Chapter 23 - The Village Of Cisco

Later then, midnight was fast approaching.

"Hey, kids. We're going to be passing through Rizako the first thing tomorrow morning. Until then, would you be fine with staying in an Inn at a nearby town?"

The coachman asked.

"Where would that nearby town be, coachman?"

Gavin was curious.

"The town of Cisco, sir."

He answered back with hesitation.

"Yikes."

Luken scratched his head.

"Why, what's the matter, Commander?"

Yin's face was puzzled beyond belief.

The Commander nodded at Suna.

Signaling her to tell Yin herself.

"There's been some reports of a number of mysterious deaths and 'accidents' happening to people living right between Cisco and the town we just passed a couple of days, Rizako. Cisco has one of the most hardened underground societies living underneath it. It is basically a tunnel that resembles a village, after all."

Yin swallowed his saliva ang gulped.

"T-That's not very funny, you know? I mean we're going to spend the night here!"

"Although official reports have not pinpointed on a perpetrator, or have proven the existence of a serial murderer who would be responsible for such heinous crimes, there is still a possibility that this was done by a single person. The only commonality these victims share are their positions in the government. The victims were all prominent figures in their local governments and such, some even report directly to the High Council and the Emperor."

Gavin's eyes turned cold as he said that.

"Why haven't they caught the person? I mean it's not that hard if he's targeting politicians, right? Surely their deaths are far too convenient for a chain of accidents."

Yin was deeply invested in the situation.

"Alright, alright. Before you guys scare yourselves too much, we should check in to an Inn as soon as we can."

Luken said.

"We'll be here the first thing in the morning."

Gavin told the coachman.

The group said goodnight to the guy and proceeded to the nearest Inn they could find.

'Moonshack Inn – Make yourselves at home!'

This was plastered on their walls outside.

Gavin immediately approached the counter and logged all of their names in a notebook.

"We'll be staying for a single night only, thanks."

"You got it, man. Your room is right over there. At the end of the hallway."

Responded the Inn-keeper.

The Inn was not remarkable.

It was old and dusty.

The food did not look that appetizing at all.

Everyone made their way to their room at the farthest end of the hallway.

"Just how long is this hallway?"

Suna asked.

"I don't know. It's making my feet hurt, though."

Yin was pretty beat from the carriage trip.

They finally reached their room, plopped the key in and went inside.

The room was unremarkable as the Inn itself.

There were two bunk beds, a window overlooking the streets underneath it.

Luken opened the window and lit a cigarette.

"Their food did not look good at all. I'd argue if it's even edible."

Gavin was disgusted with the presentation of the Inn's cuisine.

He saw the dirt and filth plaguing this Inn.

But it was just not the Inn, it was Cisco itself.

This small village was corrupted.

"I'm going out to try to get some food. Yin, come with me. Luken, stay here with Suna."

"Roger that."

Both the Commander and Suna answered unenthusiastically due to their hunger pangs gnawing at them.

Yin and Gavin walked through the busy streets, looking for any sort of store that sold food that late at night.

They walked for what felt like forever.

Until they reached the end of Cisco itself.

"Just beyond this forest is Rizako, right?"

Yin asked the Serpent Summoner.

"That's right. We should not venture that far, it's not good to split ourselves up in a place like this."

The pair began walking back to the Inn, content to eat the unappetizing porridge that Moonshack Inn had to offer.

With a defeated sigh, Gavin whimpered.

Earlier streets of the night market filled with people began to change.

The citizens of Cisco were entering their houses now.

Most of them were in a hurry, even.

"I wonder what's happening."

Gavin pondered upon the situation he saw.

"Maybe they're afraid of the murderer?"

Yin said.

"No. It makes no sense. Only politicians have died so far, so why would the people of Cisco be afraid?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about the murderer's choice of targets."

Yin and Gavin walked back to the Inn.

They were now the only souls left on the streets.

Deafening silence buzzed through their ears.

Gavin's pace while walking was gradually becoming slower and slower.

Yin was confused as to why this was, but he knew better than to question Gavin's actions. Whatever they were.

Until the green-eyed Summoner finally stood to a halt.

[ Warning. Dodge. ]

[ Danger imminent. Thanatos, dodge. ]

The System's voice rang loud and clear inside Yin's ears and mind.

Was it telling him to dodge whatever Gavin was going to do?

Yin's mind was racing.

With no hesitation, Gavin immediately kicked Yin's feet off the ground.

Yin hit the floor with a loud thud.

"O-Ow, what's the big idea, Gavin?"

"Look behind you."

What Yin saw were two pairs of daggers stuck to a tree.

"W-Where did that come from?!"

Yin was now in fight or flight mode.

"Someone has been following us ever since we got to the end of the village."

Gavin announced.

He took out his grimoire and summoned a white wolf.

The wolf sniffed at the daggers.

Its eyes turned hostile afterwards.

"Go! Find the person who threw these daggers!"

With a loud howl, the white wolf sped past behind them.

Yin took out the daggers from the trees and noticed something.

They had words carved into them.

Him and Gavin ran as fast as they could back to the Inn.

They were worried that Luken and Suna might be targeted as well.

The letters were carved into the daggers with much force.

Yin showed it to Gavin.

"How…much?"

That's what the letters formed to say.

"We still don't know who is after us, Yin. But we'd best save these daggers so we can have something to show to those two."

Yin nodded.

"G-Gavin, what did it mean? Was it asking how much was I worth or something? If you weren't there, I'd probably be dead by now!"

Yin was scared.

"We're going to find out, alright? For now, let's regroup with Luke and Suna."

Gavin reassured the young boy.

Even the System was telling him to dodge the daggers from earlier.

But had Gavin not been there, it would have been too late.

Just who were these people targeting them?

Yin was determined to know.