Convoy

"I need you to accomplish this mission, it will take at least half a month. You guys can introduce yourselves during the mission."

Pointing to a girl resting her back in one of the wall.

"Now go, that girl over there is your leader, so go ask her about the mission and get going as soon as possible."

Erley stood up, and made his way toward the girl. Elias left the room, he went to manage other affairs in the camp.

The leader was a striking woman with wavy dark hair, black eyes, and ivory skin so clear it seemed almost unnatural. But her beauty was overshadowed by her eerie stillness. She looked hollow, as if she weren't truly there. Staring at her felt like staring into a void.

It was truly scary.

Erley approached cautiously, stretching out his hand in greeting.

"Hey im Erley what, um- is your name?"

The girl didn't respond. Instead, she picked up one of the three swords resting at her feet and handed it to him. The weight of the weapon felt familiar in his grip, though he couldn't place why.

Erley muttered, more to himself than to her.

"Uh, no introductions then?"

Without a word, the girl turned and walked outside, the rest of the group falling in line behind her.

***

The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the ruins as the group followed their silent leader toward the outskirts of the camp. The air grew colder, and the faint glow of lanterns flickered to life around the convoy—everyone except Erley had one clipped to their hip.

To the leader's right walked a towering man, his massive shield slung over his shoulder. He was nearly twice Erley's size, with a bowl cut, black hair, and a strong jawline. Despite his imposing physique, the man seemed nervous, his eyes darting around as if expecting danger at any moment.

Before Erley could approach him, someone slung an arm around his shoulders. It was a blonde-haired man with parted hair, bright yellow eyes, and a grin that seemed permanently plastered on his face.

"Hey how is it going dude! name's Hao nice to meet you!"

Erley blinked, caught off guard by the man's enthusiasm.

"Uh.. um, i'm doing good"

Hao says, his tone cheerful.

"It's nice to have someone new to talk to here!, hope you enjoy our little group."

"Yea, it's nice to meet you, have you been here for a while?"

The blonde guy places his index finger in his chin.

"Hmmm. Yes actually. I've been here since the beginning, you know. One of the first to wake up. But honestly, I haven't done much, just helping out around the camp and taking down a few Imps here and there."

'Imps?'

Erley filed the term away for later.

"I see, how long have you been here?"

"Around a month, not too long you know! Not too long. But its been fun! Though I do wish I had more people to talk to. But now you're here, so it's even better!"

Erley nodded, unsure how to respond to Hao's relentless energy.

'The talkative type for sure.'

"I see-"

Before he could say more, a sharp voice cut through their conversation.

"Can you two stop the chit-chat, we are about to enter a non-civilized area."

Erley turned to see a blonde girl with messy shoulder-length hair and piercing white eyes that seemed to lack irises. She held a spear nearly as tall as Erley, its tip glinting in the dim light. Her posture was tense, her expression strained as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She walked on the leader's left, her grip tightening on her spear as she glared at Hao and Erley.

Erley asks, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, hey! what's your name?"

"You dont have to know. Just be quiet before one of those things come and kill us."

Erley frowned, taken aback by her hostility. 

"I see.. i will make sure to remember that."

The leader, who had been silent until now, spoke without turning around.

"Nothing will come after us here."

Her voice was calm, almost detached, but it carried an authority that silenced the group.

'Hm whatever.'

***

They continued walking until the leader raised a hand, signaling them to stop. She gestured to the smallest member of the group—a young man with curly black hair, dressed in dark clothes that blended into the shadows. He hadn't spoken a word since they'd left the camp, his presence almost as ghostly as the leader's.

The young man responds, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"I'm going."

In an instant, he disappeared into the ruins, his movements swift and silent.

It was still night time, under his black clothes it was hard to see him.

The convoy pressed on, eventually finding shelter in the remains of a ruined shop. They set up camp inside, the dim glow of a small fire casting flickering shadows on the crumbling walls. Everyone sat apart, the tension between them palpable.

The young man was still missing.

Standing up the leader locks eyes with the blond girl.

"Anna, follow me."

They both start going towards the outside of the shop.

'So that's her name huh."

Erley sat quietly, his mind racing. It had been a strange day, meeting his new companions, learning about his role as an Imperfect, and now venturing into the ruins. He felt a headache coming on, but he pushed the feeling aside and decided to break the silence.

He turned to the tall man with the shield.

"Hey dude how are you doing."

The man looked up, his expression a mix of surprise and nervousness.

"Uh... hey. My name's Moen. It's nice to meet you?"

'Another weirdo..'

Erley forced a smile.

"Yeah, you too. Hope we can get to know each other."

Moen nodded awkwardly

"Yes me too i hope.. i can!"

The conversation died as quickly as it had started, leaving Erley to wonder if everyone in this group was as strange as they seemed.

Suddenly, the leader and Anna burst through the door, their faces tense. The leader raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence, then pointed to the broken windows and door.

Looking around Erley is confused. He looks back.

Outside, the sound of heavy footsteps grew louder.

Covering all the broken windows in front of the shop, a grotesque beast appears.