Gibbard's answer broke the silence
Gibbard's eyes flickered. "I'm afraid that needs to wait, Mr. Karun. Not until you're officially ready to get into the game."
Karun sighed in frustration, but he nodded in understanding. "Okay, then, any plans on when do we start?"
Gibbard glanced at his team before replying, "We'll begin the first phase at dawn. Until then, rest and prepare yourselves. This mission demands the best of us."
As they continued to discuss the intricacies of the plan, I couldn't help but be amazed by the thoroughness of their preparations. It was clear that Gibbard and his team had anticipated every possible scenario. While the leaders were engrossed in conversation, my attention drifted to the other members of the Elite Guard.
They were clad in white shirts, though the color had dulled somewhat, likely due to the challenges of the forest environment. Each member sported a special belt with pouches attached, slung over their leather armors. The arrangement of the pouches varied, with some fixed to the left shoulder and others to the right. It appeared that the positioning was customized to accommodate the dominant hand of each individual.
The leather armors themselves bore clear cuts, revealing the hidden daggers within. These cuts were formed by the swift unlocking of the concealed weapons, a testament to the readiness of the Elite Guard for any potential threat. As I observed these details, I felt a pair of eyes watching my every move.
Turning my gaze, I met the curious stares of two members standing behind the couch. They smiled warmly in greeting, and I returned the gesture politely. However, our brief exchange was interrupted by a sudden movement—a swift elbow shot from one of the men, aimed at his companion's side.
I looked at the owner of the hand that had delivered the elbow jab. To my surprise, it was a woman. For a moment, I couldn't believe it—there was a woman in the survival guild that I hadn't noticed before. I had been so blinded by the sheer display of muscle that I had assumed everyone was a man. But no, there was a woman, and she looked strong and formidable.
And, wait… is that her waist I see? Perfectly proportioned, it made me suddenly self-conscious about my own figure. I wasn't obese, but compared to her, I felt bloated. I had never really cared about my looks, but seeing her, I felt a pang of inferiority. Her attire accentuated her shape perfectly, with the belt highlighting her waistline. She was not just strong, but also fair and beautiful. Glancing down at my own body, I couldn't help but notice my tummy, I realised My shameless indulgence in food had left its mark.
As I grappled with my feelings of inadequacy, I resolved to start working out from that day onwards. I wanted to be like her. When I looked back at her, she smiled at me, and another wave of inferiority washed over me. While I was wrestling with these emotions, I noticed that the leaders were moving. My brother had finished talking, and the elder stood up, followed by the others in the room.
This time, when Karun and the elder shook hands again, the woman offered me her hand as well. I grabbed it quickly—after all, she was my new idol—and shook it. She smiled and said, "Sorry if they made you uncomfortable."
The elder who looked at us conversing and introduced the others. The one on the left with sharp-cut hair and hazel eyes is Liam. He is from the research team as well as the build team. Now looking at Liam more closely, I noticed he didn't have an overly bulky body like the others, but he was incredibly fit too. The other, the elder continued, with dark, long wavy hair reaching up to his ears, is Damian.
Damian gave a nod and a small smile, his dark eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. "And she is Astrid," he added. Astrid smiled at me, and I returned the gesture, feeling a bit more at ease.
Even as Karun and Gibbard continued their discussion, the rest of us stood awkwardly, glancing at one another. Liam spoke first, apologizing if I felt uncomfortable as they stared at me earlier. He explained that he was just excited to see the long-awaited expedition members.
I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Long-awaited? We were just informed like a week ago about the mission."
Our conversation broke as Hemma brought in refreshing juice that I had skipped before, but now, with everyone around, we were each handed a glass. The elder, who had stood up to leave, settled back onto the couch again as he sipped his drink, as did the others.Gibbard, Karun, and Damian were deeply engrossed in their discussion. Karun was asking Gibbard some more detailed questions. Karun was always good with elders, even back at home. Meanwhile, I was finding my own rhythm here.
I moved to another table with Liam, asking him about the conversation before Hemma brought us the juice. "What do you mean by long-awaited?"
Astrid joined our conversation. "The old man was planning to bring you in from the start. Preparations have been underway for months."
"But why?" I asked, puzzled.
"Sorry, we can't answer that. Only the captain knows the full details," Astrid replied.
Liam broke the tension with a joke, making us all laugh and easing the mood. We were in perfect sync. Unlike the elder's more serious explanations, Liam broke down the plan in simpler terms, and I nodded at the end of each sentence, showing my understanding. Astrid added helpful details, making it all clear.
After sipping the refreshing juice that Hemma had prepared for us—which wasn't as refreshing to my taste—I found the company of others far more invigorating. After three days of looking at only my brother's annoying face, having new people around was a welcome change. Astrid and Liam were fun to be around, and even Damian, who joined us later, although a bit stiff and stern, turned out to be good company.
I made a joke about Damian's serious demeanor. "You know, Damian, if you were any more serious, you'd turn to stone."
Astrid laughed until her eyes filled with tears of joy. "Doesn't it? That's what we call him—our very own stone soldier!"
I glanced at Damian, whose tall, sturdy frame now looked a bit flustered and embarrassed.
We were having fun and getting to know each other better when suddenly, the elder received a return call. The atmosphere shifted as he realized they were late for another task. The group quickly excused themselves, rushing out to attend to their duties.
As they left, I felt a sense of loneliness creeping in, reminiscing about my friends whom I used to hang out with, complaining about the world. Now that I was stuck here, the doubt of whether I would ever see them again throbbed in my heart. To distract myself, I headed to the living room and switched on the TV, hoping to get my mind off things. I absentmindedly flipped through channels until I heard Karun's voice next to me.
"Stop switching and just keep something already!" he exclaimed. I lazily turned my eyes towards him, sprawled out on the couch with my head hanging down.
Initially, I sat up straight, but the soft, fluffy couch seemed to envelop me, pushing me further into its comfort. Now, I found myself laying down, frowning at the TV and my brother simultaneously.
I stopped flipping channels when a dense, dark Forest flashed on the big 80-inch screen. Karun and I both fixated on the TV as the program detailed the forest's mysteries—, the allure of similar to the one we're in. Like any other TV program, it exaggerated the dark side of the Forest, titling the segment "The Haunted Forest."
But my heart couldn't handle it. I already harbored my own fears, and seeing it on the screen again, the dim paths engulfed by dense trees, was too much. I straightened up, feeling a cold sweat run down my spine.
Hemma, who was passing by noticing our distress, suggested to switch off the TV and get some sleep. With a heart full of regret, I reluctantly headed to bed, with the images of the haunted forest still lingering in my mind.