Un-Chain

As quick as the smile appeared on Harvet's face, it was just as quick to leave it. She let out a soft sigh and sat down on one of the two beds.

"There are only three people in the Guild who are authorized to use the teleportation array. The one that I was working with is called Jude. A short man that wears a fedora to cover his bald head, really full of himself, arrogant despite his terrible Psyche abilities. He's only good for his many connections to people and his money. Guy can kiss a.s.s like no other."

Harvet scoffed as she recalled the guy. Her face becoming increasingly colder the longer she mentioned the man named Jude. She jumped to her feet and paced around the room, seeming a bit restless.

"Those little bombs that I buried to distract those maids? Only thing he can make with his pitiful fire abilities, sells the best ones and gives us the weakest ones. The ones at that cave however, were uniquely his, those ones he doesn't sell. While one at a time, those explosives are very weak. But, if they get a chance to cause a chain reaction they get stronger. Much stronger."

Harvet kicked at the side table and the lamp fell down. Uteu stayed silent as he listened to her.

"He's the asshole that rigged those bombs to explode on my brother and I. He knew I'd be emotionally unstable. If things had worked out his way, I would have just rushed in to see my brother after the exchange. I would have detonated all of the bombs without knowing it and killed us both."

Harvet took a few moments to collect herself. The look on her face was murderous, she glared at the lamp that had fallen until she calmed down enough to continue talking.

"That array, it can only be activated when there's something equal. The equality varies and can't always be guessed. Once the array is activated, they can search through the area for something of equal value to switch with."

Uteu pondered about the relevancy of this information but figured it was still important to know. After all he was switched with someone from the Guild, he would have to know how it worked.

"The main array in held in the middle square of this town."

Uteu paused his train of thought and looked up at Harvet in a daze.

"Wait what, this place is a town?"

Uteu felt quite bewildered when Harvet gave him a nod. He quickly blurted out a few more questions.

"The dome is?"

"At the bottom, can only enter it with the warden's magic. I have only seen him hit a single person at a time when he brings us to his jail cells."

"Where were we when we were in the wooden shed?"

"Outskirts of the town, whole town is the Guild. It's actually much smaller compared to the Syndicate or the Association."

Uteu found himself sitting down on one of the two white beds, the one Harvet didn't sit on. He rubbed his eyes and felt for the first time that he was truly getting in way over his head. He was facing whole towns, that were full of people. If he didn't have Harvet to guide him, just how long would he have had to search? How many people would he have had to fight against?

Harvet looked at him, concerned but unaware of his thoughts.

"You... going to be alright?" She asked him with a soft tone.

Running a hand through his hair, Uteu sighed. He caught sight of a few singed bangs. It brought back flashbacks of his close encounter to death at Oscar's hands.

He looked straight into Harvet's eyes and replied back in almost a whisper.

"I'm really not sure."

Uteu wanted to tell Harvet all of his concerns and yet, he couldn't. He felt he could trust her and at the same time, not. She hadn't done anything to make him feel like he could truly open up to her yet. He was only holding onto a bit of hope that her brother's words were enough to have her truly and genuinely helping him find Uti.

Harvet approached him and ruffled his hair.

"Well, whatever it is, I'll help you out, k? You can always talk to me."

He looked up into Harvet's hazel eyes and saw the regret on her face. She slowly gave him a guilty, but gentle smile and this eased something inside of him. For now... for now he could put a tiny bit of trust into her. He hoped it wasn't misplaced.

She smoothed down his hair and opened her mouth to speak.

However, they both ended up jumping when the door suddenly opened and the sound of a jolly voice entered their ears.

"Harv~ I'm back! I brought snacks! I know you said not to, but I couldn't help myself!" A young girl with black hair in a pixie hair cut bounced into the room and froze when she noticed Uteu.

"Ah! Claris! This, this is-"

Harvet's words were ignored and the thin girl, yanked out the machete attached to her side, dropped a plastic bag full of snacks and hacked away in Uteu's direction.

Uteu was pushed back by Harvet, he bounced slightly on the bed as the machete sailed above, an inch away from his face.

"Wait! Claris!"

Harvet's words didn't stop the thin girl in the slightest as she twirled out of Harvet's range, preventing the older woman from stopping her movements. Her earlier soft brown eyes were now frigid as they focused in on Uteu.

"Isn't this the shithead that injured you? He's also an intruder! Why are you covering for him?!"

Claris bounced on her heels and twirled, bringing down the machete with much more force.

Uteu was just barely able to roll out and off the bed as the girl sliced it cleanly in half.

"And! He's on MY bed! A disgusting guy on MY bed!"

Her face turned red as she twisted her wrists and braced her legs. The machete once again swung directly at him. There was no way he'd be able to dodge in time from his spot on the floor.

Harvet seemed to have had enough as she took on a much more serious look. She dashed over and she hit Claris' hand with a swift chopping motion, causing her to drop the machete just shy of hitting Uteu in the gut.

The girl cried out in shock and a bit of pain. She twirled around to face Harvet. Uteu looked at Claris' face to see her red face almost about to burst into tears.

"Is he your boyfriend?! Why are you protecting him?"

Harvet wrinkled her eyebrows and sighed.

"No. He's not. Claris just listen... please?"

Sending a glare at Uteu, Claris nodded as she dragged Harvet over to the remaining bed and had them both sit down. She continued to glare at Uteu as she held onto Harvet's arm.

"I'm listening."

Uteu sat up and nudged the machete away from him.

Holy shit. Every female Thew he's met has been damn terrifying. Thinking back on it, he's only met female Thews so far hasn't he?

Uteu gulped as he tried to ignore the very dark and heated glares been thrown at his body.

"The Guild gave me a mission. They gave me the chance to bring my little brother out. I haven't seen him properly in six years you know? I... I knew what they wanted me to do but I, I thought it'd be worth it if I could just get Jaren out."

Harvet took in a long breath of air and continued.

"At the time I didn't even think of what it was that I was doing. I just held onto the hope of getting Jaren out... as long as Jaren was fine I would do anything."

A remorseful look reappeared onto Harvet's face as she glanced at Uteu.

"I just... I just put him into the same situation I was in. So, don't blame him alright? I'm going to try to help him to atone for my rash actions."

Claris frowned and looked between the two of them.

"Then... what are you doing exactly?"

She stood up quickly and bounced away from Harvet.

"This... doesn't this mean you're planning on betraying us?!"