The "Clinik" room is quite cozy and appears to be makeshift, the cave walls are barely sculptured and the paint job is lazy as there are spots of unpainted stones.
The nurse stared at me a bit nervous about my sudden appearance, "Ummm, please put her over there on the empty bed."
I nodded, gently placing Venidith on the bed, "There you go." patting Venidith on the head.
"I am not child you know." Venidith said, though she was blushing a bit, "But thanks."
"No problem, you held that demon on stalemate," I said smiling a bit, "Quite heroic of that."
"Well, I don't want Sam crying at you getting minced," Venidith said as she stacked two pillows on her head, "I realized something."
"What's that?" I asked, turning my head to look at Russ who was self-charging on my back.
I crouched, so I could be near her if she wanted to whisper something.
"That, maybe I can do something else rather than bugging you." Venidith smiled as she stared at the ceiling, "I talked with Gustav and Sam, you went through a lot."
I sighed, and the memories of what happened ten years ago flashed in my mind, "We went here for a vacation, 55 people, students, teachers, and two guides."
I paused for a while looking at the nurse who was watching a kid, "After a year, 10 are left, five years later 4, up until the eighth year, 2 were left."
"Is he with Gustav?" a young child whispered from the corner of my vision. The child was swathed in bandages from head to toe.
"Yes, we should treat them respectfully," the nurse replied in a hushed tone. "I'll attend to the girl once I'm finished with you."
Venidith's smile held a touch of empathy. She gently placed her hands on my cheeks and gave them a light squeeze. "It must have deeply affected you. He was an honorable man."
If she had attempted this just a day earlier, I might have playfully swatted her hands away. However, her mischievous demeanor seemed to have vanished. She appeared almost like a different person.
With her hands now at her sides, Venidith spoke, "Go find the others. They're likely quite stressed about what happened."
Rising to my feet, I agreed, "You're right." As I was about to step out of the room, I glanced back.
"What's that? You want a kiss?" Venidith teased, a wink accompanying her smirk.
"Rest up and don't cause any trouble," I responded, and Venidith nodded before closing her eyes, softly uttering the word "sleep."
Despite my curiosity about whether the nurse had any connection to the robed woman, my priority was checking on Sam's emotional state. She had witnessed the attack that left me wounded, and I needed to ensure she was coping well.
Leaving the room, a passing woman informed me, "They're in Soundriv's room, D1." Her voice trailed off as she moved down another hallway. The cave was relatively uncrowded, offering a spacious feel. The ambiance was warm and refreshing, perhaps due to the fact that Soundriv had once been a student of Gustav.
Making my way towards room D1, which was a fair distance away, I encountered several individuals. Their reactions ranged from nervousness to genuine happiness upon seeing me—authentic emotions devoid of any pretense.
In front of me stood a room with a distinct black door crafted from an unfamiliar material. Bearing the label "D-1," I grasped the doorknob, the chill against my skin as I turned it to open the door.
My expression exhibited a hint of surprise as I took in the scene before me. The room contained holographic computers reminiscent of Gustav's technology, though with a more rudimentary design.
The space was considerable, akin to the size of a large classroom. The holographic computers lined the length of the room, accompanied by chairs. Among them, Hannah sat with Sam sleeping soundly in her lap. Meanwhile, Soundriv stood explaining something, his gaze shifting towards me.
"Surprised? I hope you haven't assumed I'm unintelligent simply because it took me years," Soundriv remarked, his tone laced with sarcasm as he pressed buttons on the keyboard.
"I'm genuinely impressed, actually. While it might be less advanced, credit to you," I responded, making my way towards the seats where Hannah and Sam were situated.
"Appreciated. In any case, both a cursed veil and a blessed veil were cast simultaneously," Soundriv explained, gesturing towards the holographic display.
The display depicted two energy sources: one black and the other white. Both energies expanded, but the white energy took precedence, causing the black energy to only expand until it reached the perimeter of the white energy.
"The shaman inadvertently ensnared the entire village when he lost control," Hannah elaborated, her gaze fixed on the holographic representation. She gently stroked Sam's hair as Sam slumbered in her lap.
I motioned for Hannah to let me take over, and as she raised Sam's head, I slid into place, using my lap as a makeshift pillow. Sam stirred slightly, grunting as she shifted and looked up to meet my gaze.
"Indeed, though I wouldn't vilify the shaman—he lacks experience," Soundriv explained with a faint sigh. "He did manage to confine the demon while we awaited your arrival. Regrettably, it's our fault that you nearly walked into a trap."
Soundriv's expression brightened. "Still, it's impressive how you endured the illusions, forcing the demon to inadvertently reveal the location of their mountain base—a trap they had set."
"I suppose so. Our group consists of mostly handpicked individuals, including a demon serving as our spearhead," I remarked, acknowledging Venidith's unique abilities.
"Indeed, we're fortunate to have her. She possesses considerable power, though it does seem she isn't a demon native to this world," Soundriv observed, his keen insight allowing him to perceive things from a distance.
"To the average human observer, she appears as nothing more than a girl with white hair," I contributed to the conversation, though I still held my own curiosity about the shift in Venidith's hair color.
There was a sudden knock on the door, its sound echoing through the room. In an instant, a woman, her face contorted with fear, burst into the room. "It's the Chief," she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "He's amassed an entire army of cryptids!"