By the end of the third day, they finally reached the Nation of Taltaba. Headmaster Kime had gone on ahead—there were matters he needed to settle—leaving them without the luxury of his teleportation ability.
As a result, they'd been forced to trek the long, winding route from Cindergate. It was slower, more curved, and far more exhausting. Worse, ever since Kime's departure, Kutote's hypersensitivity had returned.
Kime's presence alone had once been enough to deter their pursuers. Now, left on their own, Kutote's unease only grew.
And so, they chose the longer path.
Their carriage rattled across the rocky border terrain of Taltaba when several hooded riders thundered past in the opposite direction, mounted on black-armored horses.
"Who's that?" Itekan pressed against the window, eyes following the figures. Itoyea stirred from meditation, opening his eyes just in time to catch sight of them.
But Kutote, the moment he saw the armored riders, broke into a cold sweat. Itoyea noticed immediately and gave him a firm shake.
"Yo, buttface. What's wrong?"
"Huh?" Itekan glanced back at them.
"Kutote?" Itoyea asked again, his tone sharpening. "What's going on?"
"Stay still," Kutote whispered, forcing his breath steady. "No—better yet, act normal. Those are enforcers. They're the same ones who chased me to Mt. Dekka."
"Seriously?" Itekan's eyes widened.
"Yes. And they're all strong—every last one of them is in the Denkei Form."
Itoyea frowned. "Then how'd you even escape?"
"My red spirit," Kutote replied. "I see things differently than you do. My perception of SE… it rivals yours, Itekan. Might even surpass it. Escaping was easy the first time—they underestimated me. They won't make that mistake again."
The last rider at the rear slowed, turning to glance at their carriage. Her gaze was piercing—blue eyes that seemed to strip them down to their souls.
She was armored head to toe, helm secured, yet even then it was clear she was young. A stray wisp of light brown hair slipped from beneath her helm, catching the wind.
"She's looking at us," Itekan said sharply.
"No kidding," Itoyea muttered, his hand drifting toward his sword.
The woman's eyes narrowed. That movement had not gone unnoticed.
"Idiot! Put your hand down—now!" Kutote hissed.
Itoyea quickly dropped his hand and turned away. Itekan, noticing the tension, forced a broad, exaggerated grin and waved.
"Hi!" he called out cheerfully.
The woman studied them—too young for mercenaries, too bold for common travelers. Academy-bound trainees, most likely. She turned away, though her thoughts lingered.
The first boy—overly friendly, curious.
The second—wary, aggressive.
The third—hiding.
Why?
The moment that question struck her, she turned back—but the carriage was already further along than she expected. A cloud of dust was all that remained.
"Regulus. Take three. Find them," she ordered coldly.
Regulus nodded, selected three of their fastest riders, and spurred forward in pursuit.
---
Back in the fleeing carriage, Itekan frowned. "Why are we running again?"
"That woman gave me the creeps," Itoyea muttered, watching the dust swirl behind them.
"Yeah… who was she?"
"Her name's Reia Alexis," Kutote said grimly. "Captain of the 5th Division of the Brandish Enforcers."
He hesitated before continuing.
"The place I grew up—it was one of their labs. They kidnapped children with unique traits… or created new ones, splicing DNA from powerful beings."
"You're joking," Itekan said flatly.
"That's sick," Itoyea growled.
"No way something that big exists without anyone knowing," Itekan protested.
"They kept it hidden because the lab isn't in their country. It's east of Taltaba, near the Wanderlands of the Waste."
Itoyea's expression hardened. "No."
"I ran for nearly a month before your dad found me," Kutote said quietly. "And she—the woman we saw—she was in charge of the team sent after me."
"Okay," Itekan muttered, his face darkening. Without another word, his form rippled like liquid shadow—and he vanished from the carriage.
"I can't let them off that easy," his voice carried from the plains.
"I was thinking the same," Itoyea said, leaping down with blades drawn.
"Guys—" Kutote groaned.
"Well, I guess we didn't need to run back to them," Itekan remarked as four riders appeared in the distance.
"They really sent people after us," Itoyea muttered.
The enforcers reined in when they saw the three boys waiting in their path.
Regulus recognized them instantly.
So the rumors were true. Kutote—Subject A107P and with him… Carpathia's son.
If he captured them here, his name would be made. Regulus dismounted, his three subordinates following.
"Subject A107P," one began, "we shouldn't have—"
He never finished. Itekan was already there.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this angry. He knew better than to charge blindly, but rage drowned out reason. His shadow lashed forward, dragging the man into darkness.
"Boss!!" the others cried, but Itoyea intercepted them, his twin blades severing hands before weapons could be drawn.
"Shadow Hand: Absorb," Itekan muttered.
Regulus screamed as the shadows devoured him—until nothing remained but charred ash.
Back in the carriage, Kutote exhaled shakily and gave a nervous laugh.
"You realize she'll come after us now?"
"Let her," Itekan replied, reforming from the shadows.
Without another word, they climbed back into the carriage and continued toward Four Stars.
---
Later that day, the riders Reia had dispatched returned—or what was left of them.
Only one survived unscathed. The others were mutilated, and Regulus's remains looked as if they'd been struck by divine lightning.
Reia's face twisted in fury.
Her instincts had warned her, and she had ignored them—because they were children. And now, that mistake had cost her dearly.
Unforgivable.
The survivor finished his report.
"They're headed for Four Stars Academy, just as we suspected."
"And how long ago?" she asked coldly.
"Roughly two hours ago, my lady."
"They'd be halfway to Tortulla by now," one aide noted.
"We can cut through Tibelt and intercept at Crooks Lake, just before they reach Tortulla," another, Roselyn, suggested.
"That's too close to Four Stars territory," someone objected.
"It's our last chance to catch them before they're under legend protection," Roselyn countered.
"Be that as it ma—"
"Enough. Everyone out. Roselyn, stay."
When the tent cleared, Reia faced her.
"What are the odds we'll catch them at Crooks Lake?"
"By my calculations—eighty-seven and a half percent. But the chance drops with every minute we waste."
Reia was silent. One of the fallen had been Roselyn's brother-in-law—her only family. That weight lingered between them.
"Fine. Get Gerant. We're heading to Tibelt."
Roselyn's eyes lit up as she turned to leave.
"Roselyn," Reia called after her.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"You'd better be right about this."
Roselyn nodded firmly and left, fists clenched. She had nearly broken when she saw her brother-in-law's body.
Silently, bitterly, she swore:
I'll kill them. Even if it kills me.
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