"So if I die here, I'm dead on the other side," Dion asked calmly.
"Yes." Karen nodded.
Dion nodded with a neutral expression and did not make a big fuss out of it. He already had a few guesses that just needed confirmation.
"From the way you talk and act, you must know many others like me," Dion gazed into Karen's eyes.
"Yes." Karen did not deny it. "There are others. But I can't tell you anything."
"Why?" Dion asked, his forehead creased in annoyance.
"Because the supernatural beings on the other side are after us in the dark. This place is worse because Hexz like us are hunted openly. They call us otherworldly invaders and realm variables. If you get discovered being a realm wanderer, your life will be a living hell in this place. What if I tell you their names and you expose them?" Karen explained.
"I need to settle to be able to organize and process what you are saying, or else, I might miss some things. This place isn't where to talk. Let's go."
Dion walked out, his priorities set straight.
He began unlocking everybody's shackles. When he was done, they all gathered at the fork road.
"You guys are free. You can leave now," Dion stated with a deep voice free from any emotional fluctuation.
Even though most were older than him and looked dangerous, he kept his cool and confident look.
They did not do anything out of the ordinary. Maybe the cloth Dion wore deterred them; the bloody cloth of the jailer was like an open testament about his power and fierceness.
All of them thanked him before running through the different roads they felt led out of hell. Dion couldn't help but feel his heart clenched with guilt as he watched them run out, but he already made up his mind.
Maybe they knew what he was doing but couldn't wait to escape the hell. Going back now is not an option.
"Nice move," a voice broke the silence, catching Dion off guard.
He turned to find a group of individuals standing behind him—the elf, the girl with wolf-like features, the man who claimed to know the way, and Karen. The people he told to wait.
Dion observed each of them, noting their unique qualities.
The elf exuded an air of ethereal grace, her long, silky, dark green hair cascading behind her and her gem-like eyes shimmering with an otherworldly glow.
The wolf girl, with her black hair tied in a ponytail and piercing brown eyes, possessed an aura of strength and wildness. And the man, with his unkempt appearance and ragged clothes, wore an innocent smile.
"Sending them as cannon fodders so that they can lead the guard away. But that's a little ruthless," the man remarked with an innocent and sheepish smile.
Dion's gaze lingered on the man for a moment, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention to the group as a whole.
"Which is the way out?"
"This tunnel."
The man pointed towards a tunnel, his eyes glimmering. Dion tightened his grip on the box he carried, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
"Let's go." Dion led the way but he could see them giving him a sneaky vigilant gaze after the man spoke previously.
Being an introvert, he learned to read the micro behaviors of others: twitching of the fingers, sudden batting of the eyelashes, slight shudders, and more.
But he wasn't bothered. They might never meet each other after they escape… that's if they succeed.
The tunnel was dark and led upward in a rough and smooth slope. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they emerged from the tunnel, their eyes adjusting to the dim light. But their moment of relief was short-lived.
"Hey, hold it right there!" a voice called out, causing Dion's heart to skip a beat.
He turned towards the source of the voice, his eyes meeting a pair of glowing grey orbs that sent a shiver down his spine. Those eyes—the color was unforgettable.
'Damn! Not lucky enou–'
Before he could finish his train of thought, he saw the wolf girl pounce on the man. She caught and lifted him by his neck and snapped it like a dried twig.
As the wolf girl snaps the man's neck, we can describe Dion's heart pounding in his chest, his breath catching in his throat, and a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Then she threw Dion a glance. Maybe the show was a warning to Dion not to think of using her like others.
'Damn! Who did I come out with? A bear? I can't show weakness.'
Dion's eyelashes fluttered. He never took her super strength she spoke about seriously because someone powerful wouldn't be captured like him. However, he's beginning to see her in a different light.
Taking a deep breath, Dion looked around.
He stood in awe of the majestic forest before him. Towering trees stretched towards the heavens, their branches entwined in a verdant canopy that filtered golden sunlight.
The forest whispered with the rustle of leaves and the gentle chorus of chirping birds.
Dion took a deep inhale with closed eyes, enjoying the feeling of fresh air filling his lungs for the first time in like forever.
'The feeling of freedom… escaping the shackles of hell...'
He felt like he spent centuries beneath the rock. The air was thick with the earthy scent of damp soil and the sweet perfume of wildflowers.
'...is irreplaceable.'
He turned to the man.
"Man, what's the way."
The man touched his short beard. He had messy black hair, a small body build, and ragged clothes. "My name is Luke. As for the way, it's North. We should be going to the Sky Domain. The place contains many things including the rune magic school, the Blood Magic Academy. That way, the people chasing us wouldn't dare near."
"What about the South?" Dion asked unhurriedly.
"We can't go there! Too dangerous." Luke shook fiercely.
"Then East or West?" Dion asked.
"We need to go now. North is the safest and closest path. The next village and town to the East is far away. The path to the West is a maze; we can easily get lost," Luke protested anxiously as he looked around with vigilant eyes.
Dion turned to the girls and he saw them subtly inching towards Luke, except Karen.
"Luke, lead the way," Dion said aptly, not ready for any delay or argument.
The five of them embarked on a journey.
The elf had a way of noticing danger with her sharp eyes and long-range hearing. So, it was a nice walk.
Any danger that came without the elf's notice, the wolf girl took care of it.
Dion and Karen lagged at the back.
The sun was slowly setting as they walked through the forest. Dion looked at the sun worriedly.
Suddenly, he felt Karen pulling his cloak.
Dion turned.
"Have you awakened your bloodline?" She asked Dion.
Dion just stared at her like she was a fool – the elf had long-range hearing.
But Karen continued, "I will watch over you tonight while you sleep and then you watch over me tomorrow."
"Hey! She can–" Dion immediately halted his speech when the elf turned around and looked at him.
Then the elf turned forward. Dion did not ask her about her name.
"When you get to school, meet Ella. She will explain everything to you," Karen continued.
Dion noticed something. The elf did notice when Karen was talking but the moment his mouth opened to talk, she heard him.
Dion could only nod.
They continue moving quickly.
"We will rest here tonight," Luke said after finding a spot when it was dark.
Luke turned to Dion. "Dion, can you get wood? We need fire to heat ourselves and cook meat."
Dion arched an eyebrow at him.
"Valka would go hunt for animals so that we can eat," Luke quickly explained.
Dion nodded and did as he was told. He went not far away to get wood.
Surprisingly, sleep did not attack him aggressively like usual, but it was slowly embracing him.
After gathering the woods, Valka returned not long after with three dead small animals.
'Impressive hunt in a short time,' Dion thought.
Karen was sitting beside the fire with her hands on her jaw. She had been quiet.
The elf sat at one side and Valka sat close to Luke.
Luke began, "Valka and I would look out for a while. Karen and Dion would…"
But Dion gave Luke a sharp look with narrow eyes that got his voice stuck in his throat.
"...Karen and Liana would take after us," Luke completed.
Maybe Dion didn't notice but after the ordeal beneath the cave, his sharp gaze is becoming threatening. Coupled with his ruthless move of using the prisoners as cannon fodders, slaying the almighty jailer, and escaping the locks unscathed. Luke took him for a trained, ruthless boy.
Dion had his fill of the roasted meat indifferently before drifting to deep slumber. He couldn't wait to meet Ella. He needs an explanation.