Avatar of the Frozen Behemoth: Volume 1

Chapter 17: The Price of Truth

Yukio pressed his back against the cold stone wall, gasping for breath. The icy wind cut through him, making him shiver uncontrollably. His mind whirled as he tried to process the chaotic events of the past few minutes. What just happened? he thought, his heart still racing. What were those people from that building?

His encounter with the mysterious building and the Janoan soldiers felt like a nightmare come to life. How could I have been so reckless? He cursed himself. I went in there thinking I might find help, but instead, I stumbled into enemy territory.

He could barely comprehend the conversations he overheard in that strange place. They spoke of lands he had never heard of, of victories and wars he knew nothing about. The fiery symbols, the metallic smirks of the Janoan soldiers, and their talk of expanding land and destroying cities-it all swirled together in his mind.

"Udlrainia," they had mentioned repeatedly, referring to a land he'd never heard of. The Janoans had spoken about its destruction, but to Yukio, it sounded like another world entirely. "Could those people be the ones behind my visions? And what did they mean by Udlrainia being destroyed? Was Udlrainia... Spadia? The realization sent a shiver down his spine. "And they were talking about land expansion, military victories... His mind reeled with the implications. Could they be planning an invasion?

As he struggled to catch his breath, distant voices drifted through the quiet streets. His ears perked up, and he strained to hear them.

"Did you see where he went?" a voice called out, tinged with urgency.

"Last I saw him, he was headed this way," replied another, the tone laced with frustration.

Suddenly, Yukio's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the man he had stolen from earlier, now accompanied by a Spadian soldier. The man's face contorted with rage as he spotted Yukio. "There he is!" he yelled, pointing straight at Yukio. "That's the boy who stole from me!"

"Dammit!" Yukio muttered under his breath as his eyes widened in alarm. He glanced over his shoulder to see the man and a Spadian soldier approaching. Panic surged through him again. "Of course, they're looking for me now. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse..." He had no choice but to run.

Without thinking, he bolted down the alleyways, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He heard the pounding footsteps of the soldier and the man closing in behind him. "Run, run, run!" he chanted to himself, his legs pushing him faster even as his exhaustion tried to slow him down.

He darted around corners, his mind a jumble of fear and confusion. Why does this have to happen now? he thought frantically. I've barely escaped from one danger, and now I'm running from another. No one will believe me about what happened. No one even knows about the Janoans or Udlrainia. They'll just think I'm insane.

As he turned a sharp corner, the crunch of snow underfoot was deafening. He glanced back to see the man and soldier gaining ground. "He's fast," the Spadian soldier grunted. "We have to catch him before he disappears!"

People glanced out from their homes, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern as Yukio raced by. They must really think I'm crazy now, Yukio thought, his face flushed with cold and exertion. What will they think when they find out what's really happening?

He reached his home, the door barely shutting behind him before he collapsed against it, panting heavily. "I've got to get my breath back," he muttered, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart. The day's events had left him shaken and bewildered. He had sought help for his disturbing visions, only to find himself caught in a whirlwind of danger and confusion.

Yukio stumbled into the kitchen, his breath still ragged from his harrowing escape. His mother, Calista, was hunched over the stove, stirring a pot with a wooden spoon. The warmth of the kitchen contrasted sharply with the cold chaos he had just left behind.