Heroes to Hunted

***Agawa POV***

Several minutes had passed since we realized Nakamura had died. They were possibly the quietest moments of my life.

We all stared at his body, lost in thought and our emotions. Despite only knowing the guy for a few hours, I couldn't bring myself to accept that he was dead. Though we'd seen many others die until now, this was the first time I knew the person.

As it turns out, when someone you know, even just slightly, dies, you get a sense of bizarre surrealism. Almost as if the reality you were facing was nothing more than a vivid fever dream.

'Why can't I just wake up already?' I sighed. 'Let me wake up.'

I wasn't the only one despairing. Takagi, Kamida, and the sisters were all distraught and acted out in their own ways.

Though emotions were still tense, the archer soon broke the silence. "What's this?" she asked, pointing to the dirtied bandage on Nakamura's leg.

Peaking out from his browned leg bandage were small but noticeable blackened veins. Veins that reemerged because Nakamura hadn't had the chance to reapply the medicine the doctor gave him.

"It's a wound; what's it look like?" is what I expected Takagi to say, but he was locked in a practically comatose state as he stared at Nakamura's body. Instead, he repeatedly mumbled one phrase over and over again. "It can't be... He promised..."

The one to step in and explain was Kamida. "It's a bite wound he'd gotten from some dogs. Might I ask why you care?" Though his voice was smooth, as always, I could tell it wasn't without effort.

However, I couldn't be sure whether it was the trembling of his clenched fists or the twitching of his expression. Even so, it was clear that Kamida was struggling to maintain a facade of calm.

"Dogs? Huh," she hummed to herself. "No reason, just concerned, is all." She unfastened the binding pin holding Nakamura's bandage together.

With that gone, the cloth fell from his leg, revealing the gangrenous green pus-crusted flesh underneath.

Between the blackened veins, rancid ooze, dried blood, and decaying flesh, I was forced to avert my gaze. Sadly, looking away wouldn't spare me from the smell. It was putrid, sour, and pungent enough to immediately permeate the air after exposure.

My nostrils were filled with the stench of rotten flesh, causing me to wheeze and gasp in disgust.

The archer covered her nose and asked, "none 'o' ya would happen tah know what the hell this is, wouldja?"

Gaggin between his words, Kamida managed to utter "Green Blight" before staggering away in a fit of retching.

Likewise, aside from Takagi and the archer, we all frantically shambled toward the exit of the den for relief. Even Ayame, who cradled him into the afterlife, had to lay Nakamura's head to rest. Afterward, she followed us outside to avoid the odor.

Surprising us at the exit were the stares of the cloaked woman and the man-giant; they stood before a scene I could only describe as pure "carnage."

I first noticed that quills were lodged within everything and anything nearby.

Everywhere I turned, some trees looked like they'd grown irregular and asymmetrical thorns. Even in front of us was a ground trapped by a field of embedded spikes.

I stood in awe for a few moments, marveling at the sight. I couldn't gawk forever, though, so I eventually turned my attention back to the two standing before us.

We shot them clear looks of distrust, to which they responded by standing at ease and without hostility.

The woman stashed her hands and concealed her weapons within the confines of her cloak. Likewise, the man-giant rested his hammer's head back into its default position on his shoulder.

Their poses at least gave the impression they didn't intend to kill us...yet. 'But who knows with this damn place?!' I sighed.

'We should probably talk about if we'll run or not,' I thought, looking at my allies. Sadly, that conversation would have to wait until we had a moment alone.

Though we hadn't known whether they were enemies or friends, Kamida maintained his courteousness. "Thank you," he bowed. "thank you for helping us!"

Following suit, we all performed the same gesture before returning back to the noiselessness of awkward silence.

Normally, I would've pried into these people. Like what I'd done to Weiser back at the tower, back when all this started, I would've questioned them without mercy. But now? Now I couldn't say a thing. I was too busy coming to terms with everything.

Luckily, Kamida kept on in my stead. "Might I ask who you three are?" he warily extended a hand of greeting, attempting his usual aura of amiability but falling short into slight awkwardness. Kamida's smile twitched with uncertainty, and he nervously rubbed the back of his head.

Irritatingly, the two ignored his question and his hand, silently looking us up and down.

Ayame's voice trembled as she spoke; she was stifling her tears. "Please, just tell us," she pleaded, her words barely above a whisper. "I don't know how much more stress I can take." Exhausted, she hung her head, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her emotions.

The man and woman exchanged a glance. She nodded, and he shrugged before she took the lead and spoke. Her demeanor exuded leadership, and she wasted no time getting to the point with her efficient words.

"Call me Mizuno, and this is Shrug," she pointed to the man-giant, to which he shrugged in response. She then gestured out attention toward the archer still studying Nakamura's wounds. "She's Suda."

'Wait, aren't those?...' I realized those names were most definitely of Japanese descent. Even so, I decided to remain skeptical and guarded. Something I didn't do back in the manor. 'I'll pretend I don't know.'

Sadly, Kamida didn't seem to feel the same way since plain curiosity was plastered onto his face. "It's splendid to meet you three! Could I ask about your na-"

"Save it," Mizuno interjected, "questions come later, and we'll be asking them."

"Ah," Kamida quieted and bowed, "I understand, Miss Mizuno."

Just as we'd finished our "friendly" exchange of banter, Suda came out from the den while brushing her hands against each other. On her face was an expression of obvious concern.

"News?" Mizuno asked flatly.

"It ain't good," Suda wearily replied, walking past us. "One of 'em kicked it, and-"

"His name is...was Nakamura!" I finally spoke up. Knowing that he was dead, I at least wanted his name to be recognized. 'He deserves that much.'

The three looked at me, with Suda being the only one to offer an apologetic smile.

"Right, I'm sorry 'bout that," she bowed slightly in apology and resumed speaking. "Aside from Nakamura, it looks like two others are unconscious. The final person," she pointed to Takagi, "well, he's clearly in shock."

Mizuno sighed somberly, then shrugged. "Nothing we can do about that..." It looked as if she was genuinely regretful at Nakamura's death. Despite that, I couldn't help but think about how easily she brushed it aside. Like she was used to seeing the lives of innocents extinguished in this unjust world.

But Suda wasn't done. "There's another thing..." she raised a hand and took a loud breath of air. "I've gotta tell ya something you won't like..."