Chapter 1

At the back skirt of a certain city there is a young man lying on the fields and a little girl accompanying him. It seems that the man in black clothing is in deep sleep and the little girl is poking him constantly. Then the man suddenly rises and shouts.

“Wait!!!!

The little girl was shocked and become frozen in a seconds. She doesn’t know if she is the reason why the man wakes up. Then the man look around his surrounding there he see a large gate a tree and the little girl. He suddenly apologized for what happened and he only said that he was having a nightmare. The little girl got curious but the man evaded all the questions that the girl threw upon him. Then a silver owl suddenly landed on front of them. It was carrying a rolled paper that looks like a letter. Then the man opens it and read its content. After reading the content he just stands up and tells the little girl.

“Its our last field trip.

The little girl stands and follows the man in the black clothing and started to walk and begin their journey but the look on the man is kinda sad. Maybe because of his nightmare, in the middle of a large room a woman suddenly stab his stomach and slices his left arm then leave him with a cold tears that comes from her lonely eyes.

The Content of the Letter.

                       There is a laboratory at the edge of the city that was conducting some weird experiments. It seems that they are conducting some research about combining DNA of some sort of species. Some of the citizen there told us that this laboratory is the cause of the mass disappearances of innocent civilians on the near town. Teenagers are the most preferred target by the laboratory. So you can use your looks to disguise yourself and enter the laboratory. We still don’t know its exact location but our intel said it was near the City of Rattenberg. So good luck young ones.

Yours Truly

Chief Leader of Mercenary Group Lancelot

As they walk and walk. There they saw the target area. It was a little park on the city of Rattenberg and the rumors said that this is one of the places where ladies and children are suddenly disappearing without a trace.  When they reach the city the sun was already began to fall asleep but it was a great timing since they will not wait long enough just to get caught.

“So you know your role right? Quartina.

The little girl with brown hair and has a petite body is called Quartina. She is an elf that is a rare race these days. Since almost of them can only do repair, maintenance and labor work because of their abnormal physical strength but still they are not suited in combat, That is why on the Last war their number drops on a high rate.

“So I’m going to be your girlfriend for now?!!

“Girlfriend? Hoy Hoy… someone might call me pedophile.. you will be my daughter, or can be my little sister got it?

“Ehhh!! That’s mean Celeste!!

The man in black clothes is Celeste. There is a little information about him. He was a former member of the Mercenary group Lancelot.  Because of a big incident he forced himself to leave the guild and wander as a vagabond.

“What’s mean on that?? It’s the most logical thing…

“*Pout* Spoilsport!

“Come on get ready so we can lure the bait.

“The bait? We are the bait right?

“No No No… We are the Prey and they are the bait… just watch and you will see it.

After hours of waiting the bait is still out of the scene and they grow tired of waiting for it. On a single bench beside the lamppost and a little garden on their back a cold wind suddenly blew and makes Quartina shivers.

“Hey you’re too close.

“But it’s freezing in here we’re going to be humanoid ice cream in here.

“Ehh your body is touching me you’re too close.

“Ehhhh… why are you scared of me? or maybe you are lusting over my dead body.

Celeste just stare Quartina from top to bottom and then there was silence.

*Silence*

“What’s with the reaction…

*A cold wind suddenly blows again*

“Brrrrrrr….. Celeste I’m freezing lets do this again tomorrow .

“Wait.

“Huh?

“Shhhhh.. be quiet pretend to be frozen.

“Okay.

“This place is supposed to be on the tropical side. So there is no way that a snow will fall in here. *Speaks on his mind*

The snow started to pour only on the top of their heads. Celeste sees that the town hall is not covered in snow and yet on the park the trees on it were covered with it. Celeste touches the snow like thing and he was amazed that it’s not really snow.

“This is crystalized sleeping powder.

And when he will talk to Quartina all he can see is a comfortable sleeping child. Celeste just held his face and swallowed the truth in front of him. He stands up and it seems that he is not affected by the sleeping powder that was scattered all over the park.

“Hey you if you want to come out I will give you 5 seconds. If NOT! Then I will just have to force you out.

Then he counted from 1 to 4 still there is no response coming from the one hiding in the area. The wind whisper on his ears and still no answer the tree dances and the sleeping powder sways on the wind.

“5! Ready or not here I come!

Celeste rushed on the east direction and slams his fist on one of the tree there. As the crystalized powder falls a silhouette just jump and escaped as the tree falls down.  Then Celeste blinked on the back of the person. He hold the back of the head and slammed it to the ground. it cause crack on the ground and looks like the person head just got bang inside.

“Hey, Hello?? Are you still alive.. .

“Where am i?!

“Oh! So you are still alive… then I will answer your question..

“Huh??

“You are in the hands of a demon right now *chuckles*

The scared face of the person cannot be painted or express by mere words. After the one on one talk between them Celeste finally found the location of the said laboratory. At that time Celeste carry the sleeping Quartina and started to head for the laboratory. They reached the laboratory at midnight but it was they are expecting to see. Then Quartina woke up while he saw Celeste’s shocked face.

“What’s this? Camouflage?!..  A new way of hiding secrets?!!

The building that was in front of them was a relic. A three building with broken walls and the other two has no ceilings. It was surrounded by a barren wasteland and not a single grass is growing on it. as they inspected it the center and the building on the right has become completely worthless. The third build on the left has cracks all over but it seems that I can be still used as a shelter. Then they started searching for clues on that building. They enter the building and walk and they saw that some lights are still working and the other sparks randomly. They entered every room and they saw nothing. They only saw rusted metal bar and dusty furniture even the bed is not usable anymore. Then the last room number 201 looks unexpectedly clean. It’s still dusty but you will see that someone used the room for unknown reason. If you look at the furniture you will see that the cabinet has dust on the top but the front and the handles don’t have. The bed cotton is soft and it looks it being used daily. Celeste search for more clues then he stumbled upon a picture on the top of the desk. He saw a body of a girl then as he look up he saw that the picture was torn and the face was missing.  Then the image of the girl on his dreams started to rush on his head.

“Hey! Celeste are you okay?

As he shakes his head Celeste reply with a yes.  He puts the picture on his pocket and they go out of the room. They go on the right wing of the building and they see nothing. All the rooms are either empty , locked or completely destroyed. Celeste and Quartina is on the verge of living but Celeste stop and think for a moment. He searched the area again and he saw something suspicious. The stain of blood was on the floor beside the wall is kinda cut into half. As he inspected it more closely he saw that the blood stained is under the wall. It piques his interest then Celeste called Quartina and convinced her to smash the wall that was in front of them. Quartina still hesitant about it since they will cause a large uproar for doing that but since Celeste said it would be fine she summon his big hammer and busted the wall that was hindering them on reaching their destination.  She lifts her hammer with all her strength then smashes the whole wall in a single strike. The sound of falling boulder echoed on the whole building. Then they were covered with brown smoke that fades little by little. Then they saw an amazing scene it was another hallway. It was pretty clean compare to the others and it’s like an extension that connects the outside from the underground facilities.

“Hmm i told you before right? We would bust your way in…

“You told that before?..

“Come on will ya? Its what you called go with the flow…

“Ohhh… *innocent face*

As they enter the corridor Celeste just drops on his knees. He saw again images. The memories of the buried past inside his head a picture of a boy and girl holding each other hands as they cross the seamlessly endless corridor.  Then more images flashed on his eyes and his vision becomes static and blurred a soft hands tap his back. His back to his sense and when he turns his eyes on the back he doesn’t see anyone. As he investigates the area again saw that the surrounding was changed. From the well-fixed hallway to a ruined and dusty one and you spot the cracks on the wall. Then the lights that turn off and on and some of it spark and you will see some cobwebs on the edges.

“What the hell? Where am i?!!

Quartina was gone from his side and he don’t know what happened. His head is still fuzzy but he chooses to go deeper on the hallway. After walking he found himself on a very huge room. The structure of the room is the same as the big chapels on towns. The ceiling was high and there were some stained glass.  The glass depicts some war between two races and some others like a woman carrying a child and on the other is a man going to stab a lady on the back. Celeste was amazed by the stained glass since when the light shines upon them it glows like the beautiful moon in the sky. Then suddenly a strong wind blows when he came from. Then he was focused on the center of the room. He was shocked by the thing that he saw on it. On the middle of the altar shined by the moonlight that penetrates the broken stained glass. A huge metallic inverted cross was hanging as it shines because of the moon. A girl chained on it was clearly seen by Celeste two naked eyes. A girl wearing a white piece of ragged cloth then she got shackles on her hands and feet. The chains that wrap her arms and breast then the two big black metal balls that is attached on her legs then she was fixated on the huge cross on her back. Celeste looks upon her. As he touched those soft cheeks he was amazed. Since he thought it was a doll he inspect its body by touching it. He even touch some parts that cannot be touched. The girl really looks like a doll because of her lifelessness.  Celeste noticed that there is dirt on one of the girl’s eyes and decided to wipe like he was wiping someone’s tears. He was surprised by what happened when the girl’s eyes were opened. Celeste steps backwards because of the panic. Then the girl fully opened both of her eyes. She gave a warm and welcoming smile on Celeste and looks him like she knows him for a long time seeing that Celeste started to see the resemblance with the girl and the ones from his dreams. The girl muster all his strength to raise her hand and holds Celeste’s face while reciting a few words.

“I really missed you…

Those words echoed on Celeste’s head as it’s like a voice from the past and returns and haunts him on in the present. The girls cold seductive voiced ringed inside his ears soothing inside his head and hugging it never letting it go. Then his surrounding started to turn into black nothingness covered him while his vision on the girl started to get blurry.  The girl shouted with a loud voice.

“Wake up! Celeste…

Then that voice shattered the darkness that trapped Celeste.

“Wait!

“Kyaaah…

Celeste shouted with all his might but he didn’t make it. Instead he found himself raising his hands looking at the ceiling he doesn’t recognize. He realized that he was in a nearby inn and Quartina must have carry him in here when he lost consciousness. Covered in blanket and he saw Quartina sitting on the floor with her panties showing off. She saw me looking at it so she covers it with her small hands.

“What are you looking at?!!

“I was looking at the floor.

“Looking at the floor!! You are staring at my panties you pervert.

“I am sorry to say but I have no interest on a child undergarment with teddy bear print on it.

“Why you…

Quartina whose face becomes redder than an apple started to summon her big hammer and started swaying while Celeste on the other hand is evading the hammer’s head while he is still laying on the bed.

“Its not that I want you to see my panties.. well I would be glad if you see my panties but when you said it was childish!!!

“Okay!! Okay!! Just put down your hammer and let’s talk about this.

“Noooooooooo!!! You deserve to die.. Die! Die! Die!

While Quartina still waves her big hammer its suddenly slip from her hands.  Then there is a large banging sound that was heard throughout the whole inn. Then the inn owner see a large hammer flatten out one of the bed. On that bed there is Celeste who nearly escaped being turned into a pancake by Quartina’s hammer. After that incident the inn owner lectured them and asks for the payment of all the things that they broke.  As they walk since they were thrown out of the inn.

“This is nuts. We have to pay the bill for the inn plus the broken things.

“I’m sorry.

“Plus the food that you’ve eaten and now what we got a single gold coin.

“That’s why I’m said sorry.

“If you didn’t go on a rampage like that… I must be sleeping in a fine and comfy  bed right now plus we will not wasting our time finding a new inn to stay.

“I’m sorry.

“And why did you have to be-

Quartina who keeping all her emotion lock in suddenly burst and tried to hammer Celeste but he easily evaded the hammer by lowering his upper body.

“What the hell was that?

“That’s why I tell you I am sorry you idiot! Idiot! Idiot! *crying*

“You know I am the one who supposed to cry right now… but…

Celeste just pats Quartina’s head and tells her sorry for what he did and said to her. Quartina stopped crying and they headed now to find a new inn.  Then the messenger owl started  to perch on Celeste’s shoulder. It looks like it was carrying another message again. But the envelope is kinda bulky so Celeste got interested and opened the enveloped. As the owl flies on the sky the eyes of the two started to fly as well. When the saw that the envelope contains money and a small letter on it.

                 I see that you found the laboratory but unfortunately I think they found out that we are looking for them and they fled the scene. Then when you got there they are gone but do not worry because we caught them while escaping so this is your share for becoming a good decoy.

PS: So what it feels to return on the place you once been killed.

Yours Truly

Chief Leader of Mercenary Group Lancelot

“Hey could you show me what is written on that letter?!!

As Celeste crumpled it and put it inside his pocket.

“Hahaha.. They just made as a decoy and this is our share…. What the hell are they thinking!!

“You seems weird when you saw that letter? Is that all written on it.

“Don’t worry about it! its nothing… *fake smile*

“If you say so…