Hunting I

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The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows as Lucius, Yu Xuan, and Harriet ventured beyond the shelter's protective walls. The air was thick with the scent of earth and the distant, lingering stench of decay. For Lucius, this was a momentous occasion—the first time he ventured out with comrades, though the concept of companionship still felt foreign to him.

They walked in silence for a time, the only sound being the crunch of gravel underfoot and the occasional rustle of leaves as the wind whispered through the trees. Harriet, ever the conversationalist, broke the silence, her voice light yet curious.

"So, Lucius," she began, her eyes flicking toward him, "how have you managed to survive out here on your own? It's no small feat, especially with the dangers lurking around every corner."

Lucius kept his gaze straight ahead, his expression unreadable. The question was one he had anticipated but dreaded nonetheless. How could he explain what he himself barely understood? How could he speak of the strange twilight existence he led—neither fully alive nor truly dead? He chose silence as his answer, his lips a tight line, his thoughts a tangled web of memories he had no desire to revisit.

Harriet seemed unfazed by his lack of response, merely raising an eyebrow before continuing their journey. Her inquiry, though unanswered, hung in the air like a specter, a reminder of the secrets Lucius carried with him.

Behind them, Yu Xuan walked with a purposeful stride, his eyes never leaving Lucius. There was no mistaking the intensity of his glare, a silent warning that spoke volumes. Lucius could almost feel the weight of Yu Xuan's scrutiny, as though the older force-wielder was daring him to make a mistake, to reveal some flaw that would justify his mistrust.

"Don't think for a second that you can slack off," Yu Xuan finally muttered, his voice low but edged with steel. "We may be forced to work together, but I won't hesitate to leave you behind if you prove to be a liability."

Lucius didn't respond, his mind too preoccupied with the task at hand. He knew he had much to prove—not just to Yu Xuan and Harriet, but to himself. The path ahead was fraught with danger, and in a world where trust was a scarce commodity, he would need to tread carefully, every step a test of his resolve and strength.

As they ventured deeper into the wilderness, the silence between them grew heavier. The landscape around them was a bleak reminder of the world's ruin—twisted trees and scorched earth, a desolate reminder of battles long past. Harriet walked slightly ahead, her pace measured, though her mind clearly worked at a quicker speed.

She glanced over her shoulder at Lucius, her expression thoughtful. Despite his evasiveness, there was something about him that intrigued her—a sense that he was more than he appeared to be. She decided to test the waters, her tone casual yet probing.

"You know," she began, her voice cutting through the quiet, "most people out here rely on something to keep them alive. A special skill, a unique weapon, perhaps even a hidden power. Surely, you must have something like that, Lucius?"

Lucius felt the question like a prick to his skin. Harriet's curiosity was persistent, and he couldn't blame her—after all, it was rare for someone to survive alone in a world so unforgiving. He knew she was fishing for details, perhaps suspecting there was more to him than he let on. But how could he reveal the truth? That the very thing keeping him alive was a curse—a power not born of strength or skill, but of death itself.

He kept his gaze fixed on the horizon, his voice calm yet distant. "I've managed with what I have," he replied, offering nothing more.

Harriet, sensing his reluctance, pressed a little further. "It must be something extraordinary, to survive out here as long as you have. We've all seen what this world can do to those who aren't prepared."

Lucius remained silent, his mind racing. He could feel Yu Xuan's eyes on him, sharp and suspicious. The last thing he needed was to draw more attention to himself, especially from those who might see him as a threat if they knew the truth. He would have to tread carefully, revealing only as much as was necessary to maintain their trust without exposing the dark secret he carried.

Harriet, realizing she wouldn't get more out of him, let the matter drop for the moment, though the curiosity in her eyes lingered. Whatever secrets Lucius held, she was determined to uncover them—eventually.

As they ventured further into the wilderness, Lucius couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease. Glancing around at the unfamiliar terrain, he voiced his concern, his tone laced with caution. "Harriet, are we not straying too far from the shelter?"

Harriet responded with a light-hearted laugh, her confidence unwavering. "Fear not, Lucius. Our chief, Zara, possesses a formidable force form that can detect the essence of our souls. Should the need arise, she can instantly teleport us back to the safety of the shelter."

Lucius nodded, absorbing this information, though his curiosity had only deepened. Turning his gaze towards Yu Xuan and Harriet, he ventured a question that had been gnawing at him. "I must admit, I am curious—what exactly are your force forms?"

At his inquiry, both Yu Xuan and Harriet stopped in their tracks, turning to face him. Yu Xuan's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp and distrustful, while Harriet offered a knowing smile. The ground beneath them began to tremble, a subtle vibration that quickly grew in intensity, as though the earth itself was awakening.

"You wish to know our force forms, do you?" Harriet smirked, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Lucius' wariness heightened as he noticed the ground shifting beneath their feet. "Harriet—the ground—" he began, his voice tinged with urgency. But before he could finish, the earth heaved, and from behind Yu Xuan and Harriet, a monstrous creature emerged, its form towering and grotesque.

"Behind you!" Lucius shouted, his voice ringing out in alarm. Yet, to his astonishment, neither Yu Xuan nor Harriet flinched, their expressions unbothered, as if the appearance of the beast was of no consequence.

Neither Yu Xuan nor Harriet displayed any trace of fear as the monstrous creature loomed before them. With a calm precision, Yu Xuan raised his hands, which began to glow, emitting a radiant energy that resonated like the haunting sound of distant music. The vibrations targeted the beast, sending waves of pain through its body, the piercing sound assaulting its ears. But Lucius, standing too close, felt the force as well, the sound slicing through the air with such intensity that his ears began to bleed.

As the monster reeled, stunned by Yu Xuan's attack, Harriet vanished from the ground. In an instant, she reappeared high above, her body suspended in the air surrounded by massive rocks. With a swift, decisive movement, she plummeted downward, her descent accelerating as though gravity itself had bent to her will. She collided with the beast, her bare hands delivering a crushing blow that shattered the earth beneath it. The chaos ended as quickly as it had begun, the monstrous threat obliterated by their combined might.

Lucius stood in stunned silence, his mind struggling to comprehend the sheer power he had just witnessed. The scene before him was almost surreal, as though the battle had been nothing more than a trivial exercise for them.

Harriet, ever composed, casually adjusted her hair before turning to Lucius with a proud smile. "Did you see that, Lucius? My force form is of the void-space type—gravity manipulation." She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. Yu Xuan remained silent, his expression unreadable, as Harriet continued, "And Yu Xuan, he's a sound manipulator. His voice radiates, consuming the mind, devastating his foes."

Lucius, still reeling from the aftermath, suddenly felt the pain in his ears intensify. He winced, touching the blood that had begun to trickle down the side of his face. "Waa..." he murmured, disoriented by the sensory overload.

Harriet's eyes widened as she noticed his condition. "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed, her earlier confidence giving way to genuine concern.

"Pfft" Yu Xuan holding his laughter.

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To be continued -