Chapter 57: Arriving in Pagin
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***
Kurapik's POV
'Where am I? What is this place?'
Suddenly Kurapika found himself in a strange place. At first glance it might have seemed like there was nothing around, like he was in some endless white void, but that wasn't the case. As time went on, something new began to become clear before him. He noticed that there were a lot of snow-white clouds, the remaining space that was not filled by clouds was coloured a pleasant blue, the sun was nowhere to be seen, but despite this it was as bright as day, if not brighter.
'What on earth is this? It's like I've gone to heaven. Maybe it's just a dream? Yes, of course it's just a dream. But what a pleasant dream it is. I don't want to wake up at all.'
Being in such a beautiful place gave him an incredible pleasure that made him lose his sense of time.
Slowly and leisurely he turned his head to one side and found that he was on one of the many clouds.
'Cloud. So I'm lying on a cloud right now? Or am I not? Hell, I can't even tell what position I'm in right now. I'll just assume I'm lying down.
Slowly he turned his head to the other side and saw that there was a man lying beside him, or rather a human figure that was also made entirely of cloud. The problem was that Kurapika couldn't see this person properly. Not his height, not his build, not his face.
'His face... There's no way I can see his face... Who is he? There's no way I can figure it out.'
Before Kurapika could properly examine the man's face, the space around him began to undergo a slight change. The human figure disappeared, the clouds around him started to move, Kurapika felt that now he wasn't lying on a cloud, but standing on his feet.
'What's going on? I never got a good look at the man's face, did I? And my feelings... I no longer feel the same bliss I felt just a moment ago. Now I feel... Anxiety.'
Even though the changes around him didn't seem serious, Kurapiki had a feeling that things had changed quite seriously.
Suddenly, out of the void, many different voices began to sound around him.
- I'm sorry... You shouldn't have got mixed up in all this.
- It's gonna work.
- You go ahead, I'll catch up.
- You want to fight me?
- You don't think we're human!
- I'm relying on you, Doctor.
The voices sounded chaotic and probably belonged to different people, but it was impossible to tell which one.
- No! No! Stop it! - Kurapika shouted aloud, - Stop it! I'm going crazy with this!
The voices stopped for a few seconds, but immediately afterwards they resumed again. This time, however, there were only two voices, and they sounded quite clear and not annoying, though Kurapika still couldn't make out who they belonged to.
- Are you satisfied now? Look where this is going! Is this what you wanted?! Do you have any idea how many people's lives it's cost?!
- But it was worth it.
- You're out of your mind!
- You don't understand. It's all for a good cause. It'll all be over soon and we'll all be fine.
The voices were silent for a few seconds and then resumed.
- Please, stop it!
- It's time to start.
- Stop it!
***
- Hey, Sleeping Beauty, time to wake up. - Formaggio's voice, followed by the noise of the engine and the clatter of the wheels.
- You're full of it! - Illuso reacted violently, 'Let me sleep a little longer.
- We'll be here soon, so come to your senses. Kurapika is already awake.
Kurapika opened his eyes and saw Formaggio sitting on the seat in front of him, and Illuso, still sleepy, sitting next to him. To the left of Illuso and Formaggio sat a pensive Melone, and to Kurapika's left sat Prosciutto and Pesci.
- You say we'll be there soon? - Kurapika turned to Formaggio.
- According to the map, there's less than an hour left. So you'd better be ready to act.
- Whatever you say.
Wiping his sleepy eyes Kurapika stared at the road, which was visible at the exit of the body.
'Not a bad night's sleep. That damn military truck for transporting soldiers we found last night in that village. There weren't many military there, but it's a good thing we managed to interrupt them before they realised anything. We've been on the road ever since, almost non-stop. Given that it's almost evening, we've been on the road for about a day. Even though there's only primitive seating, I've managed to get a good night's sleep even in the sitting position, and I see it's not just me, but the others as well. I wonder how Risotto and Giaccio are doing. Unlike us, they are travelling in a lorry cab and have to be conscious all the time. At least Gyaccio, he's the driver now. 'Although I guess they change from time to time.'
- Get ready,' Risotto's voice came from the cab, 'We're almost there.
'Oh, that's right, so we've already made it to Pagin. That can't help but feel good about it. However, I'm still concerned about my dream. It definitely wasn't a nightmare, but it was a bit... Weird. At first, it was incredibly beautiful. I felt like I was in paradise and I didn't want anything to change. And that man lying next to me... He didn't feel like he was an extra. But then there were these voices... To hell with it! I won't dwell on it. It's just a dream after all.'
POV Risotto
The sun had almost set over the horizon, but still Risotto and his team managed to enter the city before darkness fell.
'So this is what it's like, Pagin.'
The city, to Risotto's surprise, was quite beautiful. He had not expected that a totalitarian country could have cities with such architecture, which for the most part had occasional European motifs, but with a large predominance of Asian features. Many of the buildings were 5-10 storeys high, and many of them had bulbous roofs, again indicating Asian architecture.
But the picture was spoilt a little by the weather. The clouds in the sky portended rain in the near future.
'Well, it's time.'
Gyaccio parked the car on the side of the road and switched off the engine.
- Here we are, let's get out. - Said Risotto to all those sitting in the back of the truck.
Risotto and Giaccio got out of the car, and then one by one everyone else got out of the back of the car.
- Finally, finally, - said Melone, - I was tired of driving. At least I'll stretch my buns.
- But don't you dare to relax, - Risotto warned everyone, - We are in the capital now, and considering that the whole country is flooded with some mutants we have to be doubly careful.
- Yes, but in the meantime, let's explore the city a little.
They went wandering around the city, and after a minute Risotto noticed something suspicious.
- Did you also notice something unusual in this city? - He asked the others.
- Yeah,' Kurapika replied, 'The town is empty. Not a single inhabitant on the street, not a single light on in any house, nothing at all. It's like some kind of ghost town.
- Did those mutants get rid of the inhabitants completely? - Illuso asked himself.
- Brrrrr, it's creepy, I don't even want to think about it.
Ghost Town creeped out every member of Risotto's team, including him, though to a much lesser extent than Pesci.
'What on earth happened in that town? It's like all its inhabitants just took off somewhere and disappeared. Were they kidnapped? Eaten? Or something else far more supernatural? Hell knows, but it's a reason to be even more careful.'
Looking around, Risotto looked up to see if there was anything unusual on the roofs of the buildings, and his instincts didn't fail him. On the roof of one of the buildings he saw a human figure, or at least a human-like figure, and from the looks of it it was looking right at them.
- Attention everyone, there's someone on the roof! - He said to the others, and they in turn prepared to fight at any second in case they were attacked.
- What happened, who did you see? - Kurapika asked him.
- It looked like a person. We should go upstairs and check it out. Keep your eyes open, there's no telling if it's friend or foe.
Looking around and preparing for a possible attack, they entered the nearest multi-storey building, through which they could climb to the roof.
Risotto looked around again, looking for the figure he had seen so recently. Yes and in principle he wanted to find anyone who could help him find out any information about what had happened in the city.
'I definitely saw someone. He's here, I can feel it. Not far away at all.'
While they were all looking to see if anyone was on the neighbouring rooftops, a voice came from behind them, in the only place they weren't looking:
- I didn't expect to see other people here at all. No one warned me anyone else was coming. Who are you?
Risotto and the others turned round sharply and prepared to engage.
Ten metres away he saw a man. He was a tall, massive middle-aged man with very well-developed muscles. He had shoulder-length grey hair, a large chin and a boxer's nose. He was dressed in trousers, shirt, tie and dark glasses. But what stood out most was the huge smoking pipe he carried on his shoulder, which Risotto assumed he was using as a weapon.
- Who are you? - Risotto asked him with a touch of menace in his voice.
- Don't worry. I can see that you are not chimera ants, which means we are not enemies. Come on, let's all just calm down and talk calmly.
- Why should we... - Giaccio was about to respond aggressively, but he was interrupted by Risotto.
- Calm down Giaccio. So be it, let's talk.
As a gesture of goodwill, the man put his large pipe on the ground and walked forward. As he got closer to Risotto, he spoke to him:
- I see you're in charge here. Let's meet, my name is Morau.
- Hm, - Risotto still didn't trust him a bit, - I'm Risotto Nero, let's get acquainted. I'm a professional hunter and these guys are my team. We're here on an important personal matter.
- What do you mean, personal? I thought you were sent to help us fight the chimera ants.
- What the hell are chimera ants? You mean those mutants?
- What do you mean you don't know? What are you guys doing here anyway? - Morau was a little shocked by that statement.
- I told you we're here on personal and important business. And since it is, I'd like you to answer a few questions.
Risotto started asking Morau a bunch of questions. About the chimera ants, the disappearance of the town's inhabitants, what he's doing here, and what's going on.
All of these questions were answered.
Morau told about the invasion of the chimera ants, that it started with the NZM, and what the ants were. As it turned out, he is not alone here, with him there is a whole group of other hunters that were called to destroy the leader of the ants and thereby save humanity from destruction, or turning into cattle. The inhabitants of the city have been driven to the palace where the king of the ants and his royal guards have settled.
- Wait,' Risotto said to Morau, 'Tell me, where is this royal palace?
- South of Peyjin.
- Melone, check the map and tell me exactly where I'm pointing the coordinates.
- Melone pulled a map out of his backpack. It's a little south of Peijin.
The puzzle in Risotto's head finally came together and he realised the gravity of the situation.
'The coordinates of the suspected location of the arrow and the location of the royal palace match. 'The palace is ruled by the king of the ants. That's probably where the arrow is... Oh, shit...'
- So what are you doing here? - Morau asked his question again, - What exactly?
After a few seconds of thoughtful silence, Risotto replied:
- It's a secret. We still have a lot to think about and decide, but for now, know this... Our goals are somewhat the same. We also need to infiltrate the palace, but beyond that... There is still much to consider. It will be clear soon, but in the meantime, you can get out of here.
- As you wish. But we'll meet again to discuss the details.
Morau jumped to another roof and went somewhere else. Risotto looked thoughtfully into the distance, towards the palace, and pondered what to do next.
- What is the situation? - Prosciutto asked him.
- As far as I'm concerned, we're in the shit.
- What's more specific?
- Specifically? If everything he said is true, and I've got it right, then the situation is far from good. We have to somehow infiltrate the palace, find out where the arrow is and get it. And then there's the bloody king and his retinue, and we have no idea what they're capable of. But we can't delay. This Morau said some sort of selection process should be starting very soon, and by then we should be ready to act.
- So what's the first step?
- First, of course, is reconnaissance. We need to know what this palace is like, who the king and his guards are, and most importantly, we need to know where the arrow is.
- And how do we find all that out?
- We storm the royal palace.