Aeterna Dystopia [EN]

Chapter 3

As expected, the spacious marketplace, which seemed eerily desolate in the lonely darkness, stretched out in front of them.

For a while they walked silently, but at least not longer crouched. The area made Alenia uncomfortable, but she tried her best not to show it off. Thoughtfully, she turned her head to her companion, who looked around examining their surroundings. She studied the red hair that fell into his face, the puckering of his eyebrows while concentrating, then she discovered a fine line behind Nuy's ear and abruptly came a little closer.

"What have you got there?", the discomfort had completely disappeared from her voice and had given way to playful curiosity.

"What are you talking about?", Nuy took an evasive step to the side so that the girl clumsily stumbled past him. She caught her step quickly and came closer again, this time roughly grabbing him by the left ear and pulling his head towards her.

"Ouch! What are you doing?", he shook her off confusedly and pushed her away.

"That huge scar right there!", a grin grew over her face and her gaze wandered from his ears back to his eyes. To Alenia's disappointment, he just shook his head.

"You're being followed by the fucking mafia right now and you're interested in the scar on my skull?", he chuckled, but didn't answer her question. Dissatisfied, she pushed him:

"Come on, I want to know! It doesn't look like it's from a surgery or anything! There's a story behind it, isn't it?"

For a moment, Nuy was silent before a slight blush rose to his cheeks. He pressed his lips together, avoided her gaze and turned around almost mechanically on the heel. With a look of embarrassment on his face he drove his thumb over his outer ear, which turned red as well.

"That's none of your business", his voice sounded rather unconvincing.

"That's not enough for me!", Alenia pushed her elbow into his rips and continue to annoy him even more. Impatiently he tried to get rid of her, but she stayed persistent.

"I told you it's very private!", he pushed her away with both hands and the girl staggered backwards over the uneven cobblestone, got caught with her heel and threatened to fall. Nuy leaped forward and stretched out his arms just in time to save her from the impact.

For a few moments, neither of them dared to move until he looked at her indignantly.

"Close call. If you would've fallen against the sign, our cover would have been blown for good."

Alenia turned her head and recognized a weathered, bent metal sign, which had once advertised a nearby restaurant, but now only fought against the breeze. In fact, she hung in the air just inches away, held only by Nuy's quick reaction.

"That's what you get for pushing me!", Nuy pulled her up to himself.

"This is what happens when you don't respect a »No«!"

Alenia rolled her eyes: "Yeah, yeah, sorry. But let's get moving now."

Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and took a step forward.

"Careful!", Nuy shouted, but too late. Alenia hadn't noticed that her coat was clinging to the metal and had already tilted the unstable shield.

As if in slow motion, the two watched as it fell towards the ground and finally crashed onto the stone with a clanking clang, immediately followed by a clearly audible "Over there!", from the direction they had just come from, whereupon Alenia could hear the heavy steps of the mercenaries. She looked around in panic and searched for a suitable escape route, but before she could even say anything, the five figures had already crossed the intersection and caught up to them. Alenia turned to Nuy, who had already put an arrow on the string.