Archer (Klein x Reader)

Chapter 20 - Balsa

"Let... me... go..." you slowly gasped out, the effects of the second dosage of paralysis potion sinking in quickly.

Issin continued walking and ignoring you, with you still slung over his shoulder.

You didn't want to go back to the cabin he originally kept you in the first time he abducted you. However, a large part of yourself doubted you would be taken there again.

Because of your position and temporary disability, you were unable to see anything but your hair and Issin's black-armored back. You noticed when the surrounding area became darker though.

"Issin," you heard a deep voice say. "This must be the girl you told us about."

You tried to slowly squirm out of his grip, terrified that your life- as well as Klein's safety- now depended on Laughing Coffin.

He held you tighter around the middle.

"It is," he replied to the voice.

The voice laughed, making you even more uncomfortable and upset.

Your chin was then lifted, and your eyes met a cloaked figure who had only his nose, mouth, and chin revealed.

"I think we'll like this one," the hooded man said, and you recognized it as the voice that was talking to Issin. "Put her in a cell."

Cells? They have prison cells?

Issin walked for a bit, and then dropped you on the ground. As you unceremoniously fell flat on your back, you could see the red avatar icon floating over Issin's head.

He then grabbed your wrists, forced them into shackles, and then turned a large wooden gear to raise you to a standing position by your arms.

You angrily watched as he checked to see your shackles were locked.

"To make sure you don't escape again," he explained, then closed the barred door. "See you later, sweetheart."

Once you made sure he had left the hall, you frantically began to try and access your dash- although you were struggling, still slightly being paralyzed and having your arms in such an awkward position.

"It's no use," you heard a woman's voice quietly say. "The way we're chained up- it's impossible to access your dash."

"We?" you cautiously asked after a minute, straining your vocal chords to work.

"Look across the hall."

Squinting your eyes, you looked across the dim hallway to see a girl with vibrant purple hair and a slightly smaller frame than yours chained up identically to you.

You didn't say anything.

"I'm Balsa," she said with a weak smile.

"(Y/N)," you replied. "How long have you been here?"

"Almost a month."

You were silent for a moment, deciding against asking what they did to her here.

"You'll make it out of here," she said. "Don't worry."

You were a bit caught off guard by her statement.

"What about you?" you quietly asked. "You can make it out of here!"

She shook her head.

"I waited too long," she solemnly said. "You though- I can tell you're a fighter. And a good one too. You'll get out."

Too long?

Opening your mouth to speak, you then heard footsteps coming down the hall.

The hooded man from earlier, with a couple other men, walked into Balsa's cell.

You watched silently from your cell, confused and worried.

The two men lowered her and released her wrist shackles. As she stood, she looked briefly over the cloaked figure's shoulder to you.

The hooded figure then revealed what appeared to be a cleaver in his right hand- however, upon further inspection, it was a rare weapon called a "Mate Chopper."

In one fluid motion, he swung the weapon through Balsa's neck. Her body exploded into millions of tiny iridescent fragments.

Horrified, you gasped and pulled against your chains.

He... He just killed her! With no hesitation! How could he do that?!

He must have heard your chains rattle as you pulled against them, because he turned and faced you.

"I hope by now that you've realized we only like keeping one prisoner at a time on hand," he darkly said, walking back out into the hallway. "Did she happen to tell you what we do to living prisoners? Because if not, you're in for quite a surprise."

You looked at him, seething with anger. She was killed because you were brought here.

"PoH!" you heard someone yell as they ran down the hall. "Knights of the Blood Oath, the Black Swordsman, and a few smaller guilds have assembled close by to attack us!"

He was PoH? The leader of Laughing Coffin?

You watched as he cracked a crooked smile.

"It's showtime!"