After the initial anxiety and unease, Jed started to feel more comfortable around Rafe and Twilight. He had been apprehensive at first, as his first human encounter in a year had been with cannibals.
However, Twilight and Rafe were quite friendly, and this made him feel more at ease.
Plus, they all had a shared goal in mind that seemed to bring them closer together; to get out this hell.
They had been at the fortress for almost two weeks now, and they were taking a much-needed break. The riders' mounts had been cooked, and they were enjoying the meat while basking in the safety and warmth of the fortress.
However, as comforting as the fortress was, it was also scary. It was too easy to get used to the safety and security that it provided, and they knew they couldn't stay there forever. They had to set off again soon, but for now, they decided to enjoy the moment and throw a sort of celebration.
On their final day in the fortress, they danced crazily, as though they had lost their sanity. For possibly the first time in years, they were letting loose and enjoying themselves. It was comforting to be surrounded by other humans with the same goal of escaping their current predicament.
After the dancing calmed down, and the dark night had lost it's youth, Jed spoke.
"Do you think we'll find anything north?"
Rafe sulked.
"Tonight is a celebration. Keep to the sad chitchat for another time, downer. But I will answer you with...I don't really know. Maybe we will; maybe we won't. But is it not worth a try?"
Jed smiled.
"I suppose it is"
Rafe looked at Twilight, who'd remained silent until now.
"What are you looking at, Rafe? Like you said, it's a celebration. Let's celebrate. This is the last care-free night that we'll have for a while"
Twilight stared at the moon that appeared full on this night. She continued:
"We're a full-fledged party now. A party? Haha...sounds weird doesn't it. That's what they called them in games anyways"
Jed's eyes widened.
"You've played games?"
"Why wouldn't I have?"
Jed thought for a moment.
"I don't really know. You just didn't seem the type. Too serious"
Twilight sighed.
"Too serious? I'm just trying to survive...to make it back"
They all looked down, deep in thought.
They were a long way from home. Each passing day they seemed to stray further and further away from the real world. Look at Rafe and Twilight. This world had pretty much raised them since they were 14.
They'd grown up here. They'd transformed from scared kids to strong almost adults. Of course, the environment had forced them to mature quite quickly. One wrong step and they could die.
Yet the past couple weeks had been a release. They felt...alive again. They were living for the sake of living instead of simply avoiding death.
"When's your birthday by the way, Twilight?"
She squinted in confusion.
"14th of May, why?"
Rafe laughed.
"I'm older haha. 10th of March. Such a shame, youngling"
"Get over yourself. You're seventeen not twelve"
Rafe laughed.
"What about you, Jed?"
"19th of January. I'm 16 though so almost a year between us"
Rafe nodded.
"I was similar to you when I first came in. My master made me who I am now"
Twilight's ears perked up. She was interested.
"A master?"
Rafe nodded.
"She'd been here for around four years when I met her. She was 18"
"What happened to her?"
Rafe looked down at the ground, remembering.
"She died. A Fallen appeared where we'd been camping. She protected me and I ran away. When I returned, only half of her body was left, the other was been shovelled into the Fallen's mouth. I was too scared to do anything and so I ran further away. Bunch of stuff happened and here we are now"
Jed and Twilight pondered for a moment, imagining the violent scene. It must have been tough.
"Don't worry about it anyways. Past is the past. But think of that before you go dying on me, alright?"
After that, they called it a night. With three members now, they would afford more sleep. Instead of four hour shifts, it was three. They each got six hours of sleep in the end, which was an insane amount for a stranded.
Jed had come from the West, but there was nothing there, no settlements, no rifts to get home. It seemed hopeless.
So, they decided to head North, in hopes of meeting other humans and perhaps finding a rift out of this nightmare. With high resolve, they left the fortress, ready to enter the next chapter of their story. It was time to head further North.
Now, they had no map to follow. The journey ahead was uncertain and possibly fatal. However, they were ready. They were excited.
Would they make it home? Would they die trying? It was one or the other and they were okay with that. They'd rather die in an attempt to escape than live in this hell for the rest of their pitiful lives.
"Well, then. Guess this is it. More pain ahead"
Rafe sighed. Still, he was determined to leave this hell no matter what. No matter the suffering.
If he had to kill one of his group to leave this place, so be it. He was sure they would do the same.
However, he wasn't planning to and didn't desire such a thing. Strength in numbers as they say. And no one in their crew was weak.
Even Jed, despite how he looked. They didn't know his ability, but Rafe had sparred him and Jed had a bit of bite to him, even if he lost.
Looking at the rotting carcasses of the riders and their mounts, they sighed. Perhaps they should have just attempted to tame the mounts instead of cooking them.
Too late now.
And with that, they set off North.