𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙨 || 𝘑𝘢𝘺𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘯 & 𝘞𝘰𝘯𝘬𝘪

18

A/N: I apologise for not updating for so long 🙇🏻‍♀️

The next day arrived too quick. 

Too soon.

It was time to leave the safe place. 

They forgot they had a fight to win.

 They cannot loose. Loosing the fight means giving up their life. 

Slavery. 

Sacrifices.

Separation.

Sunoo and Jake bought back all the weapons they could find around the village. The houses were empty and the doors were open, so it was fairly easy to find them.

"Take the weapons you are confident about. I'm afraid we got no time for practicing." Sunoo announced to everyone circled around the gathered things.

---------------

The group cautiously stepped out from the safety of the witch village, moving toward the hunter's center.

They had changed into different clothes they found in an old house, blending more easily into their surroundings.

 The forest around them was thick, every shadow seemingly holding a secret as Lin's cloaking spell shielded their movements.

 They knew they were not safe, but they had a mission to accomplish.

Ni-Ki, holding onto both a gun and a sword, led the group confidently, trained for this exact situation. Jay followed closely behind with his crossbow slung across his shoulder.

Sunoo and Heeseung carried daggers, silent but alert, while Jake kept a dagger coated with poisonous oil tucked under his sleeve, ready for use. 

Jungwon had two guns strapped to his sides and had packed extra bullets, fearing he might need more than he'd anticipated.

 Sunghoon gripped a sword, feeling its weight, unsure if he could use it but prepared nonetheless.

The forest thickened around them as they took the deeper path, trying to avoid any unnecessary attention.

 The memory of the witch lingered in their minds—the one who had nearly succeeded in taking Sunghoon and warned she would come back for Jungwon.

 None of them spoke it aloud, but the threat felt closer with each step.

 Every rustle in the bushes or crack of a branch made them glance around nervously.

After what felt like an eternity, the massive building of the hunter's center came into view. Relief washed over them, but it was tempered by the nagging sense that danger was still close.

 They stopped before entering, their breath visible in the chilly air.

Ni-Ki suddenly tensed, the muscles in his neck tightening as he glanced around. "I can feel her," he said, his voice low and filled with warning. "The witch's aura—it's nearby."

At the mention of the witch, everyone froze. The atmosphere shifted, a sudden chill running down their spines. 

Sunghoon gripped his sword tighter, glancing over at Jungwon, who looked equally tense. Heeseung exchanged a wary look with Jake, while Sunoo's hand hovered over his dagger.