Liko: “Should we split up? I’ll go with Shime.”

  Kogiri: “No. You’re coming with me, and the other two go together.”

  Shime glares angrily at Kogiri. She steps protectively in front of the small girl.

  Shime: “The will of the Princess takes priority. If she wants to go with me, then that’s what will happen.”

  Kogiri: “No. I decide the conditions of this mission. I go with my sister, and you go with Necromar.”

  Shime does not move aside. She stays firmly in front of Liko. Not even Kogiri’s grip tightening around his whip makes her flinch or step back.

  Shime: “The Princess’s hosts stand above yours.”

  Liko steps between the two of them, holding out her hands in both directions.

  Liko: “Calm down. I may enjoy a bloody fight, but the mission comes first. I’ll go with Kogiri.”

  Shime: “But Princess, you don’t want that. Don’t let your brother influence you.”

  Liko smiles at Shime with a devilish vibe.

  Liko: “It’s fine. My brother’s will is the one that counts on this mission. I don’t like it, but an order is an order.”

  They split up. Shime watches Liko and Kogiri leave, sadness in her eyes. She had wanted to protect Liko. Liko is like a little sister she never had, and that’s why Shime wants to watch over her and spend time with her.

  Kogiri and Liko take the upper half, while the other two search the lower floors.

  Liko: “This hospital is really creepy. You could shoot a great horror movie here.”

  Kogiri: “Yeah.”

  Liko: “Maybe we’ll find some hygiene supplies to clean my tools.”

  Kogiri: “We can do that.”

  Liko looks at her brother annoyed. She pulls out one of her thick needles and holds it against his neck.

  Liko: “Why are you so passive?”

  Kogiri doesn’t answer. He looks at her angrily. The atmosphere in the hallway feels like a classic sibling argument.

  Liko: “You’re so mean. I hate that about you. I hate it more than anything in this world.”

  Kogiri: “And I hate your way of being.”

  Liko reacts hurt. She lowers her arm and looks at the floor, breathing in and out through her nose several times.

  Liko: “Why would you say that?”

  Kogiri: “Because it’s true. Why were you in this hospital before we were sent on the mission?”

  Liko smiles again and plays with her needle.

  Liko: “So that’s what this is about. I was just curious and looked around a bit.”

  Kogiri: “Don’t mess with me. You don’t do anything out of curiosity. You only act for your own benefit. No matter whether you’re actually interested or not. I’m just wondering what kind of benefit or interest you had in hurting Najun while he was unconscious. Why did you do that?”

  Liko: “I found him and tried out new methods. You know I hate torturing people who are stronger than me, or at least look like it. When they’re vulnerable or can’t defend themselves, they’re perfect victims for me.”

  Kogiri smashes a window. Glass shatters across the floor.

  Liko: “Why are you so angry now?”

  Kogiri: “How can you be like this?”

  Liko: “Like what?”

  Kogiri: “Like a crazy monster. I know you had it hard, but still. What’s wrong with you?”

  Liko: “A lot. Humans are like objects. When they break, you don’t want them anymore, even though they still function. I can’t help that people broke me.”

  Kogiri smashes another window. He regrets his words, but they were still the truth. He walks up to his sister and hugs her.

  Kogiri: “I’m sorry for my honest but hurtful words. I can be really mean sometimes.”

  Liko: “I accept your apology, but you also just broke something that can’t be fixed anymore.”

  Liko walks away from Kogiri. Without turning around, she knows that he’s close to crying.

  Liko: “I wasn’t talking about the windows.”

  Kogiri follows her slowly.

  Kogiri: “I still don’t know why you were here and what your goal is. Please just tell me.”

  Liko pretends not to hear him. She pricks herself with the needle and keeps walking. She touches the scar on her face. It’s another form of her broken soul.

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  Without noticing, the two siblings are being watched by two unwanted observers. A door slowly closes.

  ???: “That was close. They completely forgot to check the individual rooms. Is your hand feeling better, Najun?”

  Mamoru puts away the medical supplies. He had treated Najun’s cold burn.

  Najun: “Yeah. I feel like a pincushion. I’m constantly injured.”

  Mamoru: “My abilities as a Ranger unfortunately can’t help with that.”

  Najun: “It’s fine. You’re doing what you can.”

  Mamoru: “I know they want to kill us, but didn’t you find that conversation just now kind of sad?”

  Najun: “If I’m honest, yes. I even feel sorry for the crazy one and the traitor.”

  Mamoru: “As a Ranger I should help them resolve their conflict, or at least help them somehow, but given the situation I have to ignore my duties.”

  Najun: “You don’t have to be a good Ranger for everyone. Especially not for people like that.”

  Mamoru laughs and looks back outside.

  Mamoru: “We should leave soon. We shouldn’t use the main entrance, so we’ll take one of the back doors.”

  Najun climbs back onto Mamoru’s back. They sneak through the corridors, getting closer to their goal. Every now and then they take breaks in patient rooms or storage closets.

  Mamoru: “I’m impressed with myself that we haven’t seen or heard a single one of them.”

  Najun: “Yeah, you’re really great at your job.”

  Mamoru: “Thanks. I’ll get you safely out of the hospital and the forest. You can trust me.”

  They continue. They’re now on the lowest level. They still have to cross the entire floor to reach the back exit.

  Najun: “[There are still so many questions. I don’t want to leave this place. I have the feeling that more is hidden here than we think.]”

  Najun gathers his courage and taps Mamoru on the shoulder, asking him to stop.

  Mamoru: “What is it? Do your injuries hurt badly?”

  Najun: “No, I’m fine, all things considered. I wanted to ask if we could keep hiding in the hospital.”

  Mamoru turns around in shock and gives Najun a serious side eye.

  Mamoru: “Why would we do that?”

  Najun: “I have this feeling.”

  Mamoru: “You’re asking me to risk both our lives because you have a feeling?”

  Najun: “It’s hard to explain. It’s not really a feeling, more like a real premonition.”

  Mamoru: “A premonition? Do you mean you’re sensing something in this hospital?”

  Najun: “Somehow, yes. I think we still have to uncover a few secrets here. I know it’s selfish, but I’m asking you.”

  Mamoru: “Najun, you can’t ask that of me.”

  He crouches down. The Ranger in front of him clearly doesn’t understand him, and also isn’t willing to help.

  Najun: “I’m begging you. I can’t do this alone.”

  Mamoru: “As a Ranger, I have to do what’s best for visitors of the forest. Your plan is the exact opposite of that.”

  Najun: “If we leave now, I’ll never learn what I need to know. As a Ranger, you have to help me solve my unexplained questions. I need to know who the rabbit woman injured or killed before she found me. I need to know why she only attacks me. I need to know why Kogiri works with those bad people. Please.”

  Mamoru stays silent. He doesn’t know what to do. On one hand, he wants to help Najun reach his goal. On the other hand, as a Ranger he has to protect him and stop him from doing something reckless. Even if he would never admit it, he’s also afraid for his own life. He knows the Society of Winged Mud and what they’re capable of.

  Mamoru: “I’m sorry, Najun, but I can’t support this behavior. Please get back on my back.”

  Najun looks down, disappointed. Part of him wants to give in and leave, but his heart won’t allow it.

  Najun: “No.”

  Mamoru: “What did you say?”

  Najun: “No. I won’t go with you. I can hide in the hospital on my own.”

  Mamoru: “Please don’t be stupid. It’s far too dangerous for you to stay here. Get on my back.”

  Najun crosses his arms and looks like a child in a stubborn phase.

  Najun: “No.”

  Mamoru clenches his hand into a fist. His anger is hard to miss.

  Mamoru: “As a Ranger—”

  Najun: “I don’t care what you should or shouldn’t do as a Ranger. I’ll do what I want, and if you won’t help me, then goodbye.”

  Najun turns around and walks away. Even though his behavior is completely inappropriate, it has to be this way.

  Mamoru: “Stop!”

  He keeps walking. He knows what happens when Mamoru gets angry.

  Mamoru: “Stop!”

  Mamoru pulls out his book. He already grips his knife, ready to attack Najun. The only thing holding him back is his role as a Ranger of this forest and the time he spent with Najun, short as it was.

  Najun: “[Shit. If he freaks out like at the beginning, I’m done.]”

  He hears the knife being pulled from the book. He hears footsteps coming straight toward him.

  Najun: “That’s not how a Ranger behaves. No matter how angry or desperate he is.”

  He turns his head and sees his Ranger friend standing there with a knife, sweating heavily and holding it forward. Just a few more steps and the blade would pierce Najun’s skin.

  Najun is ready to take the stab. He almost wants to. He thinks maybe this is how it’s supposed to end, or Mamoru won’t go through with it and Najun will come out looking brave.

  Najun: “Go on. Stab me. But remember one thing: that would make you no real Ranger anymore.”

  Mamoru steps forward, but is stopped by applause. The clapping comes from the end of the hallway. Two figures step out of the shadows. A woman and a large man. The man is wrapped in bandages, and the woman has a hand stained red.

  ???: “That was intense. So many emotions and action at the same time. That’s what I call a deep talk, right, Necromar?”

  The man murmurs something, and the woman seems to understand.

  Shime: “I’m Shime. One of the two guardians of our little Princess, Liko. We were looking for you, and we found you.”

  Najun steps next to Mamoru. Mamoru holds the knife forward protectively. Their small argument is forgotten as they stand united again.

  Shime: “I actually wanted to search for you with the Princess, but her annoying brother insisted on going with her.”

  She talks about how angry Kogiri makes her and how he undermines Liko’s authority.

  Shime: “If she had been with me, we’d have you already and could happily go home.”

  Shime pulls out a rope.

  Shime: “Please kneel on the floor and don’t move.”

  She approaches them, but Najun and Mamoru don’t obey. They remain standing.

  Shime: “Please don’t make this more annoying than it has to be.”

  Still no reaction that satisfies Shime. She starts to get angry.

  Shime: “I’ll hand you over to the Princess, and you’ll make it look like she captured you. She could’ve completed this mission all on her own.”

  Necromar takes the rope and approaches the two boys. His presence is terrifying and filthy. He breathes heavily and stinks.

  Mamoru: “Stay back or I’ll stab.”

  Shime: “Necromar can handle that. He’s not as talkative as I am, so I’d be more careful around him.”

  Mamoru does as he says and attacks. He lets a few strikes deliberately miss to scare Necromar, but it doesn’t work. He gathers his courage and stabs for real, aiming at Necromar’s stomach.

  Mamoru: “I’m sorry.”

  Dark blood pours from the wound, but Necromar shows no reaction. He raises his rope and tries to bind Mamoru.

  Najun: “What do you even want from us?”

  Shime: “We’re supposed to kill you or capture you. We can choose.”

  Najun: “Then capture us.”

  Everyone looks at him in surprise. Mamoru thinks it’s a distraction. Shime assumes Najun is into being captured.

  Shime: “Hm, no. Necromar, capture the Ranger and kill the pervert.”

  Mamoru becomes more aggressive, fighting against the slow Necromar. He slashes and stabs, but Necromar remains unfazed. After a short exchange, dark smoke rises from Necromar’s right arm.

  He stretches it out and grabs Mamoru’s shoulder. It burns on contact.

  Mamoru: “Ah! Does this guy have acid on his arm?”

  The bandages hide the decaying limb, but the smoke keeps leaking out.

  Mamoru: “Najun, be careful. That smoke is… poisonous.”