Casting a wary eye at the goth-looking girl, I can't help but wonder about her. She nearly killed Jenna, after all. That injury looked deep. My gaze shifts back to Jenna, who seems to notice where I'm looking.
"Ah, this is..." Jenna starts, eyeing the girl, who stands up hesitantly. "I-I am ?#%-" she coughs abruptly, then corrects herself, "I'm sorry, I am... Mia."
"Mia?" I think, somewhat taken aback. Her demeanor seems oddly subdued, not what I'd expect from someone who just engaged in a fierce battle. "What the hell is wrong with her?" I wonder silently. Regardless of her current state, she's still a potential threat.
Jenna notices my apprehension and quickly adds, "There's no need to worry. We actually fight like this all the time. We've known each other for a while now." Her words are meant to reassure, but they don't entirely dispel my doubts.
Mia raises her arm weakly, attempting to apologize. "I-I'm sorry if I scared you." Her voice is fragile, I feel like it doesn't suit her.
I shift my gaze to the cat still trembling on my shoulder. "No matter what you say, you're not getting this cat back," I state firmly. The idea of giving up the cat, especially to someone who might have harmed it, doesn't sit well with me.
Mia responds with an awkward smile. "I see... well, it's not my cat. However, I do know the owner." Her admission catches me off guard. "Eh? So it's not her cat?" I wonder, perplexed by the cat's reaction to her.
Curious, I gently lift the cat from my shoulder and hand it over to Mia. To my surprise, the cat relaxes in her hold, its trembling easing almost immediately. "Tsk, what a traitor," I mutter under my breath, feeling a mix of annoyance and disappointment. "Fine, stay with her for now," I say, trying to hide my irritation.
Watching Draken approach Jenna, I can't help but eavesdrop on their conversation. "Hey Jenna, you need to head to a different location right?" Draken asks, his voice carrying a note of concern.
Jenna nods wearily, her voice tinged with frustration. "Yeah... Before I could enter the city, they forced me to split both my artifacts into two separate vaults."
Saxon, who had been yawning a moment ago, suddenly perks up. His casual demeanor shifts as he spots a group of monsters a couple of dozen blocks away. "Since you need some rest, Jenna, I'll go deal with those fuckers," he says, a confident grin spreading across his face.
I find myself curious about Saxon's capabilities. "Let's see what he's made of," I think, a critical edge to my internal monologue.
Saxon strides towards the approaching monsters, his confidence unmistakable. He pulls out what appears to be a metal toothpick, an innocuous item that seems wildly out of place in his hands. But as the monsters close in, he effortlessly changes its size, transforming the toothpick into a formidable weapon.
The first monster, a hulking brute with scales like armor, lunges at Saxon with a guttural roar. Without missing a beat, Saxon sidesteps the attack, his movements fluid and precise. He thrusts the now-enlarged toothpick forward, piercing the monster's thick hide with surprising ease.
Another monster, this one with multiple limbs flailing wildly, tries to flank Saxon. But he's quick to react, spinning around and slashing through its limbs with a swift, elegant motion. The toothpick, seemingly defying its simple appearance, cuts through the monster's flesh like butter.
The remaining monsters, a mix of grotesque forms and sizes, converge on Saxon. He moves among them like a dancer in a deadly ballet, his toothpick a blur of metallic glint. Each move is calculated, each strike lethal. The monsters fall one by one, unable to match his speed or strength.
-
As the night deepens, the quietness of our makeshift camp is only interrupted by the occasional shift or sigh. Most of the group, exhausted from the day's events, are asleep. I lie there, groaning inwardly. "Tsk, Dolura won't let me go now... Dammit," I think, feeling the weight of her hand on my arm. Her grip is firm, almost possessive. I didn't plan on leaving right away, but having her this close is unbearably annoying.
Across from me, I see Mia, sitting awake with the cat nestled beside her. The others are sprawled around, deep in sleep, likely drained from battling monsters or whatever other strenuous activities they engaged in. I still find it hard to believe they encountered that many threats, considering I only spotted a couple of monsters myself.
My eyes meet Mia's in an awkward staring contest across the dimly lit space. The question that's been nagging at me since I first saw her finally spills out. "Why were you naked?" It's a blunt inquiry, but it's been stuck in my mind, defying any logical explanation I could come up with.
Mia looks taken aback for a moment, her cheeks coloring slightly in the faint light. "I-i... I had an accident," she stammers, her voice barely above a whisper. The explanation seems vague, leaving more questions than answers, but I decide not to press further. It's clear she's uncomfortable, and frankly, I'm not sure I want to know the details.
As I observe the group, it's evident that the tension and stress of recent events are taking their toll even in sleep. Everyone seems to be caught in the grip of nightmares, their bodies occasionally twitching or trembling. The atmosphere is heavy with unspoken fears and anxieties.
Mia, still awake like me, breaks the silence with a question that's clearly been on her mind. "Is it really possible? To fix her sword?" Her voice is tinged with a mix of hope and uncertainty.
I yawn, feeling the weariness of the day creeping over me. "Of course it is," I respond, trying to sound nonchalant. "Why would I lie? It's just a blade after all." To me, it's just another piece of metal, a common one at that. I've worked with enough blades in the past to know that most damage can be repaired with the right skills and materials.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
-Dolura's POV
Panting heavily, my heart racing, I sprint through the dense forest, my feet barely keeping up with my desperation to escape. Tears blur my vision, but I don't dare stop to wipe them away. "Why, why?" I gasp, my breath coming in short, ragged bursts. "Why am I here? This place... it's not real, it can't be real. It has to be a nightmare, I-I can't die here."
The monster's laughter echoes through the trees, a chilling, taunting sound that sends shivers down my spine. "KUKUKUKU," it cackles, its voice a twisted, mocking sneer. Suddenly, a huge tree branch is hurled at me, and I duck, narrowly avoiding it. "Come on, girl! Let me eat you~ I promise it will be painful~" the monster calls out, its tone sickeningly playful.
The thrown branch begins to move on its own, slithering through the underbrush like a serpent, chasing me relentlessly. "No, no, no, no," I whisper frantically. "This is not real!"
Bursting through a thicket of bushes, I find myself in the middle of a vast city. The sudden change of scenery doesn't slow my pace; I know better than to think I'm safe. This is the third night I've been running from this monster in my dreams, and each time, it feels more real, more terrifying.
The sound of my heavy breathing fills my ears, mixed with the distant sounds of the city. Cars honk, glass shatters, and the distant murmur of voices adds to the surreal, nightmarish landscape. But all these noises are drowned out by the monstrous laughter and the relentless pursuit of the animated branch.
I dart through alleys and across streets, my legs burning with exertion. The city is a maze, a labyrinth designed to trap me with this relentless creature. In my heart, I know I can't keep running forever. The fear is overwhelming, suffocating, but I can't let it catch me. I can't stop.
"Why are you doing this to me?!" I scream into the night, my voice breaking with despair. But the monster only laughs harder, its amusement at my terror evident in its grotesque, echoing chuckles.
Gasping for air, my legs aching with each frantic step, I weave through the city's labyrinthine streets. The monstrous laughter seems to follow me, omnipresent and mocking. Every corner I turn, every alley I dash down, it's there, just a step behind.
The cityscape warps around me, buildings stretching and contorting. My mind reels, struggling to grasp the shifting reality of this dream, this nightmare. It's like being trapped in a kaleidoscope of horror, where everything familiar morphs into something terrifying.
As I race down a familiar street, the scene suddenly changes. I'm no longer in the city, but in front of my childhood home. The sight of it sends a new wave of panic through me. "Not here... not this place," I whisper, my voice trembling.
But the nightmare won't relent. The front door swings open, and there stands my father, his face twisting into a grotesque, monstrous visage. It's a memory, a dark echo of the past, replaying the moment he turned into a monster.
I want to run, to escape, but my feet are rooted to the spot. The monster that was once my father steps forward, its mouth widening unnaturally. "You can't escape, Dolura," it growls, its voice a distorted echo of my father's. "You couldn't save your brother, and you can't save yourself."
The memory of my brother's death crashes over me, a wave of guilt and grief. In the nightmare, I see it happen again — the monster consuming him, the helplessness that overwhelmed me. It's a cruel reminder of my reality, of the horrors I've witnessed.
"You won't escape a third time," the monster taunts, its laughter chilling my blood. "This is your end, little girl."
I stumble backward, tears streaming down my face. This is too real, too vivid. The monster advances, and I turn to run, but the world around me shifts again. I'm no longer in front of my childhood home but back in the city, the urban jungle stretching endlessly before me.
I run without direction, my mind a jumbled mess of fear and memories. The monster's presence is constant, a looming shadow that haunts every step. It's a relentless pursuit, an inescapable loop of terror.
The city streets twist and turn, leading me in circles. I pass the same landmarks over and over, each time with a slight, sinister alteration. The nightmare is feeding on my fears, using my memories against me, breaking down my will.
I scream into the void, a plea for release, but the only answer is the monster's mocking laughter. "You can't escape, Dolura. This is where you belong."
The cityscape blurs around me as I run, my breath ragged, my heart pounding in my chest. The relentless pursuit of the monster, its laughter echoing in my ears, fills me with a paralyzing fear. The streets twist and turn into an incomprehensible maze, a trap set by the nightmare that hunts me.
In the distance, the grotesque silhouette of the monster looms closer, its form shifting and contorting as it closes in. I can feel its breath on my neck, the heat of its presence bearing down on me. "You can't run forever, Dolura," it sneers, its voice a sinister hiss.
As I dart around a corner, my foot catches on a loose cobblestone, and I stumble. My heart sinks as I realize this might be the end. The monster's laughter grows louder, more triumphant, as it nears.
I brace myself for the inevitable, but at that moment, the monster pauses. Its laughter stops abruptly, replaced by a low, menacing growl. Confused and terrified, I look up to see what has caused this sudden change.
Before me, hovering in the air, is the floating, disgusting figure from my past nightmares—the monster with hundreds of different-sized eyes. Its gaze is fixed on me, each eye filled with a malevolent intelligence. The monster that has been pursuing me seems to cower in its presence, a twisted sense of reverence in its stance.
The floating monster's eyes focus on me, and I feel a chill run down my spine. "You have escaped me twice, Dolura," it speaks, its voice a cacophony of whispers. "But not this time."
My breath catches in my throat, and a sense of utter hopelessness washes over me. This is the monster that nearly killed me once, the embodiment of my deepest fears and nightmares. Its presence alone is enough to paralyze me with terror.