Chapter eight: E-town

Three days after…

It’s been three days; there has been nothing so far except trees… and more trees! As the two were traveling north to where Xieva once was, Haru had begun to realize that the forest they were passing through felt familiar. He knew for sure he had never traveled to the northern parts of the country. But there was something about it that drew his attention.

“What’s wrong?” Akane stood beside him with a concern look that would make most people feel as though they did something wrong.

He would reply ‘nothing’, but there was something about the forest that made him stay there. Something about it that didn’t see normal, it was too quiet and the trees and flowers seemed weird. Haru quietly ordered Akane to stay behind him. She followed his orders and stood behind him unsure of what was happening.

“Doesn’t the forest seem a bit… weird?”

“Haru, it looks normal and perfectly---“

“That’s why it’s weird. It’s too perfect, the trees are all a lined and the scenery is too quiet.”

Akane could only answer back with another concern look before closing her eyes. If Haru was right, they better be more careful. Akane opened her eyes again and saw Haru withdrawing one of his daggers on the right side of his pouch. He pinched onto one of the large leaves of a plant and carefully sliced it.

“Haru?”

Haru ignored her and continued to slice and stab the plants around him. Finally He put away his dagger and began tugging onto one of the flowers. Akane could only watch and wonder from a far if he had gone mad from the scenery.

“I knew it!” He called out and signaled her to come closer.

She did as she was told and crouched beside him as he examined the plant in his left hand. Haru frowned,

“Can’t you tell why this forest is different from the one we slept in six months ago?”

He pointed to the bottom of the plant, there were no roots.

“A rootless plant? I don’t get it.”

“It’s fake.”

He plucked one of the leaves off the plant with Akane closely watching beside him. He then proceeded to a pile of rocks five meters away from the tree and began grinding the leaf against it. No green smudges and the leaf was still together.

“Why would someone take the time to make a fake forest?”

Haru couldn’t answer her question, he didn’t know either.

“Let’s get out of here quick as possible then. I don’t want to find out why this forest was made so let’s just hurry.”

Akane nodded and followed his lead. It would take another day and a half for them to exit the dense forest and find a town to rest in. The town was crowded with merchants and warriors boasting about their victory or tricking travelers into buying something overpriced. A town renowned for its thievery and mischief, but that was what made this town different from the one Haru had come from.

It was originally called Eộytri but is known as ‘E-town’ on the streets. Most of the town’s buildings were ancient ruins from the past war but it is now home to street merchants and thieves. One man’s garbage becomes another treasure, a phrase widely popular and accepted in ‘E-town’.

As Haru walked throughout the crowds of people, he realized that Akane held the left side of his grey sleeve tightly. He understood why. Another thing Eộytri was widely known for was bashing and imprisoning people from Xieva. Why? The people from Xieva were traditional people with a different faith system from those of Eộytri and every other town. And because of Xieva weak faith and devotion to the elders they became the prime target for many people’s wrath.

It wasn’t soon until the people of Xieva began to diminish; whoever stood in the way was likely taken care of by the soldiers or by their followers---the people.

What struck Haru awe was that Tasuki was rather close to Akane even though he was a soldier.

“You’re thinking again aren’t you?” Akane smiled and tilted her head so that their eyes could meet.

“Huh?” He was in a state of confusion and curiosity definitely played a part why. “I always think.”

“I know that. But you’re thinking about the forest and Tasuki aren’t you?”

“Hmm, maybe not the forest… not yet that is. But you’re right about Tasuki, someone like you with someone like him; it just doesn’t go to well with me.”

He had to admit, Tasuki was a pretty good fighter but his confidence in his skills was what made Haru not want to lose to him. Akane giggled and finally released Haru’s sleeve.

“You’re like your brother, he said the same thing when he knew too… well that was before all of that happened of course. Tasuki watches over me like an older brother, he said something about showing gratitude and eternal debt for saving his life. I didn’t really do anything other than standing beside him when he woke up from being knocked out cold.”

“So didn’t you tell him the truth?”

Akane looked at her feet for a second before returning to Haru’s gaze, “I did. He doesn’t believe me, but now he’s watching over me because he hated Akito as much as you do. Then again, he just wants to get close to me to know where your brother is.”

Haru looked up ahead and caught sight of a tall building, a tavern. Painted in shades of light blue like the sky and a dash of white to outline the roof of the tavern. It reminded him of Jin’s tavern a little bit. They entered inside the tavern hoping that the price to sleep there was affordable and in their range.

A young woman veered away from the counter on seeing Haru. She was twenty-something by the looks of it, with dark brown hair down to her thighs, strong cheek bones and dark brown eyes with small lips of the color of passion red. She was the complete opposite of Akane; this woman was neither afraid nor embarrassed in showing most of her skin and wore nothing but a black skirt and a red sleeveless shirt.

She introduced herself as Rikku, her voice slightly lower pitch than Akane’s.

“Just as hope was about to run out for this old wretched tavern, so what can I do for you travelers?” said Rikku, eyeing them suspiciously.

“We only want a place to sleep for the night and then we’ll be gone by morning,” answered Haru.

The two had not rested at a tavern for days and were anxious just to drop in bed and sleep. Rikku stretched her hand forward signaling Haru to withdraw his money from his pockets. Once his money was in her hand, she led them upstairs to two different rooms. Each room had a bed positioned at the corner of the room with a window that was on the wall beside it.

When Rikku had left, Akane gave Haru a confused stare. Haru noticed and just smiled back, “Well since you’re my servant, I’m responsible for taking care of you“

“I think that I can afford to stay at an inn without the help of my...my master. I’m not really sure how to respond, it just feels weird for someone else to pay for me.”

Haru sighed, “You’re very stubborn.”

Akane face turned into a light shade of pink, she turned around to avoid eye contact with him.

“Thank-you,” she said and quickly hurried herself to her room.

Haru walked over to his own bed and sat down. Allowing his feet to rest for the moment, he felt the tension in his bed slowly loosened. His thoughts still on the fake forest and what Neiji had said to him back at Jin’s tavern. A forbidden city… a city that lies in ruin and rumors has it that the civilians in the city just suddenly disappeared one night. The one city that the Elders insist doesn’t exist but kills anyone who says it does other wise.

But Akane’s statement contradicted the known facts about this city. No one survived so what did she mean he was born there? Haru decided that he’d leave these questions until tomorrow, for now all he wanted was sleep.

The next morning

Haru felt as though he had barely lain down in his bed as the sound of dishes shattering onto the ground from outside his door had startled him. Akane entered into his room with an embarrass look painted on her face. She was holding a small tray, a plate fill of sliced and trimmed apples and a cup, well the remaining parts of it at least. She placed the tray beside the bed and began shaking him.

“Wake up Haru,” she whispered.

Haru sat up, his eyes only half opened.

“Its morning already?” said Haru groggily.

She nodded as she carefully placed the tray onto Haru’s lap. He was too tired to talk so ate silently while Akane stood near by in the corner. She was staring out the window noticing that a huge red banner was being hung into the center of the street.

“It looks like they’re celebrating,” She turned to Haru and walked over to him to take the tray away since he was done eating.

Haru yawned then stretched his arms outward followed by his legs as he got out of bed.

“Haven’t felt this good for days, can’t say this was the best sleep I got in ages but its good enough for me,” Haru said, “We’re traveling northwards right?”

“Yeah, once we get to Xieva we go west to where the city lies.”

Haru nodded. The two of them made their way downstairs preparing to leave when Rikku came after them.

“Don’t leave today!” She called out, “You two got out of the forest right?”

Haru and Akane exchanged weird glances and finally Haru answered yes before Rikku squealed in delight.

“Is there a reason why?” Akane questioned puzzled over Rikku’s sudden reaction.

“Over the past ten years, E-town holds a special festival for everyone in the village and to travelers alike. The forest you traveled through is usually inhabited by outlaws of E-town but every ten years the elders open the underground route that’s found in the forest”

“I don’t get where your going with this.” said Haru, they were far to busy to listen and wanted to get to Akane’s hometown quick as possible.

“I’m not done explaining yet!” She continued, “Like I said, the elders open the underground route that can only be entered through the hidden door in the forest.”

“So what’s so special about it?” Haru didn’t understand the motive behind such an event other than it was a sport. “An underground route beneath the forest, I don’t get why it involves us?”

Rikku grinned, “But it does. You two aren’t very use to our customs are you? This town is not only about selling worthless crap to people but also about competition. All business owners take pride in their businesses, and that’s where this contest comes in. If anyone is able to find the underground route, the business they represent gets a boom in sales. In other words, it’s also about publicity.”

“So where do we come in?” asked Haru.

“I want you to be our representative in the contest.”

“And if I say no?”

She laughed, “You’re uncle told me you would say that.”

“You knew him?”

“I knew him of course, he was---“

Haru interrupted. “I’ll be your representative.”

Akane mouth opened to object but no words came out. She felt a great amount of uneasiness building up in her stomach meanwhile her vision had began to blur. Finally she lost her balance and fell to her knees. A burning sensation had begun to develop on the area where she had been injected; she looked away avoiding eye contact with anyone.

“Akane, are you alright?” asked Haru as he bend down to her height, “Here let me see it.”

He pulled her sleeve up to reveal a purple-like bruise on the side of her arm.

“Its getting worse isn’t it?” Akane questioned glaring at him for answers.

He hesitated.

“Haru?” Akane asked again.

Rikku answered for him, she crouched down to meet both of their height, “Not a pretty thing to see in the morning eh?” She continued, “Been infected with the virus eh?”

“What do you mean a virus?” Haru shot back.

“Kids will also be kids,” she sighed, “What? Did you think that was just a simple poisoning? No… it’s far worse then that; if it was normal poison then she would have died long before.”

Akane flushed with embarrassment.

“Is there a cure?” Haru asked, staring at Akane with concern, “Is there?”

“Sorry kid, but do I look like a professional medic to you?” She said back with a strong hint of sarcasm in her voice. “All I know is that, even with herbs to stop the virus from spreading… Her organs will eventually become damaged.”

Rikku then smiled with confidence, “I know someone that can help your girlfriend over there. He’s a well known doctor around here but actually having him to examine you is a real pain in the ass I tell you. That man charges more then I do for a three day sleep for just a mere visit and examination. But if you win the contest Haru, you could use the prize money to get her to the doctor.”

“Haru it’ not worth it, that forest is dangerous and you know it. Let’s just keep looking for your brother, I’m sure---“Akane began coughing, and with each cough it felt like her ribs were about to burst.

He stared at the ground for a moment, there was no point continuing this journey if the person leading him died. So it only left him with one choice, “Alright, so what exactly do I do?”

Rikku grinned with excitement, “Survive.”

Author's Note:

Thank-you everyone who gave a review, i appreciate all your suggestions and will keep it mind. This will probably be the last chapter i write until August, i'll be re-writing chapter 1 - 6 in the mean time. Lol, the town that characters are visiting was inspire by New York and downtown Toronto.