Chapter 13 - Second Raid (IV)

Silence filled the area as everyone looked up cautiously to see the perpetrator. However, with the dim lighting provided by Rein's singular spell. The distance of the upper level was still enshrouded with darkness.

Another cry screamed out as another body dropped down. Followed by another, and yet another.

Soon, over 20 bodies fell in front of them. Each with a large sword-like slash engraved on their back.

"They were killed from behind with a blade-like object." Fable frowned, holding his sword and shield in front of him wearily. "Must have been a surprise attack,"

"Help!" A loud cry from above shrieked out, a person jumping down and landing above the bodies, cushioning her all.

"What's happening up there?" Sarah asked, holding out her hand to help her get up.

"I-I don't know! These guys just suddenly attacked us from behind. I really don't know what's going on!"

She exclaimed, hugging Sarah's arm as she trembled.

"I- I recognized one of the attackers, but..." She hesitated, her eyes showing the intense fear she felt.

"What is it?" Srah soothed her, sitting next to the girl and rubbing her back, trying to calm her down.

"T-that person. She was one of the friends that came along with me for the raid. B-But when we came down here from the desert. She was one of the people who didn't jump in. She shouldn't even be here!" She exclaimed looking up at Sarah.

Fable frowned as he thought.

"I have two theories. I don't know if either is correct, but hear me out," He began, "Theory one. Something happened on the surface which caused them to become like that. Making them attack us, and theory two. They're not who they say they are."

"What does that been mean," Rein grumbled, raising his eyebrows. "They're fakes?"

"Exactly. Because of the extremely dark nature of this place. If one or two, or even twenty people suddenly joined our group. I'd say we wouldn't even realize." Fable muttered, looking back at the twenty empty test-tubes around the room.

"You mean," Sarah's eyebrow raised.

"We have to be careful." He looked at them, with caution in his eyes. "Trust no one."

Suddenly a large gust of wind blew past them, once again blowing out the flaming sword.

"How?!" Rein exclaimed, looking at his hands where the sword was. "That shouldn't even be possible! The flame shouldn't be able to blow out from a simple wind! It's powered by my mana for god's sake."

"Unless it's not an accident," Rein looked up. "They're planning something!"

A cluster of cries rang down from above as multiple people could be seen falling from the whole above, each crying and trembling as they landed.

"What happened?" Rein asked one who landed closest to him.

"I-I don't know. It felt like an extremely strong gust of wind knocked us into the hole..."

KYAAA!

A cry rang out as a person dropped dead in the flood.

Rein quickly cast his spell.

A few distances away, a body laid dead on the floor with a sword stabbed through her back.

"So it's a murder mystery." Rein chuckled, walking up to the body and examined it.

The murder weapon was a simple steel sword capable of being used by any swordsmen.

"No. No. No." He heard a desperate voice whimper near him as a guy was frantically looking around, "My sword is missing."

Rein looked up at him with a frown and walked back to Fable, his flaming sword still in hand.

"Which one of them was that friend of yours?" He asked the girl who was still sitting on the ground beside Sarah.

The girl looked around at the crowd before her, pointing her finger at a particular girl standing at the back of the group.

"That one,"

Without hesitation, Rein jumped over to the suspected girl and instantly held his sword directly at her neck, threatening to draw blood at any minute.

"Rein, wait." Fable cried, stepping forward, afraid of accidentally killing an innocent.

"Hehehe..." a small chuckle rang out in front of them as the girl tilted her head and stared at Rein. "Gotcha."

A glint of a sword appeared from behind her as she slashed forward, slicing the air where Rein's neck was previously.

"Tsk."

Luckily he had stepped back quickly enough as he pierced his own sword into her stomach.

"Gah!" Blood spilled out of her mouth as she leaned forward, her appearance slowly shifting into the appearance of a red-skinned humanoid creature with jet black eyes.

"You've got one. There are still nineteen of us left." It whispered into Rein's ears, slumping to the ground, dead.

His sword once again respawned as a large gust of wind blew past, inciting several loud cries in the crowd. By the time he had once again recast his sword, 19 more bodies were found laying on the ground.

"Damn it," Rein grumbled looking around, eyeing each person carefully. "There are nineteen of them that are fake."

"Everyone, show me your swords. Now." Fable suddenly demanded, looking around with a frown.

The group looked at each other in confusion as they hesitantly drew out their weapons.

"Why?" A loud voice called out confidently, "Are you suspecting that one of us is a monster like that?"

Rein turned to look at Fable, who nodded at him.

With a small smile, he swung his sword and instantly stabbed the protested in the heart.

He transformed into a similar-looking red-skinned creature.

"No way!" Chaos arose within the crowd as everyone looked at each other wearily.

"Everyone. Do not move a single inch until we say so!" Fable ordered, spreading out some killing intent to keep them in order.

"No. Show us your weapons." He demanded, walking towards the group.

The crowd slowly took out their weapons and showed them. The mages and archers of the group watched as they were not considered suspects yet.

Inspecting each and every sword they passed, Fable suddenly stopped at a particular individual.

"What is this?" He muttered, pointing at the bloodstains present at the tip of the blade.

"From when we were outside fighting." The guy answered nonchalantly, confident in his answer.

Rein nodded, sighing and piercing the guy in the chest. He too transformed into the same creature as the previous two.

"The only thing we've fought since entering the gate was a mechanical golem." Fable looked around and explained. "There should be no reason for a single drop of blood to be on the tip of your sword. So unless you wish to fess up now."

He let the information sink in, hoping for anymore fakes to come out in desperation.

And as expected, five people suddenly jumped out from the ground, sword out and ready to stab.

"That made it so much quicker," Rein grinned, gripping his flaming sword tightly and swinging it forward, instantly igniting the enemies in fire, ultimately burning them to a crisp.

"Seven down, thirteen left. Any more volunteers?" Rein glanced around with an ecstatic look on his face. "We'll get you eventually even if you don't. You'll just put yourself in a more embarrassing situation if we figure out who you are later."

Everyone looked at each other with caution as the tension in the air seemed like it could suffocate someone. However, no one stepped forward.

"Keep showing us your weapons then," Fable sighed, continuing with his inspection.

Taking another 10 minutes to individually check each and every person's weapon for a hint of blood, over twelve fakes were identified and the last remaining one was still in large.

"There's one more," Fable sighed as he slumped back, his eyes too strained from the inspection. "Wher could he..." His voice suddenly stopped as for the third or fourth time, another large gust of wind blew past them, extinguishing the flames and a small female cackle rang out.

"[Flaming Sword]!" Rein instantly cast looking around to see what had happened.

"No way!" They heard Sarah's voice call out from behind them, a hint of horror in her voice.

They turned around, and to their surprise. There were two Sarahs standing there staring at each other with confusion.

"Oh, for god's sake," Rein muttered, looking at the two identical Sarah, feeling like his brain is about to burst. "Which one of you is the real one?"

""I am."" They both replied. ""No. Please. It's me. I'm the real one.""

""Fable. You know I'm the real one. Don't listen to the fake.""

They called out in unison, giving both Fable and Rein a headache.

"Both of you. Answer my questions." Fable frowned, his sword shaking in his hand, not knowing which one was the real one.

"What's your full name?"

""Sarah Elori.""

"Our first date?"

""Laidside Movie Theatre.""

"First kiss?"

""Outside your house""

They both replied, however, one of the Sarah slightly blushed as she slightly covered her mouth.

This time without hesitation, his sword stabbed into the chest of the other Sarah.

"How..? It gasped out.

"The Sarah that I fell in love with is too pure to keep a straight face when recounting that event to an audience of over one hundred people." Fable snickered, pulling out his blade.

"Hahaha... Such a dumb mistake," The fake Sarah laughed dropping to the ground, its transformation coming undone.

Its red skin and pitch-black eyes stared at Fables it's mouth widened into a large grin.

All of a sudden, it grabbed Fable's shirt close, putting his ear close to its mouth as it spat out with absolute glee.

"You pesky human better watch out. Our vengeance will be served. The mighty king will rise. We will have our victory."

Fable unhooked the creature's hand as he glared into its eyes with a frown.

"What do you mean. Your king?"

A giant bout of laughter erupted from its lips as it stared right back at Fable, muttering its last words with absolute loyalty and pride before the light within its eyes faded completely.

'The Keeper of Gates. The Ruler of both worlds.'