章 27: 5.3 Back Down

The voice echoed around us as we crouched down behind the pillar. The voice almost sounded all-encompassing. How was it even happening anyway? Did they find a way to mimic P.A. systems with primitive equipment or something?

Glancing back down to my katana, its Seigels shimmered in the shadows as they did their job in making the already deadly blade even deadlier. Let's see what was in this thing then... Alright, a cursory look already told me that it was of my own make; my Seigel signature being a blatant rip-off of the Caduceus symbol resting at the base of the pommel. What else... Long wavelengths signifying intermediate flexibility, with the usual right angles at the base of the blade for hardness. And....

Nothing else.

"TIME'S UP, ASSASSIN! FACE THE WRATH OF THE EMPEROR'S DEZIMAL GUARD!"

I was shaken out of my disbelief as the flamboyant speaker all but announced that they were going to attack. Dezimal guards? So that was what they called their generic tin cans?

My eyes scanned our current surroundings, the courtyard that we now found ourselves in being rather sparse in terms of decent cover or resources. Not even a fountain in sight. I was about to call it quits when I spotted something in my panic; a large familiar doorway, its massive wooden doors open for all of the world to see.

"Let's go!" I announced as I pulled Lise with me, electing to make a beeline for the massive tunnel that would function as our escape route. "Follow me and keep your guard up!"

I didn't have the time to look at her response as just as I was about to round the pillar, a Dezimal was already blocking the way.

"For the Emperor!"

*CLANG!*

Instincts suddenly took over as I quickly raised my katana up in order to block; intercepting the halberd and redirecting it down towards the ground. The tin can looked somewhat mortified by my act judging from the fact that he stood still long enough for us to make a run for it.

"C'mon, Lise!"

We made a mad dash across the empty courtyard, narrowly dodging the surprisingly slow Dezimals and their halberd swings. Reaching the open door, we instantly followed it down towards wherever it might have led. If my memories were correct, it should lead us back down to the place where we first languished in for over a month. There was no other option now. Already, more Dezimals trailed behind us, shouting at us to stop before they were forced to take more dire actions or whatever.

Beside me, Lise pushed forward, a hint of recognition already present in her eyes as we headed deeper towards the familiar orange glow. These were the cards we were dealt with. My decisions might've colored it, but I just have to make it work somehow.

"STOP THEM!"

The Dezimals shouted at us just as we reached the lowermost part of the stairway we've been descending. The tin cans were still a ways away, their armor hindering them from sprinting down the flight of stairs as fast as we could. So we still had some time before they got here, which was a good thing since we still had to find a way to open the large wooden doors now stopping our getaway.

"Lise, can your sword pierce through?" Her weapon was unnaturally sharp for its make. Perhaps it could cut through?

Nodding, my sister pointed her shortsword towards the door before applying a forward thrust towards the centermost portion of the doorway. The sword wedged itself in between the two wooden doors, but it seemed to have cut through the wood fairly well.

"I did it, Bro!"

I couldn't help but smile as Lise beamed at me like our lives weren't in imminent danger of being taken from us. How innocent must she be for that kind of smile?

With a small heave, the sword slid horizontally towards the left side of the doorway, the girl applying force to her weapon as it opened up our escape plan.

*Thud!*

A piece of the massive wooden door fell with a thud as it detached itself from the rest of the whole, exposing the searing hot air of the Nenner Furnace. Already, I could feel my pants sticking to my legs as the heat made itself painfully known to us.

"This way."

I led us into the Furnace, practically unsure of what to do next. Eventually, we found ourselves at the place where I had my second encounter with Aria; the vats of dirty water still present by the walls as we welcomed ourselves back inside this hellhole.

Wordlessly, I pulled Lise even deeper back into the Furnace, the familiar scenery still fresh in my mind as I mentally made our way back to the place where we first set up shop. Hopefully, we could find some help here.

"Dirt Eater!" I heard a Dezimal shout from behind us, possibly towards an unsuspecting Nenner. "Have you seen two assassins come in here?"

I quickly hid us behind another vat of molten metal. Oh dear, please don't be a snitch.

"Unfortunately not, sir." I heard the male Den speak. "Have you seen two assassins come this way?"

"Didn't see anything suspicious," another voice, a woman chimed in. "And we're just lowly Nenners anyway. Why do you care?"

I let out a breath that I didn't know that I was holding as I heard my former colleagues cover for us. It was impossible that they didn't hear the massive thud coming from the wooden door that Lise just sliced, so I could only assume that they either recognized us, or they simply hated the Dezimals more than they cared about themselves.

"Are you sure, Dirt Eater?!" the tin can incredulously questioned.

"Yes, we're sure," the man answered in a sarcastic tone. "Now go. You're disturbing our work."

I heard the tin can grumble before their heavy footsteps slowly disappeared back into the broken entrance. They were gone.

"Hey," the man called out. "You can come out now."

Beside me, Lise looked at me for direction. "Are we safe?"

Instead of replying to her, I let my actions do the talking as I come out of the vat that we were hiding behind.

"You're... Rouge, right?" the built Nenner asked from atop a metal hill, scratching his chin.

"Yes," I nodded. "Yes, I am."

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