He ran.
He ran as fast as he could.
As long as it would make him go farther away from 'it'. Sweat was streaming down like a faucet against his brown skin. He had been running for a while now, making his legs start to shake despite being known as a star player when it comes to track and field.
"Shio! C'mon!" A girl called out to him from a ledge above. She had a short, rosy–pink hair with streaking orange highlights at the tails of her hair. It complimented her eyes that were golden, almost nearing to the shade of orange her highlights have.
"Aagh!" Shio grunted as he climbed up to the ledge, while the girl was helping him by pulling him with great force. He managed to get on top of the ledge before the lurking demon had caught up to him.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief as she sat herself down by the campfire that was already set up near the tent. She was worried, fearing that Shio may not be able to survive that ferocious demon who he had startled while out on his expedition.
"You jerk! How could you worry me like that?!"
"Sorry Hyuna—but at least, I managed to find us a piece of the map that could help us get to Valhalla," Shio replied, scratching his head while avoiding Hyuna's deadly glare that was piercing right through him. She was angry, and shouldn't be angered more—a mad woman like her is bound to be horrifying especially when driven off to the edge.
Shio turned to look at Hyuna, whose feet were sprawled up at the floor, not caring at the cold stone that was hitting against her fair skin. He noticed that her face muscles were more relaxed, seemingly she had calmed down as he decided to sit down next to her. "You should've woven a leaf mat before sitting here at the cold stone."
"Good thing, it's a smooth stone," Shio added as he relaxed next to Hyuna, who was gazing at the moon that was in the middle of the dark starry night.
"Do you think we'll ever get out of here?" She asked, making Shio surprised at the sudden question she brought up. It was one of the topics they had never really spoken more broadly. They had always tried to think more positively–since that was what Hyuna wanted–to leaving this wretched place.
"I—I honestly don't know," Shio answered, sighing heavily. Deep down, he knew that there must be a way for them to get out of this world, to be able to go back to where they came from and where they should be. However, after so many countless trials of trying to find a way back to their world, it almost seemed impossible to do so—it was like they were meant to be stuck here.
Stuck at this nightmare of an afterlife. Heck, they weren't even in hell yet. They're both just stuck at the worlds within the afterlife, nothing more, nothing less.
Shio was suddenly hit by a hand-rolled into a fist to his head. "Ow!"
"You're supposed to be saying, "Don't worry, we'll be able to find a way somehow!" She rolled her eyes as she turns her gaze away from the grey full moon and looked at Shio's way.
Hyuna gaped at the male's green eyes, absorbed at how exotic they look, and how beautiful they were as she turns away and sighed. "I really like your eyes, but I still hate you."
She stood up from where they sat and went to the lit campfire, trying to warm herself up from the freezing breeze that had blown through them. Shio followed suit, but he got on to the tent instead.
He opened the scroll he obtained from his expedition, the scroll contained a part of the map that will help them travel farther distances. It displayed the world of Valhalla and a few transcriptions that were in another language he wasn't familiar with.
From the east, they will encounter a large body of river flowing through Hel and Sindri, with few villages nearby the lake. They must also go through the City of Grimm, from there, they will be able to reach Valhalla's infamous tower.
"Guess we'll be going through boat." He blurted out as he continues to examine the transcripts written at the dusty paper of the scroll.
"Is that so?" Hyuna asked. She was done warming up by the campfire and it was almost nearing dawn as the sun could be seen in the far distance, slowly rising. Hyuna pushed herself inside of the tent, squeezing alongside Shio. The tent was purposely set for three people, even if they were handmade and made with organic materials, it managed to fill up three people. It had to, Shio and Hyuna have been friends for so long now in the afterlife that they had to survive with friends that would aid them when needed.
"Mhmm."
Shio tried to lay down as he suddenly felt a gush of pain coming from his back. "Ah! Shit..."
"Why? What's wrong?" Hyuna asked worriedly. This is what she dreaded whenever someone comes back from a wild expedition with some demons—the injuries that can be lethal. Panic and concern dwell up Hyuna as she straightens her back and hurriedly went onto checking Shio, waving her head from side to side in an attempt to locate where the injury is.
"It's my back. It's bleeding." Shio grunted. He was too overwhelmed with the whole chase earlier that he had forgotten and felt numb to any pain. Guess that's what adrenaline does to you.
"Hold on." She said, scurrying off to one of their bags to get a set of bandage and some water to sterilize the wound. Shio took off his clothes, waiting for Hyuna, who was occupied with the items needed.
As she was sterilizing and busy bandaging the man in front of him, she had suddenly remembered their other friend who was also away from their tent. He was off to some expedition, as well, but not involving demons. Instead, it involved the marketplace.
"I wonder when will that other brat return, as well."