Chapter 21: Chasing In The Sea Of Green
Dorian plunged headlong into the dense thicket of towering grasses without hesitation.
The moment he landed amidst the grasses, a sea of green engulfed his entire field of vision, rendering him blind to his surroundings.
However, he didn't falter. His feet continued to move him forward with urgency. In his mind, if he couldn't see, then neither could the Buckman twins.
With each step, he calculated that by navigating through the tangled bushes and finding a suitable hiding spot, he could successfully evade the relentless pursuit of the brothers.
"Hey, you worthless scum!! Do you think hiding here will save you from us?"
"You can't hide forever. We'll find you!"
The taunts echoed through the air, first from Thomas, then followed by David's menacing voice.
"Brother, one of us should stay here while the other searches inside for that scoundrel. If he tries to escape, the other will catch him," Thomas whispered to David.
"Fine. I'll go inside. I can't wait to return the favor for what his scumbag brother did to me," David replied with simmering rage.
"I'll keep watch here in case he tries to run. Just be careful," Thomas cautioned.
"Hah, what's there to worry about? Nothing's going to happen," David scoffed, brimming with confidence.
With a determined leap, David jumped into the thickets, tracking Dorian's path through the slightly disturbed grasses.
Every crushed blade of grass seemed like a breadcrumb, leading David closer to his prey.
Meanwhile, Dorian's heart raced as he halted abruptly. The sprawling sea of tall grasses stretched for miles like an unending labyrinth threatening to swallow him whole.
He couldn't even escape to the side as the entire land except the front was covered with thorn fences.
Blindly charging forward was no option, not with the relentless brothers hot on his heels. He couldn't risk straying beyond the safety of the town's borders.
Aware that at least one of the brothers could be tailing him, Dorian realized escape meant not just outpacing his pursuer but also evading the watchful eye of the other possibly waiting beyond the grassy field.
He shut his eyes tight, focusing every sense on his surroundings.
The haunting melody of the wind swaying the grasses filled his ears, its eerie howl creating a chill in his spine.
But he tried to forget the sound, focusing his concentration on the ground, sifting through the sounds for the faintest hint of footfalls.
After a deep amount of concentration, a subtle sound pierced the air, barely audible but distinct enough to signal someone approaching from the same path he had taken.
He knew one of the Buckman brothers had caught up to him. Gazing in the direction of the sound, he noticed the telltale signs of pursuit, the broken and bent grasses, a trail as clear as day for his chaser.
Normally, given time, the wind would have masked his tracks, blending the grasses back into anonymity.
However, the relentless pursuit by the Buckman scoundrel allowed no time, leaving no opportunity for nature to conceal his escape route.
At that moment, a plan took shape in his mind, and he whispered a silent prayer to Firaa, hoping that his instant plan would succeed.
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David, in hot pursuit of Dorian's trail, stopped his sprint as the path of disturbed grasses vanished before his eyes.
He scanned the area ahead, finding no more signs of Dorian's passage, leaving him perplexed.
"The trail just stops here. Did I lose track of him?" His mind raced with doubt.
He almost called out to Thomas, considering if Dorian had doubled back and escaped the grassy maze.
Yet, the realization dawned on him that such a shout could betray his position to Dorian allowing him to escape.
With a silent gulp, he swallowed back his words, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Just as he contemplated venturing further, a sudden noise to his side jolted David into action.
With lightning reflexes, he spun his body and sprinted in the direction he believed Dorian had fled. His hands brushed against the swaying grass, parting it forcefully as his mind raced with visions of exacting revenge on the trash once he captured them.
Right after David dashed away from where the trail abruptly ended, a figure emerged from the exact opposite side of his path.
It was none other than Dorian himself.
Sensing one of the Buckman brothers on his tail, he quickly devised a clever ruse.
Dorian fabricated a false trail, doubling back on his own path and skillfully concealing himself within the swaying grasses.
He left just enough space for his eyes to observe what would unfold.
By the grace of Firaa, the deceit worked like a charm. The scumbag unwittingly sprinted in the wrong direction.
Dorian couldn't help but wonder why the man veered off course just as he was about to continue forward.
However, he shrugged off the thought. He had achieved his goal of evading David.
Now, his focus shifted to avoiding detection by the other brother lurking outside the farm.
With a racing heart, he knew he had to sprint swiftly to prevent the second Buckman from catching sight of him and giving chase.
Silently as a shadow, Dorian moved through the grasses, careful not to alert David who might turn back if he heard him.
With painstaking slowness, he pushed the dense greenery aside, inching closer to the road. It felt like an eternity before he emerged from the grasp of the grasses.
However, before fully exposing himself, he nestled his body within the nearby bushes.
Peeking out cautiously, he scanned the area for any sign of Thomas. To his mix of confusion and relief, Thomas was nowhere in sight.
Without dwelling on the reasons, Dorian swiftly bolted toward the Hunter Society, his heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and determination not to get caught by the bullies.
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As time ticked on, the relentless sun climbed high in the sky, its scorching rays mercilessly bearing down on everyone below.
David, his clothes clinging to him like a second skin from the dampness of the sweat, couldn't ignore the futility of his search any longer.
The trail had vanished into thin air, and he was merely chasing a ghost.
Yet, a nagging thought nibbled at him. If Dorian had slipped past him, surely his brother Thomas would have alerted him.
The absence of any communication from Thomas sent an unpleasant feeling, filling him with an uneasy sense of foreboding.
Ignoring the discomfort of his wet attire, he retraced his steps toward the road, a sense of urgency propelling him forward.
Bursting out of the towering grasses, he scanned the area, expecting to see his brother waiting for him.
"Thomas! Thomas! Where are you?" His frantic cries echoed into the emptiness, swallowed by the empty vastness of the grasslands.
David's voice thundered from the depths of his chest, echoing through the grasses as he called out for Thomas.
Silence met his calls, intensifying his growing worry. Frustration surged within him, prompting him to shout once more, this time from the depths of his throat.
"THOMAS!!! THOMAS!!! Reply back... Urg... Cough! Cough!"
A fit of coughing erupted, his throat raw and irritated from the force of his cries. His voice cracked, strained by the urgency and fear that gripped him.
The absence of any answer from Thomas fueled David's worry even more. He knew that if Thomas had ventured off after Dorian or for any other reason, he would have surely shouted to inform David.
With a final, futile cry for his brother, he conceded defeat and turned back, sprinting toward his home, hoping to find Thomas waiting there.
As David disappeared from view, another figure emerged from the dense expanse of grass just a few meters away from where he was standing.
The man had a close-cropped hairstyle typical of Red Hawk Soldiers, his attire unmistakably indicating he was a soldier.
It was Ruban, the same soldier who had been trailing Marla not long ago.
However, unlike the previous encounter, Ruban's face was twisted in a mask of terror, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
Streaks of crimson blood painted his hands and shirt, evidence of a recent encounter with violence.
"It's... not my... my fau... fault... not my... my fau... fault..."
His voice trembled, each word barely understandable, repeated in panic.
With wide, frightened eyes, he abruptly turned and fled in the exact opposite direction of David's escape.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
KalamitiCker
KalamitiCker What do you think happened to Thomas?
And whose blood is on Ruban?
Comment your guesses.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone