Talking To Other Humans.

Just then,

"..."

I heard it.

The spell. It resounded in my mind.

[You have slain an awakened aemon, Antrím]

[...Your darkness grows stronger.]

***

At that moment, I could feel that I'd grown slightly stronger, but honestly, I could care less about that. 

Right now, I had more troubling matters to focus on.

I needn't be told to know I wouldn't be able to last in a fight against three supernatural creatures. 

Just one had left me in such a bad state. I couldn't even start to fathom what three would do to me.

Wasn't that just asking to be killed?

Step! Step!

The three figures crept closer, and as I watched on, frozen in place, heart pounding violently, realization slowly dawned on me.

"...."

H-Humans?

Here in this cursed land?

It was unthinkable. 

But as they inched closer —two young girls and a guy— I felt a faint sense of unease. Something about them just didn't sit well with me.

My hands twitched around the Antraizel spear and my muscles tensed in response, ready to spring to action in a moment's thought. 

"Huu... Huu..."

My breath came in short, ragged bursts.

And with a wary look, I couldn't help but assess the approaching humans.

My eyes pierced through the darkness and—

I could now see them clearly. Very much so.

One of the girls was holding onto a tall guy with sturdy muscles, his perfect-abs outline faintly visible beneath his tight shirt.

Upon seeing the guy, the first thing that came to my mind was...

What a showoff!

I mean... did he really have to wear such tight upper wears?!

And for a second there, I thought the guy and the beautiful, silver haired girl were a thing. But on closer inspection, I realized a stunning fact.

"...!!"

An unbelievable fact.

The young girl was... blind.

How the hell had she survived till now?!

Even without being blind or crippled, I knew the horrors I had to face. The dangers I had to crawl my way through, just to survive this cursed and wretched land.

Yet you are telling me a girl can accomplish the same feat. A blind girl no less!

I was visibly shaken, and this only further served to intensify my wariness.

And the worst of it all?

There was something about the blind girl that unnerved me. Every step she took, every word she spoke... It was like staring down my nemesis.

'Curses!'

I shifted my gaze away from her. Mostly because of the uncomfortable feeling I had staring at her. 

"...."

My gaze shifted to the golden haired lady with bright golden-azure pupils. With but a glance, the hierarchy was revealed.

She's the leader of the group. I noted.

Clad in silver armor and armed with a golden sword, she looked like a noble, war goddess summoned from the depths of hell... to sow carnage onto the land above.

And... something about her presence felt both familiar and repulsive.

My lips curled into a dark smile, troubling questions slowly crawling their way into me.

Who are these humans? And more importantly—

What are they doing in this cursed land?

***

Step! Step!

The three figures moved swiftly in my direction, their shapes etched against the dim horizon.

Three minutes. A grim look crept up my face. That's all the time I had.

I immediately set to work.

My movements, precise and efficient. From the carcass before me, I stored away the unnecessary, packing the useful parts into the makeshift satchel— A contraption so crude, it bordered on embarrassment. But it was all I had.

And more importantly—

It was mine, and it worked. And that's all that mattered.

Thoughts swirled across my mind, each one unbidden and unwelcomed.

'Focus Dean! This is but the first step,' I reminded myself.

"Hu..."

I exhaled, steadying my mind. By the time I was done packing the meal meant for a knight— like me, and just as I tied the last knot.

"...."

The strangers were already upon me.

And as I turned to face them, the corner of my lips curled into a faint, calculative smile.

Of course, they couldn't see the smile. Not yet…

My pulse remained unnervingly steady, heart hammering against my chest.

Their words— I knew, would determine whether I extended mercy or... unleash hell on them.

'Just piss me off and you'll all regret it.'

Clench!

My hands tightened around the Antraizel spear, the intensity growing stronger with each passing second.

And just as I allowed my thoughts to trail off, swearing to tear them apart in the most ruthless way— If they did turn out to be supernatural creatures masking as humans. 

A sharp voice suddenly cut through my thoughts.

"Stop right there," came the sharp, commanding voice.

I froze mid-step, slightly tilting my head.

"..."

"Take one more step and I will make you regret it," the voice added, colder now.

I complied, standing still, though my grip on the spear tightened, heart pounding.

Then came the question, a thread of curiosity threading through the stern tone.

"Who are you?"

The golden haired girl arched her brow. I don't think I have ever seen him amongst the others.

I chuckled— a low, humorless sound that grew into an unsettling laugh. One that echoed through the desolate landscape.

"Hahahaha…"

The sound grew even louder. Prompting the three humans to exchange wary glances, their hands reaching for their weapons.

A sword, a bow, and a... rope?

***

As Dean continued to laugh, almost as though he'd just heard the funniest thing in all of existence, various frantic thoughts ran through their mind.

"Has he been corrupted?" The green-haired boy's brows furrowed tightly. That seems to be the case.

"But weird... He doesn't look like he has been turned," he mused under his breath.

And just as various thoughts ran through the walls of their mind, confusing and tension slowly creeping in—

Flick—!

My gaze snapped up.

***

My laughter finally subsided. And with a tone, almost mocking, I said, "Funny. I was about to ask the same thing."

My gaze hardened, hands twitching around the spear. "Who the hell are you guys?"

The sturdier of the three leaned towards the golden haired lady, and whispered softly:

"Careful Mia. He doesn't look like he's been... turned."

The girl nodded.

And of course, although a whisper, it didn't escape my ears. 

In that instant, my gaze snapped toward the guy. 

"Turned into what?" I demanded.

Step! Step!

The crimson haired girl stepped closer, a hint of surprise now evident in her blazing golden pupils.

"You've survived this long alone?" she inquired, her gaze lingering on me.

"Yeah," I replied, slightly tilting my head. "So...? What about it?"

As if measuring me, her gaze lingered for a few strenuous seconds, before her expression softened—If only barely. 

"If you're not with them, maybe you should come with us."

"We could use another pair of hands."

"...."

Uh...? A frown crept up on my features. Who did she mean by "them?"

I was tempted to ask, but I knew I wouldn't be receiving a valid answer to my question. At least not until I'd proven my worth, and at the very least, developed some certain level of bond with them.

— Just like Garren did with me.

My expression contorted to that of pain for a second there, but it was fleeting, making it look no less than some sort of illusion.

In that moment, I already had an answer to her offer. But even then...

I arched my brow. "And why would I want to do that? Why would I tag along with some set of strangers?"

"...."

Silence. It lingered.

Stretching between us.

Thump... Thump...

The third figure, the blind girl with a weird presence suddenly let out a light laugh. 

But to me, it was barely a sound, more of a vibration that set my nerves on edge.

"He's afraid," she murmured. "Afraid of the dark mist."

I froze. A chill running down my spine.

'What the hell? Is she some fucking mind reader?!'

Before I could press on, Mia interrupted. "We're heading for the distant dune structure. There's safety there... for now." 

She paused for a second, eyes lingering on the dark void surrounding us before she spoke:

"You can choose to come with us, or stay here, and die. Your choice."

Blunt and direct. I noted, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

"A dune structure, huh?" I echoed skeptically. "What's there?"

"Nothing much," she replied with a shrug. "Just firelight, and the only chance you've got to make it through the night."

"...And maybe answers," the blind girl softly added. 

Her words threaded through the dark, like an uninvited specter. One that was starting to get on my nerves.

"Hum!"

I swallowed hard, and glared at her. 

There was something about her that unnerved me. Something that made my fingers itch to grip my spear tighter.

However, I calmed myself and exhaled sharply.

"Alright," I nodded. "But if this is a trap..."

My gaze sharpened, my spear pointed at the sturdy guy. "I'll kill you first."

"..."

In that moment however, a chuckle slipped past his lips. "Sure. Right behind the last fool who thought guts meant skill."

I ignored him, packing my things in silence.

From my recent interactions with him, I wasn't too sure. Not yet. 

But I tended to believe he was the kind of guy that loved showing off his might and prowess at any given opportunity. 

'A short yet efficient recipe for disaster in this cursed land.'

And honestly—

"Haa…"

I had no thought of bickering with such an idiot.

With the dark mist's inevitable return looming over our heads, there was no time for second-guessing. 

Step! Step!

We moved quickly, cutting through the oppressive darkness.

The dune structure loomed ahead— its massive silhouette rising against the dim horizon. The shadows it cast seemed to stretch towards us, and I just couldn't shake the feeling that whatever safety the dune structure promised was.

Thump… Thump… 

Fleeting at best.