Ominous Premonition

[System Notice]

[Transferring in 5…

4…

3…

2…

1...]

A brilliant white light swallowed them whole.

The space around them twisted, as if reality itself was unraveling. Their forms stretched, pulled in every direction, and then—Silence.

The blinding glow faded, and they found themselves standing on a vast, open plain. The golden fields swayed gently under the morning sun, the wind carrying the scent of fresh grass.

"That was... something," Jhon murmured, still amazed by what had just happened.

"Looks like our journey starts now," Manuel said, scanning their surroundings.

While the others were talking, Charles' breath hitched. His fingers tightened around something—rough, damp, and strangely familiar. Slowly, he looked down.

A piece of parchment.

His heart pounded. The paper was old, its edges tattered and stained with dried blood. A deep unease settled in his chest as he unfolded it, his eyes scanning the inked words scrawled across its surface.

"Tides fall, tides rise,

Under the moonlight, one shall die."

His grip tightened. The words were vague—cryptic—but they carried the same ominous weight as the letter he had received before his death. This time, however, it was even more unsettling.

He swallowed hard and pulled up his status screen.

————————————————————

[Status Screen]

[Name: Charles Everett]

[Age: 23]

[Ability: Bloody Letters]

[Receives cryptic letters warning of impending danger. These letters vanish after reading but can be recalled at will from a mental mailbox. Their warnings are vague, providing insight into what might happen—but not when or how.]

————————————————————

He inhaled sharply. Something dangerous is going to happen. Soon.

"Something wrong?"

Charles flinched slightly. He looked up to see Manuel watching him, his expression filled with concern.

Charles hesitated. For a moment, he considered telling them—but no. It was too vague. There was no use stirring unnecessary fear when they had only just arrived.

"It's nothing," he said, watching as the parchment faded into ashes. "No need to dwell on it."

Manuel eyed him for a moment but didn't push further.

The wind whispered through the plains, and somewhere in the distance, the call of an unfamiliar creature echoed across the open sky.

"So, what do we do now?" Jhon asked.

"We don't have much time. We need to set up camp while we still have daylight," Manuel said.

"There's a forest up ahead. I'll go forage for food," Kiranu offered, his tone carrying a hint of determination.

"I'll go with you," Jhon said. "I reckon I can find some edible plants for us to eat."

"I'll collect sticks in the forest, then," Chris added indifferently. "We're going to need a fire."

"That leaves the two of us to look for a suitable camp spot," Charles said, glancing at Manuel.

"Hopefully near a water source."

"I guess so," Manuel replied.

"Take this, then. Maybe it'll lead to a river," Jhon said, handing Charles a map. "Not sure if it's trustworthy, though."

"Let's move, then. We'll meet back here," Manuel said as he stacked a pile of rocks, marking their starting point.

————————————————————

Charles' POV

"So… how did you die?" Manuel asked, breaking the silence.

We had been walking for an hour, neither of us speaking. The silence had been comforting at first, but as time passed, it became suffocating.

I hesitated.

'Should I tell him? There is no point in hiding it. Avoiding the topic wouldn't change what had happened.'

"I was a victim of a serial killer," I admitted, a bitter taste forming in my mouth. Just saying it out loud sent an uncomfortable shiver down my spine.

Manuel glanced at me but said nothing, waiting for me to continue.

"I received a letter—it was soaked in blood," I said, tightening my grip on my own arms. "Then I got kidnapped, tied to a metal chair…"

The memories were still raw.

"I died," I forced myself to continue, "but not before suffering excruciating pain." I swallowed hard, wincing as the phantom echoes of that pain crept up my spine. "He was enjoying it—my pain and suffering."

I shook my head, forcing the thoughts away. I had no desire to relive them any further.

"What about you?" I asked, eager to shift the conversation away from my past. "How did you die?"

Manuel exhaled slowly, as if debating whether to answer.

"I'm sorry to hear about your experience," he said first, his voice laced with genuine sympathy. "That must have been… traumatic."

I didn't respond. I didn't need to.

"As for me," he continued, "I died of thirst and starvation, trapped in a cave."

I blinked, surprised. That was a cruel way to go.

"I could have escaped before the cave collapsed," he went on, "but I chose to help my teammates instead. I couldn't bear to see another person die under my watch."

I watched him carefully. There was regret in his voice—guilt.

'So he too has his fair share of suffering.'

Silence stretched between us.

I hesitated before asking, "Did you lose someone close before?"

His steps faltered for a second. Then, in a softer, sadder tone, he answered, "I did—I lost my nephew."

I frowned slightly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be," he said, shaking his head. "It was something no one could have expected."

His words lingered in the air between us.

We walked in silence after that, the only sounds accompanying us were the rustling grass and the distant calls of unknown creatures. The conversation had left an air of unease between us, but at the same time, it felt like an understanding had been reached.

Manuel sighed, shaking his head slightly. "I don't like talking about the past much, but I guess that doesn't matter now, does it?"

I gave a small nod. "We can't change it."

"Yeah," he murmured, then turned his gaze toward the horizon. "Though, if I get a second chance, I won't hesitate next time."

There was conviction in his voice that I couldn't ignore. It was different from my own resolve. I wanted to avoid suffering, to make sure I didn't end up in a situation like before. But Manuel—he wanted to protect others, to make sure no one else suffered the way he had.

I let out a quiet breath. "You regret it, don't you?"

His steps slowed for a moment. "…Yeah. I do."

We didn't say much after that. There was no need to. Some things were better left unspoken.

After another ten minutes of walking, we finally stumbled upon a small river nestled between the grassy plains and the edge of the forest. The water was clear, its gentle flow reflecting the soft glow of the sun above.

"This should do," Manuel said, kneeling by the water and dipping his hands in. He splashed his face, exhaling in relief. "Clean water. That's a good start."

I scanned the area. It was open, with enough space to set up a decent camp. The forest nearby would provide wood, and the river would give us water. It was an ideal location.

"We should set up here," I said.

Manuel nodded. "Agreed. We'll need to build a fire and set up some kind of shelter. The others should be back soon."

Just as I was about to respond, something caught my eye—a shadow moving in the water.

I tensed, my grip tightening. "Did you see that?"

Manuel followed my gaze. "What?"

I took a cautious step closer. The shadow was gone now, but for a brief second, I could have sworn I saw something beneath the surface. A flicker of movement—something long, serpentine.

'Was it just my imagination?'

Manuel stood up, wiping his hands. "You're acting tense. You sure you're okay?"

I hesitated before shaking my head. "Yeah… it's nothing."

Another lie. But for now, there was no need to dwell on it. We had more important things to worry about.