As the afternoon waned, the city basked in a scarlet hue, courtesy of the setting sun in the west. Amidst the laughter of playing children and the bustle of passersby, Alfred wandered, his mind adrift in contemplation, pondering deeply over matters known only to him.
A small child, caught up in their play, nearly collided with Alfred, jolting him out of his reverie. His gaze followed the children as they scampered past, his mind slowly emerging from deep contemplation. Time seemed to stretch as he struggled to recall and reassure himself, his focus fixated on the fluid movements of the young ones.
Memories echoed in his mind, a voice, a smile—a faint whisper of the past. His eyes traced the trajectory of the children, and for a moment, he fell silent, his gaze shifting to his right arm adorned with small cuts. With a gentle touch, he brushed his cheek, feeling the subtle scar etched there.
A soft chuckle escaped his lips before he resumed his stride. "She takes after your technique, you know," he mused, a hint of amusement as if conversing with a phantom of the past.
Alfred's thoughts drifted to Tobias, his expression always tinged with desperation. Alfred pursed his lips, a resolve forming within him.
"I'll have a word with him later," he murmured to himself, determination colouring his tone as he made a mental note to address the matter.
As Alfred brushed past a cloaked figure, an impulse gripped him, compelling him to turn around and give chase. "Mind if I tag along?" he called out, eager to pursue whoever it was.
The figure he addressed turned out to be Inietta, her demeanour indicating a sense of urgency. "Suit yourself. Your choices, your consequences," she replied with a nonchalant shrug, her gaze fixed ahead, devoid of any emotion, her focus solely on the path ahead.
The river water trickled lazily, its gentle flow mirroring the crimson hues of the sky above. Inietta and Alfred descended the weathered stairs leading beneath a bridge, their silhouettes visible against the backdrop of the water's reflection. Beneath the bridge, a colossal water pipe loomed like a sentinel, its size towering over them as they ventured inside its darkened confines.
In the dry confines of the pipe, their footsteps were swallowed by the silence. With each step deeper into the tunnel, the dim light from the entrance faded, gradually giving way to darkness. Alfred, sensing the encroaching obscurity, fumbled in his pocket and retrieved something metallic. The faint click of iron echoed in the hollow space as he struck a match.
Inietta glanced over her shoulder, her curiosity piqued by Alfred's actions. "Just ordinary matches," he remarked, his voice calm as he ignited the match, casting a flickering glow that illuminated the long expanse of the water pipe tunnel stretching ahead.
As they rounded the final bend, Inietta came to a sudden halt. Alfred pressed on, his steps measured and deliberate. With each footfall, the feeble light of the match revealed more of their surroundings until it flickered upon a massive iron door, its circumference matching that of the pipeline itself.
Alfred halted, his gaze fixed upon the imposing barrier ahead. The door loomed large, devoid of any handle, its surface marred only by a keyhole of unusually grand proportions.
Alfred came to a sudden stop, his eyes trained on the formidable obstacle blocking their path. Before them stood a door of considerable size, its imposing presence unadorned save for a solitary hole gouged into its surface. Alfred's palm traced the elongated shape of the hole, noting the intricate pattern within—it was unmistakably a keyhole, albeit one far larger than usual.
"Step back," Inietta commanded, striding purposefully toward the door. Positioning her right palm towards the gaping hole, she concentrated her focus. In an instant, wisps of mana surged forth from her fingertips, weaving a delicate lattice that enveloped the keyhole. With a steady hand, she withdrew, yet the threads of mana continued to flow, intertwining tightly and with precision, gradually shaping themselves into a sizable doorknob.
"Quite the ingenious solution," Alfred remarked with a hint of admiration as he observed the transformation of mana into a makeshift handle.
Inietta gripped the newly formed doorknob and exerted her strength, twisting it. With a groan of protest, the metal door began to yield, its rusty hinges protesting loudly against the strain as it reluctantly swung open, echoing through the surrounding silence.
As the soft glow from within the room spilt out, Alfred swiftly closed the lighter, no longer needing its feeble illumination. Together, they stepped into the dimly lit chamber, greeted by a spacious yet eerie expanse. Chains clinked softly, worn cloth lay in disarray, and towering iron bars loomed ominously in the shadows, forming a haphazard maze of confinement.
"I didn't anticipate it being this vast," Alfred murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, as he surveyed the sprawling expanse before them. The enormity of the chamber seemed to dwarf their presence, its sheer scale hinting at the magnitude of whatever lay hidden within its depths.
Inietta took the lead once more, her footsteps echoing faintly as she descended the stairs into the depths of the room. Her movements were purposeful yet shrouded in an air of mystery. Alfred followed closely behind; his senses alert to the secrets that lay concealed within the dimness.
They proceeded amidst the rows of iron-barred cages, each one crammed with an assortment of disparate items. Buckets, ropes, and various other tools lay haphazardly strewn about, mingling with the straw that covered the dirt floor. The cages themselves were stacked irregularly, forming a labyrinthine maze of confinement, their contents a testament to the eclectic nature of the chamber's occupants.
Inietta's stride faltered as she came to a halt before one of the cages, her gaze fixed upon something within. "Seems like someone was overlooked," she muttered under her breath. Alfred's eyes followed her gaze, settling on the figure of a teenage boy sprawled amidst the straw, his limbs bound by chains tethered to the iron bars of the cage.
A sense of unease settled over Alfred as he observed the boy, detecting an unsettling air about him. Inietta made a swift motion with her hand, slicing through the iron bars with a deft manoeuvre. Without a word, she resumed her pace, leaving the cage behind, Alfred trailing in her wake. It wasn't long before his curiosity got the better of him.
"You're just going to leave him like that?" Alfred queried but received no response from Inietta, and her silence spoke volumes as they pressed forward into the shadows of the chamber.
Inietta's sudden acceleration in pace caught Alfred's attention. "That's a remarkably strong signal," she muttered, her voice tinged with concern.
Alfred, trailing behind her, observed her demeanour closely. Despite the questions brewing in his mind, he opted to hold his tongue, choosing instead to maintain a stoic silence as they pressed forward.
As they reached a junction of pipes, one of which had a rail, Inietta sensed another explosion of mana in the distance. Without hesitation, she set off once more, her pace unwavering as she instinctively knew where to run.
Alfred remained silent, his gaze darting around their surroundings, his attention drawn to the distant darkness where Inietta had not fled. Trusting her instincts, he quickened his steps, following the tracks laid out before them. His determination matched her own as they raced towards the source of the disturbance.
As they neared the small, dim light ahead, indicating the glow of the moon, Inietta's footsteps faltered as she spotted something lying ahead of them. It was Ibel, lifeless, with roots piercing his chest.
Alfred, seeing the horrible sight, remarked, "It seems like the attacker was a magic user or something," addressing Inietta.
Inietta, turning Ibel's body around, broke off the sharp wooden projectile lodged in his back. After a moment of observation, she suggested, "Let's discuss our plans."
"Our goal is to find someone, and you will search for him," Inietta instructed. Alfred, understanding the directive, inquired, "A young woman with bright green hair and pointed ears. Understood. Is there anyone else, Milady?"
Inietta continued, "It appears they intend to transport 'merchandise'. Given the large volume of goods and the coincidental attack, we must divide our roles. With the mass transfer likely involving trains, I will confront our enemy while you inspect each one, filling the cages on the train. Do you comprehend?"
Alfred responded with clarity, "Understood."
As Inietta approached the still cage at the mouth of the pipe, a sense of resolve settled within her. She knew that her priority now lay solely with finding Ephi, and she no longer harboured any concern for the fate of the individuals within the cage. Her focus was singular: Ephi's safety above all else.
For Alfred, Inietta had deliberately assigned him a role in their plan, both to utilise his abilities and to ascertain his true intentions. It was a calculated risk; while Alfred could prove to be a valuable asset, there was also the possibility that he might deceive them. Inietta resolved to confront each obstacle head-on and personally inspect the contents of the cages later, ensuring that no detail was overlooked in their pursuit of Ephi's whereabouts.
Inietta stood at the mouth of the pipe, her gaze fixed on the iron cage before her. At her feet lay the lifeless body of her friend, roots piercing through his head in a grim display of violence. Despite the chilling sight, she remained resolute, her determination unwavering as she surveyed the scene before her.
Ahead, the train stretched out between a row of trees illuminated by the ethereal glow of the moonlight. Its length seemed endless, disappearing into the distance as it wound its way through the forest. The calm river water below the pipe shimmered in the moonlight, its surface rippling gently in response to the soft breeze that swept through the air.
On the other side of the pipe, Alfred observed the same view, remarking, "It's quite a long train." His words echoed the magnitude of their task ahead as they stood on the threshold of their mission, ready to confront whatever challenges lay in their path.
A shadowy figure emerged from the depths of the forest, its eyes fixed on the train's driver's carriage with intent. Swiftly, it made its way towards the machine, its movements purposeful and calculated.
Drawing something from its small bag, the figure revealed a glowing blue crystal in the shape of a tetrahedron. With precision, it was inserted into the glass tube above the engine. As if responding to the crystal's energy, the engine roared to life, its activation marked by the illumination within the train cabin.
"What is your purpose?" Inietta's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, her inquiry directed at the shadowy figure. Startled, the figure turned to face her, a long wooden stick materialising in its hand.
Inietta continued, her tone firm, "Just ordinary train hijackers, huh? You don't rescue them but instead seize and sell them, isn't that right?" Her accusation hung heavy in the air, awaiting a response from the shadowy figure.
Silence enveloped them, broken only by the rustle of the wind through the trees. Then, without warning, the figure lashed out with its staff, aiming a precise strike at Inietta's stomach. However, Inietta allowed the blow to land, revealing her calculated strategy. Unharmed, she had coated her abdomen with an invisible layer of mana. Then, in a swift motion, the staff was sliced into fragments.
The shadowy figure, taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, retreated hastily from the engine cabin through the back door, leaving behind a sense of disbelief in its wake. Inietta, undeterred, examined the area where she had been struck, discovering a small seed the size of a thumb. Recognising its potential significance, she carefully pocketed the seed, hopeful that it would serve as a vital clue.
As the shadowy figure fled from the train cabin and attempted to escape into the forest, its body was suddenly torn apart, severed into multiple pieces.
Descending the small stairs from the driver's cabin, Inietta approached the dismembered remains. To her astonishment, beneath the black garments lay no flesh or blood, only pieces of wood neatly cut into sections.
Examining the strange sight before her, Inietta realised that the figure was not human but rather some form of construct or illusion, its true nature concealed beneath a guise of darkness and mystery.
Alfred's hand deftly removed the cloth covering the large cube-shaped cage, revealing its contents. Inside the cage, amidst a bed of straw, lay a woman in slumber. Her hands and feet were bound with handcuffs, their chains securely fastened to the iron bars of the cage, imprisoning her within.
Alfred moved from one iron cage to another, methodically inspecting its contents. As he observed the sleeping figures, a nagging suspicion crept into his mind. "Everyone seems to be in a deep slumber. Perhaps they've been affected by some drug," he speculated, noting the unnaturally tranquil state of the individuals confined within the cages.
His gaze swept over the row of cages stretching out before him, their sheer number hinting at the magnitude of the operation at hand. "This is far too extensive for a mere 'merchandise' transfer. There must be something significant looming on the horizon," he mused, his intuition alerting him to the gravity of the situation.
An enigmatic presence remained intangible, concealed within the darkness as she pondered the encounter with Inietta. Her thoughts swirled with confusion and uncertainty, grappling with the implications of their exchange.
"I didn't see how she attacked at all. If I hadn't moved, I would have died earlier," she reflected, her voice barely audible in the shadowy confines.
Despite the lack of visibility, she could vividly recall Inietta's words, her accusations ringing in her ears. "She doesn't seem like one of them," she muttered, wrestling with her conflicting impressions of the enigmatic woman. "But her words... 'You don't save them, but instead, seize and sell them...'"
A sense of anger welled up within her as she vehemently denied any involvement in such despicable actions. "There's no way I would do something that dirty just for a useless piece of iron. Those poor souls..." she lamented, her heart heavy with sorrow for the victims caught in the web of deceit.
In a moment of introspection, she resolved to utilise whatever resources were at her disposal to achieve her goals, even if it meant making difficult choices and leveraging those around her. "I will use whoever is here. I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice tinged with remorse as she braced herself for the challenges ahead.
A wave of vibrant green light surged through the forest, weaving its way from one tree to the next, connecting through roots and branches until it reached the site where the wooden body parts lay scattered.
From the midst of the fragmented remains, a small leaf emerged, unfurling with newfound life. In an instant, the forest erupted with activity as a colossal tree trunk shot forth with tremendous force, its momentum propelling it toward Inietta with unstoppable power.
Unaware of the impending danger, Inietta was caught off guard as the heavy attack struck her back with devastating force, sending her staggering forward. The wood continued its ascent, reaching skyward with towering height until finally coming to a halt, shaking the foundations of the surrounding landscape.
"I will save them," the shadowy figure declared, her voice resonating with determination and unwavering resolve.