Hysteria

Chapter 14 : Hide

Chiyo landed in the arms of Anthony, he gently set her on the sturdy ground, she watched a large tower collapse onto the burning building. She saw no one in the building, only the terror that that attack had caused. Her gaze fell on a group of people tending to others with wounds.

Anthony took her hand leading her to the others. "Anthony, did something happen to you." asked a plump woman with a roll of gauze. "She has a scratch on her forearm, its only on the surface, but it could still get infected." Anthony said holding Chiyo's forearm out to the woman. She looked at the jagged scratch that when up her forearm, Chiyo had never noticed it before, "Yeah that's a bad scratch." the woman said under her breath.

She walked away finding a clean cloth, she slightly dabbed it on the scratch, cleaning the dried blood that had dried at the ends. The woman slightly gasped and took Anthony, the both of them talked in hushed voices, when they both came back, the woman took a roll of gauze out of her pocket wrapping the wound. "Thank you." Chiyo said to the woman as she walked away. Anthony took her hand, both of them making their way to the forest.

. . .

The both of them were back in Princeton Village, Anthony led the way through the merchant vendors, Chiyo's eyes caught the color of light blue dress. It was a flowy dress with the bodice covered with flowery prints. She tugged on Anthonys sleeve, pointing to the dress. "That looks expensive." He said, not looking at the tag that was pinned on the sleeve, "it's not, it says here that it is only 80 forest copper." she said, "you're so persistent-" Anthony was cut off by a man behind the counter.

"Are you two trying to buy clothing." he said looking at the both of them up and down, seeing the spots of ash, and odd look of clothing on both. "You know what, I'll give you the clothes, half off." he said. Chiyo looked at Anthony, who pointed at the dress, and a pair of pants and a button up shirt for himself. "Pleasure doing business with you." said the man.

. . .

The two had then both made their way to find a place to hide, trying to stay out of the way of people who had burned down the council building. The forest they went through slowly got darker, trees having large roots uprooting out of the ground. Chiyo caught her foot on a root that she hadn't seen.

Anthony caught her hand in his catching her. She looked up at him as she was back on her feet. Anthony looked deeper into the forest, his eyes narrowing at movements in the fog, taking his hand back, holding it in front of him and Chiyo, a flicker of light coming from his hand. The both of them cautiously made their way forward.

Anthony stopped as he saw a flash of silver in front of the both of them. As the fog moved to reveal the figure that they had seen at the council building, the silver armor the mask was discarded behind the figure, all that was left was a man, much older then Chiyo and Anthony.

He had gray hairs scattered across his beard, his hair far from the black that it once was, insead all that was left was gray. "I've been looking for you Chiyo." he said, his voice sounded like a snakes, "And what do you want from her?" Anthony asked, "Oh I've been following both of you, looking at your weaknesses, I even have your father." He said holding out a piece of glass, inside the glass was a vision of Chiyo's father.

Anthony took a step forward, trying to shield Chiyo from the odd man, "Say boy, if you don't get out of the way, I'll kill her father." he said, stuffing the piece of glass back in his pocket. Chiyo stood frozen, unable to make a decision. She didn't want Anthony to get hurt or her dad, but she didn't want to die either. She looked up suddenly, "what's the trade?" she asked.