Rontu wheeled the Gemmer around the gate entrance, taking notice of the fact that well, there wasn’t one anymore. The stone pillars had been torn down, large claw marks scraping deep down the spiral shaping. The metal gate was dented and crumpled, halfway lodged in the side of a building like it had been tossed aside without a second thought. The heavy wheels easily rolled over the rubble, Rontu driving further into Lowlam with a heavy conscience.

The lack of bodies would normally put someone’s mind at ease, leading them to think that most of the residents had managed to survive. Rontu knew better. Honno rarely left anything behind. The occasional streaks of red that painted the sides of buildings and the ground made his stomach turn. He passed by an alleyway, a glimpse of two small creatures playing tug-o-war with what appeared to be a human arm. He averted his gaze quickly, seething through his teeth as he did his best to focus on the road. 

“Come on...come on!” He muttered to himself, eyes scanning for any signs of the living. The Gemmer could easily carry a crowd of people, at least until they found another outpost or town. All he had to do was find them. He slapped his steering wheel in frustration, growling out loud before he turned to round the main road. Two figures darted in front of the rig, Rontu jamming his foot down on the brake so hard that the tires spun and skidded for a moment. He lifted his head and looked through the windshield, eyes wide as they settled on the pair.

An armored figure stood directly in Rontu’s path, sword pointed directly at the cabin defensively. Noticing the human through the window, the sword was slowly lowered and stowed away. The Shutok stayed on edge, sizing up the vehicle to see if it was a threat. Rontu hadn’t heard of any Shutok staying in Lowlam, but a part of him felt a bit of gratitude that one was here. Someone who could at least hold their own against Honno.

Standing to the side of him was a burly man who looked just as bewildered as Rontu did. He was larger, obviously out of breath from running across town. Rontu quickly recognized him, remembering the occasional afternoon snack he had purchased from the man’s stall after visiting the Institute. He pressed a button on his console, the side door of the Gemmer opening with a sharp hiss. Rontu pulled a small radio to his mouth, clicking the button on the side.

“Archie! Hurry up and get in!” he shouted over the loudspeaker.

The merchant flinched slightly from the sudden voice, but he seemed at least a little thankful. He spared little time in rushing to the open door and climbing inside the rig. Rontu moved from his seat, passing him up before a heavy hand clapped on his shoulder and nearly brought him down.

“Good to see you boy! I was worried you’d ended up as Honno crap,” Archie smiled, giving a toothy grin that was far too comical for the current situation.

Rontu raised an eyebrow, shaking his head with a smirk. “Nah, not today at least. I saw one out on the glass and came back to look for help. Looks like you guys need it more though. How bad are things?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.

A metallic hand gripped the side of the doorway, prompting both Rontu and Archie to turn and look. The Shutok had poked their head in, observing the vehicle and taking it in. “Worse than it looks. We haven’t seen anybody along the main streets, just several small Honno. We’ve been inside the city the entire time yet haven’t seen any survivors,” he said.

Rontu blinked a few times before he leaned to the side to get a better look at the door frame, the other man looking up at him. 

“Sorry,” the figure apologized, holding out his hand much as Archie had to him. “Shen Tao. Severance Shutok.” he introduced.

Rontu didn’t answer at first, a little starstruck. He’d never met a Shutok face to face, at least like this. If he was lucky, maybe he’d get to talk Shen’s ear off later. Rontu grasped the man’s hand firmly, giving it one good shake before releasing it. “Glad to have you, sir,” he smiled.

Shen instead looked at his hand, as if some hidden knowledge had been passed along to him through the handshake. Archie seemed to catch on, letting out a snort before patting Rontu on the back.

“So, are we getting out of here? I’m not keen on staying in this hellhole much longer. Honno doesn’t make for a good customer base,” Archie said, sitting back on one of the chairs in the Gemmer’s cabin.

Rontu felt the same, but as he opened his mouth to answer, a thought struck him. “Have you two checked the Institute for survivors? Surely some people headed there, it’s the most fortified building in Lowlam.”

Archie shook his head. Shen perked up slightly, stepping off the stairwell and looking towards the center of town.

“No, we came from the other direction. You know, trying to leave town, not go deeper into it,” Archie said, running fingers through his beard before cocking an eyebrow. “Surely you aren’t saying we should…”

“Yeah. We should.” Rontu cut him off, stepping back towards the cab. He grabbed the intercom, squeezing the microphone switch a bit rougher than normal. “Hey, Shutok.”

Shen’s head whipped around, looking up at Rontu from outside.

“I assume you want to get out of here too?”

Shen nodded, folding his arms over his chest. “It would be ideal. We’re well past the point where anyone still out in the open would be alive. I’ve slain several Honno on the way here, and I have no doubts there are more lurking.

Rontu inhaled, filling his lungs to their fullest and holding it before exhaling. His hand trembled on the radio as he brought it back to his mouth, freeing the cord from a snag on the controls.

“Ten minutes. Can you buy me that?”

Shen tilted his head. It was rare for a person to be so brazen in the face of disaster, much less a non-Shutok.

“Possibly. Is that the lowest you’re willing to go?” 

“Ten. No less, no more. I’ll meet you at the south gate, and we’ll get out of here. Whether it’s with other survivors or just us three.”

Shen held a hand to his chin, tapping the squared plate for a moment before replying. “Very well. I’ll draw away any Honno I see. You check the Institute.”

Archie waved his hands, sitting up from the chair he was posted in. “Hey hey hey, don’t I get a vote in this? What about me?” he said as he raised his arms in exasperation.

Rontu shrugged one shoulder and pointed at the Shutok outside. “He’s got a sword, I’ve got a rig. What are you bargaining with?”

Archie’s mouth opened a few times, though any argumentative words he had failed to come out. He turned to sit back in his seat, rubbing his temple. “Ten minutes,” he said, repeating the deal Rontu and Shen had made.

Rontu smiled, running a hand through his hair and making the thick, gray strands stand slightly vertical. “Ten minutes.”

“Let us proceed then,” Shen called out, moving to a nearby building and jumping straight into the air with surprising speed. He landed on the rooftop, turning to give a two-fingered salute to the passengers of the Gemmer before he broke off in a sprint in the opposite direction, leaping from building to building.

Rontu shut the side door, slamming on the gas pedal as the Gemmer rumbled towards the center of Lowlam.