Journey to a Better End (An Add x Ara Story)

Chapter 29

I should warn you guys that anything can happen at any time. I don't know why but I had the urge to say that...
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        Ara had already felt like things were a bit off that morning so when the human tracking nasod appeared, she wasn't too surprised. In fact, she sort of expected it, or at least something similar, to happen. Afterall, Add hadn't remembered anything at all from the previous night which meant that Raven's group likely had something to do with it. Ara had also found it strange that Owen had been mentioning how he couldn't remember the past. Yes, Ara heard him for her senses were excellent but she played it off as if she hadn't noticed. Then Seris had asked if she and Add were ready for the mission as if knowing they were awake last night. Not only that but Raven's unreadable expression only made Ara worry.

        Now that they were being ambushed by nasods, Ara wouldn't even be slightly surprised if it was all a part of Raven's secret scheme or something where he had Proto set everything up. Ara was just about prepared for a fight too...until the newly manufactured nasod disappeared from sight. "How stealthy. It has a camouflage mode," Eun commented. "Not now Eun," Ara thought with a bit of irritation as she and Add naturally took a defensive stance, their backs to each other.

        It was an automatic reflex. Either that or Add would have pulled Ara behind him as if he was strong enough to protect her from anything in the world which Ara found hilarious at times. "Add, Ara, we're going to keep you guys surrounded until we get to the next door. The two of you are going to go ahead of us while Owen contacts Proto to resolve this situation while you guys proceed," Raven said as the Crow Mercenaries surrounded Add and Ara, not even thinking about letting them fight. This most definitely surprised Ara for she hadn't expected them to sacrifice their well-being to keep herself and Add, but herself in particular, protected.

        "What if there are more of these those things up ahead?" Add asked as the Crow Mercenaries inched forward. Suddenly, the nasod that they were all carefully searching for despite it being invisible became clear as day right before attacking Fred. Fred cried out in pain as his right leg was cut rather deeply and he fell to his knee. The nasod swiveled and went for a finishing blow but Zohan blocked it. "Seris, Owen, get them to the door!" Raven ordered.

        The two who had been addressed began leading the way and Add and Ara both followed leaving Zohan, Barton, Raven, and Fred to fight that one nasod that seemed to be a threat more than the many other nasods still around them. Seris easily took them down and despite Owen's obvious frequently displayed anxiety (or whatever it was. Ara didn't really know), he was an excellent swordsmen. He was making quick work of the nasods he came across yet somehow leaving them perfectly functioning but injured. Seris was merciless though. She seemed to be purposefully aiming for the nasods' cores and the only reason Ara knew this was because Add had explained things like that to her many times in the past.

        "Pay attention, child! You're going to get hurt!" Eun's voice snapped in Ara's mind as the fox moved Ara aside to avoid the attack of a nasod that neither Owen nor Seris got to. Add was even attempting to put some effort in taking down a few nasods but he did nothing more than shocking them. Ara knew how much he hated destroying nasod technology or even nasods themselves. Once at the door, Seris and Owen took defensive stances behind Add while Ara filled in whatever gaps there were.

        Add easily unlocked the door due to his implementation of new codes in the interface system. "Go on ahead with them Owen. We've got everything handled here," Seris said. Owen nodded and followed after Ara and Add who were already making their way down the strangely empty corridor of the nasod factory under the castle front. "Ara, my dynamos aren't reacting well to this environment. They keep sending me warning signals. Something is definitely wrong," Add said as he led the way. He wasn't too hard to keep up with since his dynamos weren't carrying him.