𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿

61.. the hunt of the cities

They soon landed in the outskirts of the village of Ashford. But unlike Oakheart, no one came out to greet them. The village appeared almost deserted, the doors shut tight, curtains drawn.

Verena, Doris, and Victor stood outside the landers, weapons ready, as they looked over the quiet village with narrowed eyes.

"This doesn't feel right," Doris murmured.

Victor grunted in agreement, his grip on his weapon tightening. "Where are they?"

Verena didn't respond, her gaze sweeping over the empty streets. The village was too still, too silent.

Her voice echoed through the village, the sound booming and harsh. "Attention, people of Ashford! We're searching for a boy named Thomas and his psychotic crazy bitch of a sister!"

Silence still filled the air, the village remaining eerily quiet. Not even a bird chirped, not even a dog barked. It was as if the entire place was holding its breath, waiting.

Doris scoffed, shifting her rifle. "Do you really have to call her that?"

Verena shot Doris a sharp look. "Do you have anything better to call her?"

"An animal." Victor deadpanned.

Verena smirked, approving of Victor's response. "See, Doris? The brute knows what he's talking about."

Doris rolled her eyes but said nothing, reluctantly admitting that Verena and Victor had a point.

Verena raised her voice once more. "Thomas and his crazy sister, who's a dangerous animal, we know you're here! Come on out before we have to go door to door."

Silence once again fell upon the village. The only sound was the occasional creaking of loose doors and the distant sound of rushing water from the river they'd passed on the flight.

A rustle caught Victor's attention, and he raised his gun at it, eyes narrowing.

"Movement." he said, jerking his chin towards the source.

Verena looked in the direction Victor indicated, her grip on her weapon tightening.

Doris, her eyes darting between the village buildings, kept her voice low. "Could be an animal."

"Or a villager," added Verena. "Either way, we need to check it out."

They rounded a corner, guns ready, expecting to confront some poor villager in the alley. Instead, they saw nothing but a stray cat, its fur standing on end, hissing at them.

Doris let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders dropping. "Just a cat."

Verena grunted. "This place is a goddamn ghost town."

Victor nodded, his eyes still scanning the area. "I don't like it."

Doris agreed, her face set with worry. "Something's off. We should abort."

They shared a look, all thinking the same thing. This village was too quiet, too empty. It might seem like an easy target, but it reeked of a trap.

Verena sighed, her hand on the hilt of her dagger. "Damnit, I was looking forward to finding those two. And Thèrèse."

"Maybe they're not here," Doris suggested. "Maybe they're somewhere else on this shitty island."

Victor grunted. "Or maybe they're laying a trap for us."

Verena nodded, her eyes hardening. "Let's not find out. We're leaving."

Without a backwards glance, they made their way back to their airships. The trip back was just as silent as the approach, all three lost in their own thoughts.