Chapter 6
I ran out of town, trying to hide. I saw groups of those creatures, going into my friend’s homes. I wanted to destroy them, but I knew I had little time.
Within minutes, I was at the end of the town. I would be able to find Arkiado in the City. Well I thought, I’d better go. As I was leaving suddenly an old neighbor yelled, “Hey budddyyyy!”. The voice sounded similar, but I could tell a creature had seen me. I couldn’t lead him to the city, so I would have to fight him here and now.
I turned around pulled out my shotgun and aimed it at his head. “Hey, what-“, I interrupted “Shut your trap! You die here and now, capache?”. He stared at me, and I saw him slowly reaching towards his pistol in his pocket. So I wouldn’t alert others, I charged him and stabbed him in the gut, with my dagger. Then I headed off, to the city.
I arrived quite quickly, and saw everything appeared normal. Now it would be easy to find Arkiado. I knew he must’ve been hidden in a small, dark, place. I looked for hours, but found nothing but the usual street urchins.
Suddenly, I passed a bar. This was no normal bar. Only the either monsters, or people…people like, well “us” could get in. It was a sort of “safe zone” for anyone. I ran inside, and to get past the guard he needed to prove I was amazing. I tried slash shot, but he simply stared and blocked with a katana.
Then I remembered one ancient move. I could never do it, but the steps were always in my mind. “To see my daughter, to see me son”, I kept thinking. Then I stood up and began to remember the steps. This move was known as “Half step”. It was amazing, as you could literally fly in the air, and fire.
As I focused, I began the move. The man laughed at my mistakes, and then I became frustrated. Soon anger came, and then I felt that same dark feeling I felt in the town, the dark feeling I always feared. I began half-stepping at a perfect rate. “Alright, you can go on in”, the guard said with a bored expression.
I began half-stepping faster. I felt angered still with the guard. I began shooting. “WHAT THE! STOP STO-“… I began shooting the guard until he was dead on the floor. I laughed and spat at him. I began thinking, this isn’t me. Wha-what is happening! I was losing control, but when I entered the club, I remained calm.
I looked for a smaller private room. I saw one of the main hotel rooms. I was able to sneak up to the counter and check the registry. I scrolled the list until I found 3 interesting ones. “None of your business”, “Private”, “Training”. I had to search each one, if I hoped in finding Arkiado. Well, simple enough I did.
First I knocked on training, and was responded with a letter under the door. It read, “If you desire to live, move away from my door in 5 seconds”. Right as I finished it through the wall 3 shots came, then I jumped away from the door, and 3 shots came through the door. Apparently, it was the wrong room.
Next I checked Private. A friendly katana coming through the door, was my gift. I jumped away and fell into a room. As I looked around, it appeared to be my third room. I searched every room, but it was empty. Frustrated I leaned my head against the wall. Then I felt the wall push in a little. I got up to see what I did. Suddenly, a staircase came down from the ceiling. Something was hidden here.
I pulled out my shotgun, and slowly went up the staircase. When I reached the top, I saw a rope drop. A piece of paper was on it. I took it out and read it, “Soma, if this is you, take off your white jacket and toss it up”. Arkiado must’ve been secure, so I did as he requested. Then, I was holding the rope, waiting for a response, and the rope lifted me up high above, wherever the stairs could go.
I reached the top, and was greeted by Arkiado. He helped me up, and was telling me how worried he was. Suddenly as he talked, he would twitch. Arkiado never had twitched. I asked for my jacket, and he began talking about it, and I began to demand for my jacket. He gave me an odd look. I saw him began to search my jacket. I forgotten I left a string of grenades in there, he might need them.
I began to realize this wasn’t Arkiado. He silently searched, without saying a word. Then I knew it wasn’t him and I pulled out my dagger and stabbed him in the back. He turned and stood straight up. He pulled the dagger out and tried to stab me. I simply grabbed his hand. He seemed, inhuman. Almost like a zombie…
We stood there, silently fighting. I felt there is only one way to end this. I let go of his hand and dashed to the side. I ripped out my katana and slashed the imposter’s head off. I put my jacket on, and found a note in his pocket. This note, looked like the exact same paper the real Arkiado wrote on. It read, “Soma. This City is the armies’ next victim. Leave it now. You have little time. You can catch up with me in the old Hakabua Shrine”. I realized, that nowhere was safe, not even home. I came down the rope, and got ready to get the hell out of there.