They ran until they had to walk, and walked until they reached the exit. The twisting and dark passages felt never-ending. But, luckily, Linnie had a trusty familiar.
"If you knew the way to the exit this whole time, why'd you let me walk into that creepy place like a dumbass!?" Linnie hissed.
"Meow..."
Prince shoved past both Linnie and Lady, breathing heavy. He pushed against the metal gate that Lady claimed was the exit and stumbled through the doorway. The cool air of the late evening rushed into the damp and stuffy passage, bringing a sense of relief to all involved.
The young royal fell flat-faced on the ground out of exhaustion, not caring about the lack of cleanliness.
"Huh," Linnie said, scratching his head.
They were definitely back in the city, but it wasn't a part that Linnie had seen before, or even heard about. The entire surrounding area was decrepit and decaying. It seemed like there wasn't a soul around. The three of them were actually standing in a large canal, and had exited through some sort of drain.
It was dried up.
"This some sort of slum?" he asked.
"W-what? Slum?" Prince stood up, wiping off the mud from his clothes. "Yes, I think so. I've never been here before, but I think I know the general direction back to the city center."
"So even Corvailles has a place like this..."
"Of course. The capital, too. Wherever you go, you'll find something similar," Prince explained.
His voice was sort of solemn. Very prince-ly, actually.
"I wonder how long we were in there. The sun isn't out anymore."
"An hour, at least... we should go back to the horror house and meet up with the other two, now. T-to let them know we're safe."
"I'm actually gonna go see the lantern show."
"W-what?"
"Liora wanted to see the lanterns. I bet she went over there after the sun set."
"I don't think so... why would they leave after they saw us fall? They would be concerned... right?"
"I didn't say anything about Marielle. You can go chase after her if you want—I just know Liora definitely went to the lanterns. She probably saw us fall and immediately got a bite to eat, I just know it! She doesn't care about anything, honestly."
"Oh. I thought you two were, ehem, uh, um, uh, close?"
"What gave you that idea?" Linnie asked, scowling.
"W-well... you know. In the hallway?"
Linnie's face twisted into an even more unpleasant expression.
"I've barely known her longer than you, okay!? Don't misunderstand anything like that again, tch. Weirdo."
"Okay. Um..."
Linnie started climbing out of the canal. Once he pulled himself out, he looked back at Prince.
"Are you coming with me or not?"
"Y-yes!"
"You sure? Marielle's definitely super worried about you."
"I'm sure."
"Me-ow..."
Hearing Lady's protests, Linnie laughed.
"You can understand her?"
"She's my familiar—of course I can!"
"I thought you were just... saying that, or something. Wizards don't really have familiars, anymore. I mean—that's what I read."
"Naw, you're right. But I do. Isn't she cool?"
Lady was now perched on Linnie's shoulder, and they were walking through the broken streets of the slums. It was funny to see the cat contantly struggle to keep a balance on the small boy's shoulder, but she seemed to prefer it to walking.
"She's pretty. I've never seen a cat with orange eyes, before... and her feet are large, aren't they? Is she still growing?" Prince reached out to pet her. She let him—reluctantly. "So... what did she say that made you laugh?"
"Huh? Uh, don't worry about it."
"Meow."
"Stop that," he laughed.
Prince had a feeling they were talking about him. He was used to it.
The three of them stopped after a few minute of walking, because, out of nowhere, the first people they'd seen in the entire place had approached them. More like the three of them approached the kids, actually, since they were blocking the path forward.
Linnie and Prince looked at the small band of dirty children. The wizard boy frowned, since the kids reminded him of himself not too long ago.
"Oi," one of the boys said.
He had a small scar across his eyebrow, and was kneeling on the ground, drawing pictures in the dirt.
"What do you want?" Linnie asked.
"Whaddaya think? Food. Got any?"
"Uh, hell no. Do I look like I've got food?"
"Yeah."
The group of boys started to laugh. Linnie felt a little embarrassed. He forgot that, now, he looked a lot more like a noble than a peasant.
"Well I don't. Can you move out of the way, now?"
"Naw, I don't think we will. All yar money, give it."
Prince took a step back, seemingly frightened. Linnie only gave a smug laugh.
"Really? You're tryna rob me?" He sighed. "Listen, kids, you're about a billion years too young to attempt something like that. Stick to stealing from bakeries or something. Hone your skills, kekeke."
The boy with a scar pulled a makeshift knife.
"Yar not gonna fool us. We know yar the same age, and we know yar loaded. Now give it!"
Linnie's boot slammed into the boy with a scar's face, sending him stumbling back into the arms of his other friends.
"Can we go, now? Or do I gotta beat the shit outta all of you?"
In a few minutes, there was a small circle of boys, bruised and battered. They were sitting with their heads down, and the two older boys stood above them. Prince had stayed mostly silent during the entire encounter, and Lady had already crawled back inside the hat.
The poor cat realized that she wouldn't be getting food any time soon.
"Please, man! You've gotta have something! We're gonna starve at this rate!" one of the boys pleaded.
He was hit in the back of the head, no doubt for acting like a wuss.
"Why're you guys so broke, anyway?" Linnie asked. "You don't gotta live in this shithole, you know. Go find work, like honest kids! Thievery isn't good."
'Pffft, these guys couldn't be thieves. They're way too weak. This is for their own good.'
"Huuuh!? Whaddaya think yar saying?" The boy with the scar said, offended. "Leave? That'd just be soooo easy, wouldn't it!? Just leave everything and everyone behind. Ya think we're quitters? This is our turf, we ain't gonna abandon it!"
"Stubborn... I hate you! Shut up!" Linnie shouted, pressing his boot into the boy's face.
"Stop! Please! He didn't mean anything by it! He's just passionate—about this place, I mean!"
"Why? It's a dump."
"It's our home! It wasn't always like this. You wouldn't know, since you're not from here, but it only became like this recently!"
"Recent? This place looks like it was abandoned a hundred years ago. A ghost town is what it is."
"I swear, only a year ago, it wasn't. I mean, we've always been a poorer part of the city, but we were a community! Now, it's only us left..."
"Uh, what happened to the rest?" Linnie asked, confused.
"...They were taken."
'Eugh. That doesn't sound good.'