Cruel dilemma

It was late evening when Astra's job was done as a waitress in an old teashop. She considered going back early today so that she would not miss the ongoing fair in town, but the owner of this teashop had gone collecting firewood so she intended to wait a little longer until he came back from the small wood not far from the shop which was located near the border outskirts of probably the smallest town in the earth kingdom. Since she was staying late she would as well help out with some chores. Diligently she went out with a bucket to fill some water from the well.

When she entered the shop after filling a bucket full of clean water, something had changed in the usual leisure scene. There was a commotion at the center of the room, and it was really noisy, the crowd was excited over something. With distaste Astra squeezed through the thick layer of crowd to the middle determined to disperse the abnormal disturbance. There were two foreigners dressed in extravagant clothing, heads held high, they were seemingly announcing some sort of a news.

"Listen you citizens of the Earth Kingdom, for here I have news for you," the man with stood-out-the-crowd golden dressing shouted, waving a piece of paper, "The most dangerous and wanted criminal of the Vermilion Empire is at loose! The most dangerous and wanted criminal of the Vermilion Empire is at loose!" This caught Astra's interest. "Sights of the murderer have been confirmed that he currently resides in the Earth Kingdom!" The taller man beside him was handing leaflets. Astra accepted one and curiously briefed through. It was a bounty picturing a well-built man adorned in only vest and pants, with a distinctive large red pole arm. Astra put it in her pocket left the crowd to continue with her chore.

It was getting late but Tang had not come back, Astra reluctantly admitted that she was getting a tinsy bit worried. It was unusual for the owner to come back late, as what he had said. She planned to head into the wood to search for him.

The wood was dark and the sun was setting, but Astra wouldn’t mind since there had already been walking pathways carved by yearlong traveling merchants. She kept her steady pace until she was tripped by something on the ground. She looked down and, wide eyed, saw an arm. She looked around to only find what she was looking for behind a tree near the path. It was a bloody figure. It was Tang. Astra petted his cheek twice before he opened his eyes slightly, unfocused, he pointed to the front with his still attached left arm, "..a..xe." He grunted. He was motionless after that.

Astra placed the body in a tree hole and covered it with soil, she stuck a firewood in the soil and stood. Taking out the piece of paper she had gotten, before placing it back and started walking straight ahead to the pointed direction with swift strides. Her bike was left back at the shop.