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Young Ryu's POV
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With the sun slowly descending below the hills of the plains we were in, I make my way back into the camp; a small deer hoisted over my shoulder.

It had been a day much like any other day we've had since we've been travelling across the border between the Kingdom and the Empire. Wake up in the morning, sort out chores to do in the camp, go out to hunt for food, come back and eat, then sleep. I might get some occasional sword training in between eating and sleeping, but that's about it.

The camp wasn't particularly large, but it was definitely one that you'd be able to get somewhat lost in since all the tents looked the exact same, but it was done on purpose to make sure not just anyone could make it to the centre.

We change it up every time we stay and camp, so even after living like this for my entire life, it wasn't something that you'd be able to get used to, and even I'd get lost sometimes, not often though.

But today I managed to make it to the campfire with relative ease, especially with the deer over my shoulder and I set it down on a flat piece of log that was stained with red bloodstains. I wasn't the one who cut up the meat for us to eat, but I had been taught how to since it was a skill I would need when I would eventually leave.

I do a slight whistle to let anyone know that there was food that needed to be readied and walk off into the winding paths again, looking for my personal tent.

It didn't usually take me too long to find it, but today, I just seemed to be making the wrong turns constantly. I wasn't running around in a circle, but I never seemed to be going in the right direction.

Turn a corner, walk for a bit, turn a corner. I just seemed to be doing that, until I heard a conversation happening in a tent further ahead of me. It wasn't unusual, but after getting a little frustrated with getting lost, my curiosity took a hold of me.

So, I snuck up to the outside of the tent, sat down and listened.

"So? When's it happenin'?" (Man 1)

"Pff, couple a' weeks from now? We don't know. Well, it'll create one helluva commotion, so that's all we need t'know." (Man 2)

"Still, why d'they want us to tail a couple a' kids? It's strange they didn't want 'em dead." (Man 1)

"Who knows, but it's nothin' different for us. We just gotta do our job." (Man 2)

"Hah, true that." (Man 1)

Shrinking back into a space between two tents, I hold my breath as the two men exit and walk away.

I hear their chuckling and chatter quieten as they move further and further away, and my breath escapes from my mouth.

They... They were definitely talking about me and Akari, right?

I mean, we're the only kids in the camp, and we haven't had anything to do with others for at least a week or two at this point.

So why are they... What's happening in a few weeks? If something's happening with the group, I'd surely know about it.

T-Then surely not... It has to be some others, right? Maybe some from the town we were just in... Greif...

But then that means... Archi and Freja...

No. There're more than just those two in that town, it wouldn't be them... Surely.

I can feel myself trembling more and more as my mind sinks into a deep pit of despairing thoughts.

"Ara, Ryu, why are you sitting there?" (Asa)

Ice-cold words. They seemed to cut into your ears as if they were icicles. They seemed to have a face of sympathy behind them, but that's all it was... A face.

Beneath that was merely cold indifference.

"A-ah, Asa... It's... Um, no, no, it's nothing..." (Young Ryu)

Even my voice trembled, though not at what I just heard, but rather at the piercing eyes that stared down at me.

"... Hmm, is that so? Then I suppose you're just cold... Why don't you warm up by the fire? Stick around where others can see you..." (Asa)

"..." (Young Ryu)

Her words always held hidden intents. Even I knew that.

I wasn't particularly trying too hard to hide anything, but those words simply dug out the lie and displayed it.

She had seen me trembling before she even spoke to me. She probably even knows why.

"I-I'm not too cold, I'll be fine in a bit, I just got lost and was walking around..." (Young Ryu)

Her eyes stay locked on me as if she was a predator watching her prey run around in futility. They were cold eyes, cold with indifference, cold with apathy.

"... Then hurry along, that deer you caught is going to be gone before you know it." (Asa)

She leaves with those as her parting words, walking past me and turning around a corner, the lack of footsteps unnerving.

I wait for a minute or two, sorting out my thoughts in my head before standing up and heading towards the smoke rising in the air, feeling the exhaustion from the day hitting my body and my thoughts weighing me down.

The shouts and cheers from the other members of the No-Names could be heard from far away as they clashed mugs full of ale together while holding wooden bowls filled with a white, creamy sauce. 

Some were standing and jumping around the fire, while some were dancing arm in arm, each with a mug in the other, cheering and chugging as they spun around.

There were several logs spread around as places to sit, some filled with people sitting and eating, while some remained empty with splotches of ale and food staining them. 

On the opposite side to where I was entering from was another fire with a large pot on top, and to its side was a large wooden board with fresh bloodstains on it. The smell of the meal was coming from that pot and it travelled through the entire camp.

There were several kegs to the left of the pot, most of them surrounded by a few drunkards, while the empty ones were knocked over on their side.

I manage to edge my way past them and reach the pot, where I get a bowl of food and turn around, looking for an empty log before I see Akari sitting not far from me, watching and laughing at the drunk men spinning around.

Sitting down next to her, I don't say anything and just start eating, before small muffled voices behind us catch my attention.

"-- centre tent-- that's where it-- " (Voice)

"--and what of Ryu?--" (Voice)

"--Kagei-- not to care about--" (Voice)

"--killing Their Grace?--" (Voice)

I could barely keep the horror of what I'd just heard off of my face as I attempted to play it off and continue eating.

Though I could only hear small snippets of the conversation, it was enough to piece events together. 

The kids those two men were on about were me and Akari, since it seems like Kagei is planning on killing Mum and Dad.

But I'm not too sure about why the centre tent was mentioned... We mainly use it for storage, so there isn't usually anything of use in there other than a few spare swords and a few broken bows.

And now that I look around, where are Mum and Dad...? Since they typically give a speech or something, they're usually the first ones here...

Something in the back of my mind seems to urge me forward as if it knew something was about to happen, so I sprung up, startling Akari.

"...? Ryu, what's up?" (Akari)

"Huh? Oh... nothing, nothing's up... Just get ready for something..." (Young Ryu)

"Like what...?" (Akari)

"I'm not sure..." (Young Ryu)

With that, I leave the campsite and once again enter the twisting paths of the tents, half looking for my parents, half in search of the centre tent. That conversation piqued my conversation about it.

As I searched around, every now and again, I'd hear snippets of conversations passing, some of them irrelevant, while some of them surprisingly useful when I gave myself time to think.

From what I've heard, it seems like there's a barrier around the camp, disguising us from the outside, and it also seems to be the same artifact that makes these paths so easy to get lost in.

But I began to search more and more frantically as time went on and I overheard more of the conversations. It seems more than half of the camp is in on this plan, and that it's happening much sooner than a few weeks. From what I've heard, it'll happen, at the latest, a week from now.

Even with that time limit, it may be shorter, since I don't think they'd do it while we're travelling, and we were supposed to be leaving in around 3 or 4 days, so it'll likely be before then.

But I attempt to push the time limit I have to the back of my mind as I race around the tents, my heart beating against my chest like a drum, my eyes darting back and forth between tents.

It was only a few turns later that I saw a tent that was particularly larger than the others, with a teepee-like design and a large, black stick coming from the top to the floor inside. It was a plain brown colour, so it didn't stick out much among the others, but it was recognizable by its size.

Pushing aside the felt that acted as the door, I find myself in a cramped space, with tens of boxes stacked around haphazardly and random objects strewn around across the floor. After taking in my surroundings, I hear a small, muffled cry from one side, behind a wall of boxes.

Taking them down one by one, I spot two figures gagged and tied up.

"Mum! Dad! W-what happened?" (Young Ryu)

With my voice shaking, I untied them and took the cloth away from their mouth, letting them speak.

"Ryu! How did you find us? Wait, no, you need to get out of here... with Akari too." (Dad)

"No! They're trying to kill you, not me! You two get out, I'll be able to get away." (Young Ryu)

"Ryu..." (Mum)

"There'll be no point in me doing this if you're just going to get caught again! You two get out, I'll follow after you're gone!" (Young Ryu)

"... Fine, let's go." (Dad)

"... Alright." (Mum)

I watch their backs as they run out of the tent, my mind almost wandering away before a shout comes from outside the tent.

"Ryu! The mirror, it's the catalyst for the barrier!" (Dad)

Hearing what he said, I quickly get up from my knees and scour around the tent, looking for a mirror before finding one on the floor, glass side up.

I lift my foot up above the mirror and almost bring it down on it, before stopping myself.

Akari. She has no idea. If I break this now, everyone will know. Kagei especially will know. And he'll find out where I am. I have to get Akari out first.

With that in mind, I place my foot behind me, spin around and bolt out of the tent, finding myself amidst a huge blaze.

Taken by surprise, I was slightly caught by the flames as the wind blew towards me, but I reacted fast enough so that no damage was done.

It takes a moment for me to comprehend what is going on, but when I do, I take off running.

Akari... 

Please be safe...

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Author Notes
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Heh. Wow. Well, I'm done with this chapter, I guess. It's a long one, 2000 words, though I suppose it had to be, considering I haven't published a new chapter in a little over two months.

Honestly, I don't have an excuse. Whenever I tried to write, I'd open the chapter, read it through, and give up because I had no idea where I was taking it. BUT, I'm done now. Hopefully something like this won't happen again, but it probably will, but I'll try my best to avoid it, and if it does happen, I'll make the chapter another long one.

But anyways, thank you for reading this chapter, sorry for the long break, please continue reading!