Journey to a Better End II

Chapter 12

I recently discovered that electroshock does not always solve problems (if you get that reference, you're amazing). A hammer to the face taught me this...
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         "It's not safe but we'll have to take a break. We need to keep up our stamina just in case," Add said after spotting a suitable area for them to rest. A tree had fallen and moss had grown over it. There were several bushes around it and Add figured that they could take shelter behind it all. "We need to make sure we don't get any cuts," Add said as he continued to survey the area to make sure it was safe enough to stay. "Why is it so important for us to not get any cuts?" Elsword asked as he ran a hand over the mossy tree.

         "He can track you that way. I don't know how but he can smell blood. It's how he found us the first time," Add answered although thinking about it made him shudder. No human being should be able to do the things Raguel did. "The shirt..." Ara muttered. Add looked back at her and nodded. Nothing else needed to be said for her to understand. "How did you escape?" Elsword asked. Add stared at the ground for a bit, not really wanting to recall the time, that seemed like an eternity, spent within Raguel's game of sorts.

        "He let us go. He captured us, brought us to the seals, let us see them, and then let us go. He knows what we're after and I know he knows that we need a seal," Add said. No one said anything else as they climbed over the fallen tree and sat behind it. "Add, Ara...are we going to die out here as prey to a psychopath?" Elsword asked. Add didn't have an answer for he honestly didn't know. "Of course not Elsword. We're the heros. We don't have to worry about losing, right Add?" Ara said.

         Add met her gaze but he wasn't reassured even in the slightest. Ara hadn't seen what he'd seen, she hadn't hurt like he had and he didn't want her to. "Add doesn't seem to think so," Elsword muttered. To which Ara pouted. "Well either way,  we can't give up. That's just wrong. If we give up, who will save Ryu and who will meet Elesis as her brother?" Ara said. "Who's Ryu?" Elsword asked. "A friend of ours. He's the reason we need that seal. Well, he's part of the reason," Ara said with a smile.

        Add found that ability of hers to be amazing. How could Ara possibly smile even through all of this? "Ryu must be pretty special for you to go this far for his sake," Elsword said also slightly smiling. Add found himself suddenly feeling isolated. Was he the only one unable to find the possitive in things? Was he the only one that couldn't hide his concerns? A sudden noise from nearby caused all three of them to twitch in response.

        Immediately, Add's dynamos were by his side and he listened for any other possible sound. The familiar sound of a blade scraping another blade met Add's ears and he nearly had a heart attack. Elsword certainly recognized the sound and instantly put a hand over his mouth to stop himself from whimpering. Add didn't know if it was really Raguel or one of his cruel illusions but either way, he couldn't run. Ara was with him and he couldn't leave Elsword behind.

        Even if they were to run, Raguel would catch at least one of them. He'd kill Elsword if he caught him thanks to the flashback he got thanks to Paradox's accidental slip up but Ara would be freed again once she was captured. She'd get the chance to see the seals and escape but there was no way in all of Elrios that Add would allow Ara to be left in Raguel's care. The sound was heard again, closer this time and Ara slowly began to stand but Add caught hold of her arm before she could.

         He gave her a look that practically said "what are you doing?!" and she responded with a look that said "I don't know" but she didn't sit back down. "Ara...no," Add whispered seeing her desire to run, the same one he'd seen when he'd spoken to her after the incident in Hamel. Ara's arm started to shake a bit as the sound was heard again, even closer than before with Elsword now reacting as well. The red head couldn't hold in his whimper and had started to hyperventilate.