranny. Even the Rat Alley, a notoriously lawless place, was being searched.

This was originally part of Kaega's calculations. Inciting hostility from the Faith Guild towards the Silver Masks, although tightening security, would make it easier for the two of them to hide in the chaos.

"All of this is going according to his intentions... If our actions during the Bloodbath affect the people here... they won't let the Silver Masks invade so easily."

Lyne felt a bitter self-reproach. If she could have run away with him back then... perhaps Kaega wouldn't be in his current state. She was hiding on a rooftop, below were strict patrol teams. If caught, there were only two paths: confront them, or leave this place and face an even stronger attack from the "hunting dogs." Both options were suicidal.

After a while, she found an abandoned attic, a temporary shelter. Lyne carefully placed Kaega down, examining his condition.

– "He's useless now... abandon him..."

The voice whispered again, more persistent since she encountered the fake Head Measurer. Although her head no longer hurt as it did in the ruins, it still made her uncomfortable.

"Why didn't you leave me and run back then... Kaega?"

In her impression, Kaega was a pragmatic and ruthless person. He was willing to trap even her to achieve his goal of survival. But all his plans, with or without variables, were frighteningly effective.

– "Don't trust him too much... He's not someone you can trust..."

Lyne no longer wanted to react to it. She used her left hand to unbutton Kaega's shirt to check his wound.

"This condition..."

She froze. Kaega's body was thin, and although he still had the muscles of a wanderer, it was clearly not the physique of a warrior. Both his arms were covered in crisscrossing old scars, most of them from burns. The newest wound was on his chest, a large, dark bruise was forming, the result of that devastating blow.

– This wound is too serious. His bones seem to be cracked... Wait a minute...

Lyne realized something was wrong.

"The wound is very severe, but not enough to kill him, at least not today... but why?"

The fake Head Measurer's ramming attack was extremely powerful. Even someone who had undergone harsh training like her wasn't sure she could take it without serious injury. For someone with Kaega's physique, it should have been a fatal blow.

"There's no time to think too much, I have to give him first aid."

While bandaging him, Lyne realized something else.

"His sternum seems to be cracked, but luckily none of the fractures pierced his internal organs. But his shoulder bone is broken, it needs to be set or treated with magic from a priest."

Lyne suddenly remembered the priestess Elina.

"If only she were here... but I don't have enough money anymore..."

– Ha... ha... I... when... trade...

Kaega began to pant, his face flushed, his body temperature rising.

"This is... he has a fever?"

– "This weakling... so useless... get rid of him..." – The voice whispered intermittently.

– I don't need you to teach me what to do. – Lyne retorted in a low, fierce voice.

– "Haha, you'll realize it soon enough..."

"That voice is appearing too often... although I don't feel controlled anymore, this isn't a good sign..."

Lyne used her left hand to dip a cloth in water, then wiped Kaega's body and placed a damp cloth on his forehead.

"I hope he can recover quickly... although with this body of his, I don't know if that's possible..."

Lyne was also exhausted at this point. She hadn't rested properly since entering the library in the ruins. Now, without Kaega on guard, she had to be vigilant alone, trying to catch some sleep while listening to every sound from outside.

Elsewhere in the city...

Clomp, clomp, clomp... The sound of galloping horses. The sound of people shouting, checking everywhere. The goal was to find those who were hiding during the Bloodbath.

– There's a brat over there! Get him, get rid of him!

– Shit, I've been spotted!

A large man was discovered. He tried to run from the sight of the patrols.

– Dammit... which bastard destroyed the structures here! – He cursed as he ran, but a cavalry squad blocked his path.

– To avoid unnecessary conflict, just get the hell out of this sacred land.

– You think I'm running because I'm scared of you? In your dreams! I can even kill the monsters from the Silver Mask guild, you think I can't kill you fanatics!

– Insolent fool, how dare you insult our faith!

– You deserve to die! A heretic like you will die for your—

Thwack!

Before he could finish, a sword flew straight into the priest's forehead. The large man charged, knocking over a horse and disrupting the formation, then retrieved his sword and went on a killing spree. But his momentary strength could not stand against an entire army.

– This man dared to defy the defenders of the faith! This is the fate of the disobedient!

The large man's head was now mounted on a spear, paraded throughout the region. The crowd below cheered, it was unknown whether out of genuine admiration or fear. On their way, they were stopped by a man in shining armor.

– Who is that, who dares to block the guild's march?

A long-haired man stood against the wind, the light shining on his shining silver armor made him look like a hero from a fairy tale. In his hand were several heads with various expressions: fear, cunning, anger... but the common thing was that they all retained their expressions at the moment of death, as if they were still alive.

The marching soldiers quickly dismounted and bowed.

– Oh, Holy Knight Crambell! Why must you do this yourself, my lord?

Holy knights, those who fight for faith and justice. But the man before them, with the heads in his hand, was smiling with satisfaction.

– Hunting these heretics is a pleasure I cannot pass up. Let me act with you, expel these people and behead those who resist!

He spoke as he smiled. That day, more than a hundred "guest" children were "liberated" by Crambell, and a few dozen who were forced back to the Silver Masks and couldn't escape in time were also killed. But the act of killing the guests on his own accord was a sign of another bloody night for the Bloodbath.

Two hours passed, the sun was about to set. Kaega was still unconscious and had a high fever.

"Even though I anticipated it, it's still so difficult."

– "Tired...? Leave him... it will be better for you."

Lyne ignored the voice in her head, then carried Kaega up, looking for another safe place to hide from the hunt tonight.

Three hours later, after sneaking past the patrol teams, she had climbed onto a high roof, near the pyre where the woman was burned yesterday. From here, she could survey the entire area.

"Today was really difficult... if I had acted back then, maybe it wouldn't have come to this..." Lyne still felt self-reproach, but this was not the time for that. Because at the border, there were many lights from torches.

"What the hell...?"

Lyne was horrified by the scene unfolding. To the south, where it bordered the territory of the Silver Mask Guild, an army of over six hundred was approaching. More than four hundred smiling masks, one hundred and fifty crying masks, and fifty... wrath masks?

"Is tonight still supposed to be a hunt...?"

Immediately, the church bells rang out under the moonlight. The conflict between the two major guilds in Aquila was now unavoidable.

"Dammit, Kaega, did you know this would happen... I have to get out of here..."

Lyne had to immediately carry Kaega and leave. The sound of hooves and running feet was everywhere. Under the moonlight, a bloody outcome was foretold. Crambell had noticed something fleeing across the rooftops.

– "The hunt has begun."

– You heretics are not welcome here from this day on! If you take another step, the Faith Guild will not be lenient and will start a war in this Aquila!

– "You have killed our prey... now you are the prey."

With that, a fireball flew from behind the Silver Mask army into the middle of the priest squad, but was quickly neutralized by a magic wall.

– You bastards will pay for this act!

– "LET THE HUNT BEGIN!!"

The smiling and wrathful masks charged forward, creating a large-scale battle. Some of them ran quickly into the city to hunt down the remaining fugitives. Lyne, in the midst of that chaotic battlefield, was carrying Kaega, trying to run towards the city gate...