Un-Chain

Making their way through the forest they didn't encounter anyone else other than the dozen or so men from the start.

Despite having the three buffs, Uteu was impressed at Harvet's ability to remain close to his side.

Thinking back on how fast Lina was, Uteu could conclude that Thews could naturally be fast and strong. Psyches probably needed these buffs just to compete with them.

They continued running through the dense forest in silence. The forest seemed almost endless or perhaps the person holding Uti was just strategically keeping him inside of the forest.

He was only relying on the firefly like lights and the golden thread to guide him. Without them he wouldn't have been able to tell any of the trees apart or even where the path was.

Uteu suddenly felt incredibly heavy and tired. He could only guess that all the small

lights were draining his energy. He doubted it was the buffs. He had always felt that any magic from Grello was drained directly from the man himself.

He glanced around at the lights as he slowed down to a walk. This type of 'vision' was not something he could continue to use for long.

Focusing only on the golden thread, Uteu let the other lights flicker out. Everything was suddenly much darker and he stumbled over a tree root. If it wasn't for Harvet's steadying hands on his upper arm, he would have face planted.

He thanked her and proceeded to trip again. Harvet made a confused sound at his sudden clumsiness.

"Little sir, you're unable to see in the dark?"

He wanted to ask how she was able to move so well herself. How was SHE able to see?

"No..."

She made another confused noise, "Then how were you able to navigate the forest so easily earlier?"

"..." Uteu didn't know how to describe it.

She was unfazed by his lack of answer and continued saying, "I had thought at first it might have been Lord Mandleton's ability. But I've never heard of him having a vision enhancing buff."

She hummed and Uteu sighed.

There was just no way around it. He would need a light source or he wouldn't be able to see at all. In hindsight he probably should have grabbed a flash light or something from the mansion.

Focusing on Harvet, he willed his connection to her to reveal itself. He watched as a thin film of light radiated from her. It had a similar silver light as the one from Grello. He didn't go any further than this and let Harvet become his walking lantern.

The urge to make her his Link grew as he became more familiar with what she could do. Skill wise, she seemed very worthy and using this reckless move nearly tore at his willpower. He wanted to form a proper chain with her.

She seemed oblivious to the fact that she was glowing as a silvery beacon. She continued to look at him with a deep meaningful glance, her head tilted in wonder.

"I can see now. Stay close to me."

She seemed quite surprised at his words but gave him a gentle smile. It was nearly blinding to his eyes with her glow. He had to squint to look at her.

Although he said he could see, he couldn't see much further than a few feet from Harvet in all directions. The glow emanating from her was not all that strong.

Turning back to the forest he continued to follow the golden thread. He could feel the energy drain from him at a much slower rate than before.

When he reached a cave. Harvet looked incredibly surprised to see it. Uteu's expression however, had darkened.

She looked over at him and asked, "Little sir isn't this too dangerous?"

As she turned her head towards him a bolt of lightning zapped her and caused her to sieze. Uteu took a deep breath and blew into the whistle around his neck three times.

A hurt expression crossed Harvet's face as she looked at him in disbelief.

"Little sir! Why are you attacking me?"

Uteu ignored every instinct to pull back. He dug his fingers into the palms of his hands to ground himself.

He really liked her. He liked her so much and wanted her to be around him. So why...

"Why did you let them take Uti?"

He leveled the darkest glare he could at Harvet. He looked into her wide, shocked hazel eyes as he waited for an answer.

That night as he slept he found himself following her in his dreams.

He watched as she planted small explosives in certain locations where the maids would be the most concerned about. He watched as she dodged all the surveillance until her little signature on him activated. Registering her as someone belonging to the Mandleton mansion.

He watched how she had pretended to be a maid and infiltrated the mansion through one of the holes, using the chaos to quickly go straight to his sibling's room.

He thought back on how she wouldn't enter the mansion with him despite being a maid. He didn't find it suspicious at the time, but now...

Now he knew. She was never one of Grello's maids. He should have long found it suspicious that she could be one of his Links while being a maid. All the maids were connected to Grello in some way. It should have been impossible.

When they were leaving the mansion, she had stayed close to his side to avoid being exposed. She used him as a perfect excuse to slip out. He knew and he let her.

He had wanted to deal with her himself. He needed to know why. He hated that this felt like some kind of betrayal despite only meeting her once.

"Why Uti. Who was that man that looked like a much older version of my father and what is the Guild?"

Uteu watched as shock, hurt and realization crossed her eyes. She closed her eyes for a second before snapping them open with a look of resolution.

The way she stared at him made his heart hurt. He stamped down the guilt ruthlessly. His little sister was on the line here.

Uteu apologized to Grello again in his head as he drew out a condensed lightning bolt around his arm once more.

If his little sister had so much as a bruise or a scratch, he would be willing to kill Harvet despite every instinct in him telling him not to.

"I can't feel her anymore! Where is she?!"