Redstone: Sanctuaries
Chapter 18: Collide's

Mary hugged her feet under the table in the market. Despite knowing that the cold was not from the wind but the surrounding air, Mary remained sheltered there because the place seemed safe.

His back was stuck to the cold wall, making him shiver violently until his teeth were twitching. He managed to escape from the pursuit of the strange creature and out the gate manor.

Maria knew Jose was now in a wheat field outside the city gates. His first instinct was to go see Jose, so he intended to run to the wheat fields. But after a long walk, his side of the waist was cramping and the soles of his feet were painful. He took refuge under one of the trading desks in the market and only realized the location of his solubility after a bit of calm.

He's not in Redstone, where could he possibly meet Jose?

Somehow, he is now stranded in another world. Although this place is so similar to Redstone— even the contents of his house are also exactly the same as he remembers—Maria knows that he is not in his house. His soul realized that.

The problem is, why did he get here? What creatures are chasing him? Why was he being chased? How do I get home?

A variety of questions filled his head, making him fret. Mary took a deep breath, strengthening her heart.

It all started with that strange bracelet, the inner Mary. He rubbed his frozen nose, forcing his brain to think hard. Must. If he stopped thinking, fear would overwhelm him, making him despair. That can't happen. He wants to go home.

Maria recalled that she was disturbed by the shadow of the bracelet teeth and could not sleep. When he opened his eyes, he was already in another dimension.

The bracelet was submerged in a jar of salt and fastened with iron wire. Zoe and Max keep her in the room, next to Maria's bedroom.

What if the ghost gets angry? Mary blinked her eyes, finding enlightenment. He hit his palm with a fist. What if he gets angry because I buried him in salt?

If true, the solution is easy. Mary blew her palm, trying to warm herself. He'll open the jar.

Why didn't you think? So stupid! Mary found her spirit again. He smiled at the possibility of going home. He rubbed his aching soles from stepping on the gravel, then inched out of the table.

His body froze when he saw a shadow passing by. The shadow was at the end of the crossroad, a little far from Mary. But her existence made Maria uneasy. His breathing is getting faster. His body felt cold.

Dark shadows are dangerous. Just as dangerous as the one crawling in the manor earlier.

Mary is still dying, this time of her own volition. He did not want to move suddenly and attracted the attention of the creature.

The shadow stood in the middle of the crossroads, but its oblong head swayed backwards like a pendulum. Maria could not take her eyes off the strange swing. His movements make restless. The black head swelled, the longer it got bigger.

Mary again remembered the outstretched shadow that had crept in her room. He held his breath. His pupils are enlarged.

The cold fingers gripped Mary's arm, pulling her firmly back. He didn't even get to scream.

***

Blake was sure it was a human voice. To be exact, the human voice suffocated.

Judging from his face, Weston clearly didn't hear anything, but Jose must have heard because the man was speechless as soon as the giggling sound just appeared. But the marquis was silent, but went back on the road as if there was nothing.

"You hear that?" Blake asked amidst the sound of feet rustling over wheat and shrubbery. They did not walk past the plots but bypassed the fields.

"That voice? Yeah, I heard."

"It doesn't seem like an animal's voice."

Jose smiled at the glance at the comment. Blake has the ability to hide questions in the form of statements.

"Indeed no," murmured Jose Mirre. "just ignore. We're coming for another purpose."

There's actually a lot Blake wants to make sure of. He wants to know how Jose wants to find Devon. He wanted to know what the marquis whispered to Boris to find in the middle of the wheat field. He wanted to know what they were going to do now. He needs to know what's attached to him that Jose meant. He also wanted to ask why they ignored the increasingly loud chirping sounds.

But Blake kept all the questions in his heart and tried to be patient.

When they got to where Boris was, Blake felt like he had his head hit with a mace. Near the feet of the big man, covered in a wide coat as a blanket, lay the person he knew very well. A brunette young man with high cheekbones like Lucy's.

"How ...?" Blake's eyes narrowed. He knelt down, deftly groping Devon's neck, looking for a pulse. There is, but weak.

"No fractures or external injuries, sir," Boris reported.

"Weston," Jose ordered, raising his head.

Weston knows his job. He immediately lifted Devon carefully to his back, then carried the man to the car.

Blake looked at the back of his friend who was away. Slowly but surely, he stood up. When he lifted his body, his hand slipped quickly behind the boots, pulled out the revolver tucked there, and stuck his muzzle into Jose's chest, right in his heart.

At the same second, Boris had already attached the dagger to Blake's neck while Jose raised one hand, holding back his workers from slitting the young man's neck. His eyes stared intently at the warning. Boris held back the movement, but did not lower the dagger. His breathing was hunting in a tension mixed with anger. He will not forgive Blake if a single hair of his master falls down.

"I found your friend, but you pulled a gun?" Jose sounds amused. "This is how you thank me?"

"You're playing me" Blake no longer uses polite language. His eyes were cold and flat, emotionless, but his voice trembled filled with hatred. "You hurt Devon and threw him here."

"No, this is a misunderstanding. I just happened to find it." Jose looks calm. His eyes did not even glance at the revolver that was pressed against his chest. "To be honest, I didn't even think he was here. I brought you here for another purpose."

"I saw you talking to Boris. You already know Devon is here. What else does it mean besides you dumped it in this place?"

"I have no reason to harm him."

"Ah, of course you have." Blake smiled cynically. "Aren't you the one who told me the lie about the golden ducat, Sphere? What's your reason for that?" He glanced at Boris because the man's knife hurt his neck skin. "Let down your knife or his heart will—"

Blake swore inwardly as he caught the prowess of the movement. Once he realized that what he should not let go of his sight was Jose, it was too late.

Jose deftly hit Blake's arm to the side, keeping the revolver away from his chest. The punch was so strong that Blake's joints were sore and his bones were numb. In a moment, the weapon changed hands. Blake reacted quickly. He traced the ground to retreat backwards, away from Boris' dagger. But his calf suddenly hurt and the world turned strange. The night sky was full of stars.

In the next instant, Blake was already lying on the ground, among the clumps of piercing wheat. The revolver's tip is now on him. It took a while for Blake to realize that he had just been kicked down by Jose. Blake dumbfounded.

Why would he need a bodyguard if he was this strong alone?!

Slowly, he edged up, resting on the elbow. There was no fear in his eyes, only anger. His pet hat fell when he slammed into the ground. Her hair was ruffled by the night wind.

"You're gonna kill me?" Blake defiant.

Jose laughs to hear it, impressing that Blake's death has not benefited him at all. Jose pulled back the revolver that had been pointed forward, ensured the safety of the revolver was active, removed the cylinder, emptied the bullet, then stored the weapon in a coat pocket. His eyes were spread around the field. It was only an instant, but Blake saw that there was an anxiety flashed.

"We'd better go now." Jose turned. His coat fluttered in the wind. Wheat plants rub against it, making a noise. "This place is more dangerous than I originally thought."

***

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¬For those who follow the novel Options in noveltoon/mangatoon and want to see some of the characters, you can check IG @novelnarazwei or FB narazwei yes. You see, I can't put it in the novel, the picture2nya.