A stream of thoughts enveloped me in profound contemplation. Perhaps, at that moment, I had been heedless and inattentive to my surroundings. Venidith approached, her steps so silent they were barely a whisper.
"What should we do with her?" Venidith inquired, her raised eyebrows reflecting her concern. "I checked on everyone... Only 8 survived. Hannah is in critical condition, and Sam only sustained minor injuries thanks to Hannah shielding her from the attacks."
Ayesha, her voice trembling, inquired, "Is Aisha alright?" She had wrapped herself in threads to stop her bleeding.
"I believe she is. She was with the nurse when the attack occurred," Venidith replied, her face and body marked with bruises. "Now, where are the rest of the villagers?"
Ayesha hesitated, her eyes widening. "They're at the mountain, but there's something perilous there," she stammered, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
I gripped my sword and directed it toward her. "What is it then? How can we be certain that you won't attack again?"
Ayesha flinched and quivered. "We can make a contract, a one-sided agreement," she proposed.
"False demons often make contracts, but once their borrowed power is reclaimed, the contract becomes void. It could be her strategy," Venidith remarked, tilting her head slightly. The moonlight lent a glossy sheen to her white hair.
"No, I won't! I promise!" Ayesha pleaded, clasping her arms together in a manner reminiscent of a beggar.
Her actions didn't trouble me, for her aura network had not yet fully recovered.
"Hmm," Venidith muttered, her head tilted, as she rubbed her chin while closely examining Ayesha.
"Please!" Ayesha pleaded, bowing down to the ground.
"Fine, you're coming with us, but you'll be restrained," Venidith declared, making a gesture with her hands. Suddenly, a glowing white chain wrapped around Ayesha's hands, extending up to her neck.
"If you do anything I don't like, that chain will tighten," Venidith warned. "Now, walk. Lead us to that mountain, and be quick."
"Ye-Yes!" Ayesha replied, attempting to stand but stumbling and hitting the ground.
"I'll carry her," I offered, picking her up by the threads on her back. "If you don't mind being carried like luggage, point us in the right direction."
Ayesha's face turned slightly red, not from anger but from embarrassment. "O-okay."
Ayesha pointed toward the tree line from where she had come and where the giant spider's body lay.
As we walked in the direction indicated by Ayesha, I couldn't help but notice the nature of Venidith's aura. It seemed to have a slow but constant flow, which I interpreted as a sign of jealousy.
"Hmph!" Venidith grunted as she took the lead, her armor showing signs of considerable wear and tear.
"What?" I inquired, following her. Ayesha wasn't heavy, likely a teenager, and somewhat short, just a bit taller than Sam.
"Nothing," Venidith replied, though I could sense the jealousy in her aura. "Well, maybe just a little."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise, wondering if she knew I could now read auras more clearly than before.
"You're displaying jealousy on the battlefield," I chuckled.
"It's not exactly a battlefield when the other combatants are defeated, is it?" Venidith retorted as she entered the tree line.
I noticed that the fog had disappeared after our return from the dream world, and I suspected that Venidith had something to do with it. Stepping into the tree line, I felt a noticeable absence of coldness, and my wounds had miraculously healed earlier.
"Where did the fog go?" I inquired, causing Ayesha to flinch at the mention of it.
"I destroyed it," Venidith stated, continuing to walk in the direction indicated by Ayesha.
"How?" I pressed for details.
"Well, when I cast that magic on you earlier, it attracted more demons here," Venidith explained, shrugging her shoulders. "I dealt with them, and then Ayesha was forced to cast her Veil again, but it only strengthened the Shaman's Veil."
"They were just weak demons, nothing major," Venidith added with a smirk as she glanced back at me. "You could try your Veil, Moonlight Sonata."
"Moonlight Sonata? How do I even cast a Veil?" I inquired, looking around the forest, which seemed devoid of any animals.
"Simply clasp your hands, focus on it, and say, 'Moon Release: Moonlight Sonata,'" Venidith instructed, coming to a halt. "You'll feel something stirring in your veins."
As Venidith spoke, a malevolent aura surged toward us, prompting both of us to swiftly dodge. The ground we had been standing on erupted into the sky, uprooting trees and scattering debris as something attacked and narrowly missed.
I leaped away, scanning the area to see that whatever it was seemed fixated on me.
"Ayesha!" a furious voice called out as it charged once more.
This time, I could clearly make out the creature—it resembled a minotaur but had Japanese kanji eyes and an array of additional horns.
Realizing the need to distance myself from this threat, I glanced at Venidith, who was flying and charging an attack. I kicked the air repeatedly, achieving a sort of pseudo-flight.
"Is this what you're scared of?" I questioned as the creature hurled a massive rock at me, which I effortlessly sliced with a brandish of my sword.
"Ye-Yes! It's my boyfriend, Zake, who transformed!" Ayesha replied, her gaze locked onto the menacing Minotaur.