Un-Chain

Despite her initial surprise, Harvet was able to reign in her emotions so that Uteu could no longer read her. She would not answer any of his questions.

It was quite a shame. He felt so ready to forgive her if she gave him a good reason too. The light around Harvet dimmed slowly. To Uteu it felt quite fitting. By not speaking, she was deliberately rejecting a connection with him.

If she wasn't going to tell him anything, he wouldn't need her around. The doves were going to to arrive soon, surly they would be able to figure out Uti's location.

He let the lightning coil around his arm. It flickered and curled to the right for a split second as if worried. Perhaps it was Grello himself who was worried. Uteu would have smiled if he wasn't so furious at Harvet.

He kept a leveled and dark glare at her. He could see her stunned state wearing down. It wouldn't be long now before she made a move.

Sure enough, as soon as she had feeling in her limbs, the light around her dimmed even further. Harvet immediately took a stance and charged at him. Uteu didn't hesitate when he sent out a bolt of lightning at her. She dodged but the lightning's trajectory was a bit unpredictable and had veered off from where she believed it would land.

When it hit her upper t.h.i.g.h she hissed at the pain. The lightning bolt burned her skin and cut deep.

Unfortunately for Uteu, he didn't have much experience with attacking, and could barely see with the dim lighting.

He didn't hit her in a lethal spot. He ignored the relief that settled in his stomach when he realized she'd be alright.

Uteu judged that he didn't hit any arteries since she wasn't bleeding excessively. Luckily it would be enough to slow her down though. While he was ready to kill her, it was when he had the bolt in hand. Now that he had already fired it, he would prefer to draw out the time instead.

He was afraid that he wouldn't be able call upon another condensed lightning bolt easily. He flexed his fingers. Having it generate through the chain like this was really odd.

It didn't feel right and he wanted to avoid using it if he could. He's glad he didn't waste the bolt on that nameless man he had met when he had first entered the forest. He sighed internally as he leapt back from Harvet's fists. He was lucky he brought her along. She had saved him the trouble of wasting his attacks.

Though this made him wonder. Why did she help him? Were those men from a different group? Or was it something else?

He didn't have much time to ponder on Harvet's motives as he heard some rustling and a woman jumped down from the trees. She landed gracefully before them before instantly binding Harvet with thin wires, limiting her movement.

With the wound from Uteu, Harvet stood no chance against the other woman. The other woman was just too fast and efficient. Uteu was alert the second he heard the rustling. Was she a dove?

The woman wasn't dressed up as a maid in the least. She wore a dark cloak with a hood to cover her hair. She also had a white mask over her face to prevent anyone from seeing her eye color. So while she reminded him of a dove, he'd never seen one looking like this. He couldn't help but feel a bit cautious when she approached him.

"I have arrived in Julie's place. How can I help you, sir." Her whispered words settled his mind instantly. He exhaled and relaxed marginally.

"The Guild... ah, if there is more than one I don't know the actual name of it, they are the ones behind the explosions. This girl is the one who planted them."

The dove took a look at Harvet who was struggling against the wires on the ground. She nodded in understanding. From Harvet's appearance alone the dove could already begin to guess.

"I'm looking for my younger sister Uti. I last felt her around this direction but I don't feel her anymore."

The dove tightened the wires around Harvet as she checked around the cave. She kept her distance, observing carefully.

"Luckily sir did not go into this cave. This is booby trapped to kill anyone within and out as soon as someone sets foot inside. Looks like a full 100 foot radius of explosives set up."

Harvet stilled when she heard this. She looked at the dove in disbelief, biting her lips with a worried look across her face.

"Someone is inside."

This seemed to have flipped a switch inside of Harvet as she immediately struggled recklessly to unbind herself from the wires.

The dove gave her a hard kick and stomped on her to keep her still.

"Quiet."

They could hear a weak groan. The sound seemed to grow stronger the longer they listened.

"Big... sister."

Harvet let tears gather at the corner of her eyes. She wanted to call out to the person inside of the cave but didn't dare to. Despite the boot nearly crushing her stomach, she tried to inch towards the cave.

Uteu furrowed his eyebrows and shared a glance with the dove. He felt torn and didn't really know what to do.

Luckily for him, the dove was much more calm and ruthless. The dove stomped down again.

"Focus. Where is Uti Drelden?"

Harvet grunted in pain and glared at the dove above her.

A mocking sneer made itself across her face as she spat out, "How should I know, I'm only a grunt. That place that they take all Psyche actives? I've never been there."

The dove gasped in recognition. Uteu didn't like how this sounded. Psyche actives, but Uti wasn't one was she?

"Guild. A guild that takes Psyche actives... It can only be the Liquidation Guild." The dove sounded almost tired as she said these words.

"I'm sorry, but I doubt you'll be seeing your little sister anytime soon. It took me six years to get my own brother out... and look at their farewell present that they set up for us." Harvet laughed once, devoid of any actual humor.