As they stepped their feet inside the building, the discomfort grew. For they saw little children there, some in the kitchen, some in the hall and some sneaking from behind the walls and doors of bedrooms. Yet it didn't seem like the children were being threatened in any sort. Instead they looked relieved, happy to be there.
One of their men knocked on the door of a room which in comparison looked in worse shape than the rest. A man, appearing to be in his 50s came out of that room, bald ofcourse, with a long white beard, clad in a red tunic. That man walked with a stick and had grown so old that he had gone blind. The people around him treated him with absolute and utter respect like he was some sort of a God to them.
He walked slowly dragging along his stick with three men behind his back and stopped just at the face of Eiser. The thieves that Eiser's pack had captured, went to their knees before him. The spectacle was rather confusing, although it was appearant that the old man was their leader, the children there, the looks on their faces and the chat with the captured theif, was the obscurity. Yet Eiser was calm and he smiled upon seeing the old treated with such respect.
As the old man stood before Eiser, Arkas on his back got geared up but to his surprise, Eiser bowed infront of the old man. The old man coughed and chuckled and pat on Eiser's head.
"I knew it would be you, Regto Pa!"
Eiser's words came out in a form of delight. As Regto, the Old staggering man hugged him.
"How have you been? I've been looking all over for you! Regto Pa!"
He continued,
"Here, meet my friends! This is Arkas, Ana and this little guy is Sandy! We have been traveling to take down the Chained Dogs!"
Eiser's talk didn't seem to end as soon as he that old man. While everyone else looked confused upon seeing Eiser talk to much.
Regto also laughed and met everyone of Eiser's friends. Then he introduced himself,
"Well.. Children, this mischievous boy knows no brakes. Uhh.. I forgot to introduce myself, I am Regto, Izy boy's neighbour in the Spike City".
Regto said and relieved everyone of their confusions.
"Well... Now children, come inside, Riley, take them inside!"
Then a Thief, Riley, took them inside a dining room. Where they all sat down and were served with warm water in wooden pots. Eiser's pack felt abit embarrassed there unlike Eiser who was with everyone like one of their own.
Then Regto entered the room and behind him came men bringing different varieties of food like bread, bean soup and boiled rice. From the looks of the room and the quality of their living anyone could guess that they faced through poverty.
Yet upon Regto's insist Eiser's pack ate what they were served infront. Suring their meal, Regto explained to them how they freed all those children from Chained Dogs and are now living in the slums, hiding from them while raising as many as they can. He also told them about the truth of their robberies that they stole from people, who were wearing anything like bags or stuff in hopes of finding some money or something edible so that they could feed these children.
Talking about the harsh treatment and torment the children had been through, Regto started to cry and begged to Eiser for his help.
Suddenly the room went quiet, the noise that the clacking pots and spoons made disappeared in an instant. The members of the Bald theif gang looked down in thier in helplessness — as if staring down into an abyss of engulfing darkness. Yet there was a single sound, in midst of all that deafening atmosphere. The sound of someone who couldn't be bothered by the Old man; The sound of clacking pots, made by an equal power. It was the munching sound and the noise of pots made by Arkas. Who would eat without any care, yet it seemed his eyes were fixated on Eiser aswell this instant. Perhaps it was his way of waiting. Everyone waited, even the most unpatient ones, for Eiser, to make a call, they were desperate for.
Then Eiser finished his meal, he gently put his spoon in his pot and prayed. Eiser cleared his throat, as everyone's heart beats grew faster. The eyes fixated on him with varying emotions yet he was calm in his way of doing things.
The eyes of the old man were quivering, brows were joined, dark circles beneath them giving hints of weeping before, yet all that rain that his heart had suffered wasn't enough as his heart desired more. Perhaps moonsoon had started in the hearts of all those who had thier loved ones stolen from them. Eiser realised that,
"Regto Pa, he started, Don't Cry, for we are not going to help you. Surely, we took care of the Chained dogs in the Cut city."
Regto's eyes that held some suddenly broke that hope. Arkas's movements also went harsh. Everyone as a whole, were shocked. Yet held their gazes fixated in their wooden plates. Yet there was Anastasia who just sat quietly, listening to everything, smiling with her eyes closed.
Meanwhile, Eiser continued, "And we surely will liberate the Fade City of this wretched gang, that has hurt many. We will not do all that because we want to help you, but because it is the right thing to do."
Sandy let out a sigh of relief as Eiser finished and Arkas whose expressions were going harsh went back to normal. Everyone else looked up in delight aswell and hurriedly got up to hug their ray of hope. Eiser smiled softly and glanced at Ana who was already looking at him. She signaled Eiser to go to the Old man by her eyes and he went to him.
Regto's hands were shaking and tears were coming out of his eyes as Eiser came to him, Eiser went to his knees and hugged him. While all Regto could say was "Thank Goodness" as nothing else could be uttered.
After this, Ana and Sandy went to visit the dorms of Children accompanied by some members of the gang. While Arkas took Eiser and Regto out of the slums into the main city to a place from Arkas's past. Chlroia had already told him the address and three went on to that address. The place marked on that address was deep inside the city's residencial area.
The Fade City was surrounded by slums where people who couldn't afford to live highly lived. In those slums, there was the Bald Thief gang, that supported those people who lived in that sluggish area. They were also raising children that they had saved from the Chained Dogs gang that was present inside the Main City.
Yet upon coming in the main city, it looked as if only the most Prestigious people lived there. As the environment inaide the main city was an complete opposite of what they had seen in the slums. Elegant Houses, Clean Air and Streets, The Police patrolling and all those things that only the utter rich could have. Yet even in that luxurious environment, there was no human being seen in the streets aside of some Police guards.
It was clear to them, that even in these environments, people aren't free, they are scared. Yet their were some burning questions in the minds of Eiser and Arkas that needed to answered. Yet it was clear, even to them that the reason there is no person here in the streets is because of that evil gang. No matter what kind of people their were, Rich or Poor, both were suffering by the hands of the Chained Dogs. For the situations here seemed way worse than it was in the Cut City. Walking down those streets they finally reached their destination. The house of the Captain of the Police of the Fade City, Captain Signet and Arkas's Childhood freind and also Captain Signet's daughter Lolopechika Signet.
The three stood infront of the fencing gate of one of the Beautiful white houses. As the guard of that house came, opened the door slightly, and inquired them. Arkas's heart was beating very fast and he could speak no words. So Eiser decided to speak with the guard. Yet as soon as he was about to utter the forst word, Arkas suddenly spoke up.
"Lo..Lolopechika! We are here to meet Lolopechika Signet! I-i am her Friend!"
Arkas's voice broke as he said that. As he breathed heavily.
Yet the guard didn't let them in and closed the door. For he had never seen anyone come for Lolopechika. Arkas and company talked back and the guard was persistent on warding them away.
Suddenly from behind, a voice came.
"Sheldon! Who are those people?"
As a beautiful girl, with long Reddish brown hair and almond eyes. Her tiny and delicate structure wore a beautiful white sleeveless dress. She came out of the house and walked slowly towards the gate, yet as soon as Arkas saw her, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. It was Lolopechika Signet, one of the two Friends childhood Friends of Arkas and the only one, who now remained.
*******
Tips:
Lolopechika moved to the Cut city before one momthe before the deaprture of Arkas. As her father was the Captain of Police in the Cut city, they moved to the Fade City upon the arrival of Captain Stincer in the Cut city.