Fate/Labyrinth

...

"Excuse me. We would like to request entrance to the main city, sir."

As the small group neared the city gates of Bouldhaven, Haji's voice called out to the otherwise complacent guards stationed at the gate. Once the guards hear him, they straighten up from their slouched positions, their expressions seemingly welcoming.

"Yes, yes, of course! Now, we only need you to state your business entering, then we can let you be on your way-- oh, you're a priest? Well, you should have said so! Come right in, Father!"

Haji's gentle face broke out into a smile, as he began to walk past the checkpoint. Wakata went in afterwards supporting Chiho, the two nodding to the guards as they passed. 

When Aneka attempted to enter, however, there was a problem. 

The guards stopped her, their faces hardening as she attempted to bypass them. When the rest of the group noticed, they stopped and looked back, preparing for a fight if necessary.

"...you think you can just waltz in here, uncontested? ...I lost my brother in the fields of Zeltfelden, fighting you people. I'll say this once, hellspawn; you're under arrest."

...Shit, they know... how did they know...? ...shit...

Even as Aneka thinks this, more guards emerge from the keep, all looking a bit too eager to 'arrest' a rebel.

At this point, Wakata had passed Chiho to Haji to support, as he ran back to Aneka and the guards. 

"Hey, hey! what's going on here? ...Aneka, why are they attacking?"

Aneka sighed, knowing a fight was coming.

"...seems like they got something against my religious group..."

The gatekeepers seemed discontent at her description, as they called out their corrections.

"You mean your terrorist cult! Rorak, Tramore, Arnelen! All those great cities are gone, because of you people!"

Wakata knew what was coming, at this point. It was all he could do to make sure no one died, and that Haji could get Chiho away from here, into the city...

...

Haji ran, carrying Chiho with surprising ease considering his profession. He had only one thought on his mind, at this moment, even as Chiho tried to convince him to turn back to help their friends, he thought only of finding Kato and the rest of the missing group members, hopefully to rescue Wakata and Aneka from the situation they got themselves in. 

Eventually, he would find them. Of course, it wasn't too difficult to follow the sound of explosions. 

As Kato liked to put it so elegantly, where there's explosions, there's usually Kahlrie acting like an idiot. Surprising, seeing as he was an acclaimed alchemist and inventor, using not a hint of magic, while constantly fighting mages. 

Despite his intelligence, and frankly abnormal battle intelligence, Kahlrie would always act somewhat... insane, to say the least. 

As he neared where the changeling inventor was, Haji found one such example. 

Kahlrie had shape shifted into Hellspawn, horns and tail. He did this, all while knowing Hellspawn were both hated and feared in Bouldhaven. 

"Hahahaha! ohhh, man! Haji, Haji, look! They're all running away from me! It's soooooo fun...! ...mm, but I wish Jag were here... I bet bird-man would laugh..." 

Haji was somewhat surprised, yet at the same time, resigned to it. Kahlrie's obsession with Jag was... somewhat concerning, but it didn't hurt anyone, so he let it slide. 

"...hahh... so, you don't know where Jag and Kato are...? ...how about the brothers? ...well, whatever... c'mon, let's go. We're going to find them."

Despite Kahlrie's protests, Haji would drag him away, deeper into the city.

...

Meanwhile, across the city, through an alley and under a bridge, sat an Aarakocra by the name of Jag. 

He fiddled absentmindedly with some sticks and trash he found, despite the weird stares of the homeless and beggars sheltering under the same bridge. Of course, they were in no position to judge, so Jag did not care in the slightest. 

And so he would wait, confident that his friends would find him. Placing his trust in them, however, was a big mistake...

...

In a certain throne room, three men stood surrounded by guards. 

Kato Kiyohira had never been in such a terrible position, in all his years of adventuring. Stranded with no idea where he was, surrounded by what looks to be an elite royal guard... even with the assistance of the brothers, a battle would be sure to end in death for the three. 

...not even counting the two strange figures in the very same throne room that, when examined by Kato's mana sight, seemed to be completely made of mana, similar to a familiar. 

Everything about the two sounded alarms in Kato, telling him they would be dead in a heartbeat if that man and woman wanted to. There was something holding them back... but what...?

"...Yo, Onyx... you think you could take half of 'em?"

"...No, Adriel. just look at that woman... something about her screams danger... and she's got a blade, too..."

"Aww, c'mon, Onyx... that blade is tiny, too... so thin... not like yours, haha! no, yours is, like... huuuuge...!"

"...shut up, kid."

Kato could only sigh, hearing the brothers' bickering. It was all he could do, to fiddle with a certain ring on his left hand, a ring given to him by his parents... a ring that they told him to use whenever he needed saving... a relic passed down through generations, with two charges yet remaining... maybe, just maybe... 

...

...maybe he needed a bit of help...