Heroes to Hunted

Three days had already been spent walking through endless vegetation and untamed wilderness.

Three. Whole. Days.

Seeing how the Sun had been hiding away from view and giving way to the shadows of the new moon, I guess it'd be four days now.

During our travels, the three leading us discussed many things about this new world, intel they gathered from interrogating enemy agents and intercepting messages, or so they claimed.

First, the world we'd been summoned to was named Gaia.

Like Earth, it was comprised of seven continents: Arcadia, Gelum, The Opes Islands, Primordia, Salmawet, Alfheim, and, finally, the continent we'd been summoned to, Merideam.

Though they hadn't had much information regarding most of them, they'd discovered that the "summoning" phenomenon was apparently worldwide. That all across this planet, hundreds of thousands of "heroes" were being teleported to their deaths as mere hunks of flesh to be served.

Thanks to Kamida's questioning, they also discussed the irritating neck choker we'd been given at the manor. I had wholly forgotten about it by now since agony had become my body's default setting.

Still, my curiosity and frustration were piqued when the topic was brought up again. It also brought up vile memories I'd rather not have recalled that gave rise to shivers up my spine.

They told us the collars were called "mana-chokers," and they actively suppressed our ability to use magic.

The "bloodsuckers," as Suda calls them, ensure heroes are equipped with mana-chokers since we were all incredibly dangerous if allowed the opportunity to harness our latent magical abilities.

When we'd asked Suda how to get the collars off, Mizuno said they had a method. Sadly we had to wait until we reached what I assumed was their base of operations, Freehaven.

The discussion of the collars did raise a question with the three, though. They'd asked how and why Sato hadn't at all been collared. I wasn't sure myself, either, but Kamida and I both explained how he'd helped everyone escape certain death.

They'd still harbored a few suspicions toward him but relented eventually. They must've figured there was no point in questioning an unconscious man.

Still...thinking of everything they had told me... A few days ago, I wouldn't have believed any of this. I would have... I HAVE scoffed at the idea of magic existing...at the idea of being in another world.

Takagi too.

He would've no doubt hurled insults recklessly and taunted them as they explained the circumstances. But now? Now he'd just locked himself away from the world, retreating into his own to avoid the cruelty of reality.

This world had seemingly been systematically breaking down the people we once were.

As such, I was now listening intently to every word rather than scoffing at them, knowing that this world made the impossible...possible.

Sadly, retaining what they'd been talking about was another story since I was utterly deprived of rest.

At Mizuno's behest, we relentlessly trudged forward, only stopping for sleep for a maximum of six hours per session. However, thanks to my newfound insomnia, courtesy of my trauma, you could whittle that time down to three.

I couldn't see myself, but I had to imagine my complexion resembled that of a corpse at this point. My eyelids weighed heavy, desperately trying to give way to sleep. But I couldn't; every time I closed my eyes, I saw piles and piles of bodies.

It caused me more anguish to rest than to deprive myself further.

Sleepless nights weren't my only issue, as my feet and hands were enveloped by blisters, bruises, and cuts. Likewise, aside from Mizuno, Suda, and Shrug, my companions each scored quite a few minor injuries from being poorly clothed for the outdoors.

"Ah...shit...When are we gonna get to where we're going?" Ayame griped as she picked a rogue twig out from her foot. She sat with her leg hoisted above her other knee and used a fallen log as a makeshift bench.

Clinging to her back, as usual, was her sister Hikari. Out of us all, even Takagi, she was struggling the most.

While Takagi was in total mental agony, he remained quiet and oddly reactionless the whole trip. I'd even go so far as to say he acted like a second Takahashi. Both were quiet and isolated from the rest of the group.

Meanwhile, Hikari was a sobbing mess, constantly wishing to wake up from our very real nightmare.

Seeing Hikari's descent into hopelessness, Suda sighed and tried consoling her. "Hey," she waved after tossing another branch into our small campfire, "it'll be fine. You're safe now." But, like the stick, her assurances just burned and crackled away into ash. Even more so when Mizuno stepped forward.

"Don't lie to her," Mizuno interjected, "she'll have to learn, or she'll die." Like her nickname, her words were cold and unsympathetic.

While I disagreed with Mizuno's word choice, I did agree with her message.

From what I could tell, this world was the peak of Darwinism. For potentially the rest of our lives, we'd have to live under the laws of "kill or be killed."

I certainly wasn't ready to kill anyone, but I'd fight back tooth and nail if I had to.

Ayame shot a furious glare at Mizuno and gritted her teeth. "Hey! Don't talk to my sister like that!" She proceeded to coddle Hikari, probably doing her sister more harm than good by babying her.

Mizuno apparently had no interest in arguing; she merely rolled her eyes and took a seat to help Suda set our meal for the day.

"More bread and squirrels," Suda looked on with a pained expression. "What I would give for some juicy bear 'bout now."

Once we'd all become situated near the fire, few words were spoken. Though our minds were awake, our bodies must've shut down from exhaustion, aside from the three.

We merely devoured our meager dinners before slipping off to sleep.

***

The sweet melodies of passing birds, the swaying of trees against a soft summer wind, and blunted blows of fists against flesh. Those were the sounds that filled my half-conscious mind.

"What the hell are ya doin'?!" Suda shouted frantically. "I swear I'll shoot ya!"

After hearing those words, my once-heavy body became weightless as I surged with adrenaline. 'Are we...under attack?!'

I yanked Sato's dagger from where I'd stashed it nearby and sprang to my feet, ready to wildly slice whatever monster awaited me.

First I saw Suda, she wielded her shortbow and readied a feathered arrow against our assailer.

Then, I spotted the likely assailer themselves.

He'd exchanged blow after blow with Mizuno, with both expertly dodging and redirecting the other's strikes.

Despite that, I'd hardly say their skills were on level with each other. Given how the intruder still managed to keep up while simultaneously evading Shrug's attempts at subduing him.

In fact, he'd used their teamwork against them. Once Shrug threw another grapple with his hulking hands, the intruder used Shrug's massive size as a mask against Mizuno.

He buckled his legs and dodged toward the campfire, took a handful of cooled ash, and thrust it into Mizuno's eyes.

Her irritated grunts mixed with Suda's panicked shouts.

"Yuu!!!" Suda stepped forward, trying to angle a shot.

But she couldn't fire; the area surrounding him and Mizuno became encased in a shroud of ashen smoke as he slipped behind a blinded Mizuno.

After sweeping her off her feet, he folded Mizuno's arms to her back and pinned her to the ground. Finally, he grasped one of her swords from beneath her cloak and angled it to pierce her throat.

Once the smoke cleared, I'd finally gotten a clear view of his face. His expression was one of a man who'd take no more chances. Like he was ready to defy his fate and survive, no matter the cost.

"Sato?"